Congratulations Volleywood and thank you for bringing the trophy home to Springdale! Tuesday night was everything I thought it would be and more. (I laughed I cried I hit on your wives.) I can’t wait for July 30th 2013. Mark your calendars!
There were a lot of surprises. Last year’s winner went out in the first round and the SARC-Sand Diggers lost their first game blowing my prediction of a Sand Diggers/ Volleywood match up. Mike Robbins decision to sit himself for the first game will probably haunt him until next year.
Volleywood looked fantastic and went undefeated going in to the final game. There was then a 47 minute break and some incoherent rambling by Mark Williams where Mark won a wine tasting for 20 people in the raffle. (And who is more deserving then me; one of Mark’s twenty closest friends) It then came time for the final game. You could cut the tension with a wiffle ball bat. The sobriety of the Volleywood team was evident and has always been their secret weapon. It started off close but in the end it took very little effort to overcome the Lake Park team and bring the trophy home.
Here are your 2012 Growler Champions:
Team captain Jason Greico sacrificed a lot. He alienated friends, pilfered players from other teams, ignored his family, and finally called Glyn Jones and asked him not to show for the final night. Heartless? Yes! But damn-it he’s a winner.
Rob Rauth; the first three time Growler champion. Rob dyed his hair in order to look like the host from The Hunger Games but surprised everyone when he had his head shaved and it turned out he colored his scalp purple as well.
Gary Caiola; $30 for 4 nights of food, drinking, volleyball, a free hair cut and 2 tee shirts? Try keeping Gary away.
Pete Borgia; he cleans himself less often then I clean the top of my refrigerator.
Steve and Heather Barna; I find it harder and harder to say anything negative about this wholesome, friendly, happy-go-lucky couple. They seem out of place with the rag tag team. Heather is straight out of Stepford Wives movie and Steve seems like you would more likely find him working security at Walt Disney World; The happiest place on Earth, then apprehending criminals in Durham’s underbelly. (There I did it)
“Tom (last name?)” Seriously that’s how Jason listed Tom’s name on the team registration form. He spotted a 6’5” guy with and American flag dew rag, colored safety goggles and an artificial knee and thought “I got to have him who cares who he is.” That’s how his name is going to be listed in the archives.
Glyn Jones; I was joking when I said Jason called Glyn and asked him not to play. (I am not joking when I say he would totally do that though) Glyn was a valuable member of this team even though they were able to win the championship game by a 15 point margin without him.
Finally, a lot has been said about all that Mark Williams has done to make Volleyball at Springdale so popular but little has been said about Jeff Vance; The father of Springdale volleyball. Way back when in yee olden times; back when Hootie was still with the Blowfish it was by all accounts Jeff’s idea to install the first court and with the help of others like The Henderson’s, The McCollum’s , and The Johnson’s installed the first court. In fact it was Jeff’s idea to install the net pole at a 70 degree angle to “give it some character” and Springdale certainly has a lot of character and characters. Jeff did not play this year because he injured his shoulder base jumping or riding a bull or something of that nature but I am sure he will back out at The Growler next year and we will always leave the gate open for him on Thursday nights.
Some of the proceeds from this year’s Growler are going to go to purchase hooks for the back of the bathroom doors so that large, good looking, drunken men with clefts in their chin (that are somewhat difficult to shave) don’t accidentally kick the rocks used to prop open the doors and break their toes.
It was a great ride. Thank you to Mark Williams and all the volunteers, sponsors and Springdale staff and a special thanks to Yvette Caiola for wearing that dress Tuesday night. It was certainly appreciated!