The First Annual Babblog Football Playoff Gala

The First Annual Babblog Football Playoff Gala
by Jeff Lewis

Babblog hopes to make this year’s football playoffs a wee bit more interesting with the 2006 Babblog Football Playoff Gala, a fantasy-sports type of pool with no entrance fee and handsome prizes for 1st through 3rd places, as well as 6th place.

The Prizes
1st – A custom-made Babblog T-shirt commemorating the victor’s excellence
2nd – Also a custom-made T-shirt, but not quite as nice as the winner’s
3rd – A T-shirt with a picture of something cute, like a panda eating sticky buns
6th (aka Mediocre at Best) – A T-shirt with a picture of Tim Lewis on it; Tim Lewis is mediocre at best

How to Enter
Either e-mail your picks to jeff@babblog.com or post them in a comment by 4 AM PST on Jan. 14, 2006.

Which Games?
The contest covers the games in the Divisional Playoffs, Conferences Championship and Super Bowl. It does not include the Wild Card Playoffs (the first week of playoffs). Therefore, it is in your best interests to wait until the Wild Card Playoffs are over to submit your picks.

How to Find Out if You Are Doing Well
Each week, Babblog will show the rankings of the contestants, along with running totals and—time permitting—commentary.

What You Need to Pick
You need to choose several players competing in the playoffs, plus two teams (one offense, one defense). Here is the breakdown:

You must pick:
2 Running backs
2 Wide receivers
1 Quarterback
1 Punter
1 Kicker
2 Defensive players
1 Offensive team
1 Defensive team (can be same team)
Pick the Super Bowl loser

Possible choices include (but are not limited to):

Running backs (pick 2)
Shaun Alexander, Jerome Bettis, Clinton Portis, Edgerrin James, Rudi Johnson, Thomas Jones, Mike Anderson

Wide Receivers (pick 2)
Steve Smith, Santana Moss, Hines Ward, Muhsin Muhammad, Marvin Harrison, Rod Smith, Reggie Wayne, Deion Branch

Quarterbacks (pick 1)
Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Ben Roethlisberger, Matt Hasselbeck, Jake Delhomme, Jake Plummer, Mark Brunell, Rex Grossman

Punter (pick 1)
Josh Bidwell, Josh Miller, Hunter Smith, T. Sauerbrun

Placekicker (pick 1)
S. Graham, J. Kasay, M. Vanderjagt, J. Reed, J. Elam

Defense (pick 2)
Osi Umenyiora, Simeon Rice, Shelton Quarles, Brian Urlacher, Gary Brackett, Deltha O’Neal, Champ Bailey, Cato June

Offensive Team (pick 1)
Indianapolis, Denver, New England, Carolina, Seattle, Washington, Chicago, Pittsburgh

Defensive Team (pick 1)
Indianapolis, Carolina, New England, Pittsburgh, Seattle, Chicago, Washington, Denver

Super Bowl Loser
Indianapolis, New England, Chicago, Seattle, Carolina, Pittsburgh, Washington, Denver

How the Scoring Works
The scoring system is very convoluted, but actually is not as tedious as it appears. It is very similar to other fantasy contests, except that it does not consistently use integers as multipliers and that prime numbers factor heavily into the scoring system (as they should). Also, don’t pick Garo Yepremian.

The bottom line is this—the scoring favors those of you who pick good players that make it all the way to the Super Bowl.

Here are the nuts and bolts:

Scoring for RBs and WRs
1. Total yards x 1.57 points
2. TD = 61 points
3. Fumble lost = -47 points
4. Long run/catch over 50 yds = 59

Scoring for QBs
1. Total yards x .83
2. TD = 37
3. Fumble lost = -47
4. Interception = -59
5. Sack = -17

Scoring for Punters
1. Yards per punt average x 3.37
2. Inside 20 = 17
3. Long over 55 = 53
4. Fumble lost = -173 points
5. TD, run or pass = 271
6. Pass completion = 113
7. Interception -413

Scoring for Kickers
1. Field goal 0-35 yards = 13 made, -89 missed
2. FG 35-45 yards = 59 made, -31 missed
3. FG 46-49 yards = 67 made, -17 missed
4. FG 50-55 yards = 89, made, -17 missed
5. FG 56+ = 119 made, -31 missed
6. Extra point = 3 made, -37 missed
7. TD, run or pass = 271
8. Pass completion = 113
9. Interception = -619
10. Fumble lost = -173

Scoring for Defensive Players
1. Tackle = 17
2. Sack = 31
3. Interception = 79
4. Fumble Recovery = 53
5. TD = 119
6. Fumble Lost = -173

Scoring for Defensive Teams
1. Sacks = 31
2. TD = 119
3. Turnover = 47
4. 0 points allowed = 619
5. 2-6 points allowed = 413
6. 7-10 points allowed = 211
7. 11-18 points allowed = 173
8. 19-29 = 59
9. 30-39 = -173
10. 40-49 = -413
11. 50+ = -619

Scoring for Offensive Teams
1. First down = 5
2. 50+ points scored = 619
3. 40-49 = 503
4. 30-39 = 389
5. 23-29 = 211
6. 17-22 = 173
7. 9-16 = 0
8. 2-8 = -413
9. 0 = -619

(The Super Bowl loser will be used as a tie-breaker.)

Good luck, and hopefully the playoffs will now be filled with excitement for you!

Jeff can be reached at jeff@babblog.com.