"Windy City Invitational" Tournament Preview

"Windy City Invitational"

Tournament Preview

A very good field of teams will be present for the "Windy City Invitational" this weekend in Joliet, Illinois just south of Chicago. 

Bracket Link

We will definitely be hoping for better weather than is currently predicted:
Friday, June 10th – Rain, then a shower 77° Lo 66°
Saturday, June 11th – A couple of morning t-storms 78° Lo 53°
Sunday, June 12th – Sunshine and patchy clouds 71° Lo 51°

I will make every possible attempt to do some broadcasting on softballcenter.com's homepage beginning with the 6:30 PM games.  I might turn on the broadcast for part of the 2 PM and 3:30 PM games if things get interesting then I will also do the 8 PM winner's bracket championship and the Sunday games starting around 9 AM.  These times are subject to change if weather pushes the games off schedule.  I will keep everyone posted as to the broadcast schedule in the chat room on softballcenter.com's homepage.

Remember all times are CENTRAL

I'm not calling any upsets in the first round of this tournament.  I think all the Conference teams will advance except maybe Wheelhouse.  The best game of the first round is T's 13 vs P&P and Midwest Swing could have trouble but shouldn't with Paul Davis Restoration.

Lets go with EWS over Blitz and Laser Vision over RFC in the top.

P&P with the upset over T's 13 but doesn't matter because either one will lose to Resmondo on Saturday.  I'll take Suncoast over Midwest Swing in what should be a very good game.

I'll take Shoppe over Linedrive big and Team 454 over DMC, knowing that DMC needs a breakthrough win here.

In the bottom of the bracket I'll take GTL over Creative Design and Sinister over R&M in another even matchup.

In the final 8 I'll pick EWS over Laser Vision.  EWS plays well at home every year.  They have picked up Tony Mack as well but he will miss the Chicago tournament.  This is an important weekend for EWS and I think they will grab the bull by the horns.  Then we'll go with Resmondo over Suncoast big, the hot Team 454 over Shoppe in the best matchup of the final 8.  And lets say GTL over Sinister by 10.

In the final 4 I'll take Resmondo over EWS 42-39.  GTL over Team 454 by a score of 35-28.   And the championship Resmondo over GTL in one game.

1) Resmondo
2) GTL
3) Team Combat/Laser Vision
4) EWS
Tied for 5th) Team 454 and Sinister

Some interesting things to follow will be the chemistry of the big 'A' teams Jean Shoppe, EWS, and Suncoast.  Can these teams get it going as we start the summer stretch?  Can Linedrive keep up their top 10 ranking?  Is Laser Vision healthy and ready to turn a corner on a tough season?  Can Resmondo continue to play near perfect softball?   And finally, can GTL recover from an unprecedented 0-2 weekend in Atlanta two weeks ago?

Tune in, and find out between the rain drops…

Note: this is my last free week of the Livestream Pro webcasting service before I would have to start paying for it which can get expensive.   So this is my last week to sort of "test" broadcast before making a decision whether to pursue this more professionally with USSSA and using maybe a tree stand behind homeplate with a moving and zooming camera rather than the stationary camera I am currently using.

35 Winners Bracket