The Monday Poll (Bitch at Baca Edition)

If you were hoping VFTD was gonna do a 'Whose Gonna Win the PSP D3 Series' poll because the other divisional polls have proved popular--well, you're outta luck. It would'a been easy. It might even have been popular but I went a different way. Thing is, start of the season, everybody is shiny, new and full of hope. Truth is most teams from D2 down don't play all or even most of the events and as a consequence series winners come from the smaller pool of persevering teams that also perform well. So while a D3 series vote might be popular it would just raise false hopes and VFTD thinks it's better to come to grips with reality sooner rather than later. (Of course with the opportunity to compete for a title now by playing 3 events plus Cup [for double points] it opens the field to a lot more potential competition.) More in the Review below.
This week I'm using The Monday Poll as an excuse to talk around the edges of all the NPPL rumors--and they are flying, under the radar, faster and more furiously than ever. The poll question is: Will attendance for HB 2012 equal or exceed last year's 133 teams. At my last count it was around 90-ish with no indication of which teams are paid and which are only registered--particularly as almost none of the rosters are given. (And team 'Man Hands' as registered by George Costanza is still listed in D4. Did anybody confirm that? It is, after all, a Seinfield joke.) I'm curious given the disappointments of the failed merger, the host of off season changes and the PSP opening their season up around 15% over last year. But enough of that stuff.
VFTD is sitting on a powder keg of rumors, some confirmed some unconfirmed, mostly because I don't want to be accused of single-handedly wrecking the NPPL season. (They tend to be dramatic like that. And because I'm a selfish bastard and want to see my team have an opportunity to compete and succeed in every league possible.) So all I'ma say is there are rumors of a power struggle (or struggles) in the upper echelons, perhaps one big name on the outs, the reality TV gimmick is still in the works but less about the NPPL than a particular team. A rumored big announcement has been on the verge for a couple three weeks now. That's just the tip of the rumored iceberg, too.

Monday Poll in Review
Apparently VFTD has some regulars among the friends, family and players on Prime. This was not a caucus--but way to get out the vote, kids. 1 in every 3 voters included Prime for a runaway victory--in the poll--but if you aren't familiar with them they were a strong contender in D2 last year finishing 5th overall while appearing in two finals.
There was another large turnout for last week's poll and while the results are unscientific and certainly biased (towards VFTD readers with favorites) it has convinced me there is a place for more divisional talk here at VFTD. But there is a small problem. I never see any of it. Divisional play that is. In any league. Except for Sundays and I willingly confess right here, right now I am not usually paying very close attention. So here's what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna give y'all an opportunity to help me remedy that weakness and rep the divisional teams better. What I will need is some volunteer reporters to send in their take on the play in their division at the most recent PSP, NPPL or even MS event. From those reports VFTD can produce a post-event review for divisions 1 thru 3. (More on this coming but if you want to volunteer drop me a line.)
Nor would it surprise me if CEP D2 did a little community organizing in finishing second with 22%. They were followed by Boom, Revo & Palm Beach Vipers--all in double digits. Boom is the highest ranked team remaining in D2 from last season (although they lost players to Aftershock.) Revo was at the top of the D3 rankings last year and Vipers teams have competed successfully for years. Greg Pauley's new crew, ac402.com pulled 7% followed by Team Zone at 6% and both Scottsdale Elevation & Carolina Breakout at 5%. Everyone else finished with 3% or less--which of course is meaningless but it was still fun to see how the voting would round out.
The division should be very competitive this year with a lot of strong D3 teams added to a mix of new teams and mostly mid-pack D2 teams from last year. It would be great to see the majority of teams play enough events to make the series title a real dogfight at Cup.