EphrataFantasyStars

I hate sports...sometimes.  Let me explain.  I have a challenge.  Think back, if you can, to a time in your life when watching sports was just fun.  Sure you were ecstatic when your favorite team won and upset when they lost, but wasn’t the ratio more level?  Now a days it just seems as if the lows are just a bit lower than the highs.  Whether you’re a Phillies fan coming off of a World Series hangover, a Steelers fan having to accept a losing mentality, or a Cubs or Eagles fan who doesn’t know what it’s like to win the big game, you probably know what I mean.  Back in high school the fantasy playoffs were just plain fun but this year, this week, amidst my college final exams I’m not just happy to be in the playoffs but more worried about losing and stressed out knowing that every decision is magnified which could ultimately have me watching the next few weeks from the proverbial sidelines.  It just doesn’t seem right but I first hand have witnessed the harsh repercussions of over managing in the playoffs missing countless hours of sleep over not starting Atlanta Ace Javiar Vazquez.  With so much on a college student’s plate already, the fantasy football playoffs should be a time to celebrate the great season they had and enjoy some December football but that isn’t the case.  On August 9th we drafted our teams for the 2009 season and to think then that the decisions we made during that sleep deprived night would dictate how happy we would be for the next 16 weeks would really make you weigh the pros and cons of even playing.  My challenge to you the reader is this; enjoy sports again.  Enough living and dying with your teams, because the players are getting paid regardless and it isn’t fair to get depressed over something that you had no say in.  Try to vividly remember all of the good times being a sports fan has brought you, and block out the crushing defeats.   You must know how it feels to lose to truly savor a victory, but too much heartbreak might permanently damper your personality.  When you catch yourself beating yourself up over a loss, forget about it, there are more important things in life.

Last weeks performance by the PONYS opened a lot of eyes around the EFS community.  The facts are that no team in EFS history has ever held Bradenko's Ninnas' star WR Terrel Owens catchless and fantasy stud Drew Brees had been averaging 43 points a game this season.  Then they ran into Tonys PONYS defense.  TO went catchless and Brees scored a minuscule 4 points.  Surprised?  Don't be.  Tonys PONYS have let up on average 119 points per week which is 11 points under the league average 130.  Last season was no different, while the league was letting up 262 points a week the PONYS were raising the bar allowing only 242.  Now some people don't believe in "fantasy defenses" they say that since one team doesn't literally play the other they can't possibly affect their performance.  "They call him Senior Lucky Pants for a reason." said jealous EFS manager Morgan Bartholomew.  Though this would explain why all of his playoff appearances have ended prematurely, perhaps he gets lucky throughout the season and plays low-scorer every week and that luck runs out at the most inopportune times.  The PONYS defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau would disagree saying "We don't fantasize about playing defense day in and day out to have no effect on the game!  I mean come ooooon!  There's a certain intimidation factor that we bring to the table, and teams just can't seem to play their best against us!"  Whether it's luck or skill The PONYS are starting to turn some heads but the bottom line remains, they have no hardware to back it up.

The road to the 2008 championship was a rocky and unpredictable one with EFS powerhouses Tonys PONYS and the Blackbirds both taking early exits, but the final match-up could have been seen a mile away.  Both Josh Fritz (Da Derrty Dawgs) and Tyler Miller (headbusters) were seeking to become the first manager in the illustrious history that is EFS to take home the coveted fantasy football gold for a second time!  Was it going to be DaDerrty Swami who just earlier in the season captured the hearts and souls of fans and managers alike when he took it upon himself to take over a dying column and save this very website while never taking his eyes off the prize?  Or was it going to be a headbusta who took it upon him self to turn in his responsibility hat and trade it for his party hat up at Bloomsburg while trying to do the unthinkable by winning back to back championships?  The polls were in and it was the players that answered.  The people's champ, Josh Fritz, and his dawgs took it all.  Months after the victory manager Fritz had this to say; "Fantasy Football championship?...hmmm oh yeah that old thing.  It's hard to keep those things (trophies) straight.  You know since then I've won Hockey too!  Anyway, I was real blessed to be put in such a position to not only compete at such a high level but to win it twice is special.  I couldn't have done it with out my guys going out and giving 100% every week, I really hope to bring some of them back next year.  We're always looking ahead!  For now we're gonna enjoy the rest of the off season and prepare for another great year.  Oh yeah, one more thing, Woolley blows!"
On behalf of all of us at EFS, congratulations and good luck!

EFS insider
Anthony Rinaldi
Tonys PONYS gm
Baseball Commissioner
Webmaster