Revenge: A Dish Best Served Cold

Fate has a strange sense of humor, and she showed it again last Friday when she paired us against K-plunk in the first round of the Silver Spur Tournament.

Fate, it seems, was not pleased with last week’s loss, and decided to give us another chance.  A shot at redemption.  The opportunity to kick some Irish Green ass and show those punks who really should have won last week.

The tournament is single elimination, so this is do or die.  Live and let die.  Put up (out?) or shut up.   Shit or get off the pot.  Be or not be.  Succeed or die trying.

Action Item 1:

Who’s playing at our Thursday, 7:15 game against K-funk?  We are the lower seed, so let’s get the upset.  Last week’s game was tight, so this should be a great Clash of the Titans.  This could be our last game, so get your jollies out now!

Of course, we’re going to win, which means we’ll play next Wednesday.

Captain’s Tip of the Day:

• After 9 games, do I really need to give any more tips?  I didn’t think so.  Just go out there, relax, play the way you know how, and have a good time.
• Damien can’t kick for shit, so expect an easy out when he kicks.

Action Item 2- Libations:

Who is bringing the booze?  Win or loose, let’s get blitzed!

Theme:

First, a little history lesson:  the past 3 years, we’ve had the same theme for the final game.  It started out relatively innocently:  create your own character from a certain 80s cartoon.  Well, it didn’t stay innocent very long, and things got dirty.  Very, very dirty.

What was the cartoon?

The Care Bears.

How can you make the Care Bears dirty?

Well, just take this text I received from Alisa:  “So I was on the Metro quite drunk and people were staring at me.  I thought it was because I was drunk on the Metro with a kickball shirt.  Then I saw that I still had on my name tag:  Bend Me Over Bear.”

‘Nuff said.

Inspirational Quotes:

Because I’m not a great motivator, how about these motivating words:

Walter Payton
I want to be remembered as the guy who gave his all whenever he was on the field.

---

Hakeem Olajuwon
I’ve always felt it was not up to anyone else to make me give my best.

---

Evander Holyfield
It is not the size of a man but the size of his heart that matters.

---

Annonymous

Winners don’t wait for chances…they take them.

K-Plunk

Tonight our quest for mediocracy continues.  If we win tonight, we end the regular season with a .500 record, and, more importantly, a seed in the middle of the pack for the tournament.  Translation:  we’ll play a team of roughly the same skill level as us.  Therefore, this is an important game for us.

Action Item 1:

Will you be at tonight’s 7:15 game versus Grabassky* and the K-Funk Allstars?

* Note:  Grabs and his wifey are out of town.

Scouting Report:

Last year, this was a highly competive, highly drunk game.  We brought not one, but two beer pong tables to the field and played flip cup between each inning.  I don’t know how we weren’t arrested on the spot.  We planned to do it again this year, but given the presence of the cops the past two weeks, we’re not going to push our luck.

Footloose won a tight game last year 2-1.  Given that I’m good buds with many K-funkers, expect this to be a competitive game this year too.  I really don’t want to lose.  So bring your A game and let me see your war face.

K-funk is pretty good.  They have a solid defense that we need to crack in order to win.  They will have some female bunters, so I’m going to play a male catcher.  Edward, who many of you know, is a left-footed kicker and has the ability to boot the ball far.  The right and right-center fielders need to adjust, play deeper than usual, and be ready.

Captain’s Tip of the Day:

• Remember that you can overrun 1st base (but not 2nd or 3rd).  Why would you want to overrun the base?  Because it allows you to run as hard and fast as you can without having to stop on a dime (and potentially hurt yourself).  It also allows you to maintain full momentum through the base, which is to the runner’s benefit.
• Once you kick a ball, it’s ok to check out where it goes, but don’t watch the play unfold as you are running.  You will not be as fast.  Just worry about getting to (or through, per bullet 1) the base.
• TALK!  We had some snaffus last week with who was going for the ball.  This is particularly true with 3rd/pitcher, catcher/pitcher, and the outfielders.  My favorite play was the final out of the game where Jed called a ball that was basically a pop fly 6 inches from Alisa, who called him off with “NO THAT’S MY BALL, BITCH!”  Ok, she didn’t say bitch…I added that for effect.
• The base coatches need to coach better.  We could have snagged some extra bases last week if the runners knew to run.

Libations:

Aaron has a case from last week leftover.  We may need more.

Rain Info:

There is a 40% chance of rain tonight.  We’ll try to get the games in because tomorrow does not look any better.  Remember that we WILL play in light-moderate rain.  I’ll post here by 4:30 if the games are called off.  If you don’t hear anything, assume they are on. 

Costumes:

Congrats to Jed for winning best male costume (Marty McFly) and Alisa for best female (Supergirl).   They won us 10 free pitchers last week.  And I had the division pick up the dinner tab too because, well, because I can.  That’s my little thank you to everyone who dressed up this season. 

Party Plans:

Becky “won” a McFaddens happy hour from 8-11pm Saturay night.  $20 beer and rail drinks.  Who’s in?

After that, I’m heading to a “Beaters, Bras, Boxers, & Briefs” party.  You have to have one of those items showing at all times.  I haven’t decided if I’m going to wear my jorts and beater to Mcfaddens or not…  This is at Sullies (11th and U Streets, NW).  All are invited.  It is hosted by one of the main organizers of the Scav Hunt, so you know it’ll be fun…

August 9 is the championship game.  Afterwards, we’ll have 8 to 10 free kegs at the X.  So save the date!

August 25 is the tentative end-of-season party.  It’ll be a bar in DC and free booze.  So plan to be there.

Schedule Change

We had to cancel last night’s games because the radar looked nasty.  Then, of course, it was gorgeous out.  Out game will be next Wednesday at 7:15 (note the change in day).  We switched it because 4 teams have 2 games to make up, and asking them to come 2 nights in a row wouldn’t work.  Also, playing Wednesday gives us a make-up day in case it rains. 

Sorry for the change, but I hope you understand the reasons behind it.

All previous make-up games will be played Wednesday 7/25.  The schedule is below and online.  As you can see, 4 games will need to be played at 6:30 and 3 at 7:15. 

Wednesday  7/25

 6:30 Garbage Pail Kids v Spin the Bottle
 6:30 Grabassky’s All Stars v Team Ram Rod
 6:30 Well Hungarians v Vandalay Industries
 6:30 Kickin Balls & Takin Names v Terry Tate
 7:15 Vandalay Industries v Angry Jay’s Army
 7:15 Grabassky’s All Stars v Footloose
 7:15 Kickin Balls & Takin Names v Garbage Pail Kids

Post-Game Wrap-Up

Congrats on our 3rd victory last night!  Our push for mediocity (a .500 record) is still possible!  It took us 6 innings to pull out a 12-7 victory over Jimminy Kickit.  Our feet came alive in the extra inning as we kicked around the entire batting order.  It was a thing of beauty. 

You know what else was a thing of beauty?  The costumes.  We won for best male and best female costumes, which got us a night of comped beer and food.  Yea, we were only supposed to get 10 total pitchers out of that, but I know a guy who knows a guy.

Game Ball:

The game ball this week goes to Mike Schwartz, who finally got on base.  Not only did Mike finally get on base, he got on base four times and actually scored too. 

It’s about damn time that Mike scored…

Team Vote:

For the record books and for call-out in the GMOT next week, who had the best male and female costumes (you can vote for Pete in either category): 

• Pete as Jeff Spicole from Fast Times at Ridgemont High
• Jed as Marty McFly from Back to the Future
• Ryan as a guy in a shirt that said something about getting your balls wet in Dewey
• Schwartz as himself
• Aaron as Dr. Bunsen Honeydew from the Muppet Movie/Muppets Take Manhattan/The Great Muppet Caper
• Ben as Beaker from the Muppet Movie/Muppets Take Manhattan/The Great Muppet Caper
• Becky as the keg from every 80s party movie
• Alisa as Supergirl from, well, Supergirl
• Lisa as Lisa from Lisa’s life
• Kathryn as Alex(andra) Owens from Flashdance

The most votes wins.  But don’t worry, there aren’t really any losers at Halloween in July. (Goddamnit, that sounds like something a first grade teacher would say.)

Next week’s game is Thursday at 7:15 vs Grabbasky and the K-funk Allstars.  This should be a fun, but competitive game.  We’ll need our A game to win this one.  The A-team would help too.  Does anyone know how to find them?  Maybe we could just take an add out in the paper like they did on the show. 

Jimminy Suckit

Footloose,

The long awaited, much anticipited, highly hyped Halloween in July is finally here.  I hope you have your costumes set, wigs securely fassioned, colars popped, and aviators rockin.

Did I ever tell you that Halloween in my favorite holiday.  Yup.  I’m sure that’s no surprise to you by now–even those that haven’t been to any games.  Even as a kid I loved Halloween even more than the commercialized gift giving day known as Christmas.  A little odd, I know…but I’ve accepted that, and so should you.

Action Item 1:

You coming tonight for the 6:30 game vs Jimminy Kickit?

Scouting Report:

This is a completely winnable game.  They are like us– they like to be relatively competitive, but know that we are all there to have a good time.  The guys (gay or straight) won’t bunt, but some gals might, so the catcher and pitcher need to be prepared.  I also know a handful of JK, and I’d love to have bragging rights, so let’s win one for the Gipper.

Oh, and to pull off a .500 season (50% wins, 50% losses), we need to win both this week and next.

Captain’s Tip of the Day:

It’s been a while since we’ve played an actual game (although, the “must have a cup of beer in hand at all times” rule last week was quite amusing), so let’s remember the basics:

• Don’t get distracted by your costume/props or anyone elses.
• Get the ball back to the pitcher ASAP.
• Don’t pop out (kick that ball on the friggin ground).
• The team that makes the fewest mistakes always wins.  Think about that.
• The right fielder needs to back up all throws to 1st base.
• The base coaches need to be loud and tell the base runners how many outs there are and when to run/stay/go part way.
• It’s easier to throw the ball to someone covering a base than trying to peg a runner.
• Tag up on pop flies (even caught foul balls) when appropriate.  The base coaches should help out with this.

Action Item 2– Libations:

Who’s bringing the beer/cups?  If you haven’t brought yet, we only have 3 more games.

Discretionary Funds:

I have a list.  Not everyone has floated me $4 yet.  Don’t make me call out names, please.

Action Item 3– Dewey:

August 11 and Labor Day are the options.  I didn’t get much of a response last week, so PA-LEASE let me know if you’re interested or whether I should scrap the idea altogether.  I haven’t had my Dewey fix all summer, and I’m jonsin’ real bad.

Watching every motion in my foolish lover’s game
On this endless ocean finally lovers know no shame
Turning and returning to some secret place inside
Watching in slow motion as you turn around and say

Take my breath away
Take my breath away

Take My Breath Away – Berlin

“Take My Breath Away” is the name of a love song from the film Top Gun, performed by the band Berlin. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Song as well as the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song in 1987.  The song peaked at #8 in the U.S., but it hit #1 in the Phillipines, so that has to count for something.

The song has been performed by other artists, such as Jessica Simpson, who included it on the special edition of her album In This Skin, the band Copeland on their album of cover songs, Know Nothing Stays the Same, and was translated into Cantonese and covered by Sandy Lam.  The Christian rock band Relient K also covered it as part of their “Top Gun Medley” in a few touBerlinrs of theirs.

Tonight’s the Night

Footloose,

I have some good news and some bad news.  And they are one in the same. 

The team we are scheduled to play tonight, the Non-Proliferators, is a company team (working for the Feds).  Twenty-four of their 26 players were all sent away on assignment for the rest of the season. 

The bad news:  no official game tonight.

The good news:  Win #2! 

But here’s the deal:  it’s been a few weeks since we’ve gotten together and played.  So let’s still meet up at the fields, drink some beers, and have a pickup game.  Because we are the 7:15 timeslot, we can likely pick up some stragglers from other games to play. 

Action Item 1:

Respond to the blog whether you can make it tonight.

Action Item 2:

Schwartz volunteered to bring some beers tonight.  Who else is bringing beers?  Don’t forget cups…

Next Week’s Game:

Our next official game is Wednesday, July 18, at 6:30.  We play Jimminy Kickit, which is one of the bottom tier teams.  If we lose this game, I’ll never hear the end of it.  So let’s not lose. 

Next week is also Halloween in July, so get your 80s movie character costume together this weekend.  I already have mine…though I think I’m going to change it up.  Naturally, I fully expect anyone that comes next Wednesday to be in costume.  No excuses! 

Make-up Game:

Our rained-out game will be made up Thursday, July 26. 

Silver Spur Tournament:

The division tournament will start August 1st and 2nd.  We’ll know what night/time we play once the regular season is over and we rank the teams and create the bracket.  That will likely be July 27 or July 30. 

Teams that win their first game will play the following Wednesday, August 8.  Thursday is the championship game followed by loads of free beer at the X for the Silver Spur Sloshing (kinda the unofficial end-of-season party and awards ceremony). 

End-of-Season Party:

The party is in the works.  Date, time, and venue TBD.  It will likely be Saturday August 18 or 25, so save the date. 

Dewey Beach:

Last season, Footloose took a team trip to that little slice of Heaven known as Dewey Delaware.  Is there interest in getting some hotel rooms or renting a house?  I’m thinking the weekend of August 4, 11, or Labor Day weekend.  Or two of the three (preferably). 

I would prefer a house so we all under one roof and can play beer pong and flip cup and have more room.  (Boy, that was a lot of “ands”!)  But, that comes at some added cost.  I’ll only make reservations if we have commitments ($) from people (I learned that lesson the hard way).  Of course, it’s open to non-Footloosers too. 

Anyway, let me know if that interests you. 

Ho’d Up Camouflage! 

Halloween…Postponed

This just in…

The division decided to postpone Halloween in July by 1 week.  We didn’t do a very good job of advertising it, and most teams forgot.  So, we’re going to do it next week (we play Wednesday at 6:30) instead.  So no excuses for not dressing in costume!

There will be awards for best overall team costume (the winner receives 10 free pitchers), best male (5 pitchers), and best female (5 pitchers).  So Footloose could potentially drink for free all night!  I hope to see some creative 80s movie costumes out there…cause if there is one thing that I like more than IHOP on a hungover Sunday it’s free beer on a Wednesday.  

The beauty of this theme is that YOU get to pick what YOU want to be, yet it still ties into the overall team theme.   I can’t wait to see your individual creativity!

Ps- game is still on this Thursday at 7:15.  No costume (other than our regular garb) required. 

Pps- Our makeup game will be July 26, and the tournament starts August 1/2 (night TBD). 

And the Winner Is…

Due to the underwhelming response asking for costume input (stupid mid-week holiday…), I’m making a command decision to give everyone enough time to come up with their costume idea and make it happen (remember our game is Thursday @ 7:15).

And the winner is…

80s movie character.  This can be from any 80s movie.  Classic 80s movies include the following:

• Top Gun
• The Goonies
• Pretty in Pink
• Say Anything
• Caddyshack
• Back to the Future
• Beastmaster
• Beverly Hills Cop I, II
• Rocky III, IV
• Blade Runner
• The Breakfast Club
• A Xmas Story
• Cocktail
• Die Hard
• Any movie with Freddy or Jason
• E.T.
• Fast Times at Ridgmont High
• Ferris Bueler
• Flashdance
• Footloose
• Gremlins
• Karate Kid
• The Princess Bride
• Purple Rain
• Raiders of the Lost Arc
• Rambo
• Revenge of the Nerds
• Any movie starring Molly Ringwald
• St. Elmos Fire
• Superman II-IV
• Vision Quest

A useful resource is http://www.fast-rewind.com/

Now go get those costumes ready!

(I promise this is the last costume night of the season)

Ps-  Bonus points for anyone (other than Jed) that does a Phoebe Cates impersonation.

Halloweiner

Halloween in July

Place your bet for one of the following costume ideas for Halloween in July, which is our next game—Thursday July 12 at 7:15.  Not all of these are 80s oriented (and that’s OK). 

 A)     Create your own SuperheroB)     Create your own WWF (pre-WWE) wrestler (excessive roid use is optional)C)     Mr. and Ms. Pacman (and everyone else will be the ghosts).  This costume will take some effort.  D)     80s movie character of your choice

Happy HourWho’s in for a night out at the Ballroom?  We’ll start on the roof then head down to see the band (Dr. FU).   Please let me know so that I’m not anchoring the bar while waiting for people who aren’t showing up…HiBall Events’ Independence Eve Bash

TUESDAY, July 3rd

The Clarendon Ballroom- Biggest In DC for six years running
- Featuring the area’s hottest new cover band:  Dr. FU
- DJ Pat Premier spinning in the lower ballroom & DJ Rene spinning on the main floor early and between sets.
- Huge rooftop patio
- Due to popular demand deck party starts at 5:00 pm – 2:00 am
- $5 ’til 7 PM, $10 Early (at door only; no advance sales)