FBL EDITORIALS

[Justin]

Nashville Venom

The Venom got rid of GM Krazy who...well is crazy and replaced him with the journeyman, GM Talon, who went from the Season 16 finals to sitting out Season 17 while he was on a soul searching mission.  That searching has landed him as Vick Viper's new team leader.  And I must say, GM Talon has improved this team greatly.

GM Talon has managed to assemble a backcourt of Will Kidd and Nick Vinyl and the two of them have the capability of being a deadly duo.  Kidd is only locked in for this season and I am sure GM Talon is going to have to pay him handsomely in free agency to keep him.  Lou Malone is at the small forward position and will provide a nice scoring punch, however I think he will struggle against some of the better defenders.  Also, word in the basketball world is that GM Talon didn't meet Nigel Falls contract negotiations to keep Malone in Nashville so that situation is worth keeping an eye on.  While other teams have yet to lock-in, it looks as though GM Talon may have hit the jackpot in drafting Eddie McHands to play the power forward position.  Scouts have been salivating over the BYU product and what he can do and how high his ceiling is.  GM Talon also did a great job drafting Sean Scott who he has slated to be the sixth man in Nashville and I think he can easily average 15 ppg for the team.  The rest of the bench however is nothing to write home about.  GM Talon has sacrificed depth on the bench for a stellar starting five and it will definitely be his Achilles heel and cost him to lose some close games.  Outside of Pablo Hurtado the rest of the bench, including Sean Scott, are all rookies and all young...three of them are straight out of high school.  Not sure if GM Talon has a long-term plan for these guys or it was an oversight by him.  Either way the Venom are going to struggle at times to find victories because of the bench.

Unfortunately for GM Talon his young and inexperienced bench may not be the worst of his problems.  He has assembled a coaching staff that...well...just isn't good.  The Venom will compete better than they did last year due to their starting five, but I find it hard to give them a fighting chance to make the playoffs given the bench and coaching staff. 

[Justin]

The last couple of days in the FBL Universe have been busy with a number of teams locking in for the new season.  I have to say, I've been around basketball for the better part of forty years covering the various leagues and I have to say that Season 18 of the FBL is probably the one season that I have looked forward to the most.  With that being said lets jump right into it.

Baton Rouge Riverbandits

GM Rob decided to leave the cold temperatures of Bismarck for the hot, muggy weather of Louisiana.  Not to mention he took Bobby Dane and Tre Majoe with him, which gutted the Jaguars roster.  However I don't believe grass will be greener on the other side for GM Rob with the dealings he has made.

The aforementioned Bobby Dane is a rising superstar and as of right now he is staying committed to GM Rob.  His backcourt mate is the German Dieter Schmidt who I believe can be a twenty-point scorer with Dane feeding him the ball.  GM Rob has inserted rookie Abdul Moussa who fell to him in the second round despite being graded a first round talent by most scouts.  I look for Moussa to play with a chip on his shoulder for being overlooked.  Justin Crane is penciled in at the power forward position....is that right?  Yep, word is Majoe wanted to test free agency so GM Rob made the wise decision to trade Majoe so that he could get something in return.  Only problem is I think he could have gotten better players than he did.  Crane is an average power forward that is not really good in any one thing.  Couple him with the big Russian Basra Rusak and you have yourself a not so flattering front court.  It only gets worse for the Riverbandits  given their bench.  The sixth man is Michael Olicha who is more defensive minded than offensive.  I look at the rest of the bench and have to wonder where the scoring is going to come from.  I don't think anyone of them is capable of scoring anymore than ten points in any one game.  With the likes of the Dragons, Waves, Bulldogs, and an improved Venom team I foresee the Riverbandits struggling mightily.  What's even worse is all but two of the players are locked in for multiple years and none of them are trade bait meaning GM Rob could possibly be stuck with essentially the same team for a couple of season.

The only saving grace is the above average coaching staff.  I'm a big fan of Mark Black and his coaching  abilities.  I believe he will get the very best out of his team, unfortunately it won't nearly enough.

Hollywood Stars

GM Jen went from Season 16 FBL Champion to not making the playoffs in Season 17.  And with an owner like Delvichio that can only mean one thing.....trouble.  The championship has bought Jen some time, but I believe she has to make a serious run in the playoffs to keep her job.

I believe she has put together a team that can do just that.  Her starting five is outstanding with super point guard Rhys Mitchell as the floor general coupled with KC Monroe who I believe will be a rookie sensation.  GM Jen somehow finds a way to leverage her assets to land herself at the top of the draft and produce guys like Monroe and Alton Preps.  She traded away Ja'frese Mack and replaced him in the lineup with Eddie Hughes who is the loan weak link in the starting five.  The aforementioned Alton Preps holds down the power forward position and I believe is primed for a big time season.  His frontcourt mate is Manhattan Jones who GM Jen was able to wrestle away from GM TJ and the Glaciers.  The Hollywood bench doesn't have anyone exciting, but it is solid all the way around.  Shannon Ford is the sixth man and is accompanied by decent ball players such as Clappy Swan and the rookie Mundi Jara might just warrant some huge minutes off the bench once the season is in full swing.  The one thing that I must make mention of is I believe GM Jen has gone all in with the starting five and while her bench will mostly like be one of the betters one in the league, I don't believe she has given herself enough scoring to win a championship.  But I do believe she has a strong chance to make the conference finals.

The Hollywood coaching staff is one of the better ones in the league and with the level of talent in the starting five it will be enough to save GM Jen's job.  This will be a high scoring team that will be fun to watch.

Roswell Aliens

GM Steven turned his Babic fiasco into Scott Cunningham, but then was informed Cunningham wasn't going to play in such a small market and sent the FBL scoring champ to the Super League.  The roller coaster offseason has produced a team that will compete more than they have in the past.  And luckily for GM Steven he has an owner that doesn't really give a shit about basketball and if the team wins or not.

The veteran scoring first point guard Tim McDonald finds himself back in the FBL and ready to do what he does best...score.  It will be worth keeping an eye on the dynamic between him and rookie Roy Rollins who also is a shoot first guy.  There might not be enough shots to go around, but time will tell.  Heinz Gratz is penciled in as the starting small forward, but I believe he will struggle against quicker opponents as he is more of a natural power forward.  The veteran and captain Chris Jones is still a very good power forward and will form a formidable duo with Ronald Dekker.    Kev Sanders will be the sixth man and he has proven himself to be a serviceable guy off the bench.  According to scouts that I have spoken to, rookie Bud Light should be a nice spark off the bench.  The rest of the team is filled with average guys who can compete.  As I study the roster I think one advantage the Aliens will have is their size.  They have three players over seven feet tall and have others with some long length.  This will serve them well on the defensive side of the ball. 

The aliens lack a big time name on the roster, but I believe they have a good enough coaching staff that they will be a very competitive team who will put together a very good season for Aliens standards.

[Justin]

I have decided to take a break from watching Season 3 of the House of Cards so I will not be categorized as a binge watcher...the stigma is almost as bad as a binge drinker.  So I am bringing you some more analysis that you didn't ask for.

Mississippi Steamers

The Colonel has entrusted his organization to rookie GM Adam Wrong.  When GM Zeus left he took JC McKnight and Dex Wilson with him, but I think The Colonel can be pleased with the steps GM Wrong has taken to rebuild the foundation of the Steamers and his efforts to make them a contender.  While I believe they will not make the playoffs this season they will have a much better season and have something to look forward to in the future.

Replacing McKnight is veteran point guard Robbie Wright, though on the backside of his career, will provide strong leadership.  Replacing Wilson is another veteran of the FBL in Swoop McCarthy who has also been tabbed captain.  If I were GM Wrong I would have went with Wright as captain, but then again I'm not paid the big bucks to make those decisions and that's why I am sitting behind my computer writing this.  Marques Ball has been brought in at the small forward position and I think he should be nothing more than a placeholder until an upgrade can be made after the season.  The power forward position is manned by Armin Otto, a young rookie that many scouts believe will develop into a solid starter for years to come.  It will be in GM Wrong's best interests to make sure he keeps Otto locked up for a long time.  The monster Druzen Krakovic has been brought in to anchor the middle.  I like this move because it brings a little bit of an edge that the Steamers have been lacking for some time now.  Cheech Ramon has been brought in and named the sixth man.  From what I've heard from my contacts I believe he will be a great distributor off the bench and might just end up the stater by seasons end.  The rest of the bench are a bunch of unprovens and they are young.  While this will be a handicap for the Steamers, it will give the organization the chance to groom them for everyone knows this is a rebuilding year for the team.  I believe GM Wrong has one too many guards on the team and probably could use another big man on the bench, but the advantage to playing smaller is you can run up and down the floor against bigger teams. 

As I said before, I don't see the Steamers making the playoffs, but I do believe with the coaching staff they have in place with Fon LaBeuf, Ron Greenhorn, and Norman Specks that they will definitely build a strong foundation for the future.  Also, GM Wrong has put himself in good position in terms of salary cap which will give him ample money to spend during free agency.

Kentucky Hayseeds

I believe it is safe to say that Season 17 was a disappointment for GM Hondo, aka King Trape, and the Hayseeds.  And after the offseason they had I am going out on a limb and saying that Season 18 might be an even bigger disappointment.

The first problem is that GM Hondo didn't trape anybody, leaving himself with a couple of subpar players instead of superstars.  Furthermore, GM Hondo traded away Nick Vinyl and replaced him with a defensive minded, aging Dennis Reigns.  Rumor is that Coach Frazier wasn't too keen on Vinyl creating a reason for the ouster.  Chris Watson is a very good point guard and will continue to get better, but I believe he is going to have a frustrating year.  As I mentioned, Reigns is a defensive guy and small forward Cameron Hull isn't exactly someone who can light up the scoreboard.  James Grant is as good as power forward as there is in the FBL and the scoring load is going to fall in his big, broad shoulders.  The rebounding machine Crander returns, but he too is getting old and I'm not sure how effective he can be in a 28 game season.  To make matters worse the bench that GM Hondo has assembled is going to be hard pressed to put up points as well.  Brad Schmidt is the appointed sixth man, which I'm not sure is the best choice.  Four rookies and two aging players make up the rest of the bench.  From my vantage point, the Hayseeds are going to be in for a long season and will struggle more than ever.

I also have a concern over the coaching staff.  GoGo Frazier was mired in some personal issues last season and there is no proof that those issues are behind him and his mind is 100% on basketball.  Stelios has proven to be nothing more than mediocre at best.  The lone bright spot is Freddie Bishop who has signed on to be the youth coach.  I believe he has a bright future as a coach and it won't be long before we see him replace GoGo. 

After an extensive talk with myself, I am going to make the bold prediction that the Kentucky Hayseeds will miss the playoffs this season.

Pittsburgh Blades

Another impressive regular season, another playoff let down for GM Libre, Pancho, Bridesmaid, or whatever he is calling himself these days and the Blades.  The loss to the Dragons in the conference finals still has to sting and eat at the GM.  GM Libre has made some interesting offseason moves to try and finally get his team over the hump.

The point guard duties now belong to Kirk Drury who is on a modest one year contract for $6 million.  I believe this is going to be an audition for him to see if the Blades want to make him the point guard of the future.  GM Libre traded away Bedwell Brown after he made it known that he did not believe in the coaching staff and replaced him with rookie Matt Crown.  From my sources, many believe Crown is a great shooter and will definitely help put points on the board.  Michael Barnes, the team captain, mans the small forward position and on a healthy contract I might add.  The perennial all star, Leon Dreams remains at power forward and is joined in the frontcourt by Jason Howard.  Between Dreams and Howard I am not sure there will be enough rebounds to be had by the opposition.  I applaud the audition of Sacri DiArmigo as sixth man and will go ahead and announce that he is my front runner for sixth man of the year.  I also believe that GM Libre has amassed the best lineup from players 1-6.  My humble opinion is that he has put all his eggs in one basket, the one that is loaded 1-6, with the rest of the team nothing to write home about.  The issue I have with this is that Season 18 starts the newly created 28 game schedule which puts emphasis on the need for depth.  And after DiArmigo I'm not sure the depth is quite there to win a championship.  If one the Blades starters go down I don't see anyone on the bench outside of the aforementioned DiArmigo that is capable of stepping up and being a productive starter.  They are too young and barely have any FBL experience. 

To further compound the issue, I don't think the Blades coaching staff is capable of leading their team to the FBL Championship.  Ollie Stambola has proven that the big stage gets the best of him and Micah Grey is quickly coaching himself out of a job.  Luckily for GM Libre, this is Grey's last year on his contract.  Then there is the addition of Mark Brown has youth coach and we all know Mark Brown is nothing more than a one big ass distraction.  The Blades are uber talented through their sixth man and I think they could make it back to the conference finals, but no farther.

Morgantown Flyers

I give credit where credit is due and I have to give a big hand to GM Cory for turning the Flyers into a playoff team so quickly.  If it weren't for Fletcher getting injured there is no telling what would have happened.

I am going to compare the Flyers to the Blades in the sense that their top six players are going to be very good, but after that there is a steep falloff.  Jerry Price is a fantastic point guard who will have plenty of assist options and he is on a cheap contract.  Toni Mertz provides nice length at the shooting guard position and will have a productive year.  Their best scoring option, Steve Fletcher will be back from injury and prove that he is back and better than ever.  He is one of the better pure shooters in the FBL currently.  GM Cory did a fantastic job of adding Mark Johnson at the power forward position to help anchor the lane alongside captain Jordan Smith.  This is a fantastic starting five that is going to put a beat down on their foes.  What is even better for GM Cory is there is nobody on the starting five older than 23!!  He has the chance to keep these guys together for a long time and can very easily make the Flyers into a championship team in three more seasons. Rookie Vinchenzo Alto has been tabbed as sixth man and looks to be a jack of all trades type player.  My only concern with him is that he might be more of a passer instead of a scorer.  After Alto the falloff is monumental.  There is no FBL experience to speak of with the rest of the roster and there is even one sitting in prison and won't be released until after week 4.  I'm not sure what GM Cory was thinking when he signed J'bone Jones, but maybe his coaches know something we don't.  It will be fun to watch the starters of the Flyers and Blades go at it, but once the subs come in you might as well change the channel.

Mark Wheeler is back at the helm alongside Peter Reeves and player coach Zima Sangson.  There are no big names on the staff, but they are competent.  The issue GM Cory is going to have is that Wheeler has two more years on his contract and I don't think he is the guy that is best suited to lead their young, star studded starting five.  I think these next two seasons are going to be a waste for the Flyers because I don't believe they can win with Wheeler as head coach.

[Justin]

Las Vegas Aces

GM Blade was so close to winning his second FBL Championship in Season 17, but came up just short.  He looks to rebound this season and take another crack at it.  He has the starting five to do it with the best point guard in the league in Flo Payton.  He went ahead and locked up his star player for another six years at the maximum $25 million per season which barring a trade guarantees that Payton will retire an Ace.  Clarence Marx had a great return to the FBL last season and makes the backcourt of he and Payton the best in the FBL.  A rapper in the offseason and an athletic wingman during the season, Wilk Smith returns to the team with a new contract as well.  His athleticism and length cause problems for the opposing defenders.  The large frontcourt of Ronnie Stanza and Cal Roberts look to dominate the paint once again.  Stanza is in the last year of his contract and will most likely look to sign a two year deal to come off the bench before he retires.  The starting five for the Aces are loaded, but the one glaring issue is they have an astounding $81 million tied up in the starting five salaries!  That leaves only $19 million for the remaining seven players on the team and unfortunately for GM Blade, it shows.  The rookie from South Carolina, Taylor Devon is slated as the sixth man, but I predict Shades O'Neal will take over that spot before seasons end.  I think the rookie has a chance to groom into a formidable sixth man and potential starter, but GM Blade might not be able to keep him after this season with all of the salary he has tied up.  The rest of the roster is a rag tag group that will find it very hard to put points on the board.  I think the Aces have a good chance as any to win the championship with their top seven players, but with a 28 game season it will take more than the seven.

Maurice Mays and Domingo Robinson returned and have proven they are an effective coaching tandem and can coach at the highest level.  I'm not ready to make a prediction on who will win the FBL Championship, but I think the Blades can make it back to the championship series.

Puerto Rico Waves

Rattle Lee, Redford Shack, Scottie Fletcher, JJ Rogers, Troy Marshall, Deshawn Drummond, and Scott Cunningham.  These are all the superstars that have donned a Waves jersey during GM Justin's tenure.  But the Season 18 Waves roster does not have a big name superstar for the first in GM Justin's history as general manager.  He is sure to catch flak from trading away Scott Cunningham and it will be interesting to see what kind of bearing that will have on his job status.  The starting five has a complete new look from last season starting with Heath McCain taking over the starting point guard role for the departed Bobby Chang.  The Australian is teamed with backcourt mate Marbles Kutt who has proven that he can be a 20 point scorer.  GM Justin traded for Detron Gains who is fresh off an FBL Championship with the divisional rival Dragons.  Gains brings that championship experience and could very well have a breakout season scoring the ball.  According to some scouts GM Justin could have potentially found a gold mine with Michael George falling to him at #24 in the first round of the draft.  Those scouts have compared George to a young, raw Deshawn Drummond.  And with Coach Maluka as the assistant George can really be groomed into a dominant big man for years to come.    Second year center Barry Sampson was acquired in a trade with the Hayseeds had as supplanted Slum Cotcha as the starting center.  This is an above average starting five that has a little bit of everything in terms of passing, scoring, rebounding, and defense.  The bench is led by perennial sixth man and new team captain Larry Hardaway.  This will be Hardaway's eleventh season in the league and he has some miles on his body, but GM Justin knows what he will get from Hardaway on a nightly basis.  The aforementioned Cotcha moves to the bench, but it could work out well as it gives him more time to develop and gives the Waves a physical presence off the bench.  Veteran point guard Greg Dawn has been added and should fit in nicely with Coach McLoo's new rotation guard preference.  The big story from the bench is rookie Oki Ogunya who could be the next defensive stalwart to hit the FBL. 

Coaches McLoo, Maluka, and Weasel inherit a team built around depth.  They lack a superstar, but McLoo and Maluka could very well be the best coaching tandem in the league alongside Xavier Mogo and Tuffy Reid.  The Waves will make the playoffs and I think can at least make the conference finals.

Anchorage Glaciers

GM Soul remains at the helm for the Anchorage Glaciers minus big man Manhattan Jones, however I believe they will be okay without him.  His replacement is the rookie Tar Heel, Jayden Doyle who many believe will be a top talent.  He is joined in the paint by veteran big man Mack Ryan who is also the team's captain.  GM Soul has named rookie Jonny Stones as the starting wingman, but I believe he is going to be the weak link in the group.  I don't feel he is ready to start right away.  The backcourt is consists of Doyle's former Tar Heel teammate Dan Hill and the still improving Cordela who has been equipped with a brand new contract.  He's only 21 years old and should develop into a premiere point guard in the years to come.  GM Soul has put together a good, solid starting squad that will be able to compete at a very high level.  Sixth man Sam Fierce leads the bench alongside the super tall Sterling Ba.  I like the idea of Ba coming off the bench as he gives the Glaciers an advantage at the center position.  The rest of the roster is nothing flashy, but they aren't terrible either. 

I think the coaching staff needs some improving.  Soul Johnson did a good job last season and is rising in the coaching ranks but the same can't be said for Miles Wakefield.  Luckily for GM Soul he is in the last year of his contract which gives GM Soul the chance to upgrade in the offseason.  I like this Glaciers team and think they will make the playoffs, losing in the divisional championship.

[Justin]

An avid reader of my column, one of the only fourteen that I have, pointed an error I made in my review of the Baton Rouge Riverbandits.  I said Moussa would have a chip on his shoulder for being drafted in the second round when in reality he was the second pick!  I apologize, I'm 78 old, senile, and my hemorrhoids get dry as shit and irritate my butthole.  Anyways, we have a bunch more teams to dissect so lets get to it.

Boise Spuds

Once again GM Metro stockpiled draft picks and turned them into other assets all the while putting together a very dangerous starting unit.  Chris Williams is in his second year and looks to build on a solid rookie season.  He will be one of the point guards of the future and he has a great supporting cast to help him shine.  Part of that cast is the former MVP Malcolm Hayes who can absolutely put the ball through the basket.  Hayes is one of my favorite players to watch and I look for him to have another great season.  It should be of note that Hayes is on the last deal of his contract and from what I'm hearing there is no guarantee of him returning unless the Spuds turn the corner this season and make noise in the playoffs  The Spuds welcome Dru Moore at the small forward position and gives them another scoring option with a high ceiling.  Chance Peterson had a fantastic rookie season and is going to bud into a force to be reckoned with for years to come.  Someway, somehow GM Metro ended up signing rookie Jim Wales to start at center after he was drafted and three or four other teams tried to sign the big man from Texas but failed.  He will be a great fit alongside Peterson to form a formidable frontcourt for years to come.  This is a starting five that is going to score a lot...and I mean a lot of points.  They are going to be fun to watch.  Corky Cast is penciled in as the sixth man, though I'm not sure he is the right fit for that role.  Only problem with that is the Spuds really don't have anyone else capable of filling that role.  The closest they have is Andy Dawson, but I wouldn't trust him in that important role.  The bench as a whole is okay, but I just don't see someone that can keep the scoring going once they enter the game.  It should also be pointed out that GM Metro has a very young team that he can develop into a potential title contender. 

Speaking of title contender, he has a championship winning coaching staff.  Coach Conrod Class will get the offseason to implement his system and really get this team on the same page.  I think the Spuds make a big splash this season and have a chance to go to the conference finals.

Jacksonville Juice

Another season, another new team that has decided to hire GM Death.  The nomadic GM Death finds himself in the sunny city of Jacksonville, Florida.  I know he's been tasked with building the franchise and I think he has done a fairly decent job of laying the foundation in Season 18.  The Michigan Wolverine product Drew Miller not only will start at point guard as a rookie, but has also been named team captain.  I applaud GM Death's testicular fortitude for putting his faith in the rookie, but I think the captain role should have been designated for Ecko Walls.  Another rookie occupies the starting shooting guard position in the form of Kris Jordan.  It is a very young backcourt and while I wouldn't trust two rookies to man mine, I do think they have the potential to grow together.  Some guy named Bjarne Bergson will start at the small forward position. I will wager that he won't be starting by the all-star break.  The college intern that I work to the bones as my statistician tells me that Shakers Lee has been in the league for ten years...is it just me or does it seem much longer than that?!  And some things never change...he's making $17 million this season!!  Shakers Lee has been overpaid ever since he left the Waves.  I don't know why GMs continue to pay his ugly salary.  Another aging veteran will bang in the paint and block a ton of shots.  The Hoya, Ecko Walls is slated as the starting center.  He is a big time defensive presence and just might take some pressure off of Shakers so he can try and actually earn some of that $17 million.  The bench is better than some of the others in the league though Aliaster Payne as the sixth man is a terrible choice.  He will be replaced before you know it. This is a super young bench with four rookies in the mix.  the team overall has six rookies which is a lot!  The Juice won't win a lot of games, but they will compete and build some confidence for the future.

GM Death hired a solid head coach in Nezra Borgavich, but in good ole' GM Death fashion he overpaid the man.  He is definitely not worth $16 million. 

Tampa Bay Dragons

First and foremost, I want to congratulate GM Rebel for winning the Season 17 FBL Championship.  His team experienced some highs and lows, but they stayed the course and believed in their system and it all worked out in the end.  Despite winning the championship GM Rebel was very active in the offseason.  JR George returns at the point guard position and looks to improve on his very productive Season 17.  He is joined in the backcourt rookie Jungen Hiltz, who though is a rookie is an upgrade from Bernie Bells. Last year's sixth man, Merl Voosten moves up to the starting small forward position.  The question now will be whether or not his conditioning will be where it needs to be to handle the extra minutes.  Preston Fuller is other returning member from the starting five and has already inked a huge contract extension that starts in Season 19 and will pay him the maximum salary.  That is a lot to live up to, but I believe he has the talent and the tools to be the best power forward for the next 4-5 seasons.  Benk Umbako replaces the great Blue Reed and has some big shoes to fill.  He is mainly a defensive presence and If I were GM Rebel I would be slightly concerned about his age and conditioning.  Sixth man Tulip Krandle was obtained in a trade that sent Detron Gains to the Waves.  I actually like the trade and the fact that he is slated to be the sixth man.  I believe GM Rebel will get great production out of Krandle and he could possibly compete for sixth man of the year.  The rest of the bench is made of two veterans and four rookies.  Bill Plumper's high salary demands allowed GM Rebel to scoop him up and he should be add some scoring off the bench.  Outside of Plumper and Krandle I don't know where the scoring will come from but there will be plenty of defense.  I'm not ready to say that the Dragons will repeat as champs, but they might just find themselves in the finals once again.  My only apprehension is the lack of experience with five rookies.

Red Mason and Todd Baker just proved they can win a championship and are poised to make another serious run in Season 18.  I also love the addition of Clint Danberry as youth coach.  This is going to be a very dangerous team that I would not want to play.

[Justin]

Honolulu Volcanoes

I'm beginning to believe that GM Bone just doesn't get it.  Ever since he won the FBL Championship he has built a monstrous starting five and has neglected his bench and I believe that is the only reason why he hasn't won multiple championships in Honolulu.  Once again his starting five is as solid as they come, albeit a little older.  Kenka Sai flourishes with the Volcanoes because he doesn't have to do much other than just play his game.  His running mate in the backcourt is team captain Reggie Jones who at 29 is still one of the better shooting guards in the league and is a tough match up for any defense.  With two years left on his contract my guess is he finishes them out and the resigns for another year or two as the sixth man.  This would be an ideal situation in my opinion.  Rajak Vle is a super value at only $7 million a season.  He has proven to be a very effective player despite being undersized at the power forward position.  However, he is now slated as the starting small forward and while he has ideal size he doesn't have ideal speed nor does he have a good enough shot to be effective on offense.  His move to small forward is due to the addition of Cabbidan Falls who entered the league with great promise, but it hasn't quite panned out as he had hoped.  However, he has the perfect mentor in Creed Jackson to help improve his game and at $12 million a year can be another great value should he step up his game.  Speaking of Creed Jackson...well honestly there is nothing really to say.  His play speaks for itself and he has possibly surpassed Redford Shack as the best big man to ever play in the FBL.  I like Paul Malroy as sixth man, but his $3 million a year will significantly increase after this season which will leave GM Bone with some tough decisions before Season 19.  After Malroy the rest of the bench is below average.  I'm also inclined to say there is no real talent worth developing either.  Once again GM Bone has handicapped his team with a subpar bench.

Coaches Rattle Lee and Yuri Kozlo work well together and have at times gotten their team to overachieve.  But with the severe lack of depth on the bench I don't see that happening this season.

Bismark Jaguars

GM Flins had a great thing going in San Diego, but was let go because he disappeared.  Well he has resurfaced in Bismark and even though Bobby Dane and Tre Majoe are gone, GM Flins has put together a very respectable team starting with rookie sensation Crew Stevens out of LSU.  According to scouts they believe he will be more of a score first point guard, but I think that will work with this Jaguars team.  Kennedy Frazier is not a starter in my book, but I understand the decision GM Flins made.  The veteran Bolak Huir is the starting small forward, but I believe at his age he would be better coming off the bench.  Majoe has been replaced with Andy Wallace who is good big man and will continue to get better which gives the Jaguars much to be happy about.  Rik Kluff, though slightly overpaid, will bring experience to the frontcourt and is a walking double-double.  The bench, headlined by Michael Watchen, is a ragtag group, but they are a solid group.  They have good size and athleticism and will help the team more than hurt it.  From top to bottom this will be a competitive team and I believe GM Flins has what it takes to continue to improve this team in the future and will make them a playoff contender in another season or two.

In order to make the Jaguars a playoff contender I believe he needs to not resign head coach Mike Lee.    I just don't believe he is the man that can get the most of this team.  With a foundation of Crew Stevens and Andy Wallace, GM Flins should go after a high profile coach that can elevate the team around these two cornerstones.

[Justin]

Boston Bells

Is it me or does the Boston Bells franchise seemed straddle with bad luck year after year once GM Bone was accused of being a terrorist?  It is team with rich history and tradition, so hopefully they will be able to turn it around and GM Mike Powers has yet to do that.  However, I will say that he is making steps in the right direction, albeit baby steps.  Powers has changed the look of this team starting at the point guard position with him bringing in longtime Scott Cunningham sidekick Bobby Chang.  Chang is good, solid veteran point guard that will definitely be a big help to this team in terms of leadership and keeping the offense on track.  My only gripe is the $13 million salary he will be receiving over the next four years.  I believe it is too much and after a couple of years the contract becomes wasted money and nobody will want to trade for that contract.  The all-defensive Rolocop aka Kolo Rolo needs no formal introduction.  The man is a defensive maestro and can shut down the best scorers in the league.  The Bells can have a bright future with DeQuin Wright and Clyde Baker.  These are two young guys with superstar potential.  GM Powers has a great foundation with these two he just needs to find a way to build a better supporting cast around them in the future.  Look for Wright to be a scoring machine and Baker to just be a match-up nightmare for any and everybody.  Sixth man, CC Ale  has proven he is a legit sixth man in this league and his FBL experience will also help the rest of his bench mates.  I like the versatility of Mensal Tham and the athleticism he brings off the bench. Like most other teams the falloff of the quality of bench players begins and when you look at the underwhelming list of guys you have to wonder what was GM Powers plan.  I mean he has a player damn near 40 on his team! Luckily for GM Powers he has assembled a very good starting five that will help keep the competitive in games, but they will lose their fair share because of that bench.

To compound the issue I am not impressed at all with the coaching staff.  Hector Herrera should not be a head coach and even though his $13 million salary is cheap among the other head coaching salaries around the league, he is still overpaid.  I'm going to go ahead and say it, but Tony Luco does not need to be coaching.  He is an underachieving assistant that adds no value whatsoever.  The Bells best coach might just be Kadeon Apollo and he is their youth coach.  GM Powers is going to have an up and down season that I believe will either see him leave for another organization or he will be fired.

Reno Shooters

GM Hannibal was doing a decent job with the Shooters before he disappeared.  Not sure what happened to the fella but there is no telling when you're in the desert.  So out with Hannibal and insert GM Jag who makes his return to the FBL.  Upon his return GM Jag has done what some other GMs have done...assembled a very good starting five, but filled out the rest of his roster with...well...not so good players.  The veteran Wash Owens will run the offense and Owens has proved he can play in this league.  The defensive specialist Konda Plains is in the backcourt with Owens, but everyone should keep an eye on this dynamic because it was just a season ago that Konda said he did not want to play for Reno and was soon traded away.  Will he refuse to play?  Only time will tell.  Tomica Novak is more of a natural power forward, but GM Jag has him slated to be the starting small forward.  His size will help him, but it will also hinder him.  I don't believe he is quite fast enough to guard some of the other wing players in the league and I haven't watched enough film on him to tell whether or not he has a credible jump shot.  I am intrigued by this move from GM Jag and will be watching to see how it works out.    Another young player, James Miller will play on the block and the youngster from UCLA is a budding star.  He has the tools to be really special in this league.  The problem for GM Jag is how much is it going to cost him to keep Miller who is on the last year of his contract.  I imagine he will be a hot commodity in free agency should GM Jag let him get that far.  Tony Laguana is a serviceable center, though I think he is a little on the thin side and will get manhandled by bigger guys.  I like the addition of Mads Elborg as the sixth man, especially for the size of his contract.  I don't think the team misses a beat when he's in the game and could potentially compete for the starting spot before the season is over.  Names such as Moobs McGee, Jacob Cornbread, and Amos Hole reside on the bench and honestly I need to say no more.

GM Jag has a solid coaching staff in Ray Johnson and his old friend Corbin Dallas.  Ray is on the last year of his contract and I imagine will want a handsome raise from the lowly $10 million he will be making this season.  GM Jag has some good pieces if he can keep them together.  But in order for Reno to really make the jump to the next level they are going to have to rejuvenate their bench.

Tempe Flyingsquirrels

The Flyingsquirrels have decided to hedge their future on rookie GM Tommy.  Ever since joining the league Tempe has been on a roller coaster ride, but I think GM Tommy has brought some stability to an organization that badly needs it.  My sources are telling me that Kezam Lane is possibly a relative of FBL star Pebbles Lane, possibly being his long lost brother.  The details on their relationship are still being uncovered, but if they are really brothers and Kezam possesses the same type of talent Pebbles does then GM Tommy might just have a hidden gem on his hands.  Mark Darren and Money Cole occupy the wing spots and while neither man is great they are both solid players that will produce.  Only problem is they both have indicated they want to test free agency.  Whether that means they won't to leave Tempe outright or to see what they can fetch on the open market remains to be seen, but either way GM Tommy is no doubt going to have a close eye on both men and their free agency status.  The frontcourt is anchored by Thomas Powell and Buck Fisher.  Though Powell is overpaid, I believe he and Fisher will work well together and will actually be a formidable presence in the paint.  I believe these two will turn in a very good season together.  Fisher is also testing free agency so hopefully he and Powell can form a bond which help GM Tommy keep him in a Tempe uniform for years to come.  There is nothing splashy from the bench and sixth man Dan Hornsby is a young unknown commodity still, but overall it is not a bad group of guys.  The glaring issue is that the bench is guard heavy with Hornsby being the only real big man.  Not sure if this was a rookie mistake by GM Tommy or if it is all part of his plan.  Either way, it will prove to be tough on Powell and Fisher late in games when both men are gassed because they don't have anybody to spell them throughout the game.

Sven Morgason and Harry Mayhew are good coaches, but nothing more than that.  Mayhew is on the last year of his contract and I don't foresee GM Tommy resigning him, instead opting to find a better replacement.  This Tempe team won't make the playoffs, but they will compete and win a few games.  Free agency is going to be key for GM Tommy and his future plans of building this team.

[The TeeJ of Philly]

Yup, it's true, I am the one who snapped those pictures of Bokko and Gogo, or GoKo, for TMDeez. You're welcome America. And now back to my day job, Bruno Soulson, writer ordinaire.  And I', back for the Season 18 preview.  Like last night, 100 percent, certain to happen* with award preditions, Box Score Player and the BS of the year. Let's start in the East.

* - CARD SUBJECT TO CHANGE

EASTER N PLAYOFF TEAMS

NORTH EAST

Pittsburgh Blades
If you were like me this offseason, you sat around watching TV, with some "MISSING" alerts for some people who look a lot like Jose Ramon and Sasso,  and watched as Pittsburgh made a couple moves that made you want to lock yourself in a bathroom with lotion and that roster. Or not, but you know what I mean. The additions of Kirk Drury and Jason Howard certainly made this team a bit older than it was going into the offseason, but Drury, most importantly, gives this team a point guard it can trust, for the first time since Champ Martin's last good year. Drury will certainly help keeping Bobby Chang, Chris Watson, and JC McKnight in check. Matt Crown can't do worse than Bedwell Brown, not that Bedwell was bad, but the 2 spot in Pittsburgh could have used an upgrade. Barnes, Dreams, Howard are quite the front court and should do well in carrying this team. SPOILER ALERT: Sacri DiArmigio is going to win Sixth Man of the year, but more on that later. And the rest of the bench is solid, but not as solid as it was going into the offseason

Champaign Naturals
Consider me the driver of this bandwagon. Champaign may have the best coaching in the division and great coaching can make above average talent play like all-stars, Champaign may go nine deep better than any team in the league. I'm unsure about Joe Howley, maybe the move to his natural position of power forward will help. GRANGER DANGER! The Naturals are going to shock everyone but me.

Portsmouth Defenders
There's a case that any of the remaining team in the division can make this final spot, but Portsmouth is the best team of the bunch. My concern over Bernie Class' inexperience as a coach was the only reason I listened to those cases. TRI-FLY meets their match against Conky, Monty, and Kai. The Hayseeds may be the most average team they've ever had and Gogo is splitting time between game-planning and planning getaways with Bokko. Providence's best chance at making the playoffs is this year,  but their coaching is a mess that is only overshadowed by the mediocre bench. Boston's got a lot of talent but so much of it is new to the team and new to each other that they'll need time to get adjusted to each other. And Virginia....uhhhh yeah.

REST OF THE DIVISION
- Like I said, Providence has the best to make me wrong, I really like Dom Ash and the combo of Griffin and Rogers will have a lot of scoring. Juice is prepped to make the jump as one of the best centers in the game and Brett Thomas will enjoy a change from Montana, but that bench, man it's bad outside of Bob Lennon.

- Kentucky is average outside of Watson and Grant, but GM Hondo has rested on his laurels so long, he's forgotten how to GM, if he ever knew how to other than finding the best team and getting the job. Gogo Fraizer is still a talented coach, but he's apparently a talented lover of Bokko too. Stelios may not be the coach we thought he'd be, and Freddie Bishop is new to this too. This might be the year that lands GM Hondo on the hot seat going into the next season.

- Morgantown gets Steve Fletcher back and I think Mark Wheeler is the right guy for the job. This team is young and still growing, just like Wheeler. The issue is GM Cory, it's about that time he hits the "BLOW UP TEAM" button this season and with a convicted pig lover, not be confused with a Bokko lover. If he doesn't blow up the team, I expect Steve Fletcher to get back into form by the midseason but this team barely goes six deep and that hurts.

- Boston is a lot different from last year. Past seasons show, teams that have a lot of change over take time to get it together. Bobby Chang is old, talented but old. Kolo Rolo is still talented and I love the combo of Clyde Baker and Roger Heinmann, but this may be the worst coaching staff in the division and that's going to hurt this talented team.

- Virginia has half of it's payroll in McKnight and Wilson,  and if Mississippi showed, that's not enough to contend in the South East, and that's the easiest division in the league. It certainly won't in the North. I like Dee Ford, but I'm not sold on Ricky Sanders, I feel he's better suited as a bench player. GM Zues' time in Virginia may be short.

[size= 5]SOUTH EAST[/size]

TAMPA  BAY DRAGONS
The reigning champions didn't not suffer any losses will be without Bernie Bells this season, but JR George is only getting better and GM Rebel feels Jungen Hiltz is a serviceable replacement. Merl Vootsen move from sixth man to starting SF, replacing Detron Geins, who never really got any better in Tampa. Chance Peterson doesn't need to be explained and I already explained Benk Umbako last year in my free agent article, I like this team, I really like this coaching, and I like the division they are in. Tampa repeats as division champs, league champs remains to be seen.

GREENVILLE BULLDOGS
This team is a much different team than last year's. Last year they won by shutting you down, but it failed. This year, they are far more balanced and a front court of Randall Junior, Oyvind Tarbla,  and of course, Yablo Yabla. In this division, it doesn't take much and I really like Steve Kay. My biggest concern is at point guard. Flem Johnson, Terry Christie, and Bedwell Brown all will want to claim that spot. Flem has been through that here in Greenville, Terry Christie wanted to start in Texas, and would have been going for the spot in Pittsburgh, and Bedwell was penciled in as the starting SG in Pittsburhg, and because of the winning Pittsburgh does, was alright with it. Now, in a different place, maybe Bedwell will want to be in his natural spot.

PUERTO RICO WAVES
This is more a statement of the division than the Waves. This is the worst Waves team in a while. The fact that OJ McLoo and Djem Maluka are the coaches is what differentiates this team from the rest of the division. I like Michael George and the find by Djem in Oki Ogunya, who I think will be starting over Detron Geins. The one thing that could change this, if OJ says adios. If so, you can bet some teams will gladly fire their Head coaches to talk to him.

REST OF THE DIVISION
- Nashville might be the best team in this division, but it has the worst coaching. Eddie Hands went earlier than some thought, but you can see now. And now, giving Will Kidd talent around him, I expect big things from Kidd. Nick Vinyl and Lou Malone are reunited, which can only means good things since the one year they were together in the starting line up, both had their best seasons.

- Baton Rouge had a lot going on this offseason, RIP Aunt Dorrence. That poor family. And this poor family, having GM Rob trade away Tre Majoe, it was needed from GM Rob's standpoint, otherwise he would have struggled to put a team together. I like the PG, SG, and SF spots on this team and that's about it. I don't know how well Mark Black will do with this team, it'll take some time for him to actually remember how to coach supar talent. I heard the Riverbandit Retreat went alright.

-  Mississippi welcomes GM Wrong, as do I. He come on board with one player and put together a team that won't get destroyed game in and game out. Gonna be fun to watch Swoop McCarthy mentor the young Marques Ball.

- Jacksonville, it's there? I mean, nothing really stands out about this team other than Phil Cook being the youth coach. Someone who barely understands the game of basketball is now teaching it....yeeeeesssshhhh.  Also, let's all pour one out now for Shakers Lee's FBL career, unless some schmuck gives him money to be a moody dick on their team.

- Birmingham. Jacksonville may just be there, but at least it's better than Birmingham's situation. Much like Nashville, Birmingham must rebound from having GM Krazy in charge. Mike Flips was hired as youth coach......yup. That's true. Have mercy on Birmingham this year South Division.

WESTERN PLAYOFF TEAMS

NORTH WEST

BOISE SPUDS
What hurt this team last year was a midseason coaching change, odds are in favor of that not happening again. GM Trader Metro did his best offseason set of moves yet, bringing in Dru Moore and Chris Williams, signing Jim Wales after he failed to sign with Hollywood. This is the best 5 Boise has had. They also have the best sixth, seventh, and eighth men in the league, because Corky Cast, Andy Dawson, and Hank Wheatley all should be starting on some of the more average teams. I don't expect it to be like that for long, given that Corky Cast was told he'd get a chance to get the starting PG spot, Hank lost his center spot to Jim Wales and Dawson has been on the bench his entire time in Boise. Now with Timms, I expect Class' system to hit off right with this team.

WYOMING WOLVES
This is it for this Wyoming team. Sure Sam Thompson is young, Jackson Dunn is going into his second year, and Hans Frabuld is still in his prime, but Matt Foster and Ty Williams are old and possibly in their last year of their career.  Matt Foster represents the good times Wyoming has had, but those good times may be over soon. I fully expect to Foster to lead this team on the court with Legacy and Checker on the sidelines. My only concern is the age, both Ty and Foster are older and more prone to injuries. Dunn can fill for Foster, but  can Van Lowe or McLoo fill in for Williams? GM Jon hopes they don't have to find out.

ANCHORAGE GLACIERS
Trying to figure out who will be the team to round out of the North West playoff teams was tough. Colorado has the reigning MVP, Reno has a legit center next to Miller, Seattle is TOP4 (Not sold on Sampson being THAT good), and while Anchorage lost what they did with Nick Jenkins, they still have Cordela, Dan Hill, Mack Ryan, and Sam Fiece, and replace Manhattan Jones with Jayden Doyle. They still have Soul Power. It'll be tougher to make the playoffs this year, but I think we'll see the same three we saw from last year.

REST OF THE DIVISION
- Colorado is the exact same team they were last year, all offense, no defense. All starters, no depth. I like Jarrett Jones. I think he and Shell Tamlin will be a solid duo in the front court. Also, Billy Reeps? Thank god I'm not a GM having to decide which shitty basketball player I want to teach my rookies how to play basketball.

- Reno  is in a transition year, which is bad for pending free agent James Miller.  Ray Johnson doesn't know what his future holds and that hurts this team. Two years ago, Reno started as a franchise and acquired free agent to be Konda Plains, and the more things change, the more they stay the same. Poor Konda . Nice to see GM Jag and Corbin Dallas reunite. It's like Gogo and Bokko, just not sexual.

- Seattle is very TOP4 heavy. I like Sampson, but whether he's good enough to be added to the TOP group, I'm not sure. There's no bench. GM Gravedigger made a couple moves to free up money to make the bench, then made a move that took away all that money. Tre Majoe will most likely want to leave to somewhere he'll be appreciated as the guy. Didn't have it in Bismarck, won't have it in Seattle with Troy Marshall. That said, watching Tre Majoe demand the ball when Troy Marshall is there will be hilarious.

- Bismarck has GM Flins in charge, which is a good thing since he did a good job in Boston turning that shit pile around, and he did a good job starting to do that. I really like Crew Stevens, Bismarck fans will soon forget Bobby Dane. I question Bolak Huir. Of the old guys to return to the FBL, he's the only one starting and probably would have been the best youth coach of the bunch and instead he's starting. Even if it's only for one season, Rik Kluff will provide Andy Wallace with a true mentor of sorts.

- Montana has Lincoln Fraizer and really that's about it. Val Keaton will do well in replacing Dieter Schmidt on the court, but doubled the pay, bad move for GM Taurus there. The coaching situation is what really dooms this team as they have they it takes to be a good team, playoff contender, but this staff is not going to help them.

SOUTH WEST
LAS VEGAS
The reigning West champs locked up their starting five this offseason and still somehow put together a decent bench. I don't see a real reason Vegas doesn't repeat as division champs. Ronnie Stanza's age would be an issue but he's the 5th option, it's not an issue.

HONOLULU VOLCANOES
GM Bone is disagreeing with my previous statement, but as it stands right now, his team is more Ronnie Stanza than Wilk Smith. Creed Jackson, Reggie Jones, Rajak Vle, all around 30 encroaching the twilights of their careers, or in Vle's case, in it. I liked Paul Malroy whether he's coming off the bench or he's starting, which I think he should. Not only is Vle old, he's not a natural SF, whereas Malroy is. If this is the year that age finally catches up with Lulu,  they're screwed.

HOLLYWOOD STARS
A much needed rebound year is my prediction. They have a strong starting five, but Rhys Mitchell must be 100% recovered from playing every single minute last year. Good bye Jason Howard, hello Manhattan Jones, who is the team captain for some reason. A guy who reportedly rejected the captaincy in Montreal because he doesn't care for it is now the captain of one of the largest market teams in the league. Good-bye Chris Thomas, hello KC Monroe, why GM Jen moved her best players best friend is beyond me, you know what. Something doesn't feel right about this....

HOLLYWOOD STARS

SAN DIEGO SEAGULLS
This hinges on the feds finding Missing GM Ramon, but they made the playoffs without a GM last year. Cam Drake is still Cam Drake. Joe Reed is old as is Merc, but Petri Rovuk is one of the most underrated players in the league.  Still have a solid coaching staff, I think San Diego beats out the rest of the division.

REST OF THE DIVISION
- Hollywood has that funk to them, that this is going to be a year where nothing right happens and it could mean the end of GM Jen.

- Roswell needs to get someone who will handle the ball,  Tim McDonald isn't a ball handler. Other than that, I think this team will be in the playoff chase, so long as GM Steven remembers who he has on his roster.

- New Mexico is deep. Deep in mediocre talent. I can't wait for Brad Coplex and Cassius Code to fight on the bench over whose warming it up better. Eric King and Bernie Bells will be a great tandem in the back court for years to come, so long as they don't drink for the chalice of Franchise.

- Texas is still shocked GM Talon quit last year. There's something magic about Earvin Maxwell,  I can feel it, which means once again Lyle Fredricks is going to get bench in favor of someone else. SUPER LEAGUE PLEASE WELCOME YOUR FUTURE MVP LYLE FREDRICKS!!!

- Tempe has this vision, I don't see it, but there's a plan there.  I still feel like they could have gotten more than JUST Thomas Powell from Virginia, but at least he's something on that team, whereas the rest of it is....just there? Tough couple years for Tempe, starting when GM TyTy took over and went over cap before he had a true team, is GM Tommy the Jekyll  to TyTy's Hyde?

PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS

(Home team in caps)

KNOCKOUT ROUND
HONOLULU over San Diego
WYOMING over Anchorage
GREENVILLE over Puerto Rico
CHAMPAIGN over Portsmouth

DIVISION FINALS
VEGAS over Honolulu
Wyoming over BOISE
TAMPA over Greenville
Champaign over PITTSBURGH

CONFERENCE FINALS
Wyoming over VEGAS
Champaign over TAMPA

CHAMPIONSHIP
WYOMING over Champaign

SEASON 18 AWARDS

MVP: Last year I felt Flo Payton was the MVP, and this year, I feel the same as Flo Payton WILL WIN THE SEASON 18 MVP! Seriously, as good as he is, he somehow got over looked by Krease McCool.....shame award voters, shame on you!
Honorable Mention: Mr. "EAT SLEEP GET BUCKETS REPEAT" Petri Rovuk

DPOY:  Four years ago, a rookie from another nation came in an wrecked havoc on the FBL,  this year, we see the same, Abdul Moussa will come in as a rookie and win DPOY. Just like Yablo Yabla did.
Honorable Mention:  Yablo Yabla aka The Nightmare In Leather Chaps.

6MOY: I said it once, I'll say again Sacri DiArmigio will win Sixth man of the year.
Honorable Mention:  18.5 Shades of O'Neal (the 18.5 is my prediction for his PPG)

ROY: Last year, this man's teammate came up JUUUUUUST short of winning this title, this year, he will do it for his former college and now pro teammate, Dan Hill. Ladies and gents, you're Season 18 Rookie of the year, Jayden Doyle
Honorable Mention: Adbul Moussa aka DPOY

ALL- FBL TEAM:

PG: Flo Payton
SG: Petri Rovuk
SF: Matt Foster
PF: James Miler
C: Jordan Smith

BOX SCORE OF THE YEAR: We've seen 60 point games, we've seen 20+ assists, we've seen 20+ rebounds 9 steals, 10+ blocks, at some point. A couple years ago Yabla had a crazy box score and I think we see another one from him this year, a quadruple-double on Jacksonville.

BS OF THE YEAR: Remember this is my bold statement. A couple years ago I said Krease would retire and I blew that one. This year, GMs Hondo, Jen, and Justin all get fired before the end of the year. Not leave, get fired. I'm not taking credit unless all three are fired. If one of them leaves before they get fired, it doesn't count.

That does it for my preview, I'll be back when free agency happens with my recap of that. Until then, stay away from the cabin in the woods that Bokko and Gogo used, there's horrors in there I wish no one see.

[Justin]

TC Corner

Greetings and salutations FBL Universe, my name is Tennessee Carter and I am the newest reporter added to the EZPN roster.  I've been granted unprecedented access by the FBL to speak with the general managers outside of the mandated press conferences after the games.  Not wanting to flounder the opportunity I am personally setting out to interview each general manager of the FBL. 

I've wasted little time and have already gotten a lineup of interviews scheduled with numerous general managers and have actually completed a couple of them.  My first interview was with rookie general manager, Adam Wrong of the Mississippi Steamers.  Here is the transcript from our conversation:

Where you working before you came to the FBL and why in the world did you want to become a GM of a basketball team?

I've been in management for years now. Originally from the UK in business, I then turned my skills to football management - I believe you would call it soccer here. I have a proven success record and a history of spinning gold from yarn. Sports management is transferable as long as you understand the basic psychology of what you are doing. As a long term fan of the FBL, I felt that this would be the next big adventure for my career as well as ensuring I create a legacy in another sport.

You picked Mississippi, the land of hot, muggy weather and swarms of mosquitos. Why would you do that to yourself?

I think that's a little unfair. Mississippi has a lot more to offer than the stereotype you throw out there. There's a reason that it's called the Hospitality State and I have experienced that. I have bought myself a lovely place in Madison and since arriving, and the weather is as a warm as the welcome I received. The same applied for the players as well. We went on a tour of Mississippi and the people came out in droves to meet the players and welcomed each and every one of us. The weather has had little effect on the players as a majority of the overseas players are from warmer climes. I can see my love for this state only growing.

You do realize you are probably part of 1% of the population that actually likes Mississippi, right?

Then I guess i am the 1% and for that I am happy and I am proud to be a part of this franchise. I haven't found an aspect of Mississippi that I haven't loved. I'm proud to be here and I hope a few good seasons down the line, people will realise what this great state has to offer.

How would you describe your experience thus far?

I cannot fault it. I took over a team that had been gutted entirely. One player had been brought in as a result of a trade and so I had a blank canvas to work with. I ensured that Marques Ball was looked after as the original piece of the puzzle and set about looking outside of the box. I quickly ensured I brought in a Youth Coach which turned out to be a masterstroke considering there is a shortage of them and a number of teams have resorted to making a player work dual roles. I don't have to expect that of anybody and I am glad for it. The support that Fon, Ron and Norman have given me since my arrival is something that has made my life considerably easier. Ron spent most of the off-season digging for gold in Europe, Africa,  the Caribbean and Mexico and emerged with several gems. Fon's insight into the assembled team has helped immensely and Norman's guidance to the young players will be an absolute asset.

Once you were hired what did you do to get caught up to speed?  Is there a GM you're trying to emulate?

I have followed the FBL for many years and so I have learnt a lot from other people's mistakes. A number of GMs sent messages of support for a new guy such as myself such as Justin, Strike and Jen to name just 3 and that helped immensely. I look to the likes of Justin and Hondo and their longevity as well as Jag for the attitude and Dorling for his success; they have brought into their team as well as their individual ethos and I aim to take aspects of that but in reality I don't want to be the next anybody. I want to be a GM that in years from now, people will aspire to be like.

You paid Marques Ball a lot of money.  Should we call you Black Death Jr.?

Not in the slightest. Marques is a young lad in his second season and already looking to be a top talent. 12 Million in this current financial crop is not a large sum by any stretch of the imagination especially for a player of his caliber. When you look at the market and you see what some players are being locked into, 12million is not a big deal. When you compare it to the rest of my team, 12million is a fair amount. When you look at my budget for next season, 12 million will still leave me with 30 million in surplus and when you take into account I have a stronger overall 12 man squad than most in my division, 12million is not a big price to pay for a lad of his talent. If you had witnessed my negotiations during the off-season, I will not be a GM to pay over the odds for a player.

Okay, so $12 million isn't necessarily high, but for a player that has only spent one year in the league and from my opinion wasn't much of a producer it seems high.  Especially with the amount of PR involved.  But, hey, it's your team.

Last season was one where his GM was Black Death, his head coach has gone to obscurity as an assistant in the Super League and his assistant is now a Youth Coach in Anchorage. What he didn't have was guidance or support to turn him into the player that will turn heads and make the headlines like he deserves.

You speak of the $30 million in surplus funds that you have, which puts you in a great position for free agency.  What will be your targets for free agency?

Right now, it's all down to how the players perform. If I don't feel we need to make changes then I won't simply for the sake of it. Some players I feel would suit the Mississippi way and I am certainly keeping my options open. Malcolm Hayes and Konda Plains being the 2 most high profile of them but if I don't feel the need to make a move then I won't be making the moves. I have a stable environment right now and want to develop the family I have assembled.

Who is your pick to win the championship?

Until I see a match, it will be difficult to call an outright winner but I'm going to say that this season, don't write off Mississippi as a team simply in transition...

as for the other teams though, I feel Hollywood have a cracking team as long as they don't implode, Las Vegas as long as their first 5 stay healthy and Pittsburgh as long as GM Pancho can tame his coaching staff are the three favourites right now.

Adam, I appreciate you taking the time to speak with me.  Good luck in your rookie season!

This is Tennessee Carter with EZPN signing out.

[Strike]

THE N.S. REPORT 13 - A WAVY START

In this edition of the N.S. Report, That Strike Guy and Primo Pancho manage to land yet another coup as GM Justin of the Puerto Rico Waves joins them in the broadcast prior to Week 1 of FBL action. GM Justin speaks out on the rather chaotic offseason for his team, briefly touches on some of his earlier days with the franchise, foresees who will be the main competition he faces in the East South, who he believes comes out of the opposing divisions as its champions, predictions on award winners and he ends up giving Primo Pancho the nemesis he's been longing for since GM Dorling's exit. Plus, we give you another "Moment in FBL History" at the very end. It's got everything you need, so get to it!

[Justin]

TC Corner

Tennessee Carter, the only ten your wife will see, of EZPN coming back at you with another interview with an FBL general manager.  I heard about That Strike Guy and Primo Pancho stepping on my territory and interviewing GM Justin of the Waves.  I will let them have that one, but if they try and poach any other GMs there will be a turf war.

Today's posting is my interview with GM Josh of the Colorado Hooks.  Enjoy!

GM Josh, thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule as the season kicks off to answer a few questions.  I
understand your time is valuable so I will get right to it...

It seems that with every step forward you take you find a way to go back two steps. What's the issue?

I don't see any big issues; does my team have some questionable players right now?  Yes, but we're still a competitive team. If the media wants to drum up issues let them, it will make it sweeter when we win.

Excuse my direct approach, but you're denying that you haven't gotten over the proverbial hump?  I mean it seems that you are always on the hot seat.

I'm not denying I haven't quite made it over the hump but I wouldn't look at is me being bad I still think I'm doing a good job around here and I'm looking forward to a much better year.

Please justify Krease McCool's new contract.

First off I was told by my owner to give Krease what he wants. Secondly everyone is under the idea that this will backfire but no one knows for sure what the future really a holds but I was willing to take the gamble.

But you will be paying him $25 million when he is like 35.  With future inflation that can seriously strap your salary cap. 
Did you not consider the future when making this deal?

One thing I've learned around here, you never know what the future will hold. I took a gamble that I am hoping will pay off.

Who do you think is the best GM? Most underrated?

I have to give it to the iron lady Jen she's always been one of the most consistent general managers. Most underrated I would say is Cory, he can build great teams he just has an issue with implosion.

What is your team's biggest strength?  Weakness?

Our scoring is amazing we have guys who can score from anywhere and look good doing it. Our biggest concern is defense as we've said before and something I am still working on improving.

You've known defense has been an issue, why didn't you attack that in the offseason?

A misguided hope that off season training and the draft would give me a better defense.

But if defense has been your teams Achilles heel why not try to address it with known commodities via free agency or the SL? Surely, betting your future on trying to find a defensive gem in the draft was not a good idea.

It was a gamble that didn't pan out the way I wanted. Just like there was no guarantee my draft pick would be a great defensive pick there was no guarantee of signing out of free agency without dropping even more money.

Will you make the playoffs?

You're damn right we will. The hooks won't be denied this season.

What has been your biggest challenge since joining the FBL?

Consistency was my biggest problem at first, I traveled a bit when I first started, but now I have a home in Colorado.

Who is your pick to win the championship?

The Hooks would of course be my ideal pick, but outside of us I'd be looking at the Blades.

Final question Josh, what do you have to say to those who thought Flo Payton or somebody else other than Krease should have won the MVP award?

I'd say they're in the minority obviously. Every year someone wins and theres always someone who feels someone else got robbed. Krease got robbed for years. Glad he's finally getting his recognition.

Thank you GM Josh, any parting comments?

Hooks are coming for the title baby.

There you have it folks, the thoughts of GM Josh on the state of his team and other FBL issues.  I hope you enjoyed and there are more coming on the horizon. 

Tennessee Carter signing out.

[Strike]

TC'S CORNER 1 (PRESENTED BY THE N.S. REPORT)

After a collaboration with EZPN's newest reporter in Tennessee Carter, we grant you unprecedented access as TC grabs his corner in our studio and brings in GM Chris Strike of the Champaign Naturals for an exclusive interview in regards to the upcoming season, FBL moments, shenanigans and everything in between.

[Justin]

TC's Corner

Greetings FBL Universe and welcome back to TC's Corner, I'm your host Tennessee Carter.  Today's guest is none other than the lackluster general manager of the New Mexico Vigilantes, GM Franchise!

Im cutting straight to the point, you are on your eighth team, why do you still have a job?

There are worse GMs than me right. This ain't 4 or 5 seasons ago when I was clearly the worst. Now I'm more in the average range, bottom line. That's why. People can say what they want to but I feel that out of the current crop of GMs I'm not the worst. You want to see bad? Look at Birmingham before this season started. I'm bad but I ain't Krazy.

Have you learned anything from your past mistakes?

Of course I have. I don't have Mike Flips or Moses Franks on my coaching staff and have no pig lover players do I? Nope. I do have Newplex though but those are my boys. I'm sure I'll get some flack over signing Code too but I had no issues with him in Anchorage so that has a lot to do with that signing.

Sure you don't have Mike Flips or Moses Franks, but you still sign guys like Davis Newton.  What's your thought process behind that move?

He's a 12th man. Besides be brought Jen luck...and hamburgers but he did put up good stats as a rookie being an SF/PF before he was ruined by being made into a PF/C. I did try to make him a SF/PF but that went under the radar apparently...

Do you think you will ever win a championship?

No but if it does happen it'll be the greatest FBL story of all time considering how horrendous I was at GMing in the past.

Who do you think is the best GM?

I would have to say that Jen is the best I think right now with Jon, Blade, and Pancho following close behind.

GM Jen is a great general manager.  Have you thought about trying to take a lesson or two from her to improve yourself?

Of course. I mean I did bring in Newton and Owale who were on her championship team after all.


Who do you think is the most underrated GM?

That would be me. I get a lot of flack all the time yet my successes usually fly under the radar. Then again a lot of that has to go with my past history as well. Like Rodney Dangerfield I get no respect.


Have you found a home in New Mexico?

Yes I think so. I HOPE so. I like this organization. It's my kind of place especially with the Major League-esque team I've got with vets and misfits.

What do you think your team needs to be a true contender?

For one I need to stop bringing in primadonna big men. Two I need to get a high profile SG or PF to stay with the team. And finally the key to the whole thing will be keeping Cassius Code under control. I stand by my comments about him being the most underrated player out there. His behavior is the issue but I LOVE his play on the court.

Who do you think will win the championship?

I'm going with the Hollywood Stars defeating the Greenville Bulldogs in the Finals. I think the Bulldogs' defense is going to sneak them into the finals over the Blades in the Eastern Finals. But yeah Stars for the win.

Any final words?

My final words are expect the unexpected this season. I think some of the strongest teams are going to be hit by the injury bug and fall by the wayside while some perceived weaker teams sneak into contention.

And those are the confident words from GM Franchise. 

See you next time!

[Justin]

Greetings FBL Universe and welcome to another edition of TC's Corner.  I'm the man responsible for the latest FBL buzz, Tennessee Carter, the only ten your wife will see!  Before I begin today's episode I want to say something that I hope I don't get fired for.....I need a raise!  My amazing bosses here at EZPN are working me to death!

With that off of my chest let's get crackin' on today's episode which is geared towards the first two weeks of Season 18.  This part of the show is what I'm going to call...

Tennessee's Take!

I'm going to focus first on the Eastern Conference Southern Division.

My rankings are as follows:

1)   Tampa Bay Dragons – The defending FBL Champions picked up where they left off last season and started the season with two wins, including one against their stiffest competition the Puerto Rico Waves.  I believe Season 18's team is an improvement over last season's championship winning team and they are going to be tough to beat all season.

2)   Puerto Rico Waves – They split their first two games with the loss coming against the above mentioned Dragons in a game that was decided by only four points.  It was an exciting game that could have easily gone the other way.  This Waves team is equally as deep as the Dragons and the battle for the top spot in the division will come down to the final week of the season.  You can bet on that.

3)   Nashville Venom – GM Talon and the Venom could easily be listed at the two spot if it weren't for such a close game between the Dragons and the Waves.  This is a much improved team and they proved it by winning their first two games of the season.  Eddie McHands is going to be special for this team and will be the key to their success this season.

4)   Greenville Bulldogs – A great start to the season for GM Serra and the Bulldogs as they notch two wins.  The entire team is a defensive stalwart and will prove too tough for a lot of teams.  My only concern is their ability to score against good teams.

5)   Mississippi Steamers – Rookie GM, Adam Wrong has gotten his team off to a good start after splitting the first two games with the loss coming against the Dragons.  I don't think this team makes the playoffs this season but they will be ultra-competitive and don't be surprised if you see them closer to the top of the rankings as the season goes along.

6)   Baton Rouge Riverbandits – Not the start GM Rob had envisioned, but then again he traded Tre Majoe for nothing of substantial value which of course was going to upset his star point guard, Bobby Dane.  The first two games proved that scoring could be a huge issue for the Bandits as the season progresses.  Luckily for them they should be able to beat the bottom two teams.

7)   Jacksonville Juice – Not much to say about this team other than they are not very good.  Could easily be given the last spot, but I believe they edge the Greenhornets ever so slightly in the talent department.  GM Death better strap himself in for a long season and work on finding ways to improve his roster.

8 )   Birmingham Greenhornets – GM Stoner has inherited a terrible team, though he got lucky with the Mike Flips debacle and was able to improve his roster somewhat.  They might pull out a couple of games this season but expect them to be bottom feeders most of the season as far as my rankings are concerned.

Moving along to the Northern division:

1)   Pittsburgh Blades – Easily the team to beat in this division.  GM Pancho has put together another great team that will be the frontrunner to make the conference finals.  Leon Dreams looked exceptionally good in the first two games.  This team is what I would categorize as rosterbaiting at its finest.

2)   Champaign Naturals – I just recently interviewed GM Strike a few days ago and it's good to see he and the Naturals get off to a great start.  Kurtz is better than advertised at the point guard position and if he continues to play like he is he will be competing for an All-FBL spot.  The Naturals have firepower with Grange and McDuck and will definitely give the Blades a run for their money.

3)   Providence Diamonds – GM Gates and the Diamonds also looked impressive in their first two games.  I know the Western Conference has some great teams, but I think these top three teams make this the most competitive division in all of the FBL once you take into account a Hayseeds team that you can never count out and the Defenders if they can ever put it all together and a very good Flyers team.

4)   Morgantown Flyers – GM Cory has put together a very good team, though it will be interesting to see how they function once J'Bone Jones joins the team and how it will affect the team dynamic.  Jordan Smith is a beast down low and will be the engine to their success.  They will be very hard to beat as the season progresses and could potentially sneak into the playoffs.

5)   Kentucky Hayseeds – Sure, they lost their first two games but we must not forget this is the Kentucky Hayseeds and GM Hondo we are talking about.  They have faltered out of the game, losing to two very good teams in the process.  This team may not be as good as previous seasons but once they get in enough practice they will get better.  However, it should be noted that in my interview with Kamil Bennett he wasn't fond of this team at all.  Only time will tell how the Seeds faithful will react.

6)   Boston Bells – GM Powers and the Bells were able to split their two games with their victory by a close margin coming against the Defenders.  Clyde Baker is the future of the power forward position in the FBL and will single-handedly guide his team to some victories, but I just don't see enough firepower on this roster to warrant them winning very many games.  GM Powers could be on his way out this season.

7)   Portsmouth Defenders – The defensive talent is all there for GM Domingo, but on the offensive side of the ball is a different story.  If the first two games are any indication, Portsmouth will be in for a long season and GM Domingo might be left looking for a new employer.

8 )   Virginia Colonials – JC McKnight and Dex Wilson are two of the best at their respective positions, but other than that there isn't much excitement that surrounds this Colonials team.  They will be in for a long season and GM Zeus might only last one season.

I really need a raise, but nonetheless I will move on to the Western Conference and begin with the southern division:

1)   Las Vegas Aces – GM Blade and the Aces are the team to beat, hands down.  The Stars have a super team as well, but I honestly think the FBL Championship is the Aces to lose.  They beat a very good Volcanoes team in the first game which proves their poise as a team.  They will drop a couple of games along the way, but in the grand scheme of things they should remain at the top for most of the season.

2)   Hollywood Stars – GM Jen has put together another amazing team.  Her group can outscore anybody and rookie KC Monroe looks to be the real deal.  Alton Preps is a top-level talent that will help carry this team along with Rhys Mitchell.  The Stars versus Aces games this season are going to be games for the ages.

3)   Honolulu Volcanoes – A super close loss to the Aces surely stings, but GM Bone should take solace in the fact that he knows his team can beat the Aces on any given day.  Creed Jackson was being Creed Jackson through the first two games and he alongside Reggie Jones will lead this team into the playoffs once again.

4)   San Diego Seagulls – The Seagulls have a stacked team and proved it against the Stars even though they came up short.  The top four teams are going to make for an uber-competitive playoff race that will be fun to watch.  My only concern with the Seagulls is they don't have enough defense to help them make the playoffs.

5)   Texas Stallions – Earvin Maxwell and Chris Thomas look to be quite the duo for the Stallions.  This team will win some games, but I think they are a season out from being true playoff contenders.  They will score at least two upsets this season against the Volcanoes and Seagulls, but won't make a serious threat.

6)   New Mexico Vigilantes – GM Franchise looks to improve on last year's team and he might just do so.  They won't make the playoffs and other than maybe one big upset against the Stars, they won't beat the top tier teams.

7)   Roswell Aliens – GM Steven and the Aces faced the top two teams in the division so it is kind of hard to gauge where this team really is.  However they must compete against the middle to lower tier talent to really make any noise.  With that being said, they are not playoff contenders.  GM Steven didn't do enough to improve his team.

8 )   Tempe Flyingsquirrels – They will remain at the bottom of the list for the foreseeable future.

And now onto the Northern division:

1)   Wyoming Timberwolves – A great start to the season for GM Jon.  At this early stage in the season his team is operating like a well-oiled machine.   It also helps that the division, while not weak, isn't as competitive as the Southwest and Northeast divisions.  Nonetheless, he has a dynamic team that will once again make noise in the playoffs.

2)   Reno Shooters – The surprise team of the first rankings belongs to Reno.  GM Jag and the Shooters opened the season up with two strong victories, including once against the favored Spuds.  Tomica Novak was an absolute beast in the first two games.  The bench will be an issue as the season progresses, but it looks like the playoffs could very well be a possibility.

3)   Boise Spuds – The Spuds have been a team mired in mediocrity ever since they joined the league as an expansion team.  A lot of expectations were put on GM Metro coming into the season and they've already stumbled out of the game with a loss to the aforementioned Shooters.  Hopefully for GM Metro's sake the team bounces back and his seat cools down a little.

4)   Montana Bears – I'm going with another surprise team here.  Even though the Bears lost both games, they lost to the Jags by one and to the Wolves by four.  That's a matter of three positions and the results could be very different.  They've lost some key players, but they are still a competitive team and should pick up plenty of victories.  Depending on what the Spuds do, they have an outside shot of making the playoffs.

5)   Anchorage Glaciers – GM TJ and the Glaciers could easily be in the number three spot, but I'm not entirely sold on how they will compete without Manhattan Jones clogging up the middle.  If they can put everything together they could easily be in the top three.

6)   Bismark Jaguars – A great victory over the Bears and great play from rookie point guard sensation Crew Stevens got the Jaguars season started off on a good note.  GM Flins is going to have to find some more scoring from somewhere as the season progresses and get better production out of Andy Wallace if they really want to make some noise this season.

7)   Colorado Hooks – The Hooks and GM Josh probably shouldn't be this low, but we are only two games in so it's not that big of a deal.  They have the reigning MVP which always gives them a chance.  The question is whether the rest of the team will develop as the season continues?

8 )   Seattle Toppers – I'm pretty sure this is now how GM Gravedigger envisioned his first season in Seattle starting out.  He has a great starting five, but after that he has nothing of value and it showed in the team's first two games which they dropped.  They are going to win games just with their starting five alone, but the season could turn into a nightmare fairly quickly should something happen to one of the starters.

There you have it folks!  Weeks one and two are in the books and I've given my divisional rankings based on the action.  If you have issues with it.....oh well.  Until next time, this is Tennessee Carter signing out.

[Justin]

You started in Roswell,  left, and then came back. Do you foresee your future being in Roswell until you retire?

I was looking for a fresh start in the league when I went to Mississippi. I thought that I'd be able to accomplish some big things there and even took Roswell's big stars with me. It did not work out that way though. Fortunately enough for me, Roswell was more than pleased to bring me back in and that's where I plan on staying for the foreseeable future.

Roswell saw some success under the strong play from the likes of Champ Martin. We made it to the Western Conference finals on two trips, but never reached the Finals. I will do everything I can to build the Aliens up now to get us back to where we were and more. As long as Roswell will keep me around, I will lead the Aliens. 

It's well documented that your owner doesn't really care about basketball or winning. Do you think this approach has negatively impacted you as a general manager?

What Madame does business wise doesn't concern me or the rest of the team. I'm sure many GMs would prefer not to have an owner breathing down their neck with every move they make, but I don't believe this approach has had any impact, definitely not negative, on me as a general manager. In some other situations I'm sure I could have possibly lost my job for some efforts with Roswell over the past few seasons due to my approach to the game. With these multiple chances given to me, I want to make sure that this team finds success going forward.

What has been your toughest obstacle in the FBL?

It definitely has to be the attention to detail that is required. Some of my slip ups over the recent seasons are regarded as low points league wide for mistakes... and we have a lot of mistakes in this league. Missing Babic on the score sheet for the All Star game is just an example of that. The past few weeks and through the off-season I have been focusing a hell of a lot more than I usually did, and while I'm still stumbling I believe that I'm improving when it comes to beating this obstacle. I just have to learn to look at everything top-to-bottom and make sure that I leave nothing disregarded.

What do you attribute to your lack of attention?

I shouldn't be making most of the mistakes I do, but with my tendency of wanting to get things done quickly, I have been overlooking things. The past couple of mistakes are disappointing to say the least, but I'm not going to pout about the errors I've made. We'll move forward and improve. So yes, my lack of attention at times comes from the sense of urgency, meaning I tend to speak/act fast without much thought.

Who would you say is the best GM in the FBL?

I've always looked up to Hondo for arguably the most consistent run in the league. While he might be going through a low period right now and a possible rebuild, the accomplishments that he has and the runs that he has had in Kentucky is impossible to look past. The man has made it the distance and has some of the best relationships with his players and staff. He's a guy you would look to for some tips when you are first starting in this league. Hopefully we will see some more high points for his career in the future.

Who would you say is the most underrated GM?

GM Tommy. While he has to deal with some language barrier issues and has made some panicky moves like some of us, he has shown commitment to the league that only few others show. He's in there when it comes to negotiating and brought in a few good players to Tempe this season. Everyone looks to him as someone who has no clue what he's doing, but I see potential in him to improve drastically over the next few seasons. He's already looking to get rid of problems with his team and will improve with moves and a good off-season next time around.

In the past you haven't been an active, hands on GM as some of the others. Do you think you need to change your approach?

That's probably my biggest regret. Maybe it was the lack of interest all around in Roswell that kept me in the background doing the bare minimum, but that's what it was before the Babic ordeal. That was finally the moment I realized that things need to change. Yes, I know that I need to change my approach to the FBL in general if I want to see success in the league. With a more active approach we were able to salvage the Babic/Cunningham issues that popped up in the off-season. I'm hoping with a different approach to the game that Roswell will find some more success and that I'll be able to gain some respect around the league. I know that it's somewhat low considering my previous activity involving league moves, so I definitely want to change the approach.

Explain your thought process with the Cunningham/Babic trade.

Babic wasn't going to stay, and we certainly weren't going to accept a lesser player for him. We needed to improve and Cunningham was a guy who was offered to us. Cunningham had dominated the league on several occasions and could have really helped the Roswell offense out. It's a shame it didn't work out, but we believe it was a big step up from Babic for us... something we needed to do.

How do you feel you came out with Cunningham to SL trade?

We were stuck in quite the situation. It's always rough to hear that any player doesn't want to play for your team, but for Scott to go out and say we were too 'small-market' for him, well, that's a shame then. I believe we're better than that, but if Scott is all about the fame and money in the world, then the SL was the place for him. I heard that there was a buzz that Calgary over in the SL was willing to give Scott quite the paycheck, so we sent him there for three quality players and some extra PR, which will be handy. I believe we handled that as smoothly as possible and came out with quite the deal. Of course, Tim McDonald didn't really work for us, but the Cunningham situation still worked out in the end. The trade was great for Roswell.

Who is your prediction to win this season?

Las Vegas. This is the year that the West takes home the Championship. While I would rather the Aliens be the team to win it all after coming up on top against the toughest competition in the league... it's hard to deny that the Aces have the strongest five in the league. If all of the guys click like they have been, it's going to be rough for whoever have to player Vegas this season. I expect that they will be dominate through the regular and post-season. Hollywood should give them a run but I see them standing tall when all is said and done. I'm working hard on making sure that Roswell will be in that position in the SouthWest soon enough.