It was a hot day in Dublin, CA and quarter end close was settling in on all of them. Five finance professionals out on the hallowed grounds of the CCFO BBL Court. The threesome of Pallina Gretzky the 12 seed who had pulled one upset after another in the tourney after a 1 – 3 season stared at the score board that read 6 – 1 in dismay wondering what had happened to the stroke of luck that had carried them to the final four. Number 1 seeded Buca di Bocce and their MVP Favorite Tristan Vincent and his long time team mate and Bocce Ball Partner were circling the over Gretzky’s like Sharks around a wounded seal. It appeared to all be over but the crying. League Commissioner and Gretzky team Member Billy “Side Ball” Burkle had come unglued. In the last round he had been more than clutch but today he couldn’t have hit a cow’s arse with a banjo. His teammates had shown up but he hadn’t. Standing at the south in the court he looked north. The MVP had the ball and his team was in a spot to get a few points. Side Ball knew and epic Vincent smash was coming and come it did. However, in a un-Tristan type fashion he knocked Pallina right back into the game by putting them in with two points. It was 6 – 3 and it was a new ball game.
You have heard all the references before on any of your favorite sporting events: David v. Goliath, 1 v. 16, Foreman v. Ali, Patriots v. Eagles, 2009 Mav and Warriors if you will, it is the great underdog story. September 27, 2018 gave us another one (1) Buca di Bocce v. (12) Pallina Gretzky. Gretzky played well in the friendly’s but slumped into the regular season never able to make the clutch shot.
Buca di Bocce bull dozed their way to a number 1 seed. They were rarely challenged. The mind meld between Vincent and Li is one of legends, name a great combo and these two belong up there with them. They outscored appoints 48:16. The only time they were challenged was against Gretzky in Week 4, that time an epic come back would fall short and Buca would win 12:10.
New Ball Game or not Buca di Bocce was un-phased by their JR moment. Vincent and Li had more ice water in their veins than blood. They came back strong and were steady in their scoring. Before they could celebrate the JR points the score board was pushed back up to 8 – 3 and that sense of the run was over starting to sink in once again.
Every shot that Gretzky would make, Buca made one better. Kin Ming Li whose approach to the game seems to be carefree but in reality is a deadeye assassin kept hitting shot after shot. Vincent was getting back on his game as well. It seem the game was well in hand at 8 -3.
Side Ball was throwing the ball everywhere but near the pallina. However, his teammates Devang Patel and Susanne Graf, the true heroes of this story, and as Side Ball would say in the postgame interviews, the best teammates a guy could have, made up for his poor play time and time again. They were steady. They were focused and like all season long they were kicking ass and taking points. Devang remind his team they played well when they were having fun. So fun they did have. They rolled up their sleeves, gritted their teeth, and started to play for the love of the game.
Slowly but surely, point after point, Graf and Patel strong together great through after great through. This lead to the score board starting to balance itself out and next thing we the teams knew there was a dead lock at 8 to 8.
The feel of the game took on a different tone. It was no longer David v. Goliath. It was a slugfest. Each team giving and taking one blow after another blow as balls were rolled from end to end, which left both teams heading back to the south end of the course in a 9 all tie.
Side Ball sitting on the concreate barrier at the side ball turned to Vincent and admitted, I was having fun, but now I am feeling a lot of pressure coming on. Both teams knew this was end game now. At 9 in Bocce ball anything can happen. Three good roles are the difference between playing in the next game for the championship, and playing for third place.
There has to be kudos given to Steven Kropp and John Tupasi. These gentlemen not only came out to cheer on the each team but also ended up referring the match. Each one did a great job. They owned the measurement. Took on the tough calls about which ball was closer and who should go first. They are gentlemen, scholars and damned skilled officials. They called a good clean match and I would ask them to be the referees for the 3rd place match and the finals as well.
9 to 9 was the score. Then Side Ball being the elder statesmen on the course rattled off one of his favorites quotes “Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky, Seven for the Dwarf-lords in halls of stone, Nine for Mortal Men, doomed to die, One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie. One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them. In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.”
Ok, ok, Side Ball isn’t that cool and though he knows most of that legendary quote by heart, all he said was “Nine for the men who were doomed to die!” because it was what he always says when he hears the number nine. Much to his dismay no one on the course knew what he was talking about. The men who took rings from Sauron the Deceiver and would become his Nazgul, Ringwraiths, neither living nor dead, come on people I am talking about Lord of the Rings here, this is classic literature. In the words of the Great Dr. Duan “COME ON!”
Although no men died at 9 – 9 one teams’ hopes of going to play for the championship did. It was at this point Side Ball finally stepped up and starting helping his team a little bit. At 9 – 9 Gretzky had a chance to put the game away. There was a casino opportunity on the course. It would have won the game. Buca was out, like way out. However, unsteady hands couldn’t close the deal and the door was left open. The score was now 10-9 Gretzky heading to the north end of the court where side ball has struggled all season.
Any door you leave open for Vincent and Li is dangerous. They are two good of players to do that. They communicate on another level than any other team. It is like the other one always knows what the other is thinking. When you are playing them sometimes it is scary and at other times it is downright frustrating.
The balls were rolled and it is all over now. It is a blur and it wasn’t that long ago. At the time of writing we are probably less than 3 hours post game. I remember Gretzky being in. I remember Side Ball coming up with the game on the line. If he put the balls in, the biggest upset in CCFO BBL history would happen. He had been up and down all year. He turned to the opponent and actually asked if I through this to hard is it possible I put you guys in. The answer was yes. Patel just said let it roll. So he rolled and his ball, was in.
Gretzky did it. They won the game 12-9 and earned a place in the in the Championship.
It was a game for the ages! An upset like this is unlikely. Vincent and Li are champions. They were the regular season champs. They represent on the Bocce Court and should be praised. They are a formable opponent and two great guys. I would be happy to roll with either of them and am very glad to call them friends.
Suzie Graf and Devang Patel are heroes. They made this upset happen. They both were calm and composed the whole time. They never got too high or too low. They played like the champions they are. Well, well deserved.
For old Side Ball, he still feels like he is living in a dream. He couldn’t stop gushing over his teammates and how much respect he had for the other team. Whatever happens in the finals will happen. Getting there is an amazing journey and he is happy to be along for the ride with such wonderful teammates.
There are two team left vying for the title of Championship and either team is a worthy champion because they got this far. There are also two more games left. The 3 v 4 game is still a trophy game. The 3rd play team walks away with hardware. The 4th place team gets nothing and likes it.
The Fighting Mongooses and Pallina Gretzky have met before. It was a 12:7 win by the Geese. Gretzky can’t remember if there were a lot of birds out there that day or if I that was just Chris Louie chirping. No Chris L, nothing but love for you man. I do love the Mongooses’ name, as a matter of fact the first suggestion for Gretzky name was the Sasquatch, yes the fighting Sasquatch, to be exact, because much like Patrick, I to love Futurama too… Anyway it will be a really fun match. It has been a great Bocce Ball season, thanks everyone for being a part of it.
Good luck to all parties still in the Tourney! Thanks everyone for a Great Season!
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