Will Skate For Food

Well, we had our first team practice at the Skate Zone on Sunday night. It was a great turnout, with everyone on the roster playing except "Crash" - er, Fish. We had ice time for ninety minutes, and split our team in half (eight players a side) for a scrimmage. Vinnie, Badger, and I were on the same side, and Badger came out of goalie retirement for the game. (His knees? Not so good.)

The scrimmage was good for the first five minutes until I hit the ice. I played right wing, and after two sprints the length of the rink - chasing the puck - I was ready for the ICU. I'm not in shape, and the season is less than two weeks away. Despite my despicable condition, I actually managed to score two - absolutely garbage - goals against our starting goaltender. After practice, we hit the local bar and downed Guinness until closing. Life was keen.

And then, Monday came.

Vinnie, who is the team captain and manager, sent me a text message saying that one of our players quit, and took the rest of the team to another rink. That left me, Vinnie, Badger, and Fish without a team - only two weeks from the start of the season. Vinnie already signed us up at Skate Zone, and we already played the first of our free practices. Ice time isn't cheap, and when Skate Zone hears that our team has to fold, who do you think they'll come after for the green?

The turncoat rat bastard - a toad named Rich - claimed that the other rink was cheaper and closer to their homes. The price issue is false - Skate Zone is cheaper - and since last season was our first at SZ, they shouldn't bitch. During the previous ten years, we played at the other rink, which is much further from my, Badger, and Vinnie's homes - and we never complained.

I think the part that really has my panties in a bunch is that the guys who left wanted to join our team when many of their players did the same thing to them. We gladly took them in, because we always thought, "the more, the merrier." Now, they stole enough guys to form their own team, and figured, "Screw these guys, we're going home." In fairness, they sent us an e-mail invite, but after their shenanigans, who in their right mind would play with them again?

In my humble opinion, I think those scumbags finally mustered enough players to start their own team, and since they didn't need us anymore, figured they'd drop us like broccoli out of Rosie O'Donnell's mouth. Friggin' a-holes.

And now, the four of us probably won't be playing anymore.