Before I go into my farewell spiel, first off congratulations to Deadstrokes on winning Season 5. A nice accomplishment indeed considering the lopsided nature of the divisions this season. And also hats off to Freedom for their efforts, nearly becoming the only team to win back-to-back championships. Also, congratulations to Joe for taking the regular season MVP title this season.
But, I also want to again congratulate all previous winners and MVPs. We've had some great competition here at WSOP, so it didn't come easy to take home any of those titles.
As you may have heard, WSOP has come to an end. I'm sorry if this comes as a disappointment to anyone, but it's time. It has been an awesome experience for me running these 5 Seasons. I've met a lot of new people, played in some exciting matches, and dealt with plenty of headaches while coding up the website.
For those of you that don't know a whole lot about me, read on. For those of you that don't really care, skip to the bottom :) I just turned 23, and I'm at a point in my life where I just don't have the time necessary to run an interleague. I graduated college 6 months ago with a Bachelor's in Computer Science at Cal Poly SLO and it's about time I find myself a job. WSOP has taken up a lot of my focus and attention. So, I hope you can understand that it's time for me to turn the page and move on.
I had a talk a few weeks ago, and this person asked me to hand the interleague over to someone else, to not let WSOP die. I gave it some thought afterwards, and the idea of someone else running this interleague me and James created just wasn't appealing. I would much rather see it come to an end while it's in my hands rather than risking it falling apart in the hands of someone else. I'm not saying no one else would be capable, but I feel like I've done a good job keeping everything updated, reffing as often as I possibly could, all while staying neutral in dealing with the week-to-week issues.
That, and the website code I've done is highly customized and it would take too much effort on my part to try to explain it all to someone else.
As I close the doors on WSOP, I'm asking no one try to start it up again. Please respect what I'm saying and just let it come to a finish. Feel free to start up a new interleague with the same format, just leave W-S-O-P out of it :)
I have plenty of people I want to say thanks to:
- All of my fellow Admins dating back to Season 1 through to today (James, Steve, Andy, Shan, Dina, Steven). I know I took on much of the burden of running this interleague, but it was still good to know I had your support.
- The referees that have volunteered their time through the Seasons. Even if you only did one or you've done many, your help was much appreciated.
- The captains and co-captains of the 20 leagues that have participated. Obviously without the time you put in organizing your teams and making sure players show up week after week, there wouldn't be any leagues competing.
- The players from each and every team that has participated. You all have kept this interleague successfully running at a top level of competition.
- The Predictors (James, Cubby, Brice, Joe) for putting in the effort of giving everyone some interesting material to read.
- And Nigel for supplying high-quality trophies through all 5 Seasons.
I've enjoyed running WSOP as much as I hope you've enjoyed playing in it. Good luck in your games from here on out.
See you around.
- Ben
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Monday, November 28, 2011
Week 7
Before getting into this week's predictions, let's take a look at the Week 6 results:
X8B defeats UO 6-0 (Prediction: 4-3 X8B)
X8B bounces back vs UO with this season's first clean sweep.
SS defeats SPS 5-1 (Prediction: 5-1 SS)
The East proves to be too much for SPS as SS wins this one.
REG defeats DS 4-2 (Prediction: 5-1 DS)
The surprise upset of the week comes with REG beating DS.
SP defeats BNR 5-1 (Prediction: 4-2 SP)
SP powers their way through BNR with a big one-sided win.
FR defeats 8BC 4-2 (Prediction: 4-3 FR)
FR gets the job done with their win against 8BC.
====================
Last week UO went up against X8B and got shutout, 0-6. The match was pretty much one big snowball effect: after the first loss, the losses just kept coming as UO couldn't get anything going for them. Surely UO would have liked to see the match go a different way, to say the least. Considering REG was able to pull off victory, this loss was a big hit to UO's standings as they've dropped down into last place. And they're season is soon to be in jeopardy if they don't figure it out soon. If it went badly against X8B, I can't say I like UO's chances very much at all going against a team from the East.
BNR played SP last week and took a big loss, 1-5. Jordy was able to pick up a win in Game 1, but after that, it was all one-sided, and not in BNR's favor. I'm sure BNR would have liked to make this one closer in hopes to knock down the top-seeded SP. But, it just didn't happen that way. With this loss, BNR falls into a tie for last place with SS. This cross-divisional match couldn't have come at a better time for BNR. A big win here will push them back up the standings as they continue to fight it out for the 3rd place spot. As long as BNR doesn't slip up majorly, they shouldn't have too much difficulty making it through UO.
X8B defeats UO 6-0 (Prediction: 4-3 X8B)
X8B bounces back vs UO with this season's first clean sweep.
SS defeats SPS 5-1 (Prediction: 5-1 SS)
The East proves to be too much for SPS as SS wins this one.
REG defeats DS 4-2 (Prediction: 5-1 DS)
The surprise upset of the week comes with REG beating DS.
SP defeats BNR 5-1 (Prediction: 4-2 SP)
SP powers their way through BNR with a big one-sided win.
FR defeats 8BC 4-2 (Prediction: 4-3 FR)
FR gets the job done with their win against 8BC.
====================
Week 6: Correct (4), Incorrect (1), Exact (1)
Overall: 19/30, 63%
====================Ultimate Outlaws vs Break and Run
Last week UO went up against X8B and got shutout, 0-6. The match was pretty much one big snowball effect: after the first loss, the losses just kept coming as UO couldn't get anything going for them. Surely UO would have liked to see the match go a different way, to say the least. Considering REG was able to pull off victory, this loss was a big hit to UO's standings as they've dropped down into last place. And they're season is soon to be in jeopardy if they don't figure it out soon. If it went badly against X8B, I can't say I like UO's chances very much at all going against a team from the East.
BNR played SP last week and took a big loss, 1-5. Jordy was able to pick up a win in Game 1, but after that, it was all one-sided, and not in BNR's favor. I'm sure BNR would have liked to make this one closer in hopes to knock down the top-seeded SP. But, it just didn't happen that way. With this loss, BNR falls into a tie for last place with SS. This cross-divisional match couldn't have come at a better time for BNR. A big win here will push them back up the standings as they continue to fight it out for the 3rd place spot. As long as BNR doesn't slip up majorly, they shouldn't have too much difficulty making it through UO.
Prediction: 5-1 BNR
Simply Pool Souls vs Regul8ors
Prediction: SPS 4-3
Sexy Poolerz vs Freedom
Prediction: SP 4-3
Deadstrokes vs Xtreme8Ball
Prediction: X8B 4-3
Straightshots vs 8BallCrushers
Prediction: SS 4-2
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Why Was Craig Boxed?
If you haven't checked the Daily Buzz, Craig got boxed for a week with this as an explination: "Learn some respect and restraint before you end up boxed even longer." Clearly that wasn't good enough for him with his post in the shoutbox. So, here's a more longwinded explination which wouldnt fit into the Boxing or the Shout.
To start, what Steven said had nothing to do with your girlfriend at all. You and Kevin were going back and forth with each other, you both got booted, you both were invited back, you asked why the boot, Steven says it was because of the crap you both were causing. And I'm sure you know that, but found it entertaining to blast off about it. Even your captain realized you were joking, but showing immediate disrespect to a ref in any situation is hardly a laughing matter.
And after he explained himself on YIM after you messaged him, hopefully you realize that in no way were his words directed towards your girlfriend, but rather towards the headache you were causing for the ref, the watchers, and the players.
Which takes us to the next point. During Game 6, you and Kevin were both asked numerous times to stop with the chatter on the table. The ref asked you, your captain asked you, and even your own player asked you. Going against the refs request? Fine, it happens. But going against your captain's and your player's request? That's just disrespectful if you ask me.
You are not bigger than the team, Craig, no matter how much you might think otherwise. Your captain might not think much of it, but if you can't even listen to your own teammate asking you to settle down, what good are your problems doing to the team unity? You probably think it's all about the win, and that's fine, but at least show some respect to your team in the process even if it was a Game 6 that didn't affect the outcome.
It's not all about showing your team respect, though. Try showing it to other players on the table as well. Cussing at the ref, telling an Admin to stfu, calling the other team fucking scumbags is way out of line. It doesn't matter if you were "joking", because on the other end, they're not laughing. Do I have screenshots of any of that? Nope. Do I need them? Nope.
So, why did you get boxed you ask? It isn't just what happened at the very end revolving around that misunderstanding involving your girlfried. No, it's an accumulation of everything that I've explained above. You get away with a lot of stuff, Craig. And if you don't realize what you're doing, well the problem starts right there.
At this point, you've probably clicked close or are continuing to roll your eyes. All I'm asking is for you to calm it down. You don't have to completely keep quiet, just don't cause problems with your disrespect.
And why did I put this much effort into explaining the situation? Well, not just for Craig's sake. There are plenty of other people who fall into the same boat. Hopefully as you've read this you'll learn from it. Is it really too much to ask to leave the crap at the door? Show up and play the games without making it into one big clusterfuck. All of that extra stuff pretty much ruins the fun. Don't take the competition for granted. One day you'll regret it, as the headaches will cause an end to even bothering to run the interleague, a day which is soon to come.
Happy Thanksgiving, Happy Holidays, and a Merry Christmas.
To start, what Steven said had nothing to do with your girlfriend at all. You and Kevin were going back and forth with each other, you both got booted, you both were invited back, you asked why the boot, Steven says it was because of the crap you both were causing. And I'm sure you know that, but found it entertaining to blast off about it. Even your captain realized you were joking, but showing immediate disrespect to a ref in any situation is hardly a laughing matter.
And after he explained himself on YIM after you messaged him, hopefully you realize that in no way were his words directed towards your girlfriend, but rather towards the headache you were causing for the ref, the watchers, and the players.
Which takes us to the next point. During Game 6, you and Kevin were both asked numerous times to stop with the chatter on the table. The ref asked you, your captain asked you, and even your own player asked you. Going against the refs request? Fine, it happens. But going against your captain's and your player's request? That's just disrespectful if you ask me.
You are not bigger than the team, Craig, no matter how much you might think otherwise. Your captain might not think much of it, but if you can't even listen to your own teammate asking you to settle down, what good are your problems doing to the team unity? You probably think it's all about the win, and that's fine, but at least show some respect to your team in the process even if it was a Game 6 that didn't affect the outcome.
It's not all about showing your team respect, though. Try showing it to other players on the table as well. Cussing at the ref, telling an Admin to stfu, calling the other team fucking scumbags is way out of line. It doesn't matter if you were "joking", because on the other end, they're not laughing. Do I have screenshots of any of that? Nope. Do I need them? Nope.
So, why did you get boxed you ask? It isn't just what happened at the very end revolving around that misunderstanding involving your girlfried. No, it's an accumulation of everything that I've explained above. You get away with a lot of stuff, Craig. And if you don't realize what you're doing, well the problem starts right there.
At this point, you've probably clicked close or are continuing to roll your eyes. All I'm asking is for you to calm it down. You don't have to completely keep quiet, just don't cause problems with your disrespect.
And why did I put this much effort into explaining the situation? Well, not just for Craig's sake. There are plenty of other people who fall into the same boat. Hopefully as you've read this you'll learn from it. Is it really too much to ask to leave the crap at the door? Show up and play the games without making it into one big clusterfuck. All of that extra stuff pretty much ruins the fun. Don't take the competition for granted. One day you'll regret it, as the headaches will cause an end to even bothering to run the interleague, a day which is soon to come.
Happy Thanksgiving, Happy Holidays, and a Merry Christmas.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Week 6
Here's a recap of the Week 5 games before getting into this week's predictions:
8BC defeats UO 5-1 (Prediction: 4-2 8BC)
The East again wins the weekly cross-divisional match.
DS defeats X8B 5-1 (Prediction: 4-3 X8B)
DS dominates X8B, taking the top spot away from them for now.
FR defeats BNR 4-3 (Prediction: 4-3 BNR)
It was no surprise this came down to Travis vs Daru in Game 7.
SP defeats SS 5-1 (Prediction: 4-2 SP)
SP nearly gets the clean sweep as SS had many falters in this one.
SPS defeats REG 4-3 (Prediction: 4-2 SPS)
SPS dodges disaster as they almost gave REG their first win.
====================
With 5 weeks already in the books, what have we learned from the first half of the season?
Well, we'll start with the East. We can see SP means business. Obviously it was the right decision to switch these guys over during the pre-season; the other teams of the West wouldn't stand much of a chance. With their comfortable 5-0 lead, will anyone be able to keep up and bring them down? The other teams in the division pretty much remain in a deadlock, with SS down in the bottom having a rough time competing with the rest.
Over in the West, it's not quite the same story; at least there's a battle going on for the top spot. X8B feels right at home again with their comeback into interleagues. But, they showed many signs of weakness against their divisional rivals DS, who has also been quite impressive in their own ways - and it shows in the record. And the other teams? Not so impressive. SPS, UO, and REG have fallen and find themselves in the bottom looking up.
All that being said, there's still time to turn things around. I hope you're comfortable because there are no more league switches allowed. Good luck in the final 5 weeks.
Last week X8B went against DS and majorly came up short, losing it 1-5. Right after the first game turned out to be a runbreak again them, X8B surely realized things weren't going to be pretty. Loss after loss kept piling up as shots were missed and DS capitalized. X8B simply got outplayed as they couldn't get anything going. Only positive thing coming from this match was that David was able to salvage one win in the final game. With this loss, they've handed DS the top spot for the time being. X8B will need to regroup and come in wanting the win against UO as they try to keep ugly from turning into uglier.
Just like X8B, UO also picked up a loss last week, and in pretty similar fashion, going 1-5 against 8BC. It was a tough match for UO going against a team from the East, and 8BC proved to be just too strong for UO to do much of anything. Dawn picked up the sole win in Game 3, but other than that, it wasn't pretty. They'll need to figure it out in the second half if they hope to get into the playoffs. They're best chance is for SPS to stumble along the way. One big problem is that nobody is stepping up to shine, yet, so it's pretty much a mess. X8B showed some signs of weakness last week, so I wouldn't be too surprised if UO is able to make this one close.
Last week SS went up against SP, and let's just say it was pretty ugly. They ended up losing 1-5, and just had everything going against them. Scott had an early 8 ball in Game 1 after a perfectly place snook probably would have won it; Pita got ranbroke by Craig in Game 3; another early 8 for Nhan in Game 5; and Shell had an unfortunate scratch in Game 6 which cost her that one. It wasn't all bad news for SS, however. Pretty much everybody on the table, including myself, was surprised so see Ant making a comeback into interleagues. He instantly becomes the one to beat on this SS team as he tries to help turn things around. They're desperate for a win, and SPS gives them a great chance to do just that.
SPS played Regul8ors last week and put themselves in a position they surely didn't want to see themselves in. After Jason won the first game, SPS lost the next 3 and went down 1-3. Now, if they were playing any other team, that 1-3 would likely result in a loss for the entire match. However, REG kept their streak going and showed short-handed again; a relief for SPS as they picked up two more credits and Jason won in the tiebreaker. With this win, SPS now finds themselves in the middle of the pack. As long as they don't screw up royally, they should keep this spot all the way through the remainder of the season. First they take on SS, though, a cross-division match which I'm putting them in as the major major underdogs.
REG went 3-4 last week with SPS. They would have perhaps won it too if they didn't show up shorthanded. That's two weeks in a row now that REG has had a chance to win but ended up losing due to a lack of players. I have't figured out this team yet, if there even is something to figure out. Their wins make it seem like they have what it takes to make a comeback, but I just don't think REG has the depth to pull that off. On a brighter note, Brian has returned from wherever and I'm guessing he'll resume captain duties for the final half. Their chances against DS lies in his hands. If he can pull his guys together and show up with 6, a doubtful upset might be in the making.
Last week DS played X8B and dominated practically the whole match. After their run break in Game 1, the tone was set. Their opponents made a few mistakes and DS capitalized on every opportunity. They came in with guns blazing and that's exactly what they needed to do. After going up 5-0 quickly, they ended up losing the last. But still, this 5-1 victory is exactly what they needed to do to shoot themselves up into first place. Over the past 3 weeks, DS has only lost 3 games. They have certainly turned up the heat as they're emerging as favorites to win the division. As long as DS doesn't take this match easily, REG shouldn't cause many problems for them.
Last week SP had a really fortunate showing with SS. They ended up winning 5-1, but besides Craig's run break, SS did all the hard work for them practically. With two early 8's and near-end scratch going in their favor, it was more bad luck for their opponent's then good luck for them. Anyways, a win is a win however you luck at it, and it was a win which pushed them even further in the lead. SP faces up against BNR this week, again. They won it 4-2 the first time around, and if SP's best show up in top form, I don't see why they can't repeat that Week 1 victory again tonight.
BNR faced off against FR last week and it wasn't so pretty. It was split after two games, lost the third and then picked up 2 wins going up 3-2. They looked to have it won in Game 6 quite easily, but with a missed fairly routine top middle shot right before the 8 ball, the match was dragged into a Game 7. It was Travis and Daru as expected, but Daru couldn't close it out this time around. Tough pill to swallow when they had the win in hand. If BNR can win this tonight with SP, they'll have a sure-win against UO. So if they want to get back in the hunt, now is the time to make their move.
Last week 8BC played UO and won it 5-1 without much of a misstep. After the score went 1-1, they picked up the rest of the games. 8BC has turned out to be the pleasant surprise in this division as they're doing very well to keep up with the bigger-named teams. They have 4-straight divisional games in line, so they're going to need to make sure to stay on top of their games before they slip down the standings. Niks has become the new captain as he replaces JJ's spot. I'm sure he'll give it his all to keep his team in playoff contention. They lost vs FR 4-3 back in Week 1, but maybe things will be different this time around.
FR played BNR last week and ended up winning 4-3. It was Travis who saved the day yet again in Game 7, beating out Daru. But, I'm sure they're secretively thanking BNR for faltering back in Game 6 which opened the door for a second opportunity for Travis as he had it lost in that game versus Ross. This tiebreaker match with BNR is FR's fourth for the season. Surely Petey would prefer not to stress himself out like that, but what can you do? With Matt in the box for non-reports, hopefully someone shows up to fill his spot, or else this match with 8BC could very easily be lost.
8BC defeats UO 5-1 (Prediction: 4-2 8BC)
The East again wins the weekly cross-divisional match.
DS defeats X8B 5-1 (Prediction: 4-3 X8B)
DS dominates X8B, taking the top spot away from them for now.
FR defeats BNR 4-3 (Prediction: 4-3 BNR)
It was no surprise this came down to Travis vs Daru in Game 7.
SP defeats SS 5-1 (Prediction: 4-2 SP)
SP nearly gets the clean sweep as SS had many falters in this one.
SPS defeats REG 4-3 (Prediction: 4-2 SPS)
SPS dodges disaster as they almost gave REG their first win.
====================
Week 5: Correct (3), Incorrect (2), Exact (0)
Overall: 15/25, 60%
====================With 5 weeks already in the books, what have we learned from the first half of the season?
Well, we'll start with the East. We can see SP means business. Obviously it was the right decision to switch these guys over during the pre-season; the other teams of the West wouldn't stand much of a chance. With their comfortable 5-0 lead, will anyone be able to keep up and bring them down? The other teams in the division pretty much remain in a deadlock, with SS down in the bottom having a rough time competing with the rest.
Over in the West, it's not quite the same story; at least there's a battle going on for the top spot. X8B feels right at home again with their comeback into interleagues. But, they showed many signs of weakness against their divisional rivals DS, who has also been quite impressive in their own ways - and it shows in the record. And the other teams? Not so impressive. SPS, UO, and REG have fallen and find themselves in the bottom looking up.
All that being said, there's still time to turn things around. I hope you're comfortable because there are no more league switches allowed. Good luck in the final 5 weeks.
Xtreme8Ball vs Ultimate Outlaws
Last week X8B went against DS and majorly came up short, losing it 1-5. Right after the first game turned out to be a runbreak again them, X8B surely realized things weren't going to be pretty. Loss after loss kept piling up as shots were missed and DS capitalized. X8B simply got outplayed as they couldn't get anything going. Only positive thing coming from this match was that David was able to salvage one win in the final game. With this loss, they've handed DS the top spot for the time being. X8B will need to regroup and come in wanting the win against UO as they try to keep ugly from turning into uglier.
Just like X8B, UO also picked up a loss last week, and in pretty similar fashion, going 1-5 against 8BC. It was a tough match for UO going against a team from the East, and 8BC proved to be just too strong for UO to do much of anything. Dawn picked up the sole win in Game 3, but other than that, it wasn't pretty. They'll need to figure it out in the second half if they hope to get into the playoffs. They're best chance is for SPS to stumble along the way. One big problem is that nobody is stepping up to shine, yet, so it's pretty much a mess. X8B showed some signs of weakness last week, so I wouldn't be too surprised if UO is able to make this one close.
Prediction: 4-3 X8B
Simply Pool Souls vs Straightshots
Last week SS went up against SP, and let's just say it was pretty ugly. They ended up losing 1-5, and just had everything going against them. Scott had an early 8 ball in Game 1 after a perfectly place snook probably would have won it; Pita got ranbroke by Craig in Game 3; another early 8 for Nhan in Game 5; and Shell had an unfortunate scratch in Game 6 which cost her that one. It wasn't all bad news for SS, however. Pretty much everybody on the table, including myself, was surprised so see Ant making a comeback into interleagues. He instantly becomes the one to beat on this SS team as he tries to help turn things around. They're desperate for a win, and SPS gives them a great chance to do just that.
SPS played Regul8ors last week and put themselves in a position they surely didn't want to see themselves in. After Jason won the first game, SPS lost the next 3 and went down 1-3. Now, if they were playing any other team, that 1-3 would likely result in a loss for the entire match. However, REG kept their streak going and showed short-handed again; a relief for SPS as they picked up two more credits and Jason won in the tiebreaker. With this win, SPS now finds themselves in the middle of the pack. As long as they don't screw up royally, they should keep this spot all the way through the remainder of the season. First they take on SS, though, a cross-division match which I'm putting them in as the major major underdogs.
Prediction: 4-2 SS
Regul8ors vs Deadstrokes
REG went 3-4 last week with SPS. They would have perhaps won it too if they didn't show up shorthanded. That's two weeks in a row now that REG has had a chance to win but ended up losing due to a lack of players. I have't figured out this team yet, if there even is something to figure out. Their wins make it seem like they have what it takes to make a comeback, but I just don't think REG has the depth to pull that off. On a brighter note, Brian has returned from wherever and I'm guessing he'll resume captain duties for the final half. Their chances against DS lies in his hands. If he can pull his guys together and show up with 6, a doubtful upset might be in the making.
Last week DS played X8B and dominated practically the whole match. After their run break in Game 1, the tone was set. Their opponents made a few mistakes and DS capitalized on every opportunity. They came in with guns blazing and that's exactly what they needed to do. After going up 5-0 quickly, they ended up losing the last. But still, this 5-1 victory is exactly what they needed to do to shoot themselves up into first place. Over the past 3 weeks, DS has only lost 3 games. They have certainly turned up the heat as they're emerging as favorites to win the division. As long as DS doesn't take this match easily, REG shouldn't cause many problems for them.
Prediction: 5-1 DS
Sexy Poolerz vs Break and Run
Last week SP had a really fortunate showing with SS. They ended up winning 5-1, but besides Craig's run break, SS did all the hard work for them practically. With two early 8's and near-end scratch going in their favor, it was more bad luck for their opponent's then good luck for them. Anyways, a win is a win however you luck at it, and it was a win which pushed them even further in the lead. SP faces up against BNR this week, again. They won it 4-2 the first time around, and if SP's best show up in top form, I don't see why they can't repeat that Week 1 victory again tonight.
BNR faced off against FR last week and it wasn't so pretty. It was split after two games, lost the third and then picked up 2 wins going up 3-2. They looked to have it won in Game 6 quite easily, but with a missed fairly routine top middle shot right before the 8 ball, the match was dragged into a Game 7. It was Travis and Daru as expected, but Daru couldn't close it out this time around. Tough pill to swallow when they had the win in hand. If BNR can win this tonight with SP, they'll have a sure-win against UO. So if they want to get back in the hunt, now is the time to make their move.
Prediction: 4-2 SP
8BallCrushers vs Freedom
Last week 8BC played UO and won it 5-1 without much of a misstep. After the score went 1-1, they picked up the rest of the games. 8BC has turned out to be the pleasant surprise in this division as they're doing very well to keep up with the bigger-named teams. They have 4-straight divisional games in line, so they're going to need to make sure to stay on top of their games before they slip down the standings. Niks has become the new captain as he replaces JJ's spot. I'm sure he'll give it his all to keep his team in playoff contention. They lost vs FR 4-3 back in Week 1, but maybe things will be different this time around.
FR played BNR last week and ended up winning 4-3. It was Travis who saved the day yet again in Game 7, beating out Daru. But, I'm sure they're secretively thanking BNR for faltering back in Game 6 which opened the door for a second opportunity for Travis as he had it lost in that game versus Ross. This tiebreaker match with BNR is FR's fourth for the season. Surely Petey would prefer not to stress himself out like that, but what can you do? With Matt in the box for non-reports, hopefully someone shows up to fill his spot, or else this match with 8BC could very easily be lost.
Prediction: 4-3 FR
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Week 5
Minus the Monday night game, no big surprises for Week 4 (tack on more incorrect predictions for me, though). Here's how it all played out.
X8B defeats FR 4-3 (Prediction: 4-3 FR)
The X8B boys make me proud as they take out the defending champions.
SP defeats 8BC 4-2 (Prediction: 4-3 8BC)
SP proves they're a force to be reckoned with as they beat 8BC.
UO defeats REG 4-3 (Prediction: 4-2 UO)
UO barely sneaks out of this one as they win versus REG by default.
BNR defeats SS 4-3 (Prediction: 4-2 BNR)
BNR takes care of business in a close one against SS.
DS defeats SPS 4-2 (Prediction: 4-3 SPS)
DS shows up big and muscles their way through SPS in their own home.
====================
Looking at the Eastern standings, SP is still comfortably locked into first place with their 2-game lead. However, beyond that it's a deadlock for 2nd place with three teams with identical records. I'm expecting to see a little more separation in the upcoming weeks, though.
Over in the West it's not quite as even. X8B and DS have pulled away from the pack as they're looking like clear favorites to lock in a playoff spot. I imagine SPS and UO will be battling it out for the third place seed all the way throughout the season.
As we approach the midway point, it's time to really start evaluating your team's playoff hopes. Learn from the beginning half and improve on it. The season is far from over, so good luck.
Remember: No more league switches after this week
This week's cross-division match looks to again have the East as favorites over the West.
8BC took a loss against SP last week, 2-4. I had them predicted to win, but their opponent's showed up very strong and they got overpowered. It was one of the longest matches for WSOP so far, nearly hitting the 3-hour mark. There was plenty of chaos, particularly during Game 2 with some delayed game play. And if it wasn't for a missed 8 ball during that game, 8BC would have at least had a better chance to bring it to the tiebreaker. They were without their star player JJ and Raj got ran on by Cubby. Either way, they should have it easier tonight against a much softer UO team.
UO also had a slightly chaotic match last week going against REG. I wasn't there, but just looking at the match report, it was surely a mess. If I'm deciphering it correctly, UO went down 0-4 right out of the gates. However, a DQ saved them and received some free wins via credits since their opponents showed up shorthanded. With the score 3-3, UO then had it lost in the tiebreaker, but ended up winning after a tape timer ran out... got all that? Yeah, me neither. If UO struggled to pick up legit wins against REG, I have little hopes for them being able to get much of anything going against 8BC.
The top two teams in the West battle it out here.
X8B went all the way with FR last week. The match literally went back-and-forth: X8B wins, FR wins, X8B wins, FR wins, etc etc, until David sealed the deal for X8B with a win in the Game 7 tiebreaker. I wasn't there so I can't exactly speculate what went right for us and what went wrong for them, but a nice win for X8B to beat an Eastern team in the cross-division match. This match against DS does look easier on paper, but by no means can X8B come in with that mindset. They remain in the top spot for now, but DS is keeping it close.
Last week DS didn't have much of a problem taking out their opponents in SPS. They went up quickly 3-0, lost to SPS's best player Joe, and Jake clinched it in Game 5. This win for DS gives them a comfortable two-game lead over the 3rd place teams. However, surely they're not looking below themselves. The #1 seed is what they're hunting for and tonight gives them a good opportunity to snatch it. X8B should be a bigger hurdle to get over than SPS was, but if DS comes with their A games, they just might be able to pull it off.
Weeeeeeee running out of time, 20 min to go before match let's see if I can ramble together a post here.
BNR won last week versus SS. Good job to Daru on doing what he does by clinching the Game 7. Um, what else.. guess that's it. Good luck against FR, you'll need it if they bring a stacked team like they have the potential to.
FR lost to X8B lost week. Upset city. They'll need to play better to make it through BNR. Simple as that. It looks like a few of them are changing ID's to match Nish's pro. prefix... yeah find me any other post that has ever used "prefix" in it before. Go get 'em tigers, rawr.
The bottom of the East will try to knockdown the top-seeded team.
SS got their third straight loss against BNR last week. They came close, but just couldn't get the job done in Game 7. Sitting at 1-3, SS is clearly in the bottom of the division as they're struggling to get anything going. Looking at their roster, nobody stands out as they've all had below par seasons thus far. SS certainly needs to turn things around if they have any hopes of claiming a playoff spot. They ought to have some sort of urgency tonight. If they some how make it out with a win tonight, they'll have a soft match with SPS next week which will put them right back in the race. But like I said, they need to make it though SP first, a feat which won't be easy.
Last week SP picked up yet another win, 4-2 against 8BC. It was a pretty long match, hitting over the 2-hour mark. But, SP stuck it out and won in the end. Just looking at who showed up on this night, I've certainly under estimated their potential to go the distance. SP has turned into a bit of a recruitment agency with not only the few PFN members we've seen, but now Craig from SS and Kevin coming back from no where... these guys are seriously deep with talent as any player can win in any game. This depth of skill gives them the edge over a SS team which seems to be struggling to keep up.
Two teams looking to hopefully improve on their slow starts.
Last week REG had a wild match against UO, and they nearly won it too. However, due to some DQs, they ended up losing 3-4 when technically they didn't lose a game. Because they were able to put up some wins, it gives me hope that perhaps there's some sort of talent hidden in there. But, showing up short-handed won't get the job done - better than not showing up at all, though. I'm sure Spunky did all he could in that short period of time to get people together. I'd like to think they'll have a better turn out tonight, but probably coming up short as their losses continue to pile on.
SPS took another loss last week, this time at the hands of DS. I thought they had a better chance of winning that match, but DS proved to be too strong for them. With that loss, SPS finds themselves secured in the 3rd-place. Luckily for the, UO and REG aren't major threats for them to lose that spot. However, if they won't to move up in the ranks, the whole team needs to play better. Really simple as that. Joe is doing best so far with his 3-1 and a clinch, but no one else is above 50%. Tonight will be a good opportunity against REG for the players to pick up some wins and gain some momentum for the second half.
X8B defeats FR 4-3 (Prediction: 4-3 FR)
The X8B boys make me proud as they take out the defending champions.
SP defeats 8BC 4-2 (Prediction: 4-3 8BC)
SP proves they're a force to be reckoned with as they beat 8BC.
UO defeats REG 4-3 (Prediction: 4-2 UO)
UO barely sneaks out of this one as they win versus REG by default.
BNR defeats SS 4-3 (Prediction: 4-2 BNR)
BNR takes care of business in a close one against SS.
DS defeats SPS 4-2 (Prediction: 4-3 SPS)
DS shows up big and muscles their way through SPS in their own home.
====================
Week 4: Correct (2), Incorrect (3), Exact (0)
Overall: 12/20, 60%
====================Looking at the Eastern standings, SP is still comfortably locked into first place with their 2-game lead. However, beyond that it's a deadlock for 2nd place with three teams with identical records. I'm expecting to see a little more separation in the upcoming weeks, though.
Over in the West it's not quite as even. X8B and DS have pulled away from the pack as they're looking like clear favorites to lock in a playoff spot. I imagine SPS and UO will be battling it out for the third place seed all the way throughout the season.
As we approach the midway point, it's time to really start evaluating your team's playoff hopes. Learn from the beginning half and improve on it. The season is far from over, so good luck.
Remember: No more league switches after this week
8BallCrushers vs Ultimate Outlaws
This week's cross-division match looks to again have the East as favorites over the West.
8BC took a loss against SP last week, 2-4. I had them predicted to win, but their opponent's showed up very strong and they got overpowered. It was one of the longest matches for WSOP so far, nearly hitting the 3-hour mark. There was plenty of chaos, particularly during Game 2 with some delayed game play. And if it wasn't for a missed 8 ball during that game, 8BC would have at least had a better chance to bring it to the tiebreaker. They were without their star player JJ and Raj got ran on by Cubby. Either way, they should have it easier tonight against a much softer UO team.
UO also had a slightly chaotic match last week going against REG. I wasn't there, but just looking at the match report, it was surely a mess. If I'm deciphering it correctly, UO went down 0-4 right out of the gates. However, a DQ saved them and received some free wins via credits since their opponents showed up shorthanded. With the score 3-3, UO then had it lost in the tiebreaker, but ended up winning after a tape timer ran out... got all that? Yeah, me neither. If UO struggled to pick up legit wins against REG, I have little hopes for them being able to get much of anything going against 8BC.
Prediction: 4-2 8BC
Xtreme8Ball vs Deadstrokes
The top two teams in the West battle it out here.
X8B went all the way with FR last week. The match literally went back-and-forth: X8B wins, FR wins, X8B wins, FR wins, etc etc, until David sealed the deal for X8B with a win in the Game 7 tiebreaker. I wasn't there so I can't exactly speculate what went right for us and what went wrong for them, but a nice win for X8B to beat an Eastern team in the cross-division match. This match against DS does look easier on paper, but by no means can X8B come in with that mindset. They remain in the top spot for now, but DS is keeping it close.
Last week DS didn't have much of a problem taking out their opponents in SPS. They went up quickly 3-0, lost to SPS's best player Joe, and Jake clinched it in Game 5. This win for DS gives them a comfortable two-game lead over the 3rd place teams. However, surely they're not looking below themselves. The #1 seed is what they're hunting for and tonight gives them a good opportunity to snatch it. X8B should be a bigger hurdle to get over than SPS was, but if DS comes with their A games, they just might be able to pull it off.
Prediction: 4-3 X8B
Break and Run vs Freedom
Weeeeeeee running out of time, 20 min to go before match let's see if I can ramble together a post here.
BNR won last week versus SS. Good job to Daru on doing what he does by clinching the Game 7. Um, what else.. guess that's it. Good luck against FR, you'll need it if they bring a stacked team like they have the potential to.
FR lost to X8B lost week. Upset city. They'll need to play better to make it through BNR. Simple as that. It looks like a few of them are changing ID's to match Nish's pro. prefix... yeah find me any other post that has ever used "prefix" in it before. Go get 'em tigers, rawr.
Prediction: 4-3 BNR
Straightshots vs Sexy Poolerz
The bottom of the East will try to knockdown the top-seeded team.
SS got their third straight loss against BNR last week. They came close, but just couldn't get the job done in Game 7. Sitting at 1-3, SS is clearly in the bottom of the division as they're struggling to get anything going. Looking at their roster, nobody stands out as they've all had below par seasons thus far. SS certainly needs to turn things around if they have any hopes of claiming a playoff spot. They ought to have some sort of urgency tonight. If they some how make it out with a win tonight, they'll have a soft match with SPS next week which will put them right back in the race. But like I said, they need to make it though SP first, a feat which won't be easy.
Last week SP picked up yet another win, 4-2 against 8BC. It was a pretty long match, hitting over the 2-hour mark. But, SP stuck it out and won in the end. Just looking at who showed up on this night, I've certainly under estimated their potential to go the distance. SP has turned into a bit of a recruitment agency with not only the few PFN members we've seen, but now Craig from SS and Kevin coming back from no where... these guys are seriously deep with talent as any player can win in any game. This depth of skill gives them the edge over a SS team which seems to be struggling to keep up.
Prediction: SP 4-2
Regul8ors vs Simply Pool Souls
Two teams looking to hopefully improve on their slow starts.
Last week REG had a wild match against UO, and they nearly won it too. However, due to some DQs, they ended up losing 3-4 when technically they didn't lose a game. Because they were able to put up some wins, it gives me hope that perhaps there's some sort of talent hidden in there. But, showing up short-handed won't get the job done - better than not showing up at all, though. I'm sure Spunky did all he could in that short period of time to get people together. I'd like to think they'll have a better turn out tonight, but probably coming up short as their losses continue to pile on.
SPS took another loss last week, this time at the hands of DS. I thought they had a better chance of winning that match, but DS proved to be too strong for them. With that loss, SPS finds themselves secured in the 3rd-place. Luckily for the, UO and REG aren't major threats for them to lose that spot. However, if they won't to move up in the ranks, the whole team needs to play better. Really simple as that. Joe is doing best so far with his 3-1 and a clinch, but no one else is above 50%. Tonight will be a good opportunity against REG for the players to pick up some wins and gain some momentum for the second half.
Prediction: 4-2 SPS
Monday, November 7, 2011
Week 4
One upset, two near blowouts, a no show, a match which should have been lost, and a partridge in a pear tree. Here's a recap for the matches of Week 3:
8BC defeats BNR 4-3 (Prediction: BNR 4-3)
8BC picks up the tiebreaker victory in an upset over BNR.
DS defeats UO 5-1 (Prediction: DS 4-2)
DS clearly was firing on all cylinders as UO takes a big loss.
SP defeats REG 6-0 (Prediction: SP 6-0)
Another no show from REG gives SP a bigger lead in the East.
FR defeats SS 4-2 (Prediction: SS 4-2)
Tough loss for SS considering FR only showed with 4.
X8B defeats SPS 5-1 (Prediction: X8B 4-2)
X8B nearly gets the sweep, but SPS stopped that in Game 6.
====================
SP and X8B still find themselves undefeated after 3 weeks and on top of their divisions. Both teams drew tough match-ups this week, however, as the rest try to play catch up.
Season 4 champions taking on the new guys. Will talent or beginner's luck prevail?
For this week's FR shpiel, let me start with an excerpt from the previous: "Showing up with 5 won't get the job done, or will it?" Well, Petey took it a step further against SS and one-upped me and got the job done with only 4 players this time. Adam and Matt both won, Nish picked up a DQ, and Petey clinched. A win's a win, but surely Petey must realize playoff chances are slim with a short lineup. He knows what X8B is capable of with fellow Fringles on the X8B team in myself and Trey. But if he isn't careful, the not-so-well-known guys could take him by surprise.
Last week X8B had a big win over what was expected to be their biggest division competition in SPS. But, X8B came out firing and didn't let SPS gain an inch all the way through as X8B went up 5-0 and eventually lost in Game 6. Trey kept his perfect record in tact going to 3-0, but it was the other guys who stepped up. David (ffgamer86) had a clean run after his opponent's break and looks to be one of the breakout guys for the team. Gino and Paul (wild) each won, and Faraz picked up the clinch... as you all say, "Who?" These guys haven't played against a high caliber team like FR yet, so let's see how they do.
Free pass for SP last week as their opponents pulled a no-show. It wouldn't have been out of the question for them to shutout REG. If both teams did show, I had confidence in SP that they would come out of it without a scratch. Well anyways, hopefully the team is well-rested because SP has a much more challenging match-up with 8BC today. If Brice is able to get his star players to show, this will be quite a match. They have the division lead for now, but 8BC is right on their heels. SP will need to do all they can to keep a comfortable lead in tact.
Last week 8BC had the upset of the week over BNR. They had to hold their breath for a bit as it came down to Game 7, but in the end, Raj (indian4life247) got the job done over Jordy. This win just shows everybody that 8BC has the goods to compete with the big boys. Now coming in with a two-game streak, they must be filled with confidence. I'll be expecting a bit of the same with JJ trying to keep his unbeaten record and Lost and Raj coming off 2-0 records. SP isn't going to just roll over, so 8BC will need to give it all they have to stay in it until the end.
Two teams at 0-3 here, who's going to get their first win?
I missed writing the UO prediction 2 weeks in a row now. Not intentional, but got it in this time. They played DS last week and got beat. Beat pretty badly, 1-5. It's hard to get anything positive from that, but it's important for these guys to stick it out together and just keep going. I expect they'll pull out a win tonight versus REG and not just because there's a chance REG no shows. I believe they're the more talented team and hopefully that shows tonight. It hasn't been pretty so far, but perhaps UO will turn it around here.
Back-to-back no shows for REG. Not such a great sign considering the captain was pretty excited to get going once his team joined. Well, that captain Brian has disappeared and left his team stranded. I found out last week that's the reason for the no shows: captain issues. I talked it over with one of the players and suggested he take over as captain and lead the team back into the picture. I have my doubt of this working out, but we'll just have to keep our fingers crossed and wait to see what happens. UO will be the most equally matched opponent for them.
A battle to stay out of the bottom of the East.
Last week BNR took a loss against 8BC. Croz started the team off in the hole, but Ross, Jordy, Daru cleaned up and got the team in a nice position to win at 3-1. Here was their downfall, however. BNR doesn't have much more depth to close it out after those 4 have played. I predicted it to go into Game 7, so not really surprised there. But unfortunately for them, Jordy couldn't get the job done in the tiebreaker. They'll need to regroup and hope for a better outcome against SS. If they can win tonight, BNR will be right there tied for 2nd place.
SS had a headache of a match with FR last week. It started off ugly and finished off uglier. Game 1 they lose, Game 2 they lose, Game 3 results in a DQ because the league ID and WSOP ID didn't match, and Game 4 they lose. And the worst part about it... FR only had 4 players. They only needed to win once of those first 4 and it would have been instant tiebreaker possibility at the least. After 3 weeks, SS finds themselves last place in the East. They lost Craig to SP which is kind of a big hit in my opinion. Let's see how they handle BNR in hopes of a recovery.
Two teams stuck in the middle of the East. Will DS add to their lead or will SPS tie things up at 2nd place?
Last week SPS got beat pretty badly against X8B. They pretty much got outplayed from start to nearly finish until Becky picked up a 6th game win putting the score at 1-5. Surely not what the team would have liked to see going against the 1st place team, but they just need to clean up the wounds and keep on truckin'. This week should be a little easier against DS, but surely won't be a walk in the park. Look for Jason and Joe to come in confident to boost up team spirits as SPS tries to keep up and not fall further behind in the standings.
After their free pass back in Week 2 against REG, DS played a near-perfect game with UO, winning it 5-1. These two big wins have rocketed them up to 2nd place after losing in Week 1. It played out pretty much in reverse of how SPS lost. DS lost Game 1, but bounced back nicely as the team swept the rest. DS isn't the strongest team, but they certainly have the goods to make this one close with SPS. They have a comfortable lead in 2nd place for now. If they lose, SPS will tie it up with them. DS'll need to keep their eyes looking upwards before X8B pulls out of sight.
8BC defeats BNR 4-3 (Prediction: BNR 4-3)
8BC picks up the tiebreaker victory in an upset over BNR.
DS defeats UO 5-1 (Prediction: DS 4-2)
DS clearly was firing on all cylinders as UO takes a big loss.
SP defeats REG 6-0 (Prediction: SP 6-0)
Another no show from REG gives SP a bigger lead in the East.
FR defeats SS 4-2 (Prediction: SS 4-2)
Tough loss for SS considering FR only showed with 4.
X8B defeats SPS 5-1 (Prediction: X8B 4-2)
X8B nearly gets the sweep, but SPS stopped that in Game 6.
====================
Week 3: Correct (3), Incorrect (2), Exact (1)
Overall: 10/15, 67%
====================SP and X8B still find themselves undefeated after 3 weeks and on top of their divisions. Both teams drew tough match-ups this week, however, as the rest try to play catch up.
Freedom vs Xtreme8Ball
Season 4 champions taking on the new guys. Will talent or beginner's luck prevail?
For this week's FR shpiel, let me start with an excerpt from the previous: "Showing up with 5 won't get the job done, or will it?" Well, Petey took it a step further against SS and one-upped me and got the job done with only 4 players this time. Adam and Matt both won, Nish picked up a DQ, and Petey clinched. A win's a win, but surely Petey must realize playoff chances are slim with a short lineup. He knows what X8B is capable of with fellow Fringles on the X8B team in myself and Trey. But if he isn't careful, the not-so-well-known guys could take him by surprise.
Last week X8B had a big win over what was expected to be their biggest division competition in SPS. But, X8B came out firing and didn't let SPS gain an inch all the way through as X8B went up 5-0 and eventually lost in Game 6. Trey kept his perfect record in tact going to 3-0, but it was the other guys who stepped up. David (ffgamer86) had a clean run after his opponent's break and looks to be one of the breakout guys for the team. Gino and Paul (wild) each won, and Faraz picked up the clinch... as you all say, "Who?" These guys haven't played against a high caliber team like FR yet, so let's see how they do.
Prediction: 4-3 FR
Sexy Poolerz vs 8BallCrushers
Free pass for SP last week as their opponents pulled a no-show. It wouldn't have been out of the question for them to shutout REG. If both teams did show, I had confidence in SP that they would come out of it without a scratch. Well anyways, hopefully the team is well-rested because SP has a much more challenging match-up with 8BC today. If Brice is able to get his star players to show, this will be quite a match. They have the division lead for now, but 8BC is right on their heels. SP will need to do all they can to keep a comfortable lead in tact.
Last week 8BC had the upset of the week over BNR. They had to hold their breath for a bit as it came down to Game 7, but in the end, Raj (indian4life247) got the job done over Jordy. This win just shows everybody that 8BC has the goods to compete with the big boys. Now coming in with a two-game streak, they must be filled with confidence. I'll be expecting a bit of the same with JJ trying to keep his unbeaten record and Lost and Raj coming off 2-0 records. SP isn't going to just roll over, so 8BC will need to give it all they have to stay in it until the end.
Prediction: 4-3 8BC
Ultimate Outlaws vs Regul8ors
Two teams at 0-3 here, who's going to get their first win?
I missed writing the UO prediction 2 weeks in a row now. Not intentional, but got it in this time. They played DS last week and got beat. Beat pretty badly, 1-5. It's hard to get anything positive from that, but it's important for these guys to stick it out together and just keep going. I expect they'll pull out a win tonight versus REG and not just because there's a chance REG no shows. I believe they're the more talented team and hopefully that shows tonight. It hasn't been pretty so far, but perhaps UO will turn it around here.
Back-to-back no shows for REG. Not such a great sign considering the captain was pretty excited to get going once his team joined. Well, that captain Brian has disappeared and left his team stranded. I found out last week that's the reason for the no shows: captain issues. I talked it over with one of the players and suggested he take over as captain and lead the team back into the picture. I have my doubt of this working out, but we'll just have to keep our fingers crossed and wait to see what happens. UO will be the most equally matched opponent for them.
Prediction: 4-2 UO
Break and Run vs Straightshots
A battle to stay out of the bottom of the East.
Last week BNR took a loss against 8BC. Croz started the team off in the hole, but Ross, Jordy, Daru cleaned up and got the team in a nice position to win at 3-1. Here was their downfall, however. BNR doesn't have much more depth to close it out after those 4 have played. I predicted it to go into Game 7, so not really surprised there. But unfortunately for them, Jordy couldn't get the job done in the tiebreaker. They'll need to regroup and hope for a better outcome against SS. If they can win tonight, BNR will be right there tied for 2nd place.
SS had a headache of a match with FR last week. It started off ugly and finished off uglier. Game 1 they lose, Game 2 they lose, Game 3 results in a DQ because the league ID and WSOP ID didn't match, and Game 4 they lose. And the worst part about it... FR only had 4 players. They only needed to win once of those first 4 and it would have been instant tiebreaker possibility at the least. After 3 weeks, SS finds themselves last place in the East. They lost Craig to SP which is kind of a big hit in my opinion. Let's see how they handle BNR in hopes of a recovery.
Prediction: 4-2 BNR
Simply Pool Souls vs Deadstrokes
Two teams stuck in the middle of the East. Will DS add to their lead or will SPS tie things up at 2nd place?
Last week SPS got beat pretty badly against X8B. They pretty much got outplayed from start to nearly finish until Becky picked up a 6th game win putting the score at 1-5. Surely not what the team would have liked to see going against the 1st place team, but they just need to clean up the wounds and keep on truckin'. This week should be a little easier against DS, but surely won't be a walk in the park. Look for Jason and Joe to come in confident to boost up team spirits as SPS tries to keep up and not fall further behind in the standings.
After their free pass back in Week 2 against REG, DS played a near-perfect game with UO, winning it 5-1. These two big wins have rocketed them up to 2nd place after losing in Week 1. It played out pretty much in reverse of how SPS lost. DS lost Game 1, but bounced back nicely as the team swept the rest. DS isn't the strongest team, but they certainly have the goods to make this one close with SPS. They have a comfortable lead in 2nd place for now. If they lose, SPS will tie it up with them. DS'll need to keep their eyes looking upwards before X8B pulls out of sight.
Prediction: 4-3 SPS
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Week 3
Week 2 started off rather blazay, but things got a bit more interesting towards the close of the week. Here's how the matches played out:
X8B defeats UO 4-2 (Predicted: n/a)
Newcomers X8B claim the 2-0 start as they beat UO.
DS defeats REG 6-0 (Predicted: 4-2 DS)
DS got to enjoy a free win versus a non-showing REG.
BNR defeats SPS 5-1 (Predicted: 4-2 BNR)
The bigger team flexed their muscles as BNR nearly shutout SPS.
SP defeats FR 4-3 (Predicted: 4-3 SP)
SP pulls off the comeback win in a wild match with FR.
8BC defeats SS 5-1 (Predicted: n/a)
8BC shows up strong at home against their last season rivals SS.
====================
As the start of Week 3 approaches, it's too soon to make out the clear divisional breakaway candidates. Though two weeks, however, SP and X8B lead their respective divisions with loss-free records. But, there is still plenty of time for the other teams to make up lost ground. Good luck.
#2 and #3 in the East face off here, and based on the start of the season, this one could be very close.
Last week (or rather yesterday) 8BC played SS. Most would think SS would have the upper hand in that one just through their experience. And, well, those most people would be wrong. 8BC nearly had a clean sweep against SS in that match, winning it 5-1 (and their one loss coming off a double DQ situation). Perhaps they just had a lot of luck on their side, but this big win surely boosts their confidence up quite a bit, a boost they will greatly need to ride going against BNR. If 8BC plays at their best, I don't see why they can't sneak away with another victory.
BNR played SPS last week and beat them badly with little surprise 5-1. Their one loss came in Game 1 as Croz messed up more than once, as I was told. Obviously that didn't effect the rest of the team, as Ross, Mina, Jordy, Daru, and Lisa all closed it out for the win. It was an expected easy win for them, but it gets a little tougher against 8BC. Dina and her crew shouldn't under estimate these guys. 8BC does have some hidden gems in the mix, but as long as BNR's best shows up in top form, they should be able to get the job done in what should be a close match.
[Yet another game prediction missed, someone should fire me]
Top of the East versus bottom of the West. This could get ugly.
Last week SP had a bizarre match with FR. First, there was a mix up with the start time: FR thought 7pm, but SP followed 6pm. Brice allowed an extension so FR could get players eligible. 3 games in, FR had the clear lead at 3-0 and FR even offered a Re-Rack. SP stayed alive with a DQ in Game 4, got a free win in Game 6, and Cubby closed it out in overtime. Not exactly a sound win, but a win regardless. Brice is steadily building up a deep talented roster. They'll have a much easier time in this Cross-Division match going against REG, a team which didn't even show up last week.
Considering REG didn't show in their match with DS last week, I don't have much to say. But, let's see if I can squeeze out some sort of shpiel anyways. I'm not exactly sure what happened, but seems like the captain simply forgot about the match or simply forgot to tell his players to cover it. Either way, the 0-6 never helps and now they find themselves at the bottom of the division and going against their toughest opponent yet by far. Even if REG does show up with a full team, I can't say I like their chances here at all. Keep your fingers cross and hope for the best.
These two teams here are virtually tied for the bottom spot in the East.
SS faced off against 8BC at the start of this week and lost it badly, 1-5, and their one win came off of a DQ. I wasn't at the match, so I can't exactly speculate what went wrong for SS, but I didn't expect that big of a defeat at all. Either they got outplayed or just sheer bad luck, whatever it was, they need to regroup, and quickly. It'll be tough to bounce back going against FR if FR does show up with a full lineup of the usual. However, I expect SS to produce while they try their best to stay out of the bottom of the division.
Last week FR lost against SP and a loss which surely didn't settle well with them. They went up 3-0, DQ'd in Game 4, loss Game 5, threw away the 6th game with no player, and ended up losing the tiebreaker. Ugly. Brutal. Lesson learned. Showing up with 5 won't get the job done, or will it? With Adam showing up, Matt back on the team, and adding an ex-PFN in Nish, this week's team was an improvement to Week 1's. Petey and his guys will need to put what happened with SP behind them and move on. Keep focused on the match at hand and don't let the past trip you up.
Two fairly evenly matched teams here, should be a good one.
Granted they've had the softest opening schedule out of anyone else in their division, X8B has started nicely at 2-0. Last week they went against UO and got off to a shaky start, behind 1-2. Their projected big three in Ben, Greg, and Trey sealed the deal though and got the 4-2 win. SPS should be a good challenge for X8B as SPS is probably their biggest divisional competition along with DS. The pressure is on for Ben (yeah that's me) and his crew to keep the perfect record "alive" at home in Alive.. see what I did there? :>
Last week SPS had a tough match up with BNR and got beat 1-5. Some how Joe won the first game against Croz, but the rest of them were slipped away as SPS just didn't have the oomph to match up well at all. Things should get easier here for Jason, Joe, and the regular bunch of SPS'ers.
X8B looks to be one of SPS's toughest division competitors, which is all the more reason they'll be fighting hard for this win. A victory, being the away team, breaking the 2-0 record, getting back in the hunt for top spot in the East? Yeah, a lot to fight for here.
X8B defeats UO 4-2 (Predicted: n/a)
Newcomers X8B claim the 2-0 start as they beat UO.
DS defeats REG 6-0 (Predicted: 4-2 DS)
DS got to enjoy a free win versus a non-showing REG.
BNR defeats SPS 5-1 (Predicted: 4-2 BNR)
The bigger team flexed their muscles as BNR nearly shutout SPS.
SP defeats FR 4-3 (Predicted: 4-3 SP)
SP pulls off the comeback win in a wild match with FR.
8BC defeats SS 5-1 (Predicted: n/a)
8BC shows up strong at home against their last season rivals SS.
====================
Week 2: Correct (3), Incorrect (2), Exact (1)
Overall: 7/10, 70%
====================As the start of Week 3 approaches, it's too soon to make out the clear divisional breakaway candidates. Though two weeks, however, SP and X8B lead their respective divisions with loss-free records. But, there is still plenty of time for the other teams to make up lost ground. Good luck.
8BallCrushers vs Break and Run
#2 and #3 in the East face off here, and based on the start of the season, this one could be very close.
Last week (or rather yesterday) 8BC played SS. Most would think SS would have the upper hand in that one just through their experience. And, well, those most people would be wrong. 8BC nearly had a clean sweep against SS in that match, winning it 5-1 (and their one loss coming off a double DQ situation). Perhaps they just had a lot of luck on their side, but this big win surely boosts their confidence up quite a bit, a boost they will greatly need to ride going against BNR. If 8BC plays at their best, I don't see why they can't sneak away with another victory.
BNR played SPS last week and beat them badly with little surprise 5-1. Their one loss came in Game 1 as Croz messed up more than once, as I was told. Obviously that didn't effect the rest of the team, as Ross, Mina, Jordy, Daru, and Lisa all closed it out for the win. It was an expected easy win for them, but it gets a little tougher against 8BC. Dina and her crew shouldn't under estimate these guys. 8BC does have some hidden gems in the mix, but as long as BNR's best shows up in top form, they should be able to get the job done in what should be a close match.
Prediction: BNR 4-3
Deadstrokes vs Ultimate Outlaws
[Yet another game prediction missed, someone should fire me]
Prediction: DS 4-2
Sexy Poolerz vs Regul8ors
Top of the East versus bottom of the West. This could get ugly.
Last week SP had a bizarre match with FR. First, there was a mix up with the start time: FR thought 7pm, but SP followed 6pm. Brice allowed an extension so FR could get players eligible. 3 games in, FR had the clear lead at 3-0 and FR even offered a Re-Rack. SP stayed alive with a DQ in Game 4, got a free win in Game 6, and Cubby closed it out in overtime. Not exactly a sound win, but a win regardless. Brice is steadily building up a deep talented roster. They'll have a much easier time in this Cross-Division match going against REG, a team which didn't even show up last week.
Considering REG didn't show in their match with DS last week, I don't have much to say. But, let's see if I can squeeze out some sort of shpiel anyways. I'm not exactly sure what happened, but seems like the captain simply forgot about the match or simply forgot to tell his players to cover it. Either way, the 0-6 never helps and now they find themselves at the bottom of the division and going against their toughest opponent yet by far. Even if REG does show up with a full team, I can't say I like their chances here at all. Keep your fingers cross and hope for the best.
Prediction: SP 6-0
Straightshots vs Freedom
These two teams here are virtually tied for the bottom spot in the East.
SS faced off against 8BC at the start of this week and lost it badly, 1-5, and their one win came off of a DQ. I wasn't at the match, so I can't exactly speculate what went wrong for SS, but I didn't expect that big of a defeat at all. Either they got outplayed or just sheer bad luck, whatever it was, they need to regroup, and quickly. It'll be tough to bounce back going against FR if FR does show up with a full lineup of the usual. However, I expect SS to produce while they try their best to stay out of the bottom of the division.
Last week FR lost against SP and a loss which surely didn't settle well with them. They went up 3-0, DQ'd in Game 4, loss Game 5, threw away the 6th game with no player, and ended up losing the tiebreaker. Ugly. Brutal. Lesson learned. Showing up with 5 won't get the job done, or will it? With Adam showing up, Matt back on the team, and adding an ex-PFN in Nish, this week's team was an improvement to Week 1's. Petey and his guys will need to put what happened with SP behind them and move on. Keep focused on the match at hand and don't let the past trip you up.
Prediction: SS 4-2
Xtreme8Ball vs Simply Pool Souls
Two fairly evenly matched teams here, should be a good one.
Granted they've had the softest opening schedule out of anyone else in their division, X8B has started nicely at 2-0. Last week they went against UO and got off to a shaky start, behind 1-2. Their projected big three in Ben, Greg, and Trey sealed the deal though and got the 4-2 win. SPS should be a good challenge for X8B as SPS is probably their biggest divisional competition along with DS. The pressure is on for Ben (yeah that's me) and his crew to keep the perfect record "alive" at home in Alive.. see what I did there? :>
Last week SPS had a tough match up with BNR and got beat 1-5. Some how Joe won the first game against Croz, but the rest of them were slipped away as SPS just didn't have the oomph to match up well at all. Things should get easier here for Jason, Joe, and the regular bunch of SPS'ers.
X8B looks to be one of SPS's toughest division competitors, which is all the more reason they'll be fighting hard for this win. A victory, being the away team, breaking the 2-0 record, getting back in the hunt for top spot in the East? Yeah, a lot to fight for here.