2016

### **January**

Through a random tweet that was sent it opened a new world to 10 unique, and possibly desperate, ~~nerds~~ individuals that together forged a new type of fantasy soccer (we're in North America!) league that wasn't publicly available. A league with a focus on the stupid and most ridiculous nuances associated with the league that has come to endear itself to us as the first division in the United States, Major League Soccer.

We worked to build a league that would put each of us in the chair of a technical director making decisions on the roster and having to manage a budget against foes as crafty as yourself. This wouldn't just be a pen and pad version of Football Manager but a league of evil genius crafting their next step utilizing ***all*** avenues available to us.

Over the course of the month the group came together to craft a 12-page document with the purpose and intention of governing our league. The league itself aspires to be a league filled with those that both genuinely enjoy each other as a group of friends with an environment that mimics that of an MLS organization.

Many fantasy leagues allow multiple teams within a league to own any specific player. This is a down fall in our eyes as players come off the board it becomes a game of chess. Owners depending not just on the super stars but quickly identifying those young unproven, old veterans and traveling niche players.

It wouldn't just be enough to us to draft these players. In effort to increase the complexities of our league we introduced player associated costs through an annual auction, with each of these players going to the highest bidder and the owners with a salary cap or finite pool of general allocation.

Lastly, an agreement among owners decided that at season's end each owner would be able to select eight players to keep for next season, locked in to their current contract.

### **February**

After the established outline of rules was made and voted upon by the league. A google drive was established to hold files that would track the stats, head-to-head match-ups, rules and in the end... the flurry of transactions.

A slack site would be the focal point for coordination between teams, trash talk, drunken lamentations of the week and of course the grand event, an auction that would end up going 262 total nominations and selections across three weeks.

The auction was kicked off with a devil of a nomination by Proselytizing Cosplay throwing out the young DP-ish home grown player of Sounders FC, Jordan Morris. A coveted young striker already with goals at the international level. The bidding came fast and furious with teams pushing their $300.00 cap to a surprisingly quick from $15 to $20 and finally bidding out at $24.

This was a foreshadowing of what was to come with the next 20-picks teams spent a combined $683.00 or 22% of the total league budget. Cash was thrown out in a daze and it took about 50 bids (and a whole week) for the pace to show signs of dampening. Finally with nomination #66 and Chris Wondolowski teams finally began being a bit timid as San Jose stalwart would be auctioned off for a steal of $16.

76 picks later that the first team would pass on a nomination and the Auction would finally begin to trickle towards a stop with teams filling in their bench and attempting to save cash for injuries and investments that would unfortunately not work out as they had hoped.

### **March**

#### Week 1

The first week of the season began with a bang as game one launched the Wil Trapp Family Registas on to the scene with **Ignacio Pitatti** and **Mix Diskerud** combining for 54 points through three goals and two assists finding their first team win by a comfortable forty point margin over Proselytizing Cosplay despite strong showing by **Mauro Diaz**, **Ethan Finlay** and **Taylor Kemp**.

Game two was a much lower scoring drama with Poku In The Kaka just able to nudge past Bonesaw Is Ready with a lone goal by **Fanando Adi**,66 to 65

Game three had **Diego Fagundez** and his 27 point performance wasted as North Hollywood Wednesday fell short to the Fire Sharks 103 to 130. Blazers featuring **David Accam**, **Pedro Morales**, **Steven Gerrard**, **Christian Maidana**, **Maxi Urruti** and **Joao Plata** all having either a goal or an assist.

Game four saw Your Mom's a Movsisyan stand up with full team contribution to leap past **Diego Valeri** and The Florida Men, 89-71.

Game five and the last match of the weekend had The Good, The Bad and the Wookie put five players in double digits and took down Mr. Garber, Techera Down This Wall! 107-75 with a flailing effort by **Federico Higuian**.

#### Week 2

Week 3

Week 4