Week 9 Preshow

Week 8 was a hell of a week. I did awful in predictions but I don't care too much about that. It was an awful week for the "stronger conference" being the Sun Conference. We won 1-7 games as a conference against the Moon Conference, With Oregon being the sole winner of that bunch. Fortunately, or not, the next week is another interconference week. So the Sun conference can try to come back and regain their their reputation.

As for games you should definitely watch. Santoro  and Emerson's battle for top spot obviously was the match of the week. It started out that way and it continued to be that through the week.  After literally hours of discussion of what to do about it, it was decided to give One player the chance to come back instead of taking a 3-3 loss. I seriously recommend checking out both sides of the video from their YouTube channels.  The battle had a lot of dynamics that may not be seen on first glance. I definitely would suggest keeping an eye on the match timer throughout the cartridge portion too. I might do a write up on just that match because you can hear the thought process from both sides. Which is partially inspiring me to give more of my live coms, despite having to go somewhere I can actually do them for every match.

The other big matches I would watch are the Kennesaw and Chicago matches. Both of them played fantastically this week, Nadia came in clutch at the end of the match with Arcanine getting 3 kills at the end all alone. And Stormy showed the utility she has built into the team with her twin-Ninetales. Chicago has come up from last season to already double their wins this season and can be a real terror to team build against. 

As for playoff picture, the conferences are fairly similar to last week due to the parity of the week.

Sun Conference:

1. Brooklyn (6-2, +11) - 0GB
2. New York (5-3, +10) - 1GB(has the tie breaker of head to head with BKN, IND)
3. Indianapolis (4-4, +6) - 2GB(has h2h against OHN, DD)
4. Ohio (4-4,±0) - 2GB(Has the tie breaker of h2h against AKR, NYC, DD)
5. Detroit Dracos (4-4, +2) - 2GB(has h2h against AKR)
6. Akron (4-4, +2) - 2GB(plays IND in week 10)
7. Oregon (3-5, -7) - 3GB
8. Detroit Lairons(0-8, -29) - 6GB(almost mathematically out of the playoffs)



Moon Conference:

1. East Sea (7-1, +13) - 0 GB (has only lost to DD)
2. Galesburg (6-2, +20) - 1 GB(has h2h over LAC)
3. Los Angeles (5-3, +6) - 2 GB(loses h2h tie against ESG and GBG, has h2h over CHI and KCK, plays ROC wk 10)
4. Kansas City (4-4, +2) - 3 GB(has h2h over ROC, plays CHI wk 10; ROC wk 12)
5. Chicago (4-4, -4) - 3GB(plays KCK then ROC wk 10->11)
6. Rochester (4-4, -7) - 3 GB(has h2h over GBG)
7. Philadelphia (2-6, -13) - 5 GB(has h2h over KEN)
8. Kennesaw (2-6, -12) - 5 GB(has h2h over CHI)




So as you can see there's still a huge cluster truck in the middle of each conference. Which means those week 12-14 matches are super important to everyone. Even to the Lairons. While they're chance of doing playoffs is dwindling, they can very much affect the playoffs for other teams.

Every. Game. Matters. Now.




Transactions:

After they hoopla that was the week 7 transactions, there were no where near as many but a good handful to point out. 

First off was Chicago dropping Mudsdale(T5) for Leafeon(T5)

I like this trade, partially because I said it was a good move when she asked me, but also because it gives even more sun threat and only drops redundancy from Landorus-T.


The other transaction was essentially a three way trade between Rochester, Kennesaw, and Detroit Lairons.  I don't know who put it in motion, but I like it. 

ROC gains Dragonium Z
DET gains Buginium Z
KEN gains Darkinium Z


Rochester gaining DragonZ is pretty interesting with Goodra and Mew being some of the more ideal targets.  Definitely more that Bug Z which was picked up for Volcarona probably originally.

Speaking of Volcarona with Buginium Z, that package is back together in Detroit. It's a good add for them. Dark was good  for Sharpedo but a little limiting. Volcarona with Bug Z is really nice.

Kennesaw getting Dark Z is a little limiting but could be used really well. Bisharp is the obvious use for it, but Arcanine or Tornadus-I can also utilize it pretty well. 




Week 9 Predictions:


Akron Alakazams (4-4,+2) V Galesburg Gliscors (6-2, +20)

Akron is coming off one of the first 6-0 losses he has had. He's also working with a team that was built more on theory than in practice. Galesburg however has 2 of the biggest offensive threats in the league in Mega Latios and Mimikyu. As of last week I will admit I wasn't fully sold on Niek's team, mostly due to being 3-2 in actual matches. But after watching his match against Ohio, I will say it's definitely one of the best teams in the league and going to be a major threat come playoff time.

Keys: Building for early through late game. Don't let any part suffer.


Prediction: Galesburg Wins (4-0).


Oregon Golducks (3-5, -7) V Philadelphia Braviarys (2-6, -13)


 The two new coaches playing each other. After this week I'll probably stop calling them new coaches. Both teams beat me pretty solidly 4-0. Both teams are pretty solid too. Prepping for the matches will be important part here. I think this will be one of the closest matches this week.

Keys:  Speed tiers. Make sure you know who is going to get attacks in when.

Prediction: Oregon wins (2-0). This one could really go either way super easily.




Brooklyn Bulbasaurs (6-2, +11) V Chicago Tauros (4-4, -4)


Brooklyn has lost two in a row. This is rare.  Take a picture. It might not happen again. In reality this isn't going to be an easy match for Brooklyn. Let's hope the Assistant Coach, Bulbasaur, comes up with a good plan for the early game.  Despite winning the very early game last week, the Bulbas were unable to solidify the mid game and late game. Where as Chicago has a lot of strength under weather now, and a ton of Eeveelutions. Well technically .086 US Tons (.078 Metric Tonnes). But who's counting? I guess me. Chicago isn't super consistent. But luckily that doesn't have to be a negative. 
Literally any of the Tauros' 11 can be brought any week and actually do work. 

Keys: Which Ninetales comes in? Or do either? Ice is good against BKN, but that means no sun. Team building around that will be a determining factor here.


Prediction: Brooklyn wins (2-0)



Detroit Dracos (4-4, +2) V Los Angeles Charjabugs (5-3, +6)


The Dracos are also on a two game losing streak. And this week is not going to be an easy one to break that.  Both teams are fairly offensive. LA has only lost to the top tier teams so far, except NYK.  I'm right on the verge of putting them in that tier level, but I feel like they're just a half step behind teams like GBG, BKN, and ESG. Which is fantastic place to be. 

Keys: Kyurem-Black and Koko have a lot of strengths against a lot of the Dracos. But they can be played around. On the other side, things like Swampert and Nihilego are fairly integral to the success of this match.

Prediction: LAC wins (4-0)




Ohio Ninetales (4-4, ± 0) V Kansas City Kingdras (4-4, +2)

Another one of the really good matches this week. Though I've been helping Kansas team build here, this is a really either way match. This could be another weather team in the making for the Ninetales(ironically). But this is going to be a match where Ohio seems to be in the favorable position. The issue with that, they don't tend to perform too well when they feel like they have an advantage. 


Keys: Know your threats, know your opponents. Don't lose yours before you take out theirs. 


Prediction: Ohio wins (2-0)




New York Klinks (5-3, +10) V Rochester Roggenrolas (4-4, -7)

New York is coming off of 2 losses in three weeks. But they seem to have most of the pattern back into play. The teams combine to only having three things not affected by terrain, Gyara and Rotom-W on the Klinks and Mantine on the Roggs. All Water types. Does this mean that the Ground weak Roggs are going to have a bit of an advantage with terrain up? Yeah no. It doesn't save them from Earth Power from Heatran or Mega Diancie. Can the poison and steel threats from the Roggs out do the Klinks fairy core?  Salazzle is one of Bulu's natural predators.

Keys: Do not over prep. Neither team has a distinct advantage so both teams can easily build against themselves.

Prediction: NYK wins (3-0) but again this one could flip fairly easily too.


Detroit Lairons (0-8, -29) V Kennesaw State Noctowls (2-6, -12)

This may seem like the opposite of the ESG/BKN match last week. But it definitely is not. Nadia has made some plays this past week, plus winning in at least two leagues. This could lead to the confidence to make a few weeks of solid play.  As for the Lairons. Just win one. You got this.  The things he'll catch with the new podcast might be very helpful coming up through the last weeks of the season.

Keys: Early game.  Get that advantage and push it through.

Prediction: I really want to give this one to Kennesaw but I also really want to push this to Detroit wins (3-0)



Indianapolis Ponytas (4-4, +6) V East Sea Gastrodons (7-1, +13)

This is my match of the week. I'm very biased. But it could be the best match of the week.  Indy has lost two in a row, but to new coaches.  But if there's any team that Pac knows best(besides his own) it's the Gastros.   This match will be really even throughout. The Gastros gave Hawlucha to the Ponytas for Lucario. Ironically both of those are huge threats against their(former) team.

Keys: Both teams are good, just make a plan and stick to it. DON'T TILT. Both teams struggle at that.

Prediction: East Sea wins (4-0)




That will be it for this edition of the preshow.  Definitely check out the MagneZone podcast. This should be a good working week for the league going into the end of the season.