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Friday, Nov. 19, 1999
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Oh, the agony
Losing a fantasy game late on Monday night is just plain dreadful
By Trent Modglin, Associate editor
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| I never realized
fantasy football could be this frustrating. If you pay attention to fantasy statistics on
Sunday (like most of the staff at PFW), you realize where your team sits in its showdown
that given week. Last Sunday night, a co-worker of mine came forward to let me know that
he would win our game if Jets WR Keyshawn Johnson could be kept under wraps in the
Monday-night game with the Patriots. Essentially, my team was down nine points, and my
hopes for a come-from-behind victory were in the capable hands of Keyshawn. He could do
it, I thought. Keyshawn Johnson could score nine points, or 20 if he knew I needed him to. I
tuned in to the game a bit late, just in time to see the replay of Keyshawn’s
first-quarter TD grab. Perfect, I thought. Flip on "Monday Night Football," and
already I’ve got six points to my name. Way to go, Keyshawn.
The way Jets QB Ray Lucas was playing on the road had me believing a blowout victory
was imminent, both for me and New York. The Jets’ offense was rolling, and Keyshawn
was making tough catches, building up yardage in the process.
As the game wore on, though, his numbers started to level off. I needed either another
score or a 100-yard receiving game. And with the Jets seemingly in command at 24-3, I came
to the realization that I might not get either. New York was trying to keep it on the
ground and run out the clock, and then out of nowhere, the Patriots mounted a furious
comeback.
In the fourth quarter, my prayers were answered. Keyshawn caught a short pass, made a
move and turned it into a 65-yard touchdown that secured my third consecutive fantasy
victory. But to my dismay, the little sign came up in the upper left-hand corner of the
screen, signifying a flag on the play. The penalty was against the Jets. It seems fellow
WR Richie Anderson had set a pick on the cornerback who was covering Keyshawn. Anderson
started blocking just a bit early, got called for offensive pass interference and cost me
10 points and the game. Keyshawn would not get any closer, finishing with six catches for
57 yards.
Ordinarily, I may have dozed off or gone channel surfing with the way the game was
going, but because I needed Keyshawn to come through for my fantasy league, I stayed up
and watched what turned out to be a very entertaining game from the edge of my seat. But
it was more than frustrating the way things ended up.
Next time, however, I don’t think I want to know what I need going into Monday
night. |
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