UIFL

The reasons why we MegaBracket (yep, I’m using it as a verb now, too) are as entertaining as they are endless. The awesomeness of the many random leagues we shine a small spotlight on cannot be overstated. However, instead of more flowery prose from me, lets let the UIFL speak for itself…

• The League Commissioner is Jared Lorenzen, who won last year’s league MVP while playing for the Northern Kentucky River Monsters. Before becoming the River Monsters’ QB last year, he was serving as the team’s GM.
• The Florida Tarpons have clinched the Southern Conference title with a 10-0 record heading into Saturday’s season finale, originally scheduled against the Western Pennsylvania Sting (see item 2 spots down). Florida has achieved this mastery while playing only 3 teams – 4 games each against the Lakeland Raiders and the Mississippi Hound Dogs and 2 against the Rome Rampage.
• The Eastern Kentucky Drillers have clinched 2nd place in the South at 5-4 with (maybe) 1 game remaining despite not playing the 1st place Tarpons at all. According to the league schedule, the Drillers are set to play the Rome Rampage this weekend, but the Rampage have not played since a 106-6 loss to Lakeland on April 27, so it seems unlikely the Drillers and Rampage will square off.
• Lakeland will finish 3rd at 5-5, with 4 of the 5 losses coming at the hands of the Tarpons. Last weekend they beat the Palm Beach Phantom 100-0.  The Phantom are not listed anywhere else on the league’s website. Lakeland was scheduled to play Western Pennsylvania last Saturday but the Sting have not played anyone since losing 105-8 to the Drillers on April 29th. Apparently the 97-point loss to Eastern Kentucky was bad enough to disband the team.
• Meanwhile, in the Northern Conference, the website indicates the seeds have not been set. However, if the schedule and tiebreaker information are correct (admittedly a dubious prospect), the Erie Explosion have clinched the #1 seed due to its 2-1 record vs. playoff teams. Erie managed to play the two non-playoff teams in the conference a total of 6 teams as well as a game against the supposedly defunct Huntington Hammer (a 102-30 Explosion explosion).
• The Cincinnati Commandos appear to be headed to the #2 seed with a 7-2 league record, not including a 104-12 hammering of the Hammer (again, supposedly defunct – http://www.herald-dispatch.com/sports/x1689944170/No-Headline).
• The 3rd seed has been locked down by the Marion Blue Racers, who are 6-4 and set to host Erie this weekend. Marion prepared for the playoffs by playing the Commandos in each of their last 4 games, splitting the series at 2 apiece. The Blue Racers also demolished the Huntington Hammer this season, although they were the only team of the 3 to not top 100 points, settling for a 98-6 victory.
• Thus, it appears that of the 10 teams that began the season, only 8 remain as the season nears its close. Additionally, two teams that are not listed on the website have played 4 games, losing all 4 by a combined score of 404-18.
• As is the MegaBracket tradition – write stuff first, then research later. Here is the official league news item regarding Western Pennsylvania (and the Johnstown Generals) – http://uiflfootball.com/uifl-suspends-johnstown-western-pa/. Follow-up note: On May 30th, Johnstown’s ownership group was re-instated and the team is finishing out the season.
• St. Louis, hello! The Missouri Monsters are coming your way in 2013 – http://uiflfootball.com/introducing-the-missouri-monsters/.

If I don’t stop now, I might never…