CENTRAL OHIO LAWMEN: This will be the third year of the Dayton Metro-Columbus Police Softball team merger. In each of the first two seasons consistency has been a problem as there has been very little consistent team play and even less consistency in the roster. 2007 was supposed to be the year the roster problem was solved with the pre-season additions of Jim Haley, Scott Hyland, Tommy Burton and others. A drunk driver struck Haley on a Columbus area highway and injury sidelined Haley for the season after a strong showing in Jacksonville. Scott “Bump” Hyland Tommy and Burton proved to be valuable additions. Bump played a gold-glove third base and Burton's versatility and timely hitting led the team to strong finishes in Dayton and Palm Springs. The Central Ohio team will try to solidify their ever changing roster with some additional talent, some old and some new. New to the Law Enforcement circuit in 2008 will be former NFL player Curtis Enis. Few outside of rural Central Ohio have seen Enis on a softball field, but the kid is a BEAST. Other new additions are recent Columbus PD Academy graduates Jeff Beine and Adam Daugherty. Beine and Daugherty both had accomplished baseball careers and should breathe some life into their older teammates. Another player on the horizon is current academy recruit Brian Sass. Sass was a minor league 2B/SS for the Dodgers and Royals and should be able ot help the Central Ohio team come Dayton and the World Series. A few old faces should be back playing in the dirt in '08 for this team also. Utility player Jeremy Roy and Greg Gaier are both returning after taking a year off to provide some much needed depth. Those additions and stalwarts Terry Ables, Steve Fridley, Ryan Halburnt, Brian Kelly, Matt Weekley and Matt Woolf should provide the '08 Central Ohio team with the depth and talent to compete on a more consistent basis with the big boys. 2008 OUTLOOK: SLEEPER ALERT #2. They have Top 5 potential! This team finished 5th in Dayton last year which gave a glimpse of what they can do. The last couple of years have felt like the Ohio Lawmen have owned the state but this year that pie is cut three ways and Central Ohio will make sure their piece isn’t any smaller than the rest. Expect this team to be in serious contention for a top 5 rankings finish if they can get all their players on the field for an extended period of time. PoliceSoftball.com predicts this team will make one of the biggest ranking jumps in the last three years and has an excellent shot at making the top 10. PROJECTED FINISH: 11

SOUTH FLORIDA: Made two good pick ups in the off season which should help them. One pick up is a former Texas Longhorn shortstop and another is a serious hitter. The combination of glove help in the middle and a big stick can only help this team. Over the last three years, this team has been consistently good finishing #8, #9 and #11 in the rankings. In last years World Series the team impressed by finishing in the top 10. This team is led by John Scollo who is a tireless worker and also a top notch player who usually plays the hot corner. 2008 OUTLOOK: If this team can get some consistency, expect to see them in the top 10 again for 2008. One of the big questions about this team is how much they are willing to work to get done the things a top 10 needs to do. Coach Scollo bleeds for his team and we expect to see him pouring his heart and soul out once again in 2008. PROJECTED FINISH: 12

ST. LOUIS TOPGUNS: Not much should change for the Guns this season except they hope to start off their season earlier than last year and hope injuries wont take as much a toll on them as they did at the end of last season. Tourney wise, the Top Guns plan on 5 traveling tourneys with a few locals. They are hosting a Baconball tourney June 21 and would like to see more national competition. For several years they have participated in Dayton, Detroit and the World Series and are attempting funding for Va. Beach or W Palm Beach, KC and Cincinnati. With no indication of player additions or losses, we expect St. Louis to bring their same quality of ball to the table as in years past. This team is always very good and very consistent as shown in their #9, #12 and #12 rankings over the last three years. Three years ago this team introduced themselves to the West by taking down the West’s #1 team the Quake at the inaugural World Series and they haven’t flown under anyone’s radar since. Last year this team showed what they could do at the Wouters Memorial tourney in Sterling by cracking the top 4 and only being bested by Jax, Hard-Cor and the Alliance. Typically the Top Guns will beat you with hard hitting and that will probably be the case in 2008. 2008 OUTLOOK: They have been around the top 10 the last few years and this season should be no different. PROJECTED FINISH: 13

BLUEGRASS LAWMEN: The Bluegrass Lawmen is a team filled with big hitters and they have zero fear. Two years this team all jumped in and on their 1971 motor coach and starting making more of the PoliceSoftball.com circuit including the World Series the last two years. Since that time the Lawmen haven’t looked back and are playing as much as they can. . Last year this team was one of the most active East teams having played in six rankings tournaments and we hope to see them out there as much this year. This team really opened the eyes of some at 2007 Bacon Ball Vegas when the Alliance jumped out to an early 19 run lead and the Lawmen fought back to close the gap and make it a tight game. Lesson learned from that: THIS TEAM HAS HEART AND NEVER PACKS IT IN. This is a team that will fight hard for 7 innings. Lawmen Coach Jim Ingram takes pride in his team reputation as fearless ball players and looks forward to another great year in police softball. The last three years has shown this team improving in the rankings at #18, #12 and #12. This year should be more of the same in terms of good results and tough play but making the top 10 could be difficult for this team. 2008 OUTLOOK: If this team plays as much as they did last year, expect to see another solid year. PROJECTED FINISH: 14

NYPD SHIELDS/EASTON: They were the talk of the town about this time last year. The Shields were sucking up some of the best talent on the east coast and many projected them to be a Top-3 finisher by season’s end. Although they were much improved their lofty goals did not materialize. They had a super year, but many think they have the talent to crack the East Coast super elite club along with Jacksonville, Metro, Ohio etc. This year there has been very little information coming out of the Shields camp. This could be a good sign since it could mean their roster is stabilized. That alone should lead to an even better 2008 outcome. 2008 OUTLOOK: We feel this team will continue to improve. They hooked on to a lucrative sponsorship with Easton so that alone should keep the current players happy and also serve as a vehicle to entice new talent. There are rumors swirling that they will not be returning to the World Series. If they do pass on the season finale, they will need to place extremely well in the Gold tourneys Jacksonville, Sterling Heights & Dayton because there will be no margin for error if they want to crack the Top-10 in the points chase. PROJECTED FINISH: 15

WAYNE/OAKLAND POLICESOFTBALL CLUB: Andy Wurm lost many of his players but as in years past, Andy has always fielded a highly competitive team as shown by his World Series and Sterling and Dayton finishes last year. In the last two years the Wayne Oakland squad has finished in the top 10 of the PoliceSoftball.com rankings and they are a team you never want to see. They have owned most of the battles with the Michigan lawmen lately and the first time these two teams face in 2008 will be an instant classic. Wayne Oakland finished 7th out of 45 teams in the World Series and showed the world that no matter the controversy swirling around them, they can set that aside on the field and play some serious ball. 2008 OUTLOOK: The hardest part for Hall of Famer Coach Wurm will be to field a consistent line up. Expect Andy to use every trick in the book (within the rules) to piece together the best line-up the tourney directors allow. You can expect to see police/corrections/reserves/parole etc. players from all over the country donning the Green & Gold in 2008. Bottom line: Hall of Famer Andy Wurm just wants to play ball and field a team of individuals with a similar mindset. If he can pull this off, expect another impressive season and another top 10 finish. If Andy has trouble getting a consistent line up, look for W/O to drop. PROJECTED FINISH: 16

MOTOR CITY BLUES: The MCB is a young team still on the rise and we expect them to be better this year than in 2007. The Blues picked up former W/O player Billy Krul and we expect to see them play more often in 2008. Last year the newly formed MCB squad did not make the top 25 rankings because they did not play enough in ranking tournaments but we expect that to change this year. Led by Coach Andy Pawlik, this is a young team on the rise and will fight the established Michigan teams for a spot among the top 3 in the state. 2008 OUTLOOK: This team has plans on attending the World Series and if they do, expect to see them in the top 15 of the rankings when they shake out in 2008. PROJECTED FINISH: 17

NEW JERSEY G-BOYS: The G-Boys were one of the best teams in the East with good power and some very good all around athletes but they dropped off the map in 2007. In 2005 and 2006, the Boys ended the season at #6 in the rankings and just missed the coveted top 5 spot both years. In 2007 there was some turmoil and the usually steady Boys only made one ranking tourney. At the VA. Beach tourney, the Boys showed what they are capable of by taking second but that was the last we saw of them. PoliceSoftball.com has spoken with Coach Ralph Steelman and he says the G-Boys have some new faces and are ready to rock in 2008. Ralph says the Boys plan on making it back to the World Series in 2008. 2008 OUTLOOK: If this team plays in enough Boombah Points Chase tournaments, we feel they can once again be a great team. Their Jersey rivals, the Dirty Jersey Boyz made some good pick ups this year and the early nod goes to the Dirty Jersey Boyz as the best Law Enforcement team in the state. Whether this will be true once the season starts is only conjecture. The bottom line is the G-Boys have a history of excellent play and we hope to see that again in 2008. PROJECTED FINISH: 18

DELAWARE ASSOCIATION OF POLICE: DAP lost their coach and Softball Mag cover boy Hector Cuadrado and one of the top power hitters in the game Donavan “Double D” Delaney to the Dirty Jersey Boys which made this team seem to be on the brink of destruction. But in the nick of time, new coach in Vince Clemons from Delaware State PD stepped up and took over the reigns. DAP plans on playing in several rankings tourneys such as Va. Beach, Maryland and the WS. This team will surely have some new players in 2008 but they are always competitive no matter who is wearing DAP colors. 2008 OUTLOOK: With 2 top 10 ranking finishes in the last 3 years, expect DAP to be on a mission to prove that even after losing some serious talent, they are still an East power. PROJECTED FINISH: 19

TOMPKINS COUNTY CHIOR BOYS: As most East Coast teams know, they are a small market team in Central New York with only 150 officers in the entire county, but they are fortunate to have top quality players who have been able to play together for several years now. Coach Chuck Crandall keeps the team focused and veterans Derek Barr and Butch Crozier provide them with many years of experience. They are not the flashiest team on the PS Circuit, but they are consistent and everyone now knows that they are capable of playing with the nation’s best. 2008 OUTLOOK: The Choir Boys will be bringing the same faces and lineup that everyone has come to know in the past few years. They always seem lack depth and are looking to improve the team in that area. It's in the early stages, but they may be obtaining a player or two from the Syracuse NY area (about 40 miles away) when needed. Some tournaments they are looking at include returning to the Montgomery County Tourney in Maryland, West Point Tourney in West Point NY, Baconball in NY and they are trying to get to Virginia Beach for the first time. They also intend to return to the World Series where, in 07 few would have guessed that they would have finished ahead of fellow New Yorkers including the Metro, Shields and NYPD Blues. The young team has a top notch defense and will surprise teams with the ability to put runs on the board in 08. Why? They have a few guys who will be taking extra BP this year to correct some bad habits and with their poor offensive showing last year at the Series, they will use that as motivation towards a better 2008. PROJECTED FINISH: 20

STEEL CITY ENFORCERS: In 07, after an impressive 4th place finish in Virginia Beach (wins against perennial powerhouses Dirty Jersey and the Bluegrass Lawmen) the SCE were a disappointment in Montgomery County, and Sterling Heights. 2008 OUTLOOK: The team is hoping to have a more satisfying season and finishing in the East Rankings Top 10. They will be stabilized by a strong core of veterans Jim Fleckenstein, Brad Martin, Ron Griffin & Erik Fisher. Jordan Seese will leadoff, combining exceptional speed and power from his 265 pound frame and continue to be a cornerstone in the outfield. Tom Gault will anchor the hot corner and Mike Gay will assume the pitching duties once again. A pivotal piece of the mystery surrounding which SCE team will show up, is the recruiting duties of Head Skipper Ed Polly. Polly has been in the ear of a few promising young rookies just added to the Pittsburgh Police in the last eighteen months. Polly is hoping to land solid commitments from Matt O'Brien, Matt! Malloy, Ricky Ewing and Lee Myers to solidify the team youth movement. Polly is also hopeful that Brian Martin, a recent academy graduate, will follow in the footsteps of his father, Brad. Veteran officer Jamie Catarino, one of the better players in the Pittsburgh area, is on a new shift and has given the verbal "I'll be there this year". Catarino is possibly the one of the fastest outfielders on the circuit and can get hot and bat .900 in a tourney. Time will tell. The same goes for Mark Kowaleski, who by all accounts has finally plugged his ears and nose and blew his head out of his ass and will be back to the form that makes him a homerun threat every time he steps to the plate. His versatility at either infield or outfield makes him a valuable asset. But make no mistake that the success of the squad will be the core. Fisher, the most stable and consistent infielder the team has will be counted on heavily to provide power and RBI's. Fleckenstein, the best hitter on the team will be asked to do the same this year. Simply put, bat .800 every tourney and play the line, neutralizing the oppositions best hitters. Martin & Griffin are getting up in years and their ability to stay healthy can be an issue. But their bats are needed and platooning along with Stephen Matakovich at D/H, Catcher, and 1st base will be a necessity not an option. John McCue's power and Nick Bobbs aggressive base running and speed will be major fill ins to enhance the team. If all the pieces fall into place, The Steel City Enforcers will be a force to reckon with in the East Coast, and try and make some noise in California, at The World Series. If not, they will again be the team of old, injured guys who try to hang in each tournament, one game at a time. PROJECTED FINISH: 21

SUFFOLK NEW YORK: Rumor has it Suffolk, who has played mostly Master Division ball, will compete in more open tournaments in 2008. If they end up doing this, expect to see this quality team to make the 2008 rankings Top 25. This team is a a technically sound team who knows the fundamentals of the game. They rarely give you an extra out and play with a passion that some teams just don’t have. 2008 OUTLOOK: This team will dictate how they finish in the rankings based on how many points tourneys they enter. It is hard to rank this team without knowing this but if you see this team on the field, expect a battle no matter what they are ranked. PROJECTED FINISH: 22

CHICAGO METRO: In the last two years this team has finished 25th and 20th in the rankings. Each year this team seems to be better and more committed to putting a quality product on the field. While the team should be better, all teams have also gotten better and any improvement in rankings will be tough. This team made its first trip to the World Series last year and got a taste of the competition which can only help this team improve. This is a very active team having posted a 40-41 record in 2006 in all games played as a team. This team was also very active in 2007 and this much playing time can only help this team continue to improve. 2008 OUTLOOK: We don’t have too much specific information regarding Metro but this team is a valued team on the circuit and epitomizes police softball. If they can get out on the rankings circuit, this team can once again improve. PROJECTED FINISH: 23

EAST COAST LAWMEN: The EC Lawmen only played in two ranking tournaments last year but when they played (South Lake Tahoe/Vegas Bacon Ball) they played well with top 5 finishes in each. This team seems to be a team that stays loose and has some very good athletes on it. Last year the Lawmen finished 17th on the strength of those two tournaments alone. 2008 OUTLOOK: We don’t have any real intel on this team for 2008 so we are sticking with the “past performance predicts future success” mindset and saying this team will play well when it plays but we don’t suspect that to be too often. PROJECTED FINISH: 24

IOWA LAWMEN: Some teams may be taking a double take when they see their round robin math ups this year as a new name has surfaced in police softball. The Iowa Lawmen Softball team is a group of Law Enforcement Officer’s from the Cedar Rapids Police Department and the Linn County Sheriff’s Office. The Iowa Lawmen are not known to many in the traditional police softball circuit as they have been playing mostly in the “Bacon Ball” a series. In that series, they have won many tournaments and had some great success. Now they are ready to challenge teams in the more established tournaments in the police softball circuit. Coach Nick Nolte (yes Nick Nolte but not that Nick Nolte) believes his team is ready to make the leap and play against some of the well known teams. He looks forward to playing in Dayton and at the World Series. Nick feels if he can find the funding, his team has a shot to be somewhere in the mix of the Boombah Points Chase. So far Bosch Financial Services has donated uniforms to the Lawmen and they are very appreciative of their assistance. As for history, the Lawmen played in the 2006 St. Louis Bacon Ball and got 3rd place playing against teams from Chicago, St. Louis, and Kansas City Police Departments. In 2007 the Iowa Lawmen went back to St. Louis and came away with the tournament championship by beating the St. Louis Top Guns twice. This team is a very balanced team and can beat you a myriad of ways and cannot be taken lightly. 2008 OUTLOOK: It will be very difficult for this team to crack the top 15 in the Boombah Points Chase this year but on any given day, this team has the ability to knock off a beast. If this team gets the funding in place and some experience, they will make their presence felt and will take down some giants. PROJECTED FINISH: 25.

ILLINOIS STATE POLICE: This team was active last year playing in some of the toughest tournaments on the circuit. Police softball found them at Bacon Ball Vegas, Dayton and the World Series. ISP does not shy away from competition and actually embraces it. They have a great time playing and always enjoy the camaraderie. 2008 OUTLOOK: This team should have another solid season and cracking the top 20 would be a great goal for this considering the amount of competition in the East. PROJECTED FINISH: Will vie for top 25.

UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE "USSS": This is a team that has made the World Series the last three years and is one of the most professional teams you will ever see. This team epitomizes the word class and will give 100% effort every time. Two years ago this team suffered a tragedy when it lost its' coach and leader Jim Yarosh. The team persevered and Jim's wife Julie made one of the World Series most indelible moments when she was escorted to the mound by former MLB player Don Baylor and threw out the ceremonial first pitch. 2008 OUTLOOK: This team typically does not play on enough circuit tourneys to make the top 25 so making it on the list this year will again be tough unless they can get on the field more often. Even if they don't make it out too often in 2008, expect a strong effort every time you face them. PROJECTED FINISH: Will vie for a top 25 spot.

ILLINOIS LAWMEN: There was a rumor that this will be a new team to the circuit this year. That rumor was confirmed and it was announced that upper level civilian player Eddie Stapinski would anchor the hill for them. If this new team does come together they intend to supplant ISP, IPA and Chicago Metro as the top team from Illinois. PROJECTED FINISH: Will vie for Top 25.

CRANSTON RHODE ISLAND: Coach Carmine of the Cranston team has announced to PS.com that he will be officially retiring from coaching/managing and the current status of the Cranston team is in limbo. No matter what, Carmine did not believe the team would be travelling in 2008. 208 OUTLOOK: With the info provided to us by Carmine, we feel Cranston may be using 2008 as a re-tooling year. PROJECTED FINISH: Will not appear on the rankings.

ILLINOIS POLICE ASSOCIATION/IPA: This team typically only plays a few tourneys each year. It appears they lost some of their top players to the Illinois Lawmen. If that is the case, we might not see them on the field in 08. PROJECTED FINISH: Will not appear in the rankings.