Tampa Bay Flag Football Association -TBFFA

8am- SlowPokes (-3) vs. Punishers - Stadium

The Slow Pokes have recently emerged from their high-securitypractice compound where they practice plays with atomic clock precision. They take on one of those teams that always turns out to be a complete mystery. Either they're new or they're an established team looking to cover over their past football sins with a new name. The Book was able to get a gander at the Slow Pokes deadly accurate offense before being escorted off the premises by security (and being asked to look at a strange light which flashed once.....now where was I again...?) so the SLow Pokes get the edge here.

8am- Mean Machine (+24) vs. Battalion - Field 1

The awesomeness (!) of the Double M takes on a Battalion squad which fizzled in the first round of the Fall 2011 playoffs. Battalion has retooled and re-armed itself and looks to brighten the Meanies collective moods by hanging a preseason L around their machinistic necks. Battalion has really worked hard to strengthen their defense which finished second from the bottom last season. Until Battalion's D proves itself the only real question is whether Mean Machine can score enough to keep up with Battalion's explosive offense. The Book thinks M&M will melt on the field and not on the scoreboard.

9am- What! (-10) vs. Sho Nuff - Stadium

Not sure which What! team this is nor am I so sho 'bout Sho Nuff. If it's the teams I remember then this should be an intriguing matchup. Sho Nuff made some noise in A league a couple of seasons ago and looked as if they were in line to challenge the venerable Fusion-Vets Axis of Flag Football Evil. But apparently they didn't have Nuff to Sho us. What! seems to have awakened from their hibernation to reclaim their place in the flag football pantheon of minor deities and it's those warm and fuzzy memories which give them the nod here.

9am-  Fusion (-33) vs. Wolf Pack - Field 1

The old guard seemed to be wiped out last season when Fusion all but disappeared from the face of the flag football universe. They have returned and now they seek to reclaim their crown versus another mystery team, Wolf Pack. Fusion will seek to inform the rest of the league that the changing of the guard will have to wait one more season.

10am- Nightmare (-6) vs. Techs - Stadium

Nightmare seeks to regroup itself versus a Techs team that was pretty hot towards the end of the last season. Can Techs continue that scrappy style of play versus Nightmare and their All-Galaxy QB? The Book believes they will come up just short.

10am- Blaze (+16) vs. Rampage - Field 1

Blaze came within a hair's breadth of winning the C-Division Championship. They have upgraded their speed and athleticism in the off-season. Their first test is a team which seeks to become the New Order of Flag Football in A-Division. Rampage will field a team of players with multiple championships and tons of experience in strangling teams like Blaze. This game will be a showcase for Rampage by giving other teams in the league a view as to whether they have the firepower to dethrone Fusion and Vets.

11am- Desperados (-10) vs. Expendables - Stadium

Desperados were virtually left for dead during the regular season but then Trevor showed up and QB'd the team straight to the B Super Bowl. It took all of the collective Wonder Twins powers of TK Express to deny the Depos a title. Desperadoes will launch their new quest for a championship against an Expendables team which struggled mightily in C. Desperadoes should cruise in this one...if they're awake at the end of it is anybody's guess.

11am- Vets (-16) vs. Fish & Grits - Field 1

The defending A Champions will pay F&G a visit to begin defense of their crown. SO far no one has been able to rookie-ize the Vets when they actually show up and feel like playing. Having Fusion undergo fission last season only smoothed the way that much more for another Vets title. Is anyone vetter....er...better than the Bets..er...Vets...? Don't bet on it...at least not yet.