Individual Player Awards: Offense & Defense UPDATED

The results have been tabulated all the way thru week 12...be sure to see if you have a chance at a $10 prize.

COACH POWER RATINGS: Updated

The Power Ratings have been updated...and one team finally moved into playoff position...while one team in Power Rating playoff position has been eliminated from the playoff hunt.  How many times can one person use playoff in a sentence...many.

The Power Rating as a Predictor went 5-1 last week, with the Freemasons scoring the lone upset of the week over the Cheese.  That moves the Power Rating system to 45-21 on the year or a success rate of 68.18%.

**Interesting side note, the Cheese are still number 4 in the ratings, and the Roommates (the top seed in the playoffs) finally moved back into the top 6 this week.  The Cheese have had more points scored against them than anyone.  If the Roommates played the Cheese's schedule this season, they would be 4-8 (they beat the Cheese twice)...instead of their current 10-2 record.

ALL TIME COACHING RECORDS: Updated

The Records and all time standings are once again updated.

Two things of note.

1.  The fall of Riggins.  Riggins has always been a solid but not spectacular team.  However, this season's squad is letting down fans all around HolickyVille are saddened to see their team SUCK FOR LUCK.  This week, after moving to 1-11 on the season, Riggins fell to 10th in the career wins column...behind the now defunct Ballard Kittens.

2. In just one season, the Roommates have more than half the wins the Manti have amassed in 4 seasons.  Yikes.

ALL TIME COACHING RECORDS & POWER RATINGS: Updated

The Coaching Records and Power Ratings are updated and ready for your perusal.
Not much change in the All Time Records or Scoring, but be sure to see how much ground your team has to make up to get to the top!

Lots of changes in the Power Ratings.

Interesting observations:

-The Roommates still don't crack the top 6.  They have had the second easiest schedule, and also score low in the Bench Points/Adjusted Scoring.  The lack of depth will be tested even more now that Fred Jackson is out for the year.  No team, not even the K-911s, has been decimated by more injuries than the Roommates.  Kudos to Coach Gomez for keeping the ship sailing to victories!

-The Cheese are second in the league in scoring, but have a record of 4-7.  How is this possible?  Well, the Cheese have faced the toughest schedule in the league.  Opponents are scoring an average of 128.68 points a game against the Cheese.  Compare this to the Roommates.  The Roommates' opponents are scoring 103.04.  So the Cheese on average have to score 25+ points per week more than the Roommates to win.

The Power Rating Predictor has moved to 40-20 (66.6%) on the season  after going 7-5 in weeks 10 & 11.

TRADE DEADLINE: Kickers

The Trade Deadline is two weeks away, and we want to give you the info you need to make the moves for a successful playoff run.

Today we look at Kickers.  Now, kickers are most likely not going to be a hot trade commodity, but it is important to know how they impact your team.

The Top 3 teams in Kicker Scoring are:

• FELONS  98 pts.
• PRETTY BOYS  91 pts.
• MANTI   86 pts.

Not too much of a surprise here.  These three teams have 3 of the top 4 scoring Kickers.  Mason Crosby for the Felons and Billy Cundiff for the Pretty Boys have both scored 84 pts on the season.  The Felons had a great week from Bye Week replacement Nick Novak (14 pts) to take the lead.

The interesting thing about the leaders is that both the Manti and the Pretty Boys have scored over 10% of their total points in the Kicker spot.  The league average for Kickers is 7.6%.   The Manti and Pretty Boys are also last and 3rd from last in scoring.  Continued success from their Kickers is imperative for them to make up for shortcomings at other positions.

The Bottom 3 teams in Kicker Scoring are:

• FLUFFERNUTTER   62 pts.
• RIGGINS  62 pts.
• FREEMASONS   53 pts.

If the Fluffernutter have any weakness, it might be at the Kicker position.  They unfortunately had Graham Gano put up -1 pts in Week 8, and even with say a 6 point effort instead they would still be in the bottom 3.  If the Fluff were a real NFL team, we could chalk up the lack of scoring to their kicker only getting a chance at Extra Points.  His offense is so powerful that he never needs to kick...

The Freemasons are sitting outside of the playoffs looking in...and the Kicker spot is just one area they will need to shore up if they are to make a run at the playoffs.  With Chris Johnson sputtering on offense, the Masons can't afford to give up points elsewhere.  It hasn't been from lack of trying to find a good Kicker though, as the Freemasons have started 5 different kickers thus far in 9 weeks.  They will need to catch the Soup Can, who already are scoring just over 3 points more a game at the Kicker spot.

Individual Player Awards: Offense & Defense UPDATED

Seven different teams lead in the eight categories.  Some races are all but decided (QB & TE), while some just keep getting closer and closer (K & LB).

If the season ended today, the teams in the money would be:

• Royal w/Cheese  $20  (QB & LB)
• K-911s  $10  (RB)
• Roommates  $10  (WR)
• Fluffernutter  $10  (TE)
• Pretty Boys  $10  (DL)
• Felons  $10  (DB)
• Manti  $10  (K)

STUD AND STINKERS OF THE WEEK: Updated

We have updated the standings in the STINKERS and STUDS world...go see where your squad ranks.

ALL TIME COACHING RECORDS & POWER RATINGS: Updated

Word has it that a certain coach may be available to add to your staff...

The Soup Can still have the winningest record.  The Cheese still have the Highest Scoring Team.  Did your team climb the ladder in either category?

The Power Ratings are also updated.  In week 9, the Power Ratings went 3-3.  The K-911s, Hurricanes, and Riggins all scored upsets.  The Power Ratings are now 33-15 on the season, correctly predicting 68.75% of the games.

The Best Defense is...

Now onto the defensive side of the ball.
The Top 3 Scoring Defenses (Kicker included) in the PBR League are:

1. FELONS     493.5
2. ROYALE W/CHEESE     451
3. PRETTY BOYS     433.5

The Felons are the top scoring defense, and the most balanced team in scoring.  The Felons score 49.7% of their points on Offense, and 50.28% on Defense.   Balance is great, but the Felons aren't getting the same consistency on Offense (they rank 9th) as they have on defense.  Led by Jason Pierre-Paul, Mason Crosby, and George Wilson, the Felons have a consistent attack on Defense.  The DL has scored, 129 pts.  The LBs have scored 123, and the DBs 154.5.  Throw in the top scoring kicker in the league (Crosby) and you can see why they rank number 1.

The Pretty Boys score the highest percentage of their points on Defense at 52.96%.  The league average is 43.5%.  The Pretty Boys have been led by stellar DL play behind Jared Allen and Charles Johnson.  The Royale W/Cheese have one of the top scoring LB groups, and also have been getting great play from their Defensive Backs.

The Lowest Scoring Defenses are:

• 10. The Roommates    339
• 11. Riggins     319.5
• 12. Manti     316.5

The biggest surprise at the bottom is The Roomates.  The team drafted defense to start rebuilding their team, but have been hit hard by the injury bug.  Defensive Line and Kicker are two areas where the Roommates have struggled to get points.  Riggins has been getting solid scoring from their DBs, but the DL has been a big disappointment.  Both Riggins and the Manti can also attribute being in the cellar to the fact that they have played several defensive players who have had Bye Weeks.  Riggins has "0 Points Scored" at a position 9 times this season on defense, while the Manti have scored nothing 12 times.  Ouch.

The Roommates also score the least percentage of their points on Defense at 36.3%.  With a high flying offense (they rank 2nd), it hasn't been an issue as of yet.  It is, however, something they will look to shore up as they head towards the playoffs.  The Fluff get the second lowest percentage at 36.88%.  However, the Fluff rank 5th in points on defense...the low percentage comes from their offense being such a juggernaut.

In terms of point per week, the Felons score 12.6 points more per game on Defense than the average PBR team.  If we look at the difference between the top and bottom scoring teams, the Felons average 22.13 more points per game than the Manti.  This is not as large of a margin as the Fluff have created on the Offensive side of the ball...but it does help the Felons make up for a struggling and mercurial offense.

We Offensive...

With the trade deadline a mere 20 days away, we here at the Blue Ribbon League Blog will be taking an in-depth look at each team's strengths and weaknesses.  We will be taking a look at overall Offense and Defense, and then break down positions.

Today we start with the Offenses.  The top 3 point scoring teams on offense are:

1. Fluffernutter     705
2. Roommates     595
3. Hurricanes      562.5

Not really any surprises here.  These were the last teams to lose a game, and are still ticking away.  Fluff's 705 points is remarkable.  Not only does the team have a 110 point lead on offense, but he is only 28.5 points behind what the ENTIRE Manti team has scored on the season.  If you break it down, Fluff is averaging 14.69 points/player.  His offense gets him out to a lead...and thus far typically keeps him far enough out in front to secure the victory.

The Roommates get the highest percentage of points from their Offense.  63.7% of the points the Roommates have scored have come from the Offensive side.  The Fluff are close behind, with 63.12% of their points coming from the playmakers on offense.  The league average is 56.5%.  The difference between the two teams, is on defense.  The Fluff are 5th in Defensive points, while the Roommates are 10th.

The Lowest Scoring teams on offense are:

• 10.  Riggins     428
• 11.  Manti      417
• 12.  Pretty Boys    385

Again, not much surprise here.  These three teams have had disappointing seasons.  Riggins traded for, then lost a starting QB to injury, the Pretty Boys continuously have players not play to their potential, and the Manti (who refuse to change their starters) have received solid contributions from the RB1 & WR1 spots...but next to nothing from their RB2 & WR2.

It is quite interesting  to see that the Fluff have outscored the Pretty Boys 705-385...that is 320 points for the readers who are mathematically challenged.  320 points over the course of 8 games is equal to 40 points per game...it is hard to compete when you are starting that far in the hole.  Heck even if you compare the Pretty Boys offense to the Roommates, they are giving up 26.25 points a game...OUCH.

So, how do the leaders maintain their spots?  How can the bottom dwellers climb up the ladder?  Stay tuned for our positional breakdown!

Individual Player Awards: Offense & Defense UPDATED

The races have been tabulated and updated!  Two players on each side of the ball held onto their leads...while two positions on Offense & Defense have brand spanking new leaders.

Money Breakdown as of Week 8:

• Felons  $20  (DB/K)
• Fluffernutter  $20  (RB/TE)
• Royale W/Cheese  $10  (QB)
• Roommates  $10  (WR)
• Pretty Boys  $10 (DL)
• Counselor  $10  (LB)

Each team has at least one representative in the Top 5.  The Fluff lead (no surprise). The Manti, who have score the least amount of points this season, have 4 players in the Top 5 (surprise).

Number of Player in the Top 5

• Fluffernutter  6
• Hurricanes  5
• Royale W/Cheese  5
• K-911s  5
• Counselor  4
• Manti  4
• Felons  3
• Pretty Boys  3
• Freemasons  2
• Soup Can  1
• Roommates  1
• Riggins  1

STUD AND STINKERS OF THE WEEK: Updated

Wow, RIGGINS and the MANTI had huuuuuge weeks...but was it in STUDLAND or STINKERSVILLE?

See how your team rates, and who landed in the most coveted and the most nose covered lineups.

ALL TIME COACHING RECORDS & POWER RATINGS: Updated

THE SCORING IN THIS LEAGUE IS NONSENSE

Not much change after last week in the ALL TIME RECORDS and SCORING categories.  Coach Bell of the Soup Can maintains his title as Winningest Coach in PBR League History.  While Coach Cam, even after a low scoring week, maintains his title of PRB LEAGUE COACH MOST LIKELY TO SCORE.

As for the Power Ratings, the rankings predicted 4 of the 6 games correctly in week 8.  The predictor is now 30-12 for the year, a success rate of 71.4%.  The two upsets of the week were The Roommates (who continue to laugh in the face of the rankings, and the K-911s (who were happy to see the Pretty Boys on the other sideline).

BE SURE TO SEE WHERE YOUR TEAM RATES heading into week 9!

ALL TIME COACHING RECORDS & POWER RATINGS: Updated

Not much movement in the ALL TIME RECORDS and SCORING races...heck, not much movement in the Power Ratings either.  Be sure to see if you jumped up a spot or not!

The Power Ratings as a predictor went 3-3 again last week, bringing the season record to 26-10 (72.2%).  The second NFL 6 team bye week contributed some, but the Roommates are hitting their stride again...has that moved them up at all?

STUD AND STINKERS OF THE WEEK: Updated

The STUDS and the STINKERS are updated.  There is one team that is in 2nd place in both categories...hmmm, who could it be?  Also, the Manti lead the STINKERS of the Week...and their DB Bryant McFadden has been a STINKER 5 weeks in a row.  There are 5 teams in the league that have a TOTAL of 5 STINKERS or less for the entire season!

Individual Player Awards: Offense & Defense UPDATED

The Players Awards have been updated...and only one top spot exchanged hands.  Was it a member of your squad?  Be sure to check out the rankings!

ALL TIME COACHING RECORDS & POWER RATINGS: Updated

The Power Rating as a predictor went 3-3 this week, bringing the season record to 23-7 (A success rate of 76.66%).
Check in to see where your team rates after week 6!

Individual Player Awards: Offense & Defense UPDATED

If the season ended today, the Following Teams would score in the money:
(Each position win is $10)

• $20 Royale W/Cheese (QB & LB)
• $20 Felons (DL & DB)
• $10 K-911s (RB)
• $10 Hurricanes (WR)
• $10 Fluffernutter (TE)
• $10 Soup Can (K)

STINKERS OF THE WEEK: Updated

The Manti maintain their Smelly Reign of Terror, as they extend their lead in the STINKERS of the WEEK competition.
Counselor and the Cheese (Could be a great sitcom name!) are the least stinky teams...and they hope to remain that way!

STUDS OF THE WEEK: Updated

The Studs have been crowned and tallied...and the K-911s are no longer on top.  Check out the rankings to see who is on top!

COACH POWER RATINGS: Updated

The Power Ratings are updated and posted.  Lots of movement this week, so be sure to see where your team rates.

This week teams with a higher Power Rating once again went 5-1.  The Manti's upset of the Masons was the only matchup that did not follow the Ratings.  This makes the Power Ratings an astonishing 20-4 after four weeks of the season.
(NOTE: The Power Ratings could not to be tabulated until data was accumulated after Week 1. Thus, only 4 weeks of predictions.)

ALL TIME COACHING RECORDS: Updated

The All Time Records are posted...be sure to go see if you have moved closer to the top!

Three Undefeated Teams Remain: Who Will Fall First

Four games into the 2011 Fantasy season, and three Blue Ribbon teams remain undefeated.  We take an in-depth look at who has the best chance to remain so.

FLUFFERNUTTER: The Fluff are the top scoring team in the league, and seem to be hitting on all cylinders.  Coach Abbott has 10 players in the top 10 at their respective positions.
WHY THEY CONTINUE TO WIN: Depth at the running back spot will help cover the loss of Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson during Bye Weeks.  Matthew Stafford is living up to the hype, and the teams Linebackers (Brian Urlacher and Patrick Willis) continue to put up solid numbers.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE:
Week 5- FELONS  
The Felons should be formidable against the Fluff.  Last season, the Fluff nearly ended the Felons undefeated start, but a Lawyer Milloy sack let the Felons escape.
Week 6- ROOMMATES
Well, after Week 6 there will be at most two undefeated teams.  The odds are that the Fluff pull out the win though, as they are simply too strong from top to bottom against the banged up Roommates.
Week 7 & 8- PRETTY BOYS & RIGGINS
After two tough contests, the Fluff get a little relief in the schedule as they face the winless teams back to back.

PREDICTION:  The Fluff get a remarkable 8-0 start.  Then, in Week 9 battle the Purple Hurricanes.

HURRICANES: The Hurricanes have won eight games in a row dating back to last season, and 15 of 18 overall.  Just once have they scored under 100 pts in that time...and they won that game.  This season, the Hurricanes have not scored under 140 pts.
WHY THEY CONTINUE TO WIN:  Three words: Brees, McFadden, and Welker.  They are the Hurricane's triplets a la the 1990's Cowboys (Aikman, Smith, Irvin). Last season they rode Brees, Hillis, and Brandon Llyod.  Brees still drives the scoring, Hillis has fallen off, and Lloyd wasn't even retained.  The Hurricanes constantly reload the roster.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE:
Week 5, 6, & 7- K-911s/PRETTY BOYS/FELONS 
The Hurricanes take a tour thru the Queen Anne Division...historically, the toughest division in the Blue Ribbon League (2 of 3 Championships).  The Hurricanes have never beat the K-911s, and this season the K-911s are playing some of their best football.  The Pretty Boys might wake up and get prettier, but it most likely won't be enough.  The Felons are strong, but the Hurricanes have 4 people on byes that week...including both WRS and their TE.
Week 8- ROOMMATES
If the Roommates can beat the Fluff in week 6, this will be our second clash of unbeatens.  I just don't believe that the Roommates have the firepower to compete.

PREDICTION:  The Hurricanes match the Fluff's 8-0 start, which will lead to a huge week 9 battle.

Dan Gomez, Attorney

ROOMMATES:  According to the Power Ratings, the Fluff and the Canes are 1-2 respectively.  The Roommates, though, are 9th.  The Roommates are 8th in scoring, and have had the fewest points scored against them (103 pts per game given up).  Some could call that good "defense", others would call it "luck".  For instance, in week 1 the Roommates scored 108.5 pts.  That score would have lost to 8 of the 11 other teams in the week.  In week 3, they scored 97.5...a score that 9 of 11 teams would have beat.  The Roommates are undefeated, but they are a mirage.
WHY THEY CONTINUE TO WIN: They will have a very hard time doing so.  Michael Turner, Fred Jackson, and Calvin Johnson will have to continue to have huge games to keep this team competitive.  Over the next 4 weeks, they play teams that are a combined 13-3...so we will soon see if the Roommates are for real.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE:
Week 5 & 7- SOUP CAN/K-911s
The Roommates will play two teams very capable of big games...as well as two teams who will desperately seeking wins in their highly contested divisions.  The Roommates won't have to worry about losing too many players to byes, which may be enough to keep them close.
Week 6 & 8- FLUFF/HURRICANES
The top two teams in the league will present huge obstacles for the Roommates.  The Roomies need to keep pace with the Canes, and will hope to stay healthy and explosive in order to try and secure a wild card spot if they end up losing one or both games to these unbeaten teams.

PREDICTION: The Roommates go 0-4 over the next 4 weeks.  They may be able to squeeze out one game, but that looks like the most upsets they could manage.  Luckily, the Manti are their week 9 matchup...giving the Roommates time to lick wounds and regroup.

Individual Player Awards: Offense & Defense UPDATED

The Week 4 Stats have been tallied, and the Leaders at each position are posted!

The Fluffernutter have an amazing 9 PLAYERS in the top 5 over all the categories...remember, we only start 13 players, so that is quite impressive.

The Felons are 2nd with 5 players, followed by the Hurricanes and K-911s with 4 each.

 Every team is represented on the list, and all but the Soup Can have at least two players on the top 5 lists.  The Soup Can are pinning all their hopes on Kicker Sebastian Janikowski to score them some dough.

STUD AND STINKERS OF THE WEEK: Updated

The Studs and the Stinks have been tallied.  Did your team make a move in week 4?

2011 COACH POWER RATINGS: Updated

Last week teams with a higher rating went had 5 victories and just one loss.  Only the Freemasons lost to a lower rated team (K-911s).  So be sure to take a look to see how you compare this week to your opponent!

ALL TIME COACHING RECORDS: Updated

COACH REID (R)              COACH BELL (L)

Coach Chris Bell continues his reign as ALL-TIME WINNING-EST COACH in the PBR League.  He is followed closely by Coach Harber, Danneker, and Pierson...meaning he is the only coach in the top 4 to NOT win a championship.  Many have always likened him to NFL Head Coach Andy Reid...and this stat shows why. Coach Bell will look to continue his winning ways against the undefeated Roommates.

STINKERS OF THE WEEK: Updated

Something smells over here...it is the STINKERS OF THE WEEK page.  Be sure to check out the page in the right side bar in order to see if your team could use a shower.

STUDS OF THE WEEK: Updated

A new leader has emerged in Stud Land...and it is not who you think it is!  Go see where your team ranks.

Individual Player Awards: Offense & Defense UPDATED

The results are in for the first 3 weeks.  See who is setting the pace and is in position to claim the $10 prize for each spot!

ALL TIME COACHING RECORDS & POWER RATINGS: Updated

It is time to see where you rank again...give the pages a peek.

ALL TIME COACHING RECORDS & POWER RATINGS: Updated

Who can now call themselves the all-time winningest coach in Blue Ribbon League History?
Who has scored more points per game than any other coach?
Who is the top team in this week's Power Ratings?

The answer to these questions and more can be found on the pages in the sidebar on the right of your screen!

As a side note, teams with a higher Power Rating won 5 of the 6 games last week.  Only the K-911s lost to a lesser ranked team, and that was only by .5 point!

The Blog Predictor went 4-2 on the week.  The Predictor was wrong about the Pretty Boys stealing a victory from the Freemasons, and also picked the Soup Can to upset the Fluffernutter.

WEEK 2: Predictions

PRETTY BOYS vs. FREEMASONS
The Pretty Boys will look to even the all-time series against the Freemasons (3-2-1 against the Pretty Boys).  The Masonic lodge is a tough place to play, and neither of these teams wants to fall to 0-2 on the season.
PREDICTION: Pretty Boys 118 vs Freemasons 112

FELONS vs K-911s
The Felons are 4-1 all-time against their division rival the K-911s.  But this is a new year for the K-911s who are coming off of a big victory in week 1.  The K-911s get back their staring RB Arian Foster this week, while the Felons most likely won't have Steven Jackson.  If Kevin Kolb and Kenny Britt can recapture week 1 magic, the K-911s have a chance.
PREDICTION: Felons 121 vs K-911s 120

RIGGINS vs ROOMMATES
Riggins is looking lost.  Coach Holicky is lost enough to start Rex Grossman.  That can't bode well for the winless Riggins squad.  Meanwhile, the Roommates look to move to 2-0 and stay atop the Columbia City Division.
PREDICTION: Riggins 96 vs Roommates 125

COUNSELOR vs MANTI
The Counselor only has a winning record against two teams, the now defunct Ballard Kittens (3-0) and the Manti (4-1).  In this clash of the two least winning teams in league history, the Counselor should have a good chance to move to 5-1 against the Manti...as the Manti most likely will start at least one player who will not play.
PREDICTION: Counselor 105 vs Manti 91

SOUP CAN vs. F:LUFFERNUTTER
This prime time matchup is the other battle of unbeatens in week 2 (the other being the Felons/K-911s).  Fluffernutter looked like a juggernaut last week by putting up over 160 points.  The Soup Can won a tough battle against the arch enemy Freemasons.  The Soup lead the all-time series 3-2, but find themselves a 20 point underdog.
PREDICTION: Soup Can 130 vs Fluffernutter 132

MARQUEE MATCHUP: Royale W/Cheese VS. Purple Hurricanes

12 fans die in 'Explosive Offense' stunt

Tweeted by: the Ochocinco News Network***

Coach Cam has been know for his explosive offenses since the inception of the league in 2008. As the leagues all-time highest scoring team, he has a skill for bringing in the "home run hitting" players and mixing them with the steady big scores of Aaron Rodgers and Andre Johnson. His prolific scoring has landed him in the playoffs each of the three years this league has existed, the only team to have done so. In other words, Coach Cam is consistently scoring fantasy dreams.

This past season, Coach Cam may have met his rival with the rebuilt Purple Hurricanes, led by the masterful managerial skills of Coach Pierson. Last season Coach-P was met with a chorus of boos with the keeper selection of Hakeem Niks and the drafting Darren McFadden. All skeptics were 'caned' when the team went on to lead the league in regular season scoring and record. They then went on to beat the Masons in the Blue Ribbon Bowl, a moment Coach-J called, 'whimsical' and 'like fairies and sprites doing a dance above my head.'

To amp up the excitement for this weeks action, the two coaches combined forces to put on a fireworks display that would 'blow you up like how our scoring blows other teams up.' The event was dubbed a 'fan appreciation blow up'. Blowing up they did, as they used a dangerous amount of fireworks after which chaos ensued, killing 12 fans and injuring 44.

"All I remember is Coach-J yelling, 'Who likes explosive scoring,'" said one of the injured, "He then stood behind a protective shield with Coach Cam as they detonated the explosives... oh, the horror... I can't find my wife... no one knows where she is..."

"Coach Cam said he put a firework out there for every point his team has scored in the past three plus years," said another victim, "Good lord... that was like... 4,000 fireworks in an area no bigger than a front yard... a fan next to me gave me a look of fear... then his head was blown off... and all of the carnage... this is a day I never want to relive."

When asked for comment, Coach Cam was passed out on a couch. Coach-J made himself available and stated, "Yeah... our bad... we honestly didn't consider how many fireworks we were using... or the danger behind it... I mean, we did because we got ourselves a protective shield... but shit happens... sometimes you get steam rolled by a high octane offense in this life... AM I RIGHT!?!?"

BLOG PREDICTION: PURPLE HURRICANES over the EDDIE ROYALE w/ CHEESE 145-137

***NOT ACTUALLY tweeted by the Ochocinco News Network

WEEK 1 ROUND UP: Part Two

WEAKEST PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK:  PRETTY BOYS 89.5 vs. FELONS 127
The Pretty Boys hate going to the State Pen to play the Felons.

"First of all, hindsight being 20/20, we should have been here in time to play the first quarter," Coach Danneker said.  "Last time we showed up on time, our wives were fondled, our wallets stolen, and our players pelted with soap-on-a-rope.  No way were we showing up before we absolutely had to."

The Pretty Boys arrived at the State Pen in the second quarter of the game, and found themselves down by 15.5 points.

"Dammit.  How did we only score 15.5 when they weren't even here.  We need to catch the ball better when there is no defense.  Find our rythm.  We kept thinking they would show up mid-play, so we would audible out of our plays, and just take a knee," Harber exclaimed from the warden's office above the field.

Maybe the pretty boys shouldn't have shown up at all.  The Felons scored 111.5 points once they did...or an average of  just over 37 points each quarter.

"I can't explain why we were twice as good once they showed up," Harber said, "But we are sure glad they did.  The State Pen can always use a few more Pretty Boys.  They bring out the best in us!"

The Felons had their way with the Pretty Boys on Offense and Defense, top and bottom, pitching and catching.  The Pretty Boys did outperform the Felons in the kicking game...but Pretty Boy Billy Cundiff couldn't score enough to make up the difference.

The Felons will steal a bus and travel to Woodinville in week 2 to play the upstart K-911s.  The Pretty Boys will redo their make-up and head out to play the Fighting Freemasons.

OTHER WEEK 1 HAPPENINGS

K-911S 136 vs. MANTI 113

The Manti surprisingly put a full squad together...and still came up short.  The K-911s followed LeSean McCoy's 25 pts to a victory.  Several people believed the K-911s may have made a mistake when trading QB Phillip Rivers for McCoy, but coach Lou Olsen has erased all doubts.  Kevin Kolb started his first game as a signal caller for the K-911s, and promptly put up 19 pts.  The K-911s with solid QB play could make them a favorite in the Queen Anne Division

ONE STOP SHOP FOR COUNSELOR INFO & WATCHES

SOUP CAN 123.5  vs. FREEMASONS 117

These rivalry games always go down to the wire.  The Soup Can ran out to a lead in the 3rd quarter, and held on for dear life as Freemason QB Tom Brady went to work.  Brady put up 34 points, to lead all scorers, but the Soup Can defense was simply too much for the Freemasons to take.  The Soup Can defense, nicknamed the Cream of Mushroom, put up 60.5 points in the game.  Those points proved to be the difference.

HURRICANES 147 vs. COUNSELOR 112

The Hurricanes smashed the Counselor.  The Counselor tried, but not hard enough.  No one was surprised by this result.


Stay tuned for exclusive Week 2 previews and predictions!

WEEK 1 ROUND UP: Part One

First things first, the Blue Ribbon Blog did correctly pick the winner of both games previewed.  So, if we pick against you...watch out!

GAME OF THE WEEK:  OCHOCINCO ROOMATES 108.5 vs. ROYALE W/CHEESE 107.5
This game went down to the wire.  Both teams lost players to injuries, but continued to battle on.  There were 3 players who posted ZERO points due to injury.  The game started to look like a Woodinville K-911 intra-squad scrimmage with all of the ambulances on the field.

On the opening kickoff, Cheese Kicker Nate Kaeding kicked a rocket.  Literally.  He kicked a rocket that then exploded not only his leg, but flew far enough to also explode Roommates Eric Berry and Elvis Dumervil.  Berry took the rocket off of his knee (which in turn exploded) and Dumervil took some shrapnel to his shoulder but continued to attempt to play with only one arm.

Even with the Roommates missing two of their 6 defensive players, the Cheese simply couldn't score enough for the win.  Cheese RB DeAngelo Williams was completely sickened by the "rocket incident" scoring just 3 points, but TE Zach Miller felt even worse.  Miller scored only two points for the Cheese, after his vomiting on the sideline caused a fumble from Jeremy Maclin.  Maclin caught the pass, slipped in the vomit, and fumbled the ball while starting to vomit himself.

All in all, the Cheese outscored the Roommates on both Offense (69-65) and Defense (41.5-36.5), but lost the game on special teams.  Hall of Fame bound kicker Josh Brown nailed a field goal as time expired to get the expansion Roommates their first win.

The Cheese will try to lose the mold as they travel to play the defending Champion Hurricanes.  The Roommates will look to continue to pay rent as they host Riggins.

BEST PERFORMANCE: FLUFFERNUTTER 165.5 vs RIGGINS  107
The Fluffernutter wanted to get out to a fast start this season, and boy did they ever!  The Fluff dropped 165.5 points on Riggins, and the scary thing was that they still had two guys on the bench that would have added another 10 pts!  Riggins was outscored in every facet of this game, which led coach Holicky to say:


Holicky: We couldn't do diddley-poo offensively. We couldn't make a first down. We didn't run the ball. We didn't try to run the ball. We couldn't complete a pass. We sucked. We sucked. It was a horsesass performance in the second half. Horsesass. I'm totally embarrassed, and I'm totally ashamed. We got our ass kicked in the second half. It sucked. It stunk. Cause they just blocked better, were more tougher, more physical, coached better, did everything better. We sucked.
Reporter: Well, do you think you can right the ship and get back to the playoffs?
Holicky: Playoffs? Don't talk about playoffs. Are you kidding me? Playoffs? I'm just hoping we can win a game. One. Game.


Riggins looked loss without their top receiver Larry Fitzgerald.  Fitz and QB Matt Schaub were traded at the draft to the Soup Can, and the two players they received back (Peyton Manning and Dez Bryant) did not even play in the game.  Meanwhile, the Fluffernutter still would have won this game even with their WORST scorers in.  The final score of that game would have been 124-107.

The Fluffernutter will look to continue their nutty scoring as they play host to the Soup Can.  Riggins will try and trade away any player who scored more than 10 pts, and then travel to play the Ochocinco Roommates.

STINKERS OF THE WEEK: Updated

The Stinkers of the Week have been updated!  Make sure no one on your team smells...

Individual Player Awards: Offense & Defense UPDATED

On the sidebar to the right, you can see how your players stand in the Individual Player categories.  Remember, each position winner gets $10!  But, they only accumulate points when in the starting line-up.  Players do not transfer points to new teams...but they can be reacquired to continue scoring for your team!

REPRIMAND HANDED DOWN FROM COMMISH BELL

Tweeted by: Ochocinco News Network***

MOUNT BAKER (AP) - No one has ever questioned commissioner Bell's ability to do what's right for the league. Where the greatest criticism lies is what some call 'a jelly doughnut softness' against some of the leagues more vocal owners.

On Tuesday night, Bell silenced those critics with a move that came as a 'poop your pants surprise' and left the league thinking 'damn Bell.' Just before midnight, Bell issued a letter to Shawn Belyea with a fine from the league offices in reaction to his post-game tirades following the Masons Week 1 loss to the Soup Can. Below are extracted statements from the letter...

"Dear Shawn Belyea -

Let me begin by saying, your contribution to this league has been nothing short of groundbreaking. The professionalism of the Freemasons on and off the fantasy field is a standard for all of us to work by... 

However, you were fully aware of Ammendment 19A - No Excessive Whining, Ammendment 44W - Faulty Management Does Not Mean There's A Problem With the Scoring System, and the Brady Rule which states the obvious fact that if you have Tom Brady and the rest of your team grossly underperforms there's still a good chance you'll lose the game... therefore, it gives me no pleasure to enforce the following disciplinary measures... $100 fine for excessive whining and a statistical handcuff - Brady's touchdowns are now worth 2 points for the Masons rather than the league standard of 4 points and he receives no points for yardage...

Again, your contributions are invaluable and we wish you the best of luck in trying to win as a team unit, rather than using one player as a crutch.

Long may your Pabst flow,

BELL"

We were unable to reach Coach Belyea for reaction to the league action. However we were able to speak with several Freemasons. Tom Brady commented, "Yeah, I was good on Monday night... fantastic in fact... but Belyea has me on a team with Sims-Walker, Marcedes Lewis and defensive players who score ZERO points... what the fuck does he expect!?!? I'm good... but not a god damn miracle worker!!!"

More on this as it develops.  

*** Not actually Tweeted by the Ochocinco News Network

STUDS OF THE WEEK: Updated

Be sure to see who makes up the Studs of the Week for week 1.  Then be sure to head to the league home page to vote for the Stud of the Week.  The winner may or may not receive a Sloop!

2011 COACH POWER RATINGS: Updated

Take a look at the sidebar on the right to see this Power Rankings after week 1.

Coach Abbot takes the top spot, after his huge game against Riggins.

Be sure to see how your team ranks!

ALL TIME COACHING RECORDS: Updated

The Records have been updated...and Coach Chris Bell takes over the spot of Winning-est Coach of All Time.

Meanwhile, when it comes to scoring, no one does it better than Coach Cam and the Royale w/Cheese.

Update from The Onion on Fluffernutter QB Roethlisberger

Ben Roethlisberger Close To Completing Offseason Without Committing Sex Crime

MARQUEE MATCHUP: Royale W/Cheese VS. Ochocinco's Roommates

Realignment happened over the offseason.  The new Columbia City Division was added, and no one was happier to move into this new division than the Eddie Royale W/Cheese.  The Cheese had tried unsuccessfully to win the Queen Anne Division both years of its existence.  Coach Cameron Robertson is the only coach to make the Playoffs in all 3 years of the leagues existence, but has yet to hang a Division Winner banner.

Ochocinco with French Futbol Player Daniel Gomez

Coach Dan Gomez of Ochocinco's Roommates takes over the reigns of the Artist Formerly Known as the Ballard Kittens.  Gomez coached last season in the Blue Ribbon Developmental League: The Michelob Ultra League.  Gomez coached the Chad Johnson's New Names to a record of 1-1, just missing out on the playoffs by 3 games.

These two coaches know each other well, and will both be hoping to steal the week 1 victory.  Losing this game will make it difficult to keep pace in the division with the defending champion Purple Hurricanes.  The Hurricanes start the 2011 season against The Counselor.

The Cheese/Roommates matchup is your classic Offense versus Defense clash.  The Cheese feature top PBR league QB Aaron Rodgers and also the WR tandem of Andre Johnson and Brandon Lloyd (the top WR in the PBR last year for the Hurricanes).  The Roommates counter with athletic defensive studs Jerod Mayo, Mario Williams, Eric Berry, and the return of Elvis Dumervil.

Blog prediction: This one is a tough one to call.  But, being both teams feature a player in their team name, we will make the call on Ochocinco vs. Eddie Royal.  Neither team employs their namesake, but Ochocinco is still a bigger threat than Eddie Royal.  Therefore, we pick The Roommates to win 85-19.  (Get it?  Like the numbers of each receiver!)

MARQUEE MATCHUP: Soup Can VS. Freemasons

COACH BELL LEADS THE SOUP CAN

The Seattle Blue Ribbon League loves to start off the season with Rivalry Week, and there may be no bigger rivalry than the Soup Can/ Freemason match.  Not only does this game usually bring out more trash-talking than any other, but it brings out remarkably close scores as well.

In 2009, The Soup Can squeaked out a victory at home 95-92.5.  The Soup were able to overcome a 21 pt game from Freemason Tom Brady, and they did so in that old school Soup Can way.  They rode Maurice Jones-Drew for 17 pts, and a combined 27 pts from Peyton Manning and Tony Gonzalez.  The Soup Can rode this victory not only to the Ballard Division championship, but all the way to a runner-up finish in the Championship Game.

The tables turned in 2010.  The Freemasons took advantage of the home field advantage at the Masonic Lodge, and pulled out a 118.5-117 victory.  It was a controversial game:

With the Freemasons down by 4.5 points, Tom Brady (Freemasons, 22 pts) drove the team down the field. On what should have been the final play, Brady rolled right and tossed the ball up on 4th and 12 from the Masons 40 yd line.  Bob Sanders and Mike Sims-Walker each had a chance for the ball and the game winning points.  In a remarkable play neither player touched the ball.  They just stood and looked at each other, as they were both trying to score 0 pts and have a chance at The Most Improved award week 2.  Coach Belyea was furious and stoned, Coach Bell was joyful and stoned.  Until, a flag hit the field.

"Too Many Men on the field.  Defense.  Replay 4th down," the ref said.

"I do not consider Jonathan Stewart a man.  He only scored 1 pt...he shouldn't count," Bell said as he tried unsuccessfully to sway the refs opinion.  Bell then decided to pull his entire team from the field, and said, "Fine.  Trying scoring without ANY men on the field."  The Freemasons did try, and succeeded to score a Touchdown with no time left on the clock and take the victory 118.5 to 117.


It was a tough game for the Soup Can to lose, and the Freemasons went on to take the Ballard Division crown.  In a weird coincidence, the Freemasons followed the Soup Can with a runner-up finish in the Championship Game.  Meanwhile, the Soup Can had their worst season to date, and in turn, a roster overhaul this off-season.


The game will no longer feature Brady vs. Manning...unless it is Eli Manning.  Coach Bell jettisoned the aging Peyton Manning in favor of Matt Schaub.  The Soup Can also added Larry Fitzgerald and several young playmakers on defense.  The Freemasons return most of their 2010 lineup, with Brady, Chris Johnson, and Ahmad Bradshaw looking to burn the Soup.


The winner of this game has swept the season series each season, so each coach knows what is at stake.


"I'm in LOVE!  I am in LOVE with my team!" Coach Bell was heard shouting.  We here at the Blue Ribbon League Blog are in love with his team too.


BLOG PREDICTION:  Soup Can stun the Freemasons at home with a 112-101 victory. We predict big performances from new QB Matt Schaub and his pass catchers (Fitzgerald, Austin, Pettigrew)...big enough performances to seal the victory.

ALL TIME COACHING RECORDS: Updated

The Pretty Boys are still the highest winning team of all time...will this be the year they get caught?

The Royale W/Cheese are still the highest scoring team of all time...can anyone score enough crackers to catch them?

Look at the Updated Coaching Records in the Sidebar on the Right.

2011 Keepers!

Check outthe sheet below for up to date KEEPER and DRAFT information.

• The first page is a list of the DRAFT ORDER with the KEEPERS plugged into their draft slots.
• KEEPER LIST is a position by position list of players kept. 
• The TOP 25 sheet is a comprehensive list of how the KEEPERS thus far rank in the ESPN pre-season rankings.  In other words, you can compare your guys to what is currently available.

***Players highlighted in YELLOW on the TOP 25 sheet are KEEPERS, and therefore currently unavailable.


https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AtYXvWSxMQk8dDFtZVBLb3BvcVNOcWhCZW5oak9TTlE&hl=en_US#gid=0

KEEPER DEADLINES

Please have your keepers in by 7:00 PM (PST) on the date below...

*** HIGHLIGHTED IN ---  = KEEPERS TURNED IN ON TIME


8/18 - HURRICANES

8/19 - MASONS

8/20 - FELONS

8/21 - RIGGINS

8/22 - K-911

8/23 - CHEESE

8/24 - FLUFF

8/25 - PRETTY BOYS

8/26 - ROOMMATES/SOUP CAN

8/27 - COUNSELOR/MANTI