Cotter’s Corner

Well, about one hour before game time the other team calls us on Saturday to tell us that they aren't going to make it. So, we have a team 10v10 scrimmage. It was pretty fun. We played 40 minutes and 40 minutes. I played my usual spot but for some reason this week I didn't feel like I played as well. My legs are a continuing spot of bother for me, but I'm just trying to ignore them.

The scrimmage couldn't have been any nicer, it was cloudy and about 82 degrees. Just amazing weather for the end of June. We're going to have a few more practices here this week (Thursday and then on Monday when we are scrimmaging again). So, it should be pretty fun. 

Hopefully a couple of guys from work will sign up to play too. 

So, I haven't updated in a while so I thought I would keep everyone up on what was happening in the world of Soccer and old guys trying to act young.

We had our first "real" scrimmage on Monday this week dressed in our spiffy new uniforms and everything. The coaches split the team up into two groups. One group that is primarily defense and one that is primarily offense and let us have at it for three thirty minute periods.

We defensive people really did well for ourselves. We ultimately lost to the offensive guys, but only by 7-5. We didn't take an ass whipping or anything – we held up.

As for me, my body is slowly but surely getting more used to the idea of moving around. The soreness I experience after practice goes away in a day or so now and doesn't last for the entire week. Which is amazing, in and of itself. I'm wearing some pretty good shoes that I finally dropped some insoles into (cleats have NO padding on the bottom, so if you are playing on a hard field you might as well be barefoot on concrete). The insoles were a life saver! I had no "hot spots" on the bottoms of my feet and actually my legs felt better as the game went on instead of the other way around. Probably has something to do with my arches getting the support they need.

Soccer is a lot of fun to play. I've really, really been enjoying it. Work has been pretty crazy lately here too, but this is a soccer update, not a work update.

Lastly I'll tell you that we are playing a hispanic team this Saturday in our first "real" game. No, I don't consider playing the girls a real game, it was more of a scrimmage. So, we're going to have a real test of how crappy we are – and I can't wait! We don't know much about this team, so they could all have been playing together for years and completely destroy us – or they could suck just like we do. Time will tell I suppose.

I'll put up pictures as soon as I can since I know everyone enjoys seeing fatty doing something physical.

So, Monday night we played the U-18 girls team that our part-time coach really coaches. We arrived at about ten 'til six and the girls were warming up on the field with drills. Let it suffice to say that every guy on our team thought we were going to have our asses handed to us. We all stretched and cowered and wondered how we would explain this defeat to our friends.

Then we started.

In the first ten seconds of time we kicked off, passed the ball outside and downfield and scored on a cross.  We scored again about two minuts later.

Let it suffice to say this was quite a shock. Of course, I wasn't playing at this point. My shin splints were making me miserable just standing there. So, I was on the sideline while all the important stuff happened in the beginning. I was waiting for a chance to sub out in a defensive position where my lack of mobility wouldn't be quite so detrimental to my team.

At long-last I jumped in and proved how pitifully slow I was. It was nearly pathetic, but I kept at it and by the second 15-minute period my shins were just constantly hurting and didn't really hurt more when I ran on them, so I just stayed out.  I couldn't cut well, but eventually with the help of angles of attack I was able to keep up with anyone who tried to test me. Thankfully, that wasn't often.

It was an absolute blast. And while it would be poor sportsmanship to say we kicked little girl ass all over the field on Monday, I'll say it anyway. They were talkin smack to us a little, so, it was all in good fun. They want a rematch in a few weeks, so we'll see what fun that brings.