We just had an amazing week with so many close games, and some huge scores! Most notable was Karlos score of 1589! Only problem was, was that it was against Elbonz :lol: haha - In fact that was the only blow-out! With all 9 other games decided by less than 141 points; and 6 of them were actually less than 105 point margins! Im fairly certain we havent seen such a close round so far. I also need to break it down further and mention that there were 3 games decided by less than 40 points. - Thats full on! I havent been able to keep a close eye on the league this last week, but Im sure it got exciting for those that did! I also need to add that my mob just notched up their 6th win in a row - which matches Owens record streak - but only 1 person can hold the trophy at once, so Ill wait until someone actually breaks Owens record to award the trophy (assuming someone will, but it may not happen).

When I set up the current poll, I stated that I would narrow it down to 2 options after a few votes were in; But, we have been sitting on 9 total votes for a few days now, and all are on 3 different options, with March 2nd easily leading; but more importantly, the other 2 are tied for 2nd - and even if their votes were combined, it wouldnt be enough to knock off the 2nd of March - So I have decided to stop the poll, and declare March 2nd 2011 as the winner, and therefore - the date of our trade deadline. If there are any objections to this, please email me, or post a comment down below.

The next thing to work out, is how much our home field advantage should be in the playoffs. During our playoffs, the side with the better regular season record is always the home side, so it is only fair that they also get some sort of advantage - in the way of a points head start. At the moment, I have tokenly set it up as 1 point headstart to the home side; but I want to have a vote to decide the amount of points we offer up for this...  There is a new poll up for this...  Jump on and vote the usual way.

In the NBA: Miami have now jumped up to lead the East, since Boston has lost their last 2 games. But they are still way behind San Antonio, who lead the West - with a 31 and 6 record - in front of Dallas who are 4 and a half games back. The Cavs have a heap of injuries at the moment and are struggling hard, with the worst record in the league. Durant (28.2ppg), Love (15.7rpg) and Rondo (13.4) still lead the league in their respective categories, with large margins over the next best in each. Bogut (2.82bpg) and Paul (2.76spg) both still lead the main defensive stats. Rondo still leads the league in TOs; however he has also recently become the 2nd player to get a 2nd trip-dub as well - when healthy, he has been so dominant!

The PGs dont seem to be dominating - under our scoring system - as much now. From memory, this is the first time I have seen less than 7 PGs in our top 10 players. LeBron, Gasol, Love & Amare are all in the top 10, with the other 6 spots held by PGs - CP3 the best, averaging 59 fppg. AND there are only 4 PGs in amongst the next 20 on the list. But that makes it 10 PGs in our top 30 - so its still obviously slanted their way. Which goes to show why Steve has tried so hard to get a decent PG into his team: First trading out our leagues 4th best fantasy scorer (and Dan Gibson) for Camby and Mike Conley, and then today - agreeing to a trade that moves on Conley again (along with Scola and George Hill), in return for rookie John Wall (and Thad. Young, Bonner and Sefolosha). Im not sure if its worth giving up so much for a high scoring PG, but well wait and see I suppose. Interesting that 2 people have voted to veto this most recent trade... maybe a little worried about Dans future playoff team??

Now, over the break will be the game reviews from matchup 10; and the previews of matchup 11::::::<!--more-->

Matchup 10 review:

<a href="http://games.espn.go.com/fba/clubhouse?leagueId=23530&amp;teamId=1&amp;seasonId=2011" target="_blank">Team anthak[/url] 1001 v <a title="Team Stowie (Daniel Stow)" href="http://games.espn.go.com/fba/clubhouse?leagueId=23530&amp;teamId=8&amp;seasonId=2011" target="_top">Team Stowie[/url] 898

I got the win that equaled Owens record, but no Dirk Diggler award for me just yet - due to the aforementioned reasons. This was a great game - pretty close throughout - and i was worried all the way; even when i had a lead of 146 going into the final day (on the back of 60s from ZRandolph and Durant on day6), I was still thinking Stowie could pinch it, mainly due to Kobe playing that final day, but it turned out Udrih outscored him by 11 and my mob did enough to hold on. I had 3 over 100 with Zach Randolph my best with 189 from 3 games! And Stowie had 2 over 100, with Bryant the best on 170 from his 4 games.

<a title="Too Seriouseses (Les Wales)" href="http://games.espn.go.com/fba/clubhouse?leagueId=23530&amp;teamId=2&amp;seasonId=2011" target="_top">Too Seriouseses[/url] 941 v <a title="Pikus United (Adam Ziegler)" href="http://games.espn.go.com/fba/clubhouse?leagueId=23530&amp;teamId=9&amp;seasonId=2011" target="_top">Pikus United[/url] 830

Despite not having a coach around, PU have been doing quite well lately! They still havent won a game, but they have been pushing teams week in, week out, lately. Walesy did enough to get the win here, but must have been a little worried when the margin was only 61 points with 2 days remaining. The TSeses had 3 over 100 with Bargnani repaying some faith, top scoring with 171 from 4 games; while PU also had 3 over 100, with West the best on 181 (4 games).

<a title="Team El Bonanzas (Al Lee)" href="http://games.espn.go.com/fba/clubhouse?leagueId=23530&amp;teamId=3&amp;seasonId=2011" target="_top">Team El Bonanzas[/url] 404 v <a title="Kings of Karlos (Sean Minetti)" href="http://games.espn.go.com/fba/clubhouse?leagueId=23530&amp;teamId=10&amp;seasonId=2011" target="_top">Kings of Karlos[/url] 1589

What a week to put up the highest score in the league! Well done Karlos! HUGE score! And that is now 5 wins in a row as well. Karlos had a massive 7 players break the ton, and 2 of them went on to score doubles! Turkoglu his best with 229 from 4 games. Poor Elbonz only had 7 players suit up, and only 1 scored over 100 - Rudy Gay on 151 from only 3 games.

<a title="Adelaide Maggots (Cameron Sears)" href="http://games.espn.go.com/fba/clubhouse?leagueId=23530&amp;teamId=4&amp;seasonId=2011" target="_top">Adelaide Maggots[/url] 944 v <a title="Stevos Nuggets (Stephen Nilsson)" href="http://games.espn.go.com/fba/clubhouse?leagueId=23530&amp;teamId=12&amp;seasonId=2011" target="_top">Stevo’s Nuggets[/url] 961

Yay!!  Well done Steve! This round was full of great games, but this was easily one of the best! What an exciting way to snap a losing streak! Steve, you must have been expecting another loss after your day1 performance - 40 points and a deficit of 81 already... but you kept fighting all the way - winning only 3 individual days, but enough to get that elusive W. I have to make mention of a couple of things here: First of all, Ilyasova repaying Steves faith with a massive 69 on day6 to help steve outscore cameron by 117 on the day, and hit the lead with just 1 day remaining. Steve drafted him, and despite trading out most of his other draftees, has stuck by him through many lows - and it has paid off; And secondly, Bynums brain freeze for Cameron on the final day where he picked up 2 tech fouls and was ejected all in a matter of moments which arguably cost them the game - he lost 16 points for those indiscretions, which would have left the game with a 1 point margin, however he had been playing quite well and may have made the difference with a few more minutes game time. Also need to make mention of JJ Hicksons big clutch performance of 66 points on the final day too! AMs had 4 players score at least 100, with 2 players - Ginobli and Paul (both 4 games each) - equal best on 189; While the victorious Stevos Nuggets had 3 in triple figures, with Scola their best on 146 from 4 games.

<a title="Jasmines Mob (Jasmine Johnson)" href="http://games.espn.go.com/fba/clubhouse?leagueId=23530&amp;teamId=5&amp;seasonId=2011" target="_top">Jasmine’s Mob[/url] 1068 v <a title="Ruddys Cavaliers (Peter Rudd)" href="http://games.espn.go.com/fba/clubhouse?leagueId=23530&amp;teamId=14&amp;seasonId=2011" target="_top">Ruddy’s Cavaliers[/url] 1144

Well done Ruddy! Jasmine has been hard to knock off and you have done it. What a great game this one was - high scoring - with a really close exciting finish! Jasmine almost always starts each week with a massive day 1, and this was no exception - led by Deron Williams with a 60, she led Ruddy by over 100 points after day 1; But then Ruddy responded with an equally impressive display - outscoring Jasmine by 159 on day 2, and then another 59 on day 3! Jasmine then fought hard and kept it close before exploding on the 2nd last day - outscoring ruddy by 111 points to hit the lead! But she couldnt keep it up, and Ruddy - thanks mainly to a 84 from Nash and 77 from Gasol - won the final day by 90 points, to win overall by 76! What a game! Jasmine had 3 in triple figures, with Monta Ellis, her best, on 187 from 4 games; while Ruddy had 5 score a ton, with Gasol top with 240 from 4 games.

<a title="Westside Hardcore (Michael Walters)" href="http://games.espn.go.com/fba/clubhouse?leagueId=23530&amp;teamId=6&amp;seasonId=2011" target="_top">Westside Hardcore[/url] 1095 v <a title="Wade Machine (Daniel Laengst)" href="http://games.espn.go.com/fba/clubhouse?leagueId=23530&amp;teamId=15&amp;seasonId=2011" target="_top">Wade Machine[/url] 967

Well I got this tip right... But my reasoning was a little skewish. I (lightheartedly) predicted Evan Turner to be the difference, however he only had 45 points from his 4 games :lol: . Micka won 5 of the 7 days, and one of the losses was day 7 in junk time. Dan seems to have been outclassed, but he had 14 less games played for the week, due to 3 of his stars sitting out the entire matchup. Micka had 5 players score a century, with Duncan the best on 151 from 4 games; while Dan also had 5 with centuries, and his best was Wade with 213 from 4 games.

<a title="Do Something Knicks (Chris Riches, Steve Smith)" href="http://games.espn.go.com/fba/clubhouse?leagueId=23530&amp;teamId=7&amp;seasonId=2011" target="_top">Do Something Knicks[/url] 953 v <a title="Fudges Sixers (Jim Tsilikas)" href="http://games.espn.go.com/fba/clubhouse?leagueId=23530&amp;teamId=16&amp;seasonId=2011" target="_top">Fudge’s Sixers[/url] 885

Another win to DSK! Which makes it 2 in a row now. Another close game, with less than 70 points separating them. An interesting match, in that they pretty much took it in turns - day by day - to thump each other!  DSK had 3 players over 100, with Pierce their best on 153 from 4 games. Fudge also had 3 players over 100, however his best had a double hundred - Aldridge with 239 from 4 games.

<a title="Under Achievers (Richard Chambers)" href="http://games.espn.go.com/fba/clubhouse?leagueId=23530&amp;teamId=11&amp;seasonId=2011" target="_top">Under Achievers[/url] 1051 v <a title="Dannys Lebronts (Danny Smith)" href="http://games.espn.go.com/fba/clubhouse?leagueId=23530&amp;teamId=18&amp;seasonId=2011" target="_top">Dannys Lebronts[/url] 910

I picked a bit of an upset here! Danny10 had been in hot form before his shock loss last week, and UAs had been languishing near the bottom of the ladder all season! But UAs ended up flogging Danny10 this week - to the tune of 141 points! :lol:  Not exactly a flogging - but compared to the other results this week - it might as well be. This was actually a pretty closely fought match, with the 2nd last day the difference, where UAs - led by Humphries with 52 - outscored Danny10 by 118 on the day to stretch his lead to an unassailable total. UAs had 5 players over 100, with Rashard Lewis top scoring with a relatively low 130, but it was from just 3 games; and Danny10 only had 2 over 100, however his best was Lebron James, who had a massive 284 points from 4 games!

<a title="Team HEAVER! (David Tong)" href="http://games.espn.go.com/fba/clubhouse?leagueId=23530&amp;teamId=13&amp;seasonId=2011" target="_top">Team HEAVER![/url] 1255 v <a title="Run TMC (Owen Beebe)" href="http://games.espn.go.com/fba/clubhouse?leagueId=23530&amp;teamId=19&amp;seasonId=2011" target="_top">Run TMC[/url] 1289

Lived up to my hype of this being match of the round! Heaver once again finishing as the highest scoring loser of the round with a huge score of 1255 - but it ended up 34 short of what was needed against Owen, in another extremely close game. Owen actually only won 3 of the days during the week - the 1st, and the last 2 - He got off to a great start, but then Heaver went on a run to lead from day 2 onwards, until Run TMC came up big at the end, turning it around to go into the final day with a 3 point lead, before running away with it on the final day. Impressively, Heaver and Owen both finished with 6 over 100, Love top scoring for Heaver with 243 from 4 games; and Rondo the best for Owen with a similar 256 from 4 games.

<a title="Team Fezkat (Kristian Collins)" href="http://games.espn.go.com/fba/clubhouse?leagueId=23530&amp;teamId=17&amp;seasonId=2011" target="_top">Team Fezkat[/url] 934 v <a title="Doobia Dominators (Andrew Dubowik)" href="http://games.espn.go.com/fba/clubhouse?leagueId=23530&amp;teamId=20&amp;seasonId=2011" target="_top">Doobia Dominators[/url] 973

Very close game again... sound like a broken record. 39 point margin with Doobs coming out on top. Doobs hit the front on day 5 after a, somewhat surprising, big game from Chris Douglas-Roberts with 66 fpts against the Heat! He then backed up the next night with a 51, which helped hold a rampant Jrue Holiday (62 fpts for the day) at bay and kept enough of a lead to finish them off on the final day. I am just talking shit now arent I, hahahaha, maybe I always have been.... Its 1:45am and still have the previews to do . Fez had 3 over 100, Jrue Holiday his best with 179 from 4 games; and Doobs also had 3 over 100 and Felton top scored with 175, but from only 3 games.

Matchup 11 preview:

<a title="Pikus United (Adam Ziegler)" href="http://games.espn.go.com/fba/clubhouse?leagueId=23530&amp;teamId=9&amp;seasonId=2011" target="_top">Pikus United[/url] (0-10) v <a href="http://games.espn.go.com/fba/clubhouse?leagueId=23530&amp;teamId=1&amp;seasonId=2011" target="_blank">Team anthak[/url] (8-2)

This will be the week Team anthak get the the Dirk Diggler Trophy outright.

<a title="Kings of Karlos (Sean Minetti)" href="http://games.espn.go.com/fba/clubhouse?leagueId=23530&amp;teamId=10&amp;seasonId=2011" target="_top">Kings of Karlos[/url] (8-2) v <a title="Too Seriouseses (Les Wales)" href="http://games.espn.go.com/fba/clubhouse?leagueId=23530&amp;teamId=2&amp;seasonId=2011" target="_top">Too Seriouseses[/url] (6-4)

Both these teams put up massive scores against Elbonz! But after Walesy only just managed to beat Pikus United, Im tipping Kings of Karlos.

<a title="Stevos Nuggets (Stephen Nilsson)" href="http://games.espn.go.com/fba/clubhouse?leagueId=23530&amp;teamId=12&amp;seasonId=2011" target="_top">Stevos Nuggets[/url] (3-7) v <a title="Team El Bonanzas (Al Lee)" href="http://games.espn.go.com/fba/clubhouse?leagueId=23530&amp;teamId=3&amp;seasonId=2011" target="_top">Team El Bonanzas[/url] (0-10)

Stevos Nuggets to get on a winning streak!

<a title="Ruddys Cavaliers (Peter Rudd)" href="http://games.espn.go.com/fba/clubhouse?leagueId=23530&amp;teamId=14&amp;seasonId=2011" target="_top">Ruddys Cavaliers[/url] (5-5) v <a title="Adelaide Maggots (Cameron Sears)" href="http://games.espn.go.com/fba/clubhouse?leagueId=23530&amp;teamId=4&amp;seasonId=2011" target="_top">Adelaide Maggots[/url] (4-6)

After a great win over our 2nd ranked team in Jasmines Mob, gotta pick Ruddys Cavaliers.

<a title="Wade Machine (Daniel Laengst)" href="http://games.espn.go.com/fba/clubhouse?leagueId=23530&amp;teamId=15&amp;seasonId=2011" target="_top">Wade Machine[/url] (5-5) v <a title="Jasmines Mob (Jasmine Johnson)" href="http://games.espn.go.com/fba/clubhouse?leagueId=23530&amp;teamId=5&amp;seasonId=2011" target="_top">Jasmines Mob[/url] (8-2)

Coming of a loss, Jasmines Mob will easily do enough this week, to account for the injury riddled Wade Machine.

<a title="Fudges Sixers (Jim Tsilikas)" href="http://games.espn.go.com/fba/clubhouse?leagueId=23530&amp;teamId=16&amp;seasonId=2011" target="_top">Fudges Sixers[/url] (4-6) v <a title="Westside Hardcore (Michael Walters)" href="http://games.espn.go.com/fba/clubhouse?leagueId=23530&amp;teamId=6&amp;seasonId=2011" target="_top">Westside Hardcore[/url] (6-4)

Fudge finally lost a game last week! First time for a while...  But I reckon it will be two in a rowas he is up against the might of Westside Hardcore.

<a title="Dannys Lebronts (Danny Smith)" href="http://games.espn.go.com/fba/clubhouse?leagueId=23530&amp;teamId=18&amp;seasonId=2011" target="_top">Dannys Lebronts[/url] (7-3) v <a title="Do Something Knicks (Chris Riches, Steve Smith)" href="http://games.espn.go.com/fba/clubhouse?leagueId=23530&amp;teamId=7&amp;seasonId=2011" target="_top">Do Something Knicks[/url] (4-6)

Both these teams going in opposite directions of late. Tough one to pick though... Do Something Knicks to keep the current trends going.

<a title="Run TMC (Owen Beebe)" href="http://games.espn.go.com/fba/clubhouse?leagueId=23530&amp;teamId=19&amp;seasonId=2011" target="_top">Run TMC[/url] (9-1) v <a title="Under Achievers (Richard Chambers)" href="http://games.espn.go.com/fba/clubhouse?leagueId=23530&amp;teamId=11&amp;seasonId=2011" target="_top">Under Achievers[/url] (3-7)

Under Achievers on a roll!

<a title="Doobia Dominators (Andrew Dubowik)" href="http://games.espn.go.com/fba/clubhouse?leagueId=23530&amp;teamId=20&amp;seasonId=2011" target="_top">Doobia Dominators[/url] (5-5) v <a title="Team HEAVER! (David Tong)" href="http://games.espn.go.com/fba/clubhouse?leagueId=23530&amp;teamId=13&amp;seasonId=2011" target="_top">Team HEAVER![/url] (7-3)

Team Heaver will surely jump back into the winners column, after a hard fought loss last week against the pace setter.

<a title="Team Stowie (Daniel Stow)" href="http://games.espn.go.com/fba/clubhouse?leagueId=23530&amp;teamId=8&amp;seasonId=2011" target="_top">Team Stowie[/url] (4-6) v <a title="Team Fezkat (Kristian Collins)" href="http://games.espn.go.com/fba/clubhouse?leagueId=23530&amp;teamId=17&amp;seasonId=2011" target="_top">Team Fezkat[/url] (4-6)

Another tough one to pick...  Gonna go with Team Fezkat in a close one.

.

I am moving overseas to Hanoi, Vietnam, in about 9 days, so Im gonna have a spell from this writing stuff for a few weeks. Im passing the reigns over to Steve for at least the next 2 weeks - possibly, and probably more... Ill still be around though - trading; commenting etc. So I wont be far away - this internet thing is pretty good like that, hey. Someone should have filled Elbonz in! haha.  Heaver - did you ever get in contact with him?