Welcome back to another season of Game On! football. For those of you that don't know me, my name is "The Manager" and I provide what has been described as "Emmy-worthy writing that surely must come from a brilliant, talented and special mind;" "headline producing articles;" "a name you can trust in the coed football world;" and "reading material that is a Touchdown with an extra point on top!" For those that have followed me since our spring 2022 session, welcome back and thank you for tuning in again!
I want to first apologise to the league and players for not showing up here until week 4. I promise to have the same great insight, articles and predictions as the spring session for all of my readers. I will do my best to explain to you all why I have been absent from my writing thus far.
1) As much as I love football and everything that Saturdays encompass, my personal life has been a little hectic recently and I had to follow through on prior obligations first.
2) Contract negotiations between the league and I stalled in early August as the summer session was coming to an end. Unfortunately, we were too far apart on salary and incentives that I decided to hold out (you may have even read about this or heard though ESPN).
3) There were so many new teams that I truly wanted to get a feel for the new faces and be able to provide proper insight before jumping into things.
4) I wasn't sure if I wanted to continue to spend all day at the fields scouting, watching and gathering intel from dawn to dusk.
In the end, the league finally caved to my demands and I got my personal affairs in order. I have a solid understanding of our newer teams and decided that there is nothing better than spending my entire Saturday at the fields watching and maybe even playing football.
So now that we have that out of the way, I encourage you all to also read through ALL of the divisions and write-ups as we truly have great people throughout every division top to bottom and I try my best to highlight as many teams and players as possible. You can email me at TheManager@game-on-sports.com. Enjoy this week's predictions although I have proven to be very wrong in my picks and see if you and your team did enough for me to take notice.
D1: Sci-Fi Hamster NEIPA Division
Last week's scores:
Losing Streak 66 over Sizzurp Slurpees 32
Wanderers 42 over Sizzurp Slurpees 20
Bad Friend Squad 64 over Clutch Genes 54
Your spring 2022 D1 champs, Losing Streak, picked up right where they left off with somewhat of an annihilation of our top division. They return most of the same roster and are headed for another championship showdown with The Wanderers, whose only loss is to Losing Streak this year. Sizzurp Slurpees had another rough Saturday, losing both of their games after not playing for the first two weeks. The game of the week had to be Bad Friend Squad against Clutch Genes which saw 118 points of back and forth, down-to-the-wire action!
This week's matchups:
Sizzurp Slurpees (0-2) +12 @ Bad Friend Squad (1-2)
There are already rumblings of a drop to D2 next spring for Matt and the slurpees. It seems as though they are getting older and don't feel as though they can compete in D1 anymore. On the other side of the field, ageless Justin Ginter quietly picked up Seth Mo and Dave Baker to give his squad some playoff firepower. These teams have squared off so many times before and it may come down to which QB can throw less than 5 picks to decide a winner. Prediction: Bad Friend Squad wins 38-33
Clutch Genes (0-2) +6 @ Bad Friend Squad (1-2)
I have nothing but respect for Clutch Genes moving up to our top division, where they rightfully belong. This team went undefeated through the regular season and playoffs in the spring, but lost in the championship. They also played some very good competition in our summer league and have improved on both sides of the ball. Bad Friend Squad will be playing their second game of the day and could be a little tired as they usually have just enough players to field a team each week. Prediction: Clutch Genes wins 48-37
Wanderers (2-1) @ Losing Streak (4-0) EVEN *Game of the Week #1*
Already their second meeting of the season, Sal and the tie dye crew take on Jordan and his pink/black/whatever color they're going to wear this week crew. Losing Streak took the first game 29-23 and have a +108 PSD while Wanderers are +21. Injuries have unfortunately hit Wanders hard as they have several new faces and haven't quite found their usual rhythm. The girls always seem to be the highlight of this matchup with Anna, Britt and Katie facing off against Dri, Laura, Mackenzie & Tiffany. Prediction: Wanderers win 31-28
D2: Trail by Wombat Galaxy IPA Division
Last week's scores:
Mavericks 53 over Totes McGoats 29
Mavericks 35 over Go Deep 33
Ball Hawks 47 over Just Get Open 41
I think D2 is already shaping up to be our most competitive and talented division yet again for the second session in a row. There are only 5 times here with each of them earning a crossover game with a D1 team. Mavericks sit atop the division at 3-1 and look to defend their spring title. Go Deep and Ball Hawks seem to be the two teams that will be standing in their way. I wouldn't ever count out Totes McGoats or Just Get Open and I am confident they will each get their seasons back on track.
This week's matchups:
Go Deep (2-1) @ Totes McGoats (1-2) +4
Paul and his team look more impressive each week with their athleticism and speed that is unmatched in D2. Totes continue the season over season roster turnover with a couple of new faces yet again. Each team can score with the best of them but Totes defense forgets to show up to most games. The guys on Go Deep play some of the best man coverage that I have seen in our league and I have a feeling that Marty may struggle as his receivers try to find separation. Prediction: Go Deep wins 42-26
Ball Hawks (2-1) +3 @ Go Deep (2-1) *Game of the Week 2*
Micah freaking Kraus! What a team you have assembled in Ball Hawks. You managed to convince Nick, Kira, Tom and Rochelle all to join your team with the promise of you playing QB!? Laughable at best, until you came out and starting throwing dimes and winning games. I am not entirely sold on your team yet, but man, you guys look good! Paul and Jay deserve a lot of credit for the team they have built as well and the class that they show on the fields. I hope that you continue to build that chemistry as I am confident that you will soon be in the mix for D1 upset potential. Prediction: Go Deep wins 40-30
Just Get Open (0-3) +8 @ Mavericks (3-1)
John isn't happy with how his team has played as they sit in dead last in the division after starting the spring at the top. Stoner Dave simply cannot do it all and Brian is going to have to start trusting someone else to make plays on offense. Mavericks picked up two wins last week and Jordan wrote in share with me how special it was to be out on the field with his little sister, Angela, who caught two touchdown passes in her first game! Prediction: Mavericks win 37-32
D3: Pills Mafia Division
Last week's scores:
Buffalo Football Team 36 over Laces Out! 8
Lava Covered Ninjas 34 over 6th & Schlong 16
Kitna Kids 44 over 6th & Schlong 12
The Hulks 40 over Boats & Hoes 35
This week's matchups:
Boats & Hoes (2-2) @ 6th & Schlong (1-2) +5
Josh and Laura did the right thing and moved Boats & Hoes up to D3 where they belong, even though they didn't finish the spring session as hoped. Sean needed two more downs for his team to have a better chance at the D3 title this time around and have struggled to put up points a few weeks in. Nic, Lisa and Parker join the Jelonek's to inch closer to moving back up to D2 as they team has lost two close games. Sean and Caitlyn have a savvy group of vets on their team that have practiced and played together for some time now. Prediction: 6th & Schlong wins 33-32 on the last play of the game
Laces Out! (0-2) +12 @ Lava Covered Ninjas (3-0) *Game of the Week 3*
Trust me on my game of the week prediction here. Brandon will be back looking to get his team in the win column after voluntarily moving up to D3 after a disappointing collapse in the spring championship. Tim and the Ninjas simply got better by adding Andy in the offseason and have a stingy defense. These players all know each other well and it will be fun to see so many Game On! veterans and legends on the field at once. Prediction: Laces Out! wins 34-27
6th & Schlong (1-2) +7 @ The Hulks (2-1)
So who's playing QB for The Hulks this week? How badly is Will going to cramp on the sidelines? Will we really like them when they are angry? 6th & Schlong won't really care about all these questions, but if Plunkett trots out to throw again for The Hulks then they may want to rethink their game plan as they will be coming into their second game of the day and many of their players play for 7 other teams on Saturdays. Prediction: 6th & Schlong wins 30-18
Kitna Kids (2-2) @ Buffalo Football Team (1-2) +9
Kitna Kids look to repeat on their winter and spring successes of winning championships. I hope they read these because even though everyone doubted them in the spring after their less than stellar start, I still held true to my absolute lock prediction of champions for them and it came true. Security guard Tristan comes over from All Razzle to help Joe, Shaq and Jackee winning games. Mike and the Buffalo Football team have a talented roster and have lost two close, one score games. Looking at their roster, although small, should scare the rest of the division just a little. Prediction: Kitna Kids win 47-29
D4: Minkey Boodle Sour Division
Last week's scores:
Ampadu's Assets 45 over I Like Big Punts And I Cannot Lie 19
Boozin & Losing 52 over I Like Big Punts And I Cannot Lie 21
Goatsack! 49 over All Razzle No Dazzle 14
North Buffalo Knights 34 @ Still Running 14
Ampadu's Assets have to be one of the most fun teams to watch and be around as the collective group of players on this team are truly great people to compete against and talk to after the game. Boozin and Losing isn't too far behind in that sentiment and Goatsack would probably give you the last beer they had off their folding table. North Buffalo Knights and Still Running met for the 49th time and the McKay's brought back All Razzle No Dazzle. Things haven't quite gotten on track yet for I Like Big Punts and I Cannot Lie, but I don't think that anyone on the team really minds as they are looking to have fun and get some exercise in on a Saturday.
This week's matchups:
Show Me Them TD's (1-1) @ I Like Big Punts And I Cannot Lie (0-3) +8
Show Me Them TD's is not the same team as our previous one with a similar name, but rather a new venture by Dylan and a few of his volleyball buddies and friends. They have looked promising so far and can pick up another win this week with some solid play on offence. I can't help but notice Jeremy's roster is packed with No Soup for You players of old. It is great to see Jeremy back in the league after a few year hiatus and all of the familiar and new faces he has brought. Prediction: I Like Big Punts and I Cannot Like wins 24-17
Ampadu's Assets (2-0) @ Goatsack! (2-1) +4 *Game of the Week 4*
I think that Andy playing in our Draft Queen's Morning Glory Division is going to help him this season as he has to adjust to calling plays for teammates he has never played with. He even had to change his "go" signal from "set, Goatsack." I wonder if he is going to say "hike" for his game here instead; it seemed to work last week for Little Giants. Ampadu's, as stated before, is a really great group of people that email me almost weekly to tell me how much they love the articles and give shout outs to their players. Marco and Sergio, it is because of people like you that I enjoy writing these so much, so please keep it up! Prediction: Goatsack wins 29-28
Still Running (0-3) @ Ampadu's Assets (2-0)
What a disappointing injury to Alan Laudico earlier in the season as he will be out indefinitely and is so important to Still Running's success. Jordan looks to overcome the loss of Al as mainstays Kyle and Kevin helped to add Joe Goungo for the fall session. They have really struggled on the offensive side and need to work to move the ball down field. Ampadu's has tons of speed and spreads the ball out effectively to nearly everyone on the team each week, which is going to be hard for Still Running to stop. Prediction: Ampadu's Assets wins 49-20
All Razzle No Dazzle (1-2) +10 @ Boozin and Losing (3-0)
If I remember correctly, All Razzle No Dazzle knocked off the mighty Boozin and Losing in the spring playoffs to advance to the championship. These teams know one another pretty well and both return most of the same roster. The Darren to Rochelle, brother to sister connection never fails for Boozin and Losing. All Razzle No Dazzle returned Clayton at QB and added a stud in Dianne Biddeman. I think there will be a little bit of a sour taste in Boozin and Losing's mouth from last season after their upset loss. Prediction: Boozin and Losing wins 50-30
D5: Bliss DIPA Golden Keg Division
Last week's scores:
All About the U 61 over The Gas Gang 26
North Buffalo Blazers 60 over Laces In! 14
Laces In! 34 over Trophy Wives FC 6
Your Brother 42 over Sugar Daddies 28
Talent Juice! 38 over Shattered Dreams 36
Let's get one thing straight, North Buffalo Blazers and All About the U don't belong in D5, I have seen them and they are too good. Upsets happen though and I am, by no means, counting any of the other teams out. Laces In split their double header as The Gas Gang ran out of gas quickly. Your Brother and Sugar Daddies have some kind of weird, familiar animosity towards one another and Shattered Dreams are still looking for their first win. There are a lot of new teams, players and faces in D5 and I am excited to try and highlight what is shaping up to be a really fun division!
This week's matchups:
The Gas Gang (2-2) +15 @ North Buffalo Blazers (3-0) *Game of the Week 5*
North Buffalo Blazers look very impressive in their first 3 games as Dominic has been around for many years and has assembled an amazing roster. Leah, Madison and Sarah have been the talk of the division with their impressive play for the Blazers and have the attention of more people than they know. Farhan is not technically new to the league either and brings his kickball buddies and indoor session teammates back for the fall session. He is also throwing for Tits and Picks in our Morning Glory division and has looked good so far. Prediction: North Buffalo Blazers win 43-35
Laces In! (1-3) +6 @ Sugar Daddies (2-1)
JJ is no rookie when it comes to being a captain and running a team as he tries his hand with Laces In and leaves Laces Out, borrowing a few players in the process. They have been outscored 136-66, but look to get things back on track this week. Sugar Daddies roll out Tanner at QB and must deal with the highs and lows that come with his QB play each week. They started the season 2-0 before losing to Your Brother last week. This team knows how to play and had some good practice during our summer session. Prediction: Sugar Daddies win 30-17
Your Brother (2-1) @ Talent Juice (1-2) +12
C'mon, did you really think I was going to go an ENTIRE week without mentioning Nick Chimera, other than a quick shout out on Ball Hawks? He's the first guy to tell you how great YOU played. He would be the first guy to sub if others wanted in, even though he is probably the better player. He is an all-around, nice, humble dude that is really frigging good at football and Your Brother should feel lucky to have his talents. Talent Juice will look to slow him down this week as Tim keeps the same team name he has had for years and picks up a few free agents in the process. They are learning more each week and continue to build on their chemistry and overcome the growing pains that come with a new roster. Prediction: Your Brother wins 33-21
Trophy Wives FC (1-2) @ Shattered Dreams (0-4) +5
Is there a guy in the league that smiles more than Dustin of Trophy Wives FC? Think about it.....there probably isn't and he is smiling whether he is winning or losing because he seems to always be having fun. Chris of Shattered Dreams brings his team back for their 21st year and 42nd overall session and still seem to be smiling even after a rough start to their fall session. This one should be a fun one to watch and it will undoubtedly be all smiles at the end. Prediction: Shattered Dreams picks up their first win of the season 26-18
Thank you for those of you that tune in each week and look forward to reading these as much as I enjoy writing them. I would love to hear from more of you this season as it helps me provide better insight into the great teams and players in our league; after all, I am only one person. Be safe out there and enjoy the crisp fall weather we are about to have as we truly say goodbye to summer and start thinking about cider, donuts and 8 months of snow.
This week's "Extra Points" round out the write-up;
3-Point Conversion:
How do you like the 3 point conversion? Has your team converted any? Is that too far for Marty to throw?
2-Point Conversion:
My Draft Queen's Morning Glory Division predictions;
Mafia 30 over Little Giants 26
Crowns & Touchdowns 37 over Tits & Picks 20
Email me at TheManager@game-on-sports.com
1-Point Conversion:
Did you know that you can email me at any time to ask questions, disagree with my insight and analysis, and provide your own thoughts and predictions that I may publish or just tell me how your game went. Email me at TheManager@game-on-sports.com I promise to always respond to every email that comes in!
I'll see you all this Saturday...but will you see me?
"The Manager"