Tuesday Triple-header May Be Historic

In the second half of this season, it's all about the first of March. To my knowledge, since the separation of Simply Pool Souls' founding members from the old Pool Fiction SPS has never beaten PFN in any interleague match (or Xtreme Poolerz for that matter.) You may recall a previous WSOP meeting where SPS held a 3-0 lead needing just one more win to get into the Playoffs, only to fall victim to four straight losses and miss out. With Pool Fiction struggling as of late, this week may be Monte's best chance to make history.

BREAK AND RUN @ MISCUES - Monday, 7:00

Miscues did it again last week by taking down Freedom. At 5-0 there really doesn't seem to be any cause for even the slightest concern. Ant continues to lead the way at 6-0 while nerdherd comes in with "only" a 5-0 record. That's two undefeated players each playing every week and one with a sixth victory just to sweeten the numbers a bit. It's no secret Miscues is the best team in interleagues right now. Break and Run on the other hand may be in the best position to spring the upset. Like MC, BNR is 19-11 overall. Like MC, BNR also has two undefeated players who have played every week (Jim and Jordy.) After an 0-2 start BNR has gone 3-0 with a 14-4 record. Break and Run is on form, and on Monday night I think they've got a real shot at avenging a week one loss. BNR wins 4-3

STRAIGHTSHOTS @ POOL DRAGONZ - Tuesday, 6:00

The first meeting went to Straightshots of course. Pool Dragonz has not won a match yet. Last week was one of PDZ's better opportunities for a victory but the Dragonz fell in game seven to Simply Pool Souls. The addition of Joe to this team adds a little depth to a team which badly needs any help it can get. However unpopular he may be Joe still provides, at the very least, a solid body in a 6-player lineup. Straightshots lost in controversial fashion last week. A tape DQ in game two after acehandsaa failed to record his break began a string of 3 BNR wins en route to a 4-2 BNR win. Straightshots has featured 14 different players this season. In the next five weeks, Shelle will need to keep an eye on Playoff eligibility. This week SS will be fine. The rest of the season may prove a little more challenging. SS wins 5-1

FREEDOM @ SEXY POOLERZ - Tuesday, 6:30

All season long Sexy Poolerz has looked okay against the good teams but utterly pathetic against its fellow cellar dwellers. Like Pool Dragonz, SP sits at 0-5. Unlike Pool Dragonz, SP was embarrassed by Roy and Deadstrokes last week. It seems Sexy Poolerz has just about folded this season, though I'm sure the team will still show up and put a little effort into playing the role of spoiler whenever possible. Freedom beat SP the first time around thanks to a tape timing out, eliminating the need for a seventh game. Freedom sits in a tie with Pool Fiction for the second spot in the West. Both teams have a two-match advantage over Deadstrokes. After taking Miscues to game seven last week, I have little doubt FR will be fine this week. FR wins 5-1

MATCH OF THE WEEK: SIMPLY POOL SOULS @ POOL FICTION - Tuesday, 7:00

Here we go again. Ever since the split between these two leagues which effectively killed the original Pool Fiction, there has always been a bit of an edge to this match. Neither side will necessarily come out and say they want to bury the other in a match, but that's what PFN did to Simply Pool Souls in the cruelest of fashions when the leagues clashed in the match mentioned above. Both teams come in at 3-2. Both teams are 15-15 overall. Both teams do want to win this match at all costs. And more importantly, both teams will be essentially playing at home, in one way or another.

Simply Pool Souls won last week in seven games - a welcome shift in momentum after dropping two matches in a row. But you have to look at who SPS lost to: Straightshots and Miscues. Those are both very talented teams. Monte's team is still very much in the Playoff hunt. There is a three-way tie for the second and third positions in the East and, as you may recall, SPS did knock off Break and Run in week two. Last week may also have been a good omen for Simply Pool Souls. Delusional Eclipse beat PDZ's Joe, a former Pool Fiction team member, in game seven. That is, if you believe in omens.

Pool Fiction is of course led by Kerry, a Captain who has been there and done that countless times. It's no secret there are matches she wants to win just a little more than others. This is one of those matches and to this point she has been successful. But keep in mind Kerry herself has not been the Captain for very many of these PFN (or XP)-SPS matches - it has been mostly myself and Andy, while Kerry of course plays. Pool Fiction has run into a wall as of late though. A stunning 5-1 beatdown at the hands of West-leading Extreme Pool Competitors, losses in CIP to BNR and Miscues, all very good teams but losses nonetheless.

Tuesday night's finale should not lack for drama. Both teams will no doubt get up for this match and they'll be ready to play for keeps. For Simply Pool Souls, a win means history and a significant boost in the Playoff race in the Eastern Division. For Pool Fiction, a win means another tiny dose of vengeance and significant separation from fourth-place Deadstrokes in the West. I think SPS comes very close. They may even have a very good lead here. But I think PFN keeps the streak in this pairing alive. PFN wins 4-3

EXTREME POOL COMPETITORS @ DEADSTROKES - Wednesday, 7:00

This is a rather anti-climactic finish to a week after Tuesday's triple dip. Extreme Pool Competitors is at the top of the Western Division after thoroughly dominating Pool Fiction last week. At 4-1, EPC has all but guaranteed a spot in this season's Playoffs. If the second half is as good as the first, EPC is on pace to go 8-2. The key to this team's success has been JT. With a 5-0 record, jt.jester could very well be on his way to being the MVP of the Western Division. Deadstrokes shocked Sexy Poolerz last week when Roy won game six. A DS win here could really, really shake up the Western Division. But I don't think DS has the horses to do it. Roy may be the Judge, but this is Jack's court. And the court Jester may have something to say about any thoughts of an upset. EPC wins 5-1

That's a look ahead to week six. The second half of the season is upon us. Let Playoff Fever begin!