*Note- the name Mark Ringo was replaced by John Doe in order to be eligible for FSWA award submission.

Scott Fish and John Doe arrived at this championship tournament from opposite directions. In the fifteen year old history of The Scott Fish Bowl, never have two analysts been so different. Scott Fish was the founder of The Scott Fish Bowl. His name is known throughout the world. And he came to The Scott Fish Bowl supported by the loudest, most loyal fans in all of fantasy football. John Doe, on the other hand, had the worst accuracy ranking of any analyst to ever play in The Scott Fish Bowl. And unlike Scott Fish, he looked at his fans with cynicism and indifference. These were the same fans who had booed and insulted him when he was down and languished in 235th place in the Fantasy Pros standings. John came to The Scott Fish Bowl with a grim resolve to erase his reputation as a fantasy analyst with no heart, and bury forever his legacy of choking in championship tournaments.

For the last several years, it seems like there is one league for a championship caliber drafter like Scott Fish, and another for the rest of the analysts who play fantasy football. For hidden below Scott’s kind demeanor and flawless draft execution is the brute force of his determination and will to win. On defense, as well as offense, Scott breathes the conviction that opposing owners must draft an almost superhuman team to have any chance to succeed. John gave ground grudgingly until Scott struck first blood, with Ashton Jeanty as his first pick. Scott Fish was still Scott Fish, but soon discovered that his opponent, was not the same old John Doe. Throughout the years John was a conservative drafter, often inflexible, but today, when his draft faltered, he decided to throw caution to the wind, and gambled on a strategy that leaned heavily on running backs. He took RBs early and often. He wanted to play ball control, assert his will, and shorten the draft.

As the season progressed, Omarion Hampton and Tyreek Hill, John’s regular starters were lost to injury. Both watched from the sideline, hoping that they’re replacement, Jordan Mason and Rico Dowdle would not crack under Scott’s pressure. Dowdle, when faced against the famous charge of Scott’s Purple People Defense, showed poise and resiliency. Although some runs went for no gain, his consistent point totals enabled John to control the matchup in the first half of the draft. A once drab and lifeless team had taken on a new luster. Meanwhile, at the end of the first half of the draft, nothing seemed right for Scott’s team. Scott’s usual tough team, was uncharacteristically inconsistent and unreliable. Scott’s usual football dominance was replaced by a jovial, carefree attitude.

Scott’s team began the second half of the draft with the same conservative approach he had used in the first half, nibbling at John’s team with safe picks and sure points, but then, like a pool hall hustler who has been trifling with his victim too long, Scott suddenly showed his game. Scott’s Dak Prescott pick was a precise resume of his attack…daring and explosive, able to score from anywhere and at anytime. Despite two defensive backs covering George Pickens and a linebacker blitzing Prescott, and they still could not damage the throw or prevent the catch. Surely this stunning blow, one that has become a trademark of Scott’s teams, would finally brush off the pesky John Doe team. It did not. John took a page from Scott’s go for broke book and hit with Stefon Diggs as his ninth round pick. Before Scott could recover, John struck again, snaring both, Rachaad White and Kareem Hunt. Maybe it was the fact that no one gave him much of a chance, therefore there wasn’t much to lose? Maybe it was simply the realization by John Doe that he had to open up in the draft to win? Whatever the reason, this new remodeled John Doe team had come from behind once again to take the lead.

With a crippled passing attack and a sputtering running game, Scott’s draft wobbled into disaster. JJ McCarthy and Cam Ward struggled with interceptions and inconsistency. The frustration that had plagued so much of John Doe’s prior drafts, now belonged to Scott’s team.

Great fantasy analysts aren’t always great, they’re just greet when they have to be. Scott went into the late rounds and took little known Commanders' RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt. After picking Croskey Merritt, Scott loosened up as if the draft was over, once again he was wrong.

Maybe one more miracle remains in John Doe’s satchel? John Doe summoned up the heart no one thought he had and slowly fought his way closer to paydirt. Fans who withheld out their love and support for so long, suddenly poured it out in cheers for a scrappy underdog who refused to give up. John Doe was on the verge of another score when he made his biggest mistake. He took Dallas RB Miles Sanders. By day John’s sparkling spirit had kept the draft close, but by night it faded into the black reality of Scott’s whatever it takes to win Scott Fish Bowl Tournaments when the rest of the world is watching. Scott went and took veteran QB Joe Flacco. His first late round gem had given Scott the lead, this one pointed the way to ultimate victory.

Scott Fish Bowl Fifteen took its shape from the team that lost just as much as the team that won. John earned a dignity in defeat which he has never achieved in victory. John Doe won respect, but Scott Fish won another fantasy championship.