Woooweeee! It's the banquet tomorrow, and I'm so freakin' excited. I hope I don't puke.
If you're still on the fence, fuggedaboutit. Clip on your tie, scrounge up twenty-five bucks for you and your ho, and get yourself down to the Sheraton for a rip-roaring good time.
The mayhem begins at 5 and then goes well past your bedtime. I gots a room, so you can crash with me - hell, it'll be just like Syracuse ('cos you won't pay me - w00t!).
Did I mention I love the banquet?
Friday, November 17, 2006
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Retail Expansion
So, remember that "cool new feature" I mentioned in the last post? Well now's your chance to see what passes as "cool" to a geek like me.
Having spent most of the season bleeding money while trying to get you lot suitably attired, I figured it was time to take a load off (Sally) and let someone else share in the pleasure of doing business with you. That's why I'mrelieved pleased to unveil the new online Portland Rugby Shop. It's your own little shopping mall where you can buy all kinds of shiny things that have something to do with the club or with the sport of rugby in general.
True, we're not the first club to ever come up with such a thing, but I like to think that like most other things we touch, we've done it bigger and better than anyone else. Just click on the button below and see for yourself.
Technically speaking it is still a Beta test, since I didn't really discuss what people might like to buy with anyone other than the voices in my head. As a result I just came up with some designs and slapped them on products in a mostly arbitrary way. So, if there's some combination of design and product that you don't see, just let me know and I can probably accommodate it.
I should also point out that as you exercise your credit card for a little retail-therapy, you are also giving back to the club. The slimmest of margins has been built in to each product, so that over several thousand years we may accumulate enough to buy that dream field we've always had our eyes on, but will most likely be used to post your bail instead. So tell your friends, tell your families...hell, even tell other clubs. Every little helps. While there's plenty of stuff on there to satisfy your burning, obsessive love for the Portland Rugby Club, there's also some less "Portlandy" stuff on there that might have a broader appeal. However, each and every design carries a subtle reminder of its origin, which hopefully drives even more traffic back to the site, and round it all goes again.
Other than that, come on in, take a look around, and remember if you break it, you buy it.
Having spent most of the season bleeding money while trying to get you lot suitably attired, I figured it was time to take a load off (Sally) and let someone else share in the pleasure of doing business with you. That's why I'm
True, we're not the first club to ever come up with such a thing, but I like to think that like most other things we touch, we've done it bigger and better than anyone else. Just click on the button below and see for yourself.
Technically speaking it is still a Beta test, since I didn't really discuss what people might like to buy with anyone other than the voices in my head. As a result I just came up with some designs and slapped them on products in a mostly arbitrary way. So, if there's some combination of design and product that you don't see, just let me know and I can probably accommodate it.
I should also point out that as you exercise your credit card for a little retail-therapy, you are also giving back to the club. The slimmest of margins has been built in to each product, so that over several thousand years we may accumulate enough to buy that dream field we've always had our eyes on, but will most likely be used to post your bail instead. So tell your friends, tell your families...hell, even tell other clubs. Every little helps. While there's plenty of stuff on there to satisfy your burning, obsessive love for the Portland Rugby Club, there's also some less "Portlandy" stuff on there that might have a broader appeal. However, each and every design carries a subtle reminder of its origin, which hopefully drives even more traffic back to the site, and round it all goes again.
Other than that, come on in, take a look around, and remember if you break it, you buy it.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Rugby Snuff Movie
I'm publishing this video with the kind permission of the er...victim, who as we all know lived to play another day and has gone on to live a happy and fulfilling life. Well, a happy one at least. It is a salutary lesson that rugby is still very much a contact sport, and bad things do happen to good people.
Unfortunately the quality of this clip is a little sketchy, but so long as you can hear the audio portion you should be all set. But be warned, what you are about to see (or hear) is not for the faint of heart. Small children, those taking heart medication or people of a weak disposition should move on to something a little more gentle. I've watched it a hundred times and it still turns my stomach.
Still willing to watch? OK, then let me set the scene for you.
The year is 2001. It's the very first weekend after 9/11 and sporting events across the country have been cancelled out of respect. Indeed, some say that this game should never have been played, but probably because nobody fancied a make-up game in the middle of November the whole league played on. After a minute silence, Portland kicked off a spirited encounter with Providence at their old ground in the East Providence hood.
The first half is drawing to a close, and after winning a lineout Portland elects to spin the ball along their backline in an attempt to break out of their 22. The ball reaches the outside center, Jason Willey, who sees nothing outside him and elects to cut back inside. Then the sound speaks for itself. Just listen...
Something like the sound of a small tree being snapped in two, and then the screaming begins. Fortunately the tape cuts off there. The reality of what had happened is that Jason had shattered his ankle completely, and only socks and skin were holding his foot on.
Cut to Portland in the huddle, no doubt seeking words of encouragement for each other after witnessing this gruesome injury. The huddle breaks up, and the players disperse, their head held low. But wait...what's this? They seem to be spreading back out across the pitch. They're actually going to play the second half. For the love of God, what has to happen for a match to be abandonned? As the players take their position they make room for the ambulance to get off the field before Dom tees up the ball to get things started again, like lambs to the slaughter.
The moral of the story? I'm not sure that there is one, but I'll leave it up to your fevered imaginations to comment a few below.
Also, since this post is sure to get some decent play, I'm going to use this opportunity to put in a shameless plug for you to check back to the site on Thursday for a new feature we'll be adding to the site. All should be revealed sometime before lunch.
Unfortunately the quality of this clip is a little sketchy, but so long as you can hear the audio portion you should be all set. But be warned, what you are about to see (or hear) is not for the faint of heart. Small children, those taking heart medication or people of a weak disposition should move on to something a little more gentle. I've watched it a hundred times and it still turns my stomach.
Still willing to watch? OK, then let me set the scene for you.
The year is 2001. It's the very first weekend after 9/11 and sporting events across the country have been cancelled out of respect. Indeed, some say that this game should never have been played, but probably because nobody fancied a make-up game in the middle of November the whole league played on. After a minute silence, Portland kicked off a spirited encounter with Providence at their old ground in the East Providence hood.
The first half is drawing to a close, and after winning a lineout Portland elects to spin the ball along their backline in an attempt to break out of their 22. The ball reaches the outside center, Jason Willey, who sees nothing outside him and elects to cut back inside. Then the sound speaks for itself. Just listen...
Something like the sound of a small tree being snapped in two, and then the screaming begins. Fortunately the tape cuts off there. The reality of what had happened is that Jason had shattered his ankle completely, and only socks and skin were holding his foot on.
Cut to Portland in the huddle, no doubt seeking words of encouragement for each other after witnessing this gruesome injury. The huddle breaks up, and the players disperse, their head held low. But wait...what's this? They seem to be spreading back out across the pitch. They're actually going to play the second half. For the love of God, what has to happen for a match to be abandonned? As the players take their position they make room for the ambulance to get off the field before Dom tees up the ball to get things started again, like lambs to the slaughter.
The moral of the story? I'm not sure that there is one, but I'll leave it up to your fevered imaginations to comment a few below.
Also, since this post is sure to get some decent play, I'm going to use this opportunity to put in a shameless plug for you to check back to the site on Thursday for a new feature we'll be adding to the site. All should be revealed sometime before lunch.
Monday, November 13, 2006
Did you vote yet?
Just a reminder that the banquet is coming up this Saturday, so I expect to see you all their in your finery.
Part of the reason for having the banquet is to recognize those who made an outstanding contribution to the club both on and off the field. Since it's always difficult to be certain that we've e-mailed everyone in the club, this is just another gentle reminder to get your votes in to Jerry McQueeney as soon as possible.
In case you didn't know, the categories up for grabs are:
Most Valuable Player
Most Improved Player
Biggest Contribution to the Club
Hit Jerry up here with your votes as soon as possible so he has time to put your name on the huge trophy.
Thank-you.
Part of the reason for having the banquet is to recognize those who made an outstanding contribution to the club both on and off the field. Since it's always difficult to be certain that we've e-mailed everyone in the club, this is just another gentle reminder to get your votes in to Jerry McQueeney as soon as possible.
In case you didn't know, the categories up for grabs are:
Most Valuable Player
Most Improved Player
Biggest Contribution to the Club
Hit Jerry up here with your votes as soon as possible so he has time to put your name on the huge trophy.
Thank-you.
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Coat Check Payola
While the rest of the club was draining the funds last weekend, a select few were hard at work earning us some cash at the Brewfest coat check. I won't go in to specific amounts lest you think that the club is all of a sudden flush with cash and that you need to find something to spend it on, but lets just say it was a tidy little sum that we desparately needed.
Since nothing says "thank-you" like a mention on the website, next time you see any of the following folks, be sure to point out to them that you saw their name on the site, and that you're grateful for their efforts. Or you could just comment that below. Give it up for:
Matt Winch
Freddy Hayman
Marcos Miller
Joe Loring
Rick Scala
Art Gaffer
Zach (from the Deli)
John Gartland
Matt Burgess
Tony Cox
Nice going lads!
Since nothing says "thank-you" like a mention on the website, next time you see any of the following folks, be sure to point out to them that you saw their name on the site, and that you're grateful for their efforts. Or you could just comment that below. Give it up for:
Matt Winch
Freddy Hayman
Marcos Miller
Joe Loring
Rick Scala
Art Gaffer
Zach (from the Deli)
John Gartland
Matt Burgess
Tony Cox
Nice going lads!
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