February 08, 2004

Unlikely dribbler unleashes flood

Pig Farming Goalie wasn't supposed to play Sunday, let alone score the decisive goal.

The veteran shotstopper, playing his first game of the season despite his doctor's recommendation to stay off the knee he severly injured in the off-season, trickled a spinning backhander past a befuddled Gump to spark his team to five unanswered goals and a 25-17 win. More importantly, it ended a remarkable drought that had allowed their outgunned opponents to turn a ten-goal rout into a three-goal nailbiter.

"It was very important to get that goal," says the unlikely scorer, who made a rare start as a forward. "I think the hope they had was gone."

Especially for Gump, who had overcome a shaky start to stonewall his opponents and gave his team the confidence they needed to battle their back into the game. But after holding his thumb in the dike to forge his side's comeback, Pig Farming Goalie's dribbler unleashed the floodgates.

"Getting that bad goal just takes its toll," says the beaten backstop, who lost his fourth straight start. "Not only did it kill my confidence, but it killed it for everyone else on the team."

"Something like that goes in, and it's deflating," says New Guy. "We let in a soft goal, they got some bounces, and then they're on their way to a win."

"I think it greatly affected us," says Wink, who ended up on the losing side for the second straight week. "It was just a bad break. We were getting the breaks and then all of a sudden the breaks were gone. We stopped believing things were going our way."

Indeed, for most of the game's middle stretch, it seemed momentum was on their side. Gump was a wall, time and again robbing the Kid and Bird in close, kicking out long shots by the Colonel and Roach with aplomb. Meanwhile, at the other end, the scorers finally seemed to solve the riddle of Lak Attack, who looked fallible letting in seven straight goals.

"I think we realized we don't have to be perfect to score on Lak," says Wink. "Shoot the ball, go to the net and you make things happen. I think we really had some flow."

"We were coming on strong, making things happen," says Wendel, who returned to the courts after missing last week's game. "We knew we could make things happen, we just had to believe in ourselves."

"We had them, we were coming on and they were going down," says New Guy. "We came back from being down by ten, and that takes a lot of intestinal fortitude."

As the gap narrowed to three goals, the tension on the courts became palpable. Pig Farming Goalie battled the boards with Wendel and carried their feud into the corner. Bird gooned rookie runner Bon Jovi and then was on the receiving end of a vicious hack by New Guy.

"The other team started to get a little overconfident," says New Guy, who quickly paid for his indiscretion with a swipe from his arch-rival, the Colonel. "I think that really fired us up."

"It was rough," says Gump. "We really had a streak going, they were struggling, they weren't getting good quality shots."

"I think maybe we were anxious," says Pig Farming Goalie. "It was difficult, they were making big comeback."

"Tempers got a little frayed," says Billy Idol. "We were lucky to come out with a win on that one."

Posted by jaysuburb at February 8, 2004 05:09 PM
Comments

Hurry up and come back Ottoman. I can't play goal for a while, not a chance; too much twisting directly on the knee. It'll blow my ACL fully. However, judging from goaltending i saw this weekend, your pads will be welcome. Gump stood on his head only after spotting us the first 20 goals, and Lak--well, Lak was good, but dammit, he belongs out on the court scoring goals! He just looked weird. And really, it was my defense that was making him look good. that goal line scoop that i got after he missed the puck was pure PFG, if i say so myself. What do you mean, ego?
And PaulOne, 'od' of course means 'odd'. Like Lobsterboy's attire.

Posted by: pfg at February 11, 2004 11:59 PM

Who?

Posted by: PaulOne at February 11, 2004 12:27 PM

It isn't the same without Hired Gun Dixon Tam.

Posted by: Road Warrior at February 11, 2004 10:18 AM

I think I've got "B" figured out. Here's the definition right out of the dictionary

June Beetle - "any of various large usually brown North American leaf-eating beetles common in late spring."

Enjoy your salads and see you early April.

Posted by: PaulOne at February 11, 2004 08:21 AM

Not to mention the effect that his growing midsection has on the deepening depression in his couch.

Beetle, from this point forward you should be known simply as "Sniffles" because you seem to have them here, there, and everywhere.

Sniff, sniff, it's too cold to play … sniff, sniff, my ankle hurts a little bit … sniff, sniff, it looks like it might rain later … sniff, sniff, I think I might have to work this week … sniff, sniff, I’m Mr. Sniffles!

Posted by: TheColonel at February 10, 2004 11:31 PM

What about the effect of Beetle Boy's ankle on the weather?

Posted by: Living Legend at February 10, 2004 09:27 PM

...or look for him the week after that...or maybe the next one after that one depending on the ankle ...or the weather...or the weather's effect on his ankle... just look for him.

Posted by: elvis at February 10, 2004 04:12 PM

Read the injury report....I reinjured my ankle playing unsanctioned ball hockey...and believe me I was pissed about missing the best road-hockey weather we've had in quite a while. Look for me to return this Sunday or next...

Nice to see PFG is back on the courts!

Posted by: Beetle Boy at February 10, 2004 02:02 PM

PFG,
Nice work, coming back from rehab and a road trip overseas. Was this a one time thing, or will this carry on?

Also, I'm probably ready to start playing again, but it looks like there isn't a need at the moment. I may come out this Sunday and if there's a huge turnout again, guys can stay warmed up by shooting on me in the other court.

Posted by: ottoman at February 10, 2004 12:27 PM

Pfg,

Did you mean to say Beetle's non-show was very

Odd or Old? (i.e. "is very od.") I say the latter.

Questions:
Didn't Beetle win the MVP last year?

Is he leading the way to a MIA award this year?

Has anyone used the word "Primadonna" in a post yet?


Posted by: PaulOne at February 10, 2004 11:46 AM

i think real question is, what happened to beetle boy? on clearest day of new year with huge turnout, fair weather boy didn't show. is very od.

Posted by: pfg at February 10, 2004 11:13 AM

Wink, you're just jealous you didn't get any of the good loving. The Colonel's got a generous heart, I'm sure if you ask him nicely he'll be happy to oblige.

Posted by: Wendel at February 10, 2004 09:59 AM

Sanctions against Colonel!!! Sanctions against Colonel!!!

Posted by: Wink at February 10, 2004 09:46 AM

I can assure you, he definitely took more than "one for the team"

Posted by: TheColonel at February 10, 2004 09:44 AM

Sanctions against Wendel!!! Sanctions against Wendel!!!

Posted by: Wink at February 10, 2004 08:25 AM

Looked to me like they needed a room not sanctions. But hey, if that's what it takes to get Colonel to calm down and put a smile back on his face ... thanks to Rudy for taking one for the team!

Posted by: Wendel at February 10, 2004 08:14 AM

Sanctions against Rudy!!!!Sanctions against Rudy!!!

Posted by: Win at February 9, 2004 08:33 AM

Man that Rudy has a bony ass! Ouch!

Posted by: TheColonel at February 8, 2004 11:13 PM

Sanctions against that dirty Bird!!! I demand sanctions, dammit!!!

Posted by: Wink at February 8, 2004 09:02 PM

All ov you know i em last one to want to make juvenile comment about hockey--i am serious about game, both on court and offf--but really, that picture of Colonel and Rudy take huge big cake. The pained look on Rudy's face tell all. Colonel not just back checking, he is back door checking...
and is my knee that is sprained, not ankle. that was last april.

Posted by: pfg at February 8, 2004 08:40 PM