Just when I think my team can’t suck any worse not only do I drop one to The Lighting, BUT they spotted me a running back and a tight end in the game, to boot. That’s 5 straight and two games in two weeks by a total of 3 points. Now that’s what I call a fantasy football kick in the groin. At this point I’m pretty sure that the Direct TV curse has some validity. Starting 3-0 I haven’t won one since putting in the dish – but quite frankly it is worth it.  

Some other notables:

-          With a win this week The Pansies will have eclipsed their all time season win mark of 7.

-          With a loss last week, The Storm, who hadn’t lost a divisional game since 2000 dropped their second straight to The Maulers.

-          No one is officially eliminated from The Champs Bowl however with a loss this week either The Knights or The Nukers will be.

-          Not only is the current 5-game winning streak a franchise record for The Lightning but that also ties their wins for the 2001 and 2002 seasons, combined. Good work!

 Anyway on with the picks.

 WoWW (3-5) vs. The Cougars (4-4)

The Fantasy Football Gods may not be favoring WoWW but will they be merciful enough to let The Cougars beat The Maulers and WoWW in the same year? With a rejuvenated Stephen Davis averaging an awesome 15.3 per week - It could happen. Davis hasn’t run this well since taking over for Skip Hicks in….Hmmm…. What year was that? Maybe Coach Sauerkraut could refresh my memory. Anyway – The Cougars will have to rely on Davis as Garcia is hurt and Trent Green is on bye.   And as Coach Don Schula once said, "Sure, luck means a lot in football. Not having a good quarterback is bad luck." And as Coach Lynn once said, ” Football isn’t everything it’s winning. And winning sounds like fishing. And there’s a fine line between fishing and standing on the shore looking like an idiot.” To this day no one is quite sure what he meant. Coach Lynn also had this to say about this weeks match up.

WoWW 70 Cougars 60

 Panthers (7-1) vs. The Magic (5-3)

The Panthers, this years Cinderella team, (well at least Coach Sauerkraut dresses like Cinderella), have all but locked up their first division title.  However The Magic are in a real cat fight in the North.  There really shouldn’t be a way that The Magic will win this game. The Panthers have the match-up edge across the board. But, if there is one thing for certain in Fantasy Football it’s that went the chips are down and The Magic really need a win, Coach Quinn will drop to his knees and give Satan another hummer for it.

Magic 67 Panther 60

 Onslaught (4-4) vs. Crushers (3-5)

Both these teams are fighting not to go from literally worst to first to worst in consecutive years. The Onslaught are riding the dream season of McNair but with a humiliating loss last week and McNair on bye this week, their chances of a Champs Bowl are slim. This certainly isn’t The Crushers team of 2002 either, yet even after scoring a league low 313 points, they certainly aren’t out of it yet tied for 2^nd and only 2 games back of first. However with their own QB problems this week I don’t see their point problem getting solved anytime soon.

Slugs 55 Crushers 45

 Knights (1-7) vs. Nukers (1-7)

Preview of the Sauer Memorial Championship game? Could be, if one survives. The League Office has moved this game from Hannibal TO San Diego in hopes both teams will be engulfed in flames to commemorate their stellar 2003 season. (Our apologies to San Deigo.)

Nukers 55 Knights 50

-=Upset Special=-

Lightning (5-3) vs. Storm (4-4)

The Lightning are coming of a huge win, while The Storm simply were Crushed under the weight of Col. Piro’s offensive attack. A live game photo is available here. Really after that I don’t see how any team can recoup, with or without Holmes on bye.

Lightning 63 Storm 37

 -=Game of the Week=-

Maulers (5-3) vs. Sharks (5-3)

Exactly what sort of Bizzaro World did I fall into? When The Maulers, Sharks, and Panthers are all leading their respective divisions your KNOW that either the world has shifted it’s axis and rendered all we know uncertain – or it’s just some really, really, really bad dream. I’m hoping for the latter. Both these teams have been pretty active on the waiver wire but none more than The Sharks, who seem to have found a diamond in the rough in Dominick Davis - 53 points in 3 starts. Davis is also special in another light being the only waiver wire pick up for the Sharks in several years who has hung around for longer than the official team pep talk and a cup of coffee.  If he continues to hold off Tony Hollings and Turf Toe Mack, who know he MAY even make it to draft day for them. Well-done Dominick! He could make a real difference this week as well as The Sharks catch a break and get to play the Maulers minus Travis Henry. However, a tough Carolina match up for him may make that match-up a wash.  This game should come down to The Maulers Fun and Gun 3 wide set as they all have good match ups, especially Daryl Jackson who will benefit from and injured Koran Robinson. I like The Maulers in a close one.

Maulers 72 Sharks 70

 Good luck to all….