HHS Pandemics vs. USDA Farmers

Pandemics –

We took a whooping from the fierce Farmers of USDA on Wednesday night. Final score 20-8.
For those suffering, it is widely accepted that there are seven distinct stages in the grieving process. I’d like to share those with you.

The seven stages of grief are:

1. Shock or Disbelief - The first stage is obvious and I think we all see this in the first breaking of the news of a death or loss. We quite naturally are shocked and find the gravity of the situation difficult to take in. (like losing 20-8)

2. Denial – Denial is the next stage of the grieving process and sometimes this stage will last only a moment and with others it may last for quite some time.

3. Bargaining - Bargaining, although it may seem like a strange stage, is something that a lot of us do and has its roots in “what could I do to reverse the loss”, “take me instead”, this is quite natural and is an observed stage of grieving.

4. Guilt - Guilt comes in and is very close to bargaining. One tends to blame themselves in an effort to reconcile the loss. (this explains all the emails I got after the game apologizing for dropped balls etc…)

5. Anger - When anger occurs in the grieving process we know that the person is starting to come out of it. All of the stages up to this one have been very inward responses whereas anger is more of an outreach. (Please stay away from coach during this stage)

6. Depression - Depression is not so much a stage, it can come and go throughout the whole grieving process but when the anger stage is passed depression will also become less and less.

7. Acceptance and Hope - Finally acceptance and hope will return and marks the seventh stage of grief. At this point we understand that life will never be the same but we see hope and meaning in the future. (We can still win the championship)

The main point of these seven steps is that we can see our grief as a very natural process that we will work through from the initial shock to the eventual hope.”
(Resource: http://sadly-missed.com/resources/seven_stages_of_grief.php)

The Pandemics will rise above the recent setback. It was a tough loss, but one we can learn from. We must….do a lot, but simply, play better. I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and is able to recover. Next up…DSH Rough Riders on Wednesday of next week.

To end with a great quote, Martin Luther King Jr. said: “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.”

Let’s not lose hope Pandemics, we’ll get em’ next week!

GO PANDEMICS!!!

Coach Nelson

HHS Pandemics vs. USAID Masters of Disaster...Round 2

The HHS Pandemics with the ever popular Sasse Cheerleaders

It was a stormy night on the field last night as the Pandemics showed up in mass quantity to face last years champs, the USAID Masters of Disaster.

The USAID team that showed up last night had little resemblance to the team we had played the week before unless they went on a steroids and spinach diet this week to get revenge for the thumping we gave them last week. The Pandemics jumped out of the gun early with hot bats and scored 4 runs in the first 2 innings. Our defense was respectable but started to slip in the later innings as the hot dogs and burgers our team consumed that had been prepared by USAID entered their systems. It seemed as if the burgers and dogs had some form of contamination that prevented our players from making defensive plays. One of the Pandemics saw a member of USAID pull some of the beef out of packages that read USDA WARNING: This Beef is from the California-based Food Group LLC. Please see this link. USAID got hot in the later innings and defeated us by a final score 14 – 8. There is an ongoing investigation as to the content of the burgers.

Despite the burgers, great defensive plays were made by the golden glove, Kent Forde, who caught a screaming line drive while playing short stop, and then ran down the runner for a double play. Kent’s bat was also hot as he bombed a home run ball to deep right center. Kaleena White played a mean 2nd base and made some plays that…well lets just say she played like she didn’t eat any of the meat. Drew Smith logged 8 miles of running on his nifty pedometer shagging fly balls out in center field, and also bombed a home run over the center fielder.

Bill “Flash” Fleischer took a screaming low-line-drive to the calf while at the pitchers mound that made me want to cry it looked like it hurt so badly. Flash quickly got back to his feet and uttered the words “If you hit up the middle, I hit up the middle.” The next at bat Flash hit the ball so deep, it flew over the center fielder, and the trees that the spectators typically sit under, and continued flying until it landed right at the water’s edge. He hit is so deep he could have crawled around the bases. It was easily the deepest hit ball Haines Point has ever seen. That is the real way you hit up the middle. Flash’s leg may require amputation, but at least he got the Home Run! Jack Kalavritinos also sustained an injury in the first inning after getting on base and advancing home. His condition remains day to day.

Despite the loss, the Pandemics had a great turn out and hopefully had an enjoyable time. As coach, I apologize to anyone who didn’t get to play last night. When you have a roster of 30 it is quite a task to manage. I have to be forward in letting team members know that playing priority is given to those who regularly come to the games, so if you’d like more time keep coming. It makes for a great evening when we have a good crew come out, so I hope everyone keeps coming and supporting our team.

I will also take this opportunity to announce the launch of the HHS Pandemic team blog. Get on and check it out, there are pictures and all of the game summaries. I will also be posting the schedule on there shortly.

Thanks again for coming out last night!
GO PANDEMICS

Coach Nelson

HHS Pandemics vs. USAID Masters of Disaster

NEWS ALERT: HHS Pandemic continues to sweep through Departments in Washington, DC. Latest victim….USAID Masters of Disaster.

Last night, staged on a beautiful field located directly behind the Jefferson Monument, the HHS Pandemics and cheering crew, comprised of Allyson Bell, Martha Lopez and the Sasse girls, unloaded a can of “whoop Sasse” on the USAID Masters of Disaster. Final score: HHS: 21 USAID: 11.

USAID entered the game with an undefeated (2-0) record, and carrying last season’s league championship title belt. After a slow start in the first inning, the Pandemics unloaded 6 innings of wrath on the Masters of Disaster.

Making his first start, Jack “The Director” Kalavritinos, was perfect with his bat and in the field. Kalavritinos looked as large as the Jefferson Monument staged behind him as he ran down a fly ball that would have flown over the heads of most. Other first starters, Jeremy “Lightening Bolt” Marshall and Patrick “I really am as tall as Jefferson” Jacxsens also lifted our team with their mighty bats and fielding expertise. Kaleena White, Marin Poole, Angela Hope, and Holly Kilness were the powerful women of our squad last night and didn’t only distract the other team with their stunning looks, but also kept our offense rolling with their powerful bats and quick running.

The bloody knee from last week returned when Ben “The Bloody Vacuum” Sasse slid safely into 2nd base after cranking a ball deep into center field. After receiving a lecture from coach to tame his aggressive play to avoid the risk of injury, Sasse went all out in a run to first base…so much so that he ended up running over the 1st baseman. He was safe, but the first baseman was carried off the field on a stretcher. Bill “the Flash” Fleischer, orchestrated our teams defense masterfully at the pitchers mound, and displayed a “matrix” like move and catch when a line drive was hit directly at him that would have killed most. Flash somehow managed to bend himself over and keep his glove out to catch the ball.

It was a beautiful night for a ball game! Thanks to everyone for coming out and playing. This was a practice game, but we will square off in an official game with them on Wednesday of next week.

GO PANDEMICS!

Coach Nelson

Here are some pictures from the game:

Bill "Flash" Fleischer launches a pitch as Jack K stands ready

Ben Sasse proudly displaying the famous bloody knee

Yes, that is our player...Steiger hasn't washed his jersey for some time.

Coach Nelson with fellow Pandemics

Kent Forde awaiting his pitch

Jack Kalavritinos coaching Jeremy Marshall at first base

HHS Pandemics vs. GSA G-Wackers

Pandemics hanging out before the game

Wednesday night the Pandemics squared off in a practice game against the GSA G-Wackers. After a frustrating defensive performance the week before, The Pandemics tightened up and played an incredible defensive game holding the Wackers to 6 runs. Our offense slowed a bit from the week before and we ended up leaving too many runners on the bases. The game ended going extra innings with the final score: GSA 7 HHS 7. Tie ball game.

Our Defence was led by Bill "I catch fly balls in my sleep" Steiger. Steiger caught several clutch deep balls to close innings with runners in scoring position. Ben "the bloody vacuum" Sasse, sucked up anything that was in close proximity to him. After shagging a pop fly, Sasse managed to catch the runner in a hot box between home and 3rd; Sasse ran towards the runner looking to make the tag, and in a act of heroism, dove towards the runner, tagging him on the back and in the process tearing up his knee. The following day Sasse proudly displayed the wound through his bloody suit pants. The bloody suit pants will be kept in the HHS hall of fame in the same manner as Schillings bloody sock is displayed in the baseball hall of fame. Aaron "keep em on the bag" Hase was almost benched when "The Bloody Vacuum" caught a fly ball and clearly threw out a runner trying to advance to second without tagging the base. Before the play Hase and the female base runner were engaged in some "deep conversation." After the play Hase argued that the female runner was safe and should be allowed to stay at first base. This proved to be an effective strategy because on the following play the female runner didn't want to leave the base, and was thrown out at second.

Home runs were hit by Michael "the swinger" Banyas, and Drew "big guns" Smith. It was a great night on the field, and everyone played well. Next game we will keep the defense tight and bring the runners on base home.

Thanks to everyone for coming out. I am working to schedule another practice game next week as we have another bye. I'll keep everyone posted.

GO PANDEMICS!

Coach Nelson

The ringer, Kaleena White enjoying the game

Mary Kosinski, Chris Hickey and Holly Killness strutting off the

field after a great inning

The Pandemics pause for a photo after their victory

The ASPA men, Jonathan Cain and Ray Sass, keeping a close eye on the competition