An impartial review of my first season as fantasy football GM

There were only a few bright spots in the up-and-down-but-mostly-down season of Bollinger's Bombers, my entry into the "Nice and Fun League (NFL)" of fantasy football.

The particulars: A 6-7 regular season was good enough for a 6th place finish, and the final spot in the playoffs. I won the divisional playoff round with a stunning upset over the 8-5 Voluntitan Beavers, but fell in the second round to my arch nemesis Chad Painington.

I was led by Elisabeth Filarski Hasselbeck's brother-in-law, whose quiet monster season in Seattle made my moderate success possible. Thanks, Elisabeth, you were really our inspiration.

Despite this connection to The View, I made plenty of rookie mistakes this year, including the classic "over thinking" of matchups, and the over confidence of thinking you had a win wrapped up. The litany:

• Sitting Steelers WR Hines Ward against the Pats in week 3 because I thought Belichick would scheme him out of the game. Hines had 2 TDs, more than enough to make up my margin of loss to QBert Smith, had I started him. (Coulda been 7-6)


• I had a huge lead going into Monday Night Football in week 4, until Brett Farve went nuts for 303 yards and 4 TDs, just enough to push the Bronx Wallets by me. (Coulda been 8-5)


• Sitting Redskins RB Clinton Portis because I was tired of so many lackluster performances, only to have him go ballistic on the 49ers in week 7, rushing for 101 yards and 3 TDs. I could have crushed my opponent that week, but instead lost. (Coulda been 9-4)


• In week 13, I played K Neil Rackers, not realizing he was hurt. Had I run my backup Josh Scobee out there, I would have had eight points instead of zero, enough to top Painington. (Coulda been 10-3)


• Then in the playoffs I picked up the red-hot Seattle defense, only to have them lay an egg against the Titans. Had I stuck with the Giants defense, I could have bested Painington to advance to the fantasy super bowl.

But it wasn't all bad. There are some bright spots that I'll use to motivate my fan base for next year.

• Good midseason pick-ups -- kicking points leader Neil Rackers in week 5, and the sensational Green Bay running back Sam Gado in week 11.


• And the highpoint of the season -- my blockbuster trade with bottom dweller QBert Smith. I dumped underperforming RB Jamal Lewis and backup QB Byron Leftwich for monster back Rudy Johnson in week 11. Rudy really carried my team, and allowed me to back into the playoffs despite a late-season slide.

So what did I learn? I've got a good eye for talent, a bad eye for matchups. I suppose the most important lesson, though, was that you shouldn't name your team after the Jets third string quarterback, because you doom to mediocrity not only yourself, but also Gang Green.