Highest Scoring Team ($10):
Grady Olson Presents GradyOO's (4th time this season)
Coach Nelson
192.24 pts
Highest Scoring Player ($5):
Make America Gronk Again
Coach Ewoldt (5th time this season)
Adam Thielen - 45.36 pts
Though there was much drama in between, the IFL's annual preseason favorite finally wins it all.
BSC Champ Andrew Gustin had only posted less than 95 pts once this entire season, but in a crazy turn of events gets two gooseeggs from Robby Anderson and Hunter Henry and two other players scored less than one point, Jeremy Hill and T.J. Yeldon. If not for Kirk Cousins' 30 point game, this would have never been in question, but by the start of the afternoon games, it was apparent what was going to happen.
The Twenty Deuce, without team captains AJ Green and Melvin Gordon got clutch performances from his season-long shredders Derek Carr, LaGarrette Blount, Michael Crabtree, and Alshon Jeffery, combining for 70 points, and another 50 points from the rest of the gang was enough to give Matthew Brady his very first ring, and brings the very first IFL Championship trophy to the storied X-IA division. X-IA is also the first non-Cul-de-Sack division to win a championship. The final score was Twenty Deuce 114.60 - Free Prison Mike 78.66
The Twenty Deuce's MVP of the game was their general at the helm, Derek Carr, who put up a 21.92 point effort in tragic fashion, literally sacrificing his body for the win. In the fourth quarter of his game against the Colts he was sacked and fractured his fibula, ending his post-Deuce season, but not before he helped secure the championship for Coach Brady. "It's funny, I had this feeling that something might happen like this today, that I might get hurt bad. I told my trainers, and they said, 'you've already made the playoffs for the Raiders, you can sit out today. No need to risk it.' But I knew Coach Brady needed me. I know I needed to Deuce harder than ever before. So I played anyway, and paid the ultimate price. But you know what? I don't regret a thing," said Carr in the aftermath.
The coach was melancholy following the Derek Carr news, but returned to classic form after learning he'd be 100% come next year. When asked for a quote on today's game Coach Brady responded:
"After last year's disappointing season, these boys have had one thing on their mind all year: a championship. They have worked their tails off in the weight room and on the practice field every day. They earned this. I'm merely a coach. You want a quote—go ask one of those men in that locker room. When those who love fantasy football look back on this season, they won't remember Coach Brady. They will remember the powerhouse that was The Twenty Deuce. All I can say now is: We're still hungry, we're gonna eat, and after some time for digestion, we'll be back for another steamy, gnarly, fantasy football deuce!"
Congratulations to Brady and the Twenty Deuce on an impressive season and first ever championship.
In the Consolations Championship, it was as predicted a shootout that Curtis Alexander Guzman could not ultimately keep up with, especially after Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce combined for 50 points Sunday Night, and the whole GradyOO's team went off, 192.24 - 144.30. Aaron Nelson has posted the highest score in 3 of the last 4 weeks, and in addition to the now $50 he earned in weekly prizes, he earned best draft odds for 2017. I don't think we've heard the last from Grady Olson.
In the 3rd Place Game, it was in Nick Hansen's control the whole way with Rodgers 37 point performance setting the tone for the whole team, as they exploded for 161.22, and the Night Man's 130.3 point effort just wasn't enough to keep up. Nickolas gets some revenge for losing the division to the Night Man this season, and earns a respectable 3rd place and extra $10.
2016 IFL Champ, X-IA Champ & Reg. Season Champ: Brady's The Twenty Deuce
BSC Champ & Runner-Up: Andrew's Demiguise Dropkickers
CdS Champ: Zach's Night Man
PRS Champ: Jordan's Richie's JV
Wild Card & 3rd Place: Nick's Curtis's missing bicycle seat
Wild Card: Ewoldt's Make America Gronk Again
Top Overall Player: Ewoldt's David Johnson (26.7 PPG)
Top QB: Nick's Aaron Rodgers (23.0 PPG)
Top RB: See Top Overall Player
Top WR: Hunt's Antonio Brown (20.9 PPG)
Top TE: Aaron's Travis Kelce (14.1 PPG)
Top K: Aaron's Matt Bryant (10.8 PPG)
Top D/ST: Tyler's Kansas City Chiefs (13.9 PPG)
In 2016 Pick 'Em, it was Chris Duncan's impressive finishing performance, getting 14 of the last 17 polls right including 8 bonus point polls (no one else got more than 4 bonus point polls) that allowed him to claw back from down 11 picks to end the fantasy season as the 2016 Pick 'Em Champion, and a hard fought $15. Congratulations!
Final Pick 'Em Standings:
Pts (% correct)
Chris - 45 (50.8%)
Zach - 43 (56.7%)
Drew - 42 (56.7%)
Jesse - 41 (52.2%)
Nick - 37 (46.3%)
Curtis - 36 (50.1%)
Anton - 31 (38.8%)
Hunt - 24 (34.3%)
Herzog- 24 (32.8%)
Brady - 17 (25.4%)
Aaron - 16 (17.8%)
John - 12 (17.8%)
Joe - 10 (14.9%)
Jord - 6 (9.0%)
Ewoldt - 6 (7.5%)
Brat10 - 2 (3.0%)
Pick 'em tally: https://goo.gl/5ZM4MA
Thanks to all you coaches for the most competitive season yet in the IFL. Can't wait to see what next year looks like.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all.
The Commissioner