Author: Flintstone (Page 5 of 23)

11 HIM put in miles this morning, and 11 HIM met for coffee and a discussion about Admiral William McRaven, former Commander of the US Joint Special Operations Committee, whose notable achievements include commanding the troops that captured Saddam Hussein & rescued Captain Philips and developing the plan for Operation Neptune’s Spear, the mission that led to Osama Bin Laden being brought to justice.  For all this, our group this morning dubbed him “The Forrest Gump of the Military”.

McRaven’s books have been the subject of our QSource discussions at the Coconut Horse since about summertime, so I thought he might be a good leader to focus on for the day, to provide a little crossover between the two QSource sites.  Today’s discussion highlighted some biographical information and stories from his life, along with lessons from “Make Your Bed” and “The Wisdom of the Bullfrog“, two of his books on Leadership.

Discussions today included:

• Start Your Day with a Task Completed
  • Whether it’s making your bed, posting, prayer, or any other number of things, that morning routine starts the day off right.
• Everyone has a Plan until they get Punched in the Mouth
  • During Operation Neptune’s Spear, the first helicopter crashed, but the SEALs were prepared, with a Plan B and a Plan C that they executed to perfection, still finishing the mission ahead of schedule.
  • Preparation includes being Devil’s Advocate and going through all the “What ifs”.  For a plan for something important to be successful, it has to stand up to getting “punched in the mouth”
• We Always have Something to Prove
  • McRaven was seriously injured during a jump in 2001, resulting in his legs being caught and pulled in opposite directions as his parachute opened.  After a long recovery, he described a time when he was putting in work during morning PT.  Other SEALs wondered why after all he had been through, was he completing the 10 mile run with the other SEALs.  According to them, he didn’t have anything to prove.  He said “The day you no longer believe you have something to prove is the day you are no longer the right leader for the job.”
  • “The only easy day was yesterday.”  The grind don’t quit.
• Don’t Ever Ring the Bell
  • In SEAL training, you don’t have to endure all the hardships.  All you have to do is ring the big bell three times and it’s all done.  But don’t ever ring the bell, because if you do, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.
  • Life is hard, and there are easier ways, but the right way requires strength and perseverance.  Grit through what you’re going through.  As Gold Digger told me this morning about distance running: “The pain comes in phases, but the phases always end.  If something hurts, just keep going, soon enough, it’ll stop hurting”.
  • Freight also made a pitch for running, saying that “you always regret stopping to walk when you didn’t have to”.

Great discussion with a great group of HIMs today.  What we do in The Gloom prepares us for what we do outside of it.

Thanks to Blart for letting me grab the Q and complete my Bingo Card of Qing the F3 Gastonia AOs.  I guess it’s only temporary though, because we’ve got the new AO at Life Church in Cramerton.  I guess it’s never over & the grind don’t quit.

Yabba Dabba Doo

YHC has always been a fan of the Thanksgiving Beatdown, probably going back to the legendary Triple Post Thanksgiving of 2020, which was coincidentally right in the middle of Roscoe’s November Challenge of that year which was a big foundation for the growth and development of YHC.  When the Q was open a week out at The Goat, it needed to be gobbled up, and the excitement started.

Thanksgiving is a time for turkey.  A turkey in bowling is 3 strikes in a row.  There’s a theme brewing here.

Plans were made for a big crowd based on some chatter on Slack the night before.  The HCs were coming in strong.  It was going to be a lively bunch.

Fast forward to 0528 on Thanksgiving morning, and there’s 3 of us there:  Watts Up, Breaker Breaker, and YHC.  Shoot, 3 is the number of the day, so we’re good to go, but the headlights started showing up for a late arriving crowd.  Receipts were written for the HCs that didn’t show, and we got to business.

The Thang:

• 10 x Don Qs (IC) in the F&B parking lot – and they’re already giving the Q an earful because 10 isn’t divisible by 3

Let’s get out of this lot.  Move to the road in front of Confluence for

• Tesla Stretches
• 15 x Goofballs (IC)

Time next for a Triple Triple – obviously a Triple Nickel with 3 exercises, 3 reps, 3 rounds

• Run from the Post Office to the Stop sign
• 3 x Mike Tysons
• Run back
• 3 x Bobby Hurleys
• 3 rounds total

Next, we had 3 core exercises to do, so we planted right in front of the alleyway before the post office that leads to the long set of stairs.  Right in the middle of the road, but no one is coming, right?

• 20 x American Hammers (IC)
• 20 x Toe Touches (IC)

Somebody came, driving a truck, just to drop off a package at 0545 in the morning.  She apologized, but we hate she missed the…

• 20 x Spatchcocks (IC), correctly done with the echo of “Spatchcock” ringing out at the end of every 4 count.  These guys are pros.

Staring down the alley, there’s a strategically placed cone, with the suggestion of “3 Kraken Burpees”, which we would do every time we passed that cone for the rest of the workout.

• 3 x Kraken Burpees (OYO)

Now we get into groups of 3s, for the “Turkey Dinner”, which was some complicated nonsense that was obviously not as bad as it sounded.

2 partners stay together and work through a circuit around the main block of shops and restaurants at the base of the steps.  4 corners, no stacking with the following:

• 30 x Squats (OYO)
• 30 x Merkins (OYO)
• 30 x Flutter Kicks (OYO)
• 3 x Kraken Burpees (OYO)

The 3rd partner leaves the group to climb the stairs, then chooses to jump rope or do monkey humpers, before running around the building to the Kraken Burpees cone before repeating that process 3 times.

• Climb Stairs
• 30 x Jump Ropes or Monkey Humpers (OYO)
• Run around building
• 3 x Kraken Burpees
• Repeat for 3 rounds total

Once finished with 3 rounds, the 3rd partner finds the other 2 and swaps out with one PAX, so there was always 2 partners working together through the 4 exercises and always 1 on the triple course, swapping out when they get finished with the triple course until everyone finished the triple course.

The Merkins got tough, probably as a result of a stupid number of sets of 3 Kraken Burpees that just snuck up on us, but we pushed on.

Dessert was supposed to be 300 Moroccan Nightclubs, divided up among each group of 3 PAX, but we didn’t really have time for dessert today, and we were saving room for the Pumpkin Pie later today.

Round 2 of Core:

• 15 x American Hammers (IC)
• 15 x Toe Touches (IC)
• 15 x Spatchcocks (IC)

Divisibility problem solved.

Last up in our groups was a little “Zombie Apocalypse”, which was a new one where the group of 3 PAX

• Zombie Walk

the length of the store fronts, from the statue to the Stop sign, with 1 PAX breaking off at a time to mosey to the Stop sign for

• 3 x Jungle Boy Squats (OYO)

and then mosey back.  The mosey distance gets shorter each time, but it was a funny sight to see a line of PAX Zombie Walking towards you as you’re running towards them.

Anyways, we finished that, but right at the end, so we didn’t get to Round 3 of the Core work.  Plenty of 3s on the day though.

We pledged at COT, and were led by Goose on an impromptu discussion of what we were thankful for.  It was a good discussion, and we all know not to take COT for granted, and at the same time, sometimes we can lose track of just how important the COT is.  The honesty and humility are part of what makes it not just a workout group.

I think we all got what we paid for.  It was a privilege to lead this group and get our Thanksgiving’s off to a good start.

Yabba Dabba Doo

12 men got in some miles in all different ways.  Rooney, fresh off his first post showed up seemingly unsure of what he’d gotten himself into.  He jumped in with Chili and his big brother Slaw, and Cherie Berry caught up to them for a little run/walk action.  If there’s an EH’er of the year award, it goes to Cherie Berry this year for bringing out everyone he knows.  Then again, Hunchback even brought out his dog, so there’s still work to do, CB.

Anyways, everyone made it back to the COT by their normal time, except for the Site Q, who was relying on the clock in downtown Dallas that apparently hasn’t been right in years.

The Chubbs/Rum Runner combo has made a consistent presence at COTs in Dallas lately, though they must be with Bedpan using that Dallas clock.

Good job men.  Thanks for the opportunity to lead.

Yabba Dabba Doo

9 PAX posted.  We did block work.  We didn’t run.  Looked good on paper.  Not so much in practice.  Highlights included:

Wiki quoting the movie “Airplane” with “Have you ever been in a Turkish Prison?” which led to a good bit of laughter and maybe even some silent “Harrumphing”.

And that was about it.

No grown men were seen naked and no white women were harmed during the workout.

As for what we did?  Doesn’t matter.  I mean, we did some block swings and a double farmers carry, passed blocks from side to side, and Zombie walked.  Not YHC’s finest work.  Wojo took off running at the mention of blocks and was probably better for it.

First bootcamp Q in over 2 months and YHC was a bit rusty.  More to come.  Glad to be back.

Yabba Dabba Doo

9 PAX finished out Flintstone Week at Midoriyama with a beatdown that was (thankfully) nothing like the first one.  We welcomed back Purple Haze, introduced Star Boys to the crowd, and found Leppard’s fault line with Dips (30), all within the first 10 minutes.  The rest was a blur, but here’s what I remember:

It started today when checking Slack seeing that the Site Q and Original F3 Gastonia Title Belt Holder was going to have to work and miss out on Qing today.  After a rusty effort as Q on Tuesday, YHC was looking for an opportunity to get back and was also already planning on posting, so why not?  Got some ideas on the drive to the AO and we were ready, then just redid the whole thing on the fly.

The Thang:

• 15 x SSH (IC)
• 15 x Moroccan Nightclubs (IC)
• 15 x Goofballs (IC)
• 10 x Don Quixotes (IC)

Mosey to the stop sign, stopping along the way for traffic and:

• 6 x Low Slow Squats (IC)

Then again at the parking lot after the stop sign for:

• 6 x Merkins (IC)

To the picnic area for the start of the main event, though there wasn’t really a lot of transitions, just work:

• 30 x Dips (OYO)
• 30 x Step Ups (OYO)

We went back to the hill that led to the lake and in the grass by the turd shack introduced the Star Boys:

• 20 x Star Boys (OYO)
  • Lie spread eagle in star position, then do a full sit up, but take your right hand to left foot, followed by left hand to right foot, and repeat
• 20 x Heels to Heaven (OYO)

Simple stack routine next with no name:

• 10 x Merkins (OYO)
• Run to the bottom of the hill
• 10 x Jump Squats (OYO)
• Run back up the hill
• 10 x Merkins (OYO)
• 20 x American Hammers (OYO)
• Run to the bottom of the hill
• 10 x Jump Squats (OYO)
• Run back up the hill
• 10 x Merkins (OYO)
• 20 x American Hammers (OYO)
• 30 x Squats or Monkey Humpers (OYO)
• Run to the bottom of the hill
• 10 x Jump Squats (OYO)
• Run back up the hill

We pushed it, then ran a quick round of Mary waiting for the Six:

• 20 x Flutter Kicks (IC)
• Defib – 20 x Freddie Mercuries (IC)
• 5 x Burpees (OYO)
• Purple Haze – Leg Stretch (OYO)

Picnic Area

• 30 x Dips (OYO)
• 30 x Step Ups (OYO)

Grassy Area

• 20 x Star Boys (OYO)
• 20 x Heels to Heaven (OYO)

Another stack, this time, no hill, just run down to the end of the parking lot where the pump track is:

• 10 x Merkins (OYO)
• Run to the end of the lot
• 10 x Jump Squats (OYO)
• Run back
• 10 x Merkins (OYO)
• 20 x American Hammers (OYO)
• Run to the end of the lot
• 10 x Jump Squats (OYO)
• Run back
• 10 x Merkins (OYO)
• 20 x American Hammers (OYO)
• 30 x Squats or Monkey Humpers (OYO)
• Run to the end of the lot
• 10 x Jump Squats (OYO)
• Run back

One last set of:

• 20 x Star Boys (OYO)
• 20 x Heels to Heaven (OYO)

Mosey back, stopping for:

• 10 x Merkins (IC)
• 6 x Low Slow Squats (IC)

And that was time.

Moleskin:

A little behind schedule, but I still took a minute for a word at COT.  My son went to driving school, and the instructors said that when there’s something in the road that you need to stop or swerve to miss, don’t look at it, because we follow our eyes.  Feels like a metaphor to me.  If we’re looking for the worst in people, we’ll find it. But if we keep our eyes fixed on the good – on God, on our goals, and all the many other things we have to be thankful for – we will find them too.  There’s a lot we don’t control, but we control our eyes and where we point them.  See the good and stay positive.

Strong push by the group.  I’m sure there was more to it, but I guess you’ve gotta Show to Know.  Thanks for the opportunity to lead.

Yabba Dabba Doo

2 Ruckers & 5 Runners put in miles at the Coconut Horse on Maybelline’s birthday.

Discussion was from McRaven’s Wisdom of the Bullfrog, on the chapter “Always Have a Swim Buddy.”  Basically, we need people in our lives who are going to take the time to listen and know us well enough to know what we need and tell us what we need to hear.  We also need to be that person for others.  A “swim buddy” is basically like a ShieldLock, in F3 parlance.

Swim Buddies/ShieldLocks should

• Be men of integrity with morals that align
• Always be available
• Be willing listeners
• Have mutual trust, likely as a result of the things they’ve gone through together
• Share confidence and strength, staying tethered so when one is going through it, he can count on his swim buddy to pull him out
• Take pride in what they do
• Live like it matters
• Be authentic and humble
• Can and will deliver hard truths (candor)

Grateful for a group that’s willing to invest in each other, and has pushed me to be better than I thought I could be.

Yabba Dabba Doo

7 for a Bootcamp and a PAX and his pup rucked on a fine Wednesday in September.  Here’s what I remember:

The Thang:

• 10 x SSH (IC)
• 10 x Imperial Walkers (IC)
• 10 x Hillbilly Walkers (IC)

We’re gonna run today, but first do a few laps around Snoballs to loosen up:

• Mosey 1 lap
• Butt Kicks down, High knees back, Duck walk the turns
• Karaoke down and back, Lunge walk the turns
• Skid down and back, Side shuffle the turns

Time to run.  Mosey out of Snoballs, cross the street to the bank, down Union Road to South Pines, run to Valleywood and across to the maintenance entrance at Martha Rivers, down to the center of the Labyrinth and set up shop under the flagpole.

1 minute each of the following OYO:

• Merkins
• Plank
• Star Boys (Big Boys from the Star Position where you touch your left toe with your right hand.  Flapjack)
• Hammer Hold (American Hammers with no Hammering)
• CDDs
• Crab Plank

Then, for good measure:

• 30 x Flutter Kicks (IC)

Mosey around the ballfield.

Next up, Lindsays:

• 10 x Dips & 30 x Monkey Humpers
• 15 x Dips & 25 x Monkey Humpers
• 20 x Dips & 25 x Monkey Humpers
• 25 x Dips & 15 x Monkey Humpers
• 30 x Dips & 10 x Monkey Humpers

Mosey around the ballfield.

Another round of 1 minute each OYO:

• Merkins
• Plank
• Star Boys (Big Boys from the Star Position where you touch your left toe with your right hand.  Flapjack)
• Hammer Hold (American Hammers with no Hammering)
• CDDs
• Crab Plank

Then, for good measure:

• 30 x Flutter Kicks (IC)

Needed time for a long run home, so we went back the way we came, out to South Pines via Valleywood, looping back down Union and to the bank before coming home.  YHC got caught with Maybelline & Amazon and called a “give it all you got” to the neighborhood sign at South Pines.  Those guys left YHC in the dust.

Once we got back, no trains, but:

• 5 x Burpees (OYO)

And that was all we had time for.

For bootcamp fun, Martha’s House can’t be beat.  There’s just so many options.  Always glad to have an opportunity to get out and Q where it all started for me.  Just happy to be on the team.

Yabba Dabba Doo

5 of us carried the torch as the scheduled Q was down with an illness and we had to go deep on the depth chart to fill in for some of the regulars who were MIA.  JJ, Stroganoff and Winehouse ran the loop while Hunchback and YHC rucked with Scrat.

Discussion this week from “Wisdom of the Bullfrog” centered on the chapter entitled “A Shepherd Should Smell Like His Sheep”.  A couple quotes:

“Pope Francis once said, ‘A shepherd should smell like his sheep.’  While it’s a relatively new saying, it mirrors the thinking of all great leaders for all time.  If you lose touch with the men and women who work for you, if you can’t relate to them because you spend too much time in the office and not enough time on the factory floor, if you don’t ‘smell’ like the people you are sworn to protect and lead, then you will be a poor leader who makes bad decisions.”

And this one:

“The officers they respected the most were the ones who showed up in the boiler room when it was 120 degrees, who got greasy and turned wrenches with them, who picked up a broom to help with evening sweep-down, who brought them water when they were painting the side of the ship, and who thanked them routinely for their efforts.  But they also wanted an officer who made the tough decisions, held them accountable, worked hard, and above all they wanted an officer who valued them for the tough work they did.”

Proximity is key with leadership.  It’s critical at work.  It’s different and difficult with our kids.  It’s important that we as leaders are adequately prepared enough to be able to make time to spend time in the fields and with the ones whom we are leading.  It lets us see their realities and it lets them see that we know our stuff.

We have to make sure we know enough that they can’t BS us.

Privileged again for another opportunity to lead.

13 PAX pushed rocks at Old School with a roster full of regulars and Lawings alike.  Def Leppard was back after a brief time on IR, as was Wirenut, just days after his time on the sidelines.  Good to see everyone out.  Here’s what I remember:

The Thang:

The goal was to push the pace and run laps around Old School, but the whole town of Dallas was out walking the track, so we had to improvise a bit.

• 10 x Abe Vagodas (IC)
• Run half a lap around the parking lot
• 10 x SSH (IC)
• 10 x Hillbillies (IC)
• Run the other half
• 10 x Mike Tysons (IC)
• 10 x Dying Cockroaches (IC)
• Run half a lap
• 10 x SSH (IC)
• 10 x Hillbillies (IC)

To the picnic shelter for the first of what was supposed to be 3 rounds, but only ended up being 2 of:

• 10 x Dips (IC)
• 10 x Monkey Humpers (IC)
• 10 x Oblique Crunches L (IC)
• 10 x Oblique Crunches R (IC)
• 10 x Flutter Kicks (IC)

Mosey to the corner of Church & Oakland to the Dallas Gym for

• 10 x Merkins (OYO)
• 10 x LBCs (OYO)
• 10 x American Hammers (OYO)
• 10 x Flutter Kicks (OYO)

The goal for the day was to run and put in work.  Every time we got to another corner, we’d do another exercise.  Turns out we got in a lot of work.  Here’s how it set up:

Big Loop

• Oakland & Trade
  • 10 x Burpees (OYO)
• Gaston & Trade
  • 10 x Burpees (OYO)
  • 10 x Derkins (OYO)
  • 10 x Bulgarian Split Squats L (OYO)
  • 10 x Bulgarian Split Squats R (OYO)
• Gaston & Church
  • 10 x Burpees (OYO)
• Oakland & Church
  • 10 x Merkins (OYO)
  • 10 x LBCs (OYO)
  • 10 x American Hammers (OYO)
  • 10 x Flutter Kicks (OYO)

First lap done.  Take a minute on the playground for round 2 of Dips & Core with reps increasing.  Some benches were more stable than others.

• 15 x Dips (IC)
• 15 x Monkey Humpers (IC)
• 15 x Oblique Crunches L (IC)
• 15 x Oblique Crunches R (IC)
• 15 x Flutter Kicks (IC)

Next up was the Smaller Loop

• Oakland & Church
  • 10 x Merkins (OYO)
  • 10 x LBCs (OYO)
  • 10 x American Hammers (OYO)
  • 10 x Flutter Kicks (OYO)
• Oakland & Main
  • 10 x Jungle Boy Squats (OYO)
• Holland & Main
  • 10 x CDDs (OYO)
  • 10 x Mike Tysons (OYO)
• Holland & Church
  • 10 x Jungle Boy Squats (OYO)
• Oakland & Church
  • 10 x Merkins (OYO)
  • 10 x LBCs (OYO)
  • 10 x American Hammers (OYO)
  • 10 x Flutter Kicks (OYO)

Having showed the way, the next move was to start the clock and see how many rounds we could get.  The timer was set for 8 minutes, and it was You v You to see what we could get in.  Doodles said there wasn’t much he couldn’t do in 8 minutes, so it seemed like plenty of time.

But then 8 minutes turned into a little longer than that by the time everyone got back, which spared the PAX round 3 of Dips & Core, but not the last lap.

For the Final Lap, PAX choice of the Big Loop or the Small Loop.  We all hit it hard and brought it back to COT 1 minute late.  YHC did 10 burpees for bringing the PAX in late by 1 minute.

And that was that.  3+ miles and a bunch of reps with a good push from the backbone of our region.

Moleskin:

I’d owed Wirenut a Q at Old School since I reserved the QvQ showdown in March.  Was glad to get that stamp on my Q passport.

Old School is a great AO.  A track and a town with long runs, short runs, benches, city squares, and a coffeeteria that can’t be beat.  Get out to Old School if you haven’t been.  Pick up the Q while you’re at it.  Always good to get out.

Good to see some new faces too.  Quattro had been a long time Kotter, but joined us at Time Out for some 2nd F.  Meat Wagon had a shirt made with his F3 name on it.  Doodles made the pilgrimage from the east.  Chili made an appearance too.  Enjoyed the company.

Privileged for the opportunity to lead.

Yabba Dabba Doo

It was a great day to be at the ballpark, and 48 of the best benchwarmers we had to offer descended on the swanky FUSE Ballpark in downtown Gastonia to rub our stink all over it.  Here’s what I remember:

Roscoe warmed us up with a nod to this week’s IPC workout:

• 10 x SSH (IC)
• 10 x Burpees (OYO)
• 10 x Jillian Michaels (OYO – a donkey kick/high knees jump hybrid)
• Mosey to a foul pole
• 10 x No Cheat Merkins (OYO – or as they’re known in our region – Perfect Form Merkins)
• Mosey to the other foul pole

Count off 1-4 and separate into teams.  YHC took the handoff and barked instructions for what seemed like the rest of the 50 minutes.  By the end, my voice was shot.  Don’t worry it wasn’t TOO complicated.

The game was Kickball.  The rules were simple.  No bunting.  No stealing bases.  5 run Mercy Rule.  No umpire.  1 inning games.  Ties broken by Dizzy Bat (10 x around the bat, run to 1st/3rd and back to home, first one back wins).

Teams that weren’t playing did one of 3 workouts in the outfield:

LF – Elevens

• Perfect Form Merkins & Bonnie Blairs

CF – Kettlebell Circuit

• 10 x Thrusters
• 15 x Curls
• 50 x Jump Ropes
• 15 x Big Boys
• 15 x American Hammers
• 20 x Tricep Extensions
• 20 x Kettlebell Swings

RF – Rack & Stack Suicides

• Run to cone to exercise, run back, stack exercises
  • 10 x Burpees
  • 10 x Nolan Ryans (L & R)
  • 30 x Flutter Kicks (Count Left Side Only)
  • 40 x Monkey Humpers

Second rounds were planned for some of these, but here’s guessing no one got to them.  I could also list all the teams here, but I’m sure the details would be too much for most, so I’ll spare them.

The first game ended in a thrilling scoreless tie, so it came down to Dizzy Bat.  Up for Team 1 was the FNG, a good way to break in a new guy.  Nobody from Team 2 wanted a piece of the new guy, so Buckshot took one for the team.  Buckshot got out to an early lead, but the new guy was young and was making up ground on every stride – until he decided to slide headfirst into home.  Premature sliding happens to the best of us, no matter how much we try to prevent it.  From now on, he will be referred to in The Gloom as “Faceplant”.  The Nantan’s team survived.

Between innings during the changeover, we had our own intermission contests, with “Beat the Belt” being our spin on the Braves famous Freeze race.  Up first, we had Tesla with a 10 second head start against the newly crowned champ – Maybelline.  Tesla put a wrinkle in the game when he decided the fastest way to the foul pole was directly across the field, with no regard to the warning track path.  It took most of the trip, but Maybelline caught him, and The Belt showed his speed.

Game 2 resulted in a scoreless top half of the first inning, with the People’s Elbow delivering a stellar pitching performance.  In the bottom half, we had our first runs and a 3-0 victory for YHCs team.  So the Qs would square off head to head in the championship.

The second Freeze run featured Watts Up against JJ.  Watts Up took full advantage of his head start and delivered a convincing victory.  The results have been disputed however, as JJ was practically Tonya Harding’d before given the opportunity to run.

For the championship game, rules were changed to allow both teams to allow all their players a chance to kick.  One full time through the order, with the inning over with an out or when the last batter stopped running.  Roscoe’s team put together 4 late runs to give them a shot, but by that time, YHC’s team had gotten wise to the game.  With a dream team of semi-pro athletes, we won by walkoff when JJ booted one to the outfield and trotted it out like Kirk Gibson, driving in Hunchback for the winning run.

Whoopee and Quixkie were up in the Freeze race, and the head start, while shortened, was still too long.  The race was over by center field, with Whoopee showboating every step of the second half in a way that would make Coach Prime proud.

In all honesty, the most tense game was the last one, with the losers of the first two games squaring off.  Team 1 loaded the bases for Whoopee who squared one up and drove it right at Nutria, who is as sure handed as any PAX and Team 2 escaped the jam.  The bottom half of the inning featured the highlight of the day as a weak ground ball to the third base side by Mr. Meek, the one and only Dr. Seuss, turned into the most vicious hit delivered on the day.  A great play in the infield and a throw to first resulted in Montross getting absolutely flattened by Dr. Seuss.  As Montross picked his teeth up, Seuss stepped on first, and in spite of being hit with the ball no fewer than 3 times, ended up being ruled safe.  No one wanted to mess with Seuss after that hit.  With 2 outs, Watts Up fouled twice, and Team 1 seemed content to let the game end a tie, but where YHC comes from, 3 strikes is an out, so with his extra chance, Watts Up grounded it to Maybelline, who apparently thinks he can hose a guy from third base with a bulky dodgeball, and this throw led to Seuss running on to third where a good throw almost got him, but Maybelline missed again, and Seuss rounded the base and headed home.  Ballgame.  Seuss got out 7 times and scored the winning run on the same play.  Show to Know.

With the time we had left, we ran bases, running out a single, double and home run.  And that was that.

Announcements:

• Tuna team needs 1
• Mama’s Boy VQ tomorrow
• Ruck CSAUP in October – Preblast coming soon
• 2nd F Lunch 9/20 @ Pita Wheel Gastonia

Prayer Requests:

• Huckleberry
• Turtleman
• Norwood
• Wirenut
• Jackson Hall
• Montross’s cousin
• Sargento’s family
• Tesla’s son
• Watt’s Up’s family (Charlie)
• Quattro’s sister

Moleskin:

I miss baseball.  Not even the games, just practice.  I miss throwing BP, hitting BP, taking ground balls, throwing pop flys as high as I can throw them.  Just having a chance to get out on the field and play catch today was great.

Yet what strikes me is that when I think about the good times, they’re not all from my youth.  As part of F3 Gastonia, I’ve pushed trucks and chased racquetballs, run stupid trails and stupid hills, won (and lost) a title belt, and ran a marathon.  I’ve also done so many other things with so many of y’all and am so grateful for all of it.  The coolest thing is that we’re not dead yet, so there’s still a lot of memories to make and a lot of chapters to write.  And while this isn’t the only place that we should be making those memories, to learn to live in The Gloom is also to learn to live outside of it.

A huge shout out to Sledge and Hunchback for making the day possible.  I really should have given them a nod in COT for their efforts, because without them, none of this happens.  Also a shout out to Roscoe and JJ for helping with the plan and the events.  My mind was somewhere completely different and a lot more painful until JJ and Roscoe started talking about kickball.  It always seems like the best plans come together as a result of many hands.  Finally, huge thanks to Balljoint for setting up the Coffeeteria at Firestone Grill (not to be confused with Flintstone Grill) and bringing water to the field.

Oh, and to Team 3.  These legends of the diamond and hall-of-famers in their own minds and the minds of those who witnessed their kickball excellence on one fine day in September took it to the other teams and left no doubt who was the greatest team ever assembled on that field:

• Sargento
• Quiche
• Hunchback
• Freon
• Gumby
• Blueprint
• JJ
• Eh Yall
• Balljoint
• Tooth Fairy
• J2C
• Flintstone

Grateful for the opportunity to lead today, and for all of you who continue to make each other better.

Yabba Dabba Doo