Week 12 Power Rankings
It’s the final week, and only three teams know their postseason fate: the Hot Showers have clinched the top seed, while Doctor Dilaudid and Bad Bad Victorcat have been eliminated. That means a number of interesting games as three teams vie for the eighth playoff spot and the other six teams (separated by only one game) jockey for advantageous seeds. Raise your glasses to an exciting final week! (Also, for those of us in school, to an exciting finals week! Huzzah!)
Two Out, Two With Hope
12. Doctor Dilaudid
Record: 2-10; Last Week: 12
That week one victory over the Fat Cats proved to be quite the aberration this season. Now 12 weeks later, the Doctors have one more chance this year to top that score and maybe even break into the triple digits. But even if they can’t pull that off, they have a chance to avenge their week two loss and keep the Cupcakes home with them, sadly watching the playoffs from afar.
11. Bad Bad Victorcat
Record: 3-9; Last Week: 10
The Z’s beat the Victorcats in week one and nabbed their number one pick in a midseason trade (which, in fairness, turned out to be pretty even thus far), so it seems only fitting that the they were the ones this week to eliminate the Victorcats from postseason contention. While the Victorcats showed great potential in flashes, ultimately they were done in by inconsistency and a few unfortunate early season moves (dropping Dwayne Bowe and Michael Vick, anyone?). Oh, what might have been!
10. Cupcakes of DOOM!
Record: 4-8; Last Week: 11
The Cupcakes repaid the Minions this week for their week one defeat, and in doing so, have given themselves a great shot at making the playoffs despite being the weakest of the three teams and needing the most help. How so? One word: matchups. They get a second go-round with the Doctors next week; provided they win (likely) while the next two teams lose (a very real possibility), the Cupcakes are in so long as the Stars don’t outscore them by 45 points or so (I guess stranger things have happened).
9. The Schmuckernators
Record: 4-8; Last Week: 8
The Schmuckernators picked a terrible time to have a terrible game. Despite being the strongest of the teams fighting for the last playoff spot, their current two game losing streak has left them on the outside looking in. Now they need a win against the Strangers and a loss by the Stars to go dancing this year. The rally caps are on.
One Of These Things is Not Like the Others
8. ★
Record: 5-7; Last Week: 9
Don’t laugh, but this week the Stars pulled off what just might be the most improbable upset of the year, sneaking by the Runnings in a must-win game thanks to a Monday night injury. Can they pull off an even bigger upset over the Showers? The scenario is really simple for the Stars: win, and they earn a rematch with the Showers in the first round of the playoffs; lose, and their remarkable end-of-the-season run goes for naught.
7. Minions
Record: 7-5; Last Week: 7
The Minions turned in another poor effort this week, but they’ve already sewed up a spot in the postseason – if they can get a healthy Gates and Peterson in two weeks, they’ll be a competitive match for whatever upper division seed they face. If not? Well, the first half of the year was quite a ride.
6. Z Power
Record: 7-5; Last Week: 6
The Z’s late season surge continues with another impressive win despite a horrific showing from Chris Johnson. Next up is a great test against a solid Sheep team; it’s not all that inconceivable that these two could also meet again the following week when the stakes are a lot higher.
5. Fat Cats
Record: 7-5; Last Week: 5
The Fat Cats found a way to right the ship this week with the best medicine, a victory over the Doctors. Now comes a great matchup against the Runnings; a win by more than 20 points would guarantee the Cats at least the third seed with the outside possibility of the second seed.
No Injuries This Week, Please
4. Left Hand Strangers
Record: 7-5; Last Week: 3
One week after a great win over the Sheep, the Strangers took a step back against the Showers. Still, they are solidly positioned in the middle of the seeds and could even move as high as the third seed with a win and a bit of help.
3. A Sheep at the Wheel
Record: 8-4; Last Week: 4
The Sheep rebounded strongly from a wrenching loss the previous week by pasting the Schmucks. If they can beat the streaking Z’s, any slip up by the Runnings will put them in the second seed; a loss will leave them in the third to fifth range depending on other outcomes.
2. Cool Runnings
Record: 8-4; Last Week: 2
The Runnings had yet another solid game end in a tight defeat when the injury bug struck. Now comes the long awaited rematch with the Fat Cats who are out for revenge; will the Runnings break out of their mini-slump and assert their dominance in a game that really only serves as a tune-up for them?
1. The Hot Showers
Record: 10-2; Last Week: 1
An unbalanced performance this week, but it was enough for a surprisingly easy win which clinched the Showers first ever regular season crown. They only hold a ten-point lead over the Runnings in the points race, so they need another strong effort to claim that trophy as well. That goal, plus the desire to avoid a matchup against a suddenly streaking Stars team (winners of 5 of 6!) in the 1 vs. 8 contest, should provide sufficient motivation to keep the integrity of the league intact by not resting starters in a meaningless game.
Two Out, Two With Hope
12. Doctor Dilaudid
Record: 2-10; Last Week: 12
That week one victory over the Fat Cats proved to be quite the aberration this season. Now 12 weeks later, the Doctors have one more chance this year to top that score and maybe even break into the triple digits. But even if they can’t pull that off, they have a chance to avenge their week two loss and keep the Cupcakes home with them, sadly watching the playoffs from afar.
11. Bad Bad Victorcat
Record: 3-9; Last Week: 10
The Z’s beat the Victorcats in week one and nabbed their number one pick in a midseason trade (which, in fairness, turned out to be pretty even thus far), so it seems only fitting that the they were the ones this week to eliminate the Victorcats from postseason contention. While the Victorcats showed great potential in flashes, ultimately they were done in by inconsistency and a few unfortunate early season moves (dropping Dwayne Bowe and Michael Vick, anyone?). Oh, what might have been!
10. Cupcakes of DOOM!
Record: 4-8; Last Week: 11
The Cupcakes repaid the Minions this week for their week one defeat, and in doing so, have given themselves a great shot at making the playoffs despite being the weakest of the three teams and needing the most help. How so? One word: matchups. They get a second go-round with the Doctors next week; provided they win (likely) while the next two teams lose (a very real possibility), the Cupcakes are in so long as the Stars don’t outscore them by 45 points or so (I guess stranger things have happened).
9. The Schmuckernators
Record: 4-8; Last Week: 8
The Schmuckernators picked a terrible time to have a terrible game. Despite being the strongest of the teams fighting for the last playoff spot, their current two game losing streak has left them on the outside looking in. Now they need a win against the Strangers and a loss by the Stars to go dancing this year. The rally caps are on.
One Of These Things is Not Like the Others
8. ★
Record: 5-7; Last Week: 9
Don’t laugh, but this week the Stars pulled off what just might be the most improbable upset of the year, sneaking by the Runnings in a must-win game thanks to a Monday night injury. Can they pull off an even bigger upset over the Showers? The scenario is really simple for the Stars: win, and they earn a rematch with the Showers in the first round of the playoffs; lose, and their remarkable end-of-the-season run goes for naught.
7. Minions
Record: 7-5; Last Week: 7
The Minions turned in another poor effort this week, but they’ve already sewed up a spot in the postseason – if they can get a healthy Gates and Peterson in two weeks, they’ll be a competitive match for whatever upper division seed they face. If not? Well, the first half of the year was quite a ride.
6. Z Power
Record: 7-5; Last Week: 6
The Z’s late season surge continues with another impressive win despite a horrific showing from Chris Johnson. Next up is a great test against a solid Sheep team; it’s not all that inconceivable that these two could also meet again the following week when the stakes are a lot higher.
5. Fat Cats
Record: 7-5; Last Week: 5
The Fat Cats found a way to right the ship this week with the best medicine, a victory over the Doctors. Now comes a great matchup against the Runnings; a win by more than 20 points would guarantee the Cats at least the third seed with the outside possibility of the second seed.
No Injuries This Week, Please
4. Left Hand Strangers
Record: 7-5; Last Week: 3
One week after a great win over the Sheep, the Strangers took a step back against the Showers. Still, they are solidly positioned in the middle of the seeds and could even move as high as the third seed with a win and a bit of help.
3. A Sheep at the Wheel
Record: 8-4; Last Week: 4
The Sheep rebounded strongly from a wrenching loss the previous week by pasting the Schmucks. If they can beat the streaking Z’s, any slip up by the Runnings will put them in the second seed; a loss will leave them in the third to fifth range depending on other outcomes.
2. Cool Runnings
Record: 8-4; Last Week: 2
The Runnings had yet another solid game end in a tight defeat when the injury bug struck. Now comes the long awaited rematch with the Fat Cats who are out for revenge; will the Runnings break out of their mini-slump and assert their dominance in a game that really only serves as a tune-up for them?
1. The Hot Showers
Record: 10-2; Last Week: 1
An unbalanced performance this week, but it was enough for a surprisingly easy win which clinched the Showers first ever regular season crown. They only hold a ten-point lead over the Runnings in the points race, so they need another strong effort to claim that trophy as well. That goal, plus the desire to avoid a matchup against a suddenly streaking Stars team (winners of 5 of 6!) in the 1 vs. 8 contest, should provide sufficient motivation to keep the integrity of the league intact by not resting starters in a meaningless game.
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