You know the tenth anniversary of the league, and sixth under league manager Bryan Hathaway, would have some fireworks to celebrate...and they started on Draft Day.

As a surprise to everyone in the league, "B-Hath" released the league's first single under the newly created "DOL Original" records, "I run the league." The single was an instant success and the season long celebration was officially underway. (visit the online store for link)

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Before the season could get kicked off on draft day, some off-season housekeeping had to be addressed. To much of a surprise to the rest of the league, Hathaway's trademarked "League Changes" that usually premise every season were few and far between....no....this year, those would come at the..... END of the season. 2012's biggest off-season story came in the form of a merger. With an honest to God "Waiting list" to get into the league and the paperwork piling up on Hathaway's desk, he decided the best course of action was to assume more of a General Manager-type roll and took an offer to buy Arizona's Grand Canyon squad and hire away friend and long-time Milton team owner, Jonathan Creel as his Coach. The move left a coaching vacancy for one of Milton's programs and with much thought and study over the minor league roster, The LM made the call to Chad Hunsucker, who immediately accepted the initial contract offer.

The illustrious excitement over landing two DOL league legends for their expansion team led the Grand Canyon to throw a welcoming party for Creel and Hath, one at which much promises of league championships would be made..... nobody knew just how close they would come to fulfilling those promises:

After a very disappointing 3-9 regular season, highlighted by only a "Best Team Pic" award, Creel/Hathaway's Cucamonga Cracka Killa's squad stormed into the playoffs as a #12 seed. An upset of the #5 and #4 teams earned them a spot in the final four where their season would come to an abrupt ending at the hands of the top dawg and eventual DOL BOWL Champion.

More off-season changes was what became the eventual theme to the season...."incorporation". Hathaway's keen business intellect led to the restructuring of the league into a money making machine, beginning with the incorporation of every owner/team. With the "inc." tag on everyone, Hathaway sold the rights to sponsors who not only designed individual logos for every single team (see below Nike example), but split the sponsorship profits equally between divisions.

The defending league champion, Stephen Whitson, found out just how hard the pressure of being the DOL champion was, and just how much harder it is to repeat. The celebration and partying during the off-season, highlighted by TMZ-released pictures of the champ passed out drunk and celebrating, caused the off-season preparation for the league's first rookie champion to be affected. Pressure from the wrong agent to change his look/appearance to a more modern "rebellious outsider"  resulted in the formation of the "NEW WHITSON ORDER" or... "nWo", which never caught on and further hindered Whitson's reputation. All of this, including a "Worst Team Name" award,  followed by a disappointing 5-7 regular season record and an overall dead last finish will surely result in some major restructuring by the 2011 champion during the offseason.

The 2012 season was another one to remember for league legend, Will Spencer. It started off with an introduction and ceremony as the first inductee into the DOL Hall of Fame. A unanimous decision for the first to be inducted, Spencer became a shoe-in, first-ballot hall-of-famer. He then promptly followed up his 2011 DOL BOWL appearance with yet another Final Four added to his already impressive resume.

Hank Hullett's 2012 season was another disappointment for the former divisional champion/overall runner-up. Winning the "Best Team Name" award was the highlight as the Hullett, inc.-led Boats and Shiancoes squad dropped four of it's final four regular season games, plummeting to #5 and not only missing a coveted "BYE" spot in the playoffs, but being upset in the first round by the 12th seeded "Cracka Killas" and therefore earning him his second "Biggest Choke of the Year" award.   

The only scandal that came during the regular season was once again contributed to Troy Jordan, who accidentally tweeted some nude poses of himself in the classic "Burt Reynolds" magazine pose. He would later issue an apology to the league and to his fans.

The first draft pick of the year went to Bob and Zane Lowe who, picking New England Patriot Tom Brady, hoped to follow up their last place finish in 2011 with a total turn around in 2012....and boy did they. Starting off the season with at 0-3 and bouncing back, earned the Lowe family the "Comeback of the Year" award-- but it was Bob's second trip to the DOL BOWL that earned the duo the respect once again from their loyal fan base, despite falling just short of their first championship.

The king of the 10th year of the league was without a doubt Ashton Jernigan. In his third full season, Jernigan cleaned up at the awards "Dinner table". Jernigan's "Teenage Newton Ninja Turtles squad" took over the top spot from Hullett in Week 7 and stayed #1 despite some very tough teams nipping at his heels. Ashton cruised to earn the "Most Points Scored" award (beating out Jacob Jordan by just 2 points for the honors) and became the first in DOL history to win a Divisional Championship, earn a top seed, and go on to win the DOL BOWL, all in the same season.

Amidst the celebration, as the 10th season came to a close, Hathaway once again took the bull by it's horns and made some serious league changes in anticipation of the 2013 year. Seeing the need for "reorganization", Hathaway instituted a decree which led to the formation of the "UNITY COUNCIL." The formation of the council removes absolute authority from the League Manager, while also creating a voice for the people who want to be heard. The official purpose of the council is to make all decisions on league issues. In writing, the council consists of 5 chairs: The three founding fathers (who have permanent seats); Will Spencer, Bryan Hathaway and Jacob Jordan. The other two seats on the council are filled by the Blouses and Shirts Division presidents. With the intention of taking full control of decisions away from the League Manager, the current serving LM cannot serve on the council. the League Manager does not have an official vote in council issues unless a tie somehow presents itself. If at any point a Founding Father or Division President is voted in as League Manager, the LM will appoint a member of his choice to serve on the council until his term has expired.

The first order of business of the Unity Council was a proposal that was much discussed amongst the 5 council members and the League Manager and ended up being passed by a 4-1 margin....the reorganization of the Playoff system to the top 6 teams in the league (no matter the division they preside) and a monetary entry fee instituted to manage a team in the league...a first for DOL. The LM also appointed a league "co-editor" in Bob Lowe and instituted an off-season newsletter to keep the excitement for the league at an all-time high.

All in all, the tenth season of the league was another success for everyone involved and the anticipation for 2013 could be felt high in the upper caves and caverns of the illustrious Mount Crushmore..... Along with the bangs of hammers and chisels as the face of the historical mountain was set to change with a Unity Council decision that would send shockwaves through the league.

2012: (ESPN)
League Name: D.O.L
1. Teenage Newton Ninja Turtles- Ashton Jernigan (10-2)
2. Big Westicles 83- Bob/Zane Lowe (7-5)
3. Cucamonga Cracka Killas- Bryan Hathaway/ Jonathan Creel (3-9)
4. Whatcha Talkin Bout Hillis- Will Spencer (8-4)
5. Snot Rockets- Taf Bentley (5-7)
6. Pukin Rally- Nelson Knowles (7-5)
7. Sherm's Retarded Kids- Jacob Jordan (5-7)
8. The Walken Dead- Chad Hunsucker (7-5)
9. Jerry's Kids- Troy Jordan (4-8)
10. Side Boob- Weston Lunsford (4-8)
11. Boats and Shiancoes- Hank Hullett (7-5)
12. New Whitson Order- Stephen Whitson (5-7)
Blouses Division Champion: Big Westicles 83
Shirts Division Champion: Teenage Newton Ninja Turtles

(Regular Season Only)
Most Points Scored: 155- New Whitson Order (Week 11 vs Jerry's Kids)
Least Points Scored: 45- Jerrys Kids (Week 3 vs Whatcha Talkin Bout Hillis)
Most Total Points Scored: 1351- Teenage Newton Ninja Turtles
Least Total Points Scored: 1124- Side Boob