18 May 2013
Gameweek 38 - Groundhog Day
It’s here, isn’t it? There’s no point dodging it any further as its asphyxiating air of inevitability floats ever closer. Close season is here, folks. Or rather, the premature end to life as we know it. Where football folk like you and me, demented souls who plan their every endeavour around that Saturday 4 pm kick-off and make excuses absolving them from attending weddings, coronations and all manner of important filial fare on account of that unmissable cup final… No matter, football as they say, always provides and it’s no doubt that its’ provisory capabilities will be put to the test over the next few weeks.
As we stand
On to the big one. It’s only one match to go before the curtains are definitively drawn on what has been a cracking season of fantasy football. All the plotting, calculating and conniving shall no doubt be put to their ultimate employment as managers throughout the fantasy gamut try to pull the stops in their mini-leagues. What does this pertain for the league of failures you ask? A lot, actually. It’s been a season of growth more than anything else for the LoF. Gaffer numbers shot up towards the tail end of the season, rising to 20 from an initial 6. New-fangled initiatives arose - from Checheso’s Picks (which petered out somewhat towards the end of the season) to the Money League, all keeping in tandem with our ambit of being the most competitive league in the land.
Matters look settled up top (the trophy ribbons are all but etched in Andrew Orina’s colours, touchwood) as they are at the bottom (relegation battles notwithstanding). The unfinished business lies largely in between. Alex Baraka’s third place looks as safe as a house of cards at the moment as Al Shabaabian’s Benson Musa wages war. Just five points separate Ben from 3rd place now, and going by his recent form, you wouldn’t dare bet against him nailing that coveted Champions League spot. Dennis Kigen at fourth trails Ben by 25 points, threatening subtly from afar. Further afield, Sheila Minayo’s seventh place spot place remains under siege as Eric Muiruri and his The Baddest United side aim to bridge the 10 point deficit between them. Down at 12th, Allan Anyona will be hoping to hit the 1000 point mark (he’s currently on 961 points) and in so doing become only the twelfth person to do so in LoF history, some incentive that. At 17th, Hillary Egesa maintains an outside chance of usurping Douglas Odipo to 16th place on the log should he make the 11 point difference. Only 3 points separate Elly Konsheezy, Ezy Jones and Joel Drake at 18th through to 20th. Daniel Rogony at the very nadir hopes to better Cindy Oronga’s gameweek score should he hope to avoid being consigned to a last place finish.
End of season awards
A quick gander at the league log reveals a fair few interesting patterns. First off, we can now definitively state who the ‘managers of the month’ were and in so doing pay credence to those who showed exceptional managerial nous and consistency over the entirety of the season.
May_ – Benson Musa, _159 points
Though not entirely over, May has undoubtedly_ _been the month of Ben. Proudly standing atop the log on 159 points, last GW’s 89 point return was only a confirmation of his fine fettle, form which may prove pivotal in determining the outcome of the race for European places. Notable as well was Robert ‘shokashugi’ Okello, who boasted of a healthy 147 point return. In 3rd was Dennis Kigen on 137.
April – Fabian Ntabo,_ 277 points_
Fabian Ntabo ran the rule in the month of April, trumping all the rest to register 277 big ones on the log. Second place was touch-tight as Andrew Orina and nemesis Onesmus Nderitu were left to share the points at 260.
March – Benson Musa,_ 242 points_
Dominant again was Benson Musa in March as he posted 242 points to nab the Manager of the Month award. Sammy Goin came in 2nd, posting 234 points on the log. In 3rd was Andrew Orina at 204 points.
February _– Sammy Goin, 219 points_ February belonged to uber-conservative Sammy Goin who posted a not-so-conservative (rather a barnstorming) 219 points. Al Shabaabian’s Ben Musa scored 203 points while Onesmus Nderitu came in 3rd at 200 points.
January – Alex Baraka,_ 273_ points
Bara posted a strong 273 point haul to come out tops in the first month of the New Year. In second place was the ever-present Benson Musa on 264 while Dennis Kigen posted a decent 258 points.
December – Onesmus Nderitu,_ 340__ points_
Onesmus Nderitu ran riot in December, posting a festively barnstorming 340 point haul, a happy Christmas indeed for the Jubilee man. Perennial champ Andrew Orina came 2nd on 320 as Alex Baraka just edged out Dennis Kigen to post 3rd on 316 points.
November – _Andrew Orina, _168 points
Remember, remember, the month of November? Seems like an age away really, back when we had only 6 managers and Andrew Orina was at his annoying best. He called the shots then, recording 168 points to prise November away. Second place went to Django’s Sheila Minayo, whose halcyon era now seems to have been in a different millennium altogether. 3rd was Alex Baraka and his Invincibles XI on 131.
The MOTM-atron is a bit jammy at the moment and ergo we won’t be able to provide you with the full monty as regards the MOTM awards for the months of October through to August. From the results posted, it is heir apparent that Benson Musa is the most successful manager in the league by virtue of MOTM awards. Felicitations herr Sadd and indeed all of you gaffers who won the lot.
In finishing, a big thank you to each and everyone one of you gaffers making this an absolute blinder of a season.
Till tomorrow,
- denniskig at 14:27