2011 EFS Manager's MLB Predictions!
Sense-ational
Tyler giving the trophey to Kurt Sensenig before the season
Kurt Sensenig won two championships this year; the "2010-2011 EphrataFantasyStars Fantasy Football Championship" and the figurative "2010 EFS Hotstove Championship." Many would argue that the latter inevitably lead to the former. Prior to the start of the '10-'11 season Kurt's "Catalina Wine Mixers" had one glaring weakness and that was their quarterback, Kevin Kolb. Defending Champion, Tyler Miller, decieded to quickly change that weakness into a strength by sending a package that included probable MVP Tom Brady to the Mixers for headliners, soon-to-be IR man Fred Jackson and Tyler's boyfriend Wes Welker. "I really like Kurt's team and want to see them win it all. I'd rather live vicariously through them than playout my own season this year. Frankly my team stinks and my ability to draft and manage is greatly overestimated by my fantasy trophycase." Said Tyler Miller in an interview following the trade completion. When asked why the trade was not vetoed the league consensus was that managers would be ok with Kurt being a potential powerhouse if it meant watching Mr. Miller fail. Upon aquiring Roddy White 9 weeks later Kurt had assembled a force to be reckend with, but with great power came great responsibility. Week in and week out kurt was forced to sit one of the following Roddy White, Desean Jackson, Andre Johnson, Jamaal Charles, Arian Foster, Daren Mcfadden; in theory a dream come true, in reality a manager's nightmare.
It wasn't all rainbows and jelly beans for Kurt's team. The Catalina Wine Mixers had arguably the worst fantasy defence of all time as they let up an unprecidented 148 points per week. This anomoly lead to the Mixers ability to sneak into the playoffs as the 3 seed despite leading the league in points scored. "Teams brought their best game agaisnt us everyweek and I think that really prepared us going into the playoffs," said Kurt. He went on to attribute his teams end of the year success to bringing Tim Tebow aboard in week 12. "(Tim) really set a fire under the team and it seemed like everyone wanted to match his intensity, which I'm convinced is impossible." In a year where teams struggled to seperate themselves record-wise, Mr. Sensenig was able to find away to win. Congratulations to him, and for bringing the Trophy back to Ephrata!
It wasn't all rainbows and jelly beans for Kurt's team. The Catalina Wine Mixers had arguably the worst fantasy defence of all time as they let up an unprecidented 148 points per week. This anomoly lead to the Mixers ability to sneak into the playoffs as the 3 seed despite leading the league in points scored. "Teams brought their best game agaisnt us everyweek and I think that really prepared us going into the playoffs," said Kurt. He went on to attribute his teams end of the year success to bringing Tim Tebow aboard in week 12. "(Tim) really set a fire under the team and it seemed like everyone wanted to match his intensity, which I'm convinced is impossible." In a year where teams struggled to seperate themselves record-wise, Mr. Sensenig was able to find away to win. Congratulations to him, and for bringing the Trophy back to Ephrata!
No Tight Ends This Year...
Here we go again. Another promising EFS Football season. Between the two main sports EFS offers (football and baseball), the 2010 fantasy football season marks the first time in 6 years where there haven't been any changes. No scoring changes, no keeper changes, no payout changes no expansion and most surprisingly no manager changes. 12 teams and 13 managers attended the 2009-2010 offline fantasy football draft and those same 12 teams and 13 managers attended the 2010-2011 offline fantasy football draft. Amazing. There are no rookies this year and no need to adjust to league changes so in theory there are no excuses for poor results. 9 weeks into the season and it's playing out almost exactly to form. Almost perfect parity throughout the league. With an even playing field full of wily veterans everybody is playing loose and there, like the NFL, are no tight ends. Pun intended. 1st place and 11th place are only separated by 3 wins. Not only has no team clinched playoffs, but only 1 is mathematically eliminated. During the first year of a steady state teams are having a much harder time sticking out in the crowd and if this normalcy continues it leaves the door wide open. Champions can merge from the most unlikely managers. Take Alex Weaver for example, 6 years removed from infamously being banned from the league, he reemerged and claimed fantasy gold in baseball this year. That being said, is it really possible that we could see Bradenko or Matt Woolley bring home the trophy in the near future? I guess that's for time to tell but let's hope not, for our legacy's sake. Externally the league has stayed the same but internally it's a piggy bank full of change.
Sending a Teix Message
put me in coach
Alex Weaver has had 6 long years to think about the mistakes he had made in his EFS debut, 6 fantasy years he'll never get back. He could have easily tucked his tail between his legs and walked away from the game but he couldn't. When EFS was looking to expand this fantasy off-season Mr. Weaver saw opportunity knocking at his door and delivered a Tim Tebow-esk apology:
"I would like a chance to redeem myself from my last appearance in ephrata fantasy stars *leaving mark teixeira on the bench the entire year* I have matured so much since then and I am coming off a 2nd place finish in my espn fantasy baseball league in which I was a dedicated owner for the entire baseballl season. In closing I would really appreciate a second chance *ie Mike Vick."
With those heartfelt words it seemed as if old bridges were rebuilt and wounds healed instantly as EFS managers old and new welcomed him back with open arms. 4 full weeks into the season Alex has not only shown that he has matured, but he has also shown more dedication to his players and team than some reliables can say. Above all, granted it is only week 5, Aweav's Theives (Alex Weaver) have sent ripples through the community with his rise to first place! He's delivered on his promises, but we all know how long the baseball season is and the toughest weeks lie ahead. Perhaps though, the newly engaged manager had bigger plans when he tentatively scheduled his wedding for Sept. 25th...Championship week.
"I would like a chance to redeem myself from my last appearance in ephrata fantasy stars *leaving mark teixeira on the bench the entire year* I have matured so much since then and I am coming off a 2nd place finish in my espn fantasy baseball league in which I was a dedicated owner for the entire baseballl season. In closing I would really appreciate a second chance *ie Mike Vick."
With those heartfelt words it seemed as if old bridges were rebuilt and wounds healed instantly as EFS managers old and new welcomed him back with open arms. 4 full weeks into the season Alex has not only shown that he has matured, but he has also shown more dedication to his players and team than some reliables can say. Above all, granted it is only week 5, Aweav's Theives (Alex Weaver) have sent ripples through the community with his rise to first place! He's delivered on his promises, but we all know how long the baseball season is and the toughest weeks lie ahead. Perhaps though, the newly engaged manager had bigger plans when he tentatively scheduled his wedding for Sept. 25th...Championship week.
Bizzarro EFS!
Up is down! Down is up! The birds are swimming and the fish are flying! Usually known for the butt of all EFS jokes, managers Kurt and Bradenko, have made it to a championship! This week they will go head to head for fantasy gold in the 2010 EphrataFantasyStars Fantasy Basketball league. The paths were quite different but the stories were similar. The Catalina Wine Mixers (Kurt Sensenig) have made a statement with their run to the 'ship, defeating both the headbustas (Tyler Miller) and Pippen Aint Easy (Morgan Bartholomew) who have both been staples in championship games as of late. Bradenko's Ninnas (Brandon Strenko & Brad Williams) on the other hand finished atop their division and shook off any rust after their first round bye while defeating Tonys PONYS (Anthony Rinaldi) in the Semi-Finals which might I add is no cake walk of their own. Both teams, and all managers involved have risen from obscurity to land where they are this week: Kurt, best known for almost losing to bad team and recently being unbanned from the league, and Bradenko, once a precedent for bad teams in the league, will have a shot to set themselves apart and do something that not even Matt Woolley can claim. Once thought of as a gateway league, EFS Basketball's commissioner (Morgan Bartholomew) has taken a giant step in the right direction this year when he raised the entrance fee. So while the league still holds their drafts online, try telling Bradenko and Kurt it's a gateway league while they're counting their fat wad of cash.
Right from the Horse's Mouth - 2010 Commissioner's Note!
Anatole France and Barack Obama could not have written a better preface to the changes that EphrataFantasyStars has incurred throughout its last two major seasons. Whether it was the drastic scoring changes dealt with during this year’s football league or the radical changes we are about to see in this upcoming baseball season, to say we're turning a new leaf would be an understatement.
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Same Song and Dance
Stop me if you've heard this before, Tyler Miller was in an EFS Championship. Yawn. EFS headbustas' manager Tyler Miller is synonymous with success throughout the league. T-Mill, as those close to him know him by, can be pretty much penciled -nay penned- in the playoffs every year directly after the draft and when you're a staple in a league for that long the hardware is bount to ensue. Well this past Football season, like clockwork, Mr. Miller quietly dominated the regular season and marched on to defeat Morgan Bartholomew in route to his second EFS Football Championship. They say it is sometimes better to be lucky than good, but being good doesn't hurt either. Congratulations to Tyler and thank you to everyone who helped EphrataFantasyStars continue to grow and carry on its prestige. I hope everyone's looking forward to next season as much as I am!
Is it Worth it...Lemme Work it
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.
PLAYOFFS?!?!?!
The EphrataFantasyStars regular season went out with a bang. In the final week, 3 teams ultimately fought for the remaining two playoff slots and eventually the karma police did their jobs preventing EFL collusion from sneaking an undeserving team into the winter classic. That wasn’t all week 13 had in store. Going into Monday night there were still a few scores to settle, figuratively and literally. 2009’s second installment of the Battle of the ‘Burgh saw The PONYS and Country Boyz go down to the last 4 min of the 4th quarter. The two teams were separated by 1 point, 5 miles and potentially 4 playoff spots until “Wacco” Joe Flacco threw a redzone interception eventually breaking the back of the fighting noble steeds. Now the EFS playoffs are set. The matchups are official and the road is paved. The trophy has been placed high upon the tallest Tim Hightower, in the biggest Matt Cassle, surrounded by Ryan Moats and Phillip Rivers. Those not ready for such a challenging road will ultimately Joseph Addai!
Defense doesn't Win Championships
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.
Da Swami was 4-2 week 1
DaDerrty Swami
IS BACK!
2009 Pre-Draft Ceremonies
2009 Commissioner's Note
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It's like Deja' Vu all over again.
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
On behalf of all of us at EFS, congratulations and good luck!
EFS insider
Anthony Rinaldi
Tonys PONYS gm
Baseball Commissioner
Webmaster
League Store Now Open!
Do you love EphrataFantasyStars? As EFS's own Tyler Miller likes to say...PROVE IT! Countless hours and pounds of Asian children sweat have gone into making top-of-the-line apparel for fans like you! The EFS League Store opened early Sunday morning and is still awaiting its first sale. "The Store is great, I really hope my son buys me an EFS apron for Christmas because they're so spiffy!!" said Mrs. Miller (official EFS chef.) she continued to say "I think everyone should visit and buy something." You heard it here first folks, the EFS store is great, Mrs. Miller wouldn't lie. So if you're stumped on a birthday gift idea or Christmas or heck even an anniversary check out the EFS League Store!!
CLICK HERE
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