Hull City away kit 2007-2008

Just when I was thinking that I need to get a new white shirt to play football in (not the regular cotton t-shirts that I've been wearing up until now)...

Rawhide

I know that I now also write for a blog called RBD Rodeo - but this is me taking that a bit too far ;)

The horse was called Rawhide which, coincidentally, was what I ended up with after 1-1/2 hours on the trail...

Spot the dog

In England there's a game run in the newspapers called "Spot the Ball". A picture of a soccer game has the ball taken out of it, and you have to put an X where you think the ball is. Here's the American version... see if you can spot Sirius, the lost dog ;)

Trophy Time

While my team didn't make it to the final to compete for the prestigious championship t-shirts, Gwyneth did get her end of season trophy.

Why yes, that is a Hull City shirt that she's wearing, and what's more it's personalized. :)

Consolation prize

So this afternoon we took on the team that finished 4th in the league, and players for the team that finished 5th were allowed to make up the numbers on both teams. Even if I do say so myself, I played pretty well, at left back and right back (and even one brief foray towards the end of the game as right winger), whenever they did make it past me, I would force them out wide, or crossover with the central defender as he closed them down.

The game was even at 0-0 with shots from both sides, although their shots were all saved, and 3 of our shots beat the keeper, only to hit either the post or the crossbar... Finally one of our players was brought down in the box, 1/2 way through the 2nd half. He converted the penalty, then, as they tried to chase the game, we scored 2 more. To end at 3-0, and finish as the 3rd place team for spring 2007. While we didn't win the whole tournament, at least we ended the season with a well played win.

My first 5k

On Thursday night I found out about a 5k race being held locally, so I decided that it was time for me to start doing these. I had a time of 30 minutes in mind before the race. I didn't do a particularly good job of pacing myself, and did 1/2 walk 1/2 jog the last 1/2 mile, but in the end I came in at 25:38, which gave me an average speed of 8 miles per hour, much faster than on the treadmill, but then again, on the treadmill you don't have other people to pace yourself with. All in all, it was a fun morning, my knee held out, and now I'm off to my final game of soccer for the season...

Not the champions

So on Saturday we had our chance to make the final. As the game allows for unlimited substitutions, it was hot, and we had 15 players in attendance, we made use of them. I was off the field for the first goal against, but made it back on for the equalizer - a penalty, after an opposing player used our captain's leg to clean his studs. That was the score at half time. Then, they scored to take the lead, while I was again off the pitch. I came back on, and we scored an equalizer, a cracking shot by one of our female players from well outside the box. With 5 minutes to go, and the specter of extra-time looming, I came off. 3 minutes later the other team scored what would be the winning goal, in a 3-2 game.

Next week, we play in the 'losers final', or the 3rd place play-off, while the true final takes place after our game. It's a shame we didn't make it all the way, as we're the only team to have beaten the other finalist this season (and from what I heard, for the last 2 seasons), so we may have stood a chance. Ah well, it's not to be... this year.

Snake stops play

Midway through the second half, I cut out a pass and knocked it over to one of my players. One of the players on the other team raced over to challenge. Suddenly both of them turned and backed away from the ball, yes, there was a snake on the pitch. A snake that did not appreciate a regulation size 5 ball landing close to it. The referee chased it off the pitch, and the game restarted with a drop ball, as the handbook clearly states after a snake invasion...