The 2022 season felt like a step back for DOL. For the first time since the conclusion of the 2010 season, due to prior obligations and terrible time management skills from league manager Hathaway, there was no weekly magazine release. There were no scandals, no smacktalk, no Larson stories, no champions house updates, no little jakey- not even website updates. The league had lost it’s glitz and glam that had earned it a spot amongst the elite on ESPN in 2015.


But perhaps that’s what it needed. A return to basics for a season.


A return…. To 2010.


Taf Bentley of Bentley inc sure thought so. Because you know what else happened in 2010? The last TB inc Championship. After making the just once since 2016, and not winning a playoff game since 2013, Taf Bentley and company also went back to the basics and it paid off in 2022. After dropping game 1 to Preston, Bentley and his squad would drop just 4 more all season battling back and forth with the Lowe’s for the Blouses Division Championship. They would come up just short of that feat but would head into the playoffs as the #3 seed and face off with the same Preston squad in what would be Bentley’s fourth trip to the Final.
A relative new franchise to DOL, P-Dubb inc and owner Preston West made a well-known splash in 2015 becoming just the second rookie in league history to hoist the platinum trophy. But since then, West has struggled- chalking up a 0 on the playoff wins board since. Things changed, however, in 2022 as 2 time DOL MVP Patrick Mahomes, won his third league MVP award leading West and company to rack up on the awards and another Division Championship. Donning the league’s only BYE in the first round of the playoffs as the #1 seed, P-Dubb inc and the Team Name that Shant be Spoken slid past Creel in the Final Four in route to DOL BOWL XX to face TB inc once again.

The Lowe’s had another great season, finishing in the final four for the sixth time in the company’s history despite sliding into the playoffs as the last seed thanks to a Hullett upset of Commissioner Hathaway in the final week…This is also their second Final Four in as many years.. Unfortunately for the BobZane duo, however, they also took home the newly christened “Ms Banfeld Award” for being scored on the most. Rumor is that they will be on the hunt for a new Defensive Coordinator as Jonathan “Sherm” Johnson has been handed his walking papers after serving as Defensive Coordinator for one season.
The defending champ, Creel Inc finished up in the top 4 yet again with his sixth trip to the Semifinals as well- being eliminated by Mahomes and company one game short of returning to the big one.
Before the season Shirts Division President and Unity Council Member Troy Jordan lobbied to have the regular season extended by one week due to the possibility of NFL players having a BYE during the first round of a playoff game. Although, to this point, it hasn’t been an issue, the unity council did in fact still pass this action to take effect for the 2023 season. Unfortunately for T-Roy inc… he needed it this year. Troy’s Deshaunorable Discharge squad scored a league high number of points and finished with a regular season 8-4 record- good enough for his third Division Championship, but one game shy of the number one seed and that first round BYE in the playoffs. Unfortunately the BYE bug bit Jordan in their quarterfinal matchup with BobZane which saw Running Back David Montgomery out in a tight matchup. Lowe would end up taking home the six point victory and eliminating who many considered the favorite to win it all this season. It definitely did not help to know that if that game had played out differently, it was Jordan who would be holding up the trophy and not West. We caught up with Troy after his 5th place game with Jacob… “This is bullcrap. I filed a formal protest with the league and was told their hands were tied. You talk about 2011 having an asterisk? Pfft.. 2022 deserves one too. I’m just going to go the route of UCF and claim the championship.”


The 2023 season will have a 14 week regular season for the first time in league history.



DOL BOWL XX: Mahomes was able to stay on average and posted a team high 27.8 points, but as for the rest of P-Dubb inc.. the moment was too big- they pissed down their leg. On the flip side, Bentley’s four-time experience being in the big game proved to be the difference maker. “Motivation that mostly included candy from Bridgette Bentley and going back to the basics in practice, I believe, was the game changer.” Bentley was able to get big performances out of Josh Allen, James Cook, Derrick Henry and DOL BOWL MVP Justin Jefferson to roll to a 119.5-74.4 point win to earn Bentley’s 2nd DOL Championship.
Bentley gave his acceptance award speech at the trophy presentation: “This is my favorite league. This is the big show.  and since the League Manager was too busy trying to sell DOL rights to the WCW, I was able to focus and bring my team back to the sweet sweet Golden land. This one is for Bud Kilmer, Will Spencer, Brad Hinote and especially Troy Jordan who murdered my hopes and dreams in 2011 with Aaron Hernandez. I appreciate the rest of you losers, Hobbs Middle School alumni 4-Life!”


The offseason of 2022 would also prove to be VERY busy for the administration....

 

 
 

2022 (ESPN)
League Name: D.O.L.
1. Half Man Half Amazing (Taf Bentley) (8-5)
2. The Name That Shant Be Spoken (Preston West) (9-4)
3. Lead Academy Leaders (Bob, Zane Lowe) (6-7)
4. ManTuaian Candidate (Jonathan Creel) (8-5)
5. Deshaunorable Discharge (Troy Jordan) (8-5)
6. Just Here So I Dont Get Fined (Jacob Jordan) (6-7)
7. DOL Let's Ride! (Shaun Rannals) (7-6)
*******
8. Kenneth Walker Texas Ranger (Weston Lunsford) (6-7)
9. Heisenberg's Blue Sky (Hank Hullett) (5-8)
10. Lin Kuei Klan (Bryan Hathaway)(6-7)
11. Party @ Whitson's House (Stephen Whitson) (5-8)
12. Run Her Hands Thru My Renfrow (Ashton Jernigan) (4-9)