The Capital Times
Volume 2, Issue 6
Playoff edition – Dots and Dashes
The lineup at the Orlando ticket office stretched round the block as the Prime Timer faithful dutifully made their way to the kiosk to purchase their routine seats for what has become an annual right-of-passage – a first round playoff game at Camping World Stadium. The electric blue-and-gold banners above the field swirled lazily in the hazy autumn breeze on this night. Murmurs could be heard throughout the gathered throng, questioning whether the October surprise of the previous week – a stunning defeat to the 3-and-13 Snoqualmie Wildcats, was merely a matter of the legendary Orlando coaching staff taking a well-deserved week off, or if it portended something greater, more sinister.
“Nonsense,” replied a fan who was waiting in the queue when asked. “Just resting our starters. Nothing to be concerned by.” Okay. Asked for a prediction for their upcoming first round match against the Johannesburg Jackals, the dot turned to the camera and offered the following 1-word response: “Pain.”
Allllrighty then!
Welcome to this special playoff edition of The Capital Times, covering dotball since before Bort first discovered balloons.
It’s been a long season, people, but the regular season has come and gone and the first round matchups are set. It’s time to separate the dots from the dashes, so without further adieu, let’s dive in…
Pro League 2 – Beta round 1: Johannesburg Jackals @ Orlando Prime Timers
The Prime Timers are coming off another stellar season, finishing in 2nd place with a 12-and-4 record. Some questioned the nature of their Week 16 loss to the struggling Sno-cats however. The loss ensured a first round matchup with the Jackals, a team the Prime Timers defeated twice this season. The Week 16 loss also prevented a potential first round matchup with the 4th place KC Comets, a team that upset the champs in Week 12. Whatever happened, one thing’s for sure – the bookies are giving the champs favorable odds to come out of the first round with a solid ‘W’.
Pro League 2 – Beta round 1: KC Comets @ Honolulu Hurricane Wife Carriers
Your faithful correspondent went out on a limb in the last edition of this news rag, predicting a Week 13 upset of the Wife Carriers at the hands of the upstart Comets. We came devilishly close in our prediction, too, but for a 4th quarter Sed Ferro rush that put the Carriers over the top, winning the game by the slimmest of margins, 23-21 - https://glb.warriorgeneral.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=45411&pbp_id=713778 . The playoff gods have apparently smiled upon us however, and have blessed us with this fiendishly interesting first-round rematch. Can the Comets push themselves over the top and hold on for the win? Or have the Carriers learnt their lessons with their near miss, and will now take the squad from KC more seriously?
Pro League 2 – Alpha round 1: Cochabamba Coyotes @ Jersey Showboats
The Showboats are coming off another solid season, finishing atop the Alpha ranks with a 12-and-4 record. The Jersey shore is currently congested with fans going about their gym-tan-laundry routines before heading to MetLife Stadium to purchase their tickets for the big game. On paper, this game should be no contest, with the Showboats having had a dominant season and Cochabamba having just arrived at the Pro level. Indeed, in our last report, we mistakenly predicted the Coyotes would end their season at 6-and-6, but these wily Coyotes refused to go quietly into the night, instead, powering through their last 2 games to finish their season with a solid 9-and-7 record. More interestingly, these Coyotes defeated the Showboats both times they’ve met this season. Could it be these Coyotes have finally cracked the RC code?
Pro League 2 – Alpha round 1: Miami Red Hawks @ Tempe Venom
The Venom are perennial contenders at GLB’s highest level, and Season 109 has been no exception. Finishing with a solid 11-and-5 record, Tempe is preparing to host the visiting Red Hawks of Miami, a team they managed to beat both times they met this season. The second of these two meetings was a much closer affair than the first however, requiring a late 4th quarter TD to put the Venom over the top: https://glb.warriorgeneral.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=45408&pbp_id=713973 . With the Venom dropping their Week 16 match to the 4th place Coyotes, one wonders if the Venom has peaked too soon, and whether a first round upset might be in the cards?
Pro League 1 – Alpha round 1: Florida Frenzy @ High Plains Mustangs
Old Man Ravenwood once told me, “When you mess up, fess up.” Well, this newspaper messed up big time when we predicted back in Week 12 that the Mustangs would slink off into post-season anonymity, finishing their season with a dismal 3-game losing streak and a final record of 6-and-10. Well folks, our SADR metrics could not have been more wrong. High Plains must have used our prediction as locker room material, because they roared through their final 4 games, going undefeated during that stretch – a feat that would vault them to the very top of the standings.
Their reward for this impressive end to an impressive season is to host the Florida Frenzy in a first round matchup at Mustangs Corral. Unlike High Plains, the Frenzy, which had been sitting atop the Alpha Conference standings, had a rather poor showing over their final 4 games, dropping 3 of them to fall back into 4th place. Can the Frenzy stop the slide? Or will High Plains carry their momentum to a championship game?
Pro League 1 – Alpha round 1: SWAT Team @ C-Town MF’ers
Like the Frenzy before them, C-Town is another squad this paper predicted to finish their season on a high note. Instead, they backed into the playoffs, having dropped their final 2 games of the season to finish at 9-and-7. There is no conference quite as competitive as Pro Alpha however, and with the top 4 teams all sharing an equal record of 9-and-7, C-Town remains in 2nd place, and will host the visiting SWAT Team under the lights at MF’n HOOD Stadium. MF’ers from across the land are rushing to the box office to secure their seats, fully expecting a great show, given that both previous games this season finished within a single possession. C-Town managed to come away with wins in both previous matches, however, and it will be interesting to see if the squad can bring this MF’n 2-game losing streak to an end, or if the SWAT Team takes them out, once and for all.
Pro League 1 – Beta round 1: Asau Golden Eagles @ Alamo City Spurs
We liked what we saw in the Spurs back in Week 12, and Alamo City has given us no reason to change our high opinion of them. Indeed, they’ve out-performed expectations and have finished their season riding an impressive 5-game winning streak, catapulting them to the very top of the Beta standings. For their efforts, the Spurs will get to host the visiting Golden Eagles of Asau when the Eagles travel to Frost Bank Stadium for their first round matchup.
The Eagles dropped their last 2 games of the season, including a loss to Alamo City in Week 15. It was a closely fought affair however, and the Spurs only just managed to hold onto their 4th quarter lead, eventually defeating Asau by a score of 27-24. Their first contest this season back in Week 1 was equally close, requiring a 4th quarter touchdown to finally secure the victory. Will the Eagles find the magic pixie dust at Frost Bank Stadium to finally put them over the top?
Pro League 1 – Beta round 1: Cherokee Nation @ WAR MACHINE
This first round matchup might possibly be the most interesting of all, as both teams enter the post-season riding a win streak. The MACHINE has won their last 3 games, and 6 of their last 7. Meanwhile, Cherokee has won their last 2, and 3 of their last 4. Expect both teams to be brimming with confidence when the Nation rolls into MACHINE Stadium.
Head-to-head, one has to give the MACHINE the nod as the favorite to win, as WAR has bested Cherokee in both previous matches this season. But as we saw last season, Cherokee has a habit of coming alive in the post season, and is more than capable of surprising. This game will be one to watch!
Volume 2, Issue 6
Playoff edition – Dots and Dashes
The lineup at the Orlando ticket office stretched round the block as the Prime Timer faithful dutifully made their way to the kiosk to purchase their routine seats for what has become an annual right-of-passage – a first round playoff game at Camping World Stadium. The electric blue-and-gold banners above the field swirled lazily in the hazy autumn breeze on this night. Murmurs could be heard throughout the gathered throng, questioning whether the October surprise of the previous week – a stunning defeat to the 3-and-13 Snoqualmie Wildcats, was merely a matter of the legendary Orlando coaching staff taking a well-deserved week off, or if it portended something greater, more sinister.
“Nonsense,” replied a fan who was waiting in the queue when asked. “Just resting our starters. Nothing to be concerned by.” Okay. Asked for a prediction for their upcoming first round match against the Johannesburg Jackals, the dot turned to the camera and offered the following 1-word response: “Pain.”
Allllrighty then!
Welcome to this special playoff edition of The Capital Times, covering dotball since before Bort first discovered balloons.
It’s been a long season, people, but the regular season has come and gone and the first round matchups are set. It’s time to separate the dots from the dashes, so without further adieu, let’s dive in…
Pro League 2 – Beta round 1: Johannesburg Jackals @ Orlando Prime Timers
The Prime Timers are coming off another stellar season, finishing in 2nd place with a 12-and-4 record. Some questioned the nature of their Week 16 loss to the struggling Sno-cats however. The loss ensured a first round matchup with the Jackals, a team the Prime Timers defeated twice this season. The Week 16 loss also prevented a potential first round matchup with the 4th place KC Comets, a team that upset the champs in Week 12. Whatever happened, one thing’s for sure – the bookies are giving the champs favorable odds to come out of the first round with a solid ‘W’.
Pro League 2 – Beta round 1: KC Comets @ Honolulu Hurricane Wife Carriers
Your faithful correspondent went out on a limb in the last edition of this news rag, predicting a Week 13 upset of the Wife Carriers at the hands of the upstart Comets. We came devilishly close in our prediction, too, but for a 4th quarter Sed Ferro rush that put the Carriers over the top, winning the game by the slimmest of margins, 23-21 - https://glb.warriorgeneral.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=45411&pbp_id=713778 . The playoff gods have apparently smiled upon us however, and have blessed us with this fiendishly interesting first-round rematch. Can the Comets push themselves over the top and hold on for the win? Or have the Carriers learnt their lessons with their near miss, and will now take the squad from KC more seriously?
Pro League 2 – Alpha round 1: Cochabamba Coyotes @ Jersey Showboats
The Showboats are coming off another solid season, finishing atop the Alpha ranks with a 12-and-4 record. The Jersey shore is currently congested with fans going about their gym-tan-laundry routines before heading to MetLife Stadium to purchase their tickets for the big game. On paper, this game should be no contest, with the Showboats having had a dominant season and Cochabamba having just arrived at the Pro level. Indeed, in our last report, we mistakenly predicted the Coyotes would end their season at 6-and-6, but these wily Coyotes refused to go quietly into the night, instead, powering through their last 2 games to finish their season with a solid 9-and-7 record. More interestingly, these Coyotes defeated the Showboats both times they’ve met this season. Could it be these Coyotes have finally cracked the RC code?
Pro League 2 – Alpha round 1: Miami Red Hawks @ Tempe Venom
The Venom are perennial contenders at GLB’s highest level, and Season 109 has been no exception. Finishing with a solid 11-and-5 record, Tempe is preparing to host the visiting Red Hawks of Miami, a team they managed to beat both times they met this season. The second of these two meetings was a much closer affair than the first however, requiring a late 4th quarter TD to put the Venom over the top: https://glb.warriorgeneral.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=45408&pbp_id=713973 . With the Venom dropping their Week 16 match to the 4th place Coyotes, one wonders if the Venom has peaked too soon, and whether a first round upset might be in the cards?
Pro League 1 – Alpha round 1: Florida Frenzy @ High Plains Mustangs
Old Man Ravenwood once told me, “When you mess up, fess up.” Well, this newspaper messed up big time when we predicted back in Week 12 that the Mustangs would slink off into post-season anonymity, finishing their season with a dismal 3-game losing streak and a final record of 6-and-10. Well folks, our SADR metrics could not have been more wrong. High Plains must have used our prediction as locker room material, because they roared through their final 4 games, going undefeated during that stretch – a feat that would vault them to the very top of the standings.
Their reward for this impressive end to an impressive season is to host the Florida Frenzy in a first round matchup at Mustangs Corral. Unlike High Plains, the Frenzy, which had been sitting atop the Alpha Conference standings, had a rather poor showing over their final 4 games, dropping 3 of them to fall back into 4th place. Can the Frenzy stop the slide? Or will High Plains carry their momentum to a championship game?
Pro League 1 – Alpha round 1: SWAT Team @ C-Town MF’ers
Like the Frenzy before them, C-Town is another squad this paper predicted to finish their season on a high note. Instead, they backed into the playoffs, having dropped their final 2 games of the season to finish at 9-and-7. There is no conference quite as competitive as Pro Alpha however, and with the top 4 teams all sharing an equal record of 9-and-7, C-Town remains in 2nd place, and will host the visiting SWAT Team under the lights at MF’n HOOD Stadium. MF’ers from across the land are rushing to the box office to secure their seats, fully expecting a great show, given that both previous games this season finished within a single possession. C-Town managed to come away with wins in both previous matches, however, and it will be interesting to see if the squad can bring this MF’n 2-game losing streak to an end, or if the SWAT Team takes them out, once and for all.
Pro League 1 – Beta round 1: Asau Golden Eagles @ Alamo City Spurs
We liked what we saw in the Spurs back in Week 12, and Alamo City has given us no reason to change our high opinion of them. Indeed, they’ve out-performed expectations and have finished their season riding an impressive 5-game winning streak, catapulting them to the very top of the Beta standings. For their efforts, the Spurs will get to host the visiting Golden Eagles of Asau when the Eagles travel to Frost Bank Stadium for their first round matchup.
The Eagles dropped their last 2 games of the season, including a loss to Alamo City in Week 15. It was a closely fought affair however, and the Spurs only just managed to hold onto their 4th quarter lead, eventually defeating Asau by a score of 27-24. Their first contest this season back in Week 1 was equally close, requiring a 4th quarter touchdown to finally secure the victory. Will the Eagles find the magic pixie dust at Frost Bank Stadium to finally put them over the top?
Pro League 1 – Beta round 1: Cherokee Nation @ WAR MACHINE
This first round matchup might possibly be the most interesting of all, as both teams enter the post-season riding a win streak. The MACHINE has won their last 3 games, and 6 of their last 7. Meanwhile, Cherokee has won their last 2, and 3 of their last 4. Expect both teams to be brimming with confidence when the Nation rolls into MACHINE Stadium.
Head-to-head, one has to give the MACHINE the nod as the favorite to win, as WAR has bested Cherokee in both previous matches this season. But as we saw last season, Cherokee has a habit of coming alive in the post season, and is more than capable of surprising. This game will be one to watch!
Edited by Ravenwood on Oct 22, 2024 15:05:21
