it's great to be here, i see some aftershocks, some naturals, battalion, hounds, diabolicals, corsairs, demons, fragile porcelain mice, and of course our good friends the CCCC. I don't see the lue, squab, Iruleall15, Bobby Winland, etc. I don't see teams that quite frankly were better than us but didn't stick it out to make it here, teams like the Bayou Bengals, Pewnts, Twin Cities Wildcats, Lycans, Auckland Raiders, and a lot more.
trivia question: what do Laredo, CCCC, New Brunswick, and Spokane have in common? answer is at the end of the thread.
but it's a new season, with fresh hopes for everyone. everyone, that is, even xTrav. week 1 is the best sim because it's usually against someone you'll never see again, laredo last season notwithstanding.
oh btw, not counting the WSI, the west fared 32-28 in the preseason. if you're from the east, since you can't figure that out, that means you went 28-32
so let's get it started. GOTW, (and i'll have one every week for the West) for week 1 is... (drumroll)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals vs. Nashville Hounds
lawdawg is no longer here (except in spirit as a CCCC GM, but we never hear him anymore), but i'm sure he'd be happy to know the Hounds kicked butt last season in USA Pro. In a true oddity, they lost fewer games in USA Pro then they did in 2 of their AAA seasons. NAN has an acronym that makes me want to puke, but they've done enough to be solidly mediocre. However, mediocre here can get you onto the GLB rankings, and both of these teams have spent major time on there. I pick NAN though levels slightly favor the Hounds; I mean after last season, what does Nashville have to prove? 27-21 NAN
Ketchikan and South Otto
the fragile porcelain mice got shattered all last season, while KKAR was a surprise in the loaded West. I love the KKAR field, and they're gonna run South Otto all over it. 56-14 KKAR
Battalion and Woodys
N.J. wasn't too TOO impressive in AAA, but did their thing to get up here, while the Woodys have yet to see the postseason in USA Pro. N.J. never beats anybody better than them, but this one looks pretty even. I say Woodys but close, 24-20
Demons and Thunder
San Francisco is well-run and was the biggest surprise in AAA 1 last season. Thunder were the last team brought up but have kicked butt in their past. IDK either team well but i have to say Demons by 3 scores. 31-7 because they play some badass D
Lesbians and Royals
i don't predict my own team's games, but i will say this: we outlevel them by a few and they sucked last year, albeit at a higher level. Preseason is meaningless, but i understand why the management needs it. I didn't really get into the Saints game last night...
Demolition and Mole-Rats
SDD are Pro veterans now, while the Naked Mole-Rats have a lot of history for being USA Pro newcomers. I know I've heard of them before... Demolition strip the Mole-Rats 42-14
Dread City and New Brunswick
Matchup appears to be kind of even, but the self-proclaimed "best C in Goal Line Blitz" will be the difference...
for a New Brunswick win. 35-10
Minnesota and Key West
in a GOTW contender, the last original USA Pro team from season 1 remaining faces a squad picked to win USA AAA 1 East last season. they didn't deliver, but who would facing last year's CCCC, the best non-Pro team GLB has seen in quite some time? Key West gets rudely introduced to Pro, 45-17
Carson City and DDL
For all the talk about TSE and his "honor" and "ethics", they are not the same as "gameplanning", "strategy", and "X-factor". However, he's back up to 51 players. Carson City's trying to get away with 6 players under level 40, even if they only play special teams. their offense looks severely underleveled as well, so I say DDL gets it 24-10
Spokane and Washington Slashers
meh... even matchup IMO, Spokane brings a gold trophy into the game, but in the second scrimmage, they lost to the other AAA gold trophy winner in CCCC. Slashers made the playoffs, and their season seemed more impressive upon second glance than it was on the first. Washington wins it 34-27
Chicago and Indianapolis
once i know more about Pro i'll know more about these matchups. Gurupies have to be the favorite if ***O*** gets knocked off in the East. Meanwhile Chicago was rolling through S9 until about week 9. WiSeIVIaN thinks they will be back, but Indy might be too tough. Gurupies 54-24
Aftershocks and Blaze
another GOTW contender, it's hard to pick against Pro veterans against newcomers, but i like what the Aftershocks do, and what they stand for. However, the Blaze only lost to: The GLB #1 team Cincinnati, ***O***, the favorite this season, OTR, now in the World League, and the Washington Slashers. Play later in the season, and Portland stands a good chance, but New Jersey's Pro experience wins out 34-21
Lincoln and ***O***
i can not believe, that i'm doing a Lincoln vs. ***O*** matchup for my weekly preview. these are two teams i've only read about in the history books, in the GLB rankings, and now they're facing off for my entertainment. the last time these teams met in S8's opener, Lincoln won 34-26. I don't know how Nashville and NAN beat this out for GOTW, considering these are the only two teams here who beat the Monmouth Evil Monkeys last season. Nobody's talking about Lincoln in the West, do they like it that way? Meanwhile ***O*** is the favorite in the East, and their higher expectations will help carry them 51-38
Wolfpack and Bullets
the West favorites battle the S7 USA Pro Champion in another GOTW contender. The Wolfpack were the highest ranked team last season to not be in the inaugural World League, snubbed for the Honolulu Hurricane Warriors despite having a better season (BTW, neither team won the silver trophy). Since their championship, the Bullets have played the role of Manchester City in this rivalry, being alright but not much of a threat to the United/Wolfpack, but this is the first meeting between the teams. Wolfpack win 75-14
Nighthawks and Golfers
last but not least, i'm just gonna pick Alpine because they aight and i've typed enough. 42-20
you may notice i skipped the CCCC and the WSI...
TRIVIA ANSWER: by virtue of winning the silver trophies, Laredo, CCCC, Spokane, and New Brunswick can be the last teams to say they joined USA Pro while it was still the highest league in the game. those promotions and the relegations of NY-CA, Texas, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland were processed first, THEN the world league promotions and CPU demotions
trivia question: what do Laredo, CCCC, New Brunswick, and Spokane have in common? answer is at the end of the thread.
but it's a new season, with fresh hopes for everyone. everyone, that is, even xTrav. week 1 is the best sim because it's usually against someone you'll never see again, laredo last season notwithstanding.
oh btw, not counting the WSI, the west fared 32-28 in the preseason. if you're from the east, since you can't figure that out, that means you went 28-32
so let's get it started. GOTW, (and i'll have one every week for the West) for week 1 is... (drumroll)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals vs. Nashville Hounds
lawdawg is no longer here (except in spirit as a CCCC GM, but we never hear him anymore), but i'm sure he'd be happy to know the Hounds kicked butt last season in USA Pro. In a true oddity, they lost fewer games in USA Pro then they did in 2 of their AAA seasons. NAN has an acronym that makes me want to puke, but they've done enough to be solidly mediocre. However, mediocre here can get you onto the GLB rankings, and both of these teams have spent major time on there. I pick NAN though levels slightly favor the Hounds; I mean after last season, what does Nashville have to prove? 27-21 NAN
Ketchikan and South Otto
the fragile porcelain mice got shattered all last season, while KKAR was a surprise in the loaded West. I love the KKAR field, and they're gonna run South Otto all over it. 56-14 KKAR
Battalion and Woodys
N.J. wasn't too TOO impressive in AAA, but did their thing to get up here, while the Woodys have yet to see the postseason in USA Pro. N.J. never beats anybody better than them, but this one looks pretty even. I say Woodys but close, 24-20
Demons and Thunder
San Francisco is well-run and was the biggest surprise in AAA 1 last season. Thunder were the last team brought up but have kicked butt in their past. IDK either team well but i have to say Demons by 3 scores. 31-7 because they play some badass D
Lesbians and Royals
i don't predict my own team's games, but i will say this: we outlevel them by a few and they sucked last year, albeit at a higher level. Preseason is meaningless, but i understand why the management needs it. I didn't really get into the Saints game last night...
Demolition and Mole-Rats
SDD are Pro veterans now, while the Naked Mole-Rats have a lot of history for being USA Pro newcomers. I know I've heard of them before... Demolition strip the Mole-Rats 42-14
Dread City and New Brunswick
Matchup appears to be kind of even, but the self-proclaimed "best C in Goal Line Blitz" will be the difference...
for a New Brunswick win. 35-10
Minnesota and Key West
in a GOTW contender, the last original USA Pro team from season 1 remaining faces a squad picked to win USA AAA 1 East last season. they didn't deliver, but who would facing last year's CCCC, the best non-Pro team GLB has seen in quite some time? Key West gets rudely introduced to Pro, 45-17
Carson City and DDL
For all the talk about TSE and his "honor" and "ethics", they are not the same as "gameplanning", "strategy", and "X-factor". However, he's back up to 51 players. Carson City's trying to get away with 6 players under level 40, even if they only play special teams. their offense looks severely underleveled as well, so I say DDL gets it 24-10
Spokane and Washington Slashers
meh... even matchup IMO, Spokane brings a gold trophy into the game, but in the second scrimmage, they lost to the other AAA gold trophy winner in CCCC. Slashers made the playoffs, and their season seemed more impressive upon second glance than it was on the first. Washington wins it 34-27
Chicago and Indianapolis
once i know more about Pro i'll know more about these matchups. Gurupies have to be the favorite if ***O*** gets knocked off in the East. Meanwhile Chicago was rolling through S9 until about week 9. WiSeIVIaN thinks they will be back, but Indy might be too tough. Gurupies 54-24
Aftershocks and Blaze
another GOTW contender, it's hard to pick against Pro veterans against newcomers, but i like what the Aftershocks do, and what they stand for. However, the Blaze only lost to: The GLB #1 team Cincinnati, ***O***, the favorite this season, OTR, now in the World League, and the Washington Slashers. Play later in the season, and Portland stands a good chance, but New Jersey's Pro experience wins out 34-21
Lincoln and ***O***
i can not believe, that i'm doing a Lincoln vs. ***O*** matchup for my weekly preview. these are two teams i've only read about in the history books, in the GLB rankings, and now they're facing off for my entertainment. the last time these teams met in S8's opener, Lincoln won 34-26. I don't know how Nashville and NAN beat this out for GOTW, considering these are the only two teams here who beat the Monmouth Evil Monkeys last season. Nobody's talking about Lincoln in the West, do they like it that way? Meanwhile ***O*** is the favorite in the East, and their higher expectations will help carry them 51-38
Wolfpack and Bullets
the West favorites battle the S7 USA Pro Champion in another GOTW contender. The Wolfpack were the highest ranked team last season to not be in the inaugural World League, snubbed for the Honolulu Hurricane Warriors despite having a better season (BTW, neither team won the silver trophy). Since their championship, the Bullets have played the role of Manchester City in this rivalry, being alright but not much of a threat to the United/Wolfpack, but this is the first meeting between the teams. Wolfpack win 75-14
Nighthawks and Golfers
last but not least, i'm just gonna pick Alpine because they aight and i've typed enough. 42-20
you may notice i skipped the CCCC and the WSI...
TRIVIA ANSWER: by virtue of winning the silver trophies, Laredo, CCCC, Spokane, and New Brunswick can be the last teams to say they joined USA Pro while it was still the highest league in the game. those promotions and the relegations of NY-CA, Texas, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland were processed first, THEN the world league promotions and CPU demotions
Edited by BBVD on Aug 17, 2009 02:40:06
Edited by BBVD on Aug 15, 2009 23:39:55
