Seems like everyone I've spoken to or heard about since the banquet has their own personal story of shame that they've been wallowing in, myself included, so hence the low profile since it all went off. It is beholden on me however to try and make some sense of it all, and to let you know that however off-your-face you got, and however ashamed you are feeling, there's always someone else feeling worse than you. So, shake it off soldier, and get back in the fight.
As far as banquets go, this was a top notch affair, with J-Wil pulling out all the stops to make us feel welcome, and not getting too mad when people started to get messy. Everyone turned out in all of their finery, and most people behaved in a civilized fashion for the majority of the night. As I alluded to earlier, it got a bit sloppy towards the end, but I won't name any names for fear of creating a firestorm of accusations.
Speeches were given, and I won't bore you with the details, but more thanks were given than a night at the Oscars, and if you missed your particular "ups" then you'll have ask someone who was paying attention. Then came the big awards for the night:
Most Improved Player: who else but Ryan Facey, who stuck with us and earned himself a starting spot in one of the most competitive positions on the club in just his second year. Ryan was later to be seen yelling his gratitude out of the window of the courtesy bus on the way to the Old Port. Well...at least it looked like he was yelling.
Most Valuable Player: Scotty Derrig scooped up this coveted prize, having played all over the backline this season without complaint, and making a positive impact from wherever it was. Scotty also seems to have developed a bit of a Teflon coating, as I'm having a hard time thinking up any dirt on him, other than his suspiciously well rehearsed acceptance speech.
Honorable Mention: Apparantly nipping at Scotty's heels in the MVP elections were a couple of old war horses who also got a mention, and who fall at the other end of the dirt spectrum. Jerry Alves (for the backs) and Jeff Keating (for the forwards) both were recognized for their consistently strong play all year, and for carrying more injuries between them than the entire DL for the American League.
Biggest Contribution: Your humble scribe was honored here, presumably not for the 11-13 record but for continuing to put blogging before work, family, personal hygiene or anything else. Of course, to celebrate I promptly took a week off to recapture my muse. If you find it, please let me know.
There then followed the Jimmy & Andy show, who unleashed a multimedia extravaganza on us, as they singled out members of the club for a little recognition/humiliation. The awards were too funny and too numerous for me to keep track of them all, so again, I won't list them all for fear of hurting someone's feelings. Jacko also threw in a couple of his own awards at the end, and then the evening dissolved into more drinking and general misbehavior.
For most of us Sunday was a write off, and sadly the most vivid memories of the night are those of our own transgressions. Oh alcohol, curse you and your inhibition-lowering goodness.
For those of you who clearly have a taste for this particular brand of train-wreck, can do it all over again at the Women's club banquet, held on December 18th, to which you are all cordially invited. Get youself off to Binga's tomorrow night (the 29th) should you wish to secure a ticket early, as there will be some kind of ticket-sale-drink-up going on. Alternatively, I'm sure you can pay at the door (of the Portland Eagles Club, where it's being held).
P.S. If any of you have any decent pictures from the banquet, e-mail me, since I couldn't manage a decent photo all night....unless of course you count those upskirt ones.
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Friday, November 17, 2006
It's the M-F'ing Banquet!
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?
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?
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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