ALPHA:
1. Stockholm Dynamites - Much improved over last season, biggest contender to take the crown from the Assassins and the two Amsterdam teams as the top team in Alpha. Will the pressure get to them with all eyes turned toward them, or will they follow through and take their conference crown?
-Strengths: Secondary, running game, stadium.
-Weaknesses: Chemistry, receiving depth.
-Prediction: Conference champion.
2. Helsinki Hitmen - Odd man out in Alpha last season, was the fourth seed overshadowed by the 3-headed monster in their conference last season. Can they emerge from their shadows to claim the conference as their own? They were able to upgrade their roster without taking the massive chemistry hit that Stockholm did, so that could play into their advantage in week 6 when the two teams meet.
-Strengths: Line play, defense, quarterback.
-Weaknesses: Stadium, finances.
-Prediction: Conference championship contender.
3. Dusseldorf Noobs - Looking to build off of their playoff appearance last season, poised to do much more. Decided to not change the roster up between seasons, so will get a bonus early on due to their high chemistry. Unfortunately their games against the conference's elite do not come when they have the massive chemistry advantage.
-Strengths: Blocking, linebackers.
-Weaknesses: Passing game, stadium.
-Prediction: Top four.
4. Athens Devils - If they were in Zeta last year they would have probably been in the playoffs or the first team out. But they were in Alpha, and that wasn't good enough. Have made some solid upgrades this offseason, and look to move into the league's elite. The big question for them is will they be able to game plan well enough to hang with the big boys and reach their potential? Or will they be just another playoff team in season 7.
-Strengths: Stadium, blocking, running game.
-Weaknesses: Secondary.
-Prediction: Top four contender.
5. Cologne Ghosts - Felt that they got upset in several games last season. That has less to do with the players than with the game planning. They did not change much by way of roster for this season, so their potential for this season rests on how well they have improved their scouting and game planning.
-Strengths: Stadium, running game.
-Weaknesses: Game planning, linebackers.
-Prediction: Playoffs.
6. Burlington Blue Devils - New to BBB7. Owner appears to have experience, and has built a solid club, an excellent addition to the Alpha conference.
-Strengths: Rushing and blocking.
-Weaknessess: Defense and depth.
-Prediction: Playoffs.
7. Barcelona Dare devils - Finally don't have the Assassins around, so they're the best team representing Barcelona in BBB7. They didn't move much by way of roster, so they are relying on their potential from last season to be fully realized this season. Wish they made some more upgrades though to truly be a great team.
-Strengths: Line play
-Weaknesses: Stadium, skill position depth.
-Prediction: Playoffs.
8. South Beach Sea Hawks - Well served having a season of experience under their belts, South Beach looks to move from playoff outsider to insider this season. A lot of their home grown talent boosted at the end of season 6, and they look to get back at some of the teams who kept them down for season 7.
-Strengths: Depth, line play.
-Weaknesses: Secondary.
-Prediction: Playoffs.
9. Liverpool SEA Fusion - Last season's joke, this season's surprise? Could be. Their slow build team has significantly improved since last season. Pretty disappointed that they did not parlay their low payroll into a almost complete lower bowl this season. Could shock a lot of teams late in the season, watch out Cologne and Stockholm!
-Strengths: Depth, line play.
-Weaknesses: Lower leveled, running game.
-Prediction: Playoff contender.
10. Glasgow Vultures - Like South Beach and other teams, looking to emerge from the shadow of the 3 Alpha powerhouses from last season and take their playoff spots. I wish they had upgraded more because they could have solidified their situation more.
-Strengths: Stadium, defensive line.
-Weaknesses: Secondary, offensive line.
-Prediction: Playoff contender.
11. Norwich Nighthawks - Looking to find their way to the top of the middle of the pack, although their road is tough. Three very winnable games are needed to build team morale heading into the Cologne and Stockholm games back to back. How they perform in the three games they are supposed to win and the two games they will probably lose will be the best barometer of their season.
-Strenghts: Defense.
-Weaknesses: Offense, passing game in particular.
-Prediction: Playoff contender.
12. The Fantasy Helmet Project - New to BBB7, but not a new team. Dropped down from a higher league last season. Slow build team, won't compete this year but could give some people a scare and steal some games perhaps.
-Strengths: Depth, stadium, finances.
-Weaknessess: Slow building team, lower leveled.
-Prediction: Bottom third.
13. Hamburg Vipers - Got slapped around last season bigtime, only winning their game with Liverpool. Did not work to upgrade the roster over the season, so sadly can wave goodbye to the playoffs this season as well.
-Strengths: None.
-Weaknesses: Defense, receiving.
-Prediction: Bottom third.
14. Gonadian Knights - Newly transferred team. Has lots of holes, should see a rough season. Owner did not build stadium up over the offseason, so will have financial as well as on field troubles to deal with.
-Strengths: None.
-Weaknesses: Depth, stadium, defense.
-Prediction: Bottom third.
15. Mannheim Spartans - Serious problems here. Had a horrible season last year, but could have built off of it. instead, their GM is inactive for 3 weeks and their owner allowed most of the players to walk, and hasn't built up the stadium at all over 2 seasons. This team is headed for disaster.
-Strengths: None.
-Weaknesses: Depth, lack of players for certain positions, stadium.
-Prediction: Bottom third.
16. Messina Blazers - New to BBB7. Tragically this owner seems like he was inactive when he got his team, and hasn't been online to assemble a roster. Holiday casualty, hopefully he can put something together for next season.
-Strengths: Incomplete.
-Weaknesses: Incomplete.
-Prediction: Incomplete.
ZETA:
1. Lyon Winemakers - Looking to build off of last season's run to the playoffs with a new defense and quality added at many positions. Chemistry is very low, hopefully for them it will not affect early games vs. Reading and Stockholm. Potentially the class of Zeta if the pieces fall together correctly.
-Strengths: Defense, running game.
-Weaknesses: Chemistry.
-Prediction: Conference champion.
2. Atlanta 404 - Looking to build off of their playoff run last season, but will they be held back by the players they lost in the offseason? They are well balanced and well run, will contend all season long. Rebuilt defense should be even stronger this year than last.
-Strengths: Defense, running game.
-Weaknesses: Stadium.
-Prediction: Conference championship contender.
3. Denver Hounds - 2nd seed in the playoffs last year, but was upset in the first round, ending their chances at promotion. They look to avenge that heartbreaker in the only way they can. Coming back and taking it to the team that beat them in the playoffs, which they have a chance to do in week nine. Lost a lot of their core from season 6, but added a new GM and some players from their other GM's. Early chemistry issues could hurt vs. Berlin and Baden.
-Strengths: Game planning, passing game.
-Weaknesses: Chemistry, secondary, stadium.
-Prediction: Top four.
4. Reading Armed Centaurs - Odd man out in Zeta last year, couldn't seem to crack the code of the eight teams that finished ahead of it, although it kept it close against Berlin and Chambersburg. Can their offseason reshuffling be the factor that puts them over those teams? Very possible.
-Strengths: Secondary, offensive line.
-Weaknesses: Linebackers.
-Prediction: Top four.
5. Berlin Blitz - Strong team to start last season started to taper off toward the end of the season. Will that continue, or will they find their way back to dominance this season? Would have liked to have seen them add to their roster to fill in some minor holes, but overall they are still very solid and hold a chemistry advantage that should come into play on their big first game against Athens.
-Strengths: Running game, passing game, linebackers.
-Weaknesses: Punter.
-Prediction: Playoffs.
6. Baden Bandits - Playoff team who has the ability to take a step up this season. Seems to have solid game plans and a loyal roster, therefore their lack of roster changes over the offseason isn't a major issue, although it would be hard for them to improve upon their standing last season without doing so.
-Strengths: Passing game, stadium.
-Weaknesses: Defense.
-Prediction: Playoffs.
7. Stockholm Lions - Ended the season very strong, capped off by an upset of Berlin and a close loss to Denver. Has not played around with the roster much, although they do still look strong regardless. Would have liked to have seen them work on their defense in the offseason, as well as their stadium. Chemistry advantage could be helpful vs. Lyon early.
-Strengths: Chemistry, blocking.
-Weaknesses: Secondary, linebackers, stadium.
-Prediction: Playoffs.
8. Barcelona Panthers - Under new ownership in season 7. Has some pieces in place, but needs more, especially along the offensive line where he has no starters. Something tells me that the owner will find good players to fill out the rest of the positions, and will be able to compete. How soon he does is the key factor.
-Strengths: Running game, linebackers.
-Weaknesses: Offensive line, depth.
-Prediction: Playoff contender.
9. Chambersburg Trojans - Trojans pulled off some upsets last season, and made it to the playoffs. This season, they may not be so fortunate, as teams will have a game plan on them, and they did not change their roster in the offseason. Their chemistry bonuses may impact early games with Denver, Berlin, and Lyon, however. No stadium upgrades could be the death of them however.
-Strengths: Chemistry, secondary.
-Weaknesses: Stadium, fullback.
-Prediction: Playoff contender.
10. Milan Eagles - Pushed around last season, will hope their offseason changes will push them up into the playoff picture.
-Strengths: Defensive line, linebackers.
-Weaknesses: Stadium, offensive line.
-Prediction: Playoff contender.
11. Birmingham Polipocs - Walked all over last season, even though their talent difference was not that far off of the league average. Game planning may be to blame. They recruited heavily to add more talent, did they fix their scouting and planning issues as well? If they did it could combine with their new blood to mean a great season in Birmingham, possibly the most improved in Zeta. If not, it will be another trying season met with failed potential.
-Strengths: Offensive line, kicking game.
-Weaknesses: Chemistry, defensive line.
-Prediction: Playoff contender.
12. Luxembourg Lightning Bolts - Much improved since new owner came aboard last season, but how far have they come? They still have several holes to fill, and the offense leaves much to be desired.
-Strengths: Running back, stadium.
-Weaknesses: Offensive line, secondary.
-Prediction: Playoff contender.
13. Southampton Shadows - Another team who was thrown around a lot last season, although this team has taken steps to improve themselves this season and could sneak up on some people. However, to do that, the inexperienced owner needs to make some more moves and bring in some experienced hands to GM the team.
-Strengths: Stadium.
-Weaknesses: Offense, game planning.
-Prediction: Bottom third.
14. Middlesbrough Mayhem - New to BBB7. Owner has no GM'd teams so not sure how game planning will go, although he did build the stadium and found some players for his team. Still needs to find some players to fill out his team, but the players he has found now don't seem to have the greatest builds on many of them. Season hinges on an experienced GM being found and signing the rest of the team.
-Strengths: Passing game.
-Weaknesses: Secondary, linebackers, lack of starters in certain positions.
-Prediction: Bottom third.
15. Sexintown Rubbers - Last season's Zeta punchboard could have made some noise when their slow builders got some levels. Unfortunately for them, most of those slow builders were allowed to leave at the end of the season, gutting the roster and leaving the owner scrambling to fill the roster in again. The result is a mishmash of players without starters still in many spots.
-Strengths: Stadium.
-Weaknesses: Lack of starters/quality at many positions.
-Prediction: Bottom third.
Capeside Minutemen - New to BBB7. Not sure where the owner is going here, but has put level 1's at many positions and does not seem to be hunting for players. Seems like a farm team that will get dominated all season.
-Strengths: None.
-Weaknesses: Level 1's starting/playing.
-Prediction: Bottom third.
GAME OF THE YEAR:
Week 6: Stockholm Dynamites at Helsinki Hitmen. Could be the game to decide who gets home field throughout the Alpha playoffs. Stockholm has the better team in my opinion right now, but who knows how it will play out with game planning and tactics.
1. Stockholm Dynamites - Much improved over last season, biggest contender to take the crown from the Assassins and the two Amsterdam teams as the top team in Alpha. Will the pressure get to them with all eyes turned toward them, or will they follow through and take their conference crown?
-Strengths: Secondary, running game, stadium.
-Weaknesses: Chemistry, receiving depth.
-Prediction: Conference champion.
2. Helsinki Hitmen - Odd man out in Alpha last season, was the fourth seed overshadowed by the 3-headed monster in their conference last season. Can they emerge from their shadows to claim the conference as their own? They were able to upgrade their roster without taking the massive chemistry hit that Stockholm did, so that could play into their advantage in week 6 when the two teams meet.
-Strengths: Line play, defense, quarterback.
-Weaknesses: Stadium, finances.
-Prediction: Conference championship contender.
3. Dusseldorf Noobs - Looking to build off of their playoff appearance last season, poised to do much more. Decided to not change the roster up between seasons, so will get a bonus early on due to their high chemistry. Unfortunately their games against the conference's elite do not come when they have the massive chemistry advantage.
-Strengths: Blocking, linebackers.
-Weaknesses: Passing game, stadium.
-Prediction: Top four.
4. Athens Devils - If they were in Zeta last year they would have probably been in the playoffs or the first team out. But they were in Alpha, and that wasn't good enough. Have made some solid upgrades this offseason, and look to move into the league's elite. The big question for them is will they be able to game plan well enough to hang with the big boys and reach their potential? Or will they be just another playoff team in season 7.
-Strengths: Stadium, blocking, running game.
-Weaknesses: Secondary.
-Prediction: Top four contender.
5. Cologne Ghosts - Felt that they got upset in several games last season. That has less to do with the players than with the game planning. They did not change much by way of roster for this season, so their potential for this season rests on how well they have improved their scouting and game planning.
-Strengths: Stadium, running game.
-Weaknesses: Game planning, linebackers.
-Prediction: Playoffs.
6. Burlington Blue Devils - New to BBB7. Owner appears to have experience, and has built a solid club, an excellent addition to the Alpha conference.
-Strengths: Rushing and blocking.
-Weaknessess: Defense and depth.
-Prediction: Playoffs.
7. Barcelona Dare devils - Finally don't have the Assassins around, so they're the best team representing Barcelona in BBB7. They didn't move much by way of roster, so they are relying on their potential from last season to be fully realized this season. Wish they made some more upgrades though to truly be a great team.
-Strengths: Line play
-Weaknesses: Stadium, skill position depth.
-Prediction: Playoffs.
8. South Beach Sea Hawks - Well served having a season of experience under their belts, South Beach looks to move from playoff outsider to insider this season. A lot of their home grown talent boosted at the end of season 6, and they look to get back at some of the teams who kept them down for season 7.
-Strengths: Depth, line play.
-Weaknesses: Secondary.
-Prediction: Playoffs.
9. Liverpool SEA Fusion - Last season's joke, this season's surprise? Could be. Their slow build team has significantly improved since last season. Pretty disappointed that they did not parlay their low payroll into a almost complete lower bowl this season. Could shock a lot of teams late in the season, watch out Cologne and Stockholm!
-Strengths: Depth, line play.
-Weaknesses: Lower leveled, running game.
-Prediction: Playoff contender.
10. Glasgow Vultures - Like South Beach and other teams, looking to emerge from the shadow of the 3 Alpha powerhouses from last season and take their playoff spots. I wish they had upgraded more because they could have solidified their situation more.
-Strengths: Stadium, defensive line.
-Weaknesses: Secondary, offensive line.
-Prediction: Playoff contender.
11. Norwich Nighthawks - Looking to find their way to the top of the middle of the pack, although their road is tough. Three very winnable games are needed to build team morale heading into the Cologne and Stockholm games back to back. How they perform in the three games they are supposed to win and the two games they will probably lose will be the best barometer of their season.
-Strenghts: Defense.
-Weaknesses: Offense, passing game in particular.
-Prediction: Playoff contender.
12. The Fantasy Helmet Project - New to BBB7, but not a new team. Dropped down from a higher league last season. Slow build team, won't compete this year but could give some people a scare and steal some games perhaps.
-Strengths: Depth, stadium, finances.
-Weaknessess: Slow building team, lower leveled.
-Prediction: Bottom third.
13. Hamburg Vipers - Got slapped around last season bigtime, only winning their game with Liverpool. Did not work to upgrade the roster over the season, so sadly can wave goodbye to the playoffs this season as well.
-Strengths: None.
-Weaknesses: Defense, receiving.
-Prediction: Bottom third.
14. Gonadian Knights - Newly transferred team. Has lots of holes, should see a rough season. Owner did not build stadium up over the offseason, so will have financial as well as on field troubles to deal with.
-Strengths: None.
-Weaknesses: Depth, stadium, defense.
-Prediction: Bottom third.
15. Mannheim Spartans - Serious problems here. Had a horrible season last year, but could have built off of it. instead, their GM is inactive for 3 weeks and their owner allowed most of the players to walk, and hasn't built up the stadium at all over 2 seasons. This team is headed for disaster.
-Strengths: None.
-Weaknesses: Depth, lack of players for certain positions, stadium.
-Prediction: Bottom third.
16. Messina Blazers - New to BBB7. Tragically this owner seems like he was inactive when he got his team, and hasn't been online to assemble a roster. Holiday casualty, hopefully he can put something together for next season.
-Strengths: Incomplete.
-Weaknesses: Incomplete.
-Prediction: Incomplete.
ZETA:
1. Lyon Winemakers - Looking to build off of last season's run to the playoffs with a new defense and quality added at many positions. Chemistry is very low, hopefully for them it will not affect early games vs. Reading and Stockholm. Potentially the class of Zeta if the pieces fall together correctly.
-Strengths: Defense, running game.
-Weaknesses: Chemistry.
-Prediction: Conference champion.
2. Atlanta 404 - Looking to build off of their playoff run last season, but will they be held back by the players they lost in the offseason? They are well balanced and well run, will contend all season long. Rebuilt defense should be even stronger this year than last.
-Strengths: Defense, running game.
-Weaknesses: Stadium.
-Prediction: Conference championship contender.
3. Denver Hounds - 2nd seed in the playoffs last year, but was upset in the first round, ending their chances at promotion. They look to avenge that heartbreaker in the only way they can. Coming back and taking it to the team that beat them in the playoffs, which they have a chance to do in week nine. Lost a lot of their core from season 6, but added a new GM and some players from their other GM's. Early chemistry issues could hurt vs. Berlin and Baden.
-Strengths: Game planning, passing game.
-Weaknesses: Chemistry, secondary, stadium.
-Prediction: Top four.
4. Reading Armed Centaurs - Odd man out in Zeta last year, couldn't seem to crack the code of the eight teams that finished ahead of it, although it kept it close against Berlin and Chambersburg. Can their offseason reshuffling be the factor that puts them over those teams? Very possible.
-Strengths: Secondary, offensive line.
-Weaknesses: Linebackers.
-Prediction: Top four.
5. Berlin Blitz - Strong team to start last season started to taper off toward the end of the season. Will that continue, or will they find their way back to dominance this season? Would have liked to have seen them add to their roster to fill in some minor holes, but overall they are still very solid and hold a chemistry advantage that should come into play on their big first game against Athens.
-Strengths: Running game, passing game, linebackers.
-Weaknesses: Punter.
-Prediction: Playoffs.
6. Baden Bandits - Playoff team who has the ability to take a step up this season. Seems to have solid game plans and a loyal roster, therefore their lack of roster changes over the offseason isn't a major issue, although it would be hard for them to improve upon their standing last season without doing so.
-Strengths: Passing game, stadium.
-Weaknesses: Defense.
-Prediction: Playoffs.
7. Stockholm Lions - Ended the season very strong, capped off by an upset of Berlin and a close loss to Denver. Has not played around with the roster much, although they do still look strong regardless. Would have liked to have seen them work on their defense in the offseason, as well as their stadium. Chemistry advantage could be helpful vs. Lyon early.
-Strengths: Chemistry, blocking.
-Weaknesses: Secondary, linebackers, stadium.
-Prediction: Playoffs.
8. Barcelona Panthers - Under new ownership in season 7. Has some pieces in place, but needs more, especially along the offensive line where he has no starters. Something tells me that the owner will find good players to fill out the rest of the positions, and will be able to compete. How soon he does is the key factor.
-Strengths: Running game, linebackers.
-Weaknesses: Offensive line, depth.
-Prediction: Playoff contender.
9. Chambersburg Trojans - Trojans pulled off some upsets last season, and made it to the playoffs. This season, they may not be so fortunate, as teams will have a game plan on them, and they did not change their roster in the offseason. Their chemistry bonuses may impact early games with Denver, Berlin, and Lyon, however. No stadium upgrades could be the death of them however.
-Strengths: Chemistry, secondary.
-Weaknesses: Stadium, fullback.
-Prediction: Playoff contender.
10. Milan Eagles - Pushed around last season, will hope their offseason changes will push them up into the playoff picture.
-Strengths: Defensive line, linebackers.
-Weaknesses: Stadium, offensive line.
-Prediction: Playoff contender.
11. Birmingham Polipocs - Walked all over last season, even though their talent difference was not that far off of the league average. Game planning may be to blame. They recruited heavily to add more talent, did they fix their scouting and planning issues as well? If they did it could combine with their new blood to mean a great season in Birmingham, possibly the most improved in Zeta. If not, it will be another trying season met with failed potential.
-Strengths: Offensive line, kicking game.
-Weaknesses: Chemistry, defensive line.
-Prediction: Playoff contender.
12. Luxembourg Lightning Bolts - Much improved since new owner came aboard last season, but how far have they come? They still have several holes to fill, and the offense leaves much to be desired.
-Strengths: Running back, stadium.
-Weaknesses: Offensive line, secondary.
-Prediction: Playoff contender.
13. Southampton Shadows - Another team who was thrown around a lot last season, although this team has taken steps to improve themselves this season and could sneak up on some people. However, to do that, the inexperienced owner needs to make some more moves and bring in some experienced hands to GM the team.
-Strengths: Stadium.
-Weaknesses: Offense, game planning.
-Prediction: Bottom third.
14. Middlesbrough Mayhem - New to BBB7. Owner has no GM'd teams so not sure how game planning will go, although he did build the stadium and found some players for his team. Still needs to find some players to fill out his team, but the players he has found now don't seem to have the greatest builds on many of them. Season hinges on an experienced GM being found and signing the rest of the team.
-Strengths: Passing game.
-Weaknesses: Secondary, linebackers, lack of starters in certain positions.
-Prediction: Bottom third.
15. Sexintown Rubbers - Last season's Zeta punchboard could have made some noise when their slow builders got some levels. Unfortunately for them, most of those slow builders were allowed to leave at the end of the season, gutting the roster and leaving the owner scrambling to fill the roster in again. The result is a mishmash of players without starters still in many spots.
-Strengths: Stadium.
-Weaknesses: Lack of starters/quality at many positions.
-Prediction: Bottom third.
Capeside Minutemen - New to BBB7. Not sure where the owner is going here, but has put level 1's at many positions and does not seem to be hunting for players. Seems like a farm team that will get dominated all season.
-Strengths: None.
-Weaknesses: Level 1's starting/playing.
-Prediction: Bottom third.
GAME OF THE YEAR:
Week 6: Stockholm Dynamites at Helsinki Hitmen. Could be the game to decide who gets home field throughout the Alpha playoffs. Stockholm has the better team in my opinion right now, but who knows how it will play out with game planning and tactics.
