Now that I have everyone's email, this our first "official" team email for the MA Patriot Summer 2010 kickball season! (pause for ovation)
Our first order of business is to welcome the new additions to the team. We have some greenhorns and a vet or two coming over.
I've already introduced you to the group that got piled in with us, but in case you missed it, please welcome Darcie Bernier, Emily Buck, Colleen Flynn, Ashley Moyes, Melanie Silverman and Paul Soucy.
Let's also welcome Nancy Bayewitch! She's a veteran of the now-defunct (maybe? unless they can get Boston to grant some permits?) Ironsides division and is jumping with both feet into the Patriot division.
Finally, the last person to join the team, but certainly not the least: Nancy Brown. You may know her from the film "BK's Fiancee". She comes with a pre-loaded nickname from her days on the elementary school fields: "The Boot".
Let's make everyone feel welcome! We are all now members of: The Team Your Team Could Smell Like.
In the interest of bringing our newbs up to speed: Our team has traditionally adopted a new moniker each season. These are typically based on topical (to varying degrees) web/movie/tv themes.
This year, we pull our names from the wildly successful (and incredibly awesome) Old Spice commercials. In case you've managed, somehow, to avoid the ads, here is the commercial of note:
Speaking of nicknames, we need one. I'm in love (literally) with this season's team name, but have to admit, it's a mouthful (TWSS) to try and fit (TWSS) into a cheer on the field.
My initial thought was "Spices", but that was a bit too easily confused with other popular references.
So then, I thought, perhaps something that's also awesome and can be linked to our name. My answer may, of course, be too awesome. I may be setting the bar too high. But here is my suggestion: "The Campbells" or "The Bruces". Eh? Ehhh? Anyway, just a thought, I welcome any and all suggestions. (Maybe "The Howsers"?
In other news, the team blog The Munt and Flip is still up and running. Here you will find game write-ups, scorelines, teammates' thoughts/ramblings, videos and other stuff. The blog is open to everyone on the team. If you'd like to contribute, lemme know and I'll add you. We've set the bar really low, so don't think whatever you have to say isn't good enough for the blog!
This season we're also going to try something new with the shirts. While the King Hippos briefly sported duct tape (ahem... *Band-Aid*) bellies at the beginning of last summer, sadly, the modifications didn't last long. This season, we'd like to try something that'll be a bit longer lasting (TWSS). Co-Captain Asian and I are going to try some iron-ons of the Old Spice ship. I've grabbed a screen shot of this t-shirt to use the ship shrunk down and placed on the chest, opposite of the WAKA emblem.
Could be awesome, could be less than. But it means, on day one, plan on wearing your team shirt during the game, but have something else you can wear to the bar. We're gonna use a permanent marker or something to put everyone's initials on their respective tags, take the shirts home, wash them, and iron the ships on. (If anyone has time during the week to come over and help out, that'd be awesome, too :) ).
Next (and I know you've all been biting your nails for this part): SOCKS! I'll order them so we can hand them out on day one, but if everyone could bring $8 (Cash, please. Exact change preferred :P ) to the field to cover the cost of socks/shipping/iron-on sheets, that'd be great.
The first game is on Thursday, May 27. No idea what the schedule looks like, yet, but I think I recognize a couple of teams from previous seasons on the Division Page (Do "Where My Pitches At?" come with a 30-something guitarist?)
We will probably, also, try and organize some pick-up games before then so people will have the chance to shake some rust off. These practices have been successful in the past and we'd love to have more. I believe Phil and his buddies generally have pick-up games most Sunday afternoons at Cambridge Common, so that's definitely worth lookin' into.
Finally, BK found a contest that Old Spice is holding that could earn us a pretty penny to put towards an epic end of season fete. It sounds like we wouldn't have to change our name or anything, we just need a picture of the squad in team regalia and maybe with a banner? (Tong?) I'll let BK educate us there.
Finally, finally: Seamus informs me that Spartacus has obtained what, and there can be no doubt, is the perfect MVP trophy for this season.
I believe the name "Glass Dildo Memorial MVP Trophy" has been suggested as a name. We need to come up with something to put inside the shell (perhaps fake tickets?) that we can write each game MVP's name on. Ideas?
A'ight, that's all I have for now, Cambells/Bruces/Howsers(?). Let the exchange commence. Thoughts, ideas, suggestions, jock jams: Keep kickin'!
Captain Big
The Team Your Team Could Smell Like
"Do you know what it's like to fall in the mud and get kicked... in the head... with an iron boot? Of course you don't, no one does. It never happens. Sorry, Ted, that's a dumb question... skip that. "
