wk9

The Rockaway Beach Volleyball League bounced back from a rare rainout on 7/18 with a perfect night of exciting volleyball on Wednesday 7/25. The bad weather washed away a scheduled position week which often tightens up playoff races in every division. The score last week was Thunder and Lightning 1, RBVL 0. Now each team will have to advance with their work in the last three sessions at Riis Park. After Wednesday’s action the Ocean Division is led by perennial leader, Freedhand’s, with 26 points followed by Gatemate.net 24, West End Tents, Sullivan and Galleshaw and the Flip Cup All Stars, each with 23. The top players in the top level will really be bringing the heat the next few weeks and promise to exhibit the finest level of play on the beach. If you are not playing, watch it and enjoy. The Ocean Breeze group is led by the Kenosha Kickers who have a substantial lead and they are followed by a host of teams, including JG Electric 24, Casino Auto Towing 22 and Sand Spikers 21. In a year with close scores every week those four teams were one game away from four sweeps in the same night. Highly unusual. Do “Old Meat” and “New Meat” have enough time to lead Healy’s to knock Off the Net off? Probably not, since they are down 8 with only 10 to play. But they will give it their carnivore best. ROCK FAM still leads in the Beach but Bayview and Kerry Hills Pub are within striking distance, only 4 points back. Sal’s Auto Sandstorm is still running away with the Boardwalk group and the Stanii have edged a point ahead of the Odd Couples in a Sun Division race that will surely come down to the wire. The Sun Ray group has spread out a bit but one of the biggest battles of the season will determine which two teams are the only two teams not to qualify for the playoffs. Right now, the IFMA’s look to be in deep trouble. The Social Yachties lead Rathbones by a single point in the Moon and Rockaway Seafood and William J. Lachner Painters lurk right around the corner ready to pounce. Finally, the Star has a tie for the top with

Servpro NW Brooklyn and Tax City Suns of Beaches and Wii Not Fit and Hamilton Hardware Hammerheads are only 3 games behind them. Anything can and will happen.

After a rare rain out the previous week the weather deities were apparently overcome with guilt and provided a Norman Rockwellian night for volleyball. Even the perennial pessimist, Simon Moule was impressed: “It was an okay night.” It was basically women fest on court ten as Casino Tow’s Triple Entente of Sarah, Lauren and Brianne played against Jameson’s fearsome foursome of Kate, Kaitlin, Chris and Kelly. There were some men on the court, including antiquarians Joe and Rocky, but they were there only to avoid a forfeit and serve. Games were close and well played with Casino prevailing slightly in each game. Jameson’s never looked better than they did with their 2 men, 4 women rotation. Rick Nunnari of Tax City Sons of Beaches is running the New York City Marathon on November 4^th. He is running the race for Team for Kids through NY Roadrunners which raises money for under privileged kids and children battling disabilities. Go Rick. After losing seven straight games over the season to Sal’s Auto, Sands Point called time out and had a sports psychologist speak to the team. The team was happy about the psychologist’s pep talk. ABT. Anyone but Tommy. They won the next two to wash the demons out of their heads. Last year, Sands Point defeated Sal’s auto for the championship. August 11^th is looming as a revenge re-match. Borders Surf Shop for the first time in three years had a clean sweep against Serves ‘em Right. I guess it paid off for Christian Stathis to bring a broom. He led the team with frozen rope like serves so I guess you could say he served ‘em right.

rock, paper, sissors, rusty nail

The Stanii want to wish Kathleen, Mary, Juliana, Kimberly, Annie and Monica a happy July birthday. We love you Mary but Kathleen had a day to herself. Connolly’s won two tonight which means they lost three. Do the math. Mr. Happy didn’t play again, apparently saving himself for the Graybeard run on Friday night. The Social Yachties defeated the Breakers 3-2 but that did not stop a certain Yachty from complaining about 15 year old Conor serving “down the middle” at the girls. The Yachtie was later heard complaining that there was too much sand on the beach. It’s All Good continued its climb out of the cellar by taking on the first place Odd Couples. The veteran squad showed that they will live and die with their youth movement as they took the first two, before Alex Goldberg had to leave for a basketball game. Minus their youngest player and MVP, they succumbed in the final three with only Patrick Goldberg and Leenie Tolan still there to provide a fountain of youth. Was the fountain bottled or tap?

Although U got Served took the first game they lost two games to three to Bayview. Coach TJ Laible helped Danny Paskoff to seven straight points in a loss in game three. It may have been the best coaching move the RBVL has ever seen. Hands down, he should be coach of the year this year along with J. Paterno. 17 of the 18 Bungalow Baranhas arrived tonight to play, host and dance. They also took three games from the very hard working, talented and extremely attractive (Shane Brunner) Notorious D.I.G.s. Kerry Hills took four and rocked it thanks to Johnny. Just to see how it feels. Sean Reagan would love a text any day of the week. He will respond immediately; if not, resend. Shout out to the ladies for showing the men how it’s done tonight.

The Blackwater Boarders were the walking wounded and were proud to win one game against the Cabana. At least, accordimg to coach Sica, who was unsuccessfully trying to monitor everyone’s health. For the Cabana, Big John was hitting the best of his career despite the wind, and Shannon was excellent blocking, setting and hitting. The Flip Cup All Stars won all five, behind great hits by Kenny, Mike Sica and Brian. They were grateful to Dig This who moved their net after setting it up to make room for the All Stars, a class act. Their woman mentors are the best. Meanwhile the boys on the Flip Cup All Stars have been complaining how they are in a dart league and have to leave each week as soon as the games are over and run to their match in a local bar. After being eliminated last week this is the first week they don’t have to play darts. None the less after their volleyball game they went back to the Tiki Bar and played darts among themselves. The grass is always greener. Meanwhile the Federation has taken control of the “Hole”, formerly known as the “Cubby Hole.” The Federation missed their spiritual leader, Tom Ford, and their future star, Patrick Ford.

Federation

Denise the "Emotion Coach" taught her team a valuable lesson. You can’t win unless you are having fun. Step one, put all volleyball strategy aside. Step two, just put smiles on your faces and get rid of Debbie Downer (aka Brian). The next thing you know, the team formerly known as Robin Shapiro Realty Island and really formerly known as Snyder Island won the last game. Perhaps they will smile their way to 10 more wins in the last two weeks. Where has the most interesting man in the world been? He was over in Stockholm receiving the scientific award for single handedly proving the existence of the Higgs boson. Last week he retrieved a ball that had wandered out 75 yards into the ocean and when he returned, only the bottoms of his feet were wet. He often raps rhapsodically about rap. Say that fast three times, or even once for that matter. DJ Teddy is the last man since Iron Joe McGinnity to pitch both ends of a day-night doubleheader as he played at McFadden’s at Citifield in the afternoon and then hustled out to the Bungalow bar for his annual funfest Wednesday night. Is “Fun” really his official middle name on his birth certificate? Once again, he mixed his music and his commentary to take the party skyward. John Sica has been locating and posting on YouTube old videos taken at prior playoff extravaganzas. Check them out because they are priceless. To answer last week’s trivia questions: The playoff year of Disorder in the House has not been nailed down yet but the song was brought to you courtesy of the late great Warren Zevon with some backing vocals from Bruce Springsteen. Next week the post-game party is at the Wharf, followed by the season-ending blast at the BHYC. Clear your calendars. No one is going home early. And then the RBVL season ends on August 11^th. Is that possible? Is the season really only two weeks from being over? Wow!

All six people on your RBVL Committee are willing to help you with any problems that come up; just take care of matters in a respectful manner. They are always available to help out on any matters and answer your questions. As always, if you have any questions before then please call Patty at 917-613-0908. (Be sure to call between 10 AM and 9 PM. Remember, Patty has a life outside of VB, too.) Or just check our website at www.rbvl.com. You'll find the answers to most of your questions there, not to mention pretty pictures and funny stories.

See you on the beach!