INCOMING PLAYERS MUST BE 30 YEARS OF AGE BY JANUARY 1, 2023.
It wasn’t much of a game from the early going as the Ligers put together a team effort in a 53-16 win over the defending Gr3g League champions.
While the Ligers and Hawks both looked to the deep depths of free agency to fill their playoff roster, the names on the jerseys wouldn’t matter except for #13 in green.
B. Buckets set fire to the entire block on the home end via the 3G and sent the Hawks out to the lake on an early exit fishing trip.
Silky did his usual work, LaCrosse played the role previously filled by B Stacks, and Gr3g worked out on the defensive boards in his return to the court for the Ligers (after being released from the Buzz after their acquisition of Ford). In fact, we heard whispers of “is that team modeled after the ’96 Sonics?” in the arena throughout the night. (Think Gary Payton, Detlef Schrempf, Sam Perkins, and Steve Scheffler, respectively.)
DanielBk led the Hawks, as he did all season. After losing a majority of their roster after the holiday break (4 players went on to coach their kids in little ball), the Hawks became his team to lead. A team had to make week-to-week roster moves which caused a bit of flux in the flow of their foundation.
Less than 12 minutes into the first game of the season, the Greyline Nines saw Drew wince and grab his right arm. He knew. We knew. He’d be out for the next 10-12 weeks with a fracture (broken arm) just above his right wrist.
While it didn’t change the outcome of the Week 1 game against the Buzz, it definitely caused some concern for the front office of the Greyline Nines.
On Monday morning, the Nines reached out to Ryan 4ce, the GM/lead ambassador of the Red Hawks of Force to inquire about a major shakeup to both rosters. Becoming Coach Drew for the remainder fo the regular season, he’s a better fit on the bench for the Hawks as opposed to pacing the sidelines for a Nines team wrought in familiarity and the 4ce sees that.
Joining Coach Drew on the move to the Hawks are newcomers A.G. and ****, as well as wily Military Veteran The Juice.
In return for the major haul of talent, the Hawks will send Mr94Feet and the returning player rights to J. Barrett (aka “Double Barrett”) to the Nines.
With the trade, the Hawks gain some much needed production in the lane (****) and a guard (A.G.) who can both create off the dribble and light the fire from distance like a viking sparking the funeral pyre. Adding “The Juice” to the mix only makes it a higher possibility that the opposing team goes home to drink Bloody Mary’s as soon as possible.
On the other side of the trade table are the Nines, who’ve made some interesting moves over the past 6 months. After acquiring Tyco from the Hawks for draft picks over the summer, they were notified during pre-season that the big man, along with 2020-21 League MVP Los, were opting to play “overseas” (in some cheesy YMCA league, per an unidentified source) and wouldn’t be returning to the Gr3g League for the 2021-22 season. Losing their two biggest players (both physically and “in the news” this summer), the team targeted the best outside shooters on the market to go with the returning “get buckets” duo of MJ and Boston.
After finding a deal to put Money in a Buzz uniform, the Broad Leaf ambassadors shipped him to the Nines to clear space for incoming draftees from Summer League. Knowing the Buzz was going to fill the roster with the “highest upside”, the Nines again reached out to the Buzz to inquire about the availability of BeerCityHoops‘ founder, Gr3g. The high-motor, “recklessly defensive of his parquet” point-forward returns to the League with hopes of pushing his Buzz #8 and Nines #15 jerseys into a HOF #36 before he retires and takes the broadcasting helm.
The Nines now have some of the best outside shooters in the League. Finding some space inside the 3-point line for Gr3g on the block will allow the others to spot up and fire up some 3’s and 3G’s.
We know they have the talent, do they have the health to compete?Â
Coming off a knee scope for MJ, a scattered schedule for Boston’s little leaguers, Gr3g’s age and the unknown of the newcomers, including Buggs, who signed today, signify a change of direction in philosophy for the Nines but also shows that the front office understands last year’s game plan fell flat in the Playoffs. This team is now the oldest of the Original Six, with Money being the only under-30 player on the team.
What now for the defending Champions?Â
The sudden addition of a near-full squad that has played together in other markets definitely puts them back on the map. Losing key players Mr94Feet (Nines), Bandit (no-show), and Big Baby (playing in Norton Shores with Whores) and some deep bench players (Tyco, Jerms, Berlin Wall), the Red Hawks will rely on Cake (returning from injury), I’ll Will (their own Eric Beverly) and rookie Daniel BK, who joins the League as the first player from the Congo.