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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

That's all for now Kickball Nation!

Good Luck and Happy Kicking!

Milestone

Written by: The Kickball Guru - David Garcia

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Should be an exciting final!

Superstition

Written by:  The Kickball Guru

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

In the wreck division we start with;

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The #5 seed has never made the final

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

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

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

NKOTB and I'd hit it have never beaten KNS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

KNS has never exited before reaching the semis

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

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

Wreck Top Seeds Choke; Defending Kixxx Eliminated

Down goes Frazier!

Down goes Frazier!

Down goes Frazier!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Now cruising back to the King of Kickball title.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Good luck teams and Happy Kicking!

Now it gets interesting

By Grizzly Michaels

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

Playoffs are fun.

It's that simple.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bracket Breakdown

Written by: Rich Alvarez

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

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





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

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

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

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

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

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

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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









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

Written by: Rich Alvarez

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wreck Sandbaggers?

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

 

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Well that's all for now, until next time

Good Luck and Happy Kicking!

Wreck Playoff Spots up for Grabs

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Well that's all for now.

Good luck and Happy Kicking!