THE INDOOR OUTHOUSE POWER INDEX

        In the INDOOR OUTHOUSE POWER INDEX I will, first of all, put the top ten teams in my STABLE.  Then I will put the rest of THE HERD out to pasture (in no particular order).  Finally, I will drop THE DEUCE, the two teams in the MASL that are stinking up THE OUTHOUSE.

STABLE

1. Missouri Comets  The Comets, by far, seem like the best team in the MASL.  They play smartly as a team, they are fast, and they have great individual talent.  They have played tough games and won them all.  They are the defending champs and it shows in their play.

2. Milwaukee Wave  The MKE Wave have played some tough opponents and played them well.  They played well in their loss to the Comets and their loss to Chicago, their 5th straight road game, highlighted their ability to stick to a solid game plan, keep their heads, and play their way back into a game.  

3. Baltimore Blast  The Blast haven't played a winning team yet this season, but I have respect for that franchise, and I know enough to put them in my stable.  They play MKE Wave next week, their first true test of the season.

4. Monterrey Flash  The Flash are 8-0, but six of those wins are against the 3 bottom divisional opponents, who have a combined record of 4-13.  The Flash have amazing speed and individual skill, they will most likely win the Southern Division, and maybe go undefeated through the regular season, but they will need to go though Las Vegas, Missouri, and Dallas if they want to make that happen.  

5. Chicago Mustangs  I debated whether or not to put the Sockers in the 5th spot, or the Mustangs, and I decided on Chicago.  I put the Mustangs here because they are the defending PASL champs, and they have had a very difficult schedule this year in probably the toughest division.  Their last two games were particularly bad, exposing some of their weaknesses that before stayed hidden.  Chicago has some excellent individual talent, and some players with amazing speed, an aspect that makes them difficult for opposing teams to handle.  On the other hand, they struggled against teams who can dominate possession, were easily forced into mistakes under pressure, and are rarely able to pass the ball in the opponents quarter of the field, instead deferring to individual challenges and breakaway opportunities. 

6. San Diego Sockers  The Sockers have great individual talent, and they so far have played like it.  Watching the Sockers in action shows that they have a ton of potential, but are far from playing at the caliber necessary to compete with the best teams in the league.  Their last game against Turlock really left me baffled as to what was going on down on the field.  The passes, communication, and play making just wasn't there as a collective, and it seemed like the slightest bit of adversity and misfortune during the course of a game brings the dog out in my boys.  San Diego has one more home game to tune up their act before going on the road after Christmas for a difficult 2 game road trip.  

7. Dallas Sidekicks  The Sidekicks have come a long way since the beginning of the season, and the addition of Nestor Hernandez will be a big boost to the Dallas line-up.  Once again the Sidekicks have the disadvantage of playing a weaker strength of schedule, but when they make it to the playoffs they will not be a team to sleep on.  The main core of this team has been together long enough, and the veteran leadership on the team is such that given adversity, this team can keep their heads and make the necessary plays to persevere in the end.  

8. Rochester Lancers  The Lancers are off to a pretty good start at 3-1, but will have to play some really good soccer if they are going to stay above .500, especially with games against Syracuse, Baltimore, MKE, and Chicago coming up. 

9. Ontario Fury  When they are at full strength they play really well, and they played well against most of their opponents this year.  The Fury are playing a 4 game stretch of games that could put them well into the 2nd place spot in the Western Division and secure them a spot in the Playoffs.  

10. Detroit Waza Flo  Detroit has really struggled at times this season, either getting blown out completely, or just being unable to get anything going on the field, but then they come out of nowhere and look like the Waza Flo of old and seeming virtually unstoppable as a unit.  I know not to put them out of my stable because Detroit will fight to the end, and most likely fight their way into the win column.  All the Waza have to do is make it into the postseason, and their chances of winning the Ron Newman Cup are a good as anybody.   

THE HERD

Syracuse Silver Knights
Wichita B-52's
St. Louis Ambush
Tulsa Revolution
Oxford City F.C.
Hidalgo La Fiera
Saltillo Rancho Seco
Brownsville Barracudas
Seattle Impact
Turlock Express
Las Vegas Legends


THE DEUCE

The Harrisburg Heat and The Sacramento Surge  Both teams are 0-5.  Pee Yew! Light a match and open a window, unless you are in Harrisburg where it is too cold to open a window, in that case light another friggen match.  Of the two team, I think that Sacramento has the best chance of picking up a win in their 2 games against Seattle than Harrisburg does against St Louis.