I have long said that some teams just have better marketing than others. The Voodoo, with their Voodoo Doll dance team, playing in the Graveyard...you just can't compete with that. (Rattlers/Sidewinders/Snake Pit comes damn close.) For a long time, this marketing was needed simply because no one was showing up to see a football team that can't win at home. (I'm not trying to be subtle there - I'm trying to be damned obvious.)
At the beginning of the season, my look forward was essentially,
Predators - AAAAAAAAAAH!
Philly - Hmmm...
Mustangs - HA!
Barnstormers - Meh
Predators - AAAAAAAAAAH!: The Return
Voodoo - Gimme
Unfortunately, a lot has changed since then. Just a couple of weeks ago, no matter how good or bad the Power were playing, I could say, "Well, at least we're playing the Voodoo at home." Until they tangled with the Storm on the 6th, they had not won in the Graveyard in 4 whole years. Even though that time included a league suspension and a year in Shreveport, the fact remains that this was a lot of home games to lose.
Right now, both teams are sitting on an ugly 2-3 record and are looking to bring their season around. However, their losses (and the way they lost) speaks volumes. They've also lost to Philly and the Mustangs, so that's a wash. Last week, they lost to the Talons because they got cocky and forgot that Garcia can never be counted out. The Power's third loss was a game we should have won at home against the Barnstormers.
Where we've only been able to win against the hapless and winless Predators, the Voodoo have put up wins against both the Storm (3-2) and Blaze (3-2), both pretty strong teams in tough divisions.
Coach has said that Cassidy will be starting this week, even though we've signed Bryan Randall (Practice squad for the Falcons, Bucs and Steelers before bouncing around the other indoor leagues.) I'm not super excited about it, but he's what we've got. If he's calmed down and gotten in the groove more since last week, fantastic. If not, we're frickin' doomed.
The main thing that the Voodoo have going for them is the fact that they don't like to share. Someone else has the ball, they're going to take it away. They are one of the league leaders in takeaways, averaging about 3 a game. Alvin Ray Jacksonhas got four in the last three games, and Jeremy Kellem has one every game. Given the fact that our QBs throw picks like it's their job, and Cassidy threw 4 last week alone, this is the scariest thing about the game this weekend.
PJ Berry is continuing to come into his own, and is making waves in the league once again as a return man. Randy Hymes has been looking good at fulfilling the DeWalt role (all signs and rumors point to him having officially left the team), Joystick is all over the place and newcomer Christian Wise making the game-winner last week are all good things, but I still think that our offense has a few more levels they can climb to.
Honestly, the Power need to do what they did last week at home, and that's play even harder in the second half than the first. The Voodoo blew a halftime lead against the Talons last week because they lost focus in the second half. Yes, I still think the crowd was at least 35% of the reason we made that comeback, but now the Power remembers that it's not over until it's over.
Anything else to say would be rehashing things I've been saying for six weeks. We all know what the Power has to do, the only question is will they? Articles around the net are already writing them off - not just in the standings, but in the league as a whole. Attendance is half of what it was last year, and they need some big wins to get some viewers back. Once again, it's up to us, the fans to make it happen.
The game is on Ustream at 8, and rebroadcast on the CW Saturday at 7:30.
Elsewhere in the league
- The Predators return home to face the Force Friday night. Playoffs are pretty damn much out of the picture for them for the first time in 19 years, but they still need a win for pride. That being said, the Force have been getting better each week and should have this one.
- Tampa Bay matches up with Philly on the road. Chances are, Philly will continue to dominate.
- I'm picking the Blaze in the next one over the Barnstormers only because they have home-field advantage. It's going to be a tough one either way.
- I'd love to say that Jacksonville is going to stroll into Cleveland and hand their asses to them...I'd love to, but I can't.
- Hopefully Milwaukee continues to slide in the standings when they visit Chicago Saturday. The Rush should beat them, but despite their record, it seems like luck has been their best player.
- Kansas City is the only other winless team in the league and they need to play the Cats on their own turf. It is to laugh.
- Sunday night, the Talons travel to the Snake Pit to let Garcia and Nick Davila have a rematch. Should be exciting, but should be a win for the Ratts.
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