ONE FOR THE THUMB Smack Daddies, Black Dogs aim for fifth ring

Atlanta Smack Daddies owner Lex Dominica hopes
to cap a historic season with a fifth NFFA title.

By R.E. Porter

Associated Web Press

The Atlanta Smack Daddies have already had a historic season and enter the postseason with their eyes on claiming another bit of history: one for the thumb. The Smack Daddies are currently tied with the East Nashville Black Dogs in that department; both franchises have four championship rings and both have a chance to win a fifth over the next two weekends. The Club Gitmo Sports Book is favoring Atlanta, however, an easy call when you consider the team's record-setting season.

Here's a recap of the Daddies historic accomplishments in the 2018 regular season:

• The team set a new NFFA single-season scoring mark, averaging 183.5 points per game, almost 24 points a game more than the next highest-scoring team, and besting the previous record of 180.3 pointer per game by the Downtown Corsairs, now known as the Pie Town Ballers, in 2014.

• The Smack Daddies obliterated the previous single-game scoring mark of 233.5 points set by the West Nashville Beelzebubbas in 2007 with 249.5 points in week seven.

• The Daddies also set a new league record for most 200-point games in the regular season with four; the previous record was two. In two of those 200-plus games, they outscored opponents who also topped 200 points.

• In addition, the team set a new franchise mark for the regular season with eleven wins  — the team had never won more than nine games in the regular season, a total they had reached four times (2005, 2006, 2010, and 2013).

• Atlanta also claimed its second Linardo division title in franchise history.

Other notes and milestones from around the league

• After opening the season with ten straight wins, the Village Green enter the playoffs on a four-game skid. It's worth noting their losing streak began with a loss to their opponent this weekend, the East Nashville Black Dogs.

• The Black Dogs claimed their thirteenth Jorge division title in sixteen seasons, and also extended their streak of non-losing seasons to fifteen. They are making their eighth-straight appearance in the championship round of the playoffs, a league-record they share with the Ballers. Like the Daddies, the Dogs are trying to win a fifth NFFA ring.

• For the first time since moving to London, the Bakers missed the playoffs. Speaking off the record, a team official blamed the team's disappointing season on “[expletive] Brexit.”

• Remember when the Cambridge Animals won the championship back in 2015 under the direction of wunderkind GM Wilder the Animal? Well since WTA's season of glory, the team has gone 6-8 in three consecutive years. This has prompted Animals fans to put up billboards in Cambridge that read, "WTA, WTF?" and "Time for ZTA," a reference to team owner Dave the Animal's youngest son, Zuma the Animal.

• Not having a reliable quarterback haunted the South Franklin Independents all season long, but that appears to be a problem the team can put behind them after they won the first pick in the 2019 draft by finishing with the league's worst record, 4-10. The Indies will be able to choose between Drew Brees, Philip Rivers, and several other top-tier signal callers.

• And finally, the curse of the champion remained undefeated as the defending champions from West Nashville finished 5-9 and missed the championship round of the playoffs. 18-0, baby. There has never been a repeat champion in the league's 18-year history.

WHO'S YOUR DADDY? Smack Daddies can set new scoring mark, clinch division title this weekend

With a bazooka right arm, quarterback Patrick Mahomes has led the Atlanta Smack Daddies to the brink of a record-setting season and a division title.

By R.E. Porter

Associated Web Press

With one week to play in the 2018 regular season, the Atlanta Smack Daddies are on the brink of setting a new season scoring record. They enter the final week of play averaging 181.8 points per game and can break the old record of 180.3 points per game set in 2014 by the Downtown Corsairs, now known as the Pie Town Ballers, by tallying at least 161 points in their season finale.

Currently tied atop the Linardo division with the Village Green, the Daddies can also clinch the division title with a win this weekend over the South Franklin Independents, regardless of the outcome of the Green's contest with the Ballers. All three teams have already clinched berths in the playoffs. The Ballers will be the four seed and will play the division winner in the first round of the playoffs. Whichever team finishes second will be the three seed and face the East Nashville Black Dogs, who clinched the Jorge division title for the thirteenth time in sixteen seasons with their win over the Cambridge Animals last weekend, which ensured the team's fifteenth consecutive season without a losing record. The Black Dogs have had only one losing season in team history, a 5-9 finish in 2004.

The Smack Daddies have already set several scoring records this season: They obliterated the single-game scoring mark of 233.5 set by the West Nashville Beelzebubbas in 2007 with 249.5 points in week eleven against the London Bakers. That same week, they tied their own record as the only team to score more than 200 points in back-to-back weeks and became the first team to top 200 points three times in a regular season. (In 2015, the Smack Daddies scored more than 200 points three times, but the third time was during the playoffs.) To make their offensive display this season even more impressive, the Daddies twice beat teams (Black Dogs, Bakers) who also topped 200 points.

The Black Dogs have the most 200-point games in league history with eleven, followed by the Daddies with eight, the Fidalgo Island Sea Hogs with seven, the Animals with five, the Bakers and Ballers with four each, the Beelzebubbas and Green with two apiece, and the Independents with one.

The following is a breakdown of all the 200-point games in NFFA history.

Chart 1: 200-Point Club By Year

2005 (2)

• East Nashville Black Dogs, 215 points (2005, week 3 vs. Alamo Scouts)

• East Nashville Black Dogs, 201 points (2005, week 6 vs. 12th Avenue Bakers)

2006 (1)

• East Nashville Black Dogs, 231 points (2006, week 10 vs. Alamo Scouts)

2007 (7)

• West Nashville Beelzebubbas, 233.5 points (2007, week 2 vs. Atlanta Smack Daddies)

• 12th Avenue Bakers, 227 points (2007, week 9 vs. Alamo Scouts)

• Midtown Mojo, 217.5 points (2007, week 7 vs. Alamo Scouts)

• East Nashville Black Dogs, 215 points (2007, week 6 vs. Cambridge Animals)

• Fidalgo Island Sea Hogs, 214.5 points (2007, week 12 vs. Alamo Scouts)

• East Nashville Black Dogs, 207 points (2007, week 4 vs. Atlanta Smack Daddies)

• Fidalgo Island Sea Hogs, 205 points (2007, week 7 vs. Atlanta Smack Daddies)

2008 (1)

• Cambridge Animals, 231.5 points (2008, week 10 vs. Midtown Mojo)

2009 (1)

• East Nashville Black Dogs, 205 points (2009, week 5 vs. Cambridge Animals)

2010 (2)

• Fidalgo Island Sea Hogs, 220.5 (2010, week 4 vs. East Nashville Black Dogs)

• Midtown Mojo, 218.5 points (2010, week 14 vs. Fidalgo Island Sea Hogs)

2011 (4)

• Fidalgo Island Sea Hogs, 208.5 points (2011, week 2 vs. 12th Avenue Bakers)

• East Nashville Black Dogs, 207 points (2011, week 15 vs. Downtown Corsairs)

• Atlanta Smack Daddies, 204.5 points (2011, week 15 vs. The Village Green)

• 12th Avenue Bakers, 200 points (2011, week 2 vs. Fidalgo Island Sea Hogs)

2012 (1)

• Fidalgo Island Sea Hogs, 204 points (2012, week 3 vs. Cambridge Animals)

2013 (4)

• Fidalgo Island Sea Hogs, 212 points (2013, week 13 vs. The Village Green)

• Fidalgo Island Sea Hogs, 208 points (2013, week 14 vs. Downtown Corsairs)

• Cambridge Animals, 206 points (2013, week 13 vs. East Nashville Black Dogs)

• Atlanta Smack Daddies, 201 points (2013, week 4 vs. Cambridge Animals)

2014 (7)

• Cambridge Animals, 225.8 (2014, week 8 vs. Fidalgo Island Sea Hogs)

• East Nashville Black Dogs, 224.7 (2014, week 8 vs. The Village Green)

• East Nashville Black Dogs, 211.1 points (2014, week 4 vs. Fidalgo Island Sea Hogs.

• The Village Green, 209 points (2013, week 2 vs. 12th Avenue Bakers)

• Downtown Corsairs, 208.8 (2014, week 13 vs. Atlanta Smack Daddies

• Cambridge Animals, 200.9 (2014, week 13 vs. East Nashville Black Dogs)

• Downtown Corsairs, 200.1 (2014, week 14 vs. Fidalgo Island Sea Hogs)

2015 (6)

• Atlanta Smack Daddies, 226.2 (2015, week 15 vs. The Village Green)

• 12th Avenue Bakers, 217.9 points (2015, week 15 vs. Fidalgo Island Sea Hogs)

• East Nashville Black Dogs, 214.8 points (2015, week 3 vs. Atlanta Smack Daddies)

• Cambridge Animals, 203 points (2015, week 6 vs. East Nashville Black Dogs)

• Atlanta Smack Daddies, 202.6 (2015, week 3 vs. East Nashville BlackDogs)

• Atlanta Smack Daddies, 201.9 points (2015, week 14 vs. Fidalgo Island Sea Hogs)

2016 (1)

• The Village Green, 209.7 points (2016, week 12 vs. Atlanta Smack Daddies)

2017 (1)

• West Nashville Beelzebubbas, 208.9 points (2017, week 7 vs. East Nashville Black Dogs)

2018 (6)

• Atlanta Smack Daddies, 213.3 points (2018, week 1 vs. East Nashville Black Dogs)

• East Nashville Black Dogs, 206.8 points (2018, week 1 vs. Atlanta Smack Daddies)

• South Franklin Independents, 201.3 points (2018, week 4 vs. Cambridge Animals)

• Atlanta Smack Daddies, 213.2 points (2018, week 10 vs. West Nashville Beelzebubbas)

• Atlanta Smack Daddies, 249.5 points (2018, week 11 vs. London Bakers)

• London Bakers, 203.3 points (2018, week 11 vs. Atlanta Smack Daddies)

Chart 2: NFFA 200-Point Club

1. Atlanta Smack Daddies, 249.5 points (2018, week 11 vs. London Bakers)

2. West Nashville Beelzebubbas, 233.5 points (2007, week 2 vs. Atlanta Smack Daddies)

3. Cambridge Animals, 231.5 points (2008, week 10 vs. Midtown Mojo)

4. East Nashville Black Dogs, 231 points (2006, week 10 vs. Alamo Scouts)

5. 12th Avenue Bakers, 227 points (2007, week 9 vs. Alamo Scouts)

6. Atlanta Smack Daddies, 226.2 (2015, week 15 vs. The Village Green)

7. Cambridge Animals, 225.8 (2014, week 8 vs. Fidalgo Island Sea Hogs)

8. East Nashville Black Dogs, 224.7 (2014, week 8 vs. The Village Green) 

9. Fidalgo Island Sea Hogs, 220.5 (2010, week 4 vs. East Nashville Black Dogs)

10. Midtown Mojo, 218.5 points (2010, week 14 vs. Fidalgo Island Sea Hogs)

11. 12th Avenue Bakers, 217.9 points (2015, week 15 vs. Fidalgo Island Sea Hogs)

12. Midtown Mojo, 217.5 points (2007, week 7 vs. Alamo Scouts)

13a. East Nashville Black Dogs, 215 points (2005, week 3 vs. Alamo Scouts)

13b. East Nashville Black Dogs, 215 points (2007, week 6 vs. Cambridge Animals)

15. East Nashville Black Dogs, 214.8 points (2015, week 3 vs. Atlanta Smack Daddies)

16. Fidalgo Island Sea Hogs, 214.5 points (2007, week 12 vs. Alamo Scouts)

17. Atlanta Smack Daddies, 213.3 points (week 1 vs. East Nashville Black Dogs)

18. Atlanta Smack Daddies, 213.2 points (week 10 vs. West Nashville Beelzebubbas)

19. Fidalgo Island Sea Hogs, 212 points (2013, week 13 vs. The Village Green)

20. East Nashville Black Dogs, 211.1 points (2014, week 4 vs. Fidalgo Island Sea Hogs)

21. The Village Green, 209.7 points (2016, week 12 vs. Atlanta Smack Daddies)

22. The Village Green, 209 points (2013, week 2 vs. 12th Avenue Bakers)

23. West Nashville Beelzebubbas, 208.9 points (2017, week 7 vs. East Nashville Black Dogs)

24. Downtown Corsairs, 208.8 (2014, week 13 vs. Atlanta Smack Daddies

25. Fidalgo Island Sea Hogs, 208.5 points (2011, week 2 vs. 12th Avenue Bakers)

26. Fidalgo Island Sea Hogs, 208 points (2013, week 14 vs. Downtown Corsairs)

27a. East Nashville Black Dogs, 207 points (2007, week 4 vs. Atlanta Smack Daddies)

27b. East Nashville Black Dogs, 207 points (2011, week 15 vs. Downtown Corsairs)

29. East Nashville Black Dogs, 206.8 points (2018, week 1 vs. Atlanta Smack Daddies)

30. Cambridge Animals, 206 points (2013, week 13 vs. Black Dogs)

31a. East Nashville Black Dogs, 205 points (2009, week 5 vs. Cambridge Animals)

31b. Fidalgo Island Sea Hogs, 205 points (2007, week 7 vs. Atlanta Smack Daddies)

33. Atlanta Smack Daddies, 204.5 points (2011, week 15 vs. The Village Green)

34. Fidalgo Island Sea Hogs, 204 points (2012, week 3 vs. Cambridge Animals)

35. London Bakers, 203.3 points (week 11 vs. Atlanta Smack Daddies)

36. Cambridge Animals, 203 points (2015, week 6 vs. East Nashville Black Dogs)

37. Atlanta Smack Daddies, 202.6 (2015, week 3 vs. East Nashville BlackDogs)

38. Atlanta Smack Daddies, 201.9 points (2015, week 14 vs. Fidalgo Island Sea Hogs)

39. South Franklin Independents, 201.3 points (Week 4 vs. Cambridge Animals)

40a. East Nashville Black Dogs, 201 points (2005, week 6 vs. 12th Avenue Bakers)

40b. Atlanta Smack Daddies, 201 points (2013, week 4 vs. Cambridge Animals)

42. Cambridge Animals, 200.9 (2014, week 13 vs. East Nashville Black Dogs)

43. Downtown Corsairs, 200.1 (2014, week 14 vs. Fidalgo Island Sea Hogs)

44. 12th Avenue Bakers, 200 points (2011, week 2 vs. Fidalgo Island Sea Hogs)