FBL EDITORIALS

[Jon]

SEASON 18 PLAYOFF SCENARIO'S

Eastern Conference - North Division

Pittsburgh Blades (13-1)
Clinched division.

Providence Diamonds (10-4)
Week 15/16 Opponents: Virginia & Kentucky
To clinch playoff berth:
- 1 win
- 1 loss by one of the following: Champaign or Morgantown

Champaign Naturals (9-5)
Week 15/16 Opponents: Boston & Virginia
To clinch playoff berth:
- 2 wins
- 1 win plus 1 loss by Morgantown
- 2 losses by Morgantown 

Morgantown Flyers (8-6)
Week 15/16 Opponents: Portsmouth & Pittsburgh
To clinch playoff berth:
- 2 wins plus 1 loss by Champaign
- 1 win plus 2 losses by Champaign


Rest of division is eliminated from playoff contention.



Eastern Conference - South Division

Nashville Venom (10-2)
Week 15/16 Opponents: Birmingham & Baton Rouge
To clinch division:
- 1 win
- 1 loss by Tampa Bay

Clinched playoff berth.

Tampa Bay Dragons (10-4)
Week 15/16 Opponents: Mississippi & Puerto Rico
To clinch division:
- 2 wins & 2 Nashville losses

Clinched playoff berth.

Puerto Rico Waves (10-4)

Clinched playoff berth.


Rest of division is eliminated from playoff contention.



Western Conference - North Division

Boise Spuds (10-4)
Week 15/16 Opponents: Reno & Seattle
To clinch division:
- 2 wins
- 1 win & 1 loss by Wyoming
- 2 losses by Wyoming

Clinched playoff berth.

Wyoming Wolves (10-4)
Week 15/16 Opponents: Seattle & Montana
To clinch division:
- 2 wins & 1 loss by Boise
- 1 win (against Seattle) & 2 losses by Boise

Clinched playoff berth.

Seattle Toppers (9-5)
Week 15/16 Opponents: Wyoming & Boise
To clinch division:
- 2 wins & 2 losses by Boise

Clinched playoff berth.


Rest of division is eliminated from playoff contention.



Western Conference - South Division

Hollywood Stars (12-2)
Week 15/16 Opponents: Roswell & San Diego
To clinch division:
- 1 win
- 1 loss by Honolulu

Clinched playoff berth.

Honolulu Volcanoes (11-3)
Week 15/16 Opponents: Las Vegas & New Mexico
To clinch division:
- 2 wins & 2 losses by Hollywood

Clinched playoff berth.

Roswell Aliens (9-5)
Week 15/16 Opponents: Hollywood & Las Vegas
To clinch playoff berth:
- 1 win
- 1 loss by Las Vegas

Las Vegas Aces (7-7)
Week 15/16 Opponents: Honolulu & Roswell
To clinch playoff berth:
- 2 wins & 2 losses by Roswell


Rest of division is eliminated from playoff contention.



CREDIT: JOHNNY QUINN

[The TeeJ of Philly]

My favorite time of the year. Free Agency. The time where money gets thrown around like a Mason Griffin contract. The time when GMs panic and pay player A "x" millions while player B gets "y" millions and is better. But this year is special. You don't have your usual suspects that over pay players. Last year GM Franchise gave Cassius Code 11 million dollars to ride the pine. The year before that, GM Zeus gave Felix Johnson 10 million playing a position he doesn't play and GM Black Death gave Findi Muwama 4 million dollars in PR and Ballz 10 million.

But it's not always bad, sometimes there's some real winers. GM Josh once signed Krease McCool to a contract and was immediately rewarded with an MVP season. Last season, GM Strike was able to sign Donnie Henderson stay in Champaign and signed Kenny Wang and Ude Orlio to the bench where they have helped make Champaign the surprise team of the year.

Needless to say, winning in free agency is very important. If you're going to spend money, spend it smart. I'll get to the guys who won and lost, but first, let's take some time to remember those who we lost along the way to this point of the season

IN MEMORIAM

AUNT CLARA DORRANCE: This past offseason, a family that has seen much tragedy due to the FBL once again grieve the loss of another member of the family. Late in the offseason, Auntie Clara, probably through a hush-hush deal with the FBL due to the shadowy death of Chucky Dorrance was an innocent bystander to yet another patented Mike Flips f*ck-around inside the office of GM Rob. And like many innocent bystanders to Mike Flips post-playing career, she paid the ultimate price as Mike Flips, Moses Franks, and a police officer all struggled over a gun for whatever reason. Clara Dorrance, may she rest in piece.

Now for the fun ones
 
GM HONDO: The legacy of GM Hondo will be remembered as a legendary GM, regardless of this columnist opinion on his actual skill of GMing. I've taken shots at the guy, and to me, they're deserved. From taking advantage of inexperienced GMs for their star players, living off of his early success at the start of the GM era of FBL basketball. His last championship coming when there were 18 teams in the league, and yet, he did enough when doubt started to rise to continue to be considered the golden standard of GMs in the FBL. That is until the last couple years when GM Hondo seemed absent, bored even by his kingdom that he seemed to make his team worse. After seemingly being gifted James Grant, Kentucky never found the same success in free agency, but in the draft, he found the likes of Nick Vinyl and seemingly continued to build a team for the post-Kamil era and once GoGo Fraizer returned it seemed as if nothing would stop them. A fleecing trade for Lou Malone and another for Chris Watson over the last couple years made GM Hondo's rule run into it's 20s. And yet here we are, for the first time, GM Hondo will not be the GM of Kentucky. Leaving GM Justin the only GM to never leave his season 6 team. To you GM Hondo, may you continue to trape in life! Here's to you

PITTSBURGH'S UNDEFEATED SEASON: 13 straight wins, something that hadn't been seen since the no-division years of Season 14 and 15. It seemed as if Pittsburgh would not lose a game once it was announced that half of his division was going into the tanker for the season, some forever. Then there were rumors that the season would be cut short for whatever reason, it seemed Pittsburgh was destined to finish the first ever undefeated regular season.

And then the Blades tried to cut the toughest Diamond and went dull. It may be a blessing in disguise for the Blades, having that kind of pressure can really wear on those involved, here's to hoping the pressure doesn't create a flub that costs this team the championship they look poised to win.

GM BLADE: Another OGM whose legacy will be remembered for the great, but unlike GM Hondo, there GM Blade has a bad side to his legacy, a bad side that he couldn't help. GM Blade cast a shadow so large in Vegas that it cost 2 GMs their jobs, well one, but the other was tired of hearing about the GM that paled in comparison. I don't hold that against GM Blade, in fact he returned after GM Dorling told Donny Diamond to shove it, and with Flo Payton at the point, GM Blade built another title contender. GM Blade seemed distant recently, here's to you in whatever choice of life you have made. And let's hope you're holding them Aces high

SHAKERS LEE: Here's to you, you over-rated piece of undeserving (EDITOR REMOVAL). Look, not all basketball familes can be great. You have GoGo Frazier and the Lincoln and even Taft and Kennedy have proven themselves solid players. OJ and Jarrett McLoo aren't quite the potent duo like GoGo and Linc have been, but they're not Ferndale level. Shakers and Rattle had promise, then Shakers got an attitude that GMs didn't find worth dealing with. Shakers was in the Linc level, but now, I bet more GMs are willing to deal with multiple Ferndales over one Shakers. Unlike Lincoln who has given his brothers a chance because of his name, Shakers has doomed his young brother Swoosh, already going on his third team in two years.

EVERYONE WHO SAID GM BLACK DEATH WOULDN'T FIND A WAY TO OVERSPEND WITH A MAX CONTRACT: Damn, have to wait another year.

---

And now, for the reason why you guys are really reading this, the winners and losers of Free Agency.

HONORABLE LOSER - Shakers Lee
Yup, going to pile it on. This is a moment that many of us have been waiting for. No one is more unpleasant to speak to than Shakers Lee, he's "a Lee, that's all you need to know." Well, I feel you should know that no one and I mean NO ONE in the FBL wanted to even talk give him a chance to remain in the FBL and chase a ring. No one. And given the fact that the desperate GMs that would take on anyone and pay them more than they are worth, GMs Franchise and Black Death, have had to deal with his BS the last couple years,  even if they were active GMs, they wouldn't have brought him in. Good bye Shakers and here's to you

(EDITOR REMOVAL OF IMAGE)

HONORABLE WINNER - ANCHORAGE GLACIERS

It was between Anchorage and the 5th winner and it comes down to what we know. We know Derrick James is a talented player, but a player that is more promise than substance right now. Anchorage has been a machine as of late, and with the season ending soon, we may not see them in the playoffs, and they may be the champions this year. They also were set to meet with James Miller but pulled out of the meeting for unknown reasons.

5th BIGGEST LOSER - BOSTON BELLS

Email time:

Bruno is it alright if I'm nervous that someone is going to over-pay for Terry "Feed Me" Moore? He was a promising player coming out if he could get his pudgy ass on a treadmill. You can see it! But Bruno, am I ok to feel this way?

- Mat
Virginia

No, not that Mat, but he was right. Terry has all the signs of a player that isn't bad but in a bad spot. He was a draftee of Franchise, nuff said based on history, but Terry Moore was over paid at 10 million, GM Powers, possibly in fear of his job next season made the move to over pay him. And not just him, but Jack Cobblepot, who I hear is using much of that over pay to change his name to Honeypot, because he caught a fly in GM Powers. 20 million for two bench guys who aren't among the best sixth men. Compound that with my fear-come-true that Bobby Chang is overpaid, but he's still better than Terry Moore who is set to make a million less. They're the only loser because of who they got, so Boston fans have fun with that. Word is Kadeon Apollo took a break from an in-home Block Party to ask "WHAT THE HELL?!?"

5th BIGGEST WINNER - PROVIDENCE DIAMONDS

As stated with Anchorage, Providence gets the nod as the 5th biggest winner because we know Lou Malone is a good player and can come through and earn most, if not, all of the money he is owed in Providence. Lou Malone is a do-it-all player that Providence to balance out his starting 5. Lou's onto his 5th team, and while he may not be intending on living in the shadow of Mason Griffin, his challenge to a house moving contest would make for some great offseason TV.

4th BIGGEST LOSER - RENO SHOOTERS

They'd be higher on this list if it weren't for the fact that my campaign to get the logo fixed WORKED! I HAVE SOME POWER PEOPLE! KNEEL BEFORE THE POWER OF BRUNO!

For the third season in a row, Reno finds itself in the loser side of free agency, but unlike the previous years, it's not because no free agents wanted to stay or come to Reno, it's solely that two players left, two big players. James Miller and Tony Laguna both are leaving Reno. The two made a nice front court tandem, and Miller has been a key figure in Reno since its inception. You could say that if GM Jag had been around that Miller and Laguna stay, but he was around to lock them both up before anyone else had a chance to and didn't.

4th BIGGEST WINNER - PITTSBURGH BLADES

Once again, Pittsburgh finds themselves in the winning side of free agency. Not only does GM Pancho retain the services of Jason Howard for another year, but also gets Ty Williams and the young Jafreese Mack to battle for the starting SG spot or add to the bench depth Pittsburgh is always known for. Sure, it pushes them over the cap, and maybe one of them isn't on the team next year, but getting those guys means his competition didn't and he can at least get rid of them.

3rd BIGGEST LOSER - HONOLULU VOLCANOES

I'm sure there's a few people wondering why I am putting Honolulu as a loser when they got a nice bench big to back up Creed and Andy Dawson to compliment Reggie on the wing, but the eruption of success from Honolulu is about to stop and come to an end and GM Bone needs to start with the contingency plan ASAP. With players like Simon Fox, Derrick James, and Lou Malone to slot in at the 3, Honolulu could have come away with more than Andy Dawson. Honolulu didn't need compliments for their stars, they needed replacement stars, and they didn't. Add that to the fact they made it impossible to sign Malroy and went back to Konda Plains after trading him away the first time they signed him, would make him the biggest loser in any year, but man....this is a special year.

3rd BIGGEST WINNER - SAN FRANCSICO FIREBALLS]

I said in my preview that if there was anyone who could take the Jaguars from the depths of mediocrity following GM Rob's departure, it was GM Flins. Well, I was wrong. Not because I picked the wrong guy, but because there is no more Jaguars after Season 18. Which I'll speak more of in the future, but that means SAN FRAN IS A WINNER! Because they get James Miller and Tony Laguna, and a basketball team! Good for San Fran and great for GM Flins in hauling in not just Miller but a guy who has shown to be a nice fit next to Miller. Add those two with Crew Stevens and that's a team that will ruin some seasons on the way to playoffs next year.

2nd BIGGEST LOSER - MONTANA BEARS

This is going to get me some angry e-mails, but Montana is not the biggest loser in free agency. Yes they lost Lincoln and yes they lost Simon Fox, those are two big losses. But let's be real, Lincoln and Fox were gone from day 1 of Robin Chambers being named the head coach. Lincoln has been in Montana for his entire career, but if he stayed, he would be doing the wrong thing. Since GM Flins was fired and GM Jag returned, Montana has not been the same, yet everyone thinks they are. They've been on a steep decline since Season 15. While Lincoln is still one of the best PFs in the game, Montana has to move on and they did that. Lincoln may have just had his last good year in Season 18. He may not be worth the money he is going to make in Puerto Rico, and Montana needs to look to the future, which is bleak.

Lincoln (and Fox) make Montana a middle of the road team. Not good enough to make the playoffs but not bad enough to get a good pick a couple years in a row. I like the replacements because you have to replace them somehow. Next year Montana will be bad, they were bad this year with Lincoln and Fox. At least they won't be Birmingham levels of bad, they'll compete a bit and have the money (and room) to snag some of the impact rookies going into their final years. I don't predict often for free agency, it's easier to be a critic after the fact, but Montana has the money to replace Rhume with a Earvin Maxwell, Dracon, replace Keaton with a KC Monroe. Right now there are a lot of Free Agents to be next year in unsure spots that will listen to a new place. Montana, the immediate future is bleak, but the resources are there to put Montana in the winner side next year.

2nd BIGGEST WINNER - ROSWELL ALIENS

Last year I called GM Steven out for not doing anything to improve his team. And when you are not getting better, you're getting worse. I guess GM Steven heard me and he made a move for Scott Cunningham which turned into Tim McDonald, Ronald Dekker, and some other pieces. Then, because he didn't have a ball handler to pair with McDonald, he sent Kev Sanders to Texas for Lyle Fredricks who then replaced McDonald in the starting line up when he traded Timmy Mac for Konda "Roaming" Plains.

So how does all this make Roswell a winner? Because it triggered something in GM Steven. He was calling every agent about every player. Malcolm Hayes in a Roswell jersey? GM Steven wanted it. Lincoln Fraizer in lime green? Yup, GM Steven went for it. He went for it all. GM Steven went from Static Steven to Scattered Steven. Sending offers to damn near every free agent. He ended up with retaining Konda Plains, adding Ecko Walls to the bench as well as Mark Darren, who wasn't so bad in Tempe as a starter, but as a bench player in Roswell behind Bud Light, I like this new GM Steven.

BIGGEST LOSER - BOISE SPUDS
When you lose a lot of talent, like Montana and Boise did, you are a contender for biggest loser, but while I found a silver lining for Montana, I did not find one as easily for Boise. Yes. They have Dru Moore still, and Chance Peterson, and Chris Williams, and Jim Wales, and smart basketball. But, like Lincoln, Malcolm was the face of Boise. The heir is there, but who is now going to be the compliment to Dru Moore, MVP Candidate? He's got a good chance to still be a good team next year, a great Chance even (see what I did.), but in the moment, with Nigel Falls drooling over the incoming pay day demand for Moore, into the 20 million range, the upcoming contract year for Jim Wales, that leaves little money to replenish the bench, which was one of the better in the league and add a starting wing next to Dru Moore.

But if there is one GM who can make the moves neccasary to create cap without hurting his team, it's GM Metro.

BIGGEST WINNER - PUERTO RICO WAVES

Really, from the first news broke of free agency, this was a no brainer. You look at the list of losers, 4 players from the 3 biggest losers are on this team. Yes, GM Justin is in cap hell as soon as his season is over, but unlike some GMs who would be in his position, he can afford to sell dimes on the dollar.  Geins, Kutt, Hardaway, and George all can go for cheap, and probably will, because of Malcolm Hayes, Simon Fox, Paul Malroy, and Lincoln Fraizer. You have two bonafide leaders in Fraizer and Hayes. Things looked bad at the start of the season for Puerto Rico because no longer were they the Tsunami of the FBL. No more Chang, no more Drummond, no more Cunningham, a bunch of misfits put together to have a good season (in part with most of this division dying mid way through the season) and come next season the calm before the storm is over.

What caused all this? Possibly GM Justin looking at the current state of the league a year ago and seeing his superstar was going to carry a team of misfits with little money to improve, he'd have to clear some cap to make a gameplan. He moved Cunningham for Babic and in an attempt to build up a new Waves, he traded Alex Henry, who figured to fill in for DS Drummond, along with a boat load of cash for Kutt and Tulip Krandle (who he would latter flip for Geins). He then flipped 6th man of the year Babic for Heath McCain, money and a bench. He drafted Michael George who he coveted and filled out a bench with solid no-namers who played well. The Waves went into the season with 27 million in cap, which made for a max contract player. I don't know what lead to GM Justin saying "give me your old, your expensive, and your talented" but Hayes and Lincoln may not be worth 19 and 23 million respectively come season 21, but for season 19, they should and that bodes real well for Puerto Rico, and if they don't, he has Simon Fox to be the new Hayes and Malroy will step up into the starting line up.

The only problem is, all these moves, just made the big red "SCREW THIS SEASON" button the more sensitive and larger for GM Justin.

---

So there are your winners and loser. Next thing you'll read from me is a special in memoriam for the nine franchises that will not joining us all in season 19 of the FBL. Expect some funnies, expect some tears, and expect a lot of snark. See you then

[Justin]

The Season 19 FBL Draft is around the corner and with teams still wheeling and dealing the current draft order is still a fluid situation.  However, I get paid to put out articles so I am doing my mock draft with the current draft order.  I realize there will be more trading of picks, but I do not take those into account and have picked a player based on what whatever team is currently in that position.

1.   Greenville Bulldogs – (Smalls Nelson – PF – Georgetown) – My guess is that GM Black Death goes with Larry Anderson and inserts him immediately into the starting lineup and will put Briggs as the sixth man because he is not yet ready to start.  However, I think the best pick for him would be Smalls Nelson.  The Bulldogs are bogged down with wing players and need some size and Nelson brings that size and will have time develop his game behind Tarbla.

2.   Virginia Colonials – (Don Reynolds – SF – UNLV) – Virginia has picks two and three so they have a couple of options.  Word on the street is that GM Underpants is looking to ship Keaton and Lane to one of the other leagues which means he needs wing help and Reynolds slashing style will fill that void.

3.   Virginia Colonials – (Larry Anderson – SG – Marquette) – I think Anderson goes first, but if GM BD is smart and takes Nelson then Anderson will fall to GM Underpants and his shooting will complement the slashing style of Reynolds and will give Colonials fans something to cheer about for years to come.

4.   Puerto Rico Waves – (Decree Hamilton – PF – H.S.) – GM Justin has his starting lineup set for the next few seasons so this pick is all about adding depth to his bench and finding a player that he can develop.  Decree Hamilton is the perfect player because he is young at 18 and can learn from the best in the business in Lincoln Frazier.

5.   Kentucky Hayseeds – (Ron Beeson – C – Texas A&M) – Jordan Smith is gone so GM Cory has some big shoes to fill and Tulip Krandle is not the long-term answer at center.  He may be able to get one season out of him, but the Hayseeds will need a legitimate center and Beeson gives them just that.

6.   Las Vegas Aces – (Fuds Maiva – C – Florida) – GM Wrong has a solid starting five and is looking to add bench depth with this pick and that depth needs size and the former Gator brings that in the form of height and weight.  Maiva will be a good rim protector off the bench and could possibly develop into a decent offensive threat with time.

7.   Texas Stallions – (Pieter Slitz – SF – Czech Rep.) – GM Franchise has overpaid for John Martin, Adam Roberts, and KC Glenn and has left his team cap strapped.  He may trade this pick due to the fact that he may not be able to afford this pick, but if he stays here he is going to need a true sixth man and Slitz has the chance to be that and provide a scoring punch off the bench.

8.   Anchorage Glaciers – (Housin Fatu – PF – Samoa) – My money is on GM Soul trading this pick due to salary cap reasons, but if he works the numbers out and stays with this pick he is picking purely for depth and size.  Fatu might be slightly on the heavy side for his frame but brings needed size to an otherwise wing heavy bench.

9.   Texas Stallions – (Edika Emmako – C – Senegal) – The Stallions won't be picking here if GM Franchise gets his way, but in the event of a miracle and they still are here they go with Emmako who will add immense size to their bench and give them a solid rim protector.  It is possible that GM Franchise stays here, drafts Emmako and can't come to terms with him due to salary cap issues, leaving the door open for another team to slide in and scoop the big man up.

10.   Pittsburgh Blades – (Michael Arnold – PG – Virginia) – GM Pancho has some reputation rebuilding to do in season 19 and it will somewhat tough to put together a complete team with slight salary cap issues.  Half of his cap is going to two players which already puts him at a disadvantage.  His starting five is locked so this pick is to add depth and he will get a quality point guard in Arnold to back up the defensive minded Kirk Drury.

11.   San Francisco Fireballs – (Thomas Scott – PF – Utah) – GM Flins has a very solid starting five and a couple of decent bench guys, but they are small.  He needs size on his bench which is why I'm picking Thomas Scott here.  With that being said, Scott is slightly undersized at the power forward position, but the guy knows how to rebound.  There is not a rebound he doesn't think he can't grab.  His energy will be great off the bench for San Fran.

12.   Reno Shooters – (Bobik Luszo – SF – Croatia) – GM Jag needs a wing player in the starting lineup, but he also has some bench issues he needs to address.  I think he goes the route of completing his starting lineup and drafts a top ten talent in Luszo and moves Sean Scott to the shooting guard position.

13.   Pittsburgh Blades – (Paul Wu – C – Virginia) - GM Pancho is drafting for his bench and will pair up Wu with his college teammate Arnold to add a sense of chemistry to the bench.

14.   Puerto Rico Waves – (Bobby Barnett – PG – Penn State) – The Waves need a backup point guard and given GM Justin's preference for bigger guards Barnett makes perfect sense with this pick over some of the other point guards still on the board.

15.   Pittsburgh Blades – (Tito Bandana – SG- Mexico) – Blades picking again and though I'm not sure they stay here because of cap reasons, but for now they are here and I'm going with the Mexican Shooter, Tito Bandana.  This is all about adding bench depth and it doesn't hurt he shares the same heritage as the bridesmaid GM.

16.   Wyoming Wolves – (Axe Daniels – PF – New Mexico) – GM Jon will need to add a big man to the bench, especially given his coach's rumored dislike of Jarret McLoo.  Daniels brings good size and should really help on the glass.

17.   Honolulu Volcanoes – (Greg Fletcher – SF – Virginia) – GM Bone has to replace Rjak Vle this year and while that will not be easy he gets the opportunity to add a smooth shooter to his team in Greg Fletcher who should be a spark off the bench and could possibly compete for the sixth man role.

18.   Texas Stallions – (Mark Rivers – SG – H.S.) – If my predictions hold true, Rivers will be the second high schooler drafted in the first round and gives GM Franchise a needed shooting guard on the bench and will give him time to develop and mold Rivers into a future starter to join King in the backcourt.

19.   Providence Diamonds – (Pete Bracewell – C – Gonzaga) – The Diamonds need size on their bench and GM Gates has the perfect opportunity to add that needed size.  Bracewell is country sized and brings a little mean streak with his game.

20.   Greenville Bulldogs – (Josh Overpants – PG – West Point) – GM BD has somebody he can insert into the starting shooting guard position for the season so adding to his bench his key here and he needs a backup point guard.  Coming from West Point, you know Overpants will be disciplined and play a team game.

21.   Anchorage Glaciers – (John Gordon – SG – Kentucky) – Glaciers probably don't pick here, but if they do they take a talented shooter from a proven college system.

22.   Hollywood Stars – (Ubigla Malik – C – Nigeria) – I will admit that this is not going to happen, but I have Malik dropping all the way to the #22 spot because he is older and coming from a place that is not known for basketball , Nigeria.  He is a big mystery and with the other teams on the board having other needs and getting guys they are more familiar with could cause Malik to slip all the way to GM Jen.

23.   Reno Shooters – (Craig Heath – SG – Seton Hall) – GM Jag will need to add a scoring punch to his bench behind Corky Cast and Heath is just the guy that can do with his dual threat game of shooting and slashing.

24.   Hollywood Stars – (HL Downs – SF – Washington) – GM Jen could go with another big man here or a wing player to add to her bench.  My guess is she will go with the wing player since her two starting big men will eat up most of the minutes anyways.  Downs is a slasher that can get to the rim.

[GM Jimmy Gooch]

When it comes to jobs that are hard to land, it doesn't get much tougher than professional basketball. Consider there were approximately 5,600 Division I men's college players in 2014 in America alone, and you start to understand it's nearly impossible to get a job playing the game you may love.

A stalwart for basketball was the FBL. FBL had a rich history of colorful players and rich basketball and the FBL had to close up shop 5 years ago. This left many players without a place to play. Some retired and went to work others plied their trade elsewhere.

Behold the triumphant return of the FBL the league's chairman and CEO, Talon Wilkinson, is hoping to provide family-friendly and affordable entertainment back to North American culture. The vision, recently announced formally, looks like this.

18 teams to begin competing this season.. According to Wilkinson, some teams already have staff and a few players, the majority will be starting fresh. The goal to employ approximately 144 players in all. Each team would have two coaches (head and assistant). It is believed that talent will begin funneling in soon, with many more "in the pipeline" while the subsequent updates are rolled out.

"It's not about the money for some of these guys" An anonymous owner stated,"Most guys will tell you that they miss the community in the locker room, the camaraderie in the locker room, they miss their favorite restaurants that they used to travel to in all these different cities, that they miss the noise of the crowd. Those are some things that even a hundred million dollars can't fill that void."

The new look FBL will have a wide variety of cities for players to play. Queen City, Boston, Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh, Providence, Puerto Rico, Kentucky, Virginia, and Philadelphia will make up the Eastern Franchises while Las Vegas, Boise, Rocky Mountain, Seattle, Hollywood, Texas, Honolulu, Wyoming, and Wichita are the franchises of the West.

The same owner said, "At the end of the day, The FBL closing hurt many people, not just players, but communities – I'm the one who hears how difficult this transition is for our players, restaurants, and local economy. I'm privy to all that information...I know that places have not transitioned as smoothly as I have. I know the impact the FBL is going to have on my players and cities. That's why so many returning owners are so passionate about it, I think it's genius."

"We are legitimately very, very excited about this," said another FBL franchise owner. "When you look at some of the names, you have iconic names here, and they do resonate. And the reality is that sports merchandising and the business of sports is staggering. So this, to me, is a very large asset that I anticipate we'll be able to leverage across multiple product categories and deal structures, and I think we'll have a lot of fun in the process." You could hear the glee in his voice. "Not to toot our own horn too much here, but we clearly have a choice, a quite significant pipeline of opportunities that we can involve ourselves in. And the reality is that there's only so much time, so we try to only involve ourselves in projects that A) we think can be highly successful and B) have a lot of longevity. The reality is, we're part of this for that very reason...We firmly believe in this."

There have been many of the GMs from the past who have returned to the league they once loved as well as some brand new faces. Will GM Soul warm up after leaving Anchorage and bring a trophy to his hometown of Philadelphia? Will the Boise Spuds come back to dominance under the tutelage of GM Metro? Will Tampa Bay be hanging new banners with GM Rebel? GM Pancho has rings from another sport, will he be adding a Hollywood Stars championship ring to his collection? GM Jon opted to join the Queen City Conquerors franchise, leaving behind a legacy with the Wyoming Timberwolves who hired 19 year old Jimmy Gooch to head their office. Will either of those teams be bringing home hardware? Speaking of hardware, no trophy case is safe in Boston as GM Powers has signed on with the Boston Bells. GM Franchise is already making waves in Texas with his unorthodox style that may prove to be effective.

You can guarantee that there will be fun times for the family, great characters, but most importantly fantastic basketball.

Thank you Talon Wilkinson. We are glad that the FBL is coming back!

CREDIT: Rockwell Locke
Metroplex Telegram

[T-Bonizzle]

Introducing....

The 3-Point Dunk Radio Podcast

Hosted by T-Bone....guested by others...

Episode 1: 'Oh, We Don't Talk About Kirk Around Here...'

(depending on how soundcloud goes, it may come up instantly, it make take an hour or two. I dunno)

[GM Jimmy Gooch]

I'm a Tar Heel born
I'm a Tar Heel bred.
And when I die I'm
A Tar Heel Dead
So it's Rah, Rah –

The large hands slaps at the cell phone and turns off his alarm. Promptly sits up and runs his fingers through his hair. Baby blue and dark blue plaid pajama pants with no shirt and Talon Wilkinson gets up from bed letting his wife, Aubrey continue sleeping. He pulls the sheet and blanket back into place and finishes the glass of water that sits on his night stand.

It is 4:30 in the morning after all...and time for his workout. This is where the majority of his gains are made, physically of course. The other gains he focuses on is bringing the FBL back to prominence. So far the league is growing and there is a large bit of buzz going about the product. That feels good.

The camera cuts to his personal gym and we find Mr. Wilkinson in black gym shorts and sweating.

A question is dubbed in over the exercise from the official interview.

Rockwell Locke: Why did you want to bring back the FBL?

Talon Wilkinson: Fans all over the world have missed the FBL, from here in the States, to the UK, to the Land of China and more, people all over have sat back and constantly said "man I miss that crazy FBL world, it was something else..."  Well I missed it to.  Was it perfect? No, but it was something that people have been attracted to.  The Basketball, the Personalities, the Epic moments in time where GM's have made themselves too visible and ended up being run out of town... it's all part of the FBL, and that's what we're bringing back.

The audio from the interview fades out as Talon grunts getting the last few reps in from his dead lift.

A quick shower and brushing his teeth, he swishes the listerine and spits it in the sink. "You know, sometimes I wake up grumpy...and other times I just let her sleep." He laughs as he wipes the toothpaste residue from his mouth and slides a pressed undershirt over his head.

The scene changes as Mr. Wilkinson stepping off the elevator from his NYC Penthouse to an underground garage with multiple sports cars. He's wearing a gray suit, a dark gray shirt, and a baby blue tie. He looks to his right and his left and sees multiple cars in both directions. Mr. Wilkinson decides to turn to the right. He passes his 1964 Pontiac GTO, slick black and shining chrome. His 1967 Shelby Cobra 427 Super Snake, "This bad boy has 427 cubic inch 48 engine and has a top horsepower of 800.", Talon says as they pass. They pass his 1968 Plymouth Road Runner Hemi, baby blue of course. The shiny gray 1969 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 causes Talon to stutter step, but he continues walking. The beautiful black 1970 Chevrolete Chevelle SS with the pinstripes sits next and Talon continues on in his stride. He passes a 1971 Plymouth Hemi'Cuda convertible. "There were only 11 units of this car produced. This has 425 horsepower and is an extremely rare find. I've had it a few years, I heard that one recently sold at auction for around $4 million." We pass a unique looking car, "This is my 1973 De Tomaso Pantera, created by Alejandro De Tomaso, he wanted to combine Italian allure to American muscle. I think he did a fine job. Word is Elvis Presley bought one. If the King had one, I should, too." Talon chuckles at himself. The normally humble former GM can make tongue in cheek comments like that and people appreciate his humor. They stop at his 1965 GT K-code Fastback and he smiles. The last car on this row. The navy blue car (Caspian Blue, it's original and hard to find color) sits shining and he pulls the keys from his pocket. "When it's right, it's right"

He gets in the car, the last one before a white, brick wall and turns it on and revs the engine. And enjoys the sound of the beast of a machine. Talon Wilkinson doesn't just collect cars, he admires their abilities. Their workmanship. It broke the former GMs heart when the FBL had to originally close down. For 5 years he sat by and finally had enough. There were great talents in the world that needed to be playing basketball in America. American fans deserved. Their abilities and work should be appreciated up close and not afar. The ball was put into motion and has taken on a life of its own. Mr. Wilkinson is excited as to where it will go.

Talon puts the car in Drive and it rumbles out of the personal parking garage and onto the busy street. 

Rockwell Locke: How did you get the ball rolling to bring the FBL back?

Talon Wilkinson: Well, I worked in the league as a GM for years.  I spent a season in Baton Rogue, then headed to Birmingham, and then landed in Texas.  I spent 3 years in Texas and took the team to the championship series, but we fell short and I left during the next season... I sat out a while but when I returned I took on another project in Nashville and did some good things there...  I had a lot of connections during my time in the league, and once I realized there was a genuine interest in the league making a comeback, I got the ball rolling.  I called the network execs and got a TV deal, I called the GMs and got them interested, and then I got up with the owners and tried to see who still had the rights to their team names etc...

Rockwell Locke: How did you convince the owners to come back? Were any difficult to get back? Easy?

Talon Wilkinson: Honestly, most of the owners were just happy to be able to get back to making big money.  That's what it is about for most of them.   The hardest team to bring back was Seattle.  Mr. Singh sold the rights to the team and was gone, so I had to find who owned them... At the same time I talked to my friend Arnold Reigns and got him interested in the league.  He's a Seattle guy, so once he was hooked he went out and bought the rights to the team's name and history, and then we were good to go.  ...It was an exciting process, and bringing in new teams like Rocky Mountain in Denver, Wichita, and Philly... we added some new markets that are really hungry for basketball success.  Seeing Anchorage sell and move to Charlotte as the Queen City Conquerors was exciting considering I come from that part of the country.  I believe fans are going to love what they get.

Talon Wilkinson's unique office is where executive meets sports fan. Talon walks into the stadium style, three tiered seating in front of a large LED wall that has basketball film running. He's able to walk down and touch the screen and it's works as a telestrator. "We are trying to get all of our locker rooms equipped with something like this. Prepared players can play better basketball. Proper preparation prevents poor performance." He puts the video style wall to sleep mode and walks back up the steps. The buzz from GMs is that they are excited that one of their own is now in charge. He seems to be a GM friendly owner that will demand respect all the while understanding some of the dilemmas of being a GM. Confusion over some things is normal and he will be able to clearly explain his expectations. Finding out Talon Wilkinson was going to be the boss has caused many GMs to breathe easier knowing that there will be little confusion between headquarters and the GM offices. 

Rockwell Locke: How do you feel about the GMs that have come back? The new blood?

Talon Wilkinson: All GM's have it rough in a new or rebooted league.  We all knew what to expect from most players 5 years ago, but now things have changed. Injuries, burn out, father time... all of those factors mean we don't know what to expect from any of the returning players, and then we add all new players from around the world.  It's going to be a challenge for the most seasoned veterans, just like it will be for the rookie GM's. 

Talon takes a drink of water from the table next to him and continues.

Talon Wilkinson: Seeing guys like GM Rob and GM Dorling, two guys who had road off into the sunset, return to the league is exciting for fans.   GM Hondo will clearly be missed by the Kentucky faithful, but it continues to give guys like GM Cory a chance to shine.    We also added a young GM in Jimmy Gooch who is going to attempt to fill the boots of GM Jon who is no longer in Wyoming, but in Queen City, and that will be a really interesting story to follow.

"Good morning, everyone." The group huddled around computers looks up and greet their boss warmly. Talon continues to walk down the hallway, "More hands make lighter work. I try to hire the best and brightest to ensure that I have the time to take care of the pressing matters of day to day business. The people you just passed are the lifeblood of the executive office of the FBL. You would not believe how much paperwork is involved and with the draft going on right now, we have to be meticulous in our record keeping to ensure correct numbers. While it's very exciting, it's also a stressful time. Not only are we starting a sports league, but rebooting one that has an image that people respect. It's a daunting task, but I'm up for it and so are the people that I'm working with." There is an air of excitement among the workers. The good commissioner has hired people who are passionate about the product and we are seeing an efficiency in the head office. Talon walks down a long hallway and turns into an open reception area.

Talon passes by his secretary and opens the large wooden doors to his office. He seems to have each wall dedicated to something different. Behind his desk is a large window from floor to ceiling overlooking Central Park. The wall to his right is dedicated to his time as a North Carolina Tar Heel basketball player and the wall to his left is dedicated to both his college and pro football career. On one of the walls we see a picture of Talon Wilkinson with actor Ben Affleck at a UNC fundraiser.

"Ben Affleck is a huge basketball fan and loves Tar Heel basketball. The actor is a cool guy and we had a great time that day. He has already got season tickets...I'm not going to say with which team, but he's looking forward to seeing some great basketball." We catch glimpses of pictures of him in action as well as a picture of him and Michael Jordan at a UNC fundraiser. He has at least 6 game balls from college and 3 from the pros that are encased in glass with lights hanging over them.

Commissioner Wilkinson and Ben Affleck made an appearance at a recent UFC show and talked about their love for basketball and the excitement of the coming FBL season.

"We've been making the media rounds and with each interview we are finding that more and more people are buying season tickets. We have a few teams that are already almost sold out of season tickets. It really is an exciting time." He speaks as a proud father as he talks about the FBL coming back. Fans are excited about the return of the FBL and it's apparent.

Rockwell Locke: The FBL soared in popularity and the league expanded quickly, are there cities and owners that are knocking already?

Talon Wilkinson: We are hosting the All-Star game this year in Chicago and they are a frontrunner for an expansion franchise. Outside of Chicago there are others.  We have many cities and investors wanting to get in on this action, but 18 teams is actually more than enough.  The FBL's first iteration grew to large I feel, and I intend on keeping the league at 18 teams or less going forward, but relocation is always on the table and is up to the owners on whether or not they wish to sell.

Talon Wilkinson can be seen on the racquetball court playing an unnamed opponent. Talon misses a close shot that he dove for and that ended the game. His opponent helps him to his feet and Talon walks out of the all glass racquetball court and takes a towel and wipes the sweat from his face. "Good game, pal. I'll get ya next time.", he laughs as they packs up his gym back. "After a stressful day, you have to blow off some steam...and he just got lucky today."

Rockwell Locke: What advice would you give to fans?

Talon Wilkinson: Come in with a fresh and new expectation of what the FBL is going to bring.  We are going to stay true to what this league is and was, but we are not a carbon copy of "your daddy's" FBL.

The elevator dings and Talon Wilkinson comes out of his home elevator and into the foyer of his penthouse. Aubrey greets him at the door with a hug and a kiss. "After a long day, it's rewarding to come home to the most important prize that you have. Not made of gold or leather, but a wonderful woman who loves me."

For the final time we head back to the interview studio.

Rockwell Locke: What advice would you give to players?

Talon Wilkinson: Respect your team, your GM, yourself, and the fans.  Playing in the FBL as a pro is a privilege and not a right.  Play hard, play clean, and give it your all to make the fans happy.


Rockwell Locke: Last question, What advice would you give to GMs?


Talon Wilkinson: Learn from your past mistakes.  Don't go over the caps, watch yourself at all times, and try to enjoy the game for what it is.

Rockwell gets up and shakes Talon's hand. Talon gets up and they take off their microphones while the cameras continue to roll. An off camera microphone picks up their continued conversation. Talon asks, "Did you get what you were wanting, Rock?" Rockwell responds, "I believe so, thanks for letting me follow you around. You, sir, are a machine." Talon pats him on the shoulder, "No problem, we're looking forward to a fantastic season and rebranding of the FBL."

The screen fades out as they continue to make small talk.

CREDIT: Rockwell Locke
Metroplex Telegram

[The TeeJ of Philly]

FBL S20 FREE AGENT DRAFT RECAP

For the first time, Bruno Soulson and Jim Zebow host the FBL Insiders on ESPN.com. With the FBL coming back after 5 years, Bruno and Jim break down all 18 teams and their best and worst picks in the Free Agent draft.


Bruno Soulson, Jim Zebow
FBL Insiders

[T-Bonizzle]

3-Point Dunk Radio

Episode 2: #Don'tBeAGooch

Today's episode, T-Bone dramatically reads an open letter, costs GM Wrong millions of dollars, and discovers GM Rob's lurid relationship.

[T-Bonizzle]

3-Point Dunk Radio

Episode 3: "Do You Even Know Where Wichita Is?"

Tonight's episode, the first of what ended up being three episodes, T-Bone is joined by the top UK FBL Sportscaster (yes, the UK apparently has at least one sportcaster) Chester Rodgerson, as they analyze the results from Dr. Alan L. Tics' statistical analysis of all 18 FBL teams.

[T-Bonizzle]

3-Point Dunk Radio

Episode 4: "Please Don't Kill Me"

Just remember, Hollywood is #1 and don't let anyone tell you otherwise!

[T-Bonizzle]

3-Point Dunk Radio

Episode 5: "Yablo Can Take Me to His Dungeon All He Wants"

Chester and Bone finish off the analytics...by discussing pretty much the entire Eastern conference (Pittsburgh and Philly notwithstanding)