Its Just Kickball

Dynasty!!!

2011-11-01T18:46:00.000-06:00

Well it took some time but we are back online! Apologizes go out to all of Kickball Nation for having to wait so long for a much needed end of season update.

Unless you have been living under a kickball rock or haven't heard the news, Kickin' N' Screamin has done it once again and are the Fall 2011 season's King of Kickball champs. This is their 3rd consecutive King of Kickball title which undoubtedly makes them Sun City Kickball's 1st kickball dynasty. Not only did they win three back-to-back-to-back titles, KNS has only lost ONE game in three seasons to achieve this amazing accomplishment. They have set the bar high for all kickball teams in El Paso. They are the gold standard. Now that they have dominated the local kickball circuit, their next stop is national kickball dominance. They have already earned multiple state titles in New Mexico and Texas, but a national title would complete their already impressive resume. Again, hats off to Kickin' N' Screamin'!

However let's not forget the Fall 2011 Season runner-up - Kixxx. Although they never received the kickball buzz and hype of being a top notch kickball contender, they quietly flew under the radar and made it to the championship game. Their skills on the kickball field were ridiculously over-looked and understated, as they gave KNS all they could handle during the championship game. If you missed this game then you missed an epic match-up. Very unfortunate. It was a treat to see both Kixxx and KNS battle it out for the kickball crown. A perfect end to another great kickball season!

Heartbreaker

2011-10-18T20:18:00.008-06:00

Photo Courtesy of Calvin Bell

Round 2 of the SCK Fall 2011 season ended in complete utter heartbreak for some teams, while others secured their spot in the final 4 and are that much closer to the King of Kickball crown.

First, a big congratulations goes out to #1 Kickin' N' Screamin' and #2 I'd Hit It, who have so far earned their titles as the number 1 and number 2 teams in the league. They move on to the Final 4 with big wins this past Wednesday. Most, if not all, of kickball nation expected to see both these teams in the finals and now they have arrived. Now on to the heartbreak. Unfortunately both underdog teams, # 6 New Kicks on the Block and #13 Suck My Kick had their dreams of kickball glory crushed in dramatic fashion.

Photo Courtesy of Calvin Bell

After having the lights go out during Round #1, the #4 Shockers and #13 Suck My Kick would meet again to finish what they started. The game would resume at the top of the 5th inning with the game tied at one a piece. The Shockers had the first kick and came out swinging. They quickly scored putting themselves ahead by 1 run. That was until, miraculously, Suck My Kick was able to make a huge defensive stop and limit the Shockers to just one run. Even more surprising was Suck My Kick somehow loaded the bases in their half of the inning and had zero outs. For one fleeting moment it seemed as if the underdog crew had a chance to upset the mighty Shockers. However that would not be the case, the more experienced Shockers were able to deal an absolutely devastating blow to a very inexperienced Suck My Kick rookie team by ending the game on a very rare triple play. It was a gut wrenching thing to watch. The worst part was watching the confused looks of the new rookie kickballers as they had to be informed of what had just happened. BUT...those are the breaks and the mighty Shockers move on to the Final 4.

Photo Courtesy of Calvin Bell

Suck My Kick was not the only team to have to suffer a heart-breaking loss. The New Kicks on the Block had to swallow a brutal walk off 3-run homerun with 2 outs in their pocket, the bottom of the inning and a 2 run lead. To add insult to injury, the New Kicks pretty much dominated their match-up against a very skilled and experienced Kixxx crew. New Kicks seemed to be in control the entire game, right up until it mattered the most. You could even see the distraught look of defeat on the faces of the Kixxx players. Lucky for them their star pitcher, and now star kicker, Pipi was able to bail them out. Another tough moment to watch, but AGAIN those are the breaks kickballers. Sometimes the ball bounces your way and sometimes it doesn't. In the end, Kixxx picks up another win and is now in-line for a chance at the King of Kickball crown.

It is now Finals Week and the excitement is building. Congrats to the Final 4 teams:

#1 - Kickin' N' Screamin'
#2 - I'd Hit It
#3 - Kixxx
#4 - Shockers

Round 2 DingDing*

2011-10-11T22:50:00.002-06:00

Photo Courtesy of Calvin Bell

The 1st Round of the Fall 2011 season yielded some of the most exciting playoff games in Sun City Kickball history. All the games were closely contested match-ups, each one an intense nail biter. Hopefully this trend continues through the rest of the playoffs.

Let's take a look at some of the final results from this past week. We'll start with the Play-In match-up which was between the veteran Balls & Dolls and the heart-filled Suisliders. The game was initially predicted to be an easy win for the Balls & Dolls. However this game proved to be a lot more difficult than anticipated and a little too close for comfort the Bs&Ds. In the end, they inched by the Suisliders with a 1-0 final verdict, but the night was not yet over for the scrappy Balls & Dolls. Their play-in win earned them a Round 1 match-up against the plummeting Drunken Monkeyz.

Photo Courtesy of Calvin Bell

As noted in the previous post, the Drunken Monkeyz were living on a prayer last Wednesday. They would have to play the winner of the play-in game. A match-up against the Suisliders would have been a more favorable match-up than one against the Balls & Dolls. Had the Suisliders advanced from the play-in game, the Monkeyz would probably still be in the hunt. However the Machine, for whatever reason, tends to struggle against the Balls & Dolls clan. During the Spring 2011 post-season, the Bs&Ds were the team that knocked the Monkeyz from King of Kickball contention. Again this season they knocked the Monkeyz out of contention once more. Not to mention, the Balls & Dolls also beat the Monkeyz during the regular season. Although the game was very close, the Bs&Ds won this match-up with an extremely close 2-1 final score.

A very good Kixxx team received a scare from the Wreck Division team Balls of Furry. Unfortunately I was not there to witness the events that led to this close match-up, but I believe the 2-0 final between an elite division team and a lower experienced team tells the tale. Kixxx walked away from this one with a win, but barely.

Photo Courtesy of Calvin Bell

As predicted the Party Pandas v.s Chilez Y Chilindrinas was a knock out drag out bout. C & C has continuously demonstrated that they are up-and-coming within the league and are only going to get better with time. They came very close to making a huge statement by almost picking up their first post-season win. However the Pandas were able to battle it out, kept on grinding, and escaped with a 4-2 final score.

One More Shot took on New Kicks on the Block head on, which ended up being the longest game of the night. It took 9 innings to wrap this one up. Big play after big play kept both teams in the running and there seemed to be no end in sight. Just when you thought one team was about make to play and put this game to bed, the other side would come roaring back, saving themselves from elimination. The game changer had to be One More Shot battling back during the bottom of the 5th inning. Trailing by 2 points, One More Shot quickly brought in the 2 runs they needed to stay alive and take the game into extra innings. Both teams put it all on the field and left it all on the field. Although the New Kicks would eventually walk away with the win, One More Shot earned much respect from all the surroundings kickballers and Kickball Nation in general.

Photo Courtesy of Calvin Bell

The only decisive win of the night came at the hands of the Billy Bad Asses. They were able to put up a nice solid 4-1 win over the Drippin Wet Posse. Next up the Bad Asses have the #1 seed Kickin' N' Screamin'. This one should be a great game to watch. Although KNS is the team to beat, the Bad Asses might have some surprises in-store for the KNS crew. Kickin' N' Screamin is coming off a bye-week and it will be interesting to see how long it takes them to warm-up and get into the game. However smart money is still on KNS to win. Very nice match-up...

The Shocker v.s Suck My Kick is still in limbo. Due on another unfortunate lights out incident, this game will be finished with the Round 2 games.

That's all for now...

Happy Kicking and good luck!

Round 1 Breakdown

2011-10-04T19:11:00.000-06:00

We will soon find out who is the real deal and in the hunt for a King of Kickball title. Who are the contenders? Who are the pretenders? Let's find out!

Play in Game: Balls & Dolls v.s Suisliders

Although the Suisliders always play tough they still don't have the experience to hang with a veteran team like the Balls & Dolls. This play-in game is merely a formality for the Balls & Dolls. They should be able to easily win this game. The questions is how this game will affect their readiness for their 9pm match-up against a rebounding Drunken Monkeyz team.

Toss-Up Games

These are the games to watch Wednesday night as they can go either way:

The Party Pandas v.s the Chilez Y Chilindrinas should be a close match-up. The Pandas are the veteran squad, but C&C might catch them off guard. Experience tells you to give the edge to the more veteran team, but as they say, "Any Given Wednesday". #2 I'd Hit It will be keeping a close eye on this game as they will be playing the winner in the next round.

Drippin Wet Posse v.s the Billy Bad Asses should be most contested game of the night. It will be played with a dense fog of "this is just for fun", but don't be fooled. Both teams would love nothing more than to grab a W and move onto to the next round. The prize for grabbing this win will be a dinner date with big time Kickin' N' Screamin in round 2.

New Kicks on the Block v.s. One More Shot is turning from a toss up game into a win for the New Kicks. However, you never can tell with New Kicks. They love up or down to their competition, in this case, down. One More Shot is fighting and up hill battle in this match-up.

In The Bag

The following games are a done deal. Early round mis-matches with the results pretty much predetermined.

The Shockers v.s. Suck My Kick should be over quickly. Although my confidence in the Shockers crew as a true kickball contender is very limited, Im confident enough to know they will make short work of the very inexperienced Suck My Kick kiddos. Maybe next season kickballers.

Kixxx v.s Balls of Fury is another easily predictable result. Don't get me wrong, the Balls of Fury played well within their division. However they will be facing a much more talented and experienced kickball team. Their only chance is if Kixxx happens to be playing on our of their momentum down slopes, which may be a possibility, but very unlikely. Kixxx wants away from this one with a win.

Living on a Prayer

The Drunken Monkeyz will be living on a prayer waiting to see who comes out of the Suisliders v.s Balls & Dolls match-up. For the Monkeyz sake the better hope the Suisliders finds a way to upset the Bs&Ds, because last two times the Monkeyz tangled with the Balls & Dolls they wound up on the losing side both times. However the Monkeyz have been rebounding lately so they should make a strong showing this post season, even without a pitcher. My gut tells me the Monkeyz grind out a win either way, but the Balls & Dolls continuously prove me wrong so we will see.

Final Countdown Part II

2011-10-03T21:20:00.000-06:00

Photo Courtesy of Calvin Bell

Final Countdown continued...

#7 - Party Pandas - The Pandas finished the season with an overall 6-2 record and a clean 6-9 divisional record, which gave them division champ honors. Their offensive side of the ball is stronger than their defensive side of the ball, which as we have learned, can be very problematic. Although this is a "new team", they are chalked with veterans, which will make them or break them.

#6 - New Kicks on the Block - The New Kicks give me migraines. They are an incredibly hard team to figure out. They often play up or down to their competition, which makes them dangerous. Their offense is absolutely atrocious with a league-wide low of 14 total runs. However that hasn't kept them from finishing with a respectable 3-5 overall record, at least respectable considering they play in the tough Mountain Star group. They may surprise folks, I haven't counted them out.

# 5 - Drunken Monkeyz - Obviously this was not the season the Monkeyz had in mind. Although they posted a decent 4-3-1 overall record, their 2-3-1 divisional record was undoubtedly a disappointment. After losing their only pitcher mid-season, the team formerly known as "the Machine" looked to be dead in the water. However it is safe to say their were obvious signs of problems with the team even before the pitching mishap. They were able to rally back during the 2nd half of the season and they might not be in as much trouble as previously believed. Their 1st rd match-up will tells us alot.

Photo Courtesy of Calvin Bell

# 4 - Shockers - Oh yea! The Once Mighty Shockers, my favorite team to blog about. They finished the season with a 5-3 overall record and an even 3-3 divisional record, not bad I guess. Considering they still tout themselves as one of the best teams in the league, I wouldn't hang me hat on a 3-3 divisional record. Not to mention their offense is suspect, they have scored a total 16 runs all season. 2nd lowest within the ENTIRE league. Granted they say defense wins championships, but allowing 28 runs during the regular season hardly qualifies you as a defensive juggernaut. However their saving grace will be they are facing the weaker side of the bracket. So you will see them during Final Four, but not past it.

#3 - Kixxx - Kixxx has been up and down this season. I'm surprised they haven't given their coach a heart attack by now. They wrapped up the season with an overall 6-2 record and a very solid 4-2 record. In all honesty, they should have finished 6-0 but constant mistakes and mis-communication has really hindered this team's success. Too many chiefs and not enough indians, is the main problem. Regardless, they are realistic contenders for this season's King of Kickball Crown.

#2 - I'd Hit It - For what ever reason I'd Hit It has a good amount of critics. However this season they did a fine job of shutting them all up. I'd Hit It posted a solid 6-1-1 record and 4-1-1 divisional record, which landed them 2nd place in the Mountain Star Division. They are playing well and looking good. However the one looming concern is, coming out of their bye-week they will be facing 2 weeks without kickball. It will be interesting to see if they will be prepared come the 2nd round.

#1 - Kickin' N' Screamin' - KNS has a chance to do something no other SCK kickball squad has done to date. They will be looking for their 3rd King of Kickball Crown, not to mention they will be doing it in back-to-back-to-back fashion. All season long they have been the odds on favorite to win, not only their division, but the King of Kickball crown. They are by far the most experience team within the league. All they have to do now is finish it now. Their offense is primed and ready to go with a league leading 58 runs scored. Although their defense didn't fair as well, but they still finished with a respectable 25 runs allowed. Will they make SCK history?

Let's Get it on!!!

Its The Final Countdown!

2011-10-03T20:13:00.002-06:00

The wait is over! It is time to find out who will become this season's King of Kickball. The remaining 14 teams will now be contending for the southwest's most prestigious kickball award. Which team will have what it takes?

#14 - Balls of Fury - The Balls of Fury finished 2nd in the WreCk Division with an overall 6-1-1 record. Considering they play in the lowest skilled division, they're defense plays relatively well. Not sure how they will fare against tougher competition, but my gut tells me they won't do well. In addition, they will be taking an a much more skilled and experience team, namely Kixxx. They will undoubtedly be making a quick exit from post-season. However this experience should better prepare them for a jump in division next season.

#13 - Suck My Kick - A true rookie team, this squad finished with an overall 6-2-0 record inside the WrEck Division. They were able to squeak by Balls of Fury with a better divisional record which gave them Division Champ honors. However when all is said and down, Suck My Kick will also fall victim to much better, more experienced and better skilled teams. Their first opponents will be the "once mighty Shockers", who although struggling within the Mountain Star group, will still make quick work of Suck My Kick.

#12 - Balls & Dolls / Suisliders - The #12 seed is still up for grabs. The Balls & Dolls of the Mountain Star Division will be playing against the Suilsiders of the Sunrise Division. The Balls & Dolls finished the season with an overall 3-5 record. Having to play against tough opponents week after week has really exposed the Bs&Ds strength as a team overall. However they should be able to cruise by the Suisliders with ease. The Suisliders are by FAR by favorite team. These cats never give up and always push to get better. They finished the season with a 1-7 record; however just about all of their games were close enough to go either way. They could have easily ended with an even 4-4 record. Regardless, in the end, the Balls & Dolls will be the ones to move on.

#11 - One More Shot - They nearly missed having to play in and a last minute forfeit boosted their record to a nifty 3-5 record. It's hard to gauge One More Shot, they completed flew under the radar this season. Which means your guess is as good as mine. They have #6 New Kicks on the Block for their 1st round match-up.

#10 - Chilez Y Chilindrinas - After competing in the summer Turf War season, this kickball squad decided to try for the King of Kickball crown. They had a head start, experience wise, coming into the King of Kickball regular season. They finished their season with an 3-5 overall record, but they were able to go even in their divisional record with a 3-3 mark. They have the pieces to win, now it's all a matter of putting them in the right spot. It will be interesting to see how they do in their first post-season play.

# 9 - Billy Bad Asses - By far one of the best teams coming out of the Sunrise Division. They came into this trying to repeat the highly successful season they had earlier this year. However it is difficult to capture lightening in a bottle twice, especially in the same year. Unfortunately they took a small dip to finish off their season and are currently riding a 2 game losing streak, but look for them to turn that around in their 1st round match-up.

#8 - Drippin' Wet Posse - First of all, give them props for the most creative team name this season. If you're gonna go vulgar, at least be creative about it and they have done that for sure. They closed the season with an overall 4-4 record and some how rocketed themselves into 2nd place within the Sunrise Division. Riding a bit of momentum they may make some noise this post-season, but they will have to get past a very good Billy Bad Ass team to do it.

(Cont. Final Countdown Part II)

Week #7 - Play of the Week

2011-09-20T22:14:00.001-06:00

It's a little bit late, but here is last week's Play of the Week from IJK's new contributing writer and photog :

Written by: Desert Eagle

If ESPN has the Top 10 plays then i figure there should be one for SCK as well. So with all the games that took place and all the awesome plays that happen there was only one that stood out to make it the PLAY OF THE WEEK.

This play of the week took place at Modesto 2 between the NEW KICKS ON THE BLOCK VS. SHOCKERS. Just to recap it a little, its the bottom of the 5th, the score is tied and the Shockers are last to kick. With only one out, Calvin "Calvino" is on first, and Bison is up at the plate. All they need is one run to win this intense game. Bison gets ready to kick and "BAM", kicks a hard grounder that goes right between first and second. The ball makes its way to the all mighty Domino. Now we all know Domino is one of the fastest and best players in SCK, so no one will dare think they can outrun him. However that was until that day, Calvin takes off as fast as he can to second base and decides to practically commit suicide and run to third. With Domino on his tail and only 4 feet behind Calvin it was going to be a close call. Then it happens, only ten feet away from third Calvin dives head first to the right side of third and the ball gets thrown but barely misses Calvin and he is safe, BUT THATS NOT ALL! Calvin quickly gets up and takes a few steps off the base without seeing the ball. Thats when the third basemen throws the ball to hit Calvin but Calvin quickly puts his foot back on the base before it hits him and the ball bounces off and goes to the outfield while Calvin runs home with his shorts pull down to his knees and wins the game.

And that there is the PLAY OF THE WEEK!

Pre-Playoff Report Cards

2011-09-19T21:35:00.003-06:00

Playoffs?!?!? That's right, we are mere weeks away from the playoffs. With a majority of the season gone by, each team's strengths have been discovered; as well as their weakness revealed. Some teams are ready and others are not. So let's see who made the grade? (Teams compared to each other within each division)

Mountain Star Division

Kickin' N' Screamin - Offense : A + Defense : A -

Kixxx - Offense : A Defense : A

I'd Hit It - Offense : B - Defense : A -

Shockers - Offense : D - Defense : A +

Balls & Dolls - Offense : D Defense : B

Drunken Monkeyz - Offense : B - Defense : D -

New Kicks on the Block- Offense : F Defense : D -

Sunrise Division

Billy Bad Asses - Offense : A + Defense : A +

Party Pandas- Offense : A + Defense : A +

Drippin' Wet Posse- Offense : C - Defense : A -

Chilez & Chilidrinas- Offense : B - Defense : B +

Suisliders - Offense : C+ Defense : A+

Balls of Steel- Offense : C - Defense : D

One More Shot- Offense : D+ Defense : F

WrEcK Division

Blue Ballers: Offense : A + Defense : C +

Balls of Fury: Offense : A Defense : A +

Royal Tenenballs: Offense : C+ Defense : B

Suck My Kick: Offense : B Defense: C

LTA Lite: Offense: B- Defense: B +

Family Jewelz: Offense : B - Defense : B +

Sons of Pitches:Offense : C+ Defense: C-

Just Like That

2011-09-19T20:21:00.004-06:00

And just like that everything changes. Just a week ago the big question being asked was, "Can anyone beat Kickin' N' Screamin' ? Well the kickball crew of Kixxx went ahead and answered that question for all of Kickball Nation. And the answer was a resounding, YES!

Before Wednesday night, kickball juggernaut Kickin N Screamin looked invincible. They were tearing through competition with such ease that it was a foregone conclusion that they would, again, become the Kings of Kickball. Compounded with that fact that most of the other elite kickball squads had been struggling and putting up sub-par performances, it was looking very likely that KNS was on the road to earn their 3rd kickball title. However a very deceptive Kixxx squad was able to pick up a convincing 4-2 win against big time KNS.

Kixxx has always been a notoriously good kickball team; however after posting a loss to a pitcher-less Drunken Monkeyz team a couple weeks back, there were many question marks being raised as to the continued legitmacy of Kixxx. It seems as though all those question marks have been put to bed. Turns out the phrase, "Any Given Wednesday" has been coined for a reason. Kixxx will face two more test before the season is out. They will be facing a much improved I'd Hit It team, followed by an up-and-down Shockers clan. Odds are they will make short work of both, but only time will tell.

The other part of this story is although Kickin' N' Screamin tanked against a mighty fine Kixxx team, they are still the team to beat. Their loss to Kixxx was their first regular season loss in 36 games. So the last thing you want to do is count them out. In fact, you could make the

What Goes Up Must Come Down

2011-09-11T23:58:00.000-06:00

One of the more intriguing items that will be determined at the end of the regular season is which teams will be moving up in division and which teams will be moving down.

Mountain Star Division

Within the Mountain Star Divisions, the New Kicks on the Block have all but guaranteed themselves a seat at the Sunrise Division's table next season. Considering this was the inaugural season for SCK's new format, in hindsight, New Kicks may have been over matched to compete in the top tier. However their consistent playoff success, made it feasible to consider they would compete at a high level.

The other two teams competing to keep from dropping in divisions are the Drunken Monkeyz and the Balls & Dolls. Just a week ago it was looking as if the Monkeyz would be joining the New Kicks in the Sunrise group; however after somehow scrapping together a win against Kixxx, they may have given themselves a small chance to stay with their Mountain Star cohorts. The first step is to pick up a win against #2 I'd Hit It, which seemed impossible a couple of weeks ago, but the Monkeyz have shown some small signs of life, so there may be a chance. Now the Balls & Dolls have an edge on the Monkeyz because they hold the tie breaker, but if Balls & Dolls ends up losing their last two games, they may be the ones dropping in division.

Sunrise Division

The Sunrise kiddos recently had four teams competing for the opportunity to raise up in division and play with the big boys. However after last week, it is becoming more likely that the Billy Bad Asses and Party Pandas will be the ones gearing up to venture into the top Mountain Star tier. Rookie team, Chilez Y Chilindrinas had a very good opportunity to be the ones to move up in division, but that was until the veteran Billy Bad Asses quickly crushed their dreams in a knock out, drag out game this past Wednesday. I'm sure it was a tough loss for C&C to swallow as they had the lead for a majority of the game. However the Billy Bad Asses kept true to their name and played bad ass They had to continuously battle back and never quit, which ultimately earned them the win. So unless the Bad Asses or the Pandas shoot themselves in the foot, expect to see them populate the ranks of the Mountain Star Division next season.

One More Shot will end up dropping in division, which may be best. This will give the veteran team sometime to regroup and just have some fun playing kickball again. The biggest surprise coming of the Sunrise group is the Balls of Steel, formerly the Runs, will be most likely be the other team dropping in division. This scenario was simply unexpected.

WRECK Division

News out of the WRECK Division is still limited and sketchy at best. Dubbed the " Fun Division", Kickball Nation has turned a blind eye to the WRECK group. However there are a couple of promising teams that will be coming out of the WRECK group. The Balls of Fury and Blue Ballers should be the two teams moving up to the Sunrise group. Both these teams are statistically superior when compared to all their other wrecked counter-parts, especially the Balls of Fury. Both these teams should fit well when they move up into the Sunrise Division.

Happy Kicking

Up in the Sky...

2011-09-11T23:12:00.000-06:00

Faster than a speeding bullet...more powerful than a locomotive...able to leap tall buildings in a single bound! Look up in the sky! Its a bird! Its a plane! No...its Kickin' N' Screamin'.

As the season steadily progresses it is becoming abundantly clear that the KNS kickball crew is still the team to beat in SCK. They are poised to finish with another undefeated season and win their 3rd King of Kickball crown. A lofty accomplishment to say the least. They are basically an unstoppable freight train that cannot be stopped. There are only three teams left standing in the way of another undefeated season for KNS.

Next up is Kixxx, which would have been an interesting game. However that was until Kixxx mysteriously choked against a struggling and pitcher-less Drunken Monkeyz team, which leaves Kickball Nation very suspect of Kixxx's legitimacy. It may still turn out to be a close game, but the hope of a battle between two undefeated teams was erased from the equation with last week's blunder. However if Kixxx is able to bounce back and somehow scrounge out a win against a big time KNS team it may turn the season up on it's head.

The most interesting thing about Kickin' N' Screamin is they don't sport the best kickball roster in the league. On paper, if you were to chose a team strictly based off of talented players they would easily come in third. Don't get my wrong, they have some very good and accomplished players, but you could make a debate for the Drunken Monkeyz and Kixxx having better overall "talent". Although KNS does have a better core of females players. Either way KNS simply makes the best use out of their talent within the leauge and their teamwork is far leading the pack at this point. When a team plays together as mush as KNS does, expect them to perform well consistently. And that is what they continue to do and will continue to do for season to come...

Mid-Season Leaders

2011-09-06T00:06:00.002-06:00

It's all down hill from here kickballers. The mid-season point is now in our rear-view mirrors. As we travel towards the post-season, it is starting to become a bit more clear who has the competitive edge and who doesn't. The stats up into this point have shown that competition is close between each team and in each individual division.Something we have not seen in season's past. Last take a peek at the mid-season leaders.

The WRECK division is the direct definition of close competition. It is so close that all the teams in this division are no more than 1 game back of each other and in one case, only half a game back. The offensive leaders are LTA Lite and the Blue Ballers with 19 runs each. Both teams have kickball experience and have been able to put up some decent runs. However the Blue Ballers' defense is not quite as good as their offense, which is why they currently sport a negative 3 Power Ranking. However LTA Lite carries a marginal +3 Power Ranking, a slight nod in their favor. On the other side of the coin, the defensive leader in this group (and my personal pick to make it into the King of Kickball contest), goes to the Balls of Fury. They have yet to lose a game and have only allowed 9 runs across the plate, which is by far the best within their division. You will see this team in the playoffs and expect to see them move up in division next season.

In the Sunrise Division, the competition is a bit more separated, the gap between the top 4 and bottom 3 is a lot more apparent. The two teams jockeying for position to lead the division are the Party Pandas and the Billy Bad Asses. The Party Pandas are currently leading in the offensive category with 20 runs, while the Billy Bad Asses are trailing by only 3 runs. However considering the Bad Asses were on a bye-week last week, it's hard to know who truly has the better offense. The one separating stat is the Billy Bad Asses have a far superior defense within the Sunrise group; as they have only allowed 4 runs to score. You can count on this team moving up in division next season and taking the place of one of the failing Mountain Star teams. However there are two spots available to move up into the Mountain Star Divisions, it will be a battle to see who between the Party Pandas, Drippin' Wet Posse, and Chili Y Chilindrinas will take the other spot.

And in the top tier Mountain Star division, aside from the devastated New Kicks on the Block, the rest of the teams are still relatively close to one another. There have been some epic games and strong contests between all the teams. Currently the KNS Crew is leading in the offensive category, but not by much. Kickin' N' Screamin' has brought in 22 runs, while other teams such as the Drunken Monkeyz and I'd Hit It have a very close 20 runs. Not to mention, that Kixxx is also right behind them with 19 runs. It's easy to see many teams have the offensive part of their game on track. The defensive side of the game on the other hand, has been a lot tougher to get through for some teams. Kixxx holds the most dominating defense by only allowing 2 runs to pass them by. A very nice accomplishment considering the competition within the division. They say defense wins championships. It would be a good testament to that saying if Kixxx ends up giving KNS a run for their money.

That is all for now...Happy Kicking!

Blood, Sweat, and Blood

2011-09-01T20:17:00.000-06:00

We have finally reached the mid-way point of the Fall '11 Season and there is one word to describe Week #5, WOW!

So much for needing a coach. Whether it is was a collective effort or someone finally decided to start calling that shots, it seems the Balls & Dolls have finally put it together. After constant second guessing from much of the Kickball Nation, the Bs&Ds made a huge statement Wednesday night by taking down the desperate and broken down Drunken Monkeyz. The final score was 10-6 in the Balls & Dolls favor.

If you missed this game then you missed an epic match-up. The game was tight throughout; with both teams having to battle back at one time or another. It was an edge of your seat experience. However that was until, like clockwork, the Monkeyz ran into some fielding problems and then immediately preceded to break down. Which, frankly has been their method of operation for most of the season. Their continuous loss of composure is buying them a one way ticket into the Sunrise Division. To add insult to injury, after a very unfortunate series of events, the Monkeyz may find themselves without a pitcher for the rest of the season. No matter who you cheer for, root for, or support; it was a very sad day for kickball in general. However we shouldn't let that take anything away from the Balls & Dolls big win.

On a lighter note, what finally got into I'd Hit It? I've always been a fairly vocal I'd Hit It supporter, but I was always realistic in my expectations. It seems I, as well as the rest of Kickball Nation, may have to start raising our expectations a little bit. After dismantling a very worrisome New Kicks on the Block squad with an impressive 15-0 victory, I'd Hit It came back Week #5 and continued to confuse kickballers by taking down the "Mighty" Shockers. The perplexing 4-0 final was unexpected by many, but welcomed by most. Let's see if they string together a couple more impressive wins.

And to wrap up it this week's report, I promised to fill in Kickball Nation on what's going on in the Sunrise Division. Granted most eyes are on the Mountain Star Division, but we need to remember that two of the Sunrise teams will populate the ranks of the MS Division next season. Who will be moving on up to the top tier? Well competition has been close and contested throughout most of the Sunrise teams. However realistically out of the 7 teams there are only 4 teams really competing for the top two advancing spots, 3 experienced teams and 1 rookie team. The Billy Bad Asses, Party Pandas, and Drippin' Wet Posse are all experience squads and have been leading the pack among the mid-range teams. The 1 rookie team trying to make a name for themselves is the Chilez and Chilindrinas. A very decent sqaud who is playing their first season on dirt. They did participate in the Turf War season, which has help them navigate the kickball learning curve quickly. It will be very interesting to see who gets the call to play in the big leagues next season.

That is all for now.... Happy Kicking.

Time to Panic?

2011-08-30T20:36:00.000-06:00

Some might say it is way too early in the season to panic; however, in all reality, we are entering Week #5 which marks the mid-way point of the Fall '11 Season. And considering the way some teams are playing, the time to panic might not come soon enough.

The new format change has created closer games and heightened competition, especially in the Mountain Star Division, but the same can be said in all three SCK divisions. However the main focus and news has been coming out of the Mountain Star Division. We'll take a peek into the other divisions next week, for now let's focus on the top tier group.

The biggest story has undoubtedly been the under-achieving Drunken Monkeyz. They've always been considered a top tier team, but this season something is wrong in the jungle. Although they cruised through their pre-season cupcake games, once they hit the true competition in their divisions schedule, they basically crumbled. Granted it's only been two games. The problem is these past two games were against two teams who are already being deemed Final 4 teams. Which means these games should be considered as previews into what the kickball nation should expect from the Monkeyz come playoff time and according to these past results, unfortunately, the expectations are for the Monkeyz to perform poorly come post-season time. Many kickballers may have their theories as to why the team often referred to as "the Machine" is struggling. The most glaring observation is composure. It is rare to see a team play through a game with no mistakes. Dropped balls, wrong decisions, and other various mistakes are common place. They are bound to happen. How a team responds to mistakes is what counts. Sadly the Monkeyz let each mistake compound until it results in an obvious loss of composure and discipline to work through it. Lucky for them this frustration has been isolated on the defensive side of the ball. It will be interesting to see how and if the the Monkeyz rebound in the coming weeks. However they aren't the only team that is struggling.

They're were high expectations for the Balls & Dolls coming off their first King of Kickball Championship appearance this past Spring Season. It was a monumental achievement for this crew, as they have battled season after season to reach that ultimate goal of being the King of Kickball. Although they came close they still seem to be far for reaching that goal. So far this season they have been on an offensive/defensive see-saw. When they're offensive is up, they're defensive is down and vice-versa. Even their pre-season cupcake games were closely contested, not a good sign as you are playing in the toughest division in the league. Reasons? Theories? Why is this the case after such a strong season not too long ago? The most common theory among Kickball Nation is of course the most unpopular theory considered by the Balls & Dolls. Every circus needs a ringmaster and every team needs a coach. There is something to be said about a team's success and the leaders behind that success. All kickballers play and win as a team, one player does not make a team. However an argument can be made that even the best players need a good leader. It doesn't have to be the same leader, but at least someone ready and willing to take up the cause to push forward. Am I along in this regard? Maybe, maybe not. What does the Balls & Dolls biggest fan and biggest critic, the Angry Ump, have to say about the Bs and Ds situation? I had to travel far into the badlands of exile to see if the Ump had anything constructive to say...

Most teams work like a machine that was constructed for the greater good. Others are heavily dependent on a certain cog to complete a simple task. They are still considered an elite team by many, but the loss of their coach and leader will affect them more than they like to admit. They still have plenty of talent to field a competitive team, but I want to see how they react when the going gets tough. Will someone step up and say, “Kick it at the fat first baseman! Dude can’t catch a cold.” Or will they shatter under the pressure like Id Hit It does come playoff time? Their ex-coach always had them running on all cylinders and had them ready for every situation. I’m not sure they have that type of anal personality that will keep a tight ship. Will BnD’s rise to the occasion or get dropped to the Sun Rise division after the season? So far they’ve seemed to struggle with teams that have no business even breathing the same kickball air as the once finely tuned red team.It’s a long ass season and I’m excited to find out what happens next.

Monkeyz Bow Down

2011-08-18T23:10:00.001-06:00

As anticipated, the Week 3 match-ups followed the written IJK script almost perfectly, well almost. That was until the Shockers decided to ad lib, and in surprising fashion, convincingly beat the dreaded Drunken Monkeyz. However before we journey down that road, let's recap the two other marque match-ups of the night.

As predicted, the Balls & Dolls struggled on defense against the heavy hitting Kixxx. Kixxx has some very good offensive weapons and they were able to put them to good use this week. Unfortunately for the Bs&Ds their team's defense was borderline atrocious. Too many dropped balls, missed assignments, and overall poor execution. Kixxx was able to take advantage of each and every mistake and they put up a decisive 8-2 victory. Kixxx will head into an early bye-week next week. While the Balls & Dolls are going to have to quickly regroup and prepare, as they face their long time rival Shockers next week.

I'd Hit It got crushed at the hands of KNS this week. This was the general expectation through much of Kickball Nation; however like they say, "Any Given Wednesday", just not this Wednesday. As always, Kickin' N' Screamin' is looking strong and showing that they are the team to beat. Their next match-up is against the wavering Drunken Monkeyz, should be a great game to watch.

And now comes the worst part, all was right with the world Wednesday night, that was until the Shockers decided to ruin my 3-team parlay by taking down the Drunken Monkeyz. The once again relevant, revived Shockers are again showing why they are always considered an elite team. IJK does it's best to give an objective point of view. Also I personally try to, "call it like I see it". No agenda, I follow the stats and evidence. By all accounts the Shockers should have lost to "the Machine". Now this was not just my opinion, this was also another generally shared consensus by other players and coaches. For example, KNS Coach and kickball veteran, Rick "The Million Dollar Man" Delgadillo quickly conceded the game as over as soon as the Drunken Monkeyz scored their first run. However to everyone's surprise, that was not the case. The Shockers were not only able to beat the Monkeyz, but they were able to do it in convincing fashion. Hats off to the Shockers. Let's see if they will keep up their winning ways through the rest of the season.

Now on the Monkeyz side of the ball, the most interesting observation of the night was their complete and total mental shut down. As the mistakes started to compound, you could see and feel the frustration level rise. Even the half-hearted attempts to regroup and focus were in vain. Which unfortunately means the Monkeyz may be slipping on their mental toughness. Their next match-up is against powerhouse KNS, it will be extremely interesting to see how and if the Monkeyz bounce back. However it will hard to do against a very tough Kickin N Screamin.

The Thunderdome

2011-08-16T10:11:00.000-06:00

With SCK's new divisional format, no longer will the league's best teams be separated from each other. Instead the best 7 teams will be thrown into a cage and forced to battle each other week after week. No longer will the best teams have to wait until the playoffs to face each other. Instead Modesto 2 will be the stage for marque match-ups each and every week. It should be a site to see.

Even before the last out was recorded this past Wednesday, teams were already getting pumped up for the much anticipated divisional games next week. The schedule is packed with very exciting match-ups, which even at this early stage is creating a good amount of kickball buzz.

Balls & Dolls vs Kixxx should be an excellent match-up. Both teams won their 2 non-division games so both teams are riding a little bit of winning momentum. Also both teams are rolling with good offensive weapons. Scoring hasn't been a problem for either squad. However when it comes to defense, Kixxx has the edge in this category. The Balls & Dolls will quite possibly struggle on the defensive side of the ball, which means their offense is going to have carry a majority of the work load. Putting up copious amounts of runs may be the only way the Bs&Ds will be able to hold out against Kixxx. Kixxx should be able to score a healthy amount of runs, the Bs&Ds will just have to answer back with 2 runs for every 1 run that Kixxx puts up to out last them. However after all is said and done, Kixxx seems to have the edge in this match-up.

I'd Hit It will have a huge opportunity to silence their critics when they face the big time Kickin' N' Screamin' championship squad this coming Wednesday. Unfortunately that will be a fairly tall order for team I'd Hit It. In this match-up, KNS has the advantage in just about every category. Offense, defense, experience, you name it, they got it. I'm not sure what gameplan I'd Hit It has to handle KNS, but it better be a good one. There is no escaping Kickin' N' Screamin' , chalk this one up as a win for them.

Shockers, Shockers, Shockers...The once Mighty Shockers will be taking on an old rival when they face the Drunken Monkeyz this coming Wednesday night. The former league villains, Shockers, are struggling to stay relevant in the league. While the Drunken Monkeyz, aka The Machine, still strike fear into the hearts kickballers everywhere. The Monkeyz are arguably the better team in this match-up. However if you ask Coach Anthony Tuialuuluu, he will give you a different assessment. Coach T was quoted as saying, "The Monkeyz will bow down!! All I need is 11 Shockers and a lil confidence." Its encouraging to see the Shocker's coach so confident, but this is border line delusional. Look for the Monkeyz to walk away with this one.

Be at Modesto 2 this week, don't miss these games.

Big Brother vs Little Brother

2011-08-09T14:23:00.000-06:00

These first couple of non-divisional games have all been about Big Brother vs Little Brother. Big Brother being the Mountain Star Division and Little Brother being the Sunrise Division. So far the Big Brother teams have been beating up on all the Little Brother teams, which was predicted. There is a reason why certain teams are in certain divisions. However come Wednesday, the Sunrise kickballers will have another chance to show nether or not they can compete against the cream of the crop.

Realistically, glancing over the different match-ups for Wednesday, it seems more probable that the Sunrise teams will post another 0-7 record against the Mountain Star teams. However let's go ahead and take a peek at the upcoming match-ups.

Unfortunately the Chiles & Chilindrinas have absolutely no chance against powerhouse kickballers Kickin' N' Screamin'. Don't get me wrong, the Chiles & Chilindrinas have a good amount of potential and should have a promising season. The problem is, it's going to take whole lot more than potential to take down a team of Kickin' N' Screamin's caliber. At best, C&C could use this match-up as a learning experience. Although C&C might keep it close, the score on this one may get out of hand. Divisional or Non-Divisional, KNS plays at the same speed every time, balls to the wall.

After coming off a promising Turf War season, Drippin Wet Posse strongly disappointed Opening Day as they were, quite frankly, laughed off the field with an embarrassing 21-0 loss to KNS. Granted they were playing the best team in the league, the fact of the matter is, if you can't compete with KNS then you have no chance at winning a King of Kickball Crown. Next up they have the Kixxx crew, which is another tough team and is no push over. Although I don't anticipate another 21-0 brain damage inducing beat-down, I don't feel Drippin Wet Posse has what it takes to get it done against Kixxx. However for the sake of the Sunrise division, maybe the Posse will prove me wrong.

The Balls & Dolls need to be careful against One More Shot. The Bs&Ds struggled against Balls of Steel, which could have been expected. The Balls of Steel are a decent squad, formerly the Runs. So all in all last week's match-up was evenly matched. However if the Bs&Ds are to keep up with the powerhouse teams in the Mountain Star Divisions they will need to put up a more convincing win against One More Shot this coming Wednesday. The absence of an obvious sideline presence still makes me uncomfortable, but only time will tell how this effects the Balls & Dolls.

Last season I was on the Billy Bad Ass Bangwagon. They were playing strong and looked like contenders, until an unfortunate set of circumstances stopped them dead in their tracks. Now we enter a new season with a new set of circumstances. Their upcoming match-up against the Monkeyz will be a tough one. A win here would make a big time statement. However seeing as the Bad Asses struggled against an up-and-down I'd Hit It, it's hard to gauge what kind of team we are looking at. Is it the same Bad Asses from last season? Or a new kind. Wednesday's Monkey match-up will give us a peek into the Bad Asses' kickball window.

The Suisliders vs I'd Hit It should be a good game to watch. The Suisilders have been trying to make a statement, an argument or just about anything to prove that they can compete at a high level. Over taking I'd Hit It would be a small step in that direction. I'd Hit It is considered a top tier team, although they get tons of criticism for it. A constant playoff team with a solid winning record season after season. However they did squeak past the Bad Asses, so Wednesday should reveal a lot about both teams skill level and competition level.

UPSET OF THE WEEK

The Shockers vs Balls of Steel is my predicted Upset of the Week. First off, I'm not going take the time to run down the long list of accolades for the now infamous Mighty Shockers clan, we all know them and heard of them. I merely going to say that the Balls of Steel have a good chance at picking up a big win here. Even though they struggled against the Balls & Dolls, something tells me that the Balls of Steel should come out on top come Wednesday night.

Good Luck to all the teams and Happy Kicking

Opening Day

2011-08-04T18:46:00.000-06:00

Late night showers wouldn't ruin this day, as Sun City Kickball and kickballers celebrated Opening Day - Season #6. Kickballers had been eagerly anticipating this day for months now. With another 20+ teams, this season looks to promising.

The first 2 weeks of the season will feature non-divisional games. One set of games will be the top Mountain Star against the mid-tier Sunrise Divisions. It will be interesting to see how little brother will do against big brother. On the flip side of the coin, the lower WRECK will beat up on each other for an extra two weeks before their divisional schedule starts.

As Opening Day closed, the final results were interesting, but highly expected. The Mountain Star division routed their counter part Sunrise divisions opponents, 7-0. The MS division won all 7 of their match-ups and also out scored the Sunrise kids 72-21. It will very interesting to see if the same statistic is repeated next week.

See ya'll next week...

Wake Up!!!

2011-08-04T18:32:00.000-06:00

It's Just Kickball has been in hibernation for a majority of the off-season. With the Fall '11 season starting, we are super behind in getting kickballers up to speed on what they are facing for the upcoming season. In the interest of saving time, we will limit our preview to notable items and current buzz around the league.

New Divisional Format

The new divisional format should make things a little bit more interesting this coming season. Especially for the Mountain Star Division which will house the best kickball talent El Chuco has to offer. The best SCK teams are jammed into one 7 team division which will be competing for the top 6 seeds to head into the King of Kickball tourney. Considering each team will have a grueling schedule week after week, this division owning almost half the playoff seeds is a fair prize. Reserve your seat down at Modesto 2 now, because the bleachers will be packed week after week, every match up will be a marque match up. Be a witness to "the Show" down at Modesto.

Team Talk

As mentioned earlier, the Mountain Star has all the bad ass veterans returning for their chance at the King of Kickball crown.

Two-time defending champs Kickin' N' Screamin' are back again and this time the finally settled on a name. Last season they were Balls to the Wall, hopefully they decide to make Kickin' n' Screamin' a franchise name and stop changing so much. Like the past two season, they are the odds on favorite to repeat as champs this season. This team is dynasty worthy and should be able to clinch that title with another King of Kickball title. This kickball crew has sported back to back undefeated seasons; however this feat will be tough to duplicate as the competition within their division will be a lot tougher. In all reality they will probably still finish #1 in their group, maybe even 2nd worse case scenario. They are also fresh off another championship win, as the ran the gauntlet again and picked up the 1st SCK Turf War title.

The league villains are also back. The Shockers are part of the "Original Six" and have always been the topic of many kickball conversations, good and bad. Not to mention, last season's post-season controversy didn't help their cause either. After a huge technicality, the defunct Shockers found a way to wiggle their way into the playoff tourney. A playoff tourney they had no business being in. How will they fair this season? Best prediction is they should finish somewhere mid-pack in the Mountain Star Division.

The Chupacabrones are returning with their throw-back Kixxx name. Vinny's Young Guns are looking to come back and keep their winning ways. Last season, they fell victim to the unpredictable New Kicks on the Block, who promptly took them out of King of Kickball contention in the very 1st round. That is very rare and strange for Kixxx, you can usually find them deep into the playoffs; however we will see if last season was a fluke and look to see if they can get back into serious contention come playoff time.

Original Six member, Balls & Dolls, is back for Season #6. Last season they were able to make a strong run for what could have been their 1st King of Kickball title. Sadly they fell short of their title dreams by falling to powerhouse Kickin n' Screamin in the championship game. However there was a bright spot, the Bs&Ds were able to beat their long time nemesis and rival the Shockers for the first time ever and in the semi-finals! The only troublesome item is a certain coach/team leader is missing from the roster. It will be interesting to see how the Bs&Ds will fair without their long time leader.

The Drunken Monkeyz are of course back and as always very dangerous. The Machine is again sporting a small roster, the smallest of the top tier teams. They will be looking to earn their 2nd King of Kickball title with upcoming season with 6 guys and 5 girls. Anyone one would admit this to be a difficult task; however the Monkeyz often make it look ridiculously easy. Great offense with an even better defense may just earn them that coveted 2nd King of Kickball title.

Be on the look-out

Besides the normal powerhouse teams having a chance at title, there are a handful of sleeper teams to keep an eye out for.

The Billy Bad Asses quick exit from last season's post-season tourney was unexpected and unfortunate. They return this season with the hopes of making another run at the title. They are a solid team and if they are able to bring back the same intensity from last season, they should go far.

Drippin Wet Posse is a combination of last season's Brown Chicken Brown Cow and Kick N' Da Balls. This is actually not a bad partnership and a fortunate decision for both teams. Kick N Da Balls was badly in need of some good leadership and Brown Chicken just needed a few more offensive pieces to actually contend. They looked mighty strong during the Turf War season. Let see if the momentum carries through into the Fall Season.

A rookie team that is showing tons of promise are the Chile y Chilindrinas. They enlisted for the Turf War and quickly showed that they have the skill to compete. Hopefully they experience from the summer season will help them be successful during the Fall. Keep on eye on these guys and gals.

SCK FALL 2011 DIVISIONS!!

2011-07-18T19:31:00.000-06:00

Mountain Star Division

Kickin' N' Screamin'

Kixxx

Shockers

Drunken Monkeyz

Balls & Dolls

I'd Hit It

New Kicks on the Block

Sunrise Division

Billy Bad Asses

One More Shot

Chiles Y Chilindrinas

Kickapoos

Bacon Strips

Suisliders

Drippin' Wet Posse

WrEcK Division

LTA Lite

Family Jewelz

Royal Tienenballs

Sons of Pitches

Balls of Steel

Suck My Kick

Blue Ballers

SCK FALL '11 LEAGUE FORMAT

2011-07-18T19:14:00.002-06:00

Sun City Kickball will feature 21 teams for the Fall 2011 Season. These 21 teams have been separated into 3 divisions with 7 teams in each division. The teams in each division have been grouped by skill set, experience, and winning consistency. The three divisions will be:

Mountain Star Division - which represents the highest level of skill

Sunrise Division - which represents a moderate level of skill

WRECK Division - which represents a beginner to lower level of skill

The post-season will consist of a 14 team playoff. Since the divisions vary in skill levels, higher divisions will be awarded more playoff bids than lower divisions.

The Mountain Star Division will receive 6 playoff bids, ranked from the #1 Seed (1st Place in the division) to the #6 Seed (6th Place in the division). The 7th place finisher will have to play-in to the playoffs against the 6th place finisher in the Sunrise Division.

The Sunrise Division will receive 5 playoff bids, ranked from the #7 Seed (1st Place in the division) to the #11 Seed (5th place in the division). The 6th place finisher will have to play-in to the playoffs against the 7th place finisher in the Mountain Star Division, for the 12th Seed.

The WRECK Divisions will receive 2 playoff bids, ranked from the #13 Seed (1st place in the division) to the #14 Seed (2nd place in the division).

At the end of each season. the 2 last place teams in each division will move down into the next lower division and the 2 top finishers in each group will be invited into the next highest division.

Good Luck Kickballers and Happy Kicking

Kickball D-DAY Plus 1

2011-06-15T23:03:00.000-06:00

And so the kickball invasion begins...

8 brave kickball armies have enlisted for an 8-week war that will determine which team has what it takes to become a Turf War Titan. Some of the participating teams are hardened kickball veterans while others are kickball privates fresh out of boot-camp. Will the veterans litter the fields with the tattered bodies of the unsuspecting rookies? Or will these new kickballers surprise the kickball elite? Well we are about to find out. Here is some intel on the teams competing:

Kicking While Intoxicated: KWI is the Blackwater of SCK's Turf Wars. This group of elite kickballers, were hand-picked to doing nothing more than destroy the competition. They are kickball mercenaries, plain and simple. They have undoubtedly the best roster of talent from top to bottom. Unfortunately all this talent will be useless without some chemistry.They already dropped their first game of the season to the always dangerous, Kicking & Screaming (A.K.A Balls to the Wall). It's already not looking good.

Kicking & Screaming: Already after one week of kickball, K&S is considered to be the front winner to win the Turf War title. They are by far the most experienced kickball team in town. You can credit multiple titles to this team. They own rights to 2 SCK - King of Kickball titles, as well as 2 State Kickball Championships, and are currently in contention for a national title coming up in Oct. for the Kickball 365 Circuit Cup. If you don't recognize the name, you might recognize one of the other names they play under: Dazed & Confused, Confused Kixxx, and Balls to the Wall. Although there are some small personnel changes and variations between the three different "teams", at its heart, it is in essence the same team.

Kick N Da Brown Chicken: SCK regulars will have no problem figuring out what two teams combined to make this strange kickball sandwich. The young kiddos of Kick N Da Balls combined with Brown Chicken Brown Cow to make a run for the Turf War title. Their 1st Week game against a short handed I'd Hit It squad was an absolute shoot-out. KNDBC had plenty of offense but unfortunately had ZERO defense. Which was heartbreaking considering they battled back during the 5th, only to lose their lead during the very next inning. The final was a barn burning 14-11 score, in favor of I'd Hit It.

Chiles Y Chilindrinas: Of the two rookie teams, C&C seems to be the more promising contender. Their Week 1 match-up consisted of them playing their rookie counter-parts, the Dodgers. Although C&C won their game by a very small margin ( 4-3), it seemed as if though they were really getting into the strategy of the game. The team was working on hammering out all the small little kickball details that makes any aspiring team a dedicated contender. Keep an eye on these kickballers.

Chupacabrones: They are another experience team and have been around the game for a long while. This team own rights to an SCK-King of Kickball title, as well as 2 State Championships that they won in combined team with Kicking & Screaming. The only problem is for the Turf War season, they will be playing short-handed, which may or may not be so much of a problem after all. Even with only 8 players, Chupa looked strong against a fumbling-stumbling Party Panda posse. Although Chupa has many of their strongest players, I'm sure Coach Vinny T had his entire kickballer arsenal at his disposal.

Dodgers: The other rookie team competing this season is team Dodgers. First and foremost, they already broke a cardinal kickball rule....and that is come up with a good kickball name or at the very least TRY to come up with a more imaginative name. But all kidding aside, this team is full of bunch of good folks looking to have a good time. They truly look like family out there.

I'd Hit It : Most recently I'd Hit It has decided to step out into the national kickball circuit. They are trying their hand at competing against some of the top kickball teams in the country. The Turf War season will act as this team's dress rehearsal for the much anticipated Kickball 365 Circuit Cup Championship in Las Vegas, to be held in October. I'd Hit It will be looking to put in some much needed time on the grass in preparation for their journey to Vegas. After Week 1, things are looking good as they had to problem on the offensive side of the ball by scoring 14 runs. Even though they allowed 11 runs to come in, they had to battle back to earn their win and that's where it counts.

Party Pandas: Well...the name says it all. They are pandas, who like to party. Chances are if they would stop rolling around in the grass and quit trying to eat it, they might be able to pick up a couple of wins. Oh! and they love hugs. So don't be afraid give them a big cuddly hug and feed them some bamboo.

D-DAY - TURF WAR

2011-06-12T20:53:00.000-06:00

We are T-Minus 2 Days until SCK's first ever kickball wargames begin. This mini-summer season came as a surprise to most kickballers, almost as a bomb out of the sky. SCK's Turf War is designed to prep El Paso's teams for out of town competition, whose games are primarily played on grass fields. The field of teams was limited to 8 teams as this mini season is a trial run for possible future Turf War events.

Turf Wars will feature a handful of "new" rules, again primarily used in out of town tourneys, specifically Kickball 365 Circuit Cup Events. Adding a sprinkling of these rules to the current SCK Rulebook regimen should give kickballers a taste of what kind of competition they will see out of town.

Here are the feature Kickball 365 Rules we will be using for the Turf War Season. We will use the SCK Rulebook, with the following posted additions,

#1 Games will consist of six (6) innings; if time permits

#2 There is no “mercy rule” - (see SCK Mercy Rule)

#3 Any count of three (3) Fouls is an out.

#4 Level II (“Two-Bounce”): A pitched ball must touch the ground at least twice prior

to reaching the front of the plate. If the second bounce is on the plate, the pitch is a ball.

#5 Strike Zone: Width – 1’ to each side of, and including home plate

Height – 1’, from the bottom of the ball, on the bounce that

gets the pitch to or through the strike zone

#6 All legal kicks must: Be made below the waist;

#7 An Overthrow allows Baserunners to advance up to one (1) base beyond the base they were running toward when the ball traveled into foul territory.

#8 Games will not end in a tie. If a game is tied after 6 innings or the allowed time has expired; Teams will enter a tie-breaker. The Home Team we choose either the Accuracy Kick tie breaker or the Longest Kick tie breaker.

Accuracy Kick- Each team will select a kicker from their own team and a pitcher from their own team to execute the accuracy kick. Each team will have one pitch and one kick to get the ball as close to 2nd base as possible. A foul ball will be considered a fault. If both teams fault, the kicking attempts will be tried again. The ball must come to a rest before it can be marked. The Head Umpire will determine the winner. Away team will attempt the kick first.

Longest Kick- Each team will select a kicker from their own team and a pitcher from their own team to execute the longest kick. Each team will have one pitch and one kick to get the ball as far as possible. The ball must be ruled a fair ball and then marked at its resting position. A foul ball is considered a fault. If both teams fault, the attempts will be made again. The Head Umpire will determine the winner. Away team will attempt the kick first.

Its Just Kickball Gear Coming Soon

2011-06-05T19:52:00.001-06:00

Results: T.A.A.F. Adult Co-Ed State Kickball Tournament

2011-06-05T19:47:00.000-06:00

Confused Kixxx did it again!! Putting Chuco Town Kickballers on the map by winning the Texas State Kickball Championship!! Congrats! Unfortunately there is no play by play, because I wasn't in attendance, but here are the final day results to give you an idea of how they did.

Here are the final day results:

Game 1
Confused kixxx 16
A Team - 1

Game 2

San Antonio loaded 7 

Confused kixxx 3

Game 3

Confused kixxx 4

Ep Sherlock homies (Epk Team) 0

Game 4

Confused kixxx 7

Victoria most hated 6

Game 5

Confused kixxx 9

San Antonio rings around uranus 8

Game 6

Confused kixxx 4

San Antonio loaded 3

State Championship Game

Confused kixxx 5

San Antonio loaded 3

T.A.A.F. Adult Co-Ed State Kickball Tournament

2011-06-04T13:21:00.000-06:00

Confused Kixxx is out doin what they do, winning kickball championships and representing Chuco Town. They are currently at the T.A.A.F. Adult Co-Ed State Kickball Tournament. Won their 1st game 16-1, moving onto their next game. IJK will keep all the el paso kickballers up to date on the results.

Lone Star Kickball Open

2011-06-01T21:56:00.000-06:00

The International Kickball Federation will be hosting the Lone Star Kickball Open, Saturday, August 20th in Austin, TX. Teams from all over the nation will be invited, as well as local and statewide teams. Social and competitive teams are welcome.

The tournament weekend will also include social events in downtown Austin for players and visitors. The La Quinta will be the official host hotel has provided special rates. It is located in the downtown area and offers a special rate of $99/room for all attendees (details below).

Cash prizes will be awarded to the top finishers in the tournament.
A minimum cash pot of over $7000 will be awarded if we reach tournament capacity.

Team Registration Opens June 6th
The per team fee is $450
A $100 non-refundable deposit will secure your spot in the tournament.

www.lonestarkickball.eventbrite.com

Host Hotel:
La Quinta Austin Capitol ** 300 East 11th St. Austin, TX 78701 ** 512-476-1166

To book mention “Kickball Tournament” Group 0907GRLVPZ
-rooms rates & availability are first come first serve, call early to reserve
-$99/room: two double beds - lowest hotel overnight parking
-easily walk to the 6th Street entertainment district
-free breakfast

Playing Field Location:
Northeast Metropolitan Park

Social Events:
Friday Eve - Meet & Greet @ Buffalo Billiards (6th street, downtown area)
Saturday Night - After Party @ Paradise Cafe (6th street, downtown area)

Charity:
The IKF will be proudly donating a portion of the proceeds from the games and events to this very special cause.
We strongly encourage you to visit their website and make an additional donation on your own
"For Every Child" www.hopetotes.org

Questions/Commentsinfo@theikf.com

SCK Turf War

2011-05-30T16:26:00.000-06:00

Make sure to check with your coach before registering....

Here is the link...

http://www.active.com/more-sports-league/el-paso-tx/sun-city-kickball-summer-turf-war-2011

2011 Spring SCK All-King of Kickball Team

2011-05-24T19:07:00.000-06:00

Written by: Newton's Flaw

28 teams and 411 registered players are numbers that not only dwarf previous kickball seasons but also speak of an emerging culture that might still seem silly for other athletes in this city. We all play for different reasons, but when it was time for every player to kick, run, catch, or throw everyone tried to do well. Each catch, each successful kick, and each run was a personal victory just as it was a team improvement. Some celebrated with high fives, others when getting on base acted as if they had just been called on down to participate in the Price Is Right waving gleefully from base to a roaring crowd back in the dugout. As the season progressed so did many players’ skills. Each team had their MVPs or a set of players who performed at a higher level than those around them. Unfortunately, many of these players will not be recognized outside of their teams but I hope this does not discourage your future efforts. An attempt was made to acknowledge these players, but I was unsuccessful.

As the regular season came to a close, and I had all but accepted my futile attempt to validate the A-list of kickball’s finest, a coach encouraged me that the idea was not totally lost. He reminded me that the best games were still ahead and that the remaining teams had plenty of talent to choose from. He even offered to help scout. The following list is what I am considering the 2011 Spring SCK All-King of Kickball Team.

There were plenty of performances that are worthy of being mentioned, but here are just a few. For example, Domingo Gonzalez’s towering homerun over the Shocker’s outfield that set the pace for control of the game. Eddie Lucero’s grand slam gave the lead to Id Hit It vs Vicious & Delicious. Alex Merjil’s, Hugo Navarro’s, and Calvin Bell’s offensive consistency made their transition from kickers to base runners to scorers almost automatic. Nadia Morales’s sliding catch vs Drunken Monkeys should have been an RBI and a tie score, but instead ended the inning bringing the Balls & Dolls 3 outs away from the semifinals. David ‘Domino’ Fernandez’s defensive performance vs the Chupacabrones where he literally covered half the field was to be the tournaments best defensive performance if it wasn’t for the Balls to the Wall overall team dominance led by pitcher Rick Delgadillo and catcher Marco Gallegos who only allowed 1 run during the entire playoff run.

2011 Spring SCK All-King of Kickball Team

Rick Delgadillo – Balls to the Wall

Marco Gallegos – Balls to the Wall

Kelsey Masters – Balls to the Wall

Alex Merjil – Balls to the Wall

Nadia Morales – Balls & Dolls

Johnny Fuentes – Balls & Dolls

Hugo Navarro – Balls & Dolls

Calvin Bell – Shockers

Anthony Tuialuuluu – Shockers

Frances Ortiz – Thundercats

Ruben Jimenez – Thundercats

Honorable Mentions

David Fernandez- New Kicks on the Block

Reid Hanson – Drunken Monkeys

Domingo Gonzalez – Billy Badasses

Eddie Lucero – I’d Hit It

3rd baseman (#22?) – The Runs

Just Desert

2011-05-23T21:15:00.002-06:00

It's been called to my attention, and rightly so, that It's Just Kickball did not do its due diligence and give Balls to the Wall enough credit for their great accomplishment in becoming this season's King of Kickball. I have to admit that the post from Hugo 69 was right, we should give credit where credit is due.

Before the Spring '11 King of Kickball tourney, IJK made a huge emphasis on how big this season's title would be for any of the kickball teams. This was the biggest kickball season El Paso has ever seen. The league was stacked with 28 teams, featuring the best kickball talent in town. Any team worth a lick was playing in Sun City Kickball's spring season. This season eliminates any doubt on who the best kickball team in El Paso is. The answer simply is Balls to the Wall.

Now I know the kickballers are wondering, "Why did it take so long for IJK to acknowledge Balls to the Wall's accomplishment?" I wish I had a simple answer, but there is none. It had nothing to do with "being bitter." Seasons come and seasons go. Teams win, teams lose, and the world keeps turning. In all honest I wasn't sure on what to say.

The simple fact is this...the Balls to the Wall deserve all the credit in the world. They are, in fact, the Kings of Kickball. There is no denying them that. I will be the first person to say that isn't fair to the rest of the Balls to the Wall players. I know many of them personally and they are all awesome folks. They deserve all the credit in the world. They've earned it.

A big congrats goes out to...

Lee Anaya, Roberto Duarte, Rocio Gutierrez, Philip Hewlen, Manny Jimenez, Luis Luna, Kelsey Masters, Alex Merjil, Rocio Sandoval, Jessica Urbina, Albert Villegas

Much deserved = )

It's Just Kickball Awards

2011-05-22T19:54:00.000-06:00

The It's Just Kickballl awards are designed to award recognition to those certain special kickballers who make kickball what it is...a fun pastime to be shared with friends and encourage the joy of camaraderie that is found in competition

Coach of the Season - This is awarded to the coach who makes the most impact on their team throughout the season. Not only in competition, but the commitment they make to ensure all their players enjoy the game of kickball and exemplify good sportsmanship on and off the field.

The Snail! - This is awarded to the player who personifies the game of kickball. A person who shows the fun that can be found in kickball, be it on the field or off.

This season's IJK Coach of the Season was the most difficult by far. Although there were many great candidates to choose from, success in competition is not the only consideration that earns a coach this award. Good sportsmanship is also a huge factor. For putting to bed all the misconceptions about his team and having an awesome SCK inaugural season, not to mention always being the voice of reason within his team, this season award winner is...

Damian Lamas of the Thundecats. No solo pic available, but he is in the very top of this one. dude with the cap.

This season's Snail! Award was the easiest by far... I'd Hit It's
own Lucas Quimiro

Legitimacy

2011-05-22T19:14:00.001-06:00

This Spring 2011 King of Kickball tourney was held this past Saturday, while the end result of Balls to the Wall winning the title was pretty much expected, the real story came from the unexpected results. Balls to the Wall's opponent in the championship game was none other than the now legitimate Balls & Dolls.

The Balls & Dolls kickball squad has been around since the inception of SCK. The team has always consisted of the same kickballers who joined up during those early days of SCK. The Bs & Ds never go out and actively recruit kickballers like many other teams do. They strictly work with the players that they have. They practice, they work hard, and dedicate themselves to getting better each season.

The Balls & Dolls' biggest criticism , according to the Angry Umpire, is "they think they are better than they actually are." Well it looks like he is going to have to eat his own words, because it turns out the Bs & Ds are the real deal. During the King of Kickball tourney, they found themselves having to take down not one, but two, kickball juggernauts.

The first dragon they had to slay came in the form of a Drunken Monkey. Which they were able to defeat with a close 3-2 final score. Needless to say the Drunken Monkeyz were absolutely stunned.

Not too long after dropping the Monkeyz, the Balls and Dolls had to then face their long time nemesis, the mighty mighty Shockers. Both these teams respect each other highly; however in their 5 season rivalry, the Shockers have defeated the Bs&Ds everytime they've met. It has been a very lopsided rivalry to say the least. But after seasons and seasons of trying, the Balls and Dolls finally got their sweet justice as they eliminated the Shockers from the tourney, like the Shockers had done to them so many times before.

I had a chance to speak with Coach T from the Shockers and this is what he had to say...

Video Courtesy of Calvin Bell

The day was bitter sweet for the Balls & Dolls as they fell short of their ultimate goal of becoming the new Kings of Kickball. However let there be know mistaking it now, the Balls & Dolls are a force to be reckoned with...

Spring 2011 King of Kickball Champions

2011-05-22T17:54:00.000-06:00

Congratulations to Balls to the Wall for running wire to wire this season and become the Spring 2011 King of Kickball Champs!

Short Handed

2011-05-20T12:39:00.000-06:00

Written by: Jameson "The Angry Umpire" Vargas

If you lose to a team with a pregnant player in their line-up, does it really count? It’s kind of like if a tree falls in the forest and there’s no one around to hear it, does it make a sound? I bet the Chupacabrones wish that it didn’t count because that is exactly what happened.

Before the game started I could see Coach Domino pacing back and forth working up a heavy sweat. He was short a female player and didn’t know what to do. Lucky for him Tuia his, guardian angel, decided to butt in and suggested that he have his pregnant cousin just stand in the outfield somewhere out of the way. Unfortunately for the ‘Cabrones that was the beginning of the end.

The game was close thru out, but it always seemed the New Kicks on the Block had this game on lock down. Mr. All World had the entire right side of the field covered, so there was no way the Chupas’ were ever going to score on that side of the field. It was definitely a sight to behold. Even thought the final score was only 3-0, it might as well have been 10-0. And if losing to a team that has a women that could go into labor at any moment wasn’t enough, I’m pretty sure the Chupacabrones must be fuming at the fact that the New Kicks won’t be able to field a full squad on Saturday and will give the Thunderkitties a free pass to the semifinals. Talk about adding injury to insult! Good luck to all the teams that are still in the hunt for the crown, the Shockacabrones will cheer you all on from the stands.

Strike 3 Im Out

Billy Bad Ass Kryptonite

2011-05-19T22:54:00.001-06:00

I hate to be the one who said I told you so, but...I told you so! It's been obvious for a couple of seasons now that the once mighty Shockers have been on a steady decline. After winning two back-to-back championships in SCK's first two seasons, the Shockers have done very little in recent seasons to contend for a championship title.

Yes, they've never had a losing season. Yes, they went undefeated this spring season. Are they considered to be one of the better SCK teams? Of course! But what good is all that when it's obvious they can't contend for a title anymore. At this point it is safe to say Coach Tuialuuluu needs to head back to the drawing board.

I can say with some certainty that a 1st Round tourney loss is the last thing Coach T or any Shocker was prepared for. Considering the Shockers usually go deep into the play-offs. A semi-final loss is a lot easier to choke down than a pitiful 1st Round loss. The last two previous seasons, the Drunken Monkeyz had been the ones kicking the Shockers out of the championship tree. Now it is very interesting to see that the mighty mighty Shockers have found a new kryptonite in the Billy Bad Asses.

The Billy Bad Asses have done two major things on the Shocker decline timeline.

#1 : During their first big upset, they should that it doesn't take a big time kickball juggernaut to take down the Shockers. They aren't invincible. They do bleed.

#2: With this most recent upset, they have proven that the Shockers are in fact on the decline.

Now the question is where do the Shockers go from here. Do they need to rebuild? Was this season just a fluke? Will they split up? I honestly don't know, but it will be interesting to find out.

For the time being, IJK will bust out the ladder, climb up, and take down the Shocker's letters from the Grand Ol' Marque. Maybe next season Shockers

The Great Equalizer

2011-05-19T18:35:00.000-06:00

So far the Spring 2011 King of Kickball tourney has been the most historic in SCK history. Not only were two heavily favored teams knocked out of the tourney during the 1st round, but an epic 9 inning game was played, which is the 2nd longest game ever played in league history. In my opinion, most of that is credited to the great equalizer, El Paso's southwest desert wind. Teams not only had to battle each other, but also contest with 40mph wind gusts. Most kickball squads have established, dedicated kickball strategies, but any plans made for Wednesday night quickly flew out the window, literally.

The result from the Balls to the Wall v.s. Kick N Da Balls was not only predicted, it was expected. Balls to the Wall rolled right over Kick N Da Balls. It was quite sad really, because you could tell that KNDB went into that game expecting to lose. As soon as the first runs were scored against them, KNDB packed it up mentally, emotionally, and physically. Zero heart. That team's talent was squandered, very unfortunate. By winning, Balls to the Wall moves on to play The Runs in Round 2. Although The Runs are a very solid squad, do not expect them to keep up with B.W.

The Runs played and won an epic Round 1 game against 99 Problems. As predicted, both these teams were evenly matched which resulted in a back-breaking 9 innings of play. The Runs had to battle back three separate times to earn a well deserved Round 2 appearance. However their Round 2 appearance is against an absolute kickball monster. Unless The Runs play a perfect Round 2 match this may be the end of the road for them.

The Thundercats nuked No More Heroes 12-2. There is not much to say when a team thoroughly ass whoops another team like that, other than it looks like the Thunrderkitties are primed for a run at the King of Kickball crown.

The Angry Umpire will have the scoop on the Chupacabrones v.s. New Kicks on the Block bout.

The Drunken Monkeyz squeezed past 2 Legit 2 Kick to advance on over to Round 2. A Monkey victory was achieved by a small score of 4-0. The Drunken Monkeyz, aka "The Machine", live and die by the 8-Player defense. So far this strategy has been producing wins, let's see if it can continue you to take them all the way to the throne.

The Balls & Dolls made quick work of Brown Chicken Brown Cow with a final score of 5-0. This win earns them a re-match against the Drunken Monkeyz, who narrowly beat the Bs&Ds during regular season play and earned the Monkeyz a divisions championship. But SCKers don't hang their hats on division championships, every kickballer strives to be league champs. Huge Round 2 bout right here...

I'd Hit It and Vicious & Delicious went toe-to-toe and exchanged punches all night long. Final score was a nail biting 9-8, I'd Hit It advantage. I'd Hit It got a ton of IJK love early on in the season. However many kickballers took offense to that, I have no idea why... All I can say is SCOREBOARD! They are making a run at the title just as IJK predicted.

SHOCKERS...Shockers....shockers???? Ha. Billy Bad Asses take down the big bad scary Shockers. Believe it. Final score 6-2.

2011 King of Kickball is Here!!! Part 2

2011-05-16T21:16:00.000-06:00

And now we continue with the other side of the Spring '11 King of Kickball Bracket...

Interestingly the left side of the bracket seems to have the tougher head-to-head match-ups. Match-up #1 features the odds on favorite to win the entire tourney, Balls to the Wall. Balls to the Wall is easily the scariest team to have to face. Not only because most teams are afraid that the Balls to the Wall will eat their children, but they have arguably the most talented and experienced roster in the league. Their rosters sports tons of kickball experience, they can play on grass or on the diamond, on either surface they put up win after win. They have a bunch of kickball experience and know how to use it to their full advantage. Their Round 1 match-up will be against the #16 Play-In winner Kick N Da Balls.

Unfortunately for the Kick N Da Balls their chances of winning against the powerhouse Balls to the Wall is VERY unlikely. Which is unfortunate, because Kick N Da Balls has all the talent and pieces to be a true contender. They problem is they just don't have the knowledge and experience to take full advantage of their talent. Coach Tiger Pride is counting on his weekly scrimmages against the very same, Balls to the Wall, to give him some sort of edge in this game. However this is a two way street, as the Balls to the Wall are also comfortable playing KNDB and know exactly how to put them away.

Match-up #2 is definitely a must see. This game between #8 99 Problems but A Pitch Ain't One and #9 The Runs should be an evenly contested bout. Both teams finished with 6-2 records; however the Runs had considerably the harder division to compete in. If you were to give a slight nod to either team, it would have to go to the Runs. 99 Problems will have to heavily rely on "The Headband" to get them through this game and possibly earn them the win. Great game to watch.

Match-up #3 is the sequel to last season's Cinderella Semi-Final between then Dazed and Confused, but now Chupacabrones and the New Kicks on the Block. Most kickballers remember the infamous lights-out ending that did in the Cinderella New Kicks. The only thing that kept them from making it to their first ever Championship game were the timers on the field lights. The lights went out during the bottom of the 5th inning and with it went their hopes of the big time upset. The game was continued the following week, but it was all in vain as the momentum was just not there anymore. This season they will get another crack at the upset, although they aren't consider a Cinderella this season, they are still considered underdogs going into this match.

The Chupacabrones are a prime contender for this season's King of Kickball tourney. Another talented team from head to toe. "The Young Guns", the dynamic threesome of Mike, Pipi, and Raul, are the heart and soul of this team. They dictate the pace of the game and when they play solid, they can't be stopped. New Kicks will be have their hands full with these three guys.

Match-up #4 between the #4 Thundercats and #13 No More Heroes should go to the Thunderkitties. The Thundercats were the pre-season's most hyped team, but after a season opening tie followed by an immediate Week 2 loss, this team was left for dead. That was until they took down the big time Chupacabrones. Not only are they back in the King of Kickball conversation, but some kickballers feel this team has what it takes to win it all. They are definitely on the radar.

No More Heroes have been too hit or miss this season to even consider pulling off the big win against the Thundercats. NMH is a solid team, but they just don't have the arsenal to keep up with the kitties. Maybe they will surprise us all, but I wouldn't count on it.

It almost Wednesday.......

Say It Ain't So!!

2011-05-16T19:41:00.001-06:00

Written by: Jameson "The Angry Umpire" Vargas

Sad sack of monkey poop is the best way to describe the Drunkeyz current state of affairs. The once beloved champions have fallen on hard times. They use to be the peoples champ! But when you start pounding the cupcake teams like your making tortillas and you struggle against lesser competition, people are going to start to talk.

What elite team beats the Balls n Dolls 1-0? The Monkeyz do. That game should have been more like a merry-go-round for them. That uninspiring victory capped off a rather up and down season for them.

From the very beginning of their campaign I heard rumblings about them "paying" for a certain player new to their team. The Machine wouldn’t and didn’t need to do such a thing, so I blew it off as a rumor and innuendo and continued on my merry way. Much to my surprise, a few weeks later, I heard the exact same sentence coming from a different individual. Really?? “No way,” I can remember thinking. I threw the vicious rumor by the way side again. But for the third time during this Spring SCK season, I heard the malicious gossip being spouted from a third person that is extremely close to whole situation. I couldn’t believe my ears! Was Coach Reid really this desperate to get back on top of the kickball heap or was this nothing more than an elaborate hoax to stain the once honorable Monkey name???

I know everyone’s favorite primate is super competitive, but to go to that extent would be totally baffle-ling to me. Don’t get me wrong, if there was ever a player to be paid for, they sure picked the best one to invest their pennies in. Mr. Pitcher is awesome by all accounts and if it wasn’t for him the Monkeyz would definitely sport a couple of L’s this season.

Is Breid that desperate for one last hurrah that they’d stoop to the lowest of all lows? I honestly can’t say for sure. But where there is smoke there’s fire. Will their alleged investment pay off?? They better hope so because I hear that Mr. Pitcher is a free agent next season and looking to sign with a new team.

Strike 3 Im out

*Editors Note* - Please note that the Drunken Monkeyz have continuously denied claims that any new players or any existing players have their player fees paid for by the coach or the team. Their statement has been that these allegations are false, unfounded, and are downright lies.

2011 King of Kickball is Here!!! Part 1

2011-05-15T23:04:00.000-06:00

This is it! The moment we have all been waiting for. It is time to find out who will be crowned the King of Kickball for Spring 2011. The Spring Season featured 28 teams vying for the title to be the best kickball team in the Southwest. This was SCK's biggest season yet and the biggest field of teams El Paso has ever seen. The season featured the best kickball talent around. Whoever comes out will also have exclusive bragging rights for clawing their way through a record amount of teams. Very exciting stuff kickballers!!!

Now let's look at the brackets!

Match-up #1 between the #2 Drunken Monkeyz and #15 2 Legit 2 Kick is an easy pick. You can basically chalk this game up as a tune up game for the Monkeyz. Although 2 Legit 2 Kick deserves a ton of credit for being the only true rookie team to make it into the King of Kickball tourney. Unfortunately they haven't acquired the skill set or experience yet to take down the veteran Drunken Monkeyz.

Match-up #2 between the #7 Balls & Dolls and #10 Brown Chicken Brown Cow should easily go to the Balls & Dolls. Brown Chicken Brown Cow was consistently in the IJK Top Ten; however they faltered near the end of the season and inched into the tourney with an At-Large bid. Don't plan on them taking down the ambitious Bs&Ds. Instead plan on seeing a Round 2 re-match between the Drunken Monkeyz and the Balls & Dolls.

For Match-up #3 you have to tip the scales in #6 I'd Hit It's favor. #11 Vicious and Delicious had an excellent come-back season, finishing with a 5-3 record. The only thing that plagues this team is their suspect team roster and kicking order. After being DQ'd from the Spring '10 King of Kickball for trying to play un-registered players, my advice to any team is to keep an eye out. It's unfortunate to even have to say that but...it is what it is.

Match-up #4 is the most interesting by far, the #3 Shockers used to be the villains of the league, but that title has quickly changed hands and is now owned by the Drunken Monkeyz. Once the league grew past 12 teams the Shocker's supposed impending dynasty quickly fell apart. Despite finishing the season 8-0, they have become more a mid-range team than a juggernaut. They failed beat to beat any marque teams this season, but that had more to do with the fact that they drew one of the easiest divisions, at least for their skill set. Now they are slated to play the #14 Billy Bad Asses. Coincidently the Bad Asses are best known for one of the biggest upsets in SCK history and it was against the back then unbeatable Shockers. They were the first team to show that Shockers do bleed. Will they be able to upset the Shockers again? The answer?? We are about to find out.

To be continued - Part 2 Bracket

Play-In Breakdown!

2011-05-10T23:23:00.001-06:00

Before we head into the Spring '11 King of Kickball tourney, there is one loose end we need to tie up. Who will be the #15 and #16 seeds. Play-In Week will give 14 teams one more chance to prove they have what it takes to compete for a championship title.

2Legit 2Kick and the Hash House Harriers are the odds on favorite to win the first side of the bracket. Pitch, Please, as well as Hung Jury have already decided to bow out of the play-in. Both teams victims of either the early 6:30pm time situation or the motivation to continue competing. The Mataconchas also may have a chance at earning the tourney spot but unfortunately they would have to get through both the Hash House Harriers and 2Legit 2Kick, not likely.

On the 2nd bracket, Kick N Da Balls should be a shoe in to win this side of the bracket. Although One More Shot could make a run at the bid also. Betting money should go on Kick N Da Balls, but if for some reason One More Shot gets through KNDB, they spot will be easily theirs.

Either way, the Play-In is a bit of a novelty because the winners of these play-in spots will win a date with either #1 Balls to the Wall or #2 Drunken Monkeyz. Something tells me that if your team is having to play-in to the King of Kickball tourney, your odds of beating either Balls to the Wall or the Drunken Monkeyz is slim to none.

However the chance to play one last kickball is always more than enough to put that effort forward to win a game.

Happy Kicking and Good Luck

King of Kickball Spring 2011 Player Predictions

2011-05-09T22:17:00.000-06:00

King of Kickball Seedings Released!

2011-05-05T22:54:00.001-06:00

The seedings for the King of Kickball Tourney have been released. After Play-In Week, seeds #15 and #16 will be decided and we can get down to business!

Balls to the Wall
Drunken Monkeyz
Shockers
Thundercatz
Chupacabrones
I'd Hit It
Balls & Dolls
99 Problems But a Pitch Ain't One
The Runs
Brown Chicken Brown Cow
Vicious & Delicious
New Kicks on the Block
No More Heroes
Billy Bad Asses
?????? Play In Winner
?????? Play In Winner

Complete bracket can be downloaded at www.SunCityKickball.com or Download SCK Tournament Bracket

Must See KB!

2011-05-03T23:58:00.000-06:00

Any Given Wednesday! This is the last chance for many teams to gain some much needed momentum before heading into the play-in tourney. After the quick Play-In Week, we proceed into the much anticipated King of Kickball tourney.

The automatic bids for the Castner Division are a done deal. Balls to the Wall, I'd Hit It, and New Kicks on the Block have all earned tourney bids. However interestingly Balls to the Wall and New Kicks on the Block are matched up this week and this game should be a good one to go check out.

New Kicks were the Cinderella team from last season. The only thing that kept them from making it to their first ever Championship game were the timers on the field lights. The lights went out during the bottom of the 5th inning and with it went their hopes of the big time upset against juggernaut Dazed & Confused. The game was continued the following week, but it was all in vain as the momentum was just not there anymore. Their game against Balls to the Wall should be a good indicator of how they will fair in the championship tourney.

The automatic bids for the Border Divisions are already spoken for also. The teams earning automatic bids are the Drunken Monkeyz, Balls & Dolls, and the Billy Bad Asses. Again coincidently, there is an interesting match-up between the Drunken Monkeyz v.s. Balls & Dolls. Although both these teams have earned their tourney bids expect this one to be a tough hard bout.

The Balls & Dolls are undoubtedly a very good franchise team; however their claim to fame is they struggle against big name, big time teams. Which is odd, because in the grand scheme of things they are considered a big name team. They are able to demolish the cupcake teams, inch past the mid-range teams, but unfortunately collapse against the juggernaut teams. A big win against the Monkeyz would put some wind in their sails as we head into the playoffs. This game will be a bench mark for both teams. Which team has what it takes to be the King of Kickball?

The Red Bluff Division has an interesting scenario. So far the Thundercats are in, automatic bid #1 off the table. However the next two automatic bids are a little trickier. I'm not even going to go into detail breaking this one down. I'm sure someone will sort it all out. What I do know is, the Chupacabrones, the Runs, and No More Heroes are in the mix for the last two automatic bids.

No More Heroes is slated against the Chupacabrones. NMH absolutely needs to win for a chance at the automatic bid. By the grace of God, if they do win and the Runs miraculously lose against Where My Pitches At (which is not going to happen - trust me) they should get an automatic bid with Chupacabrones. HOWEVER if NMH wins against Chupa and the Runs also win...then it becomes a little bit more complicated. By best estimations, if that scenario happens, then NMH and Chupa are still in- unless the Runs score 17+ points to push them ahead in the differential. Like I said....I don't know...Either way Chupacabrones have the big edge in this game and a win would shut down these scenarios quick.

Lastly, the first 2 automatic bids for the Frontera Division go to the Villainous Shockers and Vicious "Is that guy on their team?" Delicious. The #3 bid is up for grabs in true play off fashion. 99 Problems v.s Kick in the Balls are competing for one of the last seats on the Tourney train. It all comes down to "Win and you're in!" Short and sweet.

Kick N Da Balls is much improved from last season. This team had been plagued by organization, they had none. They have always had the skills and players to be a contender. They just could never put it together. Now KNDB seems to be getting into the swing of things. Big game and they need a big win.

However I have to concede that 99 Problems is the favorite going into this game. Frankly it is their game to win or lose. They need to WANT it. This team is a made up of a great bunch of folks, but I often feel like they don't have that killer instinct. That desperation to win at all cost. Unfortunately that is what separates the King of Kickball from all the rest. You got to want it!

Good Luck to all the teams!

Happy Kicking!

Want it!

Practicing for some Drunken Monkey Ass

2011-05-03T00:38:00.000-06:00

Dazed & Confused Playing in - Kickball 4 the Kids Tourney

2011-04-30T18:54:00.002-06:00

Video streaming by Ustream

Kickball 4 The Kids - Final Tourney Update!

2011-04-30T12:56:00.002-06:00

The Kickball 4 the Kids Tourney is done and in the books. Both El Paso teams, I'd Hit It and Dazed & Confused represented well! They showed kickballers across the country that El Chuco Town has some mad crazy kickball skillz.

Dazed & Confused was able to make all the way to the semi-finals, but fell short. I'd Hit It also did well by making it all the way into Round 2 of the single elimination portion of the tourney. Awesome job to all the kickballers! We'll get em next year!

Dazed & Confused

First Game Results:

Drunk Again and Looking to Score - 0

Dazed and Confused - 7

Second Game Results:

Business Formal - 3

Dazed & Confused - 5

Third Game Results:

Dollar Bill - 0

Dazed & Confused - 16

1st Round Game:
Balls & Purses: 0
Dazed & Confused: 12

2nd Round Game:
GlowKickball.Com: 6
Dazed & Confused: 12

Semi-Final Game:
Sofa King Good: 15
Dazed & Confused: 3

I'd Hit It

First Game Results:

??????????? - Forfeit

I'd Hit It - Win

Second Game Results:

Brews on First - 0

I'd Hit It - 10

Third Game Results:

?????: - ?

I'd Hit It - ?

Round 1 Game:
????????? - 1
I'd Hit It - 12

Round 2 Game:
???????? - 3
I'd Hit It - 0

Team I'd Hit It - Playing in Kickball 4 the Kids Tourney!

2011-04-30T11:05:00.003-06:00

Video streaming by Ustream

Video streaming by Ustream

No Soup For You!

2011-04-30T00:20:00.001-06:00

Chapter 1:
Big time, big name games have been scarce the past couple of kickball weeks. But kickballers don't despair, with SCK heading into the playoffs, there will be no shortage of epic kickball action. However in the treacherous land of Nazi Kickball, there was a very interesting match-up that warrants some attention.

There are a couple of kickball mercenary death squads who are using Thursday Nights as their own personal battleground. These ambitious coaches have recruited the strongest, fastest, and slickest players available on the kickball market. They have assembled kickball juggernauts that are practically unbeatable, that is until they had to play each other.

On one side of the field were the Party Crashers. The Party Crashers are a mix and match of assorted kickball skill. They are a combination of SCK franchise teams; consisting of the Shockers, Balls & Dolls, New Kicks on the Block, and anchored by the ever dominating Drunken Monkeyz. These bands of SCK loyalists joined together to crash what is considered to be the lamest party in kickball, Thursday Nights. Last season they were very successful by winning the Thursday Night Championship in their very first attempt. Now they have returned to defend their title and it is already looking like they will again be successful in their efforts.

The only thing that stands in their way is the other mercenary kickball death squad which is known as Nexus. Other kickballers might know them as Balls to the Wall, or the other half of former champs Confused Kixxx. If you are a frequent kickball tourney player, you may even know them by Kicking and Screaming. These randoms change their name so many times its as if they had a credit problem. I like to refer to them as Rick's Henchmen. Regardless of whatever their current team name is, they are championship contenders every season, in either kickball league, and in any kickball tournament. They have multiple tourney titles, league titles, and even a handful of out-of-town tourney titles. The core of this team originates and got it's kickball start within the barren waste-land this is Thursday. However they also play on Wednesday nights under the shining rays of the SCK colors. They often consider themselves step-children within the SCK family and claim to be treated differently, because of their origins. Which I find these claims to be unfounded.

But I digress, back to the game, a new scheduling format is slating top tier teams to play each other more frequently. This resulted in the Party Crasher and Nexus meeting in Week 1- Game 1. The atmosphere seemed light at first, as if both teams were down playing the significance of this game. However under the surface the desperation of victory was apparent.

Game Summary:
1st Inning:
Nexus drew first blood and quickly scored 2 runs.

2nd Inning:
Party Crashers pushed back with 1 run, making the score 2-1 Nexus still on top.

3rd Inning:
Party Crashers put up some good defense and then went gangbusters by bringing in 4 runs.
Crashers go up 5-2

4th Inning:
Nexus made a short rally putting up 2 runs, but their attempt was futile as the Crashers came back in the bottom of the inning with 3 more runs.
Crashers 8-4

5th Inning: By this time "the 3-second fuse" delivers and totally melts down. Then the entire Nexus team quickly follows. The Party Crashers finish their beat down by padding on 2 more runs for a final score of...

Nexus: 4
Party Crashers: 10

The Dark Side

2011-04-28T23:58:00.000-06:00

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.

Edmund Burke

For every Ying there is a Yang. To have good then you must be bad. If God does exist, then the Devil must admittedly exist also. Even in the physical world, everything seems to have a polar opposite. When it comes to kickball, SCK and the Thursday Night League are each others opposing forces.

Sun City Kickball may not be El Paso's "original kickball league", but they are now undoubtedly the biggest & best kickball league in El Paso. With a monster 28 teams, compared to the minuscule 12 team Thursday league, to compare the two is not only ludicrous, it is flat out ridiculous. Frankly the proof is in the pudding. The blueprint for SCK has simply been...don't do what Thursday does.

The Thursday night league could have been and should have been one of the biggest sports leagues in El Paso. However league management has kept this league from becoming anything meaningful. Their tyrannical obsessions, arbitrary decisions, and discriminatory ways have made this league defunct.

Sadly the players are the only ones who suffer in this situation.However many players still continue to sign-up for Thursday nights, only because they love to play kickball and that is the only night that fits into their schedule. While other teams dig kickball so much they are just looking to play multiple times a week. At the point in time, the Thursday Night league is the only option for Thursday night kickball, but hopefully this won't always be the case.

To add another dimension to the blog, IJK will be following the trials and tribulations of three pieced together teams from the best and brightest SCK players, currently playing Thursday nights. It should be very interesting to see how these teams will fair. Stay Tuned!

Strike Zone

2011-04-26T22:57:00.000-06:00

Here is an informational video on the basic of the Strike Zone. However, please remember, this is a WAKA video. SCK defines the Strike Zone vertically as anything below the knee, which is way more than 1ft. Other than that, it's pretty much the same. Enjoy

Kickball Tourney Bracket Challenge

2011-04-26T22:43:00.000-06:00

Time to do kickball NCAA style! Think you know how to pick the kickball studs from the kickball duds? Enter in the It's Just Kickball Tourney Bracket Challenge! Email ItsJustKickball@gmail.com for more details!

Playoffs!

2011-04-25T20:57:00.000-06:00

Reprint: Courtesy of SunCityKickball.com - News Section

Playoffs!

On Wednesday May 11th, we will be playing the Playoff Play-In Tournament. This tournament will consist of the remaining 14 teams that did not make the SCK Spring 2011 King of Kickball Championship Tournament either as an automatic bid and or an at-large bid. The top two teams going into the Play-In tournament will have a first round bye.

The first two rounds will only be three innings long. If after these three innings the game is still tied, we will play extra innings. However, during the extra innings, the kicker who would be starting the inning will be placed on 2nd base. Therefore, the 4th and 5th (if necessary) innings will start with a runner on 2nd base.
If after 5 innings the game is still tied, the winner will be decided by Longest Kick Challenge. During this challenge, each team will choose a representative to kick the ball as far as they can. The pitcher will be from the same team. One pitch and one kick only. Foul balls and strikes count as
an attempt; the longest kick wins.

The third and final round will be a 5-inning game. Extra innings will be played as in the prior rounds. Longest Kick Challenge will be applied after the 7th inning if necessary. The winners of these two final games will advance as the #15 and #16 into the SCK Spring 2011 King of Kickball Championship Tournament. Of these two winning teams, the team with the lowest runs scored against during the play-in tournament will be advance as the #15 seed.

The first round of the SCK Spring 2011 King of Kickball Championship Tournament will begin on Wednesday May 18th. The 1st place teams from each division will make up the top four seeds of the tournament. The remaining teams will be seeded according to points, differential runs, and finally runs scored against. Games will be 5 innings and extra innings will be played if necessary. The remaining Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and Championship will be played on Saturday May 21st. Championship game will be 7 innings. Award ceremony will be held at Coconuts Bar.

Remember that during all post-season play, including Play-In tournament, there will be no Gentleman’s pitch or Challenges.

Download Play-In Tournament Bracket

Download SCK Tournament Bracket

Tidbits

2011-04-19T22:53:00.000-06:00

Scanning through Wednesday night's schedule there are some mentionable tidbits, not many, but a few.

Kick N Da Balls v.s. Mataconchas is looking to be a decent match-up. Right when you think Kick N Da Balls is getting on track, they awesomely derail into a heap of broken down wreckage. They dropped an absolute heart-breaker to Vicious & Delicious last Wednesday. Talk about choke...damn. Even after they brought in some high priced kickball consult to get them up to speed, they quickly went back to their old ways. Which is very frustrating, considering coach and team pitcher Tiger Pride FINALLY figured out how to get the ball to land within the strike zone. Well Kick N Da Balls is in for a treat Wednesday night, because the Mataconchas are no longer a push-over team.

With an even 3-0-3 record the Mataconchas are playing well. Just last week they gave the Shockers a slight scare in a very close game. I hope Kick N Da Balls is not over looking this game or they will be unpleasantly surprised....again.

Let see what else...

Balls & Dolls v.s 2Legit 2Kick may turn into a good game. If 2Legit plays some solid defense they may have a chance. The Bs&Ds are obviously not known for their offense. When facing decent to tough competition the score is usually very close. Occasionally the Balls and Dolls blow out a cupcake team, but rarely do they turn on the offensive merry-go-round with an equally level team. However if the Balls and Dolls score early and often, you may want to walk away from this one.

And....

I want to say Balls to the Wall v.s. One More Shot should be a good game, but I honestly just don't know.
One More Shot is terribly inconsistent and Balls to the Wall is ridiculously very consistent. I just feel that One More Shot may have a chance to catch Balls to the Wall sleeping, but that is probably highly unlikely. Either way my instinct says keep an eye on this one, just in case you are looking for something to watch.

Any Given Wednesday

2011-04-19T22:19:00.000-06:00

Any given Wednesday anything can happen. SCK has had it's share of unexpected upsets. My personal favorite and arguably the biggest upset was during Season 3, when the hapless Billy Bad Asses took down the once mighty Shockers. The smiles stretched across all the SCK divisions when word came down that the Bad Asses vanquished the evil Shocker Clan. It's been awhile since an upset of that magnitude has graced the fields of SCK. However some folks are making predictions that we might see one this Wednesday.

Making a prediction is a doubled edge sword, it can either make you look like a genius or at other times it can make you look like a down right fool. Personally I try to stay away from predictions, because writing checks that your ass can't cash is not only embarrassing, but can quickly damage your kickball credibility. Not that I ever had any credibility to start with or lose for that matter, but that's another story for another posting. However I'm hearing some lowly rumblings and grumbles that some kickballers are predicting an upset between the rookie Suisliders v.s. the veteran Drunken Monkeyz.

When I first I heard this prediction it took my a couple of days to stop laughing. Don't get my wrong, the Suisliders are a mighty fine rookie team. Despite having a 1-1-3 record, I've seen this team play a handful of times and they look sharp. Give them some time and trust me they are going to break some hearts in the coming seasons. However this season is not one of those seasons. Frankly the Suisliders are coming up against a monster. SCK is saturated with talented teams this season and the Drunken Monkeyz are definitely one of those teams. Maybe the Suisliders can try and keep it close, but I seriously doubt it. Word on the street is the Monkeyz don't take kindly to being challenged or called out onto the kickball field. They might be looking to make a statement this week.

I shouldn't do this, but I'll write the check. Monkeyz over Suisliders, 8-0

Wednesday Night Wrap-Up!

2011-04-14T22:02:00.001-06:00

There were some close games this past Wednesday from a couple of surprising teams. A good week of kickball indeed!

Billy Bad Asses v.s Drunken Monkeyz

After clobbering teams left and right, the Drunken Monkeyz got a big scare when they almost dropped a game to the up-and-coming Billy Bad Asses. Lucky for the Monkeyz they were able to limp of the field with a 2-1 victory. If you can call it a victory. The Monkeyz had been scoring double digits each week up until they faced the Bad Asses. Chalk it up to bad coaching, missing players, or a lack of motivation; insert excuse here. It really doesn't matter. If the Monkeyz expect to win a championship, then that just ain't going to cut it.

But in all honesty, all the credit should go out to the Billy Bad Asses. Maybe the close score was more indicative of the Bad Asses playing well than the Monkeyz playing poorly. The Bad Asses have been flying under the kickball radar for some time now. They've had three close loses and they were all to three very good teams; No More Heroes, #3 Shockers, and the most recent #2 Drunken Monkeyz. Not to mention they tied the #5 Balls & Dolls. Their two wins were against decent caliber teams, both rookie teams, but strong wins nevertheless. Will they make the playoffs? Count on it. Will they go deep into the playoffs? The odds are looking better and better. Put this team on your radar screen.

Notable Upcoming Match-ups- Drunken Monkeyz v.s Balls & Dolls

Thundercats v.s Chupacabrones

Before the season even start, the Thundercats were being hyped up as THE TEAM to beat. They were suppose to be even scarier than the #1 Balls to the Wallz. But after the first two weeks of the season, the Thunderkitties were under-performing and pretty much were left for dead. They fell completely off the kickball radar. That was until they decided to go on a 4 game winning streak including their big exclamation point win against the big time Chupacabrones. It was a tight game with a close score, 4-3 Thunrdercats on top. Now they have some momentum heading into the final three weeks of the season. Let's see if they can continue their winning streak into the playoffs.

Notable Upcoming Matchups - Chupacabrones v.s No More Heroes

Thundercats v.s The Runs

Shockers v.s. Mataconchas

Tsk...Tsk...after absolutely nuking a brand new rookie team, 24-0 during Week 1, the Shockers were all but ready to declare themselves the new Kings of Kickball. They continue to hang their hats on a back-to-back championship that they won in a league of 6 and then 12 teams. But the future is here, the leagues has 28 teams competing for the championship title. The competition level is at an all time high. I remember when the mercy rule meant you just got Shocked! Those days seem to be a thing of the past. If the Shockers want to contend, they need to show the kickball world something! Come on now...my dedication to you..

But congrats to the Mataconchas for hanging in their with the prime time Shockers. Kickball has never been so much fun! Cheers to you for showing that a team of fun loving guys and gals knows how to play some kickball!

Happy Kicking!

Tough Love

2011-04-14T22:02:00.000-06:00

Disclaimer: Sun City Kickball is, has, and will always be for each individual player. That being said, all players, coaches, and fans are each entitled to their opinion. Lucky for the Angry Umpire, I take out the soap box every once and awhile, dust it off, and let him have his fun. The following is the the opinion of the individual author and does not represent the opinions of Sun City Kickball.

Written by: James "The Angry Umpire" Vargas

Some people know where they stand from the start, whiles others bust their ass to get to the top. In the case of the Balls and Dolls, they think they’re better than they actually are. Poor saps practice their asses off and never get any better. They hustle on every play and yet it gets them nowhere.

The B&Ds are finally starting to lose it…or maybe it’s just their coach. I feel for the guy because his team will never ever be more than a stepping-stone. He’s always been a cool, calm leader, but lately this once proud captain has finally reached his boiling point. Rumor has it that his practices are so tough and unforgiving that his own sister walked out on him and temporarily quit the team. WOW!! I thought Bill Parcells was a tough coach. This guy makes him look like a prissy little schoolgirl. If that wasn’t bad enough he embarrasses his players mid game. A source that was at the game two weeks ago against the Bad Asses said he pulled his pitcher during an at kick. He was so disgusted by what he saw that he yanked the ball away from his star pitcher after only a couple of pitches and barked at him to go and play third. This pitiful soul was so dumbfounded that he walked off the field and went straight to the showers. The funny thing is that after Mr. Lombardi yanked his ace he then proceeded to walk the very next kicker. The pressure to win really has started to crack this once tough nut. He is so starved for championships that he built his own team and joined the Thursday league. At least there they know him as a winner. I hope he enjoyed it because that’s the only place he’ll ever taste the joy of being on top.

I would love to say that all of these horrible acts were his entire fault and only his fault, but I cant. If his team wouldn’t let him down each and every season, there wouldn’t be a need for him to go to those extremes. Maybe this will be the season the B&Ds finally breaks through and the happy go lucky Oscar finally returns…YEAH RIGHT!!! I have a better chance at beating Nadia in a foot race. Sorry Balls and Dolls I’d love to say maybe next season, but we all know better.

Strike 3 Im Out

Mid-Season IJK Honors

2011-04-09T22:44:00.001-06:00

Not that the hardcore teams need anymore pats on the back but....

Offensive Leaders

Ballz to the Walls (58 PTS)
Drunken Monkeyz (57 PTS)
Shockers (41 PTS)

Defensive Leaders

Ballz to the Walls (1 Run Allowed)
Shockers (2 Runs Allowed)
Drunken Monkeyz, Balls & Dolls, Chupacabrones (3 Runs Allowed)

Best Rookie Team (so far)

2Legit 2Kick

Best Sportsmanship
Where's My Pitches At?

Most Colorful Shoes

Balls to the Wall

Best Haircuts
Los Fah Qs

Best Dressed
Hash House Harriers

Hairiest Legs

The Shockers

Best Bar Representation

Royal Tenenballs

On Another Level

2011-04-07T23:29:00.000-06:00

So the Game of the Week between #1 Balls to the Wall and #6 I'd Hit It turned out be a lopsided affair. Unfortunately, as predicted, Balls to the Wall walked away big winners with a final score of 12-1. Many kickballers were hoping for a closer game, maybe even the upset, but that was not the case.

Honestly, Balls to the Wall is competing on an entirely different level than most teams in the league. The same can also be said about the Drunken Monkeyz and Chupacabrones. These three teams take kickball competition to a whole new world. The skilled players on these teams have tons more experience than the casual kickball competitor. They play in multiple leagues, participate in out-of-town tourneys, as well as in- town tourneys. Not only that but they have many, many kickball seasons under their belts. These guys and gals live, breath, sleep, eat, shit, sweat and make love to kickball. It's going to take a good amount of practice and hard work to close the gap between these three teams and the rest of the league.

However there are still a handful teams that can give these teams competition. The Balls & Dolls, the Shockers, and I'd Hit It are always in the post-season conversation. However after I'd Hit It's recent defeat, it's hard to make a case for them to win it all. They are a post-season shoe in, but not sure how far they will go.

The Shockers are of course in the mix as well. They are always considered contenders, but their weak division schedule might make them rusty come play-off time.

The Balls & Dolls were looking sharp and playing well up until they almost dropped a game this past week, but fortunately walked away with a 3-3 tie with the Billy Bad Asses. However the tie might say more about the Bad Asses' good solid play and overall improvement.

The Billy Bad Asses are looking to be one of the top three teams in the Border Division. After handing the Balls & Dolls a respectable tie, they will get another chance to show what they got when they take on the Drunken Monkeyz.

While we are on the subject of post-season teams, there are some other fairly new teams that could be making some kickball noise. Rookie teams the Suisliders and 2Legit 2Kick look decently sharp, with some more game experience and some polishing they should start putting up big wins soon. Other veteran lead teams, such as 99 Problems, The Runs, and No More Heroes could also be teams to watch out for, but the jury is still out on them.

On a side note, the blog, myself, and other contributors have been recently criticized for "talking down" to the new teams, "insulting" teams who are trying hard or just down right "taking kickball too seriously". There is a reason the blog is called "It's Just Kickball", it is suppose to be ironic. The blog is, because of it's readers, geared towards the more "hardcore" kickballer. Which is also the reason why the content on the blog is mainly an editorial. It's not meant to demean or insult anyone, but admittedly sometimes the comments get out of hand. However that's not to say that the blog or it's writers, don't take into consideration the "weaker" teams or newer teams.

Truth be told, I'm a very competitive person by nature, but on the other side, I'm usually more of an advocate for the underdog type teams and "fun" teams. I personally am very in favor of the proposed added recreational division. I believe SCK can and should provide kickball to all different players and skill sets. I'm currently lobbying for this added division. However I also feel that struggling teams who want to get better and still compete with stronger teams should have that option. It's all about having options and choices.

But I digress, so remember just so it's known, the blog is usually not geared towards those who are easily offended. It is all in good fun and suppose to be entertaining.

That being said, what's that saying about the kitchen?????? ; )

Here We Go

2011-04-04T21:55:00.000-06:00

It's been fairly quiet across the SCK world. However the key marque match-up between #1 Ballls to the Wall and #6 I'd Hit It should hopefully start creating some kickball buzz.

Obviously #1 Balls to the Walls is one of the teams to beat. They've demolished their opponents every week thus far. Frankly they look bored. They basically play with their opponents like a cat plays with a caught mouse. Bouncing them back and forth between their paws until it's time for dinner and then . Yes, they are a bit of show boat team, but what do you expect from a team that can play at half speed and still score runs in the double digits. My only critique is that they change their name so many times you don't know who or what they are. First it was Dazed & Confused and then they teamed up with another kickball crew to become Confused Kixxx. Their tourney name is Kicking and Screaming, which by the way is my favorite. It describes this team perfectly. However, the Shockers, Balls & Dolls, Drunken Monkeyz these are franchise names. You know them and more importantly you remember them. Pick a name and stick with it. Also someone needs to get control of Mr. Hugo "the 1-second fuse". If he can't remember which uniform he needs to wear on Wednesday nights, someone needs to drive down to his house and lay it out on the bed for him so he doesn't forget.

But the real story here is I'd Hit It. They've always been a mid-range contender, always making the playoffs, but just missing that little something special to push them into contention for a King of Kickball title. They are making some good noise this season, looking sharp, playing well. Oddly enough they've developed some critics along the way. I'm not completely sure why though. Some feel I'd Hit It doesn't have what it takes to contend for a SCK title. If that's the case then we are about to find out. Make no mistake, although I'd Hit It is playing well and ranked #6, they are a fairly big underdog going into this match up. If they are able to come away with a win it would be considered an upset. More importantly a win would be justification that I'd Hit It is a contender.

I'm an underdog guy. Only because it makes the league dynamic. When the Billy Bad Asses cracked the foundation of the once mighty Shockers during Season 3, it was the talk of the SCK nation. Nothing against Balls to the Wall, they are a great team. In all reality they are going to win Wednesday night's game. However from time to time, it's nice to see the mid-range teams stick it to the powerhouses. Either way, the one thing every kickballer wants is to be treated to an awesome game. Good luck to both teams and happy kicking!

DON'T MISS THIS ONE FOLKS!!!

Things I Think I Saw....

2011-03-31T23:29:00.001-06:00

Written by: James "The Angry Umpire"

Shocker Nation: Is something wrong with Shockers?? For a while there I was buying into this team finally having what it takes to not only take down their arch rivals but to also get back to the top of the kickball heap. They kill their pathetic looking twins, The Taps, but look average against tougher competition. Can any one say OVERATED?? I can…

Drunken Monkeyz vs. The Taps: For a team that has the makings to be the next King of Kickball, they sure accomplished a pathetic feat on Wednesday. Sure they murdered the hapless and defenseless Taps, but thanks to their goofy 1st base women they let them score a run. Embarrassing comes to mind; the only team more pathetic than the taps is Los Fah Qs, which the Taps beat by the way, so giving up a run to them is like the Balls & Dolls actually coming thru on the clutch. It just doesn’t happen…

The 3 Second Ump: I thought Rick “I like to steal other pitchers pitches” had a short fuse, but this new umpire makes him look like a catholic schoolgirl. While he was presiding over the Balls & Dolls vs. The Red Hot Cherry Poppers, he made sure to take lip from no one. The one poor soul that decided to test this rookie ump was shown the door immediately. All you winers and complainers be warned, there’s a new Angry Ump in town.

Balls to the Wall: I thought Confused Kixx broke up…from what I saw the old 3 second fuse has assemble another juggernaut. Their dudes are super athletic and their girls make Dora and Nadia look like old hags. His team is super sick and I wouldn’t be surprised if Rick makes it back to back to back…last season, the remix and this seasons champ.

The Sloth: Can some please tell me WTF is wrong with that idiot better known as Aldo??? This stupid mofo mistakes his loud obnoxious comments for playful jabs. I once witnessed this poor excuse for a kickball enthusiast eat a cheeseburger while he played 1st. Who does that? Marcos should have done us all a favor and put Slothzilla out of his misery. I also have to question what kind of person would even consider being on his team. Who in their right minds would follow such a waste of space onto the kickball battlefield? Slothzilla would better be served stepping in front of a train and putting him self out of his own misery.

Strike 3 Im Out

Δ x non-competitiveness

2011-03-31T23:27:00.000-06:00

Written by: Newton's Flaw

It has appeared that the current state of the game has caused some folks to lean towards a restructuring of the league format. Specifically, a change to split between competitive and non-competitive teams is being pondered. The concern appears to lie in the disparity between opponents as it is translated in the scoreboard and play. However, I am inclined to see this disparity in a more positive light and see no need to rush the league into this drastic change.

It is determined that the teams losing by large margins are simply not competitive. Truth, all is relative. In a pool of 28 teams it is bound that the rate of competitiveness, talent, and enjoyment will vary. I do believe that there are three degrees to any league regardless of size. In each current division these grades are apparent as well. There are two teams that unfortunately might never taste the sweet taste of victory this season. But do these teams bottom dwelling status truly anchor the rest of the bottom grade of the league to the extent of creating a back arc rift between the mid majors and the long shots? I do not agree. Furthermore, only two teams (or one) appear to truly showcase a talent that is worthy of being legitimate front runners going into the post-season, though everyone’s toughest games remain ahead of them. What does this mean? Perhaps that the boundary between the three different degrees is a not as well defined as some would like to think…

The validation for the current function of the league will more than likely come after the King of Kickball is crowned, but for now let’s romanticize the change of the game as it approaches a non-competitive division. In a non-competitive division the main goal would be fun and all other statistical variables that encourage competitiveness should not be valued. Records and scores would not exist. Due to the lack of meaning of a statistical value, the tension of the game will also go away. The heightened level of relaxation will be further endorsed by the removal of paid umpires. The captain (or team representative) from each participating team would umpire their respective matches. Lastly, the playoff system would also not exist since the true champion is fun. These would be some minor differences in the equation that would be needed in a non-competitive division.

Fact is, without these tweaks, competition is inevitable. There will be good teams, and there will not so good teams as well. Also, I do not see too many players or teams wishing to return to a non-competitive division. A ‘Toilet Bowl’ already exists; it is called the Play-In Tournament. The top two teams are rewarded a chance to participate in the league post-season. The majority of the teams which were part of last season’s Play-In Tournament have returned. All of them are reinforced and with a better perspective on what it takes to play and succeed in SCK. This improvement is interpreted as a complete merit for the not-so-good teams to be amongst everyone else. The league’s Gaussian distribution is not as robust as people claim it to be, and that is a good thing. The best thing for all teams to continue to do is define and improve themselves from the current defined limits, from Los Fah Qs to Balls to the Wall.

Defense Exhibit A

2011-03-31T20:46:00.000-06:00

Another kickball week in the books and with it comes another quite night of bloodbaths. Which again brings me to the conclusion that there needs to be serious consideration to organize the league into skill sets. Or better yet at the very least, give each team the option to pick their poison. To choose a more competitive style of play or a more kick back version of kickball; something reminiscent of the old school days. However unfortunately this week, as fate would have it, the mis matches were abundant. These are the results of the unavoidable mismatches.

Mismatched opponents:
Drunken Monkeyz - 17 Thundercats - 9
TAPS - 1 Pitch Please - 0

Balls & Dolls - 12 Balls to the Wall - 14
Red Hot Cherry Poppers - 0 Brown Chicken Brown Cow - 0

Mataconchas - 9 New Kicks on the Block - 6
99 Problems - 0 Royal Tenenballs - 0

Chupacabrones - 13
Hash House Harriers - 0

On Wednesday night, 9 of the 12 match ups were SHUT OUTS! It would have been 10 SHUT OUTS, but the Drunken Monkeyz let 1 run squeak by in their 17-1 rout of the rookie team TAPS. No matter how you see it, no one likes to lose. Especially not when you get shut out, even if you are a "friendly". All the shut out teams would have been better served if they played each other instead of getting hammered.

For example, evenly matched No More Heroes and The Runs produced a very good close game with a final score of 7-5, the Runs earning the win. Not only was it an awesome game, but it literally came down to the wire. No More Heroes trailed by 2 going into the bottom of the 5th, with 2 outs down they had runners on 2nd and 3rd with the go ahead run going up to kick. And even before then. the score should have at least ended 6-7 as No More Heroes squandered a sac-fly when they only had 1 out. Either way it was an awesome game.

I feel the league could really benefit from an Old School Division. Obviously the ravenous veterans want to keep the "friendlies" around simply for cannon fodder, but as long as the hardcore kiddos have each other to beat up one why would they want to stop other teams from finding a different style of kickball to enjoy. There is no reason. One of the reasons I always here is, "Well how are the rookie teams and weak teams ever going to learn to compete if they don't play against harder teams?" Stop and ask yourself, what if they don't want to compete against veteran teams? It is assumed they do, but that might not be the case.

I'd Hit It? Right in the Face!

2011-03-28T22:23:00.001-06:00

Written by: James "The Angry Umpire"

What in the world is wrong with that moron also known as Mr. Kickball? I know its still early on in the season, but does ItsJustKickball really believe Id Hit It is the team to beat or is he just blowing smoke up my ass as usual? On more than one occasion “The Meter Man” has expressed to me that he thinks everyone’s favorite fools have what it takes to take this seasons crown? WHAT?? I know he likes to just throw out random gibberish to see what sticks, but I have to admit that that caught me a little by surprise. The Ex-Commish must be smoking some good shit if he honestly thinks these chumps can contend with some of the heavy hitters that Sun City Kickball has to offer. Seriously, how can a team that has beat teams with a combined record of 2 wins, 1 tie and a whopping 6 losses be taken seriously? These pathetic excuse for kickball teams have already given up an astonishing 62 runs combined; in only 3 weeks of competition. And I’m supposed to jump on the bandwagon, hell no!! Like I said, there’s still plenty of season to be played so things might change, so ill hold my judgment till then. In the meantime Mr. I Don’t Want to Play No More Because I Want to Get Paid to Umpire better get his freakin’ head examined. Id Hit It has never been even close to reaching the ultimate glory in SCK and with Lucas as there General they never will!

Strike 3 Im Out

Lopsided League?

2011-03-26T19:05:00.000-06:00

Rarely do I ever seriously consider the things my counter-part, Mr. Angry Umpire, has to say. Occasionally his sense-less ramblings make me chuckle out loud strictly, because they are entertaining. However the Angry Umpire's last posting really got me thinking. Basically the question he posed was; with a 28 team roster has all SCK managed to do is dilute their once quality product.

The simple answer is no, of course not. The quality standard that SCK puts on the field every season is far superior to anything offered in the area and even better than WAKA could provide. Some feel that a $35 per season price-tag is a little high. However considering the value contained in SCK membership, it really is a hell of a deal. From bar drink specials to free bowling Tuesday nights and everything in between, all the little things count. Paid umpires, paid uniforms, and SCK's continued effort to re-invest in the league; i.e. new website, new scoreboards, and in the near future on-line registration. It really is a great value.

The other thing to consider is, player fees not only pay for the league costs, but they are also a big part of the league's charity work. All Sun City Kickballers should be proud to know by playing kickball they are also giving back to the El Paso community. Just over the holiday season SCK donated over a $1000 and collected 800 pounds of food for our four legged friends.

However, in all fairness I don't think that is what the Angry Umpire is eluding to when he asks if SCK's product is being diluted. He is talking about competition, plain and simple. Granted, for those more hardcore kickballers the season is off to a slow start. There have been few marque match-ups and most of the more anticipated games won't be played until the end of the season. Unless you are a person who likes 20-0, 15-5, 17-0 beatdowns, then the season is looking tip top. However I thought the saying was, "to be the best, you have to beat the best." I never thought good competition is power house teams beating up on cup cake teams. I doubt that is ever fun for either side. Some of the veteran teams look bored and I don't play them.

The same can be said for "the friendlies". They may not really care if they win or lose, but honestly, who wants to get the ever-loving snot beat out of them each week. You would think that they would much rather play a team who is not only of the same skill set, but more importantly a team who is of the same state mind. Just playing to play, just playing to have some fun.

Which always leads us to the same question, "Should SCK offer competitive and non-competitive divisions?"
Every season the option is considered, but oddly the popularity for such a move always hovers around 50% for and 50% against. As the league continues to expand it is time to finally end this debate. With 28 teams this season and who knows how many next season, the time to answer this question is upon us.

Trying To Make a Name

2011-03-20T23:27:00.000-06:00

Every season there is always a handful of rookie teams who come into the league thinking they will take SCK by storm. They have these fleeting dreams of winning a King of Kickball title in their first attempt. Little do they know the bloodbath they are about to walk into. Eventually these rookies have their hopes, dreams, and Disney fantasies crushed into dust by the vastly more experienced and knowledgeable veteran teams. By the end of the season, their sad expressions are the equivalent to a 400 pound man sitting on someones puppy.

Most of the rookie teams never see it coming, because frankly they just don't know what competitive kickball is really all about. However every now and then, one veteran player gets the cute idea of branching off of their former team and recruiting brand new rookie players to try and win a kickball title. Now is this a "rookie team" in the traditional sense? Not necessarily, but when only 5 of your 16 players have any competitive kickball experience, you are more on the end of a rookie team than a veteran team.

Coach Daniel "Chucky Bear" Acuna is the brave little kickballer who thinks he can take a fairly new bunch of players and spin them into a championship caliber team. Is it possible? Well anything is possible, but in all honesty I've seen them scrimmage a couple of times and nothing about them screamed out Championship team. Although they currently hold a 2-0 record, both those wins were against sub-par teams. However I guess you can't argue with results, wins are what counts. But the fact of the matter is, it's going to take a lot more wins and runs to make this team a contender for the SCK King of Kickball title. Their one advantage is their coach is no stranger to kickball and knows what it takes to contend in this league. When asked about his team, Coach C-Bear said, "I like to live life one pitch at a time. We'll just have to see what comes our way. I know we can handle it." We will see Senor Chucky Bear...we will see...

"99 Problems But a Pitch Ain't One's" next opponent will be a decent Vicious & Delicious squad. A win won't build much credibility, but a loss will undoubtedly take away any hype that has been built up thus far.

God speed and Good Luck - Happy Kicking

Week 2 Recap

2011-03-17T22:00:00.000-06:00

As we exit Week 2, we are just beginning to see the separation in skill levels between all the teams. Some of the skilled veteran teams are starting this season right and picking up where they left off last season. Winning. While other veteran teams who were never that great are still struggling to gain ground. While the "friendlies" are still having fun and getting drunk. Nice!

Game of the Week Results

After Week 1 there were a bunch of question marks surrounding the Thundercats. The Thunderkitties were suppose to be a new powerhouse team, but that idea has quickly feel by the wayside. The momentum gaining I'd Hit It was able to put away the kitties by a small score of 2-0. I don't know if this is more telling of what kind of team I'd Hit It is or what kind of team the Thundercats are. However you must consider that the kitties did play two very good opponents in the New Kicks and I'd Hit It. They were able to keep up with both teams.

That being said, I still believe this was a solid win for I'd Hit It. I think they are contenders and this should be one of their more promising seasons. Are they being given too much love? Nah...

On Fire...

I don't typically write about the Drunken Monkeyz, because frankly I just don't want to hear the crying. They are probably one of the better teams that gets the least amount of hype. If anything they should have already obtained that Shocker villainous like stigma by now, but for whatever reason they really haven't. They play to win and nothing else. They don't make a secret of it and they truthfully aren't assholes about it either. On that note, neither are the Shockers. The problem is you can't stop from writing about arguably one of the best teams in the league. And there isn't one kickball aficionado that can disagree with that statement. Sure they have only kicked around a couple of cupcake teams, but they ate them as a treat like every powerhouse team should.

Meltdown

The Kick N Da Balls are on the verge of another kickball season meltdown. Every season they have the youth and talent to be a very dangerous team, but every season this talent is squandered. I love you guys, you know who you are, but this team's lack of success is due to coaching. Too many pitchers, a horrendous batting order, and too many missed opportunities. If this team was able to better organize their team, they would be an strong contender.

Dark Horses

A couple of mid-range teams that are looking good are One More Shot, 99 Problems, and the Runs.

One More Shot got their first strong win of the season with a 8-3 solid win over Vicious and Delicious.

99 Problems beat a sister team and LTA step-child team No More Heroes. Apparently and very literally they have no more heroes on their team and maybe never did. Final score was a close 3-1

The Runs looked good at the end of last season and are looking great this season already sporting a pair of wins. Keep and eye out for these guys...and gals.

The People Have Spoken

2011-03-15T21:02:00.000-06:00

From time to time, It's Just Kickball likes to feature Kickballer Polls on various topics. This week's topic was Who should be considered the Real #1 team in SCK?

The I.J.K Top Ten Poll is basically based on loosely complied statistics and other arbitrary methods. From now on, the Kickballer's Pick factor will be added to the list of arbitrary bogus qualifications along with the normal statistical considerations and possibly the Angry Umps #1 pick, the Commish's #1 Pick, and the I.J.K #1 pick.. This week's kickballer's pick is the once mighty Shockers.

The Shocker Era has been on a steady decline for 3 seasons now. In the beginning, it looked like the Shockers would quickly become SCK's first kickball dynasty. However after winning two back-to-back King of Kickball titles, they have done little to show they will ever reach true dynasty status. Yes, they win games. Yes, the destroy some teams. Yes, they are always in the playoffs, but what good is that when the rival Drunken Monkeys eliminate them from King of Kickball contention season after season. At this point, the only thing the Shockers are known for is eliminating the Balls & Dolls from the playoffs every season and even that is quickly becoming a novelty. However if the Shockers meet the Balls & Dolls in the playoffs this season, hands down the Balls & Dolls win that game. Easily.

For now the Shockers sit at #1 simply because they scored the most runs during Week #1 and basically digested a rookie team, which is what Top Ten teams are suppose to do.

Thundercats Take II

2011-03-15T20:05:00.000-06:00

Last week's Game of the Week between the New Kicks on the Block and the Thundercats was an absolute flop. Pre-season there was a ton of hype surrounding the Thundercats, admittedly most of that was my doing.

My understanding was that the Thundercats were going to field a hand picked team of kickball henchmen and Thursday night mercenaries. However to their credit, it seems like they went the traditional rout and merely got a handful of friends together for some kickball. Don't get me wrong, they do have some heavy hitters on their team, but its not the team I imagined. Custom kickball death squads are becoming more and more popular, i.e. Confused Kixxx and the Party Crashers. These teams are all-star assembled teams who pay for championships with blood. It turns out the Thundercats are not one of these kickball death squads.

At least from what I witnessed last Wed, they aren't some sort of mercenary team. They are still dangerous though, they played well. However I think we must give them one more chance before we dismiss this team completely. Lucky for us they get the recharged I'd Hit It this coming up week.

This past Wed, I'd Hit It totally embarrassed Los Fah Qs by a score of 17-0. Fah Q? No no Fah Q Pinchi Andy! Now let's see what I'd Hit It can do against the Thunderkitties. This will be a good gauge of both teams skill. THIS IS THE GAME OF THE WEEK!

The Game of the Week should have been between the Balls & Dolls and the New Kicks on the Block. Too bad Domino decided to take his entire team to Vegas for Spring Break to participate in a team building exercise, which unfortunately will result in a forfeit for New Kicks. Awww nuts. Oh well...

At-Large Attention

2011-03-14T17:55:00.002-06:00

The opinions, comments, and/or suggestions are solely that of each individual authors.

Written by: Newton's Flaw

Amid the latest local at-large shortcoming, I bring you SCK’s at-large alert for the kickball dance. Some teams do not worry about being in this scenario because they believe themselves to be on the polar end of the Red Ball world, whether its on the Elite End or the Who Gives A Fuck End. However, for those more equatorial teams, Wednesday might be your chance to prove that you are deserving of an At-Large nod come May.

The following teams are in need of a win this week being that their games are paired against beatable foes. For the exception of Vicious & Delicious, a fourth divisional seed would be considered a good season. And even though the VD has potential to have a great season, they need to start showcasing some skills this week.

Vicious & Delicious, 1 More Shot, Kick N D Balls, Hash House Harries, Where My Pitches At?, Hung Jury

This next group faces the toughest challenge of all the mid-majors. Unfortunately, their last non-divisional games come at the hands of teams that might just end up crowning themselves the next King of Kickball. However, a great game and these teams might just have a case. My best advice, do your best to avoid a blow out.

Red Hot Cherry Poppers, Pitch, Please, Billy Badasses

The following two teams have started off on the right foot, and they may not even need any help later, BUT a loss would put them back in playoff limbo. Judging by their divisions, a fourth seed might be in their destiny.

Brown Chicken Brown Cow, The Runs

The match of the week comes between two teams whose latitude is approaching the more competitive end of the Red Ball Earth. A loss for either team would not put themselves in a complete Doomsday scenario, but a win would definitely catapult the team’s confidence to end up in the automatic 12 qualifying spots.

No More Heroes vs 99 Problems but a Pitch Aint One- Modesto 2- 9:00

The last pair of matches worth mentioning are notable not for their playoff implications but for the dismal statistical feat. These four teams combine for a run differential of -70 and all are still looking to score their first run. The future is uncertain, but for these four teams the forecast does not look too promising.

Royal Tienenballs vs Mataconchas-Memo V.- 7:00
The 28s vs Los Fah Qs- Memo V.- 9:00

2011-03-11T12:31:00.002-07:00

Disclaimer: Sun City Kickball is, has, and will always be for each individual player. That being said, all players, coaches, and fans are each entitled to their opinion and to have it voiced. Lucky for the Angry Umpire, I take out the soap box every once and awhile, dust it off, and let him have his fun. The following is the the opinion of the individual author and does not represent the opinions of Sun City Kickball.

Written by: James "The Angry Umpire" Vargas

What a freaking disappointment!! I went into the new season with extremely high hopes, only to have them come crashing down all around me. This was supposed to be the best season ever for Sun City Kickball. I bought into the hype. 28 teams…Really??? The Spring season had the makings to be the best ever…NOT!!

The fact that SCK has 28 teams on its roster is great. The fact that over three quarter of the teams are nothing more than glorified tee ball teams makes me wonder why. Why would SCK register so many teams? Why would some of these teams even think about playing a kids game that has become super competitive?? And why will they even keep showing up week after week??? Most of these teams are going to get their asses handed to them every single Wednesday. And I’m not just talking about the rookies; some of the “Veteran” teams were in rare form during week 1. You would think that after their countless seasons of experience they would have picked up a trick or two, but after personally witnessing a couple of these games I can honestly say that these peeps have not athletically matured since elementary school. They are horrible to watch and hurt my eyes!!

The upper echelon teams feasted on the weak and hapless. I haven’t heard all of the scores yet, but from the few that crossed my ears, all I can is wow!? 24-0…18-0 and even a 17-0!?!?! Really?? Why would anyone in there right mines show up for that kind of masochistic beatings every Wednesday? And even the “good” games, fell short of everyone’s expectations. New Kicks VS The Thundercatz was suppose to be a clash of titans. But this clash mere mortals was very underwhelming and left everyone who witnessed it with allot to be desired. An inside source told me and I quote, “Thundercatz are garbage…so are the New Kicks!” When it was all said and done these two pretenders managed to bore everyone in attendance to a 1-1 tie.

Overall, all SCK has managed to do is dilute their once quality product. Having that many teams gives the talking heads on the board nothing more than bragging rights over the Thursday league. I doubt anyone of them can tell me with a straight face that all the fresh meat has improved the overall product. SCK finest will get fat happy feasting on all the tenderfoots and greenhorns. Everyone please remember to bring your Tums and Pepto to the park, you all are going to need them!

STRIKE 3 IMM OUT

Week 1 Re-Cap

2011-03-10T22:01:00.000-07:00

So after a brutally long wait, SCK's Spring Season Opener has been played and is now in the books. It was a fun night and inspiring to see how much the league has grown. 28 teams is the official count and with 5 fields currently being used SCK is undoubtedly the place to be Wednesday nights. Upward and onward.

Week 1 was slated for non-divisional games, however there was much on the line for all the kickball contenders and pretenders out there. The kickball vets were looking to maintain their reps, while the kickball rookies were trying to show they can compete with the best the league has to offer. And of course there were the friendlies, who come out each week just to play some kickity kickball, have fun and socialize; all while they kick back and laugh at the ridiculousness of the "hardcore" players.

Game of the Week

The Game of the Week was between two very good teams, the New Kicks on the Block v.s the Thundercats. The New Kicks are a small scrappy team lead by their Coach and It's Just Kickball Award winner David "Domino" Fernandez. Although they are a fairly new team, they are quickly showing that they can be contenders in this league. The Thundercats are solid squad, lead by another kickball vet, Damian Lamas. This is their first season here at SCK; however they are no strangers to kickball. The team is comprised of bits and pieces of kickball tourney players and veteran league players.

So all in all, the match up between these teams should have been an exciting back and forth bout. The only problem was... it wasn't. Don't get me wrong, it was a decent game. But there was very little excitement. A defensive snooze fest is the best description. In all honestly, the best part of the game was the unwavering good sportsmanship between both teams.Very calm and respectable. I hope you're taking notes Mr. Ricky 'The 3-Second Fuse" Random! I can spare the highlights because there weren't many. Expect of course for Domino's standard solo in the park home-run, which brings his steak to 103 straight games with a solo shot home-run.

Final Score -

New Kicks on the Block - 1

ThunderCats - 1

Who's Hot / Who's Not

It's better to be lucky than good any day of the week. The Shockers were dealt a great deal of luck as their 1st match up of the season was against a team who has absolutely the least amount of kickball experience in the league. The former spot of the Beavers and Balls was given to the team currently only known as "the 28th team". The game was a baptism by fire and obviously a 24-0 blood bath. Which begs the question, are the Shockers really that good? Or was it that their opponents just had no experience and no way to stop them? Maybe its a bit of both but for now....

They are Hot !

As I glance down at the bottom 5 teams, one team name glares out at me in particular, Los Fah Qs. This is a team FULL of kickball experience and kickball vets. They have absolutely no business getting slaughtered

17-0. Although their beat down was handed down by the #4 ranked team I'd Hit It, who is looking to be a strong contender for the SCK title. Even then, this isn't Los Fah Qs first rodeo. They been in the game way to long to be letting this happen. That's what you get for killing unicorns! Poor Awesome, but that's another story for another day.

They are not....

Honorable Mention

Rookie teams are always looking to make a name for themselves. However few ever do, but that was until rookie team Stone Cold Kickers was able to eek into the #10 ranking in their first week of kickball. They were able to put away their rookie counterparts, Hung Jury, by a score of 7-4.

Congrats Stone Cold Kickers !!!

The Short Straw

2011-03-02T22:58:00.000-07:00

Opening Day is almost upon us and with it comes the first 2 weeks of non-divisional games. For the first two weeks of the season, teams will have opportunity to play other teams that are not in their division. Which should be fun, considering that they probably wont get see these other teams until sometime during the playoffs (If their lucky). Match-ups were randomly drawn and unfortunately some teams were luckier than others.

One of those "unlucky" teams ended up being #4 New Kicks on the Block, who really drew the short straw. Other ranked teams such as the #1 Chupacabrones and #2 Balls to the Wall; received favorable schedules which will practically assure them a 2-0 start for the season. The New Kicks on the other hand, must play #7 Thundercats during Week 1. The Thundercats in hindsight are probably ranked to low.They are more deserving of a top 5 spot instead of #7. This match up will test the metal of both teams. This undoubtedly is the match-up of the week.

After playing the Thundercats, entering Week 2 the New Kicks must then play #6 Balls & Dolls. Incidentally I recently attended a scrimmage between the #6 Balls & Dolls and #8 No More Heroes. After a very relaxed scrimmage the Bs&Ds ended up winning the match 7-2 in convincing fashion. Which leads me to the conclusion that No More Heroes will probably not hold the pre-season #8 ranking for too long.

But I digress, in the end the #4 New Kicks really drew a tough two weeks to start the season. They will have to back to back two very tough teams to prove they are contenders. However at the end of the two weeks, the league and their team should have a very good idea of whether or not the New Kicks on the Block have what it takes to compete for a King of Kickball title.

Spring '11 Divisions Announced

2011-02-28T17:39:00.001-07:00

Sun City Kickball's Spring '11 divisions have been announced. The following are where each team ended up and included are each teams record from last season, if they participated during the Fall Season.

Border Division - Field: Modesto 1

Team - Fall '10 Record (Win-Loss-Tie)

Balls & Dolls (5-2-0)

The Billy Bad Asses (4-3-0)

Drunken Monkeyz - (3-1-3)

Red Hot Cherry Poppers (3-4-0)

Beavers & Balls (2-5-0)

Suisliders - (New Team)

2Legit 2Kick (New Team)

Frontera Division - Field: Modesto 2

Team - (Win-Loss-Tie)

Shockers (5-1-1)

Los Totally Awesomes - (4-3-0)

Vicious & Delicious (Spring '10- 4-3-0)

Kick N Da Balls- (2-5-0)

Mataconchas (1-6-0)

Hung Jury (New Team)

99 Problems but a pitch ain't one (New Team)

Castner Division - Field: Memo Field

Team - (Win-Loss-Tie)

Balls to the Wall (7-0-0)
New Kicks on the Block (5-1-1)

I'd Hit It (4-3-0)

Royal Tenenballs (Spring '10- 4-3-0)

One More Shot - (4-3-0)

Brown Chicken Brown Cow (1-6-0)

Stone Cold Kickers - (New Team)

Frontera Division - Field: Modesto 2

Team - (Win-Loss-Tie)

Chupacabrones (7-0-0)

The Runs (3-3-1)

Hash House Harriers (0-5-1)

Where's My Pitches At - (New Team)

Pitch Please (New Team

No More Heroes (New Team)

Thundercats (New Team)

Tourney Talk

2011-02-26T20:33:00.001-07:00

Charity kickball tournaments are becoming more and more popular across the United States. Kickball seems to provide the perfect combination of challenging competition and fun atmopshere that is needed for an all day event. As El Paso's appetite for kickball grows so does its demand for another kickball tourney. Sadly, El Paso currently holds only one annual kickball tournament a year. However, hopefully that won't be the case forever.

El Paso's only annual kickball tourney is the El Paso Kickball Clash, which held it's 3rd annual event, Feb. 26th. I've had the opportunity to attend all three events and although I haven't been able to attend each event in its entirety; I have been fortunate enough to speak with players and spectators who have expressed their concerns for the events declining popularity. Which is heartbreaking, considering the tournament usually features some of the best kickball talent in El Paso. El Paso's kickball community deserves an annual tourney they can be proud of. Spectators and players could provide a laundry list of deficiencies with the event, but it would be easiest to chalk up the tourney's declining success to mismanagement.

However despite the lack luster tourney, I can honesty say that during the event I was treated to the best kickball game I have ever witnessed. After a full day of questionable officiating and multiple imposed forfeits, the final game was finally slated between two all star teams, Kicking and Screaming and the Party Crashers. At first the match up seemed like it would be a one-sided battle as the Party Crashers had a decent a 3-0 lead by the 3rd inning, in what was turning out to be a defensive game. However that was until tourney MVP Albert Villegas kicked a solo shot home run right into the hearts of the Party Crashers. Followed by a dastardly sick ass ninja move at home plate by some random dude that left Drunken Monkey Reid "the Machine" Hanson embarrassed and surprised. Unfortunately that was the beginning of the end for the Party Crashers, as from that point on they just couldn't get out of their own way. Error after error gave Kicking and Screaming a chance to claw their way to a win. And in dramatic Disney fashion, kickball hot head Marco "Throw the Hat" Random was able to boot a rocket down the 3rd baseline in the bottom of the 5th inning to earn the walk off win 4-3.

Congrats to the Kicking and Screaming and the Party Crashers for an awesome game. See you Wednesday nights!

What Kickball is All About!

2011-02-24T23:40:00.000-07:00

He's Back......

2011-02-24T23:29:00.000-07:00

Back by popular demand....
Written by: The Angry Umpire
The new season is right around the corner and I for one cannot wait!! I can’t remember the last time Sun City Kickball was this loaded with quality teams from top to bottom. We have plenty of veteran teams returning and a lot of young bloods just chopping at the bit to knock down a kickball giant. So who’s going to win this year?? Will it be everyone’s favorite villains? Or will it be someone that no one even saw coming? If I had to bet my hard earned cash, I would have to go with a team that has done it before.

I know that no one will straight out say it, but thank you Matanconchas, Brown Chicken Brown Cow, and LTA for coming. You all can still play with the big dogs and serve as warm ups for the real games to be played later. The Balls & Dolls aren’t as bad as the previously mentioned teams, but they can’t even beat the Shockers. Of all the ex-champions I think the once mighty yellow team is the weakest champ ever. So if the B&DLS can’t beat them, then they have no chance against the elite teams. It pains me to say but the Shockers will also be going nowhere fast. They’ll probably have a nice regular season, only to choke in the semis to their arch rivals.

The only team from the original SIX that might be able to hang with all the super teams is The Machine formally known as the Drunken Monkeyz. They seem primed to make another run at the title now that they’ve cut some dead weight from their pitching staff.

The Lafayette bunch won’t fair any better. This group is filled with also rans or teams that never were. One More Shot starts every season with so much promise, only to fall flat on their faces. For some reason this poorly coached team can never get out of their own way and make some noise. The Pirates are team that never was, enough said. The only team that might have a tiny bit of hope is Id Hit It. For some reason this team always plays over its head. There’s no way they should even be on the field with SCK’s top tier teams, but they always seem to keep it close…close enough to lose.

I feel for some of the rookie teams. They have no idea what they’re in for when they play some of the super competitive teams. They will either sink or swim with most of these teams drowning a horrible death. So I won’t waste any more time on these future stat padders.

Out of all the new Modesto additions, I can honestly say that there are only two teams I really like. Sorry Chupacabrones, but you’re not one of them. They’re a very good team, but I don’t think they have the killer instinct to step on the better teams throat and put them away. So are the New Kicks one of these teams? Unfortunately, no! They have one awesome player and few complimentary pieces, but nothing that really scares any one. They had no reason even hanging with last seasons Confused Kixx. One of the teams that I can definitely see being the last one standing is Ballz to the Wall. They have the right mixture of sick athletes and killer instinct that will carry them a long way. And thanks to a certain pitcher that will remain nameless, they will always be an extremely dangerous foe.

But my pick to win the whole shebang is…The Thundercats. I hate to admit it but these Katz are stacked. They’re experienced multi time champs and will be looking to make a statement!! I wish there was someone else, but sadly there isn’t. Hopefully someone will stand up and make them look Pussy Katz, but I wont

hold my breath on that one.The 5th season will be Sun City Kickballs biggest and most competitive yet!!

I’m dying to see how this new batch of teams will play.

SEE YOU ALL OUT THERE

It's Just Kickball Awards - Fall '10

2011-02-24T17:05:00.000-07:00

Better late then never, here are last season's two It's Just Kickball Award winners!!!!

Coach of the Season - Fall '10

David 'Domino" Fernandez

The Snail! - Fall '10

Daniel "Chucky Bear" Acuna

Pre-Season All-SCK Team

2011-02-23T22:21:00.001-07:00

Let me start by welcoming our new contributor/writer to Its Just Kickball, Mr. Newton's Flaw!

Written by: Newton's Flaw

There is no doubt in my mind that this season will be showcasing the best kickball this town has produced. I present to you a preview of the who’s who of talent for this upcoming season. Relative to 28 teams, this list is short and perhaps not as thoroughly researched as the end of the
season honors. Expect 4 All-Division Teams come May, but for now the following players are definitely worth noting.

Preseason All-SCK Team

Coaches

Vincent Trujillo – Chupacabrones;
Carlos Alejandro Lopez – No more Heroes

Pitchers

Jose “Pipi” Delgado #24 – Chupacabrones
Damien Lamas #12 – Thundercats

Catchers

Reid Hanson #8 – Drunken Monkeys
Eddie Gardea #1 – Shockers

Infield

Rick Delgadillo #42 - Balls to the Wall
Kelsey Masters #11– Balls to the Wall
Vanessa Mayhugh #6– Chupacabrones
Chris Shahan #5– Chupacabrones
Lily Favela #6 – Thundercats;
Laura “Chola” Munoz - No More Heroes

Outfield

Nadia Morales #13 – Balls & Dolls
Hector Rodriguez #32 – Thundercats
David “Domino/TheKid/ El Nino” Fernandez - New Kicks on the Block
John Sauceda - Drunken Monkeys
Dora Prichardo # - Shockers

Who is That?!?!

2011-02-22T07:46:00.000-07:00

The teams for the Spring 2011 Season are finally set. The final team tally is a whopping 27 teams! By far the biggest season yet for SCK. These massive numbers make the league the undisputed biggest, best, and brightest kickball league in town. Congrats SCKers!

We have new teams, old teams, returning teams... And it's become harder and harder to keep track of who is who, with all the team name changing going on. In my opinion, it's actually quite sad that team coaches feel they need to constantly one up each other to find the "funniest" new name out there. Frankly the trendiness brings tears to my eyes. Where are the traditionalists? The purists? Big props to all the teams who refuse to give in to the trendiness and pride themselves on the franchise names that they worked so hard to establish. That being said; here is the list of the teams with some unmasking of teams who have changed their name.

The Original Six

The Original Six are back! The league was founded on the backs of these very special teams. Undoubtedly they are kickball royalty, however some have opted to change their team names.

1. Shockers ( Two-Time Champs and multiple semi-final appearances)

2. Drunken Monkeyz ( One-Time Champs and multiple championship game appearances)

3. Los Mataconchas (Originally the Family Jewelz)

4. Balls and Dolls (Consistent Top-Ten Team)

5. Brown Chicken Brown Cow (Originally the Multiple Scoregasms)

6. Los Totally Awesomes - maybe will become Los Fah Qs (These indecisive kiddos have yet to decide)

The Lafeyette Bunch

These next teams joined the SCK family during Season #2. You can compare this group to the Care Bear Cousins, they may not be the original Care Bears, but they are Care Bears nonetheless.

7. One More Shot (Multiple seasons)

8. Royal Tenenballs (Formerly the Pirates! rrrrrr)

9. I'd Hit It (Consistent Top Ten Team)

The Modesto Additions

The league blew up after Season #2 and the following are all the teams, rookie and returning, who are now with the league at Modesto 1 & 2, Jimmy 0, and surrounding fields.

10. The Billy Badasses (Multiple seasons)

11. Kick N Da Balls (Multiple seasons)

12. Red Hot Cherry Poppers (Multiple seasons)

13. New Kicks on the Block (Hands down best rookie team last season; Semi-Final appearance

14. The Runs (Another very good rookie team from last season)

15. Vicious and Delicious (Skipped last season, but are back for their 2nd SCK appearance)

16. Hash House Harriers (Multiple Seasons)

17. Chupacabrones (A contingency of last season's champs Confused Kixxx; Kickball vets)

18. Ballz to the Wall (The other half of last season's champs Confused Kixxx; Kickball vets)

19. Thundercats (1st season with SCK, but no strangers to kickball; Multiple Kickball Titles)

20. 99 Problems, but a pitch ain't one (Originally the Kickapoos!)

21. Hung Jury (Rookies)

22. Where My Pitches At? (Rookies)

23. No More Heroes (Rookies with veteran help)

24. 2Legit 2Kick (Rookies with veteran help)

25. Pitch, Please (Rookies with veteran help)

26. Suisliders (Rookies)

27. Stone Cold Kickers (Rookies)

Any questions?!?!?!

Its Just Kickball

Dynasty!!!

Heartbreaker

Round 2 *Ding*Ding*

Round 1 Breakdown

Final Countdown Part II

Its The Final Countdown!

Week #7 - Play of the Week

Pre-Playoff Report Cards

Just Like That

What Goes Up Must Come Down

Up in the Sky...

Mid-Season Leaders

Blood, Sweat, and Blood

Time to Panic?

Monkeyz Bow Down

The Thunderdome

Big Brother vs Little Brother

Opening Day

Wake Up!!!

SCK FALL 2011 DIVISIONS!!

SCK FALL '11 LEAGUE FORMAT

Kickball D-DAY Plus 1

D-DAY - TURF WAR

Its Just Kickball Gear Coming Soon

Results: T.A.A.F. Adult Co-Ed State Kickball Tournament

T.A.A.F. Adult Co-Ed State Kickball Tournament

Lone Star Kickball Open

SCK Turf War

2011 Spring SCK All-King of Kickball Team

Just Desert

It's Just Kickball Awards

Legitimacy

Spring 2011 King of Kickball Champions

Short Handed

Billy Bad Ass Kryptonite

The Great Equalizer

2011 King of Kickball is Here!!! Part 2

Say It Ain't So!!

2011 King of Kickball is Here!!! Part 1

Play-In Breakdown!

King of Kickball Spring 2011 Player Predictions

King of Kickball Seedings Released!

Must See KB!

Practicing for some Drunken Monkey Ass

Dazed & Confused Playing in - Kickball 4 the Kids Tourney

Kickball 4 The Kids - Final Tourney Update!

Team I'd Hit It - Playing in Kickball 4 the Kids Tourney!

No Soup For You!

The Dark Side

Strike Zone

Kickball Tourney Bracket Challenge

Playoffs!

Reprint: Courtesy of SunCityKickball.com - News Section

Playoffs!

Tidbits

Any Given Wednesday

Wednesday Night Wrap-Up!

Tough Love

Mid-Season IJK Honors

On Another Level

Here We Go

Things I Think I Saw....

Δ x non-competitiveness

Defense Exhibit A

I'd Hit It? Right in the Face!

Lopsided League?

Trying To Make a Name

Week 2 Recap

The People Have Spoken

Thundercats Take II

At-Large Attention

Week 1 Re-Cap

The Short Straw

Spring '11 Divisions Announced

Tourney Talk

What Kickball is All About!

He's Back......

It's Just Kickball Awards - Fall '10

Pre-Season All-SCK Team

Round 2 DingDing*