Well it's hard to believe but a quarter of the season has already passed and there has been a fairly good amount of movement in the rankings these past 4 weeks. The balance of power is starting to settle out in the Zeta conference but I fully expect that there will be a couple upsets still to come this season. Anyway here are my power rankings post week 4 for the Zeta conference:
1. Hungary Hungry Hippos
Record: 4-0-0
Previous Rank: #1
High Rank: #1
Low Rank: #1
Hungary has rolled through their first four games winning all of them with relative ease. The Hippos are definetly emerging as the favorites of the conference and has real championship ambitions. As top dog the Hippos can expect to take every team's best shot from here on out but should be more than ready for the challenge.
2. Belgrade Bears
Record: 4-0-0
Previous Rank: #2
High Rank: #2
Low Rank: #2
Belgrade is also undefeated this season and is no doubt intensly preparing for their week 5 matchup with the top ranked Hippos. The Bears know that they have a shot of claiming the 1 seed by beating Hungary and should play them very tough. The Bears/Hippos matchup is easily the game of the week and should be a great battle.
3. Brown Bay Packers
Record: 4-0-0
Previous Rank: #3
High Rank: #3
Low Rank: #4
With all of the attention the two teams ahead of the Packers are receiving it might be easy to momentarily forget about them. That would not be a very wise move. Brown Bay has looked very strong at the beginning of the season and for all we know they might just be the best team in Zeta. That question will soon be answered though with upcoming games against the Gods, Impalers, and Chupacabras. If Brown Bay can run the table they will begin to get consideration as a championship contender.
4. Athens Gods
Record: 4-0-0
Previous Rank: #7
High Rank: #4
Low Rank: #8
I am not afraid to admit that I was dead wrong when evaluating the Gods at the beginning of the season. I had them pegged as a fringe playoff team that would be competitive but probably not truly challenge the top teams. The Gods have dismissed that notion with 4 straight wins and have looked great in those games. The week 5 matchup with Brown Bay should be a doozy that you won't want to miss. The Gods are no longer flying under the radar so it will be interesting to see if how they handle this new recognition.
5. Targoviste Impalers
Record: 3-1-0
Previous Rank: #5
High Rank: #3
Low Rank: #5
The Impalers have rebounded nicely since their week 1 loss. Targoviste should be a solid playoff team but will be trying to show that they belong in the upper echelon by beating the Packers and Bears of the world later in the season.
6. Barcelona Chupacabras
Record: 2-2-0
Previous Rank: #8
High Rank: #6
Low Rank: #8
The Chupacabras slide back up to #6 after stringing together a couple of wins. Barcelona is the highest 2-2 team due to the fact that both of their losses were to elite teams. Barcelona will probably be a solid playoff team but like the Impalers they will need to show that they can win the close matchups that really count.
7. River City Ransom
Record: 2-2-0
Previous Rank: #4
High Rank: #4
Low Rank: #7
The past two weeks saw RCR take a couple of tough losses. The Ransom will be looking to get back on track against Barcelona next week but it looks like a tough matchup for both teams. From what I can see River City may have some trouble with consistently putting together a string of good games but if they get their gameplanning on the same page they should be a strong team down the stretch.
8. Spanish Inquisition
Record: 2-2-0
Previous Rank: #6
High Rank: #6
Low Rank: #8
The Inquisition are also a little hit or miss sometimes but are currently hanging onto the last playoff spot due to the fact that both of their L's came to higher ranked teams. In reality, however, spots 7 through 11 appear to be very fluid and a lot of movement will most likely happen before the season is over. The Inquisition will be hoping that they can preform well enough to make it into the playoffs and then crash the party if they can get there.
9. Warsaw Sabotage
Record: 2-2-0
Previous Rank: #10
High Rank: #9
Low Rank: #13
The jury is still out on Warsaw when you consider the fact that their 2 wins came against teams with a combined record of 1-7 and their 2 losses came against teams that are a combined 8-0. The next two weeks will be a measuring stick for the Sabotage and if they can patch up a few holes on the roster they could jump into the top half of Zeta.
10. Bengen Storm
Record: 2-2-0
Previous Rank: #9
High Rank: #9
Low Rank: #10
Again only time will tell where a team like the Storm will end up this season. They have the looks of a decent team and could swing up or down these rankings based on their future preformance. After the week 5 matchup with the Phalanx their schedule takes a decidedly tough turn which will probably determine where they will finish in the standings.
11. Crete Minotaurs
Record: 2-2-0
Previous Rank: #12
High Rank: #11
Low Rank: #12
Crete picked up a much needed win against Macedonian a couple games ago and will be trying to continue to improve their team overall. It's hard to say how many more wins they will be able to get this season due to their difficult remaining schedule.
12. Moscow Maniacs
Record: 1-3-0
Previous Rank: #11
High Rank: #11
Low Rank: #15
Moscow slipped a couple of slots after losing two straight but are still ahead of four other teams due to actually having a W on their record. Moscow has a long season ahead of them but can still pick up a few more wins over some of the lighter opponents in Zeta.
13. Boston Piggers
Record: 0-4-0
Previous Rank: #13
High Rank: #10
Low Rank: #13
The Piggers are still probably the best team without a win so far this season. Now when you look at who the Piggers have faced this season you can't really blame them for not having a win yet. Just because they have had a difficult schedule thus far does not mean, however, that the Piggers get a free pass for their play. They need to make a run soon if they want to try and save what is left of their season.
14. Odessa Pipers
Record: 0-4-0
Previous Rank: #14
High Rank: #9
Low Rank: #14
The Pipers are in a similar situation to Boston in that they need to start seriously trying to make a run at a winning streak. The season is still fairly young for the Pipers and if they can get things together they might be able to climb out of the hole that they have dug themselves so far.
15. Macedonian Phalanx
Record: 0-4-0
Previous Rank: #15
High Rank: #14
Low Rank: #15
Macedonian is struggling so far this season and that may continue if they can't turn things around. Truthfully it is tough to see the Phalanx rising much higher than the position that they currently hold.
16. New Orleans Jazz
Record: 0-4-0
Previous Rank: #16
High Rank: #16
Low Rank: #16
The Jazz are still not a good team. Sorry to be so blunt.
Thanks for taking the time to read the rankings and as always I will be back after week 6.
1. Hungary Hungry Hippos
Record: 4-0-0
Previous Rank: #1
High Rank: #1
Low Rank: #1
Hungary has rolled through their first four games winning all of them with relative ease. The Hippos are definetly emerging as the favorites of the conference and has real championship ambitions. As top dog the Hippos can expect to take every team's best shot from here on out but should be more than ready for the challenge.
2. Belgrade Bears
Record: 4-0-0
Previous Rank: #2
High Rank: #2
Low Rank: #2
Belgrade is also undefeated this season and is no doubt intensly preparing for their week 5 matchup with the top ranked Hippos. The Bears know that they have a shot of claiming the 1 seed by beating Hungary and should play them very tough. The Bears/Hippos matchup is easily the game of the week and should be a great battle.
3. Brown Bay Packers
Record: 4-0-0
Previous Rank: #3
High Rank: #3
Low Rank: #4
With all of the attention the two teams ahead of the Packers are receiving it might be easy to momentarily forget about them. That would not be a very wise move. Brown Bay has looked very strong at the beginning of the season and for all we know they might just be the best team in Zeta. That question will soon be answered though with upcoming games against the Gods, Impalers, and Chupacabras. If Brown Bay can run the table they will begin to get consideration as a championship contender.
4. Athens Gods
Record: 4-0-0
Previous Rank: #7
High Rank: #4
Low Rank: #8
I am not afraid to admit that I was dead wrong when evaluating the Gods at the beginning of the season. I had them pegged as a fringe playoff team that would be competitive but probably not truly challenge the top teams. The Gods have dismissed that notion with 4 straight wins and have looked great in those games. The week 5 matchup with Brown Bay should be a doozy that you won't want to miss. The Gods are no longer flying under the radar so it will be interesting to see if how they handle this new recognition.
5. Targoviste Impalers
Record: 3-1-0
Previous Rank: #5
High Rank: #3
Low Rank: #5
The Impalers have rebounded nicely since their week 1 loss. Targoviste should be a solid playoff team but will be trying to show that they belong in the upper echelon by beating the Packers and Bears of the world later in the season.
6. Barcelona Chupacabras
Record: 2-2-0
Previous Rank: #8
High Rank: #6
Low Rank: #8
The Chupacabras slide back up to #6 after stringing together a couple of wins. Barcelona is the highest 2-2 team due to the fact that both of their losses were to elite teams. Barcelona will probably be a solid playoff team but like the Impalers they will need to show that they can win the close matchups that really count.
7. River City Ransom
Record: 2-2-0
Previous Rank: #4
High Rank: #4
Low Rank: #7
The past two weeks saw RCR take a couple of tough losses. The Ransom will be looking to get back on track against Barcelona next week but it looks like a tough matchup for both teams. From what I can see River City may have some trouble with consistently putting together a string of good games but if they get their gameplanning on the same page they should be a strong team down the stretch.
8. Spanish Inquisition
Record: 2-2-0
Previous Rank: #6
High Rank: #6
Low Rank: #8
The Inquisition are also a little hit or miss sometimes but are currently hanging onto the last playoff spot due to the fact that both of their L's came to higher ranked teams. In reality, however, spots 7 through 11 appear to be very fluid and a lot of movement will most likely happen before the season is over. The Inquisition will be hoping that they can preform well enough to make it into the playoffs and then crash the party if they can get there.
9. Warsaw Sabotage
Record: 2-2-0
Previous Rank: #10
High Rank: #9
Low Rank: #13
The jury is still out on Warsaw when you consider the fact that their 2 wins came against teams with a combined record of 1-7 and their 2 losses came against teams that are a combined 8-0. The next two weeks will be a measuring stick for the Sabotage and if they can patch up a few holes on the roster they could jump into the top half of Zeta.
10. Bengen Storm
Record: 2-2-0
Previous Rank: #9
High Rank: #9
Low Rank: #10
Again only time will tell where a team like the Storm will end up this season. They have the looks of a decent team and could swing up or down these rankings based on their future preformance. After the week 5 matchup with the Phalanx their schedule takes a decidedly tough turn which will probably determine where they will finish in the standings.
11. Crete Minotaurs
Record: 2-2-0
Previous Rank: #12
High Rank: #11
Low Rank: #12
Crete picked up a much needed win against Macedonian a couple games ago and will be trying to continue to improve their team overall. It's hard to say how many more wins they will be able to get this season due to their difficult remaining schedule.
12. Moscow Maniacs
Record: 1-3-0
Previous Rank: #11
High Rank: #11
Low Rank: #15
Moscow slipped a couple of slots after losing two straight but are still ahead of four other teams due to actually having a W on their record. Moscow has a long season ahead of them but can still pick up a few more wins over some of the lighter opponents in Zeta.
13. Boston Piggers
Record: 0-4-0
Previous Rank: #13
High Rank: #10
Low Rank: #13
The Piggers are still probably the best team without a win so far this season. Now when you look at who the Piggers have faced this season you can't really blame them for not having a win yet. Just because they have had a difficult schedule thus far does not mean, however, that the Piggers get a free pass for their play. They need to make a run soon if they want to try and save what is left of their season.
14. Odessa Pipers
Record: 0-4-0
Previous Rank: #14
High Rank: #9
Low Rank: #14
The Pipers are in a similar situation to Boston in that they need to start seriously trying to make a run at a winning streak. The season is still fairly young for the Pipers and if they can get things together they might be able to climb out of the hole that they have dug themselves so far.
15. Macedonian Phalanx
Record: 0-4-0
Previous Rank: #15
High Rank: #14
Low Rank: #15
Macedonian is struggling so far this season and that may continue if they can't turn things around. Truthfully it is tough to see the Phalanx rising much higher than the position that they currently hold.
16. New Orleans Jazz
Record: 0-4-0
Previous Rank: #16
High Rank: #16
Low Rank: #16
The Jazz are still not a good team. Sorry to be so blunt.
Thanks for taking the time to read the rankings and as always I will be back after week 6.
