2019: Up is down, left is right, rain is dry

As we enter the penultimate week of the LOC regular season, everything is coming into focus. With playoff hopes made and ruined, the Co Host Chris Leach joins Commissioner Stubbs to recap Week 12, otherwise known as opposite week, and preview week 13 in a Thanksgiving special.

2019: A new guest....in more ways than one?

The LOC Report enters another week with a twist - we have a new guest! And this guest may be making a new appearance in more ways than one....Commissioner Stubbs is also here as well of course, as the podcasters look back at week 11 and forward to week 12.

2019 Power Rankings: Week 12

The Co-Hosts’s Corner



Power Rankings



Well, hello and welcome to this week’s power rankings – being done by me - the one and only true co-host of the LoC Podcast, despite other pretenders this week. I’ll be interested to see who the debutant amongst you is, we’ve had almost everyone on over the years! I’m filling in for the EDITLOCCA who has handed me the baton to produce a (supposedly) funny and whimsical look at where we all stand. So, let’s get to it, and let’s see if we all agree…



12. Buccing the Trend

And, at 5-6, they really are living up to their name. How on earth has this team reached 5 wins? You really would have had long odds on A) Brian Hill, Mohamed Sanu and Zach Pascal starting for any team, let alone together, at the beginning of the season and B) Kirk Cousins leading any team, fantasy or otherwise, to any sort of glory. An early season leader for the LoC Luck Award BUT kudos for trying to play the waiver wire. Their QB and two prize running backs are the key to any future success – but as we all know, no team can really stumble their way through a season with only 3 serviceable players and have sustained success, unless however, your name is Phil.



11. Gridiron Gang

There’s a reason why this team is where they are – a lack of clear, consistent scoring. I’ll be honest, the Gang did give me one hell of a fright last week and I thought for a long time, they were in the hunt for a long overdue win. Then the touchdowns stopped, then the scoring stopped altogether, culminating in a classic 2019 Damian Williams performance for less than 2 points on Monday night (don’t tell me I didn’t warn you!) and another player heading to the bench injured. They just can’t get the luck. Saying that, swapping old man Brady for old man Brees is a shot in the arm for this team. It’s just a shame we don’t have a 2 QB league and it’s not 2012…



10. Bear Necessities

In the eternal words of Peter Griffin - you know what really grinds my gears? Playing a player that’s inactive. Man, what a way to ruin a competitive league. Anyway, gripe out the way – this team, much like the Chicago Bears, they’re in terminal decline this season. The wheels have well and truly fallen off the wagon, so much so that the wagon is scraping on it’s roof, heading for the cliff edge. Time to bail out now. Consistent early season form has been replaced with mediocre scoring – perhaps that’s why this team is trying to make amends by producing the highest bench score – they’re holding not one, not two, but a whole THREE QB’s on the roster. Now, that’s what I call extravagant. Watson makes or breaks weeks, Edelman has been a decent source of points and Kelce is clutch now Mahomes has returned but again, the supporting cast are like one of a B movie with an A list star, forgettable.



9. Patistan

Well, this week showed a timely sign of life from those over at Patistan, shocked into life by the proverbial defibrillator that is Josh Allen and given the kiss of life by pure matchup heaven, but there’s only so many times you can bring something back from the dead. This week, they face top of the table Forge Flyers, bringing in Devante Adams (against San Francisco) and having to make do without messrs Hill and Butker and not-yet-cleared-for-contact Jordan Howard. Ouch. Also, time to drop Gardner Minshew – kind of the equivalent of having a pumpkin outside your house from Hallowe’en – that party’s over.



8. The Dream Team

Coach Nathwani definitely won’t be using his own rule again this year – though kudos for beating Phil on the last play of the game, that’s definitely worth 2 wins and a leading contender so far for the Ross Nunn Comedy Award for Comedy, which if you hadn’t have guessed, is for funny shit that happens over the course of the year. This was actually a rather positive week for the Dreamers (a nickname I have just coined, but should be used more often). After doing a fantastic impression of Ross on Honeymoon the last few week, their RB corps got off the beach and actually turned up this week (and a corps they are – there’s 5 of them on this roster!) to secure a solid win. More of these performances are needed to climb the greasy pole to become ‘best of the rest’.



7. Tom’s Tyrants

I’d fancy my chances playing Russian Roulette with Tom. Thankfully, this isn’t The Deer Hunter, we’re not in 1970s Vietnam and hopefully you sort of get my point by now – Tom is most likely to shoot himself in the face (proverbially of course) with team selection. Again, the points were there. Again, Kyler Murray shows himself to be a Fantasy QB1 despite shitty matchups. Again, DJ Chark is Nick Foles’s #1 target and no other receiver might as well play. Again, James Conner gets injured. It’s like a broken record, but that record is ABBA Greatest Hits – it’s just tiresome and if I were part of it, I’d be getting bored with it. Anyway, onwards and upwards for the Tyrants – thinking positively, the points are there, they just need to put them on the board!



6. Burdettinators

This was the one I’m most unsure about. No doubt, they have a quality QB, fantasy or otherwise. They have a stud RB in Aaron Jones. They have another serviceable RB in Jamaal Williams. Much relies on Jackson’s playmaking ability, which does seem to paper over the cracks of a receiving corps, which can only be politely described as ‘underrated’. So, in terms of power, they have the potential to go nuclear, especially if Lamar does his thing, but have all the power of a dam in a drought if he doesn’t, or the Packers play badly, or Rodgers decides to throw 5 touchdowns himself. Ollie finally has himself a boom or bust team – it boomed last year with great effect, will it do the same again?



5. The Wizard of Boz (or whatever it’s called this week)

Last year’s luckiest coach really does need to thank the auto draft for some good fortune this year but I’m happy to report, recent success is absolutely by judgement. This team possesses, in theory anyway, the most threatening corps of receivers anywhere in the league (Julio, Kupp, Golladay, OBJ & Andrews) and Russell Wilson, Fantasy QB gold. Jimmy G did a great impression this week but it wasn’t quite enough – touchdowns were hard to come by for some reason for his talented group, but the potential (and the power) is firmly, if not always consistently, in their hands.

4. Four Weddings and a Few Newsome (or whatever it’s called this week)

As team names go, this one sucks. It’s hard to say, and its acronym FWAFN sounds like some government regulator, so we can only hope for a new one this week. Aside from that, the team is super solid, and despite a sniff of a gypsy win this week, they find themselves on an impressive 8 wins and firmly in the wildcard position. For me, definitely this year’s surprise package and another one that can thank their lucky stars for auto draft! Going forward, they have two target monsters at receiver, a solid QB and three starting running backs, plus a solid, largely uninjured bench. There’s no reason why this super solid form can’t continue to close the year.



3. The Tuckfards

Is this the start of the Tuckfards’ classically predictable end of season slide? Phil will be pleased to know that no longer are they the gypsy kings (they have finally climbed to 11^th in points against) but they will now need to show their true championship potential to close the season strongly and not limp (like Tuckfards stars Mahomes and Barkley) into the playoffs. Speaking of Mahomes, in his absence, and in a very Phil-esq move, he turns to Baker Mayfield to keep the Tucks feeling dangerous this week. They’ll need to be, as they’re playing the Wizard of Boz, and I see plenty of points in that one. Saying that, I’d love to see Phil back in the playoffs – I think he’ll get over the line and with Big Pat and Saquon, anything’s possible.



2. IKSAN

The league’s most consistent team. There, I said it. So it should be, it’s designed to be with the amount of spreadsheets and metrics used to draft and maintain it. They have been chugging along with 100-and-a-bit point scores the last three week but that’s in all likelihood about to come to an end. This week, they enter dreaded bye week hell, and are currently without a QB or a Kicker, or their RB1. Yikes. Thankfully, Derrick Henry returns to roast the Jags once again, George Kittle might come back and John Brown appears a changed man so all might yet be alright. Oh, and they’re playing Buccing the Trend. They can afford a small bump as they comfortably lead their division and I think at this point, barring any disasters, they’re a sure fire for the playoffs.



1. Forge Flyers

Up to this point, I’ve written 1564 words, so perhaps allow me an indulgence to put my team first. I do have evidence to back up my number one position though – I’ve got the joint most wins, and my team’s scored the highest this year by 130 clear points – as people keep telling me, the numbers don’t lie. But that’s so far, turbulent times may lie ahead for the in-the-clouds Flyers – injuries are racking up, Mack’s broken his hand, Hooper’s done himself in, Hilton’s calf doesn’t work properly and the matchups this week suck. Not to mention, I’m looking over my shoulder to see Ross there every week, and a slip up could see the division change hands fairly quickly. So, in Forge-land, there is a quiet confidence, but not enough to get too excited just yet…

Bold Play of the Week: Calvin Ridley (IKSAN) – to be fair, he came from the depths of Ben’s bench and did a great Julio Jones impression.

LOL Play of the Week: It’s got to the Chiefs DST (The Dream Team vs The Tuckfards). Just because.

Troll Play of the Week: DeSean Watson (Bear Necessities) - turns out a shootout became a blowout very quickly indeed.



And that’s your lot, lovely people of LoC Fantasyland. I hope you enjoyed your odyssey through the runners and riders this week. Good luck to you all (except you Pat) and I’ll see you again next week, same time, same place. Ciao!

2019 Power Rankings: Week 11

2019 Power Rankings: Week 11

Good evening Coaches! We’re yet another step closer to the pointy end of the league year and thanks to a couple of losses at the top it’s tighter than ever. With 4 weeks to go, there is still plenty of time for some more ups and downs, but that’s the fantasy rollercoaster that we all get up in the morning’s for – well, that could be an exaggeration. Anyway, it’s rankings time!

-

12. Gridiron Gang (2-8) – No Change

To be honest, I don’t know if there is a certain string of results that can keep them in the playoff hunt or not. I also don’t care. They’re out. They were gifted a golden opportunity last week and barely stumbled over the 50 point mark. Time to start working on a revamped draft strategy for 2020.

11. Patistan (3-7) – No Change

That was probably their last chance gone. And, as the second high scorers in Week 10, you have to feel for them. Only Samuel stayed in single figures for them (9.5 points) which speaks of how far this team has come on, they just haven’t been able to pick up the results to match.

10. The Dream Team (4-6) – Down 2

Hmm, bad times. There isn’t a lot positive to say about their Week 10, other than Ronald Jones continuing to be more than just a punchline to a joke. It might be a little late now, but that league-high waiver budget could probably spark some life into this team.

9. Buccing The Trend (5-5) – Up 1

Another win and another low scorer, minus some Daniel Jones heroics. Coach Taylor appears to have gotten his unlikely QB rotation down to a tee, and he is picking up the wins because of it. The reason I can’t move them any higher? Tiebreakers are done on point for, they aren’t going to win any tiebreakers.

8. Bear Necessities (4-6) – Down 2

And make that 5 losses in a row. Oh dear, how the season has turned. And only the DST dragged them as far up the scoreboard as they got in Week 10. It really showed how reliant on Watson they have become. They get him back this week, but he is in desperate need of some help. Someone give Coach Stubbs Sr. a hat, he needs to pull a rabbit out of it.

7. Tom’s Tyrants (5-5) – No Change

A good win last week has been dampened by a miserable start to Week 11. They seem to be spending a lot of time playing catchup, without necessarily gaining any ground – much like they are in these rankings. The division is still wide open, but they need to assert themselves now, can they rely even further on rookie QB Murray?

6. Burdettinators (4-6) – Up 3

They’re clinging on. That Jackson/Jones combo has proven deadly multiple times this season and it exploded once again. Throw in a Christian Kirk career day and you’ve got yourself a big score. Fashionably late and unpredictably explosive, maybe this is just how Coach Burdett likes his teams.

5. The Wizard of Boz (5-5) – No Change

Well, they were looking dangerous… They still got the win, which is the main thing, but that was a real momentum swing. They could take the division lead with a big win this week, time to see whether they’re the real deal or not. They can’t afford another no show from star receiver Kupp. No kicker change for Week 11 means no name change, and also that they’re off to a poor start.

4. IKSAN (6-4) – No Change

I’ve spent a lot of time talking about this team’s backfield this year but, in fairness, they are worth talking about. They have also papered over a few cracks mind. They’ll need to find a few more contributors to keep the push going, but they are a very dangerous team down the stretch. Still they persist with Rivers? I’m waiting for him to reward the loyalty.

3. The Tuckfards (8-2) – Down 1

Well it had to end eventually and this was actually a much more promising week by them. Seeing Mahomes back and not missing a step must fill them with confidence. The RB core doesn’t look the same anymore though. Stashed draftee Tate has started to find some rapport with rookie Jones, he could play a valuable role for this team down the stretch.

2. 4 Weddings and a Few Newsome (7-3) – Up 1

If you looked purely on records, you might be fooled into thinking that was a surprise win. It was anything but however. The inform team coming into this matchup, they made a statement by beating the No. 1 seeds. Hunt also looks like he is going to see some decent touches, can he dig out a big enough share to be a late season catalyst?

1. Forge Flyers (7-3) – No Change

The steamroller has ground to a halt. It wasn’t a bad week by any means but, by the standards they have set themselves, it was far from impressive. Murray was nice while he lasted but now finds himself the RB2 again, combining that with Hooper and Hilton’s continued absences and they are looking a little thin on the ground.

-

There we have it, another week in the books! Hopefully you’re all happy, if not then please feel free to direct all complaints to edotlocca@loc.uk, which is absolutely 100% not a fake address. Peace out.

2019: The King is Dead, Long Live the King

The LOC Report is back for its second episode in 4 days! We do like to keep you on your toes around these parts. Co Host Chris Leach has waded his way through the swathes of traffic around the Hedge End area just to talk to you all about Week 10 and Week 11 in the LOC - don't you just feel special? Commissioner Stubbs is also here in some capacity.

2019 Power Rankings: Week 10

2019 Power Rankings: Week 10

We’re back! There’s nothing like an admittedly unexpected bye week, even the Patriots took a week off from their eternal conquest to make the other 31 fanbases miserable. It’s fair to say that a lot can change during a week in the LOC, so two weeks can really shake things up. Seeing as it’s another late one and we’re approaching game time, we won’t waster any more time, let’s see what happened:

-

12. Gridiron Gang (2-7) – Down 1

There may be changes to come, but the fortunes of Gridiron Gang certainly isn’t one of them. No one is mathematically eliminated yet, but these guys are the closest. This team is now a skeleton of the one drafted, but perhaps Brees can lead them to some late season glory.

11. Patistan (3-6) – Down 1

At time of last writing I said this team would put it all together just a little too late. I’m yet to be proved wrong. Finally healthy, they are a threat to anyone at this stage, but they’re running out of time to be more than just a thorn in the side.

10. Buccing The Trend (4-5) – Up 2

I spent a lot of time in the first half of the season talking about Gordon eventually getting good, well he’s done it! And his arrival (plus some infamous gypsy wins earlier in the year), has put this team well and truly in the dark horse category.

9. Burdettinators (3-6) – Down 1

So, one thing hasn’t changed, still no one has which side of this team will show up week on week. Can the entire GB backfield work out this week? Call me unconvinced by the tactic. Another loss in Week 10 and it won’t really matter much anyway.

8. The Dream Team (4-5) – Up 1

They’ve been striving against relative mediocrity for most of the year, and we find them in a similar place to when we last checked in. In previous years they have shown a talent for cobbling together FAs for a playoff push – now’s the time lads.

7. Tom’s Tyrants (4-5) – Down 1

Hmmm, from 4-2 down to 4-5, with this latest loss coming under the ‘damp squib’ category. They’re not out of it yet, but they are lower down the rankings than they have been for a while, they need the early season big names to recapture some form.

6. Bear Necessities (4-5) – Down 3

Wow, the mighty have fallen, mightily. From front-runners to right in the middle of the chasing pack. They have scored a lot of points over the season, but they seem to have gone from a balanced team to Watson and some other guys. There’s a good chance that a 4-5 team will make the playoffs, they’re front of the pack for now.

5. The Wizard of Boz (4-5) – Up 4

Has any team seen a bigger change than this one (not just talking about team names here)? The players I last challenged to prove themselves have done that and more, from Kupp’s career day to being the high scorers in Week 9. They’re still below .500 at the moment, but keep it up and they will keep climbing.

4. IKSAN (5-4) – No Change

Have I held this team on a little bit of a pedestal throughout this season’s batch of rankings? They are still clinging onto the playoff pack as leaders of the chase, but they will need more of a push to prove they belong. This is the week to do it, if they can win out their weirdly friendly rival game, they’ll stay right in the thick of it.

3. 4 Weddings and a Few Newsome (6-3) – Up 2

No name change? That’s certainly a refreshing change! They have gone from strength to strength and forced their way into the playoff spots, all on the back of the early season trade where they acquired a handful of underperforming players – looks very shrewd in hindsight.

2. The Tuckfards (8-1) – No Change

And the win streak has continued. Are all of them deserved, of course not. Is this still exceptionally impressive, oh yes. They’re unlikely to get away with another cheap win in Week 10 against another contender, but they look a sure bet to reclaim their spot in the hallowed ground at this point in the season.

1. Forge Flyers (7-2) – No Change

Well that’s nice, a short hiatus and no need to change things at the top of rankings. In all honesty, they appear to have gotten stronger and although they aren’t top of the record charts, they are well ahead in points scored. Would I expect any team to beat them any given week at the moment? No. That’s why they’re top.

-

Well, as I said, we’re back and the rankings are up to date again. Can I promise to never miss another week? Absolutely not. But that’s the unreliable EDOTLOCCA you know and love. Peace out.

2019: Crunch time

The LOC Report is back for another Sunday LOC countdown episode! We'll be giving all the pre-game hype to today's week 10 LOC fixtures, but before we get to that we'll take a look at week 9 and stop by the league news on the way. As always, Commissioner Stubbs is joined by co host Chris Leach.