Glen Burnie HC: End the Season Now/ Issues with Teams

It's the middle of week three and I'm trying hard as the GM of Glen Burnie HC to end the season now. Why?? Because I'm in first place in the FOHSHL Hirsch Division and I'd like to have the bye week for the playoffs. But it's been good-- luckily, the guys who I need to produce like Dany Heatley, Daniel Alfredsson, and the surprising Michael Del Zotto, who was a great pre-season pick-up, are producing in droves and really booting my team through the roof.

However, the fact some of the players I have like Mike Green, Mark Streit and goalies Pekka Rinne and Jonas Gustavsson aren't pulling their slack, but in Gustavsson's case, injuries have slowed him down. Fact of the matter is that many complains are coming from other owners about what to do and how freaked out their are, even two weeks into the season. Many guys have reformated their teams as it is and are thinking about trading away the teams to shuffle up a new group, even if they are in the playoff spots as it is.

I know I'm one to panic, but not really two weeks in or so-- I'd be more freaked out when it comes closer to the final playoff push rather than starting the seasons slow. Many complaints from the likes of Pavel Datsyuk and goalie Niklas Backstrom have popped up. I think the same happened with Alex Ovechkin last year when he got into his funk, but smart owners just took a deep breath and realized he's a superstar and would snap out of it-- and he did.

It's just an issue of realizing how patient you can be when it comes to a player. The discretion is up to the owner in terms of who else they have on their roster. If they have a decent supporting cast, then the panic will not be as stressful and they won't have to worry about dealing out their star player and will wait longer for them to get out of their funk in order to reap the benefits when they do. If an owner doesn't have a good supporting cast or their cast is slumping as well, the freaking out will commence ten-fold because of it.

Yet, the moment and owner freaks out in a panic strictened state is the moment they should try and focus on the next season. Yes, it's that bad when you're already trying to make wholesale changes in Week Three. Of course, there are times where the wholesale changes do make differences, but in all honesty-- it's a crap shoot. Like they say, even a blind squirrel finds a night every once in a while.

Luckily for me, GBHC is doing well, because while one of the Aston HC satellites is doing well in 3rd, the other satellite is dead last. My expert's league team is deadlast too, but at least the expert's league games have been close....but still-- only counts in horseshoes, hand grenades, and bocce ball.

Fantasy Update: FINALS!!!

As a six-seed in the Hirsch Division, I didn't think I'd be able to get past the first round. Playing the third seed in the whole thing, I thought I'd be hooped since I lost big time the only time played RedWhitenRed, but luckily-- I pulled out a small victory 7-5. I was lucky Zach Parise and Jason Spezza had six point weeks and my goaltending didn't fail me like it has in playoffs past (thanks to that Marty Brodeur waiver pick-up when he was injured). This at least ensured me that I'd be playing the whole season and not lose the last two weeks to nothingness.

This made me move onto the two-seed, LizardInsid'er, whom I beat both times this season. Of course, huge underdog yet again, but moved past them with ease, 7-3. Six point weeks for Steve Sullivan, Devin Setoguchi and Alexei Kovalev (say whaaaaaaa) and 19 goals for the week, which was my weakness during the season. Pekka Rinne and Jonas Hiller flourished, which was great since last week, Brodeur was awful. It also led to much bragging for my Australian comrade, who claimed he would destroy me in the playoffs. Take that, Prison Colony!!

That leads me to not only the Final of the Hirsch Division, but into the Optimum Ocho of the FOHSHL, which combined all four divisions of the league (Beaupre, Liut, Tabaracci) and let's us go roto-style. However, I'm facing the top-seeded Jesmond Jesters. I lost both meetings to the Jesters this year, both by a huge margin. Plus, in the '06-'07 season, I beat the Jesters to claim the bronze in the Hirsch. I'm scerrrred.

However, it's better than last season when I was a six-seed and lost in the first round and lost in the 5th place game. I won the FOHSHL in '03-'04, but haven't gotten close since then. This could be the year......or not.

Oh, and as far as Aston HC....in the consolation games and just....turrible this season. I'm so glad Neumann College won the D-III Championship.

The Hell?? They're Doing Better??

It seems that the Aston HC crew is starting to get their act together and starting to win some games and benefiting from the other teams failures and moving up the schedule.

Starting with the flagship team, Glen Burnie HC took it's first weekly loss in Week Five of the FOHSHL, as they lost to Jesmond Jesters 7-4, mostly due to the goaltending failing to do it's deed. Though, that's not a fair assumption, as the Jesters had three shutouts on the week thanks to Roberto Luongo. However, they bounced back in Week Six with a 6-5 win over the second place Lizardinsid'er. Zach Parise, Miro Satan, and Christain Ehrhoff were the stars in Week Six, while the contingent of Carey Price, Henrik Lundqvist, and Brent Johnson got five wins on the week.

Now, to Aston HC-- first in GFH's Norris Division, while they lost Week Five 6-3 to the Fargin Iceholes, that was due to another Luongo incident and Ryan Miller having another shutout in there. However, they broke out in a big way in Week Six, with an 8-2 win over Beaded Banner Bonnie thanks to Jason Arnott's four points and Nicklas Lidstrom and Kimmo Timonen's three points from the blue line.

To the PlayoffBeard.com side, after a Week Five loss to the commish, Captain Bosh, by the count of 7-3; another break out win by the score of 9-1 over Lobstrosities, with J-P Dumont and Mike Ribeirom, both pretty underrated scorers when all is said and done, chipped in four points a piece with Brian Campbell, Patrick Kane, Marco Sturm, and Timonen having three a piece.

All in all, things are looking up for the conglomerate now, let's just hope they keep getting better as the weeks go on.

RESULTS AS OF 11.17.08

FOHSHL: Glen Burnie HC: 40-22-10, 1st place
GFH-Norris: Aston HC: 23-29-8, 9th place
PBHL: Aston HC: 25-35-12, 8th place

Well...There's At Least One Good Team

It's almost time for me to start looking forward to next season when it comes to Aston HC. Just dishing out all the assets and building for the future....if only they were keeper leagues.

Starting with the good news that is Glen Burnie HC, that squad is still in first place in the FOHSHL Hirsch Division. In Week Three, Glen Burnie HC took out Rhiannon Magic 7-2 thanks in part to Cory Stillman and Zach Parise putting up three goals and three assists apiece on the week. In Week Four, Glen Burnie HC had its closest win 7-4 over Bsdontneedagoalie2.0. Alexei Kovalev led the way with five points and Miro Satan putting up four points, with Carey Price picking up three wins in the week.

Now, to the bad parts that is Aston HC, starting in Leahy's GFH Norris Division where in Week Three, Aston HC lost 8-0 to the Fyremonkeys, with Jason Arnott's three points being the only bright spot of that week. They saved face in Week Four by tying Tie Domi Fan Club 4-4. The defense was crucial with Scott Niedermayer putting up four points and Nicklas Lidstrom putting up three, whilst Carey Price had three wins in the week.

To the even worst Aston HC entry in the PlayoffBeard.com League, Week Three saw Aston HC losing to The Reggie Dunlops 7-2. At least Mike Ribeiro put up six points and Henrik Lundqvist putting up two wins and a sub-2.00 GAA. It was a 7-4 loss in Week Four with Aston HC losing to the Montreal SekoS. Ales Hemsky put up five points, with Patrick Kane and J.P. Dumont putting up four points.

You can definitely see that I only care about Glen Burnie HC at this point-- it's the show's league, so I want to make sure that I beat the piss out of the listeners; mostly because that brings in the listeners.......or not.

RESULTS AS OF 11.04.08

FOHSHL: Glen Burnie HC: 30-10-8, 1st place
GFH-Norris: Aston HC: 12-21-7, 12th place
PBHL: Aston HC: 13-27-8, 10th place

At Least I'm First Somewhere

It's been two weeks and I'm somewhat pleased with my big team, Glen Burnie HC. The first week, I was able to capture a 7-2 win over Todd Butts' Lubomirs and Olegs to hold first place in the first week. The second week was much more rewarding with a 9-2 over one of the English blokes, the Pirhana Petes, keeping me in first place with a 16-4-4 record.

Like I said before, I take the GBHC league a little more seriously since it is the league for FOHS and I need to save some face somehow. Plus, I need to get back to my championship ways and it seems the league keeps getting bigger and bigger in terms of participants so the competition gets better and better. It makes some moves in the first few round crucial since pickings are slim in the later rounds.

In one of my other leagues, Leahy's GFH league-- the Aston HC contingent could be doing worse, but could be doing better. The first week, I got hammered 7-1 by Kessel's Jewel-- which is a funny name because it's true. The second week was redemption with a 7-2 victory over Black n' Blue Line. Let's hope the second week result continues on. The set-up in Leahy's gig is good and I like the forward and defense thing because you could have five centers playing at once and not have to decide who starts over who.

In my other league, which is put together by Captain Bosh and his Playoff Beard league, I may as well trade things away for parts. While I barely lost to the Carolina Creatures 6-4, Slue Foot took the legs right out of Aston HC by beating them 7-3. It's always a rough scenario, but it's early and I'm sure things can change instantly.

It should be a fun season all around, but heaven knows if I get too pissed, I may need to get a new laptop and may actually be fired as GM from my own fantasy hockey team. I wonder if things like that have ever happened before and if I would need to go to the insane aslyum for it....again.

RESULTS UPDATE AS OF 10.20.08

FOHSHL: Glen Burnie HC: 16-4-4, 1st place
GFH-Norris: Aston HC: 8-9-3, 8th place
PBHL: Aston HC: 7-13-4, T-9th place

Fantasy Foibles

I have to say, I've done worse with fantasy hockey drafts. In the first year inception of Glen Burnie HC; the "Troubled Bunch" picked Felix Potvin in the first round. Now, if it was 1993, I think I would have been happy with it....but it was 2003 and Potvin was able to get usurped all the way to Russia. How I was able to pull a championship out of that-- I'll never know.

This year....we'll have to see how we do. Down the middle, I feel somewhat solid with Jason Spezza, Joe Sakic, and Patrice Bergeron, but my wings are what I fear. On the left side, Zach Parise, Patrick Sharp, Ryan Malone, and Cory Stillman. I'm hoping both Parise and Sharp continue their surge to elite status, while I hope Malone earns his money and Stillman doesn't get hurt. On the right side, Alexei Kovalev and P-M Bouchard-- both who have potential, but need to reach it consistently for my benefit.

Defense could be a little shaky with Brent Burns and Kris Letang, both I hope have big years-- especially Letang who should get tons of chances to prove himself with all the Pens injuries. Rounding it out, franchise player Brent Seabrook (he's been on this team every freakin' year), Sami Salo, and Christian Ehrhoff. It's not the most glamourous blue line, but if they can succeed-- a lot of bang for my buck.

I needed to pick up goaltending quick since I picked 14th in odd numbered rounds and 1st in even numbered-- there was too much downtime and too many picks before and after me to sit on it. I was able to swipe up Henrik Lundqvist and Carey Price and hope both stay healthy and play amazingly.

Oddly enough, in my other leagues with GBHC's satellite team, Aston HC-- I've got a decent amount of Blackhawks in one of them and just a total gongshow team in another. Guess that's what happens when you don't have to go by position and just go forward position. The defense in that gongshow is ridiculous with Nick Lidstrom, Scott Niedermayer, and Kimmo Timonen, but the offense isn't up to that par.

I don't look for much in the Aston HC leagues, but with GBHC; anything less than a division title would be a big disappointment for the goals I set.

Speaking of which, if anyone is interested in taking over the one Dummy Team in my league, let me know. First come, first serve.