The Iowa Fantasy League’s second ever rivalry week is here. Winners of their respective rivalry will receive $10 FAAB.
Let’s take a look at the matchups:
Pineview Legends
If you want to have the GOAT conversation regarding the athletes that have graced the hallowed grounds of Pineview Elementary School, then Nelson and Duncan are certainly the main two contenders. Aaron, of course, came out of the womb faster than any of us ever were and was a cheat code in basketball or football; but Chris was a literal mini-Roethlisberger in pickup, with a jaw-dropping cannon for an arm, which pretty much cemented him as all-time QB but his supple hands also made him a bruising tight end.
Chris leads this series 5 to 2, with Aaron winning last year’s matchup in a nailbiter 115.22-114.29. Chris may be 0-7 this year, but if he could get one win all year, he’d probably make it this one.
Richard Bros
How can you compete against little brother? No matter what they do, they’re always beloved. In Jord’s case, it’s really tough. Austin’s got a better beard, better Photoshop skills, and a greater appreciation for good names, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Jord will always have experience on his side, looks GOOD in a tank, and has recently forged himself into a superior golfer, though that could change if Austin got some properly fitted clubs, and being an IFL veteran goes a long ways, something that Austin will need to earn in time.
Joining the league in 2020, Austin has only ever met Jord twice in the IFL, a matchup which Jord has won both times. The result of this game will have big consequences in Papa Jord’s.
Jane’s basement
It’s impossible to quantify just how much time the town of Iowa Falls has spent in Jane Hansen’s basement, and the all-time leaders list is one that would shock you, like even cracking the top 25 would have required months of your life, but Curtis is certainly at the top of the heap. This is not an exaggeration: for a multi-year stretch late junior high into high school Curtis spent more time than Nick did in his own mother’s basement all while technically not living there. If you had to measure the quantity of Jane’s pop that Curtis has drank in his lifetime, your unit would have to be olympic-sized swimming pools. Some people adopted Jane’s basement, but Curtis was born in it, molded by it.
This is one the IFL’s two most storied rivalries, as these two Cul-de-Sack foes have had 12 meetings, and Curtis leads 8 to 4. Curtis has won three in a row and Nick hasn’t won since 2019. The whole of the Cul-de-Sack is rooting for Curtis here to upset the division leader.
CYCLONES VS HAWKEYES
Scallon is the most sensible person I know. Despite being one of the biggest Cyclone fans in the country, he always holds himself to reason, and will adhere to the laws of reason. TC is beyond a stan of the Hawkeyes, he is closer to a religious zealot or a freedom fighter, who will hear no slander against anyone or anything even tangentially related to the Hawkeyes, and will respond vulgarly and violently if he does. Unfortunately for Scallon, the battle between logic and blind passion is one that can’t really be won. Like how in reality the Cyclones beat the Hawkeyes this season, but in TC’s personal record book, they did not.
TC has dominated this matchup, winning all seven of their meetings, including last year’s beating TC put on the Express 159-89. Scallon will look to make up lost time with #1 power-ranked team this year.
most interesting
men in the world
Cuba imports cigars from them.
Mosquitos refuse to bite them purely out of respect.
In museums, they are allowed to touch the art.
Even their enemies list them as their emergency contact number.
They bowl overhand.
They can identify UFOs.
They’re polymaths, Renaissance men, Übermensch. Jack, the doctor, the scholar, the philosopher, father, runner, mustard/tuna/sardine connoisseur. Qualley, the auditor, the patron, the cosmopolitan, fiancée, runner, hunter/hiker/fishermen. Only one of them can win their respective rivalry, but they’ll both walk away better for it.
Qualley leads this series 3-2. Jack bested Qualley in last year’s rivalry week, but Qualley got his revenge in the opening round of the playoffs, knocking the Tufted Titmice out of contention.
iowa falls transplants
This rivalry, which could easily also be named the Smokeshow Shootout, as these two are obvious heavyweights in the Hottest Coaches in the IFL rankings, instead is a reference to their adopted status into the Iowa Falls class of 2010. Ewoldt, of course, being an Alden native, arrived at the height of junior high puberty and nerves, but was quickly beloved due to his natural coolness, and skater hair. Jesse arrived at the same time as the Aldenites (if memory serves), and everyone just assumed, he too was from Alden, even though he came from god knows where, and his upbeat personality and upbeat hair won us all over in short order.
Having met in the consolation playoffs last year, this rivalry has now tied Nick/Curtis for most meetings, having met each other 12 times, with Ewoldt leading the series 7 to 5. Jesse won rivalry week last year, but Ewoldt won in the consolation playoffs. Can Jesse be the first to stop the undefeated Course Rangers?
BACHELOR PARTY ABSENTEES
A friendship as old as time. One forged by being mutually manhandled by Rick and mutually loved by Becky. A storied friendship filled with fishing, terrible bands, and Halo. A friendship frayed by Brady’s moving to the desert, but one that persevered anyway, and still landed Brady as a groomsmen at Drew’s wedding. Drew’s bachelor party was optional for Brady, as he lived 1,500 miles away, but his absence was a scar that never faded on Drew’s psyche, a hurt that he would hold onto for four hard years. For when Brady’s bachelor party was explicitly scheduled in close proximity to Drew’s residence, as he was a groomsmen after all, Drew cashed in on his long held grudge, and returned the favor, no showing Brady’s multi-day celebration. Sometimes the best of rivalries were once the best of friendships.
The series tie was broken last year by Brady, who now leads 5-4. Drew last won this matchup in 2018.
FAILED MATHEMATICIANS
Everyone loves Good Will Hunting, but would the masses have loved Bad Tanner Hunting? The one where the mathematical genius doesn’t live up to his potential of making the world a better place by the power of math? Maybe that isn’t actually how Good Will Hunting ended, but I always viewed it was somewhat implied. Whatever the case, neither Hunt nor myself pursued our mathematical talents beyond academia, much to the chagrin of Miss Steiner and her greatest aspirations for us. Though she was as much our intellectual mentor as she was our spiritual cheerleader, and ultimately I like to think that Tanner and I’s pursuit of happiness is as worthy of cause as any. And maybe that’s how Good Will Hunting really ended. 🍎
The commish’ leads this series 4-2, with Hunt winning most recently in 2021.