[USML Announce] 2016 USML in Review

[Mark Blocker]

Gents:

  I know when I get a concession email from Jeff Winick that this is not a
dream....a USML title at last for the Bombers, the first since 2010 (a year
in which I enjoyed a Blocker Trifecta that included me personally
witnessing the Pack winning the Super Bowl and Duke winning the NCAA
basketball title -- hopefully a sign of things to come).  I am a
combination of excited and relieved.  Excited that I won, and relieved that
my team did not collapse down the stretch, which seemed quite possible the
last week, when my intra-day lead dwindled to as low as 3.5 points.  I
definitely owe most of my success to a good draft, but hey, I made some
trades too!  Where is the love?

  A word about the runner-up, Doug Shabelman and his aptly named Angry
Young Men.  I don't think Doug gets his due for being one of the more savvy
league managers.  I am not sure most people noticed, but Doug actually did
the very rare "reversing the engines" move.  At first he started to dump,
and even had discussions with me about a dump deal, but then when it looked
like no one was going to make a run at overtaking the Bombers, he shifted
gears and bulked up to the cap.  In years past we have heaped mounds of
praise on other teams that have done this -- which definitely takes some
guts -- but Doug did it without fanfare.  In the end, Doug came scary close
to winning, which I really thought was not possible when he shifted gears.
Anyway, Doug, kudos to you for running the Campaign of the Year.

  And now a word about the State of the League.  We are in great shape.
After a bumpy start to 2016, this was a year marked by enjoyable play and
banter, and all the hallmarks of what Andy refers to as the "kinder,
gentler," league we have become.  Hopefully 2017 will bring more of the
same.  I will send out proposals for the draft date in a couple of months.

  -- Mark B., 2016 USML Champion
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