Super Bowl XI
Tournament 2008
     Super Bowl XI Champ Double-Double (12-2)

(The Super Bowl Tournament is a single elimination tournament.  Win and you move on, lose and
you're eliminated.  Higher seed means you have home field advantage and advance in case of a tie.
Note: Final tournament brackets are set in the Wild Card  Round, much like the NCAA  Tournament.)
 

RESULTS AND COMMENTARY--

Super Bowl XI Match (Week 16):

New Champion:  No. 1 seed Double-Double defeated fellow No. 1 seed The Rickster in the greatest Super Bowl final the
club has ever witnessed.  These two great players have established themselves as true champions in every sense of the
word throughout their decade-plus long membership in the club.  The match itself proved to be a defensive struggle, as
both players (along with the entire club) posted low numbers and missed key picks on the sheet.  When we received
their picks at club headquarters, which were guarded with top notch secrecy, we observed that there were only three
differences between these two players.  One difference proved to be irrelevant, as the Triple Crown was controlled by
upsets and nobody in the entire club got it right.  The second difference was a Point Spread game, which went to The
Rickster as he successfully picked St. Louis to beat the spread against the 49ers.  But the third difference is something
that just might haunt the dreams of The Rickster for years to come.  In a last second switch, The Rickster jumped ship
from Cincinnati with Quadruple Jeopardy, changing his pick to Cleveland with QJ.  Cleveland's offense forgot to show
up for the game, and they lost to Cincinnati 14-0.  That last second switch caused The Rickster to lose a precious 3 Points
from his final score, enough to make up for the missed Point Spread game by Double-Double and give him 1 extra Point.
That was all he needed, as he claimed the championship.  Both players are to be commended on their outstanding
effort and sportsmanship during this match, setting a fine example for all of us in the club to make sure we don't get
too competitive, but appreciate the club for what it is-- an opportunity for us to increase our enjoyment of football
during the season, as it makes each game meaningful for us instead of meaningless.  To highlight this point, I would
like to share with you a message we received at club headquarters from The Rickster just prior to the Super Bowl match.
The Rickster said: "I'm rooting for Double to win!"  Looking back at Double-Double's road to the Super Bowl XI title,
he ended up posting the second best season record ever seen in Head to Head in the club.  His final record of 12-2 was
only topped by The Cat during the 2000 season, when he went 13-1.  Double-Double started his run through the
tournament by beating two great players easily-- Hoosier Daddy and Nighthawk.  Then, when it mattered the most,
Double-Double squeaked out a 1 Point victory over defending champion Dark Knight and a 1 Point victory in the
Super Bowl final, thereby becoming our new champion.  Congratulations, Double-Double!

(1) Double-Double (12-2) def. (1) The Rickster (10-4) 18-17

What's at stake:  A spot in The Football Club Hall of Fame as the 2008 Super Bowl Champion.
Super Bowl Tournament history:  The Rickster and Double-Double met two seasons ago in the 2006 Super Bowl
Final.  In that match, the two players tied with 20 Points each, thereby giving The Rickster (playing as Eastside
Brewer) the Super Bowl IX title because he was the higher seed.  That was an unforgettable match which gave
The Rickster back-to-back Super Bowl titles (as he had also won the year before in 2005).  At the same time,
it gave Double-Double nightmares, as he was a single Point away from being the champion and didn't even lose
the actual match, instead losing a tiebreaker.  In view of that historic match, it's hard to believe that these same
two players are here in the Super Bowl playing again two years later.  This time, though, the tables have turned and
Double-Double is the higher seed.  So, The Rickster will not be able to play for the tie this time, but he will need to
go for the win.  This also marks the first time in club history that both top seeds have advanced to the Super Bowl
final to play against each other.  Double-Double had a better record during the regular Head to Head season, and
that is why he gains home field advantage for this match.  This will be the most anticipated Head to Head match of
all time in the club, without question.  The Rickster looks to add an unprecedented third Super Bowl trophy to his
long list of championships in the club, while Double-Double looks to win his first Super Bowl title.

Conference Round Matches (Week 15):

Over/Under settles it:  Double-Double defeats Dark Knight by virtue of picking Over by a final of 22-21.
Familiar territory: The Rickster returns to his 3rd Super Bowl final in 4 years by beating Slick Chick 29-17.

Divisional Round Matches (Week 14):

Double or nothing:  Double-Double shows how determined he is to win this title by ousting Nighthawk 26-19.
Top two players collide:  Points standings leader Dark Knight dismisses his nemesis Fearless Tuna 30-24.

Declawed and caged:  The Rickster moves on to the Conference Round by subduing The Cat 26-21.
Very close match: Slick Chick advances to her first ever Conference Round by stunning Drummer Boy 20-16.

Wild Card Round Matches (Week 13):

Top seed dominates:  Double-Double starts off his tournament with a bang by punishing Hoosier Daddy 30-13.
Friendly rivalry: Nighthawk eliminates his former teammate The Rinator by a final of 26-20.
Tuna swims on: Week 13 MVP Fearless Tuna defeats Shelby's Dad by over three touchdowns 35-12.
Defending champ survives:  Defending Super Bowl champ Dark Knight survives a scare by Super J-Bird 27-26.

Rickster back in business:  The Rickster brews up a huge victory over Kip 26-10.
Sweet revenge:  The Cat avenges his 2006 tournament loss to Mike Z by beating him 27-12.
Marching on: 2007 finalist Drummer Boy begins his bid for another good tournament by defeating Roadrunner 26-7.
Battle of the girls: Slick Chick wins a rare all-girls tournament match over Mandy 21-18.

First Round Matches (Week 12):

Flying high again:   Super J-Bird flies into the Wild Card Round by knocking off Rob the Southern 23-15.
Daddy dominates: Hoosier Daddy pushes past old rival Annie-mal by a final score of 25-16.

Rookie sensation: 2008 club rookie Mandy defeats Bill Hilly by 13 Points when Hilly takes a bye week.
Brotherly love: Kip moves into the next round when he requires his younger brother to take a bye week.

(Reminder-- First Round winners advance to the Wild Card Round of the tournament, while First Round losers are eliminated from Head to Head competition for the season.  In case of a tie, the higher seeded player advances.)

First Round Bye Weeks (Week 12):

(1) Double-Double (8-2)
(2) Dark Knight (8-2)
(3) Fearless Tuna (7-3)
(4) The Rinator (6-4)
(5) Nighthawk (6-4)
(6) Shelby's Dad (5-5)

(1) The Rickster (7-3)
(2) Slick Chick (5-4-1)
(3) Drummer Boy (6-3-1)
(4) Mike Z (6-4)
(5) The Cat (5-5)
(6) Roadrunner (4-5-1)

(Note--  Players with a bye week will first play during the Wild Card Round.  No. 1 seed will play against lowest seed to advance from the First Round, No. 2 seed will play against 2nd lowest seed to advance, No. 3 seed will play against 3rd lowest seed to advance & No. 4 seed will play against the No. 5 seed.)
 

Tournament Entry Tiebreakers:

(#1) Head to Head record vs. each other
(#2) Division record (for players in same division)
(#3) Head to Head record vs. common opponents
(#4) Conference record
 

Tournament Seedings:

Conference One--

(1) Double-Double (8-2) (Division Two champion, tiebreaker #1 over Dark Knight)
(2) Dark Knight (8-2) (Division One champion)
(3) Fearless Tuna (7-3) (automatic bye week for finishing 2nd in Division Two)
(4) The Rinator (6-4) (tiebreaker #3 over Nighthawk)
(5) Nighthawk (6-4) (automatic bye week for finishing 3rd in Division One)
(6) Shelby's Dad (5-5) (tiebreaker #1 over Super J-Bird)
(7) Super J-Bird (5-5)
(8) Hoosier Daddy (3-6-1)
(9) Annie-mal (3-7)
(10) Rob the Southern (1-9)

Conference Two--

(1) The Rickster (7-3) (Division Three champion)
(2) Slick Chick (5-4-1) (Division Four champion, division winners automatic top two seeds)
(3) Drummer Boy (6-3-1) (automatic bye week for finishing 2nd in Division Three)
(4) Mike Z (6-4) (automatic bye week for finishing 3rd in Division Three)
(5) The Cat (5-5) (automatic bye week for finishing 2nd in Division Four)
(6) Roadrunner (4-5-1) (automatic bye week for finishing 3rd in Division Four)
(7) Mandy (4-5-1)
(8) The Beav (2-5-3)
(9) Kip (3-7)
(10) Bill Hilly (2-8)