NFBC Message Boards

I have a very self depreciating personality. Before I see the plusses in myself, the minusses (shuddup spell checker, plusses and minusses should be words, dammit!) anyway, the minusses have been gone over thoroughly before the plusses are an inkling.
I don't like talking about my teams much. If I do, it is usually to the Advisory Board or one on one with somebody that has asked a question about the team. I figure that if I talk about my team in a good way that it comes off as boasting, and if in a bad way, it comes off as whining. So, the less said, the better.

That said, I have a team that is seventh overall in the Main Event. Believe me, I'm not talking about this team to thump my chest. I've had teams in the top 10 before and thought that some players may want to know some feelings going through the mind of an owner in this position.

Back in the day, or maybe even now, the British would go on a fox hunt. There'd be about 50 hunters, all armed with their guns, along with these 'hunters' were 10 blood hounds trained to find the fox.
The fox just didn't seem to have a chance.
When you're in the top 10, you're the fox.
It seems like any daily gains are more than made up by a 'hunter' behind you.

Worse, in our game, there are other foxes. Foxes that are better than you, well, unless your name is Chad.
The problem with being one of the elite foxes are not only the 'hunters' that are coming after us, but that no matter how well our players play for a day, it seems the move up in standings is minimal. This is because we've banked good stats and are near the top of categories we have dominated. If we want more points, we have to work on the categories that have been our weakness all year. At the same time, if we mess too much with our team, we could lose advantages in other categories.
A seemingly lose/lose proposition that is absolutely delicious in approaching.
That's our game in a nutshell.

I feel for Chad.
In 2005, I had a team that led the Main Event for most of the year. It was overtaken in week 23 of 26 and my team was lucky to hold on for second place. At the time, I beat myself up pretty good for things I could have done, but the fact was that I just got beat by a better team.
Still, it's hard to let go of something that you've held onto for most of the year.
The top three owners are all great owners. Chad has gotten his due and most know what a good owner he is.
John Pausma and Andy Nolan have been flying under the radar since they started playing this game.
I think Andy should be in our Hall of Fame and consider him the best player in our game. And I know he's shaking his head and rolling his eyes at me mentioning his name in a public forum.
But, I think that much of his skills.
John is one of those players that everybody wishes was in a league other than theirs. Sometimes I feel midwesterners don't get enough credit in our game. John should, a great player.

Yes, there are foxes at the top that have outfoxed the hunters.
So far.
But, the foxes know the advantage lie with the hunters and they know that if they can keep their skins by the end of each day, they've won a small victory.
Hunting season doesn't end till the 27th week. We're only in the 17th week.
That is a long time for any fox to hide away.

Nice article Dough... the point of it being a 27 week season is well taken. Without casting apsersion on anyone, I find it interesting how many owners slow down thier particpation as the season goes on and because of where they may be in the standings. I wonder what the impact is overall and how much it needs to be conisdered.

In my reckoning, it doesn't need to be considered at all. Every year this is brought up. To what end, I don't know.
It doesn't/shouldn't diminish anything the 'foxes' have done.
We're dealing with human nature.
This is a Marathon.
I know I'm not being politically correct with this analogy, so if you don't like it, well, tough.
In every marathon, you're going to have the runners from Kenya who usually win the race.
The, the folks who have trained hard and want to beat the Kenya runners.
And then, those that just don't have it and either chug on to finish out the race or those that drop completely because they've had enough of the race.

It happens in EVERY marathon. Yet, while the public focuses on those that break the tape first, some want to in some way diminish their achievements while looking at those that fell out of the race.
It is human nature. It cannot be fixed. It is a part of the game. A part of the game we all know going in.