Interview with Jason

Pre-Week 10 interview with Jason of the Reapers by Nat Bly

Nat. Good afternoon Jason, how are you feeling?

Jason. Pretty good, just landed in Atlanta, it's such a playoff atmosphere here already!

N. Aside from your recent plane ride, your time in this league with the Reapers has been quite the ride. In 2010-2, you came in as a rookie with really impossible expectations, how did you deal with that?

J. It was tough, lucky I had another rookie with me in Joseph. He had it worse than me as a center and a higher draft pick. We were really able to bond and fight the hate together.

N. Speaking of hate, how did you guys cope with a winless season on an organization that had never experienced a time where they were not in playoff contention?

J. I think the OKC fans were a bit more understanding than the media made them out to be, but there was a big adjustment period  to understand that we were just starting to build for the future.

N. And build you did! After that 0-10 season the Reapers went 6-4 and ended the Interceptors undefeated season in the first game of the playoffs. What was that season like?

J. It was definitely a big growth year for me personally. My bud Joseph went to the Cat's so it was really on me to be the face of this team. We turned heads early on that season, we really had a nice unit. When we beat the Dizzy Devils, we knew we had the squad to do big things. Just to get to the playoffs was a blessing, but to beat our rivals when they were  having THE best season ever has no words. We will always be the spec of dirt on their historic season. That gives motivation to all other teams aiming for perfection.

N. Well said, you guys had the biggest win total turnaround in league history at 7. So after that season, you guys know you are marked. How did that fuel off-season workouts?

J. We stressed signals, plays, body language. We knew the skill was around us, we needed an extra factor to get elite.

N. How was the Hong Kong trip?

J. Man, you know how it was! Amazing! Who knew we had it in us to navigate to a championship, even though it was preseason. It gave us profound confidence.... Maybe too much.

N. The Reapers were confident indeed, they blasted off to a 4-1 start ranked #2 in the league. But currently sit on the longest losing streak in the league at 4 games.

J. Growing pains. When you are sitting at 4-1, you're not thinking about making the playoffs. You're thinking about what to do to win in the playoffs. I think we got caught with our pants down, trying new things. But as the losses piled up, we forgot what made us win.

N. Do you guys realize the situation you are in? It is absolute do or die for the Reapers, not to mention Margays and Dizzy Devils. Is there any league pressure felt?

J. All week we have stressed focusing only on us. I have friends on both teams but I don't care about their plight at the moment. We gotta figure out how to win.

N. With that said, you come into Atlanta to play a team with aspirations of gaining #1 for the season, it can't get tougher than this. How will you guys play it?

J. We can't forget they are a simple dodgeball squad like us. We know us better than anyone else, we have to hit on all cylinders. And I personally have to have the crowd shook.

N. Best of luck to you and the Reapers.

J. Thanks

Catch the Flex Final as the Reapers and Skylarks meet for the first time ever! On ZBS

Week 10 Preview

The final fights for positioning take place this final week of the regular season. 12 teams remarkably still have a shot at making the 8 team playoff. The lynch pin of this week focuses on the final game of the season in Atlanta. The Reapers control the destiny of the Margays and Dizzy Devils if both win. If the Reapers lose, they are out, if they win, they are all in. That final game also features the race for #1 as the Skylarks look to rebound after losing their title to the Gold. The 'I don't want to play-in' in the SW is another thing to watch for. The Diamonds, Cat's, and Pharoahs could all technically get to the #3 spot in their conference and avoid the dreaded death trap Play-In game.

(4-5) @ (1-8)

The week kicks off in Seattle were wins have been non-existent for the season. The Dizzy Devils round out the playoff hopefuls. They need a wing and a prayer to get in the playoffs with help from the Reapers and maybe the Gremlins to win. They have a solid team but they haven't been consistent at all. But they are playing the Silverbacks who have really imploded. Sanchito is their unlikely hero after Kenneth and Zeno decided to go on vacation this season. Not really much support, I see a 2 set victory.
Prediction: DD
All Time: DD- 2 SB- 3

(4-5) @ (3-6)

The Gremlins head to Houston for a chance at the playoffs even though it seemed they had been eliminated from contention 2 times before. The Toros will try to relish in a final victory for what will most likely be the last time the Dynasty Boys ride together. These are 2 pretty evenly matched teams, but I see the Toros just getting out their frustration and winning this.
Prediction: TOR
All Time: GRE- 3 TOR- 1

#6 (6-3) @ (2-7) 

The Interceptors suffered a big blow in regards to the playoffs now that Salem is a 4. But this game should be a cake walk, they already wrapped up a secure playoff spot, now they just want to repeat as division champions after a rough start to the season. The Dragonfish have been on fire lately but I think their luck will run out.
Prediction: INT
All Time: INT- 2 DF- 1

(4-5) @ (5-4) #7

Very similar 2 teams. Perennial failures that had a great burst of energy in the beginning of the year on the back of a big rookie draft pick. Then both missed their chance at being in the serious contenders league with losses down the stretch. Both hope to rebound here with a win to send them forward into the playoffs that once seemed promised. I say Charlie Dodgeball gets back in gear and gets it done here. The Margays have just been anemic, and don't play well when expectations are high. 

Prediction: PHA

All Time: MAR- 4 PHA- 1

#4 (6-3) @ (5-4) #5

This could be the most exciting game of the week. Two strong playoff teams face off who have been living in different universes for forever. The Scarlet Ember have a few people yet to convince of their awesomeness, and beating the Cat's would show it proudly. They would still need to have the Interceptors falter though to get the division title even though they have a higher ranking. The Cat's have been down lately, they might have gotten complacent after that big Skylarks win, but now they have a sense of urgency not to fall into the trap play-in. 

Prediction: CATS

All Time: SE- 0 CATS- 1

(3-6) @ (6-3) #3

However hard the Cat's or Pharoahs play will not matter as the Diamonds plan to crush the Seadogs in their regular season farewell to the Diamond City University Wrestlingplex. They are probably the scariest team coming into the playoffs, especially if Sebastian can get going again. The Seadogs have had their fun, who knew they would win 3 games with 3 rookies on their team? But I think the Seadogs will hit a brick wall when they take the long journey to SoCal. 

Prediction: DIA

All Time: SEA- 2 DIA- 2

Flex Game of the Week 10

#8 (5-4) @ (7-2) #1

Such a royal match-up. The Empire and Gold are the class of their division year in and year out and they both have wrapped up the titles. The Gold are looking to put an exclamation point on their season after going 6-0 in their division by winning their first season title. The Empire are securely avoided from the Reapers mess, but they could possibly be entangled in a play-in situation with a loss. I think the Empire have much better cohesion than the Gold and should ride out on them. 

Prediction: EMP

All Time: EMP- 0 GOLD- 4

RTP Flex 10

(4-5) @ (7-2) #2

They were the first 2 expansion teams entered in this league in 2004. They have played but the strike shortened season was cancelled as far as official stats. Since then they have been avoiding each other each making championships, Skylarks winning one in 2008-2, but never playing. Now the stage is set and each one has very important, yet different goals. The entire league will be waiting on the result of this one, that is why it is the RTP Flex Final.

The Reapers started out the season strong as ever. they won the preseason tourney in Hong Kong and fired shots as they ended the Interceptors untouchable win streak. They got to 4-1, ranked #2 in the league, predicted to go to the Championship, before dropping 4 straight. Now they just hope to make a play-in game. But their great start has given them so much points that a loss would float them above some potential non losing teams, automatically eliminating those teams.

The Skylarks have it a little bit easier, but in regards to living up to past legends, not that much easier. This was supposed to be their outright year. Yet, they dropped a puzzling one to the rival Dragonfish on their home court. Now they need a win and a Gold loss to reclaim the season title, which would be their record tying 3rd trophy. This after 3 straight seasons of being ranked #13+. I see the Skylarks really handling this struggling juggernaut. 

Prediction: SKY

All Time: REP- 0 SKY- 0

Week 9 Recap

The Dragonfish are going out with a blaze as #1 killers. Should encourage them into next season. The Top of the league melts as 1-4 go 1-3. The Midwest has 2 clear favorites while every other division has been scraped up. The Margays lose out again on their 1st piece of hardware as they lose to the lowly Seadogs and the Empire symbolize the North as they win the division by not losing too badly to the Dizzy Devils. Ludicrous!

#4 (5-4) @ (7-2) #2

5-10<

(4-5) @ (3-6)

6-10<

(5-4) #3 @ (3-6)

7-10<

Midweek Midwest

(4-5) @ (6-3) #8
7-10<

(4-5) @ (6-3) #5
10-14<

#7 (5-4) @ (4-5)
4-10<

(6-3) #6 @ (1-8)
>10-5

(2-7) @ (7-2) #1
>11-10

Saturn® Player of the Week

Jack #0 Scarlet Ember

Exp: 4 yrs Uni: Florida
Thrw: 6 Out: 6 Cth: 3 
Single handedly willed his team to victory and showed the league how real the Scarlet Ember are. 

Week 9 Preview

Last divisional games wrap up this week. The DBL nation focuses on the very confused Midwest where anyone can win. Any team can get a secured spot in the playoffs, any team can miss it. Any team can win the division. This division has always been known as the leaderless anything goes division and this year is no different. Should be fun. Each division could be won this week. A Skylarks win. A Gold win. An Empire win. But the Midwest is a completely different tangled web.

#4 (5-3) @ (6-2) #2

The first matchup between these Western teams proved to be worth the billing in a 3 set match win for the Gold. Both teams are still highly ranked but reeling from losses last week. The Phactory needs to end this skid before playoff time comes so they don't end up in the Play-In blackhole. The Gold have pretty much clinched playoffs but could win the division outright with a win here. I say the Pharoahs are ready to rev up again and the Gold are still questioning themselves after a confusing loss to the Dragonfish.
Prediction: PHA
All Time: PHA- 8 GOLD- 16

(4-4) @ (2-6)

First matchup in week 4 was a really messy affair. The Margays played ok, and the Seadogs played very well. Now, the Margays cannot afford to play ok, so I tihnk we will see a swift defeat of the home team. The Margays can't let this playoff oppurtunity slip away.
Prediction: MAR
All Time: MAR- 9 SEA- 14

#3 (5-3) @ (2-6) 

This game could easily spell disaster for the Cat's who are in the lead of trying to avoid the Play-In. The Toros are always great on paper, but that 10-1 loss says the real story. I think the Cat's will get back on a roll and finish out the season with W's.
Prediction: CATS
All Time: CATS- 17 TOR- 9

MidWeek MidWest

(4-4) @ (5-3) #8

The Reapers have a history of ending the Interceptors win streaks. In the playoffs last year they ended INT's perfect season. This season in week 2, they ended the Interceptors 12 game regular season win streak. Now, the stakes aren't so high for a streak, but it is still very high for the Playoffs. With a win and a Scarlet Ember loss, the Interceptors could win the division crown. The Reapers need to shake a surprising 3 game skid as they hope to simply make the playoffs that they are projected to win by some. The have quite a task with the Interceptors and Skylarks in their way. 

Prediction: INT

All Time: REP- 13 INT- 16

(4-4) @ (5-3) #5

The Scarlet Ember have fallen twice since their win in Chicago sent them to #1 in the league. They have split every division series this season, so according to that law they will lose. But the Scarlet Ember probably have the best chemistry to talent ratio in the league. And they are more talented than the Gremlins. The Gremlins never give up, they keep finding themselves year after year in 4-4, 3-5, situations this late in the season. This time they hope to pull through and remarkably make the playoffs. I think the Scarlet Ember are just a little too strong this year though. 

Prediction: SE

All Time: GRE- 11 SE- 13

*******

#7 (5-3) @ (3-5)

The Dizzy Devils can't seem to find their potential. The Empire just keep winning, 4 of 5 last games. It seems that DD are more talented but this team is all over the place. Aleksandr is having a renaissance season and he is getting great support from his team. I see an easy pickings. 

Prediction: EMP

All Time: EMP- 16 DD- 11

#6 (5-3) @ (1-7)

The Diamonds really are an elite team. Many people don't see it when they play, but this team is probably better than the team that made it to the Conference round last year. The Silverbacks are completely not the team that made the Play-In last year. This should be a cake walk, the Diamonds are pretty much on fire right now. 

Prediction: DIA

All Time: DIA- 13 SB- 12

(1-7) @ (7-1) #1

The first game in week 5 was a suprise tough match. The Dragonfish have to be feeling themselves right now, "bring us the next #1!". But Paolo and friends are no match for the talent on this team. The Skylarks have oddly been under stated this year probably because everyone knows they are a threat, a serious scary unbeatable monster. The Cat's gained more fame than the Skylarks just for stealing a win from them. But I think, in retrospect, everyone will call this the year of the Skylarks, a bit incorrectly. A win, gets them that division title and probably a secure #1 seed. 

Prediction: SKY

All Time: DF- 13 SKY- 14