Ladder Week 1
The Lithium League average rank is 215… good for last in the sophomore leagues. It is going to be tough for the league to move up with a cpu team and an inactive team but anything is possible. To the games
Seattle Renegades (66) @ West Virginia Werewolves (57)
The Werewolves had a great showing versus the #2 ranked Doinitin Dijouti 2.0 losing by a fieldgoal. Seattle lost by a fieldgoal in their game against Jershon. Both teams have around the same chemistry so this will not be a factor.
Prediction: 14-10 Werewolves
Hartford Whalers (36) v. Jershon Stripling Warriors (33)
Hartford ran the score up on a CPU ran team in the first game. The 48 points is just an inflated total which equates to a great draw for the Warriors. They should control the Whalers offense and roll to 2-0 on the season.
Prediction: 17-6 Warriors
Baltimore BrewMasters (49) v. Dallas Extreme (58)
Another great draw for the league. An underrated BrewMaster team versus a CPU Extreme team. Nuf said.
Dallas Manglers (34) @ Derry Clowns (28)
Bad draw for the Manglers. Derry is coming off a loss against the number 1 ranked team on sophomore. Their 28 ranking is way too low for the talent on the team. The Manglers are going to struggle in this one with Derry controlling the clock and the game. The good thing about ladder games is when you are scheduled like this early on you normally get rewarded the next week.
Prediction: 24-6 Derry
Midgar Avalanche (19) @ CONVICTED (8)
This is a bad draw for the Avalanche. Convicted is coming off a blowout of River City this past week. These numbers are partly inflated based on the CPU stacked defense of the Ransom. Convicted scored more points in the second quarter of their last game than Midgar scrounged the whole last game. The Avalanche must control the clock to keep the potent offense of Convicted off the field to have a chance. This might be too tall of a task for Midgar. But I can’t pick against my team.
Prediction: 13-10 Midgar
Portland Storm (30) v. Fort Collins Stoners (40)
This should be a good matchup between the Storm and the Stoners. The Stoners should be ranked a bit higher much as the Storm. The Stoners are rebuilding their offense but the defense mostly remained intact. The Storm have not been tested by many passing teams, but they can see how their off-season pass defense has come along when they are tested by the Stoners. This game will highlight some scoring.
Prediction: 31-27 Storm
New York Gangsters (37) @ Norfolk Tides (34)
The Gangsters are much better than the 37 ranking they are given, and are punished by getting a tough Tide team on the road. The Tide lost some pieces this offseason, but are still a solid team. This game is a coin flip. I will side with the league and the team who is better off with chemistry.
Prediction: 20-17 New York
Rapper’s Delight (24) @ North Korean Slim Kims (22)
This is a tough game for both teams. The Kims lost some players and added some superstars to replace them. Rapper’s Delight added a couple of wideouts and linebackers. The Slim Kims used a balance attack to beat a solid underrated Sharks team in week one. The Rapper’s Delight won in convincing fashion, but as a playoff team last year everyone was expecting just a little more. This test will give the Delight and the league a better understanding of where they stand. In a close one
Prediction: 24-23 Rapper’ Delight
Shaolin Spider Monkeys (52) @ Suicide Girls (41)
Another game for the Lithium… another bad draw. The good news is chemistry will not be a factor as the first game was for the Monkeys. Both these teams reset their rosters in the offseason. The bad news is that the Suicide Girls generally field a competitive team. If ahnonamis puts the Monkeys in such high regard during the weekly reviews, then I will do the same. The Monkeys will win this one for the Lithium as the Suicide Girl offense continues their struggles.
Prediction: 17-10 Shaolin
Vandelay Industries (13) @ Alaskan Assassins (5)
Another tough draw on the road. The Industries are the high ranking team in the Lithium, and they play a team which finished in the top 3 rankings last year. The Assassins added some pieces and cruised to a blowout win. Vandelay matched the Assassins effort in week 1. This game should be higher scoring as it features two of the top QB’s. Vandelay will score, but will it be enough.
Prediction: 37-34 Vandelay
In all…
Good Draws – 2 games
Coin Flips- 4 games
Bad Draws- 6 games
Two default losses (Jacksonville and the Stag)
We have our work cut out week 1.
The Lithium League average rank is 215… good for last in the sophomore leagues. It is going to be tough for the league to move up with a cpu team and an inactive team but anything is possible. To the games
Seattle Renegades (66) @ West Virginia Werewolves (57)
The Werewolves had a great showing versus the #2 ranked Doinitin Dijouti 2.0 losing by a fieldgoal. Seattle lost by a fieldgoal in their game against Jershon. Both teams have around the same chemistry so this will not be a factor.
Prediction: 14-10 Werewolves
Hartford Whalers (36) v. Jershon Stripling Warriors (33)
Hartford ran the score up on a CPU ran team in the first game. The 48 points is just an inflated total which equates to a great draw for the Warriors. They should control the Whalers offense and roll to 2-0 on the season.
Prediction: 17-6 Warriors
Baltimore BrewMasters (49) v. Dallas Extreme (58)
Another great draw for the league. An underrated BrewMaster team versus a CPU Extreme team. Nuf said.
Dallas Manglers (34) @ Derry Clowns (28)
Bad draw for the Manglers. Derry is coming off a loss against the number 1 ranked team on sophomore. Their 28 ranking is way too low for the talent on the team. The Manglers are going to struggle in this one with Derry controlling the clock and the game. The good thing about ladder games is when you are scheduled like this early on you normally get rewarded the next week.
Prediction: 24-6 Derry
Midgar Avalanche (19) @ CONVICTED (8)
This is a bad draw for the Avalanche. Convicted is coming off a blowout of River City this past week. These numbers are partly inflated based on the CPU stacked defense of the Ransom. Convicted scored more points in the second quarter of their last game than Midgar scrounged the whole last game. The Avalanche must control the clock to keep the potent offense of Convicted off the field to have a chance. This might be too tall of a task for Midgar. But I can’t pick against my team.
Prediction: 13-10 Midgar
Portland Storm (30) v. Fort Collins Stoners (40)
This should be a good matchup between the Storm and the Stoners. The Stoners should be ranked a bit higher much as the Storm. The Stoners are rebuilding their offense but the defense mostly remained intact. The Storm have not been tested by many passing teams, but they can see how their off-season pass defense has come along when they are tested by the Stoners. This game will highlight some scoring.
Prediction: 31-27 Storm
New York Gangsters (37) @ Norfolk Tides (34)
The Gangsters are much better than the 37 ranking they are given, and are punished by getting a tough Tide team on the road. The Tide lost some pieces this offseason, but are still a solid team. This game is a coin flip. I will side with the league and the team who is better off with chemistry.
Prediction: 20-17 New York
Rapper’s Delight (24) @ North Korean Slim Kims (22)
This is a tough game for both teams. The Kims lost some players and added some superstars to replace them. Rapper’s Delight added a couple of wideouts and linebackers. The Slim Kims used a balance attack to beat a solid underrated Sharks team in week one. The Rapper’s Delight won in convincing fashion, but as a playoff team last year everyone was expecting just a little more. This test will give the Delight and the league a better understanding of where they stand. In a close one
Prediction: 24-23 Rapper’ Delight
Shaolin Spider Monkeys (52) @ Suicide Girls (41)
Another game for the Lithium… another bad draw. The good news is chemistry will not be a factor as the first game was for the Monkeys. Both these teams reset their rosters in the offseason. The bad news is that the Suicide Girls generally field a competitive team. If ahnonamis puts the Monkeys in such high regard during the weekly reviews, then I will do the same. The Monkeys will win this one for the Lithium as the Suicide Girl offense continues their struggles.
Prediction: 17-10 Shaolin
Vandelay Industries (13) @ Alaskan Assassins (5)
Another tough draw on the road. The Industries are the high ranking team in the Lithium, and they play a team which finished in the top 3 rankings last year. The Assassins added some pieces and cruised to a blowout win. Vandelay matched the Assassins effort in week 1. This game should be higher scoring as it features two of the top QB’s. Vandelay will score, but will it be enough.
Prediction: 37-34 Vandelay
In all…
Good Draws – 2 games
Coin Flips- 4 games
Bad Draws- 6 games
Two default losses (Jacksonville and the Stag)
We have our work cut out week 1.
