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Billy bags first win

Billy Idol hasn't been having a whole lot of fun so far this season. But Sunday, as the clock ran down on his team's stunning 20-12 win, his smile beamed from behind his protective mask.

For the yeoman backup, who's been pressed into the big leg pads as Sunday Morning Road Hockey's regular shotstoppers recover from off-season injuries, it was his first win in four starts, dating back to the Midsummer's Eve exhibition game in August. For his team, playing with one less substitute and a distinct size disadvantage, it was a victory as unlikely as it was resounding.

With history, and the odds, seemingly stacked against him, Billy Idol stifled opponents' breakaways and smothered their rebounds, while his mates used their speed and cunning to unleash a withering attack of odd-man rushes. It was, says the rock-and-roll rearguard, a total team effort.

"I felt like I saw the ball better, I played my position better. And we had good offense today, we just kept going at them."

"Billy Idol was making the key saves," says Unabomber, who led his team's transition game with heads-up passes to streaking wingers, Kid and Bird. "We knew we just had to work a little harder, play with a harder work ethic."

The effort paid off immediately, as the underdogs never trailed, never allowed their lead to shrink to less than two goals.

"We never had it going right," says Elvis of his side's anemic performance. "We were behind the eight ball from the very beginning."

"We were fat and lazy, it was embarrassing," says Wink, clearly agitated. "We were a bunch of lazy scumbags, and they worked hard."

Indeed, the winners got big efforts from all four of their runners, as each of them contributed five goals. But none may have been so devastating as the Living Legend's natural hattrick that broke open a tight 8-6 game. The unlikely goals seemed to spark his mates and boost their confidence.

"Right after the Legend's hattrick, we just started peppering them with shots," says Unabomber. "I think it rattled them a bit. They kept leaving us open, and with our defense pinching in, we were able to find those open holes."

"That's sorta like watching lightning strike twice," says Wendel of the veteran forward's offensive outburst. "It's just one of those freak things that shatters your confidence for the rest of the game."

"This one feels good," says Billy Idol.

Posted by jaysuburb at October 24, 2004 04:11 PM