MARQUIS BRANTLEY Guards The Field!
(While JNAV Looks On! ;)
The Spin-Offs have won again! And this time they did it withoutsending in their lawyer...This evening our gallant heroes braved a weather forecast that by some accounts called for 100% chance of precipitation. Fortunately the forecast was wrong! Our band of twelve champions (eight men & four women) not only overcame a fearsome foe, but stayed dry in the process!
GAME ACTION: The opposing team - "What the SPF?!" - opened the first inning with an impressive bag of five runs. The Spin-Offs however answered right back, tying the game by the bottom of the first. In the second inning, the foe added two more runs - but our marauding adventurers could not be stopped! They scored four runs in the bottom of the second, and proceeded to dominate for the next four innings. By the bottom of the sixth inning, the score was 26-16 Spin-Offs, and the foe's captain was seen crying quietly on the shoulder of his third base coach. (Ok seriously, opposing captain JT and his team were a pleasure to play against. Especially after last week's . . ."unpleasantness." ;) To their credit,"What the SPF?!" rallied in the top of the seventh and final inning, with the team scoring an additional five runs before the Spin-Offs shut them down for good with some impressive fielding. Though SPF lost 26-21, it was a respectable loss.
SPIN-OFFS' STANDING: According to the Spin-Offs' overpriced legal team (me), the League Commissioners will likely either rule in our favor, or - worst case - mandate that no results be recorded for the game against the Outsiders. If our legal team prevails, the Spin-Offs will have an impressive record of 3-1! They will also quite possibly have claim to being the first softball team in history whose victory was secured not by its fielders and batters, but by its attorneys!
MVP: The award for MVP goes to ... (drum-roll please!) ... MARQUIS BRANTLEY! Today Marquis was out in the elements at 4pm in order to ensure that the Spin-Off's had a good field. (See attached pic.) Furthermore, twice now Marquis had skipped his Wednesday night class to support the team when we've been short on players. Thanks Marquis!(And let me know if you need a note for your teacher! ;)
VICE-MVP: This new category of award goes JAMES DAVIS (aka "Wild Thang!" ;) As I write this, James is no doubt back in the office burning the midnight oil. In fact he has so much work that he hadn't planned on attending tonight's game. However, fifteen minutes before game-time he heard that his beloved Spin-Offs were a man short - so he put aside his work and picked up his bat and glove. Thanks again James!
MVP CO-RUNNER-UP #1: This award goes to the indomitable YVETTE JARDINE. Earlier in the day, Yvette conducted a brave culinary experiment. She lunched on the inadvisable combination of coffee and egg-salad. From Starbucks. Yuck! Yet against all medical odds, she survived (though the team's doctors are still scratching their heads as to why...). While she felt rather poorly at game time (i.e., she was nearly blinded by agonizing abdominal pain), she managed to stumble to the field - where she quickly underwent a miraculous recovery - and made her bat SING! It seems that Starbuck's egg salad and coffee is toYvette what spinach is to Popeye! Bon appetite Yvette!
MVP CO-RUNNER-UP #2: This award goes to an equally indomitable young woman, the courageous TOBY TOMLINSON! Toby arrived at the game with a black eye and a very sore back. When asked what happened, Toby grinned stoically, and muttered something about having to "teach that catcher some manners." When asked to which catcher she was referring, she responded with bright smile and said "the one in the Emergency Room!" Lesson of the day: Don't mess with Toby. :)
WELCOME to newcomers MYRON GILMORE & CAPTAIN RICHARD HILL. Myron GILMORE is an Air Traffic Control Subject Matter Expert who repeatedly scared the beejeezus out of the SPF's first base-woman (not to mention the Spin-Off's' first base coach). His line drives up the right-field line are VICIOUS! As for Captain Richard HILL, he is head of security for one of The Agency's satellite offices. For someone who hasn't played ball in 10 years, he made a very impressive first showing - especially in light of the fact that he was covering the bumpiest right field that I've ever seen! Additionally, both Myron & Richard are excellent coaches. The quality of play by many of the Spin-Offs (especially me!) was dramatically improved by the patient advice and words of encouragement from these two men. Thank you gentlemen - and welcome to the team!
SHOUT-OUTS: Respect to CLAUDIO BARTOLUCCI, who managed to help not one, but two teams that needed help this evening! Shout-Out to JESSICA NAVARRETE (aka "J-NAV") who is definitely WAY cooler than J-LO! (Thanks for carrying my chair for me J!) Congratulations to SENATOR KRISTEN POWERS on announcing her candidacy for Supreme Galactic Dictator. (You've got my vote Senator! :) Big Thanks to ANDY MUIR for pinch running for me and helping everyone (especially me!) to remember where to throw the ball if it comes to them! Finally, props to KEVIN ALSOP (aka Kevin Awesome, aka K-AWE) for offering to talk with the Agency's new administrator about obligating Agency funds so that the Spin-Offs can (finally) have their very own stretch Humvee. Thanks Kev!
NEXT GAME: Thursday-25-June vs. The Revenue Raisers (0-1).
Goodnight Spin-Offs - and as always, HAIL CESAR! (Collantes ;)
- M
