SPLIT 6: Weeks 11-13 Results + Playoff Preview
Winner’s Bracket - Round 1:
#1 Odell’s Rusty Hip (11-2) vs #4 Is This Soccer (7-6)
Fear her, underestimate her, you will fall to her sword all the same. In the 6th and final split, she continued her work, finishing the season with the longest win streak and the greatest regular season in SFI history. The #1 seed has yet to become a champion. If there was ever a roster capable of defying superstition, this one would be it. The only thing she seeks is glory and vengeance and she’s put everything on the line to obtain it. Her roster is far and away the best both on paper and in practice, putting up a minimum of 150 points in 12 of 13 games this season. Now, she just needs that stability to continue to carry her to a 2nd SFI Championship appearance. With that and a little bit of luck, she’ll win it all. She faces a rather
For the second time in just his 3rd year, he’s punched his ticket to a playoff appearance. He has a fantastic roster on paper, but it has failed to meet expectations as of late. He will need much greater firepower to make it past such formidable opposition, but he is capable of showing flashes of brilliance. With 4 key players on bye, a brutal defensive matchup, coupled with losing both QB’s in the first week of Round 1, combined with the fact he’s lost 4 out of 5 to end the season, to say his roster is crumbling would be the understatement of the season. He’s capable of manipulating time and space, but he’ll have to dig deep to find that 1 in 14 million chance for victory.
#2 Team G-MEN (9-4) vs #3 Sledge Hammer (9-4)
While 500 in the back half of the season after a dominant 5-0 start was not the strong finish we had hoped for, Captain America has made it back to his first postseason appearance since 2019. Going 2-1 in the final split, he locks in the #2 seed. He takes on the 3x Champion and 4x Finalist. With a rather top-heavy lineup, he’ll certainly be victorious if his key performers can live up to their lofty expectations.
It seems he is truly is inevitable, returning for his 5th consecutive postseason appearance. While his luck has always shined through, do not underestimate his exceptional roster-building acumen. His strength is the waiver wire, and it played a major role in sending him to the postseason. He will take on a formidable manager who tallied 5 consecutive wins to start the season, but trailed off toward the end. With this in mind, it’s hard to pick a clear favorite. Instead of making predictions, we’ll just enjoy the show.
Consolation Bracket - Round 1:
#5 Suh-Tang Clan (5-8) vs #8 Pull The Lever, Gronk! (2-11)
Vision had a legitimate chance at a postseason bid toward the end of Split 5. However, he lost all 3 remaining games to close out his inaugural season. With a near playoff-level roster without the wins to show it, it’s hard not to imagine him as the clear favorite for the entire bracket and especially his first matchup. Consider him the odds-on favorite to dispel the magic of the Scarlet Witch.
The one silver lining at the end of the season was her ability to break her loss streak, avoiding 10 consecutive defeats. She’s finished the season a dismal 2-11, but hope may still be on the horizon for next season. If her trade partner is able to win it all, she’ll have 2 first round selections in 2023. She takes on her significant other in a bout to obtain the first draft choice in 2023. A lot would need to go right for her to be able to advance past the first round, but she of all managers is capable of a little magic.
#6 Bradshank Redemption (5-8) vs #7 Peyton’s Forehead Shiner (4-9)
Injuries and wildly underperforming teams prevented Bradshank from reaching the postseason for a second straight season. She faces a rather shaky roster in the reigning, but not defending champion. With 5 starters out due to injuries and bye-weeks, she needs to pull her team together and prevent Peyton from pulling her away in Week 1 of 2. If she can do that, she may be on her way to another bowl game.
While Peyton set his expectations lower than usual, this was certainly not the fall from grace he had anticipated. He was able to play spoiler in the final week of the season, breaking his 3-game loss streak. Now, he will compete for the #1 pick in the loser’s bracket, with a collection of mid-round selections to soften the blow of such a poor performance. His roster has been boom or bust to the most extreme levels as of late. Stabilizing his roster will be key down the final stretch for Peyton.