W. Orange Football Mecca - Final Spot Up for Grabs as Regular Season Concludes

By Paul Pearson

For the majority of the teams in the W. Orange Football Mecca League, it’s essentially over but the shouting, but for several teams in the middle of the standings, it’s all going to come down to the final week. This playoff picture is so simple, even Derek Anderson could figure it out (even if he never finds anything funny).

They’re In

The bye weeks for the first round of the playoffs have already been determined. Meet the Mutts remain atop both the West Orange Metro Area Division and the league’s overall standings with a 10-2 record and a 3-point victory last week over Buddy’s Watching You. They can afford to wait for Hakeem Nicks to get healthy for the postseason. Sharktopus locked up the Everywhere Else Division title and extended its winning streak to four by squashing Brett M. All this team has to do is hope Michael Vick and Peyton Hillis stay hot.

They’re Looking Good

Three other teams have 7-5 records, and at least two of them will make the postseason. Double Secret Probation holds the points tiebreaker over the other two, despite a loss last week to the Creeping Death that extended its losing streak to four weeks. They get Hoofhearted this week, and they will have the services of Andre Johnson, who was not suspended for beating Cortland Finnegan like a rented mule. The TITANS lost to Squatter’s Rights last week and faces Sharktopus this week. It would help these Titans if the ones in Tennessee would remember they have Chris Johnson on their roster. Jordan’s Bar Mitzvah Fund beat Hoofhearted in week 12 and gets Meet the Mutts in week 13. Frank Gore’s Monday night fracture hurt, but the Funds have a deep roster. They’ll need it; they trail the other 7-5 teams in points.

They Need Help

Actually, the two teams sitting at 6-6 need to help themselves by winning this week. Creeping Death has scored more points than each of the three 7-5 teams, but that tiebreaker won’t matter if the Death loses to Buddy’s Watching You. The Death needs Tom Brady to play like Tom Brady on Monday night. Lee H. lost last week and trails two of the 7-5 teams in points. The Lees face Brett M. and need a strong Sunday night from

Rashard Mendenhall.

Despite last week’s loss to Sharktopus, Brett M. is one of two 5-7 teams that can still sneak into the playoffs with a win and losses by both the Death and the Lees. The other one is Team RamRod, which is riding a two-game winning streak and needs to extend it against Squatter’s Rights. It would help if Peyton Manning could avoid being knocked around again.

They’re Done

A two-week losing streak has left Hoofhearted with a 4-8 record and reduced it to spoiler status. Squatter’s Rights has won the last two weeks but still sits at the bottom of the Everywhere Else Division with a 4-8 record. As for Buddy’s Watching You, which has dropped the last two games and sports a Buffalo-like 2-10 record, there’s always the Toilet Bowl.