let's take a look at the season's final games:
ATL hosts Footpath: the Leapers have got all their affairs in order and are prepared to move down. but with Sizemore as a core player, i'm not sure Footpath will remain in the underworld for much more than a season.
Rdkin at Senecaville: There is a lot at stake in this game. Rdkin has already started cleaning house, but he (and i) then learned he had a chance at 5th if he won tonight. Even under the best of circumstances, this would be a challenge on the road. Senecaville will be moving a good bit of his squad after this game. Clint Wiley holds the future of Rdkin in his hands -- will he tank tonight, and let Rdkin remain in DII? or will the Big 8 lose possibly four teams after the end of this season?
Window Lickers at California: California played a patient offense against me and that SOB SF Anwar torched my squad for 72 points. what a going away present to set the league scoring record in his last game. for the Windows, they are like me: in the playoffs, but then one and done. but 'tis better to be in the playoffs than not.
LionPride at Thunder: game with something at stake, maybe. on the one hand, Lion tries and wins, Lion gets 5th place. but if Lion stays in 6th, their "reward" is a series against a depleted Footpath squad (down to two serious players). i don't know, but i would guess the revenue boost from two relegation games would be better than the week off. maybe the Thunder is thinking losing would not be such a bad result, for much the same reason. what the coaches decide makes this an interesting game.
Ron Swanson at UK: both teams are solidly ensconced in their respective playoff positions, so really very little is at stake.
Flash Mashers travel to T-Rex: i predict the final score will be 50-0. on TV, no less.
Tucumcari at Eugene: judging by the records, Tucumcari is unlikely to upset the Register-Guard on the road. but then Ozone has to worry what oriolekid has decided to do -- see above -- and i would think prepare for the worst, which would mean TIE tonight. we will see.
and this brings us to tonight's big match, except thanks to PD it is not:
TKI at Pauley Pavilion: theoretically, TKI has a chance at first and HCA through the playoffs -- quite a prize! -- but they would have to win, on the road, by 38 points. unless something has happened to Solana Steve (he got disgusted with the cable company and went through a series of actions that ended up with him beat up in a ditch in East L.A.) and he did not fix his lineup, i don't see how TKI accomplishes that. and because it is foolish to bet the farm on a former-NBBA coach making such an error, i would think TKI come out tonight with TIE and some dopey offense and defense strategy that he would never ever use against the Bruins in the finals. regardless, this should be a great finals game a week from today.
good luck to one and all, and let us hope nothing major is decided by injuries.