The All State

Name: Marlon Scott

Title: Sports writer

Team: The FoolKillers

Quote: “The only thing better than winning is mocking the loser after.”

Scott created the Fantasy Football Journal in 2007 with the intent of documenting his ascension to a fantasy football league championship. Unfortunately, in three seasons he has yet to earn a title. He has only gotten more ruthless in preparation for season four.

Name: Devon Robinson

Title: Sports editor

Team: The G.O.O.D team

Quote: “He who boast, will lose the most … or Marlon, whichever you prefer.”

Robinson is a veteran of the FFJ with two seasons under his belt. He quickly established himself as the nicer counterpart/arch-nemesis to Scott. Although he has not one a championship yet, he usually approaches the game well informed and with a smile. Though, attached to his big brain is a lethal tongue.

Name: Anthony Shingler

Title: Assistant sports editor

Team: Total Domination

Quote: “I have a full passion bucket to kick butt.”

Shingler earned the nickname Lucky because he jumped in to the mix last season and quickly out scored both Robinson and Scott. He failed to capture the championship. However, he has no reason to believe he can not walk through Robinson and Scott again this season.

Name: David Scherer

Title: Sports writer

Team: BoyWondeR

Quote: “I caught a punt naked, in the snow, in Buffalo, for the chance to play in the FFJ.”

Scherer is new to both The All State sports team and the FFJ. With an abundance of confidence and excitement he fits in well with the others so far. However, as a rookie, it may take a while to earn any respect.

Dear Diary,

It is hard for me write this without shedding tears. But I will do my best. Currently, I am twenty points behind my opponent with one player left to play, New Orleans tight end Jeremy Shockey.
Normally, I would be rejoicing because I have already outscored both of my unworthy peers, Devon Robinson and Anthony Shingler. However, it’s a little hard to dance with an evil grin when I am ranked twelfth out of twelve teams.
I have won only one game this season.
I, the self-proclaimed ruler of my own fantasy world, have fallen low (way, way low). In these first seven weeks I have lost in every way possible. Blow outs, nail biters, miracles, it has been a constant stream of pain.
My lone victory came against Shingler in week five. It was supposed to start my turnaround. I am supposed to be 3-5, storming my way back to the top where I belong.
Instead I am stunned and bewildered at 1-6 praying for my second win.
What seemed like great running back depth has turned into a weekly hunt for a healthy runner. Darren McFadden, Clinton Portis, Brian Westbrook, Willie Parker and Ricky Williams are the list of running backs I began the season with.
This week I had to use Justin Fargas and Michael Bush, the one and two runners for the Raiders. I repeat, I was forced to use two Raiders. Pardon me while I wipe away a tear.
It feels like my previously super powered ego is malnourished and hanging from a cliff by the fingertips of one hand.
Regardless if my win streak continues, the one thing I will not do is give up. One of the things I hate most is when fantasy owners give up midway through the season, not bothering to switch their roster from one week to another.
I refuse to be that type of owner. If the championship is out of my reach and the odds of even getting in the playoffs are beyond remote, I will play the best team I can put together every week, determined to take someone out.I’m that guy in horror movies who refuses to run away anymore. Instead he turns and faces the hideous, evil beast that has been chewing on all his unsuspecting friends. Sure, that guy dies screaming 75 percent of the time. But he gives that ugly beast indigestion. I take solace in giving my opponents indigestion.
Only seven weeks remain this season. This is a competitive league and every game is essential from this point. With that in mind, the rest of the league should be scared because to get to the playoffs, you have to get through me.
As the week’s progress and the point scores get tighter, they are going to wish I gave up and let my team be an automatic win for the rest of the season.
Instead, my next seven opponents are going to be up nights, sweating because I will be doing my best to eliminate each and every one of them. I am going to be the dreaded loss that kept them out of the playoffs. I am going to be that one game which will haunt them until next season.
They are going to be so close and I am going to slam the door on them with a resounding, ominous boom.

Donning a black cape and laughing maniacally,
Marlon Scott

Dear Diary,

Ah finally, I have had two straight weeks of losing because a player goes off on a career day, for example, Rashard Mendenhall’s career day. I can not remember the week before spoiler, but according to the great Vince Lombardi “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.” And I have gone by that motto this season.

My running back Joseph Addai went off to get my 38.00 points this week to help lead me to currently beating Marlon. But what I have to say is Marlon may have been the master of fantasy but I am ready to see Ricky Williams throw a dud so I can laugh and poke fun at my knowledge of football.

My wide receiving core led by Larry Fitzgerald has been as consistent as flies swarming a dead horse. Mario Manningham, the Michigan product has been my dark horse all season and deserves a beer for his performance. With my starting quarterback in Drew Brees being on a bye week, I had to turn the rains over to Joe Flacco and I was disappointed. I watched Joe Flacco’s performance disappoint me as the Cincinnati Bengals defeated the Baltimore Ravens. I expected him to be the hot player, since he put up 25-30 point performances on the bench. His so-so performance did not turn out to hurt me, but I will be putting Flacco on the trading block so I can better my wide receiving core.

For everyone who doesn’t know, I faced Marlon’s team last week. The trash talking began and he expected to beat me like a drum. Though, his plan was interrupted when I actually did the beating, holding a 26-point lead at press time on Monday, Oct. 12. Due to his lack of luck, he will not get past me and allow me to jump to a 2-4 record. Well Devon might have posted a higher score then me, I still got the “W” this week. Ah, this was a planned victory speech for the past two weeks and it feels great to get a win this week. Marlon is now 0-5 and Devon is 3-2.

Going to Walmart to buy tissues for Marlon and confidently researching the injury reports,

The Anthony Shingler

Highest Scoring Team: WD Forte

Running Back, Joseph Addai, 38 points

Running Back, LenDale White, 15.1 points

Running Back, Julius Jones, 16.6 points

Wide Receiver, Mario Manningham, 11.6 points

Quarterback, Joe Flacco, 16.3 points

Wide Receiver, Larry Fitzgerald, 24.9 points

Tight End, Tony Gonzalez, 11.5 points

Defense, Pittsburgh Steelers, 12 points

Kicker, Lawrence Tynes, 14 points

Wide Receiver, Nate Washington, 6.7 points

Dear Diary,

Ah, yes, it is another week and I have a gained another win for the record books. This time, my foe was my poor assistant editor, Anthony Shingler. He thought he prepared for this week’s match against me; but in reality, I don’t think anyone in the fantasy football world was prepared for this.

My flex position running back, Rashard Mendenhall, had a career day. The Pittsburgh Steelers running man posted 29 carries for 165 yards in the defeat of the San Diego Chargers. The crazy thing is that Mendenhall didn’t have a single carry in week three, but came out as a force to be reckoned with this week.

My wide receivers have been doing a decent job putting up reasonable numbers. Torry Holt still disappoints me, so I’m thinking of trading him for a more consistent receiver. Reggie Wayne and Randy Moss are arguably the most reliable receivers in the NFL now. I’m hoping not to jinx myself, but their performances each week are continuing to impress me. My quarterback, Peyton Manning, deserves all the hype he is getting right now. Manning has helped his team jump to a 4-0 record, not to mention hearing the chants “M-V-P” already in the early games of the season. He put up 353 yards and two touchdowns in the Indianapolis Colts win over the Seattle Seahawks.

You may have noticed I haven’t mentioned much of Anthony or Marlon’s team. It is not that their teams didn’t do well, but their teams obviously didn’t do well enough to make it into this column. I continue to laugh at Marlon’s unfortunate circumstances. The team I beat last week, Denver Nation, handed Marlon his fourth loss this season, putting him at an abysmal 0-4. Anthony, who planned his victory speech early Sunday, Oct. 4, had to rethink his whole plan when he saw Mendenhall put up those numbers.

Maybe one day guys, right?,

Highest Scoring Team: The Aggies

Running Back, Jamaal Charles, 2.4 points

Running Back, Reggie Bush, 11.4 points

Running Back, Rashard Mendenhall, 62.1 points

Wide Receiver, Torry Holt, 7.2 points

Quarterback, Peyton Manning, 34.43 points

Wide Receiver, Randy Moss, 14 points

Tight End, Kevin Boss, 8.1 points

Defense, Tennessee Titans, 0 points

Kicker, Rob Bironas, 3 points

Wide Receiver, Reggie Wayne, 19.4 points

By Devon Robinson | Sports Editor

Dear Diary,

Oh, I bet you guys were expecting Marlon Scott to come in this week and give his little two cents. Well, I will have you know I was the winner this week and you will not be seeing “Mister Marlon’s” article.

Giving credit where it’s due, each of our teams had difficulty defeating our opponents this week. My assistant, Anthony, didn’t do as well as he has in previous weeks. Marlon’s team had an abysmal showing and ended up getting smoked by the Bulhas by nearly 100 points. Marlon really needs to consider trading something or someone or his record of making it to the playoffs might end sooner than he would want.

Speaking of trading, my weakest wide receiver, Torry Holt, needs to be put on the bench. He really isn’t scoring enough for my taste or even catching the ball for that matter.

My other two receivers, Randy Moss and Reggie Wayne, definitely live up to their highly touted careers.  Both receivers scored more than 20 points for me.

My running backs, Reggie Bush and Jamaal Charles, played well. Bush and Charles are both fairly consistent to their teams and scored enough to give me the edge over my opponent.

My game ball goes to Peyton Manning. The older Manning tossed four touchdowns in embarassing defeat of the Super Bowl 2009 loser, Arizona Cardinals. His touchdowns led him to scoring over 40 points in the fantasy game.

It’s been a good day for fantasy football. What more do I have to ask for? Thankfully, Anthony and Marlon loss, and I won my hard-fought battle against Denver Nation. Hopefully, they both continue to do as bad as they did this past week and I’ll contiune up the board.As I sit and watch my two companions burn before me, I laugh at their misfortune.

Walking with his head held high,

Devon

Highest Scoring Team: The Aggies

Running Back, Jamaal Charles, 16 points

Running Back, Reggie Bush, 24.1 points

Running Back, Rashard Mendenhall, 0 points

Wide Receiver, Torry Holt, 8.70 points

Quarterback, Peyton Manning, 49.17 points

Wide Receiver, Randy Moss, 21.6 points

Tight End, Kevin Boss, 4.7 points

Defense, Tennessee Titans, 7 points

Kicker, Rob Bironas, 5 points

Wide Receiver, Reggie Wayne, 25.6 points

By Marlon Scott | News Editor

Dear Diary,

I am afraid the shock of being 0-2 is too much for me to take. I felt something snap in my finely tuned monstrosity of a brain when I saw my final score this week. Although I am not a psychiatrist, I believe I am developing a multiple personality disorder.

A part of me has been ecstatic since the football season began. I call him Marlon Banner. With a smile and a spring in his step, Marlon Banner has enjoyed all the great games so far. As a fan, the first two weeks have been blissful.

However, while Marlon Banner was cheering loudly for his favorite teams like a male cheerleader with a giant megaphone (Go Ravens), another Marlon was slowly being transformed by the gamma radiation of losing.

For the second week in a row, the fantasy football playing Marlon has watched his players get smacked around. Anger built steadily as his quarterback Phillip Rivers handed the ball to the running back on his opponent’s roster instead of throwing a touchdown in week one. It reached critical mass when Rivers then had a field day on my bench in week two.

The sweetness of Jeremy Shockey and Darren McFadden overachieving was not enough to stop the birth of Hulk Marlon.

Hulk Marlon can’t believe Trent Edwards had a better game than his quarterback Eli Manning. Hulk Marlon almost put a giant green fist through a wall when his wide receiver, Roy Williams, caught only one pass for 18 yards.

Hulk Marlon is raging and screaming to the heavens unable to accept this horrible start. He pauses briefly; calmly catching his breath when he realizes Shingler and Robinson lost this week too. But the only cure for this titanic mental battle is victory.

Looking for a good doctor,

Marlon

Highest Scoring Team: GridIronGovs

Running Back, Brian Westbrook, 22.6 points

Running Back, Clinton Portis, 29.8 points

Running Back, Darren McFadden, 25.5 points

Wide Receiver, Roy Williams, 2.8 points

Quarterback, Eli Manning, 35.2 points

Wide Receiver, Donald Driver, 21.9 points

Tight End, Jeremy Shockey, 8.9 points

Defense, Chicago Bears, 9 points

Kicker, Neil Rackers, 7 points

Wide Receiver, Nate Burleson, 8.6 points