Start of the season is almost here and instead of doing just rankings I'm going to toss in some predictions this season as well (when there's time at least). I won't be going into too much detail with my picks, if any at all, so that I can get these out faster. Some great games this week and you'll see my pick for game of the week at the bottom. Good luck to all teams this season and enjoy!
PS - CV, this season I'll be breaking each week out into an individual thread just for you.
WEEK 1 RANKINGS & PREDICTIONS (R = USPL rookies this season, WL = i'm sure you can figure it out)
WESTERN
1 Chicago Hedgehogs (WL) - After a 5 win season in WL, Chicago is looking to get back up there as soon as possible. They've got a stacked roster and apparently a track record of steamrolling their way back to WL so for now they've got to be the team to beat.
2 South Georgia Growl - SGG was headed towards a perfect season before dropping their first game to 5th in the final week. They tore through the Penguins in the first round last season before squeaking out an OT win in the 2nd round against the Storm. In the CC game they fell short though and missed out on promoting back to WL. Will they be able to get there this season?
3 Monmouth Evil Monkeys - No denying that this team looks pretty damn good but will their chem hurt them early on? My guess is no, thanks to a schedule that starts off a little light. Should definitely be in the running for a top 4 seed.
4 Tulsa Storm - Another impressive squad and, like MEM, they should be fighting for a top 4 seed later in the season. Big games from week 7-9 with 5th, Chicago and SGG on tap. Could be the pivotal stretch of their season.
5 5th Masterminds - 5th had a rocky start last season going 1-4 through the first 5 weeks with some close losses to top ranked teams. They managed to go 10-1 the rest of the way though to turn it around. Could make a strong push this season with their dots a little more experienced so teams should be on alert.
6 Vancouver Lions - The Lions impressed last season and could be making a push for a top 4 seed. They went 12-4 last season before falling short against Tulsa in the first round in a 2 point loss.
7 Stormwind City Gryphons - Looking to improve on their 7 win season and with the extra season of experience they could be in line for a low seed in the playoffs. They played some good teams very tough last season so could surprise a few teams this season if they get overlooked.
8 Canton Bulldogs - The Bulldogs squeaked into the playoffs last season before being taken apart by the Terrorists. They played some good teams closely but also played some close games against lower ranked teams. They'll need to be more consistent this season if they want to make it back to the playoffs.
9 Covington Black Knights - Coming off a 7-9 season and looks like they might be infusing some youth into a few areas. Need to take the next step forward if they want to get to the playoffs this season and with some close losses last season the talent is there. Putting a heavy emphasis on the TE position is a bold move to take advantage of the expanded playbooks and only time will tell if it will payoff.
10 Bay Area Bombers - Not sure what to make of the Bombers but the roster looks to be in solid shape. They struggled against playoff teams last season and finished up 6-10 so the question is whether there's been enough improvement to take the next step for this team, which would be a playoff berth.
11 Inner City Fieldsmiths (R) - Had a successful 14 win season to move up but like Michigan and Felicus they fell big in their playoff exit. They do have a nice looking roster though and could turn out to be the best of the rookie teams this season.
12 Sin City Spoilers - Struggled last season and still have a young roster so I don't see a big turnaround this season. Week 1 opens with the Mice which is just a painful way to kick off the season on top of it all.
13 Arkham Asylum Jokers - Only managed 4 wins last season and their still a tad bit young on defense. They may show improvement this season but I don't see a playoff run in the makings yet.
14 Michigan Mutants (R) - A 12-4 season brings the Mutants to USAPL. They're a little young in a few areas but the way they were handled by Carthage in the 2nd round of their playoffs last season shows that this squad is going to struggle against some of the top teams in this league. They won't be bottom of the barrel bad but 8-8 could be a hopeful outlook.
15 Felicus Feline Generals (R) - Coming off a 13 win season that got them promoted. Their last league was a huge disparity and the Felines either won big or lost big. They were dismantled in the 2nd round of the playoffs which doesn't bode well for them this season since they'll still be facing the same type of gap in levels. Not expecting too much here.
16 Philadelphia Knights (R) - With a roster in serious need of some dots it's hard to see the Knights doing much this season. Even if the roster fills out in time the chem hit will kill them with a few tough games early in the season.
EASTERN
1 South Otto Fragile Porcelain Mice - Lost 1 regular season game by 3 points and fell 3 points short in OT of the CC game to miss out on promotion. Can they get it done this season after being so close?
2 All The King's Men - Yet again a tough looking squad that will be in the running for a top 4 seed. They fell to the eventual League Champs last season in the 2nd round and will be looking to go all the way this time around.
3 College Station Aggies - Coming off a disappointing 2nd round loss last season but I fully expect this team to fighting for a top 4 spot if not better this season.
4 Las Vegas Gold Diggers - Could be a sleeper team this season after a strong season 24. I can see this squad pushing for a top 4 seed and improving on their 10 wins from last season.
5 Punxsutawney Groundhogs - The Groundhogs were a little up and down for me last season. They proved more than capable of handling the majority of teams but struggled against a few teams they should have been able to put away easier. Have they improved enough to get past the first round of the playoffs?
6 Gulf Coast Crocs - The Crocs were impressive last season but did they do enough to work their way up the food chain or will they finish up with a lower seed again.
7 Oakland Suppressors - My only question about Oakland is if they made enough adjustments in the offseason to continue to be a playoff contender or if they'll be overtaken by a few of the new teams.
8 "The Combine's" Tennessee Fury (R) - Impressive looking squad that ran through their last league and only had 2 close games all season – neither of which was in their playoff run – and finished up a perfect 20-0. Solid staff, solid team and a good shot at making it to the playoffs.
9 Atlantic City Affliction - Finished up at .500 last season but with their roster they should be able to do better than that this season.
10 Nashville Hounds - Coming off a 6 win season that saw them drop 3 games by 3 points or less. That could have been all the difference between making the playoffs and sitting at home taking down shots of Old No. 7. Have the Hounds improved enough to make a playoff push this season?
11 Wala Wala Drunken Shriners - Started off with 3 wins last season but only managed 3 more through the final 13 weeks. Now they're a little older and could compete better thanks to L72 hardware. Will that be enough to improve this season though with so many tough teams still around.
12 Denver Giant 9'ers - Opened up last season with a 7 game losing streak before going 5-4 the rest of the way. They're still a little young at some key positions, QB for one, so I'm not sure how much they can improve this season.
13 Philadelphia SEXY Demonik - Hard to see a 3 win team making a huge turnaround in one season but Phillys hoping their offseason moves pay off and they'll have to quickly with some good squads kicking off their schedule.
14 OffTopica Grace (R) - Solid looking squad that's also the oldest of the new teams. Could have some success against lower ranked teams but their first round loss in the playoffs of a lower league makes me question how well they'll fare against top teams in Pro, especially with their chem not being great. .
15 Hell's Demons (R) - Not too young of a team so they may see a little success this season. But with little turnover in the east they're going to face some tough seasoned competition and may be lucky to put up 4-5 wins this season.
16 Midwest Warbirds (R) - Went 8-8 and lost a 0-15 shutout in the first round of their playoffs last season. Chem isn't great and I don't know what kind of moves were made in preparation for their promotion but, going off last season only, this squad could have a rough outing this season.
WEEK 1 PREDICTIONS
Fury vs Bombers - Will be an interesting match up for the Fury and show if they should be taken seriously this season.
5th M vs ATKM - Great looking game that had game of the week written all over it if not for another game this week.
Denver vs MEM - Don't think Denvers there yet.
Fieldsmiths vs Oakland - Fieldsmiths get a solid game to show off what they can do but until proven otherwise they're just another new USAPL team.
Crocs vs Gryphons - Crocs just looked better last season.
SEXY vs Covington - I'm going to go out on a limb and take this as my upset of the week.
Tulsa vs Wala Wala - Wala may want to break open the mini-bar after this trip.
Spoilers vs Mice - Not a trap game for the Mice.
Diggers vs Jokers - A game LV should win hands down.
Warbirds vs Mutants - Interesting match up between 2 new teams that could go either way.
Growl vs Hounds - Another case of too much too handle in this game. Hounds should fare well this season but it won't start here.
Groundhogs vs Bulldogs - Hogs get a chance at showing if they improved or stayed stagnant in this game.
Lions vs Grace - Lions should be making a strong push at a playoff run and if the Grace want to be more than a middle to low ranked team this season showing up this week would be a good sign of things to come.
Affliction vs P Knights - Maybe Philly fills out their roster by week 1 but until then this is ACs game to lose.
Felicus vs Demons - Good test for both teams and who knows how this one goes. I'll go with the Demons for now.
GAME OF THE WEEK
Hedgehogs vs Aggies - Going solely off reputation with this pick buuuuut the Aggies could send out a huge statement with a win here.
PS - CV, this season I'll be breaking each week out into an individual thread just for you.
WEEK 1 RANKINGS & PREDICTIONS (R = USPL rookies this season, WL = i'm sure you can figure it out)
WESTERN
1 Chicago Hedgehogs (WL) - After a 5 win season in WL, Chicago is looking to get back up there as soon as possible. They've got a stacked roster and apparently a track record of steamrolling their way back to WL so for now they've got to be the team to beat.
2 South Georgia Growl - SGG was headed towards a perfect season before dropping their first game to 5th in the final week. They tore through the Penguins in the first round last season before squeaking out an OT win in the 2nd round against the Storm. In the CC game they fell short though and missed out on promoting back to WL. Will they be able to get there this season?
3 Monmouth Evil Monkeys - No denying that this team looks pretty damn good but will their chem hurt them early on? My guess is no, thanks to a schedule that starts off a little light. Should definitely be in the running for a top 4 seed.
4 Tulsa Storm - Another impressive squad and, like MEM, they should be fighting for a top 4 seed later in the season. Big games from week 7-9 with 5th, Chicago and SGG on tap. Could be the pivotal stretch of their season.
5 5th Masterminds - 5th had a rocky start last season going 1-4 through the first 5 weeks with some close losses to top ranked teams. They managed to go 10-1 the rest of the way though to turn it around. Could make a strong push this season with their dots a little more experienced so teams should be on alert.
6 Vancouver Lions - The Lions impressed last season and could be making a push for a top 4 seed. They went 12-4 last season before falling short against Tulsa in the first round in a 2 point loss.
7 Stormwind City Gryphons - Looking to improve on their 7 win season and with the extra season of experience they could be in line for a low seed in the playoffs. They played some good teams very tough last season so could surprise a few teams this season if they get overlooked.
8 Canton Bulldogs - The Bulldogs squeaked into the playoffs last season before being taken apart by the Terrorists. They played some good teams closely but also played some close games against lower ranked teams. They'll need to be more consistent this season if they want to make it back to the playoffs.
9 Covington Black Knights - Coming off a 7-9 season and looks like they might be infusing some youth into a few areas. Need to take the next step forward if they want to get to the playoffs this season and with some close losses last season the talent is there. Putting a heavy emphasis on the TE position is a bold move to take advantage of the expanded playbooks and only time will tell if it will payoff.
10 Bay Area Bombers - Not sure what to make of the Bombers but the roster looks to be in solid shape. They struggled against playoff teams last season and finished up 6-10 so the question is whether there's been enough improvement to take the next step for this team, which would be a playoff berth.
11 Inner City Fieldsmiths (R) - Had a successful 14 win season to move up but like Michigan and Felicus they fell big in their playoff exit. They do have a nice looking roster though and could turn out to be the best of the rookie teams this season.
12 Sin City Spoilers - Struggled last season and still have a young roster so I don't see a big turnaround this season. Week 1 opens with the Mice which is just a painful way to kick off the season on top of it all.
13 Arkham Asylum Jokers - Only managed 4 wins last season and their still a tad bit young on defense. They may show improvement this season but I don't see a playoff run in the makings yet.
14 Michigan Mutants (R) - A 12-4 season brings the Mutants to USAPL. They're a little young in a few areas but the way they were handled by Carthage in the 2nd round of their playoffs last season shows that this squad is going to struggle against some of the top teams in this league. They won't be bottom of the barrel bad but 8-8 could be a hopeful outlook.
15 Felicus Feline Generals (R) - Coming off a 13 win season that got them promoted. Their last league was a huge disparity and the Felines either won big or lost big. They were dismantled in the 2nd round of the playoffs which doesn't bode well for them this season since they'll still be facing the same type of gap in levels. Not expecting too much here.
16 Philadelphia Knights (R) - With a roster in serious need of some dots it's hard to see the Knights doing much this season. Even if the roster fills out in time the chem hit will kill them with a few tough games early in the season.
EASTERN
1 South Otto Fragile Porcelain Mice - Lost 1 regular season game by 3 points and fell 3 points short in OT of the CC game to miss out on promotion. Can they get it done this season after being so close?
2 All The King's Men - Yet again a tough looking squad that will be in the running for a top 4 seed. They fell to the eventual League Champs last season in the 2nd round and will be looking to go all the way this time around.
3 College Station Aggies - Coming off a disappointing 2nd round loss last season but I fully expect this team to fighting for a top 4 spot if not better this season.
4 Las Vegas Gold Diggers - Could be a sleeper team this season after a strong season 24. I can see this squad pushing for a top 4 seed and improving on their 10 wins from last season.
5 Punxsutawney Groundhogs - The Groundhogs were a little up and down for me last season. They proved more than capable of handling the majority of teams but struggled against a few teams they should have been able to put away easier. Have they improved enough to get past the first round of the playoffs?
6 Gulf Coast Crocs - The Crocs were impressive last season but did they do enough to work their way up the food chain or will they finish up with a lower seed again.
7 Oakland Suppressors - My only question about Oakland is if they made enough adjustments in the offseason to continue to be a playoff contender or if they'll be overtaken by a few of the new teams.
8 "The Combine's" Tennessee Fury (R) - Impressive looking squad that ran through their last league and only had 2 close games all season – neither of which was in their playoff run – and finished up a perfect 20-0. Solid staff, solid team and a good shot at making it to the playoffs.
9 Atlantic City Affliction - Finished up at .500 last season but with their roster they should be able to do better than that this season.
10 Nashville Hounds - Coming off a 6 win season that saw them drop 3 games by 3 points or less. That could have been all the difference between making the playoffs and sitting at home taking down shots of Old No. 7. Have the Hounds improved enough to make a playoff push this season?
11 Wala Wala Drunken Shriners - Started off with 3 wins last season but only managed 3 more through the final 13 weeks. Now they're a little older and could compete better thanks to L72 hardware. Will that be enough to improve this season though with so many tough teams still around.
12 Denver Giant 9'ers - Opened up last season with a 7 game losing streak before going 5-4 the rest of the way. They're still a little young at some key positions, QB for one, so I'm not sure how much they can improve this season.
13 Philadelphia SEXY Demonik - Hard to see a 3 win team making a huge turnaround in one season but Phillys hoping their offseason moves pay off and they'll have to quickly with some good squads kicking off their schedule.
14 OffTopica Grace (R) - Solid looking squad that's also the oldest of the new teams. Could have some success against lower ranked teams but their first round loss in the playoffs of a lower league makes me question how well they'll fare against top teams in Pro, especially with their chem not being great. .
15 Hell's Demons (R) - Not too young of a team so they may see a little success this season. But with little turnover in the east they're going to face some tough seasoned competition and may be lucky to put up 4-5 wins this season.
16 Midwest Warbirds (R) - Went 8-8 and lost a 0-15 shutout in the first round of their playoffs last season. Chem isn't great and I don't know what kind of moves were made in preparation for their promotion but, going off last season only, this squad could have a rough outing this season.
WEEK 1 PREDICTIONS
Fury vs Bombers - Will be an interesting match up for the Fury and show if they should be taken seriously this season.
5th M vs ATKM - Great looking game that had game of the week written all over it if not for another game this week.
Denver vs MEM - Don't think Denvers there yet.
Fieldsmiths vs Oakland - Fieldsmiths get a solid game to show off what they can do but until proven otherwise they're just another new USAPL team.
Crocs vs Gryphons - Crocs just looked better last season.
SEXY vs Covington - I'm going to go out on a limb and take this as my upset of the week.
Tulsa vs Wala Wala - Wala may want to break open the mini-bar after this trip.
Spoilers vs Mice - Not a trap game for the Mice.
Diggers vs Jokers - A game LV should win hands down.
Warbirds vs Mutants - Interesting match up between 2 new teams that could go either way.
Growl vs Hounds - Another case of too much too handle in this game. Hounds should fare well this season but it won't start here.
Groundhogs vs Bulldogs - Hogs get a chance at showing if they improved or stayed stagnant in this game.
Lions vs Grace - Lions should be making a strong push at a playoff run and if the Grace want to be more than a middle to low ranked team this season showing up this week would be a good sign of things to come.
Affliction vs P Knights - Maybe Philly fills out their roster by week 1 but until then this is ACs game to lose.
Felicus vs Demons - Good test for both teams and who knows how this one goes. I'll go with the Demons for now.
GAME OF THE WEEK
Hedgehogs vs Aggies - Going solely off reputation with this pick buuuuut the Aggies could send out a huge statement with a win here.
why you have to pick Covington for the upset. Good luck to everyone this season.
