First Tuesday

While there is certainly a little more parity this year, Tuesday still fields the majority of the top teams and therefore has a ton of great matchups each week.  Just look at the slate of late games…#1 vs #5, #3 vs #10, #7 vs #9. Plus it’s the original BoPo night, and for this week it’s the only league night of the week.  Come listen to Mo DJ, drink a few beers and check out some games.

Game of the Night

(Late) A: #1 Back in Black -4 vs #5 Body English: If I wanted to hype this game I’d say Body English was the only team to beat BIB last season in their Championship year.  Then I’d quickly counterpoint that when they met in the finals it was a 9-1 slaughter, the lone point being Hungus squeaking out a 253-251 over Stevie Strikes.  Well it is a new tradition in BoPo to have a finals rematch kick off the next season so here we go.  Body English’s best hope is that Bama hasn’t been practicing much, but he could very easily come in and put up a 700 anyway.  Slow Roll looks much improved from last year, but BIB added Skittles.  This doesn’t look like it will be close, but maybe Hacksaw has some magic left in that arm, plus late lanes make for more interesting games.

Early Games

B Div: Ball That (-1) vs Cape Fear: I’m writing this one in the blind as I know next to nothing about these rosters.  Ball That is Samsquampchs expampchion team.  No idea who he has on it other than his special lady.  Cape Fear lost Dill and E-Minor, moved to Tuesday and moved to B.  I know they have Bacon back Captaining, and maybe Minga?  Picking in the blind.

A Div: #8 Yahtzee (-5) vs Nutz: Cheddar’s big return.  He’s a Captain now and he’s signed a strong team of Pauly, Sparkles, Lala and more.  Plenty of talent, let’s see how they mesh.  They face a Nutz squad led once again by Busta and returning Herbie, Salty Nut and Peanut.  They have been together before and would love to show up the newcomers.  You just know Bustah would love to beat Cheddar.

B Div: Splits Happen (-1) vs ICBING: What happened to Peanut Gutter?  Two years removed from the 2v2 finals he seems to have lost his game.  ICBING will definitely do more shots.  Splits Happen have Xander Rolle coming off a breakout Draft League season, and then a roster full of folks I don’t know yet.  Still I’ll take them by one after seeing ICBING’s practice scores, but I would also wager no team has a better time than Peanut Gutter’s charges.

B Div: Wrecking Balls (-3) vs Pinups: The Wreck may be back.  Dude Jr’s emergence onto the scene not only gives them a strong bowler, it also pushed Dude Sr into stepping his game up.  The move to Tuesday also means they should have Swing and Swanny every week, and they lost a couple of sub-100 bowlers.  The Pinups are under new old management with Big Ern returning to the helm.  Maybe he wants to keep an eye on his sister now that she’s working at Bayside.  Looking forward to Bulj Temptingly calling this line crap.

B Div: My Balls (-1) vs Three Livers:  This is a tough one.  Three Livers has the top bowler in the game in Larry who finished last season with a run of 200’s and an attention grabbing high 200 game bowloff win in the Sunday Shootout.  He’s good, and the old core of Wilma, Bernie and Pearl is still in place.  My Balls have Barry Violet leading them back and he drives a long way for this.  Big Red has been logging the hours on the lanes and DC Lane is another solid player.  This will be the My Balls and  BoPo debut for Wej, the guy you don’t know who has a 300 brick at Bayside.

Late Games

A Div: #3 Off Constantly (-3) vs #10 Turkey Club:  Noone disagreed more vocally with OC’s lofty preseason ranking than Turkey Club.  Now they have a chance to prove their point.  I just don’t see it happening.  Tango had a strong Draft league, and Roadhouse as well, but the Club botched free agency badly.  They lost out on Deputy, didn’t have a backup plan and chased off Squampch.  They need Herk to make the leap.  OC is ready to prove the rankings right. McQueen is foaming at the mouth to get back on the lanes and roll strikes (in many cases before the opponent has even finished their pregame cheer).  Oz is the 2008 MVP looking for a renaissance and Nuber quietly averaged over 190 last year.  Then they have two strong women, Honey Bunny finally getting a ball that fits her hand and Coucou coming off top point in her last playoff game.  That leaves no pressure on Dick, which might work out for him really well.

A Div: #7 Binga’s (-1) vs #9 Strikes of Hazzard: On Sunday all BoPoers were humiliated in the Yankee Lanes tourney.  Well, except for newcomer General Lee who shredded on his home court.  Now he’s moving to the clay courts, but he’s a damn good bowler.  His teaming up with Deputy gives them as strong a 1-2 as anyone, but this is his debut in the bright lights of BoPo.  Binga’s has a different feel this year.  They are clearly tired of losing in the quarters (which, coincidentally, they did last year to Strikes of Hazzard) and they have been doing stuff they’ve never done – practicing.  Jerk is defending Top Dawg and now for the first time is buying nice equipment and rolling on days other than Tuesdays.  Cookie is primed to make the leap, Tso is uninjured and Layne is Layne.  Let’s not forget the ultimate energy pair and fan favorites in PB&J and Hot Mango.  I think this team will have a very strong regular season.

B Div: N.E.D. (-3) vs Snakes on a Lane: N.E.D. shed its top bowler Shifter Pawl who moved to Thursday A.  Snakes moved from Thursday A to Tuesday B.  It’s a crazy, mixed up world!  This should be a good one but I’ll put my money on Dirtyu Sylon and DOnzarelli assuming they both still roll for NED.  I’d write more but again I don’t really know who’s on these rosters yet as they aren’t obsessive bowlers like the folks in A.

B Div: Incredibowls (-3) vs BILF: This was primed to be a rematch of a thrilling Media League finals won 8-7 by Boston’s WGME over Cap’n Collection’s WJAB, but then Boston retired.  God of Thunder, also of WGME took over the reins and is eager to punich BILF again for their Media finals’ KISS shirt exploits.  He even reached out to a media rival to sign Spidey, a FOX-23 bowler who is one of only two bowlers to post an 800 series at Bayside (the other being Stevie Strikes).  BILF is excited to try on their new name (formerly D-GUTS) and Old Thumper is ready for a breakout season.  Cap’n Collection needs to help him out.

A Div: #6 Sons of Danarchy (-5) vs Saucy Posse:  Has any top team been more under the radar than SOD?  Last year they faced a ton of pressure as everyone gunned for them.  This year they start out at #6 and it could work out great for them.  They still boast as good a 1-2 women’s punch as anyone in McStriker and Valley Girl, who both will try to step up their game to keep up with new BoPo lady (and defending Queenshit) Bijou Lowry for Top Lady Dawg.  Booth had a strong Draft League, Diesel won Draft League and Dwayne Luther is a great bowler who keeps the team loose.  SauPo signed 2009 sensation Wing Alex, who does have his name on The Cup.  Walter has been bowling lights out on this pattern.  They will be much improved from 2013 but they have also made the jump into Tuesday A, which means a brutal opponent every week.  A win in their opener would be a huge breakthough.