'The Challenge' Fantasy League. Week 1

       Hello, readers.  We have no doubt entered into troubling times.  That time of the year where there is no NFL, NBA or NHL action happening to quench our sports pallets.  This is the time where we must either watch the Phillies (a great option) or turn to cable television for our entertainment.  The Phils are at .500 entering the All-Star break and on the cable television end, MTV's hit reality show about ex-reality stars who have forgotten how to work real jobs and must compete in the jungle for their living wages has returned for it's 24th season.  That's right.  The Challenge is back.

       I started jokingly watching The Real World some years ago and soon 'jokingly watching' turned into just 'watching' and that soon cannonballed into also watching The Challenge.  Admittedly it is a fun show to watch, there's competition and drama, pretty much two of the main reasons we turn on the TV in the first place.
       This year, to make things more interesting, my friend Dan and I started a fantasy league inspired by Bill Simmon's website, Grantland, where they've been doing reality based fantasy leagues for quite some time now.  Writer David Jacoby made up the point system for the Challenge and is America's overseer and point updater.  You can actually start your own fantasy league by going to Fantasizr.com.
       We hoped to have more than 2 teams in this league, but being that we hatched this idea an hour before the show started Dan and I are rolling with 2 16-person teams.  Players earn points for actually winning challenges or for more entertaining random reasons like getting into fights, crying, hooking up or making the host (and possibly the greatest host of any show since Bob Barker) T.J.Lavin say his trademark phrase "You killed it."  The full point system can be accessed here > http://www.fantasizr.com/sport/the-challenge-rivals-2
       Before we get to week 1 I'll post the result of our draft.  To add an element of competition we will call my team Team Philly and Dan's team Team Boston. (which is fitting as Dan is a Celtics/Red Sox/Bruins fan)  If you watch these shows regularly you will no doubt understand that Dan struck gold with getting CT as the first pick.  If you don't watch these shows regularly...thank you for reading this far in, continue on.
Team Philadelphia:
1 - Frank
2 - Wes
3 - Cooke
4 - Tyrie
5 - Ty
6 - Nany
7 - Paula
8 - Jordan
9 - Preston
10 - Naomi
11 - Aneesa
12 - Rob
13 - Leroy
14 - Diem
15 - Emily
16 - Trey

Team Boston:
1 - CT
2 - Zach
3 - Camila
4 - Johnny Bananas
5 - Sarah
6 - Trishelle
7 - Marlon
8 - Jessica
9 - Jonna
10 - Derek
11 - Anastasia
12 - Jemmye
13 - Knight
14 - Dunbar
15 - Jasmine
16 - Theresa

       The rosters look even on paper, except for the fact that CT is worth his weight in gold when it comes to a fantasy league like this, and did he ever prove it during week 1.  At the end of the first week the score is currently TEAM PHILLY 85 TEAM BOSTON 85.  We got a barn-burner shaping up.
       Out of Boston's 85 points, CT earned 40 of them.  30 points came when he strangled Marlon in the pool with no real reasoning other than that Marlon broke a glass and piece or two may have gotten in the pool. (Sidenote: Who the hell was that who pushed Marlon into the pool? A producer?)  CT also racked up 5 more points for Team Boston by making out with Diem in the pool and 5 more for making out with Anastasia in the pantry.  Had that gone on any further I would easily be losing to Dan instead of being tied.  CT needs to be eliminated soon or this may turn into a runaway.  Team Boston also received 30 points during the pool altercation by virtue of having Marlon on the team.  Boston's last 10 points came from Derek, who won this week's challenge alongside teammate Robb.
       This is where Philly's points begin.  Robb earned 10 for winning the challenge.  Even though he was the last pick, Trey came up big this week.  Earning 20 points for (and boy do I feel unprofessional as hell for having to write this) intentional nudity as he dropped his pants to fart on Tyrie, who had also earned 5 points for Philly for the unintentional nudity that occurred when he passed out on the toilet.  If your're keeping track at home that puts Philly at 35 points.
      Naomi was the all-star for Philly this week.  Earning 30 points for leaving the show early and 5 more for crying.  We wish her well as she had to leave because of a family emergency.  Her exit also made Cooke cry, which brings us up to 75.  Diem accounted for the other 10 for a mixture of crying and hooking up with CT in the pool.  And after week one we are at a dead heat, 85-85.
       These are your high scorers for the week:
       1 CT: 40
       2 Naomi: 35
       3 Marlon: 30
       4 Trey: 20
       5 Robb: 10
       5 Derek: 10
       Derek and Robb won the challenge and sent Tyrie and Dunbar home.  This results in both teams losing a man and being down to 15 each.  It also will likely result in Tyrie murdering Dunbar soon.  Next week the women go head-to-head in the challenge.  This fantasy league should take us right into the start of more important things, like the start of the Flyers season.  In the meantime though, I'm going to enjoy every second of this season of The Challenge and hopefully bring Philadelphia some glory by winning this 2-man fantasy league.  Until next week, go kill it ladies and gentlemen.