If you didn’t know any better you’d think the two men in the photo below were watching the launch of the new LegalMatch website begin its ascent toward the heavens for the next level of our success.
In reality, the photo signifies two players from the LegalMatch Rooftop basketball league, whose ball teams are drifting in completely opposite directions, but whose dedication to LegalMatch has teamed them up in a strategic battle for greatness. Rejection Sustained, as represented by Randy Wells on the left is playing to secure a place in playoff game history while Revenge of the Nerds’ Neil Fradkin is battling just to preserve some sense of dignity from a basketball season that never quite developed the winning momentum expected when Fradkin was chosen first in the draft last August. Nevertheless, Fradkin has shown marvelous progress in his play over the course of the season. What’s more is he’s displayed super human strength, determination and courage by engineering the new LegalMatch website to be technically sound, fundamentally correct, thoroughly tested and "launch" ready in record breaking time. Those moves couldn’t help Neil on the b-ball court but the contribution the new site will make to the success of LegalMatch is unprecedented.
Unfortunately for the Nerds’ basketball team this day, veteran b-ball players like Randy Wells kept stepping up in the game to shoot the lights out. Randy Wells played like a man made of steel, while at the same time, keeping his eye on the prize of pushing organized initiatives to the table that brought all the elements together to ramp up, build out and focus the company’s efforts in getting this new LegalMatch website out to its anxiously awaiting public. At that point the basketball playoffs proved just a bit too daunting for the bits, bytes and binary guys as the on court victories came up just a hand full of shots short, and thus, out of reach for the Nerd team. The Nerds finished 0&5 for the Tournament, but did an absolutely brilliant job of managing the build out, quality assurance, migration effort and production servicing for our stunningly attractive and useful new website. While at the same time they kept all the other LegalMatch systems flying high and functional, too. Go Nerds!
As the old Yogi Berra axiom goes. "There will always be a next year, and it will be like dejavu all over again." That’s what I’m talkin’ about.
This final contest between the two teams was played with a certain degree of friendliness as the players seemed rather familiar with each other. In fact, there were two players with the same last name of Wells playing against one another. The two captains actually work side by side in Member Services. And, rumor has it that two of the players from the teams could be dating. It’s not clear who they are dating, but the word is out that there is some dating going on. No one would speak to this reporter after the game to confirm whether there are dates that are booked or dates that are reserved or whether there is even a calendar of dates to consider. However, some spectator on the sidelines did mention that the dates were yet to be determined. I think this is good. That way you have a date when there is no date. The investigation is still in its early stages. Stay tuned.
Oh btw, the game itself was won by Rejection Sustained. The only unexpected development to happen was the Sustained team did not get Matt Griffith the scoring title. Or, was it the Nerds did not let Griffith get the scoring title? Either way, Griffith came away with just 6 points. In any event, the Sustained did get the victory that propelled the team into this week’s playoffs. Now the Playoffs are a whole new season.
The Playoffs:
On Tuesday, the seeding will be announced after the contest between Affirmative Action and Supreme Court ends. Just about 6 pm. It is possible there will be a three way tie for second place if Supreme Court beats Affirmative Action. In that case, a shootout will take place after the contest between the three teams tied. It would include the best shooter from Kill Ball, Rejection Sustained and from Affirmative Action throwing up the best of 30 shots to settle 2nd, 3rd and 4th place.
If Affirmative Action should win, then they capture the Rooftop 1st place seed and Supreme Court falls to second. This will then place Kill Ball in the 3rd seed and Rejection Sustained will fall to the 4th spot. As has been previously determined, on Wednesday the 13th, the number 2 and number 3 seeds will play and on the Thursday the 14th the number 1 and 4 sees will square off. The winners of each series Wednesday and Thursday will play the Championship game on the 20th. The two losers will play in the consolation game that starts at 4 pm on that Wednesday the 20th.
Lance Burton
LegalMatch Photos by Diane Tran