Mission Accomplished

[Adam Gross]

Good morning fellow league members,

About four months ago when this fantasy season began, I got the whole organization together - scouts, coaches, front office personnel - and expressed to them the importance of this season.  Have we been consistently competitive?  No question.  Have we frequently put the best team on the field?  Probably.  But have we won enough?  Everyone in that room agreed the answer to that last important question was no.  And so we began this year with a renewed energy and sense of purpose.  We weren't going to get beat for talent on waivers.  We weren't going to start the wrong guys based on an outlier rotoworld report.  We weren't going to accept losses to the Levys and Nelsons of the world.  It is amazing what a group of people can accomplish when they are all properly motivated and focused on a common goal.  They can achieve fantasy immortality.  The first title was sweet, but I think this one, after so many near misses, is that much sweeter.

I would like to congratulate Gaiman for overcoming significant adversity and carrying his band of misfits all the way to the championship game.  Objectively, his start of Cameron Meredith in the title game may have been the best lineup decision made in the league all season.  At the beginning of the year, the whispers were that today's game had passed Gaiman by.  That he was an old lion being surpassed by a league full of young cubs.  But I think Gaiman has announced his reemergence.  You didn't win, but you should hold your head high Dan.  For the first time in several offseasons, the future looks bright for your organization.

I would also like to take a minute to comment on the recently announced league year end awards:

The Relegation Award - Ooh Baby I Like It Rawls (Jon Levy) - If this was the English Premiere League, Levy's sorry franchise would be spending (at least) 2017 competing in the Championship League and playing games in places like Huddersfield and Ipswich.  Levy's perennial "up and down" franchise is dangerously teetering on becoming a consistent bottom feeder.  An offseason of reassessment and reflection is on the horizon.

Deer in Headlights Award - The Serve Train (Lee Berliner) - Congrats Lee!  It's nice to see Lee's sorry franchise is capable of winning something.  On paper, Lee had a very talented team, amassing the third most points in the league.  Unfortunately, when the moment got big, Lee's team got small.  Despite underachieving throughout the season, Lee needed only a win over Levy's powder puff squad to secure a playoff birth, but he could not get it done (or even break 100 points in trying).  I think we can all take some small amount of comfort in the fact that at least not every blowhard who pumped up his greatness and craves constant attention found success in 2016.  At some point this league might need a villain with a bit more success.  

Hard Knock Life Award - Bill + Tom's Exce llent Adventure (Billy and Tommy Conry) - Billy and Tommy are this season's toughest losers.  A solid team that performed generally solidly but never got any breaks.  It's true that you make your own breaks, but it's also true that with a few different bounces, this team could have been a contender.  Another franchise with an intriguing future.

Most Aptly Named Franchise - Easy Money (Jason Rogers) - Rogers put together a solid team in his league debut, which included nearly derailing my dream season in the semis.  However, in the end, his team fell short and thus was easy money for the winners.

Life Got in the Way Award - The Norm Culbersons (AJ Mallon) - After a very successful run, which included a championship, AJ's team took a major step back this season.  Early reports indicate that the birth of his son and his wife's season long pregnancy served as distractions within the organization.  No reason not to expect ownership to turn the ship around next season, but there are some off the record concerns from top tier executives questioning the impact that being born into a losing culture might have on James Vincent.  Apparently the kid is so distraught and disappointed in his father's season that he hasn't been able to sleep for more than a few hours at a time since his birth.  Next year will surely be pivotal.  

Overall, much like the NFL, parity was the theme of this season as no team finished more than one game out of the playoffs and two 6-7 teams qualified (with Gaiman's team advancing to the finals).

With that, I will leave you with this look inside the champs' lockerroom shortly after last night's MNF game concluded, cementing our second title and our climb to the top of the mountain.

I look forward to defending my title next year.  Until then, please listen to this song on loop until next year's draft:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04854XqcfCY

Happy holidays to all,

The Champ

[Jon Levy]

Congratulations Gross!  You had the best team and took home the championship with class and grace.  

Total Pot was $1680.

60% for Winning: $1008

20% for First place in regular season: $336.

Total Gross (pun intended) winnings: $1,344

Gaiman:  you get 20% ($336) for second place.

Please let me know how you would like to receive your money.  Cash, paypal, venmo can all be arranged.

Well done, Gents.

Until next year...

-Jon

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