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

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

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

The Fun in the Sun Tourney was set to feature:

2 Divisions: Social and Competitive

Cash Prize for the Competitive winner

$150 Bar Tab for Social winner

Water Ballon Fight at noon

3 Games guaranteed

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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!

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!

Tennenballs Choke, Unicorns Will Upset

Written by: Rich Alvarez

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SCK - GameDay Report - Any Given Wednesday

Written by: Rich Alvarez

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

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

No Blood, No Glory

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Good Luck and Happy Kicking !

Sun City Kickball - Surprises!

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

Written by: Rich Alvarez

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

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

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

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

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

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

That's all for now kickballers,

Good Luck and Happy Kicking

  

 

Just Kicking It Surprises the Toe Jammers

Written by: Mark Couto

Just Kickin It vs. Toe jammers

Game one at Memorial Field provided an interesting matchup between Lone Star League champs Toe Jammers against Just Kicking It (JKI).  Fresh off a dramatic come from behind victory JKI kept that momentum going with an impressive 3-0 victory.

JKI quickly put up all three runs in the first inning with well placed kicks and alert base running.  Not to rain on the JKI parade but the Toe Jammers didn’t help their cause as mental and fielding errors, in particular, the Toe Jammers catcher quickly unraveled their composure.  The first inning miscues were a dropped pop out to center field, a missed peg out vs. the easy throw to first, and an ill advised throw to throw that allowed a run.

The Toe Jammers were unable to mount a scoring threat against JKI. As JKI limited the Toe Jammers to only 3 hits through 5 innings with solid pitching and fundamentally sound defense.  The victory placed JKI a top the Wreck League standings as they turn their sights to a week 3 matchup against Pitch, Please.

SCK Week # 2 - Game Day Breakdown

New Kicks kicker blasts one!

Written by: Rich Alvarez

Now with all the Opening Day formalities behinds us, Sun City Kickballers can now get down to the nitty gritty of the regular season. There were some substantial game-play statements made on Opening Day, but will those statements carry over and continue through the regular season or can some of them be chalked up as flukes. We now begin the journey as we enter Week #2.

After an Opening Day disappointment, Pitches Love Me has a chance to rebound against rookie team the Alcoballics. Even within the Wreck Division and it's new "fun" rules, experience is a major player. Expect Pitches Love Me to use their experience to start heading on a winning streak, while the Alcoballics continue with their growing pains. 

The Royal Tenenballs are known for their fun loving ways, but now they are being recognized for their winning ways. This week they'll have kickball squad This...Pitch!, who is still a bit of mystery even in their second season of kickball. The Royal Tenenballs have some athletic players that seem to be making the difference, that being said, the Tenenballs will walk away winners in this match-up.

Veteran squad Pitch, Please is looking at another favorable match-up this week as they take on the returning Hash House Harriers. Last week they had Wreck newbies Cool Arrows and easily defeated them 11-0. Look for more of the same as the Hash House Harriers still need some time to get back into the swing of things. 

The Kickballaz had an impressive Opening Day match-up even by Wreck standards. They tuned up the Alcoballics 13-0, which was the most runs scored last week. This week they will have another lucky draw as they face another rookie team Cool Arrows. The Kickballaz will put up another heap of runs at the expense of Cool Arrow's inexperience. 

Rounding up the Wreck League, the Toe Jammers will be battling against Just Kickin It which should be a great game to watch. The Toe Jammers are coming a Lone Star Divisional Championship and are expected to do good things. However they are off to a slow start with their small 1-0 victory against This...Pitch last week. Now they will be locking horns with Just Kickin It who, just last week, had to battle back against a 1-4 deficit while playing a solid Kickaholics squad. They were able to come back with a 5th inning rally to win  5-4. With lofty expectations, the Toe Jammers may find themselves in an early season battle against a tough Just Kickin' It team. Don't miss this one.

In the King of Kickball Division, 3 of the 4 match-ups should be easy enough to decide. Kickin' N' Screamin' will be taking on the Scoregasms, who after falling to Kixxx 8-0 last week, are in no shape to wrestle with a powerhouse. Eyes will be on this game just to see if KNS can top the 8 runs Kixxx put up last week.

After an impressive display last week against KNS, although it was a loss, I'd Hit It will have a breather this week as they test the metal of mid-tier team Suck My Kick. This will be the 1st of 2 "easy" games for IHI, as they prepare for a marque match-up against Kixxx during Week 4. IHI will use the next couple of weeks to work on getting better and staying sharp. On the other side of the coin, SMK will be testing the competitive waters to see where they truly stand within the division and prepare for a 5 game onslaught of heavy hitters.

Although it will be the Game of the Week, the Smoking Aces should easily handle the mighty unicorns of Los Totally Awesomes. The Smokin Aces will be looking to work of their offensive prowess and see if they can string together more than one run. Los Totally Awesomes will have to really be on their toes if they hope to keep up with an extremely talented Smoking Aces team. Check out all the Live Kickball Action on Rio Pod Co TV at 9pm.

Last but not least, defending champions Kixxx will be taking on the scrappy squad of the New Kicks on the Block. NKOTB had a good showing against the Smoking Aces last week, a couple of miscues made all the difference. They tend to play Kixxx well and is always a treat to watch. Kixxx finished Opening Day with a 8-0 stomping of the Scoregasms. Hopefully they won't be flying too high going into their match-up with NKOTB. Very interesting match-up here.

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

   

Fall 2013 Week 1 Wreck Up

By Grizzly Michaels

A Kickball Pepo

The Fall 2013 Sun City Kickball season started with a bit of Thunder and Lightning on Wednesday night.

While mother nature lit up the sky and crackled through the air, the Wreck Division was lighting up the scoreboard and posted 54 total runs, despite four teams failing to find home plate.

The defending Lone Star Champions (that was code for Wreck the last couple of seasons) Toe Jammers got the new season started with a W in a defensive battle. In a quick game, the Jammers squeaked out the 1-0 victory over This...Pitch! at Memorials Park Baseball Field.

Then weather be damned, the Jammers busted out the boom box and had their very own Kickball tailgate party in the parking lot as the Royal Tenenballs welcomed back the new generation Hash House Harriers with 10-4 whooping.

But the story of that game was the Tenenballs crazy socks vs. the Harriers kilts. 

Over at Modesto Gomez, Pitches Ain't S*** got a series of shut outs on Field 1 started with a 6-0 victory over Pitches Love Me.

The next two games were perfect examples of former upper-league teams teaching their opponents how to kick.

First the kickballaz smashed the Alcoballics 13-0, then Pitch Please! slapped the Cool Arrows around 11-0.

Both the kickballaz and Pitch Please! dropped down this season to have fun.

One item of note was that Pitch Please!'s Michelle got her first foul-out on the mound. The Wreck rules require female pitchers in at least two of the innings, which led Michelle to taking the mound and forcing the foul-out. Statisticians be damned, I'm giving her the K in the books.

The game of the night may have been the lone game at Modesto's Field 2 when Just Kickin It clawed back to beat the Kickaholics, 5-4, with some come-from-behind magic.

The Kickaholics jumped out to a strong 4-1 lead after one inning of play, but Just Kickin It, being the veteran bunch of that they are, chopped away at that lead and took home the victory with some heroics in the fifth and final inning.

That was one hell of an opening night.

In comparison the King of Kickball Division scored a total of 15 runs and more than half of those came from the defending champion Kixx. Granted the defense level is switched to 11 in those games.

But it goes to show that those Wreck'd kids accomplished what they set out to do this season and have some fun.

Good job guys, feel free to post your scorecards on the refrigerator. 

A simple breakdown of the scores:

Pitches Ain't S*** 6, Pitches Love Me 0

kickballaz 13, Alcoballics 0

Pitch Please! 11, Cool Arrows 0

Just Kickin It 5, Kickaholics 4

Toe Jammers 1, This...Pitch! 0

Royal Tenenballs 10, Hash House Harriers 4