[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by 8-26-2014

(22:45) Hippos Players Ready to Begin Final Season NOTE: The Hippo PA writers have been worried about unemploymen-- the impending dissolution of the team and apologize for their recent absence.

Losses to American Dreams in Houston Ladder matches are nothing new and probably to be expected with 18 in a row. However, 2 listless losses and a 6th place start to the III.3 season are not what the team had in mind for its finale season.

Hippo players have been reassured their final paychecks are at the end of this season, not end of last season. Thus they have decided to attempt to play meaningful games again.

Expect to see upcoming news shortly as the PA authors catch up:
* Hungry Hungry Hippos globetrotting
* This season's HHH inductees

To follow along with more Hippo detail, check out the thread on FOFC:
[Hattrick] Houston Hippopotami (III.3); Special 20th Anniversary Thread - Front Office Football Central
We'll be starting this season at post 215

Originally Posted by 9-7-2014

(16:41) Fabrizio Santoriello on Cup Top Scorers List With play reminiscent of Damian Edelman's runs at the top cup scoring title, Fabrizio Santoriello has put himself squarely in the running for the US Cup top scorer this season. His 10 goals currently have him tied for 3rd. Hippo fanatics will, of course, remember Edelmann's runner up finish in season 52 and cup lead scorer in season 53.

Cup leader Leo Ferrer has 13 goals but FC Walosy was knocked out of US Cup play last week. At 2nd place with 12 goals is Luca Musante, a player on III.9's Team Cokey.

Santoriello picked up a hat trick in the 10-0 opener against All Systems Go and another 4 goals in the 9-0 win against Lake Charles Spades. His only scoreless game was a 2-0 win in week 3 against the Quackers. He has 1 and 2 goals, respectively, in a pair of 4-0 wins against GBsHibs USA and TuS Pewsum the last two weeks.

This week, the team faces Ac Questo from III.13. If they win, they will advance to the round of 64 and likely get a home Cup game the next week.

Originally Posted by 9-15-2014

(16:54) Hungry Hungry Hippos Best Flag Chasing Youth Team in Hattrick The Houston Hippopotami became the first team in the United States and one of the first 100 teams in the game to collect all hosted and visited flags. Since then, flag chasing ranks have swelled as 3 other teams in the USA and 510 teams globally boast complete flag collections.

The youth squad travels also travels well and, while no complete records exist in the game, we are claiming that the Hungry Hungry Hippos are the best flag chasing youth team in hattrick.

Using team records, we have been able to reconstruct that the youth squad has visited the top 27 countries and 33 of the 36 rarest (missing Hong Kong, Tunisia, Morocco). They have also either hosted or visited 41 of the top 50.

Status: Flags (%, US Rank if adult squad) Coolness (%, US Rank)
Visit: 61 (47.66%/183rd) 92,427.15 (67.12%/39th)
Host: 32 (25.00%/520th) 12,669.84 (9.20%/210th)
Visit or Host: 85 (66.41%/110th) 104,720.43 (76.05%/37th)
Visit plus Host: 93 (36.33%/225th) 105,096.99 (38.16%/56th)

Originally Posted by 11-12-2014

(04:51) Houston Hippopotami Begin Their Farewell The Houston Hippopotami are in their final couple of weeks of their existence. It's been a long run since January 2003, but it's time to walk away from the game. Our recent 6 seasons in III.5 have felt just as cozy as many of our past homes but recent and upcoming life events are keeping the GM from spending as much time at Hattrick as he would like.

Still have quite a few orders of business before the team goes dark:
* PA about Ab van den Nieuwendijk's double digit goal series scoring title
* Many Hippo Hall of Heroes retirements: Schalks, De Bacco, Edelmann, Coupard, and maybe more
* One final concentrated assault on the Houston ladder (32 losses in a row!)

Who knows what else we will have time for in the next few days but the Hippos need to go out with a bang. We gladly welcome Guestbook comments from all Hippo faithful in the next few days and wish everyone the very best going forward!

Originally Posted by 11-14-2014

(15:29) Nieuwendijk Wins Series Scoring Crown in Hippos Final Season, Part I In the final season in franchise history, Ab van den Nieuwendijk won the franchise's 11th scoring title. Following up last years 3rd place finish with 10 goals, his same tally won him the crown in this year's depressed scoring environment. The Hippos 37 goals were 2nd in the series, behind only Intercourse Ball Kickers's 40 goals. Series champion White Hot Blizzard was the only other team with more than 22 goals.

Teammate Fabrizio Santoriello, who won the III.5 scoring title in season 54, was 2nd in the series with 8 goals. Don't feel bad for him: he doesn't! He's quick to remind Ab that he scored more goals on the season as hiis 11 cup goals tied him for 6th in USA.

Other Hippo scoring tile winners are Derrick Solomon, Tor Tetlie, HHH member Edwin Phelan, potential honorary HHH member Joseph Pittesser, and future HHH members Damian Edelmann and Giancarlo Schalks.

Next up: some HHH inductions and the continued assault on the Houston Ladder (33 losses in a row and counting!)

Originally Posted by 11-14-2014

(15:11) Nieuwendijk Wins Series Scoring Crown in Hippos Final Season, Part II Double digit series scoring seasons in Houston Hippopotami history: (season, number of goals, player, rank in series, and series)

S56 10G Ab van den Nieuwendijk (1st, III.5)
S55 10G Ab van den Nieuwendijk (3rd, III.5)
S54 10G Fabrizio Santoriello (1st, III.5)
S53 13G Damian Edelmann (1st, III.5)
S53 11G Evgeny Patrov (2nd, III.5)
S52 10G Evgeny Patrov (4th, III.5)
S52 10G Damian Edelmann (5th, III.5)
S51 11G Damian Edelmann (1st, III.5)
S46 15G Joseph Pittesser (1st, II.3)
S44 17G Giancarlo Schalks (1st, III.3)
S43 11G Giancarlo Schalks (1st, III.3)
S43 11G Joseph Pittesser (1st, III.3)
S41 10G Giancarlo Schalks (7th, II.1)
S39 11G Tor Tetlie (5th, III.3)
S38 11G Tor Tetlie (1st, III.3)
S34 12G Kris Jacobsen (4th, III.3)
S32 13G Marcin Tetkowski (3rd, III.3)
S31 10G Kris Jacobsen (4th, III.3)
S27 11G Ingo Kettich (2nd, IV.21)
S23 11G Eric Peiffer (5th, IV.21)
S20 10G Edwin Phelan (4th, IV.21)
S19 15G Edwin Phelan (1st, V.62)
S19 15G Derrick Solomon (1st, V.62)

Originally Posted by 11-15-2014

(21:22) Bid Farewell to Fan Favorites! Own Some Hippo History! (Part I) While there will also be one final match (#35) against American Dreams for the Houston Ladder crown, Sunday's friendly against Ribbaldar will be your last chance to see your Houston heroes in action. The standard starting lineup will be playing as well as the usual subs. There will be ceremonies and presentations galore.

The Hippopotami will also be hosting a garage sale. All merchandise must go: shirts, caps, and jerseys, of course. However, there's also a once-in-a-lifeteime sale and auction as parts of the Hippodrome will also be up for sale. Own the actual stadium seat you were sitting in when the Hippos promoted into II for the first time! Buy a section of the pitch, walked on by franchise greats!

Also, if you're another team, friend or foe, this is also your chance to own a piece of Hippo history! Every major player who will not be retired is on sale for below market prices.

Many players will be retired at halftime! This is a game any Hippo supporter won't want to miss.

Originally Posted by 11-15-2014

(21:19) Bid Farewell to Fan Favorites! Own Some Hippo History! (Part II) Final Houston Hippopotami roster, seemingly a "blueprint" for a perpetual USA III team:

Keepers
#7 Fatih Güniz (myth/myth sp, 25)
#8 Giuseppe Oppes (form, 26)

Forwards
#26 Ab van den Nieuwendijk (titan/mag/head, 26)
#33 Fabrizio Santoriello (titan/out/quick, 26)
#30 Damian Edelmann (titan/out/head, 31)
#35 Péter Gellén, 28

Wingers
#50 Cosimo Masnadiero (titan/mag/form/quick, 27)
#52 Tobiasz Kosma (mag/mag/out/quick, 26)
#59 Arvo Talv, 29

Midfielders
#49 Ivan Holka (et/out/head, 27)
#56 Anno Schelling (et/form/head, 27)
#58 Pat Scroggins (titan/form, 26)
#43 Stefano Fuscioni (titan/out/head, 31)
#46 Vladimir Makedonski, 28

Wingbacks
#77 Gonzalo Valdivieso (brill/out/head, 22)
#79 Baldassarre Bottone (wc/out, 22)

Central Def
#76 Riivo Saula (wc/form pm, 23)
#68 Ryszard Przyłęcki (et/mag sp, 26)
#62 Baybars Özhakan (sn/mag sp, 26)
#67 Werner Grimmig (bril/et sp, 21)

Coach
#38 Yohan Coupard (solid)

Originally Posted by 11-17-2014

(15:01) Memorable Moments in the 34 Game Houston Ladder Losing Streak With the Hippos 35th and final try to win the Houston ladder, a look back at some memorable games:

* Battle I (03.22): Tied at 3-3 at 80' after trailing 2-0 and 3-1; Lost 5-3 in OT; Did not realize the first would be one of the closest

* Battle XI (05.19): Hippos up 2-0 but tied 2-2; AD scored at 104' but Nieuwendijk tied at 108'; In shootout, Przylecki missed 1st and all others made

* Battle XIII (06.06): Hippos took 2-1 lead at 78' but AD equalized at 85' and took lead at 98'; Hippos tied at 100' but were 2/5 in shootout vs 3/4

* Battle XIV (06.22): Hippos up 1-0, 2-1, 3-2, and 4-3 but AD equalized every time within 10 mins; AD scored at 85' and 88' for the win

* Battle XVII (08.03): Hamed Werhani scored all 5 goals for AD, putting them up 1-0, 2-1, 4-2, and finally 5-3; Nieuwendijk with a goal in 9 straight ladder matches

* Battle XVII (10.25): Saula carded at 70' but Hippos scored equalizer at 78'; AD scored 2 goals at 92' and 93' in extra time and Hippos only 1

SI