The International Fantasy League

For the trip to Saudi Arabia

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The peak of Team Mexico's moral dilemma.

Despite ultimately pulling down a win this week, Alberto Levet, skipper of Team Mexico, faced a challenging predicament during MNF this week. His favorite NFL team, the Eagles, were playing, and his fantasy opponent, Team India, had Donovan McNabb and a 20-point deficit. Levet says, "Let me tell you, it was a dramatic Monday Night for me. There I was, rooting for the Eagles, but not for McNabb! It was weird, but every complete pass was painful, and I actually cheered when he was intercepted! And you can imagine my joy when Kolb was in for the last drives and I realized that McNabb had only scored 17 fantasy points."

Those situations, when there's a tug-of-war between your loyalties for your fantasy players and your NFL team. They're only slightly more bearable than when you're ahead by a point, your quarterback's team is running out the clock, and he keeps kneeling and going backward to take more time off. His rushing total goes from 20 yards to nine and you lose. I've een there and know that exceptions should be made in those cases.

LET'S GET TO IT: THE FINALS!

Barring clandestine Wall Street enclaves where fantasy leagues play for huge sums, there might be more at stake in this fantasy final than in any other: The two teams in the final are competing for a trip to Saudi Arabia to meet Prince Abdullah, a real Saudi Prince who's been the centerpiece of the ESPN International Fantasy League. Call it the World Bowl. After a full season of teams representing countries all over the world—Poland, India, Canada, Lebanon—it's Mexico versus Chile for the title. Central versus South America. The Battle Below the Border.

Jonathon Aledda, orchestrator of Team Chile's best record in the ESPN International Fantasy League, drafter of L.T. and yet still the improbable holder of the number one seed. Jonathon is pumped to get to Saudi Arabia, but is aware of the top-seeded Patriots' demise in the Super Bowl to the Giants last season when discussing that he's a big favorite (he's riding a winning streak that stretches back over two months). "I feel strongly about my team due to the way my players have come through for me. That being said, I have learned from my Pats' mistake last year when the heavy favorite lost to an underdog wildcard team and therefore I will alert team Chile to not look past team Mexico." Noting his opponent, Aledda closes with a keen observation: "LATINOS KNOW HOW TO PLAY FANTASY, HOMMEZ!"

Underdog Alberto Levet of Team Mexico says, "I am hyped and ready for this week's championship game vs Chile. It's gonna be tough, and I will need much help from my receivers, who haven't quite delivered the way they should (except Boldin) … but I'm going to fight for that trip to Saudi Arabia!"

After Team USA's 4—9 season, I should try to squeeze a tiny bit of validation out of my horrible fantasy performance by picking the score of the inaugural final of ESPN's International Fantasy League. (I picked Chile over Saudi Arabia 106-89 and India over Mexico 95-84 last week; the actual scores were 105-80 and 95-84.) The players on each team square off pretty evenly on paper, but the problem comes from injuries to Team Mexico's players and/or their teammates. Lee Evans, for instance. Great player, but his stats have suffered as the season has progressed (Trent Edwards got hurt, etc., etc.) Or Brandon Jacobs, who'll play nicked-up if he plays at all. I'm not sure that Team Mexico can overcome the hurt. Mexico 97, Chile 113. In the third-place game, Team India has too many players with something to play for, and also a stacked backfield (Steve Slaton spent last week on the bench). But overall it's pretty close because Team Saudi Arabia has some great matchups: I'll take India, 88-84.

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