... to a CPU team.

Should I give up now?

No.

1. It was close.
2. You can lose any game (any given Sunday).
3. You will learn and get better.

Ha, there have been leagues where a CPU team won it all with fairly advanced users, so there's no shame in losing to the CPU. It will happen, the CPU is fairly aggressive in his roster building techniques, but as you get better at game planning you'll get to where you can outsmart him. (And some of his roster building aggressiveness may come back to bite him as well.)

Its more realistic and fun when the al is playing more smart in their strategy then otherwise dumb als in other games. makes every game important.

Agreed! good show!