Week 2 Postscript - Week 3 Preview

Okay, while 10 on 10 works well, 10 on 10 with 10 extra guys to sub in was rather somthing. Glad there's so much interest.

2 Major Issues for future weeks:

Issue 1) Everyone who plays needs to bring 2 shirts a dark one (black, blue, red, dark gray, etc) and a light one (white, light gray, light blue, etc) from now one. We've got so many guys and so many substitutions, its getting too hard for quarterbacks and even everyone else to figure out whose on who's team. If you bring other people out, be sure they bring a dark and a light shirt too.

Issue 2) For those of you who didn't make it out and to those who did but didn't get the word, the McNeil Athletic Director came over to talk to us. He doesn't want us using the fields we've been using until after their football season. That's 5+ weeks or so (they have 4 games and at least one playoff game coming it seems and there could be a bye in there). After the season, he said he doesn't care. He was VERY cool about it.

So that leaves us two choices:

1) We can play on the smaller field behind the softball field for free until the HS football season is over. The field is about 37 yards at its narrowest point but is wider at the other end so if need be we could play on a slightly odd field and always play towards the same end if we keep getting really big games. But if we get smaller groups that allow 8 on 8 max, the field is large enough.

2) The other option is we can pay the school $100 to get our game each week on the good field. If we keep getting 20+ guys a week, I think it would be worth paying the money. I'm calling the AD this week to learn more about it. However I need to say this: I buy a lot of equipment ($11 per belt) and ice and stuff each week which I don't mind doing because I love this game. But I'm not paying the $100 a week out of my pocket. So if we want to do this, we've all gotta chip in (even guys who come late or leave early). If people don't want to deal with the money then the smaller field is fine for a month or two (Thanksgiving at the latest, I'd think).

The AD said the only reason he has to charge for the good fields is that if he didn't, thet'd get torn up because TONS of people would be out there every weekend. So the money is really to try to dissuade people from using them and to compensate the school for the wear and tear during the season.

What I want to do is talk to the AD and see if he'd be willing to work with us. If we get a smaller game, we play on the small field for free. If we get a bunch more showing up, we send the school a check retroactively (unless he's there on Saturday mornings and could collect). That way, if we need the big field and use it, we pay for it. If we don't need it, we don't pay for it. I think he'd be willing go this route. I'll update the Evite or the blog later this week with the final info.

Assuming he's willing to be flexible and not require us to reserve/pay in advance, I want everyone who comes out this week to bring $5 in one dollar bills. It's a pain but that way we can divide it up pretty evenly. We'll only use the pay field if we get 20 guys or more. So the max we'd pay is $5 each. I think its likely we'll have 20 guys or more next week so plan on paying. Its cheaper than a movie, lasts longer and is a hell of a lot more fun.