This week marks the finale of our 2019 season, and will see the Skippers dethroned by one of two teams who haven’t possessed the trophy in some time.
Kronner won Gold in 2001 (Redbank Mallrats) and again in 2006 (Ivan Drago – first team to win twice), but is in the midst of a decade plus drought. Last time the Mallrats got this close was 2017, before losing in the final game to John Sanchez. As for Kaiser, he won it all in 2012, defeating Jones and delaying the Skippers’ third title for another six years. He also prevented Jones from becoming the first back to back champ in history. Prior to 2012, Kaiser had made the finale once before – 2008 – where he took silver with his Abandon Ship Woop team, losing to Chris and The QB Black Hole, as the commish secured his first of two titles. Since 2012, the closed Kaiser came to getting back to this point was in 2016 when he won the Bronze with WK1 Dumpster Fire.
As for playoff history of these two managers – we have none. Not even in the consolation bracket. Seems odd that in a combined 42 postseason matchups, these two have never met – but there it is.
As for the regular season, it started off with Mark taking 4 of the first 5, before Kronner went on a 9-game run. The all-time series stands at 11-6 in favor of the Mallrats manager. They have played twice in the same season only once before now – 2011, and they didn’t play at all in 2017. The most recent matchup came earlier this year, when QAnon defeated the Mallrats in week five. It was the Mallrats‘ largest defeat of the year, losing by 757 points. Since that matchup, Kronner has gone 8-2, while Kaiser’s record since then is 5-5.
While this is not the first #5 vs. #6 matchup we’ve ever had in the finals (2010), it’s the first since we dropped to six playoff teams. It’s also the first time we’ve ever had both of the bottom seeds run to the final. Probably speaks to the parity in the league this year. The lowest seeded title we’ve ever had prior was in 2006 (Kronner’s last championship), where #7 Ivan Drago (Kronner) upset the #5 seed BAMF (Matt Alley).
These teams have been carried all-year by their late-round QB selections – Kronner with Lamar Jackson (Rd. 13) and Kaiser with Dak Prescott (Rd. 20). Dak is the #1 QB this year, and Jackson is #2. The top of the draft wasn’t as good for the Mallrats, who took Davante Adams at #7, and watched as he missed several games to turf toe, and finished as the #32 WR for the year. Kaiser on the other hand put the #2 pick to good use, taking McCaffrey, who is not only the #1 RB of the year, but by a wide margin. He is 1100 points ahead of RB2 D. Cook, and a 1000 points ahead of Michael Thomas, who is the #1 WR. This matchup though will likely come down to defense – can Kronner’s two stalwart LBs – Darius Leonard and Cory Littleton outduel Kaiser’s all world DL Danielle Hunter, who has scored over 300 points in each of his postseason tilts thus far?
The current projection from Yahoo is;
Redbank Mallrats (2404)
QAnon (2274)
These number (which are already changed since this morning) will change several more times before its said and done. But by Tuesday more, the Trophy will have a new owner…
SC League Forever 