TWL Invite League Week 9 (Monday, November 22nd)
Week 9 was the completion of our regular season and the lines have been drawn in the sand. Logic, Rising Storm, Instruments of God, Reborn Soldiers, overRated, and Seal Team 6 (thanks to Force Recon) are all going on to compete for this seasons championship title.
Recap on Week 9:
+NATO+ > Masterful-and-Determined (10-2)
Last week I predicted a 9-3 or better win for NATO. Apparently they intended to end the season with a bang and got a 10-2 win.
NATO has had a rather inconsistent season, but in the last few matches theyve solidified and shown themselves to be a threat to those who will be continuing on to the semi-finals. I think that if their gameplay continues to strengthen as it has, next year well see them in the semi-finals.
MAD has struggled to end the season with a single win or a tie. However, they were in arguably the hardest division in the league. Their opposition is all extremely accomplished squads with a strong track history. Im not sure what is next for MAD but theyve got their work cut out for them next year if they want to remain in the Invites.
-Logic- > Red Dawn (7-5)
This was an absolutely killer match. Red Dawn far exceeded my expectations (I predicted a 9-3 or better victory for Logic). This is the first league match where the victory wasnt certain for Logic and there had to be the dim realization that they could actually lose. In fact, RDs tie was almost certain when they cornered Hammer in a 3-to-1 situation. Somehow, Hammer clutched a win eliminating all three of the remaining RD players. This clutch situation is where Logic shows what separates a Top-3 team from all the rest.
Even though Red Dawn lost this match, I believe it was a fantastic victory for them. Like NATO, they have potential to make it into the playoffs next year if they can improve their consistency.
Red Dawns season started out a little slow and shaky. RD was moved from the Intermediate league to the Invites early in the season when one of the Invite teams dropped out. RDs reconstituted squad initially said they didnt feel prepared for the Invite leagues. However, in the past few months theyve started to gel and become a threat to other top 10 squads. Next 6v6 Invite season should be very interesting for them.
Logic what can be said? Theyre a top 3 team and they deserve that recognition. Theyre a dynamic, smart, and aggressive team whose dominance in this season has been unquestioned. Aside from the scare RD gave them in the last match, there was never a time when Logics supremacy was threatened. Their brand of Kung Fu will be enjoyable to watch in the semi-finals. Theyve got a good shot at winning the championship and it should be a heck of a lot of fun to watch them vie for the title.
American Freedom Fighters < overRated (0-0) Forfeit win
AFF again failed to appear for the match (as predicted).
Personally, I understand that some squads cant keep it together enough to compete the entire season. However, overRated has been closing down shop for about a month and theyve STILL managed to appear for every match and will complete the season. oR is a former top 3 squad and their commitment to the league shows what it takes to be in that caliber of squad.
overRated has had a great season even though they could not get over the hump and knock Reborn Soldiers off their division lead. Despite that fact and the fact that their squad announced its planned retirement, theyve not only held on and continued to play in the league, but theyve also secured a spot in the play-offs. Who knows what theyll do once theyre unleashed against their competition in the final few weeks leading up to the championship match.
AFFs season has been extremely rough having been bested in every match theyve played. Unfortunately, its gotten worse in the past 3 weeks (theyve havent shown for their previous 3 matches) and it seems unlikely that theyll be back next year in the Invite leagues. Best of luck to them and I hope that they turn things around so that they can recapture the qualities that made them an invite league team.
BaD Karma < Force Recon (4-8)
Last week I guessed that FR would take this 9-3, but BDK pulled it in a little closer. Still, this was a good win for FR.
Though FR will not be advancing on to the semis, its not because they didnt have the record. FR held 3rd place in the Loyalty Conference above ST-6. For those that dont know about the situation, FR received some bye wins (no opponent to play) while ST-6 received ties (playing against the likes of ^rS). ST-6 had the better rounds win/loss, but tied FR for the number of points. The rules specified position based on game wins/losses not on rounds. This placed FR in 3rd place over ST-6. FR realized the SNAFU in the rules and offered their playoff spot to ST-6 on the feeling that ST-6 was more deserving. This sacrifice really shows the sportsmanship of FR. Next year, I suspect that they will be in the playoffs.
BaD Karma had a rough season with only 2 wins. Part of the issue was the recalibration of their squad after the loss of some of their talent. Itll take time, but I believe they could redevelop what it takes to be competitive again in the Invites.
Diligencia Vis Celeritas > Blood Brothers (9-3)
It seems like I was one off for most of my predictions. Last week I estimated DVC would win 8-4, but they pulled off a 9-3 victory. Its a great win and a solid way to end the season.
DVC leadership has designs on becoming a Tier 1 squad, but has really lacked the polish and refinement that is required. However, theyve been focusing on building better strats, improving their coordination, and learning to close the match (they usually start out strong only fizzle at the end). Like a lot of Tier 2 squads, theyve got a problem busting into that Tier 1 group. That leap is a daunting, sizeable jump. Logic walloped the competition and clearly shows the level of skill, dedication, and performance it will take to be able to compete against Tier 1. If DVC is going to make the play-offs next season, theyre going to need a solid roadmap to reach those critical improvements. Either way, DVC had a decent season and a good finish. Congrats to them!
=BB= was unable to get a victory this season in their division. =BB= has good potential and has some accreditation as a good CQB team. However, they need to really round themselves out and learn to work on their distance game. I think they have good potential, but theyll have to balance themselves if theyre going to be really competitive.
SEAL Team 6 < -Rising Storm- (4-8)
Last weeks pregame analysis pretty much was right on (score prediction 8-4 - ^rS > ST6). Rising Storm has shown themselves to be one of the most formidable squads in the game. Theyve stifled ST6s return, recently beaten IoG (ladder matches), and achieved some critical wins against other Tier 1 squads. Ill be watching them closely. Additionally, Straitor became a first time father on 11/22/04 (Congrats!) so the squad has something else to cheer about.
SEAL Team 6 has some fantastic shooters on their team and theyre no slouch when it comes to coordination and strats. ST-6 is a team that has still got it. While theyve been away, IoG, Logic, and Rising Storm developed. ST-6 has shown that they can compete in that arena, but theyre still adjusting to the new level of difficulty that these squads bring to the table. Personally, I find ST-6 to one of the most fun to watch when they get on a roll. It should be exciting to see what they do in the playoffs.
Week 9 was the completion of our regular season and the lines have been drawn in the sand. Logic, Rising Storm, Instruments of God, Reborn Soldiers, overRated, and Seal Team 6 (thanks to Force Recon) are all going on to compete for this seasons championship title.
Recap on Week 9:
+NATO+ > Masterful-and-Determined (10-2)
Last week I predicted a 9-3 or better win for NATO. Apparently they intended to end the season with a bang and got a 10-2 win.
NATO has had a rather inconsistent season, but in the last few matches theyve solidified and shown themselves to be a threat to those who will be continuing on to the semi-finals. I think that if their gameplay continues to strengthen as it has, next year well see them in the semi-finals.
MAD has struggled to end the season with a single win or a tie. However, they were in arguably the hardest division in the league. Their opposition is all extremely accomplished squads with a strong track history. Im not sure what is next for MAD but theyve got their work cut out for them next year if they want to remain in the Invites.
-Logic- > Red Dawn (7-5)
This was an absolutely killer match. Red Dawn far exceeded my expectations (I predicted a 9-3 or better victory for Logic). This is the first league match where the victory wasnt certain for Logic and there had to be the dim realization that they could actually lose. In fact, RDs tie was almost certain when they cornered Hammer in a 3-to-1 situation. Somehow, Hammer clutched a win eliminating all three of the remaining RD players. This clutch situation is where Logic shows what separates a Top-3 team from all the rest.
Even though Red Dawn lost this match, I believe it was a fantastic victory for them. Like NATO, they have potential to make it into the playoffs next year if they can improve their consistency.
Red Dawns season started out a little slow and shaky. RD was moved from the Intermediate league to the Invites early in the season when one of the Invite teams dropped out. RDs reconstituted squad initially said they didnt feel prepared for the Invite leagues. However, in the past few months theyve started to gel and become a threat to other top 10 squads. Next 6v6 Invite season should be very interesting for them.
Logic what can be said? Theyre a top 3 team and they deserve that recognition. Theyre a dynamic, smart, and aggressive team whose dominance in this season has been unquestioned. Aside from the scare RD gave them in the last match, there was never a time when Logics supremacy was threatened. Their brand of Kung Fu will be enjoyable to watch in the semi-finals. Theyve got a good shot at winning the championship and it should be a heck of a lot of fun to watch them vie for the title.
American Freedom Fighters < overRated (0-0) Forfeit win
AFF again failed to appear for the match (as predicted).
Personally, I understand that some squads cant keep it together enough to compete the entire season. However, overRated has been closing down shop for about a month and theyve STILL managed to appear for every match and will complete the season. oR is a former top 3 squad and their commitment to the league shows what it takes to be in that caliber of squad.
overRated has had a great season even though they could not get over the hump and knock Reborn Soldiers off their division lead. Despite that fact and the fact that their squad announced its planned retirement, theyve not only held on and continued to play in the league, but theyve also secured a spot in the play-offs. Who knows what theyll do once theyre unleashed against their competition in the final few weeks leading up to the championship match.
AFFs season has been extremely rough having been bested in every match theyve played. Unfortunately, its gotten worse in the past 3 weeks (theyve havent shown for their previous 3 matches) and it seems unlikely that theyll be back next year in the Invite leagues. Best of luck to them and I hope that they turn things around so that they can recapture the qualities that made them an invite league team.
BaD Karma < Force Recon (4-8)
Last week I guessed that FR would take this 9-3, but BDK pulled it in a little closer. Still, this was a good win for FR.
Though FR will not be advancing on to the semis, its not because they didnt have the record. FR held 3rd place in the Loyalty Conference above ST-6. For those that dont know about the situation, FR received some bye wins (no opponent to play) while ST-6 received ties (playing against the likes of ^rS). ST-6 had the better rounds win/loss, but tied FR for the number of points. The rules specified position based on game wins/losses not on rounds. This placed FR in 3rd place over ST-6. FR realized the SNAFU in the rules and offered their playoff spot to ST-6 on the feeling that ST-6 was more deserving. This sacrifice really shows the sportsmanship of FR. Next year, I suspect that they will be in the playoffs.
BaD Karma had a rough season with only 2 wins. Part of the issue was the recalibration of their squad after the loss of some of their talent. Itll take time, but I believe they could redevelop what it takes to be competitive again in the Invites.
Diligencia Vis Celeritas > Blood Brothers (9-3)
It seems like I was one off for most of my predictions. Last week I estimated DVC would win 8-4, but they pulled off a 9-3 victory. Its a great win and a solid way to end the season.
DVC leadership has designs on becoming a Tier 1 squad, but has really lacked the polish and refinement that is required. However, theyve been focusing on building better strats, improving their coordination, and learning to close the match (they usually start out strong only fizzle at the end). Like a lot of Tier 2 squads, theyve got a problem busting into that Tier 1 group. That leap is a daunting, sizeable jump. Logic walloped the competition and clearly shows the level of skill, dedication, and performance it will take to be able to compete against Tier 1. If DVC is going to make the play-offs next season, theyre going to need a solid roadmap to reach those critical improvements. Either way, DVC had a decent season and a good finish. Congrats to them!
=BB= was unable to get a victory this season in their division. =BB= has good potential and has some accreditation as a good CQB team. However, they need to really round themselves out and learn to work on their distance game. I think they have good potential, but theyll have to balance themselves if theyre going to be really competitive.
SEAL Team 6 < -Rising Storm- (4-8)
Last weeks pregame analysis pretty much was right on (score prediction 8-4 - ^rS > ST6). Rising Storm has shown themselves to be one of the most formidable squads in the game. Theyve stifled ST6s return, recently beaten IoG (ladder matches), and achieved some critical wins against other Tier 1 squads. Ill be watching them closely. Additionally, Straitor became a first time father on 11/22/04 (Congrats!) so the squad has something else to cheer about.
SEAL Team 6 has some fantastic shooters on their team and theyre no slouch when it comes to coordination and strats. ST-6 is a team that has still got it. While theyve been away, IoG, Logic, and Rising Storm developed. ST-6 has shown that they can compete in that arena, but theyre still adjusting to the new level of difficulty that these squads bring to the table. Personally, I find ST-6 to one of the most fun to watch when they get on a roll. It should be exciting to see what they do in the playoffs.