Kick It 915 - Fun in the Sun Kickball Tourney - REVIEW

With the popularity of co-ed adult kickball continuing to grow in El Paso so does the need for more kickball tournaments. Currently most local kickballers find themselves having to travel out of town to be able to participate in kickball tourneys, which is unfortunate considering there are three kickball leagues operating in town.

The last local kickball tourney was held by the almost now defunct El Paso Kickball league. They would hold an annual charity kickball tourney called the Kickball Clash for the Kids. In all fairness the tournament was actually fairly good. However since the Clash there have been no local tourneys that is until the introduction of the new Fun in the Sun Kickball Tourney hosted by Kick It 915. Kick It 915 is looking to become El Paso's first major kickball tournament league.

The Fun in the Sun Tourney was set to feature:

2 Divisions: Social and Competitive

Cash Prize for the Competitive winner

$150 Bar Tab for Social winner

Water Ballon Fight at noon

3 Games guaranteed

Now when looking at any tourney, three categories on which you can grade the quality are location, format, and organization. In addition, the quality of a tourney can also be relative to whether a team is looking for a competitive atmosphere or a more fun event. 

7 teams ended up registering for the tourney which resulted in one big division rather than two separate ones. The teams were a mix of competitive and fun teams.

The tourney was held at Dick Shinaut Park, on the main soccer field area. This late in the year the grass is already going into hibernation, but it still made for a playable surface although not ideal. There was plenty of parking and trees for shade. There was music playing which provided a good atmosphere. 

The format was double elimination and due to low participation, the competitive and fun groups were merged. There was no pool play and match-ups were essentially scheduled at random, which left some teams confused. There was also one team that despite only having one loss was slated to play the 3rd place match-up. The format seemed to suffer from the uneven amount of teams and having to merge the fun and competitive groups. More participation should alleviate these problems.

Organization wise, there were a few problems. For starters, the tourney was scheduled to start at 9am, but didn't start until 10am. Which resulted in a later than planned end time. This often causes headaches for players who have plans later in the day. Also transition between games was shaky with teams waiting to hear who their next opponent was. Just a couple of items that would make for a better tourney if corrected. 

The officiating was sub-par at best. Umpires were often confused on the rules, that were supposed to be Kickball 365 inspired. Its important for umpires who run a game solo to be mobile and get into position, something the officials didn't do during the tourney. A much needed upgrade here.

And ultimately things seemed to be decided on the fly. Hopefully organizers due a better job of planning for the next tourney.

However the spirit of kickball seemed to be alive and in a drought of kickball tourneys, kickballers were happy to attend a new event. The initiative was greatly appreciated. 

There seems to be another tourney planned for February. Let's see what Kick It 915 has in store for kickballers in the future.

That is all for now kickballers, Good Luck and Happy Kicking!~

Kickin' N' Screamin' Back on Top!

Although this post is little bit over due, it's importance shouldn't be diminished. So after a brief one season hiatus, Kickin' N' Screamin' is back on top of the kickball world.

Earlier this year Kickball Nation was witness to a very rare occurrence. After seasons off kickball dominance, Kixxx took down their long time rivals, KNS, in a brilliant semi-final game during the Spring '13 season. Most folks were astonished to see KNS finally lose their crowns, while others celebrated a new champion. However KNS vowed to regain their crown once again.

And guess what...they did.

It only took KNS one season to resume their strangle hold on the King of Kickball division. 

Although there were a couple of teams that were also in contention to make a run at the crown, namely I'd Hit It and the Smoking Aces. 

Lucas Quimiro and Company would miss their chance at the championship with a heartbreaking loss to the Smoking Aces. A game most would argue they should have won. However their stumble would give the Smoking Aces, the only team to beat KNS during the regular season, an opportunity to beat them again. 

However the battle for the crown was a fairly lopsided affair with KNS gliding to a 8-1 victory. KnS was extremely focused and weren't about to let anything or anyone get in their way. They had the Smoking Aces on their heels right out of the gate. 

Throughout the season Kickin' N' Screamin's talent was under-stated. Although their main strength is their teamwork, they arguably have the most talented roster within the league. Their big off-season pick ups, Manny Martinez and Armando Duarte, were completely over looked and made a huge difference on their team. Not to mention the return of Marco Gallegos, the league's best catcher. 

So now as we enter the off-season, the question becomes who can match the talent and skill of Kickin' N' Screamin'. It's Just Kickball will be closing monitoring off-season movements to see who will have the ability to take on the new Kings of Kickball! 

That's all for now... Good Luck and Happy Kicking

I'd Hit It's Championship Hopes Crushed; Toe Jammers Earn Another Upset

Sun City Kickball playoff time is always eventful and this season, the trend continues! We went into semi-final week with all sort of story lines... Would this be I'd Hit It's season to finally capture a Championship on the arm of pitcher Lucas Quimiro. Would the Toe Jammer's and Coach Nick Torres be able to continue on their road to redemption? Have the Smoking Aces really found their identity as a team? Well we got our answers and some of the answers may surprise you.

The title of this blog already gives us the answer to I'd Hit It's Championship hopes. Who ever said, "Kickball is a game of inches", wasn't fooling around. IHI came within ONE out of making it to their 3rd championship appearance. Unfortunately for IHI, the Smoking Aces took away their hopes with one booming kick off the leg of Ms. Erica Tuialuuluu. With her beloved, Anthony Tuialuuluu, waiting patinetly on 1st base, Erica knocked one of Lucas Quimiro's famous pitches right over IHI's defensive unit. Their mistake was opting to scoot in on a presummed "easy out". While the defense scrambled for the ball, the Tuialuuluu Clan took advantage and ran the bases in aggressive Smoking Aces fashion. Then in a sad string of events, the defense compounded thier mistake by kicking the ball out of play. This allowed the tieing run to come in and the battle to continue.

I'd Hit It had one last opportunity to stave off an epic choke with Lucas Q. leading the rally. Unfortunately they were unable to take advantage of their one last gasp of air, as two kickers fouled out with the winning run on 3rd base.

And with that, after being dominated all game long, the Smoking Aces rallied past IHI for a championship birth.

Heartbreaking to see the #1 defense this season mentally collapse when it mattered most.

Now with all that being said, at times, some within Kickball Nation may take the content on IJK in the wrong fashion. Although the content on the blog is often critical, it is truly meant to be constructive. Right or wrong, the Kickball Guru, Grizzly Michaels, and myself are expressing mere opinions. However we do strive to be entertaining.

With that disclaimer out of the way, there is no hiding how hard the blog rode the Toe Jammers all season long. However I will argue that the critiques and criticism made towards the Jammers were deserving. The pre-season hype was massive and the regular season results were depressing. But in the end and when it matters most, the Toe Jammers have come alive. Absolutely unexpected, the Toe Jammers have now taken down #2 Just Kickin It and #3 Kickballaz. Now they are facing the #1 Pitch Please squad.

Haven't reported much on Pitch Please, but they are undoubtedly a King of Kickball quality team with Wreck tendencies. Although they have a love for kickball and it's social atmosphere, they are ruthless on the diamond. Their offensive unit with 79 runs this season is a force to be reckoned with. They currently have 17 Runs Scored and 2 Runs Allowed this post-season. They have yet to face the Toe Jammers this season. Although they may allow a handful of runs in against the Jammers, something tells me Pitch Please's offensive barrage may be a little too much for the Jammers to handle.

But, then again no one thought the Jammers would take down the #2 or #3 seed.

That's all for now Kickball Nation!

Good Luck and Happy Kicking!

Milestone

Written by: The Kickball Guru - David Garcia

What makes today special? Today will mark two different milestones in Sun City Kickball. Great Achievement for such a young league that has become what many will say, the best league in town. What are those milestones? First off, we have our first ever WRECK division championship. Sun City Kickball has grown so much that it needs two different divisions and two different champions! And the second milestone that SCK has reached is its 10th season! I cant believe how time has flown by. So being the 10th season will the league provide a much bigger trophy? KNS and Smoking Aces can only hope so.


So will be the first ever WRECK champ? Well it comes down to heavy favorites Pitch, Please and cinderella team toe jammers. This match up is so intriguing because the #7 toe jammers have had to go through the inferno and gauntlet just to get here eliminating the #2 and #3 seeds. Do they have the energy to get by one more giant? With no regular season meeting, there is nothing much to base off of except for the fact that the toe jammers and pitch, please have really turned it up this post season. Expect to see a high scoring game going either way!

Now, who will be crowned the 10th season king of kickball? Will it be the comeback kids in Smoking Aces, who overcame a 4-0 deficit to beat heavy favorite I'd Hit It 6-4 in extra innings? Or will it be the always dominant and scary KNS? So many factors to consider. With Smoking Aces (even though Rich won't come out and bluntly say it because he refers to it as "personnel issues"), ever since they got rid of short tempered Mike, they have gone undefeated even running over KNS late in the season to secure the #3 seed. (That has got to be lingering in KNS' mind). The team dynamic has changed in such a positive way that now they are all having fun and clicking together which makes them so much better. With that being said, you can't ever count KNS out of any game. Track record and common sense will tell you that. The only problem that KNS has ran into this season is not getting all their people out there and a lot of mental mistakes on both offense and defense this season. Bad base running, no one attacking the balls etc... They have yet to allow a run in the post season, but if they play the aces the way they did last time, they are in for a long night. On a side note, these 2 teams combine for 8 of the 9 SCK championships with the shockers and monkeyz combining with 3 and KNS having 5. Will Erica Tuialuuluu pull a Ray Lewis and end her career with a championship or will KNS shatter that dream? You don't want to miss this one. Expect a 5-4 score going either way.

So who will our 2 champions be? 7 innings stands in the way of our 1st ever WRECK champion. 7 innings stand in the way of 10th season king of kickball. Be there at alta vista starting at 7pm!

KNS Looking to Get Back on Top; the Toe Jammers Looking to Make History

Championship Week has arrived! The long season has passed and it all comes down to one game.

In the 1st official Wreck Championship, #1 Pitch Please takes on the #7 Toe Jammers. Not necessarily a true Cinderella story, only because the Toe Jammers are no strangers to kickball success.

The Toe Jammers hold last season's Lone Star Division title and have finally brought some of that mojo to the post-season. Essentially the one element that hurt them the most this season is fielding a massive 19 player roster. It's hard to manage that much personnel and keep them consistent.

A bright note has to be their pitching. Their new pitcher, Omar Marenco, has a strong arm and had both Just Kickin It and Kickballaz struggling. Hopefully he can cool down the legs of Pitch Please.

Right now Pitch Please is on fire offensively. They have 79 Runs Scored on the season.
Anchored by the Muniz brothers, Irvin and Luis. They'll be looking to barrage the Jammers into submission.

Probably the most competitive championship would could have hoped for out of the Wreck League.

Now moving on to the cream of the crop, the absolute Best of the Best! This season's King of Kickball will feature #1 Kickin' N' Screamin' vs #3 Smokin' Aces.

KNS is looking to take the King of Kickball throne back after losing it to their nemesis Kixxx. They have the talent and experience to easily re-take their crown. Kickball Nation often feels IJK gives them too much credit, but their body of work speaks for itself.

However as of late, Kickin' N' Screamin's execution has been suffering. They aren't as explosive as past seasons, even though they led the division with 43 Runs Scored on the season. Statistically they are leading the pack, but that KNS swagger seems to be absent. Which ultimately results in KNS being a tad bit susceptible to another loss at the hands of Smokin' Aces.

Side note, my source has reported claims that a KNS player is predicting a 6-0 win.

The Aces were handed a golden opportunity last week and took advantage. Although they were on the ropes for most of the game, they did demonstrate their new found ability to battle through adversity. Something they were unable to do early in the season.

They handed KNS thier only loss this season to the tune of 3-2. The Aces are very familiar with KNS's style of play. They've shown they have the ability to go head-to-head with KNS and end up on top. They're going to need their offense to execute right out of the gate, because they cannot fall asleep on a team like KNS. Something they were unable to do against I'd Hit It last week.

Should be an exciting final!

Superstition

Written by:  The Kickball Guru

Yes the Guru has been MIA, but that doesn't mean that I would not come back for at least one post before the year was over. Well it's nothing on covering games because grizzly and ijk got that covered pretty well. So the only thing I can offer is some interesting facts that might mess with people's minds. Some would like to call them fun facts. However, still facts. So let's just start and get to it and good luck to the final four teams in each of their respective divisions.

In the wreck division we start with;

The tennenballs seem to get better every year and make one step closer to finishing atop the wreck division. They won their first playoff game ever. Does that mean they will lose today and maybe make the final next season and then win it the following?

Pitch please has made it out of the first inning in a playoff game for the first time in 3 seasons. Was it because they never trailed and started to freak out? If the tennenballs jump on them early will we be looking at more ejections? Look out for that in their game to see if it's always the ump's fault.

Toe Jammers seem to win when it matters most and always pick up at the end, but always struggle with a curve ball. Can jason hold them to limited runs?

Kickballaz dodged a bullet when JKI exited early because their defense doesn not hold up and rely on the offense but they would've struggled with johnny's pitching. Kikcballaz game to lose.

Who will be our first wreck champ? Pitch please if they can keep their cool IMO.

Now onto the king of kickball facts. These tend to always be a bit more interesting since there has been a longer history in this division.

With the exception of last season, the #1 seed has always made the final

The #5 seed has never made the final

Only the #1, #2, and #4 seeds have won the final.

The last time NKOTB had a full squad in the semis was against Rick exactly 3 years ago and lost 5-4. Look for a tough match up here as well.

NKOTB  has lost by 1 both times they have reached the semis.

NKOTB and I'd hit it have never beaten KNS

I'd hit it has been outscored in the championship 0-14 in two meetings allowing 7.0 rpg

IHI has never beaten any shocker or drunken monkey members in the playoffs

Smoking Aces have a combined 3 titles and combined 2 championship losses.

Anthony and Domino have never lost a championship and have never allowed a point in the championships outscoring his opponents 11-0 ( scoring 5.5 rpg)

KNS is the only other team that is undefeated in championships sporting a 5-0 record outscoring their opponents 28-7. (Scoring 5.6 rpg and allowing 1.4 rpg)

KNS is the only team that has beat NKOTB by more than 1 run when having a full squad and domino not getting ejected.

NKOTB are similar to the new york giants (better playoff team)

KNS are similar to the new england patriots (Prior to the 2013 NFL playoffs, Tom Brady and the patriots had never lost to a team twice in one season). Rick and KNS lost to kixxx a couple of seasons back and beat them in the ship. They then lost to the pandas and then beat them in the playoffs. Will KNS get another crack at Smoking Aces?

The only hybrid team to make it out of the final four in SCK has been Confused Kixxx ( Warriors eliminated in quarters. Das boot eliminated in semis) Will the Aces be the second team to do it?

Damian is 1 of 2 pitchers that has handed KNS 2 losses. (Pipi is the other)

Lucas and Damian are 1-1 against each other in playoffs.

Lucas won his first championship as a pitcher last thursday. Is this his year?

This is IHI best offensive and defensive season, while it's been KNS worst. Possible that IHI walks away with their 1st title

KNS has never exited before reaching the semis

Smoking Aces beat NKOTB by 1 run both times. Can NKOTB finally beat them if both teams advance?

So many questions. Will KNS take their throne back or will we have a new champion? That's it for now folks!

Wreck Top Seeds Choke; Defending Kixxx Eliminated

Down goes Frazier!

Down goes Frazier!

Down goes Frazier!

And just like that King of Kickball defending champs, Kixxx, are removed from their throne.

After a mediocre season, the Kixxx squad was stopped dead in their tracks by a deserving New Kicks on the Block. Obviously any #4 vs #5 playoff match-up, statistically, should be a close battle. And thus was the case between New Kicks and Kixxx, who grinded out a 2-1 final.

Arguably one of the major factors of Kixxx's demise were their injuries. With Michael Trujillo coming off of gallbladder surgery and the most glaring injury, their big time pitcher, Jose "Pipi" Delgado with torn ligaments. He had to essentially pitch on one leg. Although some within Kickball Nation report that said injuries were really just dramatic exaggerations. Either way,  they were able to keep it close,but it just wasnt enough to hold off an always dangerous New Kicks.

Hats off to New Kicks for a well played game. They are a crowd favorite and will need every bit of that support to get by their next opponent #1 Kickin' N' Screamin.

The rest of the King of Kickball bracket fell into the predicted order with KNS, I'd Hit It, and Smoking Aces all moving into the semi-finals. More on them later.

Because the bigger story has to be both #2 Just Kickin' It and #4 Pitches Ain't Shit fell in the first round of the Wreck group playoffs.

How bout them Tennenballs!  The #5 Royal Tennenballs have finally combined their fun loving ways with new found winning ways. As they stunned an untested Pitches Ain't Shit. Pitches Ain't Shit had an awesome season but not many quality wins. While the Tennenballs played strong competitive kickball all season long, which Kickball Nation was a witness to with their near upset of #1 Pitch Please during the regular season.

Another big time upset came at the expense of #2 Just Kickin It, with the Toe Jammers knocking them out early.

Nice to see the #7 Toe Jammers refusing to die and earning the big upset against #2 Just Kickin It. Up until last week the Jammers were a huge disappointment. Pre-season they were primed and picked by IJK to mow down the Wreck group. Which they ended up doing the exact opposite. So it was a relief to see them bounce back with a major upset victory.

Will they be able to come up with two big upsets? That's going to be a tall order as they will be facing the #3 Kickballaz.

Even though the Kickballaz just scraped by Pitches Love Me with an eye popping 12-11 final, they are considered a strong championship contender. The Kickballaz came to play and they're making it known. Apparently IJK started some kickball dramatics with the release of some credible Coconuts hearsay. Unfortunately it may have caused some unintended drama.

Most notably the new story line of the "true" Wreck teams vs the "competitive" Wreck teams. Kind of reminds me of a Star Belly Sneaches type Scenario. It's all Wreck right? Star or no star.

Should make for an interesting Wreck Semi-Finals as the #7 Toe Jammers and the #5 Tennenballs are being dubbed the People's Champs.

Now cruising back to the King of Kickball title.

A small Kickball Nation poll is predicting that Lucas' IHI may finally be in position to take the Crown. With their stone wall defense in full effect, they need minimal runs to secure a win. Lucas is finally letting his team participate to a certain degree which was the one element missing from this team. It's encouraging to see a team who doesn't put much emphasis on off-season recruiting and is still able to improve season after season. As long as the offense gets off to a good start, I'd Hit It's defense should be able to secure a victory.

Unfortunately they are facing a reinvigorated Smoking Aces crew. The Aces have buried their internal struggles and are rising from the ashes. Their new found stability couldn't have come at a more opportune time. The stability should solidify their defense and their aggressive baserunning may surprise I'd Hit It. Look for the Aces to get down and dirty on the bases.

Intense match up slated between these two teams. A game of the Aces offense against IHI's defense

The other semi-final features New Kicks on the Block and Kickin N Screamin.

New Kicks has some good momentum after taking down defending champs Kixxx. They will need every bit of that momentum as they face powerhouse KNS. Obviously they will need their coach David "Domino" Fernandez to set the pace. Lately he's been a little quiet on offense, but still anchoring the defense. A curious note, IJK has been noticing there seems to be some miscommunication going on between Albert aka Slayer on the pitching mound
and Coach Domino in right field. They often seem to disagree on game management situations and scenarios, could result in some potential missteps.

New Kicks opponent Kickin N Screamin is undoubtedly the biggest name in kickball and are looking to remind folks why. Especially after dropping their first championship last season against rival Kixxxs. Tons of talent but execution has been a problem as of late. Execution is a matter of mental preparation. When all the pieces are set its all a matter of getting them in play. May be easier said then done.

No predictions Kickball Nation. Just big time games!  Check them out!

Took a while to get this blog out, but look for a special From the Field - IJK Report tomorrow during the semi final match ups. Also don't forget to tune into Rio Pod Co Tv for all your playoff coverage! Can't make it to the fields?  No worries we bring the game to you!

That is all for now... Good Luck and Happy Kicking!

Animals looking to clobber the Aces; Screamin' Kixxx to Stomp WMPA

Tune in tonight for Lone Star Kickball's Season Finale. Although our coverage on LSK has been hit or miss, we would be doing Kickball Nation an injustice if we didn't at least cover the road to the championship.

In it's inaugural season, LSK was able to feature some strong competition as more than half the league was loaded with talent and experience. Most of these teams are no stranger to the grit and grind of an often dismissed sport. Not to mention, that the three rookie teams showed a fair amount of potential and will hopefully join the ranks of competitive kickball. It made for a successful inaugural season.

As expected, this season's Final Four will be featuring four deserving teams. All with experience and all ready to compete at a high level.

If anything, the one surprise was the returning Billy Bad Asses getting eliminated before making it to the Final Four. After a brief kickball hiatus, the Bad Asses reformed to try their hand at grass kickball. Their only experience up into this point was on a traditional baseball diamond, which showed in their 4-4 record and even more evident in their negative point differential consisting of 41 Runs Scored and 53 Runs Allowed. However, they contend, they were just looking for a fun time and a decent season. Mission accomplished I suppose.

Tonight's first semi-final match up features #2 Animals vs #3 Smoking Aces. Two big names for a giant match-up.

The #2 Animals are looking to add another grass league championship title. They took the Epk 2013 Sprummer Championship just a couple of months ago. Talented, experienced, and anchored by clutch pitching, this formula has helped them get to a 5-2-2 record with 51 Runs Scored and 31 Runs Allowed. They are filled with team pride and have all the team chemistry you could ask for. We will see if that can turn into another championship title.

  However an interesting side note, a strong resemblance of #1 Screamin' Kixxx was also competing for the Sprummer 2013 Epk title, but were eliminated by disqualification on a bogus trump charge at the hands of the Kickball Nazi of Epk. So the Animals have yet to face Screamin' Kixxx on the post-season stage.

The Animals are slated to play #3 Smoking Aces, who have recently come to life. On both grass and dirt, the Aces were an under-achieving team. They arguably have one of the more talented rosters within LSK (grass) and SCK (dirt). However their team chemistry was being held ransom. Luckily they have made some internal changes and have finally unleashed their true potential. With a 5-3 record and 49 Runs Scored and 30 Runs Allowed, they are statistically evenly matched with the Animals. However they are far from mirrored images of each other. The Animals are more like the Care Bears, fun and lovable, but you don't want to piss them off because they'll Care Bear Stare your ass. While the Smoking Aces are more gritty and cut throat, kinda like Black Water, mercenaries for hire.

The 2nd match-up of the night will feature #1 Screamin Kixxx and #5 Where's My Pitches At.

Don't have any concrete analysis on Where's My Pitches At. Although they do have my sympathies for having to endure a season of Epk. But in LSK we do know that they finished with a 3-3-2 season 25 Runs Scored and 35 Runs Allowed, which translates into a negative deferential power rating. Needless to say that's not good. Especially when you're facing an X-number of championships by Screamin Kixxx. WMPA can be commended for making into the Final Four, but unfortunately they are running into an absolute monster.

There's no doubting Screamin' Kixxx's marque status. This LSK season they have 88 Runs Scored, which has to be a grass league record. Their defense is a brick wall allowing only 18 runs, on grass! You have to remember a grass league gives more opportunities for kickers, because of the 2 bounce rule and the grass tends to slow down the ball. Kickball Nation tends to think IJK gives these guys way too much credit, but the stats speak for themselves. No one within the LSK league comes close to them offensively or defensively. They are 38 runs ahead of the next best offense, which is the Animals and have allowed about half of what the next best defense has allowed, which is the Smoking Aces. It's safe to assume this is their championship to lose, because its going to take a strong effort by the rest of the Final Four to take them down.

But then again, you know how the saying goes, "Any Given Wednesday"

Good luck teams and Happy Kicking!

Now it gets interesting

By Grizzly Michaels

A Kickball Pepo (who has emerged from the mountains for the playoffs)

Playoffs are fun.

It's that simple.

Every game is a win or go home (although the loser will probably be back the next week to watch).

With that kind of format anything is possible, mainly upsets.

Looking at King of Kickball, the top four teams have really separated themselves as the favorite.

But if you look at the regular season results you know that an upset is not out of the question.

Everyone remember the New Kicks on the Block's 1-0 upset over Kixx in Week 2? Guess what the first round match-up is?

Los Totally Awesome once held leads over Kickin' N' Screamin' and their first round opponent Smoking Aces before losing earlier this season.

It's already been documents how Scoregasms have given I'd Hit it a hard time, including a tie just last week.

And yes, Suck My Kick was held hitless by KNS, but then again KNS only scored two runs that inning.

At the same time, the top four are the championship contenders for a reason.

KNS is KNS. They have won it many times before and they know what it takes. Word is Rick wants a second shot at the Smoking Aces, who handed KNS their only loss of the season.

I'd Hit It is always so close to the title. Maybe this is the year Lucas gets to taste gold. The defense has been stout all season allowing only six runs, with five shutouts.

Smoking Aces was put together to win. They may finally be clicking and that could be dangerous for everyone else.

However, momentum is everything and the Kixx have it. On the last night of the season the Kixx played a triple header and came out 3-0. OK, its not as tough as it sounded because one came was the last few innings of a makeup game they were leading anyways and the other two teams were against Suck My Kick, so the fatigue level was almost even.

But still, look at the NFL playoffs. The Super Bowl champion is always the team that has the momentum. So as you look at the top four, you need to figure out for yourself who has the most going for them right now?

Bracket Breakdown

Written by: Rich Alvarez

Let's check in on the rest of the Fall 2013 bracket we haven't already touched on...

#1 Kickin' N' Screamin' v.s #8 Suck My Kick





Although we haven't heard from the Kickball Guru since early this season, many of his/her pre-season selections were fairly spot-on. The Guru had picked KNS to finish #1 with a 7-0-1 record and Suck My Kick to finish with a 1-7 record. Aside from KNS's one loss this season, the Guru was right on point. Especially with his analysis of both teams, if you haven't checked it out it's a must read. (just click on the link above) SMK was labeled to be in a rebuilding and chemistry building season. While KNS was poised to make another championship. And currently that is were both team's still find themselves. KNS should easily cruise by Suck My Kick and SMK must somehow use this season's lessons to prepare for 2014.

#3 Smoking Aces v.s #6 Los Totally Awesomes

Los Totally Awesomes were looking to be a dark horse pick early this season. Much of Kickball Nation was not expecting LTA to play as well as they did. They picked up more talent, better players, and found new competitive grit. They were taking teams to the wire and even picked up a huge upset win over the New Kicks on the Block. Unfortunately though, as quickly as they became hot, they are now officially stone cold. They have suffered three shut-out losses and have given up a staggering 21 runs in their last three games. What was turning into an intriguing story line, may have just been a flash in the pan. And things are just going to get tougher for LTA as they are running into a refreshed Smoking Aces team.

After fixing some internal team issues, the results are starting to show for a revived Smoking Aces team. They have rattled off three wins in a row with a big, satisfying win over #1 Kickin' N' Screamin. The Aces picked they absolute perfect time to gain their stride. Unfortunately for LTA they are running into a perfect storm of their squad becoming ice cold and the Aces becoming smoking hot.

 

 

#4 Kixxx v.s. #5 New Kicks on the Block

 

Defending champs Kixxx had a modest season. They finished with a 5-3 record, 23 Run Scored, and 12 Runs Allowed. Their offense is obviously in tune as they have the 2nd highest offense within the King of Kickball group. However something seems to be missing from this team this season, maybe it's that Kixxx swagger. During the off season they lost a couple of key players and although they were able to find adequate replacements, there is a void. They've easily handled the easier competition within their group; however when battling both I'd Hit It and Kickin' N' Screamin', they were shut out both times to a 0-3 loss on both occasions. Luckily they're last three games have been against a couple of cupcake teams that they easily took down. Hopefully they've built up some mojo and momentum as their opening round game is against a dangerous New Kicks on the Block.

 

Although New Kicks posted a losing  3-5 record this season, you can never count these guys out. A tough team who always seems to play Kixxx right down to the wire. Both these squads have met numerous times during the post-season and it's always a treat. Even though Kixxx arguably has the more talented, experienced team, New Kicks always gives them a tough time. While their stats are sub-par, they make up for it with tenacity. Don't miss this one as it's this week's Game of the Week.

 

Now heading down onto the Wreck side of things...

 

#4 Pitches Aint Shit v.s. #5 Royal Tennenballs

 

2nd season Pitches Ain't Shit had a statistically impressive season. They finished with a 6-2 record, 53 Runs Scored, and 23 Runs Allowed. Unfortunately the one thing missing from their impressive numbers are a notable win. They spent a majority of the season handily beating cupcake squads. Their two tests came at the hands of the Kickballaz and Just Kickin' It and they lost both match-ups

2-4 and 2-3, respectively. Although their big stats still do indicate a good amount of talent on that team, they still need some reps against bigger, better teams.

 

The Pitches' have drawn the Royal Tenneballs for their 1st round match-up. The Tenneballs have had an on-par season with a 4-4 record, 32 Runs Scored, and 24 Runs Allowed. Respectable numbers for a team who prides themselves on always keeping kickball fun. On paper this match-up should be an easy pick, but considering how well the Tennenballs played #1 Pitch Please during their regular season match-up, which was also Game of the Week, I don't think you can completely count the Tennenballs out. It's a matter of the Pitches talent v.s. the Tenneball experience.

 

 

#2 Just Kickin' It v.s. #7 Toe Jammers

 

Anchored by their previous King of Kickball top ten pitcher Johnny Fuentes, #2 Just Kickin' It has had a nice solid season. They finished the regular season with a 7-1 record, 27 Runs Scored, and 18 Runs allowed. They had one notable 3-2 win against #4 Pitches Aint Shit and a more notable

1-3 loss to Pitch Please. Thier 1st round match-up is a favorable one as they are facing a struggling #7 Toe Jammers squad.

 

After winning their division last season, I really hyped up the Toe Jammers as the pre-season favovirtes in the Wreck group. The expectations were for a dominating performance during the regular season. In the end the Jammers were able to somewhat salvage their season with an even 4-4 record, 34 Runs Scored, and 18 Runs Allowed. However their 4-4 record contains no notable wins with a couple of blow out wins against some rookie teams. Their regular season woes can be mainly attributed to their massive 18 player roster, which any coach will tell you is a ridiculous number of folks to manage. Obviously they still have the ability and potential to put together a winner, but they may need the off-season to scale back and trim some fat.

 

 

#3 Kickballaz v.s. #6 Pitches Love Me

 

For just about the entire season both the Kickballaz and Pitches Love Me have essentially been off the IJK radar. Other than a pre-season prediction for Pitches Love Me to have an excellent season and Kickballlaz to have the same. 

 

Pitches Love Me were expected to do a lot better than their 4-4 record and their negative 13 point differential was even more curious. They are the only playoff team with a negative differential at 30 Runs Scored and 43 Runs Allowed. Although the offense is decent for the division, the defense is the worst among the 8 playoff teams. Obviously that will hurt them in their early round playoff match-up as the Kickballaz put up some solid numbers and are a championship contender.

 

The Kickballaz are sporting a 6-2 record with 52 Runs Scored and 23 Runs Allowed. Their only glaring stumble was against the returning Hash House Harries, as the Harriers blanked the Kickballaz 8-0. However the Kickballaz were able to right the ship and are looking strong heading into the playoffs.

 

Although I'm not one for rumors, I've heard an interesting tidbit from folks within Kickball Nation. Apparently the Kickballaz choosing to jump down from the King of Kickball division to the Wreck division was a calculated move to win a championship title. Although this accusation is unsubstantiated, it does make for an interesting story line.

 

Well that's all for now...Good Luck teams and Happy Kicking!









I'd Hit It and Pitch Please Susceptible to Early Round Upsets

Written by: Rich Alvarez

The early round playoff pressure is ON, as it's one and you're done from here on out. While most experienced teams can handle the pressure, there are often intangible factors that can swing a team from a guaranteed win to an upset loss. The Kickball Gods are fickle and enjoy throwing road blocks in front of teams with a full head of momentum.

Within the Wreck Division, #1 Pitch Please has proven to be one of the best within that group. They not only ended the season with a 7-1 record, but they finished with the best offense, scoring a healthy 62 Runs Scored and are currently in a three way tie for best defense with only 18 Runs Allowed. By far one of the more talented teams, they have some players that could easily be heavy hitters within the King of Kickball division. Pitch Please decimated their weaker opponents and played tight, competitive games against their equal counterparts They cruised by their competition all except for one team...the Kickaholics, who turned their undefeated season into a one loss season.

The Kickaholics finished the season with a 3-5 losing record and just barely made the playoffs. Their offense numbers were respectable with 46 Runs Scored, but their defensive numbers were less than impressive with 47 Runs Allowed. Their saving grace has to be the talent on that squad. There is potential to turn that team into a winner, but it's going to take some work. However, they still hold the ability to be spoilers in the playoffs. During their regular season match-up with Pitch Please, they were able to manage a 9-8 win. Although it wasn't a dominating performance, they were able to outscore an offensive juggernaut in Pitch Please. Which is the Kickaholics only weapon, because their defense is almost non-existent. However roster and attendance issues are a constant on going problem.

In short, the Kickaholics will need their defense to minimize the damage that will come at the hands of Pitch Please. They have the ability to score runs and may get into a shoot out with Pitch Please, but their defense will be the deciding factor.

On the flip side, all Pitch Please has to do is continue to execute like they have all season long. They are the better team and just need to push through into the next round.

Another possible early round upset, could surprisingly happen to King of Kickball #2 I'd Hit It. That statement could be considered borderline blasphemous within some Kickball Nation circles considering they've had an impressive season. Although their offense is considered on-par with 24 Runs Scored on the season, the real story has to be their defense which was able to hold the entire division to 6 Runs Allowed. Along with solid shut-out wins against Kixxx, Smoking Aces, and New Kicks on the Block. However the one team that has been giving IHI trouble has been the Scoregasms.

The Scoregasms obviously wanted to have a better season than 1-6-1, but they may have a small, tiny glimmer of hope as they drew IHI for their 1st round playoff. Which sounds ludicrous to say, but IHI is one of the teams that they have competed against strongly, aside from beating #8 Suck My Kick.

I'd Hit It and the Scoregasms met each other twice during the regular season. Their first match-up ended in a 1-0 win for IHI and their second match-up was an interesting 2-2 tie between the squads. Although unlikely, if this trend continues, you may see the Scoregasms stun Kickball Nation an remove a potential King of Kickball champion in I'd Hit It. Will see if IHI looks past the Scoregasms. If they do, it may prove fatal.

Well that's all for now...Good Luck and Happy Kicking!

Wreck Sandbaggers?

As if waking up from a deep much-needed slumber, its hard to believe the kickball regular is already over. It seems like only yesterday when there was so much anticipated and excitement for Opening Day. Now the excitement shifts over to the post-season.

 

In past seasons, this would be about the time we would enter into a confusing 3 divisional inclusive playoff with weird,  convoluted seeding. However this season the seeding is much more straight forward as there are just two main divisions, the King of Kickball and the Wreck Division.

In addition, each group now sports their own 8 team playoff and championship title. However in all honesty, the King of Kickball title is obviously and undoubtedly the more coveted, celebrated title. While the new Wreck title serves as a good pat-on-the-back for the 9th best team in the league. Not to take away anything from the Wreckers, but it's supposed to be a "fun" league, no?

 

I would be remiss though if I didn't admit that there were some interesting story lines from the Happy Land known as the Wreck Division. Starting off with the fact that going into the last week of the regular season half the division had a losing record. The only teams that had a productive season were the four more experienced teams. Kickball Nation would argue these 4 teams are essentially "sand-baggers" with no business playing in the Wreck Division. However I would argue that playing Wreck is more a state-of-mind rather than a specific skill level. But it is evident that teams Just Kickin' It, Pitch Please, the Kickballaz, and Pitches Aint Shit are considerably better than the rest of their Wreck colouges.

 

Which may be a cause for some concern, because this kind of trend often leads to team participation problems. Experienced teams beating up on rookie teams on a weekly basis results in discouraged players. And discouraged teams and players are less likely to register for future seasons. The solution may be creating some sort of higher-tier level within the Wreck League? Or creating a lower-tier division within the King of Kickball. Either way, I'm sure the off-season will be filled with many debates and coaches meetings to determine a fair and prudent course of action to group teams in a way that will lead to teams becoming discouraged less quickly.

 

The new rules implemented for the new Wreck Division were initially supposed to "level" the playing field between experienced teams and rookie teams. Although the rules were a nice change, their desired effect was not achieved. The experienced teams still had a strangle hold on much of the division. However the amount of offense created by the division was impressive and a good indicator that, at the very least, the games are fun and entertaining. 

 

On a side note, this will be the first season that SCK's original rule of the "Gentleman's Pitch" will be used in post-season play, but only within the Wreck group. Which means their is still hope for even the most inexperienced team to have a shot at a championship title.

 

Well that's all for now, until next time

Good Luck and Happy Kicking!

Wreck Playoff Spots up for Grabs

There is a reason why SCK's non-competitive division has been dubbed the Wreck Division. While each team is fun and unique in their own individual way, the entire division's inconsistent nature usually leaves Kickball Nation scratching it's head. With only one week left in the regular season, there are still many division playoff spots up for grabs.

However the top 4 teams within the division are essentially sitting pretty.

Just Kickin' It currently holds a 5-1 record as they head into their double header week. Their 1st opponent will be This...Pitch, which should be a walk in the park for JKI. However their 2nd opponent Pitches Ain't Shit, one of the other Top 4 Wreck teams, may prove to be a bit more challenging. Just last week Pitches Ain't Shit got into a shoot out with the improving Kickaholics, but were able to ultimately out score the Kickaholics 12-9. Considering though that JKI has a very stout defense this should make for an interesting match up.

The Kickballerz and Pitch, Please are the other two Wreck teams that are already prepping for the post-season as their playoff bids are locked in. These Top 4 teams are the only Wreck teams have done enough to ensure a post season bid.

Now for the rest of the Wreckers, with four teams tied at 3-4 and two teams tied at 2-4, there are 4 playoff spots that could swing either way. 

Two teams that have peaked my interest are the Hash House Harriers and the Kickaholics. They are both looking at double headers and will also have to play each other; however with a little help, both these teams or at least one of them may slid into a post season slot. My gut tells me the Kickaholics may squeeze in with the 8th seed spot, but we will see.

Rookie team the Alchobalics should also make their first playoff cut and also league veterans Royal Tennenballs. The rest of the division however better be ready come game time.

Well that's all for now.

Good luck and Happy Kicking!

The Aces smoke KNS, the Scoregasms best SMK

Written by: Rich Alvarez

With playoffs just around the corner, missteps in the final weeks of the season can be damaging for the psyche of each individual team.

Each match-up is detrimental to a team's momentum heading into the playoffs. Wins are obviously encouraging, but a loss may also be it's own form of encouragement.

Which leaves Kickball Nation wondering how will powerhouse Kickin' N' Screamin' fare after their most recent loss. Will they use it as fuel during their playoff bid? Or will the very real possibility of losing another championship start to creep into thier minds? Only time will tell. Interesting tidbit though, Kickin' N' Screamin's three most recent losses have all been on unfamiliar fields. Jimmy Ochoa (Kixxx), Alta Vista (Party Pandas), and Memorial (Smoking Aces).

And who is to blame for all this creeping doubt? The previously under achieving Smoking Aces are responsible. All season long thier talent has been recognized, but they have struggled to harness that talent into a true powerhouse team.Unsettling emotions and internal pressures plagued this team throughout the season. However things seem to be changing within the ranks of the Smoking Aces. Which should afford them the opportunity to make a true championship run. Now anchored by solid pitching and more level headed decisions, the Aces will undoubtedly make the final four.

Now on the complete opposite side of the King of Kickball standings, lies another interesting story, as the battle for the worst team of all the "competitive" teams was held this past week. The previously winless Scoregasms were able to pass the honor of "division worst" to the hapless Suck My Kick squad. Even while sporting the worst defense within the King of Kickball division and after much trying, the Scoregasms were finally able to pick up their first win of the season and keep themselves out of the cellar. More importantly, they are no longer at the bottom of the barrel. That unceremonious honor now belongs to Suck My Kick. 

There is just one more opportunity for teams to jockey for seeding position this coming week. Although the strength of schedule seems to suggest that there will be little change within the competitive standings this week.

That is all for now...

Good luck and as always, Happy Kicking!

Whoa, living on a prayer: King of Kickball

By Grizzly Michaels
A Kickball Pepo

Alright, time to look at the King of Kickball at the halfway point.

Unlike Wreck Division, the teams in King of Kickball were pretty well known coming into the season, so there would be no point to tell you about them.

Instead, lets look at the schedules and briefly talk about how they got here.

Imagine starting the season against the defending champion Kixx, then going to powerhouse Kickin' N Screamin' and then last season's runner up I'd Hit It. The game of kickball may come closer to feeling like a game of Monopoly with your Gam-gam. Well, that is exactly how Scoregasms started the season off. Throw in a game against New Kicks On the Block and the Scoregasms may forget what a win is like. Does it get easier? They have the Smoking Aces next. But then they get Los Totally Awesome (Don't forget your ID's) and Suck My Kick. And then they finish with KNS.

Both LTA and Suck My Kick are 1-3, however Suck My Kick has the head-to-head advantage. Things are just as tough for LTA with Kixx, Aces and I'd Hit It still on tap, with the team in forest green up first. However, a 5-0 lead on KNS (before it was erased) was noticed and if the Unicorns can keep it going they may shake things up. They would be considered the favorites against the Scoregasms and a potential spoiler in the playoffs.

Suck My Kick has a little more favorable schedule. Once they get past the Kixx this week, they have the NKOTB twice, with Scoregasms in between. LTA got their lone victory over NKOTB, so Suck My Kick is capable as well. However, attendance has seemed to be an issue for Suck My Kick, maybe they should pay their players in beer or tartar sauce.

Next up is Kixx, which is 1-2 (with one game still pending, but they have a 4-0 lead) but lost a head-to-head to NKOTB. The defending champions are not in the position others may have envisioned. But consider that they have reached the championship game for the past four season. No matter where Kixx finish you don't want to face them in the playoffs as that is when they are peaking.  Aside from games against LTA and Suck My Kick, the Kixx will have a showdown with KNS next week and rematch of last weeks game against I'd Hit It. Expect some stopwatches to be used in that one.

The New Kicks On The Block have had a roller coster of a season. They dropped a close one to the Aces, took down Kixx, got upset by LTA and then defeated the Scoregasms while their captain missed the first two innings for a angry punt. They have two games with Suck My Kick and one against KNS and I'd Hit It each. NKOTB is an interesting team to watch the rest of the way. The way they finish could go a long way in the playoffs if they get a good seed.

I'd Hit it is standing at 3-1. After a tough loss to KNS to start the season, I'd Hit It has won three in a row and even took out the Kixx, 3-0, in a championship rematch. Those two will play again in the final week, but until then Lucas and his crew have LTA, Suck My Kick and the Aces. Lucas looks like he is trusting his teammates more than ever. It's safe to say that even with their one loss, I'd Hit It is still a championship contender.

Smoking Aces are 3-0 (while still trailing Kixx 4-0 in an on-going game). Two of their victories have been by one run. They will need to draw on that experience the rest of the way as they still have I'd Hit It, KNS and the end of their game with the Kixx to go. However, they also have the Scoregasms and a rematch with LTA, which they needed a walkoff to beat last time. The Aces have come together nicely this season, but we still got plenty more kickball to go.

And up at 4-0 is Kickin' N Screamin'. They were tested early against I'd Hit It and then had to dig deep to avoid an upset by LTA last week. Now they will put their perfect record up against NKOT, the Kixx and the Aces. They will get a break against the Scoregasms right before the playoffs. However, did LTA discover a weakness? Will other teams be able to jump ahead of KNS? We got four more weeks to find out.

Like Bon Jovi, we are halfway there and hopefully "we will make it I swear," unliker Homer.

Whoa, we're halfway there: Wreck edition

By Grizzly Michaels
A Kickball Pepo

Don't look now, but we are halfway through the 2013 Fall season. Unfortunately the season cannot last as long as Major League Baseketball playoffs.

So what better way to celebrate the halfway point that to take a look at how the season has fared so far.

Let's start with those crazy kids in the Wreck Division.

So far the Cool Arrows have received the Will Smith welcome to the Wreck Division. The Cool Arrows are winless at 0-4 and have only been able to muster six runs this season while giving up 40. However, if I were in the Wreck I would watch out for them. It seems that every year some team has a rough beginning but regroups and gets some late momentum. Don't be surprised if the Cool Arrows play spoilers.

Four teams are locked up at 1-3 and they may be the teams you expected. The Kickaholics, Alcoballics, This...Pitch! and Hash House Harriers have each been able to walk away with one win.

The Hash House Harriers picked up the biggest win of the bunch by taking down the kickballaz. Something to note is that the Harriers have a mentor in Lucas from I'd Hit It. Also, everyone knows the Harriers drink and run, so they have the cardio, so watch out they are no slouches. Drunks yes, but slouches no.

This...Pitch! also got a victory over the veteran Tenenballs in week two, but since then they have struggled. Scouting report shows that This...Pitch! has some kickers and their female pitcher has evolved to throwing some spin on it. This...Pitch! is made up of some players from a team that went 8-0 in the Lone Star Division last year, so they are learning and improving week to week.

However, This...Pitch! has given both the Alcoballics and the Kickaholics their lone victories. The Kickaholics have some skill when their players show up to the game. Plenty of rookies on this team which means there are some wild cards here, but it also means some of them may not be used to the bright lights on Wednesdays.

Haven't heard much on the Alcoballics except they have scored 10 and given up 26. However, their three losses have been to top teams in kickballaz, Just Kickin' It and Pitches Ain't Sh**. So with that gauntlet finished, perhaps we can see the Alcoballics strike back on other opponents.

But in order to do that, they will have to go through defending Lone Star Division champion Toe Jammers who are one of three teams tied at 2-2. The Commish had high hopes for this team, but after starting the season with a 1-0 victory over This...Pitch!, they dropped two to Just Kickin' It and Pitches Ain't Sh**, which is the type of competition they will experience in the playoffs. They are back on the right track after a victory over the Cool Arrows, but they shouldn't sleep on the Alcoballics.

The Jammers are actually ahead of Pitches Love Me in the standings based on point differentials. Pitches Love Me is also 2-2 but they have given up 25 runs while scoring only 17. They are led by veteran Lisa Simpson (no not this one). Pitches Love Me has beat the teams they need to in Cool Arrows and Kickaholics, but they struggled against the top half of the league with kickballaz and Pitches Ain't Sh**.

The third 2-2 team is the Royal Tenenballs, which have seemed a bit bi-polar. They beat teams like the Harriers and Kickaholics with ease, but then had no ounce of game against This...Pitch! and then they go and take Pitch Please! to the limit. If they Tenenballs don't get started quick in the game they become quiet deflated. However, they may undoubtably be the loudest in the land as no other team has matched their decibel levels. Plain and simple they like to party.

Two veterans teams are lingering at 3-1. Just Kickin' It may be in its second season together but they have several players who have been in SCK for what seems decades (or years, you know). Their main weapon is their pitcher Johnny, who has had to adjust to a two-bounce this year. Just Kickin' It was the favorite to win the Lone Star Division title last season but fell just short. Maybe the second year is the charm.

Next up are the kickballaz and the buzz around Coconuts is that unlike the 11 other teams, they did not chose the Wreck to have fun. Their reason to come to Wreck is to win a championship. So far they have been able to put up runs against weaker teams, but they had an epic collapse against a party team in the Harriers. This week they have another party team, perhaps the party team. What will happen when contrasting styles meet. Pure competition vs. pure Wreck. Will the Tenenballs upset or will kickballaz ruin the party.

At this point we may have already talked about the two undefeated teams enough for you to know what they are all about. Pitches Ain't Sh** is a new team made up of veterans and so far it has showed game after game. They have been impressive and poised and it will be interesting to see if anyone can stop them. If there is one team, maybe it could be Just Kickin' It, the kickballaz or the next on the list, but there is a catch. Wait for it.

Pitch Please did what any team would have done after getting ejected from the playoffs two years in a row. They got drunk and sang. After that they regrouped made some new additions and came down to Wreck. There were doubts of their intentions, but they have proven so far that unlike the kickballaz, they can have fun. But that doesn't change their talent and veteran leadership in Araceli and Michelle. Now they do have some new players, so will that catch up to them, remains to be seen. They're next challenge will be the kickballaz in week 7.

Now if you have been paying attention you will notice our top two teams are 4-0 and are not scheduled to face each other. So if they both manage to remain undefeated, they will have to wait until the playoffs to see each other. Will this matchup come to fruition. Well this dude has the answer.

Game of the Week - Pitch Please V.S Royal Tennenballs - 9/4/13

Tennenballs Choke, Unicorns Will Upset

Written by: Rich Alvarez

The SCK 2013 Fall Season seems to be going by in a blur as we are about to enter Week 5. The new rules of the Wreck Division and the close competitiveness of the King of Kickball Division have resulted in some very interesting games. By far one of the most exciting season thus far. Can't wait to see how it all ends up.

There were many questions about if the new Wreck rules would create a favorable kickball experience for those less-competitive kickballers. So far the so good, is what most Wreckers are reporting. Kickball Nation had a chance to check out the new Wreck action as the Royal Tennenballs v.s Pitch, Please was Rio Pod Co's Game of the Week.

The Royal Tennenballs are the definition of a "fun" team. Basically a group of friends who have come together to play some good ol' fashion fun kickball. While their opponents Pitch, Please are a mid-tier competitive team hiding out in the Wreck division. Although the Tennenballs carry some skilled veteran kickballers, namely their pitch Luis "Coach Ando" Gomez and their utility man Aaron "the Demon" Bracamontes, they are mostly made up of normal regular everyday kickballers. While Pitch, Please has an athletic, talented roster even compared to King of Kickball standards.

Although the game was peppered with some heads-up plays, for the most part, the match-up itself was essentially a snooze fest. I know those witness to their first Wreck game were expecting more offensive plays with the new female pitching rule. However late into the game, both teams finally treated the crowd to a handful of fireworks. Starting off with a solo home-run by Tennenballs 1st baseman Daniel "Stubs" Ortega in the top of the 4th. A confused Pitch, Please outfield let the long high ball blasted by Ortega get by them resulting in the Tennenballs only run. However that wouldn't be the grand finale as Pitch Please was able to rally in the bottom of the 5th inning and win in walk off fashion to the tune of 2-1. Although the Royal Tennenballs played a tough, tight game they eventually broke to the talent of Pitch, Please. Which is resulting in Kickball Nation asking, should there by a mid-tier division for those on that borderline between competitive and Wreck?

To see the Game of the Week with live play-by-play Click Here

On the King of Kickball side of things, what got into Los Totally Awesomes?!?! Even though they are currently sporting a losing record at 1-3, they seem to be on the verge of breaking out. Never truly considered a marque competitive team, things might be changing for the Mighty Unicorns. Just this past week, they showed their offensive improvements by ringing up 5 runs on power house Kickin' N' Screamin'. Even though they ended up losing 9-5, putting up 5 runs on KNS shows promise. No other team this season has put up more than 2 runs on KNS this season. They've also had some close games against some tough opponents. They just missed taking down Smoking Aces to a final of 3-4 and they got the better of New Kicks on the Block by a close score of 3-2.

This week Los Totally Awesomes have I'd Hit It and with LTA poised to break out at any minute, IHI better be on their toes. Hell they better be more than on their toes. I think LTA walks away with this one in a shoot-out.

That's all for now...until next time, Good Luck and Happy Kicking!

SCK - GameDay Report - Any Given Wednesday

Written by: Rich Alvarez

SCK Week #3 proved to be a treat for Kickball Nation, as there were many interesting developments that few anticipated. From injuries to upsets and from under-achievers becoming over-achievers, it quickly came to prove the new kickball adage, "Any Given Wednesday!".

The 1st note worthy tidbit has to be the re-scheduling of the Smoking Aces v.s Kixxx bout. An unfortunate accident which resulted in a serious player injury put the highly anticipated game on pause and forced the game to be reschedule for a later date. The game is currently frozen in the top of the 3rd inning with Kixxx wining 4-0. Thus far Kixxx is proving to be the better squad. However they are incredibly inconsistent and are far from a reliable, consistent winner.

No Blood, No Glory

On the Aces front, without their Coach Reid "The Viking" Hanson for this match-up, the Aces were left to make personnel decisions on their own. An interesting aspect of the Aces' defense has to be their bullpen, as they carry two veteran hurlers. Choosing whether to use Damian Lamas, the level headed and seasoned veteran or Mike Armendariz, the high risk- high reward player, is proving to be an important defensive component. In this match-up they decided to open with Mike Armendariz as their pitcher and quickly fell behind. Defensive team mistakes resulted in a frustrated pitcher and was heading towards a potential disaster. The game postponement was actually a plus for the Aces. Luckily for them, starting this week, they enter a 2 game stretch of King of Kickball bottom dwellers, Suck My Kick and the Scoregasms, which should supply a good opportunity to release some frustration and beat up on some inferior teams.

Another news worthy item came at the hands of the Mighty Unicorns. Los Totally Awesomes shocked Kickball Nation as they upset the New Kicks on the Block in walk-off fashion. A heart breaking loss for New Kicks which resulted in Coach David "Domino" Fernandez momentarily losing his composure. His post-game actions came at a cost with Domino being issued a short 2 inning suspension. Which means NKOTB will be without their star player this coming week against the Scoregasms.

But the bigger story has to be in the new competitive play of Los Totally Awesomes. Usually a roll-over team, they are quickly proving they can contend with the big boys. Even with a 1-2 record, they have been surprising their opponents as they are often over looked. The return of their anchor and pitcher, Daniel "Chucky Bear" Acuna has brought back life into this LTA squad.

In other corners of King of Kickball Land, I'd Hit It raised a few eyebrows as they squeaked by the Scoregasms 1-0. Although IHI isn't known for their offense, I expected to see a greater margin of victory from this championship contender.

Panning over to the Happy Land of the Wreck Division, the much-improved Kickballaz defied all logic as they were pummeled by the happy go lucky miscreants the Hash House Harriers. HHH came up with an astounding 8-0 win against the Kickballaz, who are currently the offensive leaders within the Wreck Division. Not sure what went wrong here. Looks like the Lucas Quimiro training sessions are paying off for the Harriers.

The two biggest match-ups within the Wreck Division had to be the Toe Jammers v.s Pitches Ain't Shit and Just Kickin' It v.s. Pitch, Please.

Starting off with the Toe Jammers v.s Pitches Aint Shit, although it was a gallant effort, the Jammers fell to Pitches Aint Shit 5-4. This was the Pitches first kickball test and they passed, barely. They seem to be flying under the Kickball Nation Radar, even though they are sporting one of the best defenses within the Wreck League. While on the flip side, the Toe Jammers are one step away from wearing the scarlet letter of the worst offense within the division. They'll have a huge chance to rebound against true rookie team Cool Arrows. The Cool Arrows have given up a whopping 32 runs so far this season. Watch for Pitches Aint Shit to continue their winning ways and expect  the Toe Jammers to make a rebound as they are entering the easiest part of their schedule.

Pitch, Please v.s. Just Kickin' It had the attention of all the Wreak Leaguers. Both teams are strong within the Wreck League, but Pitch Please is obviously the more seasoned team. Armed with King of Kickball knowledge and talent, they are a formidable force for most Wreck League teams, even against a tough Just Kickin' It. Pitch Please put away JKI to a final score of 3-1. A respectable match-up and respectable score for both teams involved, considering though that JKI was at the top of the Wreck League food chain, well that was until the likes of Pitch Please and Pitches Aint Shit moving into the neighborhood.

Looks like Pitch Please and Pitches Aint Shit are the teams to beat.

Well that's all for now...until next time

Good Luck and Happy Kicking !

KNS' Rick rolled perfect game

By Grizzly Michaels
A Kickball Pepo

Mark it down in Sun City Kickball history folks, Rick of Kickin' N' Screamin' threw a perfect game on Wednesday.

The leader of KNS kept his emotions in check and never even hinted that he knew he was approaching a perfect game until he faced 15 kickers and sent them all back to the dugout night in a 2-0 victory over Suck My Kick at Alta Vista Field.

The fates had its chances to screw Rick up in the top of the fifth. First a tweaked knee ended KNS' Marcos night. Playing short a man, Rick actually optioned himself to catch, bringing in Manny from the outfield to pitch.

Luckily, Rick wasn't the only one keeping track of the stats.

"He told me go ahead and finish it man," Rick said. "I didn't want to jinx it, so I didn't say anything."

The final out of the night was a soft bunt down the third base line that Sosa had to put some English on to get the base runner out by just a step.

Rick finished the night with one strikeout and three foul outs.

He also contributed on offense, lining a single in the third to score Manny and make it 2-0. Nadia scored earlier in the inning on a sacrifice fly by Sosa.

Other than the two-run rally in the third, Suck My Kick pitcher Rich kept KNS in check.

Following the game, there was no Nolan Ryan moment and Rick didn't jump into his catchers arms.

KNS just left the field and Rick quietly (if you can believe it) took his congratulations outside the dugout.

In other action, Kixx was ahead of the Smoking Aces, 4-0, until the game had to be called for an injury. The Aces lost Cesar to a broken ankle. Word is the rest of the game will be made up at a time to be annoucned.

Los Totally Awesome got a totally awkward 3-2 walk off victory over the New Kicks on the Block. A pop-fly from Eddie should have been caught for the final out, but fell in the infield and allowed two runners to score to end the game. Eddie is a new acquisition from I'd Hit It (I heard Chuck trade Lucas a few beers for Eddie and a high-five to be named later).

Speaking of I'd Hit It, they won 1-0 over the feisty Scoregasms.

In case that was too hard to keep up with here are the scores:

KNS 2, Suck My Kick 0

Kixx 4, Smoking Aces 0 (game incomplete)

LTA 3, NKOTB 2

I'd Hit It 1, Scoregasms 0

Sun City Kickball - Surprises!

And then He said, "Let there be kickball!"

Written by: Rich Alvarez

Although it's early in the SCK Fall 2013 season, there have already been a handful of surprises, both pleasant and unpleasant. There are a handful teams out there that are doing, or better yet, not doing what we expected them to do. The Wreck Division is starting to show Kickball Nation glimpses of things that were not initially anticipated.

Looking in on the Wreck Kids, it pains me to say this, but as of last week, the Toe Jammers are somewhat of a let down. Kickball Nation was expecting a better start from last season's Lone Star Division champs. Even though they have an even 1-1 record, there is still much left to be desired. Their 1-run win was against a second-season team in This...Pitch!, an opponent they should have been able to handle easily. Their only loss however was a bit more understandable as it came at the hands of a solid Just Kickin' It. Although losing 3-0 is ridiculously far from a moral victory. The Toe Jammers are unfortunately plagued by a massive kicking roster of 19 that does them more harm than good. Bundled with the fact that they are nursing a couple of rookies, the Toe Jammers have unwittingly put themselves in a precarious situation. 

Now with that unpleasantness out of the way, we can move onto some more pleasant Wreck happenings. 2nd season team Pitches Ain't S*** is off to a good 2-0 start. Although they haven't beaten any extremely experienced teams, they are creating a moderate amount of offense with 14 runs and a stonewall defense of 1 run allowed. Granted the results must be compared to their caliber of opponents, the Alcoballics and Pitches, Love Me. This coming week's match up against Just Kickin' It will be a good gauge for both teams.

Going into the Fall Season, Pitch, Please! was one of the squads expected to do well and is living up to the expectations. With a fair amount of kickball experience under their belts, they are showing what they've learned within the competitive world of the King of Kickball division. Now they are applying it within the Wreck group and it's paying dividends. With 24 runs scored so far and only allowing 4 runs, their stats are looking favorable. However these statistics may be deceiving as they've only played two rookie teams, the Hash House Harriers and Cool Arrows. This week will be the true gauge of success as they are slated to play a red-hot Just Kickin It' team.  

The Kickballaz are another kickball squad who has had early success beating up on the poor rookie squads. They have tallied 29 runs thus far, but again, they have yet to play a meaningful opponent. This week won't be any different as they are getting another rookie team in the Hash House Harriers. Looks like the Kickballaz are up for another 14+ run kind of night.

Last but not least, mentioned numerous times throughout this article has been the strong play of Just Kickin' It. JKI is currently 4th within the Wreck Division standings. Although they might not have the impressive statistics of the other 3 league leaders, they have played the tougher opponents with favorable results. This coming week they'll be facing another prime opponent in Pitch, Please!. With the Kickaholics and the Toe Jammers already notched onto JKI's win belt, they'll be looking to put another notch with a win against Pitch, Please!

That's all for now kickballers,

Good Luck and Happy Kicking

  

 

Lone Star Kickball Week 5 - Animal Style

Animal Style

Written by:Rich Alvarez

After some weather problems during Week 4, Lone Star Kickball continued on with Week 5 which included a full schedule and a re-scheduled game.

The re-scheduled game would feature Screamin' Kixxx against the rookie squad 915 Changos. Unfortunately a mis-communication led to the 915 Changos missing their 6:30pm game time, which may have not been such a bad thing for the Changos. They were facing a potential bloodbath at the hands of Screamin' Kixxx, who is currently LSK's lead scorer at 28 runs. Screakin' Kixxx would have easily put up another 16-17 runs towards their season total. The Changos were able to avoid a long, painful game. However even if the 915 Changos would have endured an early night loss, they still would have ended the night on a high note, as their second game of the night ended in a more favorable result.

On the scene of the win less teams, the 915 Changos and Da Krew would face each other in a battle to earn their first win. The Changos have shown to be the stronger team through the early part of the season. While the Da Krew continues to struggle in finding their kickball footing. Although the match-up started off close, the Changos quickly took control and ousted Da Krew to the tune of 9-3. 

Also during Week 5, the under-achieving Smoking Aces were matched up against Where's My Pitches At. WMPA has shown much improvement over the last couple of weeks, especia

lly during Week 4 as they almost took down the Animals, but were able to at least walk away with a tie. Their opponent the Smoking Aces have been inconsistent to say the least, but they were firing on all cylinders during this match-up. They quickly got their offense on track and finished the night with 9 runs, but only gave away 1 run. Things are looking up for the Smoking Aces as they are finally starting to gel together.

Last match-up of the night featured an onslaught of offense, as the Animals went Animal Style on the Billy Bad Asses. The Animals opened up an 11 run barrage during the 1st inning that the Bad Asses couldn't away from. However the Bad Asses were eventually able to stop the bleeding and mount a counter-offensive. It wouldn't last long though and wouldn't be enough as the Animals rounded out the night with a 14-7 victory.

Until next week,

Good Luck and Happy Kicking !