Ice Cold Bruschis Retire After Storied Career
Super-16 – Rumors had been swirling for months, and AF can now confirm that the S-16’s Ice Cold Bruschis are retiring from the league. It’s been revealed that a private announcement was circulated within the league all the way back in March, but League Offices held back on making the retirement official until now so as to give the Bruschis time to reconsider their decision. The move was made official this week.
The Bruschi’s statement reads, in part:
“Unfortunately, due to real life commitments I will be leaving this league. I have really enjoyed taking part over the years. Uni is over now and I have a full time job, and have nowhere near the time I used to have. Because of this I am leaving all of my free NFL.com leagues and will only keep my two paid dynasty leagues. If things settle down in the future I may get back in touch to see if there is an opening and feel free to message me anytime that you do have an opening or an interesting new league concept. I wish you all the best in the future. Ryan”
The Ice Cold Bruschis were a charter member of Super 16, originally playing as Brady’s Bunch in the inaugural season of what was then called the ‘Home Defense League’. In Week 1 of 2012 they took the field for the first time, squaring off against The Dawg Pound in a nail biter they lost 168.00 – 170.50. There wouldn’t be many weeks like that as the Bruschis went all the way to the championship that season where they faced Birds of Prey, the team that would become their annual nemesis. They lost Super Bowl I that year to the Birds 171-186, and in the end, they finished their time in the league the same as they started it, losing last year’s Super Bowl IV again to Birds of Prey, this time 156-190. And although it would have been satisfying to have gone out on a higher note, no single loss, even on the highest stage can define the success the Bruschis have enjoyed in the S16.
In between the two bookends of Super Bowls I and IV, the Ice Cold Bruschis have been one of the most dominant teams in the Super 16, retiring with a 36-22-0 lifetime record, a .620 win percentage, and 3 Division titles. Their league records are too numerous to list, but the highlights include: #1 and #3 on the all-time season points list; #1, #4, and #5 on the single game points list; #1 in all-time offensive season points, #5 in all-time defensive season points, and #3 in all-time special teams season points; and they also rank 2nd and 4th on the win-streak list with 9 game and 8 game win streaks, respictively. 
They finished their final season ranked 6th on the AF Top 25 (of 90 qualifying teams) and with a Pro Bowl Tounament nomination.
They have been an integral and distinct part of the the Super 16 from the very beginning, which is why the league has decided to retire the Patriots franchise in their honor. Future S-16 teams will not be able to use the New England Patriots as their base team moving forward – Patriot players can still be drafted, of course – and all Brady’s Bunch/Ice Cold Bruschi records will remain in the League Record Book until they are broken. The honor will be made official in a ceremony at half time of opening week when Commissioner Crash’s Arizona players will be facing the Patriots in the NFL opener.
The historical S-16 East Division will remain intact with the Dolphins, Eagles, and Jets franchises, and to replace the Patriots as a part of that group, the league has added
a Steelers franchise, welcoming in Coach Ben and his Steel Curtain. Coach Ben comes into the league on the recomendation of SF Bowmen owner El Butre, so not only will they usher in an era of new division rivalries in the East Division – not the least of which will be cross-state rival The Eagle has Landed, but also perhaps a new 49er-Steeler rivalry for the league.
Overshadowed by Coach Ryan’s retirement is the departure this off-season of Coach Mel of the Who Dat Nation, or, the Karma and a Kicker Who Dats as they came to be called after last season’s draft. For similar reasons, Coach Mel has withdrawn from the league with regrets. The Saints franchise, however, will remain in the league, and the storied S-16 South will remain intact. Also being welcomed into the league this year is Coach Laurie who moves up from the AF farm league, the LFL, to take the reins of her Who Dat Saints. Coach Laurie’s entry to the S-16 means a new chapter in the Birds of Prey – Who Dat rivalry (the Atlanta franchise is 6-2 all-time vs the 2 different New Orleans franchises the league has had), and the chapter is already off to an interesting start. Coach Roger has announced to the league that should the new Who Dat Saints beat his Birds of Prey this year, he will assume the moniker of Tweety bird Gumbo for the remainder of the season. The teams will face each other twice. Could this be the year the Bird’s unbeaten streak of Division Titles comes to an end?
