Limerick Friday LXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXVX: Tone It Down A Bit, 2016, Plus Stop Taking All Our Musicians

A rough start to the year

Our cars taking it in the rear

Shit luck abounds

As unlikely as it sounds

Good news has to be near

Finally an ACC win for the Pack

On Pittsburgh they laid the smack

Maverick Rowan looks like Michael Cera

But shooting, he was on a tear-a

Heart is there, but it’s talent they lack

Thirteen years, quite a ride

But got totaled and I nearly cried

Roundtable trips on ground hallow

Beach treks with buddy Gallo

Said I wouldn’t miss and I lied

Another season, another new face

A new ‘Fins coach made his case

Been down this road before

A time or maybe 24

Are you any different, Adam Gase?

Tunes and emotions, they swirled

With losses in the music world

Bowie, Cole, Lemmy, and Frey

Left nary a dry eye

Around record players many were curled

Last time …

Scooter & Hum’s Top Five Books of the Year 2015

The ninth edition of the “Scooties” books of the year was heavy on apocalyptic imagery. Life intervened to slow me down toward the end of the year, but there were still some solid reads this year.

Without further ado …

#1: “Jennifer Government,” by Max Barry

What I Say Now: 

This masterpiece of satirical literature is a showpiece for a clever writer of Barry’s pedigree. This novel manages to live in multiple extremes: it is clever, yet not completely far-fetched … it is hilarious, yet sad … it is both powerful and ridiculous. I raced through this book and immediately found myself jotting down other Barry books to chase in the future—the ultimate in writerly compliments.

Passages to Remember:

"John here," the other John said, "pioneered the concept of marketing by refusing to sell any products. It drives the market insane."

"He had a small, trim mustache but otherwise looked pretty capable."

"We're all cogs in wealth-creation machines. That's all."

#2: “Station Eleven” by Emily St. John Mandel

What I Say Now:

This was an interesting, apocalyptic book that struggles against its own somberness, yet features a humor that can sneak up on you. Mandel does a solid job of drawing concentric circles of connections, but you’re occasionally spun down a rabbit hole in following the story and what is happening in different threads. She did a clever job of detailing water in the book as the giver of life, hope, and pain, juxtaposed against air and flight.

Passages to Remember:

"If you've been on the road for that long," the prophet said, "if you've wandered all your life, as I have, through the terrible chaos, if you remember, as I do, everything you've ever seen, then you know there's more than one way to die."

"This life was never ours," she whispers to the dog, who has been following her from room to room, and Luli wags her tail and stares at Miranda with wet brown eyes. "We were only ever borrowing it."

"She was thinking about the way she'd always taken for granted that the world had certain people in it, either central to her days or unseen and infrequently thought of. How without any one of these people the world is a subtly but unmistakably altered place, the dial turned just one or two degrees."

"Hell is the absence of the people you long for."

#3: “In Cold Blood,” by Truman Capote

What I Say Now:

Capote’s painstaking depiction of the mysterious murder of a Kansas farm family is marked by strong scene-setting, good transitions, and long, clause-filled sentences. However, the power of the no-nonsense writing has been somewhat obscured by recent feature films that delve more into Capote’s flamboyance and attraction to (and obsession with?) one of the killers—as well as strong intimations that the author fabricated at least some of the quotes and scenarios. The repetition toward the end becomes off-putting and the story loses steam after the murderers are caught, as Capote struggles to find distinctions in the perspectives offered by Smith and Hickock. Overall, however, a revolutionary foray into a new brand of literature that still resonates to this day.

Passages to Remember:

"Like the waters of the river, like the motorists on the highway, and like the yellow trains streaking down the Santa Fe tracks, drama, in the shape of exceptional happenings, had never stopped there."

" ... the left eye being truly serpentine, with a venomous, sickly-blue squint that although it was involuntarily acquired, seemed nevertheless to warn of bitter sediment at the bottom of his nature."

" ... for the majority of Holcomb's population, having lived for seven weeks amid unwholesome rumors, general mistrust, and suspicion, appeared to feel disappointed at being told that the murderer was not someone amongst themselves."

"It was like I wasn't part of it. More as though I was reading a story. And I had to know what was going to happen. The end." —Perry Smith

"The crime was a psychological accident, virtually an impersonal act; the victims might as well have been killed by lightning. Except for one thing: they had experienced prolonged terror, they had suffered."

"Nonetheless, he found it possible to look at the man beside him without anger--with, rather, a measure of sympathy--for Perry Smith's life had been no bed of roses but pitiful, an ugly and lonely progress toward one mirage and then another."

#4: “Bazaar of Bad Dreams,” by Stephen King

What I Say Now:

This collection of short stories was perhaps not up to King’s usual standards, an estimation perhaps influenced by the fact that I had previously read three or four of these stories in other formats. However, there were a few standouts that reeled me in in a big way, including “Premium Harmony,” “Batman Robin,” and “Bad Little Kid.” I’m an unabashed fan of King’s work in the short story genre, so any year with a new collection is a good year—even when comprised in some degree by recycled stories.

Passages to Remember:

“Until a writer either retires or dies, the work is not finished; it can always use another polish and a few more revisions.”

“Marriage is like a football game and he’s quarterbacking the underdog team. He has to pick his spots. Make short passes.”

“And the years stretch ahead, a march beneath a sun that never goes down.”

“God’s grace is a pretty cool concept. It stays intact every time it’s not you.”

“I hate the assumption that you can’t write about something because you haven’t experienced it, and not just because it assumes a limit on the human imagination, which is basically limitless. It also suggests that some leaps of identification are impossible. I refuse to accept that, because it leads to the conclusion that real change is beyond us, and so is empathy. The idea is false on the evidence. Like shit, change happens.”

“Be grateful for the time you’ve had with him. A little bit of grace. That’s what a good dog is, you know. A little bit of grace.”

#5: “Deep Breath, Hold Tight,” by James Gurley

What I Say Now:

Even in a year where stories about the apocalypse held sway, Gurley’s stark, dark stories were almost too much to take. Intertwining elements of Cormac McCarthy (“The Road”) and Richard Matheson (“I Am Legend”), the author touches on depravity, possibility, and responsibility. Though grammatical errors and some repetition impact the reading, Gurley asks us to consider space vs. earth in terms of potential vs. constriction, boundlessness vs. comfort, and selfish loneliness vs. the compromising selflessness of shared dreams in an absorbing—at times heart-wrenching—work.

Passages to Remember:

"Church folk really lost their shit, especially the ones who were convinced that Jesus had come back and forgotten all about them."

" ... and keep me from feeling the sting of every single day, the dread of every that was lined up behind it, heavy and ready to fall on me, one domino after the next."

"There were no sunsets left in the world, just a general draining-away of the light. I missed the moonlight, the stars. There were times I forgot that there was an entire universe above the clouds. It was as if a shroud had been pulled around the Earth. Over time, we would forget everything that we had once struggled so hard to observe and learn and prove."

"Nothing is ever really anything. It just looks like something."

"Her tears spill over, and so do mine, my long sleep over, my dark age turned to light."

Honorable Mentions (in 10 words or less):

“Wuthering Heights,” by Emily Bronte: Sweeping love story compromised by density of language, atmosphere.

“Finder’s Keepers,” by Stephen King: A bit too “Goonies” for my liking, but fun.

“Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest,” by Stieg Larsson: Trilogy finale devolves, but ably caps memorable series.

“Best Short Stories: 2007,” edited by Stephen King: Memorable, well-chosen collection of engrossing short stories.

“The Elements of Content Strategy,” by Erin Kissane: Useful tool for burgeoning approach to marketing copy creation.

“The Mirage,” by Alan Ruff: Clever re-imagining of traditional worldviews puts religion, politics in context.

“Shakespeare’s Star Wars,” by Ian Doescher: Brilliant reformatting of epic showily displays talented writer.

“Always on the Run,” by Larry Csonka and Jim Kiick: “Butch and Sundance” share locker room tales of undefeated Dolphins.

“Ernest Hemingway on Writing,” by Larry W. Phillips: Just a collection of Hemingway quotes, but engrossing nonetheless.

“On the Road,” by Jack Kerouac: Only here because a re-read of former Scootie winner.

The Rest (in 5 words or less):

“Deja Dead,” by Kathy Reichs: Staggeringly unmemorable.

“Jab Jab Jab Right Hook,” by Gary Vaynerchuck: Sparse advice from self-promoter.

“Content Strategy for Mobile,” by Karen McGrane: Useful work-related tome.

“Planet of the Damned,” by Harry Harrison: Solid story, thin development.

“Writing Down the Bones,” by Natalie Goldberg: So-so depiction of writing process.

“On Bullshit,” by H.G. Frankfurt: Great idea, weak execution.

“Five Days in November,” by Clint Hill: Interesting, generic look at JFK.

“Time After Time,” by Jack Finney: Sequel to classic falls short.

Limerick Friday LXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXVIX: Forgetting The ‘Fins And Riding The “Star Wars” Wave Into 2016

For happiness if not riches

For health but no stitches

For laughter and a few tears

For more hopes and fewer fears

These are my 2016 wishes

The stench of rotten fish

Fantasy gods grant his every wish

If luck were a toupee

He’d sport one every Sunday

Guess that’s why they call him Commish

Our old heroes came back

New ones picked up slack

The force it did awaken

All my breath was taken

J.J. Abrams pulled off a genius hack

Every week, another way to lose

The fans all batter and bruise

Give up a safety in every game

New year, it’s all the same

Oh Dolphins, why can’t I unchoose

Kids learn, but also teach

We strive, but don’t always reach

Another holiday season past

Hoping the feeling does last

If you need me, I’ll be at the beach

Last time …

Limerick Friday LXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXVIII: Dolphin Beatings Will Continue Until Morale Improves, Plus Melancholidays

 Ineptitude beyond explanation or reason

Another year, another lost season

A franchise which was once so proud

Now just sucks out loud

And no end in sight to be teasin’

A letdown season for Doeren

Pack fans & recruits are snorin’

A home loss to UNC

A disappointment in Year 3

Improvement a concept foreign

Gronk took a shot on the knee

Ingram and Blount made three

Amari Cooper in witness protection

Robbie Gould got a yips infection

The Scooters all abandoned me

Not sure where to put the blame

After a disastrous fantasy playoff game

The injuries I was fearing

Nuke Hopkins disappearing

A great team and season up in flames

 

When the lights are all aglow

And thoughts turn to nog and snow

When the ornaments are all hung

And the carols beautifully song

I’ll forever think of Mo

Last time …

Limerick Friday LXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXVII: “The Leftovers” Has Restored Some Hope In TV, Plus Cautious Optimism For The Scooters

It came back from the dead

Better than ever, I said

“The Leftovers” got a second chance

To treat the mortality expanse

Beautiful TV, it’s fed

After some Dan Campbell buzz

Blown out like they always does

The soundtrack of Sunday dreads

Has to be the Talking Heads

Because it’s all the “Same As It Ever Was”

As religious thinking is flawed

Terrorism strikes abroad

If the world can agree on this

And get down to business

Finally we all can applaud

One of the best gunners ever

But passed the ball almost never

He’s basketball’s Tiger Woods

A douche with the talent goods

But Kobe’s more image-conscious and clever

The Scooters gave ‘em hell

The highest scorers, can’t you tell?

Finished at 9-3

A playoff bye for me

Now can Gronk get at least partially well?

Last time …

Limerick Friday LXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXVI: The ‘Fins Are Who We Thought They Were, Plus The Mets Kick Away A Title

When it looked like a franchise awake

The Cheatriots exposed them as a fake

Decimated a feeble attack

With turnovers and sack after sack

Hard to overcome the loss of Cam Wake

Another bipolar misogynist

Greg Hardy to the top of the list

Unstable to be kind

But Jerry Jones knows his mind

If Dallas had a real fan, they’d be pissed

Pass-outs are causing a bicker

And State got a participation sticker

Only took seven weeks, you see

To throw to the best tight end in the ACC

Should someone tell them now they need a new kicker?

Every week another blown call

The NFL, in college, and all

We’re talking about refs shitting the bed

And not of great games instead

Have to be able to challenge flags in football

A blown opportunity gone by

As the Mets blew a World Series try

Late-inning leads blown three times

Cespedes and Murphy had MIA crimes

Great season after you’ve had a good cry

Last time …

Limerick Friday LXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXV: The Amazin’s Race Into The Fall Classic, Plus The Fins May Have Found An Identity At Long Last

Answered all kinds of queries

Continued Cubbie curse theories

But at the end of the day

You just have to say

The Metsies are back in the Series

Inherited a lot of money

Thinks racism is kinda funny

Bankruptcy his way of life

Ignorance wielded like a knife

Can only say “Shut the fuck up, Donny”

With his own personal style

Been hitting the ball a mile

With every bat flip whirled

It’s Daniel Murphy’s world

Best performance I’ve seen in a while

Recruiting trips with refills

Rang up huge bar bills

Call plays while he was drunk

His own program he sunk

Steve Sarkisian, go fix your ills

Got physical for a change

Which looked kinda strange

The Dolphins setting the tone

The Titans they did own

Can they stay in this physical range?

Last time …

Halfway Home: Promising Scooters Squad Paces The League In Points

After adopting a bit of a shift in strategy during this year’s draft, I came away highly optimistic about my haul. Halfway through the season, that positive outlook has proven to be well-founded.

The Scooters sit at 4-2 at the midway point, and even though the squad should be 5-1, it’s hard to argue too much with that record. Perhaps more importantly, we are the leading point-scorer in my league by a healthy margin, which bodes well the rest of the way. Considering I’m stuck in easily the best division in my league, we are in about as good a position as possible for the stretch run (famous last words).

Here’s how each position group on The Scooters has fared to date …

QUARTERBACKS

Aaron Rodgers has been steady, though the customary colossal games have been few and far between. With Jordy Nelson out for the year, the long-distance strikes just haven’t been there, replaced by more of a controlled, short passing game. However, you have to think those explosive games are still out there to be had as the best quarterback in the game progresses with a young receiving corps. And let’s face it: he stills ranks fourth in our league in points among QBs.

In the move of the season to date, I parlayed surprising Tyrod Taylor into a deal for DeAndre Hopkins, who has been a scoring machine at receiver. I’ve replaced Taylor with first Ryan Mallett and now Brian Hoyer, in hopes of pairing Hopkins with his signal-caller during Rodgers’s upcoming bye week.

RUNNING BACKS

Mark Ingram has been about what I anticipated before the year (No. 8 in RB scoring in my league), Legarrette Blount has been somewhat less than I had hoped (but seems to be finding his role, as evidenced by his No. 10 ranking in RB points), and Chris Ivory (No. 7 in RB points) has been even more than I had predicted. I’ve leaned extensively on Ivory and Ingram to carry the load, but my fourth RB, Ryan Mathews, produced big-time in a spot start and seems to need more touches in Philly, while Blount could be more than a flex as the season progresses. At the end of the day, having three backs in the top 10 in RB points considering my draft approach has to be considered a win.

WIDE RECEIVERS

My wideouts early on were solid, with room to grow, in youngsters Amari Cooper and Jarvis Landry. As I anticipated, Cooper has quickly established himself as a bonafide go-to receiver, developing a strong rapport with Derek Carr and putting up impressive numbers (No. 17 in WR points) that should result in more touchdowns as the season goes on. Landry has in some ways been a victim of a pathetic Dolphins team and a regressing Ryan Tannehill, but he is still getting tons of touches. The coaching change in Miami should pay big dividends and open some space for Landry (No. 19 in points among wideouts) to operate.

However, the direction of this unit got a massive boost when I traded for “Nuke” Hopkins, who is working hard to join the conversation of best WR in the league, backed up by his presence as the top scoring receiver in my league. With Leonard Hankerson surprising in Atlanta (No. 42 in WR points) and Eddie Royal getting healthy in Chicago, this has suddenly become a deep unit. Harry Douglas is getting lots of touches but no production in Tennessee, so I have a spot to play with at the back end of the receiver roster.

All of a sudden, I am facing tough flex decisions with guys like Blount, Mathews, Landry, Hankerson, and Royal—obviously, a good problem to have.

TIGHT ENDS

Thus far, Gronkowski’s been Gronkowski. He seems to go silent during the course of games for longer than usual, but then usually erupts for a big play that salvages the entire performance. My backup, Larry Donnell, has been solid (No. 14 in TE points), though prone to key red-zone drops that have hurt his numbers. I’ve gotten a trade offer (underwhelming doesn’t begin to describe it) for him along the way, but he’s a good guy to have in his current role.

KICKERS

Adam Vinatieri has been a woeful disappointment (No. 27 in points among kickers), largely as a function of the Colts’ sputtering offense. However, cutting Andrew Franks to pick up field goal machine Robbie Gould of the Bears was a shrewd move. I expect Vinatieri to become a more viable option as Indy (theoretically) figures things out, but the ageless Gould (No. 4 in K points) will be challenging for the starting nod each and every week.

DEFENSES/SPECIAL TEAMS

This has been the perpetual weak spot for the Scooters this year. A byproduct of Miami’s implosion was the disappearance of a Dolphins “D” that was widely expected to be borderline dominant in 2015. The unit has shown signs of being that (No. 17 in D/ST points), but the early part of the schedule—where they should have wreaked havoc—is now over, and Miami has the hardest part of its schedule looming. I have resorted to playing my second defense, Cincinnati, on several occasions, and they have been a bit too up and down for my liking (No. 23 in points among defenses/special teams). This will be an area where I continue to search out an upgrade, whether through trade or playing the weekly matchup game on the waiver wire.



I don't really have any sort of grandiose closing statement about the second half of the season; I've been burned way too many times by the fantasy gods. We're just gonna take it one game at a time, live to fight another day, work hard for our teammates, stick to the process, and see where the dust settles.

Stay tuned ...

Limerick Friday LXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXIV: The Amazin’s Earn A Date With The Lovable Losers, Plus Farewell to OBC

Outlasted LA, oh the stress

Now it’s on to the NLCS

For luck, the genie lamp I rubs

As we have to take on the Cubs

An inspiring season for the Mets

He’s a Parcells disciple guy

The game may have passed him by

Good luck to Dan Campbell

With a team that’s in shambles

Might as well give it a try

An underperforming crew

Bad luck thrown in, too

An opportunity missed

Has the Scooters pissed

Should be 4-1 and not 3-2

An offense that ain’t scorin’

Play calls that have me snorin’

A D that looks confused

A quarterback getting abused

Doubts and concerns about Dave Doeren

He was a quote machine

Both hysterical and mean

Farewell to the Ol’ Ball Coach

His hilarity beyond reproach

A personality the game’s never seen

Last time …

Limerick Friday LXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXIII: The ‘Fins Finally Shitcan “Queasy Joe,” Plus Harvey Douches Up Mets Celebration

Two years too late

Joe Philbin met his fate

A nice guy with some wit

Couldn’t coach for shit

The ‘Fins are in a sorry state

A caricature of an NFL coach

Dan Campell brings a new approach

A pumped-up believer in hitting

Has the entire roster shitting

Hopefully the win column it’ll broach

Against all odds, I made

One helluva helpful trade

DeAndre Hopkins came my way

Tyrod Taylor I sent away

Hoping Nuke can help me get paid

Lined up four cupcakes

Drubbed ‘em all, for Pete’s sakes

But when they played an actual team

At the top there rose no cream

A culmination of many Pack mistakes

As the Mets do postseason prep

A d-bag lives up to his rep

Matt Harvey determined to piss off a city

With an attitude detrimental and shitty

He’d do well to watch his every step

Last time …

WFFL Draft 2015: A Dramatic Shift In Strategy For The Scooters

Our league took some real hits over the offseason when a couple of mainstays left the league after 15+ seasons, so I was less pumped about the draft and the season in general than I can ever remember. However, once I was on the clock, the tension and anticipation came back in full force. Picking 10^th in a 14-team league (I’m convinced our draft lottery system is rigged at this point) offered up a challenge, but one I am used to. Once the dust had settled, the beer bottles were emptied, and the shit-talk was exhausted, here’s what was left laying around:

1^st round, 10th overall: Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay

In an unheard-of development in our league, which has been skewed toward quarterback points, no signal-callers were taken in the first eight picks. When Andrew Luck was taken right before my slot, I realized that I had a shot to land the best quarterback in the league with the 10^th pick. I waited about 1.7 seconds to make this selection.

2nd round, 19th overall: Rob Gronkowski, TE, New England

Despite the hole it would put me in at the wide receiver and running back positions, there was simply no way I could pass Gronkowski at this spot. Not only does he perform like a #1 WR, but he has separated himself so completely from the rest of the TE position that it felt like a no-brainer. In fact, I was very surprised that he fell this far. P.S. I refuse to call him “Gronk.”

3rd round, 38th overall: Mark Ingram, RB, New Orleans

Though he had a promising 2014, Ingram still represented a bit of a gulp-inducing pick here. As predicted, the RB and WR pickings at this stage were very limited, and he was the last bonafide top back left. There are rumblings out of the Big Easy that he’ll be much more involved in the passing game, and it appears the Saints are really counting on Ingram stepping up his game to make up for the loss of Jimmy Graham and other playmakers over the past few years.

4^th round, 47th overall: Amari Cooper, WR, OAK

I certainly wasn’t planning on having a rookie wide receiver for the Raiders to be my top wideout, but here we are. I’m huge on Cooper’s potential, especially having seen him turn Patrick Peterson around like a top in limited preseason action. I think Cooper is a quarterback- and franchise-proof target who enters the NFL with a very polished game and a lofty ceiling. If Derek Carr can stay healthy (and I can’t believe I’m typing this), he and Cooper should form one of the league’s most promising tandems pretty quickly.

5^th round, 66th overall: Jarvis Landry, WR, MIA

I was hoping against hope that Landry would fall this far, and the virtual groans from right behind me in the draft order confirmed that I nailed this pick right on time. Landry has quickly become my favorite Dolphins player, and I feel he has a legit shot to catch 110-120 passes this year. Not the fastest wideout in the world, but a tough kid who is willing to go over the middle, shifty in space, and capable of catching anything remotely near him (I believe they call that “catch radius” now)—an important attribute when playing with Ryan Tannehill. Adding Landry gives me a duo of young, emerging receivers who could pay off in a big way.

6^th round, 75^th overall: Chris Ivory, RB, NYJ

Ivory was my keeper from a season ago; since I picked him after the 12^th round last year, I was able to keep him for the price of a sixth-rounder this year. I debated it, but figured that this was about a round or so later than he likely would have gone and pulled the trigger. He doesn’t have another back to really threaten his workload and he is likely to be a larger factor in the passing game, so Ivory in this position made a lot of sense for me as my second back.

7^th round, 94th overall: LeGarrette Blount, RB, NE

Eek. It was really hard for me to get excited about this selection, but the pickings were frighteningly slim at this spot. Blount’s a blockhead who seems to fail everywhere except for New England, where he runs like the second coming of Earl Campbell for some reason. An immediate self-second-guess choice, but you could do worse for your third back than to land New England’s top back.

8^th round, 103^rd overall: Eddie Royal, WR, CHI

Let’s face it: The Bears are going to be behind a lot of this year, and someone has to catch the passes that Jay Cutler doesn’t throw to the other team. Alshon Jeffery is a handful and Martellus Bennett is solid when he’s not bat-shit crazy, but Cutler has a history with Royal, who could provide some respectable numbers in a per-reception league. Definitely a bit of a gamble and project, but the eighth round is where you want to do that.

9^th round, 122^nd overall: Ryan Mathews, RB, PHI

I was frankly surprised that Mathews fell this far, as I’m not convinced that Murray will dominate touches in Philly. Chip Kelly has just enough crazy in him to spread the ball around for the Iggles, and if Mathews can stay healthy—which has long been his issue—he could record surprising stats in this offense.

10^th round, 131^st overall: Dolphins, D/ST, MIA

Miami has an easy early schedule, and the hope is that some key offseason acquisitions will actually play up to their reputation for the ‘Fins, which hasn’t historically been the case. The Dolphins might have the best defensive line in the league, and even though the back seven has a number of question marks, there is enough talent on hand to emerge as one of the best defenses in the league. Can that talent overcome the coaching? That’s the real question in South Beach—well, other than what STD Miley Cyrus currently has.

11^th round, 150^th overall: Cody Latimer, WR, DEN

I had heard good things about this kid most of the summer, and with Julius Thomas departed it seemed like there was room in the Broncos attack for another dependable receiver. Though Manning is declining quickly and down-the-field throws aren’t his “thing” anymore (he’s more Chad Pennington nowadays than anything else), Denver will find a way to put up points again this year, and landing a promising wideout from their system isn’t the worst pick in the world.

12^th round, 159^th overall: Phillip Dorsett, WR, INDY

The “keeper” picks for next year start in this round, so the first two picks of the 12^th round were Jordy Nelson and Kelvin Benjamin—both out for the year with ACLs (if that tells you anything about my league). So this seemed like the right spot to grab a rookie burner in a potent offense with a great quarterback, with one eye on this year and the other eye on next. Depending on how the pecking order shakes out in Indy, Dorsett is a strong get as my fifth receiver.

13^th round, 178^th overall: Harry Douglas, WR, TEN

I’ll be honest, I pretty much took Douglas because he scored a long touchdown in the preseason, which is how I found out he played for the Titans now. I thought he was an underrated part of Atlanta’s attack, and with Mariota arriving in Tennessee, grabbing a veteran starting wideout at this part of the draft as my sixth receiver could turn into something. Honestly, the bottom of the roster will be churned on the waiver wire all year long, but for this night, I felt good about the pick.

14^th round, 187^th overall: Adam Vinatieri, K, INDY

A good kicker in a good offense. Yes, I’m pretty sure Bronco Nagurski was Vinatieri’s first holder, but he still keeps getting the job done and our league’s points are slanted toward kickers. Not a bad grab at this stage.

15^th round, 206^th overall: Larry Donnell, TE, NYG

I second-guessed myself a bit here, making a last-second decision to grab Donnell over New Orleans tight end Josh Hill. Donnell fell off dramatically after a strong early part of last season, but I didn’t expect to see him still around this late in the draft. If he can find his early-2014 form, he’ll be a strong backup and an occasional option for a flex play.

16^th round, 215^th overall: Bengals, D/ST, CIN

Again, a bit of a surprise to see Cincy available this late. As a second defense, this was a no-brainer, especially considering Cincinnati’s relatively weak early schedule. Of course, this also represents a hedge in case the Dolphins play like the Dolphins defensively instead of as a top D/ST.

17^th round, 234^th overall: Tyrod Taylor, QB, BUF

Obviously, not a whole lot of huge expectations surrounding Taylor, but he’s a mobile quarterback surrounded by a lot of highly respectable weapons. I don’t think Beefalo will ask him to do too much, but a backup quarterback who can make plays with his legs and has weapons is an ideal scenario behind a signal-caller like Rodgers.

18^th round, 243^rd overall: Andrew Franks, K, MIA

This was more of a tweak to the other ‘Fins fan in the league, who picked Caleb Sturgis in the last round—who was cut by the Dolphins a couple of days prior. I don’t know that Franks will stick on my roster, but he was worth a flier and the opportunity to zing a fellow long-suffering Miami fan.

OVERALL

There’s something comforting about having the top two players in the league at their respective positions to form the core of your team. I did less research and made riskier projections than I’ve ever done, but came away (once again) getting a lot of praise from other owners on my haul.

I face an extremely difficult division, but for the aspect of fantasy football that the draft accounts for, I was happy with what I was able to pull off and eager to see whether my gambles would pay off down the road.