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Week 1 Previews
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Sims Stereco
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Jody's C.W.O.T.
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(0 - 0)
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(0 - 0)
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series history: Jody leads
6-2
last meeting: Week 10, 2000
JODY 66, at Sims 7
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Jody's Colossal Waste of Time begins its Eastern Division
title defense at home against - at least for now - a healthy
Sims Stereco squad. Last season, Sims practically suffered
a major injury every other week until their roster thinned
out to the point they couldn't field a QB. As a result, the
Stereco dropped their last five games and missed out on a
postseason invitation. To prevent such a situation from happening
again, Sims feverishly drafted depth for every position but
defense.
The C.W.O.T. drafted for depth as well as they will return
almost every starter from last year's Super Bowl club. Jody
will rely, once again, on the capable legs of Eddie George
and Stephen Davis to move the chains and wear down the defense.
It's a simple strategy that has rarely failed the mighty C.W.O.T.,
who is the only Eastern Division team to ever win multiple
division titles.
Last season, Jody hammered the Stereco twice by a combined
score of 93-15. Moreover, the C.W.O.T. is a perfect 4-0 all-time
against Sims at home.
victims of the bye week:
Sims - K Gramatica
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Naughty Figs
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The Pimps
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(0 - 0)
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(0 - 0)
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series history: Figs lead
2-0
last meeting: Week 11, 2000
B.Y.O.B. 39, at Pimps 30
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The Naughty Figs won six games as the expansion
B.Y.O.B. last season, and two of those wins were at the expense
of the division rival Pimps.
Arguably having the best offseason in the
league, the Figs enter 2001 with new additions Cris Carter,
Ryan Longwell, and the heralded Baltimore Raven defense. Including
the Draft Bowl, the Figs have won five of their last seven
games and is definitely looking to become a player in the
Eastern race.
The Pimps are coming off an improbable up-and-down
season. After winning the first six games out of the gate,
The Pimps dropped their next half dozen before winning in
Week 13 and going on to score the franchise's first ever postseason
victory. Yet it was only a year ago The Pimps were playing
as the defending Eastern Division champions, and they'll be
gunning to reclaim the crown. On a more immediate level, however,
they'll be playing for their first victory over the upstart
Naughty Figs.
victims of the bye week: none
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Abstract Machines
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Anderson Brewmeisters
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(0 - 0)
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(0 - 0)
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series history: Anderson
leads 3-1
last meeting: Week 7, 2000
ANDERSON 45, vs Machines 28
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For the first time in three meetings, the Abstract Machines
and Anderson Brewmeisters will meet on a non-neutral field.
In fact, it will also be the first time the Brewmiesters
have played host for the series.
Despite suffering the franchise's first ever postseason
loss, Anderson reloaded in the draft, adding running back
depth with first overall pick LaDainian Tomlinson and fourth
overall pick Duce Staley. Furthermore, they snared Michael
Westbrook in Round 2 to strengthen what is already one of
the best receiving corps in the league.
After a disappointing 6-7 season, the Abstract Machines
reloaded as well, trading for quarterback Elvis Grbac in
hopes that he will become the dominating signal-caller that
has always eluded the team. With the explosive talents of
Marshall Faulk, Corey Dillon, and Marvin Harrison already
on board, Grbac could catapult this offense into one of
the league's elite.
victims of the bye week: none
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Piana Raze
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P.W.O.P.
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(0 - 0)
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(0 - 0)
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series history: Piana leads
6-3
last meeting: Week 11, 2000
PIANA 28, at Players 6
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The Players are no more. From the ashes of successive three-win
seasons, Pirk's Wicked Oil Profiteer$, or P.W.O.P., is born.
The name change is only one of many tactics to turn around
the fortune of the league's most win-challanged franchise.
Drafting Ahman Green and Joe Nedney are two others, improving
positions that really hurt The Players last season. Indeed,
Jeff Garcia, Emmitt Smith, and Randy Moss cannot win games
alone.
The Piana Raze are credited with two of P.W.O.P.'s six wins
over the past two seasons. Yet Piana managed to climb back
into the playoffs in 2000 after meeting The Players in the
'99 Draft Bowl. Yet despite that accomplishment, the Raze
have several position concerns - particularly at running back.
Will Terrell Davis ever return to greatness, and will Charlie
Garner be as effective in a diminished capacity? The drafting
of rookie Michael Bennett might fend off those answers for
a while.
victims of the bye week: none
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Game of the Week
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Thomas' Bock Boys
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Irwin Hellions
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(0 - 0)
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(0 - 0)
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series history: Irwin leads
2-1
last meeting: Championship Week, 2000
Thomas 35, at IRWIN 61
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The highlight of Kickoff Weekend is a
rematch of 2000's Western Championship Game, as the two-time
defending Western Champion Irwin Hellions host the first-year
phenom Thomas' Bock Boys.
Ironicly, it may be last season's success
that puts Thomas in an early hole in 2001. Finishing so
well gave Thomas the eighth overall draft pick, which would
have been fine until the entire Bock Boy backfield disintegrated
in the offseason; Robert Smith retired shortly after the
season and Jamal Lewis blew out his knee in camp. As a result,
the Bock Boys spent their first four draft picks on runningbacks,
but it is yet to be seen if any or all of them can replace
the lost production of Smith and Lewis.
Perhaps pouring salt in the wound, the
already RB-strong Hellions used their first pick on Warrick
Dunn to add depth to their backfield. The rest of the draft,
however, was spent patching up the receiving corps that
was sacrificed for the salary cap. Yet Donovan McNabb, Brett
Favre, Edgerrin James, Curtis Martin, and the Tampa Bay
defense are all returning as the Hellions take aim at becoming
the first franchise to three-peat as division champions.
Finally, as if the season couldn't start
any worse for the Bock Boys, they are an understated 0-2
at Irwin's Purgatory Field, being butchered by a combined
score of 124-39 in 2000.
victims of the bye week:
Thomas - REC Boston
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