FFL Hocus Pocus

What a weird week on the waiver wire in FFL. For those of you who don't know, after the games are done over the weekend, owners of FFL teams can pickup new players from and drop underperforming or injured players to waivers. This is a chance to pickup new talent and to shed useless players. The order in which an owner is able to choose depends on their overall record - losers go first and winners go last. Anyway, onto the weirdness...

So the L'ville Red Devils didn't need much help but we did pick up the RB I was after, BenJarvus Green-Ellis. We were 4th pick so I was pretty sure we'd get at least something we were after. Mike is out of the country in Nicaragua and I made a few more moves that I think may work out long-term (hopefully with his blessing).

The L'ville Gunners managed to pick up all 4 of the picks I set out to grab. Huzzah! In fact, I guess all of the other owners are on cruise control because I was the only owner that had waivers processed Wednesday morning. My team is already pretty strong in the league. This just makes me stronger.

The L'ville Hotspurs... oh, the 'Spurs. This is the team that started it all and the team that I've had since I started playing FFL. Well, going into week 4 I have 5 players on a BYE, 2 injured players that will not play, and 2 injured players that may not play or will at least be limited. I setup waiver requests and made contingent requests and then even made contingencies on top of that. Waivers process a day late on that site (nfl.com) so I had to wait.

I woke up this morning and I got everything I went after. Really? Did that just happen? Replacement BYE week RB in BenJarvus Green-Ellis? Check. Replacement BYE week TE in Aaron Hernandez? Check. Replacement Kicker for underperformer in Matt Bryant? Check. Replacement D/ST for underperformer in Atlanta Falcons? Chickity-check!

Amazing. I still have problems in that two of my receivers, Mario Manningham and Pierre Garcon, are injured and may not play this weekened. But I have no bench to play with and there is absolute garbage left on the waivers so I'm inclined to set the lineup and call it a day. At least I can field a team at this point :)

Go 'Spurs! Go Devils! Go Gunners!

"We are attempting to survive our time so we may live into yours."

I have to give credit where credit is due. I was reminded of this by a post on a mySpace page of an old colleague, Kenny Ray.

There have been four man-made, Earth-launched objects that have escaped the influence of our Sun: Pioneer 10, Pioneer 11, Voyager 1, and Voyager 2. The latter two, the Voyager probes, were equipped with albums made of gold-plated copper. These records contain 116 images (no nudes - sorry Carl) of diagrams and pictures from Earth, along with musical selections from Beethoven, Mozart, Bach, Stravinsky and Chuck Berry. The chances of anything or anyone ever encountering either of these probes in the unimaginably vastness of interstellar space is unfathomably impossible. However, just in case some other civilization comes across them (or future humans track them down), the former president Jimmy Carter wrote the following little message:

"This is a present from a small, distant world, a token of our sounds, our science, our images, our music, our thoughts and our feelings. We are attempting to survive our time so we may live into yours."

-- U.S. President Jimmy Carter

Double Ear Infection

I have been taken down like like a wild beast by a big game hunter on the Serengeti. I can't even remember the last time I felt well. I've been on antibiotics for days. I'm starting to come out of it but... ugh! Suffering from a double ear infection. My head felt like it weighed 40 pounds (still feels like about 20 pounds). My left ear is still cracklin' and I still have all kinds of congestion. And the fatigue! Sheesh, I just want to be better.

Happy Birthday Babuke!

Babuke, or Baby Luke, turns 1 year old on Monday but we celebrated it today. That kid is so damn cute. And his big sister Emma is just as adorable as can be. I love those little weasels :)

Star Wars: Clone Wars

Shhh, don't tell Will, but I watched the season premiere of the 3rd season of the animated show Star Wars: Clone Wars. It was pretty sweet. It was a two-parter and it was very entertaining. Clones. Jedi. General Grievous. Asajj Ventress. Droids. Blasters. And I love to make fun of Lucas and his inability to make movies (I won't knock his toy-empire-building ability) so I'll come out and say that it had more story than any of the three prequels.

On that note, I would love to see someone do something with the Star Wars franchise without ol' Georgie getting his fingers all over it. In fact, I'd love to see two things: Battlefront 3 released on XBox 360 and Spielberg direct episodes 7 through 9. And while I'm wishing, I would hope that they would base the next three sequels on Timothy Zahn's Thrawn trilogy. Just sayin'...

The Wrath of Heuser

I returned to Heuser today after a two month layoff. After my 12-week assessment, I wanted to take a couple of weeks off before returning for Heuser Maintenance. I wanted to give my body a break and I needed to catch up on work. Well, two weeks turned into a little more than that. Then I broke my pinky toe and sat around for several weeks. And then, well, the whole heart scare thing happened.

Pounds have been put on. Enough time has passed. It's time to get back on it.

Wow. I knew I would hurt. And I do. But I at least thought I would be able to make it through the workout. But no. Who has two thumbs and sat out the last 1/4 of the workout? This guy! And, you see, I'm pointing to myself. With my thumbs. Hmm. That would have worked a lot better had you been here with me.

Agent Hotspur - Hamidon Leader

I was playing City of Heroes tonight. It's Wednesday so I met up with a ton of other characters for the weekly Hami run at 9:30PM. Wulfman, the raid leader most weeks, sent me a private Tell and asked if I would lead the Blue Mito team. You may have remembered way back in mid-July in my post It's been a long time... that I ran my own team in the Hami run (we took on both Blue Mitos and Green Mitos that night). While that was a momentous occasion, it didn't quite hold the weight as tonight. First, Wulfman asked personally if I would leave the Blue Mito team and other characters would target through me. Doesn't sound like much, maybe, but it was cool and a few friends (the Canadian brothers, T and Red) actually razzed me for being team leader.

You see, as the leader of the Blue Mito team, it is my job to target the Blue Mitochondria that spawn around the Hamidon nucleus so that other teams and my own team members can use their holds and single-target attacks to... oh jeez - just realized that I was geeking out at Level ELEVEN just then.

Never mind. I didn't do anything tonight. I watched TV like every other red-blooded, non-geeky American. Go about your business.

Halo: Reach

At midnight last night I drove up to Gamestop with my receipt in hand to pick up the Xbox game "Halo: Reach", the last installment in Bungie Studio's Halo series. I drove over to Will's dad's house and, like a summertime Santa Claus, dropped it off at the front door. I got back to the house around 1AM and finished watching the late Monday Night Football game (the Chiefs won?! Seriously!?!?). I woke up to a txt from Will this morning exclaiming "Ty ty ty for droping [sic] it off". In this day and digital age (and from a 14-year old boy), that's about as close as I'll get to a big, appreciative bear hug.

I've done well. Who's the step-dad of the year? Oh yeah, I forgot for a moment... it's ME!

NFL Season started...

... with a "meh". A lot of these teams look pretty rusty. I know that teams want to take it easy in the preseason so they don't injure their stars, but maybe giving your starters a little more playing time wouldn't hurt? Saints and Vikings, I'm looking over at you? We still have two games tonight to watch and I am very much looking forward to it. Last night's 'boys vs. 'skins game was awesome (I hate the Cowboys).

As for FFL, it's looking very bad. I'm pretty sure I've gone 0-3 across my 3 leagues this weekend. Not much I could do about it either. Weak.

Halo: Reach launches tonight at midnight. I think I'm going to the party to pick it up for Will and will drop it off at Marty's tomorrow before he goes to school. He's going to be so psyched!

Fantasy Football Draft Results - L'ville Gunners (Big Dinero)

I had my first live auction draft tonight. So much excitement this year in FFL. We had plans to go to dinner with Jooj's family to celebrate her mom's birthday at 5:30PM. Draft was scheduled for 7:00PM. I did a fair amount of research and set my auction maximums in the case we didn't make it back. We left the restaurant at 6:48PM. I walked in the door at 6:59PM. I sat down to my computer with 14 seconds before the draft started. PERFECTO!

I have to admit that I am very, very pleased with my team. I was going for balance. I didn't want to spend too much for too many superstars. But I was hoping to be loaded with *stars*. I think I accomplished just that. Please join me in welcoming the 2010-2011 L'ville Gunners (the last of my three FFL teams this season)...

QB -Brett Favre
RB - Adrian Peterson
RB - Knowshon Moreno
Flex - Anquan Boldin
WR - DeSean Jackson
WR - Chad Ochocinco
TE - Jermichael Finley
DP - Jared Allen
DP - Julius Peppers
DEF - Jets
K - Ryan Longwell

Bench - Eli Manning (QB), Matt Ryan (QB), Justin Forsett (RB), Donald Brown (RB), Ahmad Bradshaw (RB), Bernard Berrian (WR), Santonio Holmes (WR), and Ravens (DEF).

So not only do I think I have a bunch of starting stars, but I am pretty certain I have some studs on my bench too. I was trying to lock down some quality QBs for trade purposes. And what about having both the Jets *and* Ravens Defensive units? I compared my numbers with the other teams and I have more 100% owned players and more 90+% starting players than anyone else in the league. If there is wisdom in numbers, my friends, then I am thinking like a genius. I am so psyched! Go Gunners!!!

Fantasy Football Draft Results - L'ville Red Devils (Genscape South)

I was still at home when my work hosted their FFL draft. And my new co-coach, Mike Linahan, was on the road. Thankfully, Walter and Karen tag-teamed the draft on behalf of the new L'ville Red Devils and did a fantastic job. They had my blessing to do whatever they wanted after picking up Jones-Drew (I had the 3rd pick) and knowing only that Mike likes the Bengals and I love the Vikings. Please join me in welcoming the 2010-2011 L'ville Red Devils...

QB - Peyton Manning
RB - Maurice Jones-Drew
RB - Cedric Benson
Flex - Felix Jones
WR - Marques Colston
WR - Anquan Boldin
TE - Kellen Winslow
K - Ryan Longwell
DEF - Baltimore

Bench - Matt Ryan (QB), Thomas Jones (RB), Darren Sproles (RB), Willis McGahee (RB), Bernard Berrian (WR), Sidney Rice (WR), and Zach Miller (TE). I hate, hate, hate McGahee. He's burned me so many times. I've already queued up an add/drop for Javon Walker (who just joined the Vikings after getting the news that Rice is out for 8 weeks).

This league is made up of 20 teams split between 2 leagues of 10 teams each. Even so, I feel like my team is loaded with superstars. I feel really good about these guys. This league pays out for the winner so keep your fingers crossed.

Meds to counteract my meds

So part of the pill regimen I was sent home with included a powerful anti-inflamatory called Indocin to reduce to inflammation around my heart. I know what you are thinking... "But Eric, remember, you aren't supposed to take anti-inflamatories under any circumstances because YOU WILL DIE!" And if you thought that, good for you, you were either around two years ago or you read Internal bleeding posted June 30, 2008. EIther way, congratulations, you are right! If I take anti-inflamatories I AM GOING TO DIE!

I reminded the good doctor of this and he simply smiled. I suppose it didn't occur to me that an unhealthy heart takes priority over internal bleeding (I mean, what good is a bleeding duodenum anyway if there is no heart to pumping blood out of the rips the medicine may make). So I am also taking Protonix. That medicine is a wonder drug that acts like the Death Star's deflector shields (before those Rebel scum blew up the generator on Endor) in my stomach.

It's funny to me. I'm taking a med to make sure the other med, which is saving my life, doesn't kill me in the process. The logic is sound, if not just a little wonky.

But even with the Protonix, a full stomach, and a glass of milk, my stomach feels like the beachhead (two "H's" in a row - what a weird word!) at Normandy after taking the Indocin. Blech!