One Week To Go

Markinson

We are all just playing for pride this week. The new champion of champions is Andrew, the first manager to ever clinch Markinson before the last game of the season, even though he will finish with the fewest wins of any prior champion. Only 3 games separate 1st and 8th, by far the most parity we have had in Champions League. Andrew also continues the tradition of Markinson first-timers winning the league.

With this championship, Andrew joins Amer as the only managers to win a League Cup, League Championship, and Markinson Cup. Neither has won a Starling Cup, so the race for the Career Quad is still on.

Montoya

I clinched my first Montoya Championship, joining Amer and Andrew as the only managers to win championships in both leagues.

With Andrew's Markinson Championship, he and I are guaranteed spots in next year's Markinson. That leaves one more guaranteed spot, which will go to either Jeremy or Hubert. If Jeremy beats Dan or Hubert loses to Scott, the spot is Jeremy's. If Jeremy loses, Hubert wins, AND Hubert outscores Jeremy by 35, the spot is Hubert's.

The remaining spot will go, as always, to the winner of the Montoya Cup.

Dufresne

Amazingly, 4 teams are within a game of 1st-place Amer, though realistically the championship is down to Amer and Jason, with Russell and Dean holding a puncher's chance and Nalu hoping for a miracle.

For Amer, it is simple. Beat Russell and he is the champion for a second time, joining Dean as the only repeat champions in any league. He can still be champion if he loses, so long as Jason loses to Drew, Russell doesn't outscore him by 43 points, and Dean doesn't outscore him by 66.

For Jason, it is also pretty simple. Beat Drew and have Russell beat Amer, and he is the champion.

Russell needs to beat Amer by 43 points, have Drew beat Jason, and not be outscored by 24 by Dean, and he is the champion.

Dean needs to beat Eddy, have Russell beat Amer, have Drew beat Jason, and outscore Amer by 66 and Russell by 24, and he is the champion for a third time. Dean, if you have another 195-point game in you this season, now's the time.

The Markinson picture is too murky to analyze. No one has clinched a spot, and only three of Amer, Jason, Russell, Dean, and Nalu will have guaranteed invites after this week.

Starling Cup

I have a slim 10-point lead on Jason and a 59-point lead on Andrew.

Record Book

I have the most combined wins with 16, so with only 5 games left to play, Dean's record 22 wins in 2007 is safe.

Andrew has the most combined points with 3,219.34. He needs to average 130 points in his remaining two games to break Jason's record 3,478.98 points in 2007. He's been averaging 124 points through 26 games, so it's doable.

Dean has 8 combined Heinekens, so with 2 games to go, he can tie Scott's record 10 Heinekens in 2006.

With another Heineken in Markinson, Dean would also tie Amer's record 5 Heinekens in 2008.

With his 6th straight win, Amer tied the record he already shared with Nalu for longest winning streak in Dufresne. So a win this week against Russell would give him the championship and the outright record.

Good luck in the final week of the regular season! If you are already out of the running, start thinking ahead to the playoffs, and hope for the best.

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