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.