2006 Champion Profile - David Van Der Stuyf (Chicago League 3)
Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2006 5:24 am
Dave Van Der Stuyf wasn’t going to leave any stone unturned when it came to the 2006 NFBC. He was exhaustive in his preparation – be it in terms of player analysis, rankings and mock drafts.
If the secret to a successful championship is a well-prepared recipe than Van Der Stuyf was going to whip up a tasty treat that would make Rachel Ray green with envy.
That delightful meal turned out to be a first-place finish in Chicago League 3 and the cool $5,000 that goes to the league champion.
“It was great to win,” he said. “I figure I’m playing against the best fantasy pool players in the world so to win my league made me very happy.
“I had lots and lots of preparation. I spent a lot of time in the offseason going over strategies, mock drafting and talking to Dave Geisinger, who entered a team in Chicago League 1.
“He kept me going and got us both prepared for anything. I wouldn’t have won without his help.”
The mock drafting proved especially critical when the time came to draft for real in the Windy City.
“After tons of mock drafts I knew who was likely going to be available in each round,” he said. “I wanted to make sure I got good players at the short positions, which I considered relievers, third basemen and catchers.”
Van Der Stuyf felt good about his team all season long thanks to his strong draft and some good free-agent pickups such as Juan Rivera, John Maine and Woody Williams. And then in August his team moved into contention and he began to believe he had a realistic shot at winning the league title.
“The competition in Chicago was fierce,” said Van Der Stuyf, who is married with two children and lives in Willow Springs, IL, where he works at home on investments. “All three leagues were tough.
“Karl Mische is one of the best-ranked players overall (in the NFBC) and has never won a league. With two weeks to go seven or eight teams still had a chance to come in first in my league. Two teams still could’ve won it on the last day.”
In the end, it was Van Der Stuyf’s team which emerged victorious, giving the 20-year fantasy vet a high honor among NFBC participants.
If the secret to a successful championship is a well-prepared recipe than Van Der Stuyf was going to whip up a tasty treat that would make Rachel Ray green with envy.
That delightful meal turned out to be a first-place finish in Chicago League 3 and the cool $5,000 that goes to the league champion.
“It was great to win,” he said. “I figure I’m playing against the best fantasy pool players in the world so to win my league made me very happy.
“I had lots and lots of preparation. I spent a lot of time in the offseason going over strategies, mock drafting and talking to Dave Geisinger, who entered a team in Chicago League 1.
“He kept me going and got us both prepared for anything. I wouldn’t have won without his help.”
The mock drafting proved especially critical when the time came to draft for real in the Windy City.
“After tons of mock drafts I knew who was likely going to be available in each round,” he said. “I wanted to make sure I got good players at the short positions, which I considered relievers, third basemen and catchers.”
Van Der Stuyf felt good about his team all season long thanks to his strong draft and some good free-agent pickups such as Juan Rivera, John Maine and Woody Williams. And then in August his team moved into contention and he began to believe he had a realistic shot at winning the league title.
“The competition in Chicago was fierce,” said Van Der Stuyf, who is married with two children and lives in Willow Springs, IL, where he works at home on investments. “All three leagues were tough.
“Karl Mische is one of the best-ranked players overall (in the NFBC) and has never won a league. With two weeks to go seven or eight teams still had a chance to come in first in my league. Two teams still could’ve won it on the last day.”
In the end, it was Van Der Stuyf’s team which emerged victorious, giving the 20-year fantasy vet a high honor among NFBC participants.