Every year there is one game that we choose for a tiebreak game that ends up killing everyone, because everyone picks low (like, 20 or 22) or just goes average (like 37 or 44), and the score ends up being 6-3 or, as in the case of this weekends TB game, 45-31. That's why we instituted the Tie Break Drop.
The TieBreak Drop is simple. Its a free pass once per season. If your tiebreak game is totally off, you may choose to invoke your Drop, in which case your TB from that week is erased. I just delete it from the records, and it was as if it never happened. You have until the following weeks games to use your TieBreak Drop (as in, you can use your drop for this past weekend until this coming Saturday. Then this past weekend is set in stone). Again, you only get one per season, so be careful when you use it. When you send me your games, just mention you want to use your drop.
The purpose of the TieBreak itself is to not only break ties from week to week (as in, to keep people with the same records from tying every week) but it also serves to break ties when it comes to playoff time. Its how close you are to total points scored, no matter whether you go over or not. Since there is no head-to-head competition, your "TieBreak Average" is kept all season long (how many points off per game divided by number of games) to determine where you are in the standings. For instance, Gary Eubanks at 60-36, with a TBA of 12.58 would be ranked higher--and thus get into the playoffs seeded higher--than Drew Morris at 60-36 but with a TBA of 13.02.
The Week That Was
Due to Clemson's domination--then escape--of Florida State on Monday night, Matt Latta takes his second straight Week 1, undefeated, 8-0. Last season, he won Wk 1 at 7-1.
Finishing undefeated as well, but in 2nd and 3rd due to tiebreak, is defending DFC Champion Tad "The Dynasty" Roose, followed by perennial underachiever Jon Osborne. Both finished at 8-0.
As for the rest of the top ten, it was good week for most... in 4th was rookie Justin Fisher, going 7-1 for his first ever DFC week. Scott Latta, Tim Wasyluka and DFC sophomore Zack Graves tied for 5th at 7-1, while Ryan "Roll Tide" Sherman busts into the top 10 at 8, with a 6-2 record. In 9th is Mark "The Mighty" Gainey, and in 10th is Gary "The Idol" Eubanks, all at 6-2.
The Rest:
6-2: Jennifer Ernst, Drew Morris, Big Eddy, Clif Render, Lori Beirne, Gina Roose
5-3: Matt Halpert, DMOsborne, Mackey, Tom Johnson, Tebe Shaw, Turnbow, Barnie, Jason Duren, Yours Truly, Tyler "Sexy Beast" Campbell, Hawbaker,
4-4: Eddy Jr, Daniel Powell, Michael Nipp
3-5: Ty Coffey, Sarah Hasha, Trey Cartledge
0-8: Demastus
STANDINGS
ROOSE CONFERENCE
North Division
Matt Latta, 8-0
Mackey, 5-3
Matt Halpert, 5-3
Tom Johnson, 5-3
DMOsborne, 5-3
Ty Coffey, 3-5
MidCentral Division
Justin Fisher, 7-1
Tommy McLeod, 6-2
Jennifer Ernst, 6-2
Jason Turnbow, 5-3
Jason Barnette, 5-3
Tebe Shaw, 5-3
West Division
Gary Eubanks, 6-2
Drew Morris, 6-2
Eddy McBroom, 6-2
Jason Duren, 5-3
Sarah Hasha, 3-5
Jason Demastus, 0-8
LATTA CONFERENCE
East Division
Mark Gainey, 6-2
Clif Render, 6-2
James Hawbaker, 5-3
Yours Truly, 5-3
Tyler Campbell, 5-3
Trey Cartledge, 3-5
South Central Division
Tad Roose, 8-0
Jon Osborne, 8-0
Zack Graves, 7-1
Scott Latta, 7-1
Lori Beirne, 6-2
Eddy Jr, 4-4
South Division
Tim Wasyluka, 7-1
Ryan Sherman, 6-2
Garrett Cheney, 6-2
Gina Roose, 6-2
Michael Nipp, 4-4
Daniel Powell, 4-4
The First DFC Power Poll will be released in Week Two. Right now, it just mirrors the week one top ten.
The TieBreak Averages will be released during Week Four's results, when an accurate number can be given.
Oregon State 24, Utah 7
Appalachian State 34, #5 Michigan 32 (not a DFC game, but worth remembering)
Colorado 31, Colorado State 28 (OT)
Ole Miss 23, Memphis 21
Georgia Tech 33, Notre Dame 3
Boston College 38, Wake Forest 28
#18 Auburn 23, Kansas State 13
#12 California 45, #15 Tennessee 31 (tiebreak game.. 76 freakin' points)
Clemson 24, #19 Florida State 18
Lies, Darn Lies & Statistics
"There are three kinds of lies. Lies. Damn lies and statistics" - Mark Twain.
- In winning week one, Matt Latta joins Jennifer Ernst, Mark Gainey, Michael Nipp and Hall of Famer Wookiee Fulaytar as the only ones to win 5 or more weeks in a career.
- In an example of how we've grown over the years, Matt Halpert ranks last on the DFC all time win list. Of course, this is his first week, but he's ranked 50th all time at 5 wins. 49th is Clif Render with 6 wins, 48th is Justin Fisher with 7 wins, and 47th is retired Willis Watkins, with 12 wins.
- Looking at 100 wins, Ryan Sherman finally gets his. After two lackluster seasons, "Roll Tide" Sherman now sits at 30th all time in both regular season wins and college wins.
- Going down the list, Jennifer crossed 400 lifetime wins last year to sit at #1. Yours Truly is 2 wins away, while Matt Latta is 9 wins away. In the next few weeks, expect to see DMOsborne (388), Tommy McLeod (387) and Tom Johnson (385) break the 400 barrier.
- Looking at 300, Lori Was-Smith-Now-Beirne is at 293, so a good week puts her over in Week Two, or possibly in Week Three. Tim Wasyluka is next at 287 all time, while Sarah is a half-season away with 268.
- As far as 200 goes, it now becomes a race between Garrett Cheney, with 165 wins and 35 away, and Tyler "Self Proclaimed Sexy Beast of the DFC" Campbell at 161 wins and 39 away. Loser buys the wings.
- We started a new list last season, combining regular season, which we had kept up with regularly, and playoff wins together, and that threw an interesting dynamic into the all-time standings. Jennifer Ernst, still on top, has 459 all time wins, and is currently 41 away from 500. Thats half of a thousand games picked correctly. Yours Truly, again 2nd, is with 445, 55 away. Next is Matt Latta, again in 3rd, with 432, which is 68 regular season wins away... but this list combines regular, plus playoff, so even with a 59 win season, he can still easily rack up 10 playoff wins and hit 500 this year.
- Eight years later, the DFC is approaching its 700 game, which should occur in the middle of Week Four this year. I haven't looked that far ahead, but I'll let you know.
- Three DFC Championships only tell some of the Michael Jordanesque career of Tad "The Dynasty" Roose. Its been 45 regular season weeks since Tad has gone 3-5 or worse. It was Week Four of the 2003 season, DFC IV. As far as active streaks go, Tad keeps it in the family... his wife Gina is 2nd right now, with 17 straight weeks, while Daniel Powell is third with 16 weeks and Gary "The Idol" Eubanks is 4th, with 13 weeks. It warrants mentioning, however, that Gary, the reigning Rookie of the Year and West Division champ, has never had below a 4-4 week. Ever.
- On the opposite side, Trey Cartledge hasn't had a 5-3 or better week since Week 9 of last year.
- And finally, the undefeated week, once a rarity, has become like the 60+ homer season... much more frequent than ever thought possible. With Tad, Jon and Matt all going 8-0, thats at least 21 different 8-0 weeks, with The Mighty Gainey pulling a 9-0 in Wk 12 of 2002 (there were only 7 games that counted the week before).
- However, Matt shouldn't get comfortable... out of the four that won Week One at 8-0, only two made the postseason--Shawn Sharp, who won DFC I, and DMOsborne in DFC V. Daniel did it in DFC II, and finished last in his division, while Scott Latta did it in DFC IV, in the infamous "TieBreak Drops are for pansies" year, when he missed the playoffs by .57 to Michael Nipp.
