Hello and welcome to the first Official Power Rankings for East Europe AA #4! Just a few weeks ago AA #4 crowned their first champions, the Odessa Falcons, and happily wished them much success in the ultra-competative EE AAA2 league. Alpha's champions, the Dallas Smoke Stacks, received similar heartfelt wishes, even as both conferences greeted newcomers, the Lowell Bengal Tigers and the Hat Creek Cattle Company (formerly the Nashville Nobles). Additionally, teams around the league welcomed the new owners of the Texas Aggies (formerly the Baker Mountain Bucks), The Look (formerly the Belgium Warthogs) and the Longreach Wildcats (formerly the France Fire).
The first four weeks of Season 3 of GLB has seen quite a few surprises as well as more of what we've come to expect out of EEAA4. It's taken this long to finally get a clear picture of the league as a whole and where each team stands but rest assured that no team is without fault and I can guarantee that by the end of the season, things will look radically different from today.
Game of the Week
This early in the season there aren't but a few interesting matchups but this was the game that had the most on the line:
International Players (1-2) vs. Texas Aggies (2-1)
The Aggies used to be a team on the slide as the former Baker Moutain Bucks ended the regular season on a 9-game losing streak, and this after winning their first 7 games! On the other end, the Players were a team that struggled in the middle of the season after cracking the Power Rankings top ten, losing several games during the mid-season stretch before righting the ship and making the playoffs as Alpha's #6 seed.
With all this in mind, these two teams fought, one hoping to forget the past and the other hoping to truly assert themselves as a team worth worrying about. This was indeed a game worth watching from beginning to end. With 1:42 left in the game, the Aggies moved within Field Goal range and successfully converted a 35yd try and putting them up by 3. But the Players wouldn't go down without a fight. They took the kickoff and in 1:31 they moved within range for a 39.5yd FG try to tie the game and send it into overtime. Player kicker msw 2004 collected his paycheck that day as the kick was good and with only 11 seconds left on the clock, the game was set to go into overtime. The two teams battled it out as best they could but despite their defensive efforts, the Player's offense couldn't get anything going and continually had to punt from deep within their own zone. Aggies PR Lagarette Blount capitilized on the short punts and over the course of 3 returns, landed the Aggies close enough that a few short runs put them into acceptable FG range. And, with 6:01 left in the extra quarter, Aggies K Sigmund the Seamonster nailed a 38.5yd FG and handed the Aggies their 3rd win of the season.
End Result: Aggies in, 16-13
And that folks is your game of the week!
Power Rankings
My Power Rankings rely heavily on your overall record and what you've done recently. These rankings have been retooled from Season 2 to include a modifier for Margin of Victory that is weighted against the records of the team you played. So while conducting a 20 point win over a team with a winning record will do a lot for your Rankings, conducting an 80 point win against a team at the bottom of the league won't do anything, if at all.
There are three base components that decide your score:
1. SoS4 - Your strength of schedule over the last 4 games.
2. Wins and Losses - Both overall and over the last 4 games. Losses weigh more heavily than wins.
3. MoV4 - Margin of Victory, calculated individually for each of your last 4 games. Your MoV is multiplied by the win% of the team you faced. Win big over good teams and move up the rankings, it's that simple.
And here they are:
The Top Ten
1. London Head Hunters (4-0) Last Week (LW): #3
In the first Official Power Rankings the Head Hunters find themselves in a very enviable position: At the top. While it is still early in the season, convincing victories over their last four opponents, and a decent strength of schedule sees them holding a slight edge over the #2 team. Many still remember that the Head Hunters simply could not win against the top Zeta teams last year and time will tell if their offseason improvements help change this perspective.
Last Game: vs. Prague Panthers, Won 56-3
Next Game: vs. Carluke Cobras (0-4)
2. Minsk Ninjas (4-0) Last Week (LW): #2
The Ninjas come in at #2 this week and have really asserted themselves in the early goings of Season 3. They are tenths of a point behind the #1 team and are doing their best to shed their downfall last season. Their only losses came against the top two teams in the conference but with one of those teams gone, Minsk is hoping that this is their year. They have some healthy competition and like the Head Hunters, time will tell if what they've done so far will continue to hold.
Last Game: vs. Tallaght Outlaws, Won 50-3
Next Game: vs. NISSA Dauphins (2-2)
3. Lowell Bengal Tigers (4-0) LW: #1
LBT is the new team on the Alpha block, having been relegated from AAA2 after being mistakenly put into one of the most competative leagues in GLB as a brand new team with level 1-4 players. LBT never said die though, and made sure to come away from the experience with as positive an outlook as one can expect from such a dire situation. They learned their lessons well, and have translated that into a 4-0 start and one of the top teams in Alpha.
Last Game: vs. London Dolphins, Won 31-3
Next Game: vs. Tallaght Outlaws (2-2)
4. Warsaw Warriors (4-0) LW: #7
A regular near the top during the course of Season 2, Warsaw returns as the favorite this season to represent Zeta during the Championship game as their only losses came against the promoted Odessa Falcons. Their ranking so far has been stunted by facing 3 of the 4 0-4 teams in Zeta, but they face the 4th this week and after that will look to rise to the top of the pile as they seek to dominate their conference and prove that they are the best Zeta has to offer
Last Game: vs. C-Town Hoodlums, Won 43-3
Next Game: vs. Subotica Scorpions (0-4)
5. Haguenau Coyotes (4-0) LW: #5
The Coyotes barely missed out on the playoffs last year, and are doing their best to make sure that a berth is on their list of accomplishments when the season ends. Their offseason moves seem to have paid off, bringing them to a 4-0 start and a spot in the Top Ten, but can this hold out against the rest of the top teams in Zeta? Time will tell.
Last Game: vs. Subotica Scorpions, Won 23-17
Next Game: vs. Tricity Hares (1-3)
6. Volgograd Berserks (4-0) LW: #6
The last 4-0 team on the list is the Berserks, a playoff team from last year that hopes to improve on their success. They're off to a decent start but really haven't proven themselves as of yet as their schedule so far has been rather weak and it doesn't look to get any better until Week 8. Even still, expect the Berserks to use these games to find tune their team so that they're a threat when the real games come around.
Last Game: vs. Longreach Wildcats, Won 41-9
Next Game: vs. C-Town Hoodlums (1-3)
7. St. Petersberg Storm (3-1) LW: #11
One of the surpises of Season 3 is the Storm, a team that caused more than a few top teams to sweat it out over low scoring games that they just barely won. With a "defense first" mindset, the Storm may not be the flashiest team around, but they make opponents work to pull out a win. Zeta teams will need to do extra gameplanning if they plan on winning against the Storm this year.
Last Game: vs. Hat Creek Cattle Company, Won 9-3
Next Game: vs. Prague Panthers (1-3)
8. Krakow Cows (3-1) LW: #9
The end of season #2 team was on an 18-game winning streak going into the Alpha Conference Champonship, before a retooled and very strong Dallas Smoke Stacks sent them home earlier than anyone expected. The Cows are still a very strong team, and they look to be even stronger at the end of the regular season due to a team-wide agreement to not boost until the last possible moment. If this plan holds true, look for Krakow to be the top threat in Alpha, no matter what their record.
Last Game: vs. Leicester Lynxes, Won 28-3
Next Game: vs. Charleston Roadwarriors (0-4)
9. Moscow Bears (3-1) LW: #8
The Bears were a playoff team last year and are trying to be one of the best Alpha has to offer. They had some issues winning close games last year and that may still be an issue to contend with this year. We won't know until a few weeks from now if the Bears truly belong in the top ten, but with 4 games down, here they are and that's always something to be proud of.
Last Game: vs. Charleston Roadwarriors, Won 13-0
Next Game: vs. Bratislava Vampires (1-3)
10. Moscow Vandals (3-1) LW: #10
The Vandals were a team that did a lot of talking last year but not a lot of backing up on their bravado. Their schedule so far has been very light and like the Bears, one can't really tell if the Top Ten is a place they belong. Their first real test comes in Week 6 but until then, enjoy the spotlight boys!
Last Game: vs. Bratislava Vampires, Won 10-0
Next Game: vs. International Players (1-3)
Next in Line
11. Hat Creek Cattle Company
12. Grodno Buckaroos
13. Texas Aggies
14. Fehervar Enthroners
15. The Look
16. NISSA Dauphins
Stonewalled by the Bouncer
17. Tallaght Outlaws
18. Tricity Hares
19. Warsaw Cossacks
20. Bratislava Vampires
21. Chernobyl Radionuclides
22. Leicester Lynxes
Stayed in to Watch a Movie
23. International Players
24. C-Town Hoodlums
25. Prague Panthers
26. Charleston Roadwarriors
27. Florida Buccaneers
28. Subotica Scorpions
Cried Themselves to Sleep
29. Carluke Cobras
30. Sydney Tire Irons
31. London Dolphins
32. Longreach Wildcats
The first four weeks of Season 3 of GLB has seen quite a few surprises as well as more of what we've come to expect out of EEAA4. It's taken this long to finally get a clear picture of the league as a whole and where each team stands but rest assured that no team is without fault and I can guarantee that by the end of the season, things will look radically different from today.
Game of the Week
This early in the season there aren't but a few interesting matchups but this was the game that had the most on the line:
International Players (1-2) vs. Texas Aggies (2-1)
The Aggies used to be a team on the slide as the former Baker Moutain Bucks ended the regular season on a 9-game losing streak, and this after winning their first 7 games! On the other end, the Players were a team that struggled in the middle of the season after cracking the Power Rankings top ten, losing several games during the mid-season stretch before righting the ship and making the playoffs as Alpha's #6 seed.
With all this in mind, these two teams fought, one hoping to forget the past and the other hoping to truly assert themselves as a team worth worrying about. This was indeed a game worth watching from beginning to end. With 1:42 left in the game, the Aggies moved within Field Goal range and successfully converted a 35yd try and putting them up by 3. But the Players wouldn't go down without a fight. They took the kickoff and in 1:31 they moved within range for a 39.5yd FG try to tie the game and send it into overtime. Player kicker msw 2004 collected his paycheck that day as the kick was good and with only 11 seconds left on the clock, the game was set to go into overtime. The two teams battled it out as best they could but despite their defensive efforts, the Player's offense couldn't get anything going and continually had to punt from deep within their own zone. Aggies PR Lagarette Blount capitilized on the short punts and over the course of 3 returns, landed the Aggies close enough that a few short runs put them into acceptable FG range. And, with 6:01 left in the extra quarter, Aggies K Sigmund the Seamonster nailed a 38.5yd FG and handed the Aggies their 3rd win of the season.
End Result: Aggies in, 16-13
And that folks is your game of the week!
Power Rankings
My Power Rankings rely heavily on your overall record and what you've done recently. These rankings have been retooled from Season 2 to include a modifier for Margin of Victory that is weighted against the records of the team you played. So while conducting a 20 point win over a team with a winning record will do a lot for your Rankings, conducting an 80 point win against a team at the bottom of the league won't do anything, if at all.
There are three base components that decide your score:
1. SoS4 - Your strength of schedule over the last 4 games.
2. Wins and Losses - Both overall and over the last 4 games. Losses weigh more heavily than wins.
3. MoV4 - Margin of Victory, calculated individually for each of your last 4 games. Your MoV is multiplied by the win% of the team you faced. Win big over good teams and move up the rankings, it's that simple.
And here they are:
The Top Ten
1. London Head Hunters (4-0) Last Week (LW): #3
In the first Official Power Rankings the Head Hunters find themselves in a very enviable position: At the top. While it is still early in the season, convincing victories over their last four opponents, and a decent strength of schedule sees them holding a slight edge over the #2 team. Many still remember that the Head Hunters simply could not win against the top Zeta teams last year and time will tell if their offseason improvements help change this perspective.
Last Game: vs. Prague Panthers, Won 56-3
Next Game: vs. Carluke Cobras (0-4)
2. Minsk Ninjas (4-0) Last Week (LW): #2
The Ninjas come in at #2 this week and have really asserted themselves in the early goings of Season 3. They are tenths of a point behind the #1 team and are doing their best to shed their downfall last season. Their only losses came against the top two teams in the conference but with one of those teams gone, Minsk is hoping that this is their year. They have some healthy competition and like the Head Hunters, time will tell if what they've done so far will continue to hold.
Last Game: vs. Tallaght Outlaws, Won 50-3
Next Game: vs. NISSA Dauphins (2-2)
3. Lowell Bengal Tigers (4-0) LW: #1
LBT is the new team on the Alpha block, having been relegated from AAA2 after being mistakenly put into one of the most competative leagues in GLB as a brand new team with level 1-4 players. LBT never said die though, and made sure to come away from the experience with as positive an outlook as one can expect from such a dire situation. They learned their lessons well, and have translated that into a 4-0 start and one of the top teams in Alpha.
Last Game: vs. London Dolphins, Won 31-3
Next Game: vs. Tallaght Outlaws (2-2)
4. Warsaw Warriors (4-0) LW: #7
A regular near the top during the course of Season 2, Warsaw returns as the favorite this season to represent Zeta during the Championship game as their only losses came against the promoted Odessa Falcons. Their ranking so far has been stunted by facing 3 of the 4 0-4 teams in Zeta, but they face the 4th this week and after that will look to rise to the top of the pile as they seek to dominate their conference and prove that they are the best Zeta has to offer
Last Game: vs. C-Town Hoodlums, Won 43-3
Next Game: vs. Subotica Scorpions (0-4)
5. Haguenau Coyotes (4-0) LW: #5
The Coyotes barely missed out on the playoffs last year, and are doing their best to make sure that a berth is on their list of accomplishments when the season ends. Their offseason moves seem to have paid off, bringing them to a 4-0 start and a spot in the Top Ten, but can this hold out against the rest of the top teams in Zeta? Time will tell.
Last Game: vs. Subotica Scorpions, Won 23-17
Next Game: vs. Tricity Hares (1-3)
6. Volgograd Berserks (4-0) LW: #6
The last 4-0 team on the list is the Berserks, a playoff team from last year that hopes to improve on their success. They're off to a decent start but really haven't proven themselves as of yet as their schedule so far has been rather weak and it doesn't look to get any better until Week 8. Even still, expect the Berserks to use these games to find tune their team so that they're a threat when the real games come around.
Last Game: vs. Longreach Wildcats, Won 41-9
Next Game: vs. C-Town Hoodlums (1-3)
7. St. Petersberg Storm (3-1) LW: #11
One of the surpises of Season 3 is the Storm, a team that caused more than a few top teams to sweat it out over low scoring games that they just barely won. With a "defense first" mindset, the Storm may not be the flashiest team around, but they make opponents work to pull out a win. Zeta teams will need to do extra gameplanning if they plan on winning against the Storm this year.
Last Game: vs. Hat Creek Cattle Company, Won 9-3
Next Game: vs. Prague Panthers (1-3)
8. Krakow Cows (3-1) LW: #9
The end of season #2 team was on an 18-game winning streak going into the Alpha Conference Champonship, before a retooled and very strong Dallas Smoke Stacks sent them home earlier than anyone expected. The Cows are still a very strong team, and they look to be even stronger at the end of the regular season due to a team-wide agreement to not boost until the last possible moment. If this plan holds true, look for Krakow to be the top threat in Alpha, no matter what their record.
Last Game: vs. Leicester Lynxes, Won 28-3
Next Game: vs. Charleston Roadwarriors (0-4)
9. Moscow Bears (3-1) LW: #8
The Bears were a playoff team last year and are trying to be one of the best Alpha has to offer. They had some issues winning close games last year and that may still be an issue to contend with this year. We won't know until a few weeks from now if the Bears truly belong in the top ten, but with 4 games down, here they are and that's always something to be proud of.
Last Game: vs. Charleston Roadwarriors, Won 13-0
Next Game: vs. Bratislava Vampires (1-3)
10. Moscow Vandals (3-1) LW: #10
The Vandals were a team that did a lot of talking last year but not a lot of backing up on their bravado. Their schedule so far has been very light and like the Bears, one can't really tell if the Top Ten is a place they belong. Their first real test comes in Week 6 but until then, enjoy the spotlight boys!
Last Game: vs. Bratislava Vampires, Won 10-0
Next Game: vs. International Players (1-3)
Next in Line
11. Hat Creek Cattle Company
12. Grodno Buckaroos
13. Texas Aggies
14. Fehervar Enthroners
15. The Look
16. NISSA Dauphins
Stonewalled by the Bouncer
17. Tallaght Outlaws
18. Tricity Hares
19. Warsaw Cossacks
20. Bratislava Vampires
21. Chernobyl Radionuclides
22. Leicester Lynxes
Stayed in to Watch a Movie
23. International Players
24. C-Town Hoodlums
25. Prague Panthers
26. Charleston Roadwarriors
27. Florida Buccaneers
28. Subotica Scorpions
Cried Themselves to Sleep
29. Carluke Cobras
30. Sydney Tire Irons
31. London Dolphins
32. Longreach Wildcats
