2019 - Ciao, adios, we're done!

Welcome to the final episode of the LOC Report for the 2019 season! We review the much anticipated Corona Bowl XI and reveal the 2019 award winners. We hope you've enjoyed this season as much as we have.

2019 Award Nominees

Luck Award

• Coach Taylor, Buccing The Trend: It doesn't take a genius to figure out this nomination. When you cast your eye over the standings table on the league site, Coach Taylor's 1079 points against on the year sticks out like a sore thumb. Only one other team (we'll get to that in a second) conceded less than 1249 points this season. Couple that with a breakdown record of 43-111 (Gridiron Gang had 55-99 and went 3-11), then a 7-7 record is mighty lucky, despite the pros of Coach Taylor's first season.
• Coach Merritt, The Tuckfards: Speaking of that other team...one of Coach Leach's favourite narratives this season was the low points against scored on The Tuckfards - that number being 1102. Yes, credit is where credit is due, they scored a lot of points, and did well with a roster that was mostly toothless and missed their key performers - but there's no way Coach Merritt was getting to 9-5, or the great start they had, without the help of a low points scored. 
• Coach Nunn, miscellaneous team names: Don't look too closely, but Coach Nunn's breakdown record was only 74-80 this season. That alone doesn't tell a tale, but it is surprising this team had a 9-5 record and a playoff berth considering they were quite a middling side by this metric, behind even Tom's Tyrants and Bear Necessities. Lucky they may have been then in the schedule, but the coach did still have a fine season. 
• Coach Nathwani, The Dream Team: Coach Nathwani's turnaround from an 0-3 start was quite miraculous - they wound up second in their division and weren't too far away from a playoff berth. But they were arguably one of the worst rosters in the league this season. They finished top in the coach ranking (points left on bench), but this was largely due to a gaping lack of depth. They were both lucky, and skilful, in getting to 7-7. 

Overachiever Award

• Coach Taylor, Buccing The Trend: On the flip side of the above...I don't think anyone would have expected coach Taylor to get to 7-7 this season, at any point. After drafting a team with AJ Green and Melvin Gordon, this teams holes were laid bare for all to see from the get go. But despite this, GM Taylor plugged those holes with the unlikeliest of names and made a team out of it, willing them to 7-7. A good first year performance by all standards.
• Coach Nunn, miscellaneous team names: If there's one team each year you would pick to miss the playoffs, Coach Nunn's side would probably be that team. The laize faire coaching style often leads to disaster in the LOC, but Coach Nunn found a strikingly good balance in this approach this season. Tampering only when he had to, a strong roster empowered the team of many names to a playoff berth. 
• Coach Merritt, The Tuckfards: If 2014 is the answer, then what is the question? Points if you got "the last time The Tuckfards appeared in the playoffs". The Tuckfards have not adjusted well to the post keepers, 12 team format era of the LOC. But the flexible roster format of the 2019 season seemed to serve Coach Merritt well, and he returned to the playoffs for the first time in 5 years. Can he do it again? 
• Coach Barnes, Tom's Tyrants: Much like The Dream Team, at times this season you would have probably said Coach Barnes had one of the weakest rosters in the league. Flattering to deceive, every time they looked like they'd taken a step forward, they'd promptly take two back. But despite all that, the much decorated Coach Barnes ground out a 6-8 record, was in the playoff race a lot longer than most, and boasted the 5th best breakdown record in the league. 

Comeback Award

• Coach Nunn, miscellaneous team names: It's been a long winding road back for Coach Nunn. Their first couple of seasons in the league weren't magical, and the seasons since the return haven't been too miraculous either. But 2019 marked the first playoff appearance for Coach Nunn in a decade, and his first since un-retiring. As far as comebacks go, I'd say Ross's has been the longest in the making. 
• Coach Merritt, The Tuckfards: Much like the above, as mentioned in the overachiever award Coach Merritt has been trying to restore former glory for many a year. Sadly this season ended in the same way as before, but 2019 was arguably The Tuckfards best season in the LOC, quite the comeback from what has been the recent iteration of Coach Merritt's side. 
• Coach Nathwani, The Dream Team: I mentioned it above, but after going 0-3 to start the season, Coach Nathwani responded with a 7-4 record across the rest of the season. Had the season been a week or two longer we may have been calling them the Titans of the LOC, but the in season turnaround was impressive. 
• Coach Allan, Patistan: After a career worst year in 2018 which saw Patistan go 2-12, the start of 2019 looked perilously similar. A blockbuster trade to try and change the fate of their season only caused more calamity, as they sent 3 healthy rotation players for one injured superstar. But despite all that, Coach Allen clawed and scratched his way to a 6-8 record, a much better performance than the year before. 

League Commissioner Award

• Tom Barnes: The invaluable support provided by Tom on draft day deserves recognition each year, but the writer of the power rankings has created a new dynamic interest in the article. While the elusive full season of write ups still alludes him, there's no doubt about the excitement that's created when you get a notification stating "Tom Barnes has posted in League of Champions". 
• Chris Leach: The Co Host had another stellar year in the chair this season, having fully adjusted to the new live format. But Chris wasn't just the infamous co host this year - he was also the League Ombudsman for the first time, and even wrote a few power rankings articles. A triple threat, you might say. 
• Ross Nunn: It brings light to many days when Ross posts his new flavour of the week into the LOC Group Chat. Ross's team names are funny, and his photoshop skills second to none. He also is kind enough to manage his own award as well, which is a plus. 
• Ollie Gardner: Ollie made the ultimate sacrifice this season, not only plaguing himself with having to come up with a new kicker related name each and every week - but also by crippling himself by cursing said kicker as well. True dedication to the league. 

General Manager of the Year

• GM Sherwood, IKSAN: The spreadsheets strike again. I am reliably informed by someone who has seen them first hand that the amount of work that goes into these spreadsheets, and the level of detail, is nothing short of incredible. Perhaps GM Sherwood should monetise this and sell it, as it has reliably delivered a 7-7 record or better EVERY YEAR since 2013, culminating in a career best 10-4 this season and their first regular season title. A monumentally good draft is enough to get GM Sherwood a nomination here. 
• GM Allen, Patistan: I mentioned above GM Allan's roster renovation. This was a struggling team coming out of the draft, and Pat landed a blockbuster deal to try and reverse his fortunes. If it were not for injury I'm sure the results would have been better. But to get to 6-8 after how they started was a great GM job - by the end of the season this team was playoff calibre.  
• GM Leach, Forge Flyers: What. A. Season. A good draft by GM Leach was underpinned by several roster moves during the season - many of which were absolutely pivotal to getting them to the playoffs. Chris has shook off for good the horrors of the early to mid teens of the decade.
• GM Burdett, Burdettinators: Another curious draft strategy didn't quite pay off for Burdettinators, but much like the Patriots do, GM Burdett left no stone unturned and took a number of wild roster choices to get them a breath away from the playoffs. The master of doubling down on a teams players (or tripling in some cases), this season was all down to the magic of the GM. 

Head Coach of the Year

• Coach Leach, Forge Flyers: The nomination for Chris writes itself. Most points scored this season, first in breakdown ranking, third in coach ranking, and a division title. The nominees were chosen pre-Corona Bowl, but with hindsight that as well. And let's not forget that almighty stream of Perriman. But in truth, Chris has been on it all season, and has earned a nomination rightfully. 
• Coach Sherwood, IKSAN: The GM role played a large part, but the coach still has to pick the players - and you don't get to a regular season title if you pick the wrong players. Coach Sherwood's side might not have been the most exciting, and perhaps a lack of impetus on bringing new players near the end of the season cost him, but IKSAN were undoubtedly the most consistently good team this year, and that was down to a fine coaching performance. 
• Coach Stubbs Sr, Bear Necessities: At a glance, Coach Stubbs' senior had a very ho hum year in 2019, but this team was very good for long stretches. Yes, they did have a very long losing streak at one point, but it wasn't for the lack of trying, or scoring. Bear Necessities were 6-8, among the highest scoring teams, boasted a 91-63 record in the breakdown which was good enough for 4th, and second in the coach ranking (though lack of depth may have played into that). In Chris Leach's own words, "they'd have been a playoff team if they were in a different division". I tend to agree. 
• Coach Merritt, The Tuckfards: An award Coach Merritt has won before, and this season truly did hark back to the glory days of The Tuckfards. They were truly dominant in the first half of this season, going 8-1 through week 9 and essentially locking up playoffs then. The second half of the season sadly mirrored the Patriots second half of the season, but Phil managed a lot with a broken Mahomes and Barkley, and truly did pull off a quintessential Coach Merritt season with his player choices.