Nationals 2006 - Day 4
So, after the previous night (and morning's) debauchery, very slow wakeup this morning. Slowly roll out of bed, go down to the beach and slowly walk across the sand to a group of women players playing scrabble. They have a bunch of balls and gizmos, so we kick around a soccer ball for awhile, throw a football, then go for the final swim in the ocean, which feels GREAT. Back to the apartment to clean up, pack, get ready to empty the apartment, find out the dishwasher doesn't work, am a little worried because of the dirty dishes we are leaving and I'm the one who has the $300 deposit on the room. More below.
Apparently I have Russ and Juho in my car, so round them up, drop off the key, then off to the fields around 12:45PM. First, of course, we have to negotiate Foodbags vomit in the car, making sure that nothing is on that side of the rear passenger seat, and leaving all of the windows open. Park the car, leave the keys on the tire, and then go to the pavilion. I haven't had access to any lube at this point, so I'm not going to stray out into the sun, and I really don't feel like asking around. I find a spot on one of the benches with a perfect view of the field, and settle in, beerless. I get to watch Fury disembowel Riot. I guess I'm excited that Riot didn't win more in a row, but that is about all I can muster up in terms of caring about the game. More on streaks below. I would make more commentary on the women's game, but it's really difficult to do without being dishonest with myself (or pissing other people off), so I will leave well enough alone.
Fortunately I'm dehydrated, so I don't have to go to the bathroom for a long time. When I finally get up to go, call seat saved, and then almost fall asleep in the port -a-john. Get back to the bench, and my spot is gone, the guy saving it is gone, so I'm hosed, and tired, and sore, and have no seat. So I sit on the edge of the concrete just on the edge of the sun, and get ready to watch the Open finals. Haven't seen too many people walking by that I recognize (par for the course for the entire tournament. I know way more people in masters than in Open).
Finally Billy and Worm walk by and take a seat next to me. We catch up, I abuse them for jumping to Masters, and then we watch the finals. Billy asks me who I want to win the game, and I tell him that I want Seattle not to win the least. He nods knowingly, and then I say that it is because I want to reset the clock. He thinks a second, and then immediately says, "omigod, are you guys going to be like the '72 Dolphins?" I smile. 'Nuff said. Hey, every time a defending champion doesn't win, we're guaranteed at least 6 more years with the record for consecutive titles. Soon after this, Jimmy P makes an appearance and replaces Worm, who had departed for parts unknown. It is now halftime, and the game has only two total turnovers. So starting the second half we are now on turnover watch, as there is another streak that we need to maintain, that of the 5 total turnover semi against Furious in '02. Fortunately, the men smash through with 12 total I think, although the first half WAS impressive, even though they tried to turn it over(the greatest, disc landing on someone, etc.).
Unfortunately I was unable to stay and watch the end of the game as my car had a 6:30 flight, so we leave at 13-11 Sockeye. 3 of us in a stinky car which is now that much worse because the vomit has been brewing under the hot sun. Riding with the windows open until the highway clears most of it out. Call Jim on the way back to get the final score, and Sockeye pulls it out 15-13. Jim did make the hopefully non-prescient observation that while it does reset the clock, Furious is not a good candidate to win 6 in a row, while Seattle is, so I should have wanted Furious instead. But if Furious wins 4 of 5, then they start looking like a dynasty also. Ahhh, so complicated. But that's what happens when you get old (and not winning), you start living off the fruits of your earlier labors. I'm nowhere near Kenny's self-hatred of his earlier years/self/attitude. I will probably need the same sort of transformative event that his teaching has provided him to evolve in that direction.
So, bitter ending to a much anticipated Nationals for DoG. We were exposed. Naturally, the weather during the finals was gorgeous. I'm by no means saying that we win if the weather had been like that the entire tournament, but it would have been COMPLETELY different for DoG. Oh well, I guess we have to wait for next year now.
Apparently I have Russ and Juho in my car, so round them up, drop off the key, then off to the fields around 12:45PM. First, of course, we have to negotiate Foodbags vomit in the car, making sure that nothing is on that side of the rear passenger seat, and leaving all of the windows open. Park the car, leave the keys on the tire, and then go to the pavilion. I haven't had access to any lube at this point, so I'm not going to stray out into the sun, and I really don't feel like asking around. I find a spot on one of the benches with a perfect view of the field, and settle in, beerless. I get to watch Fury disembowel Riot. I guess I'm excited that Riot didn't win more in a row, but that is about all I can muster up in terms of caring about the game. More on streaks below. I would make more commentary on the women's game, but it's really difficult to do without being dishonest with myself (or pissing other people off), so I will leave well enough alone.
Fortunately I'm dehydrated, so I don't have to go to the bathroom for a long time. When I finally get up to go, call seat saved, and then almost fall asleep in the port -a-john. Get back to the bench, and my spot is gone, the guy saving it is gone, so I'm hosed, and tired, and sore, and have no seat. So I sit on the edge of the concrete just on the edge of the sun, and get ready to watch the Open finals. Haven't seen too many people walking by that I recognize (par for the course for the entire tournament. I know way more people in masters than in Open).
Finally Billy and Worm walk by and take a seat next to me. We catch up, I abuse them for jumping to Masters, and then we watch the finals. Billy asks me who I want to win the game, and I tell him that I want Seattle not to win the least. He nods knowingly, and then I say that it is because I want to reset the clock. He thinks a second, and then immediately says, "omigod, are you guys going to be like the '72 Dolphins?" I smile. 'Nuff said. Hey, every time a defending champion doesn't win, we're guaranteed at least 6 more years with the record for consecutive titles. Soon after this, Jimmy P makes an appearance and replaces Worm, who had departed for parts unknown. It is now halftime, and the game has only two total turnovers. So starting the second half we are now on turnover watch, as there is another streak that we need to maintain, that of the 5 total turnover semi against Furious in '02. Fortunately, the men smash through with 12 total I think, although the first half WAS impressive, even though they tried to turn it over(the greatest, disc landing on someone, etc.).
Unfortunately I was unable to stay and watch the end of the game as my car had a 6:30 flight, so we leave at 13-11 Sockeye. 3 of us in a stinky car which is now that much worse because the vomit has been brewing under the hot sun. Riding with the windows open until the highway clears most of it out. Call Jim on the way back to get the final score, and Sockeye pulls it out 15-13. Jim did make the hopefully non-prescient observation that while it does reset the clock, Furious is not a good candidate to win 6 in a row, while Seattle is, so I should have wanted Furious instead. But if Furious wins 4 of 5, then they start looking like a dynasty also. Ahhh, so complicated. But that's what happens when you get old (and not winning), you start living off the fruits of your earlier labors. I'm nowhere near Kenny's self-hatred of his earlier years/self/attitude. I will probably need the same sort of transformative event that his teaching has provided him to evolve in that direction.
So, bitter ending to a much anticipated Nationals for DoG. We were exposed. Naturally, the weather during the finals was gorgeous. I'm by no means saying that we win if the weather had been like that the entire tournament, but it would have been COMPLETELY different for DoG. Oh well, I guess we have to wait for next year now.
posted by Alex de Frondeville at 6:18 PM
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