Monday, June 06, 2005
Playoffs: Night 1
BritPool @ pool Outlaws - Didn't catch a lot of this because I had to ump the PH-PL match at 8, but here's what you need to know: BritPool jumps out to a lead. yeah, BP has a lead here as river_blake sets down xlx_mvp_xlx. Game 2, Full_Blast has a case for most underrated player in MLP...He also has a case for thief as he steals a win off oldlady_with_attitude, this could be a 2-0 BP lead, but it's 1-1. Slavko against Austin, Austin with 2 balls left, slavko on the 8 right near the bottom middle, Austin shooting. Watch out for that...!!!!...8. 2-1 BP, it could be 3-0! Doh! Mind_da_pool against No1_Shooter, it's 2-1...Jai is on the 8! And he JUST misses off the side of the bottom middle. This is a 2-2 match that should've been a sweep. BP however now has no more players eligible that have Cam, I ain't saying anything. Reason: Austin actually allows BritPool to finish out the match off cam. But Cam or not, Dan and Anaconda_python still do what they do, they put away BritPool in 6, and very reminiscient of the Season 4 PO team, who during the regular season were lucky to escape with half the wins they got. Here, missed oppurtunities absolutely killed BritPool, but in my "should've been" bracket I move BritPool ahead 4-0, because I can do that it doesn't count. The Outlaws will await the winners of LPL and HappyPool, quite the matchup there and if the Outlaws play like they did tonight...they may well get swept by whoever. But of course, everyone has good and bad days, maybe, and hopefully for them, they'll snap out of it.
Pool Legends @ Pool Hustlers - So, #8 vs. #1 again here, let me remind you the history of bottom seeds in the Playoffs: Season 2 - LPL in the AL, and PoolPimps in the NL. Neither advanced past round 1 because they lacked eligible players. Season 3: LPl got to meet PF where they eventually got timed out with a 3-2 lead, not very lucky. Vegas Shooters in the NL that season...I can't remember but my guess is they didn't really do much being that they faced BlackSilver who got absolutely demolished by Smoking Cues in the 2nd round that season, 4-0 = yikes. Season 4, MadSkillz fell to PF, but BlackSilver survived to face ElitePool and then the Outlaws, and MLP history buffs know how that went. So gradually that bottom seed has done pretty well. Well, could PL continue that? Game 1 PH's ace Brandon looking for yet another win as he faced chaasers (l3ams a legend)...Not so much. Brandon gets only his 2nd loss of the season overall, he's quitting YPool if PH doesn't win it all. b_l_u_e83 formerly of Pool Masters, a late-season switch brought him to Pool Legends that's like Ramiro Mendoza goin between Yanks and Sox. Against Rocky_Ireland another former PM. So we got PM vs. PM, in PH vs. PL. Try to follow that. Blueboy wins it, and PL has a 2-0, yes a 2-0 lead. #8 is leading #1. Pomking in to stop the bleeding against poolstud1111, y'know stud's games tend to be quick because he's a nice runner. This time Pommy makes quick work of him, had to be the quickest match of the night. 2-1, PH trying to rally. Numero_uno_pool_player for PH, i_am_a_sore_loser for PL. Guy doesn't have to worry about being a silly, stupid, ignorant sore loser because....he's now known as i_am_a_game_4_winner. 3-1 PL is up on the Hustlers. This one had upset written all over it since this became a likely matchup, could PH's red hot streak die here? Theike and Luckydog, the 2 dueling captains, and Theike...doesn't wanna watch round 2 from the bleachers. 2 nice banks off the top rail to bottom right and left respectively in this game, but it wasn't enough. Luckydog nails it down, and the #8 Pool Legends oust the #1-seeded Pool Hustlers in 5 games, and this sets up a monster matchup. Pool Legends do not earn home advantage, they'll visit either PoolFighters or Pool Masters next week.
So far the Playoffs have run very smoothly, killing my worries temporarily. Danger averted with the cam business thanks to Austin being so nice. See? Outlaws aren't assholes, Kevin's gone! j/k Kev :P Anyways, the the #8 seeds played a lot better than their season record this season, and BritPool's first trip to the Playoffs can not possibly looked at as a disappointment. Sure they may feel bummed that they let a sweep escape them, but all of us expected it to be a 4 or 5 game blowout, BP would get mowed over. Definately not the case here. Then Pool Legends, not given the best of chances, expected to be done in 6 or so. They didn't even last 6 games and won in 5. I really think it was now or never for PH this season. Theike possibly stepping away as Captain, Brandon leaving pool, PH is going to have a tough time next season. But a nice night of matches, no drama, and I can optimistically hope that every night in the Playoffs goes this way.
