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TB is pleased to present its seventh edition of its "Ten Game Review".
:scratchhead: All of you know should be familiar with the drill from the past: TB has taken a liking to this particular time in the season (after week 11 is completed), a point in time when the bye weeks are kaput and each team has played a full ten games.
At this juncture ... the playing conditions are the same for each team’s GM for the remainder of the season:
:arrow: You have ten games are under your belt and there remains only six games to help determine your destiny in the playoffs.
:arrow: You have played four of your six division games, so there is not too much wiggle room in that category.
:arrow: Trading has long past you by and you are stuck with what you currently have because there is absolutely nothing, and we repeat, zero, in the FA pool.
:arrow: There are no more bye weeks to heal an injury or two.
As we turn the corner, we can see the playoff promise land in the distance. Yes, all GM's can finally visualize the finish line in the distance (granted some have a better view than others). The plan will be simple ... nut up for the privilege to make a statement in the playoffs. With a six game schedule, a team can get hot. On the other hand, a team can cool down and let another pass it up on the rail.
TEN WEEK REVIEW: 2021
American Conference Observations:
A Good Surprise: Wichita has finally found its form (soccer talk for uk) and is leading the AC North. We have to go all the way back to the 2011 season to find the last time that the Outlaws were in the playoffs. It is good to see the efforts of the GM from the other side of the big lake come up big this year. Congrats ukpatfan.
Biggest Controversy: St. Louis did not start Jay Caro in the first three games. The Cardinals lost all three of these games. Not knowing if Caro would have a difference in those games, it is good water cooler discussion especially if St. Louis just misses the playoffs by one game.
:shithappens: A Death Spiral: Will the loss of starting QB Karl Bauer be a significant problem for the Portland Seals. He is out for the next four weeks.
:shoot: Most Dangerous Team: West Virginia has staked claim to their previous perch, high on top of the AC mountain top. Rightfully earned, they are undefeated and are seemingly walking on water.
The Dark Horse Team: Los Angeles started the season horribly … lost four of the first five games. Since then, they have won five in a row scoring above 30 points a game and giving up a little less than 10 points a game.
:?: Projected wins needed to reach the playoffs as a wild card: We believe that a team will minimally need 10 wins to gain a berth in a wild card game.
Most exciting divisions:
AC-WEST – With Bauer’s injury in Portand, it is going to be a interesting last six games to watch in that division as LA and Anchorage make their moves to unseat the current division leader.
Teams, we think are out of the hunt: This is our least favorite thread in this review but we call them like we see them. The black list includes: Iowa City, Houston, Louisiana, Chicago, Hartford, Anchorage & Fresno.
Locks for a playoff spot: Wichita, Murfreesboro, and West Virginia . Portland seems to be comfortable with eight wins at the moment … but if they lose the next four without Bauer, they will face Lawrence and arch rival Anchorage in their final two games. Can one imagine the Imperial Bowl Champs losing their last six games? The wild card race for BOTH SLOTS is going to be a humdinger in the AC. [b] Montreal, Cleveland, St. Louis, Norfolk, Portland, & Los Angeles are the players.
THE INFAMOUS TB PREDICTION (barring any critical injuries):
:arrow: AC North Champion - Wichita
:arrow: AC South Champion – Murfreesboro
:arrow: AC East Champion - West Virginia
:arrow: AC West Champion -Portland
:arrow: Wild Card – Los Angeles
:arrow: Wild Card – Montreal
National Conference Observations:
A Good Surprise: Pennsylvania's performance has been above expectations and Cy is doing much more than the rebuilding exercises he suggested was going on.
Biggest Controversy: Are the days of the Tulsa Sanford et al regime over? We won’t call it dead quite yet ... but things do seem to be pretty spotty at the moment?
:shithappens: A Death Spiral - Winless Texas looks to find that one elusive win. There has not been another team in the history of the IFL to lose all 16 regular season games. West Virginia game close in 2007 when the Beasts posted a 0-15-1 record.
:shoot: Most Dangerous Team: Newark is the healthiest at the moment and this nudges the Bulldogs a step in front of Lawrence .
The Dark Horse Team: Lansing is our dark horse. They have quality wins against NC division leaders Pennsylvania & Vancouver. Their remaining schedule is rugged however. They will match up with the likes of Wichita, Newark and Pennsylvania (again).
:?: Projected wins needed to reach the playoffs as a wild card: the number of wins needed to claim a wild card berth is ten.
Most exciting division:
NC-SOUTH ... Georgia, Little Rock, Tulsa will provide a lot of entertainment for the division championship.
Teams out of the hunt: Don't kill the messenger. Madison, Dakota, Texas, Orlando, Vermont, Oakland, Reno.
Locks for a playoff spot: Going out on a limb and predicting that these teams will all be in the playoffs: Pennsylvania, Lansing, Lawrence, Newark, Vancouver. However, none of the division races are locked up including the division championships. There will be a lot of jockeying for position in this bed.
THE INFAMOUS TB PREDICTION (barring any critical injuries):
:arrow: NC North Champion - Pennsylvania
:arrow: NC South Champion – Georgia
:arrow: AC East Champion - Newark
:arrow: AC West Champion - Vancouver
:arrow: Wild Card – Lawrence
:arrow: Wild Card – Lansing
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:thewave:
Happy hunting for all playoff hopefuls!
:scratchhead: All of you know should be familiar with the drill from the past: TB has taken a liking to this particular time in the season (after week 11 is completed), a point in time when the bye weeks are kaput and each team has played a full ten games.
At this juncture ... the playing conditions are the same for each team’s GM for the remainder of the season:
:arrow: You have ten games are under your belt and there remains only six games to help determine your destiny in the playoffs.
:arrow: You have played four of your six division games, so there is not too much wiggle room in that category.
:arrow: Trading has long past you by and you are stuck with what you currently have because there is absolutely nothing, and we repeat, zero, in the FA pool.
:arrow: There are no more bye weeks to heal an injury or two.
As we turn the corner, we can see the playoff promise land in the distance. Yes, all GM's can finally visualize the finish line in the distance (granted some have a better view than others). The plan will be simple ... nut up for the privilege to make a statement in the playoffs. With a six game schedule, a team can get hot. On the other hand, a team can cool down and let another pass it up on the rail.
TEN WEEK REVIEW: 2021
American Conference Observations:
A Good Surprise: Wichita has finally found its form (soccer talk for uk) and is leading the AC North. We have to go all the way back to the 2011 season to find the last time that the Outlaws were in the playoffs. It is good to see the efforts of the GM from the other side of the big lake come up big this year. Congrats ukpatfan. Biggest Controversy: St. Louis did not start Jay Caro in the first three games. The Cardinals lost all three of these games. Not knowing if Caro would have a difference in those games, it is good water cooler discussion especially if St. Louis just misses the playoffs by one game.:shithappens: A Death Spiral: Will the loss of starting QB Karl Bauer be a significant problem for the Portland Seals. He is out for the next four weeks.
:shoot: Most Dangerous Team: West Virginia has staked claim to their previous perch, high on top of the AC mountain top. Rightfully earned, they are undefeated and are seemingly walking on water.
The Dark Horse Team: Los Angeles started the season horribly … lost four of the first five games. Since then, they have won five in a row scoring above 30 points a game and giving up a little less than 10 points a game.:?: Projected wins needed to reach the playoffs as a wild card: We believe that a team will minimally need 10 wins to gain a berth in a wild card game.
Most exciting divisions: AC-WEST – With Bauer’s injury in Portand, it is going to be a interesting last six games to watch in that division as LA and Anchorage make their moves to unseat the current division leader.
Teams, we think are out of the hunt: This is our least favorite thread in this review but we call them like we see them. The black list includes: Iowa City, Houston, Louisiana, Chicago, Hartford, Anchorage & Fresno. Locks for a playoff spot: Wichita, Murfreesboro, and West Virginia . Portland seems to be comfortable with eight wins at the moment … but if they lose the next four without Bauer, they will face Lawrence and arch rival Anchorage in their final two games. Can one imagine the Imperial Bowl Champs losing their last six games? The wild card race for BOTH SLOTS is going to be a humdinger in the AC. [b] Montreal, Cleveland, St. Louis, Norfolk, Portland, & Los Angeles are the players. THE INFAMOUS TB PREDICTION (barring any critical injuries)::arrow: AC North Champion - Wichita
:arrow: AC South Champion – Murfreesboro
:arrow: AC East Champion - West Virginia
:arrow: AC West Champion -Portland
:arrow: Wild Card – Los Angeles
:arrow: Wild Card – Montreal
National Conference Observations:
A Good Surprise: Pennsylvania's performance has been above expectations and Cy is doing much more than the rebuilding exercises he suggested was going on. Biggest Controversy: Are the days of the Tulsa Sanford et al regime over? We won’t call it dead quite yet ... but things do seem to be pretty spotty at the moment? :shithappens: A Death Spiral - Winless Texas looks to find that one elusive win. There has not been another team in the history of the IFL to lose all 16 regular season games. West Virginia game close in 2007 when the Beasts posted a 0-15-1 record.
:shoot: Most Dangerous Team: Newark is the healthiest at the moment and this nudges the Bulldogs a step in front of Lawrence .
The Dark Horse Team: Lansing is our dark horse. They have quality wins against NC division leaders Pennsylvania & Vancouver. Their remaining schedule is rugged however. They will match up with the likes of Wichita, Newark and Pennsylvania (again). :?: Projected wins needed to reach the playoffs as a wild card: the number of wins needed to claim a wild card berth is ten.
Most exciting division: NC-SOUTH ... Georgia, Little Rock, Tulsa will provide a lot of entertainment for the division championship.
Teams out of the hunt: Don't kill the messenger. Madison, Dakota, Texas, Orlando, Vermont, Oakland, Reno. Locks for a playoff spot: Going out on a limb and predicting that these teams will all be in the playoffs: Pennsylvania, Lansing, Lawrence, Newark, Vancouver. However, none of the division races are locked up including the division championships. There will be a lot of jockeying for position in this bed. THE INFAMOUS TB PREDICTION (barring any critical injuries)::arrow: NC North Champion - Pennsylvania
:arrow: NC South Champion – Georgia
:arrow: AC East Champion - Newark
:arrow: AC West Champion - Vancouver
:arrow: Wild Card – Lawrence
:arrow: Wild Card – Lansing
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
:thewave:
Happy hunting for all playoff hopefuls!
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