On many fronts, the 2008 Fantasy Football season will go down as the best ever. In WCOFF land, Poochie Bennish won the $300,000 grand prize by a grand total of 0.85 points. As was predicted four weeks ago, the crowning of our champion came down to the last play of the Packers/Bears week 16 game. The incredible balance and parity amongst the top fantasy football teams created a historic race to the finish. A race that had many fantasy players on the edge of their seats even if they weren't in the running. And the balance even extended beyond the WCOFF. In one little old home league in New York, both semifinal games were decided by less than one point, coming down to Dawson and Akers on Monday Night Football. One team lost by 0.7 points and I'll give you all one guess on who lost by 0.1. And who says fantasy kickers don't matter?

With Thanksgiving Day here, 119 WCOFF Team Owners will have one added item on their list to give thanks for. They all begin their four week quest of $300k and title, World Champion Of Fantasy Football. Some well known fantasy players find themselves in the hunt. Jules McLean, Shawn Childs, Glen Schroter are just a few of the skilled players in the running. But while the big guns compete for the big dough, many of us are looking to finish strong whether it be in consolation brackets, online championships, One and Done or even home league playoffs. Let's take a look at some key players down the stretch that may play a factor in crowning our World Champion or break fantasy owner's hearts.

So it's the middle of November 2008. We are just a few hours away from the NY Jet vs. New England Patriot game that kicks off week 11 of the NFL season. This is the last chance for WCOFF teams to position themselves to make it into their league championship games. This is also the last week for waiver wire pick ups and final team adjustments. For some, this part of the season is thrilling given the potential to win the WCOFF main event and all that comes with it. For the rest of us (raise your hand with me), it's a time to reflect on what went wrong with our teams and to start thinking about 2009.

Way before fantasy football was created, fans would mock coaches for their decision-making. Beer cans would be thrown at television sets. Boos would echo from the stands. Fans would call up their local talk radio station to vent their frustrations. Complaints ranging from misuse of the game clock to inappropriate play calling would be the general sentiment. And today's fan is much more versed than ever before. Case in point would be today's fantasy football fanatic that obsesses over every last detail regarding the weekly games and the NFL players that make or break a weekly fantasy score.. Is it possible that some of us fantasy players can be smarter when it comes to player talent than today’s coaches and scouts? I believe the obvious answer is yes. After all, if all scouts were perfect, every round 1 NFL Draft selection would develop into a stud, and no eventual star players would fall deep in the draft. And if NFL coaches were flawless, there would never be any second-guessing on coaching decisions regarding player personnel or strategy.

In forums dedicated to gambling and investment, discussions involving the skill vs. luck ratio are often left unresolved. Arguments are inconclusive given that they are difficult to quantify. An individual horse race selection, sports bet, poker hand and even a stock pick all carry a varied element of luck that make the wager a gamble. As the sample size increases, most will argue that expertise plays a larger role relative to luck. As Fantasy Football grew in popularity, more people began to see organized events as yet another skill investment, like the four mentioned above. With a self perceived edge in football knowledge, the game was relatively easy for many to beat. But is that still the case? With an over abundance of information available to all, where does the winning edge come from? How much of Fantasy Football is skill vs. luck?