Author: admin

Week 9 MVP Award Winner –
Hoosier Daddy (31 Points)

Hoosier Daddy has stepped up his game big time over the past few weeks and it all culminated this week with him scoring 31 Points to win the Week 9 MVP Award.  Just a few weeks ago, Hoosier was in 9th Place for 3 consecutive weeks.  But with a surge of momentum and some great picks, he climbed up to 8th Place last week and now he is into 5th Place, solidly in the Top Five.  Hoosier Daddy now finds himself a mere 8 Points from catching up to 1st Place.  Being that Hoosier Daddy has been one of the best players in the club over the past decade (he has won 2 of the past 6 Club Championships), he is looking to add yet another trophy to his collection.  Among Hoosier’s Week 8 highlights was getting Triple Jeopardy, all 3 Point Spread games, both Games of the Week, and the Triple Crown correct.  That is a very strong showing for a week when you can rack up that many Points.  And with that, Hoosier became the 10th different player to win the MVP Award during the first 9 weeks of the season (no player has yet repeated as MVP).  The Week 9 MVP Award Runner-Up went to The Sad Salmon, who scored 29 Points.  The Sad Salmon is now sitting only 2 Points and 1 position behind Hoosier Daddy in the standings as he climbs into a share of 6th Place.  I have to say, I continue to be impressed with how well The Sad Salmon is doing in the club as a rookie player.  He is having a very strong season and even contending for the club title.  Imagine the shock if he actually won it all.  And he very well could if he continues to make good picks (and his Dolphins continue to do well).  No rookie player has ever won the club title in their first season, unless you count Big Wiggle winning it in the very first year of the club’s existence.  I also wanted to give a shout-out to Nighthawk in this column.  Nighthawk has very quietly dominated the club during the first half of the season.  He has logged 6 Weeks at #1 out of 9 total weeks.  Granted, he has not yet been able to pull away from the competition and run away with the title (as some players have done in past seasons).  But Nighthawk, we are all grateful for that, because you are keeping things interesting and giving the rest of us a chance.  Can 2008 Club Champion Nighthawk maintain his momentum over the second half of the season and begin stretching his lead?  We will have to wait and see.  The Top Five currently consists of #1 Nighthawk, #2 Halibut J-Bird & Slick Chick (3 Points back), #4 Stinkerbell (7 Points back), and #5 Hoosier Daddy (8 Points back).  Toward the bottom of the standings (where I’ve been most of the year), I wanted to mention that MJD Hogg has been picking really solidly lately and made a huge jump last week from 17th to 15th Place.  Well done, MJD.  For everyone, keep in mind there are only 2 weeks left in Head to Head Weekly and 4 weeks left in Pro Bowl Team Weekly before the tournaments start.  So it is very important for both you and your team to win your upcoming matches.

On a more serious note, all club members who knew Rhapsody Ralph (Ralph Casale, Sr.) were deeply saddened with the news that he recently passed away.  Rhapsody Ralph was our 2002 Club Champion and an important part of the club in the early 2000s.  It was fun making picks week after week back then and trying our best to catch up to him, which we were unable to do as he ultimately won the title.  Rhapsody Ralph will be greatly missed and we all look forward to welcoming him back soon in the new world.  For now, our thoughts, prayers, and love are with his family members.  We love you and miss you, Rhapsody Ralph.  In his honor, from now on, the winner of the Club Championship will receive the Rhapsody Ralph Trophy (named in 2020 in honor of our beloved former club member and 2002 Club Champion Rhapsody Ralph).

Here is a copy of the Week 9 Current Standings for those who are having trouble viewing it on their screens (usually due to viewing site on cell phone or tablet). Remember that there is much more detailed information that can be read on the actual Current Standings Page.

Here is what everyone in The Football Club picked for Week 9 with all games scored and totaled at the bottom.

Let’s go NYJ even though I didn’t pick them.  Trying to improve my TJ record to 8-0 this week.  (Sat night 7:45 pm).

Week 8 MVP Award Winner –
The Rickster (26 Points)

The Rickster scored 26 Points to become the 9th different player through the first 8 weeks of the season to win the club’s prestigious MVP Award.  As the only 3-time Club Champion (2001, 2004 & 2006), The Rickster is in a class all by himself.  But being that his last title came 14 years ago (which included a 6 year club break), The Rickster has been hoping to add another trophy to his case.  With his breakout performance last week, The Rickster has now established himself as a potential contender for the 2020 title.  He currently stands exactly 30 Points out of 1st Place with 9 weeks left in the season.  That is not insurmountable, but in order to make a serious run, he will need to have a couple more MVP caliber weeks (and perhaps another one of his famous Perfect Weeks).  The Rickster was 1 of only 4 players last week to get both Games of the Week correct with Pit and Sea.  The other players to do so were Nighthawk, Bob Swerski, and Slick Chick.  The Week 8 MVP Award Runner-Up went to Drummer Boy & Nighthawk, who both scored 24 Points.  Drummer Boy continues to climb the standings (he is now up to 10th Place) while Nighthawk continues to solidify his grip on the top of the charts (he returns to 1st Place with a 1 Point lead).  The Current Top 5 consists of #1 Nighthawk, #2 Slick Chick (1 Point back), #3 Halibut J-Bird (8 Points back), #4 Stinkerbell (10 Points behind her son), and #5 Mr. T: SDFW (13 Points back).  For those of us farther down the standings, Double-Double gave some good advice out.  He said to focus on trying to reach the Top Five, not trying to reach 1st Place.  For me personally, I’m 29 Points out of 1st Place, but only 16 Points out of 5th Place.  So that is a good suggestion, not just for me, but for all us lower down in the standings.

Moving on to Head to Head Weekly, I can’t help but continue to be impressed by defending Super Bowl Champion Hoosier Daddy’s huge turnaround.  Back when he started out 0-4 on the season, panic may have been setting in.  But suddenly Hoosier Daddy has reeled off 3 straight wins to improve to 3-4.  This week he faces off against The Cat with a chance to improve to .500.  In Pro Bowl Team Weekly, 2 of the 3 matches last week were very competitive.  In one match, Daddy & His Boys def. For the Win 63-62 to improve to 4-3 with a narrow 1 Point victory.  Who says the Over/Under doesn’t matter and make a difference?  In another match, Wild Animals tied McTriple Play 58-58 to result in our first tie team match of the season.  This tie damaged McTriple Play’s place in the standings, as it knocked them down to 2nd Place where they now stand 1/2 game behind league leaders The Supernovas (5-2).