Torn ACL Fantasy Football League

Year established: 1996

Current Owner: Alex Murray

Overall record: 46-60-0

Playoff record: 2-4

Toilet Bowl record: 3-3 (2003 Toilet Bowl champions)

First round picks: 1996 - Scott Mitchell, 1997 - Eagles defense, 1998 - Barry Sanders, 1999 - Vinny Testaverde, 2000 - Edgerrin James, 2001 - Daunte Culpepper, 2002 - Jeff Garcia and Ahman Green, 2003 - Drew Bledsoe.

The Philadelphia Phools were formed by Ray Santee for the inaugural Torn ACL season. The draft was held in his offices, and with the 5th overall pick, he took Scott Mitchell to begin the franchise. Despite his lack of football knowledge, Ray did manage to put together a decent team. As the season began, the Phools were unstoppable compiling a 5-0 record. However, during the 5th game, the Phools mascot mooned the opposing sideline and was suspended for the next game, which they lost. They only managed a 4-5 record the remainder of the year despite hanging on to first place. The Phools survived a first round playoff game against Cheyboygan, only to lose the first Super Bowl to San Francisco in a low scoring affair.

The Phools 1997 season did not go too well, as it began with one of the most ridiculous picks ever selected. The Phools chose the Philadelphia Eagles defense...'nuff said. Things went downhill from there as they started off with a 1-5 record. They did put together a 3-game winning streak to end the '97 season, but they quickly advanced in Toilet Bowl action by losing to defending "champ" Dallas. They did conquer Boulder, though, to stave off elimination.

Early in 1998, the team was sold to Alex Murray for 2 cents, which was later returned...so the team was, in essence, sold for nothing. Alex quickly went to work by renaming the team the Flying Monkeys and drafting Barry Sanders. After starting off with a 4-4 record, they only won one game in their last five, and slid back to Toiletries. They did manage to escape by defeating Blue Ball. This year, they hope to reverse the trend of losing and return to the Super Bowl.

Vinny Testaverde looked like a safe pick at number 8, but an injury ended his tenure with the Flying Monkeys. Despite this disaster, the Monkeys started off at 5-1 atop the East. They dropped 5 of 7 the rest of the way, however, and lost their lead to both Baton Rouge and Tampa Bay. At 7-6, Alex Murray did get Philadelphia back into the playoffs for the first time since '96. He didn't last long though, as Tom and his ever popular mascot destroyed them in the first round. With the second pick in 2000, things are in an upward swing for the Winged Freaks.

The most popular and infamous team in the league for the last four years had definitely been Philadelphia. Now with the second pick in the draft, the Flying Monkeys took RB Edgerrin James. A wise pick, too bad the rest of the draft didn't go as well. The former Phools struggled all season long behind a mostly unproductive bunch that finished dead last in points scored. They did put together a string of wins to finish the season at a respectable 5-8, tied for third, but the loser in tie-breakers to both Thunder Bay and Nashville. The result was another visit to the Water Closet for everybody's favorite Murray and his band of winged macaques. Fortunately they escaped further notoriety when Nashville lost the opening game by forfeit. Alex and the Monkeyettes hope for better results in 2001.

The Monkeys, complete with their new crazy colorful logo took Daunte Culpepper with the third pick in the 2002 draft, a sound pick. But some questionable decisions in the later rounds were put to rest by a season not seen in Philly since the days of... we won't mention that name ever again. Bolstered by a 6-2 record against his own conference, the 8-5 Monkeys were partying like apes and throwin' poop to celebrate a bye with the number one seed in the East. Ironically, it was the QB position that cost the moo man the Eastern Conference crown. If only Jon Kitna had just not played, they would have picked up Kordell and his 4 TD's, which would have been enough to unseat Tom and move the witches' minions back into the Soup for the first time since numero one. The events left Alex feeling red, which could explain his latest move...

2002 was a moving year for the Flying Monkeys. From the East to the West, what followed is perhaps the greatest team nickname in league history for the league's most popular franchise: Christmas Lake Valley Communists. The move, though, was not a good one to start the season. Even armed with two first round picks courtesy of Sao Paulo, the team struggled to finish at 5-8. However, because of Dallas' late season sweep of San Francisco, the Communists ruled the day and made the playoffs. Against Nishibiwajima, Lake Valley pulled off one of the closest margins of victory in the postseason to advance against Houston in the West Finals. Their season, though, came to an abrupt end when the Habs ran wild.