As we come through the first round of divisional matchups, some updates. I'm only changing the roster numbers on teams that made big changes - if you added one or two guys since the start, sorry, but I'm lazy. Teams are in the order from the league page.
Alpha Division
#21 New York Hawks
Roster size - 41 (all human)
New players - 1 (probably 3 soon, though)
Superstars - 0
Unscathed in league play, with decent sized wins vs Niger and Arkansas. Their division to lose.
#66 Colorado 14ers
Roster size - 42 (all human)
New players - 6
Superstars - 3
They did some late recruiting to put together a competitive roster, but I don't think they can pull it out vs the top teams in the league enough to get a wildcard. Los Cabos and Hollywood are their next two games - we'll see if they prove me wrong
#69 Niger Mambas
Roster size - 43 (32 human)
New players - 12 human, 11 CPU
Superstars - 0
Still heavy on CPU players, and they got spanked by NY and Colorado. I think they're falling into the bottom chunk of the league as we go on, unless they make some changes.
#117 Arkansas Razorbacks
Roster size - 43 (34 human)
New players - all
Superstars - 0
Winless in the league, but they won both ladder games. When their chemistry catches up, they'll be a solid spoiler team. NY, Colorado, Silicon, and Hollywood all play them late - it could be trouble.
Alpha Prediction - NY's taking the division. Colorado will compete for the wildcard, though - and since nobody in Beta emerged as a true best team, they could sneak in and take that spot when the Betas beat each other up.
Beta Division
#37 Los Cabos Sharks
Roster size - 43 (all human)
New players - 13 at 0 chem, 25 players < 20 chem
Superstars - 0
A close win over Hollywood, a tough loss vs Richmond, and a downright spanking of Seattle says the Sharks are going to be contending this season. I figured the chem issues would hold them down in the opening weeks, but they're clearly over it and are a part of Beta's triumvirate of triumph.
#25 Richmond Redskins
Roster size - 43 (all human)
New players - 10
Superstars - 0
No real dominant wins yet, but wins and a 1 point loss to Hollywood today. As always, a very well run squad, definitely in the mix.
#17 Hollywood Knights
Roster size - 43 (all human)
New players - 16
Superstars - 1
Started out with a loss to Los Cabos, but they've been looking good since, shutting out Seattle and taking a tight one over Richmond(plus winning vs some soft-ish, then-overrated ladder competition).
#60 Seattle See Hawks
Roster size - 43 (all human)
New players - 6
Superstars - 0
A nightmare start for Seattle - they've got to be happy they've got Buffalo next and Niger soon after. They've got to be better than their record...but the playoffs are a long way away when you start 0-3.
Beta Prediction - So Seattle knocked themselves out of realistic contention, effectively, unless they go on a major run. Beyond that- Los Cabos beat Hollywood but lost to Richmond. Richmond beat Los Cabous but lost to Hollywood. This tells me...nothing. All three of those teams are pretty evenly matched, it seems, and Seattle isn't going to go 0-6 in the division when things come back around. The lack of one dominant team, though, may mean only one playoff spot for the division - too many games being traded back and forth.
Gamma
#29 Band of the Red Hand
Roster size - 43 (all human)
New players - 2
Superstars - 3
Came through divisional play without a scratch - dominating the two terrible teams (not an accomplishment) and convincingly putting down Silicon. Still our divisional driver's seat - but with Niger and Arkansas next, the middle of the season is going to be a bit ugly.
#69 Silicon Valley Millionaires
Roster size - 42 (all human)
New players - 33
Superstars - 0
Easy wins vs the bottom of the division helped them get some chem up, but the loss to the Band today had to take some wind from their sails, at the start of a brutal stretch - 3 Betas in a row, a breather vs Niger, a Beta, and then the top Alphas.
#91 Cincinnati Jungle Cats
Roster size - 41 (13 human)
New players - 7 human, many CPU
Superstars - 0
Still a lot of CPUs on there, and not much strategy.
#110 Buffalo Beasts of Bourbon
CPU team = try to put up records and pad your MVP stats.
Gamma Prediction - Band wins. Silicon should finish around .500.
So the only real change from before is that I think Colorado improved enough to steal the wildcard from (Beta's second).
