Tim and Dan became the new Zen Champions at Super-Ball XII, the league’s traditional post-season split flipper tournament, on May 28. The champs came out of the “loser’s” bracket to defeat the winner’s bracket finalists, Joseph and me, in four straight games. It was a revenge match, since we were the ones who put them into the loser second chance bracket. This year’s Team of Destiny came about through serendipity. We had an odd number of participants until the last minute when Dan made his usual fashionably-late appearance. He ended up paired with Tim, who was at that point the only person who had yet to lock in a partner. This was a lucky break for them but also for me, because it saved me from having to figure out how to deal with an odd number as happens more often than not (or so it seems, anyway). It was also a lucky break for the league as a whole, since an odd number means a longer tournament. We end up with someone having to double up on teams, which causes more waiting.
Despite Mike and Bryan teaming up again to attempt to defend their title from Super-Ball XI, the erstwhile Zen Champions bowed out in semi-finals after an upset against the top-seeded Dream Team of Derik and Danny.
The trophies, as with league finals, were supplied once again by Prime Time Awards in Frandor. Back in Season I, Matt asked them to “just give us the cheesiest generic trophy you have” for the Zen tournament. They have supplied something to fill that role each season, though the exact topper has varied. I have just been calling them up and saying “we want all the same trophies with the new season on them” each season since I have taken over the league. This season’s Zen trophy was the nicest one yet, as they took the trouble to put the league’s logo on it at no additional cost and without being asked for it specifically. I have had very good experiences with Prime Time Awards in terms of both cost and service.
We also had a Tuesday Night Smackdown tournament on Star Trek and an Undercard bout on Metallica Indiana Jones. Mike had his consolation by winning the Smackdown medal and I won the Undercard after putting up something like 150M on ball 1, which effectively iced the rest of the players. coming from behind, causing Derik to yell “uncle!” when I passed his score. (Joseph pointed out that I had mixed up two different Undercard wins when I thought of Metallica.)
Season XIII of the venerable Lansing Pinball League (the third-oldest league in Michigan) will begin on Tuesday at 7. We may need to switch back to 7:30 beginning at the end of August, but I will make an announcement about that when it gets closer to that date. We will continue to play the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month, but we will be having a hiatus in July (during which the Rocket Robin charity tournament will take place on July 9).
Here are the results of the Zen tournament:
- Dan/Tim
- Heather/Joseph
- Mike/Bryan
- Derik/Danny
- Josh/Pat
- Lupe/Caleb