Retracting some statements, and apologizing for jumping the gun

We are in the midst of the GNASH postseason, and next week, we finish pool play for all three tournaments.

Last night, Pope John Paul II defeated Franklin in the Henry Hine Cup, and Ensworth-Oakland defeated the Tennessee Outlaws in the same tournament.

I declared that JPII had clinched the first berth in the Hine Cup Final with their win, and that the Outlaws had fallen out of contention for the other spot.

Likewise, I declared that, with their win over Hendersonville on Monday, Ravenwood clinched the first berth into the Preds Cup semifinals from Pool B, and that Hendersonville were out of contention for the other semifinal berth.

On all of those statements, it seems I jumped the gun, and for that, I'd like to say I'm sorry to everyone for getting their hopes up so soon.

I will say that I am correct that Montgomery Bell clinched the first berth into the Preds Cup semis from Pool A (as well as the #1 seed), because they are 2-0, and the two teams they have beaten in pool play - Father Ryan and Mt. Juliet-Wilson Central - are right behind them (meaning the Big Red own the head-to-head tiebreaker on each of them), and the Fighting Irish and Golden Bears will decide the other semifinalist from Pool A next Wednesday.

Likewise, I am correct in saying that Centennial are out of contention for the second semifinal berth from Pool A, because they are 0-2, and right behind Father Ryan and Mt. Juliet-Wilson Central...the two teams who have beaten the Cougars in pool play.

It is also correct that Hume Fogg-Page are out of the running for a berth in the Mielnik Cup Final, because they are dead last at 0-2, and three points behind second place Station Camp-Beech, and can only pick up two points with one game to go (which, oddly enough, is against the Bison, so the PatriKnights can mess with Station Camp's hopes of getting to the Final themselves).

But back to the Hine Cup, and Pool B in the Preds Cup. After the second round of pool play last night, JPII are all alone at the top of the pool standings at 2-0, with Franklin and Ensworth-Oakland right behind them at 1-1, and the Outlaws in dead last at 0-2.

Pool B in the Preds Cup has the exact same look; just switch the teams out: Ravenwood are 2-0, with Brentwood and Lipscomb-Brentwood Academy right behind them at 1-1, and Hendersonville in dead last at 0-2.

What's the problem here, you ask?

In both cases, the leaders are two points ahead of a team they've yet to face in pool play. Likewise, the teams in dead last are, you guessed it, two points behind a team they've yet to face in pool play.

In both tournaments, we could have a three-way tie for first at 2-1 (in the Hine Cup, this would mean Franklin beating the Outlaws this Monday, and Ensworth beating JPII in regulation next Friday; in Pool B in the Preds Cup next Wednesday, this would mean Brentwood beating Hendersonville, and Lipscomb beating Ravenwood in regulation).

We could also have a three-way tie for second at 1-2 (in the Hine Cup, this would mean the Outlaws beating Franklin in regulation, and JPII beating Ensworth in regulation; in Pool B in the Preds Cup, this would mean Hendersonville beating Brentwood in regulation, and Ravenwood beating Lipscomb in regulation; in this scenario in both tournaments, one team would finish all alone at the top, and reap whatever reward they get).

I was under the impression that, because JPII and Ravenwood had beaten two teams in their pool, they were on to the next round. Then, I realized this is pool play; you're only facing your pool opponents once.

Now, if the Outlaws had won last night, instead of Ensworth, JPII would've gotten a berth into the Hine Cup Final, because the two teams they had beaten in pool play would be right behind them, and, the best part, they would play each other on Monday, preventing any chance of a three-way tie.

Same with Ravenwood. Both they and Lipscomb would be on to the Preds Cup semis if Lipscomb had been able to beat Brentwood on Monday, because both they and Ravenwood would be 2-0, with no chance of either Brentwood or Hendersonville being able to close the gap.

Two-way ties in pool play are settled like they are in the regular season: If you beat the team you tied with head-to-head, you get nod.

Three-way ties are handled differently. Unlike the regular season, where everyone played their division opponents twice, you only get one crack at each of your pool opponents.

If there is a three-way tie in the Hine Cup at 2-1, then everyone is 1-1 against the teams they're tied with: JPII would've beaten Franklin, but lost to Ensworth; Franklin would've beaten Ensworth, but lost to JPII; Ensworth would've beaten JPII, but lost to Franklin. How do you break the ties?

Here's the criteria:

(3) If three (3) or more teams have an equal number of points at the conclusion of pool play, their final order of position will be determined in the following tie-breaker sequence:

         (i) The greater number of games won in pool play

         (ii) The greater number of games won in regulation in pool play

         (iii) The greater differential (subtraction) between goals for and goals against for head to head games in pool play. (Max seven (7) goal differential per game).

         (iv) Least penalty minutes in head to head games from pool play

         (v) Least penalty minutes per game from pool play

         (vi) If these tie-breaking techniques do not resolve the tie, the Commissioner shall resolve the matter.

Well, you have to scratch the first two, because they'd all be 2-1, and they'd have all won their games in regulation.

The third criterion should simply read "goal differential". That is what will be used first to break a three-way tie. Right now in Hine Cup pool play, JPII's goal differential is +5 (8 scored, 3 allowed), Franklin's is +1 (6 scored, 5 allowed), and Ensworth's is -3 (6 scored, 9 allowed).

Of course, this could all be moot if Franklin and JPII win their respective games, or, Franklin lose in OT or a shootout to the Outlaws on Monday. The latter scenario would give JPII the first berth in the Hine Cup Final, and force Ensworth to beat them on Friday to get the other berth.

Well, I've done enough rambling. Again, I apologize for getting any hopes up, or deflating any hopes, and I hope that whatever happens next week, the situation is resolved fairly.

-Michael Hackney

The A-Game saga ends in disgrace

Over 24 hours ago, I walked out of A-Game Sportsplex, another GNASH broadcast in the books.

I knew that, eventually, I'd be walking out of the facility for the last time.

I had no idea that last time would be on Wednesday night.

Chaos erupted on Gothic Court early Thursday morning, as people pulled up to A-Game's entrance, only to find it blocked by members of the Franklin Police Department. They were told that the owners had changed the building's locks, and that no one was allowed inside. The facility was closed, a strong-arm tactic by A-Game's owners to get the groups that run the building's volleyball and hockey programs to finally terminate their leases early, so that A-Game's owners can throw the keys to Al. Neyer, the Cincinnati-based real estate firm that began the process of buying the facility last July so they can turn it into office space.

This led to outraged parents who had invested tons of money for their children to play a season on the ice or court, and children crying, wondering if they'd ever get to skate or play hockey/volleyball/basketball with their friends again.

All along, it had been said that after the sale was complete, the respective sports would be allowed to finish their seasons in the spring, then Al. Neyer could begin redevelopment.

So much for promises.

It got ugly the week of Christmas. When Sports Land Group LLC - A-Game's owners - saw talks between them and the volleyball and hockey groups - Alliance and MDG, respectively - of getting an early termination of their leases break down, SLG took action. The week before Christmas, SLG sent an e-mail to A-Game employees, telling them to collect their belongings on Christmas Eve (the facility, as it always was, would be closed on Christmas Day), because the facility would probably be closing for good.

When the two groups got wind of the e-mail, they took matters to court. A restraining order was brought down against A-Game's owners. The order was in effect from the week of December 21 until this past Tuesday, when it was lifted, as a Williamson County judge saw it necessary for A-Game to be able to complete its sale to Al. Neyer. Otherwise, the facility would be at the risk of foreclosure.

The most stunning thing in all of this is the fact that SLG had been losing $72,000 a month on its business venture, How the heck do you lose that much money on a building that's seemingly packed every weekend? I mean, sure, it costs a lot to maintain the ice, but $72,000? What were they doing, gambling away their profit on riverboat cruises?

As a broadcaster, A-Game has been a big part of my life since 2009. Not just with GNASH games, but with weekend youth hockey tournaments. I have many memories of that place, from seeing Ravenwood win the Predators Cup there in 2010, to seeing the Raptors, Centennial, and most recently, Montgomery Bell, skating the GNASH Cup around as regular season champions. I even remember the scene I left behind on Rink 1 on Wednesday night - a bunch of guys playing late-night open hockey.

I can't imagine how a kid who's spent a massive part of his or her whole life in that building must feel. It's all been ripped away from them.

By people who are supposed to be adults.

To quote a song from the long-running Nicktoon, The Fairly OddParents, "Adults ruin everything."

Too bad a song from a silly cartoon series has such a massive amount of truth to it.