Working on some projects that, if successful, will blow your minds. For now though that means really short lines. Not a super interesting week of matchups on paper anyway (though any game could turn into a bowloff and that’s exciting no matter what teams are involved).
Game of the Night
#12 ICBING (7-1) -1 vs #14 Cape Fear (6-3): A rare matchup of ranked B teams. ICBING has traded in pitchers of kamikazes in exchange for wins. It’s working. They have the inside track to the Tuesday B crown with a tiebreak over My Balls but they face a much tougher closing schedule, starting tonight. Cape Fear has been hard to read. They have one of the top bowlers in B in Southpaw and a great average, but have lost a few strange games. They realistically can’t win Tuesday B but need this win to stay in the hunt for a top 3 spot and stay out of the Sunday Shootout.
Early Games
#6 SOD (4-4) -1 vs #9 Strikes of Hazzard (5-3): This is about where these teams started the season in the rankings, then SOD fell and Hazzard shot up to #2. Hazzard still has the better record and if Deputy could get on track and join General Lee at the top of their lineup they can still be very dangerous. SOD is built on depth and getting low points and overall every time. I think they’ll do that again, accumulate the pins, win in the trenches.
#1 Back In Black (7-1) -5 vs Nutz (3-6): Back in Black is just starting to beat folks down again. Stevie Strikes is hot right now and the ladies on that team continue putting up excellent numbers. Nutz have been on a losing streak and this is a tough matchup for breaking a losing streak. Busta should post a few big games but hard to see anyone knocking off BIB in the next couple of weeks.
#13 My Balls (7-1) -5 vs Pinups (4-4): My Balls will be watching the ICBING/Cape game closely (figuratively anyway, they probably won’t actually stay to watch a late game as they have long commutes). They have all winnable games and could go 11-1 but still would need ICBING to lose one in order to win the division crown. Wej has been quietly having a strong rookie season in spite of the crazy expectations for a guy with a Brick. Pinups have taken advantage of the schedule and fought their way to.500 I can’t see them getting over that 50/50 tonight, though. MacBalls did represent them well at the all star game.
No Eye Deer (5-4) -5 vs Wrecking Balls (1-7): NED still has a shot at a top 3 finish and they need to win this one to keep their hopes alive. Dirty Sylon, Donzarelli and Burt the Bandit have all stepped up to fill the old Shifter void and they are having a solid season. The Wreck has not had a solid season. They tend to roll just well enough to lose – they actually have a solid average, bolstered by big scores in losses to better teams. Their Captain Dude will miss the Sunday Shootout, so the least he can do is help them get a few wins so their opponent that day is a little easier.
Late Games
Three Livers (4-4) -1 vs BILFs (3-5): This game has a lot of bowloff potential. The teams’ averages are only three pins different, their records are close, they both have a good time on the lanes. While neither has a shot at avoiding the Sunday Shootout, finishing in the top 6 at least gets them a Thursday B opponent for that day, and top 6 is still in reach. Major Danks trying to get out from his brother’s shadow now.
Incredibowls (5-3) -3 vs Splits Happen (3-5): It’s been a transition year for Incredibowls losing players such as Shibs, Ivory Bisque, and Captain Boston. Only Sweet Baby Lou remains from the old guard, joined by new captain God of Thunder and new all-star Spidey. The new look I-Bowls could still reach the top three if they win out. Splits is a heavy underdog, again, but Xander’s team finds ways to shock the league at least a couple times a season. They’ve only done it once so far this year winning as 9 point underdogs. Could this be their second?
Ball That (6-2) -9 vs Snakes On A Lane (0-8): Speaking of both new Captains and 9 point spreads, here’s this game. Samsquampch and his lady Gutterlicious have their new team rolling. Don’t take their quiet team demeanor the wrong way – they like you, they’re just concentrating and thinking of how to stage their next adorable couple’s photo. Snakes is a lost cause this season, but I’m glad they stuck it out after a rough offseason, and they’ll be back and better in 2015.
#2 Yahtzee (6-2) -5 vs Saucy Posse (2-6): Walter and Hot Sauce faced Cheddar for five years as a member of BEER, now they face him as the Captain of one of the top challengers to BIB’s repeat. He did an excellent job assembling a roster including of course Sparkles, making his first full season in BoPo and really starting to dominate. SauPo has been scuffling, but with Walter and Wing Sauce they always have at least a shot.
Game of the Friday
#10 XXX Club (3-5) – 3 vs BEER (2-6): The last two BoPo finals losers square off on a Friday night in a battle of desperation. The Club has started to turn things around and do have three guys in the top 12 on Tuesday A. They have the pieces to get on a roll. BEER is showing some signs of life from different players on different weeks but have yet to pull together a single solid night as a team, and are 0-2 vs Thursday. Maybe playing in Friday Night Lights will jolt them back to life.