Tuesday, January 10, 2006
2005: The Season That Was
The 2005 season provided a lifetime of memorable moments, highs, lows, and bitter disappointments at reports of health and prosperity. Ewing Oil struck first on January 23 when Johnny Carson died at the age of 79. Putting a slight damper on the historic occassion of Our Sick Game's first ever death was the realization that Carson's status as a bench player prevented Ewing Oil from earning full value. Instead of 21 points, Ewing Oil would have to be satisfied with 11.5 points and an early lead.
Sweet Valley Death answered back on February 10 with the Death of a Playright, Arthur Miller. Miller earned Sweet Valley Death 11 points and secured for it a slight lead over a dazed Ewing Oil. After barely six weeks, Sweet Valley Death led Ewing Oil 11 to 10.5. The action cooled down during the month of March, but Our Sick Game was rocked to its foundation on April 2 with the death of Pope John Paul II. The 84-year-old Pontiff and overall number one draft pick just so happened to be Sweet Valley Death's Moneyball player, thus earning for his team 32 points instead of a still-formidable 16. Just two deaths in the bank, and Sweet Valley held a 33 to 10.5 lead over Ewing Oil.
On July 4th, Our Sick Game held its first-ever July 4th Supplemental Draft. Both teams were allowed to select one player to add to its roster. Ewing Oil won the coin toss and selected Peter Jennings, who recently had been diagnosed with lung cancer. Sweet Valley Death selected Sen. Arlen Specter from Pennsylvania. The luck of the coin toss, it turned out, would swing the balance of the game in favor of Ewing Oil. On August 7, over four months since the last death within the game, the 67-year-old Peter Jennings delivered 33 points in favor of Ewing Oil. Just like that, Ewing Oil led by less than one point, 43.5 to 43. Before Sweet Valley Death could come up for air, Ewing Oil increased its lead the very next day when "Dallas" matriarch Barbara Bel Geddes died at 82 to earn Ewing Oil 18 points. In just two days, Ewing Oil had rallied from behind to take a 61.5 to 43 lead.
Not to be denied, Sweet Valley death dominated the month of September with two deaths of its own. While the world mourned the suffering around Hurricane Katrina, Sweet Valley Death celebrated the loss of Supreme Court Justice William Rehnquist at age 80. Unfortunately for Sweet Valley Death, the Justice only earned 10 points based on his somewhat-fitting status on the Sweet Valley Death bench. Still, Sweet Valley Death had narrowed the gap to 61.5 to 53. Sweet Valley Death continued chipping away at Ewing Oil's lead when on September 20 Simon Weisenthal died at 96. Although only worth 4 points, Sweet Valley Death clearly had momentum on its side heading into the final three months of the season.
Leading 61.5 to 57, Ewing Oil needed someone to emerge and secure a victory. Baseball Hall of Famer Al Lopez, appropriately enough, stepped up to the plate one last time on October 30 and hit a 3-run homer, dying at the age of 97. Ewing Oil tacked on three more points for a still-narrow 64.5 to 57 lead. Richard Pryor gave Ewing Oil all the insurance it would need on December 10. The comedian died at the age of 65 after a long battle with, well, everything. As a bench player, he earned 17.5 points instead of 35, but it would not matter. Pryor's death, the final one of the year, left the score at 82 to 57, the final score in the inaugural season of Our Sick Game.
Sweet Valley Death answered back on February 10 with the Death of a Playright, Arthur Miller. Miller earned Sweet Valley Death 11 points and secured for it a slight lead over a dazed Ewing Oil. After barely six weeks, Sweet Valley Death led Ewing Oil 11 to 10.5. The action cooled down during the month of March, but Our Sick Game was rocked to its foundation on April 2 with the death of Pope John Paul II. The 84-year-old Pontiff and overall number one draft pick just so happened to be Sweet Valley Death's Moneyball player, thus earning for his team 32 points instead of a still-formidable 16. Just two deaths in the bank, and Sweet Valley held a 33 to 10.5 lead over Ewing Oil.
On July 4th, Our Sick Game held its first-ever July 4th Supplemental Draft. Both teams were allowed to select one player to add to its roster. Ewing Oil won the coin toss and selected Peter Jennings, who recently had been diagnosed with lung cancer. Sweet Valley Death selected Sen. Arlen Specter from Pennsylvania. The luck of the coin toss, it turned out, would swing the balance of the game in favor of Ewing Oil. On August 7, over four months since the last death within the game, the 67-year-old Peter Jennings delivered 33 points in favor of Ewing Oil. Just like that, Ewing Oil led by less than one point, 43.5 to 43. Before Sweet Valley Death could come up for air, Ewing Oil increased its lead the very next day when "Dallas" matriarch Barbara Bel Geddes died at 82 to earn Ewing Oil 18 points. In just two days, Ewing Oil had rallied from behind to take a 61.5 to 43 lead.
Not to be denied, Sweet Valley death dominated the month of September with two deaths of its own. While the world mourned the suffering around Hurricane Katrina, Sweet Valley Death celebrated the loss of Supreme Court Justice William Rehnquist at age 80. Unfortunately for Sweet Valley Death, the Justice only earned 10 points based on his somewhat-fitting status on the Sweet Valley Death bench. Still, Sweet Valley Death had narrowed the gap to 61.5 to 53. Sweet Valley Death continued chipping away at Ewing Oil's lead when on September 20 Simon Weisenthal died at 96. Although only worth 4 points, Sweet Valley Death clearly had momentum on its side heading into the final three months of the season.
Leading 61.5 to 57, Ewing Oil needed someone to emerge and secure a victory. Baseball Hall of Famer Al Lopez, appropriately enough, stepped up to the plate one last time on October 30 and hit a 3-run homer, dying at the age of 97. Ewing Oil tacked on three more points for a still-narrow 64.5 to 57 lead. Richard Pryor gave Ewing Oil all the insurance it would need on December 10. The comedian died at the age of 65 after a long battle with, well, everything. As a bench player, he earned 17.5 points instead of 35, but it would not matter. Pryor's death, the final one of the year, left the score at 82 to 57, the final score in the inaugural season of Our Sick Game.
