Living in the Southwest, we see sagebrush everywhere. It is durable, versatile, and typically thrives in tough conditions.
However, when it dies, you'll know it. It uproots and rolls around at the mercy of the wind shedding sticks, twigs and thorns in its wake. After a while of being battered it's reduced to dust.
I'm not ready to say the Sagebrush division is dying but, after a disastrous first week of inter-league play, they are certainly browning around the edges.
Heading into the week the Sagebrush division was looking pretty solid. Through the first 3 weeks of the season, they had scored 2064 points for an average of 114.7 per game. In week 3, they took it up a notch and posted 772 points for an average of 128.7.
Compare that with the Cactus division teams who scored 1876 points over the first 3 weeks (104.2 average per game), 623 points in week 3 (103.8 average) and you'd probably have a pretty good argument in suggesting that Sagebrush looked like the superior division.
So what the hell happened in week 4?
It would be easy for me to write about all of their shortcomings this past week, but I'm not going to do that. Nope. I'm not going to rub salt in their wounds. It's just not like me.
I'm not going to highlight the fact that the Sagebrush division dropped 4 of 6 games to Cactus while only averaging 82.5 points per game. Nor would I mention that they only barely avoided losing 5.
Where is the good in revealing Chief Sticky Balls' 89-point game was almost 40 points below their season average? Yes, their average.
It wouldn't be like me to point out that the highest score among all of their teams was from Flash Dem TD's with 100 points. 100. Points. That was their highest score.
You won't hear me mention the fact that their top team, Hit Em With The Hein!!! (4-0), only scored 73 points yet, somehow, miraculously, they won due to the fact they played the only Cactus team they could've beat this week. Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good, I guess.
There is certainly no need to draw attention to Badazz Bri's 66-point game or Team RamRod's 79 points leaving the Sagebrush division with, not 1, but, 2 winless teams.
And I'm definitely not going to talk about Blue Ribbon, a week after setting the league record for scoring (200 points), only scoring 88 points and losing to a winless Baby Got Dak team in a game that looked like it was over before it even started.
No. I prefer to remain positive, so instead I'll just highlight some of the positives over on the Cactus side of the league.
Congratulations to Baby Got Dak who shocked everyone with a huge upset and secured their 100th win this week.
Who Is You is starting to look more like a team deserving of their 4-0 record with 139 points in week 4.
The Pork Chop Express appears to be picking up steam while rolling to a 3-1 start. They're looking more and more like one of the tougher teams in the league this season.
And, Los Perros Locos look like they might actually have a little bite left in them after all.
Let's get something straight. If I pick you to win, you need to win. If I pick you to lose, you need to lose. If we keep this up, I'll finish the season at .500, far below my average of .997. What? You don't think that's my lifetime win rate? Prove me wrong.
Now that we're getting further along in the season, the pickin's are getting slim, but I still managed a 170-point team.
Good luck in week 5!
-- Commish
Comments