My big epiphany: Really, the fantasy football season isn’t fun. Winning is OK; losing is agonizing. You constantly feel awful about your choices and your bad luck; it’s the only exercise that causes arguments with friends you normally never would argue with; and you spend roughly a kazillion hours managing your team for the 10 percent chance that you might win your league. There’s just not a ton of upside. It’s almost like smoking cigarettes — it started out with good intentions, and it’s something to do, and it can be fun in the right moments, but ultimately, there are an inordinate amount of moments when you find yourself leaning out a window in 20-degree weather to puff out a quick cig as your nose gets frostbitten, or bumming a cig from a group of horrible girls and then feeling obligated to talk to them, or waking up in the morning and coughing up your right lung. Really, it’s more harm than fun. And yet, we continue to do it. And love it. This entire paragraph made me want to smoke. 

I couldn’t agree more.  My Monday mornings over the past few years have been so depressing after a weekend loss that I deemed this year my year of FFL Zen.  I refuse to let bad luck (and I’ve had my fair share) ruin my ability to enjoy the sport.  But doesn’t that say something if it takes a concerted effort to maintain my zen?

Like he said though, I still love it.

Prediction: 6-10
Through Week 8:  Uh, 6-2!!!!

Never would have predicted this kind of performance.  I like to think of myself as being objective when it comes to the Redskins but it’s possible I’m just pessimistic.

On top of that, not that I have any way of proving this but I mentally predicted Rays in 6 games over the Phillies in the World Series.  That prediction isn’t doing so hot right now either.

As always, my buddy Steve has a much more optimistic view of the Redskins chances.  He’s going with 9-7.  I say 6-10.  They’re young… they’re talented… but I don’t have enough faith in the coaching staff to believe they’ll be able to put it all together on a consistent basis.

Two things stand out to me that indicate, in a sick way, Daniel Snyder has purposefully set the team up to fail a bit this year.  First, the search for a head coach during the offseason was an embarrassment as they passed over several quality choices (e.g. Greg Williams) for a QB coach with no head coaching experience.  And second, they made no splash in the offseason free agent market.  While they have been lauded for this, it goes against everything Snyder seems to believe in.  It’s not his style.

Why sabotage the team?  To make a run at Bill Cowher after this season is over.  It’s easier to dump Zorn after a sub-.500 season than it is if they go deep into the playoffs.

Last year’s prediction:  7-9
2007 Actual Result:  9-7

You can’t win your pool during the first two days of the tournament but you can certainly lose it.

It’s a bit of a cliché but entirely apropos. In fact, I think you could apply that line of reasoning to the first weekend of the tourney rather than just the first two days.

Coming out of this weekend, I sit in 7th place (out of 68) with a legitimate chance to win my own pool. I need the following to happen…

• Stanford to upset Texas
• Wisconsin to win the Midwest region
• UNC & UCLA to make the final
• UNC to win it all

That may not sound like the easiest road to victory, and anything could happen but I am certainly in better shape than probably 75% of the other participants.

I don’t expect people to put George Mason in the Final Four again but when looking at any game between the 8-9 matchup and the 5-12 matchup, you’ve got to pick a few.

So what happens on day one of the tourney? Two upsets.

Boring… and now I’m in 39th place.

Why? Well, he grew up in DC. He remembers the first Joe Gibbs era where they won three Super Bowls… he bleeds maroon and gold.

I grew up in Delaware. Living two hours from Philly, Baltimore and Washington gives you a few options for teams to follow but rarely provides the same connection that locks you in as a life-long fan. To be honest, I didn’t really like the Redskins growing up. I was a 49ers fan first and Eagles fan second. Now that I have lived in DC for almost 10 years, I’ve come to follow the team and to honestly root for them. (Basically, I practice sports polygamy.)

This year proved to be no different. Last Friday night my friend and I found ourselves at the Rhodeside grill in Arlington talking football. I think the Skins offense is still suspect and their defense will underachieve. He doesn’t.

My prediction: 7-9
His prediction: 10-6, Division champs (winning a tie-breaker)

If gambling were legal, we’d wager something on this.

I certainly feel the whole Don Imus situation has been discussed more than enough, however if you haven’t yet heard Jason Whitlock’s take on the situation, I encourage you to read this article and watch this video.

Most of my exposure to Jason Whitlock has been via his appearances on ESPN’s “The Sports Reporters” on Sunday mornings. I typically disagree with his stance on various sports issues, especially how they relate to race but this time, I couldn’t agree with him more.

• I’ve never watched a more entertaining blow out.
• This game must have broken the record for most dunks in one game.
• Definitely one of the sloppiest finals I’ve ever seen.
• Definitely one of the worst officiated finals I’ve ever seen… for both sides.
• Joakim Noah from Florida might be the real deal. Best player on the floor.

I understand the logic behind the current restrictions… there’s no need to show up or taunt your opponents. But why not let the players be a little creative? I hardly consider Chad Johnson proposing to a cheerleader or using a pylon as a putter to be unsportsmanlike.

Let the boys have some fun. It makes the game just that much more entertaining.

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