Greeting CDLers!!!
With the midway point of the season upon us, the CDL DodgeBlog takes a look at the 10 teams in all divisions who appear poised to make serious runs in their respective tiers. Sit back, relax and fume over how your team wasn’t included in the highly unofficial…
MID SEASON CDL POWER RANKINGS!!
10- Mighty Duckers (tier B)
Last season, the Mighty Duckers pulled off a tremendous feat by winning the C tier playoffs with captain and star player Carly Maddalozzo on the shelf with a near career ending ankle injury. This year, with the return of Maddalozzo, the Mighty Duckers have set their sights on adding a silver dodgeball next to the bronze one which occupies a handsome spot on the Maddalozzo mantle. With the massive midseason addition of highly coveted free agent Graham Smythies, victory may very well be within the Duckers’ grasp.
9- No Nuts (tier B)
I’ll be honest, after acknowledging CDL’s only all girls team near the top of my ‘Coolest Themes’ I really didn’t want to include them in these power rankings. That said, how can you argue with their success? No Nuts dominated tier B in the first week of tiering, and if they manage to stay in that tier, may make history as the first ever All Girls team to win a dodgeball championship.
8- Hippoptaparty (tier B)
Despite being one of the least experience teams in the CDL, Hippoptaparty has improved with every week and now appear to be fixtures near the top of tier B. While captain Daniel Lewis has certainly done his share to shoulder the weight of this team, rookie Karla Decoran is beginning to chase the legacy of her older sister, showing that the dodgeball gene runs deep in the Decorans
7- BOOOOM!!!! (tier A)
Where the hell did these guys come from? After a couple seasons of middling and an offseason that liberated them from some of their core players, BOOOOM may be the most surprising team to come out of the first half of the season. Captain Spiro Khouri has quickly and quietly become one of the most respected and popular players in the CDL.
6- Balligerant (tier C)
Balligerant has certainly taken the scenic route to the top, but under the new leadership of Cam Michael (thanks evan), Balligerant now seem poised for a solid run in the CDL’s C tier. With the noticeable improvement of all of their players, Balligerant’s greatest obstacle in winning a title this season may not be from any of their opponents, but rather from them bumping themselves up into B tier late in the season.
5- Head Hunters (tier A)
While there is no denying the status of the Head Hunters as the most controversial team in the CDL, there is also no denying their status as the most fierce competitors in the CDL’s most intense division. With a collection of 4 of the strongest arms in the CDL and what has thus far been some of the best teamwork in the league, the Head Hunters have a very real shot at winning it all this year. But while this young team may be full of fire and vigour, only time will tell if they have the discipline and maturity to compete with the best of the CDL come playoffs.
4- Admiral Ackbars Dodgeball Academy (tier C)
Long considered the LA Clippers, Pittsburgh Pirates or Edmonton Oilers (not the awesome 80’s Oilers, the shitty 2011 Oilers) of the CDL, these long serving CDL basement dwellers appear to have turned the corner and now appear to be a very real contender for the Bronze Dodgeball. Improved team play, a more consistent roster and the “lead by example” efforts of veteran Johnny Riglietti and Darin “P Monay” Postulo, last season’s captain of the year, have all resulted in this team becoming the team to beat in the increasingly competitive C tier.
3- Blackout City (tier A)
While they may change team names every season, the team most famously known as SWAT have always fielded a consistent line-up of solid players. Following a number of disappointing finishes Blackout City finally appears to have pieced together what they needed in order to make a serious run for the highest prize in the CDL. The return of former captain Shawn Lieu, the addition of CDL/VDL sensation Valentina Jiew and a new strategy that captain Scott Mackie has referred to as, “playing as a team for once,” Blackout City appears to be the A tier favourite heading into the latter half of the season.
2- DB7 (tier B)
This past offseason, DB7 faced a near crisis following the desertion of arguably their 3 best players. Yet amidst what has been unofficially termed the biggest screw job in the history of the CDL, this team of savvy veterans under the leadership of Sterling Wiseman, the most beautiful smile in the CDL, have shown their resilience by putting up a solid string of winning weeks. Should this trend continue, DB 7 may find themselves bumping up in a tier for a showdown with their abandoners in what could be the biggest grudge match in the history of the CDL.
1- Balls Axe (tier A)
Who are we? The CDL’s only true dynasty returns to the top this season after several seasons of lower performances. Following the premature retirement of superstar James Lush, it looked like this may be another rough season for the former champs. But team captain and only winner of the CDL “short shorts,” award, Jay Single has proven himself to be the best GM in the league today, replacing Lush with a trifecta of huge free agents including Zach, former captain of the Balls Deep Bombers and one of the most imposing players in dodgeball.