Matthew Leal and Lyndal Morgan have been in the OIL since its beginning in Iraq in 2006. They were roommates that year and have been rivals ever since. This week, each manager released a new logo for his team: Each design is now part of the league store, where managers can purchase team-branded mugs, shirts, hoodies, blankets, and more. Morgan's logo will grace the championship jersey he'll receive for winning the 2007 OIL Bowl.
0 Comments
The OIL is mourning the loss of one of our own this week. SSG Michael "Ten Man" Tenequer died on Tuesday, October 7, 2014. He was too young. Those who served with him during the 2005 SECFOR mission in Iraq that begat the OIL and those who served with him during the 158's 2008 mission in Iraq remember him as a soft-spoken, easy-going soldier with a dry sense of humor. The members of the OIL were just laughing about "Ten Man's" sense of humor at the 2014 draft. Here he is wishing his family a merry Christmas from Ramadi in 2008: The OIL and its members send their condolences to the Tenequer family.
The OIL is about tradition. It has never been a money league. We play for pride, a traveling trophy, and the opportunity to keep in touch with brothers we served with. And we maintain tradition by chronicling the year we spent in Iraq together and each successive OIL season in our ongoing oral history project. But we're always looking for ways to improve the league experience for all. I've often wondered what we can do for our champions that will last beyond their reign as Harrington Trophy keeper and suggested an additional prize. After a league vote, the following measure has been passed.
Beginning immediately, the OIL will award the league champion with a custom jersey designed for their fantasy football team. The jersey number will be the year of the championship. This year's champion will wear a number 14 jersey. Through an agreement with HopcoSports.com, we are getting our jerseys at a fantastic price. But that's not just for the league going forward. Once all the managers pay their share, I will place our first order, which will include a jersey for every previous league champion. The 2010 and 2012 champion Arrogant Americans already have their jerseys. The first order will include: a number 6 jersey for Pyle's 2006 champion Lucky Enuf squad; a number 7 jersey for Morgan's 2007 champion Whackers; number 8 and 11 jerseys for Bruesch's 2008 and 2011 champion SoonerJack franchise; and a number 13 jersey for Cobb's 2013 champion Dogs of War. Those four managers should begin considering design options immediately, although Pyle already has a jersey template, as does Bruesch. Other managers with jersey-templates but no championship include: Roger's Ammo Dogs; Jessen's DominationStation (two-time OIL Bowl runner-up); Trovillo's Dirty Hippies; Duffy's Hangovers (who already have a jersey, but not a championship jersey); and Baldwin's Reapers. So far, three managers have tendered their dues to the commissioner. Get those dues in so we can make this happen. You may mail the funds to the commissioner's home address or send it through PayPal. The OIL champion can still look forward to receiving the Harrington Trophy with his name and franchise name engraved on it. This is just one more reason why our league is so amazing. Not only did we invest in a quality traveling trophy, we all pitch in to ensure our champions have something permanent to signify their achievement. Thank you to Uni-Watch for linking to this announcement. Our Ask the Arbitrator feature provides quick, unbiased trade review when controversy divides your league. Today's trade dispute comes from Joshua Johnson's .5 PPR keeper league (max of three players kept): Team 1 This trade should be upheld. Normally, the standard of review is simple: could a reasonable fantasy football manager make a case for this trade helping their team this season? But this is a keeper league. In a keeper or dynasty league, the standard of review is even lower because the rationale and ramifications extend beyond this season. So, let's take a look at what is really happening here.
Team 1 gives up two young SEC RBs in Zac Stacy and Isaiah Crowell (initially played for Georgia before transferring to FCS) to Team 2 for up-and-coming TE Travis Kelce and young QB Nick Foles. Zac Stacy is the starting RB in St. Louis and has looked good in his first two seasons. Crowell is a rookie in a crowded backfield, but many believe he is the most talented back in Cleveland. Travis Kelce is quickly becoming a TE1 in PPR scoring while Nick Foles is a top-10 QB in either format. As starters go, Foles and Kelce are probably better players than Stacy and Crowell right now. But it's entirely possible that Kelce is a backup RB for Team 2 while Foles could be his team's QB1 or QB2. Team 1 is most likely starting Stacy and stashing Crowell. So, in effect, this is a situation where Team 1 cashes in on his RB depth (one starter and one stash) for an upgrade at QB and TE. For Team 2, they sacrifice depth for a RB who is a stud right now and a RB who is predicted to be a stud soon. And this is a keeper league. Whether Team 2 truly has enough depth to pay this price is in the eye of the beholder. Whether Foles and Kelce are worth losing a stud RB in Stacy and a potential stud in Crowell is up to Team 1 to decide. This trade would be borderline if it were a redraft league, in which case it would essentially be Stacy and a lottery ticket at RB for Foles and Kelce. But this is a keeper league, so the lower standard of review saves the trade. Ruling: The trade should be upheld. Do you have a trade dividing your league? Send it to us and we'll arbitrate the dispute. Our Ask the Arbitrator feature provides quick, unbiased trade review when controversy divides your league. Today's trade dispute comes from Michael Fitzpatrick's 14-team PPR keeper league: Two trades for review: Thanks for the submission, Michael. We'll address each trade in order. Trade 1: This trade should be upheld, but only because it is a keeper league. Normally, the standard of review is simple: could a reasonable fantasy football manager make a case for this trade helping their team this season? Under that standard, this trade would fail. But this is a keeper league. In a keeper or dynasty league, the standard of review is lower because the rationale and ramifications extend beyond this season. So, let's take a look at what is really happening here. Team A is 3-1 with Golden Tate and Malcom Floyd. At 3-1, it's unlikely that Floyd is starting for their team, but Floyd has been serviceable. Tate is currently ranked 20th in PPR scoring for wide receivers with 24 catches for 317 yards. Tate and Floyd are keeper-eligible for a 12th and 13th round pick, respectively. Team B is 1-3 even with Jordy Nelson, who had an ADP this season of second to third round. Nelson is the bigger name (as evidenced by his ADP), and is currently a top-three PPR WR. But Nelson is not keeper-eligible and Team B is 1-3 even with Nelson's Herculean efforts thus far. Team A gets the bigger name here with the most potential for this season. Team B gets an opportunity to cash in on a big name to help build his team for next year. It may be too early to push the panic button for Team B, but that's up to him (or her) to decide. Tate is actually scoring at a WR2 level even with Detroit's recent offensive struggles. Whether that is sustainable is up for argument. Floyd is doing decently well in a resurgent San Diego offense. There's a good possibility he wasn't good enough to contribute to Team A but is good enough to contribute to the 1-3 Team B. Kudos to Team A for not resting on its laurels. Ruling: The trade should be upheld. Trade 2: This trade should also be upheld due to the keeper nature of this league. Here, we have two 2-2 teams going in different directions. It appears one team thinks it has a shot this season while the other is already building for next year.
Team C would trade away Montee Ball (currently outside the top-30 in PPR scoring for RBs) and Dez Bryant (a top-10 WR in PPR scoring). Neither player is keeper-eligible. Team D trades away 25th-ranked WR Alshon Jeffery, who has been injured this season but can be kept next season. From an outsider's perspective, it looks like Team D believes it can win this season. To that end, it is trading away a player who could help its team next season for a buy-low, one-season RB and a top-10 WR that may put him over the top this season . . . but will not be able to help his team next season. Team C appears to be looking forward to next year already, but it's not exactly holding a fire sale. It gives up on the disappointing Montee Ball and trades top-10 WR Dez Bryant for potential top-10 WR Alshon Jeffery (if he's healthy) with the understanding that he can go into next season already set at one WR position. Again, this trade would be overruled in a re-draft league, but this is a keeper league and that raises more possibilities for trade rationale. Ruling: The trade should be upheld. Do you have a trade dividing your league? Send it to us and we'll arbitrate the dispute. |
March 2023
All
|
|
|