The Football Club

Divisional MVP Award Winner–
The Rickster (36.5 Points)

Last week, The Rickster stepped up with some huge picks to send a message to the rest of the club as he scored 36 Points.  The secret to The Rickster’s success, besides brewing a fresh batch of IPA that was ready before kickoff, was correctly picking all 4 Divisional Point Spread Games with Balt, SF, Sea & NE.  The Playoff Picks are considered an advanced pro competition for a reason– point spread games are notoriously difficult to pick, since you can’t rely on the favorite but have to really think about which team will deal with the spread better and come out on top.  The Rickster showed that he can successfully do that with ease with his brilliant picks last week.  The MVP week catapulted The Rickster into 1st Place, but he’s not alone.  Drummer Boy continued his steady and reliable good picking by posting 28 Points of his own, claiming his 2nd Week at #1.  Drummer Boy seems to be on a mission to win the Playoff Picks competition this season and nobody might be able to stop him.  Two players who could have what it takes are Captain Crunch and Parkour.  They are sitting in a tie for 3rd Place with 53 1/2 Points each, only a mere 3 1/2 Points out of 1st Place.  And a friendly rivalry seems to be brewing between these two solid players, who each want to have bragging rights within the family.  We will find out this week which player will have the edge going into the Super Bowl.

Here are the Statistical Challenge Question answers for last week.  Game 1– Yes (4.4), Flacco (116.2-88.3), Den (43%-41%), No (7 points).  Game 2– None (0 yards), GB (7-0), No (66.6%), Gore (119-53).  Game 3– Tate (6 for 103 to 6 for 51 tiebreaker is more receiving yards), No, Sea (28-26), Yes (2 INT).  Game 4– NE (5 for 264 yards to 5 for 182 yards tiebreaker is more yards), Brady (344-343 can it get any closer than that?), No (1 for 0 yards), Yes (1 TD).  Most– SF, Least– Sea & Hou.

Wild Card MVP Award Winners–
Captain Crunch & Drummer Boy (28.5 Points)

Last week, the Playoff Picks got off to a great start with huge weeks by both Captain Crunch and Drummer Boy.  They both scored 28.5 Points to win the Wild Card MVP Award and start out sharing 1st Place.  Drummer Boy is the 2009 Playoff Picks Champion looking to repeat and win another title.  Captain Crunch is a rookie player making his club debut here in the Playoff Picks.  But Captain Crunch (Jim Lunsford) is no stranger to football and he knows everything about the league.  And he proved it this week by delivering huge picks to debut in the club as an MVP Award winner.  That’s a great way to start out.  The same can be said for new rookie player Parkour (can you guess his real name?) who also posted great picks to score 27.5 Points.  Parkour and Yo Grandmama shared the Wild Card MVP Award Runner-Up and are both very close to 1st Place (Bonus Points are not factored into MVP Awards).  Rounding out the Top Five is Stefan’s Dad (who changed his name from Papa Tuna for the Playoff Picks in honor of Dylan’s Dad and Rad Dad) with 24.5 Points.  Keep in mind that there are 2 Hall of Fame Records up for grabs during the Playoff Picks– Most Playoff Games Correct (current record is 9 of 11) and Most Stat Questions Correct (currently record is 35).  So let’s keep making great picks!

Wild Card weekend is all wrapped up and the Playoff Picks Current Standings and Divisional Picks Sheet will be up by Monday or Tuesday.  Here are the results for the Sunday picks.

Game 3– Balt und.  Flacco (125.6-59.8), No (70 yards), Indy (37:32-22:28), Yes (long of 20).

Game 4– Sea und.  Wilson (15-10), Sea (22-15), Yes (27 yards), No (0 TD).

Here are the winning picks for the Saturday Wild Card Games.  Note that we are using original tie-breakers for Statistical Challenge Questions that end in a tie.  The tie-breakers have been in use since we first started holding the Playoff Picks.  Hopefully it worked out in your favor.

Game 1– Hou und.  Yes (1 INT), No (1 return for 0 yards), Hou (6-5), No (80 yards)

Game 2– GB und.  Min (1-1 / tiebreaker is longest field goal, Min 33 GB 20), Min (3-3 / tiebreaker is most sack yards, Min 24 GB 23), No (0 TD), No (4 receptions).

Week 17 MVP Award Winner–
Double-Double (34 Points)

Going into the final week of the season, Double-Double turned in his picks and announced: “I’m going  for the MVP with 2 Game of the Week upsets.”  He then proceeded to pick Indy over Hou and Min over GB.  Double-Double’s strategy paid off big time when he game up huge, winning all 3 Games of the Week, the Double Stakes, Triple Crown, and Sunday Night game.  The only spot where he faltered proved to be with the QJ game when he unwisely picked New Orleans and lost 3 Points from his final score.  Thus, a 37 Point week turned into a 34 Point week, but that was still the best in the club during Week 17.  Double-Double was happy to end the season on a high note with the Week 17 MVP Award.  Another player who ended on a high note was Points Standings Runner-Up MJD Hogg, who posted 32 Points to claim his third consecutive MVP Award Runner-Up.  By finishing the season so strong, MJD Hogg nearly stole the club title.  Even though he came up 15 Points short, MJD was still named the December Player of the Month.  And that brings us to the big news about the 2012 Club Champion!  Hoosier Daddy capped up a fantastic second half of the season by scoring 28 Points in the final week to finish in 1st Place and win his 2nd club title in the past 4 years.  He finished with 394 Points, coming oh-so-close to the 400 Point barrier.  394 Points is the highest Point total since 2006.  But back then, there were Bonus Points for Head to Head Weekly and Pro Bowl Weekly play.  Hoosier Daddy actually had the second highest Point total (without Bonus Points) in club history, behind only The Cat with 396 Points in the 2000 season.  Finishing with 8 Weeks at #1, Hoosier Daddy had an outstanding season and the club would like to congratulate him on being our 2012 Club Champion.  Well done, Hoosier!  You truly are a force to be reckoned with year after year.  Rounding out the Top Five this season were Rad Dad (3rd Place), Dixie Slick (4th Place), and Captain Insano (5th Place).  The Hall of Fame has now been updated with winners and achievements for the 2012 season.  Newly added members of the Hall of Fame include– Hoosier Daddy (2012 Club Champion), Bane (2012 Super Bowl Head to Head Champion), Transformers (2012 Pro Bowl Team Champions), The Cat (2nd Perfect Week in Club History), Wild Animals (Highest Team Score in a Week), Daddy & His Boys (Best Pro Bowl Weekly Regular Season Record), along with our Rookie of the Year, Comeback Player, and Sportsmanship Award winners for 2012.  Congratulations, everyone!  Here is a recap of all the category winners for 2012…

2012 Football Club winners–

Club Champion–  Hoosier Daddy (394 Points)
Club Champion Runner-Up-  MJD Hogg (379 Points)
Super Bowl XV Champ-  Bane (def. Double-Double, Dixie Slick, Iceman & Rickster)
Super Bowl Runner-Up-  Double-Double (def. Captain Jack, Papa Tuna & Hoosier)
Pro Bowl XIV Champs-  Transformers (teammates- Beav, Dixie Slick & Jacuzzi Splot)
Pro Bowl Runner-Ups-  Wild Animals (teammates- Cat, Double-Double & Rickster)
Playoff Picks Champion-  to be determined
Playoff Picks Champ Runner-Up-  to be determined
Rookie of the Year-  Iceman (for 2 MVP Awards & 1 Week at #1)
Sportsmanship Award-  Drummer Boy (for great courtesy and consideration)
Comeback Player of the Year-  freespirit (returned for first time since 2000)

Most MVP Awards-  Hoosier, freespirit, Catfish, Iceman & Beav (2 MVP Awards)
Best Week-  The Cat (41 Points — Week 11)
Best Team Score-  Wild Animals (112 Points — Week 11)
Most Games of the Week-  Rad Dad (23 out of 35 — 66% correct)
Most Triple Crowns-  Hoosier Daddy (6 out of 17 — 35% correct)
Most Double Stakes-  Drummer Boy (10 out of 17 — 59% correct)
Most SN / 6 Point Games-  Hoosier, MJD & Rickster (12 out of 17 — 71% correct)
Best Triple Jeopardy Ratio (min. 10 att.)-  Dixie Slick (10 out of 11 — 91% correct)