Week 9: Toe-tally Proud

Game 1 - In Toe-tality

Just enough bodies appeared to begin stomping down the wet, tall grass in time for our 2nd game. Unsure of exactly how long that would take, a pre-game decision was made to elongate to 17 points - a choice which speaks to both teams’ quality control pledge.

Sludge had the early step, up 3-1. A turn of brown’s fortunes were afoot due to ReRun’s deep lumberjack huck that became gallingly unstoppable. Down 7-8 at halftime.

Sludge’s dewed feet finally caught up at 10-10, then finally overtook the broadcast at 12-11.

Suffice it toe say, Sludge were on their heels most of the game as victims of lazy throws in the slight wind and a no-can-D their tall guy. Offense patiently sputtered in ‘Run’s Re-lentless zone to an arching 14-11 lead, only to fall bunion 14-15. It’s not like these extra points will have any affect in our next game.

At 16-15, MicHael’s fascia-nating layout D helped Sludge finally put their foot down.

Win 17-15.

:Game Notes:
Joe McBENEDICT went over to the enemy who only had 3 guys to go with their 5 women (which is the reason we rented out Marcy ("awesome" in the immortal words of our own awesome Amy).

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After a long tough game, Nigel and Andrew left for familial obligations while Christy's family left her to play on Mother's Day weekend. This left Sludge already losing (8 7 to their 15); 1 on the injured-reserve "I could play a few points if the field was flatter" captain + 5 males + 2 females.

The “SLavage Seven” was in an enviable position to be playing more utly on a gorgeous day. A thirst certainly quenched in the first game. Brown’s ineluctable situation was having the 12:15pm-Saturday-pickup energy level tested against the sprightly blue-uniformed new arrivals.

Hang on to your floppy hat. Slip on the knee braces. The next 28 points are super sunny and gonna make you weak in the knees...
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Game 2: SLavage
[Contributor: CH checking in from the sideline.]

Jokes started flying about not playing & how quickly Sludge would be squished by the younger (by a considerable margin) & plentiful (15-17 ppl) SnaxPax. This is the same team who snacked on us in the quarterfinal round almost 2 years ago back on the same Lake Fairfax fields.

Mom always sez: If you don’t stop cyring, I am going to give you something to cry about!

Starting in this vein, the sidelined captain wisely chose to place MattHew, CHris, David, Amy, Christy, Joe and MicHael as the starting seven. As if brown was swarmed by a group of newly blue-belted ninjas, this group got beat down 0-2, 1-3, 2-6.

At which point the non-playing captain called a time out and must have said something inspirational (yet to this day, no one remembers what he said, there, but in sludge archives, the sludge world will long remember what really happened!) for then the little Sludge pellets inside each team member grew ten times that day!

Mom always sez: Don’t make me come in there!

Before the next cloud passed, the score closed to 6-4 and then 6-6 so the young'uns called a captain-jedi’d T.O. & righted their legs to a 6-8 halftime lead.

Receiving the pull with the wind to start the second half, the wind, it was a changin' bcs Sludge swept with a 4-point MOMentum swing to achieve the win of who-could-get-to-double-digits-first. Win (lead) 10-8!

Mom always sez:I am doing this for your own good.

Sludge utilized a mix of person defense & a streamlined offense strategy - one person cutting bcs others were too fumed. During this run, MattHew "I'm-sorry-I-made-a-less-than-perfect-throw" managed to intercept an errant crossing pass in the end zone for a Callahan. Also during this run, David "How do my hamstrings look? -cuz they feel tight" had a great at-the-cone D to prevent a score. CHris creatively bashed a disc out of the air and played hurt the rest of the game. Bucci continually made long cuts. Christy consistently played a crucial role near the end zone and Joe made some wise passes.

Did I mention that CHris, MattHew, Joe, David, MicHael, Amy and Christy played every single point of this second game?

Mom always sez: I don’t care who started it; it’s up to you to stop it!

At any rate, after 24 points the young'uns finally tied it at 12-12. The spirit was still willing, but the flesh was weakening as El Floppy Hat Captain reminded "You seven are doing an incredible job against their 16 players who are a whole lot younger (he probably shouldn't have thrown that part in) than you and you are hanging in there and causing them to argue with one another and change their lineups and plan a special O team and D line......" didn't work quite as well as the last 3 times he announced it!

Mom always sez: This hurts me far more than it hurts you!

Now going deep into the second game at 12-12, water and sports drinks were being pooled together and shared in true WWI fashion. I will spare you the last couple points, but SLavage was able to eek out 1 more point, but wasn’t able to Klingon. Loss 13-15.

From this reporter's vantage point (constantly shifting up and down the soggy sidelines hoping someone would invite him in as a part-time substitute) it was a proud day for Sludge. While others may be calling for the old BandROWagoN to be retired, it seems that the SLUDGE will not go gently into that good night.

As the captain was heard to say as he left the playing fields, I am confident all moms would be unconditionally proud of Sludge.

Mom always sez: Always wear clean underwear; you never know when you will be in an accident incredibly long, well-matched Frisbee games.