I Win!

It's official, I have now crushed all of the opposition and claimed the title of 2008 Fantasy Football King in my league. Now sit back while I regale you with the spellbinding tale of my rise to power.

It all started back in whatever month it was that we drafted. I had the 4th pick out of 8 and had properly prepared, or so I thought. I loaded up on quality running backs, quarterbacks who could do no wrong, the best defense money could buy, and so on. Shortly after the draft ended, I looked at the all pros I had assembled and it seemed like a foregone conclusion that I would win it all.

After some injuries had me limping to a meager 3-3 record, I was getting no production out of my WR's and out of desperation, agreed to what turned out to be one of the most unfortunate trades in world history. Figuring that he had dodged injury longer than I had expected, I reluctantly sent Adrian Peterson to the evil Dale in exchange for Laverneus Coles and the promising Brandon Marshall. To even out the rosters, I also threw in the disappointing Wes Welker who had done jack squat all year to this point. Of course, then very next day, Peterson ran for nearly 300 yards, and Welker had about 220 receiving.

The next thing I knew I was 3-9. Battling it out for last place with the other 3-9 team, I managed to end my 6 game losing streak and secure the #7 seed for the playoffs. That's when things began to turn around. Drew Brees came up big for me as I squeezed out a win to knock off the #2 seed. A week later I toppled the #3 seed. That left me matched up with my nemesis - #1 seed Dale who had not lost since fleecing me earlier in the season. Welker did next to nothing for him, and I was left clinging to a 32 point lead with only Adrian Peterson left to play. Would he once again put up a huge game on Sunday night? Would this trade come back to haunt me yet again?

As luck would have it, Peterson had a miserable game, scoring a measly 3 fantasy points, and I tasted sweet victory, as well as sweet vengeance. I'm not sure which is sweeter at this point. Fortunately I will no longer have to take out a contract on the lives of either Adrian Peterson or Dale. I can even stop hoping that each week the inevitable career ending injury strikes Peterson down. I can also cease cursing the Packers defense for nearly costing me the game.

I can also gloat that I have been saying for over a year now that Kyle Orton should be starting for the Bears, although admittedly one good game isn't exactly solid proof. But leading the team to a 10-6 record as a rookie should have gotten him more respect than it did. Hear me now and believe me later, Orton will be in the pro bowl within 3 years. Probably after being let go by the Bears to make room on the roster for an expensive 1st round draft pick who will never pan out. I'm going to guess that Colt Brennan will be that draft pick. The highly respected NFL Draft Countdown (link on your right) is currently projecting the Bears drafting Andre Woodson, QB from Kentucky, but I'm going to stick with Brennan.