Finger Bowl 26: Jays repeat in a blowout

OMAHA, Neb. -- In the biggest rout in Finks League history, Anthony Quagliano's Boom Town Blue Jays routed Serkus Act 74-19 in Finger Bowl 26 behind double-digit scoring efforts by four players in Week 16.

The hometown Jays won at Morrison Stadium to give Boomer his second consecutive league championship. RB Barkley NYG earned Finger Bowl MVP honors with 22 points.

"Great season everyone!" Quagliano said. "Looking forward to next year and the quest for a three-peat (I fully expect a huge target on my back, so I'd better be ready)."

The Jays (14-2), who had an 11-game win streak during the season, scored the most points in Finger Bowl history, topping Steve Cline's Ghost of Sweetness (67 points in 2004).

The Jays also won by the largest margin of victory. Its 55 points topped Jeff Newton's Just a Fantasy, which won by 35 points in 2016.

The last back-to-back Finger Bowl champion was Serkus from 2009-10. The Jays won the 2018 title with a 51-47 win over the Lockport Distillers.

FINGER BOWL 26 BOXSCORE
Serkus (19)
Wilson SEA 3
E. Elliott DAL zero
Fournette JAX zero
Woods LAR 5
Landry CLE zero
Myers SEA 11

Jays (74)
Jackson BAL 17
McCaffrey CAR 5
Barkley NYG 22
Golladay DET 6
Parker MIA 11
Gay TB 13

Week 16: Finger Bowl 26 preview

Serkus Act (10-4-1) vs. Boom Town Blue Jays (13-2)
At Morrison Stadium, Omaha, Neb. 

Playoff records: Serkus' Goff (11-8); Jays' A. Quags (3-0)

Head to head: Jays 46, Serkus 28, week 1; Jays 32, Serkus 13, week 13

The skinny: The Jays aim for the three-game season sweep in the Finks League championship game between the top two teams in the Baugh Division. ... Jays owner "Boomer" Quags has not lost a playoff game in his Finks career. ... Goff noted that this year's Finger Bowl features the top scoring team (Jays, 670) against the No. 1 defensive team (Serkus, 449) in the league. ...Goff tied Mike Miazga by participating in his 19th Finks playoff game and will break that record in the Finger Bowl. Goff also passes Miazga with his 11th playoff appearance. ... Goff will attempt to extend his record of four Finger Bowl titles. His last FB victory was in 2017 as he attempts to win his second title in three years. ... At kickoff, Goff will become the only Finks owner with seven Finger Bowl appearances, a record he currently shares with Miazga at six each. ... The last owner to win back-to-back FB titles was Goff from 2009-10. Only Simo has been the other back-to-back winner with titles in 2001 as the Oakland Invaders and 2002 as the Los Angeles Express. ... This is expected to be the final Finks game for the Serkus Act banner. Goff has previously announced a name change expected in 2020. The first season for Serkus was 2002.

Announced starters (subject to change): Serkus -- Wilson, E. Elliott, Fournette, Woods, Landry, Myers; Jays -- Jackson, McCaffrey, Barkley, Parker, Golladay, Gay.

The pick: Jays 43, Serkus 34.

Week 15: Semifinal boxscores

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Despite getting shut out by his WRs, two touchdowns by RB E. Elliott DAL powered Serkus Act to a 35-29 victory over Brady Gaga in the Finks League semifinals.

SERKUS (35)
Wilson SEA 11
E. Elliott DAL 17
Fournette JAX zero
Woods LAR zero
Landry CLE zero
Myers SEA 7

GAGA (29)
Wentz PHI 14
Cook MIN zero
Henry TEN 3
Diggs MIN 3
M. Williams LAC 6
Crosby GB 3

OMAHA, Neb. -- QB L. Jackson BAL scored a week-high 21 points behind five TD passes to push the Boom Town Blue Jays in to the Finger Bowl for the second consecutive year. The Jays received double digit Finks points from four players to rout the Dublin Brawlers 71-42.

BRAWLERS (42)
Garoppolo SF 6
A. Jones GB 12
Scarbrough DET zero
Edelman NE zero
D. Adams GB 9
Butker KC 15

JAYS (71)
L. Jackson BAL 21
McCaffrey CAR 18
Barkley NYG 17
Godwin TB 5
Golladay DET zero
Gay TB 10

Week 15: Semifinal previews

Boom Town Blue Jays (12-2) vs. Dublin Brawlers (6-7-1)
At Morrison Stadium, Omaha, Neb.

Playoff records: Brawlers' Herigodt (4-2); Jays' Anthony Quags (2-0)

Head to head: Jays, 49, Brawlers 43, Week 3

The skinny: The defending champion Jays won 12 games in back-to-back seasons, finishing with the best record in the 2019 Finks League season. The 12 wins establishes a new league record for wins in a season under the first-year, 14-week regular season format. ... Jays owner, Boomer, also set a new 11-game win streak for 14 regular season games. He lost by one point in Week 2 and didn't lose again until Week 14. Before enjoying back-to-back 12-game seasons, Boomer went 19-26 in his first three Finks seasons. He has now won consecutive division titles for the first time. ... Herigodt's Brawlers became the first losing team since 2005 to reach the playoffs as a division runner-up. The last losing team to go to the playoffs was Quags with a 7-8 record. No losing team has ever won as few as six games to reach the postseason. All the 7-8 teams to go to the playoffs were Goff's Lions (2000), Simo's Invaders (1999) and Stone's Bombers (1995).

Projected starters: Jays -- Winston, McCaffrey, Gordon, Golladay, Kupp, Gay; Brawlers -- Brady, A. Jones, Scarbrough, Adams, Cobb, Butker.

The pick: Jays 45, Brawlers 28.

Brady Gaga (9-4-1) vs. Serkus Act (9-4-1) 
At Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Mass. 

Playoff records: Gaga's King (0-2); Serkus' Goff (10-8)

Head to head: Serkus 51, Gaga 17, Week 9

The skinny: Gaga boss King is looking for his first playoff victory after winning his first division title. The Luckman Division champion is making his second playoff appearance in three years. He went 8-7 in 2017. King is in his fifth Finks League season. Gaga's nine wins is a franchise best. ... Goff is making his 11th playoff appearance in his 25th season in Finks League. This will likely be the last playoff appearance for Goff under the Serkus Act banner. Goff is planning on changing the name of his franchise for the 2020 season. .. Serkus enters the playoffs with injury concerns at the RB and WR positions. ... The semifinal will be Goff's 19th postseason game in the Finks League, tying Miazga's record of most playoff games.

Projected starters: Gaga -- Wentz, Cook, Henry, Chark, Diggs, Crosby. Serkus -- Wilson, E. Elliott, Fournette, Woods, Landry, Myers.

The pick: Gaga 38, Serkus 30.

Week 14 for final playoff spot

The runner-up in the Baugh Division will be decided in Week 14 for the final spot of the 2019 Finks League playoffs.

It will be a old traditional battle between a pair of long running Finks teams featuring Serkus Act vs. Ham N Eggers. Each team is 8-4-1.

The previous matchup between the division rivals was won by the Eggers 35-34 in Week 4. Both Serkus and the Eggers are coming off Week 13 losses to set up the head-to-head showdown. Serkus lost 32-13 to the Jays and the Eggers lost 46-15 to Roller in Week 13.

This is the first time in Finks League season that the regular season will be held in 14 weeks. The first 25 years of Finks League featured 15-week regular seasons starting in 1994.

A victory for the Eggers would sent the husband-and-wife team of Mike Miazga and Kristin Herigodt into the playoffs in the same year. The last time that happened was in 2016 when Miazga's Eggers placed second and Herigodt's Brawlers finished third. The Brawlers already clinched as the runner-up in the Luckman Division.

Good luck to all our playoff teams. With the shortened regular season, the semifinals will be held in Week 15 and Finger Bowl will be held in Week 16.

Check out this blog

Jays owner Anthony Quagliano has a new blog about all things Chicago sports. It's called the Big Boomer Theory.

His latest entry is a blow out analysis of the Bears' loss to the Eagles. Boomer should write more about his beloved Chicago teams, but is ham-strung by the lack of television coverage for his Chicago Four (Cubs over Sox) while living in Delaware.

You can catch more of Boomer on his Twitter feed. 

Week 7: POWs triumvirate

Not POW QB Rodgers GB

Much of the magic of fantasy football is finding the right guys to play at the right time.

Dah Commish found that out the hard way with QB Rodgers GB's breakout 24-point Finks performance in Week 7. Of course, Dah Commish did not start Rodgers, who up until that week had been disappointing for his rookie Packers coach.

Rodgers' breakout week included 400-plus passing yards and five TD passes.

But Rodgers' non-Finks start led to an interesting three-way tie for Player of the Week honors. Our Finks POWs with 19 points each became RB Cook MIN, QB Cousins MIN and QB Brissett IND. The owners of the MIN players each won while Brissett's owner, Newton's Just a Fantasy, earned the first tie of the season in his match.

The magic of this blog is being able to use a Rodgers headshot since he didn't earn POW. Love the mustache. Too bad Rodgers is not wearing it during this season.

Crossover note: In a crossover Week 7, the Baugh Division topped the Luckman Division 3-1-1. The only Luckman winner was Gaga, a 45-27 winner over Roller.

Upsets come through in Week 5

The last undefeated teams in the Finks League suffered losses in Week 5. Entering Week 6, there are no more undefeated teams in the season and just one winless team remaining.

The focus on Week 6 should be the first place Baugh Division battle between the Jays (4-1) and Eggers (4-1).

The Eggers sufffered their first loss, 48-42, to Roller in Week 5. Roller was boosted by 24 of their 48 points scored by QB Watson HOU in a five TD throwing performance. Gaga also suffered its first loss in Week 5, 43-28, to the Distillers, which earned their first win of the season.

The Jays suffered their only loss of the season in Week 2 to Papa Quags in that intrafamily dual. The Canes won 55-54.

Serkus, serkus: Over the years, the most outspoken Finks League owner has to be Stan Goff of Serkus. Each week, Goff usually has a colorful comment to add with his winning score, as reported to Dah Commish.

Goff's latest:

Good thing I don't gamble on NFL games...I would not ever have predicted the Bears to lose to Raiders, my Cowboys to fall behind GB 31-3 even though Packers top receiver was out, and that the Browns would get destroyed and Chubb would not find the end zone after he lived there last week.

Also, soon as I benched Adam Theilen he has 130 yards and 2 TD, and I don't even think Mike Evans played, so I got ZERO from both receivers.

That all said, I think I somehow managed to win 41-33 thanks mostly to Russell Wilson scoring 17 points on the Thursday game and Leonard Fournette tallying 11 after coming off my bench for the first time this year.

When Just a Fantasy had 3 TD from his two Bears players I was worried and didn't feel any better when my Cowboys kicker missed a couple FG.

But again, did not expect a 49ers blowout last night and just 3 points from Chubb.

Week 4: Close call

Eggers RB Ingram BAL

It always helps to double check your numbers before reporting a Finks League final.

Eggers owner Mike Miazga was ready to concede a one-point loss until he double checked his scoring lineup. Defeat turned to victory when Miazga discovered a two-point conversion run for RB Ingram BAL to beat Serkus, 35-34.

That conversion put the undefeated Eggers over the top to stay with Gaga in the unbeaten ranks. Ingram's two-pointer came after the first score of a 31-point fourth quarter between CLE-BAL. Ingram scored after QB Lamar Jackson's 8-yard TD pass.

"I saw a couple zeroes for you and thought Ingram was a zero as well, but it turns out I lose by his 2-point PAT," Serkus owner Stan Goff emailed Miazga.

Week 4: Beware of the byes

And so it begins, the NFL's love affair with byes designed to spread out the season so NFL owners can reap more dollars from television money. Sigh.

So for Week 4 in Finks League action, please be aware that NYJ and SF are the first NFL teams to take advantage of bye weeks. Dah Commish has compiled the entire list for your viewing on the home page of the website.

Crossovers: Through three weeks, the Baugh Division has a 5-2 lead over the Luckman Division in weekly crossovers.

Week 3 was the first of three total crossover weeks (also Week 8, Week 12) in the first year of a 14-week regular season for the Finks League.

The Baugh teams led 4-1 in Week 3 with the Luckman Division's only winner coming from Gaga, a 35-15 victory over the Spotters led by 13 points from PK Crosby GB. For the Spotters, RB Duke Johnson HOU, WR Hopkins HOU and TE Kittle SF combined to score a big fat zero in Finks points.

Week 2 Quagliano family showdown

Everyone calls legendary preps sports writer Dick Quagliano "Quags," even his son.

When you receive an email from Jays owner Anthony "Boomer" Quagliano, the defending Finks champion doesn't refer to Hurricanes boss as Dad. Even the son calls him "Quags."

Honor is at stake in the Quagliano family in Week 2 in a one-time only showdown between father and son. Because they are in different divisions in 2019, this will be their only meeting unless a playoff date looms.

Dah Commish no longer keeps win-loss records for owners during the regular season now that we are starting our 26th year. Too much work. We don't know the head-to-head records for the Quags boys. We do know Boomer is starting his fifth Finks season.

From Boomer:

“I’m not worried about Tropical Storm Quags. Write it down. Take a picture.”

“Get your popcorn ready, because I’m gonna put on a show.”

“After the fight I’m gonna build myself a pretty home and use him as a bearskin rug. Quags even smells like a bear. I’m gonna give him to the local zoo after I whup him.”

From Quags: 

"You would think that the kid who sat on my lap as a baby at my fantasy drafts and let him announce my first pick would be more respectful of his elders.

When the schedule came out, the Hurricanes took out a black Sharpie and circled this date."

One more Boomer contribution: 

Auction 2019: Our 26th year begins

A few news and notes from Monday's Finks League auction:

• Dollar menu: Give Brady Gaga owner Sean King an A+ for originality. In 26 years of preseason auctions to start the Finks League season, no owner has sent in a bid sheet like King's for 2019. King spent his $100 budget on exactly 100 players valued at -- yes -- $1 each. He even split up his positions equally, bidding for 25 players each in the four different positions. Not surprisingly, King was outbid for each of his top positional requests: QB Mahomes KC, RB Barkley NYG, WR Hopkins HOU, PK Zuerlein LAR (at $1 each). It will be very interesting to see how Gaga performs early in the season.
• Missed targets: The tough-luck award belongs to LAX Planespotters owner D.J. Wanberg's bid sheet. He submitted bids on 34 players, but only earned winning bids for four players. He was outbid on all of his running back requests despite budgeting $29.99 on that position. Wanberg's bids fell short on each of his top three requests: QB Mahomes KC for $32.34, RB Barkley NYG for $26.27 and PK Zuerlein LAR for $3.02. He had the winning bid for top request WR Hopkins HOU. Hopkins in the No. 1-ranked fantasy WR on most draft boards. Is Wanberg willing to trade Hopkins for two or three starters? Also of note, while Wanberg spent big money on each of his top four requests, he reserved very little in his budget for penny players. His cheapest request was 19 cents for PK Gould SF (got him), but did not spend less than 43 cents for any position players. 
• Top dogs: Here is how much was spent for the top valued player at each position. QB Mahomes KC ($41.11) by Quags; RB Barkley NYG ($39.19) by the Jays; WR Hopkins HOU ($26.10) by the Spotters; PK Tucker BAL ($6.11) by Quags.
• Who's available? Using fantasy rankings by CBS Sports' Jamey Eisenberg, these are the top available free agents in the Finks League by each position: QB Prescott DAL (ranked 17th), RB Coleman SF (21st), WR A. Green CIN (22nd) and PK Bryant ATL (12th).
• Hijo help: The auction featured two tiebreakers for two players with equal bids. Paper slips with the name of each team was drawn by Dah Commish's 13-year-old son, who was willing to hault his assault of some building on a video game to help out with Auction 2019. RB Mixon CIN at $1.03 was pulled for Roller over the Eggers. RB Cook at $1.00 was pulled for Gaga over Roller. 

Quags in the Sun-Times

Our very own Dick Quagliano was featured in outdoors expert Dale Bowman's column in the Sun-Times earlier this week. Click on this link to read his column. 

Proposed changes for 2019

Once we're into the offseason, look for two proposed changes to present Finks League owners: 1) a change in the schedule; 2) another vote on using wild card playoff teams.

In both cases, a majority vote of at least six owners will be needed to pass the proposed change.

Here's a closer look:

1. Eggers owner Mike Miazga actually proposed changing the league schedule to a 14-game regular season after 2017, but I decided to hold off a vote until after 2018 once we completed our 25th season. A 14-game regular season would make the Finks League season last 16 weeks, instead of our present 17 weeks. Adopting this change would mean no Finks games would be played in the NFL's Week 17, typically a "rest" week for playoff teams that have already clinched. This would be easy to do, if passed. I would eliminate the Finks League's Week 9 extra crossover games and flip flop the scheduled games now listed as Week 7 and Week 8. That would place the single crossover week games in the middle of the regular season. I have always liked the idea of playing 15 regular season Finks games, but as Dah Commish I have since changed my mind and have seen more reasons for not playing in the NFL's Week 17.
2. This proposal was voted down two years ago. This would be a Dah Commish-inspired proposal revisited. Instead of guaranteeing playoff berths for division runners-up, I still like the idea of going to wild cards to fill the last two playoff spots after division champions. I just like the idea of getting teams with the best records into the semifinal playoffs. 

Please send any commentary or rebuttals to the group. I hope you had a pleasant New Year and I am already looking forward to Finks action in 2019.