POSTGAME with Insider-eSFL 2014 Playoff, Round 1 -Week 13

eSFL 2014 Playoff, Week 1

by: Josh Perdew

Vintage Conference Playoffs

CLICK ON THE COACH NAME TO VIEW THEIR HISTORY AND COACH RECORDS

 

Frost Furrious Flurries (8-4 Appalachian) vs Zima Ruskies (8-4 Global)

The Zima Ruskies are 6-4 lifetime versus Frost.

Zima coached teams are a combined 8-9 all time versus Frost coached teams

Coach Frost is 1-0 vs coach Zima in playoff matches

Appalachian division champion Frost has decided to pick his own poison and will take on the Zima Ruskies, the blackjack winner from the Vintage Conference.  This game is a rematch from week 5 of this season when Frost dominated Zima with a 228-138 victory, in which Zima was waving the white flag early.  Will we see another repeat performance from the #1 overall seed in the Vintage conference?  Zima has slowly watched his unit slide from a run away first place division championship to barely making the playoffs with points fielded.  Temp stole the division that was all but locked up after 6 weeks, and now Zima has failed to close out the season, and things just don’t get much worse for him.  Frost selected him, probably because he is the weakest unit of the other three, and the powerhouse Frost unit led by Manning and Murray, should dominate the Ruskies who have relied solely on Rodgers and Nelson to carry him to every victory.  The Frost unit will wrap this one up early and march into the Vintage conference championship game. 

*** Frost 210 Zima 176 ***

POSTGAME

FROST 175.26   ZIMA 150.52

The Frost Flurries didn't bring their "A" game in week one of the 2014 playoffs but it didn't matter as the Zima Ruskies had offensive woes all day. Frost advances to the Vintage Conference Championship in search of the organizations second Ballistic Bowl title. "We had enough this week to win, that is all that is important", coach Jeff stated in his post-game presser. The Zima Ruskies were the actual story of this contest, winning week in and week out for the first 3/4 of the season and then to have it all fall apart over the final five weeks was a hard pill to swallow for coach Zima.  After the game the coach went off on his team and the media, "Jimmy Graham.....0 fucking pts!! On the week I need him to produce! U blew it son!! U will never make the Ruskies team in the up coming years... Your fired!! Fucking pathetic!!!". The eSFL is invistigating whether coach Zima actually threatened to kill members of the media when they asked him how it felt to be a chump.

Rhodes Runners (8-4 Virginia) vs Temps Texas Boys (8-4 Global)

 Coach Templin is 7-9 all time versus coach Rhodes

Coach Templin is 0-1 versus coach Rhodes in their only playoff meeting

A repeat of week 9 when the Runners ran off 215 points to surpass the Temps boys with a 189.  The Runners have dominated the Virginia Division and should represent well this week. Temps Texas Boys came from way behind to capture the Global with Zima falling late this season.  This one should be a shootout, with arguably the best offense in the league in Rhodes, and the best defense in the league with Temp.  We all know that defense wins championships, but that shit wont happen here.  Temp will get solid performances from Barwin and JJ Watts, but it wont be enough to stop the Runners.  Rhodes has too many offensive weapons that can score 30+ each week.  Look for Leveon, Luck, and Brown to carry the load and propel the Runners into that elusive conference championship game against the Frost Furrious Flurries.  

*** Runners 202  Temp 187 ***


POSTGAME

RHODES 255  TEMP 222.38

The Rhodes Runners won only their second playoff game in team history breaking a 13 year drought and look to appear in their second Ballistic Bowl. A common theme for the Runners all season has been pathetic defensive play and that didn't change in round one of the playoffs. However, the "lightning in a bottle" was actually two players who made the difference in this contest, Tre Mason (40) and Coby Fleener (28). The Temp Texas Boy's won with defense and decent offense all season long and had just that type of performance again this week. However, 222 wasn't enough in a league that has progressed into one of high octane offensive units that are capable of posting 250 plus against an opponent on any week. 62 defensive points didn't get it done this week, it should have, but bad luck was the difference here. Had Frost of the Flurries chosen to play any other team this week the Temp Boy's would be advancing.

Nebula Conference Playoffs

Nachman MF (8-4 Quasar) vs Houston Rams (8-4 Helix)

 

These two teams have never met in the playoffs

The Nachman team won in week 7 this year in their only head to head encounter

Personally, I hope the Nachman unit gets the early exit out of this year’s playoffs.  Nothing personal, but that team name is the worst in the league, and should he return to coach next season, I will petition for his team name to be changed.Viall  This is an embarrassment to the league to allow such a f*cked up name.  We carry a long list of tradition in this stellar league, and we do not have any place for this horsesh!t.   The first matchup from week 7 this season had the Rams narrowly losing to the Nachman unit 170-156.  I would consider that an upset special, but can we see the same results this time around?  It was odd to me that the Helix division champion Houston Rams have decided to pick Nachman over the other two units.  I personally think Vial is the weakest of the other three, and this could end up being a mistake on the Rams coach.  I do believe this game should be close, but in the end, the Rams are just the better team, and should prevail.   Look for Brees, Brown, and my boy Blue to carry the load for the Rams, and lift them to a narrow victory over stud Andrew Luck and the Nachman unit.  I think the WR’s for Nachman will end up costing him this game. 

*** Rams 193  Nachman 187 ***

POSTGAME

RAMS 270.78   NACHMAN 213.60

The Houston Rams posted the weeks high score and took down rookie Nachman unit to advance to the Nebula Conference Championship. The Rams won this game easily despite the score and will enter week 14 as the favorite to win the whole deal. Nachman gave it all they had but fell short and advance as a three seed in the Gunner Cup.

Standout Coalition (7-5 Orion) vs Viall Vigilante (6-6 Helix)

Coach Viall is 0-3 lifetime versus coach R. Pardue to include a loss in week 8 of this season

Coach Pardue has never player coach Viall in a playoff game

This Coalition unit has finally beaten the injury bug and overcome a lot of misfortune.  The first meeting this season in week 8 featured a close game, with the Coalition pulling out a narrow victory 201-190 over the Vigilante.  Coach Pardue earns the nod once again this week against the weaker Vigilante squad.  I got to give Vial a lot of credit for the good turnaround season and congratulate him for the playoff berth.  Unfortunately for him, it’s a one and done situation.  This Coalition is currently clicking on all cylinders when it matters the most.  AJ Green is healthy, Gordon is back from suspension, and stud RB Lesean McCoy has decided to play solid football after about ten weeks of sh!t.  Vial’s strength is built around the WR play of Thomas and Sanders, but Lacy will be the real disappointment here.  I give the experience nod to coach Pardue, and will be cheering for the Coalition from this point forward.  

*** Coalition 227  Vial 169 ***

POSTGAME

Coalition 173.4  Viall 150.16

The leagues favorite team has a shot to make history in week 14 as they defeated the three time Hi 50 winning Blackjack Viall Vigilante. Coach Pardue of the Coalition has done a masterful job of rounding this team into shape and giving everyone in the league hope of a huge award pot for next season. If the Coalition somehow can upset the Rams in the Conference Title game there will certainly be joy in eSFL land from all owners.

Gunner Cup Round 1-2014-Preview

The eSFL's 15th regular season is over and unfortunately every team didn't qualify for the playoffs. For those who didn't it is not over though, as the 5th Gunner Cup is a place to redeem yourself for a less than "good enough" regular season. This year the Gunner Cup will start with 10 non-playoff teams and allow playoff losers to drop down into the cup for round 2. Below is a look at the layout for 2015. 

Perdew Pulverizers (5-7) vs Dlugiewicz Fighting Pollocks (7-5)

The Pollocks fought for a Quasar division title all the way to the final play of the final week. They missed out by one game and were not able to qualify as a Blackjack either, so they find themselves in the Gunner Cup. This week I don't see a very good chance of advancing to round two however, with tough NFL matchups that are likely to produce a low overall team score. 

It felt as though the Pulverizers were eliminated from the Virginia Division title spot as far back as week four, Blackjack hunting the remainder of the season. However, the Pulverizers were realistically in the hunt as deep as week 8 and the favorite for a Blackjack. It didn't pan out with two 130's and a 160 to close the season. This week they look like the big favorite and the only question in my mind is whether they will score enough points to advance to round two. I don't think so, but they will get a win in the POSTSEASON database!

Perdew 163  Dlugiewicz 161

Igama Sweaty Palms (6-6) vs D Crownholder (2-10)

Do not let the Crownholder record fool you into thinking they are a bad team. They are not, they just aren't a very good team. At one point this season, as late as week eight, this team was the Blackjack leader in the Vintage. Things went South in week nine with a 94 and never really returned North.

The Sweaty Palms battled but fell one game short of the Orion division crown, eliminated in week 11. However, the Palms look like a solid unit that could make a late season run for a Gunner Cup Title. Demarco Murray, A. Morris, TY Hilton and others should get the attention of all opponents each week. I like the Palms and I like them to go deep into this tourney.

Palms 197  Crownholder 176

Texan Bruiser (7-5) vs Kav Kavanators (4-8)

The Nators fell on hard times early in the season with injury to Calvin Johnson and the A.P. incident. This team raised their level of play the final four weeks with thre 190 + performances in that span. A bad luck team this year, injuries, incidents, and opponent high scores doomed them. I like the Nators in this GC and expect them to win and qualify for round two.

The Texan team fought for the Virginia division top spot all the way to week 12 but fell a game short. This is a team who will score 160-180 each week and will take out anyone who under performs. I don't think the Nators will assist them this week in that, and believe they will be eliminated from the Cup race in round 1. The Nators are firing on all cylinders at this point and it would be a big surprise if they didn't advance.

Nators 201  Bruiser 184

Fields Fanatix (4-8) vs Money Team (2-10)Psycho 143  Wallies 142

I have absolutely no idea how the Money Team won two games, nor do I have any idea why the Fanatix only won four. The Fanatix finished second in the Vintage Blackjack race and are pumping up the points as we enter the Gunner Cup. With losses in the first five weeks of the campaign, the Fanatix missed out on their opportunity for a division title. Three of those losses were with 170 or better and this team had the second most points scored against them in the entire league.

The Money team led the league in points against, but honestly, it wouldn't have mattered, they suck.

Fields will likely lose this game the way his season has went.

Fields 211  Money 139

Psycho Billiecats (8-4) vs Wallies Texas Stars (2-10)

The 'Cats have the best record of all first round Gunner Cup teams and actually tied for the Helix division title. The tiebreaker went to points fielded and he came up short there and the Blackjack race. One may think an 8-4 team tied for their division lead would be one to run through a Gunner Cup style tournament, however in my opinion I believe they are one of the worst teams in the Cup. They had the fewest points fielded against them in the league, had five weeks with less than 160, won two games with less than 155. However, the final five weeks this team somehow managed to put up 180 or better in all of them and look like the hottest team. I don't think so, 180 streak broke this week with a whopping:

Psycho 143  Wallies 142

I believe the Palms, Nators, Fields, and Perdew will advance to round two of the 2014 Gunner Cup. That leaves the Billiecats, despite a win in round one, looking for answers.

Have a nice Thanksgiving.

2014 Playoffs-How they made it

The 2014 regular season is over so lets take a look at the playoff qualifiers and how they made it.

(8-4)

Nachman might have taken the most abuse this year, shitty team name and noone liked his stable of players, but somehow he pulled off the division title.

(7-5)

The Coalition was heralded as the best team in the world after the draft. It didn't pan out that way with injuries and poor player performance. However, despite all the team troubles the Coalition won two HI 50 awards and the Orion division. Congrats to coach Ron Pardue!

(8-4)

The Houston Rams dominated the entire season winning two Hi 50's and the Helix division. The team has the highest POWER RANK, VALUE RANK, and WHAT IF scenarios in the league. Despite all that they barely held off the Psycho Billiecats for the division crown. Since both finished with an 8-4 record the tiebreaker was used. The two team tiebreaker is Head to head (split), Points fielded on season (Houston).

(6-6)

Viall (2121) won the blackjack over the Psycho Billiecats (2062), Igama (2000), Dlugiewicz (1974), and others.

The tough luck team in this conference was the Billiecats who tied for the division title and did not make the playoffs. The Dlugiewicz team also saw some bad luck in a poor week 12 performance.

The number 1 seed in the conference based on points is the Houston Rams. They get to pick their first round opponent.

(8-4)

The Runners won the division with a mid season run that ended up being the difference. Injuries and bye weeks hurt the team the final three weeks.

(8-4)

The Temp Texas Boy's were at one point three games behind the division leading Zima Ruskies. A win in the final week over the Ruskies gave them the division title based on points fielded on the season.

(8-4)

Frost qualifies as the top seed in the Vintage and were never challenged for the division title.

(8-4)

What looked like a division title ended up being a Blackjack. This team nearly didn't make the playoffs after leading their division the entire season. Zima (2117), Fields (2039), Texan (2028), Perdew (1996) and others.

Frost is the Vintage conference 1 seed.

Coach Rhodes week 12 Presser

Week 12-2014-Playoff Implications

As we roll into week 12 there are several dogfights for division titles. Lets look at the Nebula first, and begin with those teams that have locked their division title up already.

The Coalition has won the Orion division and is in the playoffs!

That is the only team that has clinched thus far in the nebula. Now lets look at the remaining divisions and week 12 implications:

 7-4 (1822.6) 

 7-4 (1946.64)

Dlugiewicz is 4-0 in the division, and has a 2-0 head to head sweep of Nachman on the year. If both teams finish with the same record then Dlugiewicz wins the tiebreaker between the two based on rule K step 2 (head to head). 

Nachman can only win this division with a Dlugiewicz loss and a MF win in week 12.

Both teams are Blackjack eligible (discussed later)

 7-4 (2148.78)

 7-4 (1838)

 6-5 (1923)



This is a dogfight. Lets assume all three teams finish at 7-5.

Since it is a three team tie, section Ka of the rules will be used. 

For the Billiecats  to qualify for the division title, they need to finsish 8-4 and the Rams lose week 12 and finish 7-5. 

Viall needs a lot of points in week 12, a win, and for the Billiecats and Rams to have less total points on the season then they do to win the division.

Step 1 is BEST DIVISION RECORD. In this case, all three teams were 7-5 and all 2-2 in the division. 

So we now go to step 2, BEST COMBINED RECORD VERSUS TIED TEAMS IN THE GROUP. This step is eliminated because there are only 3 teams in the divison and division records are 2-2 (meaning this step all teams are 2-2 as well). 

Step 3 we go, HEAD TO HEAD SWEEP, we take the team with the lowest points fielded on season and compare them to the other two and see if they were swept by any of them. In this case, we compare and see that none of the three will be eliminated as none were swept.

So we go to step 4, which is a tiebreaker formula. The results would eliminate one of the three teams. Based on current results through 11 weeks:

Houston-63 points

Viall-49 points

Psycho-48 points

Psycho Billiecats would be eliminated (but that is through 11 weeks and we still have a week left)

Once one of the three teams has been eliminated we then return to section K in the rules, two team tiebreaker. 

The teams we have left in this scenario are Houston and Viall. 

Head to head was 1-1, so we go to 

step 3 (points). As it stands now that would eliminate Viall.

In the above scenario the Houston Rams win the division. 

As you can see there are a lot of scenerios here, but the Rams are in the drivers seat for sure. The 'Cats are in need of a huge point week and Viall needs a win to be alive.

In the Virginia Division the Rhodes Runners have clinched the division title.

 8-3 (2000.2)

Frost has won the Appalachian Division title.

 8-3 (2052.1)

The only division that is left to be decided in this conference is the historic Global.

 8-3 (1991.64)

 7-4 (1958.22)

These teams play one another this week. A Temp win will put them in a tie at 8-4 and the division winner will go to tiebreakers. 

Section K of the rules, two team tiebreaker step 1 is a wash (win pct).

Step 2 is Head to Head: These teams would have split

Step 3 is most points on season. Zima currently has a 33.42 point lead. So, if Temp wins this week by more than 33.42 he is the division winner. If he does not win by more than 33.42 Zima is the division winner.

That's the look at the playoff implications for this weeks games. I want to remind everyone we also have the coveted Gunner Cup tourney that begins in week 13. All non playoff qualifiers will  be seeded based on points fielded on the season. A layout of the format can be found on the official site front page links section.

This years Ballistic Bowl award (can change due to trans fees and possible errors):

18 teams x 200=3600

Minus 100 (commish fees)=3500

Minus 200 (coalition)=3300

Minus 110.00 (Gunner Cup)=3190

Minus 600 (Hi 50)=2590

Plus 140 (trans fees)=2730

90 percent of 2730=2457 (Ballistic Bowl Winner)

10 percent of 2730=273 (Ballistic Bowl Loser)

Good luck to everyone and thanks for a great season!