Week 9 - On The Home Stretch

Relatively mellow games in Week 8. Let's get right into it and see how those finished up...

FR defeats SPS 4-2 (Prediction: FR 5-1)
Well, SPS did get one more win than predicted against FR. What more could they ask for?

BNR defeats SP 4-3 (Prediction: BNR 4-2)
SP nearly got the win over BNR, but just couldn't get it done in Game 7... again.

SS defeats UO 4-2 (Prediction: SS 4-2)
SS gets another win, UO gets another loss, and I get the only exact prediction for the week.

PFN defeats 8BC 4-2 (Prediction: PFN 5-1)
PFN adds on to their streak, now at +5, as 8BC couldn't add to their own momentum.

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Week 8: Correct (4), Incorrect (0), Exact (1)

Overall: 28/32, 88%

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The standings aren't quite totally solidified. PFN and FR still remain on top and have locked in those spots. In the East, SPS and UO are still battling for the final playoff spot behind BNR. In the West, SS and 8BC continue to flip flop for the #2/#3 seeds as SP is practically out of contention now.

With Week 8 in the books, only 2 weeks remain (yes, 10 - 8 = 2, I'm so smart). Week 9 starts our final 2 Revenge Weeks as it mirrors the matches of Week 2. We're on the home stretch now guys and gals. Good luck! :)

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Ultimate Outlaws vs Break and Run

Week 2 Outcome: 4-3 BNR

These two drew the match out to Game 7 in their previous meeting. Will it happen again?

Ever since Week 1, UO hasn't been able to get any thing going their way and find themselves on an 7 week losing streak. Over the past 4 weeks, SPS haven't won a single game during the first 4 in a match, including another quick 0-4 loss to SS last week. The team is in shambles. And yes, that 3-4 outcome versus BNR in Week 2 isn't a typo. Something needs to click together quickly if UO has any hopes of having a similar result to that. They currently find themselves on the bottom of the West and might not have what it takes to take SPS's #3 spot. They'll need some early game wins and also need SPS to lose bigger than they do over the next 2 weeks.

Near scare for BNR last week as they drew it out to Game 7 versus SP. Lucky for the team, Jordy didn't fall asleep during Daru's classically drawn-out game involving Daru in Game 6. And yes, Jordy got the tiebreak victory to win it for BNR. Because PFN also won last week, BNR finds themselves locked into the #2 seed which means they will either face SPS or today's opponents UO in Round 1 of Playoffs. All of the pressure is off for the team, but I don't expect them to let up at all. Perhaps Dina will try switching the order around to test out different scenarios, but BNR will keep their proverbial pedal to the metal as they look to drive right past UO.

Prediction: 5-1 BNR

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Simply Pool Souls vs Pool Fiction

Week 2 Outcome: 4-2 PFN

Top of the division battles it out against a team trying to stay out of the bottom.

Tacked up another loss for SPS last week. They lost 5 in a row, got a big 5-1 win over UO and now find themselves back on the losing side of things. Luckily for them, UO is cruising along in the same sunken ship. All SPS needs to do is not lose tonight 0-6 and they'll keep their lead over UO for the #3 spot heading into the final week. Anyways, they're in a good spot and just need to keep doing their thing. Kat is boxed this week which isn't great news by any means considering she is always a reliable player. But, hopefully Monte will be able to wrangled up the rest and give this one all they've got... just hope everyone has eaten their Wheaties.

You know, looking at the header of this match, I came to wonder... what does "Pool Fiction" even mean :/ So, me being the dork that I am, I looked up the precise definition of "fiction" and this is what I found: something feigned, invented, or imagined; a made-up story. If anyone is able to put billiards and that definition together and make some sense out of this league name, please let me know, I'd love the hear it... (How's that for random prediction filler when I have nothing else to say? :D) PFN is better up and down the roster. PFN has their eye on the prize as virtual #1 seed. Oh, and I hope Andy loses at some point :)

Prediction: 4-2 PFN

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Straightshots vs Sexy Poolerz

Week 2 Outcome: 5-1 SS

Here we have a team battling for 2nd versus a team stuck in last.

Easy week last week against UO for SS. Got to love those kind of weeks where you just blow out your opponents in the first 4 games and not have to worry much after. SS has had a pretty good season so far, for the most part. But, they're kind of all over the place with the roster. With only 6 players currently eligible, two of which haven't played since Week 5, Shelle better hope she can rely on her team to show. They find themselves in a 4-4 pickle with 8BC, who face FR later on in the week. I like SS's chances to beat SP more than 8BC's chances to beat FR. Look for SS to carry their momentum into this one and try to stop SP from pulling off an upset.

Last week SP drew the match out to Game 7, as I expected, and lost it, as I expected. The team has been plagued with Game 7 losses: 3 over the past 4 weeks. If only they had won those tiebreaker games, they would be 5-3 and would have a nice lead at the number two spot. If only... Well, the time for "if only's" is over because SP's season is pretty much done for. But, doesn't mean they can't still cause some damage in these final two weeks. Beating SS tonight would give 8BC something to cheer about, and it would be quite a blow if SP ruins FR's perfect record next week (sorry for the jinx). Brice and company won't just simply throw in the towel.

Prediction: 4-3 SS

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8 Ball Crushers vs Freedom

Week 2 Outcome: 4-3 FR

8BC looks to regain some ground as FR looks to keep the streak going.

With SS winning last night, 8BC's only chance of getting the #2 seed back would be to win this week and next week. Impossible? Not at all. Improbable? Meh, all hope isn't lost. It all depends how well 8BC is on their game. Luckily for Niks, he has quite a few reliable players on the team. In fact, I think 8BC has the smallest roster out of all leagues, but there are still a few talented guys littered throughout. Raj, JJ, and Kron each have records clear over the .500 mark. And flipping ahead in the schedule, you'll see 8BC plays SS in the final week. It won't be easy getting through FR tonight, but if a few lucky things go their way, it might just happen.

Last week FR had a close match with SPS early on. It went back and forth: 0-1, 1-1, 1-2, 2-2. But, with Mike's clutch run break in Game 5 and yet another clinch game for Travis, FR pulled it off. Now 8-0 here in WSOP and 10-0 in PRO, these guys are on an all-time high. The most important thing for them, however, is to not even think about it. FR needs to make sure the pressure doesn't get to them or else all of their efforts would have been for nothing. 8BC isn't a team to just glance past. Petey and his crew have all cards in place, a stacked up card house. Hopefully for them the Ace of Spades isn't flicked and the whole thing comes tumbling down.

Prediction: 4-2 FR

Week 8 - Final Round of Cross-Division

Week 7 has come and gone without much of a splash. No terribly surprising upsets minus FR doing me wrong in the 2nd match. 7 is a lucky number for most, but not everyone can be a winner here...

8BC defeats UO 5-1 (Prediction: 8BC 4-2)
8BC was only one player away from getting the clean sweep over UO.

FR defeats BNR 4-2 (Prediction: BNR 4-2)
FR proved my prediction wrong as they step over their last big hurdle.

SP defeats SPS 4-3 (Prediction: SP 4-3)
In a match which went down to the wire, SP gets their 2nd WSOP win ever.

PFN defeats SS 5-1 (Prediction: PFN 4-2)
PFN flexed their muscles early on and came out the victors in under and hour.

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Week 7: Correct (3), Incorrect (1), Exact (1)

Overall: 24/28, 86%

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So, where are we at in the standings? Well I'm sure you all can look for yourselves on the main page, but standings babble is always good filler for these predictions :) Nothing much has changed for the top seeds, PFN and FR have both practically locked those in for their respective divisions. BNR doesn't need to worry about losing #2 in the East, and 8BC has just overtaken SS for #2 in the West. The lower half is all locked up in the East, and SP still sits at the bottom of the West.

There are plenty of "What If" scenarios to look at, but I'll spare myself the confusion and save that jibber jabber for some other time. The games will speak for themselves and as the Greeks say, "The balls will fall where they do". OK, the Greeks didn't say that, but you know what I mean. With only 3 weeks left, all of you playoff-bound captains better have your teams figured out by now. Hopefully no players get left behind and miss their 3 weeks of eligibility.

Week 8 features the final cross-divisional match ups. Every win counts, so don't slow down now. You'll need all of the momentum you can get heading into the home stretch.

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Freedom vs Simply Pool Souls

One team sitting comfortably on top and another barely staying alive - talk about lop-sided.

Last week FR won 4-2 over BNR and proved me wrong. I thought they would fumble the ball, but nope, they're still going. Freedom is firing on all cylinders. A high-powered steam engine going full speed, not making any stops for the passengers, and plowing through any road blocks on the tracks. Well, BNR was the biggest road block left on the tracks and now it's a smooth ride all the way to the main station. With FR's perfect season still intact, it seems no one will stop them now. They have secured the #1 playoff spot pending an unheard of disaster, which I'm 99.9% sure won't happen. SPS shouldn't cause too many problems as FR keeps chugging along.

SPS nearly got the win against SP, but just couldn't close it out in Game 7. SPS did have a 3-1 lead at one point and the last games didn't end in their favor. A win surely would have been nice, but they're not out of playoff contention just quite yet. Now they find themselves in a deadlock for the #3 spot with UO breathing right down their necks. Looking ahead in the schedule, I don't see SPS or UO winning any other match through the remainder season. That being said, I give SPS the upper hand because they won't just lay down and accept defeat. The key for SPS will be to keep it close against FR, if they can, before the match gets completely out of hand.

Prediction: FR 5-1

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Sexy Poolerz vs Break and Run

Last week SP got their second win over SPS, not such a great feat to celebrate over, but that win keeps them alive... barely. In order for SP to have a chance now in making playoffs, they need to win out, of course. And their hopes would seem a lot better if SS loses against UO (laughable, I know). But, I say it doesn't happen. I say SP's season ends tonight. Mr. Pakiz signed up for the team over the weekend. If I recall right, he's good, but good enough to push these guys through 3 more weeks? I want to see SP win and SS lose this week, which would make their match up next week so much more mouth-watering. Will it happen? Meh, doubtful. BNR's better.

BNR is coming off of a rough week against FR. They had plenty of bad luck going their way early on in the match as only Ross and Daru picked up wins for the team. Shit happens, just don't step in it because if you do, the stench will carry with you all the way through until the end. OK, so I don't really know what that's suppose to mean. But, what I'm trying to say is that even though they can cruise into playoffs as the #2 seed, BNR ought to regain some momentum by winning big here against SP. I see Steve joined the team yesterday. And that's huge for BNR; another big name will surely help considering three of BNR's top players have each lost 2 weeks in a row now.

Prediction: BNR 4-2

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Ultimate Outlaws vs Straightshots

Even though this is a battle between two #3-seeded teams, this match should be a whole lot more lop-sided than what first meets the eye.

UO... what can I say? 1-5 against 8BC is pretty rough, especially when that one win was a credit in Game 6. I wasn't actually there to witness, but I'd like to think things just didn't go their way. Perhaps the big loss came because it was a Monday, or perhaps it was because Petey was referee, or perhaps it is because these guys just aren't very good, and they're content with that. Well whatever it may be, if they lost 1-5 against 8BC, I can't expect too much with them going against SS. On the plus side, SPS sits below them in the standings. It's going to be a close race to the end to see who gets #3 in the East. UO just needs to hang in there.

Last week SS got handled by PFN, losing 1-5 in under an hour. They were out-muscled and everything was going right for their opponents. But, SS has a great opportunity here to bounce back in a big way. And seeing as they currently find themselves tied with 8BC in Win-Loss, every win counts. With SP's loss yesterday, SS can breathe just a little as the thought of dropping into 4th dwindles. SS does have two players boxed this week. But, I don't think Shelle's too worried about that. She has plenty of players in her arsenal ready to come with guns blazing. UO shouldn't cause much trouble as these guys push to overtake 8BC for that #2 spot.

Prediction: SS 4-2

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Pool Fiction vs 8 Ball Crushers

The final match features two playoff-bound teams. Will 8BC's momentum continue to carry through this week? Or will PFN crush any chances 8BC might think they have?

PFN practically steam-rolled over their long-time opponents SS last week, winning 5-1 in record time. They shouldn't have too much difficulty taking down 8BC in similar fashion. But, they better play carefully and play smart because 8BC won't be holding back and 8BC is on a bit of a warm streak themselves. PFN's in the driver's seat here and Kerry will know exactly how to use that Home Field to her advantage. Andy is going back-and-forth with Travis for top spot on the leader board. Surely he would like Kerry to keep giving him the best opportunity to keep his perfect season alive. A win tonight locks in the #1 seed for sure. Get 'er done.

Nice week for 8BC last week going 5-1 over UO with only 5 players and might have gotten the clean sweep if they had a 6th. The best thing going for 8BC right now is their momentum. The near-sweep over UO was nice. They beat PFN back in Week 8 of PRO, then beat LPL, and pulled their match FR earlier this week to Game 9. Even if those games were won with a little luck on their side, still not too shabby. 8BC will surely be coming in hungry for a win and prove that they shouldn't be taken lightly as playoffs quickly approach. I don't see them winning tonight, but 8BC better keep it close as the race is tight between them and SS for Round 1 Home Field.

Prediction: PFN 5-1

Week 7 - Switching Back to Cross-Division

All of last week's matches were fairly evenly matched in my eyes. We had two matches with top tiered teams and two matches with the bottom teams. Some were close, one was nearly a blow out. In the end, another clean week of solid game play.

8BC defeats SP 4-3 (Prediction: 4-2 8BC)
A near scare for Niks as this one ended closer than what he and his team was hoping for.

FR defeats SS 4-2 (Prediction: 4-3 FR)
FR keeps the streak alive as SS too couldn't take them down.

PFN defeats BNR 4-2 (Prediction: 4-3 BNR)
PFN wins another one against their toughest divisional competitors.

SPS defeats UO 5-1 (Prediction: 5-1 SPS)
SPS gets a big win over the team they have been trying to pass up.

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Week 6: Correct (3), Incorrect (1), Exact (0)

Overall: 21-24, 88%

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Minus the PFN/BNR race in the East, the standings have continued to look the same over the past few weeks. In the East, PFN has overtook BNR for the top spot but with a one match win lead but only one game separates the two. As for the lower two teams in the East, that is all locked up: same match win-loss but UO has the slightest of leads for now.

Completely different picture over in the West. FR should feel very comfortable now with their #1 seed. And for the #2 and #3 seeds, even though it looks close because SS and 8BC have the same match records, their closing schedules highly favor SS this time around. As far as SP goes, well they'll need a miracle to sneak their way into that #3 spot.

Similar to last week, this week has some pretty even match ups. These cross-divisional matches can certainly shake up the standings a bit for both the East and the West. Good luck.

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8 Ball Crushers vs Ultimate Outlaws

The two #3-seeded teams face off in the week's first match.

Last week 8BC made their way through SP, barely. It started off very shaky considering the team was placed on a timer because no players were at the table. I thought they were going to time out, but lucky for Niks, his co-captain JJ showed up with 4 minutes left and got things going. And by the end, JJ also finished it off in the tiebreaker. 8BC is hungry to keep the momentum alive. These guys must be tired of sitting at #3 and this is the best opportunity for them to move up a slot. Either way, win or lose, 8BC will certainly be rooting for PFN on Thursday to beat SS. If 8BC beats UO tonight like they should, and SS loses to PFN, we'll have a new #2 seed in the West.

Ugly week for UO going against SPS last week. They desperately needed that win to keep a safe lead over SPS, but just couldn't get anything going. Ever since UO's first win back in Week 1, it has been a huge downhill tumble for them. Nothing positive is happening, I feel no momentum or drive, and again if my predictions come true, disaster will strike this week and they'll fall down to the bottom of the division. A win tonight versus 8BC will perk up my ears a bit because I don't expect it to happen. Steph is having a nice season at 4-1 and Badass started strong, but I need to see more from the rest of the team if there's any hope left.

Prediction: 8BC 4-2

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Break and Run vs Freedom

Here we have two teams who have had some heated, high-emotion games in the past. This shouldn't be any different.

Last week BNR lost their top seed to PFN. If I remember right, they were sitting on top ever since PFN lost to FR back in Week 4. Their match with PFN didn't turn out in their favor, again, and it must be playing on BNR's mind that they can't seem to get through PFN this season no matter what they try. PFN caused their two losses, and BNR will need to keep focused here to ensure FR doesn't cause their third. BNR has to go in with the mentality of a must win if they have any hopes of getting back the top seed. BNR's best chance of winning would be for them to close this out before the tiebreaker. I'm sure they would rather avoid trying to get through FR's closing player in Travis or Ben in Game 7.

Another week up, another opponent down. FR continues to roll through the competition. It's only fitting that BNR is the last team standing in the way of FR's perfect season (the last 3 weeks of the season shouldn't cause much of a fuss for FR). FR beat BNR in PRO last week, so they definitely have that bit of momentum going for them. If the team can keep their cool, back-to-back wins against BNR isn't out of the question by any means. It's quite impressive that 3 FR players remain undefeated: DJ 6-0, Travis 5-0, Ben 4-0. But it all depends on FR's supporting cast. Whoever shows up needs to make sure to win, because if any three of those guys lose, FR's undefeated steak rests on the shoulders of the middlemen.

Prediction: BNR 4-2

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Simply Pool Souls vs Sexy Poolerz

SPS had a huge win over UO when it mattered the most. I'm sure they realized that was their one opportunity to close the gap and they seized it in a big way. It's only their first win of the season, but it came at the perfect time. Fortunate for them, Joe is back after a two-week break. Becky is leading the team, going strong on a +4 streak at the moment. Whatever Monte is feeding her, keep the portions coming and maybe spoon some out to the other players too. SPS will need everyone at their best from now on to not only overtake UO's #3 spot but ensure they don't lose it in the final weeks. And I wouldn't be the least surprised if a few of them show up cheering for 8BC on Monday.

Tough break for SP as they lose yet another Game 7. Even though he is the best consistently available player on the team, if Brice had won the two past tiebreakers, SP and 8BC would be tied in the standings. But now SP is barely hanging on by a thread, or maybe more like a split portion of a thread. However, they're not dead quite yet. Go with me on this for a second. In order for them to make it into the playoffs, not only do they need 8BC or SS to falter, but they also need to muscle their way through BNR, SS, and FR in the closing weeks. Possible? As crazy as it sounds? Yeah ok, even crazier than it sounds. SP has a chance to beat SPS, but after this better start bringing out the clovers, horseshoes, and rabbit feet.

Prediction: SP 4-3

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Straightshots vs Pool Fiction

Unfortunate loss for SS last week as they really had a chance. Jon won the first game then FR tied it at 1-1 and won the next. SS came back and won the next two. Up 3-2 there was a chance to finish it off before the tiebreaker. However, after reviewing the tapes, Game 1 was DQ'd which put them down 2-3 and they lose Game 6 ending in a 2-4 defeat. Rough. On a positive note, they did add a very good player in Nick to their line up. If they can get him eligible before playoffs, he would be a great asset. Even though they'll have an opportunity to snatch it back, SS will need to win tonight if they want to safely keep the #2 seed depending on 8BC's game on Monday. Word of advice: don't let Stu run break you, don't get into a tap game with Andy, and get Chris distracted with WoW.

Very nice win for PFN against BNR last week. Stu started off with a run break, and then they won 3 in a row after Cubby lost his. I expect at least 4 or 5 PFN people to show up to BNR's Tuesday match to root for FR. Because if BNR loses that one, PFN can enjoy the little bit of cushion as they try to add to it. But, let's assume my predictions come true and BNR wins 4-2. Even if PFN loses tonight 3-4, the records would be tied, but PFN has the upper hand. Both PFN and BNR will likely win out the rest of the season after this week, so if the records do become tied, it will come down to who can get the bigger wins against weaker opponents in the closing weeks. Anyways, back to this match. PFN has more talent than SS does, therefore I predict they'll win. Simple enough.

Prediction: PFN 4-2

Week 6 - Halfway Point

Well, well, well... 5 weeks down and 5 to go. It has been a great opening half of the season and I'm sure the second half won't disappoint either. Last week was filled with plenty of big dog versus little dog matches. Let's see how those played out...

SS defeats 8BC 4-2 (Prediction: 4-2 SS)
SS locks in a second place position for now as 8BC couldn't get the job done.

FR defeats SP 4-3 (Prediction: 4-3 FR)
Nearly a huge upset for the undefeated FR, but SP fell short in the tiebreaker.

BNR defeats SPS 4-2 (Prediction: 6-0 BNR)
Ok, so it wasn't a blowout, but BNR still got the win before SPS even had a chance.

PFN defeats UO 4-2 (Prediction: 5-1 PFN)
Similar to the match above, the stronger team pulls off the win as expected.

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Week 5: Correct (4), Incorrect (0), Exact (2)

Overall: 18-20, 90%

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After the matches were complete, the standings didn't change at all. BNR still remains on top of the East and FR still remains undefeated sitting comfortably on top of the West. Will any of the other teams in these divisions be able to shake things up a bit?

I hope you are all settled in with your team because no more league changes are allowed. Time to stick it through until the end and keep fighting. To those teams facing a tough uphill climb, there are still plenty of games to be played. And to those teams on top, don't slip or you might find yourself lower down in the standings by the end of it all.

Week 6 is the start of what I like to call Revenge Weeks. These matches are a repeat of some earlier week only Home Field is switched. Week 6 mirrors Week 1, so let's see who will be able to get their revenge.

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Sexy Poolerz vs 8 Ball Crushers

Week 1 Outcome: 4-2 8BC

The bottom teams of the West battle it out here.

SP came very close to having the upset of the season. They managed to drag out their match last week versus FR to Game 7. It would have been epic to see the underdog SP team to knock down the undefeated team; close, but no cigar. I'm a little more confused as to where the star potential lies in this lineup. It has been a bundle of scattered wins and losses and no one besides captain Brice has more than two wins on their record. With that being said, the team is hungry for a comeback and if they manage to pull off a 5-1 tonight, SP is right back in playoff contention. In order to do that, though, SP needs consistency and needs their stars to shine.

Last week 8BC played SS and just couldn't get much of anything going for them. Game 1 was a runbreak, games 2 and 3 were lost. Even if Niks caught a break in Game 4 with Pita giving up Ball in Hand on his run, 8BC couldn't muscle their way out of the 0-3 hole and lost it 2-4. It's hit and miss, seems like Niks and Indian are the only ones with slight glimpses of promise. 8BC is good enough to take down teams like SP (Week 1) and SPS (Week 4) and perhaps UO next week. But they don't have the strength to make it beyond that. Well, this week is SP again. My theory should hold up, but I wouldn't be shocked to see 8BC let this slip away with a bit of bad luck.

Prediction: 4-2 8BC

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Freedom vs Straightshots

Week 1 Outcome: n/a (SS replaces EPC)

Two teams with identical win-loss records, but one remains undefeated. Perhaps that's about to change.

Scary week for FR last week, nearly getting beat by SP. But luckily for Petey, his clutch player in Travis was there to save the day, again. A win is a win, and it seems like that's all FR is doing at the moment: winning. They are on such a hot streak: 5-0 here in WSOP, 7-0 in PRO, 4 wins and no losses in WPA. A loss will eventually happen, but for now, these guys are firing on all cylinders. Petey will need to bring his best again tonight and use every ounce of Home Field advantage because SS will surely come ready to play, trying to make up some ground on that two-game deficit. But if FR wins tonight, a three game gap basically locks a top-seeded playoff spot.

Last week SS got a nice win being the away team against 8BC. Jon picked up the second run break of the season out of all teams and David and Tyson keep their undefeated records intact. These guys certainly have a solid core group, but if one of those top 3 stumble, who is going to pick up the slack? Shelle ought to know Petey is going to target those guys, so she'll need to be sure the rest are on top of their game. Things aren't going so well for SS in other interleagues, such as PRO, but they need to come in with the mentality that they can take down the undefeated beast. A win tonight will surely give SS a great boost which might be enough to keep them hot all the way through playoffs.

Prediction: 4-3 FR

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Pool Fiction vs Break and Run

Week 1 Outcome: 4-3 PFN

Lakers vs Celtics. Manning vs Brady. Yankees vs Red Sox. PFN vs BNR. Doesn't get much better than this.

Last week PFN practically destroyed UO. They went up 4-0 quick, but couldn't finish out the last two, so it ended 4-2. Andy continues to keep his perfect season alive as he pulled out the Game 4 clinch and the rest of this talented line up took their games with ease. Kerry isn't a bad player by any means, but surely she probably would prefer not to play this week. They do have Nish out of the box, so perhaps he'll come back well-rested and pick up a crucial win when it counts. PFN must be tired of seeing those B-N-R initials ahead of them in the standings. If they don't win tonight, PFN may never have another chance of claiming the #1 seed.

Similar to PFN, BNR also won their match last week without much of a hitch at all in almost identical fashion. They went up 4-0 quick and lost the final two. Croz is having a solid season at 5-1 with a tiebreak win and Mina is undefeated since he joined the team back in Week 3. And beyond that, BNR has players who can win in any situation. Well, Dina better hope everyone brings their A+ game tonight because this one is for the top spot in the standings and I'm sure they don't want to give it up just yet. PFN beat BNR on their home court in Week 1, so look for BNR to be itching for Good Times and return the favor as they head into Bad Times.

Prediction: 4-3 BNR

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Ultimate Outlaws vs Simply Pool Souls

Week 1 Outcome: 5-1 UO

The final match of the week features two teams who had no chance against bigger opponents last week.

UO is looking to recover from a quick 0-4 defeat against PFN. They were out matched and just couldn't get anything going. But tonight, SPS looks to be a much more fitting opponent. This may be the last decent shot for them to pick up another win before the end of their season. After 8BC next week, UO finishes off with SS, BNR, PFN... brutal. But, if they can manage to pull off a win tonight, that 3rd seeded spot just very well may be staying as theirs. So, what exactly do they need to do to win? Quite simple: don't lose. Badass has been carrying his (or her?) weight quite well, but beyond that, UO will need the other players to step up and shine.

Similar to UO, SPS also couldn't get anything going against BNR as they went down 0-4 quickly. What can I say for these guys to save their season? Well, on a positive note, they have added depth to the roster with 4 new players last week. Unfortunately for the team, none of those 4 players won. Even so, it's good to see SPS at least making an effort to show up united even as they currently sit in last place. That can all change very soon, however. All they need is a win tonight and for UO to falter later on and then that 3rd place seeding could very well be theirs. Tonight feels like life or death for SPS. Give 'em hell.

Prediction: 4-2 SPS

Week 5 - Back to Your Division

Week 4 was plenty exciting with heavyweight match ups in the beginning, a monumental game in the middle, and to end the week, what would have been a 7-game match. Let's take a look at how it all played out.

FR defeats PFN 4-2 (Prediction: 4-3 FR)
FR takes down what was earlier seen to be the best team in WSOP, perhaps no more.

BNR defeats SS 4-3 (Prediction: 4-3 BNR)
A clean, well-fought match by both sides, but BNR manages to take the upper-hand in the tie-breaking game.

SP defeats UO 4-2 (Prediction: 4-3 SP)
SP wins their first match ever in WSOP history! ... by default?

8BC defeats SPS 4-2 (Prediction: 4-3 8BC)
8BC took this one as expected as SPS struggled to close out the match.

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Week 4: Correct (4), Incorrect (0), Exact (0)

Overall: 14-16, 87.5%

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As the mid-season week begins, it is important to really take notice of where you are in the standings. It would be best to get on a hot streak now and try to pull away from the pack if possible to keep yourselves from suffering disastrous losses in the closing weeks. I'll be watching to see which teams really make a push for playoffs and which teams are just in it for the ride. Good luck :)

Note there are no more league switches allowed after this week

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8 Ball Crushers vs Straightshots

Two teams locked up at 2-2: Who will keep the #2 position and who will slip into 3rd?

8BC got the job done against SPS last week. A Game 7 was played, and 8BC did win that, but back in Game 6, the SPS player's time stamp fell off, so 8BC got the 4-2 victory. Maybe it turned out a little closer than Niks and the rest would have liked, but a win is a win. Just because they seem to have the weaker roster doesn't mean 8BC can't still pull this out. If Niks uses Home Field to his advantage and takes out what he feels are the top 2 for SS, then it will come down to how to middle players perform. The important thing for 8BC is to keep it close and not let this get out of hand. Next week they play SP, a team gaining steam and right on their heels.

Last week SS had their hardest match thus far going against a more worthy opponent in BNR. Even though they didn't win, what more can you ask for? Sure, one of their players got ran broke, which never helps, but they still managed to drag the match out into Game 7 against the defending champions. This week may be a little lighter, but SS shouldn't let their guards down. 8BC will be hungry to overtake 2nd place. Many would say Jon and Pita are the best, but neither are best on paper at the moment. David is quietly having a great season at 3-0 with a clinch. That's the dangerous thing about SS: don't overlook any player or else you'll pay for it.

Prediction: 4-2 SS

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Sexy Poolerz vs Freedom

This match features the first and last place teams of the West.

o.O I thought the day would never come, but at last, SP gets the first win of their WSOP career. You know what they say: the first win is always the hardest. But, damn... lol. I can only imagine how much of a relief this victory was. Sure, they got their 4th game win via credit, but not anyone on the team gives a damn. Anyways, now sitting at 1-23, that "1" is what SP needed to keep their season alive. Their celebration becomes short-lived this week as they look up the standings to see the undefeated FR waiting for them. It's too soon to jump on the SP bandwagon, but I wouldn't be surprised if they pull off this upset somehow. SP has a lot more to prove.

FR had a great win last week as well, but for different reasons. They managed to get a 4-2 victory over their arch rivals PFN. Even though it looked like PFN pro'ly choked this match away, FR certainly made a statement with this win. Now the only remaining undefeated team, FR finds themselves on top, a spot not too familiar for them. Much of the team's success gets credited to Ben and DJ. Ben was added to the team two weeks ago and has won two clinch games. And DJ has one of the best overall records along with PFN's Andy. Even if SP has the weaker record, Petey should still bring in a top-notch lineup to prevent being caught with his pants down in a shocking upset.

Prediction: 4-3 FR

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Simply Pool Souls vs Break and Run

The second Tuesday match is similar to the first in that it puts up the top against the bottom of the division, only this one is for the East.

Last week SPS lost against 8BC. A Game 6 tape DQ kept the score from being 3-4, but that doesn't make a difference, another loss for SPS. And yeah, I'm predicting this one as a shutout. I know these very rarely happen, so why the 0-6 prediction here? Well, it's not anything personal against SPS by any means. I just cannot pick any current SPS player that has a very good chance versus any of BNR's top 8. If they can't make it through 8BC, then I have even less faith they can manage much of anything going against BNR. But SPS, don't let my numbers put you down. It's a new month; perhaps August will bring you better luck. And tonight, you'll need a lot of it.

BNR managed to get a nice win last week versus a solid SS team. Croz had the clinching tie-break win, two more high caliber players were added to the roster, and Charlie came in representing for the team with his break and run, the first of the season. Maybe Dina will use SPS as an opportunity to get other players closer to playoff-eligible. But if she chooses to let the foot off of the gas, it could come back to hurt her. BNR only has a 1 game lead over PFN, who they just so happen to play next week. It'll be interesting to see which direction she goes, but either way, I don't see SPS being much of a challenge. If Dina decides to bring her best, a shutout is very possible.

Prediction: 6-0 BNR

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Pool Fiction vs Ultimate Outlaws

Even though their game win-loss records are close, this one looks to be quite lopsided.

Certainly not the outcome PFN was hoping for last week against FR. They let some of the early games slip away and and didn't have enough mustard to win when it counted the most at the end. Bad luck and tough losses happen, but they'll know how to shake it off. And this week going against UO, what a great chance to bounce back. They're only one game behind BNR, who also plays a weaker team this week. I'm expecting Kerry to come in guns blazing and try to pull off a big win to keep things close with BNR since they play each other next week. Even with Nish boxed and Trey seemingly a bit annoyed, she should still be able to come in with a team good enough to win here.

Last week UO showed up short-handed against SP and practically handed them the win. Being known as the ones who gave SP their first WSOP win surely is a tough pill to swallow, but don't let it distract you from the task at hand. Right now UO just needs to keep up. They likely won't win matches against the bigger-named teams like PFN, but doesn't mean UO can't still pull off a playoff spot. And lucky for them, SPS is below them barely treading water. Even so, the season is only half-way over and showing up without 6 could very well turn into a snowball effect. Hopefully Steph will be able to keep team morale up and make sure her players keep showing in good spirits ready to play.

Prediction: 5-1 PFN