After eleven seasons one may think that DOL could possibly become stale...mundane. Commissioner Hathaway, in his eighth season in the captain's chair, set out before the 12th season of the league to make sure that simply...did not...happen.

In the 2014 off-season, Hathaway commissioned the Unity Council, and with a new agenda, instituted the one constant when it comes to DOL.... change.

A side "Survivor/Eliminator" pool was added to the league where each week the lowest scoring team would be eliminated from the pool, with the last standing team winning a monetary prize. Hathaway felt this would add even more substance to the regular season. The biggest debate came just weeks before the 2014 draft in the form of the "FLEX" position. The FLEX movement was spearheaded by longtime member and advocacy for change, Taf Bentley. Bentley and company proposed eliminating a bench position and adding another starting lineup position with the flexibility of playing a runnin back, tight end or wide receiver. This movement was met with some resistance but in the end the Unity Council passed the proposal and another starting position was added to the lineup.

Hathaway then took to his construction team and in a matter of weeks simutaneously tore down each team's trophy rooms and reconstructed a state of the art facility at each team's location. He then tasked Nike, Adidas and Under Armour to further Hathaway's branding vision with permanent team uniforms, alternate corporation logos and team specific typography. In a press conference the commissioner explained this move away from the ever-changing yearly teams to the more corporate identity as follows: "We are entering this new dawn of DOL and the future is marketing. With these changes we are creating a brand. Other league's accomplish teams/owner identity solely by not changing their team names every season. This was not an option for us at DOL as we not only covet our best team name award but go against the grain and do not follow the status quo set forth by other leagues. We are DOL, we are the leaders in innovation and with the shift from team names to corporations along with all drafted players now wearing custom team uniforms and helmets, we are once again setting the standard for excellence." (See example of the new team rebranding below)

With rebranding set into action as well instituting a new "Pogs Most Transactions Award" and new installments/skits "DOL PTI, DOL Champions House, Lil Jakey, DOL Gameday etc. etc." there was only one piece of housekeeping left before the 12th season of DOL could begin. With the Unity Council voting to not retain Chad Hunsucker as a vested member moving forward, a team was left without an owner and a place to call home.

Hathaway looked no further than his own mirror for the replacement.

Having officially retired following his third championship in 2013, Hathaway channeled his inner Brett Favre and with encouragement from his long time rival Jacob Jordan, decided to helm the 12th team for the 2014 campaign.

With all of the off-season house keeping duties fulfilled, the 12th DOL draft could officially move forward and with the number one pick of the 2014 season, Jonathan Creel chose to go against his conventional quarterback standard and select running back, LeSean McCoy. McCoy would not last the full season with Creel, inc. but was the first to hold up the new uniforms and Creel was all smiles with anticipation of the season before him.

League legend Taf Bentley usually makes waves in the league with his team's winning performance on the field, but the 2014 season brought Bentley into the limelight in different way. Being a unanimous induction into the DOL Hall of Fame, becoming the second person to ever achieve 75 all time regular season wins, and making the playoffs for a 7th consecutive year, were the highlights in an otherwise very up and down season for the one-time champion. Bentley started things off oddly by not drafting a qb in any of the 15 rounds of the draft but quickly followed up with a very controversial trade with the Lowe family for Russell Wilson. Wilson ended up being somewhat of a savior as off-field issues resulted in his first round pick in Adrian Peterson and 2013 leading receiver Josh Gordon both being suspended for the year. Yet in typical Bentley fashion, he showed why he's known as the "Waiver Wire Warrior" and scraped together a team good enough to earn him one of the coveted 6 spots in the playoffs. His season would come to an abrupt end in the first round however as Bentley would finish below 5th for the first time in league history.

Lowe inc co-owners Bob and Zane Lowe would not stop with just the Russell Wilson trade in 2014. After a rough start, the Lowe's decided to make a big move mid-season and take part in an epic three-team trade that would set all three teams involved surging in the right direction. In probably the biggest trade in league history, we saw Jonathan Creel, Bryan Hathaway and the Lowe family move the #1 draft pick in McCoy, 2nd rounder and RB points leader in DeMarco Murray, first rounder QB-Drew Brees, QB Tom Brady as well as 3 other statistical leaders at that point in time. The trade would send defending co champion in Hathaway to the Final Four for the fourth time in five years, the Lowe family on to win a 4th straight ACC Championship as well as give Bob Lowe his 50th All Time win.....and defending co-champion Jonathan Creel on an even greater path and place in DOL history.

2011 league champion, Stephen Whitson is no stranger to controversy and the 2014 season was no different as he found himself in more off-field troubles. Involved in a "sexting" scandal that put Brett Favre to shame as well as a twitter response that landed him in some hot water with the masses. Whitson attempted to rebuild his reputation by starting the first ever fantasy football academy for the children of DOL. But a tax evasion accusation as well as a tough 8th place finish and loss in the ACC championship game rounded out another tough season for the former champion.

Founding Fathers Jacob Jordan and Will Spencer both found themselves in similar situations as both could not put together the season either would have hoped for. Both missing out on the playoffs thanks to Week 12 losses and both exiting the ACC Championship tournament early, both ended up rounding out the season with tough 10th and 11th place finishes.

Weston Lunsford's struggles as a DOL owner would also continue in his 7th year in the league, finishing 4-8 for a 3rd straight season- forcing the one time champion to re-evaluate his entire fantasy process, questioning why he has become but a shadow of his former self.

Lady Luck has never been on the side of Nelly, inc owner, Nelson Knowles since his entrance into the league in 2011....and 2014 was much of the same. His fourth season helming a team in DOL saw Knowles finally break. Week after week of leading the league in total points scored, yet falling to the only team who would have beat him finally took it's toll and shortly after a Week 6 loss Knowles held a press conference and announced his retirement from the league at the conclusion of the 2014 season. Knowles was allegedly told by doctors that the symptoms he continued to experience-including burning sensations in his chest-- would raise cardiovascular risk factors. Nelson decided the stress from coaching at the highest level was just too much to handle and for the sake of his family would not return to team ownership in 2015. Knowles would finish his career with a 19-29 record and a .395 winning percentage.


"Part of NELLY KNOWS, Nelson's final promotional Ad Campaign in 2014."

Ashton Jernigan would earn another Rocky Balboa Comeback of the Year award to his collection in 2014 as he bounced back from a tough start only to rebound and secure the final spot in the 6-team playoff. Jernigan's early exit at the hands of Hank Hullett's Tom Coughlin squad would land him a respectable 5th place finish on the season.

The story much of the season was T-Roy inc. owner and 11-year league veteran Troy Jordan. Since his lone championship in 2008, Jordan has flirted with the title multiple times--making a run at the final four 3 more times after 2008, but it was the 2014 season Jordan and his fans thought would finally be the year the organization hung its second banner. Dominating week after week and not only taking home the PF Flyers award for the season but also breaking the all time record for most points scored in a single season, winning the Shirts division and becoming the #1 seed in the playoffs, just re-enforced that this would surely be Troy's year and his second DOL championship.

That was until T-Roy inc would run into the 2014 team... of.... destiny.

With a trip to DOL BOWL XII on the line, Troy's squad helmed by the 2014 leader in total points scored in quarterback Andrew Luck-- would face off with the fifth overall seed, Jonathan Creel's Favre Dollar Footlongs. Luck and Beckham Jr would lead the way for Troy's Golden Taints as they posted a usually unbeatable 143 points for the game... but when the final whistle blew, and the favorites to win the title looked up on the scoreboard, Creel and company led by Le'Veon Bell and DeMarco Murray had not only beaten them, but set the all time record for most points scored in a single game in a final 217.6 - 143.3 victory. Understandably disappointed, Jordan would have to take solace in being the first ever survivor pool champion and a 3rd place finish.

Hank Hullett and his HH inc. team also looked to capitalize on another great regular season in 2014. In what was his 6th season in DOL, Hullett instituted an off-season regimen that included what he referred to as "back to the basics." Hullett's Tom Your Head and Coughlin squad led by quarterback Matt Ryan rolled through an "up and down" regular season, winning his second Blouses division championship before meeting up with juggernaut Hathaway in the Final Four. Hathaway, who was sporting a 6-game win streak, had just come off of a BYE as the #2 overall seed. Nobody gave Hullett much of a chance as they headed into battle with a seemingly stacked team of Hathaway all stars, but it was Julio Jones who stole the show. A 42.9 point performance from Jones lifted Hullett to his second DOL BOWL appearance and a shot at that elusive first championship.

Unfortunately for Hullett he would be doing battle in DOL BOWL XII with not only Creel..... but fate as well. Just days before the big game, he would receive news that the star of that final four match up with Hathaway, Julio Jones, tweaked a hip and would not be active for the biggest game of his career.

Defending co-league champion in 2013 and Creel inc owner, Jonathan Creel is no stranger to success.. .especially the past few years. His early struggles through league history have been well documented. This, what was his second straight trip to the DOL Bowl, packed a little more pressure than last season for Creel. He and Hathaway's success the past 2 years together netted the duo two final four appearances and hoisting the Kapowski trophy less than 12 months prior to this matchup. So, why were their still questions about his legitimacy as a major player? Why did league legends such as Hall of Famer Will Spencer call out the nine year veteran? "It's true, people are going to wonder if a Hall of Famer such as Hathaway contributed to my recent success," Creel stated. "That's why this year has been so special to me. I learned a lot from Hathaway. He jokes all the time that he taught me too much. I hope this season gets the proverbial monkey off my back. "

Indeed it did.

Creel went on to roll past Hullett in DOL BOWL XII to become the second person to go back to back since Spencer did it (controversially) in the 2003-2004 seasons on his way to his dynasty. Will this be the start to a dynasty for Creel? Will this be his eventual ticket into the coveted Hall of Fame? Only time will tell, but one thing history will NOT forget is Creel's team of destiny in 2014 and a team promotion picture heard around the world:

2014: (ESPN)
League Name: D.O.L
1. Favre Dollar Footlong- Jonathan Creel (7-5)
2. Tom Your Head And Coughlin- Hank Hullett (8-4)
3. Golden Taint- Troy Jordan (9-3)
4. Charlie Murphy and the Darkness- Bryan Hathaway (8-4)
5. The Christy Mack Attack- Ashton Jernigan (6-6)
6. The Wolf of Mary Street- Taf Bentley (7-5)
7. Aiken Westicles- Bob Lowe, Zane Lowe (5-7)
8. Bresus, King of the Drews- Stephen Whitson (4-8)
9. Bortle Kombat- Weston Lunsford (4-8)
10. Beats by Ray- Will Spencer (5-7)
11. Prince and the Revolution- Jacob Jordan (5-7)
12. Captain Tyin Knots- Nelson Knowles (4-8)
Blouses Division Champion: Tom Your Head And Coughlin
Shirts Division Champion: Golden Taint

(Regular Season Only)
Most Points Scored: 217- Favre Dollar Footlong (Playoffs 2 rd vs Golden Taint)
Least Points Scored: 58- Tom Your Head And Coughlin (Week 7 vs Christy Mack Attack)
Most Total Points Scored: 1668.4- Golden Taint
Least Total Points Scored: 1259.6- Breesus, King of the Drews