Here are the State Championsip predictions. Click here for tournament info.
2009 TAAF State Tournament
Dallas, Texas Dallas
Due to the abundance of leagues and tournaments going year round, flag football has seen much growth in 2009. Being able to play anyone, anywhere has improved the competition level of the game. Although you can find many tournaments across the state of Texas throughout the year, there is one tournament that truly matters, the TAAF 8on8 State Championships. This year the City of Dallas will host the honorable event in the freezing cold. The yearly '"sand-bagging" debate ramps up in Dallas on the FFX message boards as to who should move up to A or stay in B. The 2009 45 team B division will surely entertain all involved (minus the 2 and BBQ’s), but for many of the teams, the deep down knowledge that the A division "brings the glory" will leave them feeling empty until they move up to where they belong. Hopefully they will follow the example from Storm and finally make the appropriate change.
A Division
Upper bracket, Elite, Top Gun, All Star, those names mean nothing this weekend. It’s A and we mean A, best of the best, no pretenders, no wait till tomorrow morning when our full team gets here, or we didn’t score enough points for first seed so we got a bad draw for the playoffs. For the first time in years we have new teams in A that are actually good. Along with Storm, Flag Fu and SA Gators also deserve a BIG applause for stepping up and giving the A teams someone else to play and providing more parody to the bottom and middle of the division. The sad part is that there are easily over 100 teams in the Houston/DFW areas and they provide only 3 A teams. Something must be done to change this format and persuade more B teams to step up.
FW Rams- Numerous championships and state titles, still a very hungry team with a very good core group of players and good system
Scatbacks- Looking to get their first state tourney championship, a team used to winning and placed 2nd last year to their nemesis and big brother, Colors.
SA Mustangs- Missing the last 2 state tourneys and have been combining with other teams outside of playing SA tourneys. Good to have the Red & Black back!
SA Bandits- Still the same Bandits teams of years past, a very good sound team with some new young guys on defense.
Colors (2008 TAAF Champions)- Looking to get that swagger back after a 7th place finish in SA last month, don’t look for that to happen two tournaments in a row. Tuffy will have his guys ready to defend their title from last year.
SA Gators- New blood, old players, but a good team. They know the game of flag football and have played and done well against the top teams in A for last couple of years.
SA Trojans- Making the move up to A this year, they will provide competition and have fared well over 2009 against A level teams. Coming out of a difficult SA Fall league. 2nd place finish last year in B.
Houston Storm- The dynasty is over?????? No learning year, Matt expects to win this title and will be full strength. If he does manage to do it, he will be the first team since DOC Raiders who have won B and then won A the following year. Storm is a very fluid team with better than above average athletes, but Matt is the glue to this team. If they can manage to play some defense and keep up with the faster teams they have a chance to finish top 3. Oh yeah, Matt has aged like 10 years since 2007 due to his hair implants falling out (he’s a model for that company)
(GP, Coppell, Arlington) Flag Fu- The surprise team of the DFW metroplex over the last year has been on a terror in league play. No major tourney wins is the only thing missing off a very impressive resume. In order for this team to do well, they must gel fast and scout opposing teams well. If they manage to win a game and build some confidence they could match up well with the likes of Storm and Bandits. Jason and Gerome (Robo Cop) must be on their A game this weekend. Good Luck Fu Nation!
B Division
B bracket can be known as SBA (Sand-Baggers Anonymous), LOL. This will once again be highly competitive towards the middle of the day once all the lower true B teams have fallen to the loser part of the bracket. Expect some very familiar teams playing one another with the long tenure on many teams playing in B. Great battles will take place from most of the top teams, lots of age and experience in this division. This is a great place for young teams to learn how flag football should be played before mastery to the A division.
Top 10 – B Division
Houston Gators- Former Young Guns without one key trouble maker (Lonnie), all the talent left and became Gators. This team should finish Top 10 as well as chance to win it all.
GP Havoc- 3rd place finishes last two years
GP Vikings- Always competitive team with lots of tourney experience
FW Texans- A very good team with lots of experience at big tourneys
RR Tip Drill- Missing in 2009 but 2nd place finish in 2007 State tourney
AfterBurners- Top 5 (’07 & ‘08), plus Ken and Matt work for the same company
Houston Jaguars- Contact team led by former Titan QB Kenny Black with lots of talent. This team should battle for Top 10 finish, if not take the whole thing.
RR Turbo- The inventor of ”flag at the helm”, good team with a good chemistry when rolling
Mission Bengals- Surprise team, was very impressed with them last year
Don’t be surprised!!
Pub Fiction- About two years old and jumping leaps and bounds ahead. This team went from a new team to possibly cracking Top 5 teams in Houston. Still raw, but expect a big splash from them. Expect top quarter finish.
Houston Vipers- First timers, very athletic defense and very strong armed QB. Learning their way around, but loaded with talent just waiting to gel.
GP Freakin’ Rage- Will be super athletic and plenty experience at QB, if everyone shows
Drillers- Basic football with a twist of youth, means winning forever
Houston Rage- Same core but new guys, hope they have enough for a long tourney. Best looking QB in tourney. Is that guy a model?
FW Vipers- Smart group of guys on offense, defense struggles at times
Richardson Dawgs- Do they still play? Well when they do they are good
Will win some/and lose some
GP Outlaws
Houston Rush- A few athletes learning as well. This team is considered to be Rage's little brother. They are a similar team except without a steady QB.
College Station Swarm
Rowlett Gamblers
FW 2 Glory
Sherman Washed Up (sleeper team)
Longview Young Guns
Grapevine Purple Haze
Sugarland Tuna Can Jones (Free Agent 4 Hire)- Team name should be “rent a player". They are a vastly improved team, but with mostly other teams’ players. Which will stay and which will go state weekend? Their QB is finally starting to understand the flag game after all these years. Expected to get to quarter finish in B.
Houston Fast Kats