[Preds]

Frenzy Playoff Picture Beginnning to Emerge

The defending champion 8-5 Wonder Mutts have essentially clinched the Central Division this weekend. The Wonder Mutts have eliminated the 7-6 Jersey Toxic Waste and the Liquid Swords despite them both only being 1 game back. The Toxic Waste cannot win the division since they can do no better than 1-1 against the Mutts (with a win over them next week) and 3-3 in the division. The Mutts can do no worse than 4-2 in the division. So they knock out Jersey on the 2nd tiebreaker no matter what. As for the 7-6 Liquid Swords, they can finish no better than 8-6, and even if the Mutts lose and fall to 8-6, they lose out on the 3rd tie-breaker, which is points... the Mutts have an insurmountable 300+ point edge there.

The 10-3 Opihi have also clinched a berth in the post-season, despite losing for the 2nd time this year to the feisty 9-4 Parkwood Predators;who ended Hawaii's 9 game winning streak in the cold confines of snowy Buffalo. The Opihi can clinch the Eastern division and the #1 seed in the playoffs with a win next week or a Predator loss, however, if they somehow lose to the 2-11 Philadelphia Freedom, and the Preds win next week, the Predators will win the Eastern Division and the #1 seed.

Out West, it's still a jumbled mess and nothing is certain. We may have a better clue after tonights game. The 7-5 Insects are teetering on the edge of being eliminated, barring a huge game from Shaun Alexander and TE Jerremy Stevens. If the Insects fail to come up with 48+ points tonight, they will be elminated from post-season activities, and the Predators will clinch a berth, with the Western Division decided next week when the 7-5 Dodgers and 7-5 Squirrels face off with the winner in and the loser out. If the Insects do pull out the win, however, the division and possibly the wildcard will be totally up for grabs.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Freedom's loss to the 5-8 Undead has ensured that they will receive the #1 pick overall in the 2006 Rookie Draft. The only team that can equal their dismal 11 losses is the
3-10 Derby Cars, but seeing as the Freedom lost to SBDC earlier in the season, they have wrapped up the Reggie Bush derby. That means the Philadelphia Freedom can play spolier next week without affecting their draft position! If the Freedom can pull off an upset over the Opihi, they will potentially knock them down to a wild card (that is, if the Preds can win again next week). So even the last place team has something to play for next week!