Championship Game 3

The Cat's played some pretty good ball. But the Empire still cause some uneasiness as they stay sneakily close to winning the game. If the Empire can snag this final game in New Orleans, anything is possbile in NYC in game 5!

Championship Game 2

The Empire know now they need tight tight play to squeeze 2 more w's in this series. The Cat's surely meowed and showed the nation they are still the favorite. 

Championship Game 1

The Cat's have just realized the Empire are not playing around in Championship mode. The Cat's need to snag their first ever championship (and set) victory in game 2, to hem this tide. 

Championship Preview

The Championship 2012 is here!! It features the last remaining pair of teams that have never played each other in any capacity. It is being called the "Arranged Marriage". And these two squads could not be more different.

-Philosophy-

The Empire have always been the big flashy 'Win Now' team of the league. Every game followed to determine whether the league feels good or bad depending on the outcome. The big names, the big contracts, the revolutionary wheeling and dealing of owner Chris Ramos and the Empire put this team in the spot light more often than not. Even when they do poorly like last years 1-9 season, it receives plenty of media attention. But there's a reason for it, they win big games. They get it done, 6 division titles in 8 seasons, 3 #1 Rank seasons and a Championship trophy. 

St. Catherine's School was founded in the 1960's in a suburb of New Orleans. Along with that, a youth dodgeball team was started. It became a magnet for youth talent through the decades as a farm for Harts University, Texas Institute and Florida University. With the launch of the DBL in 2003, the school had all the facilities and community enthusiasm for a professional team. in 2007-1 they were awarded a team of the same name, commonly shortened to 'St. Cat's' or the 'Cats'. Coach Carlisle of the youth program was called up to coach grown men after 20 years coaching boys. This is what many claim is the reason for this teams success. Coach is used to building character over winning games. This can sometimes look very bad when stars are passed over for team players, but the trademark 'slowness' of the Cat's has had them creeping closer and closer to a title, and this year could be the fruits of 5 years of labor. 

-Personnel-

The Empire are a franken team to put it frankly. A brief effort was put in to build talent from the ground up, but after a 1-9 season, it was time to import some new faces. And where to get the best battle tested veterans? The South! They traded away the fading Williame, ho-hum Garcia, and cut Hansen to get the legend Aleksandr, Parker, and Bosley. The South has appeared in the last 6 title matches, so why not get on that wagon? The patch worked team really showed its non-compatibility going on fits of wins and losses all season and barely getting the division nod. They registered the lowest chemistry rating in the league (28.7%). But through the playoffs, they have been titled the 'Chemistry Department', finally getting in gear with near perfect efficiency and spread. Aleksandr, who has been all the Empire have used all season, has faded in the playoffs, but expect to see him in full force in his domain, the Championship. 

St. Cat's, on the other hand has only true breed Cat's. the only xeno player is Joseph, who came in after a horrid rookie year stint in OKC. But by now, all the players have gelled as Cat's. The Cat's turned heads as they were the only team in the league to not move a single piece after a crushing championship loss last season. In their eyes, they were the best team outside of the unworldly 2011 Interceptors, so why change? Although it seemed murky at times, especially after a loss to the Toros in week 9, the Cat's have proven they are the class of the league. They handled the #1 Gold after being in a 0-1 hole. They then unleashed the meanest smackdown in recent memory on the #2 Skylarks in the Conference round. The biggest change this season, is that they win games they shouldn't. But, they are heavy favorites to win the Championship, so lets see if they can harken back to their past and win an expected game. 

-Stage-

Empire Gym is the highest pressure arena to play in hands down. Situated in the heart of the densest Brooklyn streets, with the new configuration done this season, they have just the same amount of 'on top of you' seats, while increasing fan population and more box suites. This place has some of the craziest die-hard fans in the NYC dodgeball subculture, and it has seen pretty classic matches. It is the only place in the DBL where a fan can physically affect your play (although this is banned). And it will be the site of Game 1 and maybe a great Game 5. 

St. Catherine's Gym is laid out in a pastoral landscape of school buildings in a relatively calm suburb of Louisiana. The seats are just as laid back away from the court, giving the players space to think. At times it can get rowdy, but it surely isn't a consistent environment. Even the stained glass windows relax the place just a tad. But with the entire nation eyeing this matchup, don't expect to fall asleep in these stands. 

-Matchup-

Although Jared has always been the poster boy for the Cat's, expect a lot of responsibility to land on Ausonio. He has had a stellar playoffs thus far and why not keep feeding the beast? Along with Ausonio, expect Joseph to really show his true talent. Jared will be Jared and the Empire will know that, so don't expect the world from him. The Empire will try to keep the Chemistry Department open, but expect Aleksandr to be the one to get them out of jams. Aleksandr and Parker have strong experience in Championships, both won, so don't expect the Empire to be too rattled, especially in Game 1 at home. And their southern experience will not rattle them too much in Louisiana either. 

I expect a 3-1 Cat's victory.

Catch Game 1 on ZBS @ 19:30ET!

Jack takes MVP, Charlie takes Rook

Jack #0 of the Scarlet Ember has had a long season and although it ended in him ultimately committing the error that halted his teams march to the Championship, he was essential to the teams success this season. With his 4 game MVP's and Player of the Week 9, he was the glue of the team. The 3rd year man from the Florida Pentagons was 3rd in points and 2nd in the new PeeR Index of players (749.05) behind Simeon (DIA) (754.26). He becomes the first player to capture both Rookie and League MVP titles in his career, which is only just getting started!

Jack beat out Desmond, Simeon, and Aleksandr in a close vote: 7,6,2,1

"I am very honored to get this award, it is definitely something you can rest your hat on, and be satisfied with. Just thinking about how hard all my teammates and especially rivals in the league work, it floors me that I could be thought of as in the same realm as them and even above them, wow." - Jack, MVP

Speaking of someone who has won the League and Rookie MVP, Charlie #28 of the Pharoahs seemed like he could have captured both in the same year the way he busted onto the scene. He was tops in the Combine and racked up 3 game MVP's in his first 5 starts and a Player of the Week in his very first game. He had the Pharoahs race out to a 5-1 start and a #2 rank for the first time since their Championship days 6 seasons ago. But, at the end of the day, he's only a kid, 4 straight losses cast him out of the MVP race and the "Phactory" out of the Championship race.

Charlie won this prestigious title by a margin of 3 over Pasquel and McFadden 8,5,3.

"All I did all year was try my best. It has thankfully worked thus far, let's hope it works out even better next season! What a ride." - Charlie, Rook

This makes the 2nd straight season where the Combine champ has won the Rook (Sebastian #3 DIA), and 4 of 5 overall remarkably.

You can catch both of these Studs and 14 other Star's in Chicago after the Championship for the 2012 All-Star Game presented by Agness.

Conference Game 2

The Empire apparently were saving it for the Playoffs. They were a stone wall, beating the best in the conference with no sweat. Any slip ups by the Scarlet Ember were magnified by the Empire's stellar efficiency.

Wow, just wow, the Cat's completely kicked butt. They were ready, the Skylarks throught it was going to be a walk in the park. Not really ATL. 

Conference Game 1

The Scarlet Ember got a kick in the teeth and now their magical Swedish ride hangs in the balance!

The Cat's played as hard as they ever have and earned a key victory in this tough series, let's see what the Skylarks answer back with.

Conference Preview

The Scarlet Ember and Empire have surely established themselves along with the Interceptors as the North-Midwest teams of the Era. These 3 teams have made the last 4 of 5 Championships. The Scarlet Ember have made the playoffs 6 straight times, the longest current streak. The Empire have a knack for winning the North 6 of past 8 seasons. The Empire have never lost a Conference series, with a record of 4-1. The Scarlet Ember got wiped out last year in the Conference Finals against the best team ever. In my estimation the Empire really didn't think they would get this far, and are facing a Scarlet Ember team that has been #1 in the league at one point, the highest seed in the Conference, and have the (probable) league MVP in Jack. It'll be tough for the Empire to go forth.

Keys to the Series:
SE: Get some big catches, break-up the chemistry that they displayed against the Interceptors
EMP: Keep it going with the spreading of the ball. Aleksandr must step up.

Well, well, well. The Cat's and Skylarks meet to settle the South once and for all. The South will be representing the South-West in the championship for an unprecedented 6th time in a row. The Skylarks have had a return to greatness season. They easily could have been #1 for the year except they tripped up in a non-important game against the #16 Dragonfish in week 9. Their only other loss was against the Cat's in New Orleans. Their first matchup in week 4 was the first set the Skylarks lost all year, though they did win in 3 sets. Two weeks later, the Cat's absolutely rolled them 10-4. For some reason it is so easy to forget the Cat's are trying to return to the Championship, they are heavy underdogs here. Should be a good matchup, maybe not as fan-friendly as a #1 Gold v. #2 Skylarks matchup, but it should go to 3 games.

Keys to the Series:
CATS: Big 3 have to be on every set! The Skylarks have too much talent for them not to perform.
SKY: Maurice needs to be the field general, they will live and die by his performance. 

All*Stars Named

This years All-Star Game will take place in the newly refurbished O'Hare Airport Grounds in Chicago, where the Gremlins just finished up their season. Three rookies have made the team, that is the most in 11 seasons where 7 made it, but then again, there was only rookies and sophomores that year as it was the 2nd season of the DBL. Here is the list and how many previous games each has been to:

North-Midwest Starters South-West Starters Jack 0 Scarlet Ember** Center Joseph 18 St. Cat's Miller 6 Reapers*** Maurice 1 Skylarks** Jason 3 Reapers** Left Sanchito 16 Silverbacks Kyle 87 Interceptors Desmond 11 Gold*** Russell 14 Dizzy Devils Jared 8 St. Cat's** Irwin 14 Right Simeon 27 Diamonds Sven 31 Scarlet Ember Charlie 28 Pharoahs Tamp 2 Seadogs Martin 6 Toros

Divisional Game 3