2023 - The First Champion of 2024

 Hello and welcome to another episode of the LOC Report! Commissioner Stubbs and Co-host Chris Leach back with you again to recap the semi finals and preview Corona Bowl XV, the victor of which will be the first champions of the world in anything for 2024 (beating even you darts players!)

2023 - Who Gets Presents, Who Gets Coal?

 Hello and welcome to another episode of the LOC Report! We're in the penultimate week of the 2023 LOC Season, the semi finals are upon us, and the games are happening on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day no less. Join Commissioner Stubbs and Co-host Chris Leach to recap the Wildcard Bowl and preview the Semi-Finals in the build up to the big day.

2023 - Pod on a Tuesday, wut?

 Hello and welcome to another episode of the LOC Report! Coming to you with a lesser spotted Tuesday episode - the NFL calendar gets weird at this time of year, so why can't we! Commish Stubbs is joined once again by Co-host Chris Leach to recap Week 14 and all the playoff drama, whilst giving you a regular season and the 9th-12th ranked team recaps, as well as previewing the Wildcard Bowl.

2023 - RIP Tank Dell

 Hello and welcome to another episode of the LOC Report! You may have a slightly more downtrodden Commish than usual today, not just due to the season loss of Tank Dell, but with what happened in his matchup too (spoilers). He is joined by the eternal Co-host Chris Leach, as they recap Week 13 and preview the final week of the season, Week 14.

2024 - Power Rankings Week 14

 Fuck this game. That’s your power rankings this week, goodbye everyone. Oh, I’m contractually obliged to write these? Ugh, fine then. A season injury didn’t have potentially a season altering effect to the playoffs for just one team this week, oh no in fact it impacted two teams. If you couldn’t tell, mine being one of them - happy fucking birthday to me. Anyway it’s week 14 blah blah blah some shit about playoffs nearly here and a race, let’s get on with it.

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12. Bear Necessities (3-10) - down 3: If I was an authoritarian commissioner this team would already be a draft pick or two lighter in next years draft - you have the committee to thank for this team retaining all its draft picks. The team isn’t bad, I’d actually go so far as to say the whole roster is on balance good - but no management leaves them as a rudderless ghost ship with a 9 game losing streak - you can bet they’ll be starting brown on a bye this week, so they’re bottom of the pile for me. 

11. Tom’s Tyrants (4-9) - no change: It was a bold and understandable call to bench Kupp last week, and whilst it was ultimately not the right decision it wouldn’t have changed much as the struggles this team face go far beyond that. Thin on talent with their best players across the season now sputtering and banged up, Coach Barnes will be glad it is week 14 to say the least, as this team would probably only just out score the Patriots (they’d still beat them, of course). 

10. Art Attack (4-9) - up 2: TE FC puts up another decent performance despite the losses they’ve suffered of late, but their wings are still clipped and they are heavily reliant on Prescott. Higgins return was a positive one, but his impact is going to be minimal with Browning at the helm. They have one more chance to play berserker in week 14, but for as good as the tight ends they possess are, they just don’t carry the same threat as much of the players on other teams across the league. 

9. Forge Flyers (5-8) - down 3: Coach Leach has been on a nice little run of late, but facing a team lower then them on this week spares their blushes last week. I will caution injury was partly to blame for a bad outing, as well as a rare bad showing from the cowboys D. They should bounce back, but they’ll do so without Stevenson and a Ridley now facing an immediate future without Lawrence. Those 2 have been a part of the resurgence they’ve had over the last month, so their absence is enough to drop this team a few spots.

8. IKSAN (7-6) - down 1: Brutal. Just brutal. Coach Sherwood has been a must win merchant this year, avoiding losses to keep their playoff hopes alive time after time. They were in position to potentially do it again last week, but an injury to Christian Kirk on MNF robbed them of that, and barring something truly spectacular their playoff hopes are all but dead. The fact they’ve been in a position to need multiple must win games sort of tells you what you need to know however - this team is just ok with Evans being the only shining star, Mahomes and Ekeler have been dim stars, and beyond that are just complimentary pieces. 

7. Buccing The Trend (3-10) - up 3: Coach Taylor’s side moves up from a combination of them looking a little better, and others heading in the other direction. Miraculously no longer stand-alone last place, they could actually find themselves not even finishing in the bottom 3. They need Tua to actually score some TDs in a given week, but they have a couple of complimentary pieces to go with volume hogs Barkley and Jacobs - if they can do anything with that volume this isn’t the worst team by a long stretch. Perhaps they can finish on a high after what has been quite a rough year. 

6. Great Scott (8-5) - down 1: There isn’t necessarily a great deal between a lot of the playoff teams at the moment, but Coach Scott finds themselves beneath the others for now. Much of this is tied to Lawrence, whose renaissance over the last 3 weeks has unsurprisingly coincided with a renaissance for Great Scott. But with his injury the outlook is murkier - Achane popped off last week too, but this creates a difficult decision for the coach - one if he gets right will be great, but if he doesn’t could be underwhelming. Between that there are other good options on this team firmly giving them a shot at a debut playoff berth and perhaps a playoff win. 

5. U R Gould (10-3) - up 3: Ok, after last week I can no longer keep this team down - whilst it was a brilliant week and the new highest scoring week of the year, they are still only 5th highest in terms of points scored. But at this stage of the year recent form is obviously far more important, and they are arguably gaining steam. Purdy has been a revelation, brown a stalwart, whilst even Metcalf and pollard are starting to heat up. Connor and La Porta have recaptured their form, so the starting lineup has really come together. If they continue in that fashion then this ranking is too low, but I don’t want to fall into the trap of it just being a few good weeks for them. Oh and by the way - they’re the first team to officially clinch and have a shot at the regular season title. 

4. Patistan (9-4) - down 1: Coach Allen lost the smack down in the Southampton division matchup last week, but they’re at a crossroads because they both still have the number 1 seed available to them, whilst also being capable of missing out on playoffs entirely. Truth be told this team is at a bit of a crossroads as well. Goff and Stroud have both petered out a bit of late, and now they’ve potentially lost another Seahawks RB for a time. They are getting JJ back, but only time will tell what that means with the current crop of Vikings QBs. On balance though this is still a very good team capable of beating any team on its day.  

3. Burdettinators (8-5) - up 1: An absolutely clutch win by Coach Burdett last week, with the decision to start Collins over Johnson being a pivotal reason for the W. All their playoff options are still on the table as a result, and this team has found its footing again. I don’t think the upside is necessarily there for this team like it is for others, but the floor sure as hell is. Williams and Hurts are the star power for them, and the Dell injury entrenches Collins as a good starter too. They then have multiple different players they can call upon, which allows them to play the matchups - which is surprisingly not something a lot of teams can say in the league this year.  

2. The Dream Team (9-4) - no change: Coach Nathwani didn’t blink in the second of his crucial divisional games, picking up a win that brings them one step closer to playoffs. They are a win and in scenario - but if they lose it becomes very murky, because there is still a path to them not achieving a playoff berth. That would be a great shame, as this is such an exciting team - but they are worryingly seemingly becoming more top heavy as the season goes on. Relying on Hill and Lamb is no bad thing, and the players around them like Herbert, Hall, Etienne, Warren, and the bench options can all pop up…but you wouldn’t want to count on them to do so. That could be this teams undoing - or equally, it might be why they win it all. 

1. Gridiron Gang (8-5) - no change: A win for my team last week would have clinched the division and allowed me to play for the regular season title this week. Alas, Dell’s injury cost me not only the win, but could very well be the difference between me getting a bye. Whilst I haven’t officially clinched, due to my points forward I’ve virtually made playoffs. Dell’s injury is a huge blow as he has been a WR1 this season, but this team’s strength is its powerhouse running backs (ironically adding moss cost me the win last week as well - go figure). Waddle is a capable enough starter, and the final flex spot can be held down by one of a few (though it’s likely to be Taysom time, who is arguably yet another RB for my team). Allen may well have made the difference last week too if he weren’t on bye, but he remains a strength of this team. 

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And there it is, your last power rankings of the season. I never thought I’d be so fuming about playoff seeding (given that I’m virtually guaranteed to make playoffs), but man I wanted that bye and man I wanted that shot at the regular season title. Anyway - let’s all enjoy week 14 as it’ll be the last meaningful games for all of us before we turn our focus to the lucky few - good luck everybody!

2023 - We're Onto December

 Hello and welcome to another episode of the LOC Report! We are officially into December, which means the beginning of the end as we ring in the close of the LOC Regular Season, as well as the beginning and resolution of the Playoffs. Another crucial week in the league last week with further twists and turns in the playoff race - join the Commish and Co-host Chris Leach to recap Week 12 and preview the penultimate week of the regular season, Week 13.

2023 - Power Rankings Week 13

 2 games to go folks - TWO! We had yet another riveting week of LOC and NFL football alike in Thanksgiving week, and I have had enough pumpkin pie to put me off it until next Thanksgiving. The Playoff race is white hot now as well with 7 teams still in firm contention - what does the Commish make of all this? Read on to find out…

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12. Art Attack (4-8) - down 5: And thus ends the berserker Coach Nunn side of the 2023 LOC season. Losing Andrews was a blow, but losing Taylor for the rest of the regular season is a death knell. It’s unclear when/if Higgins will return, so this leaves Prescott as the lone reliable player on this team, supported by Kittle, Diggs and Kelce. Freiermuth looks like he’ll be another nice helping piece, but this team is back to a low floor and a capped ceiling. To add salt to the wound, they were officially eliminated from contending for the division last week. 

11. Tom’s Tyrants (4-8) - up 1: And my birthday gift to you Coach Barnes is lifting you off the bottom (definitely because of your teams progress and not another falling beneath you). With Love’s recent play QB may not be an issue for this team, but he is inconsistent. Beyond that only Allen, Cook and Robinson are consistent contributors - with the latter two not necessarily setting the world on fire. Kupp hasn’t given this team the shot in the arm it needed, and there’s not much else exciting here. Will Reich’s firing help Thielen? Perhaps - perhaps not. Either way, it’s not going to substantially help this team. 

10. Buccing The Trend (2-10) - no change: I don’t really know what to write about this team that I haven’t already said. They are what they are. Tua is on an offence that is one of the best in the NFL, but the TDs seem to flow heavily through the run game vs the passing game. The rest of the team is ok contributors - so the ceiling isn’t too high here and the floor is hovering above sea level. Long since eliminated from traditional playoff contention, the chances of them avoiding the tied worst LOC season in history are on the wrong side of questionable. 

9. Bear Necessities (3-9) - down 3: It’s just been one of those years for Coach Stubbs Sr, not helped by a laissez faire style that would even be a bit too far for Coach Nunn. Now owners of an 8 game losing streak (yikes), I retract my previous statement that they are likely to pick up a win or two to close the year, as they just find ways to lose games. Brown hasn’t benefitted from Murray’s return, and Puka has clearly taken a step back since Kupp returning (not helped by his health). Only Bijan and Deebo are solid options here - Lamar is boom or bust. 

8. U R Gould (9-3) - no change: Coach Gardner-Beddoes missed a golden opportunity to clinch a playoff spot last week (granted they are still likely to do so). To make matters worse, the team’s output was putrid, and even if their point repellant powers were active they’d have probably still lost. The team is thin, with Brown being the only great option at their disposal. Everything else is middling. Purdy is a good QB to have, but he’s going to have games like last week where he only throws the 1 TD. To quote the Co-host on the podcast, if this team does make it to playoffs they will likely be found out quickly. 

7. IKSAN (7-5) - up 4: Now on paper this team is up 4, but it’s more about what has fallen behind them as opposed to who they have overtaken. A solid week last week yes, but this team still feels like it’s on shaky ground. It’s a bit of a rag tag bunch - a bunch that is certainly capable of having nice days, but you kind of have to hold your breath. Evans leads the way, Sutton is a bright spot too, and Kirk and Ekeler can chip in - beyond that it’s a gaggle of streamers. I think we’re running out of time for Mahomes to change what he (or more aptly, his receivers) has been for much of this season - but of course if anyone can, it’s him. 

6. Forge Flyers (4-8) - up 3: I think Coach Leach has his mojo back, and he’s officially picked up the mantle from Coach Nunn for berserker team down the stretch. Downing the number 1 seed last week in impressive fashion, they’re going to end the year on a positive note. They’re getting production out of the QB room, Henry and Stevenson are a serviceable core, Aiyuk has been great, Ridley has finally got going, and then they’re finding production from their 5th streamer each week. We can’t overlook the Cowboys D on this team as well, who have been by far and away the highest scoring D this year. Hide your women and children, this team is pillaging. 

5. Great Scott (7-5) - down 2: big big win against the division leading Dream Team last week, which was an absolute must win game to keep Coach Scott’s divisional and traditional wildcard playoff hopes alive. And their reward - a 2 ranking drop in the power rankings. This is a combination of some other teams outlook perhaps looking a bit better, and some doubt I have on this team. Lawrence’s resurgence has been big for this team the last couple of weeks - we hope it’s here to stay but you can’t take it for granted. They still have a very good starting lineup, but I just can’t shake the feeling that in a given week 1-2 of them will let him down. The lineup is Chase, st brown, mostert, white and Gibbs. Why am I keying on this so much? Because there is nothing on the bench other than fellow Miami running backs, who at best are like for like to other playoffs in the lineup, or at worst muddy the picture. It’s definitely still a dangerous team, but I think they could be quite volatile. 

4. Burdettinators (7-5) - up 1: huge win for Coach Burdett last week, overcoming a 40 point deficit, and effectively keeping their divisional and traditional wild card playoff hopes alive. Hurts is a stud, and Williams return to the team has come at the absolute perfect time. The rest of this team is a bunch of solid options top to bottom, having that flexibility week in week out is a great thing to have. Now the star power of this team is still lacking and that prevents them from really going much higher here, but they can be consistently very good to close the season, and that’s nothing to sniff at in the unpredictable fantasy game we play. 

3. Patistan (9-3) - up 1: lots of big wins around the LOC last week, for Coach Allen it rescinded his lead of thr Southampton division and ownership of the number 1 seed. Great QB room, and a roster of great options to turn to each week. Similar to Burdettinators, I don’t think any of them are necessarily elite, but they’re all very good. What does really boost this team though (and this is the reason they’re above the 2 teams below them) is that Justin Jefferson is returning. Now, of course we don’t know what he’ll look like with Dobbs, and he may not coming flying out the gate, but the potential impact he could have on this team here could be season defining. 

2. The Dream Team (8-4) - down 1: As it transpired Coach Nathwani wouldn’t have officially clinched with a win last week - and to make matters worse do now face some competition again for the division after a loss. Further to this, are there some small cracks starting to emerge in what has been a brilliant team? They remain flashy, with a very high ceiling on their boom and bust roster (though the bust floor is fairly high still). But I’m just scanning down here, could Herbert start to have some wobbles down the stretch? What’s going on with Etienne lately? It was hard to envision the jets offence getting worse, but it has and this is affecting hall. Warren finally made a start for them, but Najee has had a resurgence and a coordinator change perhaps muddies the picture. All of these players are still capable of blow up performances, but suddenly the bench is looking more unpredictable as well. It’s a solid group, but a tough one to predict which player will turn up in a given week. I’d be absolutely shocked if they didn’t make the playoffs still, but maybe just maybe, they’re not the world beaters they have been for much of the season. 

1. Gridiron Gang (8-4) - up 1: I could no longer keep my team from jumping up to 1. Now the highest scoring team by 145 points, coming off the highest scoring week of the season, my team is in very good stead. The RB room may be the best in the league, and now has the addition of Zack Moss who for most teams would slide in as a starter but for mine is a luxury depth piece. This may be only a short term impact, but there are other solid players to round out the roster as well. The knocks are Cooper who is in flux in the wake of the Watson injury, but Walker or Flacco may aid that situation. The Lockett trade has been ok but he remains inconsistent, and hill is a nice depth piece but as we know, unpredictable. 

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And there you go, quite a lot of change this week as we enter the crucial period of the LOC season. We have 7 teams with 7+ wins currently, which is not a common occurrence. This week we may start to see teams clinching depending on what results happen, and there are some mouthwatering playoff race changing matchups on the docket too. Buckle in everyone, it’s about to get bumpy!