Season 14 – Week 4 Picks
Greetings high rollers!
We’ve reached the halfway point of skeeson 14. Looking back on last week, I’m guessing many teams and individuals are looking for a fresh start this week. Weeks 1 and 2 saw roughly the same average team score each night, just below 900 (899 and 894), but there was a significant drop off last week (859) given some interesting scores….more on that later.
Seven teams broke the 1000 point barrier in week 2, while just four eclipsed that mark in week 3. And after three weeks of competition, just one team has broken the 1000 point mark each week – Han Rolo. Of the remaining teams with DNRs, just FKA Daddy and No Mike in the Plumber’s Shed might be able to pull off that feat of consistency.
Similarly, there were three teams that broke 1100 in week 3 but just one last week – Trickskee Little Hobbits – with a massive 1136. This is their best team score since an 1155 in week 7 of skeeson 13. We know Pat “Alan” Bassett can go big, as evidenced by his 488 last week, but this team will only go as far as Robo and Dionne can take them. They’ve shown they can put up big scores in any given week, but consistency has held them back come playoff time. One has to wonder if this is the skeeson they put it all together and make a run for the team title (AKA “the chalice”).
Congrats to the three teams that improved their team scores each of the first three weeks – Trickskee Little Hobbits, Ski Free, and Eskeemo Brothers. On the flip side, what the heck happened to Skeeing is Believing last week? I gave them props in the preview here last week after I underestimated their week 2 return when they rolled an 1127, but to follow that up with an 827? Whiskey, Tango, Foxtrot? [Editor’s Note: That movie looks solid, nice reference.] Upon further investigation, it appears they also fell victim to lane 1 last week (the “Lane of Death”?) as many have already learned before them.
On the individual side, just four rollers cracked 400 last week – Alan (Trickskee), Steve “Pinball” Robinson (Han Rolo), Devin McDonald (Frame of Thrones), and Stephanie Burgess (All the Single Ladieskees). Just two rollers so far have cracked the 400 mark each week – Pinball and Steph. Though Jenn “The Shed” Foxon might have something to say about that when (if?) her team makes it back to the lanes this skeeson [Editor’s Note: haha, so true].
If my math is correct, I score nine rollers that have improved their scores each week of the skeeson – Alan (Trickskee), Adam Schmitt (The Big Leballskee), John Jannetty (Ski Free), Ryan Wolters (Eskeemo Brothers), Rick Nau (Eskeemo Brothers), Dionne Galvas (Trickskee), Regina Hufnagel (Can’t Believe it’s Not Gutter), Melody Rivera (One if by Lane, Two if by Skee), and Ida Taylor (Skeese Pizza). The trick is to keep improving each week through the playoffs…keep up the good work!
But this week’s review wouldn’t be complete without the lane 1 misery in more detail. Chris “Mahty” Martin (Conspiraskee Theorists) wasn’t last week’s worst offender, as his 350 was similar to those of high rollers Alan and Scottie “Too Hottie” Sinclair in week 1. It was, however, Mahty’s worst score since a 328 in week 2 of skeeson 12. By far the most surprising score of last week, and perhaps of skeeson 14, was that of seasoned vet and consistent top 20 roller Eric Mendes (Skeeing is Believing), as his 249 comes on the heels of a 413 last week. I would be curious to see if SkeeBOSTON has ever seen such a dramatic swing in scores, up or down, in one week in all fourteen skeesons [Editor’s Note: read Brian Aldridge… Hi Brian!]. Poor Mendes must have felt like he was on the lane of broken dreams…”Skee between the lines of what’s effed up and everything’s alright.” He joins many rollers and teams that have struggled on lane 1 so far, and something tells me there will be a lot more teams walking a lonely road on that lane again before the chalice is decided.
It was a much better week for yours truly predicting games as a 4-1 record last week gets me over .500 for the skeeson. It hurts that Duke was dead on in predicting the one match I missed, but that will hopefully be just a speed bump to 5-0 this week.
6:30: No Mike In The Plumbers Shed (-65) vs. Magically Skeelicious – It will be interesting to see how The Plumbers – Jenn, Paul, and Mike – fare after two weeks off. Awaiting them is team Magic the Gathering. Something tells me Plumbers will be out to show a thing or two to reclaim their status as a top team, so I’ll favor them giving up a few points [Editor’s Note: unfortunately I agree].
7:30: Brewskees vs. The 3 Buttskeeteers (-75) – Brewskees were yet another team that struggled on lane 1 last week while the Buttskeeteers – Deidre, Lauren, Max – are coming off a bye. I expect both teams will enjoy being on lane 2 this week, so I’ll take the ladies of Brewskees getting the points.
8:30: Eskeemo Brothers vs. Frame of Thrones (-60) – A matchup of one team that has improved each week in the Eskeemo Brothers, while Frame of Thrones (can’t wait for April 24th!) – Chelsea, Devin, Zach – is coming off its best week so far. 60 points seems like a little too much for me to give in this battle, so I’ll go with the Brothers of Eskeemo [Editor’s Note: Ultimate jinx. Thanks ghost writer. Hi Rick!].
9:30: Skeeing Is Believing vs. Skee 3PO (PK) – I can see Duke just licking his chops right now – he thinks he’s walking me into another sucker bet, because he’s thinking that I’m thinking that Skeeing is Believing is due for a bounce back but he doesn’t think that’s going to happen. You follow?!? Skee 3PO – Dan, Mike, and super sub (?) – have rolled well each of the last two weeks, but won’t be able to keep up with the hundo train from Skeeing is Believing in this one [Editor’s Note: live and die by the hundo my friend, trap set].
10:30: The Big Leballskee (-60) vs. Ski Free – A great battle of two teams I’ve yet to cover so far this skeeson. Ski Free – Brendan, Emily, John – has [Editor’s Note: have?] also improved each week as noted above, and Big Leballskee – Adam, Diana, Sammy – is [Editor’s Note: are?] coming off a skeeson-high 887 in week 3. We’ve seen this from Leballskee before, just as recently as last skeeson, as they tend get a little better each week. Enter the great equalizer: The Lane of Death. I’ll take the points and Ski Free.
Week 3: 4-1 [Editor’s Note: Week 4: 2-3]
Skeeson 14 to date: 7-5
Skee you on the lanes!!