Top-12 Playoff Rivalries

Rivalries…they’re not born. They’re made, slowly, over time. Of course, a few battles when it the matters the most (the playoffs) can speed things way up. Think Cowboys and 49ers. Those two teams never thought twice about each other, but after the battles in the early 80’s and again the early 90’s, these two teams became rivals.

It got me thinking…what kind of rivals have we got growing from Robioland playoffs. Starting today, I will present the top-12 playoff rankings in league history. To keep it fun for everyone, if you made the playoffs, you’re on this list. Sorry, Marc.

PLAYOFF RIVALS #12 | JEFF vs ROBIO

PLAYOFF SERIES: Series tied, 1-1 PEAK YEARS: None

I’ll admit right now, these early posts will feature rivalries that will not impress you. Fact is, people like Jeff, Eric and Masterson have not won enough playoff games to form a proper postseason rival. However, I wanted to include every team that made the playoffs on this list, so here we are.

Jeff has only made the playoffs five times in his 10-year career, although he’s gotten hotter lately. He’s made it to the postseason three straight seasons and has earned a win in the last two. In time, I real rival will arise, but for now, it’s Murray.

Jeff has only faced two teams twice in the playoffs. Calderon is one, including the 2016 title game. Yet, Jeff is 0-2 against Rich. I need a bigger reason to justify a rivalry between one team that hasn’t beaten another. That can’t be said with me.

The first time Jeff and I faced off was way back in 2013. Heading into the season, Jeff was a struggle. He had missed the playoffs three straight years and through eleven weeks of the 2013 season, it looked like he’d make it four. He was 4-7 and one more defeat would end his season. Well, that defeat never came and he won his last two games over Colby and Don.

Yet, Jeff’s record wasn’t as bad as it seemed. Despite the lack of victories, he actually finished 4th in scoring, but had to settle for the 8th seed. In the quarterfinals, he would face me. I was the defending champ, having won 10 games and earning the scoring title. I was also 9-1 in the quarterfinals. Well, make that 10-1, as I dispatched Jeff, 1,409-871. I would end up making a bad lineup decision in the semifinals and lose to Griff the following week.

Despite the defeat, followed by another 10-loss season in 2014, Jeff would get his shit together and two years later, he would stun the world with a 11-win season, earning the top seed for the first time ever. In the quarterfinals though, he struggled hard and failed to break 1,000, but he didn’t have to. In one of the ugliest quarterfinals games ever, Jeff beat #8 Burrier, 905-840. Next up was me, although I wasn’t the scary monster I had been in the past.

I began the year 4-0, but had lost six in a row during a bad stretch in the middle of the season. I had to win two of my final three just to get into the playoffs, where I landed as a #6 seed. In the quarterfinals, I beat Don easily and advanced to the semifinals where I was 7-3 for my career. That meant nothing, as Jeff was clearly the better team, beating me, 1,816-1,496. The following week, Jeff would take on the scoring champ and two seed, Calderon, but he lacked any gas in the tank, losing in the title game.

PLAYOFF RIVALS #11 | ERIC vs RICH C

PLAYOFF SERIES: Series tied, 1-1 PEAK YEARS: 2016-2017

Like I said, some of these earlier posts will be a reach at best, simply because my rule was that everyone had to be on this list (besides Marc) and some folks simply have struggled to have any kind of postseason success. At least this one, is very recent.

Eric and Calderon shared space in this league for 13 years and never once faced off in the playoffs. It didn’t help that since 2001, Eric had reached the playoffs just five times and escaped the quarterfinals just once (2012). So, why would 2016 be any different?

That year, Eric was a six-win team that started 0-4 and never won three games in a row. If he hadn’t won his final two of the regular season, he wouldn’t even have earned a playoff spot. But he did, getting awarded the 7-seed. Meanwhile, Rich was winning nine games for the fourth time in seven seasons and earning the two-seed also for the fourth time in seven seasons. While Calderon had struggled at times as a high seed, he would have no such struggle this time, easily crushing Eric, 1,878-1,144, behind 776 points from Bob castoff, Le’Veon Bell. Two weeks later, Bell would help deliver Calderon his second career title.

On to the next season, where you guessed it, it happened again. Once more, Rich was the better team entering the playoffs. He won eight games, earning the third seed, despite dropping his final two games of the regular season. Eric would land as the 6th seed. After a four-game losing streak erased a 4-2 start, he won three of his last four to reach the playoffs again.

It would be the second straight season these two would meet, but this time, the results would be flipped, although don’t call it an upset. Eric was the favorite of the two to win and he did just that, beating Rich in a close one, 1,433-1,404. For Calderon, the lose was painful, because the two spots that killed him all season, killed him at the end. Matt Ryan had just 106 points and DeMarco Murray produced just 47 in his final Robioland game.

PLAYOFF RIVALS #10 | RICH B vs GRIFF

PLAYOFF SERIES: Rich B leads the series, 2-0 PEAK YEARS: None

Like so many of these early posts, Burrier lacks a true postseason rival. While he’s been to the playoffs a bunch, his quarterfinals exits have cost him the kind of matchups where rivals can be created.

Neatock feels like a rival, but he and Rich only faced off twice in the postseason, once in 2003 and not again until 2013. He’s faced Bob three times, which is the most he’s faced any one team, but it can’t be a rivalry if Burrier hasn’t won a game. Bob beat him in the 2011 title game and then twice over the last three seasons. However, in those games, Bob was the 1-seed and he easily beat the 8-seed Burrier both times. Thus, I’m going with Griff.

Griff and Burrier have only faced off twice, but the damage Rich has done to Griff in those two meetings should keep Coomer up at night. The story begins way back in 2003. In Burrier’s second-year in the league, he won eight games in a tough division and earned the 3-seed. He crushed Neatock in the quarterfinals and escaped a low-scoring affair over Calderon in the semis. In the finals, Rich would face Griff, the #5 seed, becoming the first person to have a chance to win it all without facing a team seeded fourth or higher.

Griff got to that championship contest with a hot start to the season. He began 4-0 and was 7-1 through eight weeks. However, a four-game slide to end the year, did not make things hopeful entering the playoffs. Yet, in the quarterfinals, he beat David, who scored a record low 568 points. In the following week, he took down 7-seed Masterson, who was coming off his 2,501-point effort.

This would be Griff’s third trip to the final in five seasons in the league, but like those two other adventures, his title dreams would remain unfulfilled, as Rich became the first person to score over 2,000 in the finals, winning it 2,011-1,036.

It would be nine years before Griff and Burrier would see each other in a playoff game again. This time in the quarterfinals. That year, Griff was rockin’, winning 10 games and earning his second career top-seed, second in scoring behind Eric. Meanwhile, Burrier needed a week 13 win over Colby just to qualify, earning the 8-seed, despite losing four of his last six games.

Despite the lower seed though, Rich had proved his savy the year before, reaching the title game as a 6-seed. Still, he was facing the mighty Griff, who had beaten him in six of their last seven meetings. Of course, none of that matter, as one of the best Griff’s teams ever, was stunned in the quarterfinals, losing to Burrier by just 66 points, 1,150-1,084. The blame for Griff’s third straight week one playoff exit landed on a few shoulders. His QB, Peyton Manning, settled for four field goals, Wes Welker dropped a ton of balls and his Buccaneers D make Nick Foles look like a pro bowler.

While Burrier and Coomer have only faced off those two times, it just feels like Rich stole two titles that belong to Griff. Or perhaps I’m reaching. Hey, we’re still early on this list.

PLAYOFF RIVALS #9 | ROB M vs MOLLY

PLAYOFF SERIES: Rob M won the series, 2-1 PEAK YEARS: 2002-2003

Typically I would not include a former league member on a list like this, but it’s tough finding an impactful playoff rival for Rob, a guy who has won one playoff game since 2006. He’s faced Bob twice in the quarterfinals, in season’s Bob went on to win it all. That’s something. He faced Neatock in back-to-back seasons (2014-15), but Rob lost both and Matt didn’t go on to win any titles those years. This is why I’ve settled on Molly.

The first time Masterson and Molly met in the postseason was way back in 2002, the first year in the league for both. Mrs. Coomer exploded out of the gate, winning 10 games, earning the top seed and crushing David in the quarterfinals. For Masterson, after ten weeks, he looked like one of the best. He was riding a five-game winning streak and sat at 7-3. However, the final month proved brutal, as he dropped four straight, earning the #7 seed. Yet, in the quarterfinals, he upset Don to advance to the semifinals, setting up a instant classic in the 2002 semifinals. On one side, two griddy veterans faced off; Robio vs Griff. On the other side, two rookies, Molly vs Masterson. The finals could be two Rob’s, two Coomers, what more could the league ask for? Well, we got neither of those. As I beat Griff, Molly doubled up Masterson, 1,646-867. She would lose in the title game the following week.

The following season, Molly again dominated the regular season. She entered the playoffs on a four-game winning streak, finishing the year with nine victories and a 2-seed. Masterson again would enter the show as the 7-seed, struggling to find victories down the stretch. On the year, he was the winner of seven games, having lost five of his last seven contests. Everything pointed to another Molly win. Everything was pointing in the wrong direction. In the quarterfinals, Rob would produce the greatest individual game ever, scoring 2,501 points, easily defeating Molly, 2,501-1,319. It was the second straight year he upset a 2-seed in the quarterfinals. Of course, like the previous season, his year would end the following week, this time to #5 Griff.

Fast forward ten years, because these two wouldn’t face off again in the postseason until 2013. For Rob, after a brutal six-year run, where he missed the playoffs four times, he managed to win eight games in 2013, earning his highest seed ever (3-seed). For him, it was about just winning his first playoff game since 2006. For Molly, she entered the playoffs as a six-seed, having won nine games, including four of her last six. Yet, for the second time in three playoff games against Molly, Rob broke 2,000, beating her 2,031-1,299. The following week, he would lose to the eventual champ, Calderon, in the semifinals.

In total, Masterson has just four playoff wins for his career and half of those came against Molly and in both cases, he broke 2,000. Also, that 2013 quarterfinals victory is the only win he has in the playoffs over the last 11 years.

PLAYOFF RIVALS #8 | GRIFF vs MATT

PLAYOFF SERIES: Matt leads series, 2-1 PEAK YEARS: 2015-2017

This playoff rivalry doesn’t have the sex appeal that others you’ll see down the road on this list, but all three times Matt and Griff faced off in the playoffs, the winner went on to win it all.

Of course, it took a while for these two to meet up for that first date. It would take seven years to be exact. In 2009, Matt was the dominator. He entered the postseason looking to earn the in-season triple crown. He earned the top-seed with ten wins and had the scoring title already wrapped up. Meanwhile,  Griff was just looking to get his groove back. After reaching the finals four times in his first six seasons, he entered 2009 having missed the playoffs in back-to-back years. He managed to get back on track in 2008, winning eight games, his division and earning the 3-seed.

Once in the playoffs, both teams dominated the quarterfinals and semifinals. Matt defeated 8-seed Eric and #5 Calderon, scoring 1,832 and 1,950. On the other side of the bracket, Griff stunned Masterson, 1,801-1,709. The following week, he earned his second straight tight victory, defeating #2 Bob, 1,622-1,534. Yet, in the finals, Neatock’s squad proved to be too much, as he ended Griff’s season on a sad note, 1,608-1,384.

It would be another six years before these two would meet again, but this time, the shoe was fitting nicely on the other foot. That year, with David Johnson on his roster, Griff had won his final five (and seven of eight) to earn the two-seed and be the playoff favorite. Meanwhile, Matt had won eight games, but had dropped three of his last five, earning the 5-seed.

In the quarterfinals, Matt took care of business against Masterson, while Griff crushed #7 Jeff with 1,847 points. Once in the semifinals against Neatock, Griff would getting his revenge, beating Matt, 1,962-1,335. A week later, he’d take down Colby for the title.

Two years later, Matt would steal back those shoes. Heading into the 2017 playoffs, behind the league’s best backfield, he was the 2-seed, with nine wins, six weekly high scores and a scoring crown. As for Griff, he spent the season trying to make up for the loss of David Johnson. He dropped his first three and was 2-6 after eight weeks, but managed to win four of his last five to reach the postseason. Was he good enough to pull off the stunning 7 vs 2 upset? No. Matt crushed him, 2,128-1,444. Two weeks later, Neatock was your champion for a third time and two of those times, went through Coomer.

PLAYOFF RIVALS #7 | COLBY vs BOB

PLAYOFF SERIES: Bob leads series, 3-1 PEAK YEARS: 2010-2011

This list is about to get a little Bob heavy. This is what happens when you’ve been to the playoffs every year but two, since you’ve been in this league. Officially, Colby and Bob have faced off four times over a 11-year period. However, what makes them special is the fact that three of those four were in the semifinals and two were stepping stones to a title run. You’ll never guess whose titles.

The story begins way back in 2006. Colby was still riding with Jeff and the pair produced a solid nine win season and the 4-seed. Bob was rebounding from a three-win season, by winning eight games and earning the 4-seed. Back in week five, Colby defeated Bob, 1,409-1,274. Yet, in the quarterfinals, the Pounders refused to show and Castrone walked away with a easy, 1,373-782 victory. The following week though, he would be upset by 7-seed Don (remember the good old days, when a Vozzola could beat a Bob?).

Anyhow, Colby would go on to miss the playoffs in two of the next three seasons. Meanwhile, Bob kept getting back to the postseason, but couldn’t find his way into the title game (he lost in the semifinals three times in four seasons between 2006-2009). However, in 2010, these two proved to be the two best not to win a division, as Bob won nine games and earned the 4-seed, while Colby got the 6-seed, despite winning eight games. Yet, both proved their worth in the quarterfinals. Colby upset 3-seed Matt with a 1,726-point effort, while Bob crushed #5 Griff, 1,793-690.

Oddly enough, in the semifinals, both teams failed to show, as Bob escaped with a 1,163-1,015 victory over Colby. The following week, Bob would catch another break, when a 14-win Robio team failed to show and Bob won his second career title, 1,283-948. How close did Colby come to having a chance to be a champion? He lost to Bob by only 148 points, in a game where his star receiver, Terrell Owens, went out early with an injury and scored zero points.

The following season, both teams regressed. Bob needed his final two opponents to not break 1,000, just so he could get to six wins and take the 7-seed. Meanwhile, Colby had to shake off both a 0-3 start and a 2-6 record, to win his final five and enter the playoffs as the hottest team and a five-seed. In the quarterfinals, he went from hot to scorching, crushing Griff, 2,197-1,227. Bob, on the other hand, needed the Steven Jackson miracle to upset #2 Masterson, 1,625-1,623. Heading back into the semifinals, Colby was the favorite, but this was Bob and Bob finds ways to win. He did, escaping with a 1,201-1,180-point victory.

In that 21-point defeat for Colby, Frank Gore failed to play in the last five minutes of his team’s blowout win. Antonio Brown, Colby’s top wideout, had a 20-point reception taken away with four minutes to play, thanks to a clipping call. On the next play, Bob’s Mike Wallace caught a pass and gave Castrone the lead. Earlier in the day, Hakeem Nicks just flatout dropped a wide open 70-yard touchdown. Should of, could of, but didn’t. Bob advanced to the finals and won his second straight title, defeating Burrier, 1,590-1,283.

Four years later, a six-win, 6-seed Colby was back at it, upsetting Eric in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, he would take on Bob again. Castrone was the top dog all season, winning 11 games and earning the top seed. However, Bob was without star running back Le’Veon Bell, failed to get his handcuff and was no longer the favorite heading into the playoffs (that was Griff). Well, that was all Colby needed as he finally defeated Bob in a playoff game, 1,398-1,317. Colby would appear in his second title game, but for the second time, he would lose to Griff.

PLAYOFF RIVALS #6 | RICH C vs BOB

PLAYOFF SERIES: Bob leads series, 3-2 PEAK YEARS: 2012-2016

Tied for the second most postseason meetups (5), both Calderon and Castrone entered the league back in that fateful year of 2003 and these two have done nothing but win, combining for six titles, including five of the last eight. In the middle of all that greatness, these two have constantly had to go through one another.

It all started back in 2004.

That season, the two met in a epic semifinals showdown. Calderon was the 4-seed, winner of nine games and a quarterfinals crushing of Don. Bob was the #2 seed, having won ten games, breaking 1,500 in six straight games, including his quarterfinals victory over Masterson. Yet, in the semifinals, both teams struggled to score, but Bob walked away with a 1,239-965 victory. The following week, he’d win his first crown over Griff.

It would be eight more years before these two would face off again, but once they hooked back up, we couldn’t keep them apart. Starting in 2012, Calderon and Castrone would face off three straight times in the quarterfinals. Those first two years, Rich was the much better team, producing back-to-back 10-win regular seasons and earning the two-seed both times. Yet, at least in 2012, none of that mattered, as a six-win, 7th seeded Bob walked in and crushed Calderon, 1,894-1249. It would be the third time in four years Rich lost in the quarterfinals as the 2-seed.

The following year though, Calderon once again won ten games and was given the 2-seed. Once again, he would face off with a six-win, 7th seeded Bob team. Rich was the extreme favorite, but we all knew how this was going to turn out and it wasn’t going to be good news for Calderon. Wrong. Rich finally got over his 2-seed hump and ended Bob’s season, 1,798-1,192. It was the first time since 2006 that Bob didn’t survive the quarterfinals.

However, in 2013, all kinds of shoes were living on all kinds of different feet. As the defending champ, Calderon barely snuck back into the playoffs, winning just six games and earning the 8-seed. Meanwhile, Bob was back to dominating. He won ten games, scored over 20,000 regular season points and was expected to dominate the postseason. Did Calderon have any 8-seed magic in him? No. No he didn’t. Bob crushed him 2,333-1,171. It was the second largest playoffs ass-kicking in league history.

Yet, Rich would get a little revenge two years later. In 2016, Calderon was again back on top. He won nine games, winning the scoring crown, earning the 2-seed. In the quarterfinals, he crushed Eric, 1,878-1,144. Meanwhile, Bob had won eight games, but he had broken 1,500 just once all season and dropped three of his last five. He won his quarterfinals game, thanks to Masterson’s 745-point no-show. However, in the semifinals, Calderon was too good. He didn’t believe in no shows. Rich won easily, 1,588-1,146. A week later, Rich would win his second title in three years. This means, in total, four of their six titles had to go through one of each other (Bob in 2004, 2014 and Rich in 2013-2016).

PLAYOFF RIVALS #5 | DON vs RICH C

PLAYOFF SERIES: All tied up, 2-2 PEAK YEARS: 2007-2010

For a good four years, these two made seeding sort of worthless. It all began back in Calderon’s second year in the league. In 2004, he was a nine-win, 4-seed, while Don was still searching for his first career playoff win as the 5-seed. He wouldn’t find it here, as Rich and Don’s first playoff meeting wasn’t even close, as Calderon improved to 2-0 in the quarterfinals with a 1,845-1,075 victory.

Three years later…the real fun would begin though.

That would be 2007. Don was the league’s defending champ. His follow up act proved to be his finest regular season in Robioland. He won eight games and produced his only scoring crown, earning the 2-seed in the process. Meanwhile, Calderon had failed to qualify for the postseason the previous two seasons and won just six games to earn the 7-seed that year. Yet, despite dropping four of his last five games, while Don had won five of six to finish the season, it was Rich who escaped the quarterfinals with a victory, 1,604-1,436. It was the fifth time in six seasons the 2-seed failed to win a playoff game. For Calderon, he would reach the finals, after defeating 1-seeded David in the semifinals, eventually losing to Neatock.

The following season, the shoe was on the other foot for both Don and Rich. That year, Calderon had earned the 2-seed with nine wins. Don erased a 3-6 start by winning three of his last five and earning the 7-seed. As the two-seed, Rich was the heavy favorite, having won eight of nine entering the postseason. He was also 2-0 against Don in the postseason. However, none of that mattered, as Don got his revenge from the year before, winning 1,505-1,133. That win would be only the beginning, as Vozzola would upset #1 Molly in the semifinals, before earning his second title in three years with a win over me (the 5-seed) in the title game.

In 2009, both Don and Rich once again made it back to the playoffs, but managed to avoid each other. However, in 2010, they were back facing each other for the third time in four seasons and just like in 2008, Rich was the two-seed, while Don was the seven-seed. Also, like two years earlier, Don got there by shaking off a rough start. He was 2-5, but after facing three straight weekly low scores, he managed to win four of his last six and get back to the show. Calderon never had those struggles. He won nine games, took his division, nearly hit 19,000 total points, while never losing two in a row during the regular season. Of course, in the playoffs, it only takes one loss and for the second time in three years, Don dumped the two seeded Calderon in the quarterfinals, 1,114-726. This time, the road did not lead to a title, as Don lost to me in the semifinals.

Unfortunately, this playoff rivalry ended back in 2010, as Don has failed to qualify for the playoffs in five of his last seven seasons. Perhaps, they’ll find each other again in 2018.

PLAYOFF RIVALS #4 | MATT vs BOB

PLAYOFF SERIES: Bob leads the series, 2-1 PEAK YEARS: 2014-2017

These two easily make the list, despite having only met three times in the postseason. The fact is, all three times were huge games (semifinals or finals) and all three led directly to a championship or eventually led to one.

Their first postseason taste of each other was back in 2007. Bob was the 2-seed, who won eight games, entering his third playoff trip in five seasons (winning it all in 2004). Matt was the preseason favorite, who had to shake off a 1-4 start with a six-game winning streak, just to get to seven wins and the 5-seed. In the quarterfinals, both cruised to victory. Matt defeated Eric and Bob took care of business against Masterson. Yet, despite being the higher seed, Bob was the dog in the semifinals and Neatock showed why, taking him down, 1,398-1,158. The following week, Matt would defeat Calderon for his first title.

Fast forward many years, all the way to 2014. By this time, Bob was dominating the league. He was entering the playoffs for the ninth straight season and for the first time, he was coming in as the one-seed and heavy favorite. Yet, Matt wasn’t some fluke. He won eight games that year, although when he faced and lost ot Bob back in week four, he scored just 666 points.

In the quarterfinals and semifinals, the 3rd seed Matt easily dispatched both Masterson and Molly, while Bob dominated Calderon and Griff, setting up a solid #1 vs #3 title game. Bob was easily the favorite, but towards the end of the Sunday night game, Matt found himself down just one-point, with two players left playing, including Demaryius Thomas and the Broncos kicker. Well, the unthinkable happened and Neatock never got another point and Bob escaped with a stunning, 1,495-1,494 championship victory.

Could Matt ever escape that kind of heartbreak? Well, last year he had his best chance. With the top overall pick and the best keeper in his back pocket, Matt was the clear favorite in 2017 and it showed. Despite a couple of minor hiccups, he won nine games, earned the #2 seed and the scoring crown, behind six weekly high scores. Yet, there was one small problem standing in his way: Bob.

Yep, that same year, Castrone was busy earning his third 1-seed in four seasons, this time tying my record with 12 wins in the regular season. Once in the playoffs, Matt dominated like no other, scoring back-to-back 2,000-point games in wins over Griff and Jeff. Meanwhile, Bob escaped #8 Burrier and then crushed #6 Eric.

In the finals, Neatock was the extreme favorite, but this was Bob. We knew how this worked? Matt knew how this worked? Matt would have his worst game in years and Bob would walk away with that fifth title. Um, nope. There was no miracle coming, as Matt easily handled Castrone, 1,537-1,119. Neatock earned his third title and became just the second person to have a winning record against Bob in the playoffs (I’m the other one).

PLAYOFF RIVALS #3 | ROBIO vs DON

PLAYOFF SERIES: All tied up, 2-2 PEAK YEARS: 2006-2010

It’s hard to have a long-standing playoff rivalry if neither team can make the playoffs, but over a ten-year period, Don and I faced off four times. The peak was between 2006 and 2010, when we faced off three of those times, including twice in the title game.

It began in the 2006 title game. Don was a long, long shot entering the playoffs with six wins and the 7-seed, while I was a division winning 3-seed. That year, I cruised into the title game, beating #6 Griff and #8 Masterson. I had won six of seven and was looking to become the first team to win a title without facing a top-five seeded team. Meanwhile, Don, who had lost five of his last seven in the regular season, stunned #2 Molly in the quarterfinals and escaped #4 Bob in the semifinals. Yet, oddly enough, because of some serious matchup problems for me, Don actually entered the title game the favorite. Those projections proved accurate, as Vozzola crushed me, 1,617-844.

Two years late, the situation was similar heading into the postseason. Don was again the 7-seed. He hadn’t won two in a row since weeks two and three. On the flip side, I was only a five-seed, but I was the hottest team in the league. With a roster made up of All-Robio players, I had won six of eight, earning the weekly high score in five of those wins. In the playoffs, I kept that up, easily dispatching #4 Bob and #3 Colby, breaking 1,500 for the ninth time in 11 games. On the other side of the bracket, Don was stunning the world, rolling through the top two seeds, knocking out a #2 seed (Calderon) and a #1 seed (Molly) to reach the finals.

In the title game, I was the heavy favorite. I should have won easily. Instead, I benched DeAngelo Williams and his 199 yards and four touchdowns. That was the difference in the game. Don won his second title over me in three years, 1,216-1,041.

Two years later I would again face a 7-seeded Don. I was the 1-seed, having won 13 in a row when I faced my uncle this time in the semifinals. This time, the results were different, as I cruised to a 1,705-1,118 victory. One week later, I would fall to Bob.

Soon after, just getting to the playoffs would become a challenge for Don and I. Yet, in 2016, we both found a way to win some games and get back to the playoffs (after both missing the show two straight seasons). Meeting in the quarterfinals for the first time, Don was the higher seed (3-seed vs 6-seed), but I was the favorite and easily won, 1,498-1,048. In the semifinals, I would lose to Jeff.

PLAYOFF RIVALS #2 | ROBIO vs GRIFF

PLAYOFF SERIES: Rob leads 4-1 PEAK YEARS: 1999-2006

For obviously reasons, this is the longest lasting postseason rivalry. Griff and I met in the first two title games back in 1999 and 2000. That first year, we were the two best teams and two highest seeds heading into the playoffs, so it was fitting we faced off in the championship game. Unfortunately for Coomer, the 1-seed was way better than the 2-seed and I walked away with a easy 1,872-1,234 victory.

The following season, the title game was meant to be another #1 vs #2 matchup between Rick and I, but Griff messed it all up, by upsetting the top seed in the semifinals by just 85 points. Yet, he didn’t have enough in the tank for another upset, as I pulled out a second straight title game win over Griff, 1,448-1,197.

Two seasons later, the first year where we invited in New Yorkers that remain today (Burrier and Masterson), plus Molly, it looked like we could get an All-Coomer title game with top seeded Molly advancing to the title game in her first season in the league. Unfortunately, Griff, as the 5-seed, faced me in the semifinals and it wasn’t even close. I beat him 1,598-795.

Over the next three seasons, Griff would be in the title game three straight years (2003-2005), winning it all in 2005. In 2006, he was a heavy favorite to repeat, but he struggled throughout the year. Still, entering the last game of the regular season, all he had to do was beat me to win the division. He failed, losing by just 90 points. Instead, he earned the 6-seed and faced off with me again (the 3-seed) and for the fourth time in four tries, lost in the playoffs to me. It was the first time Griff had lost in the quarterfinals.

During that eight-year stretch, we faced off four times, but as I began to struggle during the regular season, we began to see less of each other in the postseason. In fact, since 2007, we have faced off just once. That would be 2013. I was a 10-win, one-seed, while Griff was the five-seed. After we both advanced past the quarterfinals, we went head-to-head in the semifinals. Unfortunately, a last second lineup change cost me the game and I lost to Griff for the first and only time in the playoffs, 1,105-1,038. Griff would end up losing to Calderon the following week.

PLAYOFF RIVALS #1 | GRIFF vs COLBY

PLAYOFF SERIES: Griff leads 5-1 PEAK YEARS: 2011-2015

With their six matchups, Griff and Colby have the record for most games played against each other in the postseason and it includes two title game battles. Only one thing nearly kept me from putting these two at the top spot….the series has been so one-sided. Anyhow…

It began way back in 2004, Colby’s first year taking over Jeff’s team post-draft. The Pounders entered the playoffs for the first time as the league’s scoring champ, yet Colby struggled with luck, barely making it to the show, earning the 8-seed. Unfortunately that string of bad luck continued in the playoffs. Despite scoring over 20,000 (in a 14-game regular season), Colby couldn’t get past the top-seed, Griff, 1,396-1,349. Griff would later taste heartbreak losing to Bob by just 47 points in a low scoring title game.

The following season, both Griff and Colby made it back to the postseason. As the 4-seed, Griff took apart his wife (Molly) and his former boss (David) to land back into his fifth title game in seven seasons. Meanwhile, Colby once again snuck into the playoffs, this time as a seven-seed, but this time around, he came to play. He took down the 2-seed Matt in the quarters and handed me my first ever semifinals loss the following week. Yet, his seven-seed magic ran out in the title game against Griff, as Colby got crushed, 1,882-739. It remains the greatest ass-kicking in title game history.

These two would take a five-year hiatus and wouldn’t face each other again in the postseason until 2011. But that game, would be the real beginning of arguable the greatest postseason rivalry. That year, despite having nine wins, Griff was just the 4-seed and had no chance against Colby. In the quarterfinals, Mr. Hall dominated with a 2,197-1,227 victory. Of course, Colby peaked too early and was eliminated by the evental champ, Bob, the following weekend.

Yet, that 2011 game proved to be just an appetizer. Starting in 2013, Griff and Colby would face off three straight seasons. In that first contest, Griff entered the game, having lost to Colby in the regular season finale, which dropped him to the 5-seed. However, it was time to return the favor from two years earlier, as Coomer was the 5-seed scoring 2,000 in a quarterfinal’s win over Colby. He would continue on to the title game, where he would fall to Calderon.

The following season, Colby was a studly two-seed, his highest seed ever in Robioland, but Griff continued to befuddle him. In the quarterfinals, the 7-seed shocked the 2-seed, 1,626-1,208.

In 2015, much like in 2005, Griff entered the postseason as the favorite (as the two-seed this time), behind a pair of stud backs. As expected, he cruised to the finals, dispatching both Jeff and Matt with ease. Of course, just like in 2005, Colby entered the postseason as a six-win team (6-seed), but managed to upset Eric in the quarters and then stun top seeded Bob in the semifinals. This set the stage for a fourth Griff/Colby matchup in five seasons. Unfortunately, Colby had dropped five straight to Griff by then and nothing would change in this title game, as Griff easily handled Mr. Hall, 1,333-1,049.