Star Wars OPEN Elite League Limmie

IC: Rhia Grames

The locker room was deathly silent. The Nar Shaddaa Smugglers had been handed their worst defeat of the season against a strong team from Alsakan, 4-34. Nobody was happy about the loss. Nobody could quite figure out what had gone wrong except for General Manager Rhia Grames as she patrolled up and down the benches, tired and beaten players on either side of her barely raising their eyes to meet her stern face. They knew they had failed her today.

"Unacceptable play, ladies and gentlemen. This kind of performance puts teams in a hole. I took many notes today and I'm disgusted, and I rarely use that word, with the performance of both units. You played like a premiere league team, heck, I wouldn't even say that you could have won one of those games with your play today," Grames thundered.

"I haven't spent the better part of my life assembling championship teams to see them collapse on their first game on the road. You are all talented, you all have what it takes, otherwise I never would have agreed to you coming here. Whatever happened out there on that pitch is behind us, but believe me, I want you to learn from it and head into practice this week with a burning desire to kick some tail against the Senators. We are, and I think you feel the same way, not a middle of the pack team. It's time we turn things up, we play more fiercely, and we come out giving the opposition hell all the way down the stretch. Am I understood?"

A chorus of voices responded in the affirmative.

Head Coach Tover Micjaa nodded his approval from the side of the room. He knew thing were bad when the general manager was in the locker room publicly berating the players performance. Not only did a poor performance hurt ticket sales, it hurt her pride and Grames was never one to like losing face in any situation.

"I know I'm not your head coach, and Tover over here has done the best job possible, but I want you to dig deep within yourselves and come out winning next week. We are pulling out all the stops. If that means more penalties, fine, if that means more potential for injuries, fine, but I want to see you guys go out there and show the galaxy that the Nar Shaddaa Smugglers cannot be put away so easily. Today was a fluke, remember that," Grames added, her voice firm and direct.

"Extra practices. Focus on the basics. I saw a bunch of individuals out there today which enabled the Flyers to divide and conquer. We're a team, people. There is no individual in team. Got that? Now, sorry to have to be mean, but this kind of play cannot continue. I respect you all and know you can do better. The road stretch doesn't get any easier, folks. Buckle down and let's play Limmie our way," Grames finished and tore out of the locker room leaving the players with a sense of guilt but also inspiration that their play could be better.

 

IC: Aileen Wynn
Ord Mantell

Aileen Wynn was not one of those head coaches who was never satisfied with her team, except when they lifted the Galactic Cup over their head. She enjoyed a good win and shared that feeling with her team, though she was careful not to let her emotions swing too much lest the team not be able to look at her in times when the going got rough and they needed a steady, even presence to draw on.

But kriff if this one didn?t feel good.

From the very start the Miners came out and hammered the Scrappers. It was 11-0 before Ord Mantell was even on the board. The Bakuran squad literally bowled through their opposition. Landa and Graves looked like seasoned vets as they protected and advanced the ball, not the rookies that they were. Montador and Heatley were playing like a pair of wampas up front, shaking coverage and finding space anywhere they darn well pleased.

But even more impressive was the defense. What had been a miserable, ragtag collection of players that couldn?t work together was now clicking beautifully. Their movements were a work of art. Andwol finally had his sea legs under him and only allowed one goal the entire game, and that one was a strong play that nobody could have stopped, the only moment of brilliance for Ord Mantell all day.

Central to the rejuvenated defense was Adanna Inviere. Gone was the do-it-herself mentality. Now she had fallen into her place in the defensive scheme envisioned for her at the start of the season. Her primary goal wasn?t knocking the other guys flat on their back, but advancing speedily up the field to counterattack, leaving the heavy hitting to the large bodies that surrounded her. She swooped in at turnovers and broke through the Scrapper coverage before they could even turn their bodies to face her.

?That is frakking why we recruited her!? Aileen shouted into her comm as Inviere rushed through midfield with room to spare.

Ord Mantell was, without question, a blue-collar planet. They were passionate about their sports teams, even in defeat. Of course, not many of them had cared to stick around for a 29 point thrashing. Those that did remain had very little to say to Aileen, who was amused by the fact that an opposing team was not heckling her off the field. Their ire was saved and directly solely at the Scrapers for such an embarrassing loss. Aileen did not envy those players and coaches as they headed off the field. She didn?t see much dejection in their walk?it had probably been about 15 points ago that they knew they were going to take this one on the chin and the sting was probably already wearing off, though not by much.

?Coach Wynn,? a Nemoidian reporter from HSN said, ?This was an absolutely dominating performance today. Are the Miners back??

?That?s a bold statement to make three games into the season. We?re very glad to be on the right side of the .500 mark, but we?ve still got three tough games on the road ahead of us,? Aileen said, ?We need to bring this level from hereon out.?

?Thought about the fact that you?re going back to Chandrila, a team that very decisively no longer wanted your services after last season?? the Nemoidian asked.

?Both the Patriots and Miners have started this season with new vigor. Both these teams have something to prove. Next week is our chance,? Aileen said in a very artless non-answer to the question before she headed off the field.

The visiting locker room on Ord Mantell was cramped and small, but the Miners didn?t much care after today. Aileen opened the door to the locker room, which was boisterous and noisy to poke her head in.

?Hey!? she shouted to make herself heard, which worked as usual, ?You guys know you did well, so you don?t need me to tell you, but let?s just remember we?re not champions yet. You know what we?ve got to do?let?s go do it. Shuttle to the spaceport leaves in two hours.?

She shut the door and headed towards the gaggle of reporters further down the hall. ?They?re all your?s,? she said, jerking a thumb over her shoulder, which sent them off

 

Corso Wey
Wey Villa, Alsakan

Oh, Limmie. This was something that Corso remarked to himself quite often during his career in the beautiful game. It was very true for this season. Corso was seen as something of an upstart in the Limmie community. He was the only owner-player combination in the history of the league, and he wasn?t exactly known for following tradition. But, the first week of the 263 season, Corso made major steps towards completely absurd. In a highly controversial and critically panned move, Corso had instructed his coach, Dean Shazar to ignore their first game.

In a press conference after the game, Corso explained that he had spent the first and second weeks preparing his team for their next games. He explained that Kuat, while still formidable, was still developing, and thus the lesser evils compared to the powerhouses of Coruscant and Nar Shaddaa. If the plan had gone sour, Corso might have had a riot on his hands, but his gamble ultimately payed off.

Lead by their Full Forward Nyl Tuum and team co-captain Tyro Sarin, the Flyers had coasted to a 2-1 record and honors as one of the most productive teams thus far. Only Bakura was more prolific, but Alsakan proved to have a better defense.

If the season continued to progress as it was, the matchup between the two top teams was expected to be a preview of the Championship game.

But, that could wait. Corso was focused on Kashyyyk.

Tag: No one

 

IC: Gark S'rily
Kashyyyk

The Senators, having dealt with the injury bug that seemed to keep on going, finally were on the board with a win for the season. It had been a fitting end to an otherwise forgettable road trip, wrapping up with a 12-2 victory over the home Rangers. Gark was excited to finally see a victory, especially after the championship season the prior year. The team seemed to finally be getting more in sync with each other, but things still concerned him. Narvels, the Gungan replacement Half Forward, was still not quite understanding the offense. He was giving the ball out a lot and scoring assists, but he wasn't taking shots that were regarded as easy. His scouting reports had explained this in detail, but the team had been desperate, and had decided to take a chance on the passing Forward. The other two injury replacements, Gastor Nuchyuck and Venn Sto, had done a decent job in their two matches, the latter keeping his ground and holding a very formidable Kashyyyk offense to just 2 points. Hopefully this win would help ease the injured players back in, and possibly these two replacements could stick for the rest of the season as reserves.

One thing had not gone right, however. Polis Vayne, MVP of the championship match, had strained his calf early in the second half, and had been taken to the locker room for examination. It was determined that he would be out for about a week, possibly keeping him out of the home opener for the Senators. This was the latest in the string of injuries the team had faced. Gark could not understand how all of these injuries were occuring, but realized that it was a part of the game, and that they would have to slog through the rest of the season with the healthy players. The four-match homestand would truly test the team; could they repeat as champs, or would they barely hold on? Things were going to get interesting after the first victory of the season.

 

GM Post

Alaskan, Bakura, Coruscant, and Nar Shaddaa all have bonus rolls this week!

Week 4 Results
Ord Mantell Scrappers at Kuat Triforce (17-8)
Bakura Miners at Chandrila Patriots (33-3)
Alsakan Flyers at Kashyyyk Rangers (39-20)
Nar Shaddaa Smugglers at Coruscant Senators (20-7)

Tag: Everybody!

Also, after a bit of thought, I'm going to allow OOC comments in this thread pertaining to the game as long as they don't take over. And on that note...

OOC: Man Nick! You don't go easy on those Wookiees, do you?

 

IC: Aileen Wynn
Stoney End Park, Hana City, Chandrila

It wasn't exactly a homecoming. It was more like being at a bar and seeing that ex-boyfriend that you had a lot of fun with back in the day, stayed with way longer than you should have (making both him and you miserable), and then had a nasty breakup with. You could ignore him, make small talk, or punch the guy.

Coming back to Chandrila was like that for Aileen Wynn. Sure, she'd gone to two Galactic Cup Finals with them and won one of them before things had gone downhill and the franchise had been very happy to shake the dust from their feet in Aileen's general direction. If it hadn't been for the sudden downturn in the Miners' own fortunes, Aileen probably would be in a Premier League job at best right now--if she had one at all.

Well that's silly, of course I'd have a job in the Premier League. Galactic Cup-winning coaches are highly coveted down there, Aileen thought to herself with a smile.

Still, it was with no small measure of apprehension that she took the field at Stoney End for the first time as someone other than the head coach of the Chandrila Patriots. Even though Aileen Wynn was a tough cookie, she steeled herself for a rough reception.

That was why the announcement to the stadium came as such a surprise. "Gentlebeings, we invite you to join the Chandrila Patriots in welcoming back Galactic Cup champion and former head coach Aileen Wynn back to Stoney End Park."

The crowd rose to its feet in applause. It was not an overzealous ovation, but it was not token clapping either. It was genuine appreciation for all of the good that Aileen had done for them without glossing over the rough years. Several of the players that Aileen had formerly coached came over to shake her hand and pay their respects. It was indeed touching for Aileen, who put her hands over her heart and bowed to each end of the stadium. Chandrila had been the classy ex-boyfriend that was grateful for the good that happened, not bitter over the fact that it had ended.

It turned out Aileen was the ex-girlfriend who promptly got a hotter boyfriend and then rubbed the other guy's face in it.

The Miners lit up Stoney End 33-3 in their most dominating performance of the season. The defense, already stellar, improved even more, and Elke Andwol allowed no goals on the day. The rookies as a whole were continuing to mature nicely under the guidance of the veterans that surrounded them and all of them looked to be locks for solid journeyman players--if not better. Relieved of the burden of the captaincy, Isabella Montador was absolutely on fire in the power offense. She was on track for a career season and getting noticed from all corners of the League.

Though the Patriot Nation was usually a very loyal fanbase, even they knew when a hammering was coming down and a good amount left to beat the traffic when the writing was clearly on the wall. They all missed the enormous smile on Aileen's face as she left the field.

---

"Coach Wynn, the Patriots were boasting one of the League's best defenses coming into today's game. How did you beat them?"

It was the postgame press conference and Aileen was fielding a few more questions than usual. After all, Coruscant wasn't really that far away.

"We stuck to our game plan that we've found success with, but we did take advantage of where we saw holes in the tape. I think that the continued growth of our half forwards as an entire unit was a major part of our success today," Aileen said, "Though we were adamant about a move to the power offense, we thought we were going to only be starting to get the half forwards working in tandem on it about this time in the season. The aptitude that they've shown for it is really a testament to them as players."

"Aileen, it usually takes four wins to make the playoffs in the Elite League. What are your feelings knowing you've almost taken the Miners from the basement to the playoffs?"

"Almost isn't good enough. Frankly, we have the toughest part of our season ahead of us. O

 

Rhia Grames

The Nar Shaddaa Smugglers were sitting at a comfortable 1-1 in their three game road stretch. A beating by the Alsakan Flyers had prompted the coaching staff, in particular, Tover Micjaa, to re-evaluate how to best employ the aggressive offense they had used so successfully only a year ago.

It seemed a solution presented itself against an injured and beaten Coruscant Senators team as the Nar Shaddaa Smugglers put up a solid twenty points holding Coruscant to a meager seven. Play conservatively, play smart, and don't let the other team get ahead. Thus far in the season, Nar Shaddaa had been hovering around the middle of the pack with the league beginning to separate with a resounding thud led by the Bakura Miners under Aileen Wynn's strong leadership.

That had to end and as practice resumed for the umpteenth time following the game against Coruscant, Rhia Grames took a particularly close look at each position, at each player, and decided that a little slippage in the overall record might not be a bad thing for a team that had been soaring high for several consecutive seasons. Losses built character. Close games developed even more. Wins made you lazy.

Grames counted on that as she walked side by side with Head Coach Tover Micjaa while the front four of Nightshade, Andersen, Forsythe, and Ortmeyer scrimmaged in the back ground.

"You've watched a lot of tape," Micjaa finally said after a quiet reverie of the training facility provided to them by the Kuat Triforce.

"Yes I have. And the problems I'm seeing keep coming up. It's not your coaching, Tover. Believe me, I'd let you know if it was. There's something not clicking this year on offense and I want it sorted out," Grames said.

"Ortmeyer?"

Grames nodded. "He's nearly cost us the game several times. Now I've seen solid play from the kid but solid play isn't enough when we've got a grueling two games at home to round out the regular season. I want us to pick up a few more wins before this year closes to improve our playoff positioning."

"So what do you suggest? I find a replacement for Ortmeyer?" Micjaa replied, exasperated with Grames' exacting tone.

"No, Jed stays he is. I want teams to think he is the weakest link on this squad. They'll attack him early and often and get overconfident. Which means they'll penetrate the defense and strike there. Outside of Alsakan, that has been our strongest group so far. We don't have the best defense in the league but we've got a lot of heart and hit hard and that will make a difference. I want you to focus on increasing the training schedule for the defensive backs. The offensive unit looks okay, just tell them to take care of the ball and not make any unnecessary risks, got it?" Grames insisted.

"Since when have you been telling me how to do my job?" Micjaa fired back, slightly irritated.

"Since you've had your mind on other things. I know your wife is having a baby, that's got to take a lot of concentration from you, Tover. I understand that, believe me, I do. But this team needs you to focus. Needs you to lead and show these kids that mediocrity won't win championships. Only excellence. I want to see heart when they play. Winning against Coruscant was a walk in the park. It might not be so easy in a few weeks when we return home. I believe in you, Tover, otherwise you would have been gone a long time ago. Show me you still have the fire, alright?"

Tover smiled, realized how blessed he was to have Rhia Grames as his general manager. "Thanks for the advice, Rhia."

"Anytime, Tover," Grames replied before disappearing into a tunnel.

 

IC: Allie Orchetrada (with some of Gark S'rily)
Andromeda Steel Corp. Field

The Senators were simply taking a beating. Nar Shaadaa, who last season had been the only team ahead of the Senators in the final standings, had walked all over the beat-up Coruscant squad. Allie was constantly shaking her head on the sidelines as her players seemed to be feeling the effects of early fatigue, and when halftime came around, many were bruised up. It was not an encouraging sign that the defending champs were getting beaten so easily at home and were in such bad shape. Three players asked to be taken off for the rest of the game after nasty collisions, which required the use of even more rookies. Venn Sto, the replacement for Tavis Corizyl in goal, still looked shaky, yielding twenty points and making many rookie mistakes. The Smuggler offensive unit had had a field day with the beat-up Senators backfield, now missing two key players in the second half. Dirxx Horste had tried to hang in there after colliding with the ground hard, but Allie would have none of it; he was sent back to be checked on, especially since he was returning from a concussion. Dilfy Pogrid had fallen over after being accidentally tripped (at least the refs thought it was) by a Smugglers player, and took several moments to get up. She looked beat up, and Allie replaced her with Carruth Dopple, a rookie defenseman with no previous game experience. He struggled as per usual with the Senators' rookies, which made matters worse. Narvels in the offense had looked good passing the ball, and had finally cashed in on a good scoring opportunity. However, the team just looked beat.

Allie was sulking as she left the field, the crowd silenced by the turn of events. They weren't going to boo their team, but another performance like that would definitely tick them off. The dejected Senators players walked behind their coach as they headed down the tunnel towards the locker room, Brosh We'kyr having a towel draped over his head in shame. As they got to the locker room, Allie was stopped by Gark S'rily. "Allie, I think we need to talk." he said plainly. This put a genuine sense of worry in Allie's brain; what was he thinking of? Was her job on the line? The players filed past her into the locker room, and one of them threw a towel into the side of a locker in frustration. It was indeed frustrating to see this team, coming off such a good season, being derailed by injuries and poor play. Following Gark to the end of the tunnel, she turned around to face him.

"Allie, I really don't like where this is going," he said plainly again. "We're having too many injuries, and the fans don't like seeing performances like that."

"I can't do anything aboutt he injuries!" Allie blurted out. "it's like there's a reward out for hurting our players! I don't understand how we can sustain that many bruises."

"Bill and I think something needs to be done to try and change that. You probably won't like it."

Allie's mind raced. Was this it for her career on Coruscant? "You're firing me, aren't you?" she finally said sharply. "Just like that."

"Actually, no. We think you're a great coach. Instead, we were thinking that you should cut down on the number of practices this week."

"With league-leading Bakura coming to town this week? That's suicide!" Allie said incredulously. Fewer practices? No way the team could benefit from such an idea.

"The players look fatigued. Maybe you should give them some days off. I think they need it for morale, and to heal up. Today's match was a beating, and we can't have that many injuries. It'd be better to let them rest a bit more before returning to practice. It can't hurt to try." Allie didn't like this plan, but she agreed anyways. Maybe it would give the team a much-needed boost in energy.

 

IC: Aileen Wynn
Galactic Senate, Coruscant

With Chandrila so close to Coruscant, Aileen was able to give the team a breather from the frantic travel schedule that had the Miners had been forced to endure. Therefore, rather than schedule a practice, Wynn wanted to keep the team loose and some sightseeing around Coruscant was an excellent way to do that. At the moment, they had just finished a visit to the Senate Rotunda to observe the goings on of their galactic government. Even though several players came from planets outside the boundaries of the Republic everyone was impressed by the grandeur of the building. Now they were assembling for a team holo with the Senate in the background before they visited Monument Plaza.

"This one's going to be serious, okay guys? You're going to want this one for the mantle back home," Aileen said, vainly hoping that she would not have someone stick rabbit ears behind her head during the picture.

"Hold on!" a voice called, "I want in!"

Up the stairs from the Senate herself came Kerry Trieste with her Bakuran Marshal minders. Trieste was a politician, and that meant that she enjoyed getting face time on Coruscant whenever she could. Limmie was an excellent excuse to do so. She was even hosting the Supreme Chancellor in the visiting owner's box for the game this week. Doubtless there would be much to discuss between the two, especially relating to issues of the Outer Rim.

Kerry slipped onto the end of the back row of players for the holo, which was duly taken.

"I'm going to leave you guys to your day off, but I just wanted to say that everyone, myself included, has noticed that you've been bringing your best to the Limmie field," Kerry said, addressing the team, "Dana, Aileen, and myself discussed this a lot before the start of the season. We knew that if you gave it everything you had on the field, you guys were going to do great things. Now I'm not here to jinx anything, I just want to say that we don't take what you're doing for granted. Now go have some fun!"

However, before they left, Kerry took Aileen aside briefly. "Aileen, everything I said goes for you too," Trieste said confidentially.

"Thank you, Madam Prime Minister, but thank me when the season's over. Then we'll know if I deserve it," Aileen replied.

"That's the attitude I like. I just wanted to tell you that what we're doing here is important. Having the Miners come here after three straight wins has really boosted Bakura's profile on this visit. Don't think for a second that the Chancellor would be attending the game if we were in the middle of the pack," Kerry said, "What happens on the field has implications off it."

"I'll let you handle them and concern myself with the implications on the field," Wynn said.

"You know, I knew there was a reason we hired you," Kerry said with a smile.

Tag: Nobody

 

GM Post

Bakura, Coruscant, and Nar Shaddaa are rolling bonuses this week.

Week 5 Results
Nar Shaddaa Smugglers at Kuat Triforce (31-21)
Alsakan Flyers at Ord Mantell Scrappers (24-16)
Bakura Miners at Coruscant Senators (22-27)
Chandrila Patriots at Kashyyyk Rangers (13-21)

Tag: Everyone

 

IC: Gark S'rily
Home Locker Room, Coruscant

The atmosphere in the Senators' locker room was solemn; one could probably hear a pin drop at times. The players were unusually quiet, and it was no surprise to Gark that the team he had built was no longer the boisterous bunch that had won the Galactic Cup only the season before; instead, it was a squad wracked by injuries to key players and inconsistency at many positions. They had stumbled out of the blocks to a 1-3 record, with a resurgent Bakura Miners team coming to town to play. The loss the week before had taken a lot out of the players' morale, and they were looking at the possibility of missing the playoffs, like the franchise had done many times before the purchase and rebuilding process last season. Some holdovers from the old era were starting to get that grim idea that things were going south once again, and new players were nervous about the whole thing; were they truly that bad of a team? Allie was drawing something on the whiteboard, her usual keys to the game. Gark stood over in the corner, watching her draw up some X's to mark her points. Finally, she turned around and faced her team, who looked at her with a mixture of uncertainty and disappointment.

"Well, troops, I can say that we have one hell of a match coming up. Not only is Bakura a strong team, with a 3-1 record coming in, but word has it that the Supreme Chancellor is being hosted by Kerry Trieste, the Prime Minister of Bakura, in her private box during the match."

"Have we sunk that low?" Brosh We'kyr shouted out suddenly, "that even the Chancellor has given up on us?"

"I wouldn't say that . . ." Allie said, but another voice came up. It was Dirxx Horstse, the Besalisk captain; his head still sported several bandages, which covered up some nasty bruises from the beating he had taken the week before and during practice over the week. He was most likely going to be sitting out this match, replaced by one of the unproven rookies.

"Instead of moping about it, use it as a rallying point! Show Bakura that they can't mess with us! Make yourself relevant to the Limmie community once again! We didn't give up last year, so why play dead now?" Brosh nodded, as did a few others. Someone started to pound their foot on the floor, and all of a sudden the dreadful silence was replaced by a showing of new energy. Allie looked stunned for a moment, but then her face returned to its normal neutral position. Gark raised an eyebrow; that motivational ploy had certainly worked, and the players were finally energized.

"Now that we have our drive back, let's get to the game points," Allie said, cracking a smile. She pointed to the board, making sure that her points were well-understood by the players, who were now riveted to the board and soaking up everything like a sponge. It was an odd turnaround, but was necessary for team morale.

---

"ANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNDDDDDD your Home Team. Galactic Cup Champions of the 262 Limmie season . . . Here are your CORUSCANT SENATORS!!!!!!!" shouted the PA Announcer. Gark pivoted his seat in the owner's box to watch the team tunnel. The Senators burst through the tunnel and out onto the field, whooping it up and giving Gark the idea that the speech had given them more energy than he had realized. They had the energy, but could they win the match? Out in front of the pack was Dirxx, who, despite the injury, had felt that he was needed up front as captain to keep the team going. The crowd roared its approval, even though they knew their team's captain would probably sit out due to injury. Many fans had dismissed the Senators as being bad overall, but the truly faithful understood that the Senators could still win this match and stay in the playoff hunt. Given what they had already gone through, nothing was for certain. The energy in the stadium was cranked up as fireworks flew up into the air, exploding in a variety of vibrant colors, and the Senators starters walked onto the field for the star

 

IC: Aileen Wynn
Andromeda Steel Corp. Field, Coruscant

Aileen shook her head as she exited the field. Three-fourths of that game had been excellent. The entire first half had been great, in fact. But those last fifteen minutes...that was where the Senators had really pulled away and played with some passion. Today's lesson was that even when you played well you had to finish your games. That was going to be impressed on the players tomorrow on the shuttle out to Nar Shaddaa. Speaking of which...the postgame press conference called.

Privately, Aileen figured that they wouldn't be able to restrain themselves for more than four questions--and that was being generous. Just to make things interesting, she laid a side bet on it with her offensive coordinator. As she sat down at the conference table, Aileen could tell just by the looks like their eyes that they were chomping at the bit.

"Coach Wynn, what are your thoughts about today's game?"

One.

"Obviously we didn't end on a strong note. We allowed the Senators to dictate the level of play at the end there and it wound up costing us. I think we still played solidly, but when we made errors late they were capitalized on by the Senators. Sometimes you can get away with that and sometimes you can't," Aileen replied.

"Aileen, you said coming into today's game that the winner would be determined by what team had their rookies perform better. Do you still stand by that statement now that everything's over and done with?"

Two.

"I honestly think that the play today was pretty even. Our half forward line was stellar again. We had some really strong play out of them today. Everyone on Bakura should really be excited about what we're seeing out of them, even in a losing effort," Aileen said, "That being said, I think that Coruscant's rookies raised their game today, especially Venn Sto. Even though it won't look like it in the box score, that kid made some very key saves throughout the game that could have blown things open for us and totally changed the outcome of the game."

"Coach Wynn, how do you respond to the criticism that Bakura has been unable to win on the big stage, like in a venue like Coruscant that has gets a lot of media exposure?"

Three.

"I'd like to remind those people that we went into Chandrila and cleaned the clocks of perhaps the most storied franchise in the history of Limmie," Aileen retorted, "The biggest stage in the galaxy is the playoffs and that's where I want to see this team win. Period."

"Aileen, everyone here knows that next week you're facing the Smugglers. You've had a publicly acrimonious relationship with Tover Micjaa and it's no secret there's no sisterly love between you and Sybil, one of the Smugglers' scouts. Furthermore, with the departure of Naboo, this is Bakura's only historic rivalry game this season. Care to comment on any of the above?"

Four. She'd been right on the money.

"Of course I care to comment," Aileen replied, "I'll comment all day long on the fact that Tover Micjaa married one of his former players. Who knows what they were doing prior to Selene Minn's retirement. I haven't asked Garen about it, but I'm sure it was uncomfortable for the rest of the team. No wonder they've had so many playoff disappointments. As for my younger sister, have we already forgotten that she wasn't good enough as the coach of the Naboo Ducks to even get a Premier League coaching position? She's gone into scouting for stars' sake. Now, all of that being said, don't think for a moment that I am taking this game anything but seriously. I am taking this dead seriously. Bakura and Nar Shaddaa--the Outer Rim Limmie powerhouses. It's called the Black & Blue Battle for a reason. Everybody needs to buy a hat so they can hold the heck onto it during the game. Though this team has taken this season one week at a time, nobody here should kid themselves that we haven't had this game circle on our calendars since the season came out. End of a long road trip, in their house. Rhia Grames, Tover Micj

 

IC: Rhia Grames
Nar Shaddaa Smugglers Training Facility-New Vertica

"She talks too much," Viera Ravine observed as she gathered around the Nar Shaddaa Smuggler's locker room after a particularly grueling practice only hours after returning home from a romping victory against the Kuat Triforce.

"Has gotten her into trouble in the past," Corrie Andersen replied with a smile, flashing a look of confidence to the offensive line, in particular, Jed Ortmeyer whose performance against Kuat had been commendable. He had, after all, scored the majority of the team's points.

"And she's disappearing right now," announced Head Coach Tover Micjaa as he flicked off the Holonet display built into the wall of the locker room. Groans could be heard as the Nar Shaddaa Smugglers loved seeing the new coach of the Bakura Miners, Aileen Wynn, make a fool of herself on a galactic feed.

"I know, I know, we all love some entertainment after three weeks of hard work. Well, believe me, we'll get every shot to make the Miners organization regret coming to Six Boroughs next week. I'm installing a new game plan," Micjaa announced.

Rhia Grames watched from the shadows. She enjoyed seeing the team operate on the ground level. Had watched each performance that the Miners had turned in this season and she was impressed. Not with Aileen Wynn's coaching, that, she admitted, would never impress her, but with the drive and charisma the Miners brought to every game. Course, that was about to end this week when they journeyed to Six Boroughs to taste defeat for a second time in a row.

"What's the plan?" Meredith Chambers inquired, curiosity getting the better of her.

"The plan, quite simply, is to outplay them physically. Hurt them where it counts, even if it means drawing a few more fines and penalties," Tover announced.

Silence filled the locker room. "That might mean injuries, Coach."

"That could mean an investigation."

Tover laughed and shook his head. "Done right, it'll mean a victory and very little downside for the squad. Wynn likes to run a power offense? Well, we like to run something called a smash mouth defense. Somebody is going to be tasting the pitch all night long when they come into Six Boroughs and believe me, it won't be us."

And there it was. Tover Micjaa, winner of one Galactic Cup championship, had laid down the gauntlet for his players. It was personal for him. Beating Aileen Wynn brought the man more satisfaction than hoisting the Galactic Cup, though he would never admit that to his players. Not even his wife.

Yet, Rhia observed, she saw the look of a team that was hungry. Hungry because they had been forgotten in the offensive firepower of the Bakura Miners and the galactic sports media. That was fine by them. Let the media hype up the Miners. Let the media broadcast Aileen Wynn's comments all over the galaxy.

Only hurting the Miners franchise in the long run Grames observed, finding it wise to keep to a public relations policy of discretion. Kerry Trieste must really want success this year to hire a firebrand like Wynn. Well, they're getting it, but it stops here, at Six Boroughs.

 

IC: Aileen Wynn
Nar Shaddaa

The flash of holocameras was absolutely blinding as the Bakura Miners disembarked from the team shuttle and were immediately greeted by the collected media of the Vertical City. This was always the way it was when the Miners came to play the Smugglers, but this time it was different. This time Aileen Wynn was coming to town with them and the media were all over her.

"Aileen! Aileen!" they shouted, vying for her attention.

"Don't you feel your comments about Tover and Selene were completely insensitive?" one reporter said, shoving a microphone into his face, "Will you retract them?"

"Has Tover said that my comments were inappropriate?" Aileen asked in her turn--knowing full well that he hadn't, "When he does, then I'll consider retracting them."

"What's been your reaction to the utter silence from the Smugglers?"

"Utter and complete disappointment," Aileen said, "I've been very hurt by this. I thought they hated me. To think that Nar Shaddaa may actually be able to tolerate my presence...I thought our relationship was better than this."

"What's the game plan for the Smugglers? You guys are going up against a pretty potent defense this week."

"Oh come on--they're as potent as Chandrila was and look what we did there," Aileen said.

"Are we going to see the power offense again this week after you gave up big defensive gaffes against Coruscant?"

"We got predictable last week," Aileen said, "We've completely revamped this defense. Tover has no idea what's coming at him. None at all. I really do wish him the best of luck this week."

"Do you think your brash personality is the reason why Joaquin Vehn isn't inviting the Prime Minister to the owner's box for this game?"

"Oh that's just the way that in-laws are," Aileen replied dismissively, "Every family needs a good fight every once in a while."

"Is that why you've had a rivalry with your sister for your entire adult lives?"

"We fight because we love each other so much," Aileen said with a wink and a voice dripping with sarcasm as she got on the team hoverbus to head to the hotel, "So very much."

Tag: Liam

 

IC: Rhia Grames

The first and final press conference held by General Manager Rhia Grames was well under way and the reporters were flinging all kinds of questions in her direction as a direct result of the insidious comments of the Bakura Miners Head Coach Aileen Wynn only a few days earlier.

"No, I'm not going to comment on Tover Micjaa's personal life," Grames repeated for the ninth time that morning.

"Look, we have a firm game plan in store for the Miners tomorrow. Our players are prepped. Their minds are focused. We are going to do everything in our power to win this game. This is crucial for us, ladies and gentlebeings. Crucial. I can't emphasize enough how psyched our players are to go against the Miners led by Aileen Wynn. That woman deserves respect for turning around a floundering franchise. But that's where the compliments end. When we get on the pitch tomorrow, the gloves come off and the fight begins," Grames announced.

"How has Jed Ortmeyer held up in your opinion this season?" A reporter inquired.

"Jed has been a solid member of the offensive unit. We've seen a fairly consistent performance from him during our three week road trip. I know he's looking forward to playing the Miners and proving that trading him was a big mistake," Grames said.

"Look, I don't have much time, but tomorrow is huge. The season and our playoff spot rests on our performance. I need to head back to New Vertica to watch our practice, which is closed off to the press, sorry guys. Tomorrow is a new day. I strongly believe our playing will demonstrate that the Nar Shaddaa Smugglers should be respected in their home stadium. That's all I have to say," Grames said, removing her presence from the conference room.

 

IC: Aileen Wynn
Six Boroughs Stadium, Nar Shaddaa

Nar Shaddaa. Six Boroughs. Game Day.

This was almost as good as the playoffs.

The pregame practices and drills were underway already and Aileen was only paying part attention to the Miners. By week 6, they had the routine down pat and the assistant coaches would be providing the most valuable feedback to them. A good coach knew when to step back and concern herself with the bigger picture--which was exactly what she was doing now.

This game was going to be a dejarik match through and through. She knew Tover Micjaa with the familiarity that only came from frequent loathing. She'd called him a "cowboy Casanova" once before--a term that had been appropriated by Smuggler fans for their beloved Hall of Fame-bound coach. Admittedly, her most recent remarks had been scathing. Part of her was indeed disappointed that Micjaa hadn't risen to the bait this year. She had been gearing up for a good media feeding frenzy between the two of them.

It was no accident that there had only been one press conference given by the entire organization in the last week, and that one from Rhia Grames, who was always cool and controlled when in front of a holocamera. Well, except that time she and Tan Strensky got into a pregame fight before a Smuggler-Patriot game (though to this date there were still conflicting reports as to who had thrown the first punch). Aileen might have considered marching across the field and socking Tover on the jaw if she thought it would get a rise out of him, but she wasn't holding out much hope for that today. No, Tover was playing this one close to the chest. He likely wanted to keep his team's emotions bottled up until the game began. Good. This was her fourth different formal rivalry game as a head coach. She'd played and coached the Crown Rivalry of Hapes versus Empress Teta, the Revolutionary War between Chandrila and Coruscant, the Burgundy and Green Brawl of Chandrila and Nar Shaddaa, and now the Black and Blue Battle pitting Bakura against Nar Shaddaa. The one thing she'd learned was that emotions could get a team too hyped up at the start of a game like this. Emotions could get the better of you and cause you to make stupid mistakes. Of course, an early surge could also give a team an early lead that they never surrendered. You just didn't know.

Tonight's game was going to be a night one and it could get cold in Six Boroughs. Aileen had on a double breasted long coat that went all the way down to her knees. Muffling and insulating her neck was a scarf that alternated broad stripes of blue and gold. The redhead dug around in one pocket of her jacket and pulled out a pair of macrobinoculars. She first scanned the Smugglers sideline to find Tover. He appeared to be deep in observation of his team's practice. No surprise there.

She quickly moved on up the stands of Six Boroughs to the row of boxes. By most modern standards, they couldn't exactly be called luxury boxes. Then again, the Smugglers had never been concerned with selling seats to corporations but rather keeping them accessible to the rank and file people of the city. For that Aileen admired them. That was how a team got a loud arena at their backs. There might be a sacrifice of long term financial stability, but winning solved that problem.

From long experience, Aileen knew where to find the owner's box in Six Boroughs. To her mild surprise, she found Kerry Trieste in what looked to be deep conversation with Joaquin Vehn. It had been widely publicized that the pair would not be watching the game together. What was bringing them together now puzzled Aileen--and she expected it had very little to do with Limmie and quite a bit to do with politics. Though no longer the Chairman of the RTO, Joaquin Vehn still had many contacts in the Organization.

The Hapan scanned across that bar, one, two, three, four boxes. And there she was. The stoic, the impassive Rhia Grames. Hall of Fame player and coach. Of course, she wasn't done adding to her legacy in her current Ge

 

GM Post

Bakura, Coruscant, and Nar Shaddaa are all rolling with the bonus die this week.

Week 6 Results
Ord Mantell Scrappers at Kashyyyk Rangers (19-21)
Alsakan Flyers at Chandrila Patriots (28-6)
Kuat Triforce at Coruscant Senators (13-9)
Bakura Miners at Nar Shaddaa Smugglers (31-32)

Tag: Everybody!

 

IC: Rhia Grames
Six Boroughs Stadium-Bakura vs. Nar Shaddaa, Week Six

"Ortmeyer down the left side of the field. Driving hard. Fifteen seconds left on the clock. Miners up by three. Oooooh, what a hit by Helena Forsythe to clear the lane! Ortmeyer is open, the ball is in the air, and.....Elke Andwol misses the deflection, goaaaaaaaaaaaaaalllllllllll! Smugglers win, Smuggler's win!" The announcer cried out as Six Boroughs erupted into a frenzy as police quickly took to the field to prevent the fans from spilling out over the retaining wall to celebrate with the players.

31-32, Smuggler's victory.

Outside the stadium, 'The Crew' as the Smuggler's faithful were called, started to riot, turning over speeders and raiding bars, acting like a Galactic Cup had just been won. It was one of the most exhilarating games of the year for the Smuggler squad as their offensive unit put up the necessary points when it counted. Defensively, the group led by Viera Ravine had done all they could to stave off the league's most potent offense.

From her perch in the luxury suites, Rhia Grames made a single fist pump in the air. Her sharp eyes watched as players from both teams begrudgingly gave one another a respective handshake, the emotions from their fierce rivalry still rolling through their bodies. Tover Micjaa ran up to Aileen Wynn and for the first time ever, perhaps married life had settled him down, ignored the casual handshake and embraced Wynn briefly and whispered words of encouragement into her ear. Grames knew that though the pair disliked one another openly, they respected the hell out of their coaching abilities and teams, though neither coach would admit it publicly.

Both had played their hearts out today. It was simply a matter of who wore out first. The victory must have been even more thrilling to former Bakura Miners defensive back Jed Ortmeyer, converted into a left corner forward, and a fairly stable one at that. Scoring the winning goal against Elke Andwol had to have provided a satisfaction that few experiences in the galaxy could match. For a split second, Grames wished she could still play the game. She so desperately wanted to celebrate with the players. But this was their moment, not hers. Their triumph, and they had earned it whole heartedly.

The game had been physical and not without injuries. Corrie Andersen had been rocked by Garen Deo, perhaps a reminder of a trade that many analysts had predicted swung favorably in the Miners direction, bleeding profusely from a wound on her forehead. Fortunately, it was superficial. Meredith Chambers received a pop to the ribs on a Miner scoring drive, initial doctor's reports claimed that a few were broken, but Chambers refused to be replaced in such an important game and had simply requested to be taped up and sent back onto the pitch. Her play had suffered a bit as a result for in the final minutes of the game the Miners had the lead and were looking to solidify it were it not for a timely hip check by Jalla Tuunus that prevented the ball from going through the goal.

Grames departed the luxury box and went down to the locker room where she happily witnessed the team dousing Tover Micjaa with alcohol and exuberantly celebrating their victory. As she whispered words of encouragement into the ears of her players, her dear warriors who fought hard every day for the franchise, the back of her mind started to formulate the playoff picture. The playoff teams had been locked in, at least, with regards to who would go and who would be staying at home. The real mystery was how the seeding would work out.

Historically, Grames knew that the # 1 and # 2 seeds were death traps in the playoffs. Analysts loved to talk up home field advantage, but for the Nar Shaddaa Smugglers, only once had they advanced to the 249 Galactic Cup final with such positioning, and that was her first and last Galactic Cup victory as a head coach. Every other time they had found a way to crash and burn. Maybe it was the extra week off. Maybe it was simply because

 

IC: Aileen Wynn
Six Boroughs Stadium, Nar Shaddaa

Her first impulse was to throw her headset to the turf. A last second goal. For the love of the Force. And after a beautifully executed game too. Their defense had turned in a subpar performance again, but they had stuck with the Smugglers for the entire game. And that was even with Aileen keeping Graves and Inviere on the sidelines to start the game. The Smugglers had definitely hit hard to start the game. The replacement for Inviere was also a relatively tall blonde woman, which was her misfortune. Sheila Nightshade probably thought she was cleaning Adanna's clock when she absolutely leveled the half back. Aileen was pretty sure she was going to need a new reserve Center Half Back now.

Aileen never figured out how it was that the Vertical City Police actually got her to the center of the field to congratulate Tover in the midst of all the chaos that was a postgame Smugglers victory celebration--let alone how they got her back. But what was even more surprising was the hug that Tover gave her. Apparently there were no hard feelings.

"You know, it's felt good to blow you out of the water in the past, Aileen, but I'll take a game like this any day of the week," Tover said.

"That was a lucky goal at the end," Aileen said, "We're not going to be giving those up in the playoffs."

"I'll see you there," Tover responded with a grin.

That was all that they could share before they were forced away by police--mainly trying to protect the visiting head coach from some of the more inebriated members of The Crew. Now, Aileen was safely inside the press room for the visiting team at Six Boroughs, responding to the usual barrage of questions.

"Is the fact that you let this game slip away from you at the last second particularly painful?" one reporter opened up.

"We played an excellent game today. Unfortunately the scale tipped when we didn't have time to respond. If we'd had 45 seconds more on the clock, that game was going to overtime," Aileen said, "We came in here and played precisely the way I drew it up. There's very little to be unhappy about there."

"Once again the Miners are turning in a substandard defensive showing. Is that an area of concern going into the playoffs?"

"I'd obviously like to see things tightened up a bit. If we put our minds to it, we can do that. Being able to go back to the familiar environs of Salis D'aar is going to let us refocus and get ready for not just the Flyers, but the postseason," Aileen said.

"With wins against Chandrila, Ord Mantell, and Kuat, the Miners are guaranteed a playoff spot," another reporter asked, "However, you've lost against playoff teams thus far. Are you concerned that this team is going to make an early exit in the playoffs?"

"We're not going to think about the playoffs until we know who we have in the Quarterfinals," Aileen said, "Right now the only thing that's important is that we're going to the playoffs. Anything can happen there. Anything."

"Any specific thoughts about Alsakan making their first visit to Bakura next week?"

"This is a team that's come very far in a very short period of time. I think they've flown even faster and higher than the Rangers did when they first got in the League," Aileen said, "They're not going to be easy. Though they've been at the top of the League, these guys have still flown under the radar as far as I'm concerned. They play a very determined and patient skilled game. And let's not forget the fact that right now Corso Wey is perhaps the strongest contender for League MVP with the way he has led that defense. It's not often that you get an owner who demonstrates that level of leadership at all. How we play against the Flyers next week is going to be very important as far as I'm concerned."

Two ridiculously high-powered offenses next week were going to clash. Somehow, Aileen was pretty sure that this last week would be a true finale to the regular season.

Tag: Nick

 

IC: Aileen Wynn
Salis D'aar, Bakura

Keep The Customer Satisfied

Gee but it's great to be back home
Home is where I wanna beI've been on the road so long my friends
And if you came along I know you wouldn't disagree
It's the same old story
I everywhere I go I get slandered, libeled
I hear words I never heard in the Bible
And it's one step away from the shoeshine
Two steps away from the county line
Just tryin' to keep my customers satisfied, satisfied...

Oh what a road trip it had been. Never before in her career had Aileen Wynn had to play four straight games in the regular season on the road. Never again did she want to do it either.

Landing at the spaceport in Salis D'aar was a relief like none other. They had a private landing pad to keep the players from being pestered by the public, but there was still a throng of husbands, wives, girlfriends, boyfriends, and significant others to greet the team as they disembarked from their long odyssey.

Admittedly, the road trip was ending on a sour note. Two losses in close games to finish things off just when things had been getting rolling definitely stung. No one was happy about it, but Wynn said at the start of the season that she'd be happy if they split the road trip. Sure enough, they did exactly that. Furthermore, when you looked at it from a standing perspective, they'd won the right games. They were in the playoffs, guaranteed. They owned any tiebreak with Chandrila, Ord Mantell, and Kuat thanks to their head-to-head wins. While it didn't bode well that they'd lost to the majority of the other playoff teams this season, Wynn didn't mind. She'd seen what they could do now. She'd be ready for whoever they got in the Quarterfinals. And frankly, she wouldn't mind if she had to face them on the road. Perhaps getting away from Bakura really did focus this team.

For right now though, there could be the first true day of rest that this team had had in over four weeks. As far as Aileen was concerned, they'd earned it. Even so, in the back of her mind, she knew that somewhere in the city, the Alsakan Flyers were probably touching down right about now and they were waiting for her.

Tag: Nick

 

IC: Aileen Wynn
Bakura Gardens, Salis D'aar, Bakura

After being gone so long, there was a charge to the Miners' locker room. At 3-3, Aileen could tell that they desperately wanted to finish out the season with a winning record. The fact that they were going to have to take down the first place Flyers wasn't going to make that a very task.

"All right guys, I don't have much to say, so listen up and we'll get out there. You know we're going to the playoffs no matter what happens today," Aileen said, "That means that today the only job you have is to go out there and have fun. Because, when you boil it down, isn't that what this is all about?"

With that said, Aileen went to the exit of the locker room and slapped every player on the back as they headed out to the field. Kent, Isabella, Moen, Dorf, Aena, Elke, Askah, Rhyric, Garen, Autumn, Tyros, Roviden, Macklan, Adanna, and Rean.

Why did Aileen think today was going to be quite a game?

Tag: Nick

 

GM Post

Bonus rolls belong to Bakura and Nar Shaddaa this week.

Week 7 Results
Kuat Triforce at Kashyyyk Rangers (21-17)
Ord Mantell Scrappers at Nar Shaddaa Smugglers (31-27)
Alsakan Flyers at Bakura Miners (6-5)
Chandrila Patriots at Coruscant Senators (9-17)

Final Standings
1) Alsakan Flyers (6-1)
2) Nar Shaddaa Smugglers (5-2)
3) Coruscant Senators (3-4)
4) Kashyyyk Rangers (3-4)
5) Bakura Miners (3-4)
6) Ord Mantell Scrappers (3-4)
7) Kuat Triforce (3-4)
8) Chandrila Patriots (2-5)

*Note on final standings: The records of the 3-4 teams were compared amongst each other. Within those four games, every single one of them was 2-2. Therefore, teams were ranked according to their point differential. Kuat lost to Ord Mantell, thus remained relegated to the seventh spot and out of the playoffs. Ord Mantell lost to Kashyyyk, keeping them in the sixth spot. Kashyyyk lost to Coruscant, preventing them from jumping the Senators. However, Bakura lost to Coruscant, forcing them to switch spots. However, because Kashyyyk also beat Bakura, the Miners then switched spots with the Rangers, relegating them to the fifth spot. That's how we are where we are. That being said...

263 Galactic Cup Playoffs
Galactic Cup Quarterfinals
(6) Ord Mantell Scrappers at (3) Coruscant Senators
(5) Bakura Miners at (4) Kashyyyk Rangers

Galactic Cup Semifinals
??? at (1) Alsakan Flyers
??? at (2) Nar Shaddaa Smugglers

The Alsakan Flyers win the Commissioner's Trophy with the best overall record in the Elite League.

Tag: Everyone (because we're all going to the playoffs this year! Hooray!)

 

IC: Aileen Wynn
Bakura Gardens, Salis D'aar, Bakura

Nobody shut down the Alsakan Flyer offense this year. Nobody. Except the Bakura Miner defense, that is.

Granted, the Flyer defense was returning the favor. This game was being fought in the trenches today. If this was what her players thought a "fun" game looked like, she should have been telling them to have a lot more fun all season long. Aileen had been able to successfully teach Inviere to restrain her impulse to be a heroine and hit anything that moved so she could play like a member of a team. That restraint was totally gone. She was tackling anything that had a heartbeat and a red and blue jersey on. Aileen was mildly surprised she hadn't tackled the Flyer bench in her enthusiasm.

They were taking time and space away from Dean Shazar's team. The Miners were showing absolutely no respect for the Flyer offense, which meant that Alsakan didn't have all day to set up their plays. However, this aggressive defense game was limiting the Miners' own chances and the Flyer defense was no slouch. They were not the best defense in the League for nothing. Even so, this was the closest game the Flyers had been in all year and Aileen could tell that they were beginning to sweat it. Andwol had been exceptional in net and all 11 points today had come over the bar. It was a stingy day for goals.

The Miners had secured possession as the last minute was ticking off. Down by a point, they'd need to drive all the way up field to tie the game and send it to overtime. The Flyer forwards were now attacking the Miner defense to pin them in their own end, keep them out from scoring position. There was no better defense than an aggressive offense.

Even so, Askah Kol, whose play this season had gradually improved, was able to break away just long enough to lob the bolo-ball downfield. A group of players from both teams immediately began jostling on the ground for position to receive it. With a stiff arm to push off and distance himself from the pack, Dorf Landa leaped up and snagged the prize. With impeccable realization of time ticking down off the clock below ten seconds, Landa took two steps to distance himself from the tangle and launched the ball off his left foot towards the goal.

"It has the distance but does it have the accuracy?" Miner play-by-play announcer Daly Lyster asked his audience as they watched the bolo-ball sail towards the goal.

Wide left. End of the game. 6-5 Flyers, final score.

The Miners came off the field and Aileen gave them each a slap on the back and a "Well played," as they headed back into the locker room. The only thing, as she would tell the reporters later in the afternoon, that they didn't get was the win. They held an insanely good offense to no goals and six points. They'd played on the same level with the Commissioner's Trophy-winning team. They were going to the playoffs, albeit they'd have to win every game on the road to take home the Cup.

"Shuttle leaves for Kashyyyk tomorrow afternoon," she told the players, "It's playoff time."

Tag: Nick

 

GM Post
Elite League Headquarters, Coruscant

"It is my distinct pleasure to unveil 263's regular season nominees for the Salbukk, Ingbrand, and Langann Awards," Commissioner Kayl'hen said as she address the assembled galactic newsmedia.

"For the Salbukk Award for most valuable player in the League: Corrie Andersen of the Nar Shaddaa Smugglers, Isabella Montador of the Bakura Miners, and Corso Wey of the Alsakan Flyers.

"For the Ingrband Award, recognizing the best performance by a player with three or less Elite League games prior to this season: Faul'alo'csapla of the Alsakan Flyers, Dorf Landa of the Bakura Miners, and Venn Sto of the Coruscant Senators.

"And, finally, for the Langann Award to honor the best job by a head coach in the Elite League: Tover Micjaa of the Nar Shaddaa Smugglers, Dean Shazar of the Alsakan Flyers, and Aileen Wynn of the Bakura Miners.

"On behalf of the entire League, we congratulate all of this year's nominees and look forward to seeing them at this year's gala awards ceremony here on Coruscant at the conclusion of the playoffs."

Tag: Everyone, as it turns out!

 

IC: Rhia Grames
Six Boroughs Stadium

31-27. A stinging home loss to the Ord Mantell Scrappers and the scary thing about the day to General Manager Rhia Grames was the cold realization that for most of the playing time, her starters were on the field. Only in the last portion of the second half did Tover Micjaa pull the starters, not wanting to risk injury as they headed into the bye week with a 5-2 record and the second seed overall in Elite League Limmie.

Naturally, the fans were quite upset that the starters, who had played their hearts out, had been pulled from the game to be replaced by the backups, but the smarter beings amongst the 'Crew' understood that sitting at 5-2 and preventing serious injury to the starting lineup, coupled with a week off, could be the best strategy employed by the Smugglers. 5-2 was their number.

Historically, the Smugglers seemed to play their best with a 5-2 record in the playoffs. Disappointment in the playoffs, in the past two years, however, had settled in once more, the fans forgetting about the Smugglers victory in 261 in the Galactic Cup over offensive powerhouse Mon Calamari. Short memories bred contempt, anger, and resentment. Rhia Grames knew that and thus as she sat in a meeting with Head Coach Tover Micjaa, the pair began to prepare for the bye week and the playoff game waiting for them in only fourteen days.