BKN Aviators ~ A's Crash ACE's Party in Hangar Five

From the desk of:   THE COOLEST GUYS IN BROOKLYN

Friday Night ~ Pre-Game Skate

NEW JERSEY OUTLAWS vs. BROOKLYN AVIATORS

BROOKLYN AVIATORS:  It Was Party Night at Hangar Five Friday Night; Until the Home Team Crashed It.




Seeing Matthew Puntureri and John Goffredo certainly brings back memories, doesn't it? - Back to a time when they used to score goals for the home team and leading us to the Finals last season.  Without them, life in Hanger Five has been somewhat of a struggle this season.



The return of Josselin St. Pierre wasn't enough to thwart a fourth consecutive loss by the Aviators.  New Jersey heisted the game from Brooklyn in a big first period.  The A's were left chasing down the Outlaws the rest of the night.

Jesse Felten rushes back on defense.

The Skates of Flatbush were grounded before they ever took off.  In the first period alone,

One Goal - Two Goals - Three Goals - Four Goals, found net beyond Josselin St. Pierre before the Aviators could muster even one before the session expired.

John Goffredo scored New Jersey's fourth goal of the first period.  That's when Coach Miller decided to use his time-out.

Later, Matthew Puntureri scored a third period power play goal to make the game a 6-3 affair at the time.  Brooklyn ultimately lost a 7-3 final to the FHL's first place team.

#27 - Casey Mignone

The Aviators were kind of skating around in figure-eights right around this time last season also.  Then, along with a bunch of this year's A's, former Brooklyn favorites Matthew Puntureri and John Goffredo embarked on a remarkable twenty-one game winning streak, and rode that wave all the way into the Finals against Akwesasne.

If that's Brooklyn's plan again this year.  They had better hurry up.  There's only twenty-three scheduled games left in the season.  And there's no time like the present.  The Coolest Guys in Brooklyn will try to end this four game losing streak in the second game of a home-and-home series out in Wayne, New Jersey tonight.

The final score might have sent everyone home in a somber mood.  But it was a festive night inside Hangar Five during the first intermission.  Team mascot, ACE, celebrated his second birthday Friday night.  Seven hundred-two fans and a few of ACE's closest friends stopped by to offer their congratulations to the Crazy Bird and Keeper of the Hangar.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ACE!

Johnnie, the St. John's Red Storm mascot stopped by.  And the Brooklyn Cyclones' own Sandy the Seagull came down off his perch atop the Parachute Jump in Coney Island to help ACE make sure he had some fun on his birthday.

Ace's party gift?  -  An opportunity to take a couple of slap-shots against his unprotected and vulnerable buddies.  Johnny and Sandy didn't walk away too bruised though.  ACE has quite the accurate shot.  Many of his goals found nothing but net although you couldn't convince Sandy of that.

Sandy better stick to Baseball because there is no future Brooklyn's beloved seagull as a goalie.  Look at all those pucks in the lower left corner that got by.  I think this shot (pictured) clipped Sandy in the wing.  But just look at the smile on Ace's face.  You know that Crazy Bird was having fun and that's all that really matters.  Johnnie from St. John's was forced to put his body in front of a few shots as well.  His message was simply - Real Mascots don't wear pads! - Then ACE let him have it.

After scoring some goals, even more little friends joined the on-ice party, and along with the fans, joined together in singing Happy Birthday to ACE.

Mike.BTB

Wild Times at Coney Island Ahead..

Raise them hands...or Wings.

That's what you do when you're at the top of the Cyclone Roller Coaster

as you're about to drop 80 feet and continue-on for one of the most jarring, pounding, bruising, unforgiving and painful rides that you'd be lucky to walk away from without a physical memory to take home with you.  No pictures here ~ This ain't Disney y'all.  You get a scratch, a scrape or a welt for your picture album here.  Mail that to Grandma!  This ride pounds you into submission.  If you don't lie to yourself and say you love her, she will hurt you more.  She just wants Love.  For us locals and enthusiasts, we know the tricks and curves, we know how to mount her just right and grind through her bucking madness..(pssss! ow!).  We know what's coming around every turn and we've counted every bump.  If you wanna do it right, call me (us).  If you are just looking to buy a ticket for a roller coaster for fun without proper consultation with a member of the "Egg Cream Society", I hope you have a chiropractor on speed dial, that's if you don't lose your phone first.  And if you did it's probably because you didn't "READ THE FRAKIN' Sign".  GUS don' remind nobodeee...and the Cyclone don' care about yer stinkin' phone!  I can point out to you where it landed, with the others, but you won't be able to get it.  Trust me; it'll useless anyway.

*There's two Brooklynites in this pic.  Can you guess which ones? 

That guy in the last car in the blue shirt...is screwed!!!  LOL

He's in for a real Attitude Changer.

The year was 2003.  It was playoff time in the New York~Penn League.

One series of the first round featured the Brooklyn Cyclones against the Oneonta Tigers, in upstate NY.

At about 12noon on game day, I decided to leave work early and drive up to Oneonta on a whim, to see the Game One match-up.  There was maybe...350 people in attendance.  They have a nice little historic place there.  I'm not killing em.  But if someone was walking around with squeaky sneakers, I heard it.  I know you'll find this unbelievable, but the loudest thing in the park that night was the Cyclones fans who made the drive.  Even the crickets were mad at us.  The next night the series was back at Coney Island.

We had 10,000 people pack the blanket on the beach that night.  As fans we all had one thing on our minds;  Jarring the Tiger's state of mind, pounding and bruising them into submission; making Coney Island a most unforgiving place to be for the opposition and giving the NYPL a Painful reminder ~

This Ain't Kansas!  We can't help it here. 

We know it's only Class-A ball.  We jus'don' need yooo tellin us.

The 2010 ascent to the top of the McNamara Division was unswerving, consistent and quite impressive; if not down right dominating.  And That's what I'm Talkin About!

After the first week of the season, there was no discernible drop off in Cyclone play.  The Baby Bumz broke the fifty win mark and came within one game of tying the club record for wins in a season which will remain standing at 52.  Regardless, their 10th Anniversary season was a tremendous regular season success which resulted in a 51-24 record (.680).  The success was powered by a record setting line-up which set new team standards and NYPL records.

Darrell Ceciliani, center fielder for Brooklyn, went 2 for 3 in last night's season ending game versus the Tri-City Valley Cats.  He finished the season with a .351 batting average which was a new Cyclone'steam record, and good enough to win the NYPL Batting Crown.  Darrell is the first Cyclone to ever do so.  Brooklyn's table setter had an incredible year.  In 68 games:

AB ~ 271
Runs ~ 56
Hits ~ 95
Doubles ~ 19
triples ~ 12
HR ~ 2;  35 RBI from the top of the order.

Cory Vaughn (Son of Greg Vaughn) put together a 2010 campaign unseen around Coney Island since Frank Corr patrolled the outfield for the 2001 Cyclones.  In last night's season finale, Cory his his 14th home run of the season.  The knock sets a new Cyclones' record for home runs in a season.  Frank Corr's record of 13 has stood since The Bumz inaugural season of 2001.  In last night's game Cory went 2 for 3 contributing 2 RBI.  What kind of season did Cory have?  Look:

Games ~ 72
AB ~ 264
Runs ~ 45
Hits ~ 81
Doubles ~ 14
Triples ~ 5
Home Runs ~ 14
RBI ~ 56
Batting Avg. ~ .307

That's what kind of season he had.  Fugheddaboudit!!

Two more Baby Bumz to mention are 3B-Joe Bonfe and 2B-JB Browne.

Joe Bonfe; in 72 games ~
AB ~ 270
Runs ~ 41
Hits ~ 88
Doubles ~ 13
Home Runs ~ 4
RBI ~ 28
Batting Avg. ~ .326

JB Browne went 2 for 3 in last night's game and contributed 2 RBI in the victory over the Valley Cats.
In 57 games:
AB ~ 201
Runs ~ 28
Hits ~ 62
Doubles ~ 12
Home Runs ~ 3
RBI ~ 29
batting Avg. ~ .308

Two more Baby Bumz to mention are 1B-Jeff Flagg and SS-Rylan Sandoval.

Jeff Flagg slugged another 17 doubles to lead the Cyclones in that category.  He hit 9 home runs and came in second on the team in RBI but broke the lofty 50 RBI mark with 52.

SS-Rylan Sandoval was having an utterly superb season until he was rendered inactive after 47 games.
His numbers looked like this:
AB ~ 185
Runs ~ 34
Hits ~ 61
Doubles ~ 13
Home Runs ~ 9
RBI ~ 29
Batting Avg. ~ .330

You can see why this team dominated the NYPL this season.  They were an offensive Juggernaut.  They were the first team to clinch their respective division and are the only team to achieve 50+ victories this season.  They also lead the League in overall Team Batting Average and Team Home Runs.

Yeah!  Come get some!

As the number one seed in the playoffs, the Cyclones will travel to Jamestown, N.Y. to take on the Wild Card winning Jammers in Game One of the opening round of the New York Penn League Playoffs.  The series are best 2 out of 3.  The Cyclone will be back in Coney Island Wednesday night for Game Two and if necessary Game Three will be Thursday night..., right here.  I will be there for all games necessary!

Saturday was my last regular season game attended, and they fell just a little short to the Valley Cats (Houston Astros) that night.  But what a magical season it's been to this point.  We Brooklynites could have not asked nor expected anymore from this group of Baby Bumz.  They put on quite a show this summer by the seashore.  Victory, Hot Dogs, the Board Walk, fireworks, an ocean breeze and freaks to keep you on your toes; It's magic.

Let the Pigeons Loose and may the Wild Times at Coney Island Begin!!  It's playoff time and the NYPL Ring is the thing we want!  C'mon Boyz...WE CAN DO'D THIS!!!  Moider Em All!!

Let's Go Cyclones !!  Clap  Clap  Clap-Clap-Clap.

Yeah...It's like that!

Mike.BTB