I'll start with a quick apology to Naga - sorry, guys, but your conference looks like too much of a one-horse race for me to bother looking into it, considering I have no direct interest. 
1. Shanghai Steelers (8-1). The Steelers have successfully navigated the toughest part of their schedule, dropping only a single game to the Cougars. With today's win against the Vipers, the Steelers are the team to beat in Garuda. Barring a letdown against the Beatdown, they should hold serve and end the season as the conference's #1 seed.
2. Bien Hoa Vipers (8-1). Much like the Steelers, the Vipers have dropped only a single game. Unfortunately for the Vipers, their loss came to Shanghai, which means they will lose the head-to-head tiebreaker if the teams finish tied, which is the only reason they get a #2 designation rather than 1a. Tests remain against the Beatdown and Fightin' Farmers, but expect the Vipers to come out on top and end up with the conference's #2 seed.
3. Shanghai Knights (7-2). The Knights have already played the toughest portion of their schedule, dropping games to the Steelers and Vipers while beating the Cougars and Beatdown. A date with Aggieland looms ahead in week 12, and should be the only major obstacle standing between the Knights and the #3 seed at 14-2, while a loss to the Farmers could drop the Knights as low as #5.
3a. Aggieland Fightin' Farmers (8-1). The Farmers are a tough team to grade - they've only played one of the conference's top teams, losing to the Steelers. A four-week gauntlet featuring the Knights, Cougars, Vipers, and Beatdown should test them and give us all a better idea of how good they are. Until then, they receive the benefit of the doubt and get the 3a slot, but they could easily move up to #2 or as low as #6 based on their future results. It should be noted that Aggieland's week 12-15 slate should also have a heavy impact on seedings for the remaining contenders (Steelers aside), so they're a team for everyone to watch.
5. Corona Del Mar Cougars (7-2). The Cougars played their own version of the four-contender gauntlet, and came out with a 2-2 split. Despite being the only team to defeat the Steelers so far, the Cougars net only the #5 ranking, as losses to the Vipers and Knights make for unfriendly tie-breakers. The Cougars will certainly be watching Aggieland, as a win over the Fightin' Farmers coupled with positive results for Aggieland in other games could push the Cougars all the way up to the #2 seed.
6. Bangkok Beatdown (7-2). Helped by a friendly early-season schedule, the Beatdown shot out to a 7-0 start. However, recent losses to the Knights (82-14) and Cougars have exposed Bangkok as somewhat of a pretender in Garuda. With the Vipers and Steelers next on the slate, the Beatdown could well enter week 12 with a 7-4 record. However, as their chemistry will continue to improve, they should improve as a team and are certainly someone to watch out for in the playoffs.
7. Yukon Gangsters (5-4). The Gangsters were not helped by the schedule makers - their first three games came against teams that are currently a combined 23-4. Yukon did a great job to rebound, and quality wins against the Captains and Naga give them the inside track for the #7 seed. With three more tough games on the schedule, the Gangsters will look to finish at the top of a pile of 9-7 teams, but they will need to avoid any upset losses to do so.
8. Sumatra Captains (7-2). The Captains are sitting pretty at 7-2, but much like the Beatdown, this may be a case of a friendly early-season schedule more so than anything else. With five of the top six teams in the league still on the schedule, the Captains will need to pull a major upset to finish better than 9-7, and a loss to the Gangsters means they will likely finish as the 8th seed in that situation. A week 16 date with the Naga will be the key to their season, with a loss in that game possibly eliminating Sumatra from the playoffs entirely - but it says here the Captains will hold on to squeeze into the post season.
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9. Merced Raiders (4-5). The Raiders haven't been bad this season, but they haven't done enough to pull off a playoff appearance, either, after losing competitive games to the Gangsters and Captains. Merced should be able to win their next four games, but their season finishes off with three of the top teams in the conference, making anything better than an 8-8 finish an unlikely proposition. A win over Versailles should prove the difference between finishing #9 and #10, but since both will miss the playoffs, it will not be much comfort.
10. Versailles Shinryuji Naga (5-4). Unfortunately for Versailles, it looks like they'll be the hard-luck loser of the race for #8, though it may come down to their final game against the Captains. A tough one-point loss to Yukon, along with a two-touchdown defeat to Merced, will leave the Naga on the outside looking in. A Naga win over the Captains in week 16 could muck up the #8 seed picture, leaving all three teams with a likely 8-8 record and resulting in a points-scored tiebreaker being applied.
11. Singapore Stallions (2-7). The Stallions look like they may be the cream of the non-contender crop. Having drawn a difficult early-season schedule, Singapore has put up a poor record, but played competitive games against quality opposition. As the schedule improves late in the season, the Stallions will improve their record and float towards the middle of the pack.
12. Bayside Shakedown (3-6). The Shakedown haven't had much to write home about, and likely won't until the season ends, either. A week 14 date with the Stallions should tip the scales on who gets the best-of-the-worst bragging rights. Bayside has many players on its roster that are somewhat underleveled for AA play, so they should at least have a brighter future to look forward to.
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13. Davao City Pirates (1-8). The Pirates have kept most of their games close, but haven't been able to win many. A friendly late-season schedule, coupled with their 12-9 win over the Tsunami, earns them the #13 designation and the top spot on the cellar-dweller list.
14. Surabaya Tsunami (3-6). The Tsunami haven't beaten anyone worth talking about, and it would be a major surprise if they added a fourth win before the season ends. Losing the tiebreak to the Pirates, they should finish in 14th spot, and will at least be comforted by knowing they're safe from relegation.
15/16. Hanoi Hitmen / Vietnam Veterans. Keep your chins up, guys. Only seven games left. These teams play each other in week 10, and someone has to win. Unless it's a tie. Sadly, neither has enough human players to care.
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Whew. That was a mouthful.
1. Shanghai Steelers (8-1). The Steelers have successfully navigated the toughest part of their schedule, dropping only a single game to the Cougars. With today's win against the Vipers, the Steelers are the team to beat in Garuda. Barring a letdown against the Beatdown, they should hold serve and end the season as the conference's #1 seed.
2. Bien Hoa Vipers (8-1). Much like the Steelers, the Vipers have dropped only a single game. Unfortunately for the Vipers, their loss came to Shanghai, which means they will lose the head-to-head tiebreaker if the teams finish tied, which is the only reason they get a #2 designation rather than 1a. Tests remain against the Beatdown and Fightin' Farmers, but expect the Vipers to come out on top and end up with the conference's #2 seed.
3. Shanghai Knights (7-2). The Knights have already played the toughest portion of their schedule, dropping games to the Steelers and Vipers while beating the Cougars and Beatdown. A date with Aggieland looms ahead in week 12, and should be the only major obstacle standing between the Knights and the #3 seed at 14-2, while a loss to the Farmers could drop the Knights as low as #5.
3a. Aggieland Fightin' Farmers (8-1). The Farmers are a tough team to grade - they've only played one of the conference's top teams, losing to the Steelers. A four-week gauntlet featuring the Knights, Cougars, Vipers, and Beatdown should test them and give us all a better idea of how good they are. Until then, they receive the benefit of the doubt and get the 3a slot, but they could easily move up to #2 or as low as #6 based on their future results. It should be noted that Aggieland's week 12-15 slate should also have a heavy impact on seedings for the remaining contenders (Steelers aside), so they're a team for everyone to watch.
5. Corona Del Mar Cougars (7-2). The Cougars played their own version of the four-contender gauntlet, and came out with a 2-2 split. Despite being the only team to defeat the Steelers so far, the Cougars net only the #5 ranking, as losses to the Vipers and Knights make for unfriendly tie-breakers. The Cougars will certainly be watching Aggieland, as a win over the Fightin' Farmers coupled with positive results for Aggieland in other games could push the Cougars all the way up to the #2 seed.
6. Bangkok Beatdown (7-2). Helped by a friendly early-season schedule, the Beatdown shot out to a 7-0 start. However, recent losses to the Knights (82-14) and Cougars have exposed Bangkok as somewhat of a pretender in Garuda. With the Vipers and Steelers next on the slate, the Beatdown could well enter week 12 with a 7-4 record. However, as their chemistry will continue to improve, they should improve as a team and are certainly someone to watch out for in the playoffs.
7. Yukon Gangsters (5-4). The Gangsters were not helped by the schedule makers - their first three games came against teams that are currently a combined 23-4. Yukon did a great job to rebound, and quality wins against the Captains and Naga give them the inside track for the #7 seed. With three more tough games on the schedule, the Gangsters will look to finish at the top of a pile of 9-7 teams, but they will need to avoid any upset losses to do so.
8. Sumatra Captains (7-2). The Captains are sitting pretty at 7-2, but much like the Beatdown, this may be a case of a friendly early-season schedule more so than anything else. With five of the top six teams in the league still on the schedule, the Captains will need to pull a major upset to finish better than 9-7, and a loss to the Gangsters means they will likely finish as the 8th seed in that situation. A week 16 date with the Naga will be the key to their season, with a loss in that game possibly eliminating Sumatra from the playoffs entirely - but it says here the Captains will hold on to squeeze into the post season.
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9. Merced Raiders (4-5). The Raiders haven't been bad this season, but they haven't done enough to pull off a playoff appearance, either, after losing competitive games to the Gangsters and Captains. Merced should be able to win their next four games, but their season finishes off with three of the top teams in the conference, making anything better than an 8-8 finish an unlikely proposition. A win over Versailles should prove the difference between finishing #9 and #10, but since both will miss the playoffs, it will not be much comfort.
10. Versailles Shinryuji Naga (5-4). Unfortunately for Versailles, it looks like they'll be the hard-luck loser of the race for #8, though it may come down to their final game against the Captains. A tough one-point loss to Yukon, along with a two-touchdown defeat to Merced, will leave the Naga on the outside looking in. A Naga win over the Captains in week 16 could muck up the #8 seed picture, leaving all three teams with a likely 8-8 record and resulting in a points-scored tiebreaker being applied.
11. Singapore Stallions (2-7). The Stallions look like they may be the cream of the non-contender crop. Having drawn a difficult early-season schedule, Singapore has put up a poor record, but played competitive games against quality opposition. As the schedule improves late in the season, the Stallions will improve their record and float towards the middle of the pack.
12. Bayside Shakedown (3-6). The Shakedown haven't had much to write home about, and likely won't until the season ends, either. A week 14 date with the Stallions should tip the scales on who gets the best-of-the-worst bragging rights. Bayside has many players on its roster that are somewhat underleveled for AA play, so they should at least have a brighter future to look forward to.
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13. Davao City Pirates (1-8). The Pirates have kept most of their games close, but haven't been able to win many. A friendly late-season schedule, coupled with their 12-9 win over the Tsunami, earns them the #13 designation and the top spot on the cellar-dweller list.
14. Surabaya Tsunami (3-6). The Tsunami haven't beaten anyone worth talking about, and it would be a major surprise if they added a fourth win before the season ends. Losing the tiebreak to the Pirates, they should finish in 14th spot, and will at least be comforted by knowing they're safe from relegation.
15/16. Hanoi Hitmen / Vietnam Veterans. Keep your chins up, guys. Only seven games left. These teams play each other in week 10, and someone has to win. Unless it's a tie. Sadly, neither has enough human players to care.
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Whew. That was a mouthful.
Edited by Crawly on Jul 6, 2009 09:10:30
