8 Ball Crushers vs Sexy Poolerz
The season-opener puts up two teams needing to prove themselves for different reasons.
On the one hand, you have 8BC. 8BC was in Season 2 of WSOP, but the team has completely reformed itself since then. Looking at their page in PRO, I can honestly say I have never seen any of those players around. This could play to 8BC's advantage as their opponent's will soon doubt their abilities. Captain Matt has a tough hill to climb, but could be turning some heads along the way. Hopefully they will be able to come out strong and out-preform everyone's expectations. Until then, 8BC is definitely a mystery to me.
Now on the other hand, you have a team who hasn't had much luck in WSOP, well in fact no luck at all. Since they joined back in Season 2, SP has not picked up a single win, currently on a -20 streak (sorry Bev, I know you're probably tired of hearing about that already). If SP loses here, the snowball will start rolling again. The whole team has a big lump on their back, and now is the time to get rid of it. With a new season comes a new chance to clean the slate. I'm looking for SP to start off big with a point in the win column.
Prediction: 4-2 SP
Break and Run vs Pool Fiction
Big match here in the opening week between the two Season 3 Finalists.
BNR are the defending champions, and every opponent will be looking to take them down. Dina and crew know this, and the veterans on her team shall handle the pressure with ease. I imagine the same squad is returning for this season with Jordy and Croz leading the pack. However, looking past their top 2 it's hard to find players to rely on for must-win situations. Jim? Mike? Ross? I see Saf has been added to the team, but how much will he and the others contribute? If they can make it through PFN here, BNR might gain enough confidence to sail straight to the finals yet again.
Nothing feels worse than losing in the Season Finals, especially when the series goes all the way to the 3rd match. BNR shutout PFN in that final match, 4-0. However, PFN will know how to put that behind them and keep their eyes on the prize. Last season, PFN was deep with talent, and this season their team is potentially 10x better. Kerry already had well-known players like Brian, Kalpz, and Stevie in her arsenal, and now with the additions of Andy, Stu, and Nish, PFN is stacked beyond belief. This is their season to lose.
Prediction: 4-3 PFN
Extreme Pool Competitors vs Freedom
This match had been postponed from earlier in the week. I wonder if the extra 24 hours will make a difference.
EPC won their division last season, and Jack definitely proved me and others wrong. However, he still has some ways to go to claim his EPC team is one of the best around. If he can remain on top this season, he'll show everyone Season 3's success was no fluke. I do have my doubts; something about Jack worries me. If he goes down, the entire teams goes down with him, like a captain and his ship. I don't see a Plan B if Jack were to give up completely; the pressure must be setting in as it seems like he is the only one putting in the effort when it comes to eligibility. I'm curious to see who will remain loyal and who have moved on.
It seems like FR is one of those middle-of-the-road teams with a few spurts of greatness once in a while. Their 5-5 record from last season was just passable. They had the most Game 7 losses among all teams, so surely luck wasn't on their side. Matt, Trav, and the captain himself are the clear-cut top 3 for FR. Petey will need to keep his fingers crossed the stars are in alignment, or he and his team might find themselves lost in the middle of the pack yet again. This match could be just what FR needs to pick up a quick win, as EPC has been notorious for showing up short-handed.
Prediction: 4-2 FR
Simply Pool Souls vs Ultimate Outlaws
The final match of the week features a team who has been with us since Season 1 and a team to be considered as the new kids on the block.
SPS is one of those teams who likes to have a good time. They show up to every match ready to play the games and don't sulk over a loss. Monte must know his team isn't the best in their division, but that won't stop them from putting forth their best effort. This match will be a great way for SPS to start off in the win column. It's hard to pick out a star player on their team; only TJ had more wins than losses and showed up consistently. Joe joins SPS for this season. He talks a big game and will likely play every week if he can. Let's see how well he fits in with the new scenery.
In the other corner we have UO. Similar to 8BC earlier this week, I don't know anything about the players on this team. Looking over to the WPC standings, I see UO did relatively well, in fact better than SPS. But, UO is brand new to WSOP. Will they be able to start off on the right foot? Or will these new guys be trampled over all season long? I've talked to the UO captain a bit. This is her first time ever being a captain, but she's very excited and seems to have everything in order. I expect UO to show each week, but I wonder how many W's they'll be able to pick up. Good luck this season.
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