I was thinking today about how much more interesting it is to write these previews in this league as opposed to last season. The Butchers were a dominant force in EEA4, and at least half of the league was either CPU teams or rebuilders. This provided me an opportunity to preview both conferences and also do a lot more on the team forum, such as handing out game balls and the like. This season, while I probably spend a similar amount of time on GLB as I always have, more of that time is spent looking at stats, helping to game plan, and comparing a lot more evenly matched teams to try to determine a winner. Anyway, I just wanted to say that it has been a lot of fun so far this season, and thank all of the agents who are keeping the conversations going.
So, week 10 is here and the playoff picture is coming into much better focus. A couple of matchups this week could still throw the whole thing into chaos, but the likelihood is getting smaller and smaller every week. Once we see the results of this week's games, the final standings will be able to be predicted with relative accuracy, although the final two spots will still very much be up in the air.
Macedonian Lions vs Bratislava Butchers: Due to its massive playoff implications, this game almost became game of the week. The Butchers face their final top team this week in the Lions, who have an excellent record coming into this game but have yet to face most of the best teams in the conference. In all honesty, this makes the Lions a bit of a wild card still. Their only loss is to the dominating Hounds, but they have only really faced one other true challenge, Alpha's fifth place Helsinki Hellrazors. As I stated in the last preview, I will not call another game against the Butchers this season, including this one. Bratislava has the ability to win this game, and will.
Jefferson City Bucks vs Maribor Triforce: The Bucks are heading to Maribor at a perfect time, facing a Triforce team that is already looking to next season and is unconcerned about this one. The Bucks still shouldn't count on them to completely lay down, since this is still a group of talented players, but if they play Maribor as they would play any other team, they will get the win. Jefferson City only has a couple more challenging opponents on the schedule, so they still have an excellent chance to stay in the top four and earn a home game.
WhatsaMatta U Fighting Elk vs Prague Beersteins: The Beersteins haven't had much luck this season, but they could salvage a bit of pride with a win this week before a sure loss to Hill Valley. When the Elk have won, they have put up some big numbers and convincing wins. The next few games for them are their last chances to pick up a few victories before they end out the season against better teams, but even if they can win all three, which is unlikely, they still will miss the postseason. They should be able to handle the Beersteins without much difficulty, but the Wombats next week will likely end their streak.
South City Chiefs vs Secretville Offtopics: A pair of 2-7 teams face off for a bit of EEA4 bragging rights as the Chiefs travel to the Barbie Dome. Both of these teams have come into this league with the majority of their rosters intact, intent on building for next season rather than competing in this one. The strategy will likely work out well for both of them, when the best teams get moved out of the conference. In attempting to determine a winner for this game, I have to call it for South City. They have looked better in their losses during a comparatively tougher schedule.
Kazakhstan Dragons vs Warsaw Wolfpack: In this battle of poor chemistry, the Dragons have a sure edge on the struggling Wolfpack. Warsaw has yet to defeat anyone better than a gimme team, losing badly to nearly everyone they have faced in the process. Kazakhstan hasn't fared very well against most good teams, excepting the Mates who must have been having a bad day. While they shouldn't have any problems against the Wolfpack, there are still a few teams on the schedule that could make it hard for them to pick up the eighth seed, but it is a pretty strong possibility that they will get there.
Mombasa Wombats vs Cypriot Freedom: Everyone's second favorite punching bag travels to Mombasa to face the sixth ranked Wombats. The Wombats can look forward to holding on to that ranking for a while, but a three game run against top opponents to end the season will probably cost them a spot or two. Still, this is a team that still has the ability to surprise everyone, so they will be interesting to watch down the stretch.
Hill Valley Deloreans vs Maladorous Football Beavers: The Deloreans get the easiest pickins' this week as they face the dam Beavers. There isn't a whole lot to say about this game, I'll be surprised if the Beavers even score a field goal.
Zeta Conference Game of the Week - Berlin Hounds from Hell vs Czechoslavakia Mates: The spotlight game this week belongs to the Mates on the basis of their performance earlier in the season. If the Butchers could manage to keep the Hounds within one-score reach, and the Mates beat the Butchers earlier in the season, then it stands to reason that Czechoslavakia has as good a chance as anyone to give the Hounds their first defeat. Which is to say, little to no chance at all. Czechoslavakia's loss will drop them some the standings, particularly depending on what happens between the Lions and the Butchers. Berlin will continue to ride the top of rankings.
And so again we should see some changes in the numbers, but we are seeing who the final eight are likely to be. For some teams the postseason is a wash, some are still on the cusp, and some are already making plans for how to spend the extra ticket and concession money. One thing is for sure, I would hate to have to pay out the bonuses that the Even boys are due, having singlehandedly given Berlin an almost sure conference trophy.
So, week 10 is here and the playoff picture is coming into much better focus. A couple of matchups this week could still throw the whole thing into chaos, but the likelihood is getting smaller and smaller every week. Once we see the results of this week's games, the final standings will be able to be predicted with relative accuracy, although the final two spots will still very much be up in the air.
Macedonian Lions vs Bratislava Butchers: Due to its massive playoff implications, this game almost became game of the week. The Butchers face their final top team this week in the Lions, who have an excellent record coming into this game but have yet to face most of the best teams in the conference. In all honesty, this makes the Lions a bit of a wild card still. Their only loss is to the dominating Hounds, but they have only really faced one other true challenge, Alpha's fifth place Helsinki Hellrazors. As I stated in the last preview, I will not call another game against the Butchers this season, including this one. Bratislava has the ability to win this game, and will.
Jefferson City Bucks vs Maribor Triforce: The Bucks are heading to Maribor at a perfect time, facing a Triforce team that is already looking to next season and is unconcerned about this one. The Bucks still shouldn't count on them to completely lay down, since this is still a group of talented players, but if they play Maribor as they would play any other team, they will get the win. Jefferson City only has a couple more challenging opponents on the schedule, so they still have an excellent chance to stay in the top four and earn a home game.
WhatsaMatta U Fighting Elk vs Prague Beersteins: The Beersteins haven't had much luck this season, but they could salvage a bit of pride with a win this week before a sure loss to Hill Valley. When the Elk have won, they have put up some big numbers and convincing wins. The next few games for them are their last chances to pick up a few victories before they end out the season against better teams, but even if they can win all three, which is unlikely, they still will miss the postseason. They should be able to handle the Beersteins without much difficulty, but the Wombats next week will likely end their streak.
South City Chiefs vs Secretville Offtopics: A pair of 2-7 teams face off for a bit of EEA4 bragging rights as the Chiefs travel to the Barbie Dome. Both of these teams have come into this league with the majority of their rosters intact, intent on building for next season rather than competing in this one. The strategy will likely work out well for both of them, when the best teams get moved out of the conference. In attempting to determine a winner for this game, I have to call it for South City. They have looked better in their losses during a comparatively tougher schedule.
Kazakhstan Dragons vs Warsaw Wolfpack: In this battle of poor chemistry, the Dragons have a sure edge on the struggling Wolfpack. Warsaw has yet to defeat anyone better than a gimme team, losing badly to nearly everyone they have faced in the process. Kazakhstan hasn't fared very well against most good teams, excepting the Mates who must have been having a bad day. While they shouldn't have any problems against the Wolfpack, there are still a few teams on the schedule that could make it hard for them to pick up the eighth seed, but it is a pretty strong possibility that they will get there.
Mombasa Wombats vs Cypriot Freedom: Everyone's second favorite punching bag travels to Mombasa to face the sixth ranked Wombats. The Wombats can look forward to holding on to that ranking for a while, but a three game run against top opponents to end the season will probably cost them a spot or two. Still, this is a team that still has the ability to surprise everyone, so they will be interesting to watch down the stretch.
Hill Valley Deloreans vs Maladorous Football Beavers: The Deloreans get the easiest pickins' this week as they face the dam Beavers. There isn't a whole lot to say about this game, I'll be surprised if the Beavers even score a field goal.
Zeta Conference Game of the Week - Berlin Hounds from Hell vs Czechoslavakia Mates: The spotlight game this week belongs to the Mates on the basis of their performance earlier in the season. If the Butchers could manage to keep the Hounds within one-score reach, and the Mates beat the Butchers earlier in the season, then it stands to reason that Czechoslavakia has as good a chance as anyone to give the Hounds their first defeat. Which is to say, little to no chance at all. Czechoslavakia's loss will drop them some the standings, particularly depending on what happens between the Lions and the Butchers. Berlin will continue to ride the top of rankings.
And so again we should see some changes in the numbers, but we are seeing who the final eight are likely to be. For some teams the postseason is a wash, some are still on the cusp, and some are already making plans for how to spend the extra ticket and concession money. One thing is for sure, I would hate to have to pay out the bonuses that the Even boys are due, having singlehandedly given Berlin an almost sure conference trophy.
Last edited Mar 14, 2009 21:52:17
