The Hourglass
March 3, 2003
A Publication of the Connecticut Grey Rugby Football Club
Click Here for Back Issues of The Hourglass
A BUSY RUN-UP TO THE SPRING SEASON
Spring Training is less than four weeks away and there's a lot of off-field activity, both social and in preparation for the season.
SPECIAL OLYMPICS 2003 WINTER GAMES
...Starting with this past weekend at the CL&P Service Center in Simsbury, where Tony & Jan Johnson, Tom Roncaioli, Joe Scandariato, Jim Riordan and Krissa (sorry if the spelling is wrong), Ed & Kathy Carr, Mike Kosilla & Sons, and Dean & Aileen Jorgensen helped run the 100m Men's & Women's Cross-Country Skiing Race for the Connecticut Special Olympics Winter Games. Everyone had a great time, even in the freezing Sunday morning rain. The competition was spirited and the coffee and hot chocolate kept everyone warm, if not dry.
Many thanks to Tony for again organizing the Grey's efforts. The Special Olympics movement has a profound effect on the lives of thousands, including those who volunteer at events like the 2003 Winter Games.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING THIS THURSDAY
There's a double-header this Thursday, March 6. Tony will convene a meeting of the Executive Committee at 6:30 at his Kensington home. We'll go over the spring schedule and discuss special arrangements for the Falatyn Memorial game, and the Franconia and Block Island weekends.
BARBADOS TOUR COMMITTEE MEETING THIS THURSDAY
Right after the Executive Committee meeting, we'll move straight into a discussion of the February 2004 Barbados Tour. We'll be getting into the details of tour kit, sponsorship, brochure design, and fundraising.
All club members are invited to attend both these meetings. If you plan to attend, please let Tony know and pack along the beverage of your choice.
SPRING SEASON AND AVAILABILITY POLL
There are only a couple of minor changes to the schedule that was sent out a couple of weeks ago. First, it's looking less and less likely that we will play on April 12. However, if we do succeed in securing a home fixture in the next couple of weeks, we will send out a notice right away. Second, the 2nd Annual John Falatyn Memorial Match against the Mid Hudson Old Dogs has been shifted from Sunday 5/18 to Saturday 5/17. As we have done the past couple of seasons now, please copy and paste the following schedule into an e-mail to Dean and put your availability (yes, no, or maybe) next to each match. This doesn't commit you, but it does let Eddie and John know if they need to apply a little pressure ahead of time to ensure a full (and balanced) side. We're especially anxious to know if we will be traveling to Long Island at full strength for the 5/10 Long Island Tourney.
Also, Mike Guzzio has asked us to let you know that his New Jersey retro-pad will be available for anyone who wants to travel down on Friday and crash the night before the Morris game on April 26. You can check in with Guz at any of the matches before then or send him an e-mail.
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Date ..... Opponent ..... Venue
3/30 (Sunday) ..... Training .....
Home (PNA Park)
4/5 ..... Berkshire ..... Away
4/12 ..... No Game (Subject to
Change)
4/19 ..... No Game (Easter
Weekend)
4/26 ..... Morris ..... Away
5/3 ..... New Haven Old Boys .....
Away
5/10 ..... Long Island Tournament
..... Long Beach, N.Y.
5/17 ..... Mid Hudson Old Dogs .....
Away
5/24 ..... No Game (Memorial Day
Weekend)
5/31 ..... Massachusetts Old Boys
..... Home
6/7 ..... Old Men of the Mountain
Festival ..... Franconia, N.H.
7/26 ..... Rhody Old Cocks .....
Block Island, R.I.
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JOHN FALATYN RUGBY JERSEYS
And on a related note, several members of the Grey approached Joe Scan after last year's Falatyn Memorial Match and inquired about purchasing a jersey. Pete McNierney and Scan are getting ready to order more jerseys. If you want to order an Old Dog Jersey (cotton / poly mix red short sleeve with black collar and black, white & blue stripe on each sleeve, embroidered Mid Hudson Old Dog on chest and John's initials "JRF" embroidered on the back) please send Pete an e-mail with your size requirement and any other inquiries (including price).
CONNECTICUT JAMMERS QUAD RUGBY
by Elton B. Harvey III
In other news, the 2002-2003 Quad Rugby Season has just ended. We traveled to Maine, New Jersey, Philadelphia and San Antonio Texas. Our equipment manager has just taken a job in Dallas so we have some career opportunities available for the Greys. Difficult season, due to injuries and personnel changes, we played most tournaments with only 4 players for a total of 6 points (You need 4 players and can have up to 8 points on the field). Despite that, we held our own against stiff competition. The season runs from late September to March with a tournament each month. We practice twice a week, currently on Tues. night and Saturday morning at New Horizons Village in Unionville, Ct. We are looking for some more able-bodied support (AB's) in the following areas:
Head Mechanic: Similar to the pit crew on the NASCAR circuit, the ideal candidate should be able to change a bicycle tire on the fly in the middle of a game, be experienced in the dynamics of sheet metal repair and have a PHD in Duct Taping. The less than ideal candidate will be one who is breathing. The fine print in the job description involves keeping the equipment in good repair, making sure we have enough spare wheels for the inevitable mid-game blow out, and being generally in charge of getting the equipment to and from practice and games with the assistance of the Equipment Manager.
Equipment Manager/Trainer: Main job, getting the equipment to and from the storage closet before practice and games, setting up the chairs for practice and games, assisting players with taping, equipment needs.
Both Head Mechanic and Equipment Manager should have the ability to, on a moment's notice, drop what they are doing and climb into a chair to provide offensive or defensive support during practices.
Pay Scale: Faggetaboudit.
Hours: More than your spouse/significant other will be happy with
Travel: Yes, far away exotic places like Hoboken. Most tournaments are Friday, Saturday & Sunday. Sometimes we travel Thursday night to be available for a mid-afternoon Friday game. Depends on where the tournament is.
Small Print: This is definitely a commitment but a most rewarding one. Good core group of players, team is rebuilding and needs AB support. Main funding comes from Gaylord Hospital which picks up the tab for meals, lodging, tournament fees, when traveling. But if something needs to be done, it is generally up to the volunteers to do it. It is understood that not all players or support staff can make all practices and games but it does require a commitment to be there whenever possible. Any questions, call Bud Harvey at 860-677-5424 or 800-954-4665.
SCREW-UPS OF THE YEAR
1. The chef at a hotel in Switzerland lost a finger in a meat cutting machine, and, after a little hopping around, submitted a claim to his insurance company. The company, suspecting negligence, sent out one of its men to have a look for himself. He tried the machine out and lost a finger. The chef's claim was approved.
2. A man who shoveled snow for an hour to clear a space for his car during a blizzard in Chicago returned with his vehicle to find a woman had taken the space. Understandably, he shot her.
3. An American teenager was in the hospital yesterday recovering from serious head wounds received from an oncoming train. When asked how he received the injuries, the lad told police that he was simply trying to see how close he could get his head to a moving train before he was hit.
4. Mourners at the funeral of Anna Bochinsky in Moinesti, Rumania, were naturally somewhat taken aback when she abruptly leapt from her coffin as it was being carried to the grave. Before they could react to this unexpected outburst, the woman bounded into the nearest road, where she was run over and killed by a passing car.
5. In Minneapolis, 28 year old Derrick L Richardson has been charged with third degree murder of his much loved cousin, Ken E. Richardson. According to local police, Derrick had suggested to Ken that they play a game of Russian Roulette, but, having no revolver, instead put a semi-automatic pistol to his cousin's head. Apparently, he did not realize that one bullet always loads into the firing chamber of a semi-automatic.
6. A mother took her daughter to the doctor and asked him to give her an examination to determine the cause of her swollen abdomen. It only took the doctor about two seconds to say, "Your daughter is pregnant." The mother turned red with fury and argued with the doctor that her daughter was a good girl and would never compromise her reputation by having sex with a boy. The doctor turned to the window and silently watched the horizon. The mother became enraged and screamed, "Quit looking out the window! Aren't you paying attention to me?!" "Yes, of course I'm paying attention, ma'am. It's just that the last time this happened, a star appeared in the East and three wise men came. I was hoping that they would show up again and help me figure out how your daughter got pregnant."
That is all.
