2014 Season - Week 9

So we are now just days away from Trading Day 2 which is this Sunday at HQ starting at 3.30pm. If you want to trade but can’t get to HQ you can do so by email, online via the BUMS google doc or by phone, just let me know how you are planning to cut your deadwood. If I don’t hear from you I’ll assume you are happy with your team. Attached are the initial player salaries plus the sheet of new players who are also now available. As always we cut in worst to first order (all cuts by an owner in one go) then draft one player at a time in worst to first owner order until all rosters are full. The full order is Wayne, AP, Mark, David S or Daz (coin toss), George, Aaron, Andy H, Dave G, Chief, John, Marcus, Cheryl, Ron, Craig and Johnnie. Wayne has been suffering with long term injuries to both of his Franchise players which has cost him both points and salary cap space as he cut RG3 on Trading Day 1. He has also been without Megatron for a month. AP has seen his second year franchise RB Steven Ridley put on IR and with the Buffalo Bills demoting his QB EJ Manuel it’s no wonder he is trading early. That said Johnnie is picking last as he’s top of the Premiership, a remarkable performance given he has only got 8 points from his kicker (Alex Henery) all season long. Remember if you cut a franchise player you have to pay him his salary until the end of the contract like Wayne or Chief. Having cut Adrian Peterson on TD1 Chief is effectively operating this year with a budget of $9m. If Wayne cuts Ryan Mathews (his 2014-15 franchise man) he will start next season with a budget of $9.5m. Note, if you cut or sign players from this Thursday night’s game, Cleveland (5-3) @ Cincinnati (5-2-1) then your trade will not be actioned until week 10. From next week onwards if a player is put on IR you will be able to immediately replace him. Please let me know how you are trading as soon as possible. Mid Season Review Johnnie continues to lead the Premiership despite only 8 kicking points but Craig is just 4 points behind. Early pace setter Ron has scored only 60 points the last three weeks and dropped to third. At the bottom of the Premiership, as mentioned, Wayne has been suffering with long term injuries but his 43 points from safety is not insurmountable with 8 weeks still to go. The battle for survival has been very close all season with fourth placed Cheryl only 24 points (four TDs) from the drop zone. In the Conference John has taken up pole position after it looked like Andy H was primed to run away with it. Stampy is the only owner yet to finish a week in a promotion spot but he’s only 2 points from third. AP has struggled since TD1 (again due to reasons mentioned above) scoring 104 points in 5 weeks but he’s only 43 points from the leader. If he outscores the others by just 5.4 points per week he’d win the Conference, so everything really is up for grabs. BUMS on Seats After Trading Day from 6pm we will see Channel 4’s coverage of the Wembley game of Dallas (6-3) “@” Jacksonville (1-8) followed by Giants (3-5) @ Seahawks (5-3) on Sky. We will be at H’s from 5pm on Monday to watch his beloved Bears (3-5) play at (5-3) Green Bay in the Sunday Night game. Then we’re back to Johnnies at 6.30pm for our regular Tuesday evening viewing of Monday Night Football as Philadelphia (6-2) entertain Carolina (3-5-1).