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The 1982 season (the “lucky” 13th season - as can be attested to by the deaths of Peter Root and the Nags Head franchise) started well. The draft went off without a hitch… preseason (and R Charting) was completed… everyone seemed to finally apply all of the roster rules (minor league options, etc) correctly, and the season was moving along quickly. Then in week 6, the owner of the Nags Head Wave announced that she would have to give up her ownership interest at the end of the 1982 season. Was it the financial burden of ever escalating player costs (which are next to nothing if you print and copy from work)? A sudden interest in other sports? Or maybe just misguided priorities of a newlywed (who couldn’t talk the new hubbie into taking a team, that would have led to Expansion for the NVL and a firm solidification of the marriage). We will never know for sure. But the sudden pull out of the Nags Head owner did create a ton of new debate about contraction, finding new owners, expansion and other long term league operations. In the end, it was decided to contract the Nags Head franchise and distribute the players via a one round contraction draft. Ownership of the Malibu Sun then volunteered to leave the Homer Division to join the SLC Crusaders and the Briarcliff Brigade in the Luther Division (actually they were voted over to the Luther by a weighted average vote of all owners).

The year 1982 saw a number of long term stars deciding to retire, though none were Hall of Fame shoe-ins. Retirees included Klaus Bennett (Bri), Allen Wasserott (Con) and Samuel Wilke (Mal).  Tony Mona, and Bob Chapman both announced at the beginning of the season that 1983 was their last.

The Hall of Fame welcomed 2 new members, Mark Herr (unanimous) and Gerald Lefebvre, both mainstays of the Yorktown team that won 4 championships, and played in 7 straight finals in the 1970’s. Considered by many to be the greatest player of his era, Herr came into the league as Rookie of the Year, and then was named to the All-star team every year after that, as well as being MVP in 1977. While Herr may have had more headlines, Lefebvre, the first Backline specialist elected to the Hall, was in many ways the glue that held his team together.

The Season:

The league was turned topsy-turvy in 1982, with perennial powerhouse Briarcliff trading its few remaining superstars in a major rebuilding effort. Briarcliff’s scouting organization scoured the country, focusing on underclassmen rather than graduating seniors. This all lead the Brigade to stock up on 1984 draft picks, which will mean another year or 2 of struggles for this franchise following this season’s 2 – 22 record. Briarcliff tied the record for fewest SS in a season, with 100, as they finished their first non-playoff year since 1975.  This franchise, as with Roanoke has now had more years since the 1977 restart, than before.

Conemaugh also began a rebuilding effort to replace many of its older stars. The Gap slipped to one of its poorest finishes in recent years, 4 – 20 while carrying four rookies on its active roster during the season. Conemaugh finally ended the longest home losing streak at in NVL history at 21 with win against Malibu (the last team they’d beaten at home back at the start of 1981). Also, one of those few wins stopped Glastonbury attempt to set a new streak for games won at home, with the Giraffe’s falling one game short (with 27 straight).

Malibu, a team that began to rebuild a year ago, made a run for the playoffs, only to fall short with a 10 – 14 record. But the Sun, also playing a fairly young roster, seems a lock for success in the next few seasons. The youth of the Malibu roster manifested itself in the all start balloting when Malibu, despite a fairly successful season, had no players selected to the all star team. However, McAdams was selected as the Sun’s third straight Rookie of the Year, and Maverly won the prestigious Farley Award.

The Nags Head Wave, behind star B Leiphart, finished at 13 – 11 to grab the 4th seed in the playoffs. Nags Head’s players faced a huge uncertainty beginning in mid-season with the owners announcement that the franchise would fold, or find new ownership, at the conclusion of the season. It seemed as if the Gap’s older stars used the final half of the season to audition their talents for other teams in anticipation of a contraction draft. There was also talk among many of the players of retiring, rather than having to return to the minors or relocate to undesirable, cold environments like Glastonbury.

Glastonbury entered the season with high hopes of another division championship. But after a rash of injuries and suspensions helped them lose 2 of three to Conemaugh in week 5, and then being swept by Salt Lake City in week 6, the Giraffe’s had to settle for 3rd seed in the playoffs. Mona finished his NVL career with 601 regular season assists, surpassing Poligone's 600, by just 1! Hogan led his third different team in scores serving in last four years.

The Roanoke and Salt Lake City rebuilding efforts finally bore fruit, as these became the dominating teams in the league in 1982. The 14 – 1 Crusaders and the 12 - 1 Red Barons met head to head in week 7 in a series that would determine playoff home court advantage. The series was taken by the Barons (with a little unusual help from an incorrect player card that helped the Barons take the first game in the series). The Barons, led by established stars Cooper, Root, Delaney and Bertrand, were able to sweep the Crusaders and essentially put a lock on the division title. For the first time in several years, the Red Barons fielded a strong, veteran team, with only one rookie, who got minimal playing time, on the roster. Cooper became the all time Red Barons point scorer during the season, while Perez set an all time single season mark with 30 aces.

Salt Lake City, coming off an extraordinarily strong training camp, was perhaps the biggest surprise team in the league, grabbing their Division Championship. The Crusader rebuilding effort, which was expected to take another year or two, was achieved in 1982 as Dugan, a surprising journeyman Bourrette (despite being injured four times during the season), and sensational rookie Wilder joined the leagues MVP Rider in forming one of the stronger teams in the league. Rider broke the team record for points (122) that he set only 2 years earlier. Constantin led the league in Assists with 69.

PLAYOFFS ROUND 1:

Glastonbury at Salt Lake City: In a scene right out of the movie Slapshot released a few years ago, the home town SLC fans booed the bruisin' and brawlin' gang from Glastonbury for the first round of the 1982 playoffs. Posters showing pictures of Oogie Oglethorp with the name "Mad-dog" Kardock written under it where everywhere. Fans wearing tee-shirts with a red-circle and line crossing over a 4-leaf clover representing the international symbol "no luck allowed" painted a sea of green and red in the stands. But despite an outstanding one man frontline performance by George Rider, the Crusaders are again eliminated in the first round, making it 9 straight seasons without a finals appearance (tying the expansion Farmington/Acadia/Roanoke streak that ended last season). The defending champions got a trip back to the finals with their 11-8, 11-7 sweep, behind the trio of Mona, Harty and Crawford

NAGS HEAD at ROANOKE - Nags Head visited Roanoke for the Red Barons very first ever home playoff series. The Roanoke Civic Center was filled to capacity as fans came to cheer on the Barons, pay tribute to the recently departed Peter Root, and Wave Goodbye to the Wave. Roanoke started the series severely shorthanded, missing 2 of its biggest stars (Root and Delaney who was out with injured in the teams final regular season game). Though the first game was a close 11-8 win for the home team, the Wave, with no fans, no owner and no future folded in game two, as the Red Barons behind Cooper shut them out 11-0 in game, to earn the rematch with division rival Glastonbury in the finals—but this time the Red Barons, would be at home.

CHAMPIONSHIP:

For the second year in a row Glastonbury and Roanoke met in the NVL Championship series. But it was a severely depleted Roanoke squad, a shadow of the team that dominated the division in the regular season, that took to the floor in the Roanoke Civic Center. The Red Barons were missing all around starts Root (deceased) and Delaney (injured). Glastonbury was also missing 2 of their backline starters going into the game. For the first time in history, all 4 minor league option players were on the rosters for the league championship series.

Game 1:

Glastonbury came out firing on all cylinders after stuffing Roanoke's opening serve. The Giraffe's held a 3 - 0 lead before many of the fans had even popped the tabs on their Root Beer. For several volleys, Roanoke rallied, as Bertrand seemed to save every spike sent in his direction. The Glastonbury owner was heard to loudly complaing "Betrand's getting to everything". A mere
seconds later, Bertrand hyper extended his pinkie and had to leave the game GLA took
advantage, opening up a 7 - 0, when bad luck seemed to strike the Giraffe's. Haines went down and had to leave the floor. The Barons finally scored, and Bertrand limped back onto the floor. That first score turned into a mini rally, as Batkin reeled off 3 more to bring the home team to within 7 - 4. But that was all the home team could muster, and they were put away by the visitors, 11 - 4. Harty (GLA) was the stats leader, with 4 points, 5 assists and 3 SS, and the GLA frontline, led by Crawford, was dominant.

Game 2:

The Barons seemed rallied from game one and scored the first 5 points of the game behind ace server Perez. Glastonbury rallied to score 2, when North (ROA) seemed to get a huge shot of adreneline... the big guy was all over the front line, making power spike after power spike, trying to single handedly offset the huge GLA front line advantage. Again, the GLA frontline of Crawford, Fickes and Puckett dominated play. The game at that point became a back and forth affair... 5 - 4 ROA, then 7 - 4 ROA... then 7 - 7 GLA... and then 10 - 7 GLA. Roanoke was facing game point, and the end of their title dreams. Roanoke stopped Glastonbury's attempt to end the game but managed only one point before losing the serve again. For a second time ROA stopped the GLA game point attempt. At that point ROA fired off 2 SS to tie the game at 10 all. The fans went wild!!! Gla re-took the serve but couldn't capitalize, and Roanoke was able to put the
Giraffe's down, 12 - 10. Crawford again dominated the front line for GLA. Cooper had 3 points, 3 Assists and 2 SS, while Perez had 6 assists and 5 SS for ROA.

Game 3:

Roanoke's chance for a remarkable come from behind under dog upset started poorly, as they lost the first serve and then watched Mona fire off 5 SS for a quick GLA lead. After several volleys, GLA again went on another run, opening up a 10 - 0 lead and driving for the shutout. Cooper once again provided the inspiration, as Perez was able to gain 2 SS for ROA. Unfortunately, the title hopes of the Barons crumbled shortly thereafter, as GLA took the final game 11 - 2. Harty (GLA) managed a rare "scoring cycle" with a slash or more in each scoring column. Crawford (5 points), Fickes (6 points) and Mona (5SS) lead Gla to their second consecutive NVL Championship, and a trip to Disney World. Puckett earned his 5th consecutive championship ring with the win. Glastonbury really had a bunch of mercenaries—5 of the 10 players on their championship finals lineup had a championship ring with a team other than Glastonbury!

MVP:

The consensus in the Arena among all the voters was Cooper, who led the Barons from the brink of disaster and despair to the doorstep of the championship. However, when he heard his name bandied about as playoff MVP, Cooper charged to the mike and announced that he would not accept such an honor... that the team had lost... and that the team would STILL have lost without him... that the MVP should be the player whom the team couldn't have WON without.

There were many deserving players. Some even suggested a player or 2 from Salt Lake City or Nags Head. In the end, the MVP Award was voted to Crawford, whose dominating front line play
clearly carried the Giraffe's to the championship.

by John Coley 10/02