XLI

 

Here we go, spinning into HB41 after a wacky semi-finals. The less said about the Sticks-Flyers game the better. We can sum it up with an actual photo representation of the Flyers ::ahem:: lineup...

In the interest of being precise the Sticks won, 854-2 or something like that. And I was lucky to get the two, honestly. 

In the other game...and I'm not exactly sure how this can happen...the Giants went into the MNF game leading the Pirates 124-123, had no players going while Jack had a Dolphins receiver, and the Giants emerged on the other side with a 124-123 win. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

But let us not look back in anger. Let us look forward to the title game, shall we? The matchup should be a good one. I always like to look at the postseason history of the two teams involved. Not that it means shit for this game but it involves numbers and I like numbers, and (more importantly) it is a way to fill up this space with something other than bitter bitchin'.

This is the 15th postseason for the Sticks. They are 14-11 in 25 games through this past week. It is their fourth Hughes Bowl and they have won all three of their previous attempts. Only one other team with more than one appearance in The Big One (the S'Rats/Legends/Settlers at 2-0) have never experienced a loss. 

The Giants win in the Semis puts them at 19-16 in 20 postseason appearances. They are playing in their ninth Hughes Bowl and are looking to jump to five wins which would give them a tie for second in the all-time list behind the Nationals (6 wins). 

The last Hughes Bowl for the Sticks was a 2017 win over the James Andrews-led Flyers. This is the third straight HB game for the Giants and they have won the last two.

I was a bit surprised when I looked into previous Giants-Sticks postseason matchups. There have only been three of them and none before 2004. And all three came in the semifinals:

2004-Giants def. Sticks in Semis 78-63

2006-Sticks def. Giants in Semis on a tiebreak after an 84-all score. The Giants had been the #1 seed.

2010-Giants def. Sticks in Semis 113-81. The Sticks had been the #1 seed.

Should be a good one. Good luck to Rick and Keith. 

And I can't close without a shoutout to Jack who had a terrific run in 2021 and came oh-so-close to making the Hughes Bowl. Helluva turnaround from a 2-11 2020 season to now.