Season 13 Playoff Picks
Greetings, high rollers. It’s playoff time! I think Duke summed it up well in the skeemail this week: “What happened over the last 8 weeks doesn’t matter.” Crazy things happen in the playoffs – this isn’t like March Madness where a top seed is an automatic win. If you look at the team stats, the top 16 teams all broke 1000 at some point this skeeson, 13 teams broke 1050, and nine teams broke 1100…the chalice is definitely up for grabs on Super Saturday 13 (SSXIII).
Before we get to my playoff predictions, a quick look back on week 8:
* I’m not really sure what else could be said about the matchup between Thirskee Thursdays and Skeeing is Believing. 1256 vs. 1245, respectively. I’ll have more on these teams later, but that is some damn fine rolling. Did these teams peak too early?!?!
* In addition to those two teams, another eight teams rolled skeeson-high totals last week – Skeezy, Snakes, Run DM Skee, Single Ladieskees, Brewskeez, Skeejects, Marnskee, and Boccskee.
* The most impressive of that group might be Boccskee, who hadn’t cracked 900 all season and finished with 1049 and 1108 in last two weeks. Might have been interesting to see this team in the playoffs if they rolled all skeeson.
* I’d be remiss if I also didn’t point out Brewskeez for breaking the 1000 point barrier, and Skeejects breaking 900. Strong finish!
* Congrats to Kori Nicholson (Brewskeez), Mike Pagnotta (Hundos for Marnskee) and Cory Magno (Thirskee) for breaking into the 400 club last week. More on one of those rollers later…
No spreads this week and, despite Duke’s best efforts, I ended the regular skeeson strong at 8-4 last week, putting me at 56-48 overall. Solid numbers. [Editor’s Note: Yeah yeah, well done.]
A few quick thoughts on the playoffs before we get to the picks:
* Everyone is chasing #1 Thirskee Thursdays. Somehow Ev “The Baker” Phillips managed to sneak a super team by skeeBOSTON management this skeeson (wait, isn’t he part of management?!?). Two top-ten rollers with #4 Devin McDonald and #9 Ev, and rookskee Cory just broke 400 last week. The team’s lowest score in eight weeks was 1087. That’s what you call a “high floor.”
* I suspect another asterisk could be coming for Thirskee if they run the table (Ev previously won a chalice with a “super sub,” Chuck “Schmoopie Pants” Rogers, thus the asterisk discussion). All eight games this season over the super team mark of 1050? I’m calling shenanigans.
* With all that said, if I could bet on just Thirskee or take the rest of the field, I might lean Thirskee.
* Every ball matters, now more than ever! The teams seeded #7-9 were separated by less than 25 points during the regular skeeson. That’s less than three hundos over 8 weeks from being a #7 versus a #9. If history is any indication, I expect multiple games will come down to the last frame, and a handful will be decided on the final roll, perhaps even the final ball.
* Find your forty. Live and die by the hundo. [Editor’s Note: yeah buddy!]
6:30 Matches
#14 All the Single Ladieskees vs. #19 Scrubskees – An all-ladies matchup right off the bat. In the playoffs I’ll tend to lean with the team that has a higher floor, so in this case I’ll go with the Single Ladieskees.
#15 I Skee Drunk People vs. #18 Fettskee Wap – Both teams got off to a slow start this skeeson but have been rolling their best of late. I’m going to play a hunch and go Fettskee in the first upset of the night.
#16 Brewskeez vs. #17 Beer! – The Brewskeez ladies are hungry to win and rolling well of late. That will be a tough combination for Beer! to overcome.
7:30 Matches
#1 Thirskee Thursdays vs. #16 Brewskeez – I’d love to see the chicks upset the dicks here[Editor’s Note: i see what you did there]. And I think Brewskeez can put a scare into the top seed, but Thirskee has too much firepower.
#2 Skeeing is Believing vs. #18 Fettskee Wap – A similar story here, but Fettskee just won’t have enough to combat Skeeing who has been on a mission since week 1.
#3 No Mike in the Plumber’s Shed vs. #14 All the Single Ladieskees – This matchup gets really interesting as Jenn “The Shed” Ciaramicoli won’t be rolling (get well soon, Shed…we’re thinking of you!!). My inside sources at skeeBOSTON headquarters informed me that the sub is a former high roller*[Editor’s Note: **], so I’ll lean Plumber’s Shed in a close one.
8:30 Matches
#4 Trickskee Little Hobbits vs. #13 Why So Skeerious – Another match, another sub. This time for Skeerious. I think Skeerious had a tough hill to climb with a full squad, but won’t have enough to overcome the Hobbits in this one.
#5 Ain’t Easy Being Skeezy vs. #12 Run D.M.Skee – Two teams full of veteran rollers. Both teams coming off a skeeson high last week. Just like the NCAA tourney, a #12 seed always beats a #5 seed. Give me Run DM Skee in a battle. [Editor’s Note: Don’t bet against Eric, I’m telling you]
#6 I Got Roofskeed vs. #11 Live Skee or Die – Those of you that follow the league on Facebook have already seen smack talk from Polischoke and Not Hottie about this matchup. Live Skee will give Roofskeed a battle, and maybe an earful, but fall just short.
9:30 Matches
#7 Magically Skeelicious vs. #10 The Night is Dark and Full of Skeeballs – Two teams that have been struggling to find their form in recent weeks. I don’t think Jan “Staff” Harrington will roll sub-300 for the third consecutive match, so I’ll go with Skeelicious.
#8 Snakes on a Lane vs. #9 Who’s your daddy? – Another match with a sub, this time for top-15 roller Brian “Bri Guy” Aldridge of Who’s Your Daddy. My skeeBOSTON connections tell me the sub is yet another former top roller. I think Snakes take a close one, but wouldn’t be surprised to see the defending champs move on. [Editor’s Note: Steve’s going to have a meltdown if they lose!]
# 4 Trickskee Little Hobbits vs. #12 Run D.M. Skee – I bet big on DM Skee in the first round, and I say the Cinderella run continues and the #12 seed becomes the first team to punch its ticket to SSXIII. [Editor’s Note: whoa whoa whoa!]
10:30 Matches
#1 Thirskee Thursdays vs. #8 Snakes on a Lane – The matchup looks lopsided on paper, but Snakes broke 1100 twice this skeeson. They also rolled an 873. Low floor, high ceiling. I’ll take Thirskee, but it won’t be a walk to the final four as Snakes will give ‘em a scare.
#2 Skeeing is Believing vs. #7 Magically Skeelicious – I mentioned Skeeing was on a mission all skeeson, and I think they continue to march here breaking through to Super Saturday.
#3 No Mike in the Plumber’s Shed vs. #6 I Got Roofskeed – I want to root for Shed – with her being out it’s the feel good story, especially over Polischoke. After missing the playoffs last skeeson, however, skeeson 11 champs Roofskeed want to taste Super Saturday again.
Super Saturday 13 – Final Four
#1 Thirskee Thursdays vs. #12 Run DM Skee – Unfortunately the Cinderella run for DM Skee comes to an end one game short of the chalice.
#2 Skeeing is Believing vs. #6 I Got Roofskeed – You know where I’m going with this, right Duke? Of course, it’s Skeeing is Believing. [Editor’s Note: yup, I did.]
The Chalice
#1 Thirskee Thursday vs. #2 Skeeing is Believing – The two top teams all skeeson in a rematch of an epic week 8 matchup. There will be some bumps along the way getting to the chalice, but I expect both teams will survive and advance to the final. While rookskee Cory might not feel the pressure of the first few matches, I suspect he’ll feel it here. The veteran squad of Skeeing is Believing will pull the upset we’re all hoping for and be crowned as skeeson 13 skeeBOSTON champs!
4 days to Super Saturday XIII and counting….hope to skee you all there!
Week 8: 8-4
Skeeson 13 Overall: 56-48