Knights lose biggest rival

The Knights have a 5 year history in the CDNABA and have established themselves as one of the premier teams in the league, while also bringing home a few national tournaments, including a few top 25 national rankings.  With this said, there was one team that these accomplishments meant nothing too.  This team would play us harder than any other, counting the numerous all-star teams that took all the best players from an entire league.  In our five consecutive trips to the league championship, this team was there playing us 3 of the five times.  They beat us two times coming down to a winner takes all final game.  Considering we got them the only other time you can see why this argument stands true.

This team is lead and managed by one of the nicest and most passionate individuals that I have ever got to play against, and (recently) with.  Joe was a great player with an MVP to his name. With that said, he was an even better recruiter.  He brought in new guys that no one knew about.  In the first year they won the championship, I don’t think anyone even had a hit off Chris Howard. Their center fielder Renaldo Smith covers more ground in the outfield than anyone in the league by far.  Travis Beer at shortstop, was the hardest swinger I have ever seen but for all the lasers he hit off the wall with that swing there were very few strikeouts in between.  At third base was Josh bleepin Kean who with a full count in the bottom of the seventh, down 2 with a man on in the 06’ championship series, hit a ball that traveled well over 500 feet.  It cleared the flagpole at Shuttleworth.  Even when the Bobcats lost some of their really good players, Joe went out and got more.  Some guys like Jim Shook throwing 90 MPH six consecutive days.  The talent that Joe brings into the league is going to be missed by the league as a whole. 

The Bobcats were a great team in all aspects of the game.  They could hit, they could pitch,  and played very good defense.  But it wasn’t only the talent that made this a great rival, but the fact that these guys played harder than anyone.  There was not one game where I can remember the Bobcats giving up.  I have seen them come back from double digit deficits.  We have been in 15 to 17 games against them and 1-0 games.  I remember the one time that Jim Shook lost last year, it took a no-hitter to do it.  But the Bobcats could not be outdone and came right back the next game with Beer who no hit us in on real gutsy performance.  Best of all about playing the Bobcats was their great attitude and respect for the game.  For the intensity level that Knights/Bobcats games were played at there was always congratulations for the winner from both sides.  Both teams obviously  loved the game. As I remember girlfriends and wives complaining that the game was over an hour ago, but still half the players that participated in the game were talking about baseball in the parking lot with each other. 

So this is the final farewell to the Capitaland Bobcats.  We have had many tough battles over the years with you guys and I only hope to have that sort of rivalry develop with one or more of the remaining teams left in the league.  Good luck with everything you guys do. 

                                                                                    Sincerely,