Time to Panic?

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

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

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

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

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!!!

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.