Yep, here is the best of the best. The top-10 best seasons of the first decade of the greatest fantasy football league in existence.
Bob's only title in the first decade was the 10th best season ever, who else cracked the top-10?
#10 (2004) Bob Castrone – Record: 10-4, PPG: 1,314 Sure Bob started the 2004 campaign 4-1, but let’s be honest here, few we impressed. He had started the previous season 5-1 and still missed the playoffs. It appeared that Castrone would collapse again, as he dropped his next four games, falling a game below .500. Panic had to be setting in for Castrone. However, Bob would turn this bad boy around in stunning fashion. He would win his final five games, scoring over 1,500 in all five contests. He won his division and entered the playoffs as a number two seed.
Still, Bob was just getting lucky, right? Despite the great second-half run, he was still only 8th in the league in scoring (third in his own division). Sure he pulled a nice trade with me to land Culpepper at QB, but still only had one starting running back. No team had ever come close to winning a title with three wide receivers. All good points. All meaningless. Bob would win the quarter-finals match up against Masterson, breaking 1,500 again (one of only two people to score over 1,500 in six straight games).
The 1,500-point streak may have ended in the semis, but the winning didn’t. Bob defeated Calderon, which led him to the title game, setting up only the second #1 vs. #2 title game ever. Bob would go on to win the title, beating Griff in the greatest game ever in Robioland. Still, no champion finished the season with odder numbers. Like I said, Bob was only 8th in scoring, but did have a league, but had over 1,500 in seven games. Yet, he never earned a single weekly high score (the only champion to do that), but he produced three weekly low scores. Odd.
#9 (2003) Robio Murray – Record: 9-5, PPG: 1,456 Making my first, but certainly not my only appearance on this list…My 2003 squad sadly was the highest ranked team to not win a single playoff game, but there’s no way to ignore one of the highest scoring regular seasons ever. After starting the season 0-4 for the second time in three years (2-5 in between), I again (just like 2001) turned it around, winning nine out of last ten games. I won my division for the fourth straight year, scored four weekly high scores, earning my second career scoring title.
I entered the playoffs as the top seed and the favorite. However, I got stuck facing Rich Calderon, who was, despite being only the 8th seed, 3rd in the league in scoring. Despite the fact, I scored my seventh 1,500-pt game of the season, I lost to Rich, 1,953-1,535, becoming the first No 1 Seed to lose in the first round and becoming the first team to break 1,500 in a playoff game, but still lose the game.
#8 (2002) Robio Murray – Record: 8-6, PPG: 1,431 I’ll be honest, of my three championship teams, this was my “worst,” but this team was certainly my favorite, for the simple fact that of my starting nine in the title game, I started only one guy that I actually drafted (TE, Shockey) and that game was the first one in weeks that I started him. I usually rolled with Shannon Sharpe, but Shockey had the better final game match up. Anyhow, I started the season off 2-5, but was able to rally in the second half of the season, winning six of my last seven. I stole the division from Masterson (yes, still hard to believe Masterson as in this league in 2002) in the final week. I entered the post-season as the 3rd seed and cruised through the post-season, defeating No 1 seed Molly in the championship game. My team was (and remains) the only team to break 1,500 in all three post-season games. I broke 1,500 a total of 10 times, but I failed to hit 1,000 twice, which holds me down at #8 on the rankings.
#7 (2008) Robio Murray – Record: 7-6, PPG: 1,467 Hey look, it’s me again. Hard to believe a team with only seven-regular season wins can be ranked this high, but hear me out. While technically I am not the highest ranked non-champion on this list (as you will see below), you could make a legit argument that my ’08 squad was the best team to not win a title (save that for another post). My 1,467ppg was the fifth best in league history, but in reality, no team ever was scoring as much as me in the back half of the season. During the final nine weeks, I produced six weekly high scores, breaking 1,500 a total of seven times. While I couldn’t muster enough wins to take the division (thanks to my opponents scoring 1,317ppg), I cruised to the title game with back-to-back 1,600 and 1,700 point games. In the championship game though, two bone-headed decisions cost me a fourth title. For the record, if I had beaten Don, this would have been the fourth best season ever.
#6 (2003) Richard Burrier – Record: 8-6, PPG: 1,410 Do you want to hear some irony? Of all the things Burrier did right to earn this championship (drafting LT first, drafting Manning (MVP) late in the second), let’s face it, the one person he can thank for his title is Rich Calderon. Why? I’ll tell you why in just a second. First, Rich had a good regular season, especially in the beginning when he ran off a 4-1 start, with three weekly high scores. After that, he kind of just ended up in first in his division. He finished 3-5, breaking 1,500 only once. Still, he was good. He won the toughest division, finished second in scoring and earned the No 2 seed. Yet, it was Rich Calderon who helped Burrier the most.
You see, as we all already know, Calderon upended me in the quarters and because in our playoff system, the best always faces the worst, No 2 seeded Rich B got to face off against No 8 Seed Rich C. If I had won, I would have taken on No 7 seeded Rob Masterson, while Burrier would have face and lost to No 5 Griff, 1,591-1,141. Instead, Calderon scored a stunning 900 points less in the semis against Burrier, while Griff scored in the title game about 560 points less than he did in the semis, and just like that, Burrier was our champion. Rich’s 1,410ppg was the 15th best scoring average ever, but he only cracked 1,500 five times and was oddly enough, only 2-5 against the top teams in the league. Still, he never had a low score and failed to hit 1,000 only once.
#5 (2000) Rick Mullin – Record: 11-3, PPG: 1,478 It seems like this happened ages ago, but Rick Mullin’s 2000 squad is still the greatest team (based on the stats) to never win a title. Let’s take a trip back, shall we? It was a more innocent time in Robioland. Back then, 8th seeds didn’t beat top seeds and 7th seeds certainly didn’t win titles. Back then, if you scored, you won. It was a simple time. A year after I had swept the league with the scoring title, top seed and the championship, Rich easily matched my regular season success. He won 11 games and averaged only 9ppg less. After 14 weeks, he produced three weekly high scores and a solid eight 1,500-point games. More impressively, he swept his division (6-0). However, after taking care of business in week one, Rick was stunned in the semis by Griff, 1,398-1,313. A cold 85-point difference kept one of the greatest teams in league history out of even appearing in the title game.
#4 (2000) Robio Murray – Record: 10-4, PPG: 1,423 My second title may not have been as impressive as my first, but it was still one of the best. Ten wins, check. 1,423ppg, check. Division title, check. I actually had my best start to a season ever in 2000, at 6-1. Yet, I wasn’t in first place in my division because the one guy who beat me was also 6-1. However, he eventually collapsed, I finished 4-3 (in all three loses, I scored well) and won the division. I did finish second in scoring, despite the fact I only produced four 1,500-point games (lowest on this list). As we all know, I ended up winning my second title, thanks to Griff, who took care of top seeded Rick in the semis. Oddly though, my 2000 squad was one of the worst playoff scoring champions ever. I never broke 1,500, escaping with a 85-point win in round one, followed by a 34-point come-from-behind win in the semis. In the finals, I handled Griff, 1,448-1,198.
#3 (2005) Griff Coomer – Record: 8-5, PPG: 1,488 Griff’s had some pretty good seasons in Robioland, but this one was a great one (to say it lightly) and it belongs near the top. Now don’t get me wrong, the resume isn’t perfect. He couldn’t produce double-digit wins in the regular season. In fact, he didn’t even win his own division. Yet, despite a tough schedule (opponent’s scored 1,240ppg), Griff had the best running back trio (Alexander, LJ and Jordan) in league history and after a tough 2-4 start to the season, Griff cruised, winning seven of his final eight games.
That guy he lost the division to? That would be Don. Griff outscored him by 2,000 for the season. Just thought that was important. In fact, Griff outscored everyone, winning his first and only scoring title of the decade. Despite entering the post-season as the No 4 seed, Coomer was the clear favorite and pan caked the competition, scoring 1,792, 1,388 and 1,882 in the playoffs (second most ever), easily disposing the Quarter Pounders in the finals. His 1,488ppg was the second most for the regular season.
#2 (1999) Robio Murray – Record: 11-3, PPG: 1,487 The season that got it all started. Kind of wish I didn’t peak so early (that’s what she said. That’s what they all say). If you’ve spent more than five minutes in our beloved league, you know how it all went down. After an average 3-3 start to the season, I would not lost again that season (11-straight wins, still a record today). I produced a record eleven 1,500-point games (including three in the post-season). My six high scores is technically tied for the record (with my 2008 team), but I officially give the record to the ’08 boys, because there were 12-teams, instead of only eight teams back in 1999. In the end, it was my slow start (including a 280-point opening day game) that cost me the top spot on this list.
#1 (2001) Jason Carpenter – Record: 11-3, PPG: 1,558 Yeah, he’s hated. Yes, he’s a fat D-bag, but we can’t deny the season. He cruised to a record tying 11 wins, with eight 1,500-pt games (in fact, he broke 1,600 a total of six times in ’01). He failed to break 1,000 only once, earning five weekly high scores and taking down the top half in five of six games. Most importantly, his 1,558ppg is the highest point total in league history. He cooled in the post-season, scoring only 1,277ppg (281ppg less than the regular season), but thanks to David upsetting me in the semis, he still won the title. Bastard.
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