We’re halfway home folks, so it’s time for me to produce the annual mid-season report. Before we get started though, let’s look at some history. How were our former champs doing at the halfway point.

1999 – Robio Hurricanes 4-3…after an average beginning, Robio finish the season 7-0 2000 – Robio Hurricanes 6-1…greatest start in Robio history…average ending at 4-3 2001 – Jason Phisheads 5-2…good start, even better finish at 6-1 2002 – Robio Hurricanes 2-5…this season gives everyone hope. Finished strongly at 6-1 2003 – Burrier Bruisers 4-3…did a repeat in the second half going 4-3

HOW HAVE OTHERS IN YOUR SHOES FARED: 7-0 RECORD: There has never been a 7-0 team 6-1 RECORD: (4 times) Great start! You’re on your way to a title, right? Uh no. After Robio won the title in 2000 with a 6-1 start, the next four all made the playoffs, but one was gone in the semi-finals, the other three were gone in the first-round. 5-2 RECORD: (12 times) Talk about a receipt for disaster. All twelve teams that have started 5-2 made the playoffs except one, Bob last season and although the rest made the playoffs, most failed miserable with six teams falling in the 1st round, two gone in the second, three have made it to the title game, but only one has won the title (Jason 2001) 4-3 RECORD: (14 times) In the beginning, 4-3 was the lucky number. Of the first four teams that begin the season at 4-3 all of them made it to the second round, two were runner-ups and one won it all. However, the next ten weren’t all that lucky. Although Burrier won last year after a 4-3 start, only two reached the 2nd round; four went bye-bye in the first and three never even made it to the playoffs. 3-4 RECORD: (11 times) Simple rule, if you want to win a title, don’t start the season 3-4. Griff in ’99 did manage to make it to the title game, but three were eliminated in the semi-finals, five ended their seasons in the first-round and two never even saw the playoffs. 2-5 RECORD: (11 times) You can’t spell success with 2-5 unless you can spell R.O.B…Robio wrapped up his third championship in ’02 after a 2-5 start. Others though could only dream. Of the other ten, only two made the playoffs, one of them made it to the 2nd round and the other eight could only dream of playoff glory. 1-6 RECORD: (4 times) Although two of the four teams that have started 1-6 have made the playoffs, the number is a little deceiving. One of the two was 2-12 Tim in ’99 (every team in ’99 made the playoffs). The only legit 1-6 team that actually turned it around was Rich Calderon last year who not only squeezed into the playoffs, but pulled off the greatest playoff upset (based on seeds) before bowing out in the 2nd round. 0-7 RECORD: There has never been a 0-7 team

CONTENDERS

TEAM TO BEAT GRIFF STONERS (6-1) – If you still doubt this team, it’s time to just except the facts. He is nearly perfect in the computer power rankings, only trailing in Breakdown. Only two players in league history have finished with top honors in all three categories (Robio ’99, Jason ’01). However, the only category that matters at the end is wins baby!

ONE STEP BEHIND BACKSTREET BOYS (4-3) – Forget that little three-game losing streak early in the season, The Boyz have scored over 1,400 in three-straight games and failed to scored at least 1,300 only twice this season. In the next six weeks (before his final showdown with Manhattan Projects), Rob only faces one winning team (4-3 Eric) and he faces off against the four teams currently sitting outside the playoff race.

A STEP AND A HALF BEHIND MANHATTAN PROJECTS (5-2) – His schedule is not much worse than Backstreet Boyz…he also only faces one more team with a winning record (The Republicans) before the week 14 battle royalé. The only thing that keeps The Projects below the The Boyz is the consistency factor. His scoring has looked like this: 1,511 (Good), 983 (Bad), 1,912 (Good), 1,140 (Bad), 1,515 (Good), 1,071 (Bad). With scoring like that, you’re looking at a great quarter-finals victory, but a semi-finals defeat

COULD PULL OFF THE UPSET

FOOT IS IN THE CONTENDER DOOR QUARTER POUNDERS (3-4) – The “Tiki” Pounders are definitely the one team that is better than their record indicates. Three weekly high scores should be enough to prove it. Because of their lack of debt, they were beaten in week 5 & 6 thanks to heavy bye-week loses (two week scoring total: 1,622), but let’s not forget, a one-point loss in week-one keeps them from being in a three-place tie for first place.

ONLY BECAUSE SOMEONE HAS TO WIN THE VH-1 DIVISION THE REPUBLICANS (4-3) – Right now, team most likely to get the #3 seed and get knocked out of the playoffs in the first round. Bob’s on top of the worst division in football based on W/L records. The four teams combined are 5-11 in non-divisional games. Recent struggles of Hasselback and Barlow worry me late in the night.

IF MY BOYS STAY HEALTHY DON’S GATORS (4-3) – Injuries have been big this season for Don. This season he’s been forced to make changes in his lineup due to injury to Favre, McNair, Davis, Branch, Heap…and Faulk may not be hurt, but his coach is a moron. Yet, despite all this, this team is a pretty solid 4-3. Smart decisions have contributed to a winning record. The best move had to be the non-move and not pulling the trigger on the Favre trade. But if the boys can’t stay healthy, the ‘Contender’ column will only be a dream

LIVING ON A BOTTOM SEED PRAYER

AVERAGE TEAMS DON’T WIN TITLES ERIC’S DOLPHINS (4-3) – A lot of good players on this team, but good players fight for the 4th seed in the playoffs, great players win championships. Even Thomas Jones has lost his luster after the Bears lost their starting QB. In his first three games; he scored 276, 330, 362…since then 106, 186 and 158. Eric’s got a lot of debt in his backfield, let’s see what he does with them.

LUCKY TO BE WHERE YOU’RE AT? ROBIO DYNASTY (3-4) – It’s going to take a real smart person to explain to me how this team is the fourth highest scoring team in the league…it just doesn’t make any sense. All I do know is, no matter how good the QB and Defense is, you don’t contend with only one running back. Unless I do a trade or get lucky, there will be no amazing second half run this year.

BIG NAMES, BIG DUDS DAVID THE PATRIOT (3-4) – If I may quote Journey, “It’s a mystery, yet they try to see; why something good could hurt so bad?” If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he was talking about Dave’s team. The poor sucker keeps a hurt Vick on his bench all last season, kept him this season and the bitch can’t even produce 200 points a game? Who else, Portis, big disappointment; Bucs defense, disappointment; Smith & Smith big time receivers? Not anymore. However, as long as Dave has big names, he’ll always have the potential to do some good down the road.

PRETENDERS

REALLY SHOULD BE HIGHER THE FRANCHISE (2-5) – Some teams are bad, some teams are just unlucky…the Franchise is the latter. He’s scored at least 1,000 in every game, but has lost twice by less than 100 and two other times by less than 300 and two of his opponents have had the high-score for a week.

TOUGH ROAD AHEAD THE BURRIER BRUISERS (3-4) – The next four weeks will decide the Bruisers’ season. He faces Eric, Molly, Bob and Robio. He could easily win them all or lose them all, but he needs to win at least three of the four to make the playoffs, because he’s not going to win 2 of 3 in his division at the end. If he splits those four games and finishes 1-2 in is division, that’s 6-8 and it will most likely come down to some sort of tiebreaker. You don’t want your season coming down to tiebreakers

1st PICK IN THE 2005 DRAFT MOLLY POP (1-6) – Normally, the key to overcoming a tough start is to be in a weak division, but Molly’s looking up at 6-1, 4-3 and 4-3. Heck, she’s three games back from third place in the division. Can it get any worse? Yeah, it can. She has four-straight games against the top division in the league. Ugh!

SECOND HALF PREDICTIONS

VH-1 DIVISION

THE REPUBLICANS – I said 6-8, but now I say 8-6, division winner and third seed ROBIO DNYASTY – I said 7-7, but my Spidey sense tells me 6-8 and squeezing into playoffs based on points DAVID THE PATRIOT – I said 7-7, but it looks like 6-8 and will miss the post-season for first time in Dave history THE FRANCHISE – I said 8-6, he’ll have to win 6 of 7 to make that happen. Try 5-9 and no playoffs

MTV DIVISION

BACKSTREET BOYZ – I said 10-4 and I never tell a lie. Will lose only one more game this season MANHATTAN PROJECTS – I said 10-4, but I’m feeling 9-5, he’ll lose out to division record to The Boyz QUARTER POUNDERS – I said 4-10, thanks to Tiki he’ll finish 8-6 and make the playoffs BURRIER BRUISERS – I said 5-9 and I’ll stick to it. He’ll split the next four and will lose his last three

FLORIDA DIVISION

GRIFF STONERS – I said 7-7, wrong! Expect two upsets along the way, but he’ll sweep his div and be 11-3 DON’S GATORS – I said 8-6, what I think now is 7-7 and a return to the playoffs ERIC’S DOLPHINS – I said 7-7 and I was right on the money. Welcome to your first post-season. MOLLY POP – I said 5-9, but even that was too nice, try 2-12

PLAYOFF SEEDS PREDICTION: #1 Griff Stoners #2 Backstreet Boyz #3 The Republicans #4 Manhattan Projects #5 Quarter Pounders #6 Don’s Gators #7 Eric’s Dolphins #8 Robio Dynasty

OUTSIDE LOOKING IN: David the Patriot The Franchise Burrier Bruisers Molly Pop