The Midseason Report
Gentlemen – We are halfway done with 2021, and a few franchises have been standouts, while most have been mediocre at best. Only 2 of the 32 franchises have used their wild card bets, so a lot can swing one way or the other in the second half. There have been some rough weeks along the way, as highlighted below. If the season ended today, the last playoff spot would be right at even money.
Here’s a breakdown of how the league did as a whole each week:
Week 1: -$1,100
Week 2: -$5,100
Week 3: -$900
Week 4: +$2,800
Week 5: +$2,500
Week 6: $0
Week 7: -$2,100
Week 8: -$2,200
Week 9: -$6,700
That’s a cumulative total of -$12,800.
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
Blossom Russo
Current Total: -$1,400
Winning Percentage: 0.389
Fines: $100
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: Blossom hasn’t found her spark just yet in the 2021 season. However, there’s reason for optimism. Given how the rest of the league has performed, she’s not too far out of it halfway through.
Grade: D
Boss Hardigan
Current Total: $1,900
Winning Percentage: 0.650
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: A strong first half of the season all around for the Boss. He’s built a solid lead without using his wild card and will have to fend off only a couple of challengers to win the East.
Grade: A+
Chalky Studebaker
Current Total: -$700
Winning Percentage: 0.478
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: Chalky has had a few bright spots in the first half, but then has been brought back down to earth. However, is winning percentage has kept him alive.
Grade: C-
Chris B. Corey
Current Total: -$500
Winning Percentage: 0.429
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: Chris has underperformed given his pedigree, but could be dangerous in the second half of the season.
Grade: C-
Kiko Garcia
Current Total: -$1,300
Winning Percentage: 0.341
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: Kiko has had a bad run recently, losing $500 the last three weeks. He might be one franchise looking to use that big bet sooner rather than later.
Grade: D
Shecky
Current Total: -$1,800
Winning Percentage: 0.318
Fines: $100
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: Shecky continues to bet the Browns, and he continues to go down with his squad. He had a run of eight straight losses that might have ultimately sunk his chances in 2021.
Grade: D-
The Beard of Zeus
Current Total: -$1,500
Winning Percentage: 0.271
Fines: $100
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: A 27% winning percentage isn’t going to do much for the Beard’s chances of regaining past glory, and to be honest, his dollar total is surprisingly high given his poor performance.
Grade: D
Yaz
Current Total: $900
Winning Percentage: 0.639
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: Yaz has risen above the fray so far this season. He’s in prime postseason position and has the best chance of chasing down Boss Hardigan for the East crown.
Grade: B+
North Division
Bud Fox
Current Total: -$100
Winning Percentage: 0.455
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: Bud has relied on the trusty Chiefs throughout the first half and that’s been his downfall. Yet, he’s still hovering around even money and could make a playoff run.
Grade: C+
Don Mattingly
Current Total: $100
Winning Percentage: 0.481
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: The FMFL’s longtime bridesmaid has weathered the storm to positive first half dollars, though a chance at the North title might be out of reach unless things change quickly.
Grade: B-
Judge Smails
Current Total: -$700
Winning Percentage: 0.480
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: Smails started off the 2021 campaign on the right foot, but went down $1,500 the last three weeks to put himself behind the eight-ball for the final nine weeks of the season.
Grade: C-
Kenny Powers
Current Total: $1,400
Winning Percentage: 0.587
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: A well-fought first half to the season has Kenny right where he wants to be. He’s within striking distance for the division lead, and with a few more good weeks can coast to a playoff berth.
Grade: A
Neon Boudeaux
Current Total: $0
Winning Percentage: 0.511
Fines: $100
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: Neon has bet five games every week. 23 wins, 22 losses. A $100 fine has him at $0. Riveting.
Grade: C
Patrick Bateman
Current Total: -$1,700
Winning Percentage: 0.375
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: Not sure who the imposter betting for Bateman has been this season, but his shockingly low winning percentage has us questioning everything. Note that he has never finished in negative money…
Grade: D-
T-Ferg
Current Total: $1,700
Winning Percentage: 0.667
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: T-Ferg is winning two-thirds of his bets, and will now play from a position of power for the rest of the season as the leader in the North.
Grade: A
The Big Hurt
Current Total: -$300
Winning Percentage: 0.406
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: The Big Hurt is still an intriguing franchise. He’ll either make a nice little playoff run or go down in flames.
Grade: C
South Division
Bayonnaise
Current Total: -$1,600
Winning Percentage: 0.327
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: The ‘Naise has left a lot to be desired thus far. Time for that wild card bet, hermano?
Grade: D
Biff Tannen
Current Total: -$400
Winning Percentage: 0.516
Fines: $100
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: The only rookie in the FMFL this year has been admirable so far, and has even held the top spot in the South for a time. His -$600 week ending the first half makes this look a little worse than it is.
Grade: C-
Gordon Bombay
Current Total: -$700
Winning Percentage: 0.481
Fines: $200
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: On the bright side, despite a below average performance, Bombay is only $800 out of the division lead and still has his wild card bet.
Grade: C-
Karl Farbman
Current Total: -$500
Winning Percentage: 0.444
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: Two bad weeks put Farbman into negative dollars, but like many others in the mediocre South, he’s within shouting distance.
Grade: C-
Karl Hungus
Current Total: $100
Winning Percentage: 0.500
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: Leads the South, but given the competition, he won’t win it, right?
Grade: B-
Luther Lavay
Current Total: -$500
Winning Percentage: 0.548
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Week 3 – Las Vegas – Lost
Recap: Luther’s first half was interesting. He’s one of the two who have used a wild card bet, and lost, but still he’s right in the mix and boasts a strong winning percentage.
Grade: C-
Rick Moranis
Current Total: -$1,900
Winning Percentage: 0.344
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: Where’s the Rick of old?
Grade: F
Waldo Geraldo Faldo
Current Total: -$700
Winning Percentage: 0.413
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: Waldo continues to hang around and still has something to say in the second half of the season.
Grade: C-
West Division
Babe
Current Total: $0
Winning Percentage: 0.528
Fines: $200
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: Take away Babe’s fines and he’d be a lot happier with the first half. He’s got experience on his side to make a run at the West title.
Grade: C+
Donnie Jeffcoat
Current Total: $100
Winning Percentage: 0.519
Fines: $200
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: Donnie has been coming on strong as of late, winning $1,000 over the last two weeks as most of the rest of the league struggled. He finds himself just $300 off the pace.
Grade: B-
Larisa Oleynik
Current Total: -$1,000
Winning Percentage: 0.417
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Week 3 – Kansas City – Lost
Recap: Larisa can only hope that the rest of the West loses their wild card bets and she can sneak back into the mix in the second half.
Grade: D+
Mr. Marbles
Current Total: -$300
Winning Percentage: 0.444
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: He’s another longtime franchise that is bunched together with a number of others around the final playoff positions, but does he have the endurance for the second half?
Grade: C-
OJ
Current Total: $400
Winning Percentage: 0.482
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: OJ’s lead has been bigger that the $300 cushion he enjoys now, but smart betting has him atop the West despite a subpar winning percentage.
Grade: B
The Notorious ABT
Current Total: $100
Winning Percentage: 0.552
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: The ABT has taken the road less traveled in the first half, avoiding many of the most popular bets to navigate up the standings and just a toss away from the West lead.
Grade: B-
The People’s Champ
Current Total: -$500
Winning Percentage: 0.435
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: Week 9 was big for the Champ, but he still has work to do if he wants to defend his division crown.
Grade: C-
Thine
Current Total: -$1,400
Winning Percentage: 0.391
Fines: $300
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: Carpe damnum.
Grade: D-
