2012 PSP Pre-season D2 Rankings

VFTD is happy to continue flogging the divisional horse with a pre-season ranking of all the Galveston competitors in D2. (Especially 'cause I didn't have to do any work.) I would also like to apologise to the author for ruthlessly and cavalierly cutting some perfectly good (explanatory even) content in the interests of not overburdening the Attention Deficit Disorder of the average baller. (Go ahead, kids. Pop those Ritalin pills. They're just like Pez candies.)
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In creating these rankings a number of variables were taken into consideration: Past Achievement ("Winning"), Experience (at the given Division and Race Format), Team Cohesion (Years as a Team), Roster Make-Up (# of D1s, D2s), Access to Higher Level Teams for Scrimmage & Coaching. Conversely if a team is newly formed or has few D2 players on the roster that hurts. If they've never played Xball, somebody get some Advil. All said, we all know the playing will do the talking in the end. I'm sure the rankings will be gloriously obliterated once play starts March 9th.

VFTDS presents: The Division 2 Pre-Season Rankings:
1- Revo: This team has all the above characteristics save for playing in D2 before. They were dominant in D3 last season. Their players are coming back plus two D1s. PAP in MD is a gladiator academy with D2 DC Monstars and D1 Assault teams once hosted there as well. [Baca edit: bonus points for use of Latin "ludus." Points subtracted for misspelling. I'm tough but I'm fair. Somebody has been watching too much Spartacus: Blood & Sand.]
2- Boom: always have to give the edge to incumbent teams in a division and they still have two D1s on their roster.
3- Zone: another incumbent D2 team. Placed 5th at Cup. Might find the podium with those dominant teams out of their way. Maybe some home state advantage as well?
4- ac402.com: Greg Pauley has obvious pedigree as a coach. Plus, he and another former Vicious player are on the roster. But will they be able to pick up the slack? Since it's GP's team, everyone is thinking VICIOUS Part 2. Side note, they get last place for team name.
5- Prime: The boys from Alabama clearly got some love in the VFTD poll. They have a pair of Pro coaches. They did well in CFOA 2010. They got 2nd at Cup and 3rd at TX last season. But they lacked consistency. They're not cashing in on having D1 players on the roster like the other teams are either.
6- Scottsdale Elevation: Played Pro 7-man in '09. Ranked 9th D1 NPPL playing two events. Play PSP feeder AZPPL. No proven Xball pedigree at the national level. They seem confident as the team is already slated for D1 PSP after PSP Galveston.
7- CEP D2: The CEP program did very well divisionally once upon a time. Since they get to practice a Pro team regularly as well, it makes them a threat. But they've only played one event together, barely squeaking past prelims at Cup.
8- Blackout: Damage's Florida feeder team; Total Karnage 2.0. [Baca edit: just so there's no confusion the core of the Blackout D2 squad is last year's NPPL D3 series champs.]
9- Da Bears: looks like Wolfpack 2.0 with some LIFT players and Jersey area walk-ons. Habit of being super-hot, super-cold. Struggle to maintain a roster.
10- NCPA All-Stars: They were always competitive in D3 with three top 5 finishes in '11. With the amount many of them save by working for the APPA during the event; they can always draw a solid mix of talent.
11- Carolina Breakout: Finished 4th for the season in D3. Showing steady improvement from D4X-D3X, but only one top 4 finish in D3. 3rd Place at Cup.
12-Palm Beach Vipers: Only one D2 player rostered. As interesting and lasting as the Vipers franchise has been, they've only won a few times. Palm Beach Venom has won a 1st at PHX Open 2010 in D1. PBV kids won Cup in D3X in 2010. There is one player from each rostered for 2012. North Florida does have a wealth of D1 teams to scrimmage against though and Ken Bryson should have enough experience to make some good things happen.
13-Siege: Wisconsin, 5 D2 ranked players; narrowly beaten by Revo at Cup.
14-Overhead: 100% Latino team mostly out of Monterrey, Mexico. While they've done well in México, non-US teams, aside from Russians (Legion, Grad) tend to struggle. Props to them for making the trip. Most gringos wouldn't go to Tijuana or Monterrey for a michelada. Much less for some paintball. (Both are locations for the PSP affiliated Mexican Paintball League, but also centers for intense cartel turf wars.) [Baca edit: Yo no sé nada.]
15-Coalition: out of Albuquerque, New Mexico; rosters 3 D2 players.
16-OBK: out of San Antonio. The team rosters only 1 D2 player; making them eligible for D3.
17-Last Call: from Atlanta, GA. After winning World Cup in D3 5-man, these guys had to bump up to Division 2 Xball. This is inexplicable, as it is common knowledge that Xball has much more difficult competition. They'll have to get used to a whole new format and a higher level of play at the same time.
18-PC Katana: from Panama City, FL Team rosters only 1 D2 player making them eligible to play D3.
[Baca edit: Cut some unnecessary hedging and dissembling thrown in just in case anyone has any hurt fewlings.]That's the pre-season rankings.
"Welcome to the layer cake son."