2006 Week Two

The rain in Spain stays mainly on the plain---unless it is Wednesday night and then it finds its way to Riis Park. We tried our best but unfortunately we could not control the weather, but we are working on it. Luckily it wasn't raining inside the Irish Circle and the party phase of the evening was not postponed. Special thanks to the Irish Circle for the good food - Swedish meatballs, Buffalo wings, ziti and sausage and peppers. The only draw back to eating Italian food is that you’re hungry five days later. I was trying to describe what happens every Wednesday night at Riis Park. Is it sports or is it a party? I guess it depends on what time you ask and who’s asking. Maybe it is best described as a sportsparty - a new word. Put that in your Funk and Wagnall’s. It’s like the AVP meets Mardi Gras. It's hard to describe what happens every Wednesday night when an empty beach is transformed into “Net City by the Sea”. Desolate at 5:30 P.M. - then an hour later - Brigadoon! - the 1954 musical about a mythical city that appears once every hundred years. By 10 o’clock, it’s all gone.

Don't forget that the RBVL very rarely calls off matches before 6 PM at the beach; this week was an exception. Although we all love to play the silly little game with the nets and balls we are not going pro anytime soon. Safety and health come first, especially since the weekly socializing and partying can continue on anyway. If you didn't notice, the rainout was posted on the RBVL website (www.rbvl.com) minutes after the decision was made. Captains were called as quickly as possible as well but we still need your help in improving the speed of our communications. The league is still missing many e-mail addresses of captains and co-captains. If we can get all of these promptly we can create a distribution list that will allow messages to go out to everyone immediately when announcements must be made. The referees will have a sheet this week for you to sign so that we can add you to this important list.

A speedy recovery to Lauren Pellegrino who is on crutches due to a severely sprained foot. Apparently she was dancing at the Blarney (I didn’t know they had a cabaret license.) and her foot impacted the floor incorrectly. Cheer up Lauren; Paul McCartney is single and he is looking for a woman who doesn’t have a leg to stand on. Coach Bob Schwartz is still married after 6 months, and they said it wouldn't last! Since many of you have been asking I thought I would share some league info with you. The oldest continuously participating team in the league is Abbracciamentos Off The Pier. Originally called Abbracciamento’s On the Pier (Canarsie). The team outlived the restaurant. Speaking of age and getting old I thought I would reminisce a bit about the league.

You know your getting old when:

1. You bend over to pick up volleyball and there is an eight-inch gap between the end of your fingers and the ball. So you “inadvertently kick the ball near someone under 40 and yell, "Yo—A little help." Then you hope they don’t kick it back.

2. You overhear a player looking for first aid advise, "Ask “Mister” Cubby."

3. You actually understand Stevie Kearns at 2 in the morning.

4. You remember Dickie Flanagan before he was custom fit for his mortar moccasins

5. You remember ordering an egg cream on beach 116^th street and the soda jerk asked –vanilla or chocolate, not, "What’s an egg cream?"

6. Your back goes out more than you do

7. You remember seeing Turtle McManus actually driving one of his McManus Mechanical Maintenance trucks

8. You remember Riis Park before it was seized by the Audubon Society

9. You remember Coach bringing beers to the beach, even though they were warm, dented and sandy. (He did bring three that day in 1994.)

10. You remember Eileen Bledsoe in a pixie

FYI, the men and women’s AVP Pro Beach volleyball tour is coming to Brooklyn for the first time. It will take place on Thursday, August 17^th thru Sunday August 20^th in Coney Island. I have been in contact with Brooklyn Sports and Entertainment about group sales. General admission is $20 and the portable stadium holds 4,500 people. Info will be put on the web site (RBVL.com) as it arrives. Marybeth Flanagan Goldberg is making her bid for team MVP due to attrition - and nobody else caring. Dave Reilly noted, “I’m so glad we were rained out. I got to the bar at seven o’clock and I wasn’t sandy!” It’s a good thing that it got rained out because Danielle and One Win Away would have gotten spanked by Jaime and the Cheese Fries. Since summer is upon us, I thought I would post some travel tips for those of you going abroad - 1. Carry the Koran. 2. Put a dot on your forehead. 3. Wear sandals. 4. Don’t ask how the Yankees are doing. A special hello to visiting volleyball guest Therese Smith who took a trip up from D.C to say hello and catch some non-volleyball action. Not only was there the rare rain out, but Billy Hoffman strolled into the circle sans his pinky ring, bracelet and velour accessories. He appears taller probably due to his hair pointing North. We were heartened that although Brian remains on the disabled list he was able to shuffle into the bar. One More is proud (or saddened) that more teammates attended the rain out at the bar than the first game. Special thanks to Mark and Nancy Gentile’s friend Rose Maguire who lent great assistance to the author. The Brooklyn Transplants had the emergency supplies (Ready-packed coolers) in Greg’s pick-up but the Circle, for some inexplicable reason, refused to let them bring the coolers into the bar. The Transplants/Turtles outnumbered the other patrons, including staff at the bar. Their attendance record remains intact. At this rate the rehab center will be full by July. Sands Point Physical Therapy has been notified and is standing by. Why was Stevie The Red not at the Circle? No happy hour - no Stevie G! Where was Joe? I guess they raised the toll. Hey Last Call, Chippendales called and they want you, for a new beer bitch next week. Auditions are scheduled. Where was the Blonde Bombshell? Having a Brazilian Wax? Our new team mascot is our own power hitter Janice. The only one to hang out and contribute to the kitty of the Brooklyn Transplants. She’s brave. Air Steinberg, you need to wear black socks this week. I have an unpublished book signing at Healey’s on Sunday morning at 8 o’clock. The name of the book you ask - "JFK: The Man, The Airport."

Week 1 went smoothly thanks to everyone's cooperation and patience. As you know, the court layouts can change from week to week at Riis Park. Continue to check the bulletin board for the layout of the week and don't hesitate to ask questions. Also, listen for the Human Microphone, Bugsy who will be barking out instructions to help us along. Keep up the good work, folks. As always, if you have any questions, please call Patty Moule at 917-566-2809. (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!