25 Bold (stupid) Predictions

With the season about to kick off next week, I thought I'd share my first list of the seasons. I've labelled it, "Bold Predictions" but you could label is stupid, ridiculous, random, irrelevant or any number of other things. So let's get started:

1 - There won't be any ringers at the tournament this year. (ha...ha ha...ha)

2 - A team ranked 100 or higher from last year, will make the tournament this year.

3 - Alex Rodriguez will hit at least one home run without needing to stick a needle in his ass.

4 - DGS will win the tournament (ok, not THAT outrageous).

5 - The Dude will hit the under on his Smack Board posts at 11,000.

6 - The Game of the Week voting numbers will be higher than the voting on The Voice.

7 - My blog will add one new follower (riiiiiighhht).

8 - The Nationals will go to the playoffs - wait a minute...

9 - More than 3 teams will keep track of their stats (right now you're all curious who the 3 are).

Right about now you've stopped reading, or you're about to ask yourself why you're still reading, but if you had stopped reading before now, you'd miss this little nugget about how the other day, I was walking down the street and I found a penny, it was a 1992 penny, yep, 20 years ago. I'm not sure what makes me older, that I remember that year distinctly, or that I still think a penny has some value and stopped to pick one up.

10 - Anyone reading this entry has now stopped reading this entry.

11 - RPIologist will finish last in tournament predictions.

12 - The Liberty Square Sliders won't make the Sweet 16 (I almost couldn't type that).

13 - It will be revealed that Potomac Fever has bugged the opposing teams dugouts during last years tournament, and was able to notify their defense every time a male or a female was up to bat.

14 - Jose Canseco will announce that he's agreed to play for an unnamed USHSL team, unnamed because the team hasn't agreed to have Jose Canseco play for them.

15 - Jose Canseco will be banned from the USHSL for just being creepy.

16 - At least one of ABC, CBS or NBC will air a TV show that's actually worth watching.

17 - No games will be rained out all year.

18 - The Congressional League will have a higher rating on the Fun-Meter than the House League (baahahahahaha).

19 - A bill will be passed by both chambers of Congress.

20 - This list will only be 20 long because I ran out of things to say. Later.

We're Baaack!!!

You know what I realized last week, on Monday April 2nd to be exact? NEVER USE YOUR PERSONAL EMAIL FOR SCHEDULING. Sorry readers (all 1.5 of you) that it's taken me this long to enter my first post of the year (I know, you were waiting on the edge of your seat). I've spent the last 9 days deleting 763,000 scheduling emails, oh, and my team still has dates to schedule, nonsense.

So just what kind of an offseason has it been? Weeeellll, from what I understand, Tom Brady can't beat Eli Manning, Newt Gingrich still has not actual voters, Obamacare is currently in the holden-pen in Guatanamo Bay awaiting trial (apparently they didn't close that place down after all), and Tim Tebow is trying to come up with the best way to convince Rex Ryan that he can still accept Jesus into his heart and have a foot fetish at the same time. Yup, it's been busy this winter.

Meanwhile, back on the ranch, the United States House Softball League weathered one of the most tumultuous endings of any season and is about to roar back for what is shaping up to be another great season. I've heard there has been some new additions to the leadership team for the league and that everyone is energized and engaged, good stuff. On the field, we're less than 3 weeks from opening day and while that's great, the league does face one giant hurdle: where's everyone gonna play?

Glad you asked. The National Mall currently looks more like the set of Mad Max than the wonderfully cramped fields that have hosted so many softball games, and there's no sign of it being fixed in time for this season. In fact, rumor has it there will be a curb added around the grassy area where teams once played (I'd like to meet the genius who thought that one up). On top of that, at some point this season it's expected that Anacostia will be dug up, effectively crippling the two largest squatting rights chunks of land in the greater DC area. With that in mind, DC kindly offered up their usual fields at rates ranging from $500-$1500, and the Feds cut back on the fields they offered up. I've heard that Ohio Drive will be a squatters, first come first serve set of fields, but that's only because there's supposed to be construction down there too at some point. Seriously, who in DC thought they needed to "doll" the place up? We liked it just fine how it was. So, if you get in a bind, grab a tennis ball, some sneakers and go find a nice big parking lot for stick ball, that's about the only option you'll have.

OK, that's enough candy and sunshine from me for now, I'll circle back around when the season is about to kick off and offer up my predictions for the year (I know, back on the edge of your seat).

What Kind of Day Has it Been?

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.

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

I'm In!!!

Looking at the field and the games that have taken place the last two weeks, I thought I'd take a stab projecting the bubble teams who made it in the back door for the tourny. There was actually quite a bit of turnover in the 40-50 range, and some in the later 30's that could have an impact. But before I get to that, here are my Top 4 seeds:

1 - FDA
2 - Big Lebowskis
3 - Texas Republic
4 - DGS

Clearly deserving of those spots given their regular season success.

As for the other end of the bubble, here are my last nine in:

#40 - Hoosier Daddy's: staying dormant over the last part of August didn't hurt them save to knock them out of the 30's into the 40 spot. (the Great Lakers take their previous spot in the Top 40, moving up from 45)

#41 - Raucus Caucus: a big final win over another bubble team and some upheaval in front of them bumps them up the chain.

#42 - Liberal Agenda: dormant, but they gain a spot.

#43 - The Mastadons: dormant, they gain 3 spots.

#44 - Ctrl, Alt, Dlt: loss to the hired guns knocks them down a couple spots, but they're safely in.

#45 - License to IL: going 1-1 over the final two weeks drops them a few spots, but they make the dance.

#46 - The Natural Disasters: a big W moves them off the bubble and into the show.

#47 - The Gipper: another 1-1 team over the final two weeks, the Gipper gains one spot.

#48 - No Talent AZ Clowns: much discussed team on the boards, these Congressional League cross-overs make their first tourny appearance as the last team in.

What a Difference a Year Makes

If there was any question as to how competitive this league can be, you need look no further than the Top 20 teams currently ranked in the league and the Top 20 teams from last year. Half of the teams from last year are not in the Top 20.

Vito Power, Keystoners, Capitol Punishment, License to IL, The Saints, Harrys Full Disclosure, the Homers, and Owego Fire Department have all been replaced. While some have only fallen just out of the Top 20, others have plummeted. The Keystoners went from 9 last year to currentl 39 this year with Harry's full Disclosure dropping an impressive 41 spots from 16 to 57, they lead the way of those teams banned from grace. Capitol Punishment is right on their heals, falling 23 spots from 11 to 34. OFD dropped 9 spots, Vito Power is close to making a return at #21, and the Homers and Saints just up and disbanded.

But for every team that falls, a new team rises. The UN Do's crack the Top 20, joined by I'd hit That, Bases Loaded, Scared Hitless, and the KGB's and the 24sixers. Making the biggest jump of all? Well, that would be the Suspicious Packages, clocking in at #18 up from #62.

For some of these teams, they've simply figured out how to put together the right schedule, the UN Do's figured it out, playing only two Top 20 teams but taking care of business with 10 mid-level crews. For others, they've been helped by some marquee wins, that's how Scared Hitless rose from #33 to #5, by beating 3 Top 20 teams from 2010, and the Packages win over the Dragon Slayers is the lynch pin to their Top 20 ranking.

Whatever the reasons for the turnover at the top of the rankings, the fact remains that there is always room at the top for new blood, no matter how bad you might have looked the year before. And while the mainstays will always be there (TR, DGS, Sliders, Big L, BIJ, Pot Fever, etc.) you can find a home with the leaders if you put together a good enough season, but that also means you need to be ready to defend your ground, because someone else is looking for their turn.

And Another One Bites the Dust

It happens every year about this time, that team or teams who surged to the #1 ranking so unexpectedly, hit a speed bump and open the door for the usual suspects. Last night, that team was Fat, Drunk and Awesome (a once "usual suspect" themselves). After soaring to the #1 spot in the rankings, FDA met reality and it's name was the Dragon Slayers.

While FDA's losing was plenty of story, the Slayers who beat them are a story in and of themselves. Losing a coach and star player over the offseason, this rising power has had an up and down go if it. Losing to Moderately Sober left them hungover two weeks later when they got bombed by the Suspicious Packages, setting the stage for their 3rd loss of the year to DGS. Desperate for a quality win, they dug their heels in and got it in grand fashion, 15-13 over the #1 team, a sign that these folks should still demand respect.

As for FDA, their life doesn't get any easier, but they can jump right back into first place next week with a win over now #1 DGS. This is hands down the Game of The Week, but if your going off of in common opponent scores, history says DGS runs away with this one.

On another note, two old guard power took to the field with Vito Power making a statement by beating the Liberty Square Insliders. Talk on the street is that the Sliders fielded a weaker than normal team, and it could be argued that's been the case all year for the defending champs. Don't go to sleep on either of these teams come tourny time, you'll be sorry.

We're headed into the final stretch now, time for teams to buckle up and put the pedal to the metal.