The Ace Report: Clash of Titans.

Welcome to a very late Ace Report,  I apologize but things are going on and I'm just trying to wrap my head around them.  Don't fret though WAFL nation.

This week is a clash of the WAFL Titans.  Well we got some great match ups,  Boston and Osaka,  Las Vegas and Los Angeles,  Spartans and Chill,  Destruction and Hornets... ok 4 out of 5 ain't bad.  Anyways with game time upon us this Saturday let's digest these Week 9 picks.  And as always,  I'll pick the player who will make the biggest impact.

PHI @ QCC:   I picked Philadelphia last night...  Good one Ace.  0-1

CIN @ DUB:  You know I know the Sentinels are coming off a great win and this is Dublin's first game under new ownership but something in my heart is telling me Dublin wins.  I can be really stupid with some picks but I mean I figured Cincy would beat Las Vegas so you never know.  Oh yeah  Impact Player... hmmm  Josh Weaver.

OSA @ BOS:  Chester Hilton, welcome to prime time.  Jordan Smither we hardly knew ya (in Boston) guess enough is enough and the Maulers are "Kaepernicking" the season and going with the younger kid here.  Hilton is a rookie and he might be in for quite the first start against the Shoguns.  The Shoguns are rolling,  I can't go against them and Conner Pyatt.  #MVPyatt.

STL @ DEL:  Delaware is an utter disgrace right now,  absolutely pathetic and their former owner coward his way out of the league.  Hornets have this but good grief Bruce Johnson,  throw to the guys in white, not the guys in whatever color Delaware calls that.  Hornets bounce back from the tough Wolfpack loss.

LAI @ LVD:  This is it.  This is the night Jed Jones, Phil Proctor, and the Immortals finally fall.  Something, something in my heart says pick Las Vegas.  I'm picking Las Vegas,  I know they didn't make a good case with their performance in San Antonio but everyone has an off night.  Gerod Perron and the Diablos slay their west coast counterparts in a barn burner.  Diablos by 6.

MIN @ EDM:  AJ IS BACK!  But Edmonton is looking for redemption after their embarrassing loss to Cleveland.  Minnesota will also be without Marcus Berry for awhile.  However they have Ahmad Price and Edmonton has no Chris Noel.  They do have Herm Johnson though... and that is why, Edmonton will win.

Ace's predictions (as of Week 9):  (23-28)

Monday Morning Waffles: Week 8 (2013)

EDM @ CLE:  Cleveland beat Edmonton and I was kinda surprised,  All 19 points came in the 4th quarter, call it an epic collapse for an Edmonton squad I thought would make short work of the Stallions.  The most baffling stat this season... Cleveland had a +/- ratio of -108.  HOLY MOSES, -108!  That's just... *walks away slowly*.

STL @ LOU:  Whenever the Wolfpack play in primetime, you're always in for a great game and this week was no different.  A defensive game with the final score of 10-3.  The Wolfpack made plays and made them when they needed to.  For the Hornets,  Bruce Johnson must limit his turnovers if the Hornets are truly going to be potential World Champions.

STI @ OSA:  No contest.  The Shoguns mean business.  The Surge are just not in the same league as some of these teams.  Now they could probably beat some squads but the Shoguns,  they're deadly.  Now they need to keep the injury bug away but right now, the Shoguns are battle ready for a playoff run.

MIN @ LA:  This was a close game until Phil "The Juggernaut" Proctor came around and trounced the hapless Spartans (I will from now on call Proctor, The Juggernaut).  I mean Floyd Ahanotu goes down and then you're really scared of the Immortals.  Proctor in some baffling way has overshadowed Jed Jones and could possibly be... MVP?  (gasp).

QCC @ DEL:  There was no one in the suite at DuPont Field.  No Casey Evans Asante, no freaking Delaware Destruction.  Remember when I use to call them the Delaware Self Destruction, THEY'RE BACK.  I mean I gave the Corsairs the win but 55 POINTS?  And Danny Greene scored a TD?  *shakes head*  I wash my hands of this game.

LVD @ CIN:  The Walsh Bowl was kind of a dud this year.  31-3 in favor of the Sentinels.  Total role reversal as Sloan shined and O'Connor bombed.  He bombed hard.  A shameful night to be a Diablos fan, but props to Cincy and Marvel "Da Superhero" Palmer.  The sky's the limit for the Sentinels.  As for the Diablos, the Immortals are coming and chances are it's not gonna be pretty.

Heading into Week 9 (it's Week 9 already?),  here's what we ask ourselves

-  Is Phil Proctor the best running back in the league?
-  Are Cleveland gaining steam?
-  Are the Wolfpack the best franchise in League history?
- Is Delaware going from first to worst?
-  Did the Diablos just have an off night?
-  Will the Immortals fall?
-  Are the Shoguns the favorites to win it all?

I'm Ace Whirls,  it's only my opinion.

The Ace Report: El Fuego

What's the deal with the Immortals, Hornets, and Diablos.  They're winning and winning with style.  The team I'm most baffled by is the St. Louis Hornets.  The Hornets were one of the worst teams last year and now with some solid free agent pickups and trades,  the Hornets continue to win.  The Immortals were the darling of the WAFL last year and the feel good team of the year,  they too are undefeated and look like nothing is stopping them now.  And then there is the case of the Las Vegas Diablos,  three straight wins since Marcus Berry was traded to Minnesota, despite Michael O'Connor's  struggles,  his defense is something else.  If Vegas continues to win,  there must be harmony on both sides of the ball.

On to Week 8 picks.

CLE @ EDM:  This one is pretty puzzling,  Cleveland had the Wolfpack in their sights and just let it slip away.  Edmonton went off against Cincinnati in a puzzling showcase.  This one goes either way but my heart is set on Edmonton and  Herman Johnson.

STL @ LOU:  I know what you're thinking.  Obviously I should pick Louisville but let's be honest here, if St. Louis can catch a break against Osaka, they can for sure catch a break against Louisville.  Plus Louisville's secondary puzzles me at times.  So for the sake of "destiny" St. Louis and James Cooley  somehow win again.

STI @ OSA:  The Surge, oh the Surge.  This isn't going to end well for you.  Both of these teams are coming off losses but both teams have stars.  In the end,  I feel Osaka has a better chance here than Stirling.  Stirling just hasn't adjusted well to new ownership but I'm sure Mike Irvine can turn it around.  Donte Houle has a good game.

MIN @ LAI:  The Immortals and Spartans are going in different directions and I'll say it freaking again until Phil Proctor keels over or decides "maybe I should buy a boat"  the Immortals will stay undefeated (until next week maybe).  So yeah I'm going to take the Immortals and Phil Proctor to win again.  Don't be surprised if Jed Jones airs it out.  So yes I have the Hornets and Immortals still undefeated headed into Week 9.

QCC @ DEL:  We say goodbye to Casey Asante,  he was a good kid, a great owner but I guess after he won his championship,  the fun ended for him.  With that said,  Corsairs should win despite their struggles.  I think Bryson McGrew has a nice game.

LVD @ CIN:  THE WALSH BOWL,  these two respect each other dearly and this is always a wonderful game.  Diablos have won three straight,  Sentinels have loss three straight.  But here's the thing folks,  sometimes you have an off night and when you're up against your arch rivals,  things happen.  UPSET OF THE WEEK:  Sentinels  get by Las Vegas.  Dustin McKnight comes up huge.

Ace Whirls' predictions (as of Week 8): (19-26)

Monday Morning Waffles (late edition): Week 7 (2013)

DEL @ MIN:  Well the Spartans did it.  It wasn't pretty but a win is a win.  The Destruction continue to struggle and it would help if owner Casey Evans Asante (Samuel)  was around.  Darius Rider's 269 passing yards is something to be happy about I guess.

DUB @ LAI:  Team of Destiny pffft.  A 37-3 thrashing of the Celts put that out of the window.  The Immortals mean business and until their divisional match ups with the Diablos or Shoguns.  I don't see anyone in their way.  Jed Jones threw for 206 yards,  Ahanontu had 122 yards on the ground.  And Alex Cooper  had 154 receiving yards. A good day to be an Immortal.

LVD@ STI:  BOOM SHAKALAKA THEY'RE ON FIRE.  The Las Vegas Diablos have strung together three wins straight and this time it was a 41-14 thrashing of the struggling Surge.  Michael O'Connor is back throwing for 305 yards and 3 TDs and Gerod Perron had 186 receiving yards, one of his best games of the season so far.

CIN @ EDM:  Yeesh, what is in the water in Ohio.  Edmonton obliterated Cincy 51-17.  Bubba Jones threw for 245 yards, I don't even want to talk about Joe Sloan (poor guy).  Herm Johnson had 111 yards on the ground.  I can't find anything positive to say about the Sentinels.  Just makes the Walsh Bowl in San Antonio even more intriguing.

LOU@CLE:  This one of the most bizarre games I ever watched.  It was tied 31-31 at half time and then the Wolfpack shutout the Stallions 28-0 in the second half of the game.  Jason Timbers threw for an astonishing 400+ yards.  He could have broke Norm Van Brocklin's NFL Record (I would have passed out).  The Wolfpack continue their winning ways.

STL@OSK:  Team of Desinty.  Give Daley Holder the Owner of the Year trophy (Dave Arnold begs to differ).  Consider it luck the Hornets knocked out Conner Pyatt for two quarters and benefited greatly.  Could there be a bounty system in St. Lou... I'M KIDDING.

BOS @ PHI:  Woe is me says Jordan Smithers.  The Maulers choke away another game and Smithers now is a free man.  The Maulers has mysteriously released Smithers following owner A.J. Cawell's tweet of a BYE week for the Maulers which in point was a cryptic message that Smithers would be let go.  For the Iron,  call it a fluke win (I'm sorry but it's true).

Heading into Week 8,  here's what we ask ourselves.

- What's the deal with Delaware?
-  Who stands in the Immortals way?
-  Are the Diablos unstoppable?
- Is Joe Sloan done in Cincy?
- Are the Hornet legit title contenders?
-  Can Boston catch a break?

I'm Ace Whirls, it's only my opinion.

The Ace Report: Sick and Tired.

WAFL Nation,  I'm not very happy right now.  Some of these owners don't give a damn about this league that I love and write about so much.  It's literally making me consider stop writing articles,  I mean the amount of suspensions we've had,  the lack of owner commitment, the fact we can't get a damn 15th owner who actually cares about their team.  Some owners just skate by and some owners are dedicated to win.  I'm not going to call anyone out but you know who you are.  I'm pissed off frankly with the way some of these teams are ran by some of these owners.  It may be Valentine's Day but it's tough love from Ace.  Get it together people.  It's hilarious I like writing for this league more than writing for my own freaking school newspaper, at least the WAFL has some entertaining characters.  Yes I just broke the 4th wall, who cares.
You all know who I am.

Dublin got what they deserve.

Everyone else who doesn't give a damn get out while you have a chance.

Let's lighten the mood with some Week 7 picks.

DEL@MIN:  Minnesota has struggled and Delaware has shown signs of improvement.  I really don't know how this game will go.  I think it comes down to Price vs Campbell but I don't have enough faith in Minnesota because of Antonio Curtis.  Delaware wins...maybe.

DUB@LA:  Now the Celts get to "troll" the rest of the league by winning games and not even getting to play in the post season.  Until Phil Proctor either quits for an acting career or declines, he will be thee impact player for an Immortals victory.

LVD@STI:  The Diablos are on the verge of redemption from the beginning of the season.  Stirling has had an up and down season.  Michael Irvine is passionate and confident in the Surge but so is Diablos owner Eric Walsh in his Diablos,  In the end this game comes down to momentum and the Diablos and Anthony Hawkins have it all.

CIN@EDM: Hey these two need to get it together, something has to give eventually.  With the way Edmonton has played and the lack of motivation from coach James Stokley.  I see the Sentinels as winners.  I think Joe Sloan has a good game, not a great game but a good game.

LOU @ CLE:  These two don't like each other, Cleveland piggybacked some of Louisville's players their first season in the league.  It has always been a war of words.  Cleveland got their first win last week and momentum is on their side but this is the Wolfpack we're talking about... c'mon.  Duke Overstreet runs all over the Stallions.

STL @ OSA:  St. Louis welcome to your biggest task, taking down MVPyatt and the Shoguns.  I know every time I pick against the Hornets it bites me in the ass and this whole team of destiny thing is ridiculous but maybe the Hornets are being controlled by a higher power.  Hornets win.  Somehow Bruce Johnson does it again.

BOS @ PHI:  Philadelphia seems to miss Ivan Inferno and it shows.  Giving up 11 sacks to the Diablos,  I'm afraid to see what the Maulers do to them.  This is going to be an ugly President's Day.  Terry Tate is going for a career game.

Ace Whirls' predictions (as of Week 7): (15-23)

WAFL Week 7 News and Notes

We at the WAFL have had a busy week outside of the league but we wanted to fill you in on the storylines heading into week seven.

Suspensions handed down once again
The league office has grown frustrated with team rule violations as more suspensions were handed down this week. Delaware and Philadelphia will lose four players each while Edmonton's Chris Noel will be suspended one game once he returns from injury. The Iron will be losing three of their starting offensive lineman and after last week's 11 sacks given up, that doesn't bode well for them this week against Boston.

A matchup of epic proportions
The St. Louis Hornets (5-0) and the Osaka Shoguns (3-2) will battle Sunday night at 9:30pm CST with two heavyweights going at it. The Hornets have squeaked past their opponents in the fourth quarter the last couple of weeks while the Shoguns have outscored opponents 79-24 at home this season. The Hornets are beginning a three game road trip with Osaka, Louisville and Delaware on the schedule - definitely not an easy task. They won't play another home game until March 9.

Salute the troops
The WAFL will be saluting the troops this week with a game played on Monday afternoon, President's Day, between the Boston Maulers and the Philadelphia Iron. Both teams are struggling to fight their way to the top of the Eastern Conference but the good cause is worth it. Since scoring 95 points in their first three games, the Maulers have scored just 23 points since, with only two touchdowns.

Playing spoiler
Already, it has been ruled that the Dublin Celts will be league operated and will carry out their regular season and not be eligible to compete in the playoffs. The Celts, a talented 3-2 organization, will get all of their players back this week against the Immortals. Dublin has lost two games by a combined 11 points. After their game with Los Angeles, Dublin won't play a team with a winning record (currently) till April 13!

This week begins on Thursday with a doubleheader that kicks off at 7:30pm CST. Four games are scheduled for Sunday and the President's Day event will kick off at 11:30am CST.

Monday Morning Waffles: Week 6 (2013)

Week 6 is in the books and my what a wild week it was in the WAFL.  Some games tooks some turns I didn't even expect and now everyone in the WAFL has a win.  Congrats to the Cleveland Stallions on their first win of the season against Queen City.  This playoff chase is gonna be a wild one.

STI @ STL:  I really thought Stirling had this.  New owner Michael Irvine was confident in himself to get Stirling the victory over St. Louis but nobody expected Hornets cornerback Charles Fontaine picked off four  Paul Young passes to conserve a Hornets victory 27-17.  I can't say it enough, Team of destiny.

BOS @ CIN:   The Maulers are back in the win column though it was close 17-15 over the Sentinels.  Joe Sloan threw for 215 yards in the loss.  Bam Bam Thunderman has a baffling 63 yards, a career low I assume and Andrew Hawk only mustered 65 receiving yards.  A defensive battle indeed.

EDM @ DUB:  Dublin won?  I am speechless.  Despite six player suspensions and no Owner present.  The Dublin Celtics won a shootout 38-37 over the struggling Edmonton Chill.  Despite Bubba Jones' 226 passing yards, despite Herm Johnson's 120 yards on the ground and Casey Rodgers 160 receiving yards... Dublin won.  Team of Destiny?

QCC @ CLE:  Break out the Drew Carey glasses and blare Cleveland Rock from the speakers because the Stallions are winners!  The Stallions upset the Queen City Corsairs 24-17.  Joseph Redfeather threw for 161 yards in the loss.  Patrick Vance outshined Tony Henderson with an 103 yard performance.  Cleveland has a win in the stacked Central division finally.

PHI @ LVD:  It was a party in New Orleans but Philadelphia showed up to the party drunk.  The Diablos defense has come alive their past two games and this was a career game for Diablos Anthony Hawkins who had 5.5 sacks in the game.  The Diablos has a team total 11 sacks, the difference maker in this game.  Michael O'Connor continues to struggle though throwing 3 interceptions the second straight week.

Heading into Week 7,  here's what we have to ask ourselves.

-  Is St. Louis ever going to lose?

- Is Joe Sloan losing his edge?

-  Are Dublin a real threat?

- Is Edmonton on the decline?

-  Are the Diablos dangerous?

I'm Ace Whirls, it's only my opinion.