Played Rugby Again, Finally

You know I'm sometimes asked if people play Rugby in America.  I tell them yes and then they ask me an awkward question, "Do you play?"

I feel disingenuous if I just say, "Yes" when it's been a few years since a previous game and I don't see when my next game will be.  On the other hand, I don't want to say, "I used to," because I still want to (desperately sometimes).

I am so relieved when I can just say, "Yes, I played last Saturday as a matter of fact."  I can say that this week.

Two weeks ago was a perfect storm of Rugby.  On one day I got invited to play the Chicago Griffins Old Boys game and to help coach a local High School team that is just starting up.  Then in that same week I got invited to play a game with the Chicago Blue.

The Chicago Griffins are a top tier team playing Division I.  I played with them after college for a while while (on one of their lower sides).  You can still see pictures of my youngest brother playing for them on their front page.

The Chicago Blue are a team of Police Officers and Firefighters.  They do charity work as well as play Rugby.  According to their website, "Established in 2009, the Chicago BLUE Rugby Football Club (RFC) is comprised of Federal, State, and Local Law Enforcement in the Chicago area. We are the first and presently only rugby club in the nation of our kind."

I played in Milwaukee last Saturday for the Blue.  There are some Grifs Old Boys on the team and one of them invited me to play.  I got in a little more than a half and enjoyed the hell out of it.

I was really hoping to have two weeks of back to back games, but alas, the Griffins Old Boys game was to be against the Chicago Lions Old Boys (the Lions are another Division I team) and the Lions pulled out.

Well, at least for this week I know that I've played Rugby as recently as anyone else in America.

The high school team I'm helping is playing their first game this coming Saturday.  I don't know if they're officially registered yet, but they're calling themselves the Mundelein Mercenaries.

Illini-Time!

I've given up hope on the Bears already, and I've found the Big 10 Network is free on my Dish subscription. I actually watched my first Illini football game, and I'm so sorry I didn't try before.

So, someone help me put the 35-3 win over SIU in perspective. I have a post about it on Illini6.

Oh, and since LTC John hasn't put up any pit-chers from Old Boys, here's one of this old boy. I bought a new hat whilst down there.

I've Signed Up for Another Tour

Of Rugby I mean. I talked to the president of our local Rugby Club (DII Lake County Men's Rugby Club) yesterday and told him that I could go to practices and most likely all the games this season.

The club was on it's last legs (they are down to 19 committed members before I said I'd go) and there was a chance they would disband.

I figure this is the first full year that I have no Guard, family committments or FRG on weekends, so really in the 25 years I've been playing Rugby (Yes, Jac and I started in Feb of 1985) this will be the first year I don't have something that stops me from going.

I know this is a rather self-centered post, but I'm pretty darn excited. Wish me luck. I'll keep everyone posted on my progress and the season at Illini6.