After a disappointing winter that saw the MiLiLaNi MiLiTiA make another early exit from the playoffs in losing to "I'd Hit That" for a 3rd time in the same season, and Tom Brady coming up a TD short of taking down Aaron Rodgers in the, "Greatest QB In the World" challenge, team owner Sean Eyman quickly dusted himself off and got to work putting together the 4 keepers that would make up the base of the franchise in 2013.
The MiLiTiA made moves earlier in the 2012 season to acquire Calvin "Megatron" Johnson (traded for Tom Brady and Roddy White) from the Cadiz Cardinals, and Rob Gronkowski (in exchange for Alfred Morris) from the Motor Boats. Two good building blocks and cornerstone players to build around. I have no regrets about the trades and look forward to having these two players on my team for years to come. But I need 2 more Keepers. And I'm not thrilled with the candidates currently on my roster.
The current candidates are: Matt Ryan, Steven Ridley, and Vincent Jackson. All the other players (Larry Fitzgerald, James Jones, Colin Kaepernick, Russell Wilson, BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Ryan "China Doll" Mathews, and Mikel Leshoure) are trade fodder or toss back candidates. In the month of January, I literally change my mind every day. So I decide that if I can't decide, then I should look to make a trade to get the right two guys.
Scanning the Coo Coo rosters and trade bait block I spot two players that I see as young, possibly undervalued, and prospective building blocks of the MiLiTiA franchise going forward. RB's Jamaal Charles of the Kansas City Chiefs and current Coo Coo Football Champion, I'd Hit That, and CJ Spiller of the Buffalo Bills, and my favorite trading partner in the league, Monty and the Cadiz Cardinals.
I quickly acquire Jamaal Charles for a 2014 1st Round Pick in the Coo Coo Draft from I'd Hit That. Value is way beyond what it cost to acquire Charles. He is a potential Top 10 RB and Top 10 overall pick going into next season. Charles is small, but he catches the ball out of the backfield, and can run it between the tackles. I can now stomach the thought of starting Ridley as my number 2 RB. But would still like to acquire CJ Spiller if possible from Monty.
Negotiations stretch out into February with Monty and Cadiz Cardinals. A 1st Round Pick is agreed upon. But with a stipulation. That I make an,"I Love Monty" sign and take 5 pictures with it before the season starts. Ugh. Is it worth it? My girlfriend Dawn says no player is worth that. But I really want Spiller. If I make the trade, I have to accept the prospect that I might get stuck with Vincent Jackson and Steven Ridley as nobody seems interested in trading for them. I've been actively shopping them for over a month now with not even a nibble. Both players are keeper worthy in my opinion.
I make the sign and take the picture. I offer up my other number one pick in 2014 that I got through a long sequence of trading back with Cult of Personality. But I also package Vincent Jackson and Steven Ridley along with a 3rd Round Pick in 2014 as an alternate package in hopes that Monty would take that and relieve me the trouble of shopping those two players prior to draft day in late August.
Monty takes the players and the 3rd Round Pick and I am stoked! I now have Calvin Johnson, Rob Gronkowski, Jamaal Charles, and CJ Spiller as my core of keepers heading into the 2013 season. Which I am very excited about. Both RB's are on the smallish side (200 lbs each) but can catch the ball. I can honestly say that I arguably have the best set of keepers in the league! But I won't get on the clock in the Coo Coo Draft till the second half of the 2nd Round. Oh well. My RB's were an issue all season last year and I hated it.
Feel much better about the team going forward. Best set of keepers I have had heading into my 8th year of competing in this league. I took 1 picture with the Mililani sign. So I have 4 more pictures to go to complete the deal with Monty.
I complete two other minor trades that give me a 3 round bump from the 13th to the 10th in exchange for WR's Larry Fitzgerald and James Jones. Something is better than nothing. And I never considered those guys as serious options as keepers on my roster. I also trade the 2014 1st Round Pick I didn't have to give up to get CJ Spiller for a 2013 2nd Round Pick (2-7) with Busa's Hitmen. I don't want to wait till the end of the 3rd Round to get on the clock this season.
So that's about it. My off season is pretty much done. I was ultra aggressive in making moves after the season and I feel like it payed off. The early bird gets the worm. Can't wait for the season to start! Looking forward to defending my two time, two time Patrick Division Championship! I am hopeful that I can get back to the playoffs and maybe even advance this season!
COO COO!
