ROBIO MURRAY
Est. 1999
LAST SEASON
Thanks to injuries, suspensions and a poor draft, for the fifth time in my career, I began the year 0-4. This included three straight games under a grand; two of which proved to be weekly low score. In week five, I finally put it together with a 1,888-point win over Griff. This propelled me to a four straight wins. Yet, cracks began to show and I would drop three of my next four. Through 12 weeks, I was just 5-7 and outside the playoffs. However, in weeks 13-14, I dominated with 1,706 (against Masterson) and 1,876 (against Michael), both being weekly high scores. The two wins put me at 7-7 and landed me the 6-seed. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to duplicate the magic and I fell to Michael in the quarterfinals, losing 1,643 – 1,355.
CAREER
Where to begin? How about the beginning. Out of the gate, there was no one better. Through nearly five seasons, I won five division titles, earning a three seed or higher every year. I had two top seeds and two scoring crowns and never finished below number two in scoring. Between 1999-2002, I was undefeated in the quarterfinals, 3-1 in the semifinals and had already earned three championships. I was so good at this, it seemed wrong. Yet, in the 2003 quarterfinals, everything changed. That season, I overcame an 0-4 start to not only make the playoffs, but earn the top-seed. I was going to cruise to a fourth championship. Then Calderon arrived as the 8-seed, nearly scored 2,000 and shocked the world, becoming the first 8-seed to beat a 1-seed. It took over a decade to pick up the pieces completely.
In 2004, I would miss the playoffs for the first time. And between 2004 and 2018, making it to the playoffs became a huge issue. In fact, over the next 16 years, I would make the playoffs in only seven times. The odd part is, when I did make the playoffs, good things happened. During these 16 seasons, I was 7-0 in the quarterfinals and 4-3 in the semifinals. I reached the title game four times (every other year between 2006 and 2012). I lost to Don in both 2006 and 2008, became the first 12-1 team in 2010, but lost to Bob in the finals, before finally earning that fourth title in 2012 with a win over Eric.
Unfortunately, that good fortune would run out. Between 2014-2018, it got real bad, as I missed the playoffs in four of five years and the one time I made it, I was a six seed with just six wins who lost in the semifinals.
Thankfully 2019 arrive and I put together not only my best team, but the greatest season ever. I won 11 games, earning the scoring crown by averaged 1,675 points per game (a record). I easily dispatched all foes the playoffs and scored 1,715 per game for the entire season. The following season I only won six games, but I reached the finals for a second straight year, before losing to Jeff.
While my current playoff run is five seasons (tied for my longest), my invincibility in the quarterfinals is gone, as I’ve fall in the postseason’s first week the last three seasons, after going 13-1.
For now, the inconsistency during those 16 years will again keep me from the top spot (and honestly, Calderon could make a good argument for the second spot). However, my overall digits remain impressive. I’m 205-168 for my career. The .550 win percentage is fourth only to Bob, Calderon and Michael. I average 1,370 points per game, which is third best. My average finish in the standings is 5.04, which is second best, as is my average finish in points (5.04). In total, I’ve first in scoring crowns (5), top seeds (4), trips to the finals (9) and actual championships (5).
FUN WITH OTHER NUMBERS
Overall, six of my seasons are in the top-40 of highest scoring regular seasons, led by that 2019 game where I averaged 1,675 points per game. That’s 69 points higher than the next person on the list. If we add in postseason points, I have nine of the top-40 scoring full seasons in league history, led by my 2019 team that scored 27,443 points. That’s an average of 1,715 per game, while no one else has averaged 1,600 in full season. Of course, it’s not all good. My 2004 team averaged 1,343 points per game, but missed the playoffs. That’s the 7th most points scored by a team that failed to qualified for the playoffs. My 2009 team had no shot to qualify for the postseason. That team averaged 1,062 points per game, which is the 17th lowest in league history.
As for playoffs, I’ve made it to the show in 17 of my 25 seasons. My 68% success rate is just 6th best. Where I have excelled is when I do reach the postseason. I’m 27-12 overall in the playoffs. My .692 win percentage in the postseason is the highest. I’m the only team that averages over 1,500 per game (1,513). I’m 13-4 in the quarterfinals, 9-4 in the semifinals and 5-4 in the finals. I am one of four people to have back-to-back titles (1999-2000).
I have eight of the top-40 highest scoring single games in the postseason, led by my 2,072 points scored in the 2020 quarterfinals over Masterson. I also have three of the top-35 lowest point totals in the playoffs, led by my 844-point effort in the 2006 finals. In terms of ass-kicks, I have seven of the top-40, led by a 861-point win over Michael in the 2019 quarterfinals. In that game, I lost to Don by 783 points (1,627 – 844), which remains the third largest ass-kicking in title game history. Worse yet, I’m one of two people (Don) in a career to lose in the quarterfinals as a 1-seed, 2-seed and a 3-seed.
When it comes to combined points, I’ve been involved in nine of the top 24 games, winning five of those. My 1,973 – 1871 victory over Eric in the 2012 title game remains the highest combined score in title game history (we combined for 3,844 points). And the last thing regarding the playoffs, my 2019 team scored 5,664 points in their three postseason games, which is second only to Matt’s 2017 team.
In total I have played 373 games. Of those, I have scored over 1,500 in 34.43% of my games. That percentage is the highest in league history. Meanwhile, my opponents top 1,500 in 25.20% of my games, which is 8th most. When it comes to not hitting a grand, I’ve only done it 8.60% of the time, which is the lowest percentage in the league. My opponents have done it 17.69% of the time, which is the third most.
When it comes to delivering weekly high score, I’m good at that too. I’ve done it 14.67% of the time, which is the most by a good margin. My foes do it 8.38% of the time, which is fifth most. I’ve scored the weekly low in 5.69% of my games (third best), while my opponents have done it 8.89% (fourth most).
Speaking of highs and lows…I have three of the top-11 weeks without a low score streaks. I’ve gone 42 weeks (2018-2022), which is the 7th longest, as well as 42 weeks (1999-2002) and 41 weeks (2004-2007), which are 10th and 11th. I also went 52 weeks without a week high score (2013-2017), which is the 6th longest streak in league history. Between 2013-2015, I went 22 weeks without a 1,500-pt game, which is tied for the 10th longest streak in league history.
As for winning and losing streaks. I do have a nine-game losing streak to my credit (2008-2009), which is tied for third longest. Within that streak, I opened up the 2009 season with eight straight loses, which is the worst start in league history. However, when it comes to win streaks, no one is better. In fact, of the four longest streaks in league history, I own three of them. I won 12 straight games in 1999-2000, Between 2019-2020, I won 13 straight games and then in 2010, I won14 straight games, tied for Bob for longest winning streak. When it comes to points, I top 1,000 in row 28 straight times (2012-2014), which is tied for the 11th longest streak and I once scored 1,250 in 20 straight games (2018-2020), which is the second longest streak ever.
When it comes to single game production, I’ve topped 2,000 a total of 10 times (a league high). My best was 2,381 in week six of the 2018 season against Don. That remains the third most points scored in a game. Oddly enough, my worst game was my first game, when I scored just 280 points. That remains the second lowest in league history.
I’ve lost three games in my career where I scored over 1,700. I scored 1,713 in a loss to Eric in 2020 (18th most points scored in a defeat). I scored 1,772 in a defeat to Don in 2002 (13th most in loss) and I scored 1,823 in a loss to David in 2000 (8th most in defeat).
As for ass kicking, I own four of the top-10 ass-kickings in league history. The largest was against Masterson in 2003. I beat him 2,099 – 475. The 1,624-point margin of victory is the largest in league history. As for combined scores, I’ve been involved in 11 of the top-40 in league history, led by my 2018 match up with Don. I beat him 2,381 – 1,500. Our combined 3,881 points was the 6th most combined points ever scored.