Game of the Week
#1 Walkaways (-1) vs #2 Off Constantly, 8:30pm
La Gatita lost last year in the quarterfinals, Natro and Coco in the semis, and Booth and Diesel in the finals. Then the wheels began turning. I’m not sure who first planted the idea, but soon they were all talking about forming a new super team. The first peices fell into place easily, then finally La Gatita signed on the dotted line and the “heat” were born. They have certainly rolled as expected, maintaining an ungodly 666 average and cruising through all their games. Diesel has become the ace on a team of aces. There are no weak links. The only things they have left to prove are that they can a) handle a big game, and b) handle the playoffs. The playoff question will remain unanswered, but they have a shot at answering the big game questions right now.
Off Constantly thrives on big games. That said, they have gone from winning a title game, to losing the next title game, to losing in the semis. Still, they are pretty unflappable. Their team unity, with all of them together for four years, will stand in stark contrast to The Wakaways relative newness. Oz looks to reestablish himself as a league titan against the upstart Diesel. Number One looks to build on last week’s impressive shorthanded showing, and McQueen is quietly hanging at the top of the rankings. They’ll need a solid Dick Liquor and a revived Honey Bunny to pull off the win. I think if this were a playoff game, I might pick them. Of course, I was way off on my first big showdown prediction.
6pm games
Splits Happen (-4) vs Wrecking Balls: The Balls have been one of the bigger disappointments this year, but perhaps it is due to the lack of any consistent lineup. This week they are starting early to get the Dude back. Splits has been on a tear for two weeks, and looks for a third straight. Woody has put up some surprising numbers, but last week it was evenly distributed.
Happy Hands (-9) vs Pinny Candy: Happy Hands look to get back on the right track here after a few down weeks. Mitten is getting warmed up and it’s time for a Sasha Northfield breakout role. Pinny Candy has been picking up points, and slowly improving ther team average. While encouraging, it doesn’t seem like enough to win this one.
#13 No-Eye-Deer (-5) vs Shambles: Shambles is the last roadblock standing in No-Eye-Deer’s path on the way to a division crown. Donzarelli and Hello Kritty have been living at the lanes in anticipation of this one, and you know what you’ll get from Deez Nutz and Shifter Pawl. Shambles will circle the wagons for his one, and hope Col. Angus rallies the troops. He showed signs of his preseason promise last week, but has been deathly ill. This would be a season making win.
#9 C.B. O’Nutz (-5) vs #16 ICBING: The Nutz have had two bowlers of the week, and are coming off their most impressive win of the season. ICBING is coming off their most impressive game as well, albeit a big loss. This game could get interesting in the middle and lower points. The Nutz try to prove they are a legit playoff threat.
#12 Young and Bowled (-3) vs #14 TDYOB: Two middle-ish teams, both coming off back to back losses. Y&B got a lot of hype when they signed The Truth to pair with Pistol Pete, but it hasn’t paid off in the results. TDYOB peaked at #6 in the power rankings and a 5-0 lead on BEER, but has since given up 24 of 25 points and are in freefall. Both teams need this one desperately.
8:30 games
Lovernauts (-2) vs My Balls: One thing is for sure, this game won’t be played on lanes 3 and 4. My Balls finally had victory in their grasp, but let a 7-3 lead evaporate to stay winless. The Lovernauts will try to continue their surprisingly strong season with another win.
#4 B.E.E.R. (-3) vs #6 Still Living On A Spare: A few weeks ago Shithawk took a swipe at Team BEER out of the blue. His premature vituperation notwithstanding, the Spares have since put together a couple of big wins and come into this one believing they are the better team. BEER also has a few things to prove, sliding slowly down the ranks in spite of being defending champs. Should be a fun undercard for the OC/Walkaways game.
#18 Snakes On A Lane (-9) vs Goldilocks: The Goldies rallied last week for shocking 8-7 win to get their first victory. They would love to keep the momentum going. Snakes On A Lane ran into the O’Nutz buzzsaw last week, and now need to pick up some points.
Dear Bayside,
Thank you for letting me live there this week. The practice seems to have helped. At very least, it helped us reduce our competition to shambles last night.
Man that dude from BEER that does the write-ups is so uppity. Basically all he talked about was all the losing that OC and Walkaways does in the playoffs, but then goes to discuss how BEER is the defending champs. Just a question from the write up sounds like BEER did a lot of losing maybe in rounds prior to OC and Walkaway folks prior to 2010??????
Can we get a history lesson here, maybe just a quick blurb of semi and final teams and folks on those squads since inception, not to be confused with inception, you are waiting for a train, where this train will take you, you do not know……….