About

Zoodell’s REAL League was founded in 2015.  It rose from the ashes of Jimmy McMahon’s defunct fantasy football league that was marred by corruption.

In its inaugural season, Matt Presuhn, despite making zero transactions, finished the regular season with the best record: 10-3.  However, in the championship game, Matt was defeated by Zach Williams (Commissioner Zoodell).  Aaron Fausser finished 3rd to round out the podium.

New members Erik Reddersen and Jim Van Buren were added before the start of the next season.  In the 2016 season, Zach claimed the top seed over fellow 9-4s Matt, who again made zero transactions, and Erik via tiebreaker.  He once again faced Matt in the championship game and repeated as champion.  All top three seeds placed as Erik defeated Aaron for 3rd.

For the 2017 season, the league expanded to 12 teams with the additions of Mike Bedford and Peter Byrd.  Zach’s league-leading 10-3 team earned a playoff bye alongside an upstart Jimmy team.  Jimmy’s success was not without controversy however as he questionably tried trading with teams eliminated from playoff contention.  Aaron pulled off a historic upset as the sixth seed in the championship game against Zach, denying his quest for a threepeat.  In the end, Zach got the last laugh and received 1st-place prize money as Aaron didn’t buy in.  Mike Lynch and Peter also benefited from Jimmy not buying in.  They received 2nd and 3rd place prize money, respectively.

Upon the change to a $20 mandatory buy-in for the 2018 season, members Jimmy, Erik, and Mike B. dropped out of the league.  David Lynch joined to restore the league to its original size of 10 teams.  Sean maintained position atop the standings over the course of the season, resulting in a league-best 11-2 record, and the top seed.  His run was stopped in his semifinal matchup versus Zach; Sean’s consolation being the regular season champ/3rd place prize.  Zach once again made the championship game where he faced Mike and defeated him to win his third championship in four years.

The offseason prior to the 2019 season was a difficult one.  Zach, league founder and commissioner, passed.  It wasn’t certain that there’d be a season at all.  Members rallied around the league/community he’d built and Mike assumed the commissionership.  Jeremy Smith and Sam Halle were added to ensure a season happened after all after Aaron dropped.  Mike began the season 10-0 and clinched first seed, but stumbled just before the playoffs which led to his team being blown away in the semifinals by David behind a league-record 207.1 points.  David met Matt in the championship and bested him too to take home his first ring.  This marked Matt’s third appearance in the finals and his third 2nd-place finish.  Mike was left to settle for 3rd.

In 2020, the league once again returned to 12 teams as Mike B. rejoined and Cody Cashman joined as well.  Mitch was dominant throughout the regular season, but the 2nd seed was hotly contested and went to JVB in a three-way tiebreaker.  The quarterfinal matchup between Sina and Sean was a memorable one as Sina narrowly edged Sean on the last play of the last game of the week.  After the Browns tied the game, Justin Tucker kicked the game-winning FG.  On the last play of the game, the Browns accidentally lateralled the ball into the endzone for a safety, giving Sina’s Ravens D/ST the 2 points back it had previously lost on the tying Browns drive and giving him the win.  Unfortunately for him, his magic ran out versus JVB in the semifinals.  In the championship game JVB ironically squared off against the man who ranked him last in his own preseason power rankings, Mitch.  It was poetic justice that JVB came out on top.  Jeremy finished third.

2021 saw a unprecedented run by rookie member Zack Pramenko (who replaced Mike B.).  Buy-in was increased to $30.  Mitch once again repeated as regular season champ only to be upset in the semifinals by Zack’s late-blooming squad.  As if the playoff drama from the previous season wasn’t enough, the other side of the semifinals produced an unimaginable outcome- a tie.  JVB and Brian both ended up with 124.28 points.  Chaos ensued as ESPN selected JVB’s team to advance to the championship game and Brian didn’t protest.  From this point onward, playoff ties would be settled by regular head-to-head result and if still tied then point differential in the matchup(s) would serve as the tiebreaker.  Zack capped off his inaugural run by defeating JVB.  Brian was dealt another bad hand by winning the 3rd-place game and yet not the cash prize as Mitch benefitted from the regular season champ rule.

The first seed of the 2022 playoffs was determined by a mere 12.72 points.  David may have scored the top seed, but Sam went on to take home the title.  Bengals-Bills midgame cancellation aside, Jeremy was no match.  Mike took 3rd and again the regular season champ took home the money instead.

Hall of Champions:

Zach Williams x3 (2015, 2016, 2018)

Aaron Fausser x1 (2017)

David Lynch x1 (2019)

Jim Van Buren x1 (2020)

Zack Pramenko x1 (2021)

Sam Halle x1 (2022)

Medal Room:

Runner-Up

Matt Presuhn x3 (2015, 2016, 2019)

Zach Williams x1 (2017)

Mike Lynch x1 (2018)

Mitch Blahut x1 (2020)

Jim Van Buren x1 (2021)

Jeremy Smith x1 (2022)

Regular Season Champ

Zach Williams x2 (2016, 2017)

Mitch Blahut x2 (2020, 2021)

Matt Presuhn x1 (2015)

Sean Irvine x1 (2018)

Mike Lynch x1 (2019)

David Lynch x1 (2022)

Highest Score

David Lynch (2019 Semifinals): 207.1 points

Longest Tenure

Mike Lynch/Matt Presuhn/Mitch Blahut/Brian Lee/Sean Irvine (2015-Present)