East vs. West

Yes, I'm alive... Hi! Happy 2002 to all NIBL'ers.

Week 11 marked the beginning of the inter-conference portion of the NIBL 2002 schedule. Oddly, we saw the mighty Eastern Conference bowed a bit last week as the West played the East to an even 4-4 draw. Let's go to the videotape:

• Seattle out-ties Manila - These two teams slugged it out to an (anemic) 257-257 tie. The home-playing Sea-Ho's took the victory by the hook. I actually had the unique honor of speaking with Manila owner Deneesha Raimondo on the morning after her tie- and heart-breaking loss... it wasn't pretty. The young Miss Raimondo pointed to two main factors in her loss: 1) Nick Van Exel's inexplicable 16 nibls Saturday night in 40+ minutes of play, and 2) the lucky horseshoe firmly planted up Seattle's ass.
• Battle of the Citys - Runner-up game of the week was the annual battle 'o the city's (sort of like when Green Bay plays Tampa Bay in the NFL): Rip City versus Cap City. This year's tete a tete goes to Cap City 271-263. Where to start? Cap City has been as lucky this year as Rip City has been unlucky. I believe that Jalen Rose's 9 nibl effort was the recipient of the majority of Ripper Rob Triol's ire. Better luck next year, Rip Daddy.
• Tucket Squeaker - Nantucket Jack reversed his string of close losses with a dandy close victory (257-248) of his own over the enigmatic DuPage ball team. Both, usually excellent, teams underachieved... Nantucket underachieved a bit less.
• Diablo numero uno - The Spawn continue, to the amazement of all, to win. This week's narrow triumph was over Napa Valley 310-304. Now with 3 sub-ten nibl victories under his belt, Diablo Danny is fat and sassy. Eric Schoonover's Napa squad fell to 5-6... the first time Eric's been under .500 since the fond ole days of the Baghdad franchise.
• Blowouts - Aruba and Plainfield continued running up the score with impressive victories and scores well north of 300 nibls. Vegas and Elk Grove took advantage of depleted foes to sprint to their blowouts.

I guess with three of the four squeakers this week going to the West, you have to wonder what the next 7 weeks hold. The East is outscoring the West by a tremendous margin, but it's all in the W's baby. Look at the top of each conference:

• Eastern Conference - led by Aruba, Plainfield, and Manila with 7-4 records... three teams averaging nearly 315 nibls a game.
• Western Conference - led by Diablo at 9-2, scoring a miniscule 295 nibls per.

How long can the West keep up... scoring 20 nibls less per game than the East. I'll say it again... we shall see.

Your NIBL Notes

 During the inter-conference play of the next 7 weeks, I will be soliciting NIBL Notes from YOU! I'll pick a game, and request that the combatants submit Notes by the Sunday after their game is complete. The topic? Whatever you choose!

This week's NIBL Notes game of the week (sponsored by The Big Book... "everything's better at the Big Book... especially the pay window") is:

Diablo at Manila

featuring

Denise "DogEater Raimondo

and

"Diablo" Danny Bruessel

Ah, two first place teams... overachieving... mother versus son... 

Notes please girls!

yow, bill

PS - There's a new, long-awaited Rose McGowan at the bottom of the page!