OWTB 2017/18 Prediction League

[underdog]

On 19 July 2017 at 9:38 PM, MAC0AFC said:

This little write up for each contestant/contender is brilliant. Ffs I'm in - I'll refer to these posts next season as you're tempting me in again ????

Ye gods I canna wait for my write up....scary but fun

[24hoursfromtulsehill]

On 19/07/2017 at 7:05 AM, JoeP said:

 

 

A couple of points:

 

- Bottlers don't win play-offs.

- The actual attendance for the Wimbledon game was BIGGER than the official capacity of the stadium AND there were plenty of empty seats in the stand opposite.  Suspicious.

 

As you were, as Liam would tweet..

 

 

You tell him Joe. He's not fit to lace your predicting boots. 

[lookersstandandy]

This week's final edition of 'Predictor(s) in focus' sees us take the journey down under.

 

Ex_pat, claims to be retired in Melbourne - but rumours persist his ancestors might've been on the Hougoumont, the last convict ship to have left Britain in 1867. With loose connections to the Oldham area, they are believed to have followed the club from afar as early as the 1910's when we competed for League titles and lost our first FA Cup S/F. You can see the abrasive Aussie mentality in this post, goading disjointed for his prediction failings;

nzlatic however, is resident on New Zealand's South Island in a small rural settlement called Winchester - at the junction of State Highway 1 and the Inland Scenic Route 72 in South Canterbury - an area famed for rainbow and brown trout fishing and has a population of only 265, relocated from Oldham 11 years ago to enjoy the quieter life and can often be found in the Wolseley Tavern researching travelling support stats and throwing in the odd amusing post, such as this regarding Connor Ripley's potential return;

Whatever the backstories, both gentlemen are stalwarts of the Predicting game and between them have won 4 trophies and ensured the OWTB Premier League title has remained down under for 3 seasons - much like the Ashes & Australian cricket team of the 1990's.

It's up to those of us back in blighty to ensure their grip on honours is wrestled from their grasp this coming season.

 

If you're sufficiently intrigued, please take a look at the Prediction League Forum below.

 

 

Edited July 21, 2017 by lookersstandandy

[Bristolatic]

Not much to do at work, Andy? 

 

Seriously, though, really good stuff and much appreciated by all, I'm sure.

[JoeP]

7 hours ago, 24hoursfromtulsehill said:

 

You tell him Joe. He's not fit to lace your predicting boots. 

 

Cheers, mate.  I don't care what they say - I think you're alright.

[Bristolatic]

1 hour ago, JoeP said:

 

Cheers, mate.  I don't care what they say - I think you're alright.

You can now remove the tongue that is firmly implanted in your cheek.

[leeslover]

Good job I don't live in Winchester, I'd forever be getting arrested for masturbating furiously at the town boundaries 

[lookersstandandy]

3 minutes ago, leeslover said:

Good job I don't live in Winchester, I'd forever be getting arrested for masturbating furiously at the town boundaries 

 

....I wouldn't be surprised if nzlatic has.....

[nzlatic]

Cheers for the write up, although the Wikipedia page you're looking for is this one...

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winchester

(Re-relocated in 2010!). I'm back in NZ for a few weeks next year though and am tempted to try and get to the Wolseley. 

 

Though obviously antipodean-connected predictors are doing something right - dominating the drug free era of modern predicting. 

 

League last year, cup the year before. Only the double will do for me this season. 

[nzlatic]

21 hours ago, lookersstandandy said:

 

....I wouldn't be surprised if nzlatic has.....

Reason for re-relocating revealed

[Stevie_J]

4 minutes ago, nzlatic said:

...the drug free era of modern predicting. 

On that subject, I'm hearing that, after a few more blood transfusions, 24hoursfromtulsehill will be ready to sign up for next season during the coming days.  Twenty-five players signed up so far.  Watch this space...

[Bristolatic]

1 hour ago, Stevie_J said:

On that subject, I'm hearing that, after a few more blood transfusions, 24hoursfromtulsehill will be ready to sign up for next season during the coming days.  Twenty-five players signed up so far.  Watch this space...

Will he be constantly bitching and moaning about starting in the Championship?

[24hoursfromtulsehill]

20 hours ago, Stevie_J said:

On that subject, I'm hearing that, after a few more blood transfusions, 24hoursfromtulsehill will be ready to sign up for next season during the coming days.  Twenty-five players signed up so far.  Watch this space...

 

Nope. I'm retired. My theoretical offspring might have a go though. Just depends on whether the powers that be can accept someone with such awesome hypothetical genetic credentials. The championship would be a piece of piss for the contingent lad. 

[lookersstandandy]

With now less than 2 weeks to go until the season Kick's Off, this week I thought we'd have a look (at what Rudemedic was prematurely trying to do earlier in this thread - a common problem for him so I'm told) at Predicting tactics/admin and the inevitable mind games;

 

First things first. When to Predict? Do you go early, like stevesidg always does - he and few other have already Predicted the outcome of this coming season's Oxford home game - and make an amendment later if necessary;

...or do you go late, like Oafc1895 and ajw65 often do, in an attempt to gain maximum advantage from things like; team news, weather, or even having a look at how many away supporters are congregated in the Chaddy End before kick off?

 

Whatever you choose to do, there are some pitfalls to be aware of;

 

1. Some godforsaken sh1tholes that we end up traversing are still using carrier pigeon as their primary method of communication, so a decent 4G signal to make a Prediction or late mobile amendment is rendered tricky. I once witnessed Rosa expelling a tirade of expletives under the scaffold away at Gillingham because she couldn't change her 1st goalscorer Prediction. Here HarryBosch falls foul of the weather, but the lesson is the same;

2. Don't Predict an impossible outcome or try to hedge your bets. Here, O4U predicted 0-0 away at Scunthorpe, with Billy McKay scoring Latics' first goal. One could argue Predicting Billy McKay to score was in itself impossible!

Note: Incomplete but non conflicting Predictions will be included this coming season after heavy lobbying by jorvik_latic. Why on earth he posts an incomplete Prediction so often is anyone's guess, but then again he does wear his head upside down.

 

3. Don't forget you've already Predicted and then Predict again (your 1st Prediction will be the one that counts). Here Handsy Predicts twice for Port Vale away and loses out on points because the game did indeed end up a draw;

If you're sufficiently intrigued, please take a look at the Prediction League Forum below.

 

[jorvik_latic]

9 minutes ago, lookersstandandy said:

 

Why on earth he posts an incomplete Prediction so often is anyone's guess, but then again he does wear his head upside down.

 

 

 

 

 

Probably due to being drunk/hungover/asleep at the weekend....

[Stevie_J]

Excellent work again, Andy.  Just to add, for the benefit of players new and old, predictions must be submitted by 10 minutes before the stated kick-off time.  Predictions posted or edited later than that will be void.

[lookersstandandy]

In this week's second edition of tactics/admin and mind games, we'll have a look at the dummy post and the last minute amendment.

 

Early Predictions for Oxford at home - 10 days away - are continuing to be made. Let's have a look at this little number by one of this season's new comers, Scapegoat;

You could be fooled for immediately assuming Scapegoat is unaware Dan Gardner is banned for the first 3 games of the new season, following a sending off he received for Chesterfield away at Sheffield United on the final game of last season.... and it may well be that this rookie has a lot to learn.

 

However, you should be on the look out for the unscrupulous dummy post. It's very easy to get dragged in to what others are Predicting, as I know to my own cost, especially as the season draws to a close, or when there is a Cup weekend - something we'll look at later this week.

 

Here, from Southend Away in 2015/16, I've been influenced by others' attendance predictions and then schooled by 24hoursfromtulsehill in the aftermath;

Which allows me to move onto the last minute amendment. For those trying to sell a dummy, or making a perfectly genuine amendment at the 11th hour..... be aware of that 10 minute before KO rule referenced a couple of times in this thread already.

 

Here Laticsbiffo's amended Prediction occurred 4 mins before KO for Peterborough at Home, possibly because on arrival at the ground had realised this was the Free Entry game that Simon Corney was entertaining a Chinese contingent;

If you're sufficiently intrigued, please take a look at the Prediction League Forum below.

 

[yarddog73]

Signed up today all I need to do is work out what I need to do 

[lookersstandandy]

9 minutes ago, yarddog73 said:

Signed up today all I need to do is work out what I need to do 

 

Good stuff.

 

All you've now got to do, is whack a Prediction for Oxford at home in here..... sometime between now and 10 mins before KO.....

.....and then wait for the tables to be Published by Bristolatic.... before repeating the exercise in the Walsall (a) thread the following week.

 

I'll explain how the Cup works later this week.

 

Great to have you aboard. Hopefully a few more respected members of the OWTB community will join you/us before next Saturday.

Edited July 26, 2017 by lookersstandandy

[Bristolatic]

1 hour ago, yarddog73 said:

Signed up today all I need to do is work out what I need to do 

Welcome to the nut house.

[Ex_pat]

On 21 July 2017 at 0:36 PM, lookersstandandy said:

This week's final edition of 'Predictor(s) in focus' sees us take the journey down under.

 

Ex_pat, claims to be retired in Melbourne - but rumours persist his ancestors might've been on the Hougoumont, the last convict ship to have left Britain in 1867. With loose connections to the Oldham area, they are believed to have followed the club from afar as early as the 1910's when we competed for League titles and lost our first FA Cup S/F. You can see the abrasive Aussie mentality in this post, goading disjointed for his prediction failings;

nzlatic however, is resident on New Zealand's South Island in a small rural settlement called Winchester - at the junction of State Highway 1 and the Inland Scenic Route 72 in South Canterbury - an area famed for rainbow and brown trout fishing and has a population of only 265, relocated from Oldham 11 years ago to enjoy the quieter life and can often be found in the Wolseley Tavern researching travelling support stats and throwing in the odd amusing post, such as this regarding Connor Ripley's potential return;

Whatever the backstories, both gentlemen are stalwarts of the Predicting game and between them have won 4 trophies and ensured the OWTB Premier League title has remained down under for 3 seasons - much like the Ashes & Australian cricket team of the 1990's.

It's up to those of us back in blighty to ensure their grip on honours is wrestled from their grasp this coming season.

 

If you're sufficiently intrigued, please take a look at the Prediction League Forum below.

 

 

 

Hmmm.........

Sorry for the late reply, because I am in transit.

Ex_pat is coming to get you!

Edited July 26, 2017 by Ex_pat
Grammar

[lookersstandandy]

Final installment of this week's tactics/admin & mind games surrounds the OWTB Cup.

 

Ostensibly a knock out tournament, like the FA Cup of OWTB..... everyone is entered before being whittled down to the Final 2 come the end of the season.

 

For the last 2 seasons, owing the number of participants, the 1st round has begun as a group phase - a bit like the World Cup or the Euros - consisting of 8 groups, with the Top 2 qualifying for the straight knock out rounds, a Round of 16, QF's, SF's and Final.

 

Stevie_J and the little_J's tape the draw's - to ensure no foul play - and post them in the Cup thread, see example below;

The games and therefore your Predictions occur during standard weeks [League One matches] between January and May, the schedule of which Stevie_J will inform us of in good time. Potential replay weeks are also accounted for. Literally no stone is left unturned.

 

This means that while Predicting for standard League points, you will be competing against 1 other Predictor in the OWTB Cup at the same time during these weeks.... and where you may wish to consider employing the late Prediction or dummy post?

 

The 2016/17 OWTB Cup was won by youngen of the Championship in his rookie season. This was his route to Wembley to lift the trophy;

 

Round 1 - Group C

14th Jan Gillingham (H) BJ Blue 0-2 youngen

28th Jan Bradford (H) youngen 0-0 Handsy

11th Feb Coventry (H) LaticsChris 5-2 youngen

25th Feb Millwall (H) youngen 5-2 oafc1895

 

Tables after group games, where 'boring boring' youngen scraped through as runner up after scoring a paltry 9 points across his 4 games;

To be fair to young youngen, he came alive in the knock out stages and blasted his way past some big Premier League names in Ex_Pat and Stevie_J before winning a tense affair in the final;

 

R2; 11th Mar Bury (H) LaticsPete 1-3 youngen

Q/F:25th Mar Sheff U (H) youngen 4-1 Ex_pat

S/F: 8th Apr Fleetwood  (H) Stevie_J 0-6 youngen

Final: 22nd Apr Dogdale (H) youngen 1-0 Handsy

 

Alas, youngen's league season ended in disappointment as he missed out on his second Wembley trip by losing out to JoeP - who removed his 'bottler' tag in the process - in the Play Offs.

 

Like Latics in 1990/91 however, you'd imagine without a Cup distraction this coming season, he'll be a favourite for automatic promotion.

 

If you're sufficiently intrigued, please take a look at the Prediction League Forum below.

 

Edited July 27, 2017 by lookersstandandy

[simplythemostimportantkick]

Considering this , but when is the latest entry to be in by please ? Is it just a 1 off tenner fir the whole season ? Is there a prize or is it all about bragging rights ? Cheers if these can be answered 

[Stevie_J]

3 minutes ago, simplythemostimportantkick said:

Considering this , but when is the latest entry to be in by please ? Is it just a 1 off tenner fir the whole season ? Is there a prize or is it all about bragging rights ? Cheers if these can be answered 

Get yourself in!  £10 for the season.  Need to enter before kick-off of the first game of the season.  Winners and runners up in each division win prizes as well as the cup winner and half of the pot is split between Playershare and Dr Kershaw's Hospice.

 

Oh, and there's shitloads of bragging rights too, which outweigh the cash prizes significantly.

[Stevie_J]

Thirty players signed up so far.  I'm hopeful we can surpass last season's number of players (42).  I'm pretty sure numbers have grown every year since the prediction league started and it would be great to keep that going.

 

We have a handful of Premier League players still to sign up (myself included!), quite a number of last season's Championship players too.  And we already have half a dozen brand new players, which is great.

 

You have a little of a week to sign up folks!