1 Wellington Spitfires (16-1) vs. 4 Athens Minotaurs (14-3)
True to form, the Spitfires decimated the Bridgetown Rum Runners, 77-10, pouring on 42 points in the opening half before settling in for the easy victory. The Rum Runners had a devil of a time stopping Wellington, as the Spits accumulated 666 total yards to the Runners 161. The trio of Xavier Po, Moses McDuffle, and Drunken Hercules ran the ball a total of 73 times, picking up 620 yards and 9 TDs between them, as Wellington only went to the air a total of 9 times. For a team that’s lived on the turnover, Wellington surprisingly only came up with 1 all game, as Wellington’s MLB Goose destroyed Rum Runner’s QB Corvus Guggenheim in the closing seconds of the game to put an exclamation point on the trouncing.
The Minotaurs had a tougher road, but justified their seed by holding off the Texoma Bay Pirate’s late charge to advance to the second round. Behind three FGs from long time Minotaur High Ton (one of the few Minotaurs remaining from Season 10’s championship team), and a career-making game from DE Baratz Brazinzki, who crushed Texoma QBs three times in the 2nd half, the Minotaurs managed to fend off Texoma’s imposing air attack while holding their running game to a mere 2.3 YPC.
The Minotaurs and Spitfires met in Week 11 of the regular season, when the Spitfires held off the Minotaurs 33-10. If there’s anyone who’s aware that the road to the Championship goes through Wellington, it’s the Minotaurs, who know a thing or two about pulling out games by the skin of their teeth. Look for Wellington to continue their tradition of making people cough the ball up. This one should be a barn-burner, but for now I think it’s safe to say that Wellington’s aura will remain undiminished.
Prediction: Wellington, 42-10
2 Gridiron Armageddon (15-2) vs. 3 GLB Most Wanted (14-3)
Two somewhat under the radar teams, the Armageddon and Most Wanted are both looking to return to the conference championship for the 3rd and 2nd straight year, respectively. Last year the Armageddon’s season ended in a crushing 2nd half collapse at the hands of Wellington, while the Most Wanted were shocked by an 81.5 yard TD that catapulted Athens into the championship round. It’s safe to say that both these teams want to prove to themselves and the rest of the league that making it out of the Conference final is well within their powers. The Armageddon went into the break with an 11 point lead before leaning on reigning MVP HB Toadie Flex in the 2nd half as they cruised to 38-6 victory against the Gridiron Phantoms. The Armageddon played ball control all day, as they had possession for nearly 40 minutes and didn’t give the Phantoms a chance to mount any serious challenges.
As was predicted by yours truly, the Most Wanted escaped in a true barnburner against the World’s Most Interesting Men, needing a 46.5 yard FG with 3:35 remaining in the game to overtake the MIM. Game MVP was surely the Most Wanted’s kicker Swiller MC, who accounted for all 15 of his team’s points, including 2 from 46+ yards. However, merely taking the lead wasn’t enough, as the Most Wanted had to hold their breath and hope that MIM’s kicker Mike Nugent’s 55 yard drive with 1:52 remaining went wide left—which it did, to the chagrin of MIM fans and the jubilation of Most Wanted fans. Nugent had hit from 55 yards earlier in the season against the Athens Minotaurs, so it wasn’t exactly out of the realm of possibility. Defensive game ball goes to Oscar Meyer Jr., whose tackle for a 2 yard loss with 2:00 remaining pushed the MIM just far enough out of FG range that Nugent missed. If you want any more evidence not to rely on old men, I should note that 541 day old OT Swamp Thing Johnson looked like he was running in molasses as Meyer Jr. blew by him for that game finishing tackle.
These two teams fought in a 35-15 Armageddon victory last time they met, but the Most Wanted have been clicking well lately. The Armageddon and Most Wanted will clash on the Armageddon’s turf, and my predictor suggests that the home fans will have a lot to cheer about, as the Armageddon will prevail in this game that will be closer than many people think.
Prediction: Armageddon, 21-14
1 Diablo Dots (17-0) vs. 4 Atlantis Golden Wolves (13-4)
As expected, the Diablo Dots put on show tonight versus the lowly North Dakota Bison, racking up a playoff record 820.5 total yards, including a ridiculous 606 in the air alone. With 6 receivers catching 4 balls and the twin tower HBs accumulating 6 TDs themselves, it may be a long time before the Casual Pro league sees an opening round performance as dominating as this one. This also accounted for the Dot’s 57th straight victory, extending the longest winning streak in Casual league history. They’ll be looking to advance to their 3rd straight Conference championship with this game. The Atlantis Golden Wolves performed true to expectations and dominated the clock as they rolled up a 48-21 victory over the Twilight Vampires. I don’t know about you, but the Vampires have to be one of the most underachieving 11-5 squads of all time. Atlantis relied on a variety of weapons on their way to victory, with nearly every receiver on their squad contributing yardage and their kicker chipping a couple of 51 yarders like it weren’t no thing. Last year the Golden Wolves had to make it past the Sin City Gamblers before falling to the Wellington Spitfires, and it looks like this year won’t be any easier, as they’ll have to go through Diablo just to return to the Conference finals.
In what’s sure to be an aerial shoot out, look for both Diablo and Atlantis to rely on their aggressive and deadly passing attacks as they look to advance to the Conference championship. Just 4 games ago the Dots took the Golden Wolves to the woodshed and beat them like they were a son trying to sleep with his sister, and I think it’s safe to say that the Dots will be looking to pour it on even more this go round.
Prediction: Dots, 86-3
2 Cozumel Jedi Knights (16-1) vs. 3 Wild Thangs (15-2)
In one of the best games of the day, the Jedi Knights mounted a 27-10 halftime lead before watching the Sin City Gamblers make their best effort at coming back and shocking the proud Jedi Knight franchise. However, the Gambler’s 3 TD performance in the second half was no match for the insanely talented Cozumel running attack, which racked up 220 yards and 4 TDs to put the game away for good. The Gambler’s were steamrolled by 71 points against Cozumel earlier in the season, so it will be interesting to see how the Knights respond to such an obvious and empirically tightening between these two teams. One wonders if they’re prepared for their rematch against the Wild Thangs.
In what was expected to be a close matchup, the Wild Thangs came out firing against the sluggish Bay Area Bulls, who did their best impression of the 2009-10 New England Patriots and gave up 20 points in the first half before cruising home the rest of the game. The tone of the game was surely set by the opening kickoff, as Bulls WR/KR Johnny LeeHiggins showed his youth and inexperience by coughing the ball up at the 26 yard line and sitting on his ass helplessly as CB Cubby Bumphus, who everyone this reporter’s spoken to agree was jobbed worse than Al Gore in the 2000 Election in this year’s ST MVP race, scampered into the end zone for a 7-0 lead with 60:00 still on the clock. He can find a little peace in knowing that he’s the first player to ever recover a fumble and run it back for a TD in Casual Pro Playoff history.
I expect this one to be a hardfought match, as the Jedi Knights escaped 16-9 in Week 12, needing a TD with 1:04 remaining for the come-from-behind victory. This one could either way, but I gotta go with the run in this one.
Prediction: Jedi Knights, 21-20
True to form, the Spitfires decimated the Bridgetown Rum Runners, 77-10, pouring on 42 points in the opening half before settling in for the easy victory. The Rum Runners had a devil of a time stopping Wellington, as the Spits accumulated 666 total yards to the Runners 161. The trio of Xavier Po, Moses McDuffle, and Drunken Hercules ran the ball a total of 73 times, picking up 620 yards and 9 TDs between them, as Wellington only went to the air a total of 9 times. For a team that’s lived on the turnover, Wellington surprisingly only came up with 1 all game, as Wellington’s MLB Goose destroyed Rum Runner’s QB Corvus Guggenheim in the closing seconds of the game to put an exclamation point on the trouncing.
The Minotaurs had a tougher road, but justified their seed by holding off the Texoma Bay Pirate’s late charge to advance to the second round. Behind three FGs from long time Minotaur High Ton (one of the few Minotaurs remaining from Season 10’s championship team), and a career-making game from DE Baratz Brazinzki, who crushed Texoma QBs three times in the 2nd half, the Minotaurs managed to fend off Texoma’s imposing air attack while holding their running game to a mere 2.3 YPC.
The Minotaurs and Spitfires met in Week 11 of the regular season, when the Spitfires held off the Minotaurs 33-10. If there’s anyone who’s aware that the road to the Championship goes through Wellington, it’s the Minotaurs, who know a thing or two about pulling out games by the skin of their teeth. Look for Wellington to continue their tradition of making people cough the ball up. This one should be a barn-burner, but for now I think it’s safe to say that Wellington’s aura will remain undiminished.
Prediction: Wellington, 42-10
2 Gridiron Armageddon (15-2) vs. 3 GLB Most Wanted (14-3)
Two somewhat under the radar teams, the Armageddon and Most Wanted are both looking to return to the conference championship for the 3rd and 2nd straight year, respectively. Last year the Armageddon’s season ended in a crushing 2nd half collapse at the hands of Wellington, while the Most Wanted were shocked by an 81.5 yard TD that catapulted Athens into the championship round. It’s safe to say that both these teams want to prove to themselves and the rest of the league that making it out of the Conference final is well within their powers. The Armageddon went into the break with an 11 point lead before leaning on reigning MVP HB Toadie Flex in the 2nd half as they cruised to 38-6 victory against the Gridiron Phantoms. The Armageddon played ball control all day, as they had possession for nearly 40 minutes and didn’t give the Phantoms a chance to mount any serious challenges.
As was predicted by yours truly, the Most Wanted escaped in a true barnburner against the World’s Most Interesting Men, needing a 46.5 yard FG with 3:35 remaining in the game to overtake the MIM. Game MVP was surely the Most Wanted’s kicker Swiller MC, who accounted for all 15 of his team’s points, including 2 from 46+ yards. However, merely taking the lead wasn’t enough, as the Most Wanted had to hold their breath and hope that MIM’s kicker Mike Nugent’s 55 yard drive with 1:52 remaining went wide left—which it did, to the chagrin of MIM fans and the jubilation of Most Wanted fans. Nugent had hit from 55 yards earlier in the season against the Athens Minotaurs, so it wasn’t exactly out of the realm of possibility. Defensive game ball goes to Oscar Meyer Jr., whose tackle for a 2 yard loss with 2:00 remaining pushed the MIM just far enough out of FG range that Nugent missed. If you want any more evidence not to rely on old men, I should note that 541 day old OT Swamp Thing Johnson looked like he was running in molasses as Meyer Jr. blew by him for that game finishing tackle.
These two teams fought in a 35-15 Armageddon victory last time they met, but the Most Wanted have been clicking well lately. The Armageddon and Most Wanted will clash on the Armageddon’s turf, and my predictor suggests that the home fans will have a lot to cheer about, as the Armageddon will prevail in this game that will be closer than many people think.
Prediction: Armageddon, 21-14
1 Diablo Dots (17-0) vs. 4 Atlantis Golden Wolves (13-4)
As expected, the Diablo Dots put on show tonight versus the lowly North Dakota Bison, racking up a playoff record 820.5 total yards, including a ridiculous 606 in the air alone. With 6 receivers catching 4 balls and the twin tower HBs accumulating 6 TDs themselves, it may be a long time before the Casual Pro league sees an opening round performance as dominating as this one. This also accounted for the Dot’s 57th straight victory, extending the longest winning streak in Casual league history. They’ll be looking to advance to their 3rd straight Conference championship with this game. The Atlantis Golden Wolves performed true to expectations and dominated the clock as they rolled up a 48-21 victory over the Twilight Vampires. I don’t know about you, but the Vampires have to be one of the most underachieving 11-5 squads of all time. Atlantis relied on a variety of weapons on their way to victory, with nearly every receiver on their squad contributing yardage and their kicker chipping a couple of 51 yarders like it weren’t no thing. Last year the Golden Wolves had to make it past the Sin City Gamblers before falling to the Wellington Spitfires, and it looks like this year won’t be any easier, as they’ll have to go through Diablo just to return to the Conference finals.
In what’s sure to be an aerial shoot out, look for both Diablo and Atlantis to rely on their aggressive and deadly passing attacks as they look to advance to the Conference championship. Just 4 games ago the Dots took the Golden Wolves to the woodshed and beat them like they were a son trying to sleep with his sister, and I think it’s safe to say that the Dots will be looking to pour it on even more this go round.
Prediction: Dots, 86-3
2 Cozumel Jedi Knights (16-1) vs. 3 Wild Thangs (15-2)
In one of the best games of the day, the Jedi Knights mounted a 27-10 halftime lead before watching the Sin City Gamblers make their best effort at coming back and shocking the proud Jedi Knight franchise. However, the Gambler’s 3 TD performance in the second half was no match for the insanely talented Cozumel running attack, which racked up 220 yards and 4 TDs to put the game away for good. The Gambler’s were steamrolled by 71 points against Cozumel earlier in the season, so it will be interesting to see how the Knights respond to such an obvious and empirically tightening between these two teams. One wonders if they’re prepared for their rematch against the Wild Thangs.
In what was expected to be a close matchup, the Wild Thangs came out firing against the sluggish Bay Area Bulls, who did their best impression of the 2009-10 New England Patriots and gave up 20 points in the first half before cruising home the rest of the game. The tone of the game was surely set by the opening kickoff, as Bulls WR/KR Johnny LeeHiggins showed his youth and inexperience by coughing the ball up at the 26 yard line and sitting on his ass helplessly as CB Cubby Bumphus, who everyone this reporter’s spoken to agree was jobbed worse than Al Gore in the 2000 Election in this year’s ST MVP race, scampered into the end zone for a 7-0 lead with 60:00 still on the clock. He can find a little peace in knowing that he’s the first player to ever recover a fumble and run it back for a TD in Casual Pro Playoff history.
I expect this one to be a hardfought match, as the Jedi Knights escaped 16-9 in Week 12, needing a TD with 1:04 remaining for the come-from-behind victory. This one could either way, but I gotta go with the run in this one.
Prediction: Jedi Knights, 21-20
