Week Thirteen 2002
Editor's Note -- here are the notes by Brian. Insightful and
accurate analysis.
A quick reminder also -- remember that teams in the playoffs get to pick
three extra guys on the bench for "tiebreakers."
Remember also that
nobody is out of the playoffs -- in week 17 all non-superbowl teams vie
for the title of Spud!
Week 13 - Down to the Wire
Just one week left to play and the race to the playoffs is heated. Two
teams have been eliminated and it's not the teams you'd expect. Dean's
Orcas have clinched a wildcard while Bill's Hornets, Shawn's Lone Gunmen
and Brent and Doug's Ospreys vie for the Plains Division Championship --
Each team stands at 4-9 and each team plays a non-divisional rival in
week 14.
What would have been the game of the week:
The Ospreys went into Monday night with a two-point deficit. They
needed this game to even things up against Bill's Hornets and to force a
three-way tie in the Plains Division. With Sebastian Janikowski booting
the pigskin for the Ospreys, only a field goal or a few extra points
were necessary. The Ospreys come from behind to win 69-58.
In Other Action:
The Plungers dodge needed Charlie Garner to score 7 points more than
Curtis Martin on Monday night. The Plungers get it and eke out a win
over Shawn's Lone Gunmen 86-84.
The Phantoms start QB Michael Vick in a record-breaking performance.
Vick sets the single-game rushing record for a QB and leads the Phantoms
to a 134-125 victory that eliminates the Drifters.
The Secret Agent Men play spoiler and keep the Ironmen from clinching
their division thanks to a 43-point performance by Drew Bledsoe. Rich's
Ironmen couldn't have made a difference even if they had played the
Steelers' starting QB - Slash. The SAM win 98-49.
Playoff Scenarios
Highlander Conference
I'm pretty certain this has never happened before. There is only one
team with a winning record entering the playoffs in the Highlander
Conference - Brian's Buckheads. If the Orcas lose, there will be three
teams with losing records claiming playoff spots in the Highlander
Conference.
As for the other four teams - Hornets, Warlocks, Lone Gunmen, Ospreys -
they're all still in it. They're playing to see who plays the Buckheads
and who plays the Orcas.
Plains Division:
With all three teams at 4-9 going into week 14, it's anybody's division.
The Ospreys take the division with a win, thanks to a 3-1 division
record. They will also take the division if they lose and both the
Hornets and Lone Gunmen Lose.
The Hornets take the division with both a win and a loss by the Ospreys.
The Hornets also clinch a wildcard with a win.
The Lone Gunmen, with a 1-3 division record, must hope for a win against
the Drifters and losses by both the Ospreys and the Hornets to take the
division.
Park Division:
In the Park Division, the Buckheads have already clinched the division.
Dean's Orcas have also clinched a wildcard berth and will play the
Plains Division Champion. At 4-9, Tony's Warlocks are one of three
teams vying for a wildcard.
The Warlocks are in the worst-possible position at this point. Their
division record is 1-3 and they must hope for a victory against the
Phantoms and a loss by at least two of the teams in the Plains Division
for any chance at a wildcard. It doesn't matter which two teams - only
that two teams lose.
Clansmen Conference
The teams in the playoffs are not in question - It's the Phantoms,
Ironmen, Plungers, and Wolverines. The Drifters and Secret Agent Men
are out. But who plays who in week 15 will not be decided until the
dust settles after week 14.
Valley Division:
The Phantoms have already clinched the division here. The Wolverines
have clinched a wildcard. The Lynn and Kila's Drifters have been
eliminated.
Mountains Division:
Scott's Plungers and Rich's Ironmen have clinched a playoff spot - but
which playoff spot? The Ironmen stand at 9-4 with a 2-2 Division
record. The Plungers are 8-5, also 2-2 in their division. The Ironmen
take the division with a win against the Orcas in week 14. The Plungers
take the division with a win against Bill's Hornets and a loss by the
Ironmen thanks to their total points scored. Marc's Secret Agent Men
have been eliminated.
Game of the Week:
Impossible to pick any one game this week with the Highlander Conference
so tight. So here are four games of the week:
Wolverines @ Ospreys
Ospreys win, they get the division. Wolverines battle for playoff
hierarchy.
Phantoms @ Warlocks:
A must win for the Warlocks - They win, they might be in. Lose and
they're out.
Drifters @ Lone Gunmen
Drifters play spoiler and the Gunmen need a LOT of help to make it.
Gunmen lose, they're out.
Plungers @ Hornets
The Hornets don't HAVE to win, but it makes things a lot easier if they
do. Plungers take the division with a win and a loss by the Ironmen.
The Hornets also claim a playoff spot with a win.
Editor's Note -- Whew!
