Lee Harvey Oswald
Monday, November 26, 2007
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Monday, November 19, 2007
Since You Asked... and Here's My Player of the Month **UPDATED**
Last weekend was the first competition for Pasadena since May 12th, 2007 and along with the weather and lack of an abundance of Waffle Houses and racists BBQ joints, there were many stand outs. First and foremost the Warlords showed a tendentious amount of promise, more so than last year which is shocking given that the Warlords would have probably placed 2nd behind Pasadena had the entered D3. Keeping in mind that this is mid November and many are new to the sport, there is a clear level of root skill and athletic ability. I have nothing to gain in blowing smoke up anyone ass, but trust an old guy when I say I was impressed. I am sure many new guys may have felt a palpable amount of confusion and frustration but that is not uncommon at this stage. That stated, there is much to work on.
The Pasadena side played with confidence but I am going to come right out and say it: no fucking shit. We kicked the crap out of the same guys we kicked the crap out of last year. Shocking. I am really not looking to our competition to measure our level of play but there were some things that were clear regardless of the opposition. The positive:
1) Support in the forwards was decent. In the N. County game we made some on-the-fly adjustments to meet their pick-and-go offensive. This was nice to see given we have not come across this sort of offense and the critical thought and communication amongst the pack was nice to see.
2) Set pieces were pretty solid and even with adjustments at the front row (relatively new front row getting tossed in) we did not experience much of problems we experienced in the previous Thursdays practice. I credit this to each players own accountability and communication.
3) Backs had some stand out plays, specifically from Suan and James. Great forward running and aggression
4) New players at key positions are showing promise. Specifically where we have had attrition over last years starting IV at 9, 10 and 15.
5) All players played as a unit, talking to each other but never to the ref and never to the other side. The benefits of this style of play can be seen in the cohesion we enjoyed and the total delight in watching the opposition turn on each other like a pack of starving jackals.
Now what we need to work on
1) Forwards were not delivering clean ball at the breakdowns.
2) Ball was slow in getting delivered to the backs
3) Ball held up or mishandled in the centers and there seemed to be some lapses in the support
4) I have some strategic questions regarding zone responsibility but not having adequate time to discuss this with coaching, I’ll just say that our field position was less than desirable in that N. County game.
5) We struggled for possession way too much.
6) Fitness, fitness, fitness, fitness, fitness and… fitness
*** 7) Hitting the brekdown's way too high****
The good news is that there isn't any thing close to a critical failure any negative is VERY fixable. Huge props go to the coaching staff and the dedication of the plaers to come to practice ready to work. Nothing here can’t be fixed in a relatively short amount of time. The bad news is that although on one side of the coin we are only at mid November, accounting for the holidays we only have 14 more practice sessions to work on and it is going to take A LOT more than that to build the fitness level we need to be at. Also the only real chance we have against opposition prior to the season is ut 15's tournament.
For guys who weren’t there or may have been occupied playing with one side or another there were some stand outs. You have by now herd about the latest exploits of James “Hollywood” McIntosh not only for his aggressive running and strength, but also for the harem of underage women in his entourage. You may have also heard about the thundering runs by John-John and Pasadena’s latest monkey to fall over the try line Matt Hettermann (who may have scored 3 for the day?). Both played well as did many in the pack. As I stated above, Greg, Scott and Joe all showed great promise and Suan in the centers? A year ago I would have said you are high. He probably was and GD did he have some impressive runs. Also Ian slotted into 2nd row on both the Warlords and Pasadena like he’d been doing it longer than Joe Wilson’s been confusing rookies. But there are 2 guys you should find at Tuesday’s practice and pat on the back. The first is Justin who saved a N. County try by chasing down a kicked ball into the try zone and giving us a 22. That would have been the only team to have scored a try on us that day and Justin saved us from that humiliation. (As an aside I spoke with him in the bar where he revealed that he’s not a big drinker. BINGO, we have our first puker on the bus from SLO and I called it.). The second guy however has become a special player in my heart. After being told I was not allowed to run him off, I was forced to figure out what I liked about him. Well suffice to say it isn’t his humility and bubbling personality. Sloan my good man, you are my Player of the Month. Not only are you the fastest fucker out there, you sir bear an impeccable resemblance to many, many, many notable personalities. So to commemorate Sloan’s induction to the 2nd Row’s Player of the Month, I give you…
The Week of Sloan Celebrity-look-alkies.
Day 1
Sloan
Nosferatu
Maybe those claws will help him hold onto the ball. Good running Sloan. Speed like that guarantees you will never wear the number 1-3.
The Pasadena side played with confidence but I am going to come right out and say it: no fucking shit. We kicked the crap out of the same guys we kicked the crap out of last year. Shocking. I am really not looking to our competition to measure our level of play but there were some things that were clear regardless of the opposition. The positive:
1) Support in the forwards was decent. In the N. County game we made some on-the-fly adjustments to meet their pick-and-go offensive. This was nice to see given we have not come across this sort of offense and the critical thought and communication amongst the pack was nice to see.
2) Set pieces were pretty solid and even with adjustments at the front row (relatively new front row getting tossed in) we did not experience much of problems we experienced in the previous Thursdays practice. I credit this to each players own accountability and communication.
3) Backs had some stand out plays, specifically from Suan and James. Great forward running and aggression
4) New players at key positions are showing promise. Specifically where we have had attrition over last years starting IV at 9, 10 and 15.
5) All players played as a unit, talking to each other but never to the ref and never to the other side. The benefits of this style of play can be seen in the cohesion we enjoyed and the total delight in watching the opposition turn on each other like a pack of starving jackals.
Now what we need to work on
1) Forwards were not delivering clean ball at the breakdowns.
2) Ball was slow in getting delivered to the backs
3) Ball held up or mishandled in the centers and there seemed to be some lapses in the support
4) I have some strategic questions regarding zone responsibility but not having adequate time to discuss this with coaching, I’ll just say that our field position was less than desirable in that N. County game.
5) We struggled for possession way too much.
6) Fitness, fitness, fitness, fitness, fitness and… fitness
*** 7) Hitting the brekdown's way too high****
The good news is that there isn't any thing close to a critical failure any negative is VERY fixable. Huge props go to the coaching staff and the dedication of the plaers to come to practice ready to work. Nothing here can’t be fixed in a relatively short amount of time. The bad news is that although on one side of the coin we are only at mid November, accounting for the holidays we only have 14 more practice sessions to work on and it is going to take A LOT more than that to build the fitness level we need to be at. Also the only real chance we have against opposition prior to the season is ut 15's tournament.
For guys who weren’t there or may have been occupied playing with one side or another there were some stand outs. You have by now herd about the latest exploits of James “Hollywood” McIntosh not only for his aggressive running and strength, but also for the harem of underage women in his entourage. You may have also heard about the thundering runs by John-John and Pasadena’s latest monkey to fall over the try line Matt Hettermann (who may have scored 3 for the day?). Both played well as did many in the pack. As I stated above, Greg, Scott and Joe all showed great promise and Suan in the centers? A year ago I would have said you are high. He probably was and GD did he have some impressive runs. Also Ian slotted into 2nd row on both the Warlords and Pasadena like he’d been doing it longer than Joe Wilson’s been confusing rookies. But there are 2 guys you should find at Tuesday’s practice and pat on the back. The first is Justin who saved a N. County try by chasing down a kicked ball into the try zone and giving us a 22. That would have been the only team to have scored a try on us that day and Justin saved us from that humiliation. (As an aside I spoke with him in the bar where he revealed that he’s not a big drinker. BINGO, we have our first puker on the bus from SLO and I called it.). The second guy however has become a special player in my heart. After being told I was not allowed to run him off, I was forced to figure out what I liked about him. Well suffice to say it isn’t his humility and bubbling personality. Sloan my good man, you are my Player of the Month. Not only are you the fastest fucker out there, you sir bear an impeccable resemblance to many, many, many notable personalities. So to commemorate Sloan’s induction to the 2nd Row’s Player of the Month, I give you…
The Week of Sloan Celebrity-look-alkies.
Day 1
Sloan
Nosferatu
Maybe those claws will help him hold onto the ball. Good running Sloan. Speed like that guarantees you will never wear the number 1-3.
Why it Matters ***UPDATED***
As any who have had the unfortunate experience to be standing within ear shot of me can attest, it a common known fact that I have a fair amount of loathing and distain and for what is the new adopted primary jersey color of Black. Many new guys are probably shocked and confused by my venom and froth. I have been told by many to “let it go”. My response: Let it go? Fuck no, that is the point exactly.
Viewer ship for the Rugby World Cup is ranked 3rd, placing it only behind the Olympics and the FEFA World Cup. Rugby has many endearing qualities that define it and have allowed it to remain one of the most widely sport played in the world for over 180 years. Of the qualities that have allowed the sport to appeal to such a broad spectrum of both player and spectator, it is the quality of tradition that is amongst its most endearing. These traditions are often ritualistic and define not only the sport, but help define local clubs from one another and one player from another.
Amongst the most common tradition are the social or ritualistic traditions of the sport. No other sport I know of has the tradition of hosting the opposing side after the match- win or loose. It is something that can easily be taken for granted but I bet all of your friends who play in city soccer or soft ball leagues aren’t drinking keg beer after every game. It is yet one of many traditions that set rugby players aside from other sportsmen as being true gentlemen off the pitch, even in defeat. Although it is not as common here in Southern California, rugby also has a strong tradition of signing crass and often politically incorrect verse, arm and arm, with your opponents. I once cleared an after party at Kern County with a verse of "Jesus Can’t Play Rugby" (Jew won't pay his diues by the way) and it was a thing of BEAUTY. The tradition of gentlemen off the pitch is something that sets this sport apart from others by large margins. Often after a large test match, you will see the captains of the opposing sides trading jerseys. It is a demonstration of ultimate respect for one’s opposition and it is a practice that many of our own enjoy. Chances are the jersey that Aaron or Allen or many older players wear at practice or to pub is a traded jersey. These traded jerseys are worn with pride as rugby players take great satisfaction in public acknowledgment of their competitors- it is the ultimate sign of respect.
Besides the universal social traditions, rugby teams have many customs that define each club. Many teams have their own songs or social traditions and like all sport, all clubs have their own club name and uniform that are used to identify themselvves regionally. These names and colors set a club apart from other clubs on the pitch and the informed player can identify another club or player by these markings. More importantly though, these traditions and markings connect us to our past and are the commonality that binds generation to generation, and one years club to another. Without this binding element, clubs cease to have any defining characteristic and risk getting homogenized by new players or members looking for the flavor of the week. One year it's red, the next year it's blue and in 3 years time maybe it's green. This is how you know how fucking serious I am- I am going to draw on a sport I loathe to demonstrate my example- baseball. Every New Your Yankee has played in the same pin stripe uniform since whenever it was that they started playing that pathetic sport. However if you look at a photo of the 1980 California Angels, to a 1999 Anaheim Angel to a 2007 California Angels of Anaheim, you are certainly not going to struggle to come to the conclusion that it is the same team. You do not get the same sense of awe in a team who changes names and colors with the same frequency that myself and Rooney suck down another pitcher of beer. There just is not the same lure and lore to a club who lacks the fortitude and stick-to-it-ness to carry tradition in favor of whatever in in season next Fall.
Onto some history of our own club for an example of what tradition means. This club was founded when the Pasadena Warlords merged with other players and athletes in the area to form Crown City. We played under the moniker of Crown City through the late 90’s when it was decided that it was important for the Club to identify itself regionally, thus a change was made to Pasadena Rugby. It was a change that drove a wedge in the club and many Old Boys still have a problem with and in fact will still only identify the Club as Crown City. Also along the way, in a nod to regional traditions, the club adopted the Black Rose as its club logo. Up to then, there was no common logo on all club media or wear (a crown with roses was used for t-shirts but never adopted as an official logo). The Black Rose remained quite controversial for some time. Realizing that the loss of this tradition separated us from our roots and in turn a loss in our identity, in 2001 we revised the club logo to include “Crown City”. Just prior to this logo revision Jim Ciampa and I were in the midst of acquiring assets for the Club (sponsorships, fields, etc.) and in looking at the club roster. It was (and is) pretty clear that we no longer are a team based in Pasadena and there was a great amount of discussion over changing the club name to San Gabriel Valley as that name better defined our player draw and may have offered a greater appeal to both players sponsors not centered in Pasadena. Ultimately it was decided that the Club should remain Pasadena Rugby in large part because of the lessons learned from past experience in the a loss of connection to our past. Lessons learned. Today we are known as Crown City, Pasadena Rugby Club.
Amongst the most recent reconnection with the clubs tradition is the incorporation of the Warlord’s. As Michael stated at this last weekends tournament, we do not have a B side, we have the Warlords. It may seem like semantics but in this sport, tradition and honor matter.
From the 2007 SCRFU D3 championship match report:
"The day warmed up with The Pasadena Warlords beating a combined APU/Arroyo HS side in a very competitive and tuff fought match. Incidentally, Carl Davis (Pasadena RFC Hall of Fame inductee and founding player of Pasadena RFC, then known as Crown City Rugby) provided historical perspective for the Warlord name during the after party. He told how "Old Boys" who played under the original Warlord name held that name very sacred. If you played on the Warlord side, you were allowed to call yourself a Warlord. However, if you hadn't been with the team then, you were NEVER allowed to be a Warlord.”
Wally “Alan” Johnson should be credited with this re-connection with our past tradition. It was almost a year ago when we were getting ready for our own 15’s tournament when it was stated that we do not have a B side, we have the Warlords. I know when I play for the Warlords I think of all of the great players, many of whom I have met, who shared the honor of playing for the side. I also look to the current Warlords who make up the soul of this club and play one of the most critical roles to this clubs success. It is with a true sense of respect, admiration and ultimate gratitude that I am able to call myself a Warlord. But WITHOUT TRADITION, this may not be so. Would I still be happy to play with my mates? Fuck yes. But because I know of the tradition that I am able to do so with the higher level of honor and respect that is demanded.
Now the question, what does this have to do with our jerseys? First I want to make something abundantly clear- none of these comments are intended in any way as an attack against Tim and his wife who generously donated a set of jerseys to the club. I have a profound ammount of respect for Tim and his dedication to this club and the secrafices he continues to make. As a jersey itself, I actually prefer the fit and material of these over our any that Ive played in. That stated, here are the facts. Historically over time the team colors have been maroon and white. It was not until the introduction of the Black Rose (1995) that there was any color other than maroon and white on the jersey (not accounting for collar color). (For the history of the jersey, go here) It was not until 3 seasons ago that black crept its way to be a large presence on the Pasadena Rugby jersey (the famed and much distained Hooters jersey) Now this year, gone almost entirely is the Maroon. The reasons I have been given are thus: 1) Tim is from New Zealand and because he was buying the jerseys they were going to be predominantly black in a nod to his All Blacks 2) The intent of the donation was not necessarily to be used as game jerseys but to do whatever the club felt fit- use them as 2nd side, raffel them off, whatever 3) the team colors are not stated in the club bye laws 4) No one has come forward with a jersey sponsorship.
Fair enough. First with the color selection by Tim, he certainly has the right to make them any color he wants- pink with green spots, whatever. But that doesn’t mean they should be selected as the jerseys we wear to represent over 35 years of tradition when we take the field in competition. Whether or not colors are stated in the bylaws to me is more of an argument for another good reason we need to draft bylaws (see also: procedures for elections, award nominations, make up of selection committee, etc). I also find that very close to the use of a magic rock to repel dinosaurs. So long as you have the rock in your presence, you will be safe from being eaten by a Stegosaurus. What? Fuck, no one in their right mind thinks that is actually real. Why? Because as Homo-sapiens we have either been gifted with and/or have developed the ability for critical thought. This in turn allows us to apply logic and thus one can easily discount the magic rock theory really works because everyone knows that the Stegosauruss were herbivores. So too can one apply that same critical thought when selecting the color scheme for the jersey regardless of what may or may not be stated in bylaws. “Hmm, let me see here, the jersey’s have been predominantly maroon and white for over 30 years so….” As far as the sponsorship is concerned, someone correct me if I am wrong, but the jersey sponsorship is a Platinum sponsorship of $2500 and I believe Tim (generously) just gave us a set in commertation of the success 07 season. There is no sponsorship attached. See how that works? The same logic and reason allows me to surmise that Colby owes me approximately 28 pitchers of beer however if I choose to wait up for him this week, I’ll be sleeping in the booth at Dominico’s alone (again). Reason and logic.
Standing ready to receive a kickoff this weekend, someone on the side line asked me where Pasadena Rugby was playing. I was at once confused and incensed. Fucking black jerseys. Here’s another reason. You want to forgo tradition, fine. But no other team in our Union has maroon & white jersey’s. We are unique. I think I can count 3 different Bucks jerseys- they have some blue ones, some green ones and some orange ones. Same with South Orange County and Eagle Rock- they all have multipal sets in differnt colors. I can name at least 5 teams in the Union who have some combination of blue, black, red, green, etc. Only one other team in the Union with any maroon (San Fernando Valley- gold, maroon & white). We stand out in maroon and it is how we are recognized. It is who we are. Scroll down and look at the pictures of the clubs past and tell me how many of those pictures have players in black.
So… what to do? To “let go” as has been suggested would be to let tradition fall by the wayside which I believe is counter to the ethics of the sport and counter to much of what I have tried to instill both as a custodian of the Club as well as a player. “Let go” = “Fuck Tradition”. I may as well track down Kei Takarabi, knock the gin & tonic out of his hand and tell him his idea for this club sucks. God how I hate wasting good alchol. Look, I clearly hate the jersey color and anyone who thinks it’s cool to toss away and discount well over 30 years of tradition doesn’t understand rugby and certainly doesn’t embrace this clubs past. I’d prefer to play in anything maroon and white, be it the Pasadena Major’s (oh, by the way also a nod to the long tradition of rugby here in Pasadena but that is a different story) or in last year’s jerseys (even though they are bereft of white- send grievances here: garrettfutrell@gmail.com ). I’d also like it that our new administrators would take the time to take such things into consideration rather than fording their own path thus ostracizing our past (this includes voting on awards and many other past grievances that I will save for a later rant should any unfortunate individual choose to toss aside our Club's history). This Club and it's legacy belong to everyone both past and present and not just a handfull of guys.
Should we be forced to wear the label of shame in disregarding our past traditions, as Allen put it, I’d like everyone to RUIN these fucking things by kicking the shit out of any fuck wad from another team that brushes against them. The sooner they are in rags, the happier I will be and in turn the less you will hear me bitch. It is yet one more dollop of hate to fuel me on game day, so it goes.
To the new guy who was overheard saying “those black jersey’s are intimidating”: look dude, you are new and I am sure you are a very nice guy and obviously unfamiliar with any of this which is why I am not going to rip you apart. Here is something you need to know and should you continue to play with us for another 10 years, which I hope you will, there is something you will soon realize. We could be wearing tutu’s and tiara’s and any opposing player in their right mind are going to shit wombats when they see Keegan, John-John and Swanny charging at them full steam. The color of the jersey’s identify us as a club, ties us to our past and helps define this clubs tradition. It is the commonality between you, me, the guy who played 10 years ago, 20 years ago 30 years ago and the guys who played in the very first match back in 71. But it is our unselfish, aggressive and disciplined style of play that will command immidation and respect from the opposition. More over it is our complete commitment to each other before ourselves that will keep this club around for another 37 years, even if we go with those pink and green polka dot jersey’s next year.
***UPDATE***
Just looked at the match tape and despite the being the wrong color, I have to admit that the black does look nice and clean and they seem to have a slimming effect on #'s 1-8.
Viewer ship for the Rugby World Cup is ranked 3rd, placing it only behind the Olympics and the FEFA World Cup. Rugby has many endearing qualities that define it and have allowed it to remain one of the most widely sport played in the world for over 180 years. Of the qualities that have allowed the sport to appeal to such a broad spectrum of both player and spectator, it is the quality of tradition that is amongst its most endearing. These traditions are often ritualistic and define not only the sport, but help define local clubs from one another and one player from another.
Amongst the most common tradition are the social or ritualistic traditions of the sport. No other sport I know of has the tradition of hosting the opposing side after the match- win or loose. It is something that can easily be taken for granted but I bet all of your friends who play in city soccer or soft ball leagues aren’t drinking keg beer after every game. It is yet one of many traditions that set rugby players aside from other sportsmen as being true gentlemen off the pitch, even in defeat. Although it is not as common here in Southern California, rugby also has a strong tradition of signing crass and often politically incorrect verse, arm and arm, with your opponents. I once cleared an after party at Kern County with a verse of "Jesus Can’t Play Rugby" (Jew won't pay his diues by the way) and it was a thing of BEAUTY. The tradition of gentlemen off the pitch is something that sets this sport apart from others by large margins. Often after a large test match, you will see the captains of the opposing sides trading jerseys. It is a demonstration of ultimate respect for one’s opposition and it is a practice that many of our own enjoy. Chances are the jersey that Aaron or Allen or many older players wear at practice or to pub is a traded jersey. These traded jerseys are worn with pride as rugby players take great satisfaction in public acknowledgment of their competitors- it is the ultimate sign of respect.
Besides the universal social traditions, rugby teams have many customs that define each club. Many teams have their own songs or social traditions and like all sport, all clubs have their own club name and uniform that are used to identify themselvves regionally. These names and colors set a club apart from other clubs on the pitch and the informed player can identify another club or player by these markings. More importantly though, these traditions and markings connect us to our past and are the commonality that binds generation to generation, and one years club to another. Without this binding element, clubs cease to have any defining characteristic and risk getting homogenized by new players or members looking for the flavor of the week. One year it's red, the next year it's blue and in 3 years time maybe it's green. This is how you know how fucking serious I am- I am going to draw on a sport I loathe to demonstrate my example- baseball. Every New Your Yankee has played in the same pin stripe uniform since whenever it was that they started playing that pathetic sport. However if you look at a photo of the 1980 California Angels, to a 1999 Anaheim Angel to a 2007 California Angels of Anaheim, you are certainly not going to struggle to come to the conclusion that it is the same team. You do not get the same sense of awe in a team who changes names and colors with the same frequency that myself and Rooney suck down another pitcher of beer. There just is not the same lure and lore to a club who lacks the fortitude and stick-to-it-ness to carry tradition in favor of whatever in in season next Fall.
Onto some history of our own club for an example of what tradition means. This club was founded when the Pasadena Warlords merged with other players and athletes in the area to form Crown City. We played under the moniker of Crown City through the late 90’s when it was decided that it was important for the Club to identify itself regionally, thus a change was made to Pasadena Rugby. It was a change that drove a wedge in the club and many Old Boys still have a problem with and in fact will still only identify the Club as Crown City. Also along the way, in a nod to regional traditions, the club adopted the Black Rose as its club logo. Up to then, there was no common logo on all club media or wear (a crown with roses was used for t-shirts but never adopted as an official logo). The Black Rose remained quite controversial for some time. Realizing that the loss of this tradition separated us from our roots and in turn a loss in our identity, in 2001 we revised the club logo to include “Crown City”. Just prior to this logo revision Jim Ciampa and I were in the midst of acquiring assets for the Club (sponsorships, fields, etc.) and in looking at the club roster. It was (and is) pretty clear that we no longer are a team based in Pasadena and there was a great amount of discussion over changing the club name to San Gabriel Valley as that name better defined our player draw and may have offered a greater appeal to both players sponsors not centered in Pasadena. Ultimately it was decided that the Club should remain Pasadena Rugby in large part because of the lessons learned from past experience in the a loss of connection to our past. Lessons learned. Today we are known as Crown City, Pasadena Rugby Club.
Amongst the most recent reconnection with the clubs tradition is the incorporation of the Warlord’s. As Michael stated at this last weekends tournament, we do not have a B side, we have the Warlords. It may seem like semantics but in this sport, tradition and honor matter.
From the 2007 SCRFU D3 championship match report:
"The day warmed up with The Pasadena Warlords beating a combined APU/Arroyo HS side in a very competitive and tuff fought match. Incidentally, Carl Davis (Pasadena RFC Hall of Fame inductee and founding player of Pasadena RFC, then known as Crown City Rugby) provided historical perspective for the Warlord name during the after party. He told how "Old Boys" who played under the original Warlord name held that name very sacred. If you played on the Warlord side, you were allowed to call yourself a Warlord. However, if you hadn't been with the team then, you were NEVER allowed to be a Warlord.”
Wally “Alan” Johnson should be credited with this re-connection with our past tradition. It was almost a year ago when we were getting ready for our own 15’s tournament when it was stated that we do not have a B side, we have the Warlords. I know when I play for the Warlords I think of all of the great players, many of whom I have met, who shared the honor of playing for the side. I also look to the current Warlords who make up the soul of this club and play one of the most critical roles to this clubs success. It is with a true sense of respect, admiration and ultimate gratitude that I am able to call myself a Warlord. But WITHOUT TRADITION, this may not be so. Would I still be happy to play with my mates? Fuck yes. But because I know of the tradition that I am able to do so with the higher level of honor and respect that is demanded.
Now the question, what does this have to do with our jerseys? First I want to make something abundantly clear- none of these comments are intended in any way as an attack against Tim and his wife who generously donated a set of jerseys to the club. I have a profound ammount of respect for Tim and his dedication to this club and the secrafices he continues to make. As a jersey itself, I actually prefer the fit and material of these over our any that Ive played in. That stated, here are the facts. Historically over time the team colors have been maroon and white. It was not until the introduction of the Black Rose (1995) that there was any color other than maroon and white on the jersey (not accounting for collar color). (For the history of the jersey, go here) It was not until 3 seasons ago that black crept its way to be a large presence on the Pasadena Rugby jersey (the famed and much distained Hooters jersey) Now this year, gone almost entirely is the Maroon. The reasons I have been given are thus: 1) Tim is from New Zealand and because he was buying the jerseys they were going to be predominantly black in a nod to his All Blacks 2) The intent of the donation was not necessarily to be used as game jerseys but to do whatever the club felt fit- use them as 2nd side, raffel them off, whatever 3) the team colors are not stated in the club bye laws 4) No one has come forward with a jersey sponsorship.
Fair enough. First with the color selection by Tim, he certainly has the right to make them any color he wants- pink with green spots, whatever. But that doesn’t mean they should be selected as the jerseys we wear to represent over 35 years of tradition when we take the field in competition. Whether or not colors are stated in the bylaws to me is more of an argument for another good reason we need to draft bylaws (see also: procedures for elections, award nominations, make up of selection committee, etc). I also find that very close to the use of a magic rock to repel dinosaurs. So long as you have the rock in your presence, you will be safe from being eaten by a Stegosaurus. What? Fuck, no one in their right mind thinks that is actually real. Why? Because as Homo-sapiens we have either been gifted with and/or have developed the ability for critical thought. This in turn allows us to apply logic and thus one can easily discount the magic rock theory really works because everyone knows that the Stegosauruss were herbivores. So too can one apply that same critical thought when selecting the color scheme for the jersey regardless of what may or may not be stated in bylaws. “Hmm, let me see here, the jersey’s have been predominantly maroon and white for over 30 years so….” As far as the sponsorship is concerned, someone correct me if I am wrong, but the jersey sponsorship is a Platinum sponsorship of $2500 and I believe Tim (generously) just gave us a set in commertation of the success 07 season. There is no sponsorship attached. See how that works? The same logic and reason allows me to surmise that Colby owes me approximately 28 pitchers of beer however if I choose to wait up for him this week, I’ll be sleeping in the booth at Dominico’s alone (again). Reason and logic.
Standing ready to receive a kickoff this weekend, someone on the side line asked me where Pasadena Rugby was playing. I was at once confused and incensed. Fucking black jerseys. Here’s another reason. You want to forgo tradition, fine. But no other team in our Union has maroon & white jersey’s. We are unique. I think I can count 3 different Bucks jerseys- they have some blue ones, some green ones and some orange ones. Same with South Orange County and Eagle Rock- they all have multipal sets in differnt colors. I can name at least 5 teams in the Union who have some combination of blue, black, red, green, etc. Only one other team in the Union with any maroon (San Fernando Valley- gold, maroon & white). We stand out in maroon and it is how we are recognized. It is who we are. Scroll down and look at the pictures of the clubs past and tell me how many of those pictures have players in black.
So… what to do? To “let go” as has been suggested would be to let tradition fall by the wayside which I believe is counter to the ethics of the sport and counter to much of what I have tried to instill both as a custodian of the Club as well as a player. “Let go” = “Fuck Tradition”. I may as well track down Kei Takarabi, knock the gin & tonic out of his hand and tell him his idea for this club sucks. God how I hate wasting good alchol. Look, I clearly hate the jersey color and anyone who thinks it’s cool to toss away and discount well over 30 years of tradition doesn’t understand rugby and certainly doesn’t embrace this clubs past. I’d prefer to play in anything maroon and white, be it the Pasadena Major’s (oh, by the way also a nod to the long tradition of rugby here in Pasadena but that is a different story) or in last year’s jerseys (even though they are bereft of white- send grievances here: garrettfutrell@gmail.com ). I’d also like it that our new administrators would take the time to take such things into consideration rather than fording their own path thus ostracizing our past (this includes voting on awards and many other past grievances that I will save for a later rant should any unfortunate individual choose to toss aside our Club's history). This Club and it's legacy belong to everyone both past and present and not just a handfull of guys.
Should we be forced to wear the label of shame in disregarding our past traditions, as Allen put it, I’d like everyone to RUIN these fucking things by kicking the shit out of any fuck wad from another team that brushes against them. The sooner they are in rags, the happier I will be and in turn the less you will hear me bitch. It is yet one more dollop of hate to fuel me on game day, so it goes.
To the new guy who was overheard saying “those black jersey’s are intimidating”: look dude, you are new and I am sure you are a very nice guy and obviously unfamiliar with any of this which is why I am not going to rip you apart. Here is something you need to know and should you continue to play with us for another 10 years, which I hope you will, there is something you will soon realize. We could be wearing tutu’s and tiara’s and any opposing player in their right mind are going to shit wombats when they see Keegan, John-John and Swanny charging at them full steam. The color of the jersey’s identify us as a club, ties us to our past and helps define this clubs tradition. It is the commonality between you, me, the guy who played 10 years ago, 20 years ago 30 years ago and the guys who played in the very first match back in 71. But it is our unselfish, aggressive and disciplined style of play that will command immidation and respect from the opposition. More over it is our complete commitment to each other before ourselves that will keep this club around for another 37 years, even if we go with those pink and green polka dot jersey’s next year.
***UPDATE***
Just looked at the match tape and despite the being the wrong color, I have to admit that the black does look nice and clean and they seem to have a slimming effect on #'s 1-8.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Stirring the Pot: SCRFU Prom Court Announced
Unless you've been living under a rock or have the attention span of a South African at a cartographer's convention, you no doubt are aware that the SCRFU Prom King and Queen were announced over the weekend and that the members of the Pasadena Rugby Club are the hands down favorites making up almost 30% of the Royal Court. I went to an all-boys school and when I had the chance was always too busy trying to look up the cheerleaders skirts to be bothered with caring about such vanity. I've also never been associated with the popular crowd so it is with some amount of uneasiness that I can look at any of this as a good thing. Pretty soon guys are going to make outrageous demands like orange wedges at ½ time and cold beer at the drink ups. Stop the horror.
Today on The 2nd Row we have a Special Guest Columnist, our very own Marksman of Mayhem, Allen “The Claw” Rooney. The intelligent reader will find Allen’s article not to be an attack on any individual but more a question of the system or process itself. The unintelligent reader will find this a slam against one of our own and will probably go on to harbor all sorts of nasty thoughts about divisiveness in which case I’d say you are a complete doushe and are missing the point. That is more of a disclaimer than Allen wanted me to post but he’s probably loading ammo right now and won’t see this until I’ve had a chance to butter him up with a couple pitchers of beer compliments of Colby’s reverse celebrity Look-alike Sloan. Here it is, enjoy:
*************************************************************************************
CRONYISM ALIVE AND WELL IN USA RUGBY.
By: Allen Rooney
Cronyism: Noun: favoritism shown to friends and associates (as by appointing them to positions without regard for their qualifications)
Having played rugby for some time now, I can say with some confidence that politics is part of the subculture. The tales of quality rugby players going to select side try outs only to find that the selectors wouldn’t consider players that weren’t from team x or division y are not just tales, they are fact. January 2007’s issue of Rugby magazine illustrates that this practice goes all the way to the highest levels of USA Rugby. The head coach of USA Rugby‘s national men‘s team, Peter Thorburn, in response to a question about the comparison between his selection process and that of prior Eagle teams had this to say: “ ………I can only see the results of some of those selections. It may be deemed as being critical, but I think they were very exclusive……I don’t know what their systems were, but by looking at their selections, I found apparent protection around certain players when we went to the first NA4 (national tryouts)- they were basically guaranteed that they were going to be on the Eagles.”
If this politicking is evident at the top, it certainly is rampant at the bottom. The awarding of Pasadena’s Man of the Match glasses has become very similar to the spinning of a roulette wheel, with a once prized symbol of kicking ass on the rugby field being spread around to everyone. I don’t know the reason for this, maybe it is so nobody gets their feelings hurt. Everyone knows that Keegan, Casey, Frazier and Andy should have a cupboard full of them. Maybe It does get a little difficult on a team like Pasadena RFC’s 2007 edition, because we had a great team made up of decent and unselfish players (both on the field and on the sidelines). Nonetheless, an award to recognize rugby excellence is not to be used as a feel good lozenge. A pat on the back will suffice for most of us.
The 2006 SCRFU award for Blue Division MVP went to Eagle Rock’s JP. I have played against JP since I moved to California in 1997. I certainly recognize his aggressiveness, tenacity, and physical ability as something that is vital on the rugby field. In fact, if JP had been a player in a club that taught teamwork, fitness, and class (the three principles of rugby), he would have been an incredible player. 2006 Blue Division MVP? I don’t think so. Most people I talked to found it funny that this award went to a guy that, while standing in the try zone waiting for (another) conversion attempt to be made against his team in a lopsided loss said “you know who I am, I’m the division MVP.” Perhaps only EARC players had access to computers.
The 2007 season rolls around, Pasadena RFC crushes all opposition handily, makes major contributions off the field, and does everything I could want except win nationals and keep my house clean. When the time for nominating an MVP came around, some Pasadena players that were deserving of consideration for the award, such as Keegan, Casey, Dean, John John, and Andy, were not nominated. So be it, we aren't EARC, so we don't nominate our entire team. Among the players that were nominated division wide, 3 players stand head, shoulders, chest, and midsection above the other nominee’s. In order of their teams finish in the SCRFU Blue Division 2007 championship, here they are.
Brian Wolf, OC Bucks, Division Semifinalists. Brian plays inside center. There are several ways to describe Brian, most of them dealing with the fact that he is built like a genetic experiment gone horribly awesome. Tackling Brian is not a job for those faint of heart or fond of mirrors because he will hurt you in the offing. But the real indication of his ability is revealed in a peek at the Blue Division ‘s Scorers table as provided by Alan Johnson (great idea, Alan, it made the season very interesting). Wolf scored 6 tries for himself, but look at the name just above his. Brandon Fischer is the Buck’s outside center. He is a rookie. He also has 6 tries. I can only imagine that the extra defensive pressure that must be put on Brian left Brandon in the gap frequently. Those 6 tries of Fischer’s are as much Wolf’s as Fischer.
Vincent McGlade, SOC Gators, Division finalists. Vince is a center as well as the team’s points kicker. He’s still wet behind the years, not even 20 years old. The scorers table shows that he had 12 tries, 18 conversions, and 7 goals for a division leading 117 points, 33 points more than the closest rival. In fact, he even scored a try against Pasadena, something that only 2 other players were able to do. Vincent is a player to watch in the future, he will grow into a great rugger.
Mark Frazier, Pasadena RFC, Division champions. What can you say about the hardest hitting, quickest thinking, fastest running player on the team in a 144 lb package. Not enough. Frazier is like a geeked out Jack Russel Terrier. At every single break down ( well, he is scrum half) before the ball even hits the deck, he’s spinning it wide, running it weak, or dumping it off to a rampaging forward. Frazier scored 6 tries in the regular season and 5 more in the play offs, caused innumerable turn-overs on defense, and was responsible in one way or another for most of the tries being scored by Pasadena this year. Frazier was awarded the best back, best offensive player, and team mvp award this year, and it was a long time coming.
This year, SCRFU had an opportunity to legitimize this award by recognizing the actual most valuable player. Now I’m a Pasadena guy, so I was hoping that Frazier would be recognized as what he is, the division’s MVP. When I saw the process that was used to select the MVP, however, I realized that there was a good possibility that something nefarious would happen. The MVP was nominated by coaches, and voted on by coaches, referees, and the SCRFU executive committee. Numerically, the largest group of voters, if the SCRFU website is accurate, is the SCRFU executive committee. In looking at the names of those folks, the only people that I saw at any games were Jim Ciampa and Chris Caufield. The second largest group of voters is the referees, many of whom do not referee blue division games.
Well, Brian, Vince, and Frazier, I suggest that you become referees and get on SCRFU’s executive committee if you want to be division MVP’s because politics and cronyism are alive and well in Southern California Rugby. Caufield, it’s your turn next year. In the meantime, would you like a Pasadena Man of the Match glass? They’re practically free.
****************************************************************************
Agree or disagree, I think Allen makes some pretty strong arguments. Without trying to distract from any of his points and having had some time to reflect on this issue since I originally posted my misgivings back in Sept, I have come to the following conclusions:
First To discount or question the process does not mean that I find illegitimacy in the recognition we received. People are just now figuring out what I’ve known for 10 years- Pasadena Rugby and its members are kick ass. No shit Sherlock. Welcome to the game. The sky is also blue, baseball is a lame sport and Lincoln is the capitol of Nebraska. I am also a loud drunk.
Second, agree or disagree, awards like this are not going to go away. Like the Blue Griffins, if the process can be revised and legitimized then there might be some merit (so long as you can buy into the process of individualizing players in a sport whose success depends on the contrary). What merit you ask? How about to shine the light on the efforts put in by some outside of the game itself in order to highlight how this sport is a metaphor of how to live- in non-selfish support of others. Jim Ciampa hasn’t laced up his boots in almost 5 years but he continues to give. Alexis could be at home arranging his action figures and making midnight calls to Tyler in a whispered voice but instead is hitting the streets trying to figure out how this Club is going to Give Back. Non-selfish play and support. This is something that our Coach drives home every practice and maybe recognition of his efforts and that of our members can help deliver this message to others. I don’t expect Belmont Shore to take the time to develop a youth side or to go out into the community and take the time to change the public’s perception of rugby but if we helped plant the seed or changed the perception of what a rugby club can and should be, then fanfuckingtastic. Maybe… maaaaaybe clubs that exist on the fringe will begin to be included in the dialogue. Hey- if we are the hood ornament on the short bus, then so be it. Pretty sure that short buss can plow through a crowd at the buss stop with just as much ease.
Lastly, I think the biggest shock of the evening (for everyone who doesn’t pay Pasadena dues) is that Keegan was voted Prom King over some dude who just vacationed in the South of France to get his ass kicked by everyone in the tournament except Japan, Namibia and a few of the handy capped junkies passed out in the Paris underground. And now he has to move to France to play “professional French” rugby, whatever that is. This poor fucker can’t get a break. He now must know what our own Minister sees every day he looks in the mirror: gnireffus si efil.
No wonder he looks so pissed.
Here we see Keegan settel into his new life as a professional bowler
Today on The 2nd Row we have a Special Guest Columnist, our very own Marksman of Mayhem, Allen “The Claw” Rooney. The intelligent reader will find Allen’s article not to be an attack on any individual but more a question of the system or process itself. The unintelligent reader will find this a slam against one of our own and will probably go on to harbor all sorts of nasty thoughts about divisiveness in which case I’d say you are a complete doushe and are missing the point. That is more of a disclaimer than Allen wanted me to post but he’s probably loading ammo right now and won’t see this until I’ve had a chance to butter him up with a couple pitchers of beer compliments of Colby’s reverse celebrity Look-alike Sloan. Here it is, enjoy:
*************************************************************************************
CRONYISM ALIVE AND WELL IN USA RUGBY.
By: Allen Rooney
Cronyism: Noun: favoritism shown to friends and associates (as by appointing them to positions without regard for their qualifications)
Having played rugby for some time now, I can say with some confidence that politics is part of the subculture. The tales of quality rugby players going to select side try outs only to find that the selectors wouldn’t consider players that weren’t from team x or division y are not just tales, they are fact. January 2007’s issue of Rugby magazine illustrates that this practice goes all the way to the highest levels of USA Rugby. The head coach of USA Rugby‘s national men‘s team, Peter Thorburn, in response to a question about the comparison between his selection process and that of prior Eagle teams had this to say: “ ………I can only see the results of some of those selections. It may be deemed as being critical, but I think they were very exclusive……I don’t know what their systems were, but by looking at their selections, I found apparent protection around certain players when we went to the first NA4 (national tryouts)- they were basically guaranteed that they were going to be on the Eagles.”
If this politicking is evident at the top, it certainly is rampant at the bottom. The awarding of Pasadena’s Man of the Match glasses has become very similar to the spinning of a roulette wheel, with a once prized symbol of kicking ass on the rugby field being spread around to everyone. I don’t know the reason for this, maybe it is so nobody gets their feelings hurt. Everyone knows that Keegan, Casey, Frazier and Andy should have a cupboard full of them. Maybe It does get a little difficult on a team like Pasadena RFC’s 2007 edition, because we had a great team made up of decent and unselfish players (both on the field and on the sidelines). Nonetheless, an award to recognize rugby excellence is not to be used as a feel good lozenge. A pat on the back will suffice for most of us.
The 2006 SCRFU award for Blue Division MVP went to Eagle Rock’s JP. I have played against JP since I moved to California in 1997. I certainly recognize his aggressiveness, tenacity, and physical ability as something that is vital on the rugby field. In fact, if JP had been a player in a club that taught teamwork, fitness, and class (the three principles of rugby), he would have been an incredible player. 2006 Blue Division MVP? I don’t think so. Most people I talked to found it funny that this award went to a guy that, while standing in the try zone waiting for (another) conversion attempt to be made against his team in a lopsided loss said “you know who I am, I’m the division MVP.” Perhaps only EARC players had access to computers.
The 2007 season rolls around, Pasadena RFC crushes all opposition handily, makes major contributions off the field, and does everything I could want except win nationals and keep my house clean. When the time for nominating an MVP came around, some Pasadena players that were deserving of consideration for the award, such as Keegan, Casey, Dean, John John, and Andy, were not nominated. So be it, we aren't EARC, so we don't nominate our entire team. Among the players that were nominated division wide, 3 players stand head, shoulders, chest, and midsection above the other nominee’s. In order of their teams finish in the SCRFU Blue Division 2007 championship, here they are.
Brian Wolf, OC Bucks, Division Semifinalists. Brian plays inside center. There are several ways to describe Brian, most of them dealing with the fact that he is built like a genetic experiment gone horribly awesome. Tackling Brian is not a job for those faint of heart or fond of mirrors because he will hurt you in the offing. But the real indication of his ability is revealed in a peek at the Blue Division ‘s Scorers table as provided by Alan Johnson (great idea, Alan, it made the season very interesting). Wolf scored 6 tries for himself, but look at the name just above his. Brandon Fischer is the Buck’s outside center. He is a rookie. He also has 6 tries. I can only imagine that the extra defensive pressure that must be put on Brian left Brandon in the gap frequently. Those 6 tries of Fischer’s are as much Wolf’s as Fischer.
Vincent McGlade, SOC Gators, Division finalists. Vince is a center as well as the team’s points kicker. He’s still wet behind the years, not even 20 years old. The scorers table shows that he had 12 tries, 18 conversions, and 7 goals for a division leading 117 points, 33 points more than the closest rival. In fact, he even scored a try against Pasadena, something that only 2 other players were able to do. Vincent is a player to watch in the future, he will grow into a great rugger.
Mark Frazier, Pasadena RFC, Division champions. What can you say about the hardest hitting, quickest thinking, fastest running player on the team in a 144 lb package. Not enough. Frazier is like a geeked out Jack Russel Terrier. At every single break down ( well, he is scrum half) before the ball even hits the deck, he’s spinning it wide, running it weak, or dumping it off to a rampaging forward. Frazier scored 6 tries in the regular season and 5 more in the play offs, caused innumerable turn-overs on defense, and was responsible in one way or another for most of the tries being scored by Pasadena this year. Frazier was awarded the best back, best offensive player, and team mvp award this year, and it was a long time coming.
This year, SCRFU had an opportunity to legitimize this award by recognizing the actual most valuable player. Now I’m a Pasadena guy, so I was hoping that Frazier would be recognized as what he is, the division’s MVP. When I saw the process that was used to select the MVP, however, I realized that there was a good possibility that something nefarious would happen. The MVP was nominated by coaches, and voted on by coaches, referees, and the SCRFU executive committee. Numerically, the largest group of voters, if the SCRFU website is accurate, is the SCRFU executive committee. In looking at the names of those folks, the only people that I saw at any games were Jim Ciampa and Chris Caufield. The second largest group of voters is the referees, many of whom do not referee blue division games.
Well, Brian, Vince, and Frazier, I suggest that you become referees and get on SCRFU’s executive committee if you want to be division MVP’s because politics and cronyism are alive and well in Southern California Rugby. Caufield, it’s your turn next year. In the meantime, would you like a Pasadena Man of the Match glass? They’re practically free.
****************************************************************************
Agree or disagree, I think Allen makes some pretty strong arguments. Without trying to distract from any of his points and having had some time to reflect on this issue since I originally posted my misgivings back in Sept, I have come to the following conclusions:
First To discount or question the process does not mean that I find illegitimacy in the recognition we received. People are just now figuring out what I’ve known for 10 years- Pasadena Rugby and its members are kick ass. No shit Sherlock. Welcome to the game. The sky is also blue, baseball is a lame sport and Lincoln is the capitol of Nebraska. I am also a loud drunk.
Second, agree or disagree, awards like this are not going to go away. Like the Blue Griffins, if the process can be revised and legitimized then there might be some merit (so long as you can buy into the process of individualizing players in a sport whose success depends on the contrary). What merit you ask? How about to shine the light on the efforts put in by some outside of the game itself in order to highlight how this sport is a metaphor of how to live- in non-selfish support of others. Jim Ciampa hasn’t laced up his boots in almost 5 years but he continues to give. Alexis could be at home arranging his action figures and making midnight calls to Tyler in a whispered voice but instead is hitting the streets trying to figure out how this Club is going to Give Back. Non-selfish play and support. This is something that our Coach drives home every practice and maybe recognition of his efforts and that of our members can help deliver this message to others. I don’t expect Belmont Shore to take the time to develop a youth side or to go out into the community and take the time to change the public’s perception of rugby but if we helped plant the seed or changed the perception of what a rugby club can and should be, then fanfuckingtastic. Maybe… maaaaaybe clubs that exist on the fringe will begin to be included in the dialogue. Hey- if we are the hood ornament on the short bus, then so be it. Pretty sure that short buss can plow through a crowd at the buss stop with just as much ease.
Lastly, I think the biggest shock of the evening (for everyone who doesn’t pay Pasadena dues) is that Keegan was voted Prom King over some dude who just vacationed in the South of France to get his ass kicked by everyone in the tournament except Japan, Namibia and a few of the handy capped junkies passed out in the Paris underground. And now he has to move to France to play “professional French” rugby, whatever that is. This poor fucker can’t get a break. He now must know what our own Minister sees every day he looks in the mirror: gnireffus si efil.
No wonder he looks so pissed.
Here we see Keegan settel into his new life as a professional bowler
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