Guy Talk w/ Chopperz-the NON Salon

Ok, 0-3 to start the season.  We are learning things as we play.  Our outfield should be pretty solid.  Alex and Janina were making some stellar catches in the outfield last game.  With that kind of outfield play, I envision having a 4 person outfield and moving the additional folks in to shore up our bunt defense.  We had a good 30-40 minutes of practice after last game, which should help with our inability to score runs.  Hopefully what we learned wasn’t lost in the 6 pitchers of beer at the Aztec Willies afterward.
For the folks who weren’t at the last game, the league founder hung out and drank with us after the game.  She gave us 3 tips to help:
1) “When kicking look at your junk”- Translates to make a concerted effort to keep your head down.  The more you look up the higher the liklihood that you will pop up.

2) Good teams and great teams are separated by their bunt and bunt defense.

3) In most instances, don’t throw at the runner, throw at the base.  Throwing at the runner will almost always lead to a wild ricochet that leads to the other baserunners advancing.

We finally have a late game, so we will be out there early with a grill and cooler.  If you get hungry, bring something to throw on the grill.  For the folks in Hillsboro/Beaverton, we will be carpooling from Chopperz leaving Chopperz @ 5PM (we gotta ref the game prior).  Note however, that the carpool will likely by staying at the sponsor bar after the game.
We are at Overlook tomorrow Wed 7/2 against Beaverton’s Finest.

http://www.mapquest.com/mq/6-Pd*68OLg5yO*5aMc

See you all there.

Amici,

Marco…
Chopperz- NON Salon
Founder and All Around Good Guy
www.chophair.com
Portland’s #1 Ranked Barbershop
(see here, here, here, or here for details).

Admittedly, the 0-2 start is a bit ominous, and 17th place out of 20 teams is not what we are aiming for, but look at breakdown of the last two games.

18 players for Mullet Hunters w/ 13 Rookies

We were beat 11-0 by the current #1 team in the division and that was after giving up 7 runs in the first inning of kickball we had ever played.  So we were beat 4-0 for the remainder of the game.  Not great, but we had baserunners in every inning and we still haven’t figured out that “bunt” thing.
We lost 6-3 to another team that is currently undefeated and beat another team by 7 runs a week earlier.
All in all, the veterans (Molly, Manvalanche, Erica, Varick, and Janina) have been great in giving us rookie pointers and how-tos.  Once we figure out the rules and line ups and how to base coach, we should undefeated or at least pretty competitive.
This weeks game is back at Hollyrood (FYI, that isn’t a misspelling) at 6:30 PM against the I’d Kick That

See you all there.

Amici,

Marco…
Chopperz- NON Salon
Founder and All Around Good Guy
www.chophair.com
Portland’s #1 Ranked Barbershop
(see here, here, here, or here for details).

The 11 Mullet Hunter rookies knew they were going to be in for an awkward night when Manvalance and Legs (his girlfriend Erica named because she covers incredible amounts of ground in the outfield) walked up and asked if we wanted to warm up.  The dumbfounded look on everyone else’s collective face was “How do you warm up for kickball?”

After some batting practice we felt confident that we could launch the ball pretty well.  The first kink in our our confidence showed when we were introduced to the Crotch Chops and the man known as “the best pitcher in the league”.  Details need not be spent.  It is suffice to know that the Mullet Hunters were given baptism by fire and smoked 11-0.

However, next week is a new week and next game is a new slate.  We are now more experienced and better prepared (this time we have a cooler with a case of PBR).  Metro and I have been hitting the gym and doing exercises for leg strength.  We have seen Rocky I - VI and are ready.

Alright team, we are at Overlook Park in Portland,OR field 3 at 6:30

http://www.mapquest.com/mq/6-Pd*68OLg5yO*5aMc

Bring your game face.  We are up against Sofa King Crazy.  Also, welcome two team members into the fold:  Alex and Janina.
Amici,

Marco Sison…
Chopperz- NON Salon
Founder and All Around Good Guy
www.chophair.com

Post Contents:

Captain’s Meeting Thoughts
Ref volunteers needed
Schedule
Rules
T-shirts
Final Thoughts

Captain’s Meeting Thoughts:

Metro Tony and I went the first captains meeting last night.  3 things I noticed: 1 good, 1 great, and 1 bad.
Good- the captains meeting had well over 100 people and the crowd was having fun teasing each other and there was great friendly hassarment among teams that have played each other before.  The participants in this league are going to be really fun to play with.
Great- The league officials started ordering pitchers the moment they arrived, even before the meeting started.  Again these folks are going to be really fun to hang out with.
Bad- I had a couple captains tell me how great their first practice was and how good their rookies were.  I fielded a couple of requests to scrimmage with them before the season starts.  Practice??? Scrimmage???  We may be a little behind the curve against the more competitive teams.   

Refs Needed

Each team needs to provide refs.  I needs some volunteers to help.  You would ref a game immediately before or after our game at the same field, so it isn’t that big a deal.  Maybe 1 hour of your time.  Email if you could do me a solid.

Schedule

http://www.recesstimesports.com/pdf/rtsl_kb_schedule_wed_burnside_div.pdf

Our schedule is up and posted.  We are on the Wednesday Night Burnside Division.  The playoffs are Aug 15th and 16th.  The end of the season party will be on the 16th.

Rules

http://recesstimesports.com/pdf/kickball_rules.pdf

The rules are actually pretty elaborate.  I found out about stuff like encroachment, overthrows, and like that I never knew about.  You should spend 15 minutes reading them while sober to make sure that you are up to speed.  There is a rule stating that there must be a minimum of 4 girls on the field.  We currently have 4 lucky ladies on the roster, meaning if any of the ladies have to miss a game we are SOL.  So I am sending a shout out to the team to see if we can get 1 or 2 more girls to fill out the squad.  Check your friends, gal pals, girlfriends, wives, and SOs to see if they wanna play.

My favorite rule is 5.2.2 Jackass Card

The umpire may eject the player for the remainder of the game, ask him/her to leave the game for a “break”, or simply publicly humilate him/her by reminding the player that this is “just kickball”

T-Shirts

Only people who registered before May received t-shirts this time around.  That would be Clif, Jason, and Kevin.  The rest of us will be shirtless until the 3rd week of the season.

Final Thoughts

I’m looking forward to having a fun time.  Win or lose we are going to have a blast.  Once we figure out the drink policy, we’ll start lining up the apre, post, and whatever frenchie word means during activities.  Those who aren’t familar with Chopperz- NON Salon, welcome to Mullet Hunters and know that we get beer wholesale.

Our first game is 6 PM Wednesday 6/11 at Hollywood Field.  http://www.mapquest.com/mq/9-qP0za0xgA_ec

Given it’s our first game, I’ll be the brown skinned guy with a Mohawk walking around with a bewildered and confused look on his face.

One last summer bash before the Oregon rain hits. Metro Tony is graciously hosting a special party for our Chopperz VIPs. Details coming soon. Stay tuned.

Pics and details of the last VIP Appreciation Luau are here.

With warm weather, comes cold beer. Those that couldn’t make the Winter Bierfest missed an amazing collection of winter dark beers. However, the Summer 2008 Bierfest in July should not be missed. Find out the best new brews for the summer. Rank your favorites. Choose which beers Chopperz carries. We already have 3 new breweries lined up, as well some of our old favorites. Stay tuned for additional information. If you have any friends and you want to share the inside scoop, make sure they sign up for the mailing list to get the full details. As always this event is complimentary for Chopperz VIPs. Cover is $7 - $10 for other guests.  Final price will be determined after we find out how many breweries we will be bringing in.
Rankings and pics of the last Bierfest, click here.

Hang out and enjoy the fights with other fans of MMA as former UFC Lightweight Champion, Jens “Lil Evil” Pulver returns to 145 pounds, a weight at which he has never been beaten, as he looks to defend his legacy against the #1-ranked featherweight in the world – WEC Champion “The California Kid,” Urijah Faber. A win for Pulver secures his spot in MMA history. A win for Faber takes him one step closer to becoming the greatest featherweight fighter ever. Plus, two Mexican warriors face off as Miguel Angel Torres defends his bantamweight title against Manny Tapia.

Chopperz- the NON Salon, already rated the #1 ranked Portland men’s barbershop for haircuts and shaves, now wants to rule the playground. We are joining Recess Times Summer Kickball League and are recruiting playground all-stars for our team. Expert kickball skills not necessary, ability to make the games, have fun, socialize with friends, and enjoy good beer are required.

Regular season games will be after work either 6:30PM or 7:30PM Wednesdays from June 11th to Aug 13th at various fields in Portland. There will be a Post Season tournament and an end of the season party Sat Aug 16th.

Cost will be $55 (increases by $10 if you register after June 1st), which includes a brand spankin new team shirt. We are guaranteed at least 10 regular season games, plus the tournament, so less than $5 bucks per game. The team is Co-Ed, so feel free to sign up your girlfriends, wives, professional soccer players, etc.

Join the Mullet Hunters All Star Kickball Team by clicking the link below. Scroll to the bottom and click to register for WEDNESDAY NIGHT (not Thursday). Top right of the next page click on the “register now” button. Scroll to the bottom and type in our “secret code”
: chopperz. Typing chopperz into the text box let’s you into the double top secret Chopperz registration page.

FYI, the team shown won the summer league last year. Consider them the enemy.

click here to register

WHAT IS RECESSTIME KICKBALL?
We are Oregon’s original independent kickball league. We’ve been kicking balls and toasting frosty beverages since 2003. We have a huge passion for kickball and are eager to watch the game evolve each season. We are proud to host as many teams that want to play kickball and to grow in an inclusive manner just like we did in 5th grade, only this time, no one is the last one picked!

WHO PLAYS KICKBALL?
We’re a thriving group of players in Portland, Oregon who love kickball and want to spread the joy of our childhood passion with anyone who wants to share a field. We are of various ages (all over 21), professions, backgrounds and playing ability. We all share the love of kickball and good beer.

You’ve had a hard week. Relax and enjoy yourself with game night at Chopperz this Friday. We upgraded to 8 19″ HD LCDs and still have the 3 42″ Plasmas ready for Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and Rock Band for Xbox 360s and EA Playground for the Wii.

Better than an air guitar. Less skill needed than Karaoke. For those not familiar with Rock Band, think karaoke with a drumset, lead and bass guitar, and a mic. You play in a 4 man band. Novices welcome. Release the week’s stress while screaming “Wanted Dead or Alive” on a mic or banging out “Sabotage” on the drums. Bring your wives and girlfriends for even more hysterical Rock n Roll fun.

Call of Duty 4 was voted the Game of the Year. We will be playing Free For All and Team games, so bring your quick trigger finger and get ready to snipe somebody. Few things are more rewarding than a headshot from across the map.
EA Playground is a collection of childhood games for the Wii. Think Dodgeball, Wall Ball, and Tetherball and such. Relive you youth with some Wii games against people your own age.
Join us for Rock Band and Playground, no equipment needed. But if you want to play Call of Duty, you have to bring your 360 and game.

RSVP using the form below. If you want to be informed of future Game Nights, use the form below as well. Tell us whether you are bringing a Xbox for Call of Duty using the check box. Reminder, Game Night is 21 and over. No 14 year olds who don’t have jobs beating us at video games.

Beer, beer lessons, beer brats, beer conversations, beer rankings. There is a theme here. Oct 21st kicked off what is likely to be a semi annual event for Chopperz. Bierfest 2007 celebrated all that was good about beer. The fest consisted of 10 beers to taste, which included some seasonal favorites, as well as some new Off the Rail beers brewed for Chopperz. The overall winner for flavor was the Chopperz Eclipse Chocolate Stout, which tasted so good, guests wanted to use it as ice cream topping. For folks that did not make it, we ranked beers on a 1-6 pack scale stolen from the gentlemen at www.frostygoodness.com. The ranking descriptions are funny and well worth a read and can be viewed here. The actual rankings are as follows

Chopperz Eclipse Stout- Chocolately-goodness pitch black in color. Too thick to be hanging out session beer, but tasty enough to be enjoyed daily. Eclipse is not syrupy sweet, but does have a nice thickness that clings to the glass. Ranked #1 (3.62)

Beer #2 skipped internationally until the last review

Rogue Santas Private Reserve- Soild tasting ale by Rogue. Just a touch of malty sweetness, with citrus hops, the kind that you now are there, but don’t kick you in the jaw. Ranked #3 (3.53)

Bridgeport Ebenezer Ale- Interestingly spiced beer and a nice sipping ale. The 6.4% is well hidden, but sneaks up like a Halloween ghost. Ranked #4 (3.46)

Full Sail Wassail- Big, full bodied and creamy smooth with a fruity, chocolate malt, and honey flavor. You can taste the alcohol and hops. Ranked #5 (3.31)
Deshutes Julbeale- A syrupy beer with nutty flavor. Little to no extra spicing. Mild hop flavor comes at the finish in a drying, slightly bitter floral taste. Ranked #6 (3.17)

Chopperz Smoke Hut Porter- Not an ridiculously flavored porter. It has enough roasty character to satisfy most dark beer lovers, yet is extremely drinkable for a darker beer. Tasted like a lighter version of the Eclipse Stout. Ranked #7 (2.86)

Off the Rail Belgium Wit- Given this was my first Wit, my taste buds were not sure what to expect. The flavor is an interesting mix of tart and spice. Most folks were not too pumped about this beer. Ranked #8 (2.71)

Pyramid SnoCap- One of the the most god awful beers ever tasted. Unanimously despised by almost every taster. Oxidized, skunked, bitter, rancid, were just a few of the descriptions written. Ranked #9 (2.5)

Surprise ranking of the year. #2 ranked beer was O’Douls Amber (3.6)- Surprisingly good. Caramel malts add flavor to the what is normally non-alcoholic swill. Definitely drinkable.

For the folks who asked the method/recipe for the brats were as follows

Poke holes in brats with fork
Simmer brats in pot for 20 minutes with

3 chopped and caramelized onions
2 bottles of beer (I used Haymaker Extra Pale Ale)
4 Bay Leaves
2 splashes of liquid hickory smoke

Grill brats until golden brown, then place in crockpot with holding liquid until ready to eat

Holding Liquid
2 bottles of beer (I used Macs Amber)
4 Bay Leaves
2 Caramelized Onions
2 cans drained stewed tomatoes
3 Tablespoons dark brown sugar

Also requested, the recipe for Above the Rests Northwest IPA is below as well

6 pounds (2 cans) light malt extract syrup
1 pound munich malt grain (crushed)
1 pound 2-row pale malt grain (crushed)
2 ounces Centennial Hops (for bittering)
1 ounces Cascade Hops (for flavoring)
1 ounces Cascade Hops (for aroma)
1 teaspoon Irish Moss (for clarity)
1 tube Wyeast 1056 American Ale yeast
3/4 cup corn sugar for bottling