August 18, 2006

Are You Ready for Some Football?: With the start of the Premiership tomorrow morning, it might be a good time to cancel all of your plans for the next eight months, create a fantasy team, and join the SportsFilter league.

posted by rcade to fantasy at 12:52 PM - 39 comments

Can't wait to have my ass handed to me. Total n00b rules/format question: One of my defenders has transferred out of Premier (to Valencia). My top sub is also a defender. Does that mean he will be automatically inserted for my team when the def in my lineup doesn't play this weekend? That's what I get from the help section but not sure if I'm reading it right.

posted by YukonGold at 12:58 PM on August 18, 2006

YG, you're spot on. Also, for anyone new to the EPL, JABS has found some helpful links to bring you up to speed. The team by team break down is even better then Simmons'.

posted by garfield at 01:36 PM on August 18, 2006

The quote about Posh made me laugh.

posted by chicobangs at 01:51 PM on August 18, 2006

So next week I can transfer in a new player and avoid any deductions?

posted by YukonGold at 02:05 PM on August 18, 2006

On Thursday the team selected for Range Park Queens was: Poom(Captain), Chimbonda, Paletta, Djourou, Pogatetz, N'Zogbia, Makelele, Hleb, Fletcher, Johnson, Yakubu With the following substitutes: Hart, Traore, Gerrard, Davies Understand I know like two names in there. Does this mean that Gerrard will not be playing for me? And it'll cost me points to put him in, right?

posted by yerfatma at 02:19 PM on August 18, 2006

YG, again, spot on. yerfatma, I'm not sure if line-ups are locked in yet, they will be soon, but you might be able to change in and out players already on your roster at the 'My Team' page. btw, I like the look of your team.

posted by garfield at 02:42 PM on August 18, 2006

I was able to sub Gerrard in without anything warning me I was screwed. Which either means I'm not or I am. I did have an injury (Makelele), so that may have affected it. As for the look of my team, I spent a hell of a lot of time preparing to click the button to select the team for me. And then I added two players whose names I knew. Hopefully karma will make my team great in response to all the baseball indignities I've suffered from fools.

posted by yerfatma at 02:51 PM on August 18, 2006

Subbing in players on your bench should be no trouble, especially for the next 18 hours. (One piece of friendly advice: I wouldn't play Gerrard regularly. Seriously, just let him sit on the bench. Don't ask why, just trust me. He's just a talentless schmoe. Let him sit.)

posted by chicobangs at 03:14 PM on August 18, 2006

No heart, that Gerrard.

posted by garfield at 03:50 PM on August 18, 2006

The sad part is I spent the first 30 seconds after chico's comment wondering why Gerrard was such a poor performer in fantasy terms. That's the level of clue-ness you're dealing with, so if you're ok with picking on speds, you've got a fun few months in front of you.

posted by yerfatma at 09:25 PM on August 18, 2006

Yukon, you have until 30 minutes before the first kickoff of the week to change your players. You can keep doing it now for free because the season has not yet started. But once tomorrow's first game kicks off, they start keeping track. Starting next gameweek, you will be penalized four points for every transfer beyond the first one each week.

posted by worldcup2002 at 12:05 AM on August 19, 2006

Substitutions are always free but if you miss the deadline the server won't let you make them. Looking over some early results I think the fantasy scoring system is f'ed if a keeper loses 3-0 and still scores nine points; cheers, WC.

posted by billsaysthis at 03:43 PM on August 19, 2006

It's amazing that Zamora was able to score two goals today while SITTING ON MY GODDAMNED BENCH. And yet I'm in second place right now, though that's only because it's halfway through week one and it doesn't matter yet. I'm enjoying the rarefied air while I'm here.

posted by chicobangs at 04:06 PM on August 19, 2006

That's right, since I came here to gloat. Beat Chico by one point! (Despite having several no-minute bench boys and the fact that I would have been better playing McCullough than Henry, despite the, like, twenty-seven point differential in their costs).

posted by klangklangston at 05:01 PM on August 19, 2006

As a note, I set up the league and I typically provide the updates. But I am on holiday. So, I don't think to provide a real update until the end of week 3. Sign ups to the league are closed. The season has started and last year with my ongoing updates it was a bit of a bother to keep adding participants to the spreadsheet five weeks after the start of the season. and the spreadsheet is more or less a spofi table construction shortcut since putting tables into spofi posts is a bit of a bother. in any case, the league has reached 36 folk which is bigger than ever. In any case, a preliminary week update table can be slapped down.

#TeamManagerGameweekTotal
1Crap City Unitedg s p m7272
2Arrowwood Unitedjosh Steichmann6363
2EnFuegoetrader 96363
4BillSaysThisScores!!Bill Lazar5959
5The Red MistDan Symonds5858
6Ardley AthleticSquealy Neily5757
6This is Anfield2 75757
8My Hair Is So BanginChico Bangs5555
8ATL Untitledt r o x5555
10TX DevilsCraig H.5353
10The Magyarsfredi eaton5353
12Upper V, Bitches!Jeffwa Hogue5252
13Cutters IVmbd1 mbd15151
14Phatcat FCgar field4848
15I Like BeerNick Mark4646
15FIFA RankingsAleks Bismarck4646
17Inter Hoxtonskronk _4545
18PunksInTheBeerlighth o l d e n4343
19Blammos!Star Unsuitable4242
1900100011 00110001'sgeeky guy4242
19Th'All Black (Hand)sThe Black Hand4242
19Tunbridge TurtlesRick Scully4242
23Yukon UnitedYukon Gold4141
23FencersD S4141
25Ball Bootersca buki4040
26The ClitoratiFat Buddha3939
27FC HammerRogers Cadenhead3737
27The Lawn WranglersStevie Y3737
27Range Park QueensA. Guy3737
30Sauril's WideBoysMark D3333
30Middle Pocket MaresBill Pennington3333
32vagabondscat fish3030
32Zizou Headbuttersworldcup 20023030
34Sock My BallsHATER 1872929
AAAAnd, it is a short gameweek, be aware.

posted by gspm at 04:08 AM on August 21, 2006

And I've already made a drunken double-transfer, showing I learnt absolutely nothing last season.

posted by squealy at 05:08 AM on August 21, 2006

Holy crap, I'm not in last place yet! On another note, I tried a drunken double-transfer the other night with my wife, and damn near dislocated my shoulder.

posted by The_Black_Hand at 06:26 AM on August 21, 2006

Yukon's Gameweek lesson (this may need to be an ongoing feature): Hey wow, you can play 3 forwards?!?!

posted by YukonGold at 09:56 AM on August 21, 2006

Yes, you can...

posted by StarFucker at 10:31 AM on August 21, 2006

I just want to point out how exceedingly smug I am at being in the top half of the league after the first week of my very first participation in a fantasy sport of any kind. Clearly, I'm some kind of team-managing genius. I even had the brilliance to notice that one of my players got a red card (Neill, you putz!) and will be disqualified from his team's next match -- and to follow up by transfering him for a different player! That's just how good I am at this. The_Black_Hand, I'll race you to the bottom of the table...

posted by nickmark at 11:08 AM on August 21, 2006

Wow, bill has a point. This week, my top scorer is a goalie (Friedel) who let in 3 goals but still scored nine points (I'm guessing it was the barrage of saves, including a penalty save, that did it). Otherwise, it was a crap week. Maybe my team name has something to do with it.

posted by worldcup2002 at 10:17 AM on August 22, 2006

Friedel's points: Playing ninety minutes = 2 Conceding 3 goals = -1 Penalty Save = 5 9 Saves = 3 Grand Total = 9

posted by squealy at 04:04 PM on August 22, 2006

Squealy I understood the mechanics. I just don't think the system is set up correctly. Not when, say, Van der Saar gets three points while his team wins 5-1 and Friedel gets the 9. SF, welcome back! Are you and the Blammos ready for another season-long asswhupping?

posted by billsaysthis at 04:15 PM on August 22, 2006

How else are you going to reward keepers for making saves than 1pt for every three though? It's not like they get chance to do much else. Though Friedel has of course scored in the past. And penalty saves are like hen's teeth. Has to be worth a big bonus. My opinions may be influenced by the fact that Friedel is my keeper too.

posted by squealy at 04:21 PM on August 22, 2006

I think Friedel's achievements should be minimised for the good of all teams not having him on their rosters. Also all other players except for my fifteen. Who do I write to to get that fixed?

posted by chicobangs at 05:21 PM on August 22, 2006

boy am I sucking ass this year. already... although short week, and berbatov having two games should help...

posted by sauril at 05:44 PM on August 22, 2006

Chico appears to be top of the board mid way through the second set of matches. I don't believe it. I, on the other hand, suck a dead dingo's donger.

posted by owlhouse at 05:06 AM on August 23, 2006

I don't see a double game week for anyone until week5. Anyone catch King's blast from outside the box yesterday? He should've had two, the bugger. Watford's pace, doggedness, and stamina impressed me.

posted by garfield at 12:19 PM on August 23, 2006

Frome the pre-season assessments, I just assumed Watford would be an easy pick for relegation, but after watching that match, I no longer think so. They're not going to win a lot of games, but they'll hang on this year, and they'll be alright. As far as me topping the ladder, it's because all my players went yesterday. I've taken a screenshot to show my mum.

posted by chicobangs at 01:02 PM on August 23, 2006

The announcers kept talking about Watford's set-piece ability. FWIW, Young seemed to be standing over the ball most often. And its tough not to like a team with defenders named Doyley and Shittu. And I'm partial to Francis, formerly of Norwich, not sure why though. I'd wager they'll stay up, though linger in the lower-10. Though I'm puzzled by the moose on their shield and how that resembles a Hornet. chico, keep it up. squealy is right behind you.

posted by garfield at 01:28 PM on August 23, 2006

Watford is in Hertfordshire and the Moose on the shield is supposed to be a Hart, which is a male red deer, over five years old. Unfortunately, the guy who designed the Watford logo was Canadian and had never seen a Hart. No, I made that up. But if you look at the logo on its own, it looks a little less, err, moosey.

posted by Mr Bismarck at 05:34 PM on August 23, 2006

Hey, there's harts in Canada. And to me, that logo looks like Alice The Goon from the Popeye cartoons. So! How 'bout Middlesborough, eh?

posted by chicobangs at 05:41 PM on August 23, 2006

On Friedel--and he's my favorite keeper even though not on my team--there needs to be more responsibility for letting goals in. Maybe increased deduction for each goal. (First post from Safari on Miami Steve, my new white MacBook ;)

posted by billsaysthis at 12:27 AM on August 24, 2006

Watch out fools: I just cut the dead wood on my team what thought they could just warm a bench all season without their stupid Yank manager ever catching on (thanks auto-draft!). I'm loaded for bear or something now. Possibly a DUI.

posted by yerfatma at 02:25 PM on August 24, 2006

I plan on making no moves what so ever. It's kind of like when I play monopoly and refuse to sell or trade any property. I'll hold onto Baltic Ave. before I let anyone else put a hotel on it.

posted by HATER 187 at 02:53 PM on August 24, 2006

Mr B - the Watford logo close up still looks like a frickin' moose, eh?

posted by worldcup2002 at 06:00 PM on August 24, 2006

Only change I've made so far is Saha for Bellamy, which made me feel a little dirty, but I think Rafa's rotation policy is going to reduce the points for a lot of Liverpool players this season. Thinking of taking Pennant out for my next free transfer, but I've got to convince myself there are midfield players for the same money who will perform as well over the course of a season, even if Jermaine doesn't play every game.

posted by walrus at 06:37 AM on August 29, 2006

If anybody trundles past this thread I aim to get the regular lockerroom updates up and running this week. though I am not pressed for time since we are in the midst of a long game week gap due to international play. nonetheless, i figure the next few days should see a new thread at the ready.

posted by gspm at 11:44 AM on August 29, 2006

I'll be looking forward to the new table since I appear to have the top score of the week. Swapping Davies for Kanu was a surprisingly rewarding decision though balanced by changing captain from Lampard to Shevchenko (costing 12 points). Ah well, 35 'weeks' to go.

posted by billsaysthis at 05:58 PM on August 29, 2006

You're not logged in. Please log in or register.