Preview: 2012 WFTDA North Central Region Playoffs
BUFFALO, NY -- The fourth edition of the WFTDA Big 5 kicks off this weekend in Niagara Falls, NY as the ten top teams from the WFTDA North Central get it on in a tournament hosted by the East region's Queen City.
See WFTDA's official tournament bracket here.
As in previous years, the ten-team tournament leaves seeds 7 through 10 at a severe disadvantage; they play an extra opening-round game before entering the quarterfinals against the top two seeds. Advancing past that round is very tough but has been done twice -- once in 2009 by Rocky Mountain and once in 2010 by Minnesota.
The top three finishers from the tournament score invites to play at this year's November WFTDA Championships in Atlanta. Windy City has advanced as the #1 seed from the region in each of its three years of existence; Minnesota joined them in 2010 and 2011, and Madison (2009, 2010), Naptown (2011) and Detroit (2009) have all made it out as well.
This year, 4th seeded Arch Rival looks to make a play for the Championships, having already upset 3 seed Naptown; 5 seed Ohio hopes to build on the winningest WFTDA season ever at 20-1; Detroit, holding on their their lowest-ever seed in the region at #6, wants to reassert their place in the North Central by quickly ending Naptown's hopes to return to Championships, and should seeding hold, Windy City and Minnesota will get a rematch in the final to finish off a mid-season classic that ended with no clear winner.
Comments
Brewcity Roster
It's my understanding that BCB's Carrie A. HackSAW is not skating due to injury.
Actually...
It's my understanding that BCB's Carrie A. HackSAW is not skating due to injury.
She's skating right now.
I'm surprised. Talked to her
I'm surprised. Talked to her at Brewhaha, where she didn't skate, about a torn up knee.
Time zone?
Can anyone tell me which time zone the North Central Playoffs are in..? I am in GMT and need to set up a schedule for viewings (bought a full playoff+championships pass, woo!) :)
EDIT: Nevermind I found it! ;)
How can you view bouts on video now?
Where do you go to pay to view playoff+championship bouts?
bouts live on
WFTDAtv.com
well, there it is
the cinci vs mad rollin' bout just goes to show you how bad the ranking system is...
there could have been a better team invited to the tourney, better than cinci.
i wont name names, but, seriously, there needs to be some kind of regular season in order to determine who skates in regionals.
Who?
I'm looking through some of the other bubble teams and can't make a good argument for anyone else. Cincy beating The Outfit in June makes a good argument and I am hard pressed to imagine a regular season that would've resulted in them not skating with a win like that.
Sometimes teams play better than their ability and sometimes they play worse. I have a hard time believing that this blowout is any sort of clear evidence that Cincy didn't deserve to be at the playoffs. Keep in mind Madison once beat Gotham. Sure that was a million years ago, but the point is that this is a league that is familiar and comfortable with playoffs, so there's a good argument that they played up for the weekend.
Cincinnati earned their spot
Cincy was also missing two regular rotation skaters: Karma Krash & K Lethal. K Lethal plays a big role in their jammer lineup.
Well, in addition to what N8
Well, in addition to what N8 has said, Mad Rollin also has back Dolly Pardon Me, Sugarlumps, Darling Nikki and Alli Gator, all all-stars who did not play at last year's Regionals. Makes a big difference when they have some great players come back that were a part of what made them who they were while Cinci is missing their highest point scorer. Cinci still deserves to be here, for sure.