25 Years has produced 25 champions. I lead the way with five titles, with both Bob and Matt one championship behind. The only two not on this list are Masterson and Michael. Colby has obviously gone back-to-back. Yet, which one of these 25 titles is the most impressive? Let’s find out using logic and math.

#25 Don Vozzola, 2008

RECORD: 6-7
SEED: #7
POINTS: 1,221 PPG
PTS FINISH: #9
POSTSEASON POINTS: 4,002
1,500-PT GAMES: 2 (only once in playoffs)
UNDER 1,000 GAMES: 1
WEEKLY HIGH SCORES: 0
WEEKLY LOW SCORES: 0
W-L vs ELITE: 4-4

OVERALL SEASON RANK: #98 

HOW IT HAPPENED
Two years after Molly earned the top seed, but lost in the quarterfinals, she was back on top, earning the top-seed. Calderon and Colby each won their division that season and I earned the scoring crown as a 5-seed, so again, no one was thinking much about Don.

Mr. Vozzola began the year with a defeat to Colby and he would drop three of his first five and five of his first eight games. Yet, heading into the final week at 5-7, he still had a shot at the playoffs. He needed to beat Matt and he needed Calderon to beat Burrier. Well, Rich did his part and Don beat Matt, 1,540 – 1,388. It was the only time in the regular season he scored over 1,500. Add in an Eric loss to me and just like that, Don snuck into the 7-spot.

In the quarterfinals, he topped 1,500 again and upset 2-seed Calderon, 1,505 – 1,133. The following week he would face the top seed, but Molly failed to show and Don won, 1,281 – 1,119. For the second time in three seasons, Don would face me in the finals (see below for 2006). Unlike 2006, I entered the title game in stud mode. I had scored over 1,500 in nine of my last 11 games, including six weekly high scores and I easily crushed Bob and Colby in the postseason, producing the weekly high scores both weeks.

To win this game in the finals, Don would need a break. Well, he got it. I benched my best running back based on matchups and while the guy I started did well, DeAngelo Williams had 199 yards and four scores. I cost myself about 400 points in a game Don won by 175 points, 1,216 – 1,041. Just like that, Don had earned two titles in two years, both victories over me. To this day, this team, that averaged only only 1,161 points per game, remains the lowest scoring champion in league history.

#24 Don Vozzola, 2006

RECORD: 7-6
SEED: #7
POINTS: 1,161 PPG
PTS FINISH: #6
POSTSEASON POINTS: 4,372
1,500-PT GAMES: 4 (one time in playoffs)
UNDER 1,000 GAMES: 4
WEEKLY HIGH SCORES: 2
WEEKLY LOW SCORES: 3
W-L vs ELITE: 3-3

OVERALL SEASON RANK: #93

HOW IT HAPPENED
2006 was not meant to be the year of the Don. That season, Richard Burrier, despite having no weekly high scores and two weekly low scores, finished with 10 wins and earned the top seed. If one didn’t have faith in Rich, Molly was the league’s highest scorer and I overcame a 2-5 start to win my division (and earn the three seed).

As for Don, his season did get off to a hot start. He won five of his first six games and topped 1,600 twice. However, he would end up dropping five of his next six games; twice delivering a weekly low score. At 6-6, heading into the final week, he was not in the playoffs. Vozzola would need to win his final game of the year over one-win David (likely) and he would also need two-win Eric to defeat Calderon (unlikely). Well, Rich fell to Don’s son by just 23 points and Don beat David, who failed to hit a grand. Thanks to a Masterson defeat to two-win Matt, Don snagged the 7-seed.

In the playoffs, Don knocked out the highest scoring team (two-seed Molly), 1,499 – 1,296. With Masterson taking down the 1-seed Burrier, Don faced 5-seed Bob in the semifinals. Vozzola didn’t score much, but he didn’t need to, beating Castrone, 1,211 – 1,007. In the finals, he would face me. I was looking to lock down my fourth career title in just eight season of this league’s existence. Fortunately for Don, my matchups sucked and despite being the 7-seed, he was actually the favorite heading into the weekend after adding Ron Dayne to his starting lineup during the playoffs (after going three-wide all year long). The results matched the projections, as Don easily defeated me, 1,617 – 844, to earn his first career title, also becoming the first 7-seed to win it all.

This title team might prove to be the least significance in league history. Again, not only below .500 for the regular season, barely averaging over 1,200 per game. This team topped 1,000 just once that year. Once. He had no weekly high scores or even a low score.

#23 Eric Vozzola, 2021

RECORD: 6-8
SEED: #8
POINTS: 1,358 PPG
PTS FINISH: #8
POSTSEASON POINTS: 4,877
1,500-PT GAMES: 6 (twice in playoffs)
UNDER 1,000 GAMES: 2
WEEKLY HIGH SCORES: 1
WEEKLY LOW SCORES: 3
W-L vs ELITE: 5-5

OVERALL SEASON RANK: #71  

HOW IT HAPPENED
This was meant to be the year of the Masterson. It was Rob who won his final nine games of the regular season to earn his first career top seed. If not Rob, then Bob, who won nine and earned a scoring crown after averaging 1,599 points per game. On top of that, I was a contender, having won eight in a row at one point. Calderon entered the postseason having won five straight and Jeff was looking to repeat as champion. All legit contenders. Then there was Eric.

He began the year 1-3. Sure, by week 13 he had put together a few solid performances (scoring 1,908 in week five, 1,789 in week six and 1,972 in week 10), but at that point, he was just 5-8, sitting outside the postseason. In fact, he wasn’t even in 9th place; he was in 10th place, with four 6-7 teams occupying seeds five through eight and 5-8 Burrier in 9th place (having outscored Eric by over 1,500). Life wasn’t easier for Eric when Rich would win his week 14 game. This meant Eric needed two of the 6-7 teams to fall and would need to pass them in both in points. Well, Eric beat Colby, scoring 1,657 points. Griff lost to Burrier and only scored 997 points. Meanwhile, Michael failed to take out an injured player and not only lost to Jeff, but only scored 1,050 points. This allowed Eric to take the 8-seed over Evangelist by a total or 18 fantasy points. Yes, eighteen. This remains the tightest finish for the final playoff spot in league history.

Anyhow, Eric’s good fortune continued in the playoffs, as he knocked off Masterson, 1,441 – 1,128. Rob’s point total was his second lowest since week four. The following week Vozzola faced the scoring champ, two-seed Bob, who only managed 955 points. Just like that, Eric became the first 8-seed to knock off a one and two seed to earn a spot in the title game, where he would face the defending champ, Jeff. It wasn’t even close. Eric topped 1,900 for the third time that year and easily became the first 8-seed to win a title, beating Greenblatt, 1,922 – 1,226.

#22 Bob Castrone, 2011

RECORD: 6-7
SEED: #7
POINTS: 1,309 PPG
PTS FINISH: #6
POSTSEASON POINTS: 4,416
1,500-PT GAMES: 5 (twice in playoffs)
UNDER 1,000 GAMES: 1
WEEKLY HIGH SCORES: 0
WEEKLY LOW SCORES: 0
W-L vs ELITE: 5-4

OVERALL SEASON RANK: #60 

HOW IT HAPPENED
Bob was coming off a second career championship, but the thought of repeating wasn’t a popular one. Both Molly and Masterson were dominating the league in 2011, finishing one-two in the standings and in points, with both teams becoming just the second and third team to average over 1,500 for the year.

Bob began the season with a defeat to Masterson, but in weeks two and three, he scored 1,833 and 1,698 points in a pair of victories over Don and me. Yet, those games looked like flukes. He would dropped his next three. Bob did what he could to salvage the repeat. He traded for players like Mike Wallace and Jordy Nelson (in week six) and later, Steven Jackson (in week nine). Yet nothing seemed to right the ship. Through 11 weeks, he was just 4-7, after a second defeat to the might Masterson. He was sitting in 11th place.

Yet, a sad, but important, 986-943 victory over Don in week 12 saved his postseason dreams. He was now 5-7 and in 9th place. With both Colby and Matt winning in week 13, the only way for Bob to get into the postseason would be a win over me and a Don defeat. Well, Don did his part by losing and Castrone knocked me out of the playoffs with a 1,582-943 win. It was just the third time all year that Bob topped 1,500.

In the quarterfinals, Bob was facing Masterson, a dominant team that dominated Bob twice that year. In the quarterfinals, Rob who would go on to scored 1,623 in that game. Bob would score two more, pulling off a victory in one of the greatest games on the greatest weekend of fantasy football. With Molly also losing in round one, the top two seeds both fell in the quarterfinals and the door to the title was open to anyone. Bob faced 5-seed Colby and even though Bob only scored 1,201 points, it was 21 more points than Colby. Through two weeks in the playoffs, Bob had outscored his foes by just 23 points, but it didn’t matter; he was playing in his second straight title game.

In that game, he faced Burrier. Yes, Rich was the three seed, but that had more to do with him winning a shitty division. He actually entered the playoffs having lost five of six and in his three playoff games, he would face the 6-seed, the 8-seed and now the 7-seed. Well, Bob’s seed may have been lower, but his squad was the favorite and behind those two receivers he traded for (Nelson and Wallace combined for nearly 500 points), Bob easily defeated Rich, 1,590 – 1,283 to become the second team ever to score back-to-back championships. While this squad is not even close to being considered one of Bob’s best, thanks to them, he became the first person not named Robio to win three titles and was moved into first in my career rankings…a spot he hasn’t given up in 13 seasons.

#21 Matt Neatock, 2007

RECORD: 7-6
SEED: #5
POINTS: 1,312 PPG
PTS FINISH: #4
POSTSEASON POINTS: 4,398
1,500-PT GAMES: 4
UNDER 1,000 GAMES: 4
WEEKLY HIGH SCORES: 1
WEEKLY LOW SCORES: 1
W-L vs ELITE: 5-3

OVERALL SEASON RANK: #59 

HOW IT HAPPENED
The 2007 season was the perfect year to produce a low-seed champion. Both myself and Griff, playoff mainstays in those early years, were failing, Colby was a no-show and even Molly suffered through a six-game slide midseason. David was the top-seed, becoming the league’s first ever 11-2 squad. Bob won his first division and Don produced his first ever scoring crown, leading the league with 1,421 points. Meanwhile, despite putting together a nice draft, Matt won only one of his first five games. Starting in week six though, Neatock would go on to win six straight, but he didn’t dominate at the end. In fact, he would drop his final two games of the season to finish at 7-6, earning the 5-seed.

Yet, not all lower seeds are equal. Matt finished the regular season fourth in points scored and the points would keep coming in the playoffs. In the quarterfinals, he dispatched 4-seed Eric, 1,556 – 1,339. With two-seed Don falling, Matt got 3-seed Bob in the semifinals. He scored a decent 1,398, which was more than anyone else, including Bob. Just like that, Neatock was in his first finals where he would face 7-seed Calderon, who had taken down both the two-seed scoring champ (Don) and the top seed (David). Yet, in the finals, Rich’s squad failed to show and Matt walked away with an easy 1,444 – 811 victory, to earn that first championship mug.

#20 Matt Neatock, 2018

RECORD: 6-7
SEED: #7
POINTS: 1,401 PPG
PTS FINISH: #7
POSTSEASON POINTS: 4,561
1,500-PT GAMES: 6 (once in playoffs)
UNDER 1,000 GAMES: 1
WEEKLY HIGH SCORES: 1
WEEKLY LOW SCORES: 1
W-L vs ELITE: 7-4 (tied for second most wins vs elites)

OVERALL SEASON RANK: #49  

HOW IT HAPPENED
Neatock goes back-to-back on this list. He was also trying to go back-to-back that year after a solid 2017 championship season. Of course, at no point did Neatock headline the 2018 season. Both Marc and Bob finished with 10-3 records, while Colby crushed the all-time scoring record, averaging 1,583 points in his 13 games.

For Matt, his campaign began poorly, as he dropped five of his first seven games. Back-to-back 1,600-point games in weeks eight and nine put him back into postseason contention, but it was a trade with me that saved everything. In that trade he received Kirk Cousins, Saquon Barkley, Dalvin Cook, Latavius Murray & Alshon Jeffery, while giving up James Conner, Le’Veon Bell, Carson Wentz, Jamaal Williams & Falcons DST. What no one could have predicted was, in the postseason, every player he got (other than Murray) turned into studs to end the 2018 season.

After finishing 6-7 and earning the 7-seed, Matt would stun 2-seed Bob by just 21 points (1,492 – 1,471) in the quarterfinals. He followed that up by knocking off the one-seed (Marc) in the semifinals. In the finals, he would face 5-seed Calderon for the second time in the title game for his career. Unlike 2007, Rich showed up this time, but it wasn’t enough, as Matt still won the game, 1,631 – 1,578 points. Neatock became the third person to go back-to-back championships.

#19 Robio Murray, 2012

RECORD: 7-6
SEED: #4
POINTS: 1,336 PPG
PTS FINISH: #5
POSTSEASON POINTS: 5,152
1,500-PT GAMES: 7
UNDER 1,000 GAMES: 1
WEEKLY HIGH SCORES: 2
WEEKLY LOW SCORES: 2
W-L vs ELITE: 5-4

OVERALL SEASON RANK: #33 

HOW IT HAPPENED
At the beginning of the 2012 season, I looked like a champion, going 5-0 and topping 1,600 three times. Yet, injuries to my backfield put a dent into my championship run. In fact, I would only win two of my final eight contests, twice producing a weekly low score. Somehow though, I still managed to salvage a four-seed and entering the playoffs, my team was finally healthy…and it showed.

My three biggest obstacles would be Griff and Calderon, who both finished 10-3, and Eric, who earned his first ever scoring crown. In the quarterfinals, I beat Molly by just 97 points, 1,625 – 1,528. Meanwhile, Eric was the only other high seed to advance, as both Griff and Calderon fell. In the semifinals, I again topped 1,500 and escaped a close one, beating 7-seed Bob by just 83 points. In the finals, I was facing 3-seed and scoring guru Eric. In that game, Eric dominated the daylight on Sunday and took a decent 222-point lead into Monday night, but he was done. I still had Marshawn Lynch. Well, the Seahawks back dominated, scoring 324 points. I won the highest combined score in the title game, 1,973 – 1,871. I won my three playoff games by only 279 points, with the largest margin of victory being 102 points.

#18 Bob Castrone, 2010

RECORD: 9-4
SEED: #4
POINTS: 1,358 PPG
PTS FINISH: #5
POSTSEASON POINTS: 4239
1,500-PT GAMES: 4 (once in playoffs)
UNDER 1,000 GAMES: 0
WEEKLY HIGH SCORES: 1
WEEKLY LOW SCORES: 0
W-L vs ELITE: 6-4

OVERALL SEASON RANK: #31 

HOW IT HAPPENED
The 2010 season consisted of five contenders, each winning nine regular season games, and not much else. I led the way, becoming the first team to finish 12-1. There was Calderon, who earned the scoring crown, along with Griff, Matt and Bob, each winning nine games.

Then there was Bob. He won five of his first six games, earning one weekly high score (although with only one game over 1,500). He struggled for a bit over the next five weeks, losing three of five, before winning his final two. Was he a legit contender? Meh. Against the other teams that won nine games or more, he was 2-3 and for the year he topped 1,500 just three times.

Yet, come playoff time, Calderon, Matt and Griff all were knocked out in the quarterfinals. Only Bob (who beat Griff) and myself advanced. In the semifinals, Bob avenged one of his regular season defeats, beating Colby, despite scoring only 1,163 points. In the finals, he would face me. I was 14-1, having won 14 straight games (tying the record). Yet, like Bob’s other opponents, I failed to show and Castrone earned his second championship with a 1,283 – 948 win. For his playoff run, his opponents scored only 690, 1,1015 and 948 points.

#17 Bob Castrone, 2004

RECORD: 10-4
SEED: #2
POINTS: 1,314 PPG
PTS FINISH: #8
POSTSEASON POINTS: 4,280
1,500-PT GAMES: 7 (once in playoffs)
UNDER 1,000 GAMES: 3
WEEKLY HIGH SCORES: 0
WEEKLY LOW SCORES: 2
W-L vs ELITE: 6-2

OVERALL SEASON RANK: #30 

HOW IT HAPPENED
We’re going back-to-back Bob, as his first ever title ends up at number seventeen on the list. Bob’s second season in the league, a year after becoming the first person to start 5-1 and not make the playoffs, began poorly. He lost to Matt and scored the week’s lowest point total (675). Yet, his team wasn’t that bad. just hard to figure out. He would win four straight, then drop three of four. Through eight weeks, he was 4-4, with no games over 1,500 and two weekly low scores. Then in week ten, the switch was clicked. Bob would not only win his final five games, he would top 1,500 in all five games.

At 10-4, he was a division winner, along with Griff, who also won 10 games. Yet, Bob’s biggest foe was Burrier, led by Tomlinson. Rich had won nine games in the league’s toughest division ever. How tough was that division? Burrier, Calderon, Rob M and Colby…all four made it to the playoffs. The last place team (Colby) earned the scoring crown and in total those four finished 1st (Colby), 2nd (Burrier), 3rd (Calderon) and 7th (Masterson) in scoring. Meanwhile, despite Bob’s stunning finish of five straight 1,500-pt games, he finished only 8th in points scored.

Yet, it was Castrone who scored 1,825 in the quarterfinals, knocking off 7-seed Masterson. Meanwhile, the favorite, Burrier, was taken out by David. In the semifinals, Bob’s six-game 1,500-pt streak came to an end, but he didn’t need it, taking down Calderon, 1,239 – 965. In the finals, he would face 1-seed Griff, who was making his fourth title game appearance in just six years. Yet, like those other five trips, Griff failed to show and in the finals seconds of the final game, Bob pulled out a 1,216 – 1,169 win, earning his first ever mug.

#16 Richard Burrier, 2003

RECORD: 8-6
SEED: #3
POINTS: 1,410
PTS FINISH: #2
POSTSEASON POINTS: 4,744
1,500-PT GAMES: 5 (twice in playoffs, including one 2,000-pt game)
UNDER 1,000 GAMES: 1
WEEKLY HIGH SCORES: 3
WEEKLY LOW SCORES: 0
W-L vs ELITE: 2-5

OVERALL SEASON RANK:  

HOW IT HAPPENED
Behind Peyton Manning and Tomlinson, Burrier stormed out of the gate in his second season in the league, winning four of his first five games. Delivering three weekly high scores in the season’s first month. However, starting with a week six defeat to 1-4 Robio, Burrier struggled with consistent stats. He would finish the season just 4-5, breaking 1,500 twice. However, those two times came in the season’s final two weeks. His eight wins were good enough to win his division and earn him the three seed. Yet, he was far from the favorite heading into the postseason. I was. That season, I overcame an 0-4 start to win nine games, earning the top seed and hold the scoring crown.

Fortunately for Rich, the other Rich did him a solid. Calderon became the first ever 8-seed to knock off a 1-seed. On top of that, Masterson scored 2,501 points (most ever at that time) in a quarterfinals win over 2-seed Molly. With Burrier earning a victory over Matt, he was now the favorite with two to play. He escaped with a low scoring semifinals win over Calderon (1,141 – 1,054) and got to face 5-seed Griff in the finals. Coomer was in the process of pulling off a miracle, trying to win the title despite losing his final four games (failing to score 1,000 in all four games). Yet, the miracle run would end for him. Burrier dominated the title game, beating Griff, 2,011 – 1,036. To this day, Rich is the only person to top 2,000 in the finals.

#15 Colby Hall, 2022

RECORD: 9-5
SEED: #4
POINTS: 1,359 PPG
PTS FINISH: #6
POSTSEASON POINTS: 5,321
1,500-PT GAMES: 7 (all three playoff games)
UNDER 1,000 GAMES: 0
WEEKLY HIGH SCORES: 1
WEEKLY LOW SCORES: 0
W-L vs ELITE: 5-4

OVERALL SEASON RANK: #21 

HOW IT HAPPENED
Because of the way Colby’s 2023 squad dominated, one could assume his 2022 squad was just as glorious, but not so much. That season, Eric was the stud, finishing 12-2, earning the top-seed. I was 10-4, earning the 2-seed, finishing second in points. Even Burrier looked like a contender, having overcome a 1-4 start to finish winning eight of his final nine games, cracking 1,500 in his final four.

Meanwhile, Colby started the year well, winning his first three, before dropping a pair. He’d do that again, winning three in a row, but then dropping a pair. Through 10 weeks, he was definitely a playoff team at 6-4, but was a team that had no weekly high scores and topped 1,500 four times a true contender? Down the stretch he won three of five, but never scored more than 1,312 points. He finished the regular season in fourth place; sixth in points scored.

Yet, the start of the playoffs appeared to have woken a sleeping giant. Colby would score 1,845 in a quarterfinals win over 5-seed Michael and then hit 1,501 in a victory over 3-seed Burrier. Meanwhile, Neatock was eliminating all of Colby’s competition. Matt first beat me in the quarterfinals, 1,844 – 1,596. In the semifinals, he eliminated the top seed/scoring leader (Eric) by just 70 points. He had cleared the path for Colby and Mr. Hall walked on down the road to his first ever title. Matt had no shot, as Colby won easily, 1,975 – 1,256. The 5,321 points scored in the playoffs were the 5th most scored by a team in the postseason.

#14 Robio Murray, 2000

RECORD: 10-4
SEED: #2
POINTS: 1,423 PPG
PTS FINISH: #2
POSTSEASON POINTS: 3,887
1,500-PT GAMES: 4
UNDER 1,000 GAMES: 1
WEEKLY HIGH SCORES: 2
WEEKLY LOW SCORES: 0
W-L vs ELITE: 5-1

OVERALL SEASON RANK: #20 

HOW IT HAPPENED
After winning it all in the league’s first season, I was ready to deliver another championship season. Yet, early on, my team didn’t get the message. I split my first two games, failing to score over 1,050 in both defeats. Fortunately, my team finally kicked it into gear. I would win my next five games, which included two weekly high scores and I’d finish the regular season winning 10 of 14 games. I would win my division and finish second in points scored. Yet, I was far from the favorite. That title belong to former league member and General Manager of Ruby Tuesday, Rick Mullen, who won 11 games and was the league’s highest scoring team.

In the quarterfinals, I escaped 7-seed David by only 85 points (1,097 – 1,012). The following week, I again barely escaped with a 34-point win over 6-seed Chris (1,332 – 1,298). Yet, escape still meant win. Meanwhile, Rick failed to even reach the finals, as Griff stunned the world in the semifinals with a 85-point victory over the favorite. And just like that, the second title game would feature the same two teams as the first; Robio vs Griff. During this second battle, Coomer kept it closer, but when it was all said and done, I locked down second crown, defeating Griff, 1,448 – 1,197.

#13 Richard Calderon, 2013

RECORD: 10-3
SEED: #2
POINTS: 1,366 PPG
PTS FINISH: #4
POSTSEASON POINTS: 4,745
1,500-PT GAMES: 3 (once in playoffs)
UNDER 1,000 GAMES: 1
WEEKLY HIGH SCORES: 1
WEEKLY LOW SCORES: 0
W-L vs ELITE: 6-2

OVERALL SEASON RANK: #18   

HOW IT HAPPENED
By the time 2013 rolled around, we were used to having Calderon, seen in photo at his Welcome Back, Kotter audition, at or near the top of the standings each season. Yet, he never won a title and had only cemented his claim as “greatest team to never win a title.” It’s not a title one enjoys. The 2013 season looked to be a typical Rich season. He delivered a lot of wins, including five straight between weeks 3-8, never dropped two straight and had one weekly high score (2,040), but with only two games over 1,500. He finished second in the standings and fourth in scoring, while his foes were 11th in points scored.

Entering the playoffs that year, I was the favorite, having earned the top-seed (10-3) and scoring crown. Masterson was another contender, finishing third; just 66 points behind me for the scoring crown. And of course there was Bob, with only six wins, but two weekly high scores and primed to make a 7-seed run, starting with a quarterfinals victory over Calderon. Well, Rich wasn’t playing those games this year and dominated Castrone, 1,798 – 1,182. Both Robs also advanced, but in the semifinals, Rich took care of Masterson, 1,451 – 1,118, while I was upset by Griff in a low scoring semifinals game, 1,105 – 1,038. With Rich’s biggest obstacles out of the way, he entered the finals the favorite and while he didn’t dominate, he won, defeating 5-seed Coomer, 1,496 – 1,270; earning his first career mug. He was no longer, “the greatest team to not win a title.”

#12 Robio Murray, 2002

RECORD: 8-6
SEED: #3
POINTS: 1,431 PPG
PTS FINISH: #2
POSTSEASON POINTS: 5,254
1,500-PT GAMES: 10 (all three playoff games)
UNDER 1,000 GAMES: 2
WEEKLY HIGH SCORES: 2
WEEKLY LOW SCORES: 1
W-L vs ELITE: 7-3

OVERALL SEASON RANK: #17 

HOW IT HAPPENED
With new members like Masterson, Burrier and Justin Acerno joining the league (along with Molly), the league in 2002 was slowly shifting to a majority of New Yorkers. Could someone like me, who dominated the Floridians, be able to keep up the winning ways anymore? At first, the answered looked like a solid no. I lost to both Masterson and Burrier in the season’s first three weeks and by week seven, I was just 2-5 and sitting in 11th place. However, much like the previous season, my squad rallied. I would win six of my final seven games, finishing 8-6 and winning my division (earning the three seed). I missed out on a second career scoring crown by just 134 fantasy points (settling for second).

Oddly enough, the two top teams in the standings were both Floridians, with Molly taking the 1-seed in her first season, with Don finishing in second place. Out of the three top seeds, only Don failed to escape the quarterfinals (losing to 7-seed Masterson), while Molly (beating David) and I (beating Rick) advanced to the semifinals. There, Molly easily defeated a no-show Masterson (1,646 – 867), while I prevented an All-Coomer finals by crushing Griff (1,598 – 795). Thus, in the finals, we got arguable the two best teams in the league. Fortunately for me, Molly failed to show and I easily won my third title in four seasons, 1,841 – 1,112.

#11 Jeff Greenblatt, 2020

RECORD: 8-5
SEED: #5
POINTS: 1,461 PPG
PTS FINISH: #5
POSTSEASON POINTS: 5,163
1,500-PT GAMES: 9 (all three playoff games)
UNDER 1,000 GAMES: 0
WEEKLY HIGH SCORES: 1
WEEKLY LOW SCORES: 0
W-L vs ELITE: 6-2

OVERALL SEASON RANK: #15   

HOW IT HAPPENED
No one would have guessed that 2020 would be Greenblatt’s signature season. If anything, it would belong to Calderon, who started the journey with three straight weekly high scores, eventually winning 10 games that year. Or maybe Bob. He finished 8-5, but earned the scoring crown, averaging 1,541 points per contest. If not those two, how about 9-win Eric or 9-win Michael? Eric had an 8-game winning streak in the middle of the season and Michael had a pair of 4-game winning streaks.

Meanwhile, there was Jeff. He had himself a nice start, winning his first four, scoring 1,490 or more in all four contests. Those are contender numbers. Yet, the digits would drop on Greenblatt. It would take Jeff seven more weeks to win back-to-back games, but when the regular season ended, he was still a solid 8-5, with six total games over 1,500 (including 2,067 in week 12).

Still, no one dared pick him to win three in a row in the playoffs. I don’t think anyone had him beating the scoring champ (Bob) in the quarterfinals. Well, he did just that…and easily, 1,889 – 1,322. Meanwhile, both the two seed (Eric) and three seed (Michael) fell in round one and Jeff faced off with 6-seed Burrier in the semifinals. Rich did hit 1,559, but it wasn’t enough. For the second straight week, Greenblatt was the highest scorer and defeated Burrier, 1,725-1,559. There was even more good news when Jeff got to avoid facing the top-seed (Calderon), who fell to 7-seed me. In the finals, Jeff would top 1,500 for a third straight week and earn his first and only title, beating me, 1,554-1,455. His 5,163 points scored in the postseason remain the 8th most ever scored by a team in the playoffs.

#10 Griff Coomer, 2005

RECORD: 8-5
SEED: #4
POINTS: 1,488 PPG
PTS FINISH: #1
POSTSEASON POINTS: 5,062
1,500-PT GAMES: 8 (twice in playoffs)
UNDER 1,000 GAMES: 1
WEEKLY HIGH SCORES: 3
WEEKLY LOW SCORES: 0
W-L vs ELITE: 3-3

OVERALL SEASON RANK: #13  

HOW IT HAPPENED
By the time 2005 rolled around, Griff had already appeared in four title games, but lost them all. If the 1990’s Buffalo Bills and 1970’s Minnesota Vikings had a baby, his ass would be a Coomer. Yet, if Griff could get over that hump; then why not the 2005 season? Think about it…the defending champ (Bob) would finish with just three wins. Both Calderon and Masterson would miss the playoffs and even I would finish below .500. Of course, the way Coomer’s season started, there were no signs of greatness.

He dropped his first two games and four of his first six. He had only two games over 1,500 and one weekly high score through six contests. Yet, starting with a week seven win over Bob, where he produced another weekly high, Griff’s season got rolling. He would win six of his final eight games, topping 1,500 four times. He failed to win his division (one game behind Don), so he had to settle for the 4-seed. Yet, it was Griff who earned the scoring crown, averaging 1,488 points per game.

In the playoffs, the top three seeds got wiped out in the quarterfinals. The 1-seed (Don) was taken out by the 8-seed (David), while Matt (2-seed) and Burrier (3-seed) both lost. With Griff eliminating his then wife in the quarterfinals, he was the highest seed remaining. In the semifinals, he avoided the upset, taking out 8-seed David by just 93 points. Best yet, he avoided his nemesis, Robio, in the finals, when Colby upset me, 1,880 – 1,540. Fortunately for Coomer, Colby used up all his juice in that win and Griff won without any challenge in the title game, 1,882 – 739. To this day, the 739 scored by Colby is the lowest ever in the finals and the 1,143 margin of victory by Griff remains the largest in title game history.

#9 Griff Coomer, 2015

RECORD: 9-4
SEED: #2
POINTS: 1,478
PTS FINISH: #2
POSTSEASON POINTS: 5,142
1,500-PT GAMES: 9 (twice in playoffs)
UNDER 1,000 GAMES: 0
WEEKLY HIGH SCORES: 1
WEEKLY LOW SCORES: 0
W-L vs ELITE: 6-1

OVERALL SEASON RANK: #11 

HOW IT HAPPENED
It had been a decade since Griff had won his first title back in 2005. In that time, he had reached the title game two more times, but lost, dropping his finals’ record to 1-6. Heading into the 2015 campaign, Griff wasn’t the topic of most conversations. Bob was. He had won the title the year before with the greatest team ever (at that time) and he kept on rolling in 2015. Castrone would win his first eight games, only lose twice all season and became the first person to earn both a top-seed and scoring crown in back-to-back years.

Meanwhile, Griff struggled to find momentum out of the gate, only winning four of his first eight games. Yet, in week nine, he grabbed David Johnson off the wire. The Cardinals running back just became the starter and would become of the best back in football down the stretch. He would led Griff to five straight wins, four of which involved him scoring over 1,500, including a pair of weekly high scores.

Entering the playoffs, Bob may have been the top dog, but he wasn’t the favorite anymore. While Griff gained a running back midseason, Bob actually lost his star back (Bell), who was impossible to replace. Of course, in the quarterfinals, both Bob and Griff’s crew showed up. Bob scored 2,002 in a win over 8-seed Burrier, while Griff scored 1,847 in a win over 7-seed Jeff.

However, in the semifinals, Bob’s magic ran dry against 6-seed Colby, who took down Bob by just 81 points, 1,398 – 1,317, which meant for the second time in Griff’s career, Colby eliminated his biggest threat in the semifinals. On the other side of the bracket, Coomer had no problem dominating 5-seed Matt, 1,962 – 1,335. It was a 2005 rematch with Griff facing Colby. Much like that first matchup, Griff was a solid favorite. While he didn’t dominate, he did still pull out a win, 1,333-1,049; earning him his second career title.

#8 Rich Calderon, 2016

RECORD: 9-4
SEED: #2
POINTS: 1,532 PPG
PTS FINISH: #1
POSTSEASON POINTS: 5,312
1,500-PT GAMES: 9 (all three playoff games)
UNDER 1,000 GAMES: 1
WEEKLY HIGH SCORES: 4
WEEKLY LOW SCORES: 0
W-L vs ELITE: 4-3

OVERALL SEASON RANK: #8  

HOW IT HAPPENED
Three years removed from his first title and one year after missing the playoffs, Calderon was looking to reestablish himself as one of the power players in this league. He came out of the gate swinging, with a 2,030-point effort in a win over Burrier. The following week he delivered another weekly high score. Through five weeks, he was 4-1, with three weekly high scores and two games over 2,000. Yet, a week six defeat to Jeff dropped Rich to second place, where he would remain (behind Greenblatt), despite losing just two more games that year. He did average a solid 1,532 per game, which earned him his a scoring crown.

In the playoffs, it appeared we were looking at a battle between Jeff and Calderon. Rich was second in the standings and first in points. Jeff was first in the standings, second in points. In the playoffs, Jeff got lucky with a 905 – 840 quarterfinals win over Burrier. In the semifinals though, he dominated me, 1816 – 1,495. Meanwhile, Rich kept his foot on the gas the whole time. He scored 1,878 in a quarterfinals victory over Eric and then 1,588 in a semifinals win over 5-seed Bob. We got the finals we wanted, but unfortunately the competition was below par. Jeff failed to show and Calderon walked away with an easy, 1,846 – 1,180 win. His second title in four years.

#7 Jason Carpenter, 2001

RECORD: 11-3
SEED: #1
POINTS: 1,558
PTS FINISH: #1
POSTSEASON POINTS: 3,832
1,500-PT GAMES: 8
UNDER 1,000 GAMES: 1
WEEKLY HIGH SCORES: 5
WEEKLY LOW SCORES: 0
W-L vs ELITE: 5-1

OVERALL SEASON RANK: #7 

HOW IT HAPPENED
The only former league member to win a championship. Dude was a dick, so let’s not waste too much time on him. In my first season as a New Yorker, Jason came out of the gate with some decent numbers; scoring over 1,500 four times, but with just a 5-3 record. The best teams were Anne, until she lost her star running back for the season, and me, who overcame an 0-4 start to finish 9-1 down the stretch. Meanwhile, Jason would win his final six games, delivering three more weekly high scores (five in total) and when the regular season ended, he was the top seed and scoring crown holder. For the year, he average a then-record 1,558 points per game; a record that would hold for 17 years.

In the playoffs, the prediction was simple: a Robio vs Jason final. Unfortunately, I would lose in the playoffs for the first time ever in the semifinals, to David. Jason, on the other hand, struggled to score, yet so did his opponents. In fact, in his three playoff games, he scored 1,342 in the quarterfinals, 1,217 in the semifinals and 1,273 in the finals. He’s the only champion to not score at least 4,000 points in the postseason. In didn’t matter though. His foes never topped 1,109 points and his semifinals and finals opponents both failed to score 1,000.

#6 Matt Neatock, 2017

RECORD: 9-4
SEED: #2
POINTS: 1,509 PPG
PTS FINISH: #1
POSTSEASON POINTS: 5,684
1,500-PT GAMES: 10 (all three playoff games)
UNDER 1,000 GAMES: 0
WEEKLY HIGH SCORES: 6 (one of two teams to produce six weekly high scores)
WEEKLY LOW SCORES: 0
W-L vs ELITE: 5-3

OVERALL SEASON RANK: #6 

HOW IT HAPPENED
2017, from the beginning to the end, felt like we were destined for another Bob-Matt showdown in the finals. For Castrone, he dropped his first game and then won his next 12 contests (becoming the second person to do this). While he only secured one weekly high sore, Bob did finish the regular season with four straight 1,500-point games. Meanwhile, Matt at times looked like the greatest teams ever. In others, he looked like a quarterfinals defeat waiting to happen.

He would begin his 2017 campaign with four straight wins (and two weekly high scores). From that moment on though, he would win only four of his final nine games. His nine wins was still good enough for second place. He also secured the scoring crown, averaging a solid 1,509 PPG. Yet, he was an inconsistent team to say the least. When good Matt showed up, he dominated, averaging 1,672 points in his nine wins, but when bad Matt showed up, it was ugly; just 1,156 points in his five defeats.

Fortunately for him, neither good Matt nor bad Matt showed up in the playoffs. Instead, Great Matt made an appearance. In the quarterfinals, Matt would defeat 7-seed Griff, 2,128-1,444. In the semifinals, he would score a 2,019-1,681 victory over 5-seed Jeff. Just like that, he became the only person to go back-to-back 2,000 in the postseason. In the finals, we all got what we deserved, a Matt vs Bob matchup. Castrone escape the quarterfinals over Burrier, but easily dispatched 6-seed Eric in the semifinals. In the finals though, only Neatock showed up, becoming the first person to defeat Bob in a title game, 1,537-1,119. His 5,684 points scored in the postseason (1,895 PPG) are the most ever scored in the playoffs. This was Matt’s third career championship. The following year he would go back-to-back.

Fun fact: Not only did Matt score six weekly high scores that year, but his opponents did it three times. That means nine of the 13 regular season games he played in, there was a weekly high score by someone.

#5 Robio Murray, 1999

RECORD: 11-3
SEED: #1
POINTS: 1,487 PPG
PTS FINISH: #1
POSTSEASON POINTS: 4,756
1,500-PT GAMES: 10 (twice in playoffs)
UNDER 1,000 GAMES: 1
WEEKLY HIGH SCORES: 6 (one of two teams to produce six weekly high scores)
WEEKLY LOW SCORES: 1
W-L vs ELITE: 4-2

OVERALL SEASON RANK: #5 

HOW IT HAPPENED
The first great season came in the league’s first year of existence. Like so many historical seasons, this one didn’t begin the way I had hoped. In fact, in week one, my team scored just 280 points (the second lowest point total in a game to this day). Through six weeks, I was just 3-3. However, during that season’s draft, I had drafted Kurt Warner in the last round. He was now the starting QB in St. Louis after Burger got knocked out for the year during the preseason. Well, Warner was the MVP and along with two of the best receivers (Randy Moss, Marvin Harrison), I would begin to dominate. I would win by final eight games, producing five weekly high scores during that stretch. I would earn both the top seed and the scoring crown.

In the quarterfinals, I struggled some, but my opponent failed to show. In the quarters, I bumped my scoring up from 1,242 to 1,642, in an easy victory over #5 Rick. In the finals, I would face the two-seed Griff, but by this point, the gap between our two teams was massive. I won easily, 1,872-1,234, to become the league’s first ever champion.

#4 Matt Neatock, 2009

RECORD: 10-3
SEED: #1
POINTS: 1,497 PPG
PTS FINISH: #1
POSTSEASON POINTS: 5,390
1,500-PT GAMES: 10 (all three playoff games)
UNDER 1,000 GAMES: 0
WEEKLY HIGH SCORES: 1
WEEKLY LOW SCORES: 0
W-L vs ELITE: 5-2

OVERALL SEASON RANK: #4  

HOW IT HAPPENED
Just two years removed from his first title and one year after finishing dead last, Matt was ready to dominate in a way only one person had ever dominated. And dominate he did. Matt would win 10 games that year, never once losing back-to-back games all season. He failed to score 1,300 only once all year, while topping 1,500 in seven of his 13 games. Better yet, of his 10 wins, none of his opponents got within 400 points of him. He finished the regular season as the top seed and scoring leader.

Entering the playoffs, Bob was sitting in second place; second in scoring; having won six in a row. He looked like the only real threat to Matt’s title. In the quarterfinals, both Matt and Castrone dominated. However, in the semifinals, Bob fell to 3-seed Griff, while Matt again dominated, outscoring 5-seed Calderon by over 1,000 (1,950-876). In the finals, Coomer managed to keep it close, but Neatock’s squad was too much, earning a second career title, 1,608-1,384. Matt’s 5,390 points scored in the postseason was the most ever scored in the playoffs at that time and remains the third most today.

#3 Bob Castrone, 2014

RECORD: 10-3
SEED: #1
POINTS: 1,552 PPG
PTS FINISH: #1
POSTSEASON POINTS: 5,340
1,500-PT GAMES: 9 (twice in playoffs)
UNDER 1,000 GAMES: 1
WEEKLY HIGH SCORES: 3
WEEKLY LOW SCORES: 1
W-L vs ELITE: 6-2

OVERALL SEASON RANK: #3 

HOW IT HAPPENED
By the time 2014 rolled around, there had only really been two great seasons. They were me in 1999 and Matt a decade later. For Bob, he had already won three titles, but none of those teams were dominate teams. His 2014 squad would change all that. Like so many championship teams, Castrone’s season began with a bad defeat, losing to Masterson, scoring only 861, which was the week’s lowest score. After that, the wins began to pile up. In fact, Bob would win his next eight games, breaking 1,500 in five straight games (weeks 5-9), scoring 2,179 one week and producing two weekly high scores. Sure, he would split his final four, but in one of those defeats, he became the first person to score over 2,000 and lose, when he fell to Burrier, 2,117-2,089.

Despite the setback, Bob earned both the top seed and scoring crown and looked destined to win it all. His only real competition was Colby, who finished second (9-4) in the standings and second in points scored. Fortunately for Bob, he never had to deal with Mr. Hall, who fell in the quarterfinalist to Griff. Meanwhile, Bob scored a stunning 2,333 points in a quarterfinals victory over Calderon. The following week, he topped 1,500 in a win over Griff. Two playoff games, two cakewalks. Yet, in the 2014 title game, he pulled out the most stunning victory in league history, when he held a one-point lead in the fourth quarter of the final game against Matt, who had two players playing. The final score: 1,495 – 1,494, earning Bob his fourth career title.

#2 Colby Hall, 2023

RECORD: 11-3
SEED: #1
POINTS: 1,553 PPG
PTS FINISH: #1
POSTSEASON POINTS: 4,950
1,500-PT GAMES: 10 (twice in playoffs)
UNDER 1,000 GAMES: 0
WEEKLY HIGH SCORES: 3
WEEKLY LOW SCORES: 0
W-L vs ELITE: 9-3 (most wins against top-six ever)

OVERALL SEASON RANK: #2 

HOW IT HAPPENED
In fantasy, I never like to use the words, “never in any doubt,” but Colby’s 2023 run at a repeat was really never in any doubt. Sure, he began the year 3-3, but he scored over 1,500 three times and he had only one average outing when he scored 1,262 in a week six defeat. Yet, he would deliver three straight weekly high scores starting in week seven, including back-to-back 2,000-pt games in weeks 8-9. Now, down the stretch, the wins kept coming, although the dominance didn’t. He would win his final five games (and enter the postseason winning eight straight), but he would score more than 1,350 only once in those five games.

Yet, no one seemed consistent enough to compete with him. Griff finished second, but never won four straight and had two weekly low scores. Michael was the three-seed, but was just 3-6 in his last nine. Greenblatt was the four-seed, but he had one 4-game losing streak and hadn’t broken 1,500 since week six.

In the quarterfinals, Colby would bring back the dominance, crushing Eric’s upset hopes, 1,910 – 1,244. In the semifinals, he faced Neatock who took down the 2-seed Griff in the quarterfinals, but he was no match for Colby, who won 1,487 – 843. In the finals, Colby would face Michael, who had scored over 3,600 in his two playoff games and in breakdown since week 10, was actually 5-2 against Colby. Didn’t matter. Evangelist kept it close, but Colby delivered a 1,508 – 1,408 win, earning back-to-back crowns.

#1 Robio Murray, 2019

RECORD: 11-2
SEED: #2
POINTS: 1,675 PPG
PTS FINISH: #1
POSTSEASON POINTS: 5,667
1,500-PT GAMES: 13 (all three playoff games)
UNDER 1,000 GAMES: 0
WEEKLY HIGH SCORES: 5
WEEKLY LOW SCORES: 0
W-L vs ELITE: 7-0 (only team to go undefeated against the top-six)

OVERALL SEASON RANK:  

HOW IT HAPPENED
I’ll be honest, I didn’t think this squad was going to be the greatest ever, even with the hot start where I scored over 1,600 in my first three (two wins, one defeat). I certainly wouldn’t have believed my week four defeat (that dropped me to 2-2) where I scored “only” 1,381 would be my lowest scoring output of the season. Yet, I should have believed. I would go on to win my final nine games, scoring over 1,500 in eight of those games, producing four more weekly high scores (five total), breaking the all-time record in points scored in the regular season.

Come playoff time, while I only earned the two seed, there didn’t appear to be a legit threat. The only person who maybe could challenge me was Calderon, who went 12-1 that year, earning the top seed and finishing second in scoring. Yet, in breakdown, I led Rich 9-4.

Anyhow, the points would keep on coming in the playoffs. I scored 1,692 in an easy quarterfinals win over Michael and then hit 2,072 in a 700+ point semifinals victory over Masterson. In the finals, I would face 14-2 Calderon, who topped 1,500 in two playoff wins over Eric and Matt. Yet, he proved to be no match for me, as I scored an easy 1,900 – 1,234 victory, earning me my fifth career title. Adding in both regular season and postseason points, my squad would average 1,714 points per game. At that point, no one had ever averaged 1,600 per game in any season.

Fun fact: to add to Calderon’s misery, I also beat him in the championship game in his league. Good times!