The Wait Is Finally Over; or, No, Really, It’s Almost Over

Well, we’re about 11 hours away until the season is officially over. Kind of a bummer, huh? And for the first time since the 2008 and ’09 seasons, we have back-to-back Finals appearances with the same teams. Happy Shirt won on both occasions, against the now-disbanded First Blood. Now, though, it’s Red Lyon, a team that looked vulnerable throughout the season, but effectively dismantled the biggest threats on its side of the bracket—including what must have been an awfully gratifying victory over Wildman Attack Force for its third consecutive Elite Eight loss. That First Blood team, by the way, included Red Lyon’s CF Jarrod.

I don’t exactly know where I’m going with this article. There’s certainly plenty to write about—like the repeat title game, and Los Matadores vs. Free State Growlers in the Sandbag Bowl, and Channel 6 getting absolutely boned by politics—I just don’t have a clear direction in which to take it. I suppose it comes down to it being a lot of the same stories this post-season as before.

Happy Shirt cruised to the title game. Wildman choked in the quarterfinals. Channel 6 couldn’t field its team and paid dearly. Chalmersiz, the biggest surprise of the season, really, couldn’t beat Happy Shirt. Kansas Tree Care couldn’t close out. Bad News Bagels didn’t quite fit in. Love Garden Squids missed Chris Ford. And Hurtz Donut D-Holes faced Happy Shirt.

Pizza Party!! (please name the team Mario Party next season) lost to the D-Holes. Red Lyon turned it on for the post-season. The Rockets couldn’t advance past the quarterfinals. Dad Boot lost to KTC. People seemed to just stop playing for Los Matadores. Free State did everything it could to deliberately lose. Thunderkickz faced either the 1- or 2-seed. And the Goats couldn’t get past the first weekend.

Merchants of Death couldn’t get on base when it needed to. Where’s My Pitches? faced one of the best teams in the league. Dan put too much of the Woost’s weight on his shoulders. The Rats had a first-round upset. The Ghosts couldn’t string some wins together. The Corksuckers still couldn’t win its first game. Sacred Sword wasn’t the best or worst team in the league. And Taco Tuesday surprised people but still couldn’t advance.

Nick Lerner’s Homies’ inexperienced players hurt its chance of winning. Jazzhaus didn’t use its players effectively. Asteroid Head continued being good and then not-so-good. Liberty Hall continued its decline. Screamers just didn’t have what it takes. D’z Nuts couldn’t win a tournament game. And the Ladybird Harpies had to play Happy Shirt. Again.

So, yeah. Some things don’t change. I’ll write something better later. Good luck, Happy Shirt & Red Lyon!