Get Into the Groove, Boy, You’ve Got To Prove You Can Bowl To Me

There are some great bowling matches to check out this week as we start getting into the groove of the season.  We have a finals rematch, a really interesting A debut from Sharks, and a game that will have a huge impact on the B race in Incredibowls vs ICBING.  Plus, you know, the great time hanging out, the food, the drinks, the tunes.  Best time you’ll have on a Tuesday.

Game of the Week

#2 Back In Black (2-0) – 3 vs Bingas (1-1): Always fun to see a rematch from the previous year’s BoPo Finals.  A lot of teams walk into a match against BIB already half beaten just by being intimidated.  Bingas does not fall into that category.  They still think they could have won last year’s match and are quietly confident heading into this one looking for a little payback.  New signee Knuckles had her first 200 with the team, and Hot Mango was hot in a loss to the new number #1 T-Club.  General Tso or Cookie (if not both) will really need to be big to get that revenge.

As for BIB, they can rattle even the most confident of opponents when three guys all start with hambones and the team puts up 800s casually.  They are a dominant franchise looking to finally end the BoPo string of no back-to-backs.  Gutterboy and Brooklyn are right at the top of the stats, and you know Bama will come roaring back up the list.  They won’t give anything away, Binga’s will have to play huge if they want this one.  I’m looking forward to watching it play out.

Early Games

#5 Saucy Posse (2-0) -1 vs Sharks and Strikes (1-0): Welcome to the show, Sharks!  Well I guess it’s not really ‘welcome’, since this team is riddled with players who have high-level A division experience, but this is their Tuesday A debut as a team after week 1 in the wrong division and week 2 on a bye.  They open up against the 5th ranked and undefeated SauPo, but I don’t think they are overmatched.  This is a solid team, looking forward to seeing how they do against stiffer competition.  SauPo seems to be alternating between Nut Sauce and Master Splinter…either one of them is enough for me to pick SauPo in a very tight match.

Budweisers (1-0) -1 vs BILF (1-1): Budweisers are the other half of that Sharks coin…they moved back to their old division and crushed their opponent in the more comfortable confines of B.  They  have their mojo back, and they also love early lanes.  BILF walked into an unexpected Smack Talk assault from Tush Christ last week and then got run down by N.E.D.  They don’t get the best draw here either, but I think they take it to game 3 with a chance to win.

My Balls (1-0) -7 vs Whoomp (0-2): My Balls took a break early and now will be showing up every week until they are finished.  They come off the bye with what looks like a very winnable match.  Tootsie’s charges made strides from week 1 when they showed up late for their BoPo debut, but they may lose a few more games while they get more used to their awesome new surroundings.

No Eye Deer (1-0) -11 vs Three Livers (0-2): Tush Christ doesn’t know who you are, but he knows one thing, he is going to beat you.  Three Livers has 9 years BoPo experience, a fact also completely lost on ol’ TC.  N.E.D. seems rejuvenated by having their opening night loss expunged from their record.  Livers understands fully that BoPo means 12 mid-week, mid-winter boozy parties with your friends in a cool bar.  They know exactly what they are doing.

Strikes on Tap (1-1) -3 vs Wrecking Balls (1-1): This matchup features the current top 2 players in the B Division: Tap’s new Captain, The Cleaner, and Wrecking Ball Captain (verbal commitment to BEER for 2017) The Dude.  They should post some good scores, but I think Tap has a little more depth as long as The Dude doesn’t get a huge advantage at the top.  Swanny due for a breakout game, perhaps he gets his 200 checkmark in this one.

OC (1-1) -3 vs Ball That (0-2):  OC is a totally different team with Oz around.  He was able to waltz in and average 196 over three last week to help his team even their record.  On the other side you have Ball That Captain Samsquampch who is still averaging over 200 a couple weeks in.  His team is 0-2 at no fault of his own.  Twinkle Toes had a huge game in an epic strike-trading battle with Natro last week, and Gutterlicious is focused, but they  need a big week from Irish Baller or Rowengartner to stay in the match.  OC has everyone clicking right now and would be 2-0 if they hadn’t faced the buzzsaw of BIB on opening night.  The franchise seems rejuvenated.

Late Games

Body English (2-0) -3 vs Cape Fear (0-2): There’s a big gap in the standings with these two teams, but not much difference in average.  Both teams are having party-renaissance seasons (not be confused with Renaissance Party seasons), so this should be the most fun matchup these teams have ever played.  This may be the last game for some time for a complete BEER squad, and they should play well with that in mind.  Night Nurse is looking for her first win as a Captain, and Cape has a shot if South Paw dominates on his left side while the late gets to others.

#4 Yahtzee (1-0) -5 vs Hazzard (0-2): Tough news out of Yahtzee camp this week as Captain Cheddar went public with another injury, this time his lower back.  It sounds like it could be a season-ender, let’s hope not.  Good luck with that back Cheddar.  The BoPo must go on, and Yahztee is blessed with 4 aces.  Their shock offseason pickup Tango is dialed in and leads the league in average, but Deputy is also at 207, and Sparkles 187 would look great on any other roster.  Of course they only have a one week sample size but they seem deep enough to keep winning a lot until Cheddar returns, if he does at all.  Hazzard is throwing a pretty spectacular party each week, and don’t seem the slightest bit concerned about results on the lanes.  Gotta respect that.  They do have a couple greats in General Lee and LB if they show up, but not enough firepower to stop the relentless striking of Yahtzee.

#1 Turkey Club (2-0) -5 vs S.O.D. (0-2):  We have a new number one.  I predicted a 12-0 Club season on the podcast so you know who I’m going to pick here.  They picked up a nice win without Roadhouse last week, Herk and Koops really upped their games.  S.O.D. goes from Yahtzee to BIB to Club, 3 of the top 4 ranked teams in the league, to start their season.  Their ladies, Valley Gurl and McStriker, have been excellent, currently sitting #1 and #3 in the women’s rankings.  They just need the dudes to get going…Diesel was just on the podcast, let’s see if there’s a podcast boost.

Splits Happen (1-1) -3 vs Pinups (0-2): These two teams are actually off to nice starts regardless of results.  Pinups has spent the last couple years mired in or near the team average basement, but this year are proving a little friskier.  almost like the Hugh Manatee and Chunk days.  Almost.  Splits let one get away last week against the Incredibowls, but even an 8-7 loss to that team shows that the Splits have a real shot at contending in Tuesday B this year.

Incredibowls (2-0) -3 vs ICBING (1-0): ICBING is never going to change their style and push for wins, but they keep winning in the face of that not trying.  They have solid enough bowlers to compete even after their kamikaze pitchers are dusted off, but one thing that makes ICBING ICBING, and the #1 ranked party team in the league, is that in a close game they’d still throw between their legs in the 10th frame.  Incredibowls would not do that.  They could get the opportunity, as I think ICBING will keep this one pretty close, but they will not do that.  They look like the team to beat in B still, though there are a lot of solid challengers.