DLE – Season 3.2: A look at SHC North vs KFC South

Hertha: “So, what do you think, Günther? Have we had an exciting season so far?”

Günther: “Excellent! Capital! I’m so impressed with this League. Excellent teams, hard-fought matches, interesting players and a lot of fan action. This League got it all, and we were very lucky that Carroburg managed to get a piece of the action when they joined in season 2.” Günther grins. “And got us this exciting job as well. It quite wasn’t the same writing about our second rank baseball team…”

Hertha: (laughs) “That’s so very true, Günther! But if you look at the season, what’s your thoughts on the SHC North so far? What has surprised you the most?”

Günther: “That would have to be the total collapse of Cascade after the Vikings match. One thing is losing out to our arch-rivals, but that total meltdown they experienced… I simply have no words for it. Look at their casualty score, for example. In the first three matches, six different players caused a total of 14 casualties. And then, it the next four only 10, and 8 of them to Althoff. An their offense just died off after the death of Nicola. TJ did some one-turners, but otherwise…? Where is the game plan, the creativity, the will to push through?”

Hertha: “The last match against the Grizzlies was better, though.”

Günther: “I would agree to that, even though the Grizzlies had deserved a draw in that match. Only a major tactical blunder in the final one-turner attempt when Cascade was down to 7 players due to heat exhaustion and game attrition made the match a win for the Cascade.”

Hertha: “But something had happened there, between the Avalanche and the Grizzlies matches. We saw a Cascade team that never gave up, that ran and fought and struggled, like the team we want to know. The team they used to be…”
Günther: “Yes, that’s it. And if, and that’s a big if, they can continue to fight and run like that, they can still be in contention of that glamorous play-off spot.“

Hertha: “You sound doubtful, Günther? What can you see in that crystal ball of yours, except for fat producers and filthy rich network owners, of course…”

Günther: (grins) “So, so. Not on the air, Hertha… But you are right, I am doubtful. If we see the Cascade we saw in the start of the season, and again in the Grizzlies match, I think they can still do it. But they are two points behind schedule, and If they sink back into mediocrity like we have seen them do this season, it won’t be even close.” He seems to be thinking hard. “So, sorry fans, I do no longer think Cascade will make it to the play-offs. Vikings have proved too tenacious. No way will they give away their place in the hot seat. And with the surprising performance of underdog Avalanche and guard-reliant Wreckers, we will not get a wild card either. My guess is that we end up like last season, just outside of the play-off.”

Hertha: “Any players that have impressed you this season?”

Günther: “You have to admire a player like Althoff. In total disregard of anything, he has been grinding on the whole season, producing 15 casualties, including three niggling injuries and the kills on Sweezy and Da Moss. The leading blocker in the league this season by a large margin. Otherwise, the list is not long, though… Most of the others has been mediocre, or at best very variable, with some excellent performances followed by poor showings.”

Hertha: “True. I liked the new catcher, the norsewoman, when she came and did five fouls in her first match, which earned her an MVP. And then she followed up with a TD in the next game. But after that… have we even seen her?"

Günther: “Not much, although she did a sacrifice foul on Kendricks in the final Grizzlies match to KO him, although she was way too obvious about it.”

Hertha: (laughs) “Yeah. I guess perhaps the small knife she carries around gave her away… And then our esteemed opponents in SHC North, what’s your revised opinion on them?”

Günther: “Well. Vikings are solid as always, and their impressive win against the Buccaneers in week 9 confirmed their status as the preeminent team of the division. They hardly ever makes mistakes, and their stability is their big thing. They are weakened though, with half of their players permanently injured and their quarterback Shaun Hill killed in the Buccaneers match. We will have to see what they can do in the rest of the season.”

Hertha: “Wolfskins have surprised us a bit. They did well in the start, and have gathered 8 points so far this season, only two behind Cascade. And they really played well in the final match, were they beat the Wreckers 3-0!”

Günther: “Yes. They are actually at the top of the league in offense, and also in rushing yards and completions. And Monk is a player that never fails to foul in a game. He is instrumental in giving Wolfskins a second place in fouling, second only to the Greenskins.”

Hertha. “They are not that good at causing casualties, though. Olivier and Sean needed a stay in Carroburg before they started causing trouble…”

Günther: “And even the Grizzlies have played well. Only one victory, against the Wreckers in week 3, but four draws have given them 6 points so far. But to sum up, this division will likely be won by Vikings, and with Cascade probably not far behind, and the deciding match will probably wait until week 15, when the Cascade visits Erengrad. “

Hertha: “And KFC North? With the Patriots loss to Avalanche in their early week 10 game, Razorbacks with their 6 wins and 4 draws are the only unbeaten team so far!”

Günther: “They sure have had an impressive run, but I am a little bit skeptical still. One have to realize that the best team the Razorbacks have beaten is the Sluggers, which are currently ranked #21. Then they have beaten Cardinals (#26), Scimitars (#29), Thunderbolts (#31) and the 49ers (#27) twice. Seen in this light, their draws, particularly against the Universe and the Unicorns, are almost as impressive, if not more.”

Hertha: “Yeah. So it will be interesting to see how they will perform when up against the Cascade (week 14) and the Vikings (week 12). Still, 16 points is extremely impressive!”

Günther: “Indeed. Second in the KFC North is the Eagles. 11 points and up for a wild card spot, and they beat the Thunder, which is ranked #8.”

Hertha: “And they also have one of the best slayers in the league in Dante Hightower. 9 casualties is impressive, even though he has to share the position with several others.”

Günther: “The other two teams have some catching up to do, though. 49ers have done well to have gotten all of 6 points out of what must be one of the weakest squads in the league, but struggle along with a large number of rookies and near-rookies. And Scimitars are even worse off, with only two victories and one draw. I think this division is somewhat less exciting than the SHC North. Only a total Razorbacks collapse will give Eagles a chance to beat them for the divisional title, but Eagles will certainly take second place, and are in contention for a wild card spot with the Foxes, the Thunder and the River Bandits.”

Hertha: “And among interesting players in this cross-divisional match-up are Wolfskins’ Kirk Cousins, the QB with the most completions in the league, and slayers Althoff and Hightower, from Cascade and Eagles. These two giants, with 24 casualties between them so far in the season, will meet tonight, when Cascade travels to Remas down in sunny Tilea.”

Günther: “And we should also mention the two biggest foulers in the league, Razorbacks’ van Kassel and Wolfskins’ Art Monk. They will meet in week 13, if both of them stay alive until then"

Brought to you by Hertha Wendlinger and Günther Schiele, Carroburg Tageszeitung