Mid-Season Awards Watch *Updated

*Updated Edition

While the final Season Award Ceremony is still months away, we take a look at tentative bests of the 2014 season.  Things could change dramatically in the second half of the regular season, but this is how things stand as of the completion of Week 7.

Heisenburg's Maximum Titration Award - BldngDW3LL1NGTh1nk1ng (54 and counting)

Last year's BDT had 66 moves during the entire regular season to lead the league in number of transactions.  This year, they already have 54 at mid-point.  Their record has also improved, so the titration are frequent and spot-on, it seems.  In PSAS's five seasons, they lead the league in this category three times and was runner up (by only one transaction in 2012) in the other two years.  This one is the surest bet to stand until season's end.

Cashman's Biggest Purchase Award - The Old Future: Knile Davis ($66)

Jamaal Charles went down in the week TigerMtn dropped Davis, and the Rookie Time-warp pounced on the talented handcuff.  Hindsight is always crisp-clear, and we see that Knile spends much time on Future bench as Charles is back while not as dominant as years past.  The runner-up spending Asiata ($49 to TTM) isn't fairing much better, being eclipsed by a DivII Georgia Southern wishbone QB.  Last year's biggest purchase was at $87 for Brandon Jacobs in what was a hyper-inflated market.  This year's waivers is less bubblicious plus funds are starting to dwindle, so we'll see if any larger bid that could equal to BJ87 materializes in late season.

 

*Jay-Z's Biggest Spender Award - The Old Future, $140

Big pimpin' spending G's, or is it spreading cheez?  Before BDT took over as the leader after the triple-RB acquisition in Week 8, the Future lead the league in spendings mostly riding on the Davis acquisition and Torrey Smith's ($39).  They overloaded the waivers in these occasions, outbidding second highest bid by $25 in Davis's case and no one else putting in a claim for Torrey Smith's case. 

Best/Worst Trade - Polk High-PelicanBrief (Julio Jones/Fitz for Charles, week 1)

There really isn't a winner in this one of three trades that we've seen this year so far, and it may be why franchises are so gun-shy about making trades this season.  It's not really the trade of WR1-2 for RB1 that's questioned.  It's just that the two teams involved in this trade are at the bottom of the standingz at 1-6.  The other trades between contenders Nauts and BDT have the making of becoming the award-winner by the end of the year, depending on how the traded players and car salesman fair.  We probably haven't seen the last of trades in PSAS 2014.

*Best Draft - Phat Girlz

Honorable Mention: DraftBot version 20.1.4. for Dijonnaise All-Stars

As Arbiter commented, which inspired this category, the strength of Monique's season has its foundation on her laudable draft.  The Indy double-titration cannon of Luck for $22 and Hilton for $14 added to value keepers Tate ($3) and Garçon ($11) is the engine of this team.  Mix those with the right RB1 pick of Forte for $57 and WR1 pick of Cobb for $46, and you have a complete team.  For the DraftBot, the highlight includes Rivers for $4, Foster for $32 and Miller for $19. 

*Worst Draft Bust - Adrian Peterson for $68, TakingTigerMountain

Dishonorable Mention: LeSean McCoy ($58, Trichs), Montee Ball ($49, BDT), Zac Stacy ($39, Nauts), Keenan Allen ($37, Shock), Doug Martin ($36), Toby Gerhart ($32, BDT)

No one can be blamed for this, but the highest paid player in 2014 (=AP) logged a meager 9.3 points before being shut down for likely the rest of the season from the Switch-gate scandal.  Running backs are the easiest to break down by nature, but this year off-field issues have hit the position hard as well.  It's worth mentioning that, save for the Trichs and Shock, all teams that drafted above players are playoff contenders, which says something about those teams. 

MickyD's Dollar Menu Best $1 Spent in Draft Award - AEthernauts: Chris Ivory

 
Honorable mention: Cecil Shorts III (Pelican), Antonio Gates (Nauts), Reuben Randle, Steve Smith Sr. (Bloodz)

While contents are likeliest to be dropped from the roster with the click of a mouse, the dollar bin is full of gems every year.  Ivory is the mid-season favorite based on higher values workhorse RBs command, but SSS's performance is also worth mentioned.  Every body was hot on Ladarius Green in the pre-season, but Gates has held on to being the Rivers' Resurgence beneficiary.  We'll see how many of them will be the Best Keeper Value winner next summer.  This year's $1 keeper club includes Julius Thomas (Trichs), Joique Bell (Bloodz) and Cordarrelle Patterson (Nauts).

E-Trade Most Invested - Trichotillomaniacs: 13 bets

Last year's champs have seen many favorable odds in the market thanks to their own inability to win in 2014, and teams have tried to cash in hoping they'll eventually start winning.  The problem is exactly that lack of winning that created the favorable odds in the first place.  They've only won once, so only four of the thirteen bets have returned money for investors.  The front door to the Trichs office is widely shut of late to wade off protestors demanding their money back.  If they continue their losing ways, investor confidence will soon diminish.

Coach of the Year - Phat Girlz' Monique

Honorable mention: Dijon's Colonel Mustard, BDT's Hermodorus

Everyone knows Monique has the Girlz titrating at a very high level winning seven-straight, but the season's surprise is Colonel Mustard.  After trusting the DraftBots to construct his team while spending only 90% of the budget, Colonel has tweaked his lineups enough to have the sophomore team sitting comfortably in the chase for their first playoffs berth.  BDT's turnaround is also worth mentioning.

Game of the Year - Dijonnaise All-Stars vs TakingTigerMountain, week 7

While any of the four games in week 7 that was decided by less than 10 points as well as the Dijon's MNF win over Future the previous week are worth the consideration, Dijon-TTM had the most playoffs implication with both teams previously at 4-2.  If the outcome of any of the three Week 7 close games flips, that one jump to the top of the list.

Most Improved Team - Dijonnaise All-Stars

Honorable mention: BDT, Nauts, TigerMtn, Bloodz,

Sophomore slump is not in Colonel's dictionary.  He's gained more prowess on and off the field to manage a playoff-contending team in the first half of the season.  If memory serves correctly, Dijon also had a hot start last year but tapered off toward the end.  We'll see if Foster can stay healthy to carry the Mustards deep this year.  All teams honorably mentioned are in playoffs contention after missing the dance last year.  BDT and Nauts hold the handle, while TigerMtn and Bloodz still need statement wins.

*Rookie of the Year - The Old Future

This is the obvious/only choice.  The Futurists have struggled early on, losing several close and tough games en route to a 2-5 start.  Maybe rusts, maybe the unique culture of PSAS, probably both, Team Timewarp have shown enough fantasy prowess in waivers, casino and stock market for all of us to take note and pay respect.  They just need to make some kind of sacrifice to the g0dz so the g0dz would smile on them.

***We'll keep adding categories as I or anyone think of them.  Comments encouraged.