1st Game
Popo's Bloopers 16
Conundrums 20
2nd Game
Conundrums 6
Wingmen 11
Attendance: 2
Year to date: 21
CHAMPS!
No Aubbie, No Problem, Puzzlers Pass "Test", Clinch 1st League Crown Since '04
The 2010 Conundrums - Lakewood Leisure League Champions
Left to Right: (Front Row) Tim Doherty, Paul Ries, Ryan Wilcoxen,
Jason Emmot, Ed Layton, Dale "Sweeper" St. Aubin (Back Row) Dan Batt,
Eric Swanson, Sean Butcher, Brandon Casey, Bob Tomey, Tom Hodorff,
LAKEWOOD, CO (TP) Kaboom! That was the sound of Conundrum bats exploding for 11 runs in the 4th inning Monday night that turned around a game that through the first 3 innings didn't go according to the script. But when the dust literally settled on Field #2 and the clock ran out on Popo's Bloopers in the 5th inning - a game that was rescheduled from a previous rainout - winning pitcher Sean Butcher leaped into a gleefully horrified Ed Layton's arms and the celebration began in earnest. With the Mysterians' victory, coupled with 2 earlier Fat Old Men losses, the Puzzlers wrapped up their first Lakewood Leisure League title since 2004. But the pesky Popo didn't make it easy for the Posers. Through 3 innings, the Conundrum offense couldn't keep pace with the Bloopys, who had built up a 13-9 lead. All that changed when Paul "Double Crunchoclaty" Ries led off the last of the 4th. One after another the 'drums kept coming and coming. The Conundrums sent up an amazing 18 batters and by the time the stunned Bloops ended their nightmare 4th, the Conundrums took a commanding 20-13 lead. Although Popo made a galliant push in their half of the 5th, scoring 3 times to narrow the gap to 20-16, time was not on their side and with the Conundrums again making noise in the bottom of the stanza, the clock whittled away, and with it, a 6 year drought was finally over and the bubbly diet Sprite flowed like nobody's business.
In the nightcap, with all the emotion drained from the pennant celebration, the Conundrums fell 11-6 in a disappointingly flat performance against the Wingmen, a team that had lost their previous 7 games. The loss reminded all of an eerily similar experience only two years earlier when after clinching 2nd place in 2008, thus qualifying for the post-season tournament, the Conundrums experienced another miserable letdown in an otherwise meaningless game against the dearly departed Maptek T-Bones. Monday night against the Wingers, errors were committed, mistakes made, gaffes were plentiful. Adding injury to insult, Jason Emmot limped out of the game with an undisclosed injury. Skipper Tomey described the injury as "gimpish" and was confident Jason would be available next week for the random finale. Despite the disappointing nightcap performance, the Conundrums were upbeat and can go into the finale against the Crush with random expectations.
Team Photo Night - In between games, Team Photo Night was hastily assembled. Tomey's favorite tripod was mysteriously damaged and at the last moment, Dan Batt's lifetime partner Debbie stepped up figuratively to the plate, grabbed the camera, snapped a couple of keepers, thus saving the time-honored tradition. In appreciation of Deb's service to the team, the Conundrums presented her with free game passes for life. Congratulations Deb! (Dan, don't let this one get away!)
The lighter side of Team Photo Night: Of particular interest,
Dan Batt showing best side
PLAYER REACTIONS
No Aubbie, No Problem, Puzzlers Pass "Test", Clinch 1st League Crown Since '04
The 2010 Conundrums - Lakewood Leisure League Champions
Left to Right: (Front Row) Tim Doherty, Paul Ries, Ryan Wilcoxen,
Jason Emmot, Ed Layton, Dale "Sweeper" St. Aubin (Back Row) Dan Batt,
Eric Swanson, Sean Butcher, Brandon Casey, Bob Tomey, Tom Hodorff,
LAKEWOOD, CO (TP) Kaboom! That was the sound of Conundrum bats exploding for 11 runs in the 4th inning Monday night that turned around a game that through the first 3 innings didn't go according to the script. But when the dust literally settled on Field #2 and the clock ran out on Popo's Bloopers in the 5th inning - a game that was rescheduled from a previous rainout - winning pitcher Sean Butcher leaped into a gleefully horrified Ed Layton's arms and the celebration began in earnest. With the Mysterians' victory, coupled with 2 earlier Fat Old Men losses, the Puzzlers wrapped up their first Lakewood Leisure League title since 2004. But the pesky Popo didn't make it easy for the Posers. Through 3 innings, the Conundrum offense couldn't keep pace with the Bloopys, who had built up a 13-9 lead. All that changed when Paul "Double Crunchoclaty" Ries led off the last of the 4th. One after another the 'drums kept coming and coming. The Conundrums sent up an amazing 18 batters and by the time the stunned Bloops ended their nightmare 4th, the Conundrums took a commanding 20-13 lead. Although Popo made a galliant push in their half of the 5th, scoring 3 times to narrow the gap to 20-16, time was not on their side and with the Conundrums again making noise in the bottom of the stanza, the clock whittled away, and with it, a 6 year drought was finally over and the bubbly diet Sprite flowed like nobody's business.
In the nightcap, with all the emotion drained from the pennant celebration, the Conundrums fell 11-6 in a disappointingly flat performance against the Wingmen, a team that had lost their previous 7 games. The loss reminded all of an eerily similar experience only two years earlier when after clinching 2nd place in 2008, thus qualifying for the post-season tournament, the Conundrums experienced another miserable letdown in an otherwise meaningless game against the dearly departed Maptek T-Bones. Monday night against the Wingers, errors were committed, mistakes made, gaffes were plentiful. Adding injury to insult, Jason Emmot limped out of the game with an undisclosed injury. Skipper Tomey described the injury as "gimpish" and was confident Jason would be available next week for the random finale. Despite the disappointing nightcap performance, the Conundrums were upbeat and can go into the finale against the Crush with random expectations.
Team Photo Night - In between games, Team Photo Night was hastily assembled. Tomey's favorite tripod was mysteriously damaged and at the last moment, Dan Batt's lifetime partner Debbie stepped up figuratively to the plate, grabbed the camera, snapped a couple of keepers, thus saving the time-honored tradition. In appreciation of Deb's service to the team, the Conundrums presented her with free game passes for life. Congratulations Deb! (Dan, don't let this one get away!)
The lighter side of Team Photo Night: Of particular interest,
Dan Batt showing best side
PLAYER REACTIONS
Coach Bob Tomey: Relieved, said he was happy to thrust the monkey off the team's back.
Asst. Coach Jason Emmot: Overheard saying "Rusty Who?", in obvious reference to longtime Rusty Machine, the arch nemesis of the 'drums for several years, who mysteriously disappeared off the face of the Lakewood League map this year.
Sean Butcher: One of only two original players still around from that first team in 1998 (Tomey, the other) said simply this is the "team's proudest hour". Then he cried and had to be removed from the dugout until composing himself 16 minutes later.
Ryan Wilcoxen: buried his can 'o corn swing during a season of resurgence, said after 6 years he can finally look his 4 year old son, Connor, in the eye again.
Gentle Tim Doherty: Yelled "yippy!", but nobody heard, so was asked to express his merriment again.
Eddie Layton: said the 5 year Softball Hall of Fame waiting period should be waived and coach Tomey should be "immediately inducted for the way he constantly prepares us each game". Naturally Layton was paid off, but nobody seemed to mind in all the hoopla.
Rookie Brandon Casey: was ecstatic saying he's never been a part of any team championship of any kind unless you count a beanbag race during the Casey family reunion in 2005 with his cousin, Alvin.
Dan Batt: Not available, proved too elusive, what with him flying in front of the camera disrupting the weekly Crunchoclaty MVP photo.
Eric Swanson: dedicated the win to the MLB Brewers, claiming that this is the closest anybody from the greater Milwaukee area will ever be to a pennant of any kind.
Tom "Hody Do" Hodorff: didn't arrive to the ballpark until the 3rd inning (Pat Sullivan, are you reading this?), was still "puzzled" as to why coach told the other 11 players of the doubleheader and not he.
Tom "Hody Do" Hodorff: didn't arrive to the ballpark until the 3rd inning (Pat Sullivan, are you reading this?), was still "puzzled" as to why coach told the other 11 players of the doubleheader and not he.
David "Dead Man Walking" Brubaker: fresh from his 24 hour night shift on the highway of construction, wasn't awake long enough to solicit a reaction but judging from the smile on his slumbering face, was either dreaming of the victory parade down Kipling Avenue or having his way with Lady Gaga backstage at the Pepsi Center.
Kid Paul Ries: swept the game MVP Crunchoclatys on this memorable evening, he wasn't around when the franchise won their first title (Well duh! He was only 4 years old. Sheesh!) but father read the TWICS "all the time" from the wire services back in Shucksville, Iowa. Pauly hopes to be a part of the next team pennant "in another six years".
Dale St. Aubin: absent from big game; the Puzzler slugger/Jefferson County Schoolbus Chauffer, informed coach earlier in day that Monday night was his 4th and last training session at the Jeffco Academy of Gifted Bus Drivers. Said the last training day was reserved for learning how to down-shift from 4th to 3rd gear, while simultaneously flipping on the vehicle's red flashing lights. The final test was "super early Tuesday morning" and Dale said he and the other trainees were getting together at Bus Depot #4 for an "intense evening of cramming". Wished the team well, sounded really, really stressed out with big test.
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Sportscenter with Bob Tomey and Jason Emmot For the Sportscenter version of This Week In Conundrumball (TWICS), chronicling this historic evening, click on the link to the far right, "Video Week 10 and 11". Sportscenter was produced and created by Jason "Xtra Abnormal" Emmot and is not endorsed nor associated with or by TWICS Publications. The characters portraying Bob Tomey and Jason Emmot are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual Bob Tomeys or Jason Emmots, living or dead is purely coincidental.
Ries Sweeps the Crunchoclaty: Paul Ries being presented
with two TWIX Crunchoclaty Awards for his two HR's and
collecting 8 RBI's for the two games. (This was the only photo
where Dan Batt didn't fly in front of the camera. Tim Doherty
is pictured as collateral damage)
Random Lineup Night: With the league title in the bag, next Monday's 6:15 rain makeup game against the Crush will feature what amounts to the 2nd Annual Random Lineup Night. Last year's debut was a smash, so an encore performance seems only appropriate. Watch the Puzzler players play random positions, hitters will hit in a random batting order, all selected by chance. We'll hand out a random TWIX Crunchoclaty to the lucky Conundrum selected totally at...altogether now...random! Join us for this fun-filled night. You won't want to miss it! Don't be afraid to randomly ask a stranger of your choice to accompany you to this once in a year event!
with two TWIX Crunchoclaty Awards for his two HR's and
collecting 8 RBI's for the two games. (This was the only photo
where Dan Batt didn't fly in front of the camera. Tim Doherty
is pictured as collateral damage)
Random Lineup Night: With the league title in the bag, next Monday's 6:15 rain makeup game against the Crush will feature what amounts to the 2nd Annual Random Lineup Night. Last year's debut was a smash, so an encore performance seems only appropriate. Watch the Puzzler players play random positions, hitters will hit in a random batting order, all selected by chance. We'll hand out a random TWIX Crunchoclaty to the lucky Conundrum selected totally at...altogether now...random! Join us for this fun-filled night. You won't want to miss it! Don't be afraid to randomly ask a stranger of your choice to accompany you to this once in a year event!
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