Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Game 8 - Dream On

INTRO

There are few certainties in life.  Here are a few.

  • Hugh Armstrong will say something to make you laugh.
  • Rob McCarron will be hopping down the street trying to put on his cleats and run at the same time at 7:03 for a 7pm game. 
  • Rob Farah will shake hands after a game and say, "see you in the finals" whether his team is 1-6 or 6-1.  
  • Downtown Billy Brown will never miss an opportunity for gag, even if it means poking fun at himself. 
So I've planned this little 'series' interviewing some of the finer gentlemen in the league on the BLOG.  Its a 'get to know' type thing so the rookies and newer folks can get some insight into the characters that they're dealing with.  And they are characters!  What better place to start than with good old DownTown!!!

The Man, The Myth, The Legend....
Downtown Billy Brown!

BLOG:  Mr. Brown, thank you for agreeing to do this interview, its a pleasure to sit down and chat with you. 
DTBB:  Never a problem!  And call me William 
BLOG: William?  Sure.  So William...
DTBB:  Actually...let me stop you there.  Call me "Sir William".  I like the sound of that
BLOG:  Sir William it is.
DTBB:  No.  Wait a second.  I'm good with Bill.  Or DownTown.  What was I thinking with this Sir William business.  Sir William was my father for god sakes.  Sir William Brown of Richmond Hill
BLOG:  Seriously?
DTBB:  Yep.  No kidding.  He was a banker.  Sadly he passed just before the first professional baseball game was ever played in 1859. 
BLOG:  Nice one.  You had me there. 
DTBB:  Not joking. 
BLOG:  Okay then.  So how long have you been playing ball?
DTBB:  Well, you've heard of Ty Cobb?
BLOG:  Ya. 
DTBB: Well I used to call Ty's dad "The kid". 
BLOG:  Come on Bill, you're not that old.
DTBB:  Not that old?  You have no idea.  Do you know what my Social Insurance Number is?
BLOG:  No, what?
DTBB: 8
BLOG:  Geez.  Okay.  Seriously.  How long have you been in the league. 
DTBB:  Its hard to say.
BLOG:  Why. 
DTBB:  Well there were no calendars when I started.  Everything was still pretty much tracked by sun dials which made night games EXTREMELY difficult!  No one knew what time to show up once the sun was down and then there was the whole playing in the dark thing. 
BLOG:  And I thought we had it rough with rain outs.
DTBB:  Rain outs???  We used to play fields of lava.  And we liked it!  We were just happy to have a little corner that wasn't over run with dinosaurs and reptiles. 
BLOG:  I'm not buying the dinosaur bit.
DTBB:  Too much?
BLOG:  A little.  Lets get serious if we can.  When did you're interest in baseball start?
DTBB: Honestly?  I'd say high school. 
BLOG:   Cool.  A serious answer.  So was it a coach or something specific that drew you to the game?
DTBB:  Actually another kid in my home room played and asked me to join. 
BLOG:  And it took off from there?
DTBB:  Pretty much.  The guy was INCREDIBLE with the glove.  WoW.  He was like a miracle worker.  Everything he touched was magic.  I swear, even on those awful fields, there was never an error.  Of course he went on to become quite famous, you've probably heard of him. 
BLOG:  Really?  What was his name?
DTBB:  Jesus. 
BLOG:  You were in home room with Jesus in high school. 
DTBB:  Ya.  That guy was flawless.  He could practically walk on water. 
BLOG:  Moving along....after high school, did you continue to play ball or did you revisit it later in life?
DTBB:  Never stopped playing.  In university I made the varsity squad. 
BLOG:  Cool.  What position did you play then?
DTBB:  Its hard to remember.
BLOG:  Take your time. 
DTBB: No, you don't understand me.  I can see it all in my minds eye, but memory is only in black and white.  I can't tell me from the other players. 
BLOG:  Of course. You know....I don't think you're really in the mood for this today.  Maybe we should wrap this up?
DTBB:   No!  Not yet.  I haven't shown you my autographed bible yet!
BLOG:  Bill. 
DTBB:  Or tell you the story about when the Grand Canyon was just a ditch!
BLOG:  Bill
DTBB:  Or how when I went to school there was no such thing as "history class".
BLOG:  Okay I,
DTBB:  Or how I dated Betty Rubble1
BLOG:  think we're
DTBB:  Or how Adam punched me when I winked at Eve!
BLOG:  about
DTBB:  But I didn't show you birth certificate, its in Roman Numerals!
BLOG:  done.
DTBB:  But I can tell you the story about how Moses still owes me a quarter!
BLOG:  Thanks Bill
DTBB:  Can I just say one thing before we finish?
BLOG:  Fire away
DTBB:  This is important for people my age and I want it to be taken seriously.  The Canadian Senate is investigating deceptive sweepstakes and phone prize scams.  As you know, many people who are victimized by these things tend to be seniors who are trusting and aren't prepared for scams.  They're honest and hard working and generally just want to help.
BLOG:  Very true.  Good of you to point this out.  So what is happening with this investigation. 
DTBB:  Well in addition to determining who these scammers are, they are also figuring out how it works.  They lure them in with promises of riches but the reality is that they never see the money and get bilked out of their savings.  Its really sad.
BLOG:  I couldn't agree more.
DTBB:  Anyway, the most popular one of these scams is apparently called the "Old Age Security Pension" run by a corrupt organization called the "Federal Government".
BLOG:  Good night Bill.
DTBB:  Good night.

THE SPEECH

Doug:  Dude, I'm totally under the gun, do you have a song?
Rob: A.  I'm not dude, that's the guy with the bike.  B.  Of course I have a song.
Doug:  Thank god.  I'm in no mood for the usual run around tonight.
Rob: What are you talking about?
Doug:  I'm talking about the usual crap with you mixing up words and names and driving me nuts.
Rob:  That's a prerogative term.  You shouldn't say nuts.  Its an inflammation to people with mental illness.  
Doug:  A "pejorative" term and "inflammatory". But you're right, I shouldn't have said that.  And DAMMIT you're doing it again.  Whats the flippin' song?
Rob: Oh.  I'm going after Terry Doucet HARD tonight with one of his favourite songs.
Doug:  Which is?
Rob: Dream On by AeroSmith. 
Doug:  Interesting. 
Rob:  You bet it is. 

I'll be honest....I didn't think that Robbie could hit those Steven Tyler high notes, but he pulled off!  Here's the music to sing along =====>  CLICK ME

DREAM ON

Every time when I look at his beard
All those lines on his face are getting weirder
The past is gone
It went by, like a liner from Gord Robertson
Isn't that the way
Everybody's got the dues in life to pay

I know where Doucet goes
Where he hits and where he throws
I know its time to begin
Joints got to lose so the Grisslies can win

Half my life
I pitched in the majors
Live and learn from fools and
From sages
You know it's true, oh
All Terry's tricks are coming back to you

Sing with me, sing for some beers
Sing for the laughter, sing for Terry's tears
Sing with me, just for today
Maybe tomorrow, the Terry will pitch his old way

Sing with me, sing for some beers
Sing for the laughter, sing for Terry's tears
Sing with me, just for today
Maybe tomorrow, the Terry will pitch his old way

Dream on,
Dream on, 
Dream on, 
Dream until 
your dreams 
come true!

THE GAME

Our win streak died at one.

This game started very "Grisslie-esque".  It didn't end that way.

The Dislocate Joints lineup is pretty daunting.  Moye, Doucet, Rose, Kahuna, Foerster, Moon, Robertson, Foerster, DownTown and Bales subbing.  There aren't a lot a holes.  But we looked like the Grisslies throwing up zero's for the 1st two innings. While counting one of our own.

We would give a single in the 3rd and a 3 spot in the fourth.

By the end of 6 we were down 7-6 coming to last at bats.  For the Grisslies, this is "we got them where we want them" range.

Then it went to hell in a hand basket.  We played our worst inning of the year.  Actually, let me revise that.  We did a little throwing the ball around earlier in the game.  On a normal night, 3 of the Joints first 7 runs wouldn't have scored.  That's okay, that stuff happens.  We'll learn and fix it.  Its cool.

The 7th WAS NOT like that at all.  The Joints hit.  If we set up left, they hit right.  If we played deep they dunked in it.  If we guarded the lines they hit up the middle.  They hit fantastic!  Hats off to the Joints.

Note to self:  It might not be such a good idea to make fun of Bill and Terry in the future.  The were collectively 8 for 9 with 4 runs scored.

Never liked those guys.  


1 comment:

Anonymous said...

That interview was inspired! I'm going to have to remember that Social Insurance line! heh heh

Leigh