1) Tulsa Teamsters (last week #1)
Tulsa is head and shoulders above the rest of the league at this point. What more is there to say? They just played Las Vegas and kicked their ass. Now they'll play the other Tulsa, and will most certainly kick their ass.
2) Fremont Warriors (last week #3)
This is where things get tricky. Head to head matchups break down (For example, Fremont > French Lick > Walla Walla > Fremont), so we have to look at overall schedule strength a bit more. Fremont's only loss was a close loss to #3, and they've beaten #4 and #5. It's imperfect, but at this point it's probably the most fair. Fremont has what may turn out to be a surprisingly interesting matchup with Hobbs Gerbil Wranglers today.
3) Walla Walla Wackers (last week #2)
Walla Walla followed up an impressive win over Fremont with an unfortunate loss to the Liquors. This type of inconsistency makes ranking teams difficult, but also makes them controversial and fun. The most unfortunate part was a renegade offensive AI setting which caused the Wackers to go for it late in the game on 4th down, well within field goal range, when down by only 3. They turned the ball over on downs, and French Lick immediately hit a 90yd TD pass to exacerbate matters. Walla Walla will get another chance to move up the rankings in 3 weeks when they play #4 Island Shaka Brah's. Until then, they'll enjoy a cushy vacation.
4) Island Shaka Brah's (last week #4)
The Shaka Brah's have lost to Tulsa and Fremont, teams #1 and #2. They have beaten #5 French Lick. So should they be #3 or #4? I initially put them at #3, but eventually decided that a big win over Fremont is better than an expected win over French Lick, so for the purposes of today's rankings Walla is 3 and ISB is 4. Of course, in 3 weeks they get to settle the issue head to head, and the world (or at least USA BBB4) will be watching.
5) French Lick Liquors (last week #6)
French Lick finally came out with a statement win over the Walla Walla Wackers. They will be unable to blame chemistry from here on out. Unfortunately, they will also probably fail to get a home game unless they can pull an upset over Tulsa Teamsters at the end of the season. Until then, they'll be winning easy games and gleefully watching their chemistry tick upward.
6) LaCrosse River Rats (last week #5)
Unfortunately a 2-game losing streak, combined with French Lick's upset win over Walla Walla, resulted in LaCrosse dropping a spot. They play the Las Vegas Villians in the **Game of the Week** - and whichever team wins is virtually guaranteed a playoff spot, while the loser will probably be fighting it out to the end.
7) Las Vegas Villians (last week #7)
Las Vegas has really turned on the jets lately. They were on a 4 game winning streak before Tulsa came to town, and a 55-7 loss to Tulsa is even a little impressive compared to what they were doing earlier in the year. In short, folks, Las Vegas is for real. They face LaCrosse in today's **Game of the Week** and if they win, I feel confident in saying they're "in" for the playoffs. They've truly come a long way.
8) The team formerly known as Hobbs Gerbil Wranglers (last week #8)
The team formerly known as Hobbs Gerbil Wranglers put a 3-game winning streak on the line against the Fremont Warriors. Fremont saw an 8 game winning streak ended at the hands of the Tulsa Teamsters. Will they be the ones to ruin the streak this time, or can the team formerly known as Hobbs Gerbil Wranglers pull off an improbable upset?
9) Washington Blitz (last week #10)
I termed the Washington-South Georgia game **Alternate Game of the Week** because it is the direct opposite of the LaCrosse - Las Vegas game. In that game, the winner will pretty much lock up a playoff spot. In this game, the loser will pretty much be out of the playoffs. So one could say the stakes are even higher here. Washington pulled off a must-win against the Lone Star Leopards last week, and hopefully they can carry that momentum into their game against South Georgia.
10) South Georgia Growl(last week #9)
See above for the stakes of this game, and why it is the **Alternate Game of the Week** This game is truly too close to call, I predicted Washington solely on the basis of home field advantage. If South Georgia can take the lead early and neutralize the crowd, they can take this game and be 1 step closer to clinching a playoff berth. If they don't win...it's pretty much goodbye playoffs.
11) Lone Star Leopards (last week #11)
I've been giving Lone Star the benefit of the doubt for quite some time now because their schedule was frontloaded. They proved me right two weeks ago with a solid victory over the Tulsa Doom. I expect the same type of performance this week against the Starkville Cows.
12) Tulsa Doom (last week #12)
After a strong start to the season, Tulsa is on a 3-game losing streak, and now the Teamsters come to town. Tulsa had a backloaded schedule and got a lot of the easy wins early; unfortunately they'll be the underdogs in every remaining game this season.
13) Chicago Shockers (last week #13)
The Chicago Shockers get French Lick today. This would be a difficult matchup under normal circumstances, but given that French Lick is coming off an emotional win, it will probably not be close. After French Lick, Chicago faces #16 Smash Mouth and then #14 Rhode Island, which will be a welcome change of pace.
14) Rhode Island Revolutionaries (last week #14)
Rhode Island is feeling pretty good about itself, having gone 2-2 over the last 4 games. Unfortunately, they get #4 Island Shaka Brah's this week, followed by #3 Walla Walla Wackers. They can look forward to their game 3 weeks from now against the Chicago Shockers, which would be a statement win for the program.
15) Starkville Cows(last week #15)
Although #15, Starkville can take solace in the fact that they're worlds better than Smash Mouth. The only winnable game left on their schedule is this week, against the Chicago Shockers. Let's hope they can make the most of it.
16) Smash Mouth Silverbacks (last week #16)
Just say no.
-----------------------------------------
Predictions:
Tulsa Teamsters > Tulsa Doom
Fremont Warriors > The team formerly known as Hobbs Gerbil Wranglers
Island Shaka Brah's > Rhode Island Revolutionaries
Walla Walla Wackers > Smash Mouth Silverbacks
French Lick Liquors > Chicago Shockers
LaCrosse RiverRats > Las Vegas Villians **Game of the Week**
Washington Blitz > South Georgia Growl **Alternate Game of the Week**
Lone Star Leopards > Starkville Cows
Tulsa is head and shoulders above the rest of the league at this point. What more is there to say? They just played Las Vegas and kicked their ass. Now they'll play the other Tulsa, and will most certainly kick their ass.
2) Fremont Warriors (last week #3)
This is where things get tricky. Head to head matchups break down (For example, Fremont > French Lick > Walla Walla > Fremont), so we have to look at overall schedule strength a bit more. Fremont's only loss was a close loss to #3, and they've beaten #4 and #5. It's imperfect, but at this point it's probably the most fair. Fremont has what may turn out to be a surprisingly interesting matchup with Hobbs Gerbil Wranglers today.
3) Walla Walla Wackers (last week #2)
Walla Walla followed up an impressive win over Fremont with an unfortunate loss to the Liquors. This type of inconsistency makes ranking teams difficult, but also makes them controversial and fun. The most unfortunate part was a renegade offensive AI setting which caused the Wackers to go for it late in the game on 4th down, well within field goal range, when down by only 3. They turned the ball over on downs, and French Lick immediately hit a 90yd TD pass to exacerbate matters. Walla Walla will get another chance to move up the rankings in 3 weeks when they play #4 Island Shaka Brah's. Until then, they'll enjoy a cushy vacation.
4) Island Shaka Brah's (last week #4)
The Shaka Brah's have lost to Tulsa and Fremont, teams #1 and #2. They have beaten #5 French Lick. So should they be #3 or #4? I initially put them at #3, but eventually decided that a big win over Fremont is better than an expected win over French Lick, so for the purposes of today's rankings Walla is 3 and ISB is 4. Of course, in 3 weeks they get to settle the issue head to head, and the world (or at least USA BBB4) will be watching.
5) French Lick Liquors (last week #6)
French Lick finally came out with a statement win over the Walla Walla Wackers. They will be unable to blame chemistry from here on out. Unfortunately, they will also probably fail to get a home game unless they can pull an upset over Tulsa Teamsters at the end of the season. Until then, they'll be winning easy games and gleefully watching their chemistry tick upward.
6) LaCrosse River Rats (last week #5)
Unfortunately a 2-game losing streak, combined with French Lick's upset win over Walla Walla, resulted in LaCrosse dropping a spot. They play the Las Vegas Villians in the **Game of the Week** - and whichever team wins is virtually guaranteed a playoff spot, while the loser will probably be fighting it out to the end.
7) Las Vegas Villians (last week #7)
Las Vegas has really turned on the jets lately. They were on a 4 game winning streak before Tulsa came to town, and a 55-7 loss to Tulsa is even a little impressive compared to what they were doing earlier in the year. In short, folks, Las Vegas is for real. They face LaCrosse in today's **Game of the Week** and if they win, I feel confident in saying they're "in" for the playoffs. They've truly come a long way.
8) The team formerly known as Hobbs Gerbil Wranglers (last week #8)
The team formerly known as Hobbs Gerbil Wranglers put a 3-game winning streak on the line against the Fremont Warriors. Fremont saw an 8 game winning streak ended at the hands of the Tulsa Teamsters. Will they be the ones to ruin the streak this time, or can the team formerly known as Hobbs Gerbil Wranglers pull off an improbable upset?
9) Washington Blitz (last week #10)
I termed the Washington-South Georgia game **Alternate Game of the Week** because it is the direct opposite of the LaCrosse - Las Vegas game. In that game, the winner will pretty much lock up a playoff spot. In this game, the loser will pretty much be out of the playoffs. So one could say the stakes are even higher here. Washington pulled off a must-win against the Lone Star Leopards last week, and hopefully they can carry that momentum into their game against South Georgia.
10) South Georgia Growl(last week #9)
See above for the stakes of this game, and why it is the **Alternate Game of the Week** This game is truly too close to call, I predicted Washington solely on the basis of home field advantage. If South Georgia can take the lead early and neutralize the crowd, they can take this game and be 1 step closer to clinching a playoff berth. If they don't win...it's pretty much goodbye playoffs.
11) Lone Star Leopards (last week #11)
I've been giving Lone Star the benefit of the doubt for quite some time now because their schedule was frontloaded. They proved me right two weeks ago with a solid victory over the Tulsa Doom. I expect the same type of performance this week against the Starkville Cows.
12) Tulsa Doom (last week #12)
After a strong start to the season, Tulsa is on a 3-game losing streak, and now the Teamsters come to town. Tulsa had a backloaded schedule and got a lot of the easy wins early; unfortunately they'll be the underdogs in every remaining game this season.
13) Chicago Shockers (last week #13)
The Chicago Shockers get French Lick today. This would be a difficult matchup under normal circumstances, but given that French Lick is coming off an emotional win, it will probably not be close. After French Lick, Chicago faces #16 Smash Mouth and then #14 Rhode Island, which will be a welcome change of pace.
14) Rhode Island Revolutionaries (last week #14)
Rhode Island is feeling pretty good about itself, having gone 2-2 over the last 4 games. Unfortunately, they get #4 Island Shaka Brah's this week, followed by #3 Walla Walla Wackers. They can look forward to their game 3 weeks from now against the Chicago Shockers, which would be a statement win for the program.
15) Starkville Cows(last week #15)
Although #15, Starkville can take solace in the fact that they're worlds better than Smash Mouth. The only winnable game left on their schedule is this week, against the Chicago Shockers. Let's hope they can make the most of it.
16) Smash Mouth Silverbacks (last week #16)
Just say no.
-----------------------------------------
Predictions:
Tulsa Teamsters > Tulsa Doom
Fremont Warriors > The team formerly known as Hobbs Gerbil Wranglers
Island Shaka Brah's > Rhode Island Revolutionaries
Walla Walla Wackers > Smash Mouth Silverbacks
French Lick Liquors > Chicago Shockers
LaCrosse RiverRats > Las Vegas Villians **Game of the Week**
Washington Blitz > South Georgia Growl **Alternate Game of the Week**
Lone Star Leopards > Starkville Cows
Last edited Oct 12, 2008 17:54:42
