By R.E. Porter
Associated Web Press
What is known about next week's NFFA championship playoffs:
• Bitter rivals the Corsairs (9-4) and The Village Green (9-4) are assured of berths in the postseason title chase, the only thing in doubt is their seeding.
• The 12th Avenue Bakers (2-11) and Cambridge Animals (5-8), who meet this weekend at Grey Goose Stadium in a contest that has been dubbed "The Curse Bowl," are out of the chase for an NFFA ring.
• The four remaining franchises — defending champs Atlanta Smack Daddies (7-6), East Nashville Black Dogs (6-7), Fidalgo Island Sea Hogs (7-6) and West Nashville Beelzebubbas (7-6) — all are still alive for the final two spots in the championship bracket.
How the playoff scenarios break down:
• Either the Corsairs or The Green will be the No. 1 seed. If The Green win this weekend against the Sea Hogs, they will be win the Linardo division and get the No. 1 seed — even if the Corsairs win — by virtue of a sweep of their head-to-head matchups. The Corsairs would get a wild-card spot and be seeded third. If the Corsairs win this week against the Smack Daddies and The Green lose, the Corsairs will win the division and be the No. 1 seed, and The Green will get the wild-card berth and No. 3 seed.
• The No. 2 seed will go to either the Beelzlebubbas or the Black Dogs, who meet this weekend at the Dawg House in the East Nasty. The winner of that game will capture the Jorge division title, and the loser will be relegated to the consolation bracket. The Beelzebubbas could become the first team other than the Black Dogs and the Animals to wear the Jorge division crown. The Dogs' streak of sixth consecutive non-losing seasons is on the line.
• The Daddies and Hogs are currently tied for the final wild-card berth. Since they split their two games during the regular season, if they both win, the team with the highest number of total points will get the final wild-card spot and the No. 4 seed, which means they will face the top-seeded team in the first week of the playoffs. Atlanta currently leads Fidalgo Island by 21 points.
The 411 on "The Curse Bowl" between 12th Avenue and Cambridge:
Regardless of whether they win or lose, the Bakers will have the first pick in the 2012 NFFA draft and the Animals will pick second. Beyond that, the regular-season finale between these blood rivals is just this side of Armageddon — the final showdown between Shiva and Nancy, a game that threatens the league's very existence. Considering the history of this league, what a fitting way to celebrate the close of its 10th season, with life on this planet itself hanging in the balance.
• Bitter rivals the Corsairs (9-4) and The Village Green (9-4) are assured of berths in the postseason title chase, the only thing in doubt is their seeding.
• The 12th Avenue Bakers (2-11) and Cambridge Animals (5-8), who meet this weekend at Grey Goose Stadium in a contest that has been dubbed "The Curse Bowl," are out of the chase for an NFFA ring.
• The four remaining franchises — defending champs Atlanta Smack Daddies (7-6), East Nashville Black Dogs (6-7), Fidalgo Island Sea Hogs (7-6) and West Nashville Beelzebubbas (7-6) — all are still alive for the final two spots in the championship bracket.
How the playoff scenarios break down:
• Either the Corsairs or The Green will be the No. 1 seed. If The Green win this weekend against the Sea Hogs, they will be win the Linardo division and get the No. 1 seed — even if the Corsairs win — by virtue of a sweep of their head-to-head matchups. The Corsairs would get a wild-card spot and be seeded third. If the Corsairs win this week against the Smack Daddies and The Green lose, the Corsairs will win the division and be the No. 1 seed, and The Green will get the wild-card berth and No. 3 seed.
• The No. 2 seed will go to either the Beelzlebubbas or the Black Dogs, who meet this weekend at the Dawg House in the East Nasty. The winner of that game will capture the Jorge division title, and the loser will be relegated to the consolation bracket. The Beelzebubbas could become the first team other than the Black Dogs and the Animals to wear the Jorge division crown. The Dogs' streak of sixth consecutive non-losing seasons is on the line.
• The Daddies and Hogs are currently tied for the final wild-card berth. Since they split their two games during the regular season, if they both win, the team with the highest number of total points will get the final wild-card spot and the No. 4 seed, which means they will face the top-seeded team in the first week of the playoffs. Atlanta currently leads Fidalgo Island by 21 points.
The 411 on "The Curse Bowl" between 12th Avenue and Cambridge:
Regardless of whether they win or lose, the Bakers will have the first pick in the 2012 NFFA draft and the Animals will pick second. Beyond that, the regular-season finale between these blood rivals is just this side of Armageddon — the final showdown between Shiva and Nancy, a game that threatens the league's very existence. Considering the history of this league, what a fitting way to celebrate the close of its 10th season, with life on this planet itself hanging in the balance.
