TARGET CENTER: Junius Ho's Fall 2011 Season Preview

Junius Ho gives his season preview for Fall 2011 at Target Center.

Rank (Last Week) | Team | Record | Comment

1 (-) Abe Froman (0-0)
Since losing to Kyles, Kruse & Co. way back on Valentine’s Day, all the Abes have done is rip off 29 straight wins by an average of 26 points, while picking up all 3 Target Center league trophies and a couple of Open Gold Cups to boot. While this UH dynasty should still be the Kings of TC when the snow has settled, the combination of new talent influx and poor performer contraction this fall will make the ride much more difficult than seasons past.

2 (-) UH Classics (0-0)
How does a newcomer get #2 billing before ever playing a single TC game? Inquiring minds need only look a few miles south into the annals of UH lore and they will find that this team’s name and championship history speak for themselves. The roster touts multiple players who’ve logged season PPRs of 20 or more, led by Maxey and Toatley who have career averages over 20! With no Rockets team to battle with, let the new rivalry between the Classics and Abes commence!

3 (-) Bombers (0-0)
Last season’s playoff darlings are back for their sophomore season poised to cement their spot in TC’s elite. The Bombers mix classic elements for success (such as size and shooting) with intangibles, stemming from their relentless scrappiness and complete lack of fear. Now that last season’s scheduling kinks are a thing of the past, their regular season record should improve, along with their chances of repeating their deep playoff run.

4 (-) Good Guys (0-0)
After suffering a heartbreaking upset in last season’s playoffs, their second such defeat at the hands of their expansion team brethren Bombers, the Double Gs are looking to build on a strong inaugural season that saw them lose only one game without star shooting guard Cole Fasching. Assuming they can overcome attendance issues, the leap from Good to Great isn’t out of the question.

5 (-) Los Gauchos (0-0)
5-2, 7-1, 7-1. Those are the impressive regular season records (a combined 19-4) for the other remaining team from TC’s Original 8. Despite having the uniforms and Twitter game to back it up (all 8 members have accounts and there’s even a team account: @LosGauchosUH), the franchise is haunted by a 2-3 playoff record, which includes zero championship appearances. Some in the organization have been calling for better week-to-week competition and the league should deliver this season. The only question is: can Los Gauchos?

6 (-) Flames (0-0)
The Flames’ made like a phoenix last season, with a mid-season revival that had them knocking down the doors of TC’s elite. Unfortunately, there wasn’t enough fuel for the fire as they suffered consecutive losses to end the summer, albeit by a mere 5 total points. Depending on the calls Young-Graves has made in the off-season, they could contend or merely be very competitive doormats for the rest of the league.

7 (-) Giants (0-0)
What happens when 2 UH franchises fold, another goes on hiatus and Danny “I’m not Big Ben or either of the Brian Wilsons but you should definitely love my Beard” Schnyders tries his hand at GMing? You get the best bigs from the Clubbers, Saints and Mighty Unicorns on a team with a single, solitary guard. Thankfully he’s a point guard, but to say this team is a bit enigmatic only states the obvious intrigue surrounding this cast of large characters.

8 (-) Magic (0-0)
Since Trevor Morlock took his talents to Crookston, the Magic have been desperately looking for someone to fill his shoes on offensive. While they may have found a very respectable solution in the form of the Ballaholic’s Rich Evans, the franchise will likely continue to despise playing defense in any shape or form and continue to serve as the doormats of an otherwise competitive league.