11/18/20 – Karen Page, BSL Lead Pool Reporter - Well, it feels like 2 years ago since the 2020 season started since time has ceased to exist in this crazy year and while the odds were stacked HIGH against getting to this point that we are currently at when the season began, here we are. With just 3 regular season games remaining in the 2020 BSL season we take a few minutes to see how the playoff chases are ramping up. And of course, like 2020, what a long strange trip its been!
As is customary the Crazy Diamond League is up first. The CDL’s 22nd year has been a roller coaster with very little determined with only a few weeks left. There is currently only 1 teams mathematically eliminated from the playoffs amazingly, that being the Blue Coats at (2-8). There is another team at (2-8), the Brahma Bulls, as well as a team only 1 game better at (3-7), the MLT Predators (oddly the Week 9 Team of the Week… go figure) but both the Bulls and Preds are only 3 games and 2 games back in their division respectively… so we’re saying there’s a chance! Ok, there is probably no change but in 2020, we are making no firm predictions. There are a total of 5 teams in the CDL at (5-5) after 10 games. Two in the Shula-Landry division (with the aforementioned Bulls and Preds) – the defending 2019 Champion Killer Tomatoes, and the 2018 Champion California Eclipse. They should be fighting for the Division title while they loser could be out of the playoffs. The other 3 (5-5) teams are all in the Madden-Knox however unlike the Tomatoes and Eclipse they are not in the lead. Amazingly, the early season funeral procession that was the Uncanny X-Men and their too numerous to recap injury list are some how leading the Madden-Know at (6-4) after winning the last 4 games in a row. The Kashyyyk Kommandos, Goldrush Hounds and Buzzardpukes all sit 1 game back with everyone having 2 in-division games remaining. The Madden-Knox is still anyone’s game with between their own division tie-breaks and the other 2 teams at (5-5) thrown in the number of possible outcomes is quite large. But between all 5 of the (5-5) teams and the currently (6-4) X-Men, we presume that those 6 teams are the ones realistically fighting for 2 division titles and the other 4 teams for the last playoff spot. That is because we have 3 teams in the Lombardi-Brown at (6-4) or better. The Tanzmanian Devils at (9-1) have clinched a playoff spot but not their division yet. The Devils play the (6-4) New York Jints this week but even with a win the Devils can’t clinch the division because if the (7-3) Guilder Dread Pirates win their last 3 games and the Devils faulter in the final 2 games, it would come down to points scored as the tie-breaker with only 25 pts separating the two currently. A loss by the Jints this week and they join the previously mentioned group of (5-5) plus the X-Men group to have 7 teams fighting for 3 spots in the final 2 weeks! So, what we could have led with is as usual, the CDL will come down to the wire, just like it always does.
The Four Star Daydream League is next. Like the CDL, no division in the FSDL is yet decided with 3 weeks remaining. Two divisions, the Halas-Noll and Allen-Walsh, see their current front runners with only a 1 game lead and the Bryant-Stram division leader is only up by 2 games. The schedule has played havoc on the FSDL with many teams facing other high scoring teams only to lose many times this year. The 2nd highest scoring team has the best record, the highest scoring team (currently by some 100 pts) have the same record as 2 other teams and the highest scoring team in the Allen-Walsh is in 2nd place. In the Halas-Noll the Sinister 36ers started the season at (3-3) with many similar injuries as the X-Men in the CDL but like the X-Men have now run off 4 straight wins to come from 2 games back to over take the now 2nd place Scarlet Widows (6-4). The 36ers and Widows have split their match ups this year so in the final 3 games it most likely will mean the Widows must finish ahead of the 36ers to win the division since they currently sit almost 200 pts back of the 36ers in scoring for the 3rd tie breaker. It is possible the Widows could win on division record if they win out and end up tied with the 36ers in 3 weeks so they have paths to the division title. It is likely that while not mathematically eliminated the Lucky Dog and China Open Faces, both at (4-6) probably are out of the division race. But its still a possibility. In the Allen-Walsh the Toad Lickers, YES the Toad Lickers, lead the division also at (7-3) like the 36ers with a (6-4) on their heels. In this case it is the Jedi Knights. The Lickers have win the games that have counted most and currently are one of only 2 teams with an undefeated division record in the entire BSL’s 3 leagues. Like the Widows, the 2nd place Knights most likely need to win out to have any chance at the division crown and that chance isn’t high since the best they can hope for a division record tie (if the Lickers lose this week and against the Knights in the final game of the season in Week 13). Like Lucky Dog and the Open Faces, The HitMen at (4-6) while not mathematically out of it are probably out of it. The Florida Seminal Vesicles at (2-8) seem destined for the 1-2 Draft pick bracket with the currently winless Burke’s Law from the Bryant-Stram. Speaking of, while the Midway Monsters, like the Tanz Devils in the CDL, sit with a league best (9-1) record, they have not clinched the division yet and actually haven’t yet clinched a playoff spot as they could lose the division, could end up (9-4) tied with 2 other teams of which only 2 would make the playoffs. So they still need to play hard… at least for 1 more week. Luckily for them and unluckily for the Hebrew Hammers chasing them at (7-3) the Monster draw those (0-10) Burke’s Law guys… so… forget what we just said. The Monster are in the dance! The Hammers aren’t out of taking the division yet however even with a Monsters win this week but they also need to hold off the 36ers, Widows, Lickers and Knights with those 5 teams most likely fighting for 4 spots. Someone will not be happy after Week 13!
Lastly in the Two Lost Souls League we finally have a division winner to crown for 2020. In fact, they clinched the Reeves-Levy-Grant Division a couple weeks ago. The Evil Empire (8-2) right now holds a 4 game lead with 3 games left and are the first, and so far only, division winner clinched so far this season. With that said, the 2nd place Electric Mayhem even though they are currently (4-6) are not out of the playoff chase in the weird TLSL. We have the clinched Empire, and 3 teams at (7-3) that while not technically sure things, they are pretty close. Those are the Ditka Division leading and defending Champion Avengers along with 2 Gibbs-Parcells teams in the Omaha Players and FL Nitanny Lions. Then you have The Cossacks at (6-4), the (5-5) Sea Dragons and 3 teams at (4-6) in the Bewildered Bruins, the St Pete Minutemen and the previously mentioned Mayhem all still in the mix, some more than others but all still in the mix none the less. That leaves only 3 teams in the TLSL eliminated with 3 weeks left but those 3 unlike in the FSDL haven’t shaken out who will play for the #1 overall pick. The Clown Show and Basket of Deplorables are both currently at (3-7) with the Five Moves of Doom at (2-8). Two of the three will play for the top overall pick.
That is the current state of things as we begin Week 11 on Thursday. Out of 36 teams across 3 leagues only 2 as far as we can see have clinched playoff spots and only 6 are mathematically eliminated leaving 28 teams overall fighting for 13 playoff spots across the 3 leagues! It is going to be a WILD final 3 weeks… but we would expect nothing less from 2020!