Jim Ciampa
Dick
Friday, September 21, 2007
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Celebirty Look-alike
Cheesburger
The Hamburgler
or
Brger King
Seamus
Barney
Aaron
Shaggy
Nile
Easter Island Man
Brian
Privite Pyle
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Decision Time
WARNING: This is an uncharacteristically positive and potentially constructive post. There is no slandering of names and very little derogatory innuendo and shallow accusation. Read at ye own peril.
It’s that time of year and as the Fall draws near I am always shocked at how quickly the summer rolls bye yet at how distant last season appears to be. It seems like yesterday young James was a slack jawed rookie in a dirty South Kacka-lacky strip joint shoving dollar bills into Wally’s stripper celebrity look-alike and still it seems like a life time ago that we were muscling our way through Casey’s Leap-Frog Death March and holding back vomit while sprinting stairs for 20 minutes after an already punishing fitness work-out (well… most of us were sprinting at least).
As you grow older and 7’s is either not a possibility or holds little interest, the summer is a bit of a reminder of what life is like without rugby. I am always shocked by how easily the vacuum fills with rugby’s absence. Maybe for a 24 year-old (or 35 year old- hey Colby!) single guy squatting in his room-mates town house and considers dinner at the taco truck with the chick from Doninico’s as “Date Night” this has never crossed his mind but for a married dude with a child and another life away from the pitch I wonder how I possibly spent all of that time training and practicing and drinking and training and practicing and drinking and drinking. Where and how does it fit in; what am I going to do this year? Personal goals and ambitions are often closely tied to the team’s goals and ambitions. So setting the team goal is going to be a large part in dictating how my life will unfold in the next 7 or 8 months. Well next weekend is the Great Fall General Meeting and Pub Crawl of 2007 and that signals one thing; its decision time for me, for you and for the Club.
First it should be stated that it takes more than players coming to practice and training on their own to become a successful club. Players must also put in time off the pitch recruiting, fund raising, setting up fields, dealing with local city administrators, etc. Successful clubs have more than hand full of people doing these things, it is a club effort. A clubs success is equally related to the ability and willingness of its members to provide the necessary resource in order to meet its goals. If guys are unwilling to help seek sponsorship then they should be prepared to run out of beer and practice in the dark because the Club cannot meet its financial obligations. Plane and simple, it is a Club and everyone is responsible for the successes and failures.
When I was coaching or administering I always felt it was important to set some goals so that everyone was moving with the common purpose. Some were attainable so members could feel a sense of accomplishment regardless of successes in other areas. Some were just outside of those we knew to be guaranteed and these gave us our closest focus. Lastly there were those that were far reaching so that we always had some depth perception. Although these 3 tiers remained the same, season in and season out and at times within the same year, the goals themselves changed. One year our outside goal may have been to maintain numbers and shoot for a winning record where other years may have been focused on winning championships.
When we were a struggling D2 team I recall a clear division between player’s thoughts: some were happy playing social ball while others wanted to play a higher level of competition. There are many factors that contributed to the place we were both within and outside of our control but there we were. A split like this can be very damaging for the Club. Those not looking to make the necessary sacrifices on and off the pitch will never appease those looking to play a more competitive brand of rugby; those making the sacrifice come to despise those who do not. In turn because the competitive players focus was different than their own, those looking for more of a social club grew increasingly frustrated and apathetic to those whose goals were different than their own. And so began the cycle of contempt that saw many good players, both competitive and social, leave or retire. There were many other factors but I believer a primary cause was that at the end of the day the members did not share the same goals and convictions and because of this there was a disparity in the amount of sacrifice and effort each member was willing to make.
In those years with low numbers and talent depth weaning it became easier if not necessary to move away from a competitive side and more towards a social re-building club which we did. At the time we felt it was a 2 year effort to move down and re-build and so down we went. In the first years we found a good amount of success but as time passed we also found stagnation. It was not that we did not have a good side or possess talent. In fact some of the best rugby players who have worn the Maroon and White played a large part to the clubs success then; Tim Riesen, Mike Bagwell, Rob Ingles, Danny Boyle, Will Osborne and many others. We were capable and we did put together some impressive rugby however the club had come to an evolutionary stand still- happy with winning, happy with drinking beer but unwilling to make the sacrifices across the board to do the things that would put us into a more competitive arena. There are many things that are detrimental to a clubs growth- financial strength, depth in administration participation and of course numbers. We experienced a lull in all of these. Although reasonably competitive, our personal and team goals remained the same because we were unable to garner the necessary resource to propel ourselves forward. We fell prey to a vicious cycle of apathy. There are many reasons for this and many are to fault but the point isn’t who or the why but what happened because of it. Once players cease to drive themselves, they cease to drive each other; personal sacrifice becomes a distant sense. It takes more resource to gain positive momentum which is a further drain on the limited resource available; the muscle begins to feed on itself. In time goals that were once within reach become unattainable. You can smell the stench of stagnant water as the maggots turn to flies.
If you are on a club long enough you will get to know many different generations and transformations of the club. Given the complexities of a rugby club, oddly enough it only takes a small amount of change to alter the tempo- the right players at the right time in the right conditions. It can change in a season; it can change in a pre season. I have been fortunate to have been here long enough to have experienced many transformations and come to be close friends with those who have known many more dating back to the very beginning. In speaking with them and in looking at my own time here, one thing is abundantly clear to all of us. This club, right now, is something very special and more importantly this has never happened before… ever. Have we moved up in divisions? Sure; over the history of the club we have spent time and from 3rd division to 2nd division to 1st division a few times over however the make up of that team and the make up of rugby itself was very different then. To be clear though it isn’t just a change in division I am referring to. It is a change in ideal; the level of dedication of players and the amount of personal sacrifice that is being made not by a hand full of players, but by a majority of the members both on and off the pitch in aspects that directly apply not only to the game itself but also in ways that apply to the ideals of the sport.
So here we are at the beginning of another preseason and typically I’d say its dejavoux all over again. Clean out the kit bag, clear some dates on the calendar and figure out where this baby’s going. Clearly though this year is very different from years past. We have resource, we have depth, and we have momentum. We have opportunity unlike anything we’ve had in a very long time if ever which brings me to my original point. Its goal setting time.
Looking at it I think we can take 2 approaches. The first is to take the conservative approach and concentrate on shoring up a solid core and look to a winning record or a birth in the playoffs as our goal and measurement of success. Plain and simple- concentrate on playing good rugby and see where it takes us. I think we can accomplish a lot with these goals in mind and that it would appease most on the club without alienating many. Given some of the obstacles in front of us, I think this provides opportunity for success while still providing a path for an elevated level of competition and will meet the needs to nurture growth in our newer players without over straining available resource. I think if we replicate our efforts last season, which is a large commitment, we will be able to fall within this goal set.
The second is a more aggressive approach which is to earn a birth in the National tournament (D2 gets 2 seeds- 1st and 2dn place finishers in SCRFU). This would require extraordinary efforts by everyone and may require many to step outside their realm of comfort both in the amount of time they put in to train but also help build. Just paying your dues and showing up twice a week to train is not going to cut it and that goes for those who consider themselves as Warlords. We need 30 guys who are dedicated, hammer down, and balls out. Fuck it all and do whatever it takes to win. The risk here is to alienate those who are unwilling or unable to make the sacrifice and perhaps burn some resource along the way. We would need to not only replicate last season’s efforts but increase our intensity, discipline and dedication to the cause by at least 50% which is a lot given that I am sure many of us felt they were at 100% at the conclusion of last season.
If the Mission game taught us anything I hope it is the importance in playing as we practice. Discipline is critical and it only takes a few errors in judgment or skill to get the tide turned against us. All teams are beatable and every team has a weakness; the teams in 2nd division are no different. Our success will be dependant on our ability to put together 80 minutes of fit, aggressive disciplined style of play where simple error in judgment on the 5 meter line, a poorly placed pass or missed tackle is simply unacceptable period. We know we have the ability to build our fitness and if the summer time efforts are any indication of the commitment level, we have every reason to believe that as a whole we have the ability to step up and meet whatever obstacle is in our path.
The point to this seemingly endless ramble is 2 things. First that it is important to set team goals that most if not all agree to in order that there is common purpose and so that each player may set their own personal goals based on that common purpose. Without this common ground, players are ostracized, divisions begin to deepen and the whole process can slow to a stand still if not eventual implosion. The second is the importance of progressiveness in the setting of goals and personal accountability for their achievement. If our past has taught us anything it is the importance for players to take active accountability and responsibility for the Club; be it helping set up for a match, seeking sponsorship, training in the off days, working at maximum work rates during practice, etc. In order for the club to progress it is imperative that each player push themselves and each other and that often this must be done through sacrifice beyond each player’s zone of comfort. Without this constant drive, apathy will set in and the club will cease to grow and all of the efforts by countless people on and off the pitch will have been lost.
Saturday we’ll hear the case as it is laid out by our leaders. Listen carefully and make an honest choice. What are you willing to give to the Club? Choose our path.
OK. This week’s celebrity look-alike
Dean
It’s that time of year and as the Fall draws near I am always shocked at how quickly the summer rolls bye yet at how distant last season appears to be. It seems like yesterday young James was a slack jawed rookie in a dirty South Kacka-lacky strip joint shoving dollar bills into Wally’s stripper celebrity look-alike and still it seems like a life time ago that we were muscling our way through Casey’s Leap-Frog Death March and holding back vomit while sprinting stairs for 20 minutes after an already punishing fitness work-out (well… most of us were sprinting at least).
As you grow older and 7’s is either not a possibility or holds little interest, the summer is a bit of a reminder of what life is like without rugby. I am always shocked by how easily the vacuum fills with rugby’s absence. Maybe for a 24 year-old (or 35 year old- hey Colby!) single guy squatting in his room-mates town house and considers dinner at the taco truck with the chick from Doninico’s as “Date Night” this has never crossed his mind but for a married dude with a child and another life away from the pitch I wonder how I possibly spent all of that time training and practicing and drinking and training and practicing and drinking and drinking. Where and how does it fit in; what am I going to do this year? Personal goals and ambitions are often closely tied to the team’s goals and ambitions. So setting the team goal is going to be a large part in dictating how my life will unfold in the next 7 or 8 months. Well next weekend is the Great Fall General Meeting and Pub Crawl of 2007 and that signals one thing; its decision time for me, for you and for the Club.
First it should be stated that it takes more than players coming to practice and training on their own to become a successful club. Players must also put in time off the pitch recruiting, fund raising, setting up fields, dealing with local city administrators, etc. Successful clubs have more than hand full of people doing these things, it is a club effort. A clubs success is equally related to the ability and willingness of its members to provide the necessary resource in order to meet its goals. If guys are unwilling to help seek sponsorship then they should be prepared to run out of beer and practice in the dark because the Club cannot meet its financial obligations. Plane and simple, it is a Club and everyone is responsible for the successes and failures.
When I was coaching or administering I always felt it was important to set some goals so that everyone was moving with the common purpose. Some were attainable so members could feel a sense of accomplishment regardless of successes in other areas. Some were just outside of those we knew to be guaranteed and these gave us our closest focus. Lastly there were those that were far reaching so that we always had some depth perception. Although these 3 tiers remained the same, season in and season out and at times within the same year, the goals themselves changed. One year our outside goal may have been to maintain numbers and shoot for a winning record where other years may have been focused on winning championships.
When we were a struggling D2 team I recall a clear division between player’s thoughts: some were happy playing social ball while others wanted to play a higher level of competition. There are many factors that contributed to the place we were both within and outside of our control but there we were. A split like this can be very damaging for the Club. Those not looking to make the necessary sacrifices on and off the pitch will never appease those looking to play a more competitive brand of rugby; those making the sacrifice come to despise those who do not. In turn because the competitive players focus was different than their own, those looking for more of a social club grew increasingly frustrated and apathetic to those whose goals were different than their own. And so began the cycle of contempt that saw many good players, both competitive and social, leave or retire. There were many other factors but I believer a primary cause was that at the end of the day the members did not share the same goals and convictions and because of this there was a disparity in the amount of sacrifice and effort each member was willing to make.
In those years with low numbers and talent depth weaning it became easier if not necessary to move away from a competitive side and more towards a social re-building club which we did. At the time we felt it was a 2 year effort to move down and re-build and so down we went. In the first years we found a good amount of success but as time passed we also found stagnation. It was not that we did not have a good side or possess talent. In fact some of the best rugby players who have worn the Maroon and White played a large part to the clubs success then; Tim Riesen, Mike Bagwell, Rob Ingles, Danny Boyle, Will Osborne and many others. We were capable and we did put together some impressive rugby however the club had come to an evolutionary stand still- happy with winning, happy with drinking beer but unwilling to make the sacrifices across the board to do the things that would put us into a more competitive arena. There are many things that are detrimental to a clubs growth- financial strength, depth in administration participation and of course numbers. We experienced a lull in all of these. Although reasonably competitive, our personal and team goals remained the same because we were unable to garner the necessary resource to propel ourselves forward. We fell prey to a vicious cycle of apathy. There are many reasons for this and many are to fault but the point isn’t who or the why but what happened because of it. Once players cease to drive themselves, they cease to drive each other; personal sacrifice becomes a distant sense. It takes more resource to gain positive momentum which is a further drain on the limited resource available; the muscle begins to feed on itself. In time goals that were once within reach become unattainable. You can smell the stench of stagnant water as the maggots turn to flies.
If you are on a club long enough you will get to know many different generations and transformations of the club. Given the complexities of a rugby club, oddly enough it only takes a small amount of change to alter the tempo- the right players at the right time in the right conditions. It can change in a season; it can change in a pre season. I have been fortunate to have been here long enough to have experienced many transformations and come to be close friends with those who have known many more dating back to the very beginning. In speaking with them and in looking at my own time here, one thing is abundantly clear to all of us. This club, right now, is something very special and more importantly this has never happened before… ever. Have we moved up in divisions? Sure; over the history of the club we have spent time and from 3rd division to 2nd division to 1st division a few times over however the make up of that team and the make up of rugby itself was very different then. To be clear though it isn’t just a change in division I am referring to. It is a change in ideal; the level of dedication of players and the amount of personal sacrifice that is being made not by a hand full of players, but by a majority of the members both on and off the pitch in aspects that directly apply not only to the game itself but also in ways that apply to the ideals of the sport.
So here we are at the beginning of another preseason and typically I’d say its dejavoux all over again. Clean out the kit bag, clear some dates on the calendar and figure out where this baby’s going. Clearly though this year is very different from years past. We have resource, we have depth, and we have momentum. We have opportunity unlike anything we’ve had in a very long time if ever which brings me to my original point. Its goal setting time.
Looking at it I think we can take 2 approaches. The first is to take the conservative approach and concentrate on shoring up a solid core and look to a winning record or a birth in the playoffs as our goal and measurement of success. Plain and simple- concentrate on playing good rugby and see where it takes us. I think we can accomplish a lot with these goals in mind and that it would appease most on the club without alienating many. Given some of the obstacles in front of us, I think this provides opportunity for success while still providing a path for an elevated level of competition and will meet the needs to nurture growth in our newer players without over straining available resource. I think if we replicate our efforts last season, which is a large commitment, we will be able to fall within this goal set.
The second is a more aggressive approach which is to earn a birth in the National tournament (D2 gets 2 seeds- 1st and 2dn place finishers in SCRFU). This would require extraordinary efforts by everyone and may require many to step outside their realm of comfort both in the amount of time they put in to train but also help build. Just paying your dues and showing up twice a week to train is not going to cut it and that goes for those who consider themselves as Warlords. We need 30 guys who are dedicated, hammer down, and balls out. Fuck it all and do whatever it takes to win. The risk here is to alienate those who are unwilling or unable to make the sacrifice and perhaps burn some resource along the way. We would need to not only replicate last season’s efforts but increase our intensity, discipline and dedication to the cause by at least 50% which is a lot given that I am sure many of us felt they were at 100% at the conclusion of last season.
If the Mission game taught us anything I hope it is the importance in playing as we practice. Discipline is critical and it only takes a few errors in judgment or skill to get the tide turned against us. All teams are beatable and every team has a weakness; the teams in 2nd division are no different. Our success will be dependant on our ability to put together 80 minutes of fit, aggressive disciplined style of play where simple error in judgment on the 5 meter line, a poorly placed pass or missed tackle is simply unacceptable period. We know we have the ability to build our fitness and if the summer time efforts are any indication of the commitment level, we have every reason to believe that as a whole we have the ability to step up and meet whatever obstacle is in our path.
The point to this seemingly endless ramble is 2 things. First that it is important to set team goals that most if not all agree to in order that there is common purpose and so that each player may set their own personal goals based on that common purpose. Without this common ground, players are ostracized, divisions begin to deepen and the whole process can slow to a stand still if not eventual implosion. The second is the importance of progressiveness in the setting of goals and personal accountability for their achievement. If our past has taught us anything it is the importance for players to take active accountability and responsibility for the Club; be it helping set up for a match, seeking sponsorship, training in the off days, working at maximum work rates during practice, etc. In order for the club to progress it is imperative that each player push themselves and each other and that often this must be done through sacrifice beyond each player’s zone of comfort. Without this constant drive, apathy will set in and the club will cease to grow and all of the efforts by countless people on and off the pitch will have been lost.
Saturday we’ll hear the case as it is laid out by our leaders. Listen carefully and make an honest choice. What are you willing to give to the Club? Choose our path.
OK. This week’s celebrity look-alike
Dean
Dean's dad
or.......
Beaker
.
Beaker
.
Friday, September 14, 2007
Good luck Junior!
We sent Junior of to the Big After Party yesterday. In true Pasadena form Pasadena players and old boys were bounced out of the Rancho before 10:45 AM and another member was bounced out of the Colorado by 1:00 PM.
Good luck Junior. Keep the beer cold for us.
Good luck Junior. Keep the beer cold for us.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Monday, September 10, 2007
Griffen Awards- The Tail that Wags the Dog
OK so this is going to piss some people off. If you are prone to offense (especially at the words that come out of my mouth), stop reading right now. Should you choose to disregard this warning and continue to read the following and in turn send me an e-mail maliciously detailing the 20 reasons you think I am an insensitive divisive ass hole, then know that it will be met with a measured amount of malice and disregard. Stop reading now. You have been warned.
First I offer a caveat to my deceit. I fully support and stand by any recognition of those who put in time behind the scenes. It doesn’t matter weather or not I think the system is self serving and flawed because any attention given to the people who make it possible for us to play this game should not be shunned. Specifically both Jim and Michael have been nominated and both deserve any amount of praise bestowed upon them. Jim has been steadfast in his support of this club as many know. He continues to be a role model for not only the younger members, but also to his own peers. What many do not recognize is the countless hours Jim has spent being the scenes working on the SCRFU EC for over 10 years. Having spent some time on the board myself I can tell you that Jims efforts alone have kept this Union stitched together, balanced and moving forward where it otherwise would be marred by politic and the self serving interests of players and administrators who put club before Union. Without Jim’s involvement in the SCRFU EC, we as a Union and in turn us as a club would flounder in the dregs of rugby competitiveness. Instead we lead the nation in membership, growth and competition. As with Jim, Michael is an inspiration to most anyone who has spent more than 3 minutes with him. Despite having little to no experience as a rugby administrator or coach, he has managed to lead the club in its greatest moment of growth. He will be the first to shrug it off and lake little credit but as many of us know, it is his leadership and dedication to others that has created the unity and selflessness that excelled us to our successes this last season. These guys are awesome… period.
OK, let’s roll onto the hate. The day we have been waiting for has arrived and you will be shocked to know that I greet it with the same amount of jaded skepticism as I the day they told me that bottled beer taste could be found in a can. No chance. Let us look at some of the nominees:
MVP DIIIMatt Baier (SD Armada RFC), Mark Frazier (Pasadena RFC), Matt Hettermann (Pasadena RFC), Nathaniel Kelly (Finlanders), Vincent McGlade (SOC Gators), Fredrico Novo (Eagle Rock RFC), Barry Williams (San Pedro Rhinos), Brian Wolf (OC Bucks)
Wow. I see a lot of necessary omissions and additions here but I will spare you the pain of my who’s who of D3 rugby. Without going into detail over the current nominees I will simply question the merit of an award whose previous recipients include JP as the Division MVP. Yes… JP folks. Read that again… let it soak… and read it again. It begs the question, what are the Griffin Awards, who came up with this idea, who participates and why is it relevant to you and I? My short answer: who the fuck cares.
I am beginning to be of the opinion that all individual awards given to players on merit of their on-the-field performance should be abolished. Crazy? Maybe but here me out. To highlight individual efforts runs contrary to the spirit of the sport which is that of a commitment to team play and not individual accomplishment. Rugby may be one of the only sports where success is determined by a team’s ability to play together and support each other as one. Not only do stand alone players rarely see themselves excel to greatness; they offer do little to help their own team. How many times have you seen a break-away run go unsupported by a teammate and result in turn over? It happens frequently in lesser clubs and rarely if never in clubs who play to a higher level of play. This is because every good rugby player recognizes that you are only as good as your support. Powerful plays are often set up but 12 other guys who worked twice as hard as the one man who made it into the try zone. Good teams know this, good teams embrace this. Good teams Like Pasadena make this their code of play. Just take a look at the scorers table for our club and I challenge you to tell me where our individual strength is or who our best players are. We have forwards and backs all over the board. Are there stand out scorers? Sure but I am sure they will be the first to tell you that the TEAM put them in the position to score and it was not through individual effort alone. As Rooney likes to put it, “Any monkey can fall over the try line.” The best players on the team are the support players because they know that in the self sacrifice their team will excel. Why then should we brush aside the true beauty of our game, the complete selflessness of it, and practice the act of vanity and individualism for on-the-field play? Total bull shit. Now I am sure there are some out there who will point out that I have in the past been known to hand out many, many awards and that this lengthy diatribe is just more hypocritical froth from a jaded and cynical old boy. Well my friends, I have seen the error of my ways and have chosen the One True Path. No more individual accolades for on the field play. Less is more and knowing you did your part to get your team to stand victorious should be reward enough. Am I saying we should abolish awards like Man-of-the-Match? A large part of me now says yes. The fact is that in any given game, and especially on teams possessing a great many skilled players like ours, there is more than 1 player deserving the recognition. Choosing 1 or 2 of 15 ostracizes the other 13 men who worked just as hard and suffered the same pains- and many more who thanklessly come to practice to make that starting IV as competitive. The only problem I have here is that I like watching people drink and to an even greater extent I enjoy watching people drink and fail. This is a personal crisis of internal conflict I will have to work through but make no mistake; individual awards for on-the-field play are for soccer players, baseball players and women’s field hockey.
One more complaint about the Griffin Awards and weather you agree or disagree with any of the above, I challenge you to formulate a response that would negate the following. Renting facilities, putting it together and god knows how much it is going to cost to bring over Jerry Collins- this all takes financial resource. This in a time when referee’s are at an all time low and can no longer guarantee game coverage in part due to financial hardships, our representative sides have to pay their own way for the “honor” of competition for S. Cal (note: true Griffin sides, NOT this hack Blue all star team), clubs are burdened with increasing operating costs, the list of financial woes goes on. It seems to me that our Union’s time and money could be better spent on supporting other programs that affect the greater membership and not just an elite group of a players representing negligible percentage of our membership. Let’s look at the individual cost to attend the event: Tickets Starting at $85 per-person, Table of ten for $800. Wow. A table of 10 or a new set of jersey’s or perhaps your union dues- which would you choose? A vast number of our member clubs struggle to get their bills paid season to season, month to month. Even with our tremendous financial success these past few seasons, we are included in this group. Those who can afford something like this are just not representational of the majority of Union members thus contribute further to the propagation of the elitism that runs contrary to our sport. Question- do nominee’s have to pay to attend? If yes, then it takes a little wind out of the sails. “Give us $80 and maybe we’ll give you this award”. If nominees don’t pay then it begs the question of whose footing the bill. That’s you and me sister. Now if I knew that “X” amount of the proceeds were going to support some of our programs in need of funding then maybe I could see some benefit but from what I can tell this is not the case. Although I am sure many who vote will not pay to attend, I argue that those who are behind this will make up a great portion of the attendees and that they simply are not representational of the greater membership. It is also a widely publicized fact that they had difficulty just getting nominations which begs the question of who will vote. It seems to me that if it was widely representational and supported by the Union members then getting nominations would not be a problem. So we have a small number of people on a small number of clubs voting for a small number of player from within their own ranks and an even smaller number shelling out massive coin to go and glad hand each other on their tremendous accomplishments. It is the tail that wags the dog. It is a popularity contest just like voting for Prom King and Queen. No thanks. Last year attendance was lack luster and judging by what I have heard there isn’t any reason to think this year will be any different. Sure I like some of the nominees and think they are great. My point here is I would just much rather save the $ and resource and put it to something the greater membership can reap benefit from.
Note that this year the “Ball” will be held on the same day as our Golf Tournament- which would you rather or which will you attend? The fat is in the fire bubba. Choose your path.
UPDATE- please read all comments before responding.
OK, now onto something that you probably care more about. This weeks Celebrity Look-alike
Swan
Slee-Stack
First I offer a caveat to my deceit. I fully support and stand by any recognition of those who put in time behind the scenes. It doesn’t matter weather or not I think the system is self serving and flawed because any attention given to the people who make it possible for us to play this game should not be shunned. Specifically both Jim and Michael have been nominated and both deserve any amount of praise bestowed upon them. Jim has been steadfast in his support of this club as many know. He continues to be a role model for not only the younger members, but also to his own peers. What many do not recognize is the countless hours Jim has spent being the scenes working on the SCRFU EC for over 10 years. Having spent some time on the board myself I can tell you that Jims efforts alone have kept this Union stitched together, balanced and moving forward where it otherwise would be marred by politic and the self serving interests of players and administrators who put club before Union. Without Jim’s involvement in the SCRFU EC, we as a Union and in turn us as a club would flounder in the dregs of rugby competitiveness. Instead we lead the nation in membership, growth and competition. As with Jim, Michael is an inspiration to most anyone who has spent more than 3 minutes with him. Despite having little to no experience as a rugby administrator or coach, he has managed to lead the club in its greatest moment of growth. He will be the first to shrug it off and lake little credit but as many of us know, it is his leadership and dedication to others that has created the unity and selflessness that excelled us to our successes this last season. These guys are awesome… period.
OK, let’s roll onto the hate. The day we have been waiting for has arrived and you will be shocked to know that I greet it with the same amount of jaded skepticism as I the day they told me that bottled beer taste could be found in a can. No chance. Let us look at some of the nominees:
MVP DIIIMatt Baier (SD Armada RFC), Mark Frazier (Pasadena RFC), Matt Hettermann (Pasadena RFC), Nathaniel Kelly (Finlanders), Vincent McGlade (SOC Gators), Fredrico Novo (Eagle Rock RFC), Barry Williams (San Pedro Rhinos), Brian Wolf (OC Bucks)
Wow. I see a lot of necessary omissions and additions here but I will spare you the pain of my who’s who of D3 rugby. Without going into detail over the current nominees I will simply question the merit of an award whose previous recipients include JP as the Division MVP. Yes… JP folks. Read that again… let it soak… and read it again. It begs the question, what are the Griffin Awards, who came up with this idea, who participates and why is it relevant to you and I? My short answer: who the fuck cares.
I am beginning to be of the opinion that all individual awards given to players on merit of their on-the-field performance should be abolished. Crazy? Maybe but here me out. To highlight individual efforts runs contrary to the spirit of the sport which is that of a commitment to team play and not individual accomplishment. Rugby may be one of the only sports where success is determined by a team’s ability to play together and support each other as one. Not only do stand alone players rarely see themselves excel to greatness; they offer do little to help their own team. How many times have you seen a break-away run go unsupported by a teammate and result in turn over? It happens frequently in lesser clubs and rarely if never in clubs who play to a higher level of play. This is because every good rugby player recognizes that you are only as good as your support. Powerful plays are often set up but 12 other guys who worked twice as hard as the one man who made it into the try zone. Good teams know this, good teams embrace this. Good teams Like Pasadena make this their code of play. Just take a look at the scorers table for our club and I challenge you to tell me where our individual strength is or who our best players are. We have forwards and backs all over the board. Are there stand out scorers? Sure but I am sure they will be the first to tell you that the TEAM put them in the position to score and it was not through individual effort alone. As Rooney likes to put it, “Any monkey can fall over the try line.” The best players on the team are the support players because they know that in the self sacrifice their team will excel. Why then should we brush aside the true beauty of our game, the complete selflessness of it, and practice the act of vanity and individualism for on-the-field play? Total bull shit. Now I am sure there are some out there who will point out that I have in the past been known to hand out many, many awards and that this lengthy diatribe is just more hypocritical froth from a jaded and cynical old boy. Well my friends, I have seen the error of my ways and have chosen the One True Path. No more individual accolades for on the field play. Less is more and knowing you did your part to get your team to stand victorious should be reward enough. Am I saying we should abolish awards like Man-of-the-Match? A large part of me now says yes. The fact is that in any given game, and especially on teams possessing a great many skilled players like ours, there is more than 1 player deserving the recognition. Choosing 1 or 2 of 15 ostracizes the other 13 men who worked just as hard and suffered the same pains- and many more who thanklessly come to practice to make that starting IV as competitive. The only problem I have here is that I like watching people drink and to an even greater extent I enjoy watching people drink and fail. This is a personal crisis of internal conflict I will have to work through but make no mistake; individual awards for on-the-field play are for soccer players, baseball players and women’s field hockey.
One more complaint about the Griffin Awards and weather you agree or disagree with any of the above, I challenge you to formulate a response that would negate the following. Renting facilities, putting it together and god knows how much it is going to cost to bring over Jerry Collins- this all takes financial resource. This in a time when referee’s are at an all time low and can no longer guarantee game coverage in part due to financial hardships, our representative sides have to pay their own way for the “honor” of competition for S. Cal (note: true Griffin sides, NOT this hack Blue all star team), clubs are burdened with increasing operating costs, the list of financial woes goes on. It seems to me that our Union’s time and money could be better spent on supporting other programs that affect the greater membership and not just an elite group of a players representing negligible percentage of our membership. Let’s look at the individual cost to attend the event: Tickets Starting at $85 per-person, Table of ten for $800. Wow. A table of 10 or a new set of jersey’s or perhaps your union dues- which would you choose? A vast number of our member clubs struggle to get their bills paid season to season, month to month. Even with our tremendous financial success these past few seasons, we are included in this group. Those who can afford something like this are just not representational of the majority of Union members thus contribute further to the propagation of the elitism that runs contrary to our sport. Question- do nominee’s have to pay to attend? If yes, then it takes a little wind out of the sails. “Give us $80 and maybe we’ll give you this award”. If nominees don’t pay then it begs the question of whose footing the bill. That’s you and me sister. Now if I knew that “X” amount of the proceeds were going to support some of our programs in need of funding then maybe I could see some benefit but from what I can tell this is not the case. Although I am sure many who vote will not pay to attend, I argue that those who are behind this will make up a great portion of the attendees and that they simply are not representational of the greater membership. It is also a widely publicized fact that they had difficulty just getting nominations which begs the question of who will vote. It seems to me that if it was widely representational and supported by the Union members then getting nominations would not be a problem. So we have a small number of people on a small number of clubs voting for a small number of player from within their own ranks and an even smaller number shelling out massive coin to go and glad hand each other on their tremendous accomplishments. It is the tail that wags the dog. It is a popularity contest just like voting for Prom King and Queen. No thanks. Last year attendance was lack luster and judging by what I have heard there isn’t any reason to think this year will be any different. Sure I like some of the nominees and think they are great. My point here is I would just much rather save the $ and resource and put it to something the greater membership can reap benefit from.
Note that this year the “Ball” will be held on the same day as our Golf Tournament- which would you rather or which will you attend? The fat is in the fire bubba. Choose your path.
UPDATE- please read all comments before responding.
OK, now onto something that you probably care more about. This weeks Celebrity Look-alike
Swan
Slee-Stack
Friday, September 7, 2007
Congratulations to the Hettermanns!: Celebrity look-alike
Congratulations to Matt and his new bride Aislinn on this special day. In honor of this sacred event I offer the following:
Hettermann
Grimace
And since we are on this theme....
Wally
Sweetums
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Celebirty Look-alike
Jessy
Ming the Merciless
Bart
Paul Giamatti
Andrew
Carl (Slingblade)
Ralphie (Peter Billingsly)
Paul Giamatti
Andrew
Carl (Slingblade)
Joaquin
Bert
Casey
Chester
Doc Smokler
Ralphie (Peter Billingsly)
or
Butters
Pirate Rob
Alf
A Brief Hisstory of the Pasadena Rugby jersey
Thanks to Wally for his input... (NOTE: Spelling and gramatical errors are his)
Some time ago was the maroon on top, white on bottom. (See photo, 1986 below).
It was followed by the "Cranberry and Mustard" jersey. Solid red-like color with a single thick gold stripe across the upper chest.
Not sure when it came into effect, but in the 1990 and 1991 seasons we had maroon and white stripes (white collar). Maroon stripes were big (3 inches?) and white ones were small (1/4 or 1/2 inch).
1992 -1993 we had maroon and white quarter-panels. These years (and in 1994) players bought there own jerseys. Numbers were up to the discretion of the player, and were often absent.
1994, we were solid maroon with khaki collars and cuffs. It was also the first time (in memory) we had a patch...tough to describe.
For the 1995 season, Gary Patterson came up with the candy-striper jersey. The black rose was my idea. Gary wanted to put a red rose on the jersey. Wally pointed out that red seemed a bit too much like copying England and not likely to show up well on maroon stripes. With the Black Rose came black collar and cuffs. This was the first appearance of black that I (Wally) know of.1995- The first set of candy-striper jerseys. When we originally broke them out, there was some debate on the EC as to sleeve length. I (Wally) steadfastly insisted that we needed short sleeves, while everyone else dismissed that, saying that long sleeves (full length) were fine as we played in winter. Well, after one 95 degree February afternoon, it was decided to have them altered in time for our next game.
1997- The candy stripe replacement set - they had the mid-length sleeve, which looked ridiculous and didn't feel that great either. The replacement set with mid-length sleeve came in 196.
In 1997 it was joined by the solid maroon with candy-striped sleeves (mid-length).
1998-2000- Introduced by Jim Ciampa, they were maroon, black and white striped. The pictures in the Pasadena Weekly article (below- which were taken in the 1999 season) were candy-striper.
2001-2004- Introduced by Chris Angelica they were maroon body, black shoulders, white stripe across the shoulder line.
2005- Also known as the Hooters Jersey, these were introduced by Aaron Tanner and had the black body, maroon shoulders, and white stripes in the mid-chest with the Hooters logo (appearing on all except that owned by Graeme Fordyce)
2006-2007- Introduced by Garret Futrell, these are sponsored by Damons Sportsbook and are black and maroon striped without any white (much to the consternation of many old boys)(All years refer to the spring, the year of the regular season.)
1. Maroon bottom, white top
2. Cranberry/Mustard
3. Small white stripes4. Quarter-panels
5. Solid with khaki collars
6. Candy striper
7. Solid with Candy Striper sleeves
8. Three stripes
9. Solid with maroon shoulders
10. Hooters jersey
11. Current jersey
Known omissions- 7’s jerseys. One white body with large maroon stripe across the belly and one all white with maroon shoulders-“Pasadena Majors” on the back in a tribute to the first known origination of rugby in Pasadena crca 1940’s. Both jerseys introduced by Chris Angelica.
Some time ago was the maroon on top, white on bottom. (See photo, 1986 below).
It was followed by the "Cranberry and Mustard" jersey. Solid red-like color with a single thick gold stripe across the upper chest.
Not sure when it came into effect, but in the 1990 and 1991 seasons we had maroon and white stripes (white collar). Maroon stripes were big (3 inches?) and white ones were small (1/4 or 1/2 inch).
1992 -1993 we had maroon and white quarter-panels. These years (and in 1994) players bought there own jerseys. Numbers were up to the discretion of the player, and were often absent.
1994, we were solid maroon with khaki collars and cuffs. It was also the first time (in memory) we had a patch...tough to describe.
For the 1995 season, Gary Patterson came up with the candy-striper jersey. The black rose was my idea. Gary wanted to put a red rose on the jersey. Wally pointed out that red seemed a bit too much like copying England and not likely to show up well on maroon stripes. With the Black Rose came black collar and cuffs. This was the first appearance of black that I (Wally) know of.1995- The first set of candy-striper jerseys. When we originally broke them out, there was some debate on the EC as to sleeve length. I (Wally) steadfastly insisted that we needed short sleeves, while everyone else dismissed that, saying that long sleeves (full length) were fine as we played in winter. Well, after one 95 degree February afternoon, it was decided to have them altered in time for our next game.
1997- The candy stripe replacement set - they had the mid-length sleeve, which looked ridiculous and didn't feel that great either. The replacement set with mid-length sleeve came in 196.
In 1997 it was joined by the solid maroon with candy-striped sleeves (mid-length).
1998-2000- Introduced by Jim Ciampa, they were maroon, black and white striped. The pictures in the Pasadena Weekly article (below- which were taken in the 1999 season) were candy-striper.
2001-2004- Introduced by Chris Angelica they were maroon body, black shoulders, white stripe across the shoulder line.
2005- Also known as the Hooters Jersey, these were introduced by Aaron Tanner and had the black body, maroon shoulders, and white stripes in the mid-chest with the Hooters logo (appearing on all except that owned by Graeme Fordyce)
2006-2007- Introduced by Garret Futrell, these are sponsored by Damons Sportsbook and are black and maroon striped without any white (much to the consternation of many old boys)(All years refer to the spring, the year of the regular season.)
1. Maroon bottom, white top
2. Cranberry/Mustard
3. Small white stripes4. Quarter-panels
5. Solid with khaki collars
6. Candy striper
7. Solid with Candy Striper sleeves
8. Three stripes
9. Solid with maroon shoulders
10. Hooters jersey
11. Current jersey
Known omissions- 7’s jerseys. One white body with large maroon stripe across the belly and one all white with maroon shoulders-“Pasadena Majors” on the back in a tribute to the first known origination of rugby in Pasadena crca 1940’s. Both jerseys introduced by Chris Angelica.
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