The Green and the Red

This Saturday was the big rematch between us and the Manchester United/Duke/NY Yankees/Dallas Cowboys/LA Lakers/Yomiuri Giants of bocce - The Coffee Flats Terrors.

Now openly referring to themselves as a juggernaut, we knew this was a serious test for us. I've said since the beginning of the season that I was trying to gear our team up for the playoffs. We weren't even remotely competitive in our first foray into the big time. How would we fare the second time?

I knew my team had not been playing loose so I needed them to relax. I played the role of court jester, all little boy jittery and bad jokester. With 9 members on our squad on this day, I decided not to play until a possible 3rd game. I even covered up my team t-shirt that I usually wear with such pride. I planned on blowing the Terrors away when I took off my sweatshirt to reveal the team colors if I were needed.

Game 1 was tight. We took a 3-0 lead that quickly was narrowed to 3-2. Still, we felt good and Reason to Believe was looking dominant for the first time in awhile. We need him to recover his Jordan-like ways and things were looking good.

Unfortunately, things fell apart. We had a terrible frame and gave four points to the Terrors. With the score 6-3, it seemed like we had no chance. But wait a minute! Strong play from Reason to Believe, Downtrain Train, Dixie Toot, and The Balltrap brought us to a 6-6 tie!

With two balls left, we had the chance to put the first game away and make the Terrors sweat a little bit. Instead, the pressure was too much and we couldn't get the job done. The Terrors scored the final point in the next frame and we were done.

Demoralized, we folded quickly and were swept away in Game 2.

Even without Sweet Touch, The Terrors proved too deadly for us.


Still, I like the heart my team showed in almost taking Game 1. The Terrors are the barometer by which all mortals should measure themselves. We showed ourselves that we can compete and we look forward to a possible third match in the playoffs. If the World Baseball Classic is any indication, the third game is the most important one and we hope to play Japan to the Terror's Korea.

We need to practice more. We need to strategize a little more. We need to make sure not to hit the backwall as often as we do. But I am confident for the final three games. We are playing loose and we are playing hungry.


Lethal Dose of Love and Gladrags somehow contain themselves from pushing Ezra over.