entombed in the shrine of zeroes and ones

Last week marked the final games of my soccer sessions.  On Monday, Crossfire completed its second and final season at Off The Wall Soccer by losing in a different fashion: by forfeit.  Officially, Vortex won 3-0.  We played anyway and lost something like 11-2.  Our captains managed to forget the team jerseys, and the OTWS assholes wouldn't let the game be official, even though our opponents were wholly amenable to us playing in mesh vests, even though the other team had a chance to take first place (although needed to beat us by something like 13 goals, which even a team of our quality could've avoided).

On Thursday, Centavo beat Old Man U 10-7.  We started the game a man down, but only fell behind by a couple of goals.  We managed to pull away late in the second half, coincidentally when the ref let one of the opposing players languish in the penalty box 30 seconds past his due and we scored.

After the game, we faced the fact that our captain hadn't registered us for the next session (because he was moving away), and our division was full.  The only slot was in Division 5; we agreed that we'd take a shot, even though it's a top division and we'd probably get killed.  And even though i didn't want to captain the team (because that means paying up front, then dunning my teammates, plus stressing over jerseys and keeping a roster), i ended up volunteering because, well, nobody else was.  Now, OTWS had co-ed on Mondays, men's 1-5 on Tuesdays, 6-10 on Wednesdays, and 11-15 on Thursdays.  However, they recently altered it so that 1-4 is on Tuesdays, but 5 is on Fridays.  So now we're set for Friday, but since 4 of our players already play on Fridays, that means that our roster is suddenly quite short.  Add in another couple of dropouts for random reasons and things are looking very grim.

How grim?  Well, we played our first game yesterday and lost to Arsenal USA, 15-8.  Our defense was outclassed, and it could've been much worse; they seemed to be new to OTWS, so they kept making 3-line infractions and didn't play the ball off the wall very well.  Also, i had thrown my tattered gloves away after the last game, and i forgot to buy new ones, so i ended up playing with batting gloves.  Those fortunately didn't become a problem as i made most of my saves with my legs.  It was an interesting game for me because i was forced to shift side-to-side a lot and guess often, because of the quality of the shooters.  And guessing mostly worked for me this game.  So, like i said, it could have been worse.

As for Crossfire, last i heard we were shooting for reforming at Striker's Den.  My membership at OTWS expires in November, and i'll not renew it, because i'm just tired of their crap.  If Crossfire doesn't reform, then i'll try to find a team at Striker's Den or at MVP Arena.

I completed my winemaking class this week.  I'm somewhat unhappy with my effort, but some of it was out of my hands.  Now i find myself with lots of time on my hands and nothing hanging over my head.

On Monday night, Crossfire lost to 4Fit 11-2.  The team, frankly, played lousily.  We jumped out to another quick lead and just crumbled once they tied.  One of the other team's girls kept shooting unopposed from half-distance, and after she finally got one in, i berated my defense, "How many times is she going to shoot before you stop her?"  The ref told me late in the game to stop yelling because it can be considered an effort to distract the opponent, even though i was clearly yelling (often and loudly) at my teammates to cover, to move, to form a wall on free kicks... anyway, i think part of it was that it was a 23:25 game and there was nobody there, so my yelling seemed louder in the empty arena.

Centavo lost again, this time to Sub Zero, 10-8, in a late collapse similar to yesterday's game (and eerily reminding me of more than a few March Madness games).  Other than getting caught once outside the box and allowing a goal, and stupidly causing a penalty (but saving it) by clobbering the attacker well before the ball arrived, i had quite a good game, but it's scant consolation.  Since Monday's game will in all probability also be a loss, that'll make 3 in a row.  I'm in crunch mode for my winemaking class (final exam, research paper, one and a half lab reports, all due by Wednesday night), so i could've really used a morale boost.

Last Thursday, Centavo defeated SF Up Savages 7-4.  We played a nice, even game, and i was happy with my play except for the fact that i kept booting the ball too far.  One of my opponents said after the game that the ball was too bouncy, but i'm not sure if that was just it.  Maybe i just tied my shoes too tight.

Tonight, Centavo lost to KOSOC 11-9.  We were up 4-0 at one point, but after letting in a weird goal that somehow traveled through four people (including me), we collapsed and fell behind 5-4.  In the second half, we managed to score two shorthanded goals while having two guys in the penalty box (one of them a total bullshit call); however, we ended up allowing two before returning to full strength.  We were up 9-7 with a few minutes to go, but we kept pressing and lost concentration in the back.  After a particularly harried sequence where we managed to keep the ball out of the box, an opponent had a clear but weak shot at me that knuckled just a little bit and dropped below my diving body and went in.  Total soft goal.  After that, everyone else lost their composure and we allowed the go-ahead goal with 45 seconds left.  My guys were quite wroth with the ref, but i didn't think he did too badly.  Everyone complimented my play, including a bystander that used the word "superb", so i'm feeling good about myself, despite the loss.  I managed not to hurt anything (although i did safe the first shot on goal with my nose and face... that rang my bell a bit), except for pulling my right index finger trying to push a shot out during warmups.

Crossfire lost 8-5 to Habana Cuba on Monday night.  We played quite well overall; i had a very good game in the goal, but i had a really poor game distributing the ball, often passing it right at an opponent.  We started the game with no subs, gaining a few as the game went on.

I saw this one coming as i dropped to secure a ball, but how do you brace yourself to get kicked in the head?  My shoulder took most of the impact, fortunately.

I had a dream recently where i was wandering through a music studio, and the theme was a documentary about the first female Black recording engineer, sometime back in the `50s.  I could see the techniques she pioneered at the mixing board, and the jazz acts she recorded.  And there was a big dog in the hallway, too.  Clearly my subconscious is trying to push Black History Month on me, even if it's fictitious history.

Crossfire got shut out today by Ball Monsters, 8-0.  We played well in the first half, giving up two fluke goals (the first when an attacker managed to shoot the ball between two defenders into my far post; the second when i ran out to clear a loose ball, but sent right at an attacker who managed to kick the ball into the empty goal — the lesson is when in doubt, play it safe and dump the ball out).  In the second half, the defense broke down right away and let a goal in soon after kickoff, and it went downhill from there.  Soon, the team started playing badly on offense, trying shots to desperately kick in the "goal of honor" instead of focusing on passing and moving.  My only faults were booting the ball too long a few times.  I'm not sure why i'm not more annoyed at how we lost; i guess that we gave a lot of effort, even if it was often misguided, such as people double-teaming the attacker with the ball and leaving another attacker open.

Centavo defeated Balls Off The Walls 9-4 today.  We started the game down two men, but BOTW's defense became sloppy and we managed to score once (to cut their lead to 2-1) before we reached full strength.  Other than a gruesome mistake where i completely failed to adjust to a curling shot, which glanced off my hands before continuing into the goal, i had a very good game, and i didn't reïnjure the toes i hurt on Monday.  I did, however, strain my right arm badly, from shoulder to elbow, and it was killing me after the game.  It's still a bit sore, so i think i'll have to slather on something mentholated.

Oh, i forgot that i hyperextended my left knee.  Ow.

Last Thursday, Centavo lost to Toyota of Palo Alto 7-4.  It was a close game, where a couple of miscues on my part led to goals, including one where T, the defender whose feedback i find most valuable, was criticizing my play on a goal we'd just given up.  I was arguing back; the guy on our team who received the kickoff from midfield punted it back at us a bit too hard and right between us, leaving us flatfooted, and the ball went straight in for a brutal own-goal.  Our defense wasn't sharp, anyway, and ToPA was playing us tough and tight from the start.  To top it off, the burrito i'd eaten for lunch was still floating in my stomach, so i spent most of the game feeling winded.

On Monday, Crossfire lost to Bashers, 9-2.  Our play took a step back from our previous, continuous improvement, maybe because we haven't played too often on the big field.  The most notable event was that the ref's overall performance was probably the worst i've experienced at OTWS.  I didn't notice a single questionable call go our way; it didn't help that (the appropriately initialed) B started jawing at the ref because she was getting elbowed and she got whistled for elbowing back.  A couple of us tried to point out that jawing at the ref has never helped anyone at any level of play, but she stubbornly clung to the fact that she didn't say any objectionable words and that she's talked to refs before and they've improved their performance midgame.

I got called for two penalties in this game.  The first happened when i slid to stop a breakaway, and i kicked the guy in the shin because i left my leg up.  I kicked him so hard that my foot felt sore during the game, and when i came home i noticed bruising and swelling around the top of my second toe.  I made a point to apologize to the guy i kicked, because, damn, that hurt me.

The second occurred when i tried to play the ball back to the box so i could pick it up, and the attacker managed to get her toe in and poked the ball away from me; as bent over to protect the ball, she stuck her leg between mine to try to keep poking the ball.  As i felt a certain unwelcome pressure in my nether regions (by which i mean she was kneeing me in the nuts; yes, i wear a cup, but that didn't really help), i reflexively defended myself by flipping her over with my right leg.  When i pointed out what had happened after the game, she seemed rather embarrassed.  Anyway, this happened in the box, and the ref should've been protecting me.  After the game, when i pointed out why i flipped the girl, he said that i was coming out strong.  So what?  That's my job!  If i come out strong out of the box, then penalize me like any other player.  Inside the box, i can come out strong.  Plus, i got boarded when i ran out to chase a loose ball, and there was no call.

My foot still hurts, and my left hip flexor kills me when i get up after sitting for a while.  Getting old sucks.

The first All-African Amputee Football Tournament is taking place in Sierra Leone.  I'd love to see some of those games.  Those guys can be forgiven if they manage to miss a clean shot at goal; these guys, however, have no excuse for playing like they're missing a leg.  There are at least a few stars in there; i recognized Rudi Völler and Cristiano Ronaldo among the agonized head-clutchers.  As Gregg "TMQ" Easterbrook would write, "We're all professionals here."

As for those of us who aren't professionals, Crossfire lost last night to FC Red Storm, 9-6.  It was the first game in which i felt we could have won; we had no men substitutes, and they didn't sub out for a woman in the first half.  So they didn't last long to start the second half, and we gave up a bunch of goals.  They started subbing, and we managed to come back to 8-6 before giving up the final goal.  The ref scolded me after i threw myself across the path of a breaking attacker who was chasing the ball; i tried to grab the ball, but couldn't quite get a hold of it as the attacker tripped over me.  Anyway, we played a hell of a game.  We'll win one soon.

This week, Session 73 at Off The Wall Soccer began for both Crossfire and Centavo.  On Monday, Crossfire lost to Turbos 9-1.  They had a few cheap goals that came off deflections, but in the end they won because they ran a hell of a lot and wore us out.  An amusing moment occurred when one of their older players, who is also a referee at OTWS, was on a breakaway; i went out to kick the ball away and ended up clashing with him.  He bitterly complained to the referee about my treatment.  We made up after the game (but i always make up with people whom i know i treated poorly during the game).

On Thursday, Centavo reunited and defeated Balls Off The Wall 9-4.  The guys played some quality defense most of the game; the middle of the second half was frenetic, a coming and going of the ball without any actual shots on goal.  I spent a good amount of time on the ground, diving for loose balls and, in one instance, pulling a ball off an attacker's foot.  Their goalie was a little green, and reminded me of myself three years ago or so.  It felt good to win again.