The inter-conference games are over, and week 2 is upon us. For many of the teams that lost, this will feel almost as a 2nd start to the season, as focus can now be turned exclusively to their own conference.
The quality of this league will give us many good games each week, and this one is no exception. Some of the top favorites clash in games for early domination and tie-breaker advantage, and it should be long into the season before anything can be said for certain. This week alone could realistically cut the number of undefeated teams in half in both conferences
Gonna be hard to name a single Game of the Week as a consequense, so might have a couple for each conference in the beginning.
Anyway, enjoy
Lion:
Seychelles Island Sea Wolves at Gabon Forest DragonsGAME OF THE WEEK #1
2 really good teams facing off here, in what should be a blast of a game. Seychelles has had the best start to the season, with wins against 2 tough opponents in the scrimmages, and a win against cupcake Kinshasa. Good avg lvl and very impressive depth makes this team a good bet for a top-4 team. They Travel to Dragon's Lair in Gabon to play the Forest Dragons, who have also looked strong so far. 2 close losses in the scrimmages against very tough opponents have made it possible to test and adjust many things, and it showed in their week 1 victory against the Jinx. Also a very possible top-4 team, neither will want to loose out on one of their closest rivals this early, as catching up is never a fun game when you are the one chasing. The tie-breaker that comes with a win is also an early bonus, that realistically puts the looser 2 games behind the winner with only 2 rounds played. A lot on the line, so the players and coaches alike will need to keep their cool. Turn overs could be the deciding factor of the day.
Seychelles slight favorites
Ethiopian Starvin' Marvins at Cape Verde HeadhuntersBIG GAME
Ethiopia is one of the biggest favorite to take aswell Lion as the league this year, but have not have the best start to the season. 2 losses in the scrimmages and a non spectacular win against the Thundercats have already created a bit of a fuzz in the most hardcore fan fractions. They have a solid coaching staff more than capable of tweaking things, and a squad more than able to carry the changes out tho, and they are still one of the lowest odds at the bookmakers. Cape Verde are finally in AAA after spending 4 seasons in AA. They have a ferocious passing offense, and a solid defense that doesnt tire easily, and they are ready for the next level of competition. A close loss to RMoG, a big win against Boston and a close loss against Kibwezi is far from a bad start to the season, and the players will do all they can to not start out their AAA careers as 0-2.
Marvins favorites
Zimbabwe Beavers at Mozambique Starvin MarvinsGAME OF THE WEEK #2
RUN!!BEAVERS!!!
The Beavers have been a bit up-and-down in the pre-season, but got a solid win against AAD in week 1. Overall they look very strong, and the players must be hungry for play-offs after missing out last year. Hard team to figure out, but a team to keep an eye on for sure. They get a good chance to test themselves this game, as they face a very strong MSM team. MSM started the season with a big loss at the hands of Mogadishu, but quickly turned things around and beat Cairo in 2 straight games, the last in a very impressive manner. Perhaps the biggest favorite of all to take the league this year, the pressure from fans and media are huge, but that should affect this seasoned a squad and coaching staff. The first home game of the season is important to get the fans fired up, and to keep up the morale.
MSM favorites
Jupiter Snipers at Sahara ShadowChasers
Sahara had a tough loss at the hands of the newcomers from Richmond in week 1, in a close and intense match. A late series of drives almost brought them back in the game, but it just wasn't enough. This means that they are already 1 game behind just about all their biggest competitors. Many of those competitors play one another this week tho, so this is a golden opportunity to catch up already.
Jupiter smells
Sun City Undertakers at Tijuana Thundercats
The Undertakers doesnt look to have what it takes to compete for top spots this year, as their roster is very shallow. A good recruiting spree can change all that ofc, but as it stands now, it's gonna be up hill for Sun City. They haven't made much notice of themselves in their 3 games so far, and nothing points to them starting today. That puts the Thundercats in a favorable position to get the first W of the season. The Thundercats haven't impressed either, but their squad looks stronger than Sun City's. If they can improve last seasons record is a good question, but a win here is a must for that to happen, no doubt about it.
Tijuana Big favorites
Katanga Diamonds at South African Bulls
The Diamonds haven't had the start to AAA they hoped for, with 2 big losses in the scrimmages, and a week 1 loss to San Dimas. They are a very strong team tho, and finished #1 in their AA conference last year. They have the team to play in 3xA no question, but seem to have to find their old form after a long off-season. Sure win today against the lolbulls, and with 2 very very tough games coming up, they need the morale boost.
Katanga wins
Beltway Bandits at Fort Wayne Generals
BB doesnt look able to make much of an impact on this league with their current roster, and this should be a sure win for the Generals. FW is another team thats a bit hard to say anything about for sure, as they look to have the potential, but haven't impressed at all so far. This game along with next weeks game against Tijuana should be some of the easiest match ups this season, and 2 wins here is required for anything more than a middle spot.
FW beats up on BB
Elephant:
Casablanca Sultans at High Plains DriftersGAME OF THE WEEK #1
The Sultans have made it clear that they are going for the gold this year, and they get their first chance to prove they are deserving of that in tonight's game. Season so far have only had games against the cupcake Bulls and the seemingly confused Generals, so its hard to say anything yet. The team looks strong tho, and the confidence is there. The Drifters had a solid win against ESM in scrimmage #1, and have spent the past 2 weeks beating up poor BB from Lion. Another very interesting team, and this game has much on the line. Elephant looks like it could have many teams at equal records after week 16, so collecting tie-breakers could prove the difference between a homefield game or not when we get there.
No favorite
Richmond Raiders at Tunis AspsGAME OF THE WEEK #2
The Raiders have looked solid in all aspects of the game so far, and is looking to be a tough opponents for every team again this year. Their passing offense is able to shred most D's to pieces, especially on teams with not much depth on secondary. Tunis looks to have a strong team, but haven met a serious challenge since the Beavers in scrimmage #1, where they lost a close game. Looks like they also possess a powerful passing game, so we could be in for a regular shoot out here.
Richmond favorites
Entertainment projection: Through the roof!
River Styx Jinx at Real Men of Genius
The Jinx looked solid throughout the scrimmages, but got a severe beating by Gabon in week 1. Yet another team hard to figure out, but they will have to improve things from last game if they want to stand a chance against RMoG. RMoG had a close loss and a close win in the scrimmage weeks, and beat up on Sun City in week 1. Haven't looked as strong as expected, but they should never be underestimated.
RMoG favorites
Boston Dogs at Kilimanjaro Sno-CapsBIG GAME
The Dogs put on their little doggy coat's and travel to the freezing NESTLÉ BASE CAMP to face off against the Sno-Caps. The Dogs had a close and a big loss in the scrimmages, but got a good start to the season, beating Tijuana in week 1. A very unique team, they are gonna be interesting to follow through the year, and they have the potential to do very well. Kilimanjaro looks to have a solid team, and have looked good so far. A strong performance against the Diamond Hunters last week means good morale, and they dont want to loose the first home game of the season.
No favorite
Kibwezi Choppaholix at African Arms Dealers
Kibwezi has looked very impressive so far, and have beat some really tough teams. Reigning AA#2 champions, they take on fellow AA#2 promoter AAD in this game. Last year these teams played each other twice, and both resulted in huge defeats to AAD. The Arms Dealers looks to be the underdog again today, as they haven't shown near the strength Kibwezi has so far. Unless the correct tactical moves are made, this could be ugly.
Kibwezi Big favorites
Cairo Cannibals at San Dimas Saints
Cairo have had a disappointing start to the season, loosing 3 of 3 games so far. The scrimmage losses was close, and ofc matters little, but the week 1 game didnt look good at all. They have recruited even more seasoned players for this season tho, and have a strong coaching staff. The potential is there to be at least outsider to the top-4 spots, but they will have to get back to basics and get some confidence back in the squad. A lot of work, but a big reward at stake also. San Dimas have looked really good so far, with solid win against both ESM and Katanga, and a cloppering of Beltway. Good depth and a solid starting line up puts San Dimas up there with the early favorites, and a win against Cairo would go far in securing a good seed.
San Dimas very slight favorites
Gambia Diamond Cutters at Kinshasa Rumblers
Gambia have made a good impression so far, and got a good start last week with a win against Fort Wayne. After 4 seasons they are finally in AAA, and the players are gonna make the most of it. Today's game features a cupcake opponents, so not much excitement here. But a win is a win, and the Cutters go 2-0
Cutters win
Mogadishu Malice at Mozambique Thundercats
The Malice is one of the biggest favorites to take Elephant this season, but had a close loss to start the season, and need to win here to get back on track right away. The Thundercats have made some roster improvements this off-season, but still doesnt look quite strong enough for a top position. It's not gonna be easy, but Mogadishu needs this win, as a loss would leave them at pretty much as many losses as they planned for the whole season.
Malice Big favorites
The quality of this league will give us many good games each week, and this one is no exception. Some of the top favorites clash in games for early domination and tie-breaker advantage, and it should be long into the season before anything can be said for certain. This week alone could realistically cut the number of undefeated teams in half in both conferences
Gonna be hard to name a single Game of the Week as a consequense, so might have a couple for each conference in the beginning.
Anyway, enjoy
Lion:
Seychelles Island Sea Wolves at Gabon Forest DragonsGAME OF THE WEEK #1
2 really good teams facing off here, in what should be a blast of a game. Seychelles has had the best start to the season, with wins against 2 tough opponents in the scrimmages, and a win against cupcake Kinshasa. Good avg lvl and very impressive depth makes this team a good bet for a top-4 team. They Travel to Dragon's Lair in Gabon to play the Forest Dragons, who have also looked strong so far. 2 close losses in the scrimmages against very tough opponents have made it possible to test and adjust many things, and it showed in their week 1 victory against the Jinx. Also a very possible top-4 team, neither will want to loose out on one of their closest rivals this early, as catching up is never a fun game when you are the one chasing. The tie-breaker that comes with a win is also an early bonus, that realistically puts the looser 2 games behind the winner with only 2 rounds played. A lot on the line, so the players and coaches alike will need to keep their cool. Turn overs could be the deciding factor of the day.
Seychelles slight favorites
Ethiopian Starvin' Marvins at Cape Verde HeadhuntersBIG GAME
Ethiopia is one of the biggest favorite to take aswell Lion as the league this year, but have not have the best start to the season. 2 losses in the scrimmages and a non spectacular win against the Thundercats have already created a bit of a fuzz in the most hardcore fan fractions. They have a solid coaching staff more than capable of tweaking things, and a squad more than able to carry the changes out tho, and they are still one of the lowest odds at the bookmakers. Cape Verde are finally in AAA after spending 4 seasons in AA. They have a ferocious passing offense, and a solid defense that doesnt tire easily, and they are ready for the next level of competition. A close loss to RMoG, a big win against Boston and a close loss against Kibwezi is far from a bad start to the season, and the players will do all they can to not start out their AAA careers as 0-2.
Marvins favorites
Zimbabwe Beavers at Mozambique Starvin MarvinsGAME OF THE WEEK #2
RUN!!BEAVERS!!!
The Beavers have been a bit up-and-down in the pre-season, but got a solid win against AAD in week 1. Overall they look very strong, and the players must be hungry for play-offs after missing out last year. Hard team to figure out, but a team to keep an eye on for sure. They get a good chance to test themselves this game, as they face a very strong MSM team. MSM started the season with a big loss at the hands of Mogadishu, but quickly turned things around and beat Cairo in 2 straight games, the last in a very impressive manner. Perhaps the biggest favorite of all to take the league this year, the pressure from fans and media are huge, but that should affect this seasoned a squad and coaching staff. The first home game of the season is important to get the fans fired up, and to keep up the morale.
MSM favorites
Jupiter Snipers at Sahara ShadowChasers
Sahara had a tough loss at the hands of the newcomers from Richmond in week 1, in a close and intense match. A late series of drives almost brought them back in the game, but it just wasn't enough. This means that they are already 1 game behind just about all their biggest competitors. Many of those competitors play one another this week tho, so this is a golden opportunity to catch up already.
Jupiter smells
Sun City Undertakers at Tijuana Thundercats
The Undertakers doesnt look to have what it takes to compete for top spots this year, as their roster is very shallow. A good recruiting spree can change all that ofc, but as it stands now, it's gonna be up hill for Sun City. They haven't made much notice of themselves in their 3 games so far, and nothing points to them starting today. That puts the Thundercats in a favorable position to get the first W of the season. The Thundercats haven't impressed either, but their squad looks stronger than Sun City's. If they can improve last seasons record is a good question, but a win here is a must for that to happen, no doubt about it.
Tijuana Big favorites
Katanga Diamonds at South African Bulls
The Diamonds haven't had the start to AAA they hoped for, with 2 big losses in the scrimmages, and a week 1 loss to San Dimas. They are a very strong team tho, and finished #1 in their AA conference last year. They have the team to play in 3xA no question, but seem to have to find their old form after a long off-season. Sure win today against the lolbulls, and with 2 very very tough games coming up, they need the morale boost.
Katanga wins
Beltway Bandits at Fort Wayne Generals
BB doesnt look able to make much of an impact on this league with their current roster, and this should be a sure win for the Generals. FW is another team thats a bit hard to say anything about for sure, as they look to have the potential, but haven't impressed at all so far. This game along with next weeks game against Tijuana should be some of the easiest match ups this season, and 2 wins here is required for anything more than a middle spot.
FW beats up on BB
Elephant:
Casablanca Sultans at High Plains DriftersGAME OF THE WEEK #1
The Sultans have made it clear that they are going for the gold this year, and they get their first chance to prove they are deserving of that in tonight's game. Season so far have only had games against the cupcake Bulls and the seemingly confused Generals, so its hard to say anything yet. The team looks strong tho, and the confidence is there. The Drifters had a solid win against ESM in scrimmage #1, and have spent the past 2 weeks beating up poor BB from Lion. Another very interesting team, and this game has much on the line. Elephant looks like it could have many teams at equal records after week 16, so collecting tie-breakers could prove the difference between a homefield game or not when we get there.
No favorite
Richmond Raiders at Tunis AspsGAME OF THE WEEK #2
The Raiders have looked solid in all aspects of the game so far, and is looking to be a tough opponents for every team again this year. Their passing offense is able to shred most D's to pieces, especially on teams with not much depth on secondary. Tunis looks to have a strong team, but haven met a serious challenge since the Beavers in scrimmage #1, where they lost a close game. Looks like they also possess a powerful passing game, so we could be in for a regular shoot out here.
Richmond favorites
Entertainment projection: Through the roof!
River Styx Jinx at Real Men of Genius
The Jinx looked solid throughout the scrimmages, but got a severe beating by Gabon in week 1. Yet another team hard to figure out, but they will have to improve things from last game if they want to stand a chance against RMoG. RMoG had a close loss and a close win in the scrimmage weeks, and beat up on Sun City in week 1. Haven't looked as strong as expected, but they should never be underestimated.
RMoG favorites
Boston Dogs at Kilimanjaro Sno-CapsBIG GAME
The Dogs put on their little doggy coat's and travel to the freezing NESTLÉ BASE CAMP to face off against the Sno-Caps. The Dogs had a close and a big loss in the scrimmages, but got a good start to the season, beating Tijuana in week 1. A very unique team, they are gonna be interesting to follow through the year, and they have the potential to do very well. Kilimanjaro looks to have a solid team, and have looked good so far. A strong performance against the Diamond Hunters last week means good morale, and they dont want to loose the first home game of the season.
No favorite
Kibwezi Choppaholix at African Arms Dealers
Kibwezi has looked very impressive so far, and have beat some really tough teams. Reigning AA#2 champions, they take on fellow AA#2 promoter AAD in this game. Last year these teams played each other twice, and both resulted in huge defeats to AAD. The Arms Dealers looks to be the underdog again today, as they haven't shown near the strength Kibwezi has so far. Unless the correct tactical moves are made, this could be ugly.
Kibwezi Big favorites
Cairo Cannibals at San Dimas Saints
Cairo have had a disappointing start to the season, loosing 3 of 3 games so far. The scrimmage losses was close, and ofc matters little, but the week 1 game didnt look good at all. They have recruited even more seasoned players for this season tho, and have a strong coaching staff. The potential is there to be at least outsider to the top-4 spots, but they will have to get back to basics and get some confidence back in the squad. A lot of work, but a big reward at stake also. San Dimas have looked really good so far, with solid win against both ESM and Katanga, and a cloppering of Beltway. Good depth and a solid starting line up puts San Dimas up there with the early favorites, and a win against Cairo would go far in securing a good seed.
San Dimas very slight favorites
Gambia Diamond Cutters at Kinshasa Rumblers
Gambia have made a good impression so far, and got a good start last week with a win against Fort Wayne. After 4 seasons they are finally in AAA, and the players are gonna make the most of it. Today's game features a cupcake opponents, so not much excitement here. But a win is a win, and the Cutters go 2-0
Cutters win
Mogadishu Malice at Mozambique Thundercats
The Malice is one of the biggest favorites to take Elephant this season, but had a close loss to start the season, and need to win here to get back on track right away. The Thundercats have made some roster improvements this off-season, but still doesnt look quite strong enough for a top position. It's not gonna be easy, but Mogadishu needs this win, as a loss would leave them at pretty much as many losses as they planned for the whole season.
Malice Big favorites
