The Year of the Rocket
Simmering, simmering, simmering, Johnny Bravo is ready to boil over in 2008. Last year's Finals berth was another step in the process for the Boulder crew, whose recent nationals record has included four Quarterfinal appearances (2002, 2003, 2004, 2005), and a Semi's barnburner with eventual champ Seattle Sockeye in 2006. Never satisfied with anything less than the Title, what would look from the outside to be a string of successes for JB has been a series of almosts for this talented team. But if history has anything to say about it, all that could change this October.
A slow progression
Johnny Bravo's rise to perennial powerhouse began to take shape in 2002. Though consistently coming in second to then juggernaut Santa Barbara Condors in the Southwest Region, the team managed to make quarterfinals at Nationals for the first time. Pitted against eventual finalist Ring of Fire, Bravo pushed the Carolina boys to the limit, succumbing 14-15 and missing out on a Semi's matchup against a burgeoning Sockeye. Though the team didn't know it, this would be the beginning of a series of frustrating quarterfinal exits. In 2003 the loss was to eventual champs Furious George. The following year, despite winning the Southwest region for the first time, Finalist San Francisco kept them from the semifinals. 2005 would be more of the same and JB would have their season end in quarters for the fourth time by fourth different team, Boston's DoG.
However, 2006 would be a step forward, with Bravo avenging their previous year's loss to DoG 15-11 and for the first time moving on from the elite eight. This win moved them into a semi's matchup with Sockeye, and in what would become a recent motif for the squad, they fell to the Fish 15-13. Bravo would repeat this loss again in 2007's finals, after torching the rest of the field by an average margin of five points, and proving beyond all doubt that they were the only other team deserving of a finals berth. Fast Forward to 2008 and you have a team that's accumulated years of experience, scores of talented athletes, and garnered the most important element for any elite sports team, motivation.
The Talent Pipeline
But what has really changed for Bravo over the last six years? Runs at Nationals are helpful at scratching the surface of their development, but is there more fueling their Title hunt? Aside from Bravo's hard won experience, their biggest asset is a symbiotic relationship with Colorado's Mamabird, a local college program that has boasted 6 semifinals appearances, 4 trips to the Finals and a National title since 2002. Talent is the backbone of any elite program and with Mamabird running the table at college nationals year after year, it was only a matter of time before Bravo began to dominate the club circuit. Classes from '04, '05, '06, and '07 brought superstars like Parker Krugg, Josh "Richter" Ackley, Adam "Chicken" Simon, and Beau Kittridge, respectively. Each of these ballers, not to mention Justin "Rabbit" Salvia ('07), Jolian Dahl ('08) and Mac Taylor ('08), have come up through the Boulder pipeline to give Bravo a supercharged core of extremely talented players with as much synergy as athleticism.
In addition to homegrown talent, Bravo has also benefitted from establishing a recruiting pipeline with the Wisconsin Hodags. By moving to Boulder in 2004, Hector Valdivia paved the way for future Madison recruits, and his pioneer efforts precipitated the arrivals of two more Wisconsin superstars in Ted Tripoli ('06 arrival) and brother Rodrigo Valdivia ('07 arrival). This secondary pipeline, as well as a national reputation as THE up and coming club program has brought players like David Popiel, has allowed Bravo to continually recruit the best from across the country.
The future
As any competitor will tell you, last year was last year, this year is this year. Six trips to quarters, two trips to semifinals and a Finals birth means nothing in 2008. So what can we expect from Bravo in October? Despite great talent influx over the last five years, Bravo is still susceptible to departures and none will be more significant than Hector Valdivia. Hector has been an incredibly composed yet intense defensive handler and his experience has helped propel Bravo to the level they currently reside. In addition, Justin "Rabbit" Salvia and David Street are moving on from Bravo. Like Hector, Rabbit's handling abilities will be missed, as will both his and David's big time game experience and leadership. However, these three will be the only departures for the squad, and Bravo is adding major talent and will definitely have their typical new crop of playmakers to depend on.
Bravo's roster in 2008 has six new recruits with vast college and club experience. Former San Francisco stalwart Chris Ashbrook, who has had recent stints with both JAM and Revolver, will be helping anchor the JB backfield this season. Michigan State grad and BAT veteran Craig "Polar Bear" Forshee will also be adding years of Nationals experience to JB, and '07 Mamabird graduate Clark Bishop brings great quickness and handling abilities. In addition, Bravo will benefit from the recent fold of long time neighbor and rival Sack Lunch by picking up Keith Borsheim and Darin "Dar" Delay. David Belsheim (All Region 2005, Air Force) rounds out the new recruits. Lastly, Will Deaver, a long time Bravo veteran, is back in 2008 after taking 2007 off to be a father.
Though 2008 finds Bravo loaded with talent and experience, the team still has their fair share of challenges in 2008. Sockeye and Furious have won the last six UPA Club titles and Bravo has a 2-6 record against them at Nationals in that span, and are 0-5 since 2004. Bravo did have a big win over Sockeye at Labor Day last year, but any game outside the series, is just a game. Without a major victory against their biggest challengers, Bravo still has yet to prove that they have what it takes to be #1 in Sarasota.
Outside these current and former champs, Bravo has routinely been dominant, especially over another team striving to win it all, San Francisco JAM. They were successful against the Bay Area boys both at home and at ECC last year, losing only one of their four 2007 matchups in the finals of JAM's home tournament, Labor Day. Bravo also has the luxury of hosting one of the most elite tournaments in the country, Colorado Cup. While Sockeye and Furious are duking it out at Worlds in early August, Bravo will get the chance to assert themselves over challengers like Jam and Sub Zero on their home court. With Open ECC on hiatus for this year due to Worlds, those Northwest powerhouses won't get the kind of reps they usually see against the rest of the elite field, which could turn out to be a major advantage for the Boulder squad down the stretch. Hoping to further bolster its 2008 resume, Bravo will also be attending Chesapeake Open in Maryland in mid-August, which will guarantee them shots at likely East Coast representatives Boston, GOAT, and Chain Lightning at least once before seeing them again in Sarasota.
In the end, once their regular season tournament schedule is complete Bravo will have two months to make the necessary adjustments for the series. In a year where defending UPA champion Sockeye is adjusting to major roster adjustments, (including the losses of Chase Sparling-Beckley, Seth Wiggins, Seth Crockford, and Sam O'Brien) and former title-holder Furious George is just trying to find their mojo again after a nightmare 2007 nationals, Bravo is primed and ready for the leap from contender to champion.
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