SAG 2021 — Week 6 Report
Attention all SAG fanatics!
Usually, the weekly report intro is a few paragraphs of self-indulgent waffle where the Commissioner’s Office tries to make lighthearted jest at something relevant or topical. We’re going to slightly detour this week into serious territory, although there will be endeavors to return to the more whimsical riffing in the match result summaries.
The CO has been spending a lot of time in their own heads during the past periods of lockdown and to be quite frank, it hasn’t been the most enjoyable experience. The male mind can be a lonely place and prone to dark thoughts when left to its own devices and not socially stimulated. The pandemic and resulting isolation has not been the best for the physical and mental health of many blokes. Having social devices like the SAG is just one rung on the ladder that gets us out of those depressing pits and there's been many times that I’ve turned to the WhatsApp chat (and others full of various mates) to get a vicarious break from the mundane funk that I have found myself in. This fantasy league isn’t the frivolous time sink that so many uninitiated might think. It’s our little slice of escapism, a Dungeons & Dragons alternate pro sport universe where we control the fates of franchises and fortunes of fans with a few clicks of our mouses. It's a fucking welcome escape. One I’m truly and deeply thankful for.
This year I’m issuing a mental health challenge to the rest of the GMs. Given the hirsute nature of many of the cohort, there is no doubt some past and present Movember devotees amongst the group. In the spirit of the month, I’m putting it out there that the SAG as a whole brings their best moustache attempts to fruition. Raise as much cash as you can as well, the GM that raises the most will be deemed the SAG ‘Moustache Cowboy’ in honor of Aaron Rodgers, the single best moustache owner in the NFL.
To go with this honorific, I’ll be sure to obtain a Moustache Cowboy limited edition t-shirt that will be presented at the SAG Xmas Spectaular and worn with pride.
Raising money or not, we are bloody lucky to have the SAG. Whether its draft night, WhatsApp banter, GamePass sharing or Superbowl events, the collective is stronger than the sum of the individuals. Let's share that, so at a minimum during the month of November have a conversation with some mates not in SAG, check in on them, ask them how they’re going, grab a beer and a pub feed and chin wag about nothing in particular like it's the most important thing in the world. Because that chat just may be the most important thing going for that friend, or even for one of us. These small steps to start changing the narrative on talking about shit blokes usually don’t talk about is the best and most effective way to start normalizing it and having each other's backs. Thats what it's all about. Having each other's backs. Not just when some grub wants to throw shapes, but anytime your buddy needs a chop out.
Details to follow once the official Movember group/team is established but get planning and doing what is required to win over the powers that be for permission/forgiveness on the blossoming lip bushes.
Now to the games.
Channel4 lost to Slippery Carnival People
JABs said it best as this game being death by a thousand cuts. Gypos went with two QBs playing each other on a Monday night. So dramatic. Tannehill didn’t add much but Jarod Allen may be the best QB in the league right now. His team lost but he is something to watch and is making the powers in Canton sit up and take notice. Dak and Jalen were the shining lights for the News Team but Daks calf and Jalen’s habit of leaving everything till the last 20 mins is causing much stress and sleepless nights.
Rubbers lost to TacoCorp
Even numbered week so the smart money piled on TacoCorp to return the winners list and they fleeced the bookies again. The true purists are wondering if TC is going to string two wins in a row together any time soon and then in the next breath wondering if Rubbers will doughnut the season. The highlight of this match up was Taco questioning why he left Harris on the bench…when he would have been the 3rd highest scoring RB on his team if he started him. This perfectionism is not lost on the rest of the league though and there is a lot of love for the hustle brought this year from the league’s nomad charter.
Patches Lost to Co-cainers
We make way for You
Prepare a place for You
Let our praise become Your throne
Hear Your people sing
We give You everything
Derrick Henry, all for You alone
All hail the King, all hail the Savior
Derrick Henry, the Son of God
All hail His name, all hail His power
Before His feet, we fall
And as we crown Him Lord of all
Bandits lost to Jabs
Both of these teams were very very good this week. A couple of small blips at a couple of positions but so much great performances across both rosters. In the great quirk of H2H, the Bandits are getting royally reamed. The best 2–4 team to have been in the SAG? Bold call but would have to go close. The big money roster is really the hunted this year with opposition turning up nearly every week with big time performances to knock them off. Meanwhile the JABs are red hot and gone over 160 for the second week in a row. There is junkyard dog feel to this team that is on the warpath to scrub that asterisk.
So six weeks down. Pubs are open as of Friday so this is very conducive to frothy trade chats, looking forward to blowing the top off a few with as many GMs as we can get into town in a few weeks' time. We can strain some amber nectar through glorious upper lip growths.
3rd and 10,
Commish Clue.
