PLAYOFF PREVIEW (Round 1)

NFLL

First of all I want to congratulate the elite eight. It really is an impressive feat to make it to the playoffs in this league. As you all know it is not an easy task. I know we all tend to "hate" but give credit where credit is due. To the eight that missed out, you all put up one helluva fight. This year had the closest race to date for the last two seeds. Even the 4^th seed was decided on week 13’s outcome. 37.25 points is all that separated #8 from #9. More importantly you can see the importance of playing out and finishing up the season. We had 11 teams finish over .500. We had 3 teams that had identical records to post-season teams but had their bubbles burst by points. So much for the old adage…A win is a win. This is also the first time in NFLL history that we have not had a 10 win team in our league, only 2 wins separate #1 from #8... which could mean this is anybody’s flask. Special shout-out to Kurabu, all four of us finished over .500. First division to ever accomplish that feat. Good Luck to you all this week.

#1 The 619ers (9-4) 146 ppg vs. #8 The Agency (7-6) 130 ppg
Both of these teams playing for their 1^st ever post-season victory. This will be their 3^rd ever match-up. 6 is 2-0 this season with the average margin of victory has been less than 12 points. Agency has his work cut out for him, as going against the #1 seed is always tough. History has shown it too, only once before has the #8 seed captured the upset. Agency has had an up-and-down season, due to a myriad of injuries. Now in the playoffs, it looks like the Agency’s season will come down to the arm of Aaron Rodgers. The rookie 619 has relied on a solid draft and great FA pick-ups. Phillip Rivers will be leading his leading receiver Reggie Wayne and his #1 RB LeSean McCoy.

6- 1^st appearance in postseason (2010 key wins- BM, TA x2, key losses CO, BE, DD)
TA- last appearance #3 in 2007 (2010 key wins- BM, key losses CO, 619 x2, DD)

#2 Cocoon of Horror (9-4) 143 ppg vs. #7 Blind Monkeys (7-6) 132 ppg
The Cocoon is back in the playoffs, from the efforts of his running back duo, Chris Johnson and Peyton Hillis. Not to mention the surprise play of Matt Cassel and the WR tandem of Maclin and Jackson that led him to the Supedo and Swoosh title. Cocoon may have a bit of the post-season rust though, his last appearance in ’08 was a 1^st round exit to Buckeyes. To catch a team like Monkeys in the 1^st round isn’t exactly lucky, seeing how Monkeys is coming off back-to-back title game appearances. Monkeys earned his playoff birth behind the Patriot team of Brady & Welker not to mention his running game of Steven Jackson and McFadden. Monkeys is 5-1 all-time in the playoffs. A decent stat to have and scary stat to go up against if you ask me.

CO- last appearance #5 in 2008 (2010 key wins- 6,KC,BE, TA, key losses BE, HM)
BM- last appearance #1 in 2009 (2010 key wins- DD x2 key losses 6, HM, TA)

#3 $Hail-Mary$ (8-5) 145 ppg vs. #6 Killa Cali (8-5) 142 ppg
Back-to-Back to 1^st round match-ups for these two. This weeks game will be the 6^th meeting of these teams in the past 2 years. KC holds the advantage during that period at 4-1, however this year they split the 2010 match-ups. Hail in the post-season for the 3^rd time in a row. As usual Hail has relied on the strength of his defense and running game to get him to the post-season. Charles and Turner have been a formidable weapon, paired with the talents of Bowe and Gates has led him to the Kurabu title. Can Hail (3-2 in the 1^st round) redeem last year’s 1^st round loss to KC? Killa is making his 4^th straight appearance, 6-1 all-time in 1^st round. Unlike previous years of relying on the QB and defense, KC has survived on the strength of his receiver corp, the trio of Megatron, Lloyd, and Santonio. Alas, yet again a Cane/Able title game will have to wait.

HM- last appearance #5 in 2009 (2010 key wins- BM,CO, KC , key losses BE, KC)
KC- last appearance #4 in 2009 (2010 key wins- HM,DD key losses CO, BE, HM)

#4 Diaper Dandies (8-5) 128 ppg vs. #5 Buckeyes (8-5) 154 ppg
Dandies may have the higher seed here but a Dandies win would have to be considered an upset here. Buckeyes outscoring Dandies in the regular season by over 333 points, that’s a difference of 25 points per game! But Dandies is Dandies, and in this league no franchise garners as much respect as his. He has been here before and is a two-time champion. Buckeyes is looking to finally grab his 1^st flask, he is a regular in the NFLL post-season as he has been in the playoffs 7 of the 8 years his franchise has been around. In what may be the greatest running back duo (AP and Arian) in the league right now, we know he can put up points. He knows how to win and this year we are expecting some big things.

DD- last appearance #2 in 2009 (2010 key wins- TA, 619 key losses BM x2, KC)
BE- last appearance #4 in 2009 (2010 key wins- CO,HM,6,KC key losses CO)

* Some NFLL playoff fun facts *
- In the past 8 years the #1 seed has won it all 4 times.
- The lowest seed to ever win the flask was #4 $Hail-Mary$ in '06.
- The lowest seed to ever make the championship game was #7 HaTeRs in '07.
- No #5 or #8 seed has ever made the championship game.
- Only 3 seeds have ever won the title #1(4x) #2 (3x) #4(1x).
- The #1 seed has made it to the title game 7 of the past 8 years.
- The #2 seed has made it to the title game 5 of the past 8 years.
- The #8 seed is 1-7 in the first round and no #8 has ever won a 2nd round game.
- No NFLL team has ever won back-to-back titles.
- A rookie has won the flask 3 times.
- The #5 seed is 2-6 in the first round and no #5 has ever won a 2nd round game.
- This year 2 teams (TA, 619) are looking for their 1st ever post-season victory.
- This year the postseason has 4 teams (KC, HM, DD, BM) that have previously won the flask
- This year the postseason has 6 teams (KC, HM, DD, BM, BE, CO) that have previously played for the flask.

- Buckeyes currently holds the longest streak for making the playoffs (6x '05-‘10).
- Since going to 2 divisions, Swoosh has shown its dominance in the regular season and into the post season. In '08 they put in 4 of the top 5 seeds, in '09 6 of the top 8. Now in 2010, 5 of the top 8 (including 4 of the top 6).
- However, the last 3 champions have come from Douche...

2010 Winners - Congrats from the commish, bravo, good job and well done.
* Because this year the race has been so close, for the first time, I will be offering a 2nd place (runner-up) prize. All the prize details will be posted on the yahoo site within the next week. Please remember that the season must conclude and all stats must be final before any payouts will be made.

Pick the winner KILLA CALI (66.7%)
Swoosh Conference Champ Cocoon of Horror (9-4)
Douche Conference Champ The 619ers (9-4)
Kurabu Champ $HAIL-MARY$
Supedo Champ Cocoon of Horror
Hato Champ The 619ers
Daiya Champ Diaper Dandies
Season High Score D’s Nuts ( Week #11 - 208.25)
Bounties Blind Monkeys (Week #1), Ds Nuts (Week #6), Killa Cali (week #8)