Are You Ready For Some Softball?

Today is one of the most highly-anticipated days among Cyclones Front Office Members. It's the day of the Full Timers vs. Interns softball game!

The softball game has become an annual tradition, full of trash-talk, boasts, battles for supremacy, and broken hearts (mostly those of the interns, who have never beaten the full timers). It's an exercise in bonding, and team-building, like no other.

Ahhh, I remember the warm, fuzzy feeling of unity when I told Chris Parsons I was going to punch him in the face as we argued over a call at first base. (Chris later joined the full timers and he and I went on to become friends...although we continue to threaten each other with physical harm.)

Or the outpouring of love when Kevin Mahoney cursed out No-Belt Keith, told him he looked like Max Patkin, and promised to slap him until his hat went straight. (Keith went on to work for the Super Bowl champion Giants and he and Kevin never spoke again.)

Or the way we all came together that time KJ had to be physically restrained from strangling Justin the Elf Boy for mocking his throws back to the mound. (Justin went on to star in as Frodo the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and KJ may or may not still have him tied up in his trunk.)

Heck, we're practically sitting around a campfire and singing Kumbaya with the youngsters.

Listen, we're a competitive group. You already know about 24 Hours of Baseball. This morning, in Game One of our doubleheader, we were merciless in our 9-0 victory over the Old Boys of Summer (65 and over former pro ballplayers). The undefeated championship Full Timers put it all on the line each year, and take on all challengers. We've never let go of the trophy yet, and we don't plan on today being that day.

(Best of all, the interns all leave in a couple of weeks anyway, so even if we lose, we'll still be "undefeated" the following year...there's no one left to dispute the claim!)

So let's see if the young bucks can back up all that smack they've been talking. Check back tomorrow for the game recap and results (Or, if you never see another post about the softball game, and this one is deleted, you can assume the worst.)

-- Dave