For the second consecutive season, the Eastern and Western division champions will collide in the Super Bowl to decide the League Championship. Also for the second consecutive season, the now three-time Western Champion Irwin Hellions get a shot at the title. The 10-4 defending champs will have to get through Super Bowl newcomer The Pimps, who post the league's best record at 11-3. This matchup is also historic as it is the first FLF game to pit two teams 10+ win teams against each other.

The No. 2 seeded Hellions have emerged as the league's most successful franchise. They've only had one losing regular season (1997), have won three division titles, have now appeared in three of the five Super Bowls, and are the only original club to have never missed the playoffs. A second Super Bowl title would tie them with the Anderson Brewmeisters for most in the league. To achieve this, however, they must defeat the regular season's best, The Pimps.

The Eastern Division Champs finally broke through Championship Week with a win in their third straight attempt, and the No. 1 seeded Pimps are playing for their first ever league championship. The Pimps didn't record a playoff win until their fourth season - last year - and have only won two postseason games in six tries. Yet the 2001 Pimps have won a league-high 11 games, including a big win on the road over these Hellions. Another such victory will crown The Pimps Super Bowl Champs.

Although this isn't a malicious rivalry, these two established themselves midway through the season as the two teams to beat, and now get one last shot as proving their own superiority. Let's se how they matchup:

QUARTERBACK

Brett Favre will get his second straight Super Bowl start over Donovan McNabb for the Hellions. Last year, Favre was named Super Bowl IV MVP after torching the C.W.O.T. for 15 points, and he'll be licking his chops for a shot at The Pimps. The veteran QB has been solid down the stretch, even while the rest of the team struggled. Favre will be matched up against The Pimps' Mark Brunell, who was picked up midseason to help steady the position. He missed some time late in the season with injury -- including the Week 10 bout against Irwin -- but posted good numbers last week against the Machines. Advantage: Irwin

RUNNINGBACKS

The Pimps' Shaun Alexander has emerged as the premiere back in Super Bowl V. With Jerome Bettis still nursing an injury, Alexander will be the lone half back in The Pimps' lineup. Yet he alone may be enough as Alexander has been held to less than 8 points only three times in 11 starts. The Hellions lost Edgerrin James midseason to injury, so Curtis Martin will be sharing carries with rookie Dominic Rhodes. Martin has the potential to cancel out Alexander, making Rhodes a backfield wild card. Advantage: Irwin

RECEIVERS

The Hellions' receiving corps has been uncharacteristically weak this season, with only Jimmy Smith emerging as a legitimate threat. Johnnie Morton has been average and Darnay Scott has produced even less. By contrast, The Pimps' receivers are some of the best in the league. The team will welcome back all-star Rod Smith after his bye week and place him along side the emerging Peerless Price. Opposite those two, The Pimps will start the golden Jerry Rice and potentially explosive Derrick Alexander. This will be the first time a Super Bowl club has started the run-and-shoot formation featuring four receivers over two backs. Advantage: Pimps

KICKER

Let's see -- The Pimps start Jeff Wilkens, the highest scoring kicker in the league this season; the Hellions have to go with Wade Richey, who lost his job several weeks back and is only used on long FG attempts. Tough call here. Advantage: Pimps

DEFENSE

Should be another brutal defensive Super Bowl battle. Irwin brings his Buccaneer squad back to the dance to wreak havoc on The Pimps' offense. Although not as strong as in recent years, the Bucs seemed to have saved their best for last, crushing the P.W.O.P. last week behind 23 points. The Pimps sport the league's best defense in the Packers, who also had a field day last week, ripping the Machines for 26 points. There will be no mercy here. Moreover, it could be the lowest scoring Super Bowl ever. Advantage: even

The Pimps swagger in as an 11-3 powerhouse. They've won nine of their last ten, including a 10-point decision over Irwin. The Hellions stand tall at 10-4 and as defending league champions. No team has been to the big game more than the Hellions, and that experience may be enough to tilt the outcome in their favor. Super Bowl V is ready to rock!

victims of the bye week:
Irwin - none
Pimps - none

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