Predictions, they are the cornerstone of a great commissioner. Sadly, predictions are sort of like a turd flavored, penis shaped lollipop…a good idea, but oh so wrong. My point…well, just see below.
You will find all my preseason championship predictions, how they fared, plus who was the actual champion and where did I have them in my projections.
As you will see below, predictions go as far back as 2002 and although write ups go back as far as 2007, some of the earlier ones are lost in time, so I only have the most recent. Lastly, 2008 both Colby and Masterson did predictions.
As we already know, only two preseason teams ranked first went on to win the championship. They were Matt in 2017 and Jeff in 2020. Nine total preseason number ones actually failed to make the playoffs. The last was Bob in 2023. Between 2014-2016, three straight preseason number one teams missed the playoffs (Robio, Calderon, Griff).
2024 SEASON
Actual Predictions
Preseason number one – Colby Hall
Preseason number one’s results – Struggled with a healthy backfield and was 3-7 through 10 weeks, with three weekly low scores. He rallied in the final month, winning three of his final four to squeeze into the playoffs as an 8-seed. Despite his 6-8 record, Colby upset 1-seed Calderon, before falling in the semifinals.
Actual Champion – Michael Evangelist
Actual Champs preseason prediction – Projected to finish third and was inconsistent all season. Started 5-2, but then dropped four straight, before salvaging two of his final three games. He finished 7-7 and settled for 7th in points and the 7-seed. However, his receivers got hot and went on a playoff roll to win his first championship.
2023 SEASON
Actual Predictions
Preseason number one – Bob Castrone
Preseason number one’s results – Struggled to put up points all season (topping 1,500 just twice). While he never suffered a long losing streak (never dropping three straight), he couldn’t produce any winning streaks either. He began the year 2-4, then rallied to go 4-2. At 6-6, he was in the playoffs with two weeks remaining. Unfortunately, he dropped his final two to Don and Eric and he became the latest preseason favorite to miss the playoffs, settling for 9th place (10th in points).
Actual Champion – Colby Hall
Actual Champs preseason prediction – Projected to finish second, Colby, despite scoring well was only 3-3 through six weeks, but then three straight weekly high scores put him at the top. He would win his final eight games, earning both the top seed and the scoring crown. The playoffs were a breeze, as he earned a second straight title with a finals win over Michael.
2022 SEASON
Preseason number one – Michael Evangelist
Preseason number one’s results – He started off well, scoring over 1,700 in a week one win, but the points were never a guarantee moving forward. In fact, through seven weeks, Michael was 5-2, but he also had three games under 1,000 (two in which he won). He finished 4-3 down the stretch, scoring over 1,700 three more times, but still only managed to finish seventh in points. However, he was 9-5 and earned the 5-seed. Unfortunately, his playoff run was short, losing to Colby in the quarterfinals.
Actual Champion – Colby Hall
Actual Champs preseason prediction – Colby was projected to finish fourth and behind McCaffrey, he jumped out to a 3-0 start to the season. As the season went along, nothing about his squad screamed champion, as he was just 4-5 in his next nine. However, he won two low scoring games to end the year, finishing 9-5, earning the four seed, finishing sixth in points. A strong playoff run where he scored 5,321 points, delivered Colby his first ever championship, with a finals win over Neatock (who was going for his fifth career championship).
2021 SEASON
Actual Predictions
Preseason number one – Michael Evangelist
Preseason number one’s results – Michael would earn his first career preseason rankings, but he struggled out of the gate, dropping his first there contests. By week eight, he was riding a second 3-game losing streak and sat at 2-6. However, his foes suddenly stopped showing and he won four straight. Even with a week 13 defeat, Michael was heading into the final week with a win-and-he’s in game. Well, he failed to set his lineup and lost. The guy who took his place as the final seed, Eric, went on to become the first 8-seed to win a championship. Speaking of…
Actual Champion – Eric Vozzola
Actual Champs preseason prediction – Eric was originally projected to finish ninth. He started strong with a win in his first contest but then stumbled, dropping the next three. He bounced back with a solid two-week winning streak in Weeks 5 and 6, racking up nearly 3,700 points combined. However, he only managed two wins over his next five games. Heading into the final week, Eric needed a win over Colby and losses from both Michael and Griff to sneak into the playoffs. Against the odds, everything broke his way—Eric secured the 8-seed. From there, he went on a Cinderella run for the ages: shocking the 1-seed Masterson in the quarterfinals, upsetting 2-seed Bob in the semis, and finally taking down 6-seed Jeff in the championship. Eric became the first—and only—8-seed to win it all.
2020 SEASON
Actual Predictions
Preseason number one – Jeff Greenblatt
Preseason number one’s results – Finished 8-5, 5-seed, Won the Championship.
Actual Champion – Jeff Greenblatt
Actual Champs preseason prediction – Projected to finish first
2019 SEASON
Actual Predictions
Preseason number one – Rich Calderon
Preseason number one’s results – Finished 12-1, first seed, lost in finals
Actual Champion – Robio Murray
Actual Champs preseason prediction – Projected to finish third
2018 SEASON
Actual Predictions
Preseason number one – Bob Castrone
Preseason number one’s results – Finished 10-3, second seed, lost in quarterfinals
Actual Champion – Matt Neatock
Actual Champs preseason prediction – Projected to finish seventh
2017 SEASON
Actual Predictions
Preseason number one – Matt Neatock
Preseason number one’s result – Finished 9-4, won it all with the league’s greatest playoff run
Actual Champion – Matt Neatock
Actual Champs preseason prediction – Projected to finish first.
2016 SEASON
Actual Predictions
Preseason number one – Griff Coomer
Preseason number one’s actual finish – Finished 4-9, missing the playoffs
Actual Champion – Rich Calderon
Actual Champs preseason prediction – Projected to finish 7th
2015 SEASON
Actual Predictions
Preseason number one – Rich Calderon
Preseason number one’s actual result – Finished 5-8, missing playoffs.
Actual Champion – Griff Coomer
Actual Champs preseason prediction – Projected to finished 11th.
2014 SEASON
Actual Predictions
Preseason number one – Robio Murray
Preseason number one’s actual results – Missed playoffs, finished 3-10, last in the league.
Actual Champion – Bob Castrone
Actual Champs preseason prediction – Projected to finish 11th and miss playoffs.
2013 SEASON
Actual Predictions
Preseason number one – Colby Hall
Preseason number one’s actual result – Finished 8-5, earned the 4-seed, lost in the quarterfinals.
Actual Champion – Rich Calderon
Actual Champs preseason prediction – Projected to finished 7th, likely quarterfinals exit.
2012 SEASON
Actual Predictions
Preseason number one – Eric Vozzola
Preseason number one’s actual result – Finished 9-4, earned scoring title and 3-seed, lost in the title game.
Actual Champion – Robio Murray
Actual Champs preseason prediction – Projected 6th place finish, with semifinals potential.
2011 SEASON
Actual Predictions
Preseason number one – Matt Neatock
Preseason number one’s actual result – Finished 6-7, earned the 6-seed, lost in the quarterfinals
Actual Champion – Bob Castrone
Actual Champs preseason prediction – I said Bob would finish last. Yeah, I’m not good at this.
2010 SEASON
Preseason number one – Molly Coomer
Preseason number one’s actual result – Missed playoffs, finished 3-10, 10th in the standings.
Actual Champion – Bob Castrone
Actual Champs preseason prediction – I said Bob was the second best team coming out of the draft. I was one off.
2009 SEASON
Preseason number one – Don Vozzola
Preseason number one’s actual result – Finished 7-6, earning the 7-seed, but lost in the quarterfinals.
Actual Champion – Matt Neatock
Actual Champs preseason prediction – I had Matt as the second best team in the league.
2008 SEASON
Predictions done by Rob Masterson & Colby Hall
Preseason number one
– Rob: Colby Hall.
– Colby: Griff Coomer
Preseason number one’s actual result
– Colby Hall finished 7-6, won division, earned 3-seed and lost in the semifinals.
– Griff Coomer finished 4-9, missed playoffs, ended the year in 10th place.
Actual Champion – Don Vozzola
Actual Champs preseason prediction – Masterson predicted that Don would finish last in the league. Colby had him missing the playoffs as the 9th place team.
2007 SEASON
Preseason number one – Rob Masterson
Preseason number one’s actual result – Missed the playoffs, finished 5-8 and in 9th place.
Actual Champion – Matt Neatock
Actual Champs preseason prediction – I think I projected Matt to finish last, but there is no record.
2006 SEASON
Preseason number one – Griff Coomer
Preseason number one’s actual result – The defending champ finished 7-6, lost the division in the season’s final week, earned the 6-seed and lost to me in the quarterfinals.
Actual Champion – Don Vozzola
Actual Champs preseason prediction – I had Don finishing 4th.
2005 SEASON
Preseason number one – Don Vozzola
Preseason number one’s actual result – Came close to nailing this one. I said Don would finish 9-4 and earn the top seed. He finished 9-4 and earned the top seed. However, he was upset in the quarterfinals.
Actual Champion – Griff Coomer
Actual Champs preseason prediction – I said Griff would finish 6-7, but make the playoffs. I didn’t foresee the greatness that would be Larry Johnson.
2004 SEASON
Preseason number one – Rich Calderon
Preseason number one’s actual result – He did well, going 9-4. He failed to win his division and settled for the 4-seed. He made it to the finals, before losing to Bob. Speaking of…
Actual Champion – Bob Castrone
Actual Champs preseason prediction – I looked right for a while. Bob began year with weekly low, only broke 1,200 three times in the season’s first nine weeks, but rallied at the end to go 10-4, earn the two seed and win it all.
2003 SEASON
Preseason number one – Robio Murray
Preseason number one’s actual result – I finished 9-4, earned both the top seed and scoring crown, but became the first 1-seed to lose in the quarterfinals.
Actual Champion – Richard Burrier
Actual Champs preseason prediction – I had him finishing the season as the 4-seed, just missing out on winning the division, but making the playoffs.
2002 SEASON
Not Jimmy
Preseason number one – Jimmy Pedrero
Preseason number one’s actual result – He finished in 11th place with a 4-10 record.
Actual Champion – Robio Murray
Actual Champs preseason prediction – One of my finest in-season team management. I started the year 3-5, remade my entire roster, finished 8-6, won a division, earned the 2-seed and won it all.