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(#3) True Pool Legends (11-4) @ (#1) Poolfiction (12-3)

Match Date
Wednesday June 4th - 7:30pm - Bad Times

Regular Season
Week 6 - PFN @ TPL - Poolfiction win 4-3
Week 13 - TPL @ PFN - Poolfiction win 6-1
Poolfiction Lead Season-Series 2-0

What You Should Know
I wasn't around when Poolfiction and TPL squared off in week 6, but I lost game 1 of the match that PFN smoked TPL in in week 13. When comparing these two leagues, I don't believe 6-1 is very telling about how even these two leagues actually are. If both leagues are able to bring their top 7 players that are eligible for playoffs to this match, it'll end up being quite a treat for anyone who sticks around to watch. For Poolfiction, they'll most likely field a team that will include Jamie (xlx_bpk_xlx), Kevin (C_o_w_b_o_y_y), James (cue.ball), Andy(pool_warrior2002), Derek (derekgnr), Bam (l3amm_aka_legend) and one of either Ogges (xlx_ogges_xlx) and Cubby (tacoby_bellsbury). One noteable omission from this lineup is Lulu (deep_cerebro). There has been a rumour floating around that he won't be participating in this season's playoffs but, should he play, he is as close to a guaranteed run for PFN that you can get lol. On the flip side, TPL could be bringing a squad that looks like the following; Travis (lvlasse), Koty (xlx_extreme_perfection_xlx), Pete (cerebral.aftermath), Steve (xlx_e_f_c_xlx), PJ (fecka), Josh (d_0_n_u_t) and myself. If both teams bring these players this match SHOULD go at least 6. It'll also be interesting to watch the captain battle in this one - everyone that's ever had the pleasure of playing for her has talked about just how great of a captain Kerry is, and I personally feel Day is the best captain I've had in my seasons as an interleague player. This makes this match all the more intriguing. The match itself will likely be played in 2 parts. The first team to get to 3 - and then everything that happens next. TPL only has a chance in this match if they get 3 wins first. It's a safe bet that in the first save/clinch situation, Jamie will be playing for Poolfiction. For TPL, Steve is the most likely candidate. Poolfiction has a good game 7 marathon snooker player in James, but TPL falls short in this category which could end up being their ultimate downfall. TPL is going to need to be up 3-1 to win this match - that's my opinion. James and Jamie are far too experienced in big-time interleague games to do something dumb should the score be 3-2 TPL with PFN having those two sharks left to play.

The Prediction
TPL gets their early lead, but PFN storms back to take a 3-2 lead. Steve surprises many and knocks off Jamie in game 6. Game 7 isn't close, with James pulling out the clincher sending PFN back to the World Series.

First off, I'd like to introduce myself. I'm Ryan (xxx_pool_magician_xxx), although many old school poolers will remember me as Daz_ed, and I play for TPL. I'll be writing for MLP over the course of the summer and hopefully longer, taking over for Sean (Cubby) after he retires - for the...er...8th time I think (I'm being generous with that number). Sean's done a great job with this blog over the seasons, and while I know my posts won't be better than his, I am going to try my best to keep you all up-to-date while he's gone (in all fairness, he'll be back :P), on all of the happenings in MLP such as league changes, match predictions, ect. A little disclaimer before I give my first post - I have been out of the loop for quite some time, as I've only recently returned to Ypool, so forgive my ignorance when it comes to leagues and their players - there are MANY new people around and I've only gotten to get to know some of you. Let's have some fun, shall we...

American League Conference Finals
(#2) Cheapshots (12-3) @ (#1) Cuekeepers (13-2)

Match Date
Monday June 2nd @ 7:00 pm in Intermediate Lounge 3

Regular Season
Week 3 - CKP @ CZ - Cheapshotz win 4-3
Week 10 - CZ @ CKP - Cuekeepers win 6-1
Season Series tied 1-1

What You Should Know
Cuekeepers lost one game at home this season and is a team stacked from top-to-bottom with talent. Cheapshotz were a mediocre 4-3 on the road. The ONLY way CZ has a chance in this match is if their big names pick up three wins, and leave the lesser talented players to scrounge for the last win. Mickey HAS to start strong. Throw everything including the kitchen sink at them - well - maybe not, the computer monitor may not appreciate that. On the otherhand, you know damn well Pommy knows who is good on that CZ team and will be matching his best players up against the guys on CZ he thinks are the greatest threat. It doesn't matter the position that they play, they'll most likely be facing the same player. On CZ, you have Josh (midwestern_pool_champ), Alex (dryrape), Matt (stoned_on_420) and DK (canadianpoolking) that they'll be looking to to pick up key wins. Anything less then 3-1 from these four for will result in curtains on CZ's season. Sadly, 3-1 may not even be enough. Looking at CKP's roster, they have Matt (superstaaaar), Pommy, Pool Charlie, Cal (emocal), Joey (nevvf), Josh (paakee) and Don (i_dippinthewic_i). Pommy could play any of those players whenever he wants and he'd feel confident with whoever his choice was. In the end, this CKP team is just going to be too powerful to overcome, although, I don't think it'll be AS MUCH of a cake-walk as Cubby thinks.

The Prediction
CZ keep match close early, but CKP take last 2 games and win this baby 4-2. No upset here.

So we're down to 4 leagues... But how did we get there?

It all started Monday night when Straightshots beat Magic Pool in the opening match of this season's Playoffs. I for one, am still surprised. As shockingly bad as MagicPool has been in any interleague requiring cam for Playoffs, you had to at least figure if they didn't beat SS, they'd put up something that resembled a fight. They didn't, and got swept 4-0. I'm gonna stop short of calling Magic Pool an utter joke on cam, because unlike them, I have a season to look forward to and there are plenty others out there who can say as much and then some - I will however go as far as saying this is a league that will never, ever, EVER win a major interleague championship, at least in this "era," if you will.

Tuesday night, more 5 over 4 goodness. Lucky Shots gained a 3-0 lead, initially only having 5 players available, against United Pool. Michelle beat Ketan, Pete beat Ste after an almost laughable shot at the end for the United Pooler, and then Snow Queen beat Snooky_style... Who went on to imply something, when the only thing he should've implied was "damn, do I suck or what?" When you're relying on snooky, dandi, and aaron to try and bring your league back from a 2-0, 3-0, 3-1 deficit... You are not gonna win many matches. In the end, LS shut the door when Pascal blew a gimme, and canucklehead finished the job, LS wins 4-2. I know what King tried to do here. He tried to throw the house at LS and confuse them. But he got caught with his hand in the cookie jar and couldn't pull it out. As a Captain, you have to know who the other team has. He backed off when Ketan and Ste didn't get the job done. He should've kept trying to throw his best - Pascal and himself - at them. All LS is gonna have at the end is weak players. Just look at the stats if you need me to prove that. UP would still have a handful of weak players available, if LS didn't run out of players and time out first. Eventually canucklehead and wolf man showed up for their 6th and 7th players, but I'm very certain had King stuck to his guns, instead of changing his strategy, his team would've been playing on Thursday.

Wednesday night, more hilarity. 8Ball Runners had FOUR players. They also jumped out to a 3-1 lead over Cheap Shotz... Yeah, I know... "WTF?" 8BR would then time out and give CZ a 4-3 win. So that moves Cheap Shotz on to face Cue Keepers, who received a forfeit from Straight Shots on Thursday. After what I saw last week, let's just bypass the match and put CKP in the World Series, because right now they're playing a team in the AL Championship Match that doesn't even deserve to be there.

Also on Wednesday, the battle of the Legends - TPL and PL. Who would be the REAL True Pool Legends on this night? Well, the league called TPL of course. Without Koty, and with Travis losing, and without Sova even playing, True Pool Legends knocke dout PL 4-1. It was still a very good match, and one that could've shifted either way in almost all 5 games. TPL however stuck with what was working for them, they were definitely more aggressive than PL, and forced Jason & Darkinc, I think, into making decisions they didn't necessarily wanna deal with. That is your job as a visiting league, and you bet your ass they're gonna try to do the same to Kerry & Poolfiction next week.

Speaking of the National League's #1 seed, how did they fare against the possible Cinderellas of the NL? Well, they made LS look more like the 7 dwarves of the NL, referring to size, not awesomeness. A 4-1 win for PFN, trailing 0-1 but winning 4 straight, including 1 timeout when Eskimo Pete got disconnected after being forced to rerack a game due to an illegal break. LS played the match right, in my opinion, with what little they had available, but really it just wasn't their night. When Pete timed out, you kinda knew it was curtains. Simon came up in the right spot, Kerry put Jamie up and he 8-balled the not-so-Lucky Shot... and that, as they say, is that.

So next week, it's Cue Keepers and Poolfiction playing host to Cheap Shotz, and True Pool Legends, respectively. Both #1 seeds are still alive, and there's a #2 and #3 to go with them. I do think Poolfiction is the only league in all of MLP right now, that could give Cue Keepers a run for their money. Either way, I'm still picking CKP to take home Season 11, whether it's against PFN or TPL. Now all we can do is wait out the weekend, and get ready for another week of must-win matches.

Dazed will be along with predictions for said Conference Finals in a bit. Enjoy!