By Guest Natasha, Moe

ME: Don't you have the key to unlock this?
REF: You could go ask LaShonda, she's in the next building.
ME: Could you go? I don't work for the league.
EF: I could, but it'll take some time because I've got to count out the shirts.
ME: (speechless. what do you say to that? eyes roll. walk away shaking head.) (What I should have said: "Do you want me to help you run the calculator?")

Then. while we all waited around and the ref counted out shirts, Marty volunteered and tracked down the key, unlocked the door, grabbed the goalie helmet, walked out of the locker room -- and there was Sean in a much cooler helmet that Ted got out of his car in the meantime. There wasn't a whole lot else of good humor seeing as how we were locked in battle. But it was a great, hard-fought game. Unlike the Bears, this team is moving in the right direction. Sure ,moral victories aren't nearly as sweet as real ones, though immoral victories can be. But we showed great progress. This is a bit of a rebuilding season. But the idea is to be rebuilt by the playoffs. That now looks possible.

MIA
For the half of the team that wasn't there ... The first half was played pretty evenly. Their third goal hurt - we went into halftime down 3-1, but feeling pretty good. I was on the doorstep a couple of times and didn't get the job done. It's basically my fault. I did score a goal while falling on my ass. That was kind of cool. Our comeback bid fell just short. Operation Stop Ted was only a minor success. We got down 6-3, and then me and Marty scored two to bring us to 6-5 ... and then Ted won a faceoff, burned both of us, and put it inside the post for the 7-5 final.

TRIVIA
There has not been a single penalty called in any of our games this season.

SHOUT-OUTS
Jim has really brought some hustle to this team, and his assist on my first goal was a sweet pass right where it had to be.

Matt is finding his rhythm, he really battled along the boards and did some excellent mucking.

Sean is in good form.

But the real key was our defense - not only in their defense, but in turning the ball quickly back up to the forwards. It really helped us create some offense. Kristie (welcome back!) did a great job pinching up and playing the point (I heard she scored - that must have been the goal I didn't see). Cate filled in and played like she's never been gone (yes, she earned a gruesome bruise, as usual). And Cindy has quickly turned into a real stalwart back there.

So I'm going to award the Keystone Light Player of the Game to the defense collectively, Cate, Cindy, and Kristie. Y'all will receive a free can of Keystone Light the next time Eric plays and remembers to bring them. That'll probably be in January - at least the beer will be cold.

I can't help but think with a full team we would've won that game. We'll see them in the playoffs. Remember, that's what we're working towards. We're two games away from a championship.

IMPORTANT SCHEDULING NOTE
No game this Sunday Nov. 16. (LPHS is having an open house. We're not invited.)

Our next game is Nov. 23. This is the day we are making up game one, when no ref showed. According to the schedule, we play BW3 (Ted's team, who we just played) again at 2 p.m, then play the Enforcers at 3 p.m. That's right, a double-header. So it would be good if everyone could make it. There is no game on Nov. 30, due to Thanks- giving. Marty was going to dress as a turkey for that game, so I guess that plan is off. W

e play Score Drunk at 1 p.m. on Dec. 7. The playoffs are then Dec. 14. We will probably face Ted's team in round one (tired of them, yet? But now we know we can beat them ...) and if we advance, we'd likely face the Enforcers (Tall Aryan Man and linemate Jesus) in the championship. See you all there!

SHIRTS
Also, we should have a couple more T-shirts coming for those who were missing yesterday. I used to think you could never have enough T-shirts, but now I know better. It does occur to me, though, that you can never have enough *clean* T-shirts. That's a different matter entirely.

Moe out.