Falling Short of Greatness

A sharp, tight body can help
 Miss April go a long way.

So far this Playmate calendar year, we've been searching for the first true contender for Playmate of the Year. It's been a rough one, with girls like Ashley Mattingly simply not being good looking enough, and the top contender, Kylie Johnson, just not having the complete package it takes to be really great.

Here in April, we're presented with by far the most promising candidate, Jaclyn Swedberg, Miss April 2011. Jaclyn has a background in Playboy that's more extensive than most, with appearances on numerous Playboy TV shows and other features. In them, she exudes the persona of the resident 'badass,' with leather and motorcycles being her primary M.O.

She carries that over into her Playmate appearance. Jaclyn hammers it home with a consistent theme to her pictorial, but doesn't quite put it all together into something that truly complements her appearance. On the surface, Jaclyn is a gorgeous girl. She's wholesome, and fits the girl-next-door experience quite well. With a very attractive, youthful, face, Jaclyn draws in the audience. That's what really sells her style, since the pictorial doesn't go into enough depth, as I'll discuss later. Instead, she relies on some sexy stares, combined with a slim, sleek silhouette to pull her through.

Jaclyn almost has the entire package. She's very warm and inviting, and alternates this with a sharp sense of sexuality that sells her leather and biker image. The sheer depth of her facial features and the color of her body are just breathtaking. While not so toned and curvaceous as the modern Playmate, she has a lanky, tall build that really is beautiful to look at. All in all, she is awesomely photogenic, and has plenty of talent to tie it all in.

All that said, Jaclyn falls just short of greatness. This is due to the fact that her pictorial just never seems complete, with Jaclyn being unbelievably bashful about showing her genitals, which is too bad, since some long distance shots in her video show off a cute set of lips in glancing shots. It's not just this fact, but also that the pictorial never gives the audience a look at the subtleties that really characterize a beauty like Jaclyn's. She can just be low-key and clothed, and still exude a sense of poise. That's amiss in her material, and this is a plain shame.

• Face: A
  Easily the best face in a year full of awkward mugs, Jaclyn is just gorgeous to admire. Her piercing eyes and beautifully shaped jawline are extremely picturesque, and those lucious locks of soft hair just flow in every photo. She can overdo those pouty lips at times, but they can also do wonders in close-ups.
• Body: A- Jaclyn isn't as busty and curvy as most Playmates of the modern era, but her slim waist and great length in a slinky, cute package make her irresistible. Her body is just incredibly photogenic, and it almost looks as though she was destined to pose in the nude. Just a pleasure to look at.
• Talent: A-
  With a quick glance with those amazing eyes, or a flip of the legs into the air, her slender body combined with an irresistibly charming persona make her a talented girl. She knows how to use every ounce of her sex appeal.
• Pictorial: B
  Although the production value is great and the photographer hits all the right angles, it seems as though there is quite a bit still missing. The motorbike theme doesn't quite suit Jaclyn as well as one would hope. She seems like a more wholesome girl who could be better suited to a subtle home theme. More importantly, the pictures are not in the least bit revealing, and may be a bit too softcore for Playboy in the modern era.
• Centerfold: B
  It is definitely a beautiful photo, but leaves a lot to be desired. It also suffers from rampant overproduction, as with most centerfolds. Jaclyn's beauty is in its depth and color, and both are ruined here.
• Overall: B+
  Jaclyn, at first glance, has it all together. She is a gorgeous woman with subtle and intricate beauty that one can spend a long time observing. She isn't a simple girl, and there is a lot to her posing style, which makes her an excellent pick for Playmate. She is, by far, the best girl of the year so far, and a true contender for Playmate of the Year. However, she still did not deliver as much as she could have, and you all know how much PlayboyCritic values material. The pictorial was not complete, as much as her Jukebox videos were (which really did a good job of showing the girl-next-door bubbly side to her, which I wish was emphasized more in her pictorial). She really has it in her, which makes her a stunning model; but there's just something that keeps her from being truly great, and that's a shame.

2nd Round: Part 2 Voting Underway!

After a week of 2nd round voting, we've seen some very interesting matchups unfold, and some expected and unexpected results. Now, we move on with the next set of 16 ladies, finishing out the 2nd round and advancing to the Sweet Sixteen. But first, a quick recap of the first eight matches, where we only had one upset, but there were some interesting and tight ones:

Round 2, Part 2
Contestants

• #1 Monica Leigh def. #8 Danielle Gamba: Although play-in candidate Danielle offered a similar posing style and some tighter-than-expected competition, former CGOY Monica stormed to the 3rd round with relative ease.
• #4 Jillian Beyor def. #5 Melissa Puente: This was a bigger blowout than expected, with major fan favorite Jillian trouncing Melissa. Jillian looks poised to put up quite a fight against #1 seeded Monica, and that should be one of the upcoming marquee matchups.
• #7 Nicole Whitehead def. #2 Alicia Burley: The first CGOY to go down, Alicia started tough against Nicole, but succumbed to a the spunky blond. Fans were drawn to the more recognizable Miss Whitehead, while Alicia is one of the more controversial CGOY picks of the past. Justice was finally served. This one may not be as big an upset as it seemed to be.
• #3 Jennifer Hurt def. #6 Erica Campbell: Jennifer was, as expected, a true juggernaut in this one. It was never close, with Erica getting some sympathy votes. Jen has cemented her position as the one to beat in her bracket region, even with Cabal and Holland posing a threat.
• #2 Erika Michelle Barre def. #7 Carolee Bass: This match began with Erika having a comfortable lead, but Carolee quickly knotted it up. In the end, name recognition, in being the first ever CGOY, helped Miss Barre edge out her tough competition. At this rate, though, her tourney run might end early; she needs to step up her game.
• #3 Carmella DeCesare def. #6 Paula LaRocca: We expected Carmella to be strong, but didn't expect this. This was the biggest blowout we've seen, with Paula crumbling under the onslaught with a single vote. Carmella looks like the class of the tournament, and it might take the likes of all the CGOYs to take her down.
• #1 Jo Garcia def. #9 Dana Dicillo: This was the most interesting match of the round, unexpectedly. Jo had a surprisingly tough time beating the lowest overall seed, and did so with some fans pulling through at the very end. It looked at one time as if there would be a huge upset here, as the voting was all tied up. With this slow start, it would be interesting to see if she can survive to the Final Four.
• #4 Bethanie Badertscher def. #5 Heather McQuaid: Perhaps it's the currency of Bethanie's reputation, but she easily dispatched Heather, who seemed to be a worthy opponent. For her to beat the slow-starting Jo Garcia, she'll need some serious firepower, but as it was shown, it is possible.

Here are the upcoming matches to finish off the 2nd round, and to move on to the Sweet Sixteen:

• #2 Spears vs. #7 Moore
  Sharae is one of the more recent CGOY's, and won in controversial fashion due to her gorgeous body and great height. Shamron is one of those CG's of old who has a similar body style. It could be an interesting one, given the old-school nostalgics are out in full force.
• #3 Graham vs. #6 Taylor
  This one seems like a rather lopsided affair, as one of last year's CGOM favorites goes up against Christi Taylor, one of the original CG's of old. Again, if some of the nostalgic fans of the old days turn out, it could be close. However, fans are still irate over Jamie's snub last year against Tess Arlington, so she could be yet another tough #3 seed.
• #1 Cabal vs. #8 James
  One of the 1 vs 8 matches of the round features one of the most underrated CGOY's in Merritt, against a former Playmate in Tailor, who made it past the opener in a thumping. The clash of styles here should prove interesting, and it would be good to see one of the seldom talked about CGOY's to make a deep run.
• #4 Bees vs.  #5 Holland
  Kaytee is featured here due to her status as the winner of "Cyber Girl 100," being the 100th CGOM after a contest. She hasn't garnered much fan buzz, so it should be a tight one against one of the iconic CG's of the past, and a former Playmate from 2004. Could this be an upset in the making, with yet another lower seeded Playmate trying to beat out a high profile Cyber Girl?
• #1 Cooper vs. #9 Marie
  The lowest seeded girl left, Trina made her name a few years ago in a stellar CG class. Would she be able to go up against Idaho beauty Amy Sue, who made a brilliant career as a sultry and sophisticated poser during her CGOY reign? Amy is still one of the most celebrated CGOY's of all-time, and this could be nightmare scenario for Trina.
• #4 Eve vs. #5 Richardson
  Definitely one of the most intriguing matchups of the round, Stephanie is a poser who has gotten tons of exposure in numerous Playboy media outlets. Her curvy body and sex-tinged posing style go up interestingly against Danielle (the only CGOW left in the contest), who is a mature girl-next-door with an understated appeal. The clash of styles is very alluring.
• #2 McGregor vs. #7 O'Connor
  A favorite of the PlayboyCritic, Kortnie is one of the more underrated CGOM's to appear in years. With her playful style and engaging pictorials, she is a gorgeous entrant. On the other hand, Breann is one of the less favored CGOY's in years. Her short stature and extremely voluptuous frame make her an interesting model, but can she roll with the punches and make it far into a tournament packed with stars?
• #3 Arlington vs. #6 Fisher
  This one packs perhaps the most interesting storyline of all. Tess Arlington is the much-maligned current CGOY, and the only one at a #3 seed. She faces one of her main challengers for the CGOY throne this past year, Hillary. Although Miss Fisher finds herself at a rather low seed, can she make some waves by defeating the girl who beat her out for 2010 CGOY in the first place? It may not be as far-fetched as it seems.

That's all, now make your picks for who should advance on to the Sweet Sixteen, where the real action begins!

Greatest Cyber Girl Bracket - 2nd Round Voting!

2nd Round, Part 1
Contestants

Thanks to all for the votes in the opening round of the Greatest Cyber Girl tournament. All of the matchups were blowouts, maybe rightfully so. A short recap of the #8 vs #9 competition, and the girls who'll face the #1 overall seeds in the next round:

• Daneille Gamba def. Tila Nguyen: The fans obviously liked the busty Miss Gamba over reality TV star "Tila Tequila," who achieved a lot after her CG career, but that still didn't help her clinch this one. Danielle will face a steep challenge in top seed Monica Leigh.
• Tailor James def. Stephenie Flickinger: This one was a bit closer, but Tailor James, who was also a Playmate during her career, easily dispatched Stephenie. She moves on to face top seed Merritt Cabal, former CGOY.
• Trina Marie def. Ines Alecsandra: A more current CG, Trina upset Ines as a bottom seed in her bracket section. She didn't get too much press during her CGOM reign, but now she goes up against a formidable foe in Idahoan beauty Amy Sue Cooper.
• Dana Dicillo def. Rochelle Loewen: The bottom overall seed, Miss Dicillo made it look easy against Rochelle. Dana is the only CGOW in the competition, as she never got the respect of being the month's Cyber Girl. Now, she gets a chance to create a colossal upset against #1 Jo Garcia.

And now, for the real competition. We will open 1 1/2 weeks of voting on the first 8 matches of the round. Here are the competitions we see here:

• #1 Leigh vs. #8 Gamba
  One of the most prolific Cyber Girls and Playmates of all-time, Monica Leigh will use her CGOY clout to try and crush upstart Danielle, who made it to this round in her play-in against Tila Nguyen in a blowout. Can she keep the momentum to create a major upset?
• #4 Beyor vs. #5 Puente
  Two major fan favorites, Jillian and Melissa should create one of the closer matches in the tournament, and it would come as no surprise if either one made a deep run in the bracket. Miss Beyor is especially a major darkhorse as a #4 seed.
• #2 Burley vs. #7 Whitehead
  One of the #2 seeded former CGOYs, Alicia faces off against Nicole, who has the distinction of also being a Playmate. In that sense, it wouldn't be all that surprising to see an upset here, as Nicole, less heralded as a CG, could prove a tough matchup.
• #3 Hurt vs. #6 Campbell
  This is a big one to watch. Jennifer Hurt is easily one of the popular picks to go very deep, perhaps to win it all. She faces the sexual, raw Erica, who is a former SE Model of the Year. Jennifer is one of the most popular CG's in recent years, so perhaps it's time for redemption here.
• #2 Barre vs. #7 Bass
  Erika, the very first CGOY, finds herself as a #2 seed facing an interesting competitor in Carolee, one of the classic Cyber Girls. Miss Bass could pull the upset with the help of some nostalgic fans who find her hardbody and straightforward style appealing.
• #3 DeCesare vs. #6 LaRocca
  Here's a big one. Carmella is one of the most celebrated Cyber Girls, as well as a former Playmate. She has the goods to go a very long way, and definitely could beat the best of the best. Paula is one of the great and most underrated CG's of the past. Both have similar styles, so it could be tight.
• #1 Garcia vs. #9 Dicillo
  Here, we have one of the highest overall seeds, and a CGOY, facing the lowest seed in the tournament, a girl who never made it past CGOW status. While Dana is one of the biggest snubs in Cyber Club history, it would be a tall order for her to beat one of the best and most talented posers in Playboy's history. Is anything possible?
• #4 Badertscher vs. #5 McQuaid
  Bethanie is the most recent girl in the tournament field, while Heather is one of the Cyber Club classics with enduring appeal for many. This could be a very close one, and the girl who wins here ultimately could create some upsets down the road.

So there you are, the 16 girls who'll try and move on in the coming weeks. Let the real action begin! Start voting, folks!!