BuzzerBeater Forums

p̶r̶e̶ mature power rankings:

1. Rhino’s Rage - team salary - 329 084 - average starters' salary - 57 210 - average backup's (6-10) salary - 7 669 - arena size - 18 500

the rage will come in as the favorites for promotion this season. unlike other years, there doesn't appear to be a clear favorite, but rhino was as close as they come. with a studly starting lineup and returning 3rd place MVP at their disposal, they can make a strong case for being the team to beat. his players are perpetually for sale at ungodly prices, which i guess isn't a bad idea. i mean, anyone crazy enough to pay a cool 2 mil will see the former d2 rage as beneficiaries of what may as well be grandpa's inheritance. they still have another year before mantle starts his decline, and another 3 with runkun and swies, but it's clear that they want to get younger without sacrificing quality. the forward pairing of argentoni and runkun are sure to cause plenty of fits this season, and that's the strength of rhino that makes them difficult to deal with.

2. DC Wizards - team salary - 284 139 - average starters' salary - 36 959 - average backup's (6-10) salary - 13 509 - arena size - 19 235

they finally get their respect. as always, an extremely deep team that's sure to make a deep cup run. same questions as always with them. do they have the front line firepower to keep up? how badly will age degradation hurt them? do they have an answer at sf? it's a nasty team to handle anyway. willis and druff are improving as bigs, and now boas can feed them. the III.7 bad boys were tucked tail between legs by the tragic in the finals last season, and a repeat start-to-finish is entirely foreseeable. they'll once again face some stiff competition this season out of blue side rivals homeboyz and bucsblue, and baker street is always lurking, while the doofuses seem poised to make a splash into the league.

3. Frosty BC - team salary - 277 718 - average starters' salary - 44 663 - average backup's (6-10) salary - 8 873 - arena size - 18 626

f-b-what? f-b-c! fros-ty-what? frosty-MC! ranked 3rd? isn't that a little high? well ok, i might have a bit of bias here, but i did knock off rhino in the playoffs on the road last year. idk man, i could do it again. i don't think we're completely outmatched, in any case. margono to koscien, oelrich and domenec emerging as legit, high tsp small forwards, liutvickas raining 3s, slimane taking over games single-handedly, cedeno in the clutch... man, we could do it this season. it'd better be this season or the next. i haven't decided whether or not to try a 3rd time. i may. but this is it. this is the squad. no new pieces. same cast of characters, a year trained up. it's now a veteran group with 8 players being 29 years old or better. no decline for me, which is nice. but yeah, i think i can handle any forward combo in the league, and have the difference be my pg and c, liutvickas as the x factor. i like my chances quite a bit.

Last edited by FrostyMc at 2/18/2016 6:34:30 AM

4. homeboyz - team salary - 263 651 - average starters' salary - 45 749 - average backup's (6-10) salary - 6 981 - arena size - 16 165

jesus, i just noticed how massive everyone's arenas are this season. 16k is like pretty small. anyway, yeah, the boyz are good. vahi is a manimal. ardas is looking absolutely frightening. dude gobbled up 27 rebounds in our scrimmage. 27. i get it, we're not the best rebounding team, but... 27. and that was my starting lineup and everything. so obviously this is an interior-oriented team, but a LOT of their points come from kasselakis, their sf. dude can shoot. looking at their composition, you'd almost expect them to make a splash in the transfer market for some wing play. if/when that happens, it could be game over for the league. for that reason, i think the boyz are very much title contenders, and expect them to do very well this season even without any free agent help.

5. BucsBlue Lob City - team salary - 273 681 - average starters' salary - 43 754 - average backup's (6-10) salary - 8 443 - arena size - 21 585

on the blue side, the bucsblue are no longer singing the blues in terms of their roster. tompkins has reinforcements this season. had they not sold hilton, this team would pretty much be a contender as is. but alas, they did, and are now in need of a power forward. idk how they plan on overcoming that hole, unless they think mohren can do it. who knows? dude did put up a 14.0 at pf last season. i just think that, if they plan on moving that sg to sf and that sf to pf, i think more natural forwards are going to have their way with them, and as we've previously noted, there are no shortage of those in this league. the good news? my god, can they score from the perimeter. i mean, good luck defending it. it doesn't even need to be topmkins. spaggiari looks like he can light it up from 3, mohren definitely can, tompkins can, czeszejko can... how exactly do you stop the 3 ball from coming against this team?

6. LionPride - team salary - 274 518 - average starters' salary - 40 734 - average backup's (6-10) salary - 9 911 - arena size - 18 012

the pride were extremely strong rookies last season, narrowly missing the playoffs by a game and 10 pd. despite putting up 13 wins, the red side was just extremely strong. indeed too much to overcome and make a playoff appearance in their first season. that could change this season. such will be the hope, at any rate. they're trying to dump talented youngster randy coyle for a cool mil, smash-and-grab style. i'm sure it's just me, but i'd keep him. how often do you have a perfect chance to train a small forward, and one as promising as THAT one? it'd be the difference between a fringe playoff team and a title contender. however, if that sale does go through, they're going to be in excellent position to pick up some starting power, and make the red side shake with fear. maybe sell coyle and mplatsiotis (what a name) and buy a BIGTIME, younger sg. this team already has me worried, but a move like that would be terrifying, and it's a very real possibility. they're already good. i mean, up front, it's hard for teams to really pound them, and their guards are more than adequately productive.

7. Ballstars - team salary - 256 544 - average starters' salary - 40 933 - average backup's (6-10) salary - 8 842 - arena size - 13 475

their first playoff appearance was last season, and they'd expect to continue that, now absent powerhouse orlando tragic. back to back playoff appearances lets the league know you're for real, and are a heartbeat away from title contention. i think they can, and will make it. no reason not to think that. it'll be tight on the red side. svj can still be good, and the rookie relegatee low posters look strong. but ballstars look strong. moreau has been dominant, christianson is an excellent big, carone is coming along nicely and should be able to get much better as the season wears on, and orlowski and drugics round out the starting 5 well. 3 bigtime bench players... it's a well put-together team. very versatile. i highly doubt they have the bank to upgrade drugics, which makes them not quite title contenders, but they're close. honestly, 2 seasons of improvement from carone might be enough. might not even have to upgrade at all.

8. HoopsterDoofuses - team salary - 264 724 - average starters' salary - 44 488 - average backup's (6-10) salary - 6 174 - arena size - 17 550

uh oh, tompkins has competition. warren's stature is minute, but his play is enormous. the latter part of last season, he was putting up 17.5 ratings and dropping 35+ most nights. yes, it was in d4, but still, that's a lot of scoring no matter how you slice it. joining him in the backcourt is yet another stud, oshri englander. they might actually be more difficult to stop than bucsblue's backcourt. might. i wonder if warren has anymore pops left in him? i think this team is going to get worked by the ones with quality forwards for the most part, occasionally surprising one when warren goes off for 50, which won't be every night, but it's GOING to happen, and it could happen to a good team. not much else to say about them. 2 of their 3 best players are in decline, which isn't a great thing. they have a lot of homegrown talent, warren being the most notable, but holbrook is a quality player as well. an 8th season vet manager, coachinator is the youngest amongst us.

9. Scrap Heap Low Posters - team salary - 251 793 - average starters' salary - 42 323 - average backup's (6-10) salary - 6 347 - arena size - 17 523

as if this league, particularly this side of the league, needed another d2 demotee. the low posters got bounced in 2 games in their relegation series, and find themselves back in d3. and oh what a league in which to find yourself. i took out that 100k monster cuz he already has a million dollar bid on him, so he's effectively off the team. does that mean he's going to put that money toward the transfer market? well, it does if he wants to win this league. as it stands, the playoff race is EXTREMELY crowded on this side. however, just judging by the smell test, looking at their team composition, i kinda doubt it. at least not this season. gorbera is a starter that needs to be addressed sooner rather than later, and i'd put my money on that being where their money is going. a legit rounded 50k sf, bout 27 years old. just a wild guess. they're 7 deep, fairly balanced, though they lean toward the interior, and not much else to say. they could be here for a really, really long time.

10. Space von Jam - team salary - 292 329 - average starters' salary - 43 341 - average backup's (6-10) salary - 9 077 - arena size - 20 000

oooooohhhh no, nope. not gonna let that massive arena and team salary fool me this time. svj is a good team, make no mistake. they're going to be right there in playoff contention... probably. and if not, the blue side is pretty much going to get relegated. just looking at it, idk how the blue side avoids losing its bottom 3 teams again this season. unless we get a fire sale on the red side, which is possible. so yeah, svj. good, well rounded team, can beat you inside and out, have a deep bench, and apparently deep pockets considering they can afford THAT salary. their bench also extends a long, long, long way down. i did the math. it's $25 373 per week in useless players. over 12 weeks in a season, that's $304 476 spent on... nothing. it's a financial burden that i just... are they the new milwaukee lethargy? anyway, stoebner is gonna get his points, and must be accounted for. it's a good rebounding team, but poor passing team, and is slightly inside oriented.

11. Baker Street Irregulars - team salary - 243 922 - average starters' salary - 33 044 - average backup's (6-10) salary - 11 567 - arena size - 16 850

meredith and co. are back. man, this blue side can knock it down from the perimeter. idk how the allstar voting is going to turn out, much less the mvp voting. meredith is a candidate for both, though. once again, one questions whether or not they can beat a bigtime team, but again and again, they answer with a resounding yes by making postseason runs. could be more of the same this season, or they could miss the playoffs. the doofuses are a quality squad. i still don't know if that's enough to make the doofuses a playoff team. baker street will no doubt have plenty to say about it. as always, the irregulars tout one of the best benches in the league, assuring their cup run is successful, and making them dangerous on any given night. it wouldn't surprise me if they won a playoff game, but it also wouldn't shock me to see them relegated. yup, i said it, they're in actual danger of that imo. mostly because...

12. Taylor Titans - team salary - 236 383 - average starters' salary - 34 284 - average backup's (6-10) salary - 9 001 - arena size - 14 820

redd is going to go nuts in his conference. much like vahi, blue side stud bigmen have a decided advantage. obviously an inside oriented team with an 89k center, they could do well in their rookie season. it's a pretty deep team, and not bad in the starting 5. hanging onto a 6 seed is probably expected, but don't be surprised to see them come up and snag a 4 seed. the blue side 6 seed can't be terribly coveted these days, since svj has a tendency to dip down to the 7 seed, making avoiding relegation just about impossible. holes at forward will make beating red sided teams pretty tough, but they match up pretty well against the blue side, imo. look for them to make a little noise early in the season. as 16th season vets, the titans have the experience to stay up, even in a league like this one. back in the day, 236k would've put you somewhere around middle of the pack, possibly slightly above, in terms of team salary. these days, that's relegation territory just ask the mitsubishi eclipse.

13. Sparta Hybla Valley - team salary - 201 121 - average starters' salary - 28 630 - average backup's (6-10) salary - 8 717 - arena size - 17 008

their forwards are pretty good, which won them a few games they would've otherwise lost, had they delegated their weekly salaries differently, but they're also pretty old. shv is 1 starter upgrade from being really, really good, and i bet they made plenty of money last season. they could very well be ready to test the transfer market. in a surprising season, shv upset the entire league by clinging onto a relegation series win. the hattrick veteran outwitted superior teams to strategically take games he could win, and beat out svj for the 6 seed by a fair margin. they'll have to repeat that performance, because the red side didn't get too much easier. sure, it did get easier, but not by much. it's either outwit everyone again, or upgrade that lineup. it's already pretty good in terms of bench play, and they have a good sized stadium, though they could kinda use a bench guard. it's also a fairly young team, save for the forwards. so yeah, the infrastructure is pretty much in place for a long stay at III.7, they just need 1 splash, and it wouldn't be surprising if they did it. kilof is a pretty smart guy, so that makes this team worrying.

14. Vermont Frost Heaves - team salary - 198 092 - average starters' salary - 32 051 - average backup's (6-10) salary - 5 842 - arena size - 17 200

vermont is not a bad team, per se, but they have pretty massive holes in their roster. the first thing that stands out at you is bowen. 34 year old veteran power forward. i mean, idk just how rounded he is, but that's terrifying. just... no. and then, you look at the rest of the roster. where did the bigs go? centers are literally the cheapest xfers you can buy. i assume the answer is jernigan, a homegrown boy. that's all well and good, but in the meantime, staying up is borderline impossible with minimal roundedness to your lineup, and moving down isn't an option with bowen's salary, and the projected salary of a year training a 8k 21 yr old center. that number climbs pretty fast at that age and salary. moreover, there is NO bench on the team, so game shape will likely be an issue, considering training game shape would detract from training that 21 year old, which isn't an option. so yeah, they may surprise some people, but i find it unlikely they will stay up this season. avoiding relegation would be a huge victory for this squad.

15. Diamantes - team salary - 189 350 - average starters' salary - 24 322 - average backup's (6-10) salary - 11 195 - arena size - 14 118

with the smallest arena in the league, and smallest team salary in the blue side, oh how the mighty have fallen. from finals contenders to relegation favorites without changing hardly any personnel. in classic diamantes style, they have 9 dudes who can all ball, 8 of which are in decline. one of the best benches in the league assure that you can't take them lightly, and that their cup run should be deep, and that they will have good game shape. all very good things. the problem is, there's really no talent here. 4 years ago, they would've been championship contenders, though. they won't make it easy on vermont, or the titans for that matter. as i said, you just can never count them out. veteran teams win in the clutch, as diamantes proved last season when they retained the 5 seed at the last minute.

16. Mof State Squizzes - team salary - 148 109 - average starters' salary - 21 740 - average backup's (6-10) salary - 5 669 - arena size - 17 008

see what i mean about the arenas? they're all enormous this season. so the squizzes are back. aaaaaaaaaannnd they're gone. they just don't have much for talent, though their best player is a pretty sick sf, which is an amazing start to a team. beyond that, i mean, that pf blotto is pretty good for a bench guy, could turn into a good starting pf, but by then the sf will be too old, so there that goes. the guards are awful. good for bench players, but terrible for starters. it's a good start to a team, but there's SO much work to be done that i have a hard time believing they can come up with, like, 2 mil in xfers to avoid relegation, which is probably what it'd take. thereabouts, in any case. it's a shame, too. moflaffle is such a nice guy.

hey look at that. you get your very own post.

Last edited by FrostyMc at 2/18/2016 6:37:48 AM

they finally get their respect.

BOUT TIME

EDIT: Also, how mad would you be if I won the first game against you again Sparta?

We've spent the entire offseason working on defense against 90 foot outlet passes with one second remaining which result in buzzer beating jump shots from the corner. So, I can say there's almost no chance of that happening again. And by almost no chance, I mean no more than 70%, 75 tops.

Nowhere to go but up!

I've got a little money to work with. In hattrick, once one of your players has a bid on him, you can spend that money right away. In BB I seem to put about 30 bids in for each success. It's too risky selling a starter before you've got his replacement en route.
I've already gotten younger, though it remains to be seen whether my young shooting guard, who put up big numbers coming off the bench last season (and put up 34 in the win at DCWizards), is ready to be a Prime Time Player. Now I gotta see if I can get better while keeping with the youth movement and not much raising my wage bill (and yes, for my birthday I want a unicorn that farts rainbows, if anyone wants to surprise me).
One thing I gotta watch is messing with the my team for the sheer sake of messing with things. I drastically overachieved vis a vis salary, but I believe I finished 2-2 in games decided by 5 points or less, so I don't think it was an aberration. If anything, I could have picked up a win or two instead of coasting down the stretch, after I locked up the 6 seed. Frosty seems to think of me as some kind of mad genius, which is probably accurate, so far as the mad part goes, but I think I've happened upon something by accident when it comes to buying and training players, and I don't know what, and if I were to drastically change my roster according to conventional wisdom, I'm guessing I'd finish right where my wage bill says I should.
This should be fun, in a nail-biting, who's-going-to-get-axed next, horror movie way. Good luck all.