Week 17: Goff wins record fourth Finger Bowl

BARBOO, Wis. -- Serkus Act owner Stan Goff won a record fourth Finger Bowl with a 34-29 victory over Hurricane Quags in the 24th annual Finks League championship match.

Driven by WR Baldwin SEA's 15 points to claim Finger Bowl MVP, Goff averted an 18-point effort from Quags QB Rivers LAC and received a dose of luck when usual starter, RB Hunt KC, scored a touchdown while on the bench for Quags.

The Finger Bowl final featured a matchup of first and second place in the Tomlinson Division. The two teams split their season series.

Goff was tied with Mike Wilcox and Matt Simo as a three-time Finks champ after previously winning Finger Bowls from 2009-10 and in 2014. Quags finished as the runner-up for the second time in three years.

Goff won the title despite making a season-low two transactions. He picked up WR Kupp LAR and PK Zuerlein LAR in Week 2 while releasing WR Robinson JAX and PK Lambo LAC. Kupp did not start FB 24 and Zuerlein was placed in the NFL's injured reserve list after Week 15.

From Quags: "Congrats on the win.

I was up 29-19 and Walsh nailed a 49 yarder, Baldwin scored and then went over 75 yards and Walsh added an extra point to fuel your 34-29 comeback win.

For me, it came done to first running plays. I played Perine at running back because Hunt wasn't supposed to play. Perine goes down with an ankle injury on his first carry and leaves the game. Then Hunt, who was not supposed to dress, comes in for one running play when his backup was sick. he scores on a 35-yard run on his only carry."

From Goff: "Wow. I didn't see that coming. I thought when Elliott failed to score a TD and Brady was so-so that I was toast." 

Goff earns $383.25 for the championship win while Quags claims $127.75

Week 17: Finger Bowl 24 boxscore

SERKUS 34, QUAGS 29

Quags (29)
QB Rivers LAC 18
RB Perine WAS zero
RB Ingram NO zero
WR Gordon CLE 5
TE Gronkowski NE zero
PK Gano CAR 6

Serkus (34)
QB Brady NE 6
RB E. Elliott DAL 5
RB Ajayi PHI zero
WR D. Bryant DAL zero
WR Baldwin SEA 15
PK Walsh SEA 8

Week 17: One point spells difference for Eggers

PITTSBURGH -- WR Tate DET's one-point conversion catch gave the Eggers a 42-41 victory over Gaga in the third-place game for the Finks League.

Gaga received big boost from PK Dawson AZ, who scored 23 points.

Eggers owner Mike Miazga finished in the top three for the seventh consecutive season.

EGGERS 42, GAGA 41

Gaga (41)
QB Manning NYG 3
RB Powell NYJ zero
RB Coleman ATL zero
WR D. Thomas DEN 6
WR Golladay DET 9
PK Dawson AZ 23

Eggers (42)
QB Wilson SEA 9
RB Kamara NO 15
RB McCaffrey CAR zero
WR Fitzgerald AZ zero
WR Tate DET 12
PK Gostkowski NE 6

Week 17: Finger Bowl 24 preview

HURRICANE QUAGS (13-3) at SERKUS ACT (13-3)
at Baraboo West High School, Baraboo, Wis. (Home of the Circus World Museum)

Playoff records: Quags (5-6); Goff (9-8)

Head to head: Quags 46, Serkus 45 (Week 2); Serkus 29, Quags 22 (Week 11)

The skinny: Like the Ringling Brothers, this might be the final clown show for owner Stan Goff under the Serkus Act banner. Goff announced earlier this month that Serkus might fold its tent and could return next season under a different nickname. For veteran Finks League owners, Goff hasn't always used the Serkus name. Serkus Act has been around for 12 years. For Finks trivia buffs, Goff's last previous nickname before becoming the Serkus Act was The Mighty Rysters  in 2005, in reference to his son, Ryan. This could also be the final game for Serkus using its familiar Killer Clown helmets. In the opinion of Dah Commish, Serkus features the best helmet logo in the league. But sometimes all good things must end. ... This year's Finger Bowl features the first and second place finishers in the Tomlinson Division. ... FB 24 features a pair of veteran Finks League owners between Goff and Quags. The two have combined as owners for 36 Finks seasons, 23 for Goff. Goff, Miazga and Dah Commish are the only remaining owners from the Finks League's second season in 1995. In Goff's first season, he was known as the Cowpokes. It is the first Finger Bowl meeting between Goff and Quags. It is also the first Finger Bowl meeting between 13-win teams. ... Goff has tied Miazga with his sixth Finger Bowl appearance (2000, 2002, 2009-10, 2014, 20017). Goff will be looking for a record-setting fourth FB title after winning in 2009-10 and 2014. The only other Finks owners with three titles are Mike Wilcox and Simo. ... Quags hopes to become the fifth Finks owner to win multiple FB titles. His Hurricanes beat the Sodor Rail-Layers 47-42 to win in 2007. ... Goff has tied Simo with nine playoff wins to lead all Finks owners. ... Quags' previous Finger Bowl appearance was a 31-24 loss to the Eggers in 2015.

Projected starters: Quags -- Rivers, Hunt, Ingram, Gronkowski, Gordon, Gano. Serkus -- Brady, E. Elliott, D. Murray, Baldwin, D. Bryant, Walsh.

The pick: Quags 35, Serkus 32.

Week 16: Quags-Eggers semifinal thriller, Part 1

From Quags: "I have the Hurricanes hanging on to a 40-39 win. I couldn't even watch the 2nd half of the Eagles-Raiders game.

The Hurricanes led 40-21 going into Xmas with Rivers (8), Hunt (9), Ingram (6), Gronkowski (6) and Gano (11) scoring for them. The HNE had points from Hill (5) and Gostkowski (16).

Then came Xmas and the anticipation began. Roethlinsberger (9) and Bell (6) each had piled up points. Big Ben was at 226 yards and Bell at 69 yards in the 4th quarter. Bur Tomlin rested his stars,keeping them from gaining any of the needed yards.

HNE still had Ertz and needed either a TD or 100-yd performance for the win. Ertz put the pressure on with 6 receptions for 71 yards at the half. However, Ertz caught just 2 balls for 10 yards in the 2nd half and failed to score as the HNE comeback fell just a bit short."

From Miazga: "Great Finks win, Dick!

I hemmed and hawed over Fitzgerald vs Ertz for the second receiver spot until about an hour before kickoff Sunday. The difference there was 8 points, but Fitzgerald had done nothing the last two weeks so the call probably was right plus Ertz had 8 TDs going into the game

I was at a Christmas party during the Steelers game and wasn’t watching (my rule is no watching if a Finks game is on the line) but wondered why Bell had stalled during garbage time, his yards bonus would have been huge.

I don’t know how I made the playoffs this year or went 12-3. This was one of my worst drafted teams in some time plus didn’t have Beckham Jr for a majority of the year. Was happy to have the year I did.

If Act won (and with Gurley I’m assuming so) you have the two best Finks teams in the league going next week. 

Quags has done a great  job with roster management. 

Good luck next week."

Week 16: Quags-Eggers semifinal thriller, Part 2

I didn't watch Monday Night's Philadelphia Eagles game against the Oakland Raiders, but I followed the game on the internet. My favorite current sports app is CBS Sports. Here is the boxscore from the game. 

When I went to bed, Quags led 40-36 and Eggers owner Mike Miazga's last active player, TE Ertz PHI, had 73 yards into the fourth quarter. When I woke up, I checked the boxscore to see Ertz finish with 81 yards receiving for three Finks League bonus points. Without an Ertz TD or 100+ receiving, the win would go Quags' way.

In an absolute nail-biter, Quags won 40-39.

Week 16: Semifinal boxscores

SERKUS 45, GAGA 33

Gaga (33)
QB Manning NYG 5
RB Powell NYJ 11
RB Coleman ATL 6
WR Hopkins HOU 6
WR D. Thomas DEN zero
PK Dawson AZ 5

Serkus (45)
QB Brady NE 9
RB E. Elliott DAL 3
RB Gurley LAR 24
WR D. Bryant DAL zero
WR Baldwin SEA 6
PK Walsh SEA  3

QUAGS 40, EGGERS 39

Quags (40)
QB Rivers LAC 8
RB Hunt KC 9
RB Ingram NO 6
TE Gronkowski NE 6
WR Gordon CLE zero
PK Gano CAR 11

Eggers (39)
QB Roethlisberger PIT 9
RB Bell PIT 6
RB Kamara NO zero
WR Hill KC 5
TE Ertz PHI 3
PK Gostkowski NE 16