The big upset this week was pulled off by the Iberian Bocs which game me some real head scratching about how to do the weekly rankings. Hmmmmm, one thing is for certain Hollywood is still unbeaten and the coming weeks will give us some answers
And then there was one
1. Hollywood Knights(11-0)
Hail Hail, still undefeated after 11 weeks in the top spot. Wire to wire perhaps? Well it certainly could happen but in order to do that they have to defeat the smarting Chuck this week and still have late season games against the Wolves in Bulls. Still to have survived to the last of the unbeatens is a feat and they have the #1 playoff spot if they can pull it off this week.
Next Three: Chuck, Vikings, Wolves
Projected: 12-2
The Muddle for the rest of the top
2. Chuck Norris(10-1)
I called Iberian a physical team in last weeks write up, I guess they were even more physical than expected as they got beaten by the Bocs. Chuck gave up way too many yards straight up the gut and let Iberian keep the game close and keep their offense off the field. Chuck probably also threw the deep ball a little too often and it cost them. Iberian staged a forth quarter rally led by QB Scott Caroll and his 4 TD passes. Now Chuck has to regroup or lost any hope for a #1 seed.
Next Three: Hollywood, Mamertini, C-Knights
Projected: 13-1
3. Warsaw Wolves(9-2)
Up till now it's been all fun and games as the Wolves have done battle with some second tier teams after a rocky season start. The Pirates, Bocs, and Hollywood all have big victories to their name and if my Wolves want to show that the early season loss to Chuck is behind them they will have to run the table.
Next Three: Pirates, Bocs, Hollywood
Projected: 12-2
4. Iberian Bocs(9-2)
I have a hard time placing them above a team that beat them(Hague) but truthfully they have earned in downing Chuck and showing that NO ONE in this conference is invincable. Iberian last year was jekyl and hide, guess what they are again, if you can't stop the run against Iberian your probably in trouble. Regardless congrats to them and enjoy a warm up game against the defunct Vikings before we get a chance to meet head to head.
Next Three: Vikings, Wolves, Gladiators
Projected: 9-4
5. Hague Pirates(9-2)
Hague has made a strong push and could very easily claim a homefield playoff game. To do that though they need to get over and around my Wolves and we promise not to make that an easy chore for them. If they do however the Pirates have themeselves a pretty easy course the rest of the way only the Bulls require any game planning and Hague looks likely to run the table at least after this week. I may need to break out the Abacus again this week if Hague, Iberian, and my Wolves all finish with at or near the same record.
Next Three: Warsaw, Gladiators, Bulls
Projected: 11-3
Stepping down a notch
6. Milano Mamertini(8-3)
Still solid if unspectacular a small margin of victory against the Sidewinders as their offense sputtered a bit. Im not for running up the score but in GLB that somewhat happens on its own and only putting up 31 against a team with some serious defensive deficiencies doesnt imbue me with confidence. Of course who knows maybe they are playing a little possum here putting up a bad game plan with bigger games on the horizon.
Next Three: Tigers, Chuck, Vikings
Projected: 9-5
The Best of the rest
7. Misc Manlets(5-6)
Still slowly coming back after an atrocious season beginning of course there are nothing but speed bumps for the Manlets on the horizon, at least until the post-season when they have a chance to be an upset minded group again.
Next Three: Minotaurs, Sidewinders, Outlaws
Projected: 8-6
8. Pamplona Bulls(6-5)
Rebounded from missing their chance to knock the Manlets down a notch by taking out their frustrations on the overpowered Minotaurs. These guys appear to be in year 2 of a rebuilding project that will see them clinch their first post-season spot, albeit a chance to battle the Hollywood Knights or Chuck Norris on the road. Still even Stephen Colbert would give them a tip of his hat.
Next Three: Outlaws, Manglers, Pirates
Projected: 8-6
Still in the hunt
9. Luxemborg Tigers(4-7)
Ok so they are on life support after getting it handed to them by the Hollywood Knights. This game against the Mamertini is a must win, it's time to toss in the bonus tokens boosts, and gimmick game plan to come away with a W.
Next Three: Mamertini, C-Knights, Sidewinders
Projected: 7-7
Game of the Week: Chuck Norris versus Hollywood Knights
Can their be any other choice for game of the week than a #1 vs. #2 matchup. Chuck has to be stinging after that loss to Iberian, but Smoothgoblin is a good owner, Im sure hes taking down his lessons learned and won't make the same mistakes twice. Hollywood is still undefeated and finished highest of all teams last season so make no mistake this team can score and play defense. The key issue will be if their offense can stay on the field long enough to keep Chuck's off. This one will go down to the wire and knowing what I know now I think had Chuck not lost to Iberian they would have fallen to Hollywood this week, since they did they make the necessary adjustments and pull out a high scoring squeaker.
Chuck 43 Hollywood 40
Must See TV: Warsaw Wolves vs. Hague Pirates
In the first of playoff team packed contest for the Wolves they take on the Pirates who had previously beaten media darling the Iberian Bocs. Of course Iberian wasn't the same team and the question will be for both defenses, can the Wolves stop Hague's ground game and can Hague stop the Wolves passing attack? This one should be fun and I could even see Hague leading at half but I honestly think we overwhelm them over time.
Wolves 56 Hague 30
Upset Alert: Milano Mammertini vs. Luxemborg Tigers
Well the Tigers may hate me for waking up the perhaps sleeping Mammertini but a wounded Tiger is a dangerous Tiger. The Tigers MUST have this game a win and they are probably a .500 team even if they miss the post-season. It's time for the Tigers to push their chips into the middle of the table and say ALL IN. I think the Tigers pull this out against the narrowest of margins.
Tigers 27 Mamertini 24
And then there was one
1. Hollywood Knights(11-0)
Hail Hail, still undefeated after 11 weeks in the top spot. Wire to wire perhaps? Well it certainly could happen but in order to do that they have to defeat the smarting Chuck this week and still have late season games against the Wolves in Bulls. Still to have survived to the last of the unbeatens is a feat and they have the #1 playoff spot if they can pull it off this week.
Next Three: Chuck, Vikings, Wolves
Projected: 12-2
The Muddle for the rest of the top
2. Chuck Norris(10-1)
I called Iberian a physical team in last weeks write up, I guess they were even more physical than expected as they got beaten by the Bocs. Chuck gave up way too many yards straight up the gut and let Iberian keep the game close and keep their offense off the field. Chuck probably also threw the deep ball a little too often and it cost them. Iberian staged a forth quarter rally led by QB Scott Caroll and his 4 TD passes. Now Chuck has to regroup or lost any hope for a #1 seed.
Next Three: Hollywood, Mamertini, C-Knights
Projected: 13-1
3. Warsaw Wolves(9-2)
Up till now it's been all fun and games as the Wolves have done battle with some second tier teams after a rocky season start. The Pirates, Bocs, and Hollywood all have big victories to their name and if my Wolves want to show that the early season loss to Chuck is behind them they will have to run the table.
Next Three: Pirates, Bocs, Hollywood
Projected: 12-2
4. Iberian Bocs(9-2)
I have a hard time placing them above a team that beat them(Hague) but truthfully they have earned in downing Chuck and showing that NO ONE in this conference is invincable. Iberian last year was jekyl and hide, guess what they are again, if you can't stop the run against Iberian your probably in trouble. Regardless congrats to them and enjoy a warm up game against the defunct Vikings before we get a chance to meet head to head.
Next Three: Vikings, Wolves, Gladiators
Projected: 9-4
5. Hague Pirates(9-2)
Hague has made a strong push and could very easily claim a homefield playoff game. To do that though they need to get over and around my Wolves and we promise not to make that an easy chore for them. If they do however the Pirates have themeselves a pretty easy course the rest of the way only the Bulls require any game planning and Hague looks likely to run the table at least after this week. I may need to break out the Abacus again this week if Hague, Iberian, and my Wolves all finish with at or near the same record.
Next Three: Warsaw, Gladiators, Bulls
Projected: 11-3
Stepping down a notch
6. Milano Mamertini(8-3)
Still solid if unspectacular a small margin of victory against the Sidewinders as their offense sputtered a bit. Im not for running up the score but in GLB that somewhat happens on its own and only putting up 31 against a team with some serious defensive deficiencies doesnt imbue me with confidence. Of course who knows maybe they are playing a little possum here putting up a bad game plan with bigger games on the horizon.
Next Three: Tigers, Chuck, Vikings
Projected: 9-5
The Best of the rest
7. Misc Manlets(5-6)
Still slowly coming back after an atrocious season beginning of course there are nothing but speed bumps for the Manlets on the horizon, at least until the post-season when they have a chance to be an upset minded group again.
Next Three: Minotaurs, Sidewinders, Outlaws
Projected: 8-6
8. Pamplona Bulls(6-5)
Rebounded from missing their chance to knock the Manlets down a notch by taking out their frustrations on the overpowered Minotaurs. These guys appear to be in year 2 of a rebuilding project that will see them clinch their first post-season spot, albeit a chance to battle the Hollywood Knights or Chuck Norris on the road. Still even Stephen Colbert would give them a tip of his hat.
Next Three: Outlaws, Manglers, Pirates
Projected: 8-6
Still in the hunt
9. Luxemborg Tigers(4-7)
Ok so they are on life support after getting it handed to them by the Hollywood Knights. This game against the Mamertini is a must win, it's time to toss in the bonus tokens boosts, and gimmick game plan to come away with a W.
Next Three: Mamertini, C-Knights, Sidewinders
Projected: 7-7
Game of the Week: Chuck Norris versus Hollywood Knights
Can their be any other choice for game of the week than a #1 vs. #2 matchup. Chuck has to be stinging after that loss to Iberian, but Smoothgoblin is a good owner, Im sure hes taking down his lessons learned and won't make the same mistakes twice. Hollywood is still undefeated and finished highest of all teams last season so make no mistake this team can score and play defense. The key issue will be if their offense can stay on the field long enough to keep Chuck's off. This one will go down to the wire and knowing what I know now I think had Chuck not lost to Iberian they would have fallen to Hollywood this week, since they did they make the necessary adjustments and pull out a high scoring squeaker.
Chuck 43 Hollywood 40
Must See TV: Warsaw Wolves vs. Hague Pirates
In the first of playoff team packed contest for the Wolves they take on the Pirates who had previously beaten media darling the Iberian Bocs. Of course Iberian wasn't the same team and the question will be for both defenses, can the Wolves stop Hague's ground game and can Hague stop the Wolves passing attack? This one should be fun and I could even see Hague leading at half but I honestly think we overwhelm them over time.
Wolves 56 Hague 30
Upset Alert: Milano Mammertini vs. Luxemborg Tigers
Well the Tigers may hate me for waking up the perhaps sleeping Mammertini but a wounded Tiger is a dangerous Tiger. The Tigers MUST have this game a win and they are probably a .500 team even if they miss the post-season. It's time for the Tigers to push their chips into the middle of the table and say ALL IN. I think the Tigers pull this out against the narrowest of margins.
Tigers 27 Mamertini 24
