A Hooligan's Game: 2013

Friday, December 20, 2013

“Detritus”By Les Barker

Go placidly amid the noise and haste

And remember what peace there may be in silence
Do not walk behind me for I may not lead
Do not walk in front for I may not follow
Go over there somewhere

Speak your truth quietly and clearly
Be open-minded, but do not lean forward or your brain may fall out
Know that there will be good days and there will be bad days
And this is one of them
Always dismantle and clean the dog before going to bed
But avoid the use of spot remover, you may never see him again
You are a child of the universe
It is a small world unless you have to paint it
Do not wish for everything unless you have a really big cupboard
Avoid loud and aggressive persons
Sleep well
If you cannot sleep well, practice more often
Borrow from pessimists, they don’t expect it back
Remember if you give a man a fish he will eat for a day
Teach him to fish and he will sit in a boat and drink himself stupid
It is always darkest before the dawn
That is the time to steal your neighbors newspaper
Be gentle with yourself
Bear in mind that depression is anger without enthusiasm
And good health merely the slowest way to die
Never argue with a fool for he is doing the same
Know that if at first you don’t succeed sky-diving’s not a good idea
And that timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance
Always remember that all is not lost
Though I haven’t seen it for some time
Be yourself
If you cannot become wiser try to be older
Never stand between the dog and the lamppost
And never hit a man with glasses
Always use something bigger and heavier
And remember that some people are only alive because it’s illegal to kill them
A closed mouth gathers no feet
Nature abhors a vacuum cleaner
Be cheerful
Strive to be happy
And remember that your sole purpose in life is to serve a warning to others
Go far
And start as soon as possible

2013 Awards Dinner

This years awards dinner took place on Nov 30 at Different Strokes in Grimsby (they have let us back two years in a row- albeit as the Grimsby Male Precision Skating Squad) and the meal was much better (but more expensive) than last year. Significant others (aka designated drivers) were present to increase the audience although it was a little bit smaller this year. The ambiance was Christmasy and we ate and got the awards done by about nine and moved to another pub, Rickochez, for a few drinks before heading off as is the custom to the Canadian Legion to bring some cheer to the veterans there. The delight in their faces just melts the heart.

Your president described the season as generally a positive one (mainly because we regained the Brooker Cup from St. Catharines and ended ahead of them in the standings) with some good wins and close losses. The tour to Philadelphia and their return visit to us was a highlight as it was our first tour party to the clubhouse. The first ambulance came onto the field to pick up Nick and we had the first sleepover at the clubhouse with matching pyjamas as everyone huddled around to watch the movie Grease with John Travolta (I heard there also was a sing-a-long .

Our first award went to Jamie Farrell as Rookie of the Year and was a real rookie only taking up the game in May with Grimsby Secondary School (their first boy's team) and then joined the club as a back three player. Jamie brings speed and determination and smartness (he is at UBC in business) to the game.

Most improved player went to Colin comfort in his second year of playing for Grimsby (when he is not herding cattle). Colin gives a great Matt Damion impression impersonating Francois Pienaar former captain of the Springboks.

Bob and Kyle with their keen eyes on the Grimsby rugby scene then presented their awards. (You had to be there, at least Milli got his pants back)

Having several strong performances over the season, the awards committee had to make a tough decision and awarded Martin Colyn with Player of the Year for 2013 for his contribution to Grimsby at #10 for much of the season, scoring multiple tries on a couple of occasions and man of the match awards several times by the opposition despite wearing yellow socks.

The award that is presented to a member who goes beyond to make the club a better place this year was presented to Vic Blaney who ran the social events, raised money, played strong rugby and caused a shortage of pea meal bacon in North America. Thank you Vic.

The deer's rear award is given to a player who makes a significant mistake on the field and does not get ridiculed enough at the time. For his inability to actually ground the ball in the opposing try zone without knowing it on with no one within twenty meters also went to Vic. You don't have to dress like this to try to get the award again next year, but it helps.

The last presentation is often called the Rob Ford Award as it is often the result of a drunken stupor.This year it went to Derrick Weber who broke one of the valuable pictures on the clubhouse wall by making a poor pass of an empty syrup bottle during the "Canadian Boat Races" with the Philadelphia. Derick's coveted award is a slightly used fly strip from the clubhouse. Derrick has set a record as the first two time winner of the award that has been presented twice.

Thanks to Jennifer below for making our game day salads and taking most of the (good) pictures at the games.

Jennifer is new to the sport and finds she ends up with a lot of pictures of butts (unlike me) but is willing to continue to work on it.

A few pictures of the happy group.

Martin pondering the lack of the Ike Turner Award

Thursday, December 19, 2013

AGM 2013

The Grimsby Gentlemen Rugby Football club had their 2013 annual general meeting on Monday Dec 4th (after a weekend of Bob's stag and the New Zealand Maori game with a respectable almost half of our possible members (10). Reports were tabled and a new board was elected.

President Bill Stuart was reelected (can't get rid of him)

Dirk Reichow was elected secretary for the second year

We have a new treasurer, Brandon Nytschyk, he will be chasing you for your fees this year. We are grateful to Jeremy for his four years of service at this position.

Vic Blaney will once again be the social secretary. This is how most teams see Vic as he runs away from them.

Derrick Weber becomes Club Manager for 2014 and we thank Alex Millar for doing the job in 2013. In the following photo, Derrick is trying to do the hidden ball trick by stuffing it up his ass.

Brandon Sculland here receives his queenly award as he continues to be clubhouse manager for the third year. We need the scrum machine moved Brandon.

Taking over fixtures from Martin Wolff (who has done the job since anyone can remember) is Nick Limeaux.

And one again taking the junior coordinator spot is James Vinneau. Here he is explaining how he likes his practices to run.

The executive is looking forward to 2014 as we have a number of initiatives in place.. We hope to re-establish our woman's team which has been missing for about twenty years (the ladies will be in their fourties but we will find you), we will try an under 14 team this year and will also try to help Grimsby High School with their second year. We are also applying for a Trillium grant to finish the clubhouse change rooms. (thanks to Nick Limeaux).

This is what the changerooms look like now.

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Poroporoaki Dean

We would like to thank Dean for playing for us for the last couple of years, it has been thrilling to have a real New Zealander on the team (he made us seem more international and in touch with real rugby) and we wish he and Tara all the best in Aukland. Dean is smilling because he will miss winter this year even though Auckland does not have real winters (it gets a little chilly at night in July and August - although it does rain a lot).

The thing in my hand is a Canadian boomerange (given to Dean by Nick Lord so his son remembers he is Canadian) only early Canadians found they could not throw it so it would come back and they attached a long handle and essentially use it to club things.

Now our only other jumper is Bob whom we now have on a diet so we can lift him.

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This is Dean with Les the owner of the pub which would like to sponsor us this year. It is called Rickochez when you want to think of an elegant French establishment or you can call it Rick O'Shay if you want and Irish evening. It will also answer to Nathan's (except we were unwelcome there) and to the Depot Pub if you are old-school.

A couple pictures of Dean in action (in our home and away uniforms).

Saturday, September 7, 2013

Really the last game of the league and the Brooker Cup 2013

You followers of this blog, all eight of you, might be confused as to why the last game is happening now and why it has turned into the Brooker Cup for 2013. Well I will tell you - but focus, I will not repeat it. The Brooker Cup is played annually between St. Catharines Tigers and Grimsby Gentlemen and is named after a beloved character coach, who over his career was well known to both teams. The Cup was played first at the opening of the clubhouse in 2007 and is to played at the choice of venue by the holder of the Cup. St. Catharines is the holder (for the last four years) and the game should have been held in St. Catharines. However it was an unusual year in that during the league we only played the Tigers once and that was in Grimsby. (By the way, a lot of this is filler as the game was played awhile ago (August 22) and I cannot remember much (getting older), I cannot find my notes, my usual photographer, Jennifer, was not there and my wife took the good camera so I was using a video camera) Now I can't remember what I was talking about.

The game the Tigers played in Grimsby was on July 27 but the game was halted due to an injury to one of the St. Catharines players and the teams had to wait for an ambulance. (Two ambulances to the field in the same year, really). It was almost half time but the wait was long and the captains said they would replay the game later. The score was Grimsby Gentlemen 5: St. Cathatines 10 when halted. It was the last game for the old jerseys.

Old worn out players with old worn out jerseys

However St. Catharines had field problems and as we wanted to get the game done before people left at the end of August, it was agreed that the league game would be replayed in Grimsby and it would also be the Brooker Cup. The date was Thursday Aug 22 when Grimsby Gentlemen would attempt to win back the Cup they lost four years ago.

Venue: Alway (oh yeah you already knew that)

Referee: Maggie Cogger-Orr (a very aristocratic sounding name - I think she played for the Toronto Scottish) did a great job with a bunch of hoodlums.

Weather: It was a nice night for rugby I think, I can't remember

Sponsor: Profast fasteners, JJ Cores Vehicle Parts, and Steamwhistle Beer.

Attendance: A multitude (or maybe it was only a tude) of enthusiastic spectators.

Three old Brooker Cup vetrans (Adam, Fraank and Andy) showing the next generation (Mason) the finer points of spectating.

Team: . Nick Lord , 2. Brendan Sculland , 3. Jon Millington (40 min), 4. Colin Comfort (65 min) 5. Jeremy Young 6. James Vinneau (40 min), 7. Dean Crozier, 8. Bob Mavro , 9. Nick Limeaux 10. Derrick Weber (C) , 11. Brandon Nytschyk(40 min), 12. Vic Blaney, 13. Martin Colyn 14. Pat Brown, 15. Jamie Farrell, 16. Brad Vorsetnbosch (40 min),17 Martin Van Den Hurk (40 min) 18. Alex Millar (40 min), 19 Adam Amirault (15 min), 20. Ross (Turbo) Matheson (40 min) (a former player from 20 years ago - was brought in from Stoney Creek as a replacement front row in case he was needed. St Kitts had three from Stoney Creek.

Coaches Report:

We started out with the plan of not letting this team score early as has happened in most of our games this year. We partially succeeded as they did not score until the 10 minute mark. We were being outplayed by their forwards who were stronger in the scrum and good around the field. The second score happened soon after and it was converted. The hooker said we needed more weight and I said he should fill his pockets with stones. St Kitts kept most of the ball during this period but after another penalty was added the turning point of the game took place. St Catharines has a big hard running player from England at inside who had already scored a try and at about 25 minutes our Webs took a run with the ball and was taken down harder than really needed (the kind that injures shoulders) by this center. A little bit of jawing took place between the two. After the next scrum (Webs had knocked on which put him in a fouler mood), the Tigers gave this center the ball who ran as hard as he could right at Webs. But our Webs stood his ground and made a great tackle (Martin Van Den Hurk said it was the tackle of the year) but unfortunately the center for the Tigers was hurt and had to be taken off. The veteran Jeff Innis (who we have not seen in awhile came on).

They now had to reorganize and pulled a lock from the scrum (a Stoney Creek Player) and put him in the center and all of a sudden the Tigers scrum was not as dominant and we managed to get the ball in their end a few times. After a lineout drive and a couple of rucks, Martin Colyn dove into the end zone to start our comeback. We scored another try and conversion by Webs which took teams to half time and our game plan was working (survive their forwards and get it to our centers) not the one about not letting them score early.

Martin doing a Chris Aston for our first score

Half time score: Grimsby Gentlemen 12 : St Catharines Tigers 15.

The next half was a little more equal in terms of possession and territory. Grimsby was rewarded about half way through with a ball from a ruck at the Tiger 15 m line going to Martin Colyn who juggled it a couple of times but kept control and drove to the 5 m where the next ruck sent the ball through Webs to the winger Pat to score a try and put Grimsby ahead for the first time in the game.

Pat scoring on the wing.

Only being two down brought out the best in St. Catharines and they worked hard to get the lead back but some good defence kept them out until an errant pass was intercepted by Martin Colyn on our 35 m line and he outran everyone to score in the middle of the posts. The try was converted and essentially the game was over. Lots of players played really and Nick Lemieux was picked as man of the match by St. Catharines.

Final Score: Grimsby Gentlemen 24 : St Catharines Tigers 15.

The victorious Gentlemen winners of the Brooker Cup for 2013

Congratulations to St. Catharines Tigers for a very good game and for being great holders of the trophy for the last four years. With the win and scoring 4 tries we not only won the Cup but moved into 7th place in the league with a record of three wins, four losses and one tie , one point ahead of St Catharines and only three behind Wilmot.

Thanks to our younger players who will off at school in the fall (Brandon playing for me at Mohawk, Jamie who is going to school out in B.C. and definitely not involved in underage sex chants and Jake who is still in high school).

I am supposed to thank Frank for taking the pictures (one with his finger in front) but he was pushing the wrong button and did not take any. Usually the blog slows down now that the regular season is over but stay tuned for the Christmas Party and Awards night which usually gives me something to write about. It looks like there will some games in the fall but I am coaching Mohawk College again this year.

Next year everyone is looking forward to the scrum law changes which seems to take a bit of the hit away from the front row but with Brian Burke on the Rugby Canada Board we might get fighting into the game. Actually Brian is a former player at Harvard and says that "rugby is tougher than hockey".

“Every long-term injury I have came from rugby,” said Burke. “My shoulders and neck, my knee. It’s a hard game to play. It’s a hard game to excel at. The premium on teamwork might be the highest in rugby than in any sport.

“One mistake in rugby by one player has more consequences for the rest of the team than in any other sport.

“It’s a great game. A warrior’s game.”

The people that don’t want contact should play other sports,” said Burke. “There are wonderful sports you can play where you’ll never get an injury. Be a swimmer. It’s a great sport. You might get a cold but you probably won’t get a concussion."

"This is a full-contact sport. None of us that play it, none of us that coach it, none of us that work in it will apologize for that. People get hurt playing this game. People that don’t want to get hurt should play sports where you’re not going to get hurt. There are some wonderful sports where you’re not going to get hurt. I don’t enjoy any of them. But there are a lot of them.”

Amen

“

Monday, September 2, 2013

August 17 - Last week of the league (except not really)

Grimsby Gentlemen 19: Oakville Crusaders IV 41.

Venue : Crusader Park (third field on a hill behind clubhouse)

Referee: David Nelson (a member of their club but was the referee when we beat them at home)

Weather: Warm with lots of sun. The field was a little dry (see below)

Attendance: Lots of people but they were here for the Stoney Creek vs Crusaders game (we were playing on a back field)

However we did have celebs: this is Alan Lee one of the first Grimsby Gentlemen coaches with his daughter (not sure about her name but will find out).

Other notables at the game were Evans, Atkinson, and Wilson in the foreground (all former players) and Lord (keeping track of his son in the background)

I cannot write much about the game as I got to the game with about 10 minutes to play (was at the Flag Championship: see previous post) and it did not look like a comeback like the last time we played this team this year. They seemed to be a little younger, the weather was cooler, the same ref but he was at home and we were a little less strong (fewer subs)

Team:

1. Nick Lord , 2. Brendan Sculland , 3. Jon Millington , 4. Colin Comfort 5. Adam Amirault (40 min) 6. Chris Byatt, 7. Dean Crozier, 8. Jeremy Young, 9. Nick Limeaux 10. Derrick Weber (C) , 11. Brandon Nytschyk, 12. Vic Blaney, 13. Pat Brown, 14. James Vinneau (40 min), 15. Jamie Farrell, 16. Brad Vorsetnbosch (40 min),17 Martin Van Den Hurk (40 min)

Scoring: Webs 1T, 2 C

Brendan 1T

Vic 1T or Nick Limeaux 1T (it has been a long time)

This was the first game Chris played with Grimsby (I think) as he was on a trip from England and played very well although he did remark on the heat and hard ground.