Tuesday, May 28, 2024

Elimination Game (sung to the tune of Decoration Day)

Long, lovely weekend celebrating our boy Whit and his bride, with friendship and joy very much on the menu and Memorial Day traffic both directions very much in the mix. And now we turn to the stuff that makes us love sports and hate it at the same time.

Tonight at 6:30, my kids play in the semifinal of our regional tournament. Win, and we advance to the regional final and secure a berth in the quarterfinals of the state tournament. Lose, and our season ends, and with it the career of seven seniors, many of whom you'll know from our chronicles of their freshman season.

The aftermath of the shootout win in the District tournament final.

One of those kids was just named the District Player of the Year. Two others made the All-District first team. One of those two smashed home the penalty that clinched the District Tournament title. I'm a bit player in this ensemble, and if I'm not ready for it to end, I can't imagine how the kids feel.

We have a very stout defense (in ten regular season and tournament games in District play, we allowed six goals) and an offense that huffs and puffs and generally wins the possession battle but isn't very efficient with its end product (over that same span, we scored 12 goals in eight games if you discount the 16 we scored in two games against a woefully undermatched opponent). As a result, we've played a lot of close matches - we're pretty mentally tough.

We lost to our regional semifinal opponent in a windy, rainswept match earlier in the season. Both goals were lapses by our keeper, who's become much more dependable since that loss. And we outshot them by a 16-3 margin in that game. We're better. And sports are weird.

Lace 'em up and roll out the balls. Let's go!


12 comments:

zman said...

Yesterday I helped zwoman resolve a disagreement over an online purchase, and after we got off the phone with customer service she said "I really appreciate how much of an asshole you can be when we're on the same side of a dispute," and while this was intended as a compliment in the context of that moment, it isn't much of a rhetorical leap to realize this means that my wife thinks I'm an asshole in broader contexts and does not appreciate it. Or do I misinterpret her comment?

rootsminer said...

The world needs assholes to get shit done. Be proud.

OBX dave said...

Hoo buddy, a lot to unpack in that sentence. Absent asking her to elaborate and in the name of marital bliss, I might interpret it as "you're my asshole in shining armor" (or something similar) and let it go.

Mark said...

She definitely thinks you're an asshole in the broader context, specifically when you and her disagree. She likes you enough to not explicitly say that though.

Mark said...

After a long holiday weekend, I leave for family vacation on Thursday. Finding it a bit hard to be super motivated during the two days of work I have this week.

rootsminer said...

After my last print shop hire failed spectacularly a month ago, I'm wondering what a vacation would be like.

rob said...

she may think you’re an asshole, z, but you’re her kind of asshole

OBX dave said...

I like Rob's interpretation of the z situation.

rob said...

this particular good thing ended too soon. lost, 2-1, on a goal from a corner with two minutes left in regulation. gutted for the kids, especially the seniors.

zman said...

I sought clarification and learned that she thinks I can be an asshole but never to her so I think I’m ok.

Whitney said...

Never?? You’re a good man, Charlie Brown.

Whitney said...

Sorry about the L, Robbie. Tough one.