Fantasy Olympics Day 1 – Beginners Mistakes
Hello everybody. The Olympics are officially under way. The first games were played and first impressions were made. This is my first time participating at the Olympics and I must tell you that it was a nerve affecting experience.
In any type of competition first games are always like that and Olympics are no different. I had faith in my team. I have drafted a strong team balanced with experience, age and a good goalkeeper. So let us start with my team. Our draft operator has given me the 5th picking place. According to experts the worst pole position one could have. So for the first 4 picks I was scared in me pants if somebody was going to take my number one pick. Varga came and went, then few more „big name“ players and then came my turn. Without a doubt in my mind I fired „Every fish stinks from its head and my team stinks like Marko Bijač“. Having the best waterpolo goalkeeper in the world makes my life a lot easier. Another good thing about Bijač is that he rarely has bad days, so I can always rely on him bringing me some points. Which he did against the Kazahstan. Easy win for the Croats, but still Bijač had some fine saves there. Including a penalty.
My second pick was the right handed Greek Vlachopoulos. I was thinking between him and Maro Joković, but because I already had Bijač and was hoping to get Obradović as my third pick I had to diversify my team a bit. In this fantasy league your players don’t get points if they win. Mandić and Filipović were already taken and Angelos is one of the key players for the Greeks, so even if they lose he will still do a lot of damage to his opposition. Which he ended up doing against the Hungarians.
Then followed a lot of nervousness for me. I had to have Paolo Obradović, but I had to wait on my turn and waited I did. Very nervously. As picks rolled and the other Fantasy managers made a mistake after a mistake and none of them picked Obradović. Then my turn came. Obradović will play the center defender. The problem I had with Obradovič is that his playing time is probably going to be limited, but none the less I expect him to collect me a lot of steady points during the Olympics. He might play less then he used to play, but I still regard him as one of the top 5 players in the world. I might lose a few points on his playing time, but he will compensate for that with his effective style of play.
To conclude my right side I picked Montenegro’s Stefan Vidović. Three reasons for that. First, I needed somebody from Montenegro because they are a silent favorite in this tournament and if it wasn’t for the injury of their first goalkeeper Dejan Lazović they would have probably been one of the top teams to watch out for in this tournament. Second, Stefan is a bit of an alibi player and not the first choice shooter for his team, but he is stable, fast and does his job. Third, some 7-8 years ago I played against Stefan in the Adriatic league and he scored one goal on me which still hunts till this day. TILL THIS DAY as a sore loser Deontay Wilder likes to say. I hope Tyson Fury knocks him out again.
Anyways. My fifth pick was my teammate from University of the Pacific. Goran Tomašević. Born and raised in the same town as me, for some time now Goran lives in Australia and has earned his right to represent Australia at this event. This Shaquille O’Neill type of player will always get to the 2 meter line and even without these new snowflake rules, which don’t allow a lot of fighting, grabbing and pulling, he would get me at least few exclusions. I know that he will fight and play hard and with these rules I should always get a steady influx of points from him. His Australia might have lost to Montenegro at their opening, but Goran scored one goal. And plus he is the only waterpolo player from my home town competing at these Olympics.
My next pick was another University of the Pacific Alumni, a guy from Hungary Balasz Erdely. It’s always good to have at least one hungarian on your team. Even if his last name is not Varga haha. From him too I expect a stable contribution with maybe a game or two where he will give me more than average. Hungarian average I mean. To complete my left side I chose Luka Bukić. An interesting choice, but safe one. He will always get his playing time and he will always get some shots. With him it could go both ways, but I am interested into seeing what type of a tournament he will have.
I also have few substitutes. Marko Macan, just if something happens to Paolo Obradović and plus I don’t want him on any other team. He might not play for me, but he will definitively not play for anybody else haha. I picked another University of the Pacific alumni Alex Obert. He, Tomašević and Erdely all played on the same team I think they might bring this chemistry into my team. I picked also Norbert Hošnjanski, but because I already have Obradović and Macan at CB position I plan to send him to the empty Japanese stands and bring some player who shows himself worthy of playing on my team.
As you have seen the title of this article is „Beginners Mistakes“. But that had nothing to do with me. That had everything to do with opposing fantasy managers as they have done a plenty of mistakes. At the end of the first round I am sitting comfortably in the lead and plan to stay there till the end. The pole position is mine and I am not letting it go. Everybody took noticed and they all realized that in order to win this tournament they will eventually have to go through my team and me. We stand ready and united to take all comers and we do not plan to take any prisoners. Our goal is clear, our motives are dear, we don’t care, we don’t share, we don’t come to check-mate, we come to dominate, hide your kids, and hide your pets, because if you don’t, you will have regrets. And all of that aside, even if we lose, we will surely kick your behind. Olympics are here, let’s fudging go.
