We arrive at the final game of the regular season. For some teams, the relief at finally being finished with the beatdowns is palpable, but for eight teams, the real fun soon begins as all of the hard work of the regular season come to fruition. While most folks feel that Berlin will run all the way to the league championship, past seasons have proven that it is still anyone's trophy for the taking.
Berlin Hounds from Hell vs Maribor Triforce: Berlin's perfect regular season is all but settled as they face the Triforce in their last game. Maribor started the season with high hopes, but their midseason losing streak to many of the conference's top teams knocked them out of the running. A sure loss against the Hounds to end their season keeps them below .500, but they will have plenty to build on for next season. Berlin takes the top seed into the postseason, and continues to have a bullseye on their backs as the team to beat.
Hill Valley Deloreans vs Secretville Offtopics: After a pair of tough losses, the Deloreans get back on track this week with an easy game against the Offtopics. With three wins to their credit, Secretville is most likely just good enough not to get knocked back down to an A league, but they will have a lot of work to do if they want to get back into winning form next season. Hill Valley, with the number 2 seed, should be able to do a bit of damage in the postseason. A good run will help them to jump up to an AAA league, but they could have a harder time of things than expected if last week's game against the Lions is any indication.
Bratislava Butchers vs Prague Beersteins: With a little help from the Wombats, the Butchers have managed to get back into the top four of the conference and pick up a home game for the first round. First, they have to get past the Beersteins, who are finally starting to show a little life but won't be able to stand up to the Bratislava defense. The Butchers' surprise loss to the Elk will continue to cause them headaches going into the postseason. Assuming a first round win, Bratislava will be forced to travel to Berlin in the second round, the most difficult road to travel in this season's playoffs. Anything can happen, but it will be a huge accomplishment to get past that second game.
Macedonian Lions vs Warsaw Wolfpack: It is a lot to assume that the Butchers will get that first round win, since it will be the Lions that they must face. After surprising Hill Valley last week, no one can look past Macedonian as an easy win. This week, however, the Lions get a chance to hone their skills against a Warsaw team that has been completely unable to take a strong roster and build a winning team from it. It is back to drawing board for the Wolfpack, who will have some serious issues to take care of during the offseason if they want to get back to being a contender.
Czechoslavakia Mates vs South City Chiefs: Dropped from number four to number seven, the Mates went from being a power to being on the cusp of elimination. Luckily, it is the Chiefs that hold the key to the Mates current playoff position, but if a serious upset were to occur, the Dragons would overtake them for the seventh spot with a win over the Elk. That would force the Mates to face Berlin in the first round instead of Hill Valley, a team they held to 15 points and almost overcame. Since the Mates won't lose to South City, however, their first round could be a rematch of that very close regular season game, giving at least some hope that they can find a way to move past the first round.
Zeta Conference "Just for funsies" Game of the Week - Cypriot Freedom vs Maladorous Football Beavers: Freedom fans, rejoice! Finally, you will get to win a game and get rowdy and drunk in celebration. After being one of the conference's whipping boys all season, the Freedom can finally put one in the win column when they take on the Maladorous "I give up" Football Beavers. The question for them is whether they can put up the same huge margin of victory as the rest of the league has done against BigRagu's group of offensive linemen who, for some strange reason, play defense. If there were a prize for how not to play the game, the Beavers would win it hands down.
Zeta Conference Game of the Week #1 - Kazakhstan Dragons vs WhatsMatta U Fighting Elk: The first spotlight game this week is the big battle to determine who gets to lose in the first round against Berlin. WhatsaMatta U struggled to keep themselves in contention, but their upset of Bratislava has put them in position to make the playoffs. That upset makes the Elk a team to watch out for, since you never know which version of that team must be faced. Will it be the team that gave Hill Valley a run for their money, or the team that couldn't stand up to the already eliminated Triforce? Kazakhstan had better hope for the latter, because the other version of the Elk will send them packing. I predict it will be the better version of the Elk that will win this game. WhatsaMatta U's superior gameplanning will be too much for the Dragons, and this game is too important in terms of fan support for next season.
Zeta Conference Game of the Week #2 - Jefferson City Bucks vs Mombasa Wombats: The Wombats have one more chance to throw the standings into uproar this week as they take on the Bucks. In most instances I would have thought this game to be an easy win for Jefferson City, but so many teams have shown moments of greatness at just the right time that this may not be so easy to call. A win for the Wombats would do little to help their own cause, but would send the Bucks into fourth place and the Butchers to third, a situation that completely changes both teams' playoff picture. If the Bucks do win, the Wombats will find themselves knocked down to seventh and facing Hill Valley in the first round. This would move the Mates into the sixth spot to face Jefferson City to begin the playoffs. So, several teams have a lot riding on this game. The Bucks have proven themselves to be a fierce opponent this season, and this game is too important for them to lose. It will be Jefferson City that holds on to their current playoff position with the win over Mombasa.
The regular season may be over, but the previews are not. Now that the fun is just getting started, it may be time to take a close look at Alpha Conference and try to see how the league championship will sort out. With most people putting their money on Arkadak and Berlin as the conference favorites, we'll have to look out for the upsets and surprises that are bound to happen in any championship tournament. It's win or go home time, and that may be motivation enough for a few teams to give the top dogs a run for their money.
Berlin Hounds from Hell vs Maribor Triforce: Berlin's perfect regular season is all but settled as they face the Triforce in their last game. Maribor started the season with high hopes, but their midseason losing streak to many of the conference's top teams knocked them out of the running. A sure loss against the Hounds to end their season keeps them below .500, but they will have plenty to build on for next season. Berlin takes the top seed into the postseason, and continues to have a bullseye on their backs as the team to beat.
Hill Valley Deloreans vs Secretville Offtopics: After a pair of tough losses, the Deloreans get back on track this week with an easy game against the Offtopics. With three wins to their credit, Secretville is most likely just good enough not to get knocked back down to an A league, but they will have a lot of work to do if they want to get back into winning form next season. Hill Valley, with the number 2 seed, should be able to do a bit of damage in the postseason. A good run will help them to jump up to an AAA league, but they could have a harder time of things than expected if last week's game against the Lions is any indication.
Bratislava Butchers vs Prague Beersteins: With a little help from the Wombats, the Butchers have managed to get back into the top four of the conference and pick up a home game for the first round. First, they have to get past the Beersteins, who are finally starting to show a little life but won't be able to stand up to the Bratislava defense. The Butchers' surprise loss to the Elk will continue to cause them headaches going into the postseason. Assuming a first round win, Bratislava will be forced to travel to Berlin in the second round, the most difficult road to travel in this season's playoffs. Anything can happen, but it will be a huge accomplishment to get past that second game.
Macedonian Lions vs Warsaw Wolfpack: It is a lot to assume that the Butchers will get that first round win, since it will be the Lions that they must face. After surprising Hill Valley last week, no one can look past Macedonian as an easy win. This week, however, the Lions get a chance to hone their skills against a Warsaw team that has been completely unable to take a strong roster and build a winning team from it. It is back to drawing board for the Wolfpack, who will have some serious issues to take care of during the offseason if they want to get back to being a contender.
Czechoslavakia Mates vs South City Chiefs: Dropped from number four to number seven, the Mates went from being a power to being on the cusp of elimination. Luckily, it is the Chiefs that hold the key to the Mates current playoff position, but if a serious upset were to occur, the Dragons would overtake them for the seventh spot with a win over the Elk. That would force the Mates to face Berlin in the first round instead of Hill Valley, a team they held to 15 points and almost overcame. Since the Mates won't lose to South City, however, their first round could be a rematch of that very close regular season game, giving at least some hope that they can find a way to move past the first round.
Zeta Conference "Just for funsies" Game of the Week - Cypriot Freedom vs Maladorous Football Beavers: Freedom fans, rejoice! Finally, you will get to win a game and get rowdy and drunk in celebration. After being one of the conference's whipping boys all season, the Freedom can finally put one in the win column when they take on the Maladorous "I give up" Football Beavers. The question for them is whether they can put up the same huge margin of victory as the rest of the league has done against BigRagu's group of offensive linemen who, for some strange reason, play defense. If there were a prize for how not to play the game, the Beavers would win it hands down.
Zeta Conference Game of the Week #1 - Kazakhstan Dragons vs WhatsMatta U Fighting Elk: The first spotlight game this week is the big battle to determine who gets to lose in the first round against Berlin. WhatsaMatta U struggled to keep themselves in contention, but their upset of Bratislava has put them in position to make the playoffs. That upset makes the Elk a team to watch out for, since you never know which version of that team must be faced. Will it be the team that gave Hill Valley a run for their money, or the team that couldn't stand up to the already eliminated Triforce? Kazakhstan had better hope for the latter, because the other version of the Elk will send them packing. I predict it will be the better version of the Elk that will win this game. WhatsaMatta U's superior gameplanning will be too much for the Dragons, and this game is too important in terms of fan support for next season.
Zeta Conference Game of the Week #2 - Jefferson City Bucks vs Mombasa Wombats: The Wombats have one more chance to throw the standings into uproar this week as they take on the Bucks. In most instances I would have thought this game to be an easy win for Jefferson City, but so many teams have shown moments of greatness at just the right time that this may not be so easy to call. A win for the Wombats would do little to help their own cause, but would send the Bucks into fourth place and the Butchers to third, a situation that completely changes both teams' playoff picture. If the Bucks do win, the Wombats will find themselves knocked down to seventh and facing Hill Valley in the first round. This would move the Mates into the sixth spot to face Jefferson City to begin the playoffs. So, several teams have a lot riding on this game. The Bucks have proven themselves to be a fierce opponent this season, and this game is too important for them to lose. It will be Jefferson City that holds on to their current playoff position with the win over Mombasa.
The regular season may be over, but the previews are not. Now that the fun is just getting started, it may be time to take a close look at Alpha Conference and try to see how the league championship will sort out. With most people putting their money on Arkadak and Berlin as the conference favorites, we'll have to look out for the upsets and surprises that are bound to happen in any championship tournament. It's win or go home time, and that may be motivation enough for a few teams to give the top dogs a run for their money.
