Season 15 Playoff Predictions
Another season has come and gone, but it wouldn’t be complete without me completely butchering who I think will win on Saturday at the Season 15 Playoffs.
We are in for 5 tiers of great, competitive dodgeball, and any of our 39 teams stand a great chance at achieving the greatness of a Golden Dodgeball. So sit back, relax and enjoy this year’s playoff predictions!
*Note- predictions are for fun and only the opinions of one Executive and one imaginary penguin. Try not to let the now-famous “Domingo Curse” rattle you…*
L is for Party Tier
Plenty of fresh faces, high spirited teams and energetic players fill this year’s L Tier. Still, at 10AM on a Saturday, this may end up being the “who is the least hungover,” tier.
Finals: Blood Sweat and Beers (1) def. Pollo de la Noche (3)
The Chickens have been on fire lately, and have firmly entrenched themselves as one of the most dangerous seeds in the tier, and are being led by this year’s Captain of the Year. Still, brand-new teams rarely come out on top in their first season. Blood Sweat and Beers have been around for a while, and seem to have really taken a huge step up this season. Look for experience to prevail as BSB show that They want it that way. (nice)
Pushy the CDL Party Penguin’s Pick (hooray alliteration): Port Moody Wailers (6). If team size and enthusiasm won awards, these guys would be A tier champions every year. The Wailers are used to winning awards (mostly because they give themselves a few every week), so look for that tradition to continue on Saturday. If not, look for them to be the real winners at the bar afterward.
Dark Horse: Blue Ballers (8)- Don’t let their record fool you, MVP nominee Sam Morrison might just overwhelm the entire tier by herself.
D is for Party Tier
The largest tier of the day is also the most competitive, as essentially all 11 teams stand a chance of victory. Additionally, this tier gets to send two teams up to the next tier. Because of that, look for the Loser’s Bracket Final to feel an awful lot like a real final. Still, in the immortal words of Christopher Lambert, “There can be only one.”
Finals: Empire Strikes Balls (3) def. Mr. Men and Little Miss (4)
Last year Mr. Men and Little Miss came up huge, winning not one, but two tiers in a masterful performance. No doubt they will be looking to repeat here, and certainly have the skill (and especially the catchers) to do so. Empire Strikes Balls relatively weak record is not an indication of their immense skill and experience. Rather to the contrary, this team has spent most of the year up in the top tiers, testing their skills against some of the best in the league. Now that they are in a more competitive tier, I expect that experience to shine through.
Pushy’s Pick: Gotta Catch’em All (2). Despite coming dangerously close to tiering up, the pokemaniacs come into D tier with confidence, poised to catch a golden dodgeball.
Dark Horse: Ball Bandits (9). But seriously, if these guys are the darkhorse then you know it’s a deep tier.
C is for Party Tier
This tier starts small, with only 6 confirmed teams with 2 moving up from the lower tier. Because of this, and because of how close the 6 confirmed teams are to one another, this is likely the hardest tier to predict. An upstart team from D tier could easily come in here and do some serious damage.
Finals: Banana and Pyjamas (4) def.Supervillains (1). In a toss-up between two well rounded and dangerous teams, expect the Bananas to come up with some huge catches down the stretch. It only makes sense that a team comprised of menacing megalomaniacs and diabolical deviants be stopped only at the last minute by a 90s children’s show.
Pushy’s Pick: Superheroes (2). Because Pushy believes in happy endings, and the good guys always win!!
Dark Horse: Hodor (6). Because hodor hodor hodor hodor hodor. But also because this is a seriously deep team that in a weaker year, would have been a serious contender in B tier.
B Tier
It’s not that B isn’t for party, it’s just not in our name. Historically, B tier has been the most competitive tier in the league. Based on the talent seen here, it wouldn’t be a huge stretch to see that as the case again this season.
Finals: Bayside Tigers (1) def. Fog Duckers (2)
The Fog Duckers made a couple huge additions this season, picking up several A tier players to pull this core up a few tiers into B tier. However, the Duckers will be without their captain in these playoffs, and that lack of leadership will surely be noticed. The Bayside Tigers have spent the last few weeks misplaced in A tier, but look to use those tough weeks as a learning experience. Dropping down may be just the tonic they need, as this extremely well rounded team looks poised to finally capture their first gold.
Pushy’s Pick: DTF (4) have won their fair share of championships, and know how to come up big in the playoffs. This is a big catch team that are never out of the game. Look for big things to come from these guys.
Darkhorse: Little Lebowski’s Urban Achievers (7). Always the bridesmaid? Maybe not this time!!
A Tier
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, this is the most balanced, most competitive and deepest A tier the league has ever seen. While it has been quite easy to single out one or two top teams in the past, there are at least 6 teams that stand a very real shot of winning it all this year. Party.
Finals: No Shame (3) def. Flying Hellfish (4)
The Flying Hellfish were dynamic all season, looking like the super team that they were expected to be. But with a couple huge, late season injuries, they limp into these playoffs far from 100%. Still, Chris Vallance is a beast and has proven time and again that he is a true playoff performer. No Shame has been the most consistent team all year and can catch pretty much anything thrown at them. This one will be tight, but with the chips down I go with the healthy team.
Pushy’s Pick: Big Ball Theory (2). While certainly not the most favoured team heading in, this is another team that doesn’t have a bad player, and can come up with huge catches down the stretch. Having already dominated in Surrey, I look for this team, compromised mostly of long time CDL vets to upset their way to a huge victory.
Darkhorse: PWNIES (6). Though traditionally playoff chokers, a couple huge pick-ups may be just what this team needed to take them over the hump. If they can pull their team game together they certainly have the individual pieces to be a major player in this uber competitive tier.