Season 54 Free Agents are a huge-ass group

 

In a preseason that is seeing an unofficial record number of free agents jumping ship from their current teams, the two-time defending champion Dallas Demons are the only team to totally escape the exodus.

Twenty-three players will enter the Season 54 draft along with the usual number of 16 rookies, meaning that all but one team will get four picks each in what promises to be the biggest rearrangement of talent this league has ever seen. 

Except, of course, for Dallas, which, in the face of all this scrambling, stayed ridiculously pat.

Here are some Free Agent facts:

• 5 of the 10 teams in the league were hit hard...Sacramento, Philadelphia, Charleston and Seattle.
• Sacramento was decimated, losing six players, four of which were starters and one being the only Hall of Fame player who declared for free agency, Crentis Dentist. Tyler figured that the chance of the River Dogs losing 6 players to free agency was two-tenths of one percent. Bad juju to say the least. Only four players, one a starter, is on the current River Dogs roster, which is like starting over with an expansion franchise.
• Philadelphia's championship window with its current group took a major hit with the loss of starters Ehhy Table and team MVP D. Fenestration.
• Charleston also lost two starters, including All-MBA forward Sheetrock Hudson, the league's rebounding champ for a second time last season.
• Seattle lost its longtime stalwart at center and team MVP Sky Masterson.
• Three of the four playoff teams, Gillette, Oklahoma City and Dallas will be building off their current strong rosters with nary a loss of talent to free agency.
• The once-lowly Humps of Gillette go into the draft as the strongest team in the West, having lost one player, it's least effective starter.
• The nine biggest names in this free agent field include: forward D. Fenestration from Philly; forward Crentis Dentist from Sacramento; forward Sheetrock Hudson from Charleston; guard Thomas Thomas Thomas from Milwaukee; center Sky Masterson from Seattle; guard Ehhy Table from Philadelphia; forward Kevin Duran-Duran from Sacramento; guard Freddy Gooch from Charleston; and center China P from Sacramento. 
• Four free agents...Masterson, Dentist, Hudson and Fenestration were the MVPs of their respective teams last season.
• Hudson and Fenestration graded out second and third best at forward last season. Four of the free agent forwards were among the top 10 players at their position last season.
• 12 of the 23 free agents were starters...only San Jose, Oklahoma City, and of course, Dallas, did not lose a starter. But San Jose lost Hall of Fame guard Jesse Shershot to retirement.

Triple double leaders going into Season 54

 

Triple double leaders going into Season 54

ALL TIME LEADERS

17… Great Gruncle Terry, Hall of Fame guard (1 quadruple-double)

16…Jimsy Redfern, forward

11…Chip Battoe, Hall of Fame forward

11…Tom “the Bomb” Kondla, Hall of Fame center

9…Beezow Bop-Bop, Hall of Fame guard

9…Marcus Pettis, guard

8…Max Payne, Hall of Fame center

7…Wawa Wewa (active), forward

7…Tug Hershorts, Hall of Fame forward

7…J.D. Jedreat, forward (1 quadruple-double)

7…Diss Reflexia, Hall of Fame center

 

ACTIVE TRIPLE-DOUBLE LEADERS

7…Wawa Wewa, forward

4…Ehhy Table, guard

4…Flip Phelps, guard

3…Dick Papers, guard

Great Games of the Past...Lariats set single-game rebounding record

 

Season 42 for the Oklahoma City Lariats was bittersweet. The team was coming off of back-to-back championships and appeared to be chugging toward a third.

On this date, January 11 of 2019, they destroyed the Sacramento River Dogs in a 70-46 playoff-clinching victory that shattered the single-game rebounding record. The Lariats pulled down 42 boards, snagging 21 in each half. They had 30 rebounds after three quarters and got the record-tying 39th with 18 ticks remaining when Hall of Fame center Max Payne hauled down his game-high 13th. (One short of tying the individual rebounding record of 14). Then it was Oklahoma City forward Sloppy Dollop who got No. 40, on the way to the eventual record of 42, which still stands to this day. The R-Dogs could manage but 15 caroms.

The previous record was established by this same Sacramento franchise when they hauled in 39 against Charleston in Season 38.

Four Lariat players had at least 5 rebounds. Payne (who would tie for the league lead that season) led with 13, followed by Bang-Bang Reiner with 9, Dollop with 8 and point guard Ginger Vampire with 7.

Oklahoma City would go on to finish first in the West with an 8-2 mark, but were ambushed in the SemiFinals round of the playoffs by the Dallas Demons, 2 games to 0.

Dallas met its match in the Finals, losing 3 games to 1 to the champion Charleston Mountaineers, who were unbeaten in the regular season.

Seasons yielding the most Hall of Fame players

 SEASON 1...8 Hall of Famers (naturally, since every player made was considered a rookie

Rowdy Ron Clutch

Oscar Mudcat

Silo Chamberlain

Bub Wright

Doug Fresh

Big Bill Rustler

Raisin Sport

Cappy Gambol

SEASON 5...3 Hall of Famers

Alex Pal

Rip Slamjam

Dan Mann

SEASON 18...3 Hall of Famers

Joey Two-Tones

Tommy Zoop

Jonny Cockaroo

12 other seasons yielded 2 rookies to eventually make the Hall of Fame

14 seasons yielded 1 rookie who went on to make the Hall

20 seasons did not produce (yet) a rookie who eventually made the Hall of Fame

Ranking the Championship Teams by winning percentage

TITLE TEAMS RANKED BY WIN PERCENTAGE

(TOP 5 IN BOLDFACE)

Season 47 Dallas 15-0... .1000...5-0 in playoffs...Season MVP Chip Battoe...Playoff MVP Chip Battoe...All-MBA Chip Battoe

Season 42 Charleston 15-1... .938...5-1 in playoffs...Season MVP Naf Naf...All-MBA Naf Naf and Bezow Bop-Bop

Season 15 Philadelphia 14-1... .933...5-0 in playoffs...Playoff MVP Stu Nod...All-MBA Stu Nod and Bill Quimby

Season 34 Houston 14-1... .933...5-0 in playoffs...Season MVP Hrundi V. Bakshi...Playoff MVP Hrundi V. Bakshi...All-MBA Hrundi V. Bakshi, Ching-Chong Chung and Sanjay Patel

Season 50 Los Angeles 14-1... .933...5-0 in playoffs...Season MVP Quick Tink...Playoff MVP Great Gruncle Terry...All-MBA Quick Tink, Crentis Dentist and Flufferton Springs

Season 5 Philadelphia 14-2... .875

Season 16 Chicago 14-2... .875

Season 19 Philadelphia 14-2... .875

Season 24 Philadelphia 14-2... .875

Season 41 Oklahoma City 14-2... .875

Season 43 Philadelphia 14-2... .875

Season 46 Dallas 14-2... .875

Season 1 Houston 13-2 ... .867

Season 2 Chicago 13-2... .867

Season 7 Philadelphia 13-2... .867

Season 10 Houston 13-2... .867

Season 11 Milwaukee 13-2... .867

Season 40 Oklahoma City 13-2... .867

Season 13 Milwaukee 14-3... .824

Season 22 Philadelphia 13-3... .813

Season 31 Philadelphia 13-3... .813

Season 33 Philadelphia 13-3... .813

Season 28 Dallas 14-4... .778

Season 48 Sacramento 14-4... .778

Season 17 Philadelphia 13-4... .765

Season 35 Oklahoma City 13-4... .765

Season 52 Dallas 13-4... .765

Season 53 Dallas 13-4... .765

Season 3 Milwaukee 12-4... .750

Season 14 Philadelphia 12-4... .750

Season 18 Milwaukee 12-4... .750

Season 21 Dallas 12-4... .750

Season 23 Philadelphia 12-4... .750

Season 44 Sacramento 12-4... .750

Season 45 Los Angeles 12-4... .750

Season 25 San Jose 13-5... .722

Season 27 Charleston 13-5... .722

Season 29 Philadelphia 13-5... .722

Season 4 Milwaukee 11-4... .733

Season 51 Los Angeles 11-4... .733

Season 30 Philadelphia 12-5... .706

Season 32 Philadelphia 12-5... .706

Season 36 Charleston 12-5... .706

Season 6 Milwaukee 11-5... .688

Season 37 Seattle 11-5... .688

Season 39 Charleston 11-5... .688

Season 49 San Jose 11-5... .688

Season 12 Houston 12-6... .667

Season 20 Dallas 12-6... .667

Season 26 Charleston 12-6... .667

Season 38 Chicago 12-6... .667

Season 8 Philadelphia 11-6... .647

Season 9 Milwaukee 11-7... .611

Season 53...Retirees find their place in the MBA universe...plus other season-ending bits

 

-- Newly retired Hall of Fame guard JESSE SHERSHOT of San Jose finishes his 7-season career tied with Uncle Bob Masterson for fifth place in career scoring average at 19.1 points per game.

-- Milwaukee's Hall of Fame center J.J. GARGANTUAN will return for his 17th campaign next season, which is tied for the seventh-longest career in MBA history. He will be tying Mamadou Zongo and Max Payne for the longest career by a Hall of Fame player.

-- Dallas Demons star guard JUZAN DJINN, having just completed his fourth season, is tied for third place in all-time playoff MVP awards with 2. Only Stu Nod and Cappy Gambol, with 3 playoff MVPs, have won more. 

-- The champion DALLAS DEMONS are the 16th team in MBA history to capture a title while also leading the league in scoring.

-- Philadelphia Phobia forward WAWA WEWA added to his record of  consecutive games played, finishing Season 53 with 130 straight appearances. The previous record was 120 by Hall of Fame forward Raisin Sport.

-- The champion DALLAS DEMONS became just the fifth team in history to place three players on the five-man All-MBA team. (Pete Marzano-Juzan Djinn-Kopi Luwak). 

-- Newly retired guard JESSE SHERSHOT of San Jose becomes just the 17th Hall of Fame player (out of 56 retired HOFers) to play his entire career with the same team. 

JESSE SHERSHOT's Hall of Fame write-up follows:

Unquestionably the greatest guard to ever play for the San Jose Fighting Amigos, JESSE SHERSHOT (created by Jesse Sherwood) burst onto the scene as a prime pick with a Rookie of the Year campaign in Season 47 that netted him the first of six consecutive All-MBA team honors. He captured the first of five consecutive scoring titles in his second season, and by his third campaign he led the Amigos to just the second championship in franchise history, winning both the regular season and playoff MVP honors. The 6-5 Shershot, who played both point and shooting guard in his career, would go on to capture two more regular season MVPs (Seasons 51 and 52) while spearheading four consecutive playoff appearances for San Jose. He also achieved six All Star Game appearances in his seven seasons. He led the Amigos in scoring every season of his career, with a personal best of 21.4 ppg in Season 52. Although known mainly for his scoring, Shershot was also a fine passer, defender and rebounder. 

Season 53 Playoffs Summary

Dallas now tied with Milwaukee and Los Angeles/Houston for second-most titles in MBA history with 7. Philadelphia has 16.

Dallas championships

Season 20...7-3 (5-3)

Season 21...7-3 (5-1)

Season 28...9-1 (5-3) 

Season 46...9-1 (5-1)

Season 47...10-0 (5-0)

Season 52...8-2 (5-2)

Season 53...8-2 (5-2)

 

Top Scorers in Playoffs From Dallas

Season 20...Tersio Tataruga...19.3 ppg

Season 23...Joey Two-Tones...19.2 ppg

Season 28...Mamadou Zongo...20.0 ppg

Season 46...Chip Battoe...15.5 ppg

Season 47...Chip Battoe...17.8 ppg

Season 52...Juzan Djinn...17.4 ppg

Season 53...Juzan Djinn...21.9 ppg

Last 10 Top Playoff Rebounders

Season 44...Akbar Zagobia, Philadelphia...4.8

Season 45...Flip Testerton, Charleston...5.7

Season 46...GoToo Grot, Dallas...5.3

Season 47...GoToo Grot, Dallas...6.6

Season 48...Doo-rag Dripp, Sacramento...4,9

Season 49...Charles Broccoli, Seattle...5.4

Season 50...D. Fenestration, Philadelphia...4.7

Season 51...Eddie "the Milkman" Creamer, San Jose...6.8

Season 52...Biggus Dickus, Dallas (rookie)...5.9

Season 53...Chochky Galumpkus, Oklahoma City...5.4

Last 10 Playoff MVP Winners

Season 44...Colquitt Croix, Philadelphia

Season 45...Dr. Marcus Brody, Los Angeles

Season 46...Chip Battoe, Dallas

Season 47...Chip Battoe, Dallas

Season 48...Doo-rag Dripp, Sacramento

Season 49...Jesse Shershot, San Jose

Season 50...Great Gruncle Terry, Los Angeles

Season 51...Crentis Dentist, Los Angeles

Season 52...Juzan Djinn, Dallas

Season 53...Juzan Djinn, Dallas

ANSWER TO PHIL'S QUESTION

The question was...The obvious trivia question is: Is this the first time that a series final went 5 games and overtime in the final?  Meanning

it was longer than 5 games.

The Answer...following a protracted and thorough review of all the Finals, it was determined that this season...Season 53...was the only Finals to go the five-game distance with an overtime in Game 5.

Season 53 Finals Championship Game...Game 5...Oklahoma City at Dallas

 DALLAS 85, OKLAHOMA CITY 76 (Overtime)

DEMONS WIN O.T. THRILLER

DALLAS -- The Dallas Demons, trailing by as many as 7 points with 47 ticks left in the game and by 4 points with 12 left, sent the game to overtime on a last-second 3-point play by Pete "the Steakman" Marzano, then dominated the extra session to win their second consecutive MBA championship, 85-76.

The two MBA owners, Dave and Tyler, agree that this was the most competitive finale in the 53-season history of the league.

The victory gives Dallas its seventh franchise championship, which ties Milwaukee for second-most in league history with Milwaukee. Philadelphia's ridiculous total of 16 leads the way.

The Demons' intrepid guard, Juzan Djinn, moved to the point for the first time all season, led the way with one of the most productive and clutch performances ever witnessed on a tabletop anywhere. The fourth-year superstar scored 36 points, potting buckets from every zone on the court to lead the way to the title.

Meanwhile, Oklahoma City, missing its best player, King Czardines, not only put up an unexpectedly spirited championship game battle, but appeared at more than one point in the fourth quarter to be on its way to victory. 

But once the game got into overtime, the pedigree of the Dallas Demons showed through in dominant fashion.

PLAYER OF THE GAME

45 GVP...A clear-cut winner of Playoff MVP for the second consecutive season, Dallas Demons guard JUZAN DJINN delivered one timely bucket after another on a 15-for-20 shooting day that included 5 of 9 3-point buckets, numerous blow-bys to the hoop, medium js and short pull-ups for a game-high 36-points. (He was 1 for 2 from the foul line). The 6-2 Djinn also blocked a game-high 4 shots, grabbed 3 rebounds and had 2 assists in a clutch performance for the ages.

Other 20-plus GVP performers

27 GVP...Despite being guarded by one of the premier defenders in the game (Djinn), Oklahoma City veteran Handsy Joe Potatoe had an outstanding championship game, tying for team-high in scoring with 18 points that included a quartet of bombs from downtown. The 6-5 guard swooped in for a game-high 5 rebounds, blocked 2 shots and added a pair of assists. 

21 GVP...Stymied for much of the contest, small forward Pete "the Steakman" Marzano came on strong late in the game to finish with 16 points, including that previously described 3-point hoop at the end of regulation to tie the score. The second-season star added 3 blocked shots and 2 rebounds to the championship cause.

21 GVP...Subbing for the injured Czardines, 6-6 third-year guard Ol' Roy of Oklahoma City showed up big in this title contest, scoring 13 points, grabbing 4 rebounds, leading his team with 3 assists and swiping 1 steal. 

NEXT UP: Tallying the playoff statistics and officially announcing the Playoff MVP.

Season 53 Finals Game 4...Dallas at Oklahoma City

OKLAHOMA CITY 75, DALLAS 66 (series tied 2-2)

LARIATS FORCE GAME 5

OKLAHOMA CITY -- For the second season in a row, the highly favored Dallas Demons have been forced to a Game 5, winner-takes-all showdown.

Last season they prevailed over the huge underdogs, the 5-5 Milwaukee Greyhounds. This time around it's the left-for-dead Oklahoma City Lariats who are dragging the talented Whiz Kids to the showdown contest. 

The Lariats, playing the rest of the Finals without their best player, King Czardines, shocked the MBA universe with a 75-66 Game 4 home victory in which they never trailed and led by as many as 21 points.

Dallas made a fourth-quarter blitz at Oklahoma City, out-scoring the eventual victors 20-10 in a game that mirrored the Lariats' Game 2 triumph (86-72). In both Lariat wins, Oklahoma City built huge leads going into the fourth and hung on for dear life. 

The Demons were ice cold from the start and finished at a 40 percent shooting clip in which they failed to convert a single 3-pointer in 14 attempts. Free throws kept them within hollering distance, as they converted 16 of 17 compared to just 1 for Oklahoma City. 

The Lariats, the MBA's top shot-blocking team during the regular season, asserted itself magnificently with 13 swat-aways by five different players. 

PLAYER OF THE GAME

40 GVP...For the second straight game, the POG went to Dallas small forward PETE "THE STEAKMAN" MARZANO, who delivered a triple-double of dominant proportions against Toilety T. Paper of Oklahoma City. The regular season MVP, Marzano scored a game-high 27 points on 10 of 19 shooting, hitting on 7 of 8 from the foul line. The second-year All-MBA forward also topped everyone with 5 blocked shots, pulled down 7 rebounds and handed out 1 assist. Tyler predicted he would kill Paper and he did just that.

Other 20-plus GVP performers

29 GVP...Eight-year Oklahoma City stalwart, center Chochky Galumpkus, was in a deadly pivot battle with second-year man Biggus Dickus. There was no clear winner, but Galumpkus played big  with 16 points (including 3 slams), a team-high 10 rebounds, 2 blocked shots and 1 steal.

27 GVP...The other 7-foot center in the game, Biggus Dickus of Dallas, was also monstrous on the boards, accounting for a game-high 12 caroms while scoring 14 points, adding 1 assist.

25 GVP...Oklahoma City rookie forward Phillip Mianus had his way with veteran Al A. Orden for the fourth consecutive game, scoring a team-high 20 points, blocking 3 shots and grabbing 2 boards while Orden was held to 2 points.

24 GVP...With Czardines unable to play, Oklahoma City moved Handsy Joe Potatoe to point guard, and the veteran responded with a 16-point game that included a team-high 4 blocked shots. He added 2 rebounds, 1 steal and 1 rebound before (as Tyler predicted) he fouled out with 42 time units remaining and his team up by 8. 

20 GVP...It's highly unusual for the All-MBA guard tandem of Dallas to be out-played by their opponents, but that;s what happened in this game. Thrust into the starting lineup, Oklahoma City's Ol' Roy responded with his usual good defense and rebounding while contributing 10 points. The 6-6 Roy had 5 rebounds, a game-high 3 assists and 2 blocked shots. Every dog food has his day.

NEXT UP: The Season 53 decider. The Demons won easily on their home court in the unexpected Game 5 last season against Milwaukee. They are again favored to do so in this Finale, which is again at home. The Lariats and Demons have met six times this season, each winning three. 

Should we expect the expected or anticipate the unexpected? Tune in.

Season 53 Finals...Game 3...Oklahoma City at Dallas

 DALLAS 81, OKLAHOMA CITY 77 (Demons lead 2-1)

DEMONS WIN INJURY-PLAGUED CONTEST

DALLAS -- In a game that saw three key players (two for Dallas) leave the contest with injuries, the defending champion Blue Demons came from behind to defeat Oklahoma City 81-77.

First, Dallas center Biggus Dickus was felled in the first quarter and lost for the remainder of the game. At that point, things were looking up for Oklahoma City, who had a chance to win the game against short-handed Dallas, which would have left them just one win away from a major championship upset.

But, as has too often been the case, that glimmer of hope was snuffed in the second quarter when Oklahoma City's best player, King Czardines, went down for the count with a season-ending injury that eliminates him from the rest of the Finals. 

Still, Oklahoma City led 38-35 at the half, and when Dallas superstar guard Juzan Djinn left the game in the third quarter with yet another injury. The Lariats finished strong to lead 58-51 going into the fourth.

But Dallas got huge lifts off the bench by P.D. Jazz (11 points) and center Izzy Mandelbaum (12 points) to cut into the Lariats' lead. And when league MVP Pete Marzano scored 7 consecutive points down the stretch, Oklahoma City had no counter punch and came up a loser.

POINTS PREVENTED BY QUARTERS

Oklahoma City...4...0...3...2   Total=9

Dallas.................2...7...0...2    Total=11

TOPS IN POINTS PREVENTED

Both Handsy Joe Potatoe of Oklahoma City and Juzan Djinn of Dallas prevented 5 points each.

PLAYER OF THE GAME

29 GVP...PETE "THE STEAKMAN" MARZANO, the regular season MVP, came up HUGE for Dallas in the most crucial part of the ballgame, three times tying the game with clutch buckets on the way to a game-high 20 points that dominated his position. Before fouling out with 4 ticks left, the second-year forward went 9 for 11 from the floor (including a dunk over a blocked shot), tied for game-high in rebounds with 5, tied for game-high in blocked shots with 2 and tied for team-high in assists with 2. This was his second POG of the playoffs.

Other 20-plus GVP performers

21 GVP...Rookie forward Phillip Mianus of Oklahoma City dominated his power forward position, scoring a team-high 15 pooints, tying for game-high in boards with 5 and blocking 1 shot.

20 GVP...Dallas point guard Kopi Luwak buried 3 treys on the way to a 15-point game in which he also contributed 3 rebounds and 2 assists.

20 GVP...Playing just a bit more than half a game before his injury, Dallas guard Juzan Djinn still scored more points (16) than anyone on Oklahoma City, tied for most points prevented (5), tied for most blocked shots (2) and added 1 rebound and 1 assist.

20 GVP...Oklahoma City center Chochky Galumpkus was licking his chops at the prospect of going against the backup center for Dallas when Biggus Dickus went down. Although he scored 14 points, tied for most rebounds in the game with 5 and blocked 1 shot, the veteran needed to (and was expected) to do more considering the opportunity that was presented.

NEXT UP: It's back to Oklahoma City for Game 4 of the Finals, with Dallas needing just one win to repeat as MBA champions. Winning two in a row over the Whiz Kids is a tall order. Winning two in a row without their best player seems next to impossible.