SCFF Worldwide

This year has marked many milestones for Strictly Circus Fantasy Football. Our proud league expanded to inlude two new owners and markets, the establishment of a state-of-the-art communications hub, and now we celebrate a new marker...

As of tomorrow evening our league will officially be a worldwide organization. Unlike the Baltimore Colts' covert, middle-of-the-night move to Indianapolis, this move was both expected and anticipated with excitement. First, Boston was proving to be infertile because of so many fans being drawn in by the recording-setting successes of other sports franchises. Second, the move comes at a great time as the Sheik 'n' Bake are bringing the people of Dubhai an exciting run on the Strictly Circus championship game. Once left for dead, the team gas had a monumental resurgence. Lastly, this is very exciting because it allows our league to beat other leagues like the NFL into such growth markets, while following on the vision of our President: earning the hearts and minds of Arabic countries with a nice large, force-fed helping of Americana.

So, to the team and it's ownership, we wish you a safe journey and much luck in your new home. We look forward to away games and the new cheerleader uniforms.

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Anyone need a running back?

I seem to have a surplus of somewhat decent ones. I could use a good WR. We've got 4 days to make a deal. Any takers?

Thoughts of a heartbroken insomniac

I can't sleep, gents, and it has nothing to do with 1) the oppressive heat in Andrea's apartment, 2) the fact that I leave for Abu Dhabi in 3 days, or 3) my concerns that Willie Parker will score 4 TDs and rush for 160 yards tomorrow night. No, the source of my insomnia is none other than a rotund, mustachioed football coach who shall remain nameless. This genius, in the middle of a late-game drive that could result in one of the greatest and most unexpected upsets in NFL history, elects to have his backup QB (who has been pretty smart up to this point) heave a ball 40 yards into the end zone perfectly on target to the opposing team's DB (who has already had one pick on the night).

So why's my beef with the coach and not the QB, you might ask? Two words: time management. At the moment of this errant throw, there were at least 3 minutes left in the game. So even if this play works and results in a go-ahead TD (and I'm assuming that was the point of calling it), you end up giving the ball back to the best team in football, lead by arguably the best under-pressure QB in football, with the best receiver in football, and if not the best than at least the most evil coach in football, with plenty of time to march down the field for a TD (which is exactly what the Pats did the previous time they had the ball). I swear that about 3 seconds before the interception occurred, Madden and Michaels said that the Eagles should think about slowing it down and not giving New England the ball back with too much time left. And prior to that, all the commentators were talking about was how effective the Eagles' short interior passing game had been all night.

I know hindsight is 20:20 and I could never make the calls that these coaches are making every play, but can someone please explain to me the rationale behind calling for that pass? Why go away from what's been working for you? Why not do everything in your power to maximize the chances that, worst case scenario, you kick a game-tying field goal and give the other team a short clock? And let's not forget that a few years ago this same coach, with this same team, against this same opponent, had some late-game clock management issues that may have cost him and his team a Super Bowl win.

I suppose I should be proud of the Eagles for putting up such a good fight and sticking it to the Vegas oddsmakers in the process, but part of me almost wishes they lost by 40 rather than by 3.

Anything you can do...

So anyone else think that the Pats were trying a bit too hard to ensure that Randy Moss either equalled or outdid T.O. today? Their numbers are nearly equal, I don't think Brady even looked at another receiver in the red zone until the 3rd quarter, and they both got in on a play on defense late in their games. Plus even though Owens got to 1000 yards first, Moss eclipsed him tonight and is now the NFL's leading receiver in both yards and TDs (by 4, no less).

Obviously Moss is a great receiver, he's gonna be your number 1 target, and the Bills had no answer for him tonight, but the near-parallels between his and Owens' performance are impossible to ignore (especially the defense thing - that really convinced me this was more than mere coincidence), as is the fact that after tonight Moss has regained the lead in the aforementioned receiving stats after being tied with or behind T.O. for about 2 hours.

Are the Pats really so good that they can concentrate on stupid one-upping crap like this rather than just throwing TDs to any of the other 6 receivers who are open on every play? So much for being an unselfish team that shares the wealth and doesn't put individual stat-padding over the good of the team (at least that's how the jock-sniffing Boston media describes them).

Ah, who am I kidding - I'm just pissed that Brady didn't dish a couple of those TDs to Welker so I could have dominated the league for the second time rather than Ben doing it for the 4th.

Chris, not that you could have done anything about it, but how does it feel to have 23 point lead going into the Sunday night game and end up down by more than 40? Have you hung yourself with your shiny new tie yet?

We asked for it.

The football gods have smiled upon Delaware, not only handing them an at-large playoff bid, but pitting them against Delaware State in the first round. The game will be played this, Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, at Delaware Stadium. The game will be televised on ESPN (the uno) at 1:30pm, but I'd like to get some people together to go down to the game. The Shade have already wussed out, but I am wondering if anyone else is up for the trip. Danielle can;t come, so I'd like some company.

Delaware has to play better than this past week against Villanova. They have to, right? Right?! The most interesting part of the game story was Keeler being quoted as saying, "I didn’t think anyone could do that to our offense." I'm not sure if he's referring to our own offensive coordinator/himself or the Villanova defense. Omar apparently was "hurt" with a back injury. I declare shenanigans, however. Either way it was his first game without a touchdown this season. A bunch of streaks, offensively got snapped yesterday. Oy! HOpefully, this sought-after matchup will change their attitude towards how they play.

On an aside, UMass and Richmond both tied for first in the CAA. They didn't play each other in the regular season, and all the normal tie-breakers had them even. So, the CAA commishes had to resort to a coin flip to decide who would receive the automatic berth into the playoffs. Both teams have home-field advantage, so it's not like it gave them anything exciting, but it made me laugh since we've been going through these tie breakers. Read more here.

I'm throwing the red flag

I demand a review. WR Chris Henry did not have 99 yards receiving. Check the game tape, there must be one more in there somewhere. Maybe even a half a yard, rounded up. No problem.

Every move I could possibly have made last weekend, I made wrong. And I still ended up in a tie with a team who did everything right. Watch out every-single-person-who-is-ahead-of-me-in-the-standing, I'm comin' to pimp slap you with my tie.

Finally...

Dear Donovan,
You are a piece of crap.

To make matters worse.

If you weren't disheartened enough by UD's football team dropping their most important game of the year, at home, in 5 overtimes, after missing the game-winning, 22-yard field goal… you'll be unhappy to know the men's basketball team has picked up where they left off, losing their opening game to a school commonly known as "the matress on the Hudson."

My kind of kicker

I told you so...

The desert is a sandy thief.

Lawyers, you need to equip your pad with an alarm system because that dude is robbing your ass. Enjoy your one-legged receiver who doesn't play and your defense that I dropped 3 weeks ago so that you could have picked them up off waivers any time.

Ask yourself WWMND? What would Mike Nifong do? He would press some charges.

Anyone want Mike Vick? I'll [pick him up off waivers and] trade him to you.

Reasons to watch tonight's otherwise ho-hum game

There should be some eager eyes on tonight's Monday Night matchup between the Steelers and Ravens. It's a good thing too, because I can't think of a good reason to watch that game, otherwise.

All three matchup are close enough to depend on this last game of the week to set the record straight. The instant the ball is kicked off, the Lawyers will jump ahead of the hopeful Baxterminators. The battle will then begin as each will jockey for position: Baxter hoping to gain points from Hines Ward and Merritt hoping the Baltimore defense doesn't lose points (& strips Ward on his way to the end zone).

Burket is betting on his childhood rooting interests and a better than average performance from Ben Rothlesberger, as he hopes for a 15+ point effort against the classic defense of the Ravens. The Graffawgs will sit tonight out, preferring to work on their time machine, so as to go back in time and recover some of the many points left on their bench this week.

The Dynamite will be looking for a big night from the Baltimore offense as Sheik has Matt Stover kicking tonight. I'll also be hoping that Hines Ward isn't double teamed, so as Big Ben will target him more than Santonio Holmes. Either way, it's not
looking favorable for the Dynamite, as we're up against the red hot Sandmen.

So gather all your rowdy friends and prepare yourself for the game you wouldn't have interest in otherwise. If for no other reason, we can track the number of times Kornheiser looks lovingly into Jaworski's eyes.