2015 AFFL Yearly Awards

Alas, all things must come to an end, and sadly, the 2015 AFFL season will draw to a close this weekend. There shall be one champion come the conclusion of week 16, but since this is Christmas, more awards need to be given out. Presenting the 2015 AFFL awards as voted on by the esteemed panel of 7 AFFL judges who shall remain anonymous. These awards have been sponsored and include a wide range of prestigious categories. While not everyone will win an award, the ones that do can take pride in knowing that event though their season may have fallen apart they did something right along the way. Keep your chins up lads, there is always next year.

Below is the list of recipients of the awards, the final vote among AFFL judges, and the rationale submitted by the judging panel. Congratulations to the winners.

Soul-Glo's Best Pick of the Draft Award

Winner: Atomic Bomba - Devonta Freeman (9th round)

Runner-up: Hartan - Todd Gurley (4th round)

Judges: 6-1 in favor of Bomba

This one was fairly easy to call, as the Bomba drafted the current #1 RB in fantasy in the 9th round. Todd Gurley was an exceptional pick by Hartan, as they risked a player off injury that high. Gurley currently is the 3rd highest RB in fantasy. Close to Freeman, but given the 5 round value, the edge goes to the Falcons running back and the Atomic Bomba

Schick's Close Shave Victory of the Year

Winner: Atomic Bomba

.52 victory over Vosgee Gyank week 13

Runner-up: Grabbers United

.9 victory over BDiddy week 6

Judges: 7-0 in favor of Bomba

With the season on the line, the Atomic Bomba needed 5 points from Dez Bryant in order to make the playoffs. He got those points over the last six minutes of the game, and won the playoff spot on the last two passes of the game to Dez Bryant.  Considering the implications of the match and how it ended, it doesn't get closer than that.  Grabbers is currently in the championship game, but their narrow victory would not have effected that. Had they lost, they still would have made the playoffs and with the point totals, advanced.

The Yankee Candle Co. Blow-out of the Year

Winner: Jaj Cousteau - 82 pts week 10

Runner-up: Hartan - 77 pts week 3

Judges: 7-0

When Jaj blows his wad, he really blows his wad. An 82 point victory over the Atomic Bomba in week 10 was the biggest margin of victory by a team this year. Hartan came close with a 77 point thumping of Prime Time in week 3. Nothing is worse than losing, only when you get absolutely destroyed. Kudos for Jaj for making it an ass-kicking.

Toyota Truck's Best Waiver Pick-up

Winner: Awesomeness - Jordan Reed

Runner-up: Jaj Cousteau - Javarious Allen

Judges: 4-3 in favor of Awesomeness

This was a close one. Both pick-ups were instrumental in the success of the the teams. Jaj did a masterful job picking up Allen just before Justin Forsett got hurt and got mass production from him for three weeks. However, the edge goes to Awesomeness as the pick of Reed occurred week 1 and Reed currently resides as the 5th best TE in fantasy. Oh, and he's been the top TE over the last month.

The Joe's Trade of the Year

Winner: Grabbers United - Gronkowski/Winston for Cam Newton/Greg Olsen

Runner-up: HBK Shant Michaels - Gore/Martin/Aiken/Jeffery/Peyton for Brees/Miller/Jordan Matthews/Barnidge/Andrews

Judges: 4-3 in favor of Grabbers

Another close call. HBK did a masterful job resurrecting his team from the depths of a horrible season. On the brink of a lost season at 1-5, Shant pulled off a masterful trade, getting players while at a "buy low" state. The team won six of seven games to finish the season after the move, and nearly made it into the postseason. If it weren't for Cam Newton's explosion at the end of the season, HBK would be the winner. However, Grabbers won the bye and is one win away from a title thanks to Newton. That trade could win them a title, thus deserves the award.

The Boomerang Co. Comeback Manager Award

Winner: Awesomeness

Runner-up: Atomic Bomba

Judges: 7-0 in favor of Awesomeness

Fairly easy one to call. Awesomeness has finished in last place the last two seasons. Once a proud champion of the AFFL, his return to relevance in 2015 was overdue. Finishing in 3rd is still in play, and would be a masterful turn around from the previous two seasons. Bomba's rebound from a 9th place finish isn't as great, and no other team can claim the kind of turn-around as from last year to this as Awesomeness.

The Kaiser Steel Co. Toughest S.O.B in the AFFL

Winner: Cobra Kai

Runner-up: HBK Shant Michaels

Judges: 5-2 in favor of Cobra Kai

Any week you played Cobra Kai was going to be a week of work because you know he was working on the other side. Waiver pick-ups, trades, sneaky roster moves, everything was in play when the Kai came up on the schedule. No other manager made more moves than the Cobra. He was a tough out most all weeks, and a team nobody wanted to play. HBK took to off during the second half of the season and was a team that nobody wanted to face either. However, the hardest, toughest manager this year was the Cobra. Nobody out worked him.

The E-Harmony Tandem Manager of the Year

Winner: Hartan (Root and Vartan)

Runner-up: BDiddy (Baret, Mikey, Tiggy)

Judges: 6-1

A separate category for Co-managed teams is new this year, as requested by Prime Time. Of the four co-managed teams in the league, no team was working in greater harmony than Hartan. Having finished in 4th place the past three seasons, the chemistry between the pair is apparent. All roster decisions and controversies did not effect the team greatly, as they catapulted to the top of the Dolma division. BDiddy and friends did a fine job salvaging a team that was left for dead mid-season. Nonetheless, the co-managed team that is better than the other co-managed teams is indeed Hartan.

The Kellogs Smack Talker of the Year

Winner: Hartan

Runner-up: Cobra Kai

Judges: 5-2

From WWF references to the bashing of the Mazoon division, Hartan not only one the Dolma division, they took the crown when it came to smack-talk too. Whats app messages were littered with meme's and images by the hands of team two-face all season long, so much so that the league is now rooting against them. That's the kind of smack talk that you love to see. Cobra kai nearly won the award with the epic pic of Ara topless at the most appropriate time. Alas, the volume of Hulk Hogan images was just to much to overcome.

The Mountain High Team of the Year

Winner: Grabbers United

Runner-up: HBK Shant Michaels

Judges: 6-1

This one doesn't have much debate with it. Grabbers seems like a team of destiny, and perhaps the most fun team in the AFFL to root for. They waddled around for a bit in the Mazoon division, narrowly holding on to a playoff spot most of the season thanks to a favorable schedule, only to turn it on the last three weeks. With Cam Newton exploding, Sammy Watkins coming and going then coming, and a bunch of no names at RB for most of the season, this team has something for everyone. HBK had that mojo going as well, but came up just a bit short.

The Mez Dolma Manager of the Year Award

Winner:  HBK Shant Michaels

Runner-up: Grabbers United

Judges: 4-3

Let the controversy begin. How could Grabbers manager Sassoon not get the award? It isn't that he isn't deserving. Grabbers has managed to make it to the finals with a roster that would have been selected as one of the leagues worst. However, Grabbers was helped by a favorable schedule, and did begin the year on a winning streak. HBK was 1-5 and on the brink of thinking about 2016. No team had ever made the playoffs after such a start, and after a few trades and waiver pick-ups, HBK came within a few points of doing so. Because every move had to be exactly right, and darn near was, HBK gets the nod as Mez Dolma Manager of the Year.