The only surprise for us was that somebody actually beat them. Well, not really: We knew they were good, but we didn't know they'd accomplish so much so quickly. Neither did the 72 teams they snuck up on. South Flavas – comprising performance poets from the weekly Neo Soul slam at Antonio's Tex-Mex – skyrocketed to a second-place finish (Denver finally held them off to emerge as champion) in their debut NPS, which came to Austin for the first time since 1998 and will return in 2007. Watching Joe Brundidge, Michelle Desiree, Brian Francis, Trey Stepter, Kim Taylor, and coach Mike Whalen practice group pieces in the weeks leading up to the event was revelatory; watching them upset the field, spectacular.
