The Midseason Report
Gentlemen – With nine weeks in the rearview mirror for the 2018 season, it’s time to take a look back. This season has been marked by huge swings positive or negative. In past years, one or two big ups and downs were common, but in the first nine weeks of 2018, six have had a league swing one way or the other of $4,000 or more. Weeks 8 and 9 have been particularly fruitful, a combined +$15,700 for the league.
Here’s a breakdown of how the league did as a whole each week:
Week 1: +$5,700
Week 2: -$6,500
Week 3: +$500
Week 4: $0
Week 5: -$4,100
Week 6: -$4,300
Week 7: -$400
Week 8: +$6,200
Week 9: +$9,500
That’s a cumulative total of +$6,600.
Disclaimer: The following is a completely biased report of the first nine weeks of the FMFL. The views, opinions, and observations that follow are those of the Executive Director and are completely subjective.
East Division
Bud Fox
Current Total: $500
Winning Percentage: 0.591
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: Bud didn’t get out of the gate quickly, but is starting to gain momentum and make his move. He currently holds the East lead, but all of the franchises in this division are within striking distance, so there is a lot to be determined.
Grade: B
Judge Smails
Current Total: -$200
Winning Percentage: 0.391
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Week 8 – Philadelphia – Won
Recap: Smails looked like he was headed for another lost season before turning things around the last two weeks. Now he finds himself just $700 off the division lead.
Grade: C+
Karl Farbman
Current Total: -$300
Winning Percentage: 0.444
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: Farbman was pretty much flawless in September, but then went winless in October to sink down the East standings. He’ll need a strong next few weeks to make a run at the division title.
Grade: C
Mr. Marbles
Current Total: -$100
Winning Percentage: 0.528
Fines: $100
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: Mr. Marbles has hung around like so many others in the East and is within shouting distance of the leaders. Timing of wild card bets will be big for him and others in the East down the stretch.
Grade: C+
Patrick Bateman
Current Total: $300
Winning Percentage: 0.526
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: Bateman sports a solid winning percentage and has momentum going into the second half of the season. Given his pedigree, he could make a run at either the division or a wild card berth. However, one thing is clear – he chose the East Division and couldn’t be more accurate in grouping together a bunch of mediocre performers.
Grade: B-
Shecky
Current Total: $100
Winning Percentage: 0.500
Fines: $100
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: Shecky is another franchises that treaded water and is now just $400 out of the lead. He’s been more aggressive this season, with less five teamers.
Grade: B-
The Beard of Zeus
Current Total: -$900
Winning Percentage: 0.417
Fines: $200
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: On one hand, The Beard is in last place in the East. But on the other, he’s one big week away from being right in the mix for the division crown. However, more fines in the second half will only snuff out his chances.
Grade: D+
The People’s Champ
Current Total: -$700
Winning Percentage: 0.438
Fines: $100
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: Does the Champ have another run in him for 2018? It doesn’t look like the Giants are going to be in contention, so trend data would say that neither will TPC.
Grade: C-
North Division
Blossom Russo
Current Total: $100
Winning Percentage: 0.529
Fines: $600
Wild Card Bet: Week 7 – Indianapolis – Won
Recap: Despite missing a week of bets, Blossom is on the positive side after winning her wild card bet and having few solid weeks after that. She’s way outside the race for the division, but if she gets hot could content for a wild card.
Grade: B-
Chalky Studebaker
Current Total: $500
Winning Percentage: 0.536
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: Chalky has hovered around where he is now for most of the first half, and his wild card bet will be huge in determining his fate for the season.
Grade: B
Dr. Oge
Current Total: -$500
Winning Percentage: 0.481
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: Oge hasn’t had the magic touch picking winners this season. He’s got some work to do if he wants to sneak into the postseason, and the time is probably now to make a move.
Grade: C-
Gordon Bombay
Current Total: $2,500
Winning Percentage: 0.720
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: Bombay’s had a steady rise the entire first half of the year and is setting the pace for the rest of the league. A 72% winning rate can’t continue, can it?
Grade: A+
Kimmy Gibbler
Current Total: $1,300
Winning Percentage: 0.625
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: Gibbler is +$1,000 over the last two weeks and she has a chance to challenge Bombay, or at the very least win a wild card berth.
Grade: A-
Larisa Oleynik
Current Total: -$1,100
Winning Percentage: 0.389
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: It was bad from the start for Larisa, who didn’t win a bet until Week 4. She has from now until Thanksgiving to try to get back into it. If not, she’s toast.
Grade: D
OJ
Current Total: $1,300
Winning Percentage: 0.606
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: OJ has risen with the rest of the league the last few weeks and is another franchise that could challenge for the North crown.
Grade: A-
T-Ferg
Current Total: $1,100
Winning Percentage: 0.583
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: T-Ferg shed his betting partner in the offseason, and so far looks better for it. He’s in solid playoff position with eight weeks to go.
Grade: A-
South Division
Boss Hardigan
Current Total: -$300
Winning Percentage: 0.447
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: The Boss hasn’t been able to get things going this season, though he’s never dropped too low. Time to pull the trigger on that wild card bet?
Grade: C+
Donnie Jeffcoat
Current Total: $300
Winning Percentage: 0.518
Fines: $100
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: Donnie has had an ho-hum 2018, with not much momentum pushing him either way. He’s in FMFL purgatory right now, pushing to get out of it.
Grade: B-
Face
Current Total: -$3,000
Winning Percentage: 0.250
Fines: $200
Wild Card Bet: Week 6 – Cleveland – Lost
Recap: Egad.
Grade: F
Neon Boudeaux
Current Total: -$200
Winning Percentage: 0.556
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Week 7 – LA Chargers – Lost
Recap: It was fun for awhile, but there was no way of knowing that Neon’s wild card bet would go kaput and sink him into negative figures. If there’s more than this in the 2018 for him, he’ll have to get hot the old fashioned way in the second half.
Grade: C+
Rick Moranis
Current Total: $1,000
Winning Percentage: 0.578
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: Rick was plugging along most of the first half but the division lead has gotten a little bit away from him the last two weeks. He still is in good position and has his big bet in his back pocket.
Grade: A-
Thine
Current Total: $2,000
Winning Percentage: 0.596
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Week 8 – Washington – Won
Recap: Thine has been +$1,800 over the last three weeks and has a comfortable lead in the South. He’s won his wild card bet, and now will see if others in the division can return the favor to challenge him.
Grade: A
Waldo Geraldo Faldo
Current Total: $600
Winning Percentage: 0.479
Fines: $100
Wild Card Bet: Week 9 – Houston – Won
Recap: Waldo closed out the first half strong with a winning wild card bet in a nailbiter. With a strong November, he’ll be in contention for the playoffs.
Grade: B+
Yaz
Current Total: -$800
Winning Percentage: 0.361
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: Yaz’s winning percentage tells the story. As the rest of the league flourished in the last few weeks, he’s gone the other direction.
Grade: D-
West Division
Babe
Current Total: $1,500
Winning Percentage: 0.667
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: Babe has had a strong 2018 campaign, with consistent winning bets. He’s right in the mix in the crowded West.
Grade: A
Bayonnaise
Current Total: -$800
Winning Percentage: 0.450
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Week 6 – Jacksonville – Lost
Recap: A lost wild card bet seems to have sunk Bayonnaise for this season, as it will be tough for him to challenge for a postseason berth.
Grade: D-
Chris B. Corey
Current Total: $1,900
Winning Percentage: 0.708
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: Chris is winning over 70% of the time, has the West lead (for now), and still can place his big bet. A great first half overall, and now the race to the finish begins.
Grade: A
Don Mattingly
Current Total: -$1,000
Winning Percentage: 0.404
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: It’s a different season, but same old story for the downtrodden Don Mattingly, who is currently last in the West.
Grade: D-
Kenny Powers
Current Total: -$500
Winning Percentage: 0.457
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: With Kenny’s strong performances the last few seasons, he’s gotten off to a strange start this year. He’s one that shouldn’t be counted out just yet because he’s shown he can get hot, but time is running out.
Grade: C-
Kiko Garcia
Current Total: $1,800
Winning Percentage: 0.650
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Week 7 – Indianapolis – Won
Recap: Kiko parlayed a wild card win to jump up the West standings, and is +$1,400 the last three weeks. He’s right behind Chris in the division race.
Grade: A
The Big Hurt
Current Total: -$100
Winning Percentage: 0.482
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: Left for dead in Week 6, The Big Hurt has clawed his way back to nearly even money. Does he have a Cinderella run in the second half? (Spoiler: probably not)
Grade: C+
The Notorious ABT
Current Total: $300
Winning Percentage: 0.536
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: The ABT has gone against the current the last four weeks and unfortunately dropped back in the standings, while many others cashed in. There’s time to make a move for a playoff berth, but pushing for a division title is a long shot.
Grade: B
