Teams: All Madden, SA Trojans, Cyclones, Renegades
Favorite: All Madden
Match-up to watch: All Madden vs. San Antonio Trojans (1pm, Field 10)
Questions: How does All Madden gel with the Headhunters? Lots of talent and experience but I question the chemistry. Who is the #1 seed in this bracket- All Madden or Trojans? Can two teams in this pool make the A division for Sunday? Can the Cyclones be consistent enough on offense to compete with Madden and Trojans? Has the long layoff affected the Renegades or will they pick up where they left off?
Fearless Forecast: This pool is all about personnel. Madden and Cyclones both can bring out top notch talent or waiver wire fodder. I’m going against two sources on this one and sending the Trojans to the A division with a 3-0 record and a tough, close win over All Madden. The Renegades are back after several years away from the game and almost beat the Cyclones but end up as the favorite in the C division. The Cyclones lock down one of the last remaining B division slots but struggle offensively against the Trojans and All Madden.
Teams: SA 210 Bandits, Storm/Afterburners, Bergquist Law Firm
Favorite: SA 210 Bandits
Match-up to watch: SA 210 Bandits vs. Storm/Afterburners (1:30pm, Field TBD)
Questions: Can 210 avenge their Spring Classic tournament showing? Losses to two Houston teams sent them home disappointed after dominating pool play and earning a top 3 seed. Can Storm compete for championships without Matt Kacal at QB? They’ll have Kenny Brazzell from the Afterburners at QB but will there be enough chemistry to beat a tough Bandits team? No two ways around it- it always hurts to not have your normal QB. Can Bergquist compete with two A division teams, especially without Austin Flynn? They’re perhaps Houston’s most improved team but the standings may not show it.
Fearless Forecast: Not going to stray much on this one. If the Bandits bring a strong team like normal they should roll a depleted Storm squad. Bergquist doesn’t have the firepower to beat either of these teams unless they play out of their minds and that won’t happen until they get their full team on Sunday. But will that be too late?
And my final predictions for A, B and C champions.
A Division: San Antonio 210 Bandits
They won TAAF's state A divsion earlier this year and that puts them as the favorites over FW Rams and Houston Gators.
B Division: Houston Tuna Can Jones
They have a tough division which lands them in the B divsion depite being one of the top 6 teams in the tournament. Man, it pains me to write nice things about TCJ.
C Division: Houston Renegades
If bergquist plays C divsion they bacome the easy favorite but I think they'll end up in B. The Renegades have taken a multi-year leave of absence but they're former experience gives them a leg up on Balls Deep, Bayou City Cowboys and the Fort Sam Rangers.
