Our second fellowship tournament of the season was on Saturday, 12-5-98. Kurt
(with Kathy) drove up via Naples (visiting his mom in the hospital) and Greg
(and Nicolle) went to Tampa Friday night. Rob and Chris, along with their PB
Boys team drove up Friday night as well. Chris was going to be coaching all day;
Rob would get to play. Raik, Rick, Wade and Zaz piled into the Blue Glider at
Rick's at 5:15 AM and headed cross-state. We got to Eckerd @ 8:35 AM! Not a bad
ride. We were expecting Mike and Shane to arrive together Saturday morning.

 The tournament was 2 pools of 6 playing a modified 6 format (4 matches for each
team in pool play). Our pool had a no-show with Georgia Tech not making it and
was changed to a regular 5 team pool round robin format. Our 1st match wasn't
until 10:30, which gave us time to hit the bagel shop and Publix for subs and
refreshments. We were the only non-collegiate team in our pool, while the other
pool had Shag Me and Byte Me from our region. As game time approached, Shane and
Mike were nowhere to be found. We had 7 players and rotated them throughout pool play.
Everyone got to rest one match and we went 8-0 uneventfully through the pool.
In games to 15 (actually to 11 starting at 4) no one came close to double digits.
This earned us a bye in the quarterfinals.

 In the semifinals, we played U. of Georgia's 1st team. The other semifinal was
Shag Me vs. Eckerd's 1st team. Shag Me blanked Eckerd 15-0, we dispatched
Georgia 15-4 (our match lasted 2 minutes longer). This set up the final against
Shag Me, best of three, first two games to 11, the third game rally scoring to 15.

 We started out scoring the first 5 points, mostly on blocks. We kept it up and won 15-8.
Second game, our blocking was still there, but now some balls were squirting through
and they began to dink as well as hit smarter. We dropped game two 15-10. We lost
the flip for the third and deciding game; Shag Me decided to receive. They took a
three point lead and we sided out throughout the game. We would close to two and
then it would swell to three.
 
 There were two calls (one on game point) of rather flagrant violations by Shag Me
which the referees missed, but Shag Me didn't call. One net violation on game point
(14-12), as the our hitter's spike was traveling deep into their back court off of
their blocker's hands was particularly ugly. The blocker landed and as he turned
toward his court, raked the net. Unfortunately, the 2nd referee had turned and was
following the ball and didn't see it. The "IF-THE-REFS-DIDN'T-SEE-IT,-I'M-NOT-
ADMITTING-TO-IT-AND-WILL-LIE-TO-YOUR-FACE-IF-YOU-ASK-ME-ABOUT-IT" strategy seemed
to be in full practice, even in this FELLOWSHIP tournament.  Aside from the missed
calls, it was a well played match with both teams playing better than they did during
their previous matches. Judging from the pool play scores Shag Me posted, they were
looking for some one to play as well.

T.K.A. (Thunderous Kaboom Award) No problem here: TIE, Kurt's 1-ball in the
final and Raik's tandem in pool play against Eckerd. Thump Away!

"The Dorkside" (like "The ESPY") - TIE, Greg's straight down crush on a beautiful,
weak side open net, into the middle of the net. - AND - Rick's aggressive fore-checking
in taking our middle back row attackers out of the play.

New Award This Year: Cranial-Anal-Extraction - C.A.E or "K" Award. Given to the
most imposing presence on and off the court. This week it was a close one between
Rick (Lobster Boy) Taylor and Wade (Sloth Boy) Galt. Although Rick polluted his truck
on the way to the tournament, boasting of how his natural abilities were enhanced by
his FIBER PILLS (he has since been given the alternate name of Fiber Boy), it was Wade
who imposed his presence onto others most notably. In a game, he left a present in the
back row for our passers just as the other team sided out. Even before Raik and Rick
stepped back to pass serve, Wade apologized saying - I'm sorry. They mistook this as a
reference to losing the last side out. They realized they were mistaken as
soon as Wade's "imposition" hit them. Disbelief! Screaming! With total disregard
for getting served deep, both passers fled to the 10 foot line to avoid the Wade-scent.
Wade was given a mini plunger to bring to the next tournament to pass on to whomever
imposes themselves onto others notably. This doesn't even go into the previous crab
meat ravioli story!

By the way, Mike and Shane never made it. No phone calls, no pages, no message, no
known reason why. An active search for additional players is ongoing. It is pretty
much agreed, we can't have these kind of no-shows at the last second.  The
 "I-have-to-bail-my-roommate-out-of-jail" excuse only works once. Does anyone know
why they were not there? Anyone talked to them? Is anyone going to?

What's next:

Next tournament:

Practice this Thursday, 7:00 PM. Be there.

The 1999 Darkside web page is up. You can get to it through my Home Page or directly.

Bookmark it! It should contain the latest info. Check it often!

The schedule is up on the web.
It is a tentative schedule and subject to change. Look at your you calendars and start reporting which tournaments you CAN'T make. Greg will not make Asheville and both he and Raik can't make March 13th. I will post a who's going chart on the web page. The 1999 Darkside web page is up. You can get to it through my Home Page or directly.