The sun is setting on another season for the House Softball League, and what a season it has been. While moments of controversy have penetrated the year, for my money, I think it was extremely successful, perhaps more so than any other season.
First the bad stuff - my tourny picks. I think about the only thing I picked right was the Southern Aces make the Sweet 16 and the Sliders beating the Lebowskis in the Final 4, which, let's be honest, looking at the brackets everyone picked. That said, congratulations to Potomac Fever on winning it all and being the first to get their 2nd title. Despite all the talk of ringers over the years, it's a testament to the balance of the league that they are the first to win a 2nd time.
The tourny, in my opinion, was what made this year so successful. No, I'm not talking about ringers or the prevention of ringers, or the right teams winning, etc. I'm talking a little aobut the controversy. At a moment when things looked the bleakest, and the opportunity for the whole show to go down in flames, several people stepped up and helped finish strong. That to me tells the whole story. In a year where God (the weather), monikers (you know who they are), coaches (protesting rules), and commissioners (having momentary judgement lapses) brought an unprecedented amount of drama to the league, it still came off without a hitch when you think about it. The regular season was as successful as always, there were some forfeitures for the tourny, which is to be expected with a weekend change, but people stepped up to find a host cite and to help keep the show moving when speed bumps hit. Demonstrating that the league can succeed in the face of most any issue.
For my money, it's still the most successful league in the DC area, and that includes county rec leagues. Going into the offseason I think there is work to be done, but I think that a new beginning is at hand and a good chance to steer the ship back on course. I anticipate another fantastic season next year and I hope I have a bit more time to cover it a little bit more in depth.
Thanks to all who read my posts this season, sorry I was so sporadic, but well done to all of you for making the season a success.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Friday, September 2, 2011
Bracketology
It's official, 48 teams in, 72 out, and a championship moment just around the corner. Who will walk away with the glory this year? Let's take a look:
NORTH
While lacking some overall depth, the North bracket is riddled with sleeper contenders starting at #17, Potomac Fever. Pot Fever is hardly a sleeper in the true sense of the word, they consistently dominate the House Tourny, but having to play in the opening round of games relegates them to an "upset" pick, and a team the Cap City Flyers did not want to see coming through their side of the North bracket. Capitol Punishment and License to IL both have some talent and have played some good games, expect this to be one of the better early round games and the winner to give #1 Fat, Drunk and Awesome a run for their money. Booze Your Daddy has a chance to pull a few upsets but the more likely result will be a Sweet 16 matchup of #8 Hired Guns and #9 Big in Japan with BIJ winning the rights to face FDA (who will narrowly escape the wrath of Pot Fever) in the Elite 8 game. Yeah, it comes off like a no brainer because of the ranking, but FDA will shirk the curse of the North and be the first #1 seed in 3 years to make it to the Final 4. BRACKET WINNER: FDA
SOUTH
Now the brackets start to get real tough with the South boasting two perennial power houses in #4 Texas Republic and #5 DGS, bouyed by a slew of tough first round teams and strong squads in the #12 KGB's and #13 Destroyers. The best first round game will be the No Talent AZ Clowns taking on the Suspicious Packages, I think the Congressional League crossovers open some eyes by beating the Packages and then upset the KGB's for a Sweet 16 bid. Meanwhile, the Destroyers barely hang on to escape a strong 24Sixers team to earn the right to take on Texas Republic who 10-runs their way into that game. While the Ugly Mugs and the Diplomats have a great match up that sees the Mugs win in the final inning, it's all for not as DGS walks away with a comfortable victory en route to another solid Sweet 16 win over the upstart Clowns. In the Elite 8 DGS takes on Texas Republic in a game that could decide the next Tourny champion, DGS, hungry for their first ever title, hangs on to win. BRACKET WINNER: DGS
EAST
Just when you thought it was getting good, the East Bracket takes a turn for the not so strong. At the top of the bracket a close game sends the Raucus Caucus to face the Big Sticks, only to have the Big Sticks send them home. The Southern Aces exploit a favorable draw to best the Ctr Alt Delete and then drop an over-ranked UN Do's team and earn the right to face off with the Sticks. The Sticks prevail, reaching the Sweet 16 and proving their success this year was hardly a fluke. The #2 Big Lebowskis get their first tourny win in 3 years by manhandling the Keystoners, meanwhile the short handed Dragon Slayers stave off I'd Hit That. The loss of two SS's in one year for the Slayers is the blessing the Big Lebowski's needed, they win their first Sweet 16 game and go on to beat the Big Sticks, moving to their first ever Final 4. BRACKET WINNER: BIG LEBOWSKIS
WEST
Tough doesn't even begin to define this bracket from hell. The West is where the Top Seeds go to die this year. #3 Scared Hitless narrowly avoids starting the parade with a tough victory over a reborn Milwaukees Best team. #14 Big Riggin follows suit by getting blown out by Vito Power, setting up a regular season rematch between Vito and Scared Hitless in the Sweet 16. Vito easily walks away with the win earning redemption and an Elite 8 bid. At the bottom of the bracket #11 Moderately Sober's dreams fall as Owego Fire Department marches on to face #6 Liberty Square Sliders. That's where the upsets stop as the Sliders take care of business Winning all of their Saturday games with ease en route to another Final 4 appearance. BRACKET WINNER: LIBERTY SQUARE SLIDERS
FINAL FOUR
The East/West game pits two prolific message board posters against each other as The Dude and LNF do battle. The Dude's dream ends here as LNF's Liberty Square Sliders top the Big Lebowskis and return the the title game. Meanwhile, DGS overcomes the final hurdle to play in the championship game, beating #1 FDA in style and setting up one of the biggest rivalry tourny title matches in history, DGS v. Sliders. In a game that sees a glut of runs and a glut of hightened emotions, the Sliders stop DGS's march to their first ever title and make some history of their own, the first team to ever win back to back titles. TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONS: LIBERTY SQUARE SLIDERS
NORTH
While lacking some overall depth, the North bracket is riddled with sleeper contenders starting at #17, Potomac Fever. Pot Fever is hardly a sleeper in the true sense of the word, they consistently dominate the House Tourny, but having to play in the opening round of games relegates them to an "upset" pick, and a team the Cap City Flyers did not want to see coming through their side of the North bracket. Capitol Punishment and License to IL both have some talent and have played some good games, expect this to be one of the better early round games and the winner to give #1 Fat, Drunk and Awesome a run for their money. Booze Your Daddy has a chance to pull a few upsets but the more likely result will be a Sweet 16 matchup of #8 Hired Guns and #9 Big in Japan with BIJ winning the rights to face FDA (who will narrowly escape the wrath of Pot Fever) in the Elite 8 game. Yeah, it comes off like a no brainer because of the ranking, but FDA will shirk the curse of the North and be the first #1 seed in 3 years to make it to the Final 4. BRACKET WINNER: FDA
SOUTH
Now the brackets start to get real tough with the South boasting two perennial power houses in #4 Texas Republic and #5 DGS, bouyed by a slew of tough first round teams and strong squads in the #12 KGB's and #13 Destroyers. The best first round game will be the No Talent AZ Clowns taking on the Suspicious Packages, I think the Congressional League crossovers open some eyes by beating the Packages and then upset the KGB's for a Sweet 16 bid. Meanwhile, the Destroyers barely hang on to escape a strong 24Sixers team to earn the right to take on Texas Republic who 10-runs their way into that game. While the Ugly Mugs and the Diplomats have a great match up that sees the Mugs win in the final inning, it's all for not as DGS walks away with a comfortable victory en route to another solid Sweet 16 win over the upstart Clowns. In the Elite 8 DGS takes on Texas Republic in a game that could decide the next Tourny champion, DGS, hungry for their first ever title, hangs on to win. BRACKET WINNER: DGS
EAST
Just when you thought it was getting good, the East Bracket takes a turn for the not so strong. At the top of the bracket a close game sends the Raucus Caucus to face the Big Sticks, only to have the Big Sticks send them home. The Southern Aces exploit a favorable draw to best the Ctr Alt Delete and then drop an over-ranked UN Do's team and earn the right to face off with the Sticks. The Sticks prevail, reaching the Sweet 16 and proving their success this year was hardly a fluke. The #2 Big Lebowskis get their first tourny win in 3 years by manhandling the Keystoners, meanwhile the short handed Dragon Slayers stave off I'd Hit That. The loss of two SS's in one year for the Slayers is the blessing the Big Lebowski's needed, they win their first Sweet 16 game and go on to beat the Big Sticks, moving to their first ever Final 4. BRACKET WINNER: BIG LEBOWSKIS
WEST
Tough doesn't even begin to define this bracket from hell. The West is where the Top Seeds go to die this year. #3 Scared Hitless narrowly avoids starting the parade with a tough victory over a reborn Milwaukees Best team. #14 Big Riggin follows suit by getting blown out by Vito Power, setting up a regular season rematch between Vito and Scared Hitless in the Sweet 16. Vito easily walks away with the win earning redemption and an Elite 8 bid. At the bottom of the bracket #11 Moderately Sober's dreams fall as Owego Fire Department marches on to face #6 Liberty Square Sliders. That's where the upsets stop as the Sliders take care of business Winning all of their Saturday games with ease en route to another Final 4 appearance. BRACKET WINNER: LIBERTY SQUARE SLIDERS
FINAL FOUR
The East/West game pits two prolific message board posters against each other as The Dude and LNF do battle. The Dude's dream ends here as LNF's Liberty Square Sliders top the Big Lebowskis and return the the title game. Meanwhile, DGS overcomes the final hurdle to play in the championship game, beating #1 FDA in style and setting up one of the biggest rivalry tourny title matches in history, DGS v. Sliders. In a game that sees a glut of runs and a glut of hightened emotions, the Sliders stop DGS's march to their first ever title and make some history of their own, the first team to ever win back to back titles. TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONS: LIBERTY SQUARE SLIDERS
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