Torn ACL Fantasy Football League

Year established: 1997

Current Owner: Matt Craig

Overall record: 58-34-0

Playoff record: 5-5 (1999 Super Bowl Champions)

Toilet Bowl record: 1-0

First round picks: 1997 - Brett Favre, 1998 - Kordell Stewart, 1999 - Randall Cunningham, 2000 - Brett Favre, 2001 - Brian Griese, 2002 - Peyton Manning, 2003 - LaDainian Tomlinson.

The Baton Rouge Showboats were formed just prior to the start of the 1997 season by current league assistant Matt Craig. His entry, along with Boulder, expanded the league into eight teams and two conferences. With the #1 pick, Craig selected QB Brett Favre. This proved to be a healthy pick in leading this expansion team to one of the best seasons the league has ever seen. Opening day saw the Showboats crush rival expansion team Boulder by nearly 100 points. A 5-0 start set the stage for a 12-2 final record, good enough to tie for first in the East. However, the franchise suffered a blow in the first round of the playoffs when Yancey Thigpen and Roswell scored a major upset.

Hoping to rebound from such a shocking loss, Baton Rouge began 1998 by selecting QB Kordell Stewart 8th overall. He proved to be a bust despite his franchise player label. A 4-game winning streak at the end of the season saved the team and catapulted them into 2nd place in the East at 9-4. Any critics of the Showboats who claim that they choke in the playoffs were silenced when they thrashed rival Carolina. A loss to Tampa in the Eastern Conference final ended their season, but gave new rise to hope in 1999.

With visions of a title dancing in his head, Showboats owner Matt Craig saw Randall Cunningham as the man to lead them to the promised land. He was at least half right. Cunningham was gone before the season ended due to his ineffectiveness, and replaced him with the likes of bad boy Kerry Collins. Despite these issues, the 'Boats actually finished tied for the conference lead at 9-4, and received a bye due to tie-breakers. During this bye week, the Showboats had lost both of their kickers on their playoff roster (John Kasay to a knee injury, and Michael Husted due to him being cut). With the inability to field a kicker for the playoffs, the commissioner decided to appoint a kicker to the Showboats via lottery (Chris Boniol). Boniol's points during the Eastern Conference Championship was just enough for the Showboats to squeak past Tampa Bay. From there, Baton Rouge claimed its first ever title with a 14 point win over Houston in Super Bowl IV.

Thanks to Clint Page and the Thunder Bay Lightning, the Showboats moved to the Western Conference for the 2000 season. With the third pick in the draft, the Boats took old favorite Brett Favre. They got off to a terrible start however, opening the season at 2-6, but were still in the hunt thanks to the slide of Anchorage and the struggles of San Francisco. With the help of Favre and forfeits, Red Baton thingy won their final five games of the season, finishing third in the west at 7-6. In the first round Matt's 1800's Gambling Ships faced a rematch of Super Bowl IV with Houston, but the Habs turned out to be nothing more than a speedbump. The next challenge was from Glenn the Mouth and his Bulls from Dallas. Once again poor decisions cost Glenn, advancing the Boats to the Sup for the second straight year. Matt met his match though, as Tampa Bay ran away with the trophy.

The Showboats, fresh off two straight Supe appearances, hoped number nine pick Brian Griese could make it a record three straight in 2001. Things went smoothly most of the year for the traveling casinos of the mighty Mississip, except for Griese, who suffered some injuries. Baton Rouge emerged atop the unbelievably tight Western Conference, amassing a 9-4 record courtesy of a five game winning streak. The team was rewarded with a bye into the Western Final, a trip made for the second straight year, but one wonders how they spent that week. Hopefully not aboard a Showboat, piloted by one Eddie Brower? For alas, they fell a mere 19 yards short of immortality. A 1.8 point victory ended Baton Rouges's season, and as it happens, their West Conference experience. In 2002, the Boats are back East.

Returning back to the East in 2002, Baton Rouge found themselves involved in arguably the toughest division in the league's history. The selections of Peyton Manning and LaDainian Tomlinson were solid, but the team lacked depth in wide receiver and seemed to struggle all year to go above .500. Fortunately, though, Baton Rouge ended up 7-6 and in 3rd place in the East Division - clinching a sixth straight season of making the Torn ACL League playoffs. Unfortunately, the playoff ride didn't last long as the Showboats were bounced out of the first round by eventual Super Bowl VII runner-up Charlotte, leaving the owner with a lot to prove in 2003.