| I at least owe you a report for championship week haha! Sorry guys but the full-time grind continues to call, it may be time for me to put the pen (err..keyboard) down for now and time for me to pass the torch onto someone else. The UFFL could always use a fresh perspective, I'm sure even my writing gets boring after awhile. Only time will tell what will happen to me next, but for now and in the seasons to come, I will do my best to continue writing in what little free time I have, but I'm afraid I can no longer keep your hopes up. Thank you for your understanding. Believe me, I have had a lot to say about the league and the great storylines that all the teams have put together in the weeks since my last posted report. The Glory Hogs somehow miraculously made a great late season push to reach .500 after a horrendous 0-3 start. That made the Finish Line's season look like a certain end but the Finish Line played their best game of the season behind Caspar Baez's multi-TD game before the Ef U Boyz put them away. The Hornets looked like they were in trouble in the weeks after their surprise loss to the Glory Hogs, but in the playoffs they took it to the Ef U Boyz in an impressive losing effort. This season was hardest on the Bearclaws and the Renegades, both teams were well put together and full of talent, but they had to take a back seat to the Ef U Boyz domination and the rise of Bonefish. The Warriors are still a great team, no doubt about it, but Bonefish came into the playoffs guns ablazing and the Warriors were just outmatched (and without QB Gary Hutchinson). In the Elite Division, Most Wanted suffered from lack of available players almost every week including a season-ending injury to Matt Williamson and decided to give UnXpected their playoff spot. What does this mean for Most Wanted? Under the new format, does this mean Most Wanted will be a rec division team next season? As for UnXpected, it was basically all about the big 3 all season, without Kelvin Myers, DJ Williams, & Leo Riddick (Josh Belkoff too but he only played one game), they would have been the laughing stock of the elite division. Hats off to them though for being able to compete with every single team they faced this season. But with rumors of the big 3 breaking up next season, what will happen to UnXpected? Other than that the only other notable story in the elite division is another early exit for Team Hammer. But that was the most cohesive Team Hammer I've ever seen, combining with Keith Tone's Shruty's Pub team really changed the complexion of this team and in my opinion it was a change for the better. If I were Christian Jesse, I'd be looking forward to playing with the same team in the seasons to come, they can only get better from here...I hope. With all those thoughts out of the way, let's focus on this week. We have champions to decide!..... ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ WHO: Shoey's Jeep (9-1) vs Scorpions (8-2) TIME: 8AM SERIES: First Meeting LINE: Shoey's by 8pts POWER RANKINGS: Shoey's Jeep #1; Scorpions #4 THE SKINNY: With the Legends and the Playboys out of the way, the table is set for DeMart & Shoey's Jeep to bring back the championship. Can they take advantage of the path laid before them? It may look easy but this is the playoffs, anything can happen. Just ask the Scorpions, who once again pulled off the upset against the Legends. Can the Scorpions do it again and set themselves up for an improbable title shot? This should be an intriguing match-up to say the least. WINNER: Shoey's Jeep manages to escape the upset-minded Scorpions. Shoey's Jeep 26 vs Scorpions 22 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ WHO: Bombers (7-3) vs Barbarians (8-2) TIME: 8AM SERIES: Barbarians lead series 1-0; Barbarians won last meeting 19-14 LINE: Bombers by 3pts POWER RANKINGS: Bombers #2; Barbarians #3 THE SKINNY: The Barbarians earned their way to the easy road to the semifinals and once again the Bombers stand in their way of another title shot. I've seen Ukeen Riddick battle injuries all season and he wasn't present for the Barbarians victory over PrimeTime last week. If Riddick is done for the season, the road to the championship will be a lot tougher for this team, he's been their biggest playmaker all season. The Bombers finally got the upper hand on the Playboys again and are now one win away from a shot at their 3rd UFFL championship. The Bombers know how to win games and it's that experience that will carry them there. The Brains of the Bombers against the Heart of the East Side, this game could rival a Legends-Barbarians OT thriller. WINNER: This one will be all about defense, which defense will make the final mistake? Barbarians - 14 vs Bombers - 12 Skinny's Upset Pick of the Week! ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Rec Division Championship Game WHO: Ef U Boyz (10-0) vs Bonefish (8-2) Skinny's Game of the Week! TIME: 9AM SERIES: Ef U Boyz lead series 1-0; Ef U Boyz won last meeting 34-32 LINE: Ef U Boyz by 12pts POWER RANKINGS: Ef U Boyz #1; Bonefish #2 THE SKINNY: This is the championship match-up I predicted to happen and this is the championship match-up that this league deserves to see. I'm more excited to see this championship than I am to see any of the possible elite division championship match-ups. For the most part, the Ef U Boyz have breezed their way through the regular season and to the championship. Now only one team stands in the way of perfection and the league's first ever rec division championship. Throughout the season, Bonefish has continued to grow as a team. They have faced adversity and have fallen against the best of their division, but they have regrouped and, after decimating the Warriors out of the playoffs last week, have shown me they can learn from their failures and make the proper adjustments. A championship for this team would be like a graduation, a coming of age for a team that has long awaited to find any form of success in this league. A big part of their success this season is rec division MVP Jerry DeJesus, without his talents and contributions, Bonefish would not be where they are today. Joesph Ocelus clearly has the best arm in the division and the division's competition has brought out the best in Jon Torres and Edward Rodriguez, who knew Bonefish had a defensive line that can bring the heat? But their biggest weaknesses is still flag-pulling, Bonefish must stay disciplined if they are to contain Ef U Boyz QB Jeff Northstein's running game. Northstein is the one man in this division that no one has been able to stop. WINNER: If Bonefish's defense can bring the pressure, pull flags, and man up on the Ef U Boyz receivers, their offense will do the rest. Bonefish is the only team in the rec division that can pull off the upset no other team has been able to do this season. But all this is easier said than done, the Ef U Boyz are focused and more experienced, they will find a way to win this game. If this game is anything short of epic, I will be disappointed. My readers will be too after noticing how much I'm hyping this game haha! Ef U Boyz - 30 vs Bonefish - 29 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Elite Division Championship Game TIME: THE SKINNY: Bombers-Scorpions: Bombers, experience favors the Bombers, Bednarik and/or Trovato are going to have to carry the Scorpions to victory in this match-up Barbarians-Scorpions: Barbarians, the Barbarians will will themselves to victory riding their defense, they won't this opportunity slide and they will bring the title to the East Side Bombers-Shoey's Jeep: Shoey's Jeep, the Bombers will make it closer than their regular season dud but Shoey's should still be able to ride a comfortable lead all the way and finally win their first UFFL title since Fall 2007 Barbarians-Shoey's Jeep: Shoey's Jeep, if any team can knock off Shoey's, it's the Barbarians and their tenacious defense but I think Justin Zeiner can single-handedly pull the rug from under the Barbarians championship hopes as long as a DeMart is feeding him the ball, either way someone from the East Side wins a 'chip, I hope this is the match-up we get to see this week Good luck to all the teams involved! Don't forget to tip your officials... Skinny Out! |
SKINNY'S