We are the Champions

To brighten up my sports life, I learned today that I won my Fantasy College Football League. I wrote about finding fantasy College Football back in August. I promptly joined three leagues through CBS Sports and drafted within a few days. I figured out quickly that, like some winners of the Heisman (see Smith, Troy; White, Jason; and Crouch, Eric), the best fantasy College Football players are not the best NFL prospects. While I thought I had a good team with the Lafayette Lions in the Penn State University League, I finished 1-9, missed the playoffs, and scored a measly 1252 points (125.2 points/game). The league champion scored 2,047.2 points over 12 games (170.6 pts/game average). It's safe to say that fantasy College Football scores are much higher than your average NFL fantasy games, where 90 points is usually considered competitive and will produce an above average team. My big name players on the Lions were Rutgers RBs (namely Ray Rice), California WRs (mostly DeSean Jackson), and Oregon QBs (Dennis Dixon predominantly). No dice. Bad team, apparently. With team 2, the Sinking Spring Turtles in the Steel City Football League, I would surely have better luck. And I did. At 2-7-1. WOW! I managed 1402.8 points in this league over 10 games. My last team, the Tippecanoe Tornadoes, was more for fun and I drafted players I wanted and wasn't trying to win. Result? CHAMPIONS!!! An 8-2 regular season followed by a 2-0 playoff run. I had the highest scoring team at 2007.2 points through 12 games. I even played the second hardest schedule. Damn, we were gooooood. Who was on my team you ask? Check this out:

• Texas Tech QBs (Graham Harrell...yeah that'll do nicely)
• Penn State RBs (thank you Kinlaw!)
• Wisconsin RBs (thank God P.J. Hill has a stud freshman backup)
• Purdue WRs (Dorien Bryant and outlaw Selwyn Lymon)
• Missouri TEs (Martin Rucker et. al.)
• Arkansas Ks (Alex Tejada)
• Penn State D/ST

Not really NFL prospects. Harrell may be a late round choice, Bryant and Rucker could go in the 3rd, and Hill wasn't dominant. But in fantasy College Football world, I ruled all. My bench included Penn State QBs (HA! Like I'd ever play them!), Auburn RBs, LSU WRs (damn you Doucet), and Penn State WRs and TEs. Like I said, this league was for fun so I snatched every PSU player except Ks (sorry Kevin Kelly). And I won! So I guess PSU isn't bad at all forms of football. Hell, they help me win when most of them are riding the pine.



With the uninspired and hapless play by Penn State, the Dolphins looking to make the wrong kind of history, the Flyers sporadic play, and it months before the Phillies play meaningful games, fantasy sports are all I have. Thank you Tippecanoe Tornadoes. You are my sports pride (and that is so sad).

P.S. - FYI, I'm also 9-2 in my normal Fantasy Football league. All hail Tony Romo!