Sunday(s) in the Park Where we once thought "the fertile crescent" was a hand salve.

The post season KVKL tournament always provides an atmosphere unlike any other felt throughout the course of the year.  Every team’s slate is wiped clean and there is a chance for glory at the end of the journey.  Then the games begin and one by one teams are eliminated.  This year, however, there is a shot at redemption not only for teams who lost their first round games, but also for winners of round one who lost round two; pretty bad ass.  That means more teams than ever will continue playing into the second weekend of tournament play.

The first round of the tournament went completely chalk, so no real surprises there.  The only close games (at least by score) seemed to be the #16 seeded Corksuckers holding off #17 Liberty Hall for a one run victory, and that is the closest seeded game in the tournament.  The other two close games both looked to have been two run victories: Screamers over the Ghosts 10-8 and the Shaolin Shadowboxers defeating Channel 6 News 11-9.

From there, teams were separated into the Fully Awesome Bracket and the Less Awesome Bracket.  Winner from the Less Awesome bracket will continue to play a single elimination tournament to find out who is truly the Least Awesome team.  At stake is 17^th place overall and the coveted commemorative Princess Diana plate.

As for the Fully Awesome bracket there have been a couple of changes this season.  The losers of Round two in this bracket will continue playing on for the newly formed Reasonably Awesome Bracket, and play on into the second and third weekend of the tournament (single elimination style) for the overall 9^th place trophy, which to my understanding is still yet to be decided upon.  What glorious tangible piece of merchandise is a middle ground between an aluminum rusty cup and a commemorative plate?  Only time will tell.

ROUND 2: Fully Awesome Bracket

As for the games in Round 2, the scores were definitely a lot closer.  The closest seeded game played, the #8 Los Matadores vs. the #9 Hurtz Donuts, was a rematch of the week 11 GOTW, and it went into extra innings this time before finally being decided by one run with Los Matadores coming out on top 15-14.  I wish I could have seen that game.  It sounds like it was a goodie.

#7 Wildman held off the #10 Screamers, winning 13-7 in what I heard was quite an argumentative contest.  Not totally sure what happened there, but it sounded a bit heated.

I caught the second half of the #6 Das Boot vs. #11 Sacred Sword game.  This was a rematch of a great game earlier this season where Das Boot came from behind to pull off a one run win.  When I showed up to this game on Sunday it was a two run game and I don’t think it ever got any larger than that.  For the final stages of the game it was a one run Das Boot lead and the final was the same, with Boot winning 10-9.  This game was very competitive and you could feel the intensity from both sides in the later stages of the game.

The #5 Goats were upset by #12 Party!! on Sunday as well.  I have no idea what happened in this game but I’d love to hear how Party!! pulled off the upset.  Congrats to those guys and gals for surviving opening weekend as the #12 seed.  This is probably about as close as we’ll see to a Cinderella story in kickball.

#4 Chalmersiz cruised to an easy win against #13 Slowride winning 18-7.

#3 Love Garden took down the Shaolin Shadowboxers 13-5 at Holcom.

#2 Barracudas had a very competitive matchup against #15 Red Lyon, a rematch of a second round matchup from a year ago in post season play.  I said it before and I’ll say it again, when Red Lyon holds off on the serious drinking and comes to play they are capable of beating nearly anybody.  This game was back and forth for about 6 or 7 innings before the Barracudas finally got out to a six run lead in the top of the 9^th and were able to keep the fleet-footed Red Lyon lineup at bay to close out the win.

#1 Pita Pit dismantled the #16 Corksuckers 21-2 as they continue their push through the tournament as the overall favorite.

Round 2: Less Awesome Bracket

All of the games in the less awesome bracket went according to chalk with the exception of #28 Tellerdactyls putting on a clinic against #21 West Coast Saloon.  The Tellerdactyls must have been playing some inspired kickball as they ran away with the game, winning 13-2.  What a glorious send off for Jake Wilson who is moving on to greener pastures elsewhere in the country.  You will be missed Mr. Wilson.

It looks like Spacepussy put up a good fight against Free State as well, only losing by 4 runs, 12-8.

Liberty Hall is still alive in their attempt to defend the Princess Di trophy after a 15-10 win over the Bald Beavers.

I’m sure there are plenty of other stories and interesting things I missed this week.  It’s hard to keep up with everything going on when there is so much kickball going on at some many locations all in one Sunday evening.  If you have any additional input please feel free to chime in.

If you’re at all like me I’ve been stiff as ever after playing two games this past Sunday.  With any luck I’ll get the same opportunity this coming Sunday.  I’m sure everyone else feels the same way.  Rest up and keep those muscles good and stretched out.

KM

17. LIBERTY HALL

The Late Fees start the tournament off with a rematch of a game they lost earlier this season to the Corksuckers, 12-14.  The Corksuckers have been on quite a roll and I see the outcome of this game being quite the same, and that’s okay.  If the Fees do stumble out of the gate they are my favorite to take home the Less Awesome Bracket hardward.  And, hey, if they do they will end the season with quite a run and a record above .500

LIBERTY HALL	(5-6)
		RUNS FOR	ALLOWED	DIFF	W/L
1	SPACEPUSSY	24	2	22	W
2	GANG GREEN	8	5	3	W
3	BREWBALLERS	4	7	-3	L
4	LOS MATADORES	14	9	5	W
5	WILDMAN ATTACK FORCE	7	24	-17	L
6	SACRED SWORD	3	12	-9	L
7	DAS BOOT	0	19	-19	L
		60	78
				0.769
POOL 5
8	CORKSUCKERS	12	14	-2	L
9	WEST COAST	10	2	8	W
10	ASTEROID HEAD	11	5	6	W
		33	21
				1.571
11	RED LYON	4	8	-4	L

18. FREE STATE

The Growlers are the only team from the top four pools to drop below half way mark in tournament seeding.  On the plus side of things they’ve won every game they should have on paper.  On the down side, they lost every game they probably should have as well.  Free State’s first game is against Red Lyon, who beat them by 15 runs only a few weeks ago.  Pencil the Growlers in as a lock for the Less Awesome Bracket Final 4.

FREE STATE	(4-7)
		RUNS FOR	ALLOWED	DIFF	W/L
1	PITA PIT	5	18	-13	L
2	BALD BEAVERS	31	5	26	W
3	PARTY!!	8	33	-25	L
4	BALLS DEEP	5	4	1	W
5	TELLERDACTYLS	10	9	1	W
6	CHALMERSIZ	5	11	-6	L
7	WEST COAST	14	6	8	W
		78	86
				0.907
POOL 4
8	RED LYON	11	26	-15	L
9	SACRED SWORD	0	15	-15	L
10	SCREAMERS	4	11	-7	L
		15	52
				0.289
11	CORKSUCKERS	4	12	-8	L

19. CHANNEL 6

The Toe Pokes are the highest seeded team out of Pool 6 and they are also the lowest seeded team with a winning record.  They could give Shaolin a run for their money in game one, but if they falter they are a dangerous team in the Less Awesome bracket with a cast of capable males kickballers and some of the best females in the league.  Another lock for Less Awesome Bracket Final 4 (if they lose game 1 – sounds weird, right?).

CHANNEL 6	(6-5)
		RUNS FOR	ALLOWED	DIFF	W/L
1	SLOWRIDE	1	7	-6	L
2	DIRTY MIKE & THE BOYZ	13	9	4	W
3	BARRACUDAS	6	16	-10	L
4	SCREAMERS	1	8	-7	L
5	ASTEROID HEAD	7	10	-3	L
6	HURTZ DONUT D-HOLES	7	12	-5	L
7	JAZZHAUS	22	5	17	W
		57	67
				0.851
POOL 6
8	ROCKETS	12	6	6	W
9	GANG GREEN	12	9	3	W
10	BALLS DEEP	9	7	2	W
		33	22
				1.5
11	WEST COAST	11	6	5	W

20.  GANG GREEN

Gang Green is still looking for their first back-to-back wins of the season and they could be primed and ready to make that happen if Slowride doesn’t show up to play.  I’ve watched a couple games where Gang Green looked like they were turning the corner.  It’s that time of year where anything can happen.  Let’s see if they are ready to be a Cinderella story in 2012.

GANG GREEN	(4-7)
		RUNS FOR	ALLOWED	DIFF	W/L
1	WILDMAN ATTACK FORCE	1	15	-14	L
2	LIBERTY HALL	5	8	-3	L
3	DAS BOOT	2	10	-8	L
4	SACRED SWORD	4	14	-10	L
5	SPACEPUSSY	16	3	13	W
6	LOS MATADORES	2	19	-17	L
7	BREWBALLERS	18	15	3	W
		48	84
				0.571
POOL 6
8	BALLS DEEP	14	5	9	W
9	CHANNEL 6	9	12	-3	L
10	ROCKETS	10	11	-1	L
		33	28
				1.179
11	ASTEROID HEAD	26	3	23	W

21. WEST COAST SALOON

The past few weeks have been unkind to West Coast Saloon, who have lost by nearly 10 runs a game over that period.  Surviving the first weekend of the tournament, on either side, should be considered a success.

WEST COAST	(4-7)
		RUNS FOR	ALLOWED	DIFF	W/L
1	CHALMERSIZ	1	9	-8	L
2	TELLERDACTYLS	9	1	8	W
3	BALLS DEEP	10	3	7	W
4	PARTY!!	9	18	-9	L
5	BALD BEAVERS	30	4	26	W
6	PITA PIT	2	12	-10	L
7	FREE STATE	6	14	-8	L
		67	61
				1.1
POOL 5
8	ASTEROID HEAD	15	12	3	W
9	LIBERTY HALL	2	10	-8	L
10	CORKSUCKERS	4	20	-16	L
		21	42
				0.5
11	CHANNEL 6	6	11	-5	L

22.  ASTEROID HEAD

It’s likely been a season to forget for A-Head, who have regressed a bit from the past couple of seasons.  They should be playing next Sunday if they can keep it together in their second game tonight in the Less Awesome Bracket.

ASTEROID HEAD	(3-8)
		RUNS FOR	ALLOWED	DIFF	W/L
1	DIRTY MIKE	14	10	4	W
2	SLOWRIDE	6	9	-3	L
3	SCREAMERS	6	8	-2	L
4	BARRACUDAS	2	23	-21	L
5	CHANNEL 6	10	7	3	W
6	JAZZHAUS	11	9	2	W
7	HURTZ DONUT	3	11	-8	L
		52	77
				0.675
POOL 5
8	WEST COAST	12	15	-3	L
9	CORK SUCKERS	6	15	-9	L
10	LIBERTY HALL	5	11	-6	L
		23	41
				0.561
11	GANG GREEN	3	26	-23	L

23.  GHOSTS

The Ghosts have been scoring in bunches against similarly matched competition.  I don’t see them pulling off the upset against the Screamers in game 1, but they could make a splash in the Less Awesome Bracket.  Their likely match-up with Dirty Mike in their second game this Sunday should be one of the better early round match-ups in the Less Awesome Bracket.

GHOSTS	(4-7)
		RUNS FOR	ALLOWED	DIFF	W/L
1	RED LYON	4	19	-15	L
2	GOATS	4	26	-22	L
3	LOVE GARDEN	1	39	-38	L
4	SHAOLIN SHADOWBOXERS	7	10	-3	L
5	CORKSUCKERS	10	15	-5	L
6	HARPER VALLEY	22	0	22	W
7	ROCKETS	9	21	-12	L
		57	130
				0.439
POOL 7
8	DIRTY MIKE & THE BOYZ	15	5	10	W
9	BREWBALLERS	10	12	-2	L
10	TELLERDACTYLS	18	8	10	W
		43	25
				1.72
11	BALLS DEEP	31	9	22	W

24. BREWBALLERS

Likely a quick out in the main event, the Brewballers have played well during the second half of the season.  Another capable team in the Less Awesome Bracket.  A game 2 match-up with the Rockets should be a good one.

BREWBALLERS	(5-6)
		RUNS FOR	ALLOWED	DIFF	W/L
1	SACRED SWORD	2	11	-9	L
2	DAS BOOT	4	18	-14	L
3	LIBERTY HALL	7	4	3	W
4	WILDMAN	7	22	-15	L
5	LOS MATADORES	10	14	-4	L
6	SPACEPUSSY	12	6	6	W
7	GANG GREEN	15	18	-3	L
		57	93
				0.613
POOL 7
8	TELLERDACTYLS	15	6	9	W
9	GHOSTS	12	10	2	W
10	DIRTY MIKE & THE BOYZ	7	9	-2	L
		34	25
				1.36
11	ROCKETS	13	9	4	W

25. ROCKETS

The Rockets dropped several close games this season and still seem to be piecing the kickball puzzle together.  Fortunately for them, they seem be be having fun while they do it.  Their Less Awesome Bracket games look like tough match-ups.  If they can pull off a couple of upsets their season will be completely turned on it’s head.

ROCKETS	(3-8)
		RUNS FOR	ALLOWED	DIFF	W/L
1	SHAOLIN SHADOWBOXERS	5	6	-1	L
2	LOVE GARDEN	3	17	-14	L
3	GOATS	5	8	-3	L
4	RED LYON	2	12	-10	L
5	HARPER VALLEY PTA	28	2	26	W
6	CORKSUCKERS	5	9	-4	L
7	GHOSTS	21	9	12	W
		69	63
				1.095
POOL 6
8	CHANNEL 6	6	12	-6	L
9	BALLS DEEP	12	13	-1	L
10	GANG GREEN	11	10	1	W
		29	35
				0.829
11	BREWBALLERS	9	13	-4	L

26. DIRTY MIKE & THE BOYZ

The Boyz are riding an impressive three game winning streak coming into the tournament.  That streak will likely be snapped in game one of the tournament tonight, but they could make some Less Awesome noise if they show up and play their game.

DIRTY MIKE	(5-6)
		RUNS FOR	ALLOWED	DIFF	W/L
1	ASTEROID HEAD	10	14	-4	L
2	CHANNEL 6	9	13	-4	L
3	HURTZ DONUT D-HOLES	8	9	-1	L
4	JAZZHAUS	20	9	11	W
5	SLOWRIDE	11	10	1	W
6	BARRACUDAS	7	15	-8	L
7	SCREAMERS	7	8	-1	L
		72	78
				0.923
POOL 7
8	GHOSTS	5	15	-10	L
9	TELLERDACTYLS	12	7	5	W
10	BREWBALLERS	9	7	2	W
		26	29
				0.897
11	HARPER VALLEY PTA	23	4	19	W

27. BALLS DEEP

Balls Deep will be exiting stage left in round one of the tournament this year, but if they can limit their mistakes in their second game against Asteroid Head they will still be playing kickball next weekend.

BALLS DEEP	(3-8)
		RUNS FOR	ALLOWED	DIFF	W/L
1	TELLERDACTYLS	5	4	1	W
2	PITA PIT	0	18	-18	L
3	WEST COAST	3	10	-7	L
4	FREE STATE	4	5	-1	L
5	CHALMERSIZ	7	12	-5	L
6	BALD BEAVERS	14	11	3	W
7	PARTY	4	17	-13	L
		37	77
				0.481
POOL 6
8	GANG GREEN	5	14	-9	L
9	ROCKETS	13	12	1	W
10	CHANNEL 6	7	9	-2	L
		25	35
				0.714
11	GHOSTS	9	31	-22	L

28.  TELLERDACTYLS

The Tellerdactyls hope to sneak in a win this Sunday so they live to play another night next weekend.  Unfortunately, it looks like this might be their final hurrah.

TELLERDACTYLS	(2-9)
		RUNS FOR	ALLOWED	DIFF	W/L
1	BALLS DEEP	4	5	-1	L
2	WEST COAST	1	9	-8	L
3	CHALMERSIZ	0	15	-15	L
4	PITA PIT	1	16	-15	L
5	FREE STATE	9	10	-1	L
6	PARTY!!	4	6	-2	L
7	BALD BEAVERS	17	1	16	W
		36	62
				0.581
POOL 7
8	BREWBALLERS	6	15	-9	L
9	DIRTY MIKE & THE BOYZ	7	12	-5	L
10	GHOSTS	8	18	-10	L
		21	45
				0.467
11	JAZZHAUS	12	5	7	W

29. HARPER VALLEY PTA

Harper Valley is sitting on three wins this season, an impressive mark for one of the more fun-loving teams in the league.  If they somehow manage to sneak in a fourth win it will be easily be their greatest season to date.

HARPER VALLEY	(3-8)
		RUNS FOR	ALLOWED	DIFF	W/L
1	GOATS	0	23	-23	L
2	RED LYON	2	18	-16	L
3	SHAOLIN SHADOWBOXERS	11	36	-25	L
4	LOVE GARDEN	0	22	-22	L
5	ROCKETS	2	28	-26	L
6	GHOSTS	0	22	-22	L
7	CORKSUCKERS	4	19	-15	L
		19	168
				0.113
POOL 8
8	JAZZHAUS	15	14	1	W
9	SPACEPUSSY	19	17	2	W
10	BALD BEAVERS	13	11	2	W
		47	42
				1.119
11	DIRTY MIKE	4	23	-19	L

30.  JAZZHAUS

Jazzhaus got on the board with a win in the final week of pool play, week 10.  That’s a good thing for them, as this is likely their last week of play for the 2012 season.

JAZZHAUS	(1-10)
		RUNS FOR	ALLOWED	DIFF	W/L
1	BARRACUDAS	1	24	-23	L
2	SCREAMERS	3	24	-21	L
3	SLOWRIDE	1	16	-15	L
4	DIRTY MIKE & THE BOYZ	9	20	-11	L
5	HURTZ DONUT D-HOLES	4	21	-17	L
6	ASTEROID HEAD	9	11	-2	L
7	CHANNEL 6	5	22	-17	L
		32	138
				0.167
POOL 8
8	HARPER VALLEY PTA	14	15	-1	L
9	BALD BEAVERS	11	12	-1	L
10	SPACE PUSSY	14	11	3	W
		39	38
				1.026
11	TELLERDACTYLS	5	12	-7	L

31. SPACEPUSSY

Win or lose either of their games today, Spacepussy will have twice the amount of time to pull off many of their shenanigans today with two games play.  They’ve definitely entertained yet again this season.

SPACEPUSSY	(1-10)
		RUNS FOR	ALLOWED	DIFF	W/L
1	LIBERTY HALL	2	24	-22	L***
2	WILDMAN ATTACK FORCE	3	28	-25	L
3	SACRED SWORD	6	26	-20	L
4	DAS BOOT	1	18	-17	L
5	GANG GREEN	3	16	-13	L
6	BREWBALLERS	6	12	-6	L
7	LOS MATADORES	4	18	-14	L
		25	142
				0.176
POOL 8
8	BALD BEAVERS	24	17	7	W
9	HARPER VALLEY PTA	17	19	-2	L
10	JAZZHAUS	11	14	-3	L
		52	50
				1.04
11	BALD BEAVERS	6	11	-5	L

32. BALD BEAVERS

How does the last seed go to a team with 2 wins?  That’s just messed up.  They have twice as many wins as two other teams and are tied with the Tellerdactyls in the win column, with two wins apiece.  This is likely their last weekend of kickball, so they should just relax and enjoy the glory that is kickball.

BALD BEAVERS	(2-9)
		RUNS FOR	ALLOWED	DIFF	W/L
1	PARTY	2	29	-27	L
2	FREE STATE	5	31	-26	L
3	PITA PIT	4	39	-35	L
4	CHALMERSIZ	2	27	-25	L
5	WEST COAST	4	30	-26	L
6	BALLS DEEP	11	14	-3	L
7	TELLERDACTYLS	1	17	-16	L
		29	187
				0.155
POOL 8
8	SPACEPUSSY	17	24	-7	L
9	JAZZHAUS	12	11	1	W
10	HARPER VALLEY	11	13	-2	L
		40	48
				0.833
11	SPACEPUSSY	11	6	5	W

***NOTE***

The raw numbers following the division scores and pool scores are averages of the number of runs the particular team has scored per run allowed.

Example:  Game 1,  Team A wins 5-1.  Game 2, Team A loses 5-9.  Their average would be 1.000 having scored 10 runs and having allowed 10 runs.

1. PITA PIT

Pita Pit boasts a strong resume coming into the 2012 tournament, which is the same old song and dance for them.  They are the favorite to hoist the cup this year and are hungry for another championship after losing in the Final 4 a year ago and the championship game a year prior to that.

They have won by 10 runs or more in all but four of their games this season.  They execute their game plan effectively and are very difficult to beat even on an off night.  Look for them to make a deep run this year with a good chance of taking it all.

PITA PIT	(10-1)
		RUNS FOR	ALLOWED	DIFF	W/L
1	FREE STATE	18	5	13	W
2	BALLS DEEP	18	0	18	W
3	BALD BEAVERS	39	4	35	W
4	TELLERDACTYLS	16	1	15	W
5	PARTY	7	4	3	W
6	WEST COAST	12	2	10	W
7	CHALMERSIZ	4	1	3	W
		114	17
				6.706
POOL 1
8	GOATS	8	2	6	W
9	BARRACUDAS	15	5	10	W
10	DAS BOOT	5	10	-5	L
		28	17
				1.647
11	BARRACUDAS	12	2	10	W

2.  BARRACUDAS

The Barracudas are the reigning champions of the KVKL.  Last season they began as a new team and were relatively unknown with the exception of a few key players.  Fortunately, many of the players on the roster had a few seasons under their belts to make up for the learning curve of the new players.

The Barracudas came into the tournament a year ago as the overall 5 seed and had to rank as one of the lowest seeded teams to ever claim the cup, and boy does winning one championship change people’s opinions in a hurry.   Heavy is the head that wears the crown indeed.  This year they enter as the 2 seed and still have lofty expectations.  A tough tournament draw will definitely test their attempt at winning another championship, with possible games against Red Lyon, Wildman, and the Screamers just to get out of their field of eight teams.  Another deep run is certainly possible, but it will take smart, well executed kickball.

BARRACUDAS	(9-2)
		RUNS FOR	ALLOWED	DIFF	W/L
1	JAZZHAUS	24	1	23	W
2	BARRACUDAS	31	3	28	W
3	CHANNEL 6	16	6	10	W
4	ASTEROID HEAD	23	2	21	W
5	SCREAMERS	12	9	3	W
6	DIRTY MIKE	15	7	8	W
7	SLOWRIDE	8	6	2	W
		129	34
				3.794
POOL 1
8	DAS BOOT	12	2	10	W
9	PITA PIT	5	15	-10	L
10	GOATS	15	8	7	W
		32	25
				1.28
11	PITA PIT	2	12	-10	L

3. LOVE GARDEN

Love Garden has had one goal and one goal only in their minds this season: get back to the finals and bring home the hardware.  A year ago they reached the finals and fell short losing to the Barracudas.  They’ve had a whole year to dwell on that fact and expect them to step onto the field with an attitude.  They come into the tournament with only one loss and they hope to end their season that way.  Anything else will likely be a disappointment (but they have had one hell of a season).  Don’t be surprised to see them back in the finals, but as the KVKL gets stronger, reaching that goal gets tougher and tougher.

LOVE GARDEN	(10-1)
		RUNS FOR	ALLOWED	DIFF	W/L
1	CORKSUCKERS	27	3	24	W
2	ROCKETS	17	3	14	W
3	GHOSTS	39	1	38	W
4	HARPER VALLEY PTA	22	0	22	W
5	RED LYON	7	3	4	W
6	SHAOLIN SHADOWBOXERS	14	4	10	W
7	GOATS	7	13	-6	L
		133	27
				4.926
POOL 2
8	HURTZ DONUT D-HOLES	18	1	17	W
9	WILDMAN ATTACK FORCE	13	8	5	W
10	CHALMERSIZ	7	3	4	W
		38	12
				3.167
11	DAS BOOT	10	5	5	W

4. CHALMERSIZ

The Chalmersiz have had another successful season.  They seem to have this kickball thing figured out as they get better and better every year.  Their final obstacle is competing with the big dogs.  They are certainly capable of beating every team in the league on any given sunday, but doing it five times in a row is what it takes to win a KVKL championship.  The Chalmersiz seem to have a bit of a chip on their shoulder this year as they aim to prove that they are ready to take the final step.  If they get ahead of themselves too much they may find themselves watching the remainder of the tournament from the stands once again.  If they play their game, watch out.  They could give the overall #1 seed, Pita Pit, a run for their money if they advance that far.

CHALMERSIZ	(9-2)
		RUNS FOR	ALLOWED	DIFF	W/L
1	WEST COAST	9	1	8	W
2	PARTY	7	3	4	W
3	TELLERDACTYLS	15	0	15	W
4	BALD BEAVERS	27	2	25	W
5	PITA PIT	1	4	-3	L
6	BALLS DEEP	12	7	5	W
7	FREE STATE	11	5	6	W
		82	22
				3.73
POOL 2
8	WILDMAN ATTACK FORCE	6	3	3	W
9	HURTZ DONUT D-HOLES	10	5	5	W
10	LOVE GARDEN	3	7	-4	L
		19	15
				1.267
11	GOATS	13	7	6	W

5. GOATS

The Goats have had a very productive season, but they’ve also lost four out of their last six games.  Luckily for them, they wound up as the five seed and have a nice draw for the post season tournament.  If they come out and play their game they are a tough team to beat and could make a deep run in the tournament.  They will likely have their work cut out for themselves in week two of the tournament if they plan to play the final weekend of the tournament with likely matchups against Chalmersiz and Pita Pit.

GOATS	(7-4)
		RUNS FOR	ALLOWED	DIFF	W/L
1	HARPER VALLEY	23	0	23	W
2	GHOSTS	26	4	22	W
3	ROCKETS	8	5	3	W
4	CORKSUCKERS	28	6	22	W
5	SHAOLIN SHADOWBOXERS	24	9	15	W
6	RED LYON	6	8	-2	L
7	LOVE GARDEN	13	7	6	W
		128	39
				3.282
POOL 1
8	PITA PIT	2	8	-6	L
9	DAS BOOT	16	8	8	W
10	BARRACUDAS	8	15	-7	L
		26	31
				0.839
11	CHALMERSIZ	7	13	-6	L

6. DAS BOOT

Das Boot could easily make a deep run of their own, but they will likely face Sacred Sword again in their second game this coming Sunday, a team they defeated by the narrowest of margins earlier this season.  If they survive they likely face Love Garden and will try from some revenge for a week 11 loss.  Boot’s biggest obstacle will be playing well in consecutive games, something they’ve struggled with throughout the season.

DAS BOOT	(8-3)
		RUNS FOR	ALLOWED	DIFF	W/L
1	LOS MATADORES	3	5	-2	W*
2	BREWBALLERS	18	4	14	W
3	GANG GREEN	10	2	8	W
4	SPACEPUSSY	18	1	17	W
5	SACRED SWORD	12	11	1	W
6	WILDMAN ATTACK FORCE	14	2	12	W
7	LIBERTY HALL	19	0	19	W
		94	25
				3.76
POOL 1
8	BARRACUDAS	2	12	-10	L
9	GOATS	8	16	-8	L
10	PITA PIT	10	5	5	W
		20	33
				0.606
11	LOVE GARDEN	5	10	-5	L

7. WILDMAN ATTACK FORCE

Wildman assembled their current roster with the hopes of bringing home the hardware this season.  They’ve lost four of their last six contests, but all of that will be forgiven if they make a deep run in the tournament.  They will certainly prove their skill if they advance through a tough pool of eight and make a Final Four appearance.  When they play their game they are a tough team to beat.

WILDMAN	(7-4)
		RUNS FOR	ALLOWED	DIFF	W/L
1	GANG GREEN	15	1	14	W
2	SPACEPUSSY	28	3	25	W
3	LOS MATADORES	11	4	7	W
4	BREWBALLERS	22	7	15	W
5	LIBERTY HALL	24	7	17	W
6	DAS BOOT	2	14	-12	L
7	SACRED SWORD	13	1	12	W
		115	37
				3.108
POOL 2
8	CHALMERSIZ	3	6	-3	L
9	LOVE GARDEN	8	13	-5	L
10	HURTZ DONUT D-HOLES	3	8	-5	L
		14	27
				0.519
11	PARTY!!	13	7	6	W

8. LOS MATADORES

The Matadores are on quite a run winning their last seven games.  They hope to keep to their winning ways and make a push in the post season tournament.  Had they not forfeited a game earlier this season, they likely would have gotten an even better seeding.  If they can win their first two games of the tournament, which would included a likely rematch with Hurtz Donutz, who they defeated convincingly a week ago, they will most likely play Pita Pit and get a chance to prove whether or not they are a force to be reckoned with.

LOS MATADORES	(8-3)
		RUNS FOR	ALLOWED	DIFF	W/L
1	DAS BOOT	5	3	2	L***
2	SACRED SWORD	10	7	3	W
3	WILDMAN ATTACK FORCE	4	11	-7	L
4	LIBERTY HALL	9	14	-5	L
5	BREWBALLERS	14	10	4	W
6	GANG GREEN	19	2	17	W
7	SPACEPUSSY	18	4	14	W
		79	51
				1.549
POOL 3
8	SLOWRIDE	10	4	6	W
9	SHAOLIN SHADOWBOXERS	16	11	5	W
10	PARTY!!	15	4	11	W
		41	19
				2.158
11	HURTZ DONUT D-HOLES	14	6	8	W

9. HURTZ DONUT D-HOLES

It’s been quite a season for the Hurtz Donutz.  They have fun while they play and their enthusiasm has translated to a decent number of wins this season.  It’s unlikely they survive the first weekend of the tournament, but they should be a force to be reckoned with in either the Less Awesome Bracket or the Reasonably Less Awesome Bracket.  However their season ends, I’d consider it a success.

HURTZ DONUT	(7-4)
		RUNS FOR	ALLOWED	DIFF	W/L
1	SCREAMERS	5	8	-3	W*
2	BARRACUDAS	3	31	-28	L
3	DIRTY MIKE & THE BOYZ	9	8	1	W
4	SLOWRIDE	4	3	1	W
5	JAZZHAUS	21	4	17	W
6	CHANNEL 6	12	7	5	W
7	ASTEROID HEAD	11	3	8	W
		65	64
				1.016
POOL 2
8	LOVE GARDEN	1	18	-17	L
9	CHALMERSIZ	5	10	-5	L
10	WILDMAN ATTACK FORCE	8	3	5	W
		14	31
				0.452
11	LOS MATADORES	6	14	-8	L

10. SCREAMERS

The Screamers enter the tournament as the overall #10 seed, but had they not forfeited a game week one, they would only have two losses; an impressive feat.  When they come to play they can give nearly any team fits with their speed and aggressive base running.  If they don’t make a deep run they are an example of another team who could hoist the first ever Reasonably Awesome trophy.  If they’re on their game, look out.

SCREAMERS	(8-3)
		RUNS FOR	ALLOWED	DIFF	W/L
1	HURTZ DONUT D-HOLES	8	5	3	L***
2	JAZZHAUS	24	3	21	W
3	ASTEROID HEAD	8	6	2	W
4	CHANNEL 6	8	1	7	W
5	BARRACUDAS	9	12	-3	L
6	SLOWRIDE	8	13	-5	L
7	DIRTY MIKE & THE BOYZ	8	7	1	W
		73	47
				1.553
POOL 4
8	SACRED SWORD	7	1	6	W
9	RED LYON	6	4	2	W
10	FREE STATE	11	4	7	W
		24	9
				2.667
11	SHADOWBOXERS	11	6	5	W

11.  SACRED SWORD

Sacred Sword has had a less than amazing season by their own standards, but that doesn’t mean they are not a good kickball team.  They are currently enjoying their longest winning streak of the season at three games.  They’ll likely have a chance to avenge their loss to Das Boot earlier this season in their second game of the first weekend.  A win in that game could be about all it takes to consider this season a success.  Sword is a hard team to bet for or bet against due to their inconsistency, but they are a tough, tested team regardless.

SACRED SWORD	(7-4)
		RUNS FOR	ALLOWED	DIFF	W/L
1	BREWBALLERS	11	2	9	W
2	LOS MATADORES	7	10	-3	L
3	SPACEPUSSY	26	6	20	W
4	GANG GREEN	14	4	10	W
5	DAS BOOT	11	12	-1	L
6	LIBERTY HALL	12	3	9	W
7	WILDMAN ATTACK FORCE	1	13	-12	L
		82	50
				1.64
POOL 4
8	SCREAMERS	1	7	-6	L
9	FREE STATE	15	0	15	W
10	RED LYON	11	7	4	W
		27	14
				1.929
11	SLOWRIDE	16	9	7	W

12. PARTY!!

Party has been sliding a bit towards the end of the season.  It will be interesting to see if they can put it together for the post season tournament.  Surviving the first weekend doesn’t seem likely, but hey, not everyone can advance.

PARTY	(6-5)
		RUNS FOR	ALLOWED	DIFF	W/L
1	BALD BEAVERS	29	2	27	W
2	CHALMERSIZ	3	7	-4	L
3	FREE STATE	33	8	25	W
4	WEST COAST	18	9	9	W
5	PITA PIT	4	7	-3	L
6	TELLERDACTYLS	6	4	2	W
7	BALLS DEEP	17	4	13	W
		110	41
				2.683
POOL 3
8	SHAOLIN SHADOWBOXERS	6	9	-3	L
9	SLOWRIDE	7	6	1	W
10	LOS MATADORES	4	15	-11	L
		17	30
				0.567
11	WILDMAN ATTACK FORCE	7	13	-6	L

13. SLOWRIDE

As usual, Slowride is nearly impossible to predict at season’s end.  Just when it seemed easy to write them off, they came alive and showed everyone what they are capable of, and in week 10 against Shaolin they put on a dominating performance, winning by 11 runs.  Unfortunately, consistency is a must in post season play and getting past the Chalmersiz in round 2 seems unlikely.  It would be a huge deviation from their recent tournament history if they prove me wrong.

SLOWRIDE	(5-6)
		RUNS FOR	ALLOWED	DIFF	W/L
1	CHANNEL 6	7	1	6	W
2	ASTEROID HEAD	9	6	3	W
3	JAZZHAUS	16	1	15	W
4	HURTZ DONUT D-HOLES	3	4	-1	L
5	DIRTY MIKE & THE BOYZ	10	11	-1	L
6	SCREAMERS	13	8	5	W
7	BARRACUDAS	6	8	-2	L
		64	39
				1.641
POOL 3
8	LOS MATADORES	4	10	-6	L
9	PARTY!!	6	7	-1	L
10	SHAOLIN SHADOWBOXERS	19	8	11	W
		29	25
				1.16
11	SACRED SWORD	9	16	-7	L

14. SHAOLIN SHADOWBOXERS

The Shadowboxers have struggled a bit during the second half of the season.  If it wasn’t for late game heroics against Red Lyon they would have lost six of their last seven games.  Expect Shaolin to put on a show in either of the two secondary brackets should they lose early.

SHADOWBOXERS	(6-5)
		RUNS FOR	ALLOWED	DIFF	W/L
1	ROCKETS	6	5	1	W
2	CORKSUCKERS	21	8	13	W
3	HARPER VALLEY PTA	36	11	25	W
4	GHOSTS	10	7	3	W
5	GOATS	9	24	-15	L
6	LOVE GARDEN	4	14	-10	L
7	RED LYON	7	5	2	W
		93	74
				1.257
POOL 3
8	PARTY!!	9	6	3	W
9	LOS MATADORES	11	16	-5	L
10	SLOWRIDE	8	19	-11	L
		28	41
				0.683
11	SCREAMERS	6	11	-5	L

15.  RED LYON

As the 15 seed, Red Lyon is one of the most dangerous teams not seeded in the top eight or so for one reason only: they don’t get absolutely shit canned during tournament play and they have very capable, veteran kickballers.  If they do fall early, they could be contenders for hoisting the Reasonably Less Awesome Bracket trophy, unless they decide to end the season with a bang and party their way to the end of their season.

RED LYON	(7-4)
		RUNS FOR	ALLOWED	DIFF	W/L
1	GHOSTS	19	4	15	W
2	HARPER VALLEY PTA	18	2	16	W
3	CORKSUCKERS	8	0	8	W
4	ROCKETS	12	2	10	W
5	LOVE GARDEN	3	7	-4	L
6	GOATS	8	6	2	W
7	SHAOLIN SHADOWBOXERS	5	7	-2	L
		73	28
				2.607
POOL 4
8	FREE STATE	26	11	15	W
9	SCREAMERS	4	6	-2	L
10	SACRED SWORD	7	11	-4	L
		37	28
				1.321
11	LIBERTY HALL	8	4	4	W

16. CORKSUCKERS

What a season it has been for the Corksuckers.  Dare I say they have potential to be a difficult out in the tournament?  If they hadn’t drawn the overall #1 seed, Pita Pit, for their potential second round match-up I think it could have been a reality.  Look for the Corksuckers to make a splash in either losers bracket.  Either way, a tip of the cap for an amazing season.  Starting off with four straight losses and following it up with six consecutive wins is impressive.

CORKSUCKERS	(7-4)
		RUNS FOR	ALLOWED	DIFF	W/L
1	LOVE GARDEN	3	27	-24	L
2	SHAOLIN SHADOWBOXERS	8	21	-13	L
3	RED LYON	0	8	-8	L
4	GOATS	6	28	-22	L
5	GHOSTS	15	10	5	W
6	ROCKETS	9	5	4	W
7	HARPER VALLEY PTA	19	4	15	W
		60	103
				0.583
POOL 5
8	LIBERTY HALL	14	12	2	W
9	ASTEROID HEAD	15	6	9	W
10	WEST COAST	20	4	16	W
		49	22
				2.227
11	FREE STATE	12	4	8	W

***NOTE***

The raw numbers following the division scores and pool scores are averages of the number of runs the particular team has scored per run allowed.

Example:  Game 1,  Team A wins 5-1.  Game 2, Team A loses 5-9.  Their average would be 1.000 having scored 10 runs and having allowed 10 runs.

Hello Kickballers,

It’s tourney time and you know what that means, Bracket Challenge.  The rules are simple: print out your bracket, pick your winners, and submit them by the time the tournament kicks off.

Here is the basic information from Mike Pergande, who will be collecting the brackets:

Free to enter. Prizes that have been donated are unspecified KVKL swag, Liberty Hall cinema tickets, and Up to Eleven concert tickets.

One entry per person. Please make sure to include your name and phone number/some way to contact you. Also, please predict a final score for your championship game as a potential tiebreaker.

To submit your entry you can:

1)Email your bracket to pergande@gmail.com

2)Drop your bracket off at the Eldridge between 4pm and 10pm on Friday and Saturday

It’s hard to argue about playing extra kickball. The weather alone was automatically like an extra shot of Everclear in the Kool-Aid.    Compliments to the KVKL Board for trying out something new this season.  Novelty is always appreciated in my book.

This week’s games went just about the way I thought they would, but on paper that meant a lot of upsets that could shake up tournament seeding a bit.  The Chalmersiz (Pool 2) defeated The Goats (Pool 1), Love Garden (Pool 2) defeated Das Boot (Pool 1), … actually to save you some time I’ll just say that at least one team from a lower ranked pool (and twice in many cases) beat a team from a higher pool with Pool 8’s lone game against Pool 7 as the only exception.  If that doesn’t cause some difficulty in seeding teams I don’t know what will.   The major issue always seems to be over which teams leap-frog another team from a higher ranked pool for tournament seeding.  The extra week has given us one more game for the resume, but as we’ve seen in this league time and time again, one game doesn’t necessarily represent the entire body of work.

We are hours away from finding out how the seeding will shake out and start talking matchups, toughest road to title, winners, losers, and the annual grumblings about who is the latest contestant on The Snubbed and the Loved.

I’ll cut it short today because I’ll be sandwiched between Cougar and Cobra Kie and joined by a few others tonight to break it all down – and that’s more kickball lovin’ than most can handle in a day.  Come on down to Harbour Lights and listen to a Cougar, a Cobra, and a ‘Cuda in this year’s edition of KVKL: Tournament Talk.

KM

I’m not sure that Rivalry Week is the proper term for the week, but regardless it is great to have an extra week of kickball on the schedule – and finally some relief from the weather.  It’s not supposed to get anywhere near triple digits today for probably the first time all summer.  Has anyone else noticed that Sunday has been the hottest day of the week all summer?  There are a bunch of great games this week that could all have huge post season tournament implications.  It’s definitely a week to make your mark and impress the board in order to get the best possible seeding.

The temperature during the GOTW should be absolutely beautiful.  Here’s to a great week of kickball.

If you’re heading down to the Replay after the game be sure to check out ex-kickballer Iain Ellis playing for the Leotards.  They open for Long Shadow.  The weather will be great. Come out and dance!

GOTW: Los Matadores > Hurtz Donutz (13-6)

I’m guessing the Matadores are coming into this game with a chip on their shoulder.  If they stick to their game plan they should be successful.  If they get too amped up and begin to make mistakes they could dig themselves a big hole.

The Hurtz Donut D-Holes have had quite an impressive season.  I’m willing to bet they approach this game with a much more playful attitude.  If they can keep their fun, light-spirited nature they should be playing some loose kickball could and come away with the win.  If they are having a bit too much fun they could be in for a long evening.

LYONS PARK

Lyons is the place to be for the most competitive games of the day.  Of the four games being played, five of the teams have been in the top pool at least once in the last two seasons.  If you need to do some tournament scouting, get out your clip board and head north of the river.

5:00 GAMES

Sacred Sword > Slowride

Both teams are coming off of huge wins a week ago after struggling a bit down the home stretch.  Another win will go a long way for getting a better seed for the tournament.  It should be a good defensive battle.

Goats > Chalmersiz

This game could easily go either way.  I’m giving the nod to the Goats only because of their offensive capabilities.  Chalmersiz have a great defense, but an error or two could ruin their plans.

6:30 GAMES

Love Garden > Das Boot

It’s another great matchup.  It’ll be interesting to see if Boot can carry over the intensity from last week’s huge win (their first ever in against a pool 1 team I believe).  Love Garden looks to show that they easily could have been a pool 1 team.

Red Lyon > Liberty Hall

If Red Lyon continues to slide, their season could be in jeopardy.  However, they are a serious threat to better teams if they draw a low tournament seed.  Liberty Hall likely lacks the fire power to compete with Red Lyon’s speed and aggressive base running.

HOLCOM PARK

If you like offense, look no further.  I can’t even begin to estimate how many boots will stamp home plate this evening, but with eight games being played we’re easily talking 150 plus.

5:00 Games

Cork Suckers > Free State Growlers

The Cork Suckers have been on quite a roll, winning their past seven contests.  They come into this matchup with plenty of confidence, but watch out.  Free State has played quality competition and taken some tough losses over the past three weeks.  If they can keep their confidence up they could give the Suckers a run for their money.

Spacepussy > Bald Beavers

Ah yes, the Pussy Bowl.  Who doesn’t love that?  Spacepussy won their first matchup by seven runs.  This one should be similar.

Wildman Attack Force > Party!!

Wildman desperately needs a win for a confidence booster.  They really struggled in pool play and could use a win going into the tournament.  Party has shown glimpses of great kickball and continue to fly under the radar as a dangerous team.

Tellerdactyls > Jazzhaus

Jazzhaus is going for two consecutive wins after getting their first win a week ago.  The Tellerdactyls try to end a drought heading into the post season.

6:30 Games

Screamers > Shaolin Shadowboxers

These are two totally capable teams.  This is a game I which I could see for myself.  Lots of talent on both sides.  Hopefully everyone shows up and it’s a quality, competitive game.

Brewballers > The Rockets

Great matchup.  Let’s just say I’m picking against the Rockets cuz I like those guys and gals, if that makes any sense.

Dirty Mike & the Boyz > Harper Valley PTA

Dirty Mike keeps rolling after a big win last week.  Harper puts their magical 3 game winning streak on the line.  They won’t go down without a fight.

Ghosts > Balls Deep

The Ghosts have put up quite a few run the past few weeks.  If that trend continues Balls Deep is in trouble.  Balls Deep hasn’t had the offensive productivity they’d like to have this season.  If they can keep the game low scoring they have a fighting chance.

BROKEN ARROW PARK

5:00 Game

Channel 6 > West Coast

This looks to be an even matchup.  It all depends on which teams show up.  West Coast took a tough loss last week and look to bounce back.

6:30 Game

Gang Green > Asteroid Head

To me, this game is completely a toss-up.  I’ve seen Gang Green look as if they are starting to find their kickball groove, and look totally lost at other times.  Asteroid Head has the players to compete in most games, but I’m not sure they’ve put the same defense of the field twice all year.  If their players show they could easily win this game.

HOBBS PARK

7:00 Game

Pita Pit > Barracudas

It was a lopsided affair last time out.  Hopefully we can keep it a bit more competitive this time around.  The last two meeting of these teams have been blowouts for each respective side.  Hopefully this will be a down to the wire grudge match.

KM

What a great week of games to end close out pool play.  There were a number of close games this past Sunday and several upsets (in my opinion). Let’s get straight to it.

A MUCH NEEDED WIN

I have to start off tipping my hat to The Jazzhaus.  They secured their first win of the season on Sunday over Spacepussy and it was a hell of a game.  Jazzhaus led nearly the entire game, but it was definitely a back and forth battle.  Spacepussy fought hard and kept the game close.  Jazzhaus didn’t falter and continued to eke out runs to hold onto a 14-11 victory.  Everyone in the league now has a win.  Great job Jazzhaus.

GAME OF THE WEEK

Love Garden came out and handled their business this go-around during their GOTW.  They looked confident and seemed to have a good strategy for the game.  They were consistent throughout the game and played well for the majority of the game.

Chalmersiz looked decent as well; they just had a few too many errors to come out victorious.  This game was a close one as many assumed it would be.  Don’t be surprised if you see either of these two teams (or both) duking it out again in a few week for the championship.

TOUGH DEFEATS

Pita Pit suffered their first loss of the season this week as well, and it happened in unlikely fashion.  The game final was 10-5, while Das Boot somehow managed to put up 8 of those runs in the first inning – unbelievable.  With the loss Pita Pit becomes the last team in the league to lose a game this season, per usual.

It was also a great victory for Das Boot who came into the game 0-2 in Pool 1.  I’m sure most of you have seen the picture of Das Brad’s foot/ankle.  It doesn’t look pretty.  Hopefully it’s not end of his season.

Wildman Attack Force fell again for the third consecutive week losing to Hurtz Donut 8-3.  The loss drops them to 0-3 in pool play.  They have some work to do if they are going to turn it around for post season play.  Luckily for them they get one more tune up game with week 11 this year.

Red Lyon also took another tough loss this week, which gives them losses in three out of the past four weeks.  Sacred Sword defeated them 11-7, a huge win for Sacred Sword who has struggled of late as well.

The Goats likely felt like they let one slip through their fingers against the Barracudas as well.  The Barracudas came out pretty flat and the Goats were painting the lines with great kicks in the early goings, scoring in every inning through four innings to take an 8-2 lead going into the top of the 5^th.  From that point on the Goats wouldn’t score another run although they had runners on base and in scoring position a few times.

The Barracudas opened up the flood gates offensively, scoring 13 runs over the final 5 innings – including two home runs – and made some key defensive plays to keep the Goats from scoring.  It was definitely a game of momentum and when it swung in the Barracudas favor it swung hard.  It was one of the more dramatic kickball games I’ve ever been a part of and luckily for us we came out on top.

DOWN TO THE WIRE

There were also a few close games this week that sounded like great matchups.  Dirty Mike and the Boyz finally pulled out a close game, winning 9-7 over a Brewballers squad that has played well lately.

Channel 6 won a close game against Balls Deep as well, winning by the same margin, 9-7.

Lastly, the Rockets squeaked out a one run win over Gang Green 11-10 after suffering a tough one run loss to Balls Deep a week ago.  They continue to do exactly opposite of what I predict so maybe for their benefit I’ll pick them to lose for the remainder of the season.

It was a great week of kickball and I’m looking forward to the remainder of the season.  It’s sad that we are so near the end but it’s been a fun season so far.  From here on opponents and outcomes will be somewhat unpredictable, which always makes for some intriguing games and stories.

Cheers to the final month of kickball,

KM