The GM’s Scouting Report

We`re starting to see some trends emerge in the division, without it becoming tedious. Despite some shakeups, most teams are starting to find identities and we`re going to see a trend emerge as to who the contenders are, and who are simply pretenders. For those lacking an actual identity, there is still hope. However, the time to start the turnaround is NOW.

Winless Teams: What to Do?

Currently, we’ve got some teams in the division who haven’t had the best of starts. I`ll touch on the winless teams in the division and what I feel they need to do in order to succeed.

Justice League: A team full of newcomers, led by Mathieu Brunet (formerly of the championship Predators) they`re going to have to figure out an identity within the division. Sticking around and watching different teams play or practicing aside from their one game a week should help them adapt and put up some points.

Les Duck Dynasty: A team with a ton of raw talent, their problems seem to stem around the move from Division 5 to Division 4. What worked for them in D5 may not always translate to D4, and they`ll need to start learning to adjust accordingly. They have a killer quarterback and a ton of athleticism and knowledge on this team, it might just be a simple case of changing up a few plays and execution for Les Duck Dynasty to put up some wins.

Local 89ers: A team that`s been getting stronger and stronger. I don`t think that they`ll be winless for very long considering the core that this team has. Also, a quick look at their roster shows that Kevin Wyeth has been added (albeit with no games played as of yet.) Despite being unable to throw in the division, Kevin comes with a plethora of knowledge and expertise that can definitely help this team succeed, and is a heck of an underrated defender as well.

Ball Busters: The biggest surprise on this list. Not only do I feel that they are not deserving or reflective of their record, I think that they`re one of the teams that`ll bounce back the easiest. A product of their very difficult schedule, the Ball Busters have the most points for of any of the winless teams. Jeff Brown is no stranger to the league, and will most certainly find the way to get his team out of their slump. Look for the ship to be righted in the next few weeks.

SouthSide Ballers:

Sandlot Saints: With only 89 points against, the Saints actually look better than some teams in the division with a better record. I mentioned that despite having a first-time QB, they look good (and have a fantastic fanbase.) With a playbook that will highlight the team`s strengths, and some more chemistry and familiarity, you`ll be seeing them succeed before long. Also, I`m curious to see what kind of players will emerge from this team besides the familiar faces of Bird, Lukca and Kraemer.

Eskimo Brothers: I mentioned in my last week`s article that Victor Kozlowski needs to be taking a more central role in the team`s development. While I admire what Zach Stachowski had done for this team (especially during the Division E finals in Spring 2013) I feel like Zach would be more of an asset at the receiver position and Victor at the QB position. They definitely have the league experience and know what works…it`s now just a question of execution.

Certified Flyguyz: If you listen to the podcasts at all, you`d have heard that this team is without a doubt the biggest of letdowns in Division 4, in my opinion. The core of this team are no strangers to the league, and I`ve mentioned (ad nauseum) that they`ve come off of playing against more elite defenses in higher divisions. I feel that Fred Mallette is being under-utilized after coming off of a solid receiving season, but that`s neither here nor there. More importantly, I`ve predicted them to win this week, so hopefully they`ll be off of this list before long.

Power Rankings:

10 Backyard Bullies – They only have a loss by one point, but their wins aren’t at too big a margin as well. I’d like them to start winning more convincingly to move up.

9 69ers – A loss to Crisp shouldn`t discount them from the list at all. They`re resilient and are a name that we’ll be hearing for weeks to come.

8 Maloudes – A team full of tackle experience (and a Division 5 championship as well!) They’re not one of the familiar faces around the FPF circles, but are a team that you shouldn’t take lightly.

7 Trapstars – I`m well aware that I haven`t been giving the Trapstars the attention that they deserve. I`m still on the fence about this team however; some more wins will solidify their spot here.

6 Crisp – It`s obvious what (or who) their key to success is. However, it`s one thing to know what`s coming; it`s something entirely different to be able to stop it.

5 Bruthers – It`s hard to be a darkhorse pick in the division when you keep winning convincingly. They have a solid quarterback leading this team, and are still making waves as a new team.

4 Shmoney – We`ve learned that they are fallible, but I don`t think it`s cause for concern right now. They still possess the same skill and talent; look for them to bounce back strong.

3 Punt Returners – I mentioned last week that this was a team that hasn`t been getting their deserved attention. Well, after a dismantling of Shmoney, they`re definitely on everyone`s radar.

2 6 Fast Guys Plus Ryan – They`ve done no wrong up until now. They have perhaps the best quarterback in the division, and a stifling amount of speed and talent.

1 Grip n Rip – Led by a two-headed giant at quarterback (Avraam and Gualano) Grip n Rip are a team with a relatively small roster yet almost no weakness whatsoever. Look for their reign to continue.

Weekly Predictions

The race is starting to heat up. As Simon mentioned, the best part about these predictions being so close is that he and I have been wrong on different games. For now, Simon leads with a 25/40 ratio, while I trail just barely by 22/39. Hopefully our differences will be more favourable to me this week than to him.

Certified Flyguyz vs. Whisperers : Certified Flyguyz

Playground vs. Team Ethnik : Playground

Marco in the Middle vs. Show me your TDs : Marco in the Middle

Two and a Half Dans vs. Dragons : Two and a Half Dans

Longhorns vs. Coyotes : Longhorns

Shamrocks vs. Lobster Dinner : Shamrocks

Grip n Rip vs. Les Affreux : Grip n Rip

69ers vs. Ghosts : Ghosts

6 Fast Guys Plus Ryan vs. SouthSide Ballers : 6 Fast Guys Plus Ryan

Eskimo Brothers vs. Punt Returners : Punt Returners

Recipe 4 Disaster vs. CREAM Team : Recipe 4 Disaster

Local 89ers vs. Justice League : Local 89ers

BMS Goats vs. TrapStars : Trapstars

Crisp vs. Black Ice : N/A

Backyard Bullies vs. Bruthers : Backyard Bullies

TCO vs. Ball Busters : TCO

Game Changers vs. Sandlot Saints : Game Changers

Les Duck Dynasty vs. Shmoney : Shmoney

Mustangs DG vs. A-Squad : A-Squad

Maloudes vs. ZOO: Maloudes

Well, that’s it for me this week. Make sure to check out our bi-monthly joint article where Simon and I take turns coordinating questions for the other to answer. This week, we discuss our opinions on an ideal all-star roster for Division 4. In the interim, I can be approached on the field, tweeted at @gmkole44 (I think it’s time to bring back the live-tweets) or found on the currently nameless Division 4 Podcast alongside Moe Khan on Thursday nights at www.theunclemikeshow.com, or available for download on iTunes. Until next week, the GM is out!