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And so it begins……………….again

So here we are. We started the race with 56 teams but have narrowed the field to 48 and 1 potted plant. In 2 weeks 6 teams will achieve their goal of social co-ed football immortality. Where do we go from here?  Who will win? Who will lose? Let’s find out….

 

 

D1 Game of the Week

New God’s +4 vs Racks and Sacks: You can pretty much cut the tension with a knife. New Gods were beat in last session’s playoff by RAS. They made some changes and were supposed to be poised to take the next step. So far that has not yet happened. Ricky appears to be hurt, McGrath is not taking games over like he did last year, Cody really hasn’t been overly impressive and Pete and Jay seem to be MIA these days. To make matters worse RAS is up next and RAS has had New God’s number for the past 2 sessions beating them every time. New God’s is literally at the fork in the road. If they find a way to pull the upset they can make the finals as they are extremely skilled. But if RAS beats them again New God’s may never recover. Now yes we are going on and on about New Gods this week but make no mistake about it RAS is one solid football team. They deserve to be where they are these days. I expect a barn burner. Conventional wisdom would say RAS does it again but I like to cheer for the upset so I think New God’s are due.  New God’s by 1

 

D2 Game of the Week

There isn’t one but if I had to talk about 1 game.

The Replacements vs The Purge +6: Sometimes in life you have to close your eyes and believe in make believe. In our make believe world we are going to imagine that The Purge is going to actually show up and field a team instead of sending us some lame last minute excuse about the dog eating their homework or any other silly things they can think of. As for the game let’s also pretend the Purge has their super girl with them. This will present problems for TR who will need to make sure they account for her at all times. Where as I hope this exercise in futility comes to a screeching hault this week I feel bad for Kevin Zak who is easily not only one of the best players to ever play in this league but he deserves better than this. I for one hope he finds a new home in the fall because when he decides to leave this game it should be on better terms than this. TR is a solid team that will be waiting on TP. TR has speed to burn and TP does not have that same speed. TR must get a game from their QB. He is the key to their success. If the QB shows and plays well TR will roll but if not stranger things have happened. I wonder if Shari and Burr are friends or foes this week?   Replacements by 6

 

D3 Game of the Week

Sticky Bandits vs Mixxx +3:   Sticky Bandits have been flying under the radar for some time now. A&A is having attendance issues, team Topper is missing Drew and Bullet  Club is lost without Easton. Could the planets be aligning for the Sticky Nation? You can’t help but think JZ has come to town as a low seed before and shocked the world. It seemed like just yesterday he trotted out an 8 seed and made the finals of the D3 dance. He is battle tested and will give Sticky Bandits all they can handle and more. When Mixxx has everyone there they can play with everyone. SB are a very smart team that plays a very safe style of football . The will not make many mistakes so Mixxx will need to bring their A game. I see this game in the high to mid 20s and it could come down to the defenses. Will JZ change up his style or will he continue to trot out that way too deep zone? This game should be a good one that won’t be decided until late. Sticky Bandits by 4

 

D4 Game of the Week

Full Throttle vs Uncle Rico’s Time Travelers +1: Full Throttle is 6-3 and is riding a 6 game winning streak. Their offense has come to life led by a smart QB who contuse to get better week after week. FT plays a very smart very methodical offensive game. Last time these 2 hooked up FT won a thriller 40-35. I expect another barn burner. URTT are battle tested and have won the big dance before. They have played in the big game and they know what it takes to win a title. FT still is in learning mode and this might come back at them but you can’t discount the fact they have won 6 in a row. URTT will just sit back and let it fly. Offense is their game. My gut says URTT could shock this week but my heart is with Full Throttle.  Full Throttle by 1

 

D5 Game of the Week

All we do is Qwinn vs Hung Buffalo +6: If you like salty, nasty , chippy football this is the game for you. Hung Buffalo have been known as the TSL bad boys for some time now but AWDIQ is quickly catching up. This is a game about size vs speed. HB has the size while AWDIQ has the speed. Both have been in the big game and won big games before. AWDIQ will want to use their speed and spread HB out early and often. HB will want to slow the game down and just play methodical. Last time out AWDIQ beat HB 36-20. HB will put up a fight but at the end of the day speed kills which should propel AWDIQ onto round #2.  All we do is Qwinn by 7

 

D6 Game of the Week

Dilly Dilly vs The McKenzie Agency +8: Round #1 did not end well for TMA. It was a thug like beat down both on and off the field. TMA was ho humming along and has not been the same since “the incident.” Dilly Dilly is probably the best team in D6. They have everything they need to take home the title. What they do not have is fate on their side nor the support of the TSL Universe this week. Everyone will be cheering for TMA. TMA are the people’s champions and must find a way to keep up in this one. Dilly Dilly can move. TMA has one burner but they lack top shelf speed everywhere else. For TMA to have a chance they must play slow, sound and methodical. Ferger must make safe easy throws to keep his team in the game. TMA is up against it and the world will be on their side but will it be enough? I fear the bad guys beat the good guys in this one  L.        Dilly Dilly by 6

 

RANDOM THOUGHTS

-I have said this for a while and will continue to say this, I feel the 2 deep zone is wearing out it’s welcome and will be a thing of the past in 1-2 more sessions. It’s too easy to beat and there are better ways to defend.

- All in all I think the officiating in this league has been solid. Yes every now and again something pops up but I feel Rameer and all our refs have done a great job enforcing the rules. I don’t think the refs get enough credit so I thought this would be a good time to make sure people remember that our refs are doing great work.

-Well Mo has been telling us for weeks Morning Wood can pull the upset. Drew is out and Morning Wood is now at put up or shut up time. Can Morning Wood shock Team Topper?

-A&A has been a shell of it’s former self and it all begins and ends with attendance for this squad. If they are at 100% they can play with anyone but if they are not anything can happen. Joey Batts and Cintas is up next. Cintas is a very vanilla but very methodical team that doesn’t make a ton of mistakes this could be a good match up.

- I am beginning to think Joey Batts likes Burr more than his own brother.

-No one is talking about Practice Squad right now…..but they should be.

-is 3RD and Schlong confident heading into this playoff or are they afraid someone is about to come to town and shock them? Ice Box vs Katie Keller could be the best match up the day.

- I wonder who will get a real paying job first “potted plant” or B’s Brother.

-Just we all are clear on sub procedures moving forward:

Please go to the rule book pages 2/3 Rules 5-7. There it will tell you what girls are allowed to sub in each division. If you need a sub you must email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. before Friday at 10AM for that week’s game ONLY. You may choose anyone you wish before Friday at 10am as long as you follow the rules on divisions. Please note one girl is not allowed to sub anymore and (3) D2 girls may not sub in D1 but if you have questions on specifics email us and we will tell you who they are.  For example if you are a team in D2 you may only choose a girl in D2-D6 to be your sub. If you are a team in D3 you may only use a sub that is a girl on a D3-D6 team. If you are a team in D6 you may only choose a girl sub from division D3-D6. Once you send us an email will respond promptly in writing that your request has been accepted. If someone beats you to the sub it will be rejected and you will have to re-submit. If Friday at 10am passes you may only choose a girl on our USL only. USL subs do not have to be formally requested via email. We ask as a courtesy you tell us but you don’t have to. You must also submit in writing all guy subs and B Club subs. To be clear do not email, call or text Topper if you do this we will reject your request. You must email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. only. If you use the “Topper told me it’s OK” excuse we will still suspend you so please don’t waste our time and please follow the rules as they are written.

 

 

5 Questions for Saturday

1. How could you Drew? This was supposed to be Topper’s Mr. Holland’s Opus. It was supposed to finally be his time yet once again its playoffs and no Drew. Easton went down and A&A is having attendance issues. This was supposed to be the swan song in the longest title journey ever but now that is ruined. Morning Wood has to be drooling this week.

2. Can JZ conjure up the ghosts of playoff upsets past and shock the world one more time? JZ and Mixxx have struggled but JZ has been known to pull a rabbit out of his hat and shock the world. Sticky Bandits is coming to town getting hot at the right time and would like nothing better than to beat their foe this week. I keep hearing there is still some old “irked feelings “over winter comings and goings. This one should be good….

3.  How nervous is Bullet Club right now? This was supposed to be Joe K’s Mr. Holland’s Opus. It was supposed to finally be his time yet once again its playoffs and no Drew I mean Easton. Travis can play QB but then they lose his speed out there. Puckett All Stars are no slouch so Bullet Club better be careful this week. BTW I so am cheering for PAS to go back to back to back this go round.

4. Can Hometech pull the upset and move onto round #2? Rumors are swirling that “Cousin Steve” will not be dressing this week due to prior engagements. Can Austin take the rock and propel Hometech to victory? Tight End Zones are like a box of chocolates you really never truly know what you are going to get.

5. Will we get Gordon’s answer this week? Is this the dawn of A&A Club or are Gordon and Matty ice destined to be enemies and bitter vials forever? This is one storyline I will be monitoring closely this week. No one truly ever knows where Gordon’s head is at, my guess is he will change his mind 56x this Saturday. I hope we get our answer by days end.

 

10 Final Thoughts for Saturday

1. The game I have my eye on is in D4 where it is quadruple dog on!!!  Full Throttle has won 6 in a row and must now have at it with Uncle Rico’s Time Travelers in easily the match up of the week. Both teams are coming to town hot and either one could in theory take home the D4 title. The road traveled will not be easy as either one of these squad will have 3 grueling games they must survive if they want to call themselves champions.

2. Tight Ends in Motion heads once again into battle with new rival Public Enemy. They are 0-2 but I don’t think enough people are giving enough credit to a player who wasn’t in attendance in either game #1 or game #2. I am hearing rumors “potted plant” will make his TEIM debut. Potted Plant was an 8x all-star down in the East Side Social Co Ed Football scene. Potted plant is very smart, very crafty and could very well come up with a very tough game plan to keep Public Enemy off balance this week.  I expect nothing less than hell, fire and brimstone in this one.

3. Once we again we have another size vs speed match up this week . Will this be the summer of George or will Matty’s Angels kick their game up a nickel and head for the D5 title? Vandalay and Matty’s Angels should be a barn burner. If you like offense this one is for you. I have no clue who will show for VI so that kind of makes this fun as well. MA are really fast and will keep VI guessing all game. Can VI find a pass rusher to keep Matty Ice off balance or will they need to have a “committee” approach. I’m guessing if they rush just one guy he really could have a heart attack by days end.

4. I am hearing Drew will be gone which means Cunning Stunts must go to the back up this week. In this case that’s great news as the best QB, player, umpteen time champion and your reigning and DEFENDING league MVP is up next. The power of Joey Batts is all around us. He probably could beat Tommy Hughes Experience all by himself but due to the silly rule book you need at least 4 players on the field. THE V CS should be a great matchup.

5. If I was No Punt Intended I would be a tad nervous right now. Yes they are 7-2 but they haven’t exactly been overly impressive since they crushed 3AS. They lost to Uncle Rico, barely beat Brew Crew and only beat BSS by 6. BSS is up next and have been known to pull the shocker every now and again. If I was NPI I would make sure I am not looking towards next week as an opponent that can shock them is heading their way.

6. I don’t think there is a person in D1 who doesn’t like #XTC. Obviously there are some people that love #XTC. And no I wasn’t taking an indirect shot at a girl on a team in D4 there, or was I, nope I just thought about it I was not. My point is anything can happen on any given Saturday. Eyes Downtown look to be the heading towards another date with the D1 title but maybe the football Gods won’t be on their side for once. Speaking of Football Gods I hope Angry Buffalo smokes Marketing Mayors after that lame sub request of Lindsay from HATBF. For shame Marketing Mayors…fooooor shhhhhhame.

7. Dark Knights snuck into the D6 dance on the last drive of the regular season and now face a familiar foe in round #1. DK easily have 2 of the best athletes in D6 but they need to get more from their QB. If you can’t make the simple read and the simple throw you won’t survive the 3 game gauntlet. Patience is a virtue but there is an awful lot of talent not being utilized right now on the DK side of the fence. Celino Sewer Rats will bring the thunder as they are past D6 Champions.

8. I wonder where Hope N Ruin would be these days if they didn’t have like all of their girls hurt at one time or another. I fear HNR will be out gunned against a very solid Come From Behind. It would be nice to throw one more title on the pile for CFB before they start thinking about putting the gone fishing sign up on the franchise.

9. Indecent Exposure and HK4 have at it one more time this week. Last time they hooked up IE took a 44-43 thriller. If it’s offense you like it is offense you will get. IE is a solid squad who boasts the best player in D4 you have never heard of. HK4 has a very solid girl and a very solid QB. This game for me will be decided by the 2’s and 3’s of each squad. The girls will wash and both QBs are good but how will the depth players on each squad produce? The team that gets better secondary production probably takes this.

10. OK you must be thinking the same thing I am . If Mixxx doesn’t win this week will they call JZ into their office and fire him like SITE did last session. I for one hope Mixxx listens to their captain as he has won big games in this league before.

 

#DON’TBLOWIT