1. We did not lose to the "K-Tel Sounds of the 70's" Don't Panic team once all season. Better luck next year, Roadies.
2. We didn't have to player-whore in the bathroom all year. Sure a couple times we were short and had to ask a player from another team, but they were usually Friends of the Gnus (not to be confused with Friends of Dorothy) to begin with.
3. We constantly out-beered the competition to the point of gaining league-wide notoriety for our ice chest. Many game nights we closed the park... and that was after 6:00 games. But the real deal was in the quality of the beer. And though free beer from friends is the second best beer available, neither the Coors Light of the Silver Bullets and Ahern, the Zima's of the Long Islanders and the T-Sox, the shots of Patron of WIN Finanical nor the prune juice for the Hanks and Don't Panic ever lit a candle to our variety of craft brews. I'm glad to have promoted beer snobbery in Arden Park.
4. None of our aging bodies got seriously hurt. Sure, Billy was bleeding like he had the stigmata after most games, but if you had to support that upper body on those twigs, you'd feel like you just got off the tilt-a-whirl everytime you bent over too.
5. Most importantly, I got to spend at least one night a week with a great group of guys I am lucky to consider my friends. (awwww, look at the Big Sexy getting all sentimental...)
On to the playoff rundown. I thankfully missed the first round beat down at the hands (and tattoed arms) of WIN Financial. Since I missed it, I'm going to imagine the game was nip and tuck all the way until the bottom of the 7th when two infield errors and a walk resulted in the game winning run. Wait that story is coming up... I'm going to imagine the final inning ended in a ball just eluding the outstreached, diving glove of Sean McDaniel. If only he wasn't using his grandfather's, three-fingered, Ty Cobb autograph model and was using a real-life adult's mitt...
By the way... this is why I wasn't there. My second consecutive Gnus around the World picture. It's me and an Alaskan glacier! I'm still waiting on pictures of Howard watching DVD's in Tahoe, Kirk wearing Shakespearian costumes in Ashland, Doug working on his farmer's tan in Santa Barbara, Erik chillaxing on a beach in Hawaii and Ted throwing dollar bills onto a stage in Vegas. Send the pics in fellas!
Onto the final game of the year. You could tell the Bad Gnus wanted this one... Typically, there is not much talk about winning in the dugout, but there was actual palpable interest in the outcome of this game. It started off strongly, as the Bad Gnus loaded the bases with no one out to start off the game. Unfortunately, they could only plate one. Quickly, they were at bat again and once again loaded the bases with no one out. This time they got three runs, but the rally ended when Kirk and Mike couldn't come through with runners on to end the inning. The lack of opening the door that opportunity was beating on hung ominously in the warm August air. The Silver Bullets put together a Bad Gnus inning (hey dudes, that's been trademarked) by putting 6 on the board, aided a bit by some sloppy defense.
The Bad Gnus were not about to let the 7-4 deficit keep them down. They once again loaded the bases and failed to score. Really, we had to strand more baserunners than any team at the Park throughout the season. But with the game on the line, the Gnus came through! The Bad Gnus scored two in the top of the seventh to tie the score. Kevin was the go-ahead run at second as Erik came to the plate. Erik hit a clean single into left as Kevin raced for home. The leftfielder's strong throw home short hopped the lucky catcher and hit him right in the glove just in front of Kevin for the out. Now, I don't want to say the catcher in not athletic but I've seen better hand-eye coordination from ______________. (It's a write your own punchline competition!)
The rally left the game tied going into the bottom of the last inning. With one out, Mike booted a grounder at third to put the winning run on. He advanced to second when Clayton tried to turn a double play before he had the ball in his glove. He moved to third on a uncharisteristic walk by Greg. All of that ugliness preceded a clean single to score the winning run and send the Bad Gnus to coaching soccer, playing fantasy football and working on their boilers for the uncoming cold, winter months.
There were some notable items during the game that didn't come up in the recap. Todd filled in for us on short notice and wore his rollerskates in the outfield. He kept making good catches but all those martini's he had at his broker lunch seemed to catch up with his balance. Good to see Kevin once again. He's played so infrequently, his Gnus shirt looked all bright and shiny. He hit like he hasn't missed a week. Moebs was a hitting machine! He was getting hit after hit. I think he had three of 'em. (Look, I mentioned Bill without attaching a punchline!) But the Newcastle player of the game goes to Howard. Howard left his wife and kids during the middle of his Tahoe vacation to come down just for the game (well, that's the story I'm going with as to why he was there). Howard patrolled left field like a gazelle, making one running catch after another. He also walked (!) and had a couple of hits. Enjoy the smooth taste of a fine Newcastle on your vacation for us.
Well, that does it for the season! But don't stop coming by the site. We are going to have all sorts of off-season activities with the advent of the Bad Gnus Bookclub! More on that later. I think our first discussion meeting is going to be held at the Cal Expo Harness Races. Doug is our rotating Gnu in charge of that event.
