Week 18 Predictions - 5 Games

Friday February 15th

Philadelphia KiXX at Detroit Ignition
Baltimore Blast at Milwaukee Wave
Chicago Storm at California Cougars

Saturday February 16th

New Jersey Ironmen at Baltimore Blast
Monterrey La Raza at Orlando Sharks

 

That game is in the week 17 thread as being an extended week game. You already picked the game as evidenced above in the Week 17 predictions.

 

Detroit Ignition 18 Philadelphia KiXX 8

This shouldn't be close. KiXX are coming off an ugly loss today and face certain doom when they head to Detroit to face the the powerful and rested Ignition.

Baltimore Blast 14 Milwaukee Wave 12

Another barnburner between these two hated rivals goes down to the final minutes before the Blast pull it out late to keep their winning streak and rise to the top of the standings intact. With Philadelphia struggling, it could be an early finals preview here since 2 of the 3 teams that have won the league title since 1999 are involved and at the top. Look at the laundry list here:

1999-2000 Championship: Milwaukee over Cleveland 3-2
2000-2001 Championship: Milwaukee over Philadelphia 3-0
2001-2002 Championship: Philadelphia over Milwaukee 2-1
2002-2003 Championship: Baltimore over Milwaukee 2-1
2003-2004 Championship: Baltimore over Milwaukee 3-0
2004-2005 Championship: Milwaukee over Cleveland 2-0
2005-2006 Championship: Baltimore over St Louis 2-1 (Golden Goal)
2006-2007 Championship: Philadelphia over Detroit 1-0

So basically since Philadelphia is struggling, it will have to be Baltimore or Milwaukee to hold up this crazy reign. Baltimore never loses if it gets there. Milwaukee has won 3 and lost 3 while Philadelphia has won 2 and lost 1. 2 of the 3 teams that have been hit by this three team express train have folded except for Detroit. To add to the comedy possibilties the title game is in Milwaukee, so thats an advantage for Milwaukee you would think, should they get there. But wait. The last two clinching games in Milwaukee they suffered horrific, mind boggling choke jobs, first in 2002 as the KiXX scored in the final minute to win the title, and then even worse the next year when Tozer started smirking at the entire Blast bench during the third quarter in 2003, his team blew a 12-4 lead in the final 18 minutes to lose 13-12. In contrast, Baltimore has won it's last 3 playoff games in Milwaukee. So it will be an interesting run should these two meet again in the playoffs or the finals. I'll get to the KiXX problems in a second. But it is sure to be a wild finish. Baltimore will probably have to take the long road as they have one of the tougher finishing stretches, so a bye is unlikely for them.

Chicago Storm 16 California Cougars 10

Stick a fork in the hilariously fading Cougars as they manage to get swept on the Fox Soccer Channel "doubleheader" in the matter of about 5 hours. Today's mauling of the KiXX by the Storm will have little effect on the Storm, who typically play well in California. The Cougars will be the 2nd team eliminated from the playoff race this season, about a few weeks after the Orlando Sharks. The Cougars aren't being helped by their schedule as an impossible 4 game trip (New Jersey, Philadelphia, Detroit, Milwaukee) looms after this game. Another team that could be eliminated in Mexico, and their DOA date will be Thursday March 13th. Monterrey could end up eliminating all thee of the teams around them, and squeak into 6th place.

New Jersey Ironmen 12 Baltimore Blast 8

Expect friday night's game in Milwaukee to have a major impact on this game. The Ironmen will likely pressure the Blast alot, knowing the legs will be tired and eventually run out of gas in the 2nd half. The Blast could pull this off only if they keep the game close and have alot of possession time. I just don't see it, and Omid loves to torment the Baltimore fans, so he will have the team ready to go. The streak ends here for the Blast, and the road gets alot tougher. This is hall of fame night in Baltimore, so the emotions will be on a little thick as well. Just not enough to carry the team to victory.

Monterrey LaRaza 17 Orlando Sharks 12

At last, the final week for the Orlando Sharks to be in the playoff race. Monterrey begins its 2 game sweep in 6 days over the Sharks with a nice victory in Orlando before putting the cap on Orlando's season on Thursday night February 21st, dropping them to a hideous 3-21 and eliminating them from contention. Monterrey has a chance, with a very soft finishing schedule, including these two games, to have the rarest of rare...a triple elimination whammy, all in Mexico. That's right folks, Monterrey could eliminate in order, Orlando, California, and then Philadelphia on its way to the 6th seed. It sets up perfectly for them:

Thursday February 21st - Orlando Sharks at Monterrey LaRaza
Thursday March 13th - California Cougars at Monerrey LaRaza
Thursday April 3rd - Philadelphia KiXX at Monterrey LaRaza

With Philadelphia's loss today, should Monterrey sweep Orlando, Monterrey would move into 6th place and control it's own destiny. Captain Chaos said he would send Pappas new buffers for his golf clubs if that happened. Looking at the schedules of the 4 teams, this really could happen. It would also be hysterical to see..leave the United States, get eliminated from the MISL playoffs.