New Era Cam - Pre-Season Power Rankings Div B

Ok so we're into the first season of the year and as a special treat the power rankings have returned! For those of you who didn't see the version from last season this list was generated based on the rankings provided by 6 yahoo pool experts to try to get an idea of who the favourites are going into the season. You know them already but just a reminder to take these guys seriously.


#1  sin-e - Might be a little bit of a surprise to see this name pop up in div B but we haven't really seen Ashton in cam comps lately so maybe he's expecting heavy rust. Either way he comes in as one of the favourites based on his past reputation.

#2  uBlowMe - Another player who had previously been seen in div A, Mike has finally weaseled his way into div B where he will be one of the top contenders.

#3  TlNO_NICA - One of the most experienced players in the field, has participated in every season of this competition and is coming off an impressive group stage last season and should look to do more of the same here.

#4 Mr_Goodman - Rare is it that we see a div B champ getting a chance to defend their championship but Niks will truly prove he has outgrown div B with a repeat performance in this field.

#5 n_4_v_e_e_n - Naveen once finished in first place coming out of the group stage but he's definitely got more of a well rounded game now. Should be considered one of the contenders.

#5 hustle - Chad was a finalist in div B last time he was in the field so he'll be looking to go all the way this time.

#5 x_zanik_x - Almost positive this is his first time around in the field but he's one of the higher rated players based off his reputation in other competitions.

#5 o0_GoKu_0o - Sergio got off to a red hot start last season in the group stage before he cooled off, eventually crashing out early in the playoffs. Looking for redemption.

#9 _Eddie_2 - Back in div B after a short hiatus. Has always been one of the dominant players in the group stage.

#9 XRANCIDX - DJ is another former finalist from last year and is back after a short time away from school . He's still considered a threat to make some noise this time around.

Others receiving votes: jj-man, cyberinferno1, dead.bang o0_koty_0o, Top__Dawg__, KrazyKerry, Punk_Lobster, lol_lmfao_rofl, ravenchild_, jalvlie

NECam Season 1/12 Group Preds Div B

We are back again with yet another season of "this competition". This season I just wanted to use the opening paragraph to explain that although the competition is now called New Era Cam, that it's still just a continuation of the former SSCam just so people aren't confused when previous seasons get referenced in the predictions. Main difference with this competition is that there are no lg requirements despite the fact it's named after the league I run. Thanks to everyone for joining this is tied for the biggest start to the season that we've had in the past 3 years.

While there is no requirement for where sets need to be played I'd appreciate if you could try to play sets in It's So Easy just to help with keeping the room busy.

Kerry was kind enough to predict all of div B except for her own group which I took care of.

Group A (Jon)

ActiveKC - Prakash is back for another kick at the can. He's been in this competition for a few seasons now and in the last two seasons he's been able to get himself into the playoffs, where he's struggled a bit. While he doesn't possess a real dominant are to his game, he's solid all-around. Little bit of a tougher group than seasons past and he'll need to upset at least one player to qualify.

KrazyKerry - Kerry's time in the competition includes an impressive 6 consecutive seasons where she's made the playoffs including one runner-up around this time last year. It seems like since that season happened the field has definitely gotten stronger and deeper but that hasn't stopped Kerry from doing great in the group stage. This is the first time in a while where I don't rank her in the top 2 in her group so she's going to have to take every set seriously to advance. 

rubiiiiiiii - Moon is a fairly underrated player who has been around for what seems like forever. Her resume doesn't include any real impressive individual accomplishments from the competitions she's played but she's been around inters for a while and has had opportunities to watch and play against some top players. She did squeak into the playoffs last season and has even won a set in the playoffs in the past but to advance this time she's going to need to grind out some good sets. She's a little over matched here but I still give her a fighter's chance.

sin-e - If you haven't had a chance to click on the power rankings yet then you missed out seeing that Ashton is the favourite coming into this season. He's really only in div B because he's not been seen in comps for a little while so that means look out. Ashton's last time in the competition was in div A where he was in the final 4 and gained a birth into the prize tourney. Should be the winner of this group unless Chad is really on his game. 

m_bhake - Here we have Mangesh who is in the competition for the first time and I'm pretty sure this is his first competition period. Not really a player I know a ton about but he's on my YIM and his name pops up in random pool rooms all day long so I'm assuming he plays a lot of pool. Playing against this level of player might be like cold splash of water in the face. Or he might surprise us all and become the latest Indian sensation.... only time will tell. 

hustle - Everyone's favourite guy to play against is Chad. Well as long as he's winning he's not too too bad to play against. Ok it really doesn't matter what the score is you probably won't enjoy your time playing against Chad. He's a really good shooter and having himself constantly labelled as a renegade in that area has allowed him to put a tiny tiny bit of emphasis on being a little more safe with his shots. The last time Chad was in div B he breezed through and was a finalist 2 seasons back. This group shouldn't be that easy but if he's trying then he could challenge for top spot.

Pecking Order - 1.Ashton 2.Chad 3.Kerry 4.Prakash 5.Moon 6.Mangesh

Group B 

Top__Dawg__ - I dont know what happened to you last season Sterlo. Certainly wasnt the same Sterlo that has done good in previous seasons. Last season you went 1-4, BUT , I have a feeling you are going to turn that around this season and do alot better.  Besides Koty and Sergio I think you can beat the rest in this group and  go 3-2 instead of 1-4. GL

Trust_in_me - Sorry Dan but I dont know which dan you are so I cant really predict your game here. Im putting you as last for that reason and I wish you the best of luck.

o0_koty_0o - Been a long time since ive seen Koty in a cam comp, but from what ive seen of his playing lately,I dont think he will have any problems winning this group. I think Koty took some time out from pool and  I remember him as a great player back then,and I dont think he has lost any of his playing ability in that time. GL.

xdaniellex - Very hard to predict  when only seen you in one other cam comp, but im going to go off mcc  groups.  I really dont see those stats reflecting much on your game Danielle. I think you're alot better player than what those stats show.  I've seen you make some good shots and I think you will do alot better here in this group. Can i see you beating Koty or Sergio,  I dont think so . then again I wouldnt beat em either lol. I can see you having some close sets with Adam and Dan and maybe even Sterlo. Just take your time on shots and you should do fine.  GL

dr_papsmear_at_your_cervix - Adam is a very hard player to predict lol. Sometimes he can play some good pool  and other times a shocker season. Last season Adam went 2-2 and that got him into the playoffs only to lose his first match 5-7 to Sacha.  You know what I'm gonna say here adam, cause I do every prediction.  DONT  bang so much :P  Sometimes you can get very lucky on them  but most times not.  Dont rush so much and you should do fine. GL

o0_GoKu_0o - Sergio has been around along time playing cam comps, and i dont think there hasnt been a time he hasnt made playoffs. Last season Sergio did good in the group stage and  went 4-1 and made playoffs and lost in round 3 to Nik who won the  finals. Im going to put you to come 2nd in this group Sergio.  If Koty wasnt in here, I would probably put you to come first.  GL

Pecking Order - 1.Koty 2.Sergio 3.Sterlo 4.Adam 5.Danielle 6.Dan

Group C 

jj-man - JJ has been round a long time and playing cam comps and most times he does pretty good in them.  Hes a good all round player and  can be very tough to beat at times.  I dont think you will have to many problems winning games in this group Jj and I see a great set between you and  Nik.   GL

Your_Sweetest_Angel_Girl - I have to be honest here Maria i really havent seen much of your play. I do know you are in a pretty tough group when going up against players like Nik, Praveen and JJ.  All I can really say here is take your time and enjoy and have fun.  I hope you get some close sets in here . GL

BL4ME - Went to a few other cam comps to see your stats there so going to go off them.  Its also hard to predict when ive never seen you play before, but i think you found yourself in a tough group .I see you winning a few sets here and i hope you keep the rest close :)  GL

x_zanik_x - Jan dosnt really play  alot of cam comps these days like he used to, but he still knows how to win a game.  Jan isnt exactly a table runner, but he is good at snookering and finishing off those tables. For this reason im gonna put you in the top 3 jan. GL

CristianQ - Praveen is a player who has made the playoffs in the past and is definitely a guy who has improved a lot since the last cam comp as evidenced by his play in the league. Should be able to compete in all his sets and should pick up some better strategy from playing against this competition. 

Mr_Goodman - Hard not to pick Nik as coming first in this group  after the great  season he just had.   Last season the groups didnt prove much at all since  looks like only played 2 games and even then went 1-1  but it wasin the playoffs he dominated  and  won the whole thing.  Took out some players to do that and thats the reason im giving him  number 1 here.  GL

Pecking Order - 1.Niks 2.Praveen 3.JJ 4.Jan 5.Carl 6.Maria 

Group D 

jalvlie - Been a long time since I've seen this id or you play so very hard to predict how you will do but I hope you do well and keep some close sets as this group isnt the hardest to be in . GL

winmyheart_143 - Another player where been a long time since watched  play a game. What I do remember is Ravi is a pretty strong player and can run some nice tables but I dont know if you took some time out from pool or not since havent seen you in a while. I see some very close sets  for you here .    GL

XRANCIDX - Hard to predict on last seasons stats here cause not many games were played in that group.  I do know though that if all games were played dj would have had higher stats.  Hes a pretty good all round player and can snooker and  can finish off some good  tables. For this reason im putting you in the top 3 DJ.  GL

ladyfriendly2002 - Sorry but i have no idea who you are or how you play so cant really do a prediction on you. I do hope you keep the sets close and  very best of luck:)  GL

handkrash - Been a long time since  watched tim play and I remember him being pretty consistant in his games.  I dont think you will have to many problems winning some sets in this group.  GL

dead.bang - Another prediction i find hard to do here. Jon can have some great seasons and then some not so great.  Jon used to  dominate groups  for many seasons then he kinda hit a slump like we all do and  just couldnt seem to keep the same stats.  Lately though hes back to his old playing self again and im still keeping that faith in you Jon that you will do well again this season. You did good last season going 4-1 in group making playoffs and I thnk you will do just as well again this season.

Pecking Order - 1.Jon 2.DJ 3.Ravi 4.Tim 5.Jamie 6.Katrina

Group E 

oh.alix - A player i find underated  tbh. Alix can make some pretty impressive shots, then on a bad day can miss some easy ones. This isnt a hard group for you to be in Alix if you remove naveen and mike lol.  I think you will have some close sets vs them and I dont see you  losing many others.   GL

JordanPunk - Jordan is another player i find underrated.  He can play some great games and  run and snooker  and finish those tables. Went 2-2 in groups last season and who knows how many more he could have won if they were played . He lost in round 1 of playoffs to Nik in a very close set losing  10-12.  Not a hard group for you to be in Jordan and I see you  coming in the top 3 .  GL

uBlowMe - Last season Mike was in Division A and was in a very tough group where he went 1-2 .  Now hes in Div B  I think  he will do very well in this group.   Only one I see that he might lose to is Naveen.  Mikes a very good all round player and can run a table and also knows how to play a good snook game. I dont see any problems here for you Mike.  GL

pothead___ - Not sure  of your game gary so I'm sorry I cant really do a prediction on it. But I do wish you the best of luck and some close sets :)  GL

no_wuckin_forries - Graeme didnt fare to well in last seasons comp, but I hope he can get the wins this time .  He is a better player than his stats show, and just gets unlucky vs some and he can make some really good shots. I hope you can win some here graeme and keep these sets alot closer. GL

n_4_v_e_e_n  - I think Naveen had his best season going 4-1  in groups and losing in Semis to Nik last season.  Another player that can  run and snook and very hard to beat when hes on his game.   Dont see you having any problems here Naveen.   GL

Pecking Order - 1.Naveen 2.Mike 3.Jordan 4.Alix 5.Graeme 6.Gary

Group F

cyberinferno1 - Chad is another should do well in this group .Chads a very good timer player and  as long as  slows down in these sets and remember there not timed he will do ok. Then again he is very good at timed so shouldnt make a differnence :)  GL

Megzzz - Hard to predict you megan when i cant  see any stats from other cam comps :(  But I have seen some of your games and I think this is a great group  for you to be in.  I've seen you make some good shots and I see you winning a few sets here . GL :)

baby_merta - Merta didnt have the best season going 0-4 but I think you might do alot better in this group merta:)  I have seen you play some good games and I really think you get a bit nervous when comes to play a set, just shake those nerves off and you will do fine :)   GL

Punk_Lobster - well you cant go past Brad winning this group.  Last season was one of his best . He went 4-1 in groups and lost in finals of playoffs to Nik in a very close set. Only one i really see you having any problems with may be Tino.  Rest I dont see you having any problems winning your sets . GL

SideShot - Chris has improved alot in his playing lately.  Last season went 3-2 and lost in playoffs to  Brad in round 2 in a pretty close set.  I think you will do good here chris and not really a hard group to be in.  GL

TlNO_NICA - Tino is another that had a good season. He went 4-1 in groups and into playoffs where he lost in  round 2 to Sergio.  I think this is a group you will do very well in  Tino and should be a great set vs brad. GL

Pecking Order - 1.Brad 2.Tino 3.Chad 4.Chris 5.Megan 6.Amy 

Group G

HoT_CaNdY_69 - Jenna didnt have the best of seasons but I think you will do pretty good in this group .  You can play a lot better than your stats show I know cause I've seen you play and you can play some good pool. Take that into your game and just take your time and I see you winning some sets here .  GL

lol_lmfao_rofl - Cant go past this guy  to win the group. He had a great season going 5-0  and  losing the playoffs in the semis to brad. . I see you going 5-0 again here bryan  and  i think you will take number 1 again here without any problems . GL

CEW123 - I always see yousif  playing and doing his best just  gets unlucky  with the opponents he has to go against. I think you might do ok here yousif in this group. Theres a few toughies to play but I hope you can get some close sets and wins here :)  GL

MyLove_5 - Very hard to predict you here dima as I've never seen you play on camtasia before. Ive seen you play some good games in the league and if you play the same way on cam then you shouldnt have to many problems here. Good group to be in . GL

ravenchild_ - Brice  didnt exactly have the best of seasons but in this group I think will have a much better season. Only ones I see a close set for you is vs eddie and bryan. I think you should be able to win the rest and come in the top 3 brice.  GL

_Eddie_2 - Eddie can win some good games and does well in cam comps when he plays all the sets :P  I've mostly seen him playing interleague games more than cam sets and  what I've seen  is pretty good playing.  A good group to be in  and i think you should do ok here . GL

Pecking Order - 1.Bryan 2.Brice 3.Eddie 4.Jenna 5.Dima 6.Yousif

NECam Season 1/12 Group Preds Div A

We are back again with yet another season of "this competition". This season I just wanted to use the opening paragraph to explain that although the competition is now called New Era Cam, that it's still just a continuation of the former SSCam just so people aren't confused when previous seasons get referenced in the predictions. Main difference with this competition is that there are no lg requirements despite the fact it's named after the league I run. Thanks to everyone for joining this is tied for the biggest start to the season that we've had in the past 3 years.

While there is no requirement for where sets need to be played I'd appreciate if you could try to play sets in It's So Easy just to help with keeping the room busy. 

Without further ado here are the predictions you've all been waiting for. This season there was help from Alex (x_i_am_me_x) and once again Ben (motown.champion)... enjoy!

Group A (Alex)

get_murked - No one can forget about Roy, honestly I dont think this guy gets much attention, and he really is a very good player. he didnt play last season but he did play in 8br d/e and he went to 2nd round losing to Alex (x_i_am_me_x) 6-8, which is not a bad loss. I really think you can make playoff's roy, but with the people you have in your group, you're going to have to step it up, good luck dude and try your very best.

scott22883 - Last season's finalist, who lost to Dan 4-9. Scott also dominated last season, with beating Season's 4 Champion, Ben. with a nice 9-3 win. with that said, Scott had a pretty good chance winning vs Dan, dont know what was up with him. but finalist is way better than most have done playing here. Scott i see you making playoff's but dont think it will be easy, you have one of the hardest group's this season, but I see you going to playoffs, just dont underestimate none of these people.

eat_pinaples - Hope the only girl in this group, but one of the best female yahoo! pool players I have ever seen. She has shown that she can play with the dogs and has beaten very good players. Hope if you play like you really want to you can probably win with 2 or 3 games. I see you doing some damage in this group but will it be enough for playoff's? we will see.

dwaechte - Well well well, if it isnt last season's champ, going for his 2nd season win in a row. Dan has gotten a lot better since i've seen him play. He also went 4-1 in ypm only losing to Ross... I personally think a 4-1 is a good score. But now on serious note, defending champ, who dominated everyone in his way. Won 9-4 vs scott in finals! other then that, only see Scott, Jesse, and probably Roy upsetting Dan in his group. Dan will have to be on his game if he wants to go to playoff's this season, but it wont be hard for him.

jmunoz3rd - Jesse didnt play last season, but dont underestimate him, he is one of the best players when he is on his game. He played in 8br d/e losing in 2nd round but to a good player, Joey (a.ustralia), but he didnt quit only because he lost, he won vs very good players in lower bracket, and got to 5th round losing not a bad game 5-7 but lost to Pita who won 8br d/e. So as you can see, Jesse will do a lot of damage in this group, I see him maybe having some difficulty but if he's on his game, he will make it to playoffs.

c.marcoo - Marco, this guy hasnt played in a while, but I have seen him play not so long ago, guess he is back.. by the looks of it, he got a lot better than how he used to play, but that's not good enough for this group. I can see you win 1 or 2 games bro maybe more but remember who you're playing with. prove me wrong and i'll be impressed.

Pecking Order - 1.Dan 2.Jesse 3.Scott 4.Roy 5.Hope 6.Marco 

Group B (Jon)

l3_lvl_x - David is starting to get his name out as being a really strong player with his recent 8brcam div B title and a strong showing in ypm showing that he can get it done against top players. This has been the competition where he's had the most success as he's been a playoff player since he entered the division and was a runner up in the first season of last year. David doesn't seem to be playing quite as much pool so you might not see him being quite as sharp here. Definitely a lot of tough players in this group so the playoffs aren't a guarantee but he should have a good shot. 

americanpoolking - Luis is a fairly strong all around player making his first appearance in the competition. He can be seen racing in the room quite often but he hasn't been seen in any competitions at least for a little while. Last time I can remember was in 8brcam div A last year sometime where he didn't exactly have a stellar record. Having played with him he seems like he's got potential to compete with just about anyone but we'll just have to see how it plays out. 

sixohtwo - Kevin is a former 8brcam champ which is always a fairly nice distinction to  have. One of the favourites to win the entire competition and seems to be on top of his game of late. This group isn't a cakewalk but you rarely see Kevin falter against anyone he should beat. Should be a lock for the playoffs and would be surprised if he didn't take the group. 

l2ack.em_up - Well I'm sure Chris appreciates being in div A once again as he's been asking for a drop down for a while but every time I play against this guy he impresses me so it's kinda tough. Chris hasn't completed his sets in a while so it's hard to give him a great prediction but the last time he did complete his sets he finished with one of the top records in div A. Since then even though he's never gone back to the playoffs his overall game has improved so there's no reason why he can't do it again. 

xlx_nish_xlx - Nish is in a pretty tough group here and it might be the hardest he's had since making the jump back up to div A last year. Nish has been around long enough and has enough patience to pull off upsets against top players but everything really has to be clicking for him. It wouldn't be a surprise at all to see him win a couple sets here because he seems to every season but he'll have hard time winning 3 to guarantee himself getting back to the playoffs. 

Incognegro - Mike has signed up for this competition a few times and he's always either been replaced or just hasn't managed to finish his sets. He seems like he's actually got the time for a change to be able to see this competition through so my prediction wisdom will not be wasted. Mike is one of the top shooters around and can get into grooves where he runs  tables like nobody's business. You rarely see Mike make things difficult for himself and even when he does he's one of the more creative shot makers around. Even if he's not at 100% he'll make for a tough set. 

Pecking Order - 1.Kevin 2.Mike 3.David 4.Chris 5.Luis 6.Nish

Group C (Jon)

Oh My God! - Oh my god, JD is back in the competition and will be looking to show people what he's made of. Haven't seen too much from him very recently but he's definitely a really competitive guy and will do his best to beat people in this group. JD has made the playoffs in div A before so it's not out of the question that he could get back but this group is going to be a tall task. 

epa_todd - Here is a guy that I really haven't seen much of lately but he definitely used to be very highly regarded as one of the top players around. He's got a fairly well rounded game and does make great shots so obviously that's a good combination. Not really too much to go by as far as results lately but he did have a pretty good group stage in MCC where he knocked off a couple solid players including Scott. Fairly challenging group here will definitely be a step up in competition but he's got a good chance.

sykology - This is a tough prediction mainly because Brent had a brutal last season in the competition and isn't really a name we see coming up going deep into competitions anymore. While practice definitely helps with this game it's not like it's hard to get back into a groove when you've previously been playing at that high level. He'll need to step his game up as this group is even tougher than the one he got no wins from last season. 

xl_vain_lx - Another very good player, Mike has a fairly well rounded game and can be tough to beat when he gets on a roll. He didn't really used to play too many cam comps but lately he's been doing pretty well in group stages and playing in playoffs. I could be wrong but this is probably the toughest group he's been drawn into lately so it should be a true test of where he stands. Should be a contender for a playoff spot. 

Xx_Different_Class_xX - Mr Matt has gone from div B champ, to div A pushover, to a two time playoff qualifier over the last year. He's definitely a player who came in with a lot of skill and has only gotten better as the level of competition has risen. He may have finally met his match as far as the talent in this group is concerned as everyone is going to be good and only half the people will move on. Matt won't get shutout but that playoff streak might come to an end. 

AzN_PrIdE_LuVa - Pita was always a superstar in the world of yahoo pool...I personally think it has to do with how fun his name is to say, but that's been taken to a new level with the addition of an 8brcam title. Now it wasn't the classic and true 8brcam title but winning that double elim was a pretty big deal considering the people he knocked off along the way. Could this be the season that Pita finally does something significant in the playoffs? He's always had good group stages but he's never really had a deep run and he'll have his confidence running high to get it done.

Pecking Order - 1.Pita 2.Todd 3.Mike 4.Brent 5.Matt 6.JD

Group D  (Ben)

TIMESTAMP - An old time pool player from way back in the day, who takes breaks often and then comes back and plays in a few competitions, Derrick is well experienced and is a solid player. Derrick loves to run like Scotty, and does not do much of safety. However, he is smart enough to know how to work his way around safeties since he has much experience from the past, and should also fight for a playoff spot if he can play most of his sets, since sometimes he gets busy and disappears.

lvlr_l7ry - I have not actually watched Carlos when he plays much either, but he seems to hold his end and is a good player from what I can see, and will also be another tough player to handle in this group. He can beat anyone in this group and lose to anybody. I think Carlos will be a wildcard, in which he can finish near the top or near the bottom in this group, but I think it will be lower than higher, but maybe he can prove me wrong.

Lewissss - Have not seen Lewis play for a while, since he took a long break, and now that he is back, I have not played much myself. Lewis was pretty clutch in interleagues when we were playing together, and he is a good runner, and comes up big when he needs to sink a tough shot. I expect Lewis to compete and be able to beat anyone in this group, but I think he might miss out on the playoffs, but would not be a bit surprised if he actually won the group too. 

Sk8er_Mikey - Do not think there is much known about him, if there is I do not have a clue about who he is, so I cannot really say how well you will do, but best of luck, and since this is a solid group of players I will say you will finish near the end of this group

xlx_s_p_g_xlx - Scotty is a great table runner and tries to clear the tables as soon as he can. Also a good 5 second player, he can break the balls and game can be over before you blink. He is also a skilled banker, who only likes to safety if it his only option. Look for Scotty to also do well in this group and finish high in the standings and earn a playoff birth.

leeds_united14 - Here we have a high quality pool player. Jon knows when to snooker and when to run. However, if he sees a chance to run he will take that more times than not, instead of playing it safe. Jon should fair well in this group although there is a few good players that he can struggle with. Sometimes Jon is tired and/or stoned and this can sometimes distract his mind from focusing on what he needs to do to win. Look for Jon to fall somewhere in the top 3 and secure a safe playoff spot.

Pecking Order -  1.Scotty 2.Jon 3.Derrick 4.Lewis 5.Carlos 6.Mikey

Group E (Jon)

l2_o_c_k_y -  Rocky has to be one of the busiest guys in pool. He's constantly playing in leagues, doing fun races, and playing cam sets all at the same time. Ever since he started playing in competitions he's always done well and been playing at a really high level. He's mostly a run first player which does tend to make him a little more likely to get upset. I think in this group he'll be around the cut line for the playoffs but should make it in. 

sicc.stoned - Yet another former div B champ who has a really strong game. As with a lot of the guys who are fresh out of div B, Derek doesn't have the most balance in his game but he is a really strong shooter who does finish challenging tables. If he gets into a running competition with these guys he has a shot to come out on top but he might be wiser to try to slow some of these guys down. Pretty tough group for Derek here, I like his game but I'd expect him to be winning one or two sets tops. 

daknight_4u - Here's a guy we haven't seen for a couple seasons, the first Stephen in the group. Stephen is a guy who I sort of doubted at first when he entered the competition but he did prove that he was for real by qualifying for the playoffs on both of his times in. I'd have to say the field this season is deeper and stronger than maybe what he'd seen in the past and I'm not too sure how much he's been playing lately so he'll need to be sharp. He's a solid player with no major holes in his game so he might be able to sneak in again. 

adambuddy - It's hard to say that Adam is underrated because he definitely is universally respected among top players but he has been flying a little under the radar lately without too many big runs in competitions. There's definitely two sides to Adam's game but they're both good. Even if he's not playing his best it's usually a safe bet that he'll be in the playoffs. 

_fAllOuT - Travis is putting his name into the first big competition of the year and will once again be expecting some good results. Last season Travis started off his season with a loss but then went on to win the rest of his sets all the way until the semis where he lost to the eventual champ Dan. That was probably his best chance to win the competition as the bracket had opened up pretty nicely for him but he can definitely rise to the occasion even with this tough field. As usual he's the favourite to win this group. 

l1_stephen_1 - Stephen is about as steady as she goes in yahoo pool. Last season he had a little bit of a breakout in that he grabbed one of the top seeds in the playoffs after winning his group. Couldn't really put it together though as he once again faltered in the early rounds once again. It's not a given that he'll be a shoe in for the playoffs this time around but if he doesn't crack the top 3 he'd probably be right there for a w/c. 

Pecking Order - 1.Trav 2.Adam 3.Stephen 4.Rocky 5.Stephen 6.Derek

Group F (Alex)

witheaze -  No one can forget about Joey, a old school player as well. This guy played last season with a 2-2 only losing to Dan and Pita which I know he can do better. But not only that, he went to semifinals in 8br d/e. losing to MJ with a very close set 8-10 and losing in lower bracket to Pita with a 7-9. This guy is very good and he will have no problem making playoffs. Only challenge I see for him is vs Craig.

ItsAJ - AJ, a some what very good player. Last seaon he went 0-5...  I dont know what was up with him, but I think he could of won some games. He did win 7seccam 1st season tho, but thats not enough to prove you can win vs these guys. You will need to try your hardest in this group and dont give up only cuz your losing, you might make playoffs.

SQUIB___ - Sukio, not many people know him but I do. This guy since I first played him, owned me bad with a 0-9, but I havent seen him on lately?  But since he signed up, I guess he is ready to play. This guy is very good, and I think he could disappoint some people in this group, he will need to try his best tho, I see you maybe going in with a w/c or not going in at all, but hey you can prove me wrong.

qierk - Jordy is a very good player, this guy just needs to get it in his head that he is also in one of the hardest groups. He will need to try his best to go into playoffs. I see you coming possibly with a w/c. Dont upset me bro, you can win, you just need to play like always, and you might come in the top 3.

Skills_ - Craig one of the best yahoo! players. This guy can win vs anyone and I mean anyone he just needs to try.Only thing I see upsetting him is if he loses 1 game, he might give up, thats the only thing this guy needs to work on. but other then that, I don't really see people upsetting you in this group other then Joey and maybe Steve. but I see you going into playoff's in 1st or 2nd in your group.

mvp_n00b - Steve is a very good player, last season he went 2-2 only losing to Craig and Scott. I think he could of done so much better, he hasn't been on for a while so he might be rusty but if he plays how he usually did, he can do damage in this group. Only see Joey, Craig and maybe Jordy causing you problems here. and if you dont play like you did, you might be saying good bye to playoff's unless you get a w/c.

Pecking Order - 1. Craig 2.Joey 3.Jordy 4.Sukio 5.Steve 6.AJ

Group G (Ben)

YLEGEND - LOL the YLEGEND lives!! Cameron is a 100% runner who can sometimes struggle if people know how to safety him well. If Cameron matches up versus another run type player, then Cameron can match up real good and possibly win. I can see Cameron finishing anywhere from 2nd to 4th in this group, but I think you will finish towards the lower part.

R_ook - Watching JT is like watching a train wreck at times. He can be looking smooth and like a solid player, and then BOOM... he misses an easy shot or makes a silly mistake. Still, JT is a good guy and plays his best, but I think he will struggle in this fairly strong group, unless he can get a win or two early and gain some confidence, but I do not think he will.

underdogg_ - Arguably the best player in pool, Ant should and is obviously the favorite to win this group. Once he is in rhythm he can run 3-4 tables in a row and you find yourself in a hole and almost impossible to comeback. Nothing more to say except he should take first with maybe Brian being his toughest opponent.

lxl_blaze_lxl - Craig, I believe has just came back a few months ago since disappearing for almost a year. From playing with him I remember he was solid shooter, not the worst, not the best. He preferred 5 sec pool but could still play no timer. His game skills are decent, nothing too impressive, but he should be able to compete in some of these matches and make things interesting at times, even though I still believe he finishes at the lower end of this group.

x_i_am_me_x - I have seen Alex play a few matches, but have never actually matched up against him myself. I can see he is a good runner who can hang with anyone, so I think Alex will be in a battle to make the playoffs but will have to try and beat Ant or Brian, otherwise he will probably need to win the rest of his matches if he loses to both.

spc_shogun - Brian is a smart player who plays the tables the best he can, and takes what is given to him. He has a smooth overall run and snooker game, and should fare well in this group come playoff time. Look for Brian to make the playoffs, with maybe some challenges from a few players, but should have no problem advancing to playoffs.

Pecking Order - 1.Ant 2.Brian 3.Alex 4.Cameron 5.Craig 6.JT

  

New Era Cam - Pre-Season Power Rankings

Ok so we're into the first season of the year and as a special treat the power rankings have returned! For those of you who didn't see the version from last season this list was generated based on the rankings provided by 9 yahoo pool experts to try to get an idea of who the favourites are going into the season. You know them already but just a reminder to take these guys seriously.

#1 underdogg_ - Guess who? After being away for one season Ant is back competing for another title. In this competition Ant has been a winner two times and a runner up once which makes him one of the top players in the history of the competition. People talk about Ant being in a slump but the voters remember he is the most recent 8brcam winner.  

#2 sixohtwo - Another former 8brcam winner here, Kevin is into the competition for the first time. Kevin has been playing in competitions of late and although there haven't been any titles, he still maintains a very high level of play and is a clear favourite in this season.

#3 AzN_PrIdE_LuVa - Pita is one of the most consistent players around in cam comps today. He's proven lately that he can play with just about anyone especially with his run in the 8brcam d/e tourney. Pita has always had great group stages in this competition and this season he'll look to carry that into the playoffs.

#4 Skills_ - Can be an enigma at times with his inconsistency but his results in this competition speak for themselves. Always a dominant group stage player, he's been the #1 seed in the playoffs twice, but still needs to step up in crunch time.


#5 leeds_united14 - No one has more experience in this competition for obvious reasons. Jon has proven in the past that he has the ability to compete with top talent and has won this competition in the past to go along with two runner-ups.

#6 xlx_s_p_g_xlx - Scotty is getting a lot of respect here despite not really having any great cam comp results of late. He's back playing consistently and can have some pretty good success here if he brings his A game.

#7 qierk - Jordy has been a top player for the last few years on the strength of a top notch run game. He's won competitions in the past and although this is a tougher field, he's got a real chance here.

#8 witheaze - An old school player who hadn't been heard from in a while. Has done some great stuff since he's been back including a strong showing in 8brcam's d/e. Definitely a player to watch.


#9 l1_stephen_1 -  Stephen has consistently been a playoff player in all competitions. He's coming off his best group stage last season and looking to build off that.  

#9 jmunoz3rd - Jesse isn't really a guy we see very often in cam comps but he rarely shows rust when he enters, so we'll expect more of the same.

Others getting votes: scott22883, _fAllOuT, spc_shogun, TIMESTAMP, adambuddy, xl_vain_lx, _premium_, Incognegro, americanpoolking, lvlr_l7ry, dwaechte, sykology, Lewissss