Do you remember those books you would read when you were a kid, the gamebooks that offered you choices at the end of the chapter. They were fascinating because you felt a sense of authorship and control about how the story would unfold. You were the character and you were the one that decided your fate. You were the reason the story had a happy ending.
But there was also risk with each decision. Whereas most stories are told in a linear fashion with no reader input, the Choose Your Own Adventure series left open the possibility of failure - make the wrong choice and the hero (you) suffers a traumatic fate.
You couldn't wait to see where your genius decision-making would take you. Would you find your way back to the Cave of Time entrance and make your return to present-day? Or, would you find yourself lost and end up trapped in the past being hunted by a hungry Tyrannosaurus Rex?
This concept of choosing a path isn't very different from fantasy football. Every week, you're faced with decisions. For example:
If you choose Dak Prescott and Dolphins D/ST, win by 14 points.
If you choose Patrick Mahomes and Cowboys D/ST, lose by 17 points.
This was the case for TJONES35 who, unfortunately, chose the latter and finished with 99 points. Normally, I don't bother to point out lineup decisions that don't work out like this because, with 2 leagues to monitor, it's quite cumbersome. But this one stood out to me and I thought it was worth mentioning.
It wasn't significant because it was a bad choice. Who in their right mind could argue against Mahomes and the Cowboys D/ST after what they've done this season? No, the decision TJONES made was remarkable because it resulted in them failing to score 100+ points for the first time this season - by a single point, no less! Even though they lost, they deserve a pat on the back for making it to week 12 before failing to reaching the century mark, which probably explains their 10-2 record. Well done!
Beyond lineup decisions, there are other adventures owners are given the chance to course, like making it to the postseason. With only 2 weeks left in the regular season - OMG, that went fast! - I thought it would be a good time to peek into the choices they have in front of them and how they might proceed.
Good work! You've secured a playoff spot and now have a chance to earn a 1st round bye.
If you choose to win out, you might be able to relax during the 1st round.
If you choose not to win out, you may need to be ready to go in the 1st round.
We're talking about the cream of the crop here, and those fortunate enough to be faced with this decision include: Pork Chop Express, Jalenhouse Rock, Ohio State Gunkeyes, Gotham Rogues, TJONES35, and Maxx Casualties. Among them, the Chops, Rock, and TJONES look like they're in the best position. If they win this week, they could very well secure a 1st round bye. The odds of the Gunkeyes, Rogues, and Casualties finishing atop their divisions, however, are a little slimmer. They'll not only need to win out, but they'll need those above them to help out by losing.
You look like you could be headed to the postseason if you win your next game.
If you choose to win, get ready for the playoffs.
If you do not, you'll definitely want to win in week 14.
For Baby Got Dak, Golden Tate Warriors, Jergoff Passout, and Tallaassee Tator Tots the choice could not be simpler: win and they're in. Each of these teams already have a 2-game lead over any team that could potentially upset the apple cart. If they win this week, they'll guarantee they remain 2 games ahead with only 1 week remaining. In case you didn't major in mathematics, it's impossible to overcome a 2 game deficit in a single week.
You're in a bind, but you can still make the playoffs if you win out and get a little help from your league counterparts.
If you choose to win out, keep your fingers crossed that you get the help you need.
If you choose not to win out, good luck in the Consolation Bracket.
The NH Bounty Hunters, Los Perros Locos, Thundabuddies, Digg-A-Watts, Consolation Kings, Get In D Carr and Disgruntled Runningbacks all find themselves at the point of the story where they're realizing they should've chosen differently a few pages back. The Bounty Hunters are in the best position of those in this group in that they don't necessarily need to win this week. If they do, it certainly helps. Carr is probably the most desperate of this group. Not only Carr need to win both of their remaining games, but they also need the Tots to lose both of their games and they still need to outscore the Tots by 180 points in the remaining weeks to win the tie-breaker. And that's assuming the Runningbacks don't win both of their games too and find a way to outscore them.
Hey, you tried. Now you need to decide if you're going to try to ruin someone else's postseason adventure.
Yes, misery loves company and I could use a friend.
No, I don't really pay attention and sometimes forget to set my lineup.
Though the season didn't quite go as hoped for Do Not Panic, Badazz Bri, Who Is You, Belichicks Hoodie, Shiva Kaminis, Ridley's Parlays, and Burrowito Bowl, they still have the opportunity to leave their mark on the season by ruining it for someone else. Who Is You will face Pork Chop Express and Jergoff Passout in their final 2 games, while Badazz Bri look to get a Ketch-All around the Los Perros Locos in the final week and end their postseason hopes. Burrowito Bowl will look to spoil the season for the Tots in week 13 and before they try to poke the Gunkeyes in week 14. And if Bowl is able to beat the Tots, Kaminis will get a shot to really do them in when they face them in the final week.
Whether or not you've made more right decisions than wrong, I hope you've enjoyed choosing your own adventure this season.
Good luck this week!
Commish
GOLDEN TICKET CHALLENGE
Baby Got Dak continues to dominate and I honestly don't see any team capable to making up the ground necessary to catch them over the remaining weeks. Shifting the focus to the 2nd place prize, there appears to be 3 teams - NH Bounty Hunters, Do Not Panic, and Ridley's Parlays - that are racing to claim the runner-up prize. If I had to pick a horse, I like the Bounty Hunters simply for the fact that they actually have a QB that's still playing.
SURVIVOR CHALLENGE
We have a winner...in the Segundo League. The Tallaassee Tator Tots outscored TJONES35 for the second straight week and took the series, 2-0. Congratulations, Tots!
Tied at 1 apiece, we'll see who claims the Survivor Challenge in the Sagebrush Cactus League this week between the Golden Tate Warriors and Los Perros Locos.
PIGSKIN PICK'EM CONTEST
Badazz Bri finished week 12 with the most wins, 13, but it didn't do much to help them chase down our current leader, Jalenhouse Rock, who finished with 12 wins. With a vice-like grip on their 6-win lead over the field, Rock has reduced the field to playing for 2nd place where 4 teams - Baby Got Dak, Pork Chop Express, Badazz Bri, and Tallaassee Tator Tots - all sit within a few wins of each other.
COMMISH'S PICKS
After a week off, it's nice to see I haven't lost my touch picking winners in the Sagebrush Cactus League. The only game I didn't pick correctly was when I chose Who Is You to defeat the NH Bounty Hunters which is a little surprising because I usually do well when picking games featuring them. No worries though, I'll take a 5-1 record any week.
My pick results in the Segundo League, on the other hand, were rather ho-hum. With upsets by Disgruntled Runningbacks and Shiva Kaminis, I was left with a 3-3 record in week 12 which pushed my overall winning percentage down to .606.
POWER RANKINGS
Jergoff Passout traded places with Golden Tate Warriors this week, moving up 2 spots from #4 to #2. Passout has been playing very well lately and their continued improvement in the rankings is something our current leader, Baby Got Dak, is surely keeping an eye on.
It's going to take more than just 1 loss to unseat TJONES35 from the #1 spot in the Segundo League. And it's probably safe to say that Jalenhouse Rock will remain at #2 for the rest of the season.
Further down the list, MaxxCasualties fell 2 spots, to #6, after a rough week against the Tator Tots who rose to #5 with that victory.
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