July 21, 2004

Grab your socks!: SpoFi EPL Fantasy League 2004-2005 is open for business. (details inside)

posted by taupe to fantasy at 10:49 PM - 52 comments

League name: SpoFi Premier League Code: 4443-1244 I didn't create a second league. If we're actually doing the two leagues, it wasn't fully clear from where we left off the discussion last time, and someone else would have to create the lower--erm, the Coca Cola SpoFi League Championship--themselves anyway. So everybody run out and get Thierry Henry already. He'll cost you 13.0 out the gate, though.

posted by taupe at 10:54 PM on July 21, 2004

i'm in 2nd place! wooo! but i'm behind taupe. as always.

posted by gspm at 01:10 AM on July 22, 2004

Ok, I think I overdosed on strikers last year to the detriment of the rest of my team, so I'm going for a good defence, an ok midfield and a good strikeforce. So when I'm bottom at the end of week 1 you'll know why. I only wished I could afford Henry and Drogba. Feared.

posted by BigCalm at 03:27 AM on July 22, 2004

So what was the final say on the two league question... Refresh me.

posted by trox at 08:30 AM on July 22, 2004

OK, I'm in. Thanks for setting up the league taupe. There was no final say trox. Just come on in. :-)

posted by squealy at 09:19 AM on July 22, 2004

In. And looking to move up the table from last year's relegation gray zone.

posted by mbd1 at 10:52 AM on July 22, 2004

I'm in. Go pistolwhippets!

posted by Ufez Jones at 12:30 PM on July 22, 2004

I'm looking to change my team name from "Untitled" to "rulez da league" after this season.

posted by trox at 01:34 PM on July 22, 2004

I reserve second to last place.

posted by lilnemo at 01:37 PM on July 22, 2004

I'll be in, but couldn't we just reuse last season's league and teams? (Not the players, though.)

posted by billsaysthis at 05:42 PM on July 22, 2004

Alrighty, got me a team and this year no screwing around, took Henry as first pick and made him captain, plus I figured out how to play a 3-4-3 instead of the 4-4-2 I was stuck with all last season. Twelfth place for now but just you wait until late August, when I will certainly take a drop!

posted by billsaysthis at 08:50 PM on July 22, 2004

There was no option to reuse last year's setup bill. It was a clean slate or nothing.

posted by squealy at 06:03 AM on July 23, 2004

squeally, having gone through the signup I now understand. You can slap me next time we go for a brewski.

posted by billsaysthis at 05:00 PM on July 23, 2004

y'know, I actually came here wondering about this, and lo and behold, there's a league!!!!!!!! I promise to try to be better this year, and actually try for more than 5 weeks, although I just started a new job, so we'll see how that goes.

posted by sauril at 08:11 PM on July 23, 2004

Morning pop pickers. I've got a half arsed team thrown together. I'll have a proper look just before the start of the season when the transfer window closes. I'm looking forward to kicking Squealys bunch of misfits :-)

posted by kWaCkY at 03:46 AM on July 25, 2004

brilliant, mr. taupe. Your timing is, as always, impeccable.

posted by worldcup2002 at 02:55 AM on July 27, 2004

I still hate this bloody interface. If one is registered it is not intuitive as to how one joins a league. I can't be bothered now. Will try to see if I find it less frustrating later.

posted by scully at 02:40 PM on July 27, 2004

Yeah, getting started is bloody shite. If I hadn't already gone through this last year, I'd be mad.

posted by worldcup2002 at 03:17 PM on July 27, 2004

It's pretty straightforward my amphibious chum. From the "My Team" page, click on the "Leagues" link to the top right and then cut and past the code into the "Join Private League" box. Hey Presto, SpoFi Leaguo!

posted by squealy at 02:52 AM on July 28, 2004

err cut and paste, not past. Don't cut and past for God's sake. Who knows what might happen?

posted by squealy at 02:53 AM on July 28, 2004

I tried cut and past-ing. I got signed in for the 1904-1905 League.

posted by worldcup2002 at 11:51 AM on July 28, 2004

registration will be open until the start of the season, right?

posted by garfield at 12:33 PM on July 28, 2004

you can register whenever - even after start of season - it just sets you at a disadvantage if you join late.

posted by worldcup2002 at 12:53 PM on July 28, 2004

thanks. need to do a little research into who to select so i don't just populate the roster to get it over with.

posted by garfield at 01:28 PM on July 28, 2004

garfield, transfers are free and unlimited up until the deadline for the first match, so you could start with whoever and flip around a bunch as you learn more...

posted by billsaysthis at 03:28 PM on July 28, 2004

oh sweet heyzeus....now ya tell me. thanks bill.

posted by garfield at 03:58 PM on July 28, 2004

Did we forget to mention that? :)

posted by squealy at 05:40 PM on July 28, 2004

erm just to be clear (and pedantic), garfield: when bill says "free", he means you can transfer players in and out as much as you like without cost until the season starts. When the season starts, you can only make one free transfer (sell one and buy one) a week, after which you get deducted 4 points for every extra transfer that week. (It hurts.) However, the players are not "free." You have 100 points before the season with which to buy players, who may cost anything from 2 points to 20 points a piece (I'm just throwing out rough estimates). Top players like Henry are fetching near 15 each, while newbies promoted from the First Division (erm ... "Championship" *koff* wannabes *koff*) can go for as low as 3. I didn't know if you'd done this last year, so I thought I'd be the granny here and point this out.

posted by worldcup2002 at 12:33 AM on July 29, 2004

btw, may I impose upon all you gents to pls change either your Manager name or Team name so that it contains your SpoFi nickname in some form? I like to know who's ass I'm kicking. Hah!

posted by worldcup2002 at 12:37 AM on July 29, 2004

count me in!

posted by johnnyboy at 09:11 AM on July 29, 2004

It's pretty straightforward my amphibious chum. From the "My Team" page, click on the "Leagues" link to the top right and then cut and past the code into the "Join Private League" box. Hey Presto, SpoFi Leaguo! Not working. I am prompted to agree or disagree with the terms, and then prompted to select my kit. Then I am asked to select my team. I GUESS I am supposed to select my players BEFORE I choose a league, but I REALLY am getting sick of being sent in circles on this site, so I'd rather not spend the time selecting players if I am going to be sent right back to a screen other than one to join a league. I hated this site last year too ;)

posted by scully at 09:22 AM on August 03, 2004

I guessed correctly. Thank goodness because it took me too long to select my team. :) Thanks again gang for setting up the league.

posted by scully at 09:43 AM on August 03, 2004

I'm all geeked up, and have no place to go. Went to the AS Roma vs. Liverpool match last night at the Meadowlands and got juiced for the upcoming season. Totti didn't play, but Del Vecchio scored a beaut, as did Owen late in the second half for the winner. Good times.

posted by garfield at 09:04 AM on August 04, 2004

Garfield, I so wanted to go too! But my sister just had to have a June wedding and blow my transcontinental travel budget for the Summer! Still, thanks to FSW I did enjoy watching Cisse and Owen and the boys. So who thinks Kewell has to go and that we need to buy another quality midfielder? Bretos and Chinaglia mentioned getting Damien Duff on loan but would that be too much to ask? Next SpoFite who goes to one of these televised events has to bring a big sign mentioning SpoFi!!!

posted by billsaysthis at 01:03 PM on August 04, 2004

bill, looks like Biscan has been performing well in Hamann's role (I read in one report), which is reassuring for the midfield and defence. As for Kewell, I think there are several who could take his role, including Smicer (as long as he's not hurt; he's so fragile that boy), Sinama-Pongolle, Riise, or even Baros.

posted by worldcup2002 at 02:34 PM on August 04, 2004

Don't you DARE talk about Kewell that way!! He is going to be just fine when the season starts...did you see him drill that shot that the keeper could barely knock away? Come on! And Biscan has awakened in the midfield role, which is what he is. He has impressed. Houllier was so freakin' clueless.

posted by StarFucker at 04:34 PM on August 04, 2004

Smicer out for six months Biscan didn't impress me that much in any of the three CW games. One decent shot from Kewell amid an otherwise lethargic effort, that doesn't come close to impressing me. I love Riise but his midfield play against Roma wasn't great, much to my surprise he does seem better suited for left back with great long passes. I still think we need us another swift wideout!

posted by billsaysthis at 04:43 PM on August 04, 2004

SF: That's basically what the report said about Biscan. He was a central midfielder who was forced to play in a centre-back role. I think Senor Benitez is really growing on me. He has been really adventurous trying out different players. He's been more adventurous in his first matches than Houllier was in his final season. Nice. I'm stickin' with what the Fooker says this season. btw, Fooker, now that Houllier's out, what kind of Liverpool team formations can we expect or hope for? People actually playing to their strengths rather than some conservative formation. 4-3-4? 2-3-5? (haha) 4-4-2? And who plays where?

posted by worldcup2002 at 04:41 PM on August 05, 2004

btw, see what I said about Smicer?

posted by worldcup2002 at 04:42 PM on August 05, 2004

After much rejigging, I've now got three bloody west brom players in my team now. I must be mad.

posted by BigCalm at 08:31 AM on August 09, 2004

I hope one of them isn't Lee Hughes, old chap.

posted by Fat Buddha at 10:39 AM on August 09, 2004

Nope, thank the stars.

posted by BigCalm at 10:44 AM on August 09, 2004

Well let's hope one of them isn't Jay Chambers then.

posted by squealy at 01:51 PM on August 09, 2004

kusczak - purse - kanu Just let me be bottom of the league. Please?

posted by BigCalm at 06:10 PM on August 09, 2004

I'm freaking out!

posted by StarFucker at 05:29 AM on August 13, 2004

Well, I hope none of you have Owen... I'm in as Sauril's Wideboys. And I took quite a few gambles. We'll see what happens.

posted by sauril at 11:04 AM on August 13, 2004

I autocompleted and at one point had 4 WB players on my team... not promising.

posted by sauril at 11:05 AM on August 13, 2004

I've taken some gambles with players who are new to the EPL. Let's just leave it at that and see how the first week nets out.

posted by worldcup2002 at 12:17 PM on August 13, 2004

I've got 2 WBA players, but by choice. I reckon Hoult will have plenty of saves to make, thus racking up the points, but the Baggies generally don't ship goals. Kuszczak is a waste of money - he probably won't play. This year, I've basically gone for the best midfield I can, and just spent the money elsewhere where I could.

posted by salmacis at 05:18 PM on August 13, 2004

I thought Kuszczak was transferred?

posted by StarFucker at 02:05 AM on August 14, 2004

Uh, where is the update on the leaders?

posted by StarFucker at 05:02 PM on August 16, 2004

Yeah, who's doing the updates this year? I need some quality gloating time! (before slipping back to mid-table)

posted by BigCalm at 03:11 AM on August 17, 2004

You're not logged in. Please log in or register.