Spot on

Predictions at the start of any year are usually based on a lot of player analysis, head to head comparisons and much more in-depth research. Typically, these predictions go astray somewhere along the line and fade into the category of preseason fun. Not so with the predictions made on this very blog way back in April of this year. In a simply amazing run of pure chance, I was able to nail all four playoff teams with a not-so-scientific approach.

My tongue in cheek post was meant to imply that all preseason predictions are usually rubbish (similar to Maggie the Monkey who predicts NHL series...also referenced in the previous post) and that the speculation of the "experts" is really just a way to fill up newspapers and TV slots (and blog postings!). If you read the article, you'll see that I used the team's mascots as a way to see who defeats who and when all was said and done, I had a North final of Vipers vs. Outlaws and a South final off Warriors vs. Flyers. Heart be still, that turned out to be 100% correct!

Now, to get to the final, I had Maui defeating the OC in the South and the Vipers beating the Outlaws in the North. The current (real!) Maui/Vipers series is knotted at a game apiece with the remaining 3 games to be played in OC so I look a bit shaky there. Thanks can be given to ex-Seal Sergio Pedroza who blasted a late inning 2-run homer to even the series 1-1. Maui could only muster one hit so we'll see if their bats wake up back on the mainland and save my prediction.

In the North, I had the Vipers getting past the Outlaws to face Maui in the final. Chico took Game 1 at home but game 2 was rained out and will be played in Calgary, along with the last 3 games in this best-of-five series. I find it strange that a team loses a home playoff game because of weather, but it is so in the GBL. Again in this series, I am down but have faith in the mountain men to come back and make me proud since they play the last set of games at home.

Should all go to plan, Maui will face Calgary in the final and the Warriors will raise the trophy, but win or lose, it is funny to look back at how we got here! As I say whenever Gus scores a goal in hockey, "even a blind squirrel finds acorns once in a while".