Bonner throws 5 picks in a game???? Man, what has the AFL come to... I would imagine that that's a career high for him... Dutton finished at 23 completions, which was enough. Philly's down 29. Arizona's only down 17 with the ball, so them covering isn't completely out of the question... still 91 points and about 2:30 left... still not so sure about the under, but I'm feeling better about taking something out of this game.
Clint Stoerner just threw a perfect ball to put Dallas over 70. Very impressive performance. I tip my hat to being beaten in this game by the better team.
Clint Stoerner just threw a perfect ball to put Dallas over 70. Very impressive performance. I tip my hat to being beaten in this game by the better team.
Correction: 6 picks for Shredrick Bonner... unreal. Once again, I tip my hat to the better team winning the game, but I still believe that this Arizona team is going to be very dangerous down the stretch. Not a good weekend for the Western Conference... LV is the only team that wins, and they were dogs to Nashville... 3-2 for LA and LV and two games behind lies San Jose, 3 behind, Arizona. Unreal. Recap coming soon when the games go final.
Alright, not my best effort today. Apologies are in line. Dallas and Arizona burned a lot. So here's the recap... Az game stayed under... 98 points
Orlando (-2) @ Chicago W (+3.81 units)
Chicago (+4) vs. Orlando L (-3.17 units)
Orlando @ Chicago under 101.5 (+3.81 units)
Las Vegas @ Nashville over 90.5 L (1 unit)
Philadelphia (-2) @ Dallas L (-3 units)
Arizona @ New York under 113 W (+1.90 units)
Arizona (+6.5) @ New York L (-2 units)
Arizona ml @ New York L (-1 unit)
Dutton over 21.5 comp. W (+1.52 units)
Daily/weekly recap: 4-5 (+0.87 units)
YTD...
Against the opening line: 10-5
Against that same closing line: 9-5-1
Sides Record: 7-8 (-0.63 units)
Totals Record: 11-4 (+17.02 units)
Parlays: 1-2 (+0.55 units)
2nd half: 2-3 (-1.87 units)
Teasers: 0-1 (-3 units)
Props: 1-1 (+0.52 units)
Composite Record
YTD: 22-20
Net: +12.59 units
I'm gonna work on these sides a bit more. I've hedged two Orlando bets, meaning I really could have a ton better record on sides (9 units and two games better). So I'm going to do a lot more sticking with my gut instead of gut checking myself. My intuition is pretty good and I'm sticking with it instead of bailing from now on. My record looks a ton better if I don't bail on those games. That's my only regret thus far. I've made some great reads and a couple lousy reads (2 of them today). But I don't regret some lousy reads. I regret reaching for things (San Jose 2nd half) and second guessing myself (both Orlando games). A winning week despite the losing record. Remember, just keep betting with my noted units, and you'll have a lot better success rate, because 22-20 isn't very good. I'm not as worried about the ATS total this year as I am the physical units. Because last year I didn't win this many units and had a MUCH better ATS record.
Team totals for the year....
Arizona (1-4) under 10 wins
Austin (1-4) under 6 wins
Columbus (1-3) under 7 wins
Dallas (4-1) under 6 wins... okay, I've given up on this now...
Los Angeles (3-2) under 9 wins
Nashville (1-4) over 5.5 wins... loss this week to Vegas hurts
New Orleans (4-1) over 9 wins
Orlando (4-1) over 9.5 wins
The only ones that look real bad are Dallas, which I've conceded, and Nashville, though I'm not convinced they don't get there anyway. But they're clearly not a great team this year. Even the crappy teams can win 5 games or so. Just need 6 out of the Kats. They're improving by the week. When healthy (Hillary and Murray), they'll start clicking in my estimation.
Back to work early in the week.
--AFLGuru:toast:
Orlando (-2) @ Chicago W (+3.81 units)
Chicago (+4) vs. Orlando L (-3.17 units)
Orlando @ Chicago under 101.5 (+3.81 units)
Las Vegas @ Nashville over 90.5 L (1 unit)
Philadelphia (-2) @ Dallas L (-3 units)
Arizona @ New York under 113 W (+1.90 units)
Arizona (+6.5) @ New York L (-2 units)
Arizona ml @ New York L (-1 unit)
Dutton over 21.5 comp. W (+1.52 units)
Daily/weekly recap: 4-5 (+0.87 units)
YTD...
Against the opening line: 10-5
Against that same closing line: 9-5-1
Sides Record: 7-8 (-0.63 units)
Totals Record: 11-4 (+17.02 units)
Parlays: 1-2 (+0.55 units)
2nd half: 2-3 (-1.87 units)
Teasers: 0-1 (-3 units)
Props: 1-1 (+0.52 units)
Composite Record
YTD: 22-20
Net: +12.59 units
I'm gonna work on these sides a bit more. I've hedged two Orlando bets, meaning I really could have a ton better record on sides (9 units and two games better). So I'm going to do a lot more sticking with my gut instead of gut checking myself. My intuition is pretty good and I'm sticking with it instead of bailing from now on. My record looks a ton better if I don't bail on those games. That's my only regret thus far. I've made some great reads and a couple lousy reads (2 of them today). But I don't regret some lousy reads. I regret reaching for things (San Jose 2nd half) and second guessing myself (both Orlando games). A winning week despite the losing record. Remember, just keep betting with my noted units, and you'll have a lot better success rate, because 22-20 isn't very good. I'm not as worried about the ATS total this year as I am the physical units. Because last year I didn't win this many units and had a MUCH better ATS record.
Team totals for the year....
Arizona (1-4) under 10 wins
Austin (1-4) under 6 wins
Columbus (1-3) under 7 wins
Dallas (4-1) under 6 wins... okay, I've given up on this now...
Los Angeles (3-2) under 9 wins
Nashville (1-4) over 5.5 wins... loss this week to Vegas hurts
New Orleans (4-1) over 9 wins
Orlando (4-1) over 9.5 wins
The only ones that look real bad are Dallas, which I've conceded, and Nashville, though I'm not convinced they don't get there anyway. But they're clearly not a great team this year. Even the crappy teams can win 5 games or so. Just need 6 out of the Kats. They're improving by the week. When healthy (Hillary and Murray), they'll start clicking in my estimation.
Back to work early in the week.
--AFLGuru:toast:
AG - tough day today....and you are right about those parlays/teasers...I went apeshit on Philly/AZ parlays, teasers, even with some basketball sides...just a mess. Everybody remember to keep it steady and just play the sides at the best lines you can and not get carried away with these types of sucker bets...
Looking forward to a nice rebound week...
Looking forward to a nice rebound week...
Eastern Division Review
Note: This is going to be for the ones who have a bunch of time on their hands. It's in part a self-evaluation and in part a bit of a lesson for anyone out there who wants to cap this game (especially now that I've seen the majority of teams on TV). I'm going to go division by division and recap the start to their respective seasons with some of my own information included. If you don't have some time or are just interested in coattailing me (quite alright, no offense taken), you probably don't want to waste your time on this. But if you're capping games, know the game well, or are interested in learning the game or how to cap the game, these few posts might be some worthwhile reading.
We'll start in the most screwed up division... the East...
Dallas Desperadoes (4-1): I'll start with the most embarassing call of mine first. I've gotta give it up to this Dallas team... They've simply shocked me. They've now gone on the road and beaten Philly, along with quality wins against Orlando and Chicago (and a dominant game at that against Orlando). Having watched this team a couple times, though, they're still not disciplined enough to make it in the playoffs. Too many dumb penalties. Too many mental mistakes and coverage breakdown. Too many wrong routes. Just too many errors. That being said, Clint Stoerner has proved he's for real. The real impressive part about this team has been the line play. Though the stats aren't there, short of a week 2 ruckus @ New York, their line has played solid, doing just enough to get to opposing QBs and just enough to protect their own. Stoerner has a real arm and three pretty good WRs, especially Bobby Sippio. This team gets an A+ for screwing me over. With some cakewalks left on the schedule (Las Vegas, Grand Rapids, and Austin namely), it's going to be very difficult for this team to not get in the playoffs. However, their team efforts seem to warrent "no bets" for awhile, as they have been one of the more inconsistent teams in the AFL. A tell-tale game at home against New Orleans lies ahead for Dallas, who, with a win, affirms itself as one of the best 5 teams in the AFL, by beating one of the best once again.
New York Dragons (3-1): The Dragons have been one of the more surprising teams in Arena Football. They really don't have any quality wins of yet, however, they ARE 3-1... but that loss was terrible. Double digit favorites @ Las Vegas and you can't even win the game? The offense hasn't quite clicked yet for some reason, yet it's the defense that is winning them games, including the 6 pick game Shredrick Bonner just had yesterday. Jerry Sharp and some dude nicknamed "Snowball" are manning the fort up front who, with one exception (the LV game), has played pretty well and done a reasonable job protecting Garcia. Though the defense has answered the questions posed by the departure of Donvitus Franklin in the offseason, this team still has a lot of questions and a VERY tough road down the stretch. Reasonably this team CAN be 7-1 if they can take care of Philly on the road next week, because there lies Georgia (who might be without Jim Kubiak), @ Austin, and @ Columbus, which are two games the Dragons MUST win to assure themselves a playoff birth, especially with their sharing a conference with Orlando, Tampa, New Orleans, and Georgia. After that, a game with Columbus is the only easy looking game. I believe this team fades down the stretch... as the offense will pick up what the defense has set, but the defense will eventually run into a real high-powered offense and fade. B rating on the year. I believe the o/us are going to be gold mines down the stretch on this team, as they've played 1 over and 3 unders thus far.
Philadelphia Soul (2-3): EASILY one of the most disappointing teams in the AFL. Tony Graziani has proved that he doesn't have what it takes to literally carry a crappy team into the postseason. The fact that they are two games back of Dallas means that Philly may as well pack it in right now, because they're not running down anyone in the South either. There's really only about 3 easy games left on the Philly's schedule, though they'll surely win a couple more home games this season. 7-9 is a very real possibility for this team, and that's not going to be looked kindly upon by Bon Jovi. Philly still has no defense whatsoever, and because of it, can look forward to being relegated to the role of spoiler the rest of the way, unless it catches extreme fire. They may have to win 9 out of 11 to get in at this point, and with their schedule, that looks highly unlikely. Grade: C-, and that's probably being nice since their only wins are against Austin and Nashville. A team we'll see a lot of betting-wise in the next few weeks.
Columbus Destroyers (1-3): Do I really have to do a review of this team??? Just when it was thought that Matt D'Orazio would lead them to the promised land, he crapped the bed at lowly Grand Rapids. D'Orazio didn't play poorly, but certainly made enough mistakes to cost them the game that was an absolute must win for any chance of making the playoffs. Columbus is going to sneak up on some teams with their defense, though. Adding New York's departed Franklin is going to cause teams problems (see: the 35-31 game against Dallas). D'Orazio isn't going to put a ton of points on the board for this team, as the offense just has very few weapons to make the game aerial. The more he's got to do on his feet, the less likely Columbus will do much more winning this season. An ugly schedule lies ahead for Columbus, which will probably again make them a bottom feeder in the AFL. 4-12 or 5-11 is very likely. That being said, I think this team has played some tough games with some bad breaks, especially the Dallas game and the Nashville game. Though a few teams are bound to do it, this is going to be a difficult team to dispose of down the stretch of games, as there hasn't been a game yet I've said they couldn't have won. Chris Spielman's side gets a C for the victory against Chicago and the defense's effort, but aside from that, it's just another crappy Columbus team.
Note: This is going to be for the ones who have a bunch of time on their hands. It's in part a self-evaluation and in part a bit of a lesson for anyone out there who wants to cap this game (especially now that I've seen the majority of teams on TV). I'm going to go division by division and recap the start to their respective seasons with some of my own information included. If you don't have some time or are just interested in coattailing me (quite alright, no offense taken), you probably don't want to waste your time on this. But if you're capping games, know the game well, or are interested in learning the game or how to cap the game, these few posts might be some worthwhile reading.
We'll start in the most screwed up division... the East...
Dallas Desperadoes (4-1): I'll start with the most embarassing call of mine first. I've gotta give it up to this Dallas team... They've simply shocked me. They've now gone on the road and beaten Philly, along with quality wins against Orlando and Chicago (and a dominant game at that against Orlando). Having watched this team a couple times, though, they're still not disciplined enough to make it in the playoffs. Too many dumb penalties. Too many mental mistakes and coverage breakdown. Too many wrong routes. Just too many errors. That being said, Clint Stoerner has proved he's for real. The real impressive part about this team has been the line play. Though the stats aren't there, short of a week 2 ruckus @ New York, their line has played solid, doing just enough to get to opposing QBs and just enough to protect their own. Stoerner has a real arm and three pretty good WRs, especially Bobby Sippio. This team gets an A+ for screwing me over. With some cakewalks left on the schedule (Las Vegas, Grand Rapids, and Austin namely), it's going to be very difficult for this team to not get in the playoffs. However, their team efforts seem to warrent "no bets" for awhile, as they have been one of the more inconsistent teams in the AFL. A tell-tale game at home against New Orleans lies ahead for Dallas, who, with a win, affirms itself as one of the best 5 teams in the AFL, by beating one of the best once again.
New York Dragons (3-1): The Dragons have been one of the more surprising teams in Arena Football. They really don't have any quality wins of yet, however, they ARE 3-1... but that loss was terrible. Double digit favorites @ Las Vegas and you can't even win the game? The offense hasn't quite clicked yet for some reason, yet it's the defense that is winning them games, including the 6 pick game Shredrick Bonner just had yesterday. Jerry Sharp and some dude nicknamed "Snowball" are manning the fort up front who, with one exception (the LV game), has played pretty well and done a reasonable job protecting Garcia. Though the defense has answered the questions posed by the departure of Donvitus Franklin in the offseason, this team still has a lot of questions and a VERY tough road down the stretch. Reasonably this team CAN be 7-1 if they can take care of Philly on the road next week, because there lies Georgia (who might be without Jim Kubiak), @ Austin, and @ Columbus, which are two games the Dragons MUST win to assure themselves a playoff birth, especially with their sharing a conference with Orlando, Tampa, New Orleans, and Georgia. After that, a game with Columbus is the only easy looking game. I believe this team fades down the stretch... as the offense will pick up what the defense has set, but the defense will eventually run into a real high-powered offense and fade. B rating on the year. I believe the o/us are going to be gold mines down the stretch on this team, as they've played 1 over and 3 unders thus far.
Philadelphia Soul (2-3): EASILY one of the most disappointing teams in the AFL. Tony Graziani has proved that he doesn't have what it takes to literally carry a crappy team into the postseason. The fact that they are two games back of Dallas means that Philly may as well pack it in right now, because they're not running down anyone in the South either. There's really only about 3 easy games left on the Philly's schedule, though they'll surely win a couple more home games this season. 7-9 is a very real possibility for this team, and that's not going to be looked kindly upon by Bon Jovi. Philly still has no defense whatsoever, and because of it, can look forward to being relegated to the role of spoiler the rest of the way, unless it catches extreme fire. They may have to win 9 out of 11 to get in at this point, and with their schedule, that looks highly unlikely. Grade: C-, and that's probably being nice since their only wins are against Austin and Nashville. A team we'll see a lot of betting-wise in the next few weeks.
Columbus Destroyers (1-3): Do I really have to do a review of this team??? Just when it was thought that Matt D'Orazio would lead them to the promised land, he crapped the bed at lowly Grand Rapids. D'Orazio didn't play poorly, but certainly made enough mistakes to cost them the game that was an absolute must win for any chance of making the playoffs. Columbus is going to sneak up on some teams with their defense, though. Adding New York's departed Franklin is going to cause teams problems (see: the 35-31 game against Dallas). D'Orazio isn't going to put a ton of points on the board for this team, as the offense just has very few weapons to make the game aerial. The more he's got to do on his feet, the less likely Columbus will do much more winning this season. An ugly schedule lies ahead for Columbus, which will probably again make them a bottom feeder in the AFL. 4-12 or 5-11 is very likely. That being said, I think this team has played some tough games with some bad breaks, especially the Dallas game and the Nashville game. Though a few teams are bound to do it, this is going to be a difficult team to dispose of down the stretch of games, as there hasn't been a game yet I've said they couldn't have won. Chris Spielman's side gets a C for the victory against Chicago and the defense's effort, but aside from that, it's just another crappy Columbus team.
Southern Division Review
Easiest division to review...
Georgia Force (4-1): Good times so far for one of the AFL's best defenses. Georgia has a mighty big problem ahead of them if Jim Kubiak is out for any period of time. Matt Nagy almost lost the game @ Austin, which would have been disastrous for Georgia's playoff hopes. Troy Bergeron is going to duel with Clint Stoerner for rookie of the year all season. Georgia's red zone defense is the best in the AFL (helps when you hold LV to I believe it was 0-5 inside the 10), a tell-tale stat for some teams offensively. If you can't put the ball in the end zone from the 10, you're not winning games. Though the offense needs some more of the aerial game from someone aside from Bergeron, the defense is going to carry the Force to a bunch of wins down the stretch into a nice playoff duel with Tampa, New Orleans, and Orlando. After games with Columbus and New York, the Force enter a critical three game stretch with Orlando visiting, and then @ New Orleans and @ Tampa. This can be the make or break part of the season for Georgia... if they go 0-3 in those games, we won't be talking about this team and the AFL's elite in the same breath. For now though, the offense gets a C, and the defense gets an A+. A solid under team all season until the numbers to stay under start creeping into the mid 80s, and a team that will wear you down in the 2nd half with a methodical, dink and dunk offense, and a devestating defense.
Orlando Predators (4-1): I won't rant and rave about my team for very long... I do it every week. As we all know, the Preds defense is out of this world, while the offense continues to sputter... same formula that led Orlando to the 2 titles in three years 4 and 6 seasons ago. Joe Hamilton's growth has seemingly stopped after two straight lousy road games. The game this week with San Jose is going to be one to take note of. San Jose badly needs the game to stay in the *gasp* playoff race, while Orlando needs the win to keep up with the pace of Georgia (who gets a gimme with Columbus) and New Orleans... and keeping that rear view mirror open to Tampa. If this team puts away the teams they need to put away, Orlando's going to be one of the game's best. A- because of the embarassing loss to Dallas and their inability to put Arizona and Colorado away early in the season.
New Orleans VooDoo (4-1): After the early loss to Georgia, this team was thought to have slipped back into mediocrity after the 10-6 season last year. Though the road hasn't been a kind place to New Orleans over their first season and a half, home certainly has. This team simply crushes people at home. The Graveyard has some sort of mystique surrounding it that just makes them win games. Tampa had them dead to rights on Friday night, but New Orleans pulled it out with their defense, something that hasn't been seen much this season. Andy Kelly has made the offense a quick strike offense, especially to Aaron Bailey and Jacques Rumph. LaMont Moore provides a solid check down option when the deep ball isn't there. Though the offense is potent, the defense is lacking this year. If that gets turned around, this team is going to be VERY scary come the playoff push. Mike Neu's got his guys playing great ball right now, and that's scary for their upcoming opponents. This stretch they've just entered that included Tampa, and now sees games against Dallas, Orlando, Chicago, and Georgia will define their season. A so far this season. Solid over team until the defense figures it out again, and a team that is going to cover big numbers deep into the season.
Tampa Bay Storm (2-2): Don't let the record deceive you. Tampa is still one of the best teams in the AFL. Injuries to several linemen, and playing "who's who" catching the ball has left Tampa decimated. Their two losses have some redeeming qualities within, especially since they had New Orleans beat. Tampa can expect to split with Orlando every year, as this year will probably also be the case. Tim Marcum can coach like none other, and he's worth a solid 3 close wins down the stretch. Once this team gets healthy, Tampa's going to be dangerous. They've got to put a complete road game together first, though they very well should be 4-2 going into their next road game. Tampa's going to be a tough read with o/us, but spread wise, they're the team I know 2nd best, and we should capitalize on that the rest of the way. Tampa gets a B- for losing both road games in division, but if they can return the favor in Tampa, those losses don't look so bad. Tampa's got to look back at that week 1 demolishing of San Jose and see what they did so right in that game. If they play like that every week, no one will beat them anywhere. Here's to you TampaLuke... see you April 9th in Tampa...
Austin Wranglers (1-4): Okay, it's not THAT bad for Austin. We knew this team was going to be pretty bad. The fact that they've resorted to John Fitzgerald shows maybe how good New Orleans was last year for winning so many games with him at the helm. Austin's just got very little offense, and even less defense. Tacoma Fontaine is really the only offensive threat on the field, and even then, John Fitzgerald can't even throw the ball the length of the field. Though his stats are out of this world, Fitzgerald's picks will probably rise in the coming weeks. Nice win at Grand Rapids, but even still, some signs of promise in this team after getting blown out in week 1 against Philly. Very winnable game this week at Las Vegas (IF Clint Dolezel doesn't play), though Austin is another spoiler team the rest of the way. I haven't had the chance to see this team play yet, which gives me a few holes in the squad's performance, but I know that there hasn't been a game not reach 100 yet for Austin. This trend probably isn't changing, except when John Fitzgerald wakes up and realizes he's John Fitzgerald and starts sucking it up again like he did in New Orleans last year. For the effort, this team gets a C-, as they were a net recovery from having a shot at beating LA, and stuck with Tampa until deep into the 3rd quarter when John Fitzgerald threw a pick 6. Solid overs the rest of the way, and a team that's going to cover some numbers, but will also get blown away its share of times.
Conference Recap
If the playoffs started today, Georgia and Dallas would be division winners. New Orleans and Orlando would be wild cards. It's a shame that only 3 of the 4 teams can make the playoffs out of this South. They all deserve to go. That being said, I think Dallas is going to win the division thanks to a New York collapse, New Orleans is going to win the South, and Orlando and Tampa will be the two wild cards. I'm not going to home my picks here, but I'll say that someone in the South represents this conference in the Arena Bowl.
I'd love to finish this now, but I've got class to attend... I'll finish this up later in the afternoon...
--AFLGuru:toast:
Easiest division to review...
Georgia Force (4-1): Good times so far for one of the AFL's best defenses. Georgia has a mighty big problem ahead of them if Jim Kubiak is out for any period of time. Matt Nagy almost lost the game @ Austin, which would have been disastrous for Georgia's playoff hopes. Troy Bergeron is going to duel with Clint Stoerner for rookie of the year all season. Georgia's red zone defense is the best in the AFL (helps when you hold LV to I believe it was 0-5 inside the 10), a tell-tale stat for some teams offensively. If you can't put the ball in the end zone from the 10, you're not winning games. Though the offense needs some more of the aerial game from someone aside from Bergeron, the defense is going to carry the Force to a bunch of wins down the stretch into a nice playoff duel with Tampa, New Orleans, and Orlando. After games with Columbus and New York, the Force enter a critical three game stretch with Orlando visiting, and then @ New Orleans and @ Tampa. This can be the make or break part of the season for Georgia... if they go 0-3 in those games, we won't be talking about this team and the AFL's elite in the same breath. For now though, the offense gets a C, and the defense gets an A+. A solid under team all season until the numbers to stay under start creeping into the mid 80s, and a team that will wear you down in the 2nd half with a methodical, dink and dunk offense, and a devestating defense.
Orlando Predators (4-1): I won't rant and rave about my team for very long... I do it every week. As we all know, the Preds defense is out of this world, while the offense continues to sputter... same formula that led Orlando to the 2 titles in three years 4 and 6 seasons ago. Joe Hamilton's growth has seemingly stopped after two straight lousy road games. The game this week with San Jose is going to be one to take note of. San Jose badly needs the game to stay in the *gasp* playoff race, while Orlando needs the win to keep up with the pace of Georgia (who gets a gimme with Columbus) and New Orleans... and keeping that rear view mirror open to Tampa. If this team puts away the teams they need to put away, Orlando's going to be one of the game's best. A- because of the embarassing loss to Dallas and their inability to put Arizona and Colorado away early in the season.
New Orleans VooDoo (4-1): After the early loss to Georgia, this team was thought to have slipped back into mediocrity after the 10-6 season last year. Though the road hasn't been a kind place to New Orleans over their first season and a half, home certainly has. This team simply crushes people at home. The Graveyard has some sort of mystique surrounding it that just makes them win games. Tampa had them dead to rights on Friday night, but New Orleans pulled it out with their defense, something that hasn't been seen much this season. Andy Kelly has made the offense a quick strike offense, especially to Aaron Bailey and Jacques Rumph. LaMont Moore provides a solid check down option when the deep ball isn't there. Though the offense is potent, the defense is lacking this year. If that gets turned around, this team is going to be VERY scary come the playoff push. Mike Neu's got his guys playing great ball right now, and that's scary for their upcoming opponents. This stretch they've just entered that included Tampa, and now sees games against Dallas, Orlando, Chicago, and Georgia will define their season. A so far this season. Solid over team until the defense figures it out again, and a team that is going to cover big numbers deep into the season.
Tampa Bay Storm (2-2): Don't let the record deceive you. Tampa is still one of the best teams in the AFL. Injuries to several linemen, and playing "who's who" catching the ball has left Tampa decimated. Their two losses have some redeeming qualities within, especially since they had New Orleans beat. Tampa can expect to split with Orlando every year, as this year will probably also be the case. Tim Marcum can coach like none other, and he's worth a solid 3 close wins down the stretch. Once this team gets healthy, Tampa's going to be dangerous. They've got to put a complete road game together first, though they very well should be 4-2 going into their next road game. Tampa's going to be a tough read with o/us, but spread wise, they're the team I know 2nd best, and we should capitalize on that the rest of the way. Tampa gets a B- for losing both road games in division, but if they can return the favor in Tampa, those losses don't look so bad. Tampa's got to look back at that week 1 demolishing of San Jose and see what they did so right in that game. If they play like that every week, no one will beat them anywhere. Here's to you TampaLuke... see you April 9th in Tampa...
Austin Wranglers (1-4): Okay, it's not THAT bad for Austin. We knew this team was going to be pretty bad. The fact that they've resorted to John Fitzgerald shows maybe how good New Orleans was last year for winning so many games with him at the helm. Austin's just got very little offense, and even less defense. Tacoma Fontaine is really the only offensive threat on the field, and even then, John Fitzgerald can't even throw the ball the length of the field. Though his stats are out of this world, Fitzgerald's picks will probably rise in the coming weeks. Nice win at Grand Rapids, but even still, some signs of promise in this team after getting blown out in week 1 against Philly. Very winnable game this week at Las Vegas (IF Clint Dolezel doesn't play), though Austin is another spoiler team the rest of the way. I haven't had the chance to see this team play yet, which gives me a few holes in the squad's performance, but I know that there hasn't been a game not reach 100 yet for Austin. This trend probably isn't changing, except when John Fitzgerald wakes up and realizes he's John Fitzgerald and starts sucking it up again like he did in New Orleans last year. For the effort, this team gets a C-, as they were a net recovery from having a shot at beating LA, and stuck with Tampa until deep into the 3rd quarter when John Fitzgerald threw a pick 6. Solid overs the rest of the way, and a team that's going to cover some numbers, but will also get blown away its share of times.
Conference Recap
If the playoffs started today, Georgia and Dallas would be division winners. New Orleans and Orlando would be wild cards. It's a shame that only 3 of the 4 teams can make the playoffs out of this South. They all deserve to go. That being said, I think Dallas is going to win the division thanks to a New York collapse, New Orleans is going to win the South, and Orlando and Tampa will be the two wild cards. I'm not going to home my picks here, but I'll say that someone in the South represents this conference in the Arena Bowl.
I'd love to finish this now, but I've got class to attend... I'll finish this up later in the afternoon...
--AFLGuru:toast:
Central Division Recap
Back for the opposite conference... the conference NO ONE wants to win in... Beginning in the Central...
Colorado Crush (3-2): I'll be honest. This is the best team in this conference, and it's not even close. Colorado took two REALLY rough losses @ Orlando and vs. Chicago, but aside from that, have dominated their opponents, including being the first to really blow up LA's offense since week 1. They've got John Dutton, who short of a week 1 disgusting performance @ Orlando has played very well. The wide receiver corps are improving weekly, especially Damien Harrell, and Hughley leads a decent defense that might be the best in their conference as sad as that seems. Don't let the massive performances put up by Grand Rapids and Arizona fool you. This is a solid defense that can pressure the QB. They run a modified hurry up offense, great for overs (even though they're only 2-3 over to under this season), and have one of the better kick return units in the game... oh yeah, they've got this Clay Rush dude too, who only hit a 62 yarder this past weekend against LA. Rush very consistently puts the ball over the net on kickoffs, which leads to teams having to march a full 45 yards to beat them. In current form, Colorado can beat about anyone... And they're going to have a much easier time of it as the season rolls on. Nashville, Columbus, Vegas, and Philly each come up in their next 5 games. This team is going to walk away from this division unless Chicago makes a massive run. A- so far, as they've lacked the ability to pull out close games (yes, the Arizona game was close, but they let Arizona come back from way down to have a shot at the end... I didn't think the game was ever in doubt). I'm starting to form a very solid opinion of this Colorado team, and I think they're going to do us many favors down the stretch of this season.
Chicago Rush (2-3): Chicago's slacked this year. Upset @ Dallas and @ Columbus to start the season, beat an overrated Philly team and Colorado, in a game they were outplayed in... congrats Chicago... every time they've been tested this season, nothing good has come of it. They quit on their coach and each other in the game against Orlando this week, and they have a ton of work to do to catch up in the division despite being just a game back. Raymond Philyaw was clearly not 100% healthy this week, and missing Henry Douglass did appear to be a big problem for him. The line simply isn't as good on either side of the ball with James Baron missing, and the team could literally self-destruct at any moment. That being said, they returned most of the team that went to the final 4 last year, and gave San Jose a hell of a game in the semis. At any point this team can turn it on, but it doesn't appear like they're going to any time soon. I thought getting the breaks in Colorado could have helped, but ultimately, this team should still be 1-4. Maybe back to back games with Nashville and Grand Rapids will ease pains, but if they lose either of those games, this Chicago team is done... Also, look for them to make a move at the very end if they're close to getting in, because they play Nashville and Grand Rapids again in succession to the end season. But by then, all might be lost. This team gets a D- for being the 2nd most underachieving team in the league. This is another team that until things level out or a number is way off to put on the no-bet list. I've gotta see these "sweeping changes" Mike Hohensee is promising for the coming weeks before really laying on this team.
Grand Rapids Rampage (1-3): Great, the team we need to win 6 games is below these guys in the standings... Anyway, Michael Bishop has seemed to re-energize a franchise that has been pure crap since winning the Arena Bowl in '01 and then letting Clint Dolezel and Marcus Nash leave town. Bishop seems to be getting more comfortable as a player, though no one has a very accurate opinion on that since hardly ever is a Grand Rapids game televised. If anyone has seen these past couple games, please let me know. But before we get too caught up in ourselves, Grand Rapids beat Columbus, one of the worst teams in the AFL. The Rampage now go through a rough stretch of games featuring @ Tampa, Chicago, and @ San Jose... honestly, they can lose any of these games by 30 points, as ALL of these teams are digging themselves out of holes and cannot afford to overlook the lowly Rampage. Though they're probably finishing 3-13 this season, I'd say that's a success for the Rampage... 4 overs no unders this season for these guys, as they play defense optional. Sparky McEwen has brought some offense over, but forgot about defense along the way. More overs probably in store for the Rampage. C+ for them for showing signs of improvement each week and finally breaking that dastardly 24 game home losing streak Sunday.
Nashville Kats (1-4): Nashville's been a very tough luck team thus far... Them and Grand Rapids have tagged up to "destroy" Columbus' season as their only wins. But since, the reeling Kats have dropped a QB, a franchise-type WR/DB, and most importantly, 4 straight games. But they're sticking tough with teams down the stretch, having had a chance against Philly and Las Vegas at the end of games. The road is very rough for Nashville down the line, but at least they have 2 suck fests with Grand Rapids to look forward to. The defense is notably very good for Nashville, and if their offense could hold onto the ball, they'd be all the better. I think Pat Sperdeuto is going to turn this team into a cover machine at some point this season, as the unders continue riding on for the Kats. C for the Kats, as they've been just that... average... what you'd expect from an expansion franchise.
Back for the opposite conference... the conference NO ONE wants to win in... Beginning in the Central...
Colorado Crush (3-2): I'll be honest. This is the best team in this conference, and it's not even close. Colorado took two REALLY rough losses @ Orlando and vs. Chicago, but aside from that, have dominated their opponents, including being the first to really blow up LA's offense since week 1. They've got John Dutton, who short of a week 1 disgusting performance @ Orlando has played very well. The wide receiver corps are improving weekly, especially Damien Harrell, and Hughley leads a decent defense that might be the best in their conference as sad as that seems. Don't let the massive performances put up by Grand Rapids and Arizona fool you. This is a solid defense that can pressure the QB. They run a modified hurry up offense, great for overs (even though they're only 2-3 over to under this season), and have one of the better kick return units in the game... oh yeah, they've got this Clay Rush dude too, who only hit a 62 yarder this past weekend against LA. Rush very consistently puts the ball over the net on kickoffs, which leads to teams having to march a full 45 yards to beat them. In current form, Colorado can beat about anyone... And they're going to have a much easier time of it as the season rolls on. Nashville, Columbus, Vegas, and Philly each come up in their next 5 games. This team is going to walk away from this division unless Chicago makes a massive run. A- so far, as they've lacked the ability to pull out close games (yes, the Arizona game was close, but they let Arizona come back from way down to have a shot at the end... I didn't think the game was ever in doubt). I'm starting to form a very solid opinion of this Colorado team, and I think they're going to do us many favors down the stretch of this season.
Chicago Rush (2-3): Chicago's slacked this year. Upset @ Dallas and @ Columbus to start the season, beat an overrated Philly team and Colorado, in a game they were outplayed in... congrats Chicago... every time they've been tested this season, nothing good has come of it. They quit on their coach and each other in the game against Orlando this week, and they have a ton of work to do to catch up in the division despite being just a game back. Raymond Philyaw was clearly not 100% healthy this week, and missing Henry Douglass did appear to be a big problem for him. The line simply isn't as good on either side of the ball with James Baron missing, and the team could literally self-destruct at any moment. That being said, they returned most of the team that went to the final 4 last year, and gave San Jose a hell of a game in the semis. At any point this team can turn it on, but it doesn't appear like they're going to any time soon. I thought getting the breaks in Colorado could have helped, but ultimately, this team should still be 1-4. Maybe back to back games with Nashville and Grand Rapids will ease pains, but if they lose either of those games, this Chicago team is done... Also, look for them to make a move at the very end if they're close to getting in, because they play Nashville and Grand Rapids again in succession to the end season. But by then, all might be lost. This team gets a D- for being the 2nd most underachieving team in the league. This is another team that until things level out or a number is way off to put on the no-bet list. I've gotta see these "sweeping changes" Mike Hohensee is promising for the coming weeks before really laying on this team.
Grand Rapids Rampage (1-3): Great, the team we need to win 6 games is below these guys in the standings... Anyway, Michael Bishop has seemed to re-energize a franchise that has been pure crap since winning the Arena Bowl in '01 and then letting Clint Dolezel and Marcus Nash leave town. Bishop seems to be getting more comfortable as a player, though no one has a very accurate opinion on that since hardly ever is a Grand Rapids game televised. If anyone has seen these past couple games, please let me know. But before we get too caught up in ourselves, Grand Rapids beat Columbus, one of the worst teams in the AFL. The Rampage now go through a rough stretch of games featuring @ Tampa, Chicago, and @ San Jose... honestly, they can lose any of these games by 30 points, as ALL of these teams are digging themselves out of holes and cannot afford to overlook the lowly Rampage. Though they're probably finishing 3-13 this season, I'd say that's a success for the Rampage... 4 overs no unders this season for these guys, as they play defense optional. Sparky McEwen has brought some offense over, but forgot about defense along the way. More overs probably in store for the Rampage. C+ for them for showing signs of improvement each week and finally breaking that dastardly 24 game home losing streak Sunday.
Nashville Kats (1-4): Nashville's been a very tough luck team thus far... Them and Grand Rapids have tagged up to "destroy" Columbus' season as their only wins. But since, the reeling Kats have dropped a QB, a franchise-type WR/DB, and most importantly, 4 straight games. But they're sticking tough with teams down the stretch, having had a chance against Philly and Las Vegas at the end of games. The road is very rough for Nashville down the line, but at least they have 2 suck fests with Grand Rapids to look forward to. The defense is notably very good for Nashville, and if their offense could hold onto the ball, they'd be all the better. I think Pat Sperdeuto is going to turn this team into a cover machine at some point this season, as the unders continue riding on for the Kats. C for the Kats, as they've been just that... average... what you'd expect from an expansion franchise.
Wacky Western Division Recap
This division sucks... Just had to say that to start out with. I've lost a lot of units on this division because it's LITERALLY upside down... In honor of that, we'll go over the teams in reverse order from their standings...
Arizona Rattlers (1-4): Arizona is seeing their playoff hopes dwindle before their very eyes. The bright side is that they're two games back and have yet to play a division game, but that also spells two meetings with San Jose and two with both LA and LV... Arizona is seeking stability with Shredrick Bonner at QB, who was a victim of rust after 3 weeks on the shelf. Joe Germaine might have killed this team's shots of a 4th straight Arena Bowl appearance by throwing the games against Orlando and Colorado (both formidable opponents might I add) away. The defense has shown good signs and played a good game against New York despite giving up 61 points. We just don't know what this team is going to give when it's completely healthy. Bonner is worth a lot of stability and wins to this team that Joe Germaine wasn't giving, and that being said, Arizona can turn it around at any moment. MUST win 3 out of their next 4 to have a chance of winning the west. LA, @ Tampa (the loseable game), Las Vegas, @ Nashville, going into the first meeting with San Jose. The schedule makers have been kind to the Rattlers, giving them these winnable games listed above, then @ SJ (likely L) followed by Austin and Columbus. Don't be surprised if come season's end, this team is at 9-7 looking down at the rest of the West. Incomplete grade for Arizona, and an F job by Joe Germaine and Coach Todd Shell for bringing Bonner back likely a week early.
San Jose Sabercats (1-3): *Shiver* This team scares me this week. Barry Wagner returns to the Jungle off of a bye week with a chance to place a dagger in Orlando's hearts (and my heart again too... the last 9 Preds games I've been at, the team is 1-8). But thus far, the Sabercats just have been a team full of excuses. James Hundon's missed the whole season... so they signed Calvin Schexenayder... Clevan Thomas missed two games... And one of them was against Grand Rapids... San Jose breaks all of the cap rules, roster space rules, etc, to come up with the most veteran team in the AFL, that essentially just are whiny right now. They keep making excuses as to why they got whooped in Tampa, and that a stupid net recovery for LA burned them, etc. The truth is quite simple. THIS SAN JOSE TEAM HAS SUCKED. Darrin Arbet probably will right the ship this week at Orlando, as the team is probably chomping at the bit to get back to action. But should San Jose, likely to be a dog, drop to 1-4, it's a long climb back, especially at 1-1 in division. I know the Saberkitties turn it around at some point, but I'm not sure when. They haven't won a road game yet, though their road trips have been @ Tampa, @ New Orleans, @ LA, and now @ Orlando... that being said, there's a lot of home games to be played by the Sabercats, and that's a long long road trip for a lot of teams. But a favorable end of the schedule might be just what the doctor ordered for a late run at the division crown. A bettable team once they right the ship. No defense right now, but that's sure to change. F for being the biggest disappointment out of the blocks.
Los Angeles Avengers (3-2): Avengers had a game on the division yet pissed it away at Colorado very quickly. John Kaleo has worked wonders for this team, but a very similar Austin team that he QBed last year opened up 3-1 as well... and finished with 6 wins... This team has been the most fortunate team due to 3 net recoveries for touchdowns already. Remy Hamilton saved the lackluster offense against Georgia. Overachieving is an understatement for both these guys and Las Vegas. But the next 5 games very well might all go against the Avengers, as they travel to the Snake Pit, host Dallas, host Tampa, visit the Jungle (where Orlando absolutely despises John Kaleo), and hosts New York. After that, though, two games they SHOULD win @ Nashville and @ Grand Rapids with some tough sandwiches in the middle. Nice story so far with one in the loss column on San Jose, and two on Arizona, but this team is fading into oblivion very quickly if someone can figure out what Colorado did to shut them down (it's called a pash rush... Dallas and Orlando will maul this team). An easy over team when playing another formidable offense with a crappy defense, but aside from that, not a team I want to screw with ATS... yet... A for starting so well despite not having much talent on the team. With Graziani gone, Ed Hodgekiss should get his money... his coaching right now is damn near perfect.
Las Vegas Gladiators (3-2): Man, it's hard to find teams above .500 in this conference... really is... anyway, the Gladiators are one of the worst 5 teams in the AFL, and one of the worst offenses in AFL history with either Robinson or Whelihan at the helm. The scary part about this is that Clint Dolezel is coming back as soon as this week, and Marcus Nash is finally healthy... Hell, they finally scored in the 3rd quarter of a game this week @ Nashville. The defense is relentless. They play very ugly football. Not for those that want to see 70 hung. I don't see either team getting to 70 in an LV game this year unless Dolezel comes back on a tear. Here's the good news for Vegas... They just played Nashville, and still have Columbus, Austin, and Grand Rapids on their schedule. That should be 6 wins. After that though, it's going to be a dog fight with the rest of the western conference teams to decided who's seeded where in the division, and consequently, the playoffs. An under team until Dolezel is healthy for sure, but even then the games are probably going to ere on the side on under. 1 over and 3 unders thus far. A+ for somehow winning a game that Craig Whelihan QBed... solid team Vegas has got here when they've got a QB.
Conference Recap: Here's how bad this conference is... Chicago is 2-3 and getting the playoffs right now... Vegas and Colorado are division winners, Chicago and LA are wild cards... I'm only convinced that Colorado gets in of these 4. San Jose and Arizona are getting in still. But the division is Las Vegas'.
Alright, since I've come this far I may as well map out the rest of the playoffs... It's coming down to Orlando and Tampa in the first conference, and Colorado and Vegas in this conference... Homing it like it's no one's business, but Orlando over Colorado in the rematch of week 1 in Vegas for the Arena Bowl. (Note: Don't follow these playoff brackets... this is pure homing it... just look at the team analysis... those are pretty good).
If anyone has any more specific questions about your team or any other, fire away.
Best,
--AFLGuru
This division sucks... Just had to say that to start out with. I've lost a lot of units on this division because it's LITERALLY upside down... In honor of that, we'll go over the teams in reverse order from their standings...
Arizona Rattlers (1-4): Arizona is seeing their playoff hopes dwindle before their very eyes. The bright side is that they're two games back and have yet to play a division game, but that also spells two meetings with San Jose and two with both LA and LV... Arizona is seeking stability with Shredrick Bonner at QB, who was a victim of rust after 3 weeks on the shelf. Joe Germaine might have killed this team's shots of a 4th straight Arena Bowl appearance by throwing the games against Orlando and Colorado (both formidable opponents might I add) away. The defense has shown good signs and played a good game against New York despite giving up 61 points. We just don't know what this team is going to give when it's completely healthy. Bonner is worth a lot of stability and wins to this team that Joe Germaine wasn't giving, and that being said, Arizona can turn it around at any moment. MUST win 3 out of their next 4 to have a chance of winning the west. LA, @ Tampa (the loseable game), Las Vegas, @ Nashville, going into the first meeting with San Jose. The schedule makers have been kind to the Rattlers, giving them these winnable games listed above, then @ SJ (likely L) followed by Austin and Columbus. Don't be surprised if come season's end, this team is at 9-7 looking down at the rest of the West. Incomplete grade for Arizona, and an F job by Joe Germaine and Coach Todd Shell for bringing Bonner back likely a week early.
San Jose Sabercats (1-3): *Shiver* This team scares me this week. Barry Wagner returns to the Jungle off of a bye week with a chance to place a dagger in Orlando's hearts (and my heart again too... the last 9 Preds games I've been at, the team is 1-8). But thus far, the Sabercats just have been a team full of excuses. James Hundon's missed the whole season... so they signed Calvin Schexenayder... Clevan Thomas missed two games... And one of them was against Grand Rapids... San Jose breaks all of the cap rules, roster space rules, etc, to come up with the most veteran team in the AFL, that essentially just are whiny right now. They keep making excuses as to why they got whooped in Tampa, and that a stupid net recovery for LA burned them, etc. The truth is quite simple. THIS SAN JOSE TEAM HAS SUCKED. Darrin Arbet probably will right the ship this week at Orlando, as the team is probably chomping at the bit to get back to action. But should San Jose, likely to be a dog, drop to 1-4, it's a long climb back, especially at 1-1 in division. I know the Saberkitties turn it around at some point, but I'm not sure when. They haven't won a road game yet, though their road trips have been @ Tampa, @ New Orleans, @ LA, and now @ Orlando... that being said, there's a lot of home games to be played by the Sabercats, and that's a long long road trip for a lot of teams. But a favorable end of the schedule might be just what the doctor ordered for a late run at the division crown. A bettable team once they right the ship. No defense right now, but that's sure to change. F for being the biggest disappointment out of the blocks.
Los Angeles Avengers (3-2): Avengers had a game on the division yet pissed it away at Colorado very quickly. John Kaleo has worked wonders for this team, but a very similar Austin team that he QBed last year opened up 3-1 as well... and finished with 6 wins... This team has been the most fortunate team due to 3 net recoveries for touchdowns already. Remy Hamilton saved the lackluster offense against Georgia. Overachieving is an understatement for both these guys and Las Vegas. But the next 5 games very well might all go against the Avengers, as they travel to the Snake Pit, host Dallas, host Tampa, visit the Jungle (where Orlando absolutely despises John Kaleo), and hosts New York. After that, though, two games they SHOULD win @ Nashville and @ Grand Rapids with some tough sandwiches in the middle. Nice story so far with one in the loss column on San Jose, and two on Arizona, but this team is fading into oblivion very quickly if someone can figure out what Colorado did to shut them down (it's called a pash rush... Dallas and Orlando will maul this team). An easy over team when playing another formidable offense with a crappy defense, but aside from that, not a team I want to screw with ATS... yet... A for starting so well despite not having much talent on the team. With Graziani gone, Ed Hodgekiss should get his money... his coaching right now is damn near perfect.
Las Vegas Gladiators (3-2): Man, it's hard to find teams above .500 in this conference... really is... anyway, the Gladiators are one of the worst 5 teams in the AFL, and one of the worst offenses in AFL history with either Robinson or Whelihan at the helm. The scary part about this is that Clint Dolezel is coming back as soon as this week, and Marcus Nash is finally healthy... Hell, they finally scored in the 3rd quarter of a game this week @ Nashville. The defense is relentless. They play very ugly football. Not for those that want to see 70 hung. I don't see either team getting to 70 in an LV game this year unless Dolezel comes back on a tear. Here's the good news for Vegas... They just played Nashville, and still have Columbus, Austin, and Grand Rapids on their schedule. That should be 6 wins. After that though, it's going to be a dog fight with the rest of the western conference teams to decided who's seeded where in the division, and consequently, the playoffs. An under team until Dolezel is healthy for sure, but even then the games are probably going to ere on the side on under. 1 over and 3 unders thus far. A+ for somehow winning a game that Craig Whelihan QBed... solid team Vegas has got here when they've got a QB.
Conference Recap: Here's how bad this conference is... Chicago is 2-3 and getting the playoffs right now... Vegas and Colorado are division winners, Chicago and LA are wild cards... I'm only convinced that Colorado gets in of these 4. San Jose and Arizona are getting in still. But the division is Las Vegas'.
Alright, since I've come this far I may as well map out the rest of the playoffs... It's coming down to Orlando and Tampa in the first conference, and Colorado and Vegas in this conference... Homing it like it's no one's business, but Orlando over Colorado in the rematch of week 1 in Vegas for the Arena Bowl. (Note: Don't follow these playoff brackets... this is pure homing it... just look at the team analysis... those are pretty good).
If anyone has any more specific questions about your team or any other, fire away.
Best,
--AFLGuru
Oh yeah, and one more thing I neglected to mention that I'll mention again when I set up next week's thread... I'll be out of town starting on Friday night or Saturday morning because of Spring Break... I'll still post some picks here on Monday, but there will be little chance of an ingame thread for me or much in the way of analysis. I'll do my best to at least provide the winners though. Winners make all forgiveable!
--AFLGuru:toast:
--AFLGuru:toast:
Tried doing that this week spades... This week it's going to be at least 1:30 before you see anything from me unfortunately, because I've got an important lecture tomorrow until 1:00 that I kinda have to go to... But as always, we'll try worrying about the best line possible... but know that posting here is what causes the action to really take off. After posting here, the lines seem to regulate themselves around 4:00 PM EST, meaning it takes about 4 hours for things to settle down into a certain line... too bad that sometimes that means 5, 6, or more points later... but I'll try my best.
--AFLGuru:toast:
--AFLGuru:toast:
In a move that SHOCKED me, Travis McGriff has been released by the Predators. That being said, Orlando is going to have a lot of problems off of the nets the rest of the season. But McGriff's roster spot opens up room for Cory Fleming to come off IR in two weeks without anyone having to leave the team. It wouldn't surprise me if tomorrow we hear that the Predators sign speedster Anthony Bright again to take Fleming's spot in the lineup against San Jose. Bright was an af2 star in the kick return game, along with being one of the top receivers in the league 2 years ago, and played roughly a third of the season with Orlando last year. Fast as hell, but again, just like Fryzel, no hands. I can't say I approve of cutting McGriff, but he's been a thorn for Orlando for a couple years now. Guess they're tired of him running into the goalposts at practice.
--AFLGuru:toast:
--AFLGuru:toast:
"Philadelphia Soul (2-3): EASILY one of the most disappointing teams in the AFL. Tony Graziani has proved that he doesn't have what it takes to literally carry a crappy team into the postseason. The fact that they are two games back of Dallas means that Philly may as well pack it in right now, because they're not running down anyone in the South either. There's really only about 3 easy games left on the Philly's schedule, though they'll surely win a couple more home games this season. 7-9 is a very real possibility for this team, and that's not going to be looked kindly upon by Bon Jovi. Philly still has no defense whatsoever, and because of it, can look forward to being relegated to the role of spoiler the rest of the way, unless it catches extreme fire. They may have to win 9 out of 11 to get in at this point, and with their schedule, that looks highly unlikely. Grade: C-, and that's probably being nice since their only wins are against Austin and Nashville. A team we'll see a lot of betting-wise in the next few weeks."
That being said: Mike Trigg: Sh*t-Canned! Yes, the head coach of the massively underachieving Philadelphia Soul has been replaced by, of all people, the defensive coordinator. Typically this bodes well for the new coach leading his team to a much better record than the former coach did, but in this instance, I'm not so sure...
--AFLGuru
That being said: Mike Trigg: Sh*t-Canned! Yes, the head coach of the massively underachieving Philadelphia Soul has been replaced by, of all people, the defensive coordinator. Typically this bodes well for the new coach leading his team to a much better record than the former coach did, but in this instance, I'm not so sure...
--AFLGuru
