QFBA Rag – 2007-8 Week Twelve

Dead Return:
Chief Yum-Yum Alive - Barely!

Rednicks looked to be headed for their second straight loss this week when the lowly Dubers trailed by a mere 30 pints - er, points - with J. O’Neil still to go. In a week that wrapped up early, O’Neal took the floor on Wednesday, only to exit with injury after only nine minutes and 4 fantasy points. In a week when Rednicks have four players fail to crack 30 points they prove the old adage that it’s better to be lucky than good.

The good (?) news is that, inspired by this uninspired win, the AWOL Chief came out of hiding to be his old chest-thumping self. Apparently, rumors of his demise were greatly exaggerated. How 'bout them apples?!

Return to the Dead

Proving that The Outer Limits was but a half-hour episode, the SeaGals followed their Week Eleven win with a 134 point showing and a 64 point beating at the hands of Hayduke. Davis’ five points and Wallace’s seventeen didn’t help the Gals’ hopes for a win streak any but with Coach Hayduke’s squad again setting the weekly high score, it didn’t matter much.

Don’t look now folks, but this ‘Runners team has climbed to .500 behind a four game win streak, during which they are averaging 195.5 points. If their starting five can stay healthy, they could be the Cinderella story of the season. Stoudemire has finally returned to the fantasy stud he was two seasons ago, G. Wallace has exploded into a superstar, D-Will is even better than he was last season and C. Paul continues to rack up numbers. Even Turkey-Glue has seemed inspired this season under Coach Hayduke’s tutelage.

If things continue like this, the Week Nineteen showdown between ‘Runners and the Good Cap’n may be a prelude to the finals.


Speaking of Resurging...

Sometimes the most dangerous teams are the one’s coming of embarrassing losses. Take, for example, the drubbing my Jazz gave the poor Clippers this week after getting pummeled the night before by the Nuggets. Or the way didi’s hijacked the injury decimated ‘Bus.

While their 167 point performance doesn’t quite qualify as setting the QFBA world afire, it was the 3rd highest score of the week and did power the didi’s to a 23 point win. I’ve gotta hand it to this didi team, they’ve managed to stay in playoff contention at 7-5 despite being seventh in terms of points average.

Meanwhile, the bus gets a little horsepower boost next week with the return of oft-injured McGrady. Word out of D.C, is that Arenas will begin practice with the team this week. ‘Bus has been incredibly lucky to get through his injury troubles of the last five weeks with only two losses. Now with the return of McGrady and potential return of Arenas, he is poised to challenge for the QFBA title yet again.


Jitters Have Misfortune of Facing Red-Hot Cap

For the second week in a row, Coach S was heard to mutter “Woe is me!” This week she tied for the 3rd highest score of the week but had to face the Powerhouse Parrotheads. I’ll admit, the Good Cap was a bit worried when Deng went down with injury and 15 fantasy points, Johnson was human at 31 and Boozer continued his mediocre ways of late at 34. None of that mattered in the least once King James racked up his 72 in an overtime win for the Cavs.

Much as he hates to be greedy, The Cap’s only regret this week is that he didn’t leave Gay in the lineup. With Gay’s 45 in place of Deng’s fifteen, the Parrothead’s would have posted a whopping 224. It’s okay though, Cap’ll gladly take the 194 and the Dubya.


SeaClutch City

Coach Apes didn’t have her best week ever but didn’t need it against the decimated SeaGuys (or is it Sonny to the SeaGals Cher?). Coach Tobias has been lamenting his inconsistent team but, sadly, they are getting quite consistent lately... consistently bad! I mean, speaking of matchups, too bad for the Gals that they didn’t face this team on a four game losing streak. The Dubers are also on a four game losing streak and even they would have beaten Crutch City.

Looking down Crutch’s roster, I see Incubus reject B. Gordon with eight, R. Jefferson with thirteen... wasn’t that another ‘Bus reject? Carter at nineteen. Personally, I was surprised to see Carter resurrect himself last year to do well for the Chief but I am not at all surprised to see him slouch back to selfish mediocrity this season. Redd has had one of his best years and is actually doing more than just scoring while Duncan has been a surprise, posting some big numbers of late. I didn’t expect that this year as Duncan’s career winds down and more people are contributing for the Spurs. So...Clutch has two decent players left after the Incubus raid.

Coach Tobias, I like you, I really do, but how many years in a row are you going to fall trade victim to the ‘Bus before you learn what the rest of us already know: DON’T TRADE WITH THE BUS!!! Hey, Sonny, watch out fer that tree!!

Second Half Prognostications

With the completion of the first week of the second half of the season, I’m going to go out on a limb here and make some predictions, if only to stimulate a little email action from those I piss off.

The four teams to make the playoffs will be, in this order: Cap’n Parrotdead, FrontRunners, Incubus and Rednicks. Frankly, I’m not so sure about Rednicks. FJCruisers have an outside chance of making the playoffs and maybe didi’s good coaching/luck can carry them that far as well.

Of the four likely playoff teams, only the FrontRunners have the horsepower to challenge The Good Cap’s for the title. Think I’m wrong? Tell me why.