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The Sal "Scoop" Palazzo Weekly Column
THE NPPL is proud to announce that ALYSON POULS is the first Champion of the 1ST ANNUAL CHICAGO PIG MADNESS.
History Made As Midwest Pigs Debut
When Perry Day departed Los Angeles for the great plains last year and declared that a new Midwest NPPL division would not only get off the ground, but be well received, his comments were met with skepticism at best. "You don't have anything to work with" and "You don't know anyone out there" were just some of the many comments made by both east and west alike. Well, this writer is happy to report that on Sunday August 24th, under a perfect sunny, warm, low humidity, day the inaugural Chicago Pig Madness was a held and was a smashing success. The beer flowed. The grill was hot. The good times rolled. As well as the pigs.
Western Vet Pouls Takes 1st Trophy
In a truly riveting finals matchup, NPPL veteran Alyson Pouls took home the Red Pig & $100.00 prize money, winning in 6 games over Brian "Bart" Bartkowiak. It was one of those finals where you honestly had no idea who would pull it out. Almost every game could've gone either way, with 40 point rolls, 50 point turns, conservative passing, oinkers, and come from behind victories. Only the elusive double jowler was missing. This was probably the closest final to a chess match that this writer has ever seen. Pouls had learned well from her previous western madness play, rolling & passing with confidence and never getting rattled. Bartkowiak was the 6th seed with a 500 record, but you would've never known it from watching his play, as he was strategizing & passing with all the poise of a veteran master. But in the end he wasn't able to knock off Pouls, who answered everything Bart threw at her & then responded with her own clever strategy, taking each game as a new entity and passing accordingly when factoring in the opponents moves & playing style. It's a maneuver that not many veterans take, but Alyson proved that it can work in a tough to predict inaugural tournament in which most opponents were a mystery. In the end, it was brilliant and the difference in the tournament. She cemented her legacy as a top notch competitor and even stole some thunder away from this years Western madness, proving that a female champion is not a fluke and forever putting to bed the gender gap that used to be the rule in pigs.
Tourney Modest In Size But Big On Heart
"But was the tourney any good?" you ask. As for the competition, it was one of the closest tourneys in NPPL history with loads of parity & games that could've gone either way. Filled with new blood & new pig players, almost everyone was competitive. In a 11 player tournament where the top 6 in the playoffs, there was a 4 way tie for 2nd place that had to be settled on tiebreakers. And the final 6th playoff berth was only settled in a head to head tiebreaker in which the final score was 100-97. As predicted by many, Day came storming out of the gate and crushed the competition, going 9-1 in the 10 game regular season, earning the division title and a first round bye, only to be soundly beaten by Bartkowiak in the semi finals, proving that one's regular season record means little more than drinking beer & winning enough games to qualify for the post season, which is where the real test begins.
The players were an even better story. With only a week notice and promotion, Day managed to cobble together 11 players, all of which were some of the most enthusiastic players that this writer has ever seen. Some have said that this has now vaulted the Midwest division over the East, which continues to wallow with no leadership, planning, or communication Kudos goes to Andrew Price, Kathleen Miller & Alyson Pouls, who were the true heroes of the event, with Price/Miller organizing the food & drink, and Pouls making the beautiful banner. It was just the right balance of veteran players (4) and newcomers to make the tournament feel brand new but with a stable foundation. Everyone involved had a great time. The size & winning prize were modest, but the event accomplished it's main goal--bringing friends together on a beautiful summer day for a great time. In fact there has been talk of having another madness outdoor tournament in October before the weather turns lousy and Chicago digs in for yet another dark, cold winter. Which, in the end, accomplishes all this writer could've hoped for.
Congratulations Chicagoland. You're on your way...
---When he’s not hung over or at the strip joints, Scoop has been a freelance writer for the NPPL for many years, and now…he has his own weekly column. A dedicated fan of the Pigs and the NPPL for many years, Scoop has always voiced his true feelings of the league – good or bad. His no-holds-barred approach and unmerciful opinions have led to almost-chaos throughout the entire league and its fanbase. Why would the NPPL hire an alcoholic, mobster wanna-be, blow-snorting writer that hates most of human society… for his love of the Pigs. That’s right - The Love of the Pigs. Check back every week to read his new columns and see who’s life he fucks up next!
---Disclaimer: The opinions or comments expressed by Sal “Scoop” Palazzo in this column are those of the author only, and not of the NPPL, nor should it be a reflection thereof.
Check back next week to read Scoop's next column: "Will the Midwest form an official division?"
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August 29, 2008
