RII 2013
Thirty-two players will convene in Rhode Island for the 6th annual Rhode Island Invitational on Saturday. This year is promising to be an exciting event with players from all over New England and Texas traveling to the house that Schindler built to battle it out for liver supremacy. There is a ton of analysis and some good storylines to get to, so lets hop to it…
STORYLINES
Notable Absences
The roster for RII 6 is a very intriguing one. For starters, three-time champion LACEY “THE DARK” KNIGHT has hung up her gloves, and will not be competing for the first time since the event’s inception. Also, with SEAN “APEMAN” BOUTSELIS calling it quits, the original faction that was once known as Team New Hampshire is now no more. This, of course, doesn’t mean that the Granite State will not be represented, but it will have a profound effect on the outcome of the alliance selections. Also, missing from action this year will be JOHN “SLATR” CORBETT, who has been a strong contender each year. Finally, the team from Texas has been paired down as well as JEFF WAEGELIN and JOHN V-NEUN will not be making the trek up north. This also has a strong effect on the competition, as both players were getting stronger by the year.
The Rise of the Nutmeg State
One of the more astonishing facts from the past three years is that there has been no champion from the state of Connecticut. This year, a whopping seven players from the Nutmeg State will be taking aim at the RII Championship, some old, some new. ERIC “FATHER OF THE YEAR” O’BRIEN will be making is return to RII this year, and his presence is sure to be felt by the field. Some Connecticut mainstays will be returning as in the case of CHRIS CARNEVALE, JESSE WILKINSON, and ANDY “THE PREFERRED” MORRISON. Second year standouts JUSTIN FOSS and JESSE “STATENHEIMER” STADTMUELLER look to build upon their impressive RII debuts last year, and JOSHUA MILLER makes a debut of his own. The odds are starting to swing in favor of CT, the question is: will the players capitalize?
Most Interesting Draft Ever?
Over the past few years, the draft had become almost predictable. Factions choosing within themselves or people going with whom they were most comfortable with personally. With the amount of change in the RII roster, players may be forced to think outside of the box. Last year, JOE “NGL” MENASSA and TIM “RED CARD” MOREAU broke down the party lines and were the first team not comprised solely of New Hampshire members to win RII since the inaugural season. One would have to wonder what would happen if someone like DAVE “THE SHOW” CARTER ended up as number one seed. Would he go with his old New Hampshire friend/rival ANDY “THE LEGEND” GRADY, or would he branch out and pick someone like RICK “BIG BAD” BLIGHT, ANDREW “SHARTE” SHARTENBERG, or some other solid player from the group. And what about Blight? Does he stay with the likes of PAT “THE HERETIC” FAGAN for a third attempt at glory, or does he branch out and try a new direction? The same could be said in reverse if Fagan is the one in the picking position. And the best question? What about someone completely new makes that #1 pick? Does it turn the world upside down? Ladies and Gentlemen, this is going to be a draft for the ages!
THE PICKS
The Contenders
PAT “THE HERETIC” FAGAN: Fagan is coming off another successful year, and is finally getting the respect he deserves in the circuit. Now, all Fagan wants is the big trophy sitting on his mantle. The past few years have seen him grow into a constant contender and there is no reason that he can’t find his way back to the top of the standings. His biggest hurdle will be closing the deal. Given a third chance to make things right, it might be time to bet on him.
ROBERT ZEUGE: Zeuge had a strong return in 2012, and this year he is more determined to get back to the finals for a second shot at gold. Zeuge was knocked out last year at the hands of LACEY KNIGHT and DAVE “THE SHOW” CARTER, and he is using that to drive him while practicing his shots. In order for Zeuge to get back to the top, he is going to have to regain the form that he once carried, and maybe the answer is in his choice of partners. ANDREW “SHARTE” SHARTENBERG has stated on multiple occasions of his willingness to rejoin the partner he came so close to gold with. Could that be the answer that Zeuge is looking for?
JOE “NGL” MENASSA: The defending champion of RII, Menassa is poised for a strong return. Last year, Menassa teamed up with TIM “RED CARD” MOREAU to charge through the field. This year, Joe will be looking to power up the rankings again and one could imagine that he would want a repeat of both his performance and his partner. This year, the target may be on the back of “NGL” and that is likely fine with him. With nothing left to prove, there is only one goal for the man…get a matching trophy for his lavish Newport apartment.
The Dark Horses
PAUL “WAIT FOR IT” VASQUEZ: Vasquez stormed onto the scene in 2012, and after the first few rounds, the event was a buzz with his name. While RII 5 did not finish as he had hoped, he established a good foundation for what should be a very strong return this year. The key will be in his stamina. If Vasquez can stay strong for the duration, there is no reason that he can’t be in the final pairing.
TOM “THE LIST” SCHINDLER: Schindler is an elder statesman for RII. Each year, Schindler has played a strong game, but has come up short of his goal. There is no doubt that Schindler has the talent to get him to the next level. This year, with the changing landscape of RII’s combatants, this could be the opportunity that “The List” was looking for. The only thing standing between him and glory is himself, and the time is now.
The Locks
DAVE “THE SHOW” CARTER: The Show is back, and after an early exit last year, he is ready to reclaim the RII title. This year, Carter will be forced to take a new path and a new partner if he wants to win gold. This gives him a bunch of different options for a perfect compliment to his already top-notch game. With a strong schedule, and undying skill, there is no doubt that The Show will be making another finals appearance. From there, if he keeps is wits about him, he’ll be hanging banner two.
RICK “BIG BAD” BLIGHT: Three years in a row Blight has made the finals. Three years in a row he was rejected from his ultimate goal. First and foremost, you do not make it to the finals three years in a row without being a major factor in your own destiny. Blight has a solid shot, and his alcoholic endurance alone is enough to get him back to the finals easily. The prediction? There will not be a fourth finalist trophy in store for the Big Bad one, instead, its time to bet on gold.
TIM “RED CARD” MOREAU: This year, we have a third lock, which is hard considering only two can win. However, the top of the field is strong enough that sometimes you can’t pick just two. Most would consider the following statement to be a bold one: Tim Moreau IS the next Lacey Knight. In terms of Moreau, we will not be talking about whether he’ll win another championship, but how many he will win. Moreau was lights out last year every time there was a key moment. He has the stuff that multiple time champions are made of. This year, he has a chance to set himself apart from everyone else, and claim the throne that was left by Lacey. This year will be even more difficult than previous years, but if he brings his A game, there will be no stopping him.