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Hey balls deepers...err. Anyway...week 10 was a dream come true!  Congrats to Solidarity for pulling out a tight hard fought game vs Lady Lumps. It's a testament to our league when the top 2 teams meet and the score is 12-9 and when the bottom 2 teams meet and the score is 13-11! How bout that.  Streakers, fireworks, a noise rock band, a bench clearing brawl, and all around crazy clouds and lightning made this one for the books. I've been looking forward to that game all season and as expected, it didn't disappoint. Thank u ladylumps and solidarity(i meant to show the lady lumps my sugar lumps...oh well maybe next year). There were so many other close games out there including a huge win for Jazzhaus over First Blood as well as a close victory for Liberty Hall over Screamers. I predicted 5 weeks ago that this would be the best 5 game stretch in KVKL history and I think its come to fruition. A round of applause for board member Phil Mitchell for the schedule re-design. He's smiling somewhere.  As for your Top 20 this week, I've sprinkled in some exta information for all you numbers nerds to drool and bitch over. Your Top 20 will also serve as my tournament preview, think of it as a mini KVKL version of what USA Today does for College Basketball's March Madness. (Note: this is MY version of the rankings not the KVKL Board so these will not be the final word on bracket placement).  Cougar I know you'll be a proud poppa of this. I'm no Jay Bilas, but can I be Erin Andrews? Here it is: 1 Pita Pit              record:10-0      pool play:4-0        rank play: 5-0       RPI:1 key win: all of them                      notable loss: none The returning champs are poised for another run. They've won something like 18 in a row dating back to last year. KVKL hasn't seen an undefeated season since 2003. While they are the most balanced team offensively and defensively they've had some really close games. KVKL has never had a back to back champ and the only 2 time champs are Love Garden. Are the Pit ready to make KVKL history or fall like they did a couple years back when they entered the tournament undefeated? Either way, everyone is out to get them.  Tie 2nd    First Blood     record: 8-2         pool play:4-0        rank play: 3-2     RPI:2 key win: love garden                            notable loss: jazzhaus(6-5) It's clear First Blood can kick the ball. They are one of the highest scoring teams in KVKL history. They have the best back to back kickers in KVKL, Jared & Andy. They made it to the championship game last year and were one out away from bringing it home. I think they'll be out for blood this tourney, and I expect them to make a deep run. Tie 2nd   Jazzhaus    record:8-2         pool play: 4-0       rank play: 3-2         RPI: 3 key win: first blood                   notable loss: love garden If First Blood has the best back to back kicking duo in the KVKL, then Jazzhaus has the best back to back to back trio in the league. Robo, Speakerfoxx, and Troy can and will create problems for any team so look out. They're the only ones to come close to beating Pita Pit this year (5-4), and since they just beat First Blood last week, this could be an omen of things to come. Tie 2nd   Love Garden           record:8-2     pool play:4-0   rank play: 3-2    RPI:5 key win: Jazzhaus                     notable loss: Forst Blood (16-14) KVKL's only 2 time champs always seem to find their way into the thick of it. While this is a different team than the Love Gardens of the past, their knowledge and execution of the game is one that keeps them in every game. Everybody knows what to do and when to do it. They won't wow you with kicks like First Blood or Jazzhaus, but when their D is on its tight and you could lose to them with one mistake. 5 Eastsiders                 record:6-4     pool play:4-0       rank play:1-4       RPI:4 key win: sacred sword (twice)               notable loss: First Blood (10-8) If there's a sleeper towards the top of the rankings it'd have to be the Eastsiders. While this is not your momma's Eastsiders, this reincarnation has something no other KVKL team can boast of: 3 southpaw kickers who can bend it like Beckham. While that might not seem like much, it creates all kinds of problems for defenses, and this team is as crafty as Love Garden for sure. Never count out the mind of the their coach Robert, who's been responsible for the creation of some of the more creative defensive shifts that many teams in the league have copied and adopted. They'll be a tough out. 6 Rangelife                   record:8-2          pool play: 3-1          rank play: 5-0         RPI:6 key win: Tellers          notable loss: Eastsiders The team that has yet to practice somehow finds it way in at #6?  While half the team is comprised of folks who took the trophy back in 2005 with Jensens, this rag tag collection of skinny white boys has complicated the notion of what a kickballer truly is by juxtaposing the jock with the jester, combining the student of the game with the I-don't-give-a-fu$ks drunk. Who are these people? Business casual? Bellyshirts, Zubaz shorts, and tucked in muscle shirts in shorts have no place in the upper ranks of the kickball elite...or do they? This team prides itself on D and if they're kicking well (IF) they could create all kinds of problems.   7 Sacred Sword    record:4-6          pool play:4-0     rank play: 0-5     RPI:7 key win: Tellers                  notable loss: Eastsiders(twice) It's been a tough year for the Sword coming off last years Final Four appearance. Expectations were high and it seems people have figured out their bunt-first-ask-questions-later style b/c unlike last year teams know what to expect. However, with that said this is still one truly talented team. They dropped 14 on Jazzhaus who only allowed Pita Pit and First Blood 5 runs each!  If they play their best for an entire game, they can beat anyone ranked above them. Don't sleep on the record, these guys mean business. 8 Tellers    record: 7-3      pool play:3-1      rank play: 3-2       RPI:8 key win: rangelife                notable loss: Brew Ballers It's nice to see Tellers return to the top of the KVKL. Afterall, they were KVKL's first trophy winner back in 2002. But this is a completely different team from then. When full strength though they can give anybody a run but some injuries have slowed them down a bit towards the second half of the season. Watch out b/c they have a whip and they just might use it! 9 Brew Ballers   record: 6-4      pool play: 2-2    rank play:3-2      RPI:13 key win: Tellers        notable loss: West Coast Saloon Ever since their lopsided loss to Das Boot they've been a different team. If somehow they meet Tellers in the 8/9 matchup in the second game of the first week of the tourney, that could be a fun game to watch.  10 Eldridge     record:5-5     pool play:3-1     rank play: 2-3    RPI: 17 key win: Das Boot                notable loss: Slowride Their RPI is low because they had pool play in the weakest division but please note that all their losses in rank play were close games. If they can keep their defense together, they could create problems. 11 Liberty Hall    record:7-3      pool play: 2-2    rank play: 4-1    RPI: Tie 11th key win: Screamers                  notable loss: Astrokitty First year coach Billy Gay Cyrus has his team in order and primed to be the underdog story for 2009.  They keep creeping in the rankings all year and find themselves at #11. If they meet Rangelife in the second game of the first day of the tourney, a fight might just break out! A handful of  players from last year's Liberty Hall team difected to Rangelife this year and the coach & his team are ready to seek revenge on those Benedict Arnolds. It's on! 12 Screamers   record:7-3      pool play:2-2       rank play: 4-1    RPI:10 key win:  Mad Greek          notable loss: Liberty Hall Swag & Co. will be out to make you scream in the post season tourney.  Their RPI is so low b/c their pool play was one of the tougher go arounds for a #3. 13 Das Boot         record:4-6          pool play:2-2        rank play:2-3         RPI:9 Key win: Brew Ballers                                  Notable loss: Freestate The website is wrong and has their record at 5-5. Their RPI is so low b/c during the first five games they played 2 #1's(pita pit & first blood). Despite their 13 ranking, I still think this team poses problems. While they have lost 3 in a row heading into the tourney, I would not want to face them. Rangelife barely escaped 7-5.  You have been warned. 14 Mad Greek     record:5-5        pool play: 2-2          rank play:3-2      RPI:Tie 11th key win: Red Lyon                   Notable loss: Slowride Remember this team caused some problems last year in the tourney and made it to the elite 8 with a second round upset. Are they poised to be the spoiler again this year? 15 Yellow Sub     record: 4-6        pool play:2-2      rank play:2-3      RPI:14 key win: Weavers                      notable loss: Jazzhaus (15-14) This team scares me. They lost something like 4 count em' 4 one run games and 1 two run game!  I would not want to play them. They dropped 14 on jazzhaus man check the stat sheet. This is my ultra sleeper team to watch.   16  Slowride           record: 6-4       pool play: 2-2           rank play:4-1         RPI:15 key win: Mad Greek                       Notable loss: Blue Collar 17   Astrokitty              record:4-6        pool play: 2-2              rank play:1-4     RPI: 19 key win: Liberty Hall                      Notable loss: Weavers 18 Red Lyon             record:2-8        pool play:2-2            rank play:0-5          RPI:20 key win: Slowride                         notable loss: Astrokitty 19 Wildman      record:5-5           pool play:1-3      rank play:3-2          RPI:16 key win: Blue Collar                        Notable Loss: Slowride 20 Weavers            record:3-7         pool play:2-2       rank play:1-4      RPI:27 key win: Astrokitty                          Notable loss: Liberty Hall   Sorry I ran out of steam towards the end. I think I bit off more than I could chew. Look for my post season tourney preview podcast on lawrence.com with commish Deron and Chris from Red Lyon as well as the brackets which will be released wednesday morning. I can tell you right now it's anyone's ball game. But then again, you already knew that.  You know how the kickball gods work. Until next time...see you on the fringe at the fridge by the bridge.  Candlepants.