Wrap it up already...
Friday, August 3, 2007, 03:55 PM
Let's get right into it.
Seattle Gaelic Games
In my own personal opinion, it was a wonderful event. I can't really think of anything that went terribly wrong. Yeah, a couple things could have been better, but as a whole, I would consider this a HUGE success for the Seattle Geals. Amazingly, it ran off like we've been doing these tournaments for like 5 years straight. Everybody pitched in, everybody was on top of things and nobody decided to mess everything up.
A little quick recap on the hurling side of things.
1st Match: SF Na Fianna vs. Vancouver
Conclusion: I didn't really get to watch this match too much as I was running around trying to make sure everything was going smoothly everywhere (which is was) as well as getting warmed up for the first Seattle match. Vancouver did come out fighting the first 10 minutes, but they couldn't hold Na Fianna back for the whole game.
Winner: Na Fianna
2nd Match: Seattle 'B' Team vs. Seattle 'C' Team
Conclusion: A good match that I think got the 'B' Teams confidence up heading into their last match. The passing was good, the striking was solid and defense did it's job. You can't expect the 'C' team to really match up, but there was some good play by them. Scotty Blue Shoes (sorry Scott, I'm too lazy to look up your last name...) did an excellent job playing mid-field.
Winner: Seattle 'B' Team
3rd Match: Gaelic Football match - SF Na Fianna vs. Vancouver
Conclusion: The best matchup we had today...and it wasn't a hurling game. These guys went tied into the last minute when the ref stated 'next point wins'. Well...10 grueling minutes later the game was still going on. SF Na Fianna went on to take it...with a point I think.
Winner: SF Na Fianna
4th Match: Vancouver vs. Seattle 'C'
Conclusion: Vancouver goes on for a victory against a fighting 'C' team. From my angle, a great disply of defense on the 'C' side the second half. Brian...from San Fran...American dude...again, too lazy to look up the last name, did exceptionally well. Ronan Deane on Vancouver played a wonderful game (though some would call it "cherry picking") and put a lot of pressure on Seattle's defense.
Winner: Vancouver
5th Match: SF Na Fianna vs. Seattle 'B'
Conclusion: Complete blow out for Na Fianna. It's kind of weird for our Seattle team. Everyone knew that these guys were the 'shit', I think it really took us all by surprised to see how good these guys were. Did we honestly expect to win? God no, but I don't think we played as well as we should have.
Then again, I can't stand it when people will lose a basketball game and say, "We gave them that game cause we didn't hit our shots." Maybe it was because the other team played exceptional defense that you didn't hit your shots?
Regardless, we learned a lot that game and I think it's definitely something that will help us get ready for the Junior 'B' division at Nationals.
Winner: Na Fianna
Champions: San Francisco Na Fianna
MVP: Uhhhh...I think his name was Paddy White...but I'm not sure. I do know that he didn't like tequila. Or having the ice cooler dumped on him.
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Seattle City League Final
Honestly...I had to work, didn't get to watch it and I actually didn't hear that much about it. But I do know that the Blue Balls Beyonders (or whatever their name is this week) won the championship against the Romio Red Eagle Bears. Yes, this is the same blue team that was crying earlier in the year that the teams were unfair, how the red team was loaded and how no one could beat them.
What team was I on? Yeah, the 3rd place black team.
Excuse my behavior, I didn't like the red team earlier, but I looked at it like this.
Red Team: New York Yankees
Blue Team: Boston Red Sox
Black Team: Baltimore Orioles
While I don't like the Yankees and should be happy to see the Red Sox beat them, my team (the orioles) is still in their division and still wants both of them to have food poisoning right before our games.
So if you're expecting a huge little blog entry about how the lowly Blue Balls came back from an 0-2 record to win the championship, you're not gonna get it. The Black Team should have been in the playoffs, but we just lost the last game deciding who goes in. No, the Blue team didn't win, the Black team lost the match. We gave them the match. (heh heh, you see how I'm sarcastically tying in my blog? I'm amazing, thank you)
Ok, so seriously, congratulations to the Blue Team (as well as MVP, Ron Lorentsen) on a well earned championship.
And before anybody asks, when I get the scores, I'll input them into the league page. If you want to see the stats, tell this person to email the scores to me.
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Vancouver Tournament
Tomorrow the Gaels embark on a tradition. We all ride up to Vancouver, cheer on the girls in the afternoon, play a couple hurling games, get sun burnt, let loose that night and then watch the girls the next day while burning our sun burnt skin.
I believe this is gonna be a tough matchup this year. I think there is a side-effect to the strong relationship we've built with Vancouver. And that is that their gaelic football team has played about 4 more games of Hurling than they would normally have if we only saw them once a year.
Crap.
They're an awesome Gaelic Football team and a good hurling team that can be great if they actually played all year. It'll be a tough matchup. But that's always good for us.
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( 3.1 / 107 )Gaelic Games Conclusion!
Monday, July 23, 2007, 02:41 PM
....won't be happening today.
Hah, that's funny...right?
Anyways, after a Sunday hanging out horizontal, I'm soon gonna be looking through 350 photos my brother took of the games.
It'll all be posted and everyone will be able to relive the glory.
Quick recap: fabulous.
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( 3.1 / 100 )Mind Games...
Friday, July 20, 2007, 09:17 AM
Freck! You know, I'm looking at the tournament this past week going, "we're in really good shape".
We got both the hurling and Gaelic football thing all figured out. Everything should cater to all the different needs from the teams and players. All the outside things (trophies, shirts, after-party, insurance, pitch lining, nets, food, drink, PA system, poster, website, photography, packet, etc. etc. etc.) are taken care of or on schedule to be taken care of.
Then Sean Bennett has to point out that it’s supposed to rain on Saturday.
What the hell??!?!
Maybe I should have seen the writing on the wall with having Rain City Clothing sponsor the tournament, but come on! It's July 21st! The rule in Seattle is that AFTER July 4th, your summer starts. That's when you don't worry about rain; you bust out the shorts and sandals and let the muggy sun heat up your house until 11pm.
Yeah, rain or shine, you play hurling or Gaelic football. We're not talking about Nationals 2006 conditions here, but you know, I just want to have a tournament where the weather is not a factor!
Regardless though, things are looking up, so I'm happy with what I have control over and looking forward to the games.
Honestly, I don't think the rain is gonna come down hard, I think it'll be that weak rain that doesn't effect your day except make traffic a lot slower. I look forward to meeting the boys from San Fran (both squads) and hoping that Vancouver doesn't point and ridicule everything, stating how they're tournament is better (it is quite good, we patterned a lot of things around it).
So lets all hope that Mother Nature decides to open up the clouds and peek down on the Seattle Gaelic Games. If not, then to hell with her, we'll still go hard.
see everyone tomorrow.
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( 3 / 61 )Eyyyyy ya bitch
Friday, July 13, 2007, 03:37 PM
Maybe I'm not spelling it as properly as it should be, but the correct pronounciation is "eye ya bitch".
You get the idea?
Good. Now, that phrase can often be heard throughout the games and practices of the Seattle Gaels hurling team. Usually by one irish man who is one of our most skilled players. This phrase is usually blurted out when someone (ie: me) hooks him, shoulders him or just plain makes him look foolish.
(Ok, not really, he'll blurt it out when he misses a 60 yard point by going two feet to the left of the bar)
Regardless, that's the phrase I have to use when thinking about my lack of blogging.
Honestly, I got burned out on the month long blog.
Then when the tournament site needed to be up and the Youth Camp page needed to get done it was hard to justify writing some stupid blog about the latest energy bar I ate when I could be working on that stuff.
Ya'll hear me?
Word.
But now that those two things are up, it's time to tend to the crack-addict step child known as my blog.
Now I could talk about the past and everything, but who cares. I haven't received the ridiculous photos of Chip, Scott, Nate and Kevin's golf attire at our Golf Tournament last month, so what other news could I possibly talk about?
Hurling City League
Oh yeah, the Hurling City League, I guess that just went and flew by in my time of absence.
Anyways, the season is over and it's now onto the finals. The Blue Beyonders came back from being 0-2 to win the next two and storm their way into the playoff final against the Red Eagle Bears. So the final standings were this
Red Eagle Bears: 2-1-1
Blue Beyonders: 2-2
Black Ninjas: 1-2-1
The Black Ninja's started out strong, but then lost its steam when its manager, James Walsh bowed out the last two games due to a groin injury. The Blue Beyonders got their act together after their players started showing up. Who woulda figured?
So the final is set, July 28th, 2pm,
Blue Beyonders vs. Red Eagle Bears
Both are 1-1 against each other this year, so this matchup is looking to be a good one.
Seattle Gaelic Games Tournament
The Seattle Gaelic Games Tournament is coming up even sooner than that though! Saturday, the 21st of July, teams from all over the west coast will be coming up for some Gaelic Football and Hurling. We, the Seattle Gaels, have some tough games against Vancouver and San Francisco.
The set up is nice though. We'll have a full size field in Marymoor Park, the Gaelic Football teams will have their own as well and there plans to be plenty of things for people to do while watching.
Anyways, come check it out, tell your friends to come check it out, because seriously, if there is anytime for someone from Seattle to see their first game of Hurling (and Gaelic football), this is it! It ain't gonna be on some off field where no one knows the score except for the ref and in the one game they see, they *SORTA* start to figure it out by the last whistle. This should show them all they need to know about the sports.
And tell them to buy a shirt!
Heh heh...just had to throw that in there.
Seattle Youth Camp
The Seattle Youth Camp is going on during the 28th and 29th of July over in Magnolia Field. We are trying to get some kids interested in the sport and offering a two day camp where they amerce themselves into the sport and hopefully get a good feel for it.
If you know of any kids or parents that might be interested, go here: www.seattlegaels.com/youth and have them sign up.
Ok...that's it for now. It's Friday. I'm out with the deuce
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While you're here, check out the great Seattle Gaels promo Rob Mullin did.