ERIKA ELLIOT WINS CHICAGO PIG MADNESS III
July 24, 2010By: Abe FrohmanChicago IL -- Lookout NPPL. It looks like another strong player is now amoungst us!
On a sweltering, muggy Chicago Saturday, 2nd year pig passing veteran Erika Elliott defeated Jim Pappas in a heated battle to win the 3rd annual Chicago Pig Madness. In what was easily the best final ever witnessed in Chicago play, Elliott won 2 closely contested rubber matches to reach the championship round before just barely edging out Pappas by 5 points in a deciding game 5 to take home the bacon & 300 bucks.
A LONG WAY FROM A TAG TEAM
What a difference a years time makes! In her rookie debut a year ago, Elliott entered the Madness as a member of a tag team called The L Train, which at the time was a first for the NPPL. They had a respectable showing, even making the playoffs, but were bounced early and neither member stood out. They also remained in the same chairs thoughout the event, staying off the radar of the party to some degree. All of this kept her name fairly anomymous in the eyes of most pig passers when the 2010 tournament entries were finalized. But like George Michael did when he left Andrew Rigeley behind, Elliott soared to superstardom, posting the tournaments' best record at 8-2, and winning 3 series which all went the distance and easily could've gone either way. The poise that she exibited was incredible, matching the intensity and pig prowless that many past and present champions posess. And her opponents were very worthy, including knocking out 1st year champion Alyson Pouls to set up her finals appereance. In the deciding game 5 final against Jim Pappas (who had a great playoff run in his own right), she was stuck at 50 points with Pappas getting to 95 and then setting himself up for a single roll win by passing the pigs, effectively giving her a one roll chance to take the title. And take the title she did, by bursting out and crossing the 100 point threshold that must've seemed like a marathon roll!
GREAT COMPETITION AND LOTS OF INTESITY
Once again, Chicago showed lots of grit and determination, as the weather was awful, almost to the point that the tourney was moved indoors at the 11th hour due to 12 hours of monsoon rains that were clocking in at an inch per hour the night before which lasted well into the morning. But the pig gods were on the side of the NPPL, as by noon the rains went away, just in time to play a days worth of competion. And what a competition it was! A late 4 PM start did nothing to dampen the spirits of pig passes, as a new up and coming catering outfit by the name of Tippin Da Cow made some of the best damn burgers on the fucking planet, which fueled everyone's will to play through the miserable conditions. By the witching hour of midnight, the PBR keg was kicked, the burgers eaten, and all that remained were a few stray pig sets on a table and a soaked Perry Day lugging the trash to the alley as the rain came back with a vengence.
As well as one final thing: 21 very happy, satisfied pig passers who slept well that night with another amazing tournament for the record books under their belt.
SWINE DIVISION FINAL STANDINGS:
W L
1) Erika Elliott 8 2
2) Brian Schnell 7 3
3) Stephanie Cox 6 4
4) Iain Parker 6 4
5) Alyson Pouls 6 4
6) Curt Miller 6 4
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7) Liz Rex 4 6
8) Bart Bartkowiak 4 6
9) Rich Moy 4 6
10) Kyle Kresge 3 7
11) Aubri Vincent-Barwood 1 9
HOG DIVISION FINAL STANDINGS:
W L
1) Dave Hamlin 7 2
2) Perry Day 6 3
3) Tim Dilling 5 4
*4) Nan Waterstreet 5 4*
4) Jim Pappas 4 5
5) Cary Miller 4 5
6) Kevin Bartkowiak 4 5
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8) Mike Blanco 4 5
9) Brian Harney 3 6
10) Andrew Price 3 6
* Nan was unable to continue after the regular season concluded, so everyone below her was moved up one spot to fill out the playoff roster, with K. Bartkowiak gaining the 6th seed
PLAYOFFS
(1st & 2nd Place in each division received a first round bye)
1st Round--Best of 3
SWINE:
Pouls (5) defeated Parker (4) 2-1
Curt Miller (6) defeated Cox (3) 2-1
HOG:
Pappas (4) defeated Cary Miller (5) 2-1
K. Bartkowiak (6) defeated Dilling (3) 2-1
QUARTER FINALS--Best Of 3
SWINE:
Elliott (1) defeated Curt Miller (6) 2-1
Pouls (5) defeated Schnell (2) 2-1
HOG:
Hamlin (1) defeated K. Bartkowiak (6) 2-0
Pappas (4) defeated Day (2) 2-1
SEMI FINALS--Best of 3
SWINE:
Elliott defeated Pouls 2-1
HOG:
Pappas defeated Hamlin 2-1
FINALS--Best Of 5
Elliott defeated Pappas 3-2
Erika Elliott - 2010 Pig Madness Champion!
