Kenny Powers is a Champion?

If this tournament was supposed to be conciliatory, the brackets for the AA title should(would?) have had a semi-final.

Shit just got confusing this year.

also we took 3 of 5 from the Sox this season and i agree with Joe that it would probably take a 15 game series to settle this one.

quack

Here’s that guest post…Photos by me.

From the mind of the guy who conceived this playoff system, let me be clear:

The South Oakland Ducks are Champions.

And so are the Black Sox and Maulers.

In the past there has only been one champion:  Pittsburgh NABA Champions

This year, as a transition to next year, there were to be three crowns: AA Champion, A Champion, Pittsburgh NABA Playoff Champion.

2003-2009: Pittsburgh NABA Champions

2010: AA Champion, A Champion, Pittsburgh NABA (Playoff) Champion.

2011: Pittsburgh NABA AA Champion, Pittsburgh NABA A Champion.

This will be the last year all teams will compete in the same postseason tournament.  The league will be dividing itself into competitive divisions.  The plan is in 2012, the two leagues will operate completely independent of one another, offering two entirely different levels of competitiveness.

The question for this year was how to best make that transition.  I’m not sure this was the best solution, but it moves the league toward its (my) ultimate goal nonetheless.

Each year for the past 2-5 years, we have lost between 2-4 teams while gaining 3-4.  We have consistently lost the worst teams by record every year, and last year we lost the best also. (Look it up: 2009: Owlz, Gray Bats, Bombers, Rebels; 2008: Phantoms, Rakers)   Next year, I do not foresee us losing any teams.  All teams have committed to returning for 2011, which would set us on course for a 14-16 team league.

The goal was to keep all teams in the league, and I believe that has been accomplished.  The two worst teams by record have already committed to 2011 as single A teams.  We should have 8-10 teams in the double A, and 4-6 teams in the single A leagues next year.

The plan for the 2010 postseason had been in place since 8/12/2009 (look it up).  I was adamant that we move to a two-league system, and perhaps because the only debate was aimed at keeping it a one-league system, there never was an alternative plan for the 2010 post-season that was proposed.

(Note: FLO proposed a plan that had the A Champions and runner-up as the #5 and #6 seed, but it couldn’t work due to time and field constraints, and wouldn’t have solved the current issue.  NATE proposed a pretty logical plan where the three champions fit together logically, but only after the fact in July.)

So who are the real champions?

The Maulers proved themselves to be the class of the single A teams.  They are without a doubt the Pittsburgh NABA Single A Champions.

The Black Sox had the best record in what was arguably the toughest division this year; the Monongahela.  They beat the Ducks 2 out of 3 times during the season, including 7-0 when the division crown was on the line. They swept the Hurricanes in the Double A Championship Series; who were last year’s champions, and this year’s best team by record.  Based on a full season of accomplishments, they are undoubtedly the 2010 Pittsburgh NABA AA Champions.

The Ducks earned their title also.  They defeated the Maulers, the Militia (who defeated the Hurricanes in the Quarterfinals), and swept the Black Sox en route to their title.  They are the 2010 Pittsburgh NABA Champions.

The Black Sox had the better regular season. The Ducks had the better post-season.  The Hurricanes had the best regular season.  The Maulers were the class of their level of competition.

Parity is a good thing.  Its well known that the best team doesn’t always win the title.  In my opinion there were three teams that were the class of the NABA this year (Hurricanes, Black Sox, Ducks), four challengers (Bulldogs, Militia, Maulers, and Oilers), and five also-rans (Matadors, Warriors, Eagles, Titans, and Knights).

In hindsight, there were only three MINOR upsets when all was said and done in the playoffs.  The Bulldogs lost to the Oilers, the Hurricanes lost to the Militia, and the Black Sox lost to the Ducks. (or was the regular season series win the upset?)

Admittedly, the post-season structure was odd, and has lead to confusion on who the “Real” champion is.  My hope was that whoever won the AA championship, would also win the post-season tournament and thereby end any debate.

(Sidebar: Yes, I was rooting for Kenny Powers and the B-SOX against the Ducks.  Yes, Mr. Powers and Mighty Eskimo knew this in advance. No, I obviously did not rig the playoffs for one team to win.  No, I am not upset that the Ducks won, I have friends on that team and I’m happy for them.  Yes, this will be the last year of that format… EVER.)

The Black Sox and Ducks both had great seasons.  The Ducks were the last ones standing.  If these two teams would play indefinitely until one team asserted itself clearly over the other (like the early days of the Major leagues), this series may have lasted 15 games.

In the league records it will go down as follows:

2009 Pittsburgh NABA Champions: Hurricanes

2010 Pittsburgh NABA Double A Champions: Black Sox

2010 Pittsburgh NABA Single A Champions: Maulers

2010 Pittsburgh NABA Champions: Ducks

2011 Pittsburgh NABA Double A Champions: TBD

2011 Pittsburgh NABA Single A Champions: TBD

The Black Sox are the first Pittsburgh NABA Double A Champion.  The Ducks are the last Pittsburgh NABA Champion.  They were the first to hold that title, and now hopefully the last.

Not sure if that helped clear anything up, but I don’t want anyone to think that either team is undeserving.  They both had excellent years, they both had late-season setbacks, and they both proved to be the two best teams at the end of the year.

On to other pressing topics…

Anyone have a better name for the two leagues (instead of Double A, and Single A) that would distinguish the two, and make clear the differing levels of play?

Ideas, thoughts, and opinions are always welcome.  The 2011 information is already on the league website, and the debate starts now.  I plan to keep up the Commissioner’s Blog on the Bulldogs website again this off-season as a sounding board for ideas for the league.  I wouldn’t want another debate at the end of 2011!

Enjoy the rest of the summer, and don’t forget Fall Ball.

Quack, Bark, Whoosh, Thump, At Arms, Squawk, Ole, Whaaam, Yoink, Clash, Gush,   and whatever noise a Black Sock would make also. (edit by Eskimo – this noise would involve cursing most likely or maybe a police siren, possibly the sound of a beer bottle smashed against something in order for it to be used as a weapon in a bar fight against a group of Hurricanes…)

***

I propose renaming the divisions and conferences after former Pirates – the Clemente and the Derek Bell

Ducks – Sox – Warriors  – Sox – Rebels – Owls – Canes – Ducks:

Of the six different teams to win a title two no longer exist.

Quack.