ICLAFF

WEEK 14 PREVIEW

Here we go folks, the last week of the regular season. This time next week I’ll be previewing our first round playoff matchups, I can’t believe how fast it all went by! It all comes down to this… four 6-7 teams battling it out for the 3 remaining playoff spots. Who will be left out? I’ve tried to layout the possible playoff scenarios to the best of my knowledge but I can’t lie, the tie breaker is pretty complicated and a challenge to figure out depending on how many teams end up with the same record. It is my understanding that “head to head” is the first tie breaker, but if more than two teams end up with the same record then “points for” becomes the deciding factor. Next year I think we’ll just throw out “head to head” as the first tie breaker and just go with “points for”, so it’s easier to understand exactly what needs to happen for teams to make it in. Just another item for us to discuss this offseason at the general managers meetings in Boca Raton, I hear the golf courses are great down there.

Here is a preview of what to expect in our final regular season matchups…

For the second straight week it’s “do or die” for the CRYSTAL LAKE SLASHERS as they host first place 3RD AND LONG. If Glen’s Slashers can pull off this upset, they would be off to the Bundy Bowl Playoffs for the second straight season… but a loss and it could be a painful death for the goalie masked killers depending on what happens elsewhere. Of all the 6-7 teams they hold the “head to head” tie breaker over just the Shwa, but they have scored the most points which becomes the deciding factor if there’s a 3 way tie. They also have another incentive to win this week - Glen has a chance to stop Ryan from breaking the record for wins in season that he currently shares with him at 11. The Beer Bottles won in the first meeting between these two 152-119 back in Week 8, but remember the Slashers put up 160 points last weekend with their backs against the wall so we know they are capable of big things when they’re desperate.

Another team that needs a win to get in is MARC’S FUNKY BUNCH who this week is hosting STRAIGHT OUTTA COUGHLIN. Marc still controls his own playoff destiny and is off to the playoffs with a win, but if he loses he’ll need some help. He holds the tie breaker over Glen, but not Shawn or Mike… and he is currently second in total points of the four teams looking to get in. Not only is his season on the line, but Marc also has to find a new quarterback after Trevor Lawrence sprained his ankle last week. Even tho he’s listed as questionable, they are saying it’s highly unlikely he’ll play against the Browns. SO-CO has already locked up a playoff spot, but can potentially improve their first round matchup by finishing in second place with a win and Riders loss. Back in Week 8 Matt defeated Marc quite easily 142-108, but this time around he may need to come from behind with 3 or 4 key players not in action until Monday night. If Marc can’t get out to a sizeable lead on Sunday, it could all be over for him.

Members of the loyal J-Oshawa Mafia will be heading to the Bay to support J-OSHAWA ALLEN in one of the ICLAFF’s most anticipated showdowns of the season against PURDY GOOD. At the beginning of the year I looked ahead to this match between bitter rivals on the last week of the season and wondered if it would be a big one… and it certainly is. One of these teams is going to the playoffs for sure, but the loser of this match has to sweat it out and await the results of the other two matches above. Mike holds the tie breaker over Marc but not Glen, but has been outscored by both of them so he is in danger of being the odd man out if all three lose. Shawn has the edge over both Marc and Glen when it comes to head to head record, but he has scored the least amount of points in the league so he could be knocked out if they all end up tied in record. I told y’all it was complicated… we might actually have to wait for the ESPN app to update the standings late Monday night before really knowing the complete playoff picture. In Week 8 Mike beat Shawn at home 126-88, but Shawn is finally getting his most dangerous weapon back from injury in WR Justin Jefferson. He only hopes he can quickly build some chemistry with Vikings’ new QB Josh Dobbs or it might be too late… instead of helping Shawn compete for The Bundy, JJ could be coming back to play in the Finkle Four Playdowns next week.

The stakes are not quite as high this week between the OTTAWA ROSS RIDERS and ERIC’S E-ALLS. Both teams have won 2 straight and are already in the Bundy Bowl playoffs. While they may be treating this match a playoff tune up, there are still some seeding implications. Ross would finish the season as the 2nd seed with a victory, but could drop to 3rd if he loses and SO-CO wins in Funky Town. A win for Eric ensures he finishes in a top 4 spot and guarantees him a home playoff match next week. In Week 8 Ross won by 42 points but Eric has been rolling since then, averaging 133 points per match over the last four weeks. Based on how these two have scored points lately, I would bet heavy on the over.

For the second week in a row we have a basement battle between the 11th and 12th place teams, this time it’s the DARTH RAIDERS facing the LAS VEGAS SUN WORSHIPERS. Both 4-9 teams have already been eliminated from Bundy contention, but since then Howie has won two straight matches putting up healthy scores of 130 and 128. Rich comes in having lost three in a row, and the fact that the Worshipers are again in the mix for The Finkle this year has fans in Sin City feeling pretty nervous. Whoever gets knocked out of the Top 8 this week will enter the Finkle Four as the top seed, but second spot is still up for grabs which would mean they would be playing in the top game next week, not the bottom one. The idea for these four teams now is to try and climb as high as you can on that consolation ladder to avoid playing in the bottom game on December 28th… the dreaded Toilet Bowl.

HOOKED ON A THIELEN ends their regular season with a trip down south and a date with the STAND ALONE AMERICAN. Last time these two met six weeks ago they set the record for total points in a game… a record that only stood until last week when Don scored 142 and still lost to the Slashers. Don has already secured a spot in the Top 8, but I know it’s still important to him to finish with the most total points and in the final four going into the post season. He’ll need a victory and an E-All’s loss to pull that off. With Howie playing Rich this week one team is guaranteed to pickup their 5th win, so the Lone Americans need a win to keep pace going into in the Finkle Four Playdowns. Of the three teams tied in the standings at 4-9, Rick has the tie breaker over Howie but not Rich so I think he’ll need to win and have the D-Raiders take down the Worshipers to avoid starting in the bottom game next week.