The decade opened in the middle of Rob’s most dominant run in this league. From 2016 through 2019, he posted four consecutive winning seasons. Combined with the previous five years, that gave him nine straight winning seasons. That’s the longest streak in league history.
Naturally, he made the playoffs all four years. Oddly enough, he entered as the No. 4 seed every single time. The problem, of course, was the same problem that has haunted Masterson throughout his career: the postseason.
He was bounced in the quarterfinals by No. 5 seed Bob in 2016, No. 5 seed Jeff in 2017, and No. 6 seed Rich Calderon in 2018. In 2019, he finally broke through with a quarterfinal win over Bob, only to run headfirst into me in the semifinals and get sent home again.
Then came 2020.
Not only did the wheels fall off, but so did the bumper, the windshield, the mirrors, and the engine. Masterson cratered to a 2-12 record, finishing dead last in one of the biggest single-season collapses we’ve ever seen.
It looked like nothing more than a bizarre hiccup.
In 2021, he came roaring back with a 10-win season, earned the No. 1 seed for the first time in his history, and finally looked poised to reach the championship game. This had to be the year.
It wasn’t.
In one afternoon, the entire season unraveled. No. 8 seed Eric stunned Masterson in the quarterfinals, then rode that momentum all the way to a championship. The story that was supposed to belong to Rob became Eric’s Cinderella run instead.
Masterson never really recovered.
Since that loss, he’s gone just 14-28, missed the playoffs three consecutive seasons, and finished 10th each year. If nothing else, he’s been remarkably consistent.
The decade’s overall numbers have not been great. His combined winning percentage sits at .444, ninth in the league, and he’s averaged 1,343 points per season, also ninth.
But those numbers aren’t what define this era. The defining statistic is 1-6. That’s Masterson’s playoff record over the last ten years. Six playoff appearances. One postseason victory. Zero Finals appearances. Zero championships.
For a franchise that spent years piling up winning seasons and looking like he should be a perennial contender, the decade will always be remembered for what never happened. If there’s an award for the league’s best team to never have its breakthrough, Masterson owns it.
And somewhere in an alternate universe, there’s a 2021 championship trophy with Rob’s name on it.