Monday 8 December 2008

Week 9 Predictions

As I said in my Week 8 predictions, there were some big matches and it certainly didn’t fail to live up to expectations. Whilst PoolKings showed exactly what they can do when they put their minds to it. Both Magic Pool and British Pool dealt with their favourite tags superbly.
We are currently just over half way through the season, and could the leagues be any tighter in the standings? 3 leagues currently occupy the top spot, with PCZ 6pts adrift in 4th. Straightshots first loss of the season may have come at a bad time, since they have now dropped to 3rd out of the teams tied for first, they will need to pull out some big wins to up their W/L ratio. Magic Pool and Brit Pool have the same W/L but MP take the top spot since they beat BP 4-2 earlier in the season.

Week 9
PoolKings vs EclipsePool
PoolCuez vs Straightshots
Extreme Cues vs TBA
Britpool vs Magicpool

With the top 4 teams all in action against each other, this week could prove to top the last. If PK defeats EP they still have a long shot at making the playoffs.

PoolKings vs EclipsePool
Sure, this is a bottom of the table clash but should one of these teams win it puts a whole load of pressure on PCZ to pull out a win against Straightshots (do-able but likely?).
PK pulled a huge win out the bag last week; this win has been a long time coming. It may have just started to click for PK after a tough time recently. I have been saying since I started doing these predictions that when Adam wins, so will PK. Last week Adam guided his team to victory against then league leaders.
EP got their much needed bye last week to keep them in the race for that last playoff spot, but should they lose this one there is no question that they will not make the playoffs.
I can only see this game going one way, after PK’s dominance last week they should walk this. If PK win this all other leagues will need to watch their back because PK will be on a rampage.
My Prediction
5-1 PK

PoolCuez vs Straightshots
PCZ again didn’t get out of the firing blocks last week, their big player need to start winning because if they lose here they will be in the shit! EC will be taking the free win and will move level on points, but will jump ahead of PCZ by way of W/L. Not only will EC be hot on PCZ, so will the winner of PK vs EP. PCZ should be one of the teams tied top of the league, but when your certain wins each week fail, what can you do?
SS lost last week, and although I predicted them to win I wasn’t really that surprised at the result. PK have under performed so far in IPA, and last week really set their tone of what they are capable of. SS will not want a repeat performance this week and will be desperate to pull out a big win. On paper I feel SS have the bigger players, and should I get selected this week (doubtful since my net is delayed until Friday) I would plan to add to that list.
This match could seriously go either way, one mistake and its game over.
My Prediction
3-3

Extreme Cues vs TBA
This is a big bye for EC, this gives them some serious hope of snatching the last playoff spot.
6-0 EC

MATCH OF THE WEEK
Britpool vs Magicpool
This has to be the match of the week, 1st v 2nd, both tied on same points, same W/L. BP have been pulling some nice wins out lately and their confidence must by sky high. I am very surprised at BP’s power up the league, this is no offence to BP but I don’t see those great players. I guess confidence and team moral can defeat talent any day? BP will need a lot of that in this game, because this will probably be their hardest game of the season.
MP have such a strong team and have a large squad to select their best players. I really don’t expect MP to look back now after taking top spot. I expect them to walk away with it and go undefeated until the end of the season. There is a great deal more I can say on the matter. That’s my statement, I hope im wrong lol.
My Prediction
2-4 MP

Monday 1 December 2008

Week 8 Predictions

Just to give you a little update if people have missed me, my internet will be back up on Wednesday (so they say). Therefore I should be back playing before the weekend and if I am selected to play I will be playing for SS. A few people have said to me that this is a silly move by me, but I totally disagree. My aim is to play for a league that does not cause drama, they turn up week in week out, and are competitive. SS fit the bill well.

Anyway enough of that, just thought I would save people their time yimming me telling me “wow!” “why’d you move to SS” etc.

Last week went basically as predicted apart from PCZ losing to EC, which to be honest is a great result for EC but what were PCZ doing? They turned up with a strong side and should have won this easily. I am afraid I don’t really know EC players that well, so I am not sure the ability of the players that the likes of cam n croz lost to. As I said in earlier predictions, EC have the abuility to upset anyone and week 7 was their week.
The match of the week proved to be as tight as I imagined with the final score ending as a tie, this is a major boost in SS’s favour as they are currently sitting pretty on top 4 points ahead of MP and are the only team not to have lost yet.
EP showed this week, I didn’t really think they would but fair play they came out and fought losing out 4-2 to BP. BP needed the win this week to keep the pressure on MP in 2nd, they also jumped a place above PCZ after their upset vs EC.

PoolKings vs TBA 6-0
Magicpool vs Straightshots 3-3 My prediction 3-3
BritPool vs EclipsePool 4-2 My prediction 6-0
Extreme Cues vs PoolCuez 4-2 My prediction 2-4

League Games W L D Overall W/L PTS
Straightshots 7 5 0 2 28-14 24
Magic Pool 7 4 1 2 28-14 20
Brit Pool 7 4 1 2 28-14 20
Pool Cuez 7 4 2 1 27-15 18
Extreme Cues 7 3 3 1 25-17 14
Eclispe Pool 7 2 5 0 16-26 8
Pool Kings 7 2 5 0 15-27 8

Week 8
Straightshots vs PoolKings
EclipsePool vs TBA
PoolCuez vs Magicpool
Extreme Cues vs Britpool

Week 8 brings 3 big matches that win, lose or draw, each result will have a big effect on the league standings come 4pm Saturday.

Straightshots vs PoolKings
If PK had started in week 1 I wouldn’t have seen them bottom of the IPA league, their team is too strong. I could very well see an upset here (an upset on paper not necessarily on ability), PK as a home league seem to be dying off lately but I am sure they will pick up in the new year as there are some fresh new ideas that Omar is planning. PK needs a win here just to keep in contact with EP since they will be given a free win unless a new league is found.
Straightshots just seem to keep winning ( a draw last week vs a strong MP side was a great result), the confidence in this team is sky high. During my time playing interleagues I have become aware that SS is a team that if their confidence is high they win, but if it is low they will keep losing (UIC8 being a good example).
This game could go to the wire but I am going to put my neck on the line here and say:
4-2 Straighshots


EclipsePool vs TBA
Some well needed points for EP here, they take a free win.

Match of The Week
PoolCuez vs Magicpool
Poolcuez will be sick at losing to EC last week and will want to bounce straight back, unfortunately for them, it is against 2nd placed MP who will not want to lose this match as it would mean they are more then one win away from SS at the top (should SS get a favourable result). PCZ need to forget about last week, its over, it was a bad result but these things happen. The 6 players that showed up (apart from maybe 1) was possibly PCZ strongest team . I can see the same team turning up here and possibly take the win.
As I say every week Jordy has been the key to MP’s interleague revival, I cant praise the guy enough. He has turned up every week so far in IPA and pulled out a win to help his team, Jason and Mike are following his example. He just needs PC to turn up this week to make sure; you can nearly always put your money on PC to return a win for you side.
My prediction
2-4 MP



Extreme Cues vs Britpool
Another big match, especially since EC defeated PCZ last week, should EC do the same this week they will be well in the mixer and only 2 pts behind their opponents in the league. I feel the EC are a team of inconsistency and they may have won a hard game last week, but this may affect the way they play here.
BP pulled a win out last week vs EP, but all their players seem to be inconsistent. At a quick glance at their player stats it seems everyone has about a 50% w/l record, they need at least 2 players to guarantee a win each week so they can mount a serious challenge on SS. If BP win here they will go into the MP match next week on a high.
My prediction
2-4 BP

Monday 24 November 2008

Week 7 Predictions

I currently don’t have any internet at home since I have just moved house and am waiting for my phone line to be connected etc. Therefore I am writing these predictions without any knowledge as to what actually went on last week apart from the results posted in the forum, so if any of the information I give is incorrect I do apologise.

Anyway enough of that dribble. Last week only 2 games went ahead because STL withdrew and EP didn’t show. Is this a sign of things to come? I hope not, IPA is the only interleague currently running that is time friendly to UK players. Hopefully Drew manages to find a replacement ASAP for STL and fingers crossed EP decides to show this week.
The 2 games that were played from the results I have seen seem to have been 2 well fought match, my prediction for MP vs PK was well wrong, MP turned up with a powerhouse team and walked away easy victors. Whereas in the other match SS vs EC ended exactly as I expected 4-2 with SS taking the victory.

Week 7
PoolKings vs TBA
Magicpool vs Straightshots
Britpool vs EclipsePool
Extreme Cues vs PoolCuez

PoolKings vs TBA
I will update prediction if a league is added.

Magicpool vs Straightshots
This has to be the match of the week, I honestly believe that winner of this match will win the league. SS pride themselves on using home grown talent; therefore a lot of their players are fairly unknown, but don’t even think of doubting their ability. SS sit top of the league for a reason! Nigel needs to bring his best team here: Steven, Craig and Sagar need to show and of course play to their true potential. All 3 of those players won last week, they are key to SS’s success.
MP, I am sure will turn up with a powerhouse team yet again. PK suffered a backlash from MP after they had lost mid-week in pro. PK are by no means a push over and have some very talented poolers within their ranks, so for MP to basically destroy them in the manner they did, it just shows the quality of the captaining and the team currently being built. Jordy will show probably with the same 6 that turned up last week, because why make changes when your team does that, the old English saying “if it aint broke, don’t fix it”.
The match itself will be an interesting affair, I thought MP had quit the shit talking at the tables it seems I was mistaken, so MP will try and get under SS’s skin by talking non-stop at the table. SS have to be one of if not the best disciplined teams in any interleague, I am pretty sure all their players will have hit ignore on most MP players before the match finishes. In my eyes MP will just be too strong for SS and with the team they currently have should win this at a canter.
My prediction
MP 4-2 SS

Britpool vs EclipsePool
EP no showed last week, I hope they manage to pull a team together this week, mainly because I am pretty sure BP would like a game. BP had a bye last week and claimed a 6-0 win. I can see the same thing happening this week. If they get a bye this week the pressure they will have applied to SS and MP would be huge.
My prediction
BP 6-0 EP

Extreme Cues vs PoolCuez
Extreme cues put up a good fight last week against a good SS side; they unfortunately seem to lack that killer punch or the player that they can rely on week in week out. They will turn up to this game more in hope of a result rather then expectation.
PCZ have acquired some good players recently and if they all turn up at the same match, they will easily win most matches. I heard off a few people that Croz had left PCZ after a fall out with Dani (hardly surprising), yet when I checked forum for who reported he did, so this may have been false information. PCZ will have to turn up with a medium to strong team to take the win here although they need to try not to be complacent, EC have a habit to pull out a shock every once in a while.
My Prediction
EC 2-4 PCZ

Wednesday 19 November 2008

Week 6
Magicpool vs PoolKings
Britpool vs SkysTheLimit
Extreme Cues vs Straightshots
PoolCuez vs EclipsePool

Magicpool vs PoolKings
This is my match of the week by a country mile, PoolKings only joined NPA 2 weeks ago and I know their league is filled with talent throughout, if Adam can find his best 6, then this could be one tasty affair. His team last week failed to live up to expectations; he did bring a strong side but were they too complacent? This could possibly be so; with players like Kev (xl_gameover_lx) in your side it is easy to get full of yourselves. Kev is a great player but even he knows he is full of shit. Adam needs to take a leaf out of his counterparts book, Jordys and lead by example, and to be honest I have no doubt in my mind that he will get the W this week, he is one of those players that would probably make any interleague side and do well, like a gentle dinosaur :p.
MP on the other hand have made some good additions to their side over the season and are definitely looking to continue their great form this season. Since Jordy arrived on the scene at MP he has done wonders, he has turned a bunch of trash talking idiots into in my eyes one of the best inter teams on yahoo. I would never even have considered joining a league like MP just because of the drama, but now I would have no problem joining a league such as this. I am expecting Jordy to seek out his best 6 for this match as he understands the importance of taking confidence into his week 7 match Vs league leaders SS. Jordy knows this match is going to be no push over and probably the hardest match of the season should PK bring their players.
The deciding factor of this match is:
Will Jordy win his game?
Will Adam win his?
Should they both win, well this match will be a draw. My prediction would be that they do both win their games and the score ends 3-3

Britpool vs SkysTheLimit
As I understand it, STL have pulled out and I am not aware of a league that has replaced them. BP would have rolled this game easily, they are on a high after beating a strong PK side from last week.

Extreme Cues vs Straightshots
EC as I said in my outlook are one of those teams that big teams really need to watch out for, some weeks they don’t even turn up (or arrive with a poor team) and others they turn up and they pull an upset out of the bag. SS will need to be weary of this fact. EC I am sure will be wanting to set an example of SS and prove that they are in this to win it.
SS after so many players in their team to choose from, I am not sure whether or not they will use this game to get players eligible for playoffs, this depends on how confident they feel. In all honesty they should have the confidence by now to bring a weakened side. With next weeks game probably going to be the telling point of the season SS will probably turn up with their strongest 6 in preparation.
My prediction is that SS win this 4-2

PoolCuez vs EclipsePool
This could be a battle of David and Goliath, PCZ being Goliath. PCZ if they wanted to could be a powerhouse to reckon with. With Crozzzy as their captain they should be wining NPA with eaz. I am not sure whether the captaincy is to much for croz to concentrate on or he is just not performing as well as he is capable. When I was made UIC capt for EPL I lost 5 straight weeks before I went undefeated until finals. Maybe he just needs a little time to settle into his post. PCZ wont really need Croz to perform in this match as I don’t really see them being troubled much. EP has had a few heavy defeats over the start of the season and unfortunately for them I expect another 1 to happen here.
My prediction is that PCZ win this 5-1


Just remember that these predictions are my thoughts and not that of NPA if you don’t like what I have said there is a comment section on this blog! On the other hand if you do like what has been written here, everyone likes praise so same applies. Thanks for reading, GL teams over the weekend hopefully someone will offer me a spot by then 

Monday 17 November 2008

IPA Outlook

Over the week I was asked if I could do some predictions for IPA, its been a little while since I did predictions so first off im going to try and get a feel for the teams.

I am also not too sure how the playoffs work, im going on the basis that top 4 make it playoffs.

BritPool
This league is currently sitting mid table (4th) having probably played the harder matches of the first half of the season, with 2 wins 2 draws, 1 loss. Britpool are still in contention for the playoffs, and are only 6 pts behind first place Straightshots and just 2pts behind joint 2nd place of Magic Pool and Pool Cuez.

Key players so far have been:
D0rv – although he has only played 2 games, he has won them both and has always been consistent throughout interleagues he has played in.
Im_just_jeremy – his record is 3/2 but when Jeremy plays well, he will get the job done no questions asked.

Outlook
Britpool do have some easier games coming up, but unless they capitalize I see them just missing 4th spot come the end of the season.


Magic Pool
This league I have to say has improved massively in the past 6months, It used to be renowned for its shit talking but they have calmed down and realised that they actually play better when they concentrate. Jordy as their captain is great for them he really knows how to work his team, but not only that he leads by example. Magic Pool are currently sitting joint 2nd along with PoolCuez, but with the players Jordy has I am fairly confident in saying that MP will finish on top.

Key Players so far have been:
xlx_skill_xlx – undefeated so far this season, leading his team as best he can. His game has improved a lot over the past few months, and I am sure he will continue.
Mike_oneil43 – Mikes talent has never been in doubt, he sometimes gets exasperated, and this is where he falls down. His record so far is 3/1 so aslong as he keeps performing MP will do well.
Jasonlippi01 – I was surprised when I saw Jason was playing for MP in this inter, nevertheless he has performed well helping MP to there good start to the season, I am not sure if he will be consistent throughout he sometimes lets his concentration get the better of him. Time will tell

Outlook
With the players now at Jordys disposal I see them going on to win the division

Pool Cuez
This league was created by dani after she fell out with PoolPals, now I could be really nasty about this league after the things they have done to me, but I am not. They have managed to build a decent team with some of yahoos well known players, they are currently tied with MP for second, I think that if Crozzzy can start wining his games, then they will push MP all the way to the last week, but until that I can only see PCZ making 3rd.

Key Players so far have been:
Sniper_stylez – 4 games played, 4 games won do I need to say more? He is well on target for seasons MVP, he seems to be the only consistant PCZ player.

Outlook
PoolCuez need there better players to start performing and get the W’s until that happens they are going to finish no better then 3rd.

Straightshots
This league has so far gone undefeated, will this continue? I don’t think so, they have some good players and even with a couple of their better players not performing consistently they still seem to be getting the results so fair play to them, I cant really knock the teams performance. The big telling point of the season will be week 7 MP vs SS. If SS win that game then I can see them keeping 1st spot in the league.

Key players so far have been:
Ragas_y – when I said earlier about consistency, this is what I meant, great start to the season winning all 3 game he has competed in, hopefully his performances will G up his team.

Outlook
Unless SS defeat MP in week 7, I see 1st place slipping out of their grasp. I predict 2nd place just pippin PCZ.


Extreme Cues
Looking at player stats it seems that EC have only just joined the Interleague this week just gone, having had a bit of experience of EC in other interleagues, it has come to my attention that they are a great team one day, but others they just never get out of the starting blocks. Within their home league they have some great players, but will they ever represent EC? Well who knows.

Key players so far have been:
Well im not really able to name key player so far as they have only played 1 match, therefore I will name their key player in my eyes for weeks to come.
Airhead619 – this guy is their best player in their team at the moment, he has a lot of knowledge of how to play interleague games and I am sure he will use it. He got a W in match 1 and there are sure to be more to come.

Outlook
If they can turn up every week well they have a great chance of making 4th, it’s a straight dog fight in my eyes between EC and BP.

Eclipse Pool
Now although EP are not out of the running, they have however lost their last 3 games and in theory have only won 1 match, since their other win came by way of a bye. I really do not know a lot about this league, so I am not going to make a fool of myself and pretend I know everything (even though I think I do).

Key Players so far have been:
In all honesty they haven’t really had any consistent players so far, I hope 1 or 2 player manage to find some consistency and help this league climb the table.

Outlook
The outlook really is not the greatest, I see the league finishing in the bottom 2, depending on what league replaces STL. Please prove me wrong!

Pool Kings
Now this league opened to prove a point to people, the Head admin is from DP as are many of the players, but this league runs with Cam only tournies thus trying to remove the name DP from their backs. PK seem have started with 0pts and have won 1 lost 1 so far this season. But with the players Omar has at his disposal they shouldn’t stay in the bottom half for long, however unless omar motivates his players for the next game they could be looking down the barrel of the shotgun even at this early stage.

Key Players so far have been:
Since this league has only really played 2 games in IPA, well I cant make a judgement on their key players. The best performing player in the past 2 games have been origin1_geezer as he is the only player to have won both of them.

Outlook
Well unless they go on a long unbeaten streak (which is certainly not out of the question) I don’t see them making the top 4, 5th at best.