This Week in Kickball: March 16

Hi all-

Hope everyone is off to a good start to their week. The dreary weather is supposed to clear out tomorrow morning and all the Maryland fans should be in good spirits for the Terps' inclusion in the bracket.

Game time for this week is 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday at Latrobe Park, Upper Field 2. If you've never been there, you can park in the school parking lot or along most of Fort Ave. (just pay attention to signs).

It sounds like most everybody has played before, but if you want a refresher on the rules, link here. There are not too many new rules this year, but here is a short version of what they talked about at the meeting:

• for those who were with us last year, the most pertinent is that any team can now be penalized for the bench standing too close to the field. Just remember to watch this.

• the league said there will be random roster checks, so bring a photo ID if you can, just in case we get checked

• If two runners are on the same base at the same time, the fielder has the choice of tagging either runner. The tagged runner is out, the other is safe.

• Every team has turn in a lineup before the game starts. Angie will take care of this, I'm only mentioning because they said they were going to be stricter about following the lineups this year so everyone needs to pay attention.

Sorry that it didn't work out so that everyone had a chance to meet before the first game. We will have shirts at the field for the first game, we are sapphire blue. We are the same color as last year, so if you want to wear a shirt from last year, that is fine too.

This week, we play "Kick in the Box," not to be confused with the SNL video. They were also off last week, so it will be Opening Day for both of us.

Memo from the coach

(the following message was also mailed to the team mailing list)

Hi everyone --

We are just one week away from the start of the season, on Wednesday March 11 (unless we get a bye the first week).

The final schedule is due to be out by "late this week," which I take to mean this Friday. I will get you the link and have the schedule up on the blog as as soon as that happens.

Today's important news is that we have added four free agents to round out the team -- Atlie, Jeff, Michael and Noah. Also joining the team this year for those who don't know them is Matt Seal (part of the Towson U. alum contingency) and Jackie Ernest (Jason's sister).

In order for everyone to have a chance to meet each other I am scheduling two events:

• Those who can make it are invited to a team Happy Hour on Friday at our official post-game headquarters — City Limits Sports Bar, which is across the street from where we play our games, Latrobe Park. I will be wearing my sapphire blue jersey and a Minnesota Twins hat for those who don't know me. We will plan to start at 6:30 p.m. and hang out wherever.

I am going to the coaches meeting on Thursday night so I will also update you on any new rules on Friday.

• Due to a revised forecast with no rain, we will again go for practice on Sunday at Latrobe Park from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.ish.

Any questions? Shoot me an e-mail or give me a call. Looking forward to the weekend and a new season!

-- Nate

Official communications from the league office

Well, weather canceled practice for the second straight week, but I guess we can't expect much else from March. Smarch is supposed to be even worse this year.

That said, our league office sent out an e-mail at 1 a.m. this Sunday with the following announcements:

1) The league rules meeting is this Thursday, March 5 at 7 p.m. No one really needs to go but me. There are league-sponsored Coors Light specials following that meeting at Don't Know and Pickled Parrot. I believe Don't Know is still under boycott status for most of our team so not sure whether we will be going there.

2) The final spring schedule is supposed to be released the same night.

No word on our free agents and given the forecast I'm not sure about the next date for a potential practice. More updates as they come.

--Nate

Spring Training starts on Sunday

We Just Blue Ourselves is set to open spring camp this weekend with a practice at 1 p.m. this Sunday, probably at Latrobe Park.

Coming off a sometimes rocky 1-6 premiere season, Blue will look to turn around some of last year's close losses with the addition of two new players, Matt Seal, introduced at last week's team Happy Hour, and Jackie Ernest, sister of power kicker Jason Crook.

The team is also returning a majority of its core, and appear to have gotten star center fielder Zack Seprodi to come back for another year. However, a deal with shortstop Matt Marsden has yet to emerge.

Coach Sandstrom may also pull off an opponent to scrimmage on Sunday, however, those plans have yet to emerge.

Before there is Spring Training, there is Happy Hour

The spring 2008 season is less than six weeks away, but the temperatures may be still a little chilly to take the fields for practice.

Not to fret, there's plenty of time to rebuild that team chemistry — starting with the registration Happy Hour next Wednesday, Feb, 4, at Mother's from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

It looks like Devin will be taking the spring season off due to his work schedule, but I hope everyone else will be able to make it back.

Taking his place will be rookie Matt Seal, a kicker who can find the gaps in the defense.

Cost is $55 per person this season. Payment due by mid-February.

We could possibly use another free agent or two, so if you know someone who wants to join our spunky squad, let us know.

Here's the responses I've got from the e-mail I sent out a few weeks ago:
In: Nate, Allie, Jim, Matt Seal, Megan
Out: Devin
Don't Know: Adrian, Andrew, Becca, Jason, Lori, Mark, Matt Marsden, Zack

Hope to see you at the Happy Hour!

--Nate

Final touches readied for banquet

The pig is in the poke, meaning the awards are in the house. Added good news is that there is now only a 10 percent chance of rain tomorrow night.

My office is cleaner than usual, even though it inspired an argument between Allie and I.

Also, the potluck list is coming together and we are expecting nearly perfect attendance tomorrow. See you all then.

--Nate

Banquet Preview

So I guess I haven't updated this in a while, but give me a break! If I remember right, we won all the games I don't have results for, so it's going to take a while to update all those stats.

I have started compiling a list of what everyone is bringing. Click on each item if you want a preview.

Please remember not to go to any clubs with a gun in the waist band of your sweat pants this week, we don't want any bad press before the banquet.

-- Coach Nate