Post by dc on Feb 22, 2012 18:06:04 GMT -5
1.) Bryant Sports (CO)- I always put the returning champs up at the top of my rankings but sometimes I struggle between “earned” rankings and ranking teams where I think they will actually perform. I don’t say this to spite and down-talk Bryant Sports, they made an impressive run last year. They’ve done nothing this off-season to lead us to believe that they aren’t just as good as they were last year. They always battle it out with the Gamblers in the Denver league with mixed results. The elephant in the room is the fact that Bryant Sports is the second best team in Colorado and still showed up and whooped the rest of us last year. Denver might be the most underestimated region in all of flag football.
2.) Southbay Ballers (CA)- They showed up as thin as ever last year and still made a run to the finals. The big thing about Southbay is that they have been doing it so well for so long that you assume that they will fall off at some point but they never do. Conventional wisdom would have said that their refusal to add new and younger talent along with the loss of one of the best flag football players in California history would have caused a back-slide. Is this the year that we see them slow down? There is no substitute for experience and continuity in flag football. You better bring some rushers that can collapse a pocket if you wanna beat these guys.
3.) Long Beach All-Stars (CA)- Who wants to be the first team to draw these guys on Sunday? After a sub-par performance last March, you’ve got to assume this crew will be out for blood. TMT must have had everyone kicking themselves for missing this game (myself included) and missing the game plan for beating LB. I assume a mobile QB with the ability to buy time against that nasty rush must have had something to do with it.
4.) Da Bears (UT)- This team has shown great consistency and obvious continuity. They understand what it takes to succeed at the PRO level and are fierce competitors. They are led by University of Memphis star WR Tannar Rehrer and a host of brothers and cousins. They take a very basic approach to 8man similar to Southbay and Funhouse, block with three big men and send out four exceptional WRs on each play and just beat you straight up.
5.) Daygo Funhouse (CA)- Larry Scarsella is claiming that this is his last World Championships visit to Las Vegas. I don’t know that I believe him or not after 20+ years in the game. These guys keep their wheels greased in one of the most competitive leagues in the country and it shows when you face them come tournament time. Larry has brought out some of his OG’s for this one and Funhouse sounds like they will be loaded and ready to rock as usual. It’s good to see them back after a couple of year lay-off from the World’s.
6.) Wolfpac / Source One (CA)- Randy Scacutto is 52 years old and just will not go away! He’s won multiple championships with the likes of NH Posse, The N Zone, Trainwreck, Source One and his latest incarnation the Wolfpac out of the Sacramento area. Last year was supposed to be his last run but he’s back and loaded with some of NorCal’s best talent. He’s won league championships, COMP championships and Flagmag championships but hasn’t won a legitimate PRO Las Vegas championship since his AFA days with NH Posse, and I’m sure he’d tell you that’s what he’s looking for most. There is no substitution for winning this one.
7.) New Hustle (CA)- It wasn’t too long ago that these guys had a finals appearance in the World’s losing to LB. When you get down to #7 and you still have a team of this quality here, it makes you fully understand the depth of this tournament. New Hustle just lost to the Wolfpac in the finals of the Flagmag tournament in January. Expect them to make a run come Sunday.
8.) TMT (NV)- These guys pulled off the impossible last March in knocking off a fully loaded Long Beach team for the first time in a very long time. The former COMP champions (2006) have matured into the best that Las Vegas has to offer. They’ve climbed to the peak of the summit let’s see if they can avoid falling off the top like they did last year.
9.) The Show (CA)- This is the team’s 10 year anniversary and will be the 8th. trip to the Las Vegas World’s. They will have to make a run without their starting QB, they’ll need to hope that history doesn’t repeat itself, the last time (2009) the team played without their starter (even employing an SEC starting QB) they finished out of the top 8 the only time in team history. Can they finally get over the hump and make a semi-final appearance in the PRO level?
10.) Nu Nation (GA)- The biggest obstacle any of the Atlanta teams have faced out in Las Vegas is the lack of depth, they have shown up each year with very talented players, but they just plain run out of gas in the World’s format. (3 games on Saturday). I’ll be interested to see who Patrick show’s up with from the Atlanta region, they are some great teams down there.
11.) Slaughterhouse (CA)- This is a young and upcoming team out of the Carson League. They are learning the ropes from Long Beach on a weekly basis. They are super-athletic but just lack some experience. They can make you look silly if you step unto the field lightly.
12-16.) SLA (UT), Young Money (NV), DX (NV), Renegades (CA), FAB (CA
2.) Southbay Ballers (CA)- They showed up as thin as ever last year and still made a run to the finals. The big thing about Southbay is that they have been doing it so well for so long that you assume that they will fall off at some point but they never do. Conventional wisdom would have said that their refusal to add new and younger talent along with the loss of one of the best flag football players in California history would have caused a back-slide. Is this the year that we see them slow down? There is no substitute for experience and continuity in flag football. You better bring some rushers that can collapse a pocket if you wanna beat these guys.
3.) Long Beach All-Stars (CA)- Who wants to be the first team to draw these guys on Sunday? After a sub-par performance last March, you’ve got to assume this crew will be out for blood. TMT must have had everyone kicking themselves for missing this game (myself included) and missing the game plan for beating LB. I assume a mobile QB with the ability to buy time against that nasty rush must have had something to do with it.
4.) Da Bears (UT)- This team has shown great consistency and obvious continuity. They understand what it takes to succeed at the PRO level and are fierce competitors. They are led by University of Memphis star WR Tannar Rehrer and a host of brothers and cousins. They take a very basic approach to 8man similar to Southbay and Funhouse, block with three big men and send out four exceptional WRs on each play and just beat you straight up.
5.) Daygo Funhouse (CA)- Larry Scarsella is claiming that this is his last World Championships visit to Las Vegas. I don’t know that I believe him or not after 20+ years in the game. These guys keep their wheels greased in one of the most competitive leagues in the country and it shows when you face them come tournament time. Larry has brought out some of his OG’s for this one and Funhouse sounds like they will be loaded and ready to rock as usual. It’s good to see them back after a couple of year lay-off from the World’s.
6.) Wolfpac / Source One (CA)- Randy Scacutto is 52 years old and just will not go away! He’s won multiple championships with the likes of NH Posse, The N Zone, Trainwreck, Source One and his latest incarnation the Wolfpac out of the Sacramento area. Last year was supposed to be his last run but he’s back and loaded with some of NorCal’s best talent. He’s won league championships, COMP championships and Flagmag championships but hasn’t won a legitimate PRO Las Vegas championship since his AFA days with NH Posse, and I’m sure he’d tell you that’s what he’s looking for most. There is no substitution for winning this one.
7.) New Hustle (CA)- It wasn’t too long ago that these guys had a finals appearance in the World’s losing to LB. When you get down to #7 and you still have a team of this quality here, it makes you fully understand the depth of this tournament. New Hustle just lost to the Wolfpac in the finals of the Flagmag tournament in January. Expect them to make a run come Sunday.
8.) TMT (NV)- These guys pulled off the impossible last March in knocking off a fully loaded Long Beach team for the first time in a very long time. The former COMP champions (2006) have matured into the best that Las Vegas has to offer. They’ve climbed to the peak of the summit let’s see if they can avoid falling off the top like they did last year.
9.) The Show (CA)- This is the team’s 10 year anniversary and will be the 8th. trip to the Las Vegas World’s. They will have to make a run without their starting QB, they’ll need to hope that history doesn’t repeat itself, the last time (2009) the team played without their starter (even employing an SEC starting QB) they finished out of the top 8 the only time in team history. Can they finally get over the hump and make a semi-final appearance in the PRO level?
10.) Nu Nation (GA)- The biggest obstacle any of the Atlanta teams have faced out in Las Vegas is the lack of depth, they have shown up each year with very talented players, but they just plain run out of gas in the World’s format. (3 games on Saturday). I’ll be interested to see who Patrick show’s up with from the Atlanta region, they are some great teams down there.
11.) Slaughterhouse (CA)- This is a young and upcoming team out of the Carson League. They are learning the ropes from Long Beach on a weekly basis. They are super-athletic but just lack some experience. They can make you look silly if you step unto the field lightly.
12-16.) SLA (UT), Young Money (NV), DX (NV), Renegades (CA), FAB (CA