A DYNASTY IS BORN!

On the final day of the regular season in early August, TPG defeated Gruzen Samton  to secure the 6^th and final playoff spot for the 2012 post season—a spot that was made available thanks, in part, to a tie some 24 hours earlier between HMBA/RAMSA and FXF.  So in essence, HMBA/RAMSA opened the playoff door for TPG, the very team that stood directly in their path to immortality.  In the four weeks since the playoffs began, TPG had become a monster in their own right slaying the beasts that are SOM/Swanke and Gensler (the #3 and #2 seeds in the playoffs) and headed into the deciding Game Three of the Finals with supreme confidence, a rowdy fan base and 4 giant heads of Derrick Blocker on their side.

"Winning takes talent; to repeat takes character."

-John Wooden

As the playoffs began in mid-August, these were the opening words in an email to his team by Coach Solomon, taking a cue from a guy who knew a little something about winning multiple championships.  This was arguably not the most talented team in three seasons; but what was lost in talent was more than made up for by heart and character; and that character was tested time and time again in this playoff run that would push HMBA/RAMSA to its second deciding game in as many series.

 

 

Game Three began with the welcomed return of CF Brian Barney (2-3, 2 RBI, 1 run) to the lineup.  Never again will his dedication to the team ever be questioned as he came out on his wedding anniversary to help win a championship.  Brian's first inning single up the middle gave  HMBA/RAMSA an early 1-0 lead.  Both pitchers exchanged zeroes for a few innings until the bottom of the fourth when the Orange Crush widened the margin highlighted by HMA/RAMSA’s lone quadragenerian, Eric Hofmann (2-3, 1 RBI, 1 run) triple to drive in the  first run.  He would quickly be brought home by Doug Neri’s RBI single, who in turn  was brought home by semi-finals hero Holly Kuhn.  TPG scored one run in the top of the 5^th inning but that was quickly answered by another 3 runs by HMA/RAMSA in the bottom of the 5^th.  Doug Houstoun (2-3, 2 RBI, 1 run) extended the lead with his two out, 2 RBI triple in the 5^th and Brian Barney singled him home moments late to extend the lead to 7-1.

 

If we had learned anything in from the these playoffs it was that no lead is truly safe, especially when TPG is involved.  Heading into Game 3, TPG had trailed in ALL FIVE of their playoff victories and came back to win   each game, including Game 2 of the SLAM Finals where TPG was down 3-0 and again 5-3 and went on to win that game 8-5.  Furthermore, in the regular season against TPG, HMBA/RAMSA squandered a 6-0 lead against this very same club so surely they would learn?  Sort of.

 

Amazingly enough, the final inning against TPG mirrored exactly the final inning against the semifinals against KPF (where HMBA/RAMSA took a 7-2 lead into the final inning and won 7-6).  The inning started unceremoniously as David Solomon walked Lynee Hastings on four pitches.  TPG would follow with a barrage of hits  (upper cuts, I think) as they chipped away at the seemingly insurmountable lead.  In essence, the 7^th inning epitomized the playoff run by TPG both with their never-say-die bats and never-shut-up crowd that supported them.  The key to the inning may well have been a bases loaded strikeout of Princess Salvacion who in 44 previous at bats against Solomon was 0-0 with 38 walks.   TPG would not quit as their fans started the first wave in Central Park since 1994, the team they supported cut the lead to 7-5 when none other than Solomon-killer Tommy “Guns" Anderson came to the plate with runners on second and third base and two outs.  (Side note: in the first 3 games against TPG this season - regular season and playoff combined - “Guns” had 11 RBI in two of those games; the only game in which he didn’t have an RBI TPG lost.)  The moral of the story, egos were thrown aside and Tommy was walked on four pitches to load the bases for Justin Aharoni.  The rest is admittedly a blur but I’m told Justin hits a screaming one-hopper to SS-extraordinaire Dan Sykes who knocks it down, bobbles the ball and fires a strike to first base for the final out.

 

It was not a dominant playoff run by HMBA/RAMSA (who outscored their opponents only 33-32 in six playoff games--after allowing 27 runs in 11 games during the regular season);  it was not an easy path and at times it didn’t even look pretty; but in the end,  the Orange Crush just did what it had done so many times over the last 3+ years:  We simply found a way to win.  And in doing so, HMBA/RAMSA now joins the pantheon (architectural pun intended) of SLAM’s greatest team after becoming just the third team to win 3 championships in a row in the 30+ years of this league.

 

I would be remiss if I did not congratulate TPG for a brilliant playoff run and Finals performance.  Your spirited crowds watching the games were only exceeded by your fight, good nature and efforts on the field.  And I look forward to renewing this rivalry in 2013….I think.

In honor of the Three-peat, I am pleased to announce that Lego© will be offering a new line of toys called "Greatest Champions".  The new collection will debut in March 2013 (just before the SLAM season commences) and will feature some of your favorite players from the 2012 HMBA/RAMSA team.  We're thrilled that the great people from Lego© would think of us and happy to promote their brand. 

Leave No Doubt.