Sign up for C.A.C. Basketball Spring 09 Season!!

For those that haven't gotten the message yet, the deadline to sign-up for the Spring leagues is just a couple months away! As always, every league is going to fill up ahead of time, so don't wait to sign yours up!!
If you've got any questions, you know what to do.

If you want to sign up online, here's the link!

http://www.crfcbasketball.com/about.php

Leagues Played in Charlestown (5-5 Play - info below)
* Charlestown (A) Level games played Tuesdays/Thursday nights @ Charlestown High School or Charlestown Boys & Girls Club
* Charlestown (B) Level games played Wednesday/Thursday nights @ Charlestown HS, Kennedy Longfellow School or Harvard/Kent School
* Corporate (C ) Level games played on Monday nights @ Charlestown High School, Kennedy Longfellow School or King School
* Women's 5-5: Wednesday nights @ King School

Spring 2009 Charlestown (A) League: Tuesday/Thursday nights (Team Entry Only) - Starts May 12th/14th

C.A.C. Basketball is the most organized, well run, and unique collection of recreational basketball leagues in the Boston area. The Charlestown (A) league is a 5-5 full court league that is played on a regulation court (92 feet) at locations throughout Charlestown and Cambridge. Please note that this season the East is going to play on Tuesday nights and the West on Thursday nights.
This is the top level league that C.A.C. basketball runs. Make no mistake about it - this league is STACKED. Each team has 2-3 former college players and the rest of the players on each team are (A) level players. There's a lot of talent and a lot of height in this league. The age range in this league is 22 - 40 with the average player age of 30. This league is VERY competitive with two (2) referees, scoreboards, complete stats, write-ups of games, interviews, message boards, jerseys, awards, trophies, and more. All players are welcome to join as many leagues as they wish - play in this league with a team, and also put yourself in the (A1) league @ C.A.C.!

* Where: Charlestown High School, Charlestown Boys and Girls Club,the Harvard/Kent School, or Kennedy Longfellow School (for map & directions go to http://www.crfcbasketball.com/directions.php)
* Game Nights: You team will play once per week: on TUESDAY or THURSDAY nights.
* Times: 6:00 PM, 7:00 PM, 8:00 PM or 9:00 PM
* 1st game: May 12th/14th
* # of Games: 10, plus playoffs
* Teams: 12-18 (Max 9 per division)
* # of players per team: 8-10 players per team
* Playoffs: Quarterfinals August 4th/6th, Semifinals August 11th/13th, Finals August 18th/20th
* Price: $1,200 per team - ALL league fees are due by the first week of the season
* Sign-up Info: Deadline is Monday, May 4th by 5:00 PM
* Sign-up options: Sign up your team by filling out the entry form at www.cacbasketball.com, or contact Jason Tibbetts (info below) by May 4th
* Any Questions contact Jason Tibbetts: (617) 491-8989 or: E-Mail tibbs@cacbasketball.com

Spring 2009 Charlestown (B) League: Wednesday/Thursday nights (Individual or Team Entry) - Starts May 13th/14th

This League is heading into its 4th season and the level of play is continuing to improve! The "B" playing level at C.A.C. basketball is by far the most popular level. We have had a ton of interest from B1 & B2 players/teams wanting to play in a full court 5-5 league, like the 5-5 (A) league we run at the Charlestown. So, we have listened to the people and have created a 5-5 (B) league! It has gotten big enough that we have had to split the league into two divisons. The East will play on Wednesday nights and the West on Thursday nights.
The Charlestown (B) league is a 5-5 full court league that is played on a regulation court (92 feet) at Charlestown High School, Kennedy Longfellow School or the Harvard/Kent School. In terms of competitive level this league will play like a mix of A1/B1/B2. The type of player in the (B) leagues is a pretty decent player who plays organized basketball regularly. This (B) level is the average player level, which is why it is the most popular level. This league is competitive with two (2) referees, scoreboards, complete stats, write-ups of games, interviews, message boards, jerseys, awards, trophies, and more. All players are welcome to join as many leagues as they wish - play in this league with a team, and also put yourself/your team in the B1 or B2 leagues @ C.A.C.! This league will fill up very quickly so make sure you sign up your team ASAP!

* Where: Charlestown High School, Kennedy Longfelow School or Harvard/Kent School in Charlestown (for map & directions go to http://www.crfcbasketball.com/directions.php)
* Game Nights: You team will play once per week: on WEDNESDAY or THURSDAY nights
* Times: 6:00 PM, 7:00 PM, 8:00 PM or 9:00 PM
* 1st game: May 13th/14th
* # of Games: 10, plus playoffs
* Teams: 12-18 (Max 9 per division)
* # of players per team: 8-10 players per team
* Playoffs: Quarterfinals August 5th/6th, Semifinals August 12th/13th, Finals August 19th/20th
* Price: $1,000 per team - ALL league fees are due by the first week of the season
* Sign-up Info: Deadline is Monday, May 4th by 5:00 PM
* Sign-up options: Sign up your team by filling out the entry form at www.cacbasketball.com, or contact Jason Tibbetts (info below) by May 4th
* Any Questions contact Jason Tibbetts: (617) 491-8989 or: E-Mail tibbs@cacbasketball.com

Spring 2009 (C) League: Mondays (Individual /Corporate/Co-ed Team Entry) – Starts May 11th

We've recently added a new twist to the C League, making it a 5v5 League and playing the games at the Charlestown High School, Kennedy Longfellow School or King School. With the recent increase in rosters, and every team having at least 8 bodies on the roster, we're looking to get more players involved. This season we've also split the league into two divisions. The East and West will both play on Monday nights!
The C league is the 5th level of 5 C.A.C. Basketball offers. This league is perfect for those who are looking to play in an organized league that is built for fun, not competitiveness. If you've never played before or want to play in a lower competitive division? The C league is good for players/teams that are looking to play at a beginner level. The teams are pretty diverse: some corporate, some free agent, some team entry, some co-ed and some over 40 teams. This league has referees, scoreboards, complete stats, write-ups of games, interviews, message boards, jerseys, awards, and more.
All players & teams are welcome to join as many leagues as they wish. You may join as an individual, where you will be put on a team with fellow "free agents", or you may submit your own team. If you do not have your own team, but want to play with a few friends just note this when you sign-up and you all will be on the same "free agent" team.

* Where: Kennedy Charlestown High School, Kennedy Longfellow School or King School (for map & directions go to http://www.crfcbasketball.com/directions.php)
* Game Nights: You will play your games once per week on MONDAY nights.
* Times: 6:00 PM, 7:00 PM, 8:00 PM, or 9:00 PM
* 1st game: May 11th
* # of Games: 10, plus playoffs
* # of Teams: 12-18 (Max 9 per division)
* # of players per team: 7-10 players per team (if entering a full team # of players is up to you)
* Playoffs: Quarterfinals August 3rd, Semifinals August 10th, Finals August 17th
* Price: Corporate/Team Entry (unlimited players) $850 per team - ALL league fees are due by the first week of the season
* Sign-up Info: Deadline is Monday, May 4th by 5:00 PM
* Sign-up options: Sign up yourself or your team by filling out a questionnaire online here atwww.cacbasketball.com or contact Commissioner Jason Tibbetts (info below) by May 4th
* Any Questions contact Jason Tibbetts: (617) 491-8989 or E-Mail tibbs@cacbasketball.com

Spring 2009 (Women's) 5-5 League: Wednesday Nights (Individual or Team Entry) - Starts May 13th

This League is heading into its 4th season and the level of play is continuing to improve! Please note that this league is going to continue to play on WEDNESDAY night. The league is run just as well as all of our leagues are: Each game has two (2) referees and a scorekeeper. You get a reversible jersey, T-shirts, write-ups and stats for all games and the fee is all inclusive, there is no extra charge on a weekly basis for the refs, location, or scorekeeper! The website has all of this info as well as teams, schedules, standings, videos, message boards, pictures, and more. You may join as an individual (where you will be put on a team with fellow "free agents"), or you may submit your own team.. If you do not have your own team, but want to play with a few friends just note this when you sign-up and you all will be on the same "free agent" team.

* Where: King School in Cambridge (for map & directions go to http://www.crfcbasketball.com/directions.php)
* Game Nights: You team will play once per week on WEDNESDAY nights
* Game Times: 6:00 PM, 7:00 PM, 8:00 PM or 9:00 PM
* 1st game: Wednesday, May 13th
* # of Games: 10, plus playoffs
* Teams: 6-9
* # of players per team: 8-10 players per team
* Playoffs: Quarterfinals August 5th, Semifinals August 12th, Finals August 19th
* Price: $1,000 per team - ALL league fees are due by the first week of the season
* Sign-up Info: Deadline is Monday, May 4th by 5:00 PM
* Sign-up options: Sign up your team by filling out the entry form at www.cacbasketball.com, or contact Jason Tibbetts (info below) by May 4th
* Any Questions contact Jason Tibbetts: (617) 491-8989 or: E-Mail tibbs@cacbasketball.com

Leagues Played @ C.A.C. (4-4 Play - info below)
* A1 League - Monday nights @ C.A.C.
* A2 League - Wednesday nights @ C.A.C.
* B1 East League - Wednesday nights @ C.A.C.
* B1 West League - Thursday nights @ C.A.C. or Morse
* B2 East League - Tuesday nights @ C.A.C. or Morse
* B2 West League - Monday nights @ C.A.C. or Morse
* B2 North League - Thursday nights @ C.A.C. or Morse
* Women's league - Tuesday nights @ C.A.C.

Spring 2009 (A1) League: Mondays (Draft/Individual Entry) – Starts May 11th

C.A.C. Basketball is the most organized, well run, and unique collection of recreational basketball leagues in the Boston area. C.A.C. Basketball play is 4 on 4, on a 70 foot slightly smaller than regulation court. This makes for a unique game - it's faster, each player touches the ball more, and the pace of the game is quick. The (A1) league is a draft only league, which means you join individually and do not have to be on or enter a full team. If you are looking to enter a full team in the (A) division, than you can enter it into either the (A2) or (B1) league.
The (A1) league has evolved into a very competitive basketball league. Playing level: The average (A1) player played for their high school team, started for a couple of years, and was a pretty solid player. Every team in this league will have one former player that played at the collegiate level, usually division 3. The age range in this league is 22 - 40 with the average player age of 30. This league is very competitive with referees, scoreboards, complete stats, write-ups of games, interviews, message boards, jerseys, awards, trophies, and more. All players are welcome to join as many leagues as they wish - enter the (A1) league, then get a team together and play in the A2 or Charlestown 5-5 (A or B) League!

* Where: Cambridge Athletic Club (for map and directions go to http://www.crfcbasketball.com/directions.php)
* Game Nights: You will play your games once per week: on MONDAY or SUNDAY night
* Times: 7:10, 8:00. 8:50, or 9:45 PM
* 1st Game: May 11th
* # of Games: 10, plus playoffs
* Teams: 8-12
* # of players per team: All teams will have 6 players
* Price: C.A.C. members will be charged $75, non-members charged $140 - ALL league fees are due by the first week of the season
* Playoffs: Quarterfinals August 3rd, Semifinals August 10th, Finals August 17th
* Player Selection: The (A1) League is a draft only league, meaning there's no team entry. If you want to enter a team in the (A) playing level than enter them in the A2, B1, or Charlestown 5-5 A/B league, all of which are team entry only. Anyone may join whether member or non-member. Team selection is done by designated league captains who draft players based on talent level. If you've played in the A1 for a few seasons and are interested in being a captain (the draft is held on May 4th), please E-Mail tibbs@cacbasketball.com
* Sign-up Info: Deadline is Monday, May 4th by 5:00 PM.
* Sign-up options: Sign up yourself http://crfcbasketball.com/signup.php?league=B by filling out a questionnaire online here at www.cacbasketball.com or contact commissioner Jason Tibbetts (info below) by May 4th
* Any questions contact Jason Tibbetts: (617) 491-8989 or: E-Mail tibbs@cacbasketball.com

Spring 2009 (A2) League: Wednesdays (Team Entry, Corporate Team Entry) – Starts May 13th

C.A.C. Basketball is the most organized, well run, and unique collection of recreational basketball leagues in the Boston area. C.A.C. Basketball play is 4 on 4, on a 70 foot slightly smaller than regulation court. This makes for a unique game - it's faster, each player touches the ball more, and the pace of the game is quick. The (A2) league is similar to the (A1) league with the 2 differences of: the games are played a different night and this is an "enter your own team league."
The (A2) League playing level: Very similar to the A1 league in that each team in this league usually will have one player that played at the collegiate level, usually division 3. The age range in this league is 22 – 40 with the average player age of 28. This league is very competitive with referees, scoreboards, complete stats, write-ups of games, interviews, message boards, jerseys, awards, trophies, and more. All players/teams are welcome to join as many leagues as they wish - put yourself in the (A1) league, then get a team together and play in the (B1) or Charlestown 5-5 (A or B) League!

* Where: Cambridge Athletic Club (for map and directions go to http://www.crfcbasketball.com/directions.php)
* Game Nights: You will play your games once per week: on WEDNESDAY nights or SUNDAY night.
* Times: 5:30 PM, 6:20, 7:10, 8:00, 8:50, or 9:45 PM
* 1st game: Wednesday, May 13th
* # of Games: 10, plus playoffs
* # of Teams: 6-9
* # of players per team: All teams must have at least 6 players
* Price: $850 per team - ALL league fees are due by the first week of the season
* Playoffs: Quarterfinals August 5th, Semifinals August 12th, Finals August 19th
* Sign-up Info: Deadline is Monday, May 4th by 5:00 PM
* Sign-up options: Sign up yourself http://crfcbasketball.com/signup.php?league=B or your team http://crfcbasketball.com/signupteam.php?league=B by filling out a questionnaire online here at www.cacbasketball.com or contact Jason Tibbetts (info below) by May 4th
* Any Questions contact Jason Tibbetts: (617) 491-8989 or: E-Mail tibbs@cacbasketball.com

Spring 2009 (B1) League: East Division: Wednesdays, West Division: Thursdays (Individual, Team Entry, Corporate Team Entry) - Starts May 13th/May 14th

C.A.C. Basketball is the most organized, well run, and unique collection of recreational basketball leagues in the Boston area. C.A.C. Basketball play is 4 on 4, on a 70 foot slightly smaller than regulation court. This makes for a unique game - it's faster, each player touches the ball more, and the pace of the game is quick. The B1 league is C.A.C. Basketball's most popular level of play. B1 is our "average joe basketballer" league – solid competition for the average player, but not beginner or pro level. In terms of competitive level the B1 league is the 3rd out of the 5 competitive levels. B1 has evolved into a pretty solid league, now just a notch below the A1/A2 level, which is why the B2 & C leagues were created.
The only difference of (B1) vs. (A1) is most players in this league are a notch below the talent of the (A) player. The type of player in the (B1) league has played organized basketball before, and they play regularly. B1 players range variety of age ranges from 17-year-old high school players to veteran players. Numerous (A) league players have elected to play (B1) instead of (A) because they get more shots, more playing time, more passing, and more of a team . You may join as an individual, where you will be put on a team with fellow "free agents", or you may submit your own team. If you do not have your own team, but want to play with a few friends just note this when you sign-up and you all will be on the same "free agent" team. All players/teams are welcome to join as many leagues as they wish – put yourself/your team in the (B1) league, then get a team together and play in the Charlestown 5-5 (B) League!

* Where: Cambridge Athletic Club (for map and directions go to http://www.crfcbasketball.com/directions.php)
* Game Nights: You will play your games once per week: on WEDNESDAY (East) or THURSDAY (West) nights. One game all season may be played on a SUNDAY night.
* Times: 5:30 PM, 6:20, 7:10, 8:00, 8:50, or 9:45 PM
* 1st game: Wednesday, May 13th/Thursday May 14th
* # of Games: 10, plus playoffs
* # of Teams: 12-18 (Max 9 per division)
* # of players per team: All teams must have at least 6 players
* Price: $850 per team - ALL league fees are due by the first week of the season
* Playoffs: Quarterfinals: August 5th (East) or August 6th (West), Semifinals: August 12th (East) or August 13th (West), Finals: August 19th (East) or August 20th (West)
* Sign-up Info: Deadline is Monday, May 4th by 5:00 PM
* Sign-up options: Sign up yourself or your team by filling out a questionnaire online here at www.cacbasketball.com or contact Jason Tibbetts (info below) by May 4th
* Any Questions contact Jason Tibbetts: (617) 491-8989 or: E-Mail tibbs@cacbasketball.com

Spring 2009 (B2) League: West Division: Mondays, East Division: Tuesdays, North Division: Thursdays (Individual, Team Entry, Corporate Team Entry) - Starts May 11th/12th/14th

C.A.C. Basketball is the most organized, well run, and unique collection of recreational basketball leagues in the Boston area. C.A.C. Basketball play is 4 on 4, on a 70 foot slightly smaller than regulation court. This makes for a unique game - it's faster, each player touches the ball more, and the pace of the game is quick. The B2 league is the 4th level of 5 C.A.C. Basketball offers. This league is perfect for those who are looking to play in a league that is not as high in basketball talent in comparison to A1, A2 & B1, but is very competitive within it's own league. The teams are pretty diverse: some corporate, free agent, team entry, co-ed and over 40 teams. All teams are made up of players who like to play basketball, get a run in, but not play as competitive as the A1, A2 or B1 leagues. If players who play in B1 are looking for another night/league to play in (B2) is it.
This league has referees, scoreboards, complete stats, write-ups of games, interviews, message boards, jerseys, awards, trophies, and more. All players & teams are welcome to join as many leagues as they wish. You may join as an individual, where you will be put on a team with fellow "free agents", or you may submit your own team. If you do not have your own team, but want to play with a few friends just note this when you sign-up and you all will be on the same "free agent" team. All players/teams are welcome to join as many leagues as they wish - put yourself/your team in the (B2) league, then get a team together and play in (B1) League or Charlestown 5-5 (B) League!

* Where: Cambridge Athletic Club or the Morse School (for map and directions go to http://www.crfcbasketball.com/directions.php)
* Game Nights: You will play your games once per week: MONDAY (West), TUESDAY (East) night, or THURSDAY (North) night.
* Times: 5:30 PM, 6:20, 7:10, 8:00, 8:50, or 9:45 PM.
* 1st game: May 11th/12th/14th
* # of Games: 10, plus playoffs
* # of Teams: 8-12 per division
* # of players per team: All teams must have at least 6 players
* Price: $850 per team - ALL league fees are due by the first week of the season
* Playoffs: Quarterfinals: August 3rd (West), August 4th (East), or August 6th (North), Semifinals: August 10th (West), August 11th (East), or August 13th (North), Finals: August 17th (West), August 18th (East), or August 20th (North)
* Sign-up Info: Deadline is Monday, May 4th by 5:00 PM
* Sign-up options: Sign up yourself http://crfcbasketball.com/signup.php?league=B or your team http://crfcbasketball.com/signupteam.php?league=B by filling out a questionnaire online here at www.cacbasketball.com or contact Jason Tibbetts (info below) by May 4th
* Any Questions contact Jason Tibbetts: (617) 491-8989 or: E-Mail tibbs@cacbasketball.com

Spring 2009 (Women's 4v4) League: Tuesday Nights (Individual Entry) – Starts May 12th

C.A.C. Basketball is the most organized, well run, and unique collection of recreational basketball leagues in the Boston area. C.A.C. Basketball play is 4 on 4, on a 70 foot slightly smaller than regulation court. This makes for a unique game - it's faster, each player touches the ball more, and the pace of the game is quick.
This will be C.A.C. Basketball's 10th Women's League.
We have recently made some fundamental changes to how the league is run. If you've played before, then you know that this is the thirdseason that the League will be played on Tuesday nights. It's also the third season that the League has gone to the Draft Format. Designated League Captains will draft players the week before the season starts to form teams. If you're interested in being a captain, please email tibbs@cacbasketball.com.
The league is run just as well as all of our leagues are: Each game has a referee and a scorekeeper. You get a reversible jersey, T-shirts, write-ups and stats for all games. The website has all of this info as well as teams, schedules, standings, videos, message boards, pictures, and more. If you want to get into a league where you can play with a team or a few of your friends, check out the Women’s 5v5 League. Players can play in as many leagues as they want! This league is an open women's league - all levels welcome!

* Where: Cambridge Athletic Club (for map and directions go to http://www.crfcbasketball.com/directions.php)
* Game Nights: You will play your games once per week on TUESDAY nights.
* Times: 6:20, 7:10 PM, 8:00 PM, or 8:50 PM
* 1st game: Tuesday, May 12th
* # of Games: 10, plus playoffs
* # of Teams: 6-9
* # of players per team: 6-7 players per team
* Playoffs: Quarterfinals August 4th, Semifinals August 11th, Finals August 18th
* Price: $75 for C.A.C. members or $125 for non-members - ALL league fees are due by the first week of the season
* Player Selection: The Women's 4v4 League is a draft only league, meaning there's no team entry. If you want to enter a team in the Women's League, enter them in the Women's 5v5 League, which is team entry. Anyone may join whether member or non-member. Team selection is done by designated league captains (on May 4th) who draft players based on talent level.
* Sign-up Info: Deadline is Monday, May 4th by 5:00 PM
* Sign-up options: Sign up yourself http://crfcbasketball.com/signup.php?league=B by filling out a questionnaire online here at www.cacbasketball.com or contact commissioner Jason Tibbetts (info below) by May 4th
* Any Questions contact Jason Tibbetts: (617) 491-8989 or: E-Mail tibbs@cacbasketball.com

Loose Balls Vol 2.0

Obviously, one of the main faults of this little experiment is the fact that I don't seem to have any sort of order or plan with what I'm doing. Well you're right, I don't. So starting next week, I'm going to make a concerted effort to try and organize my thoughts and post on a regular basis. Tuesday seems as good as any other day for a link dump, so that's what you'll be getting. Bank on it.

For those that don't know, I've been appointed to C.A.C. Player Prez, which basically means I have a whole lot of time on my hands. Actually I do a lot, but it wouldn't seem like it to you. As usual, the biggest hurdle to getting me to do anything is my pure and unadulterated love of being lazy. Seriously, it tall order to motivate me to do much of anything. But I am drinking less (comparatively) so who says I can't head in the right direction? This week we've got all sports related links to throw at you. Some solid reading/info, as usual.

Pats Open as 26 Point Favorites - Since the opening of the line, it seems like it's settled at about 24.5 for most major books. That's only an NFL record. My question is, how many delusional Jets fans did it take betting on the cover for them to lower the line? I know it's going to be cold and windy in Foxboro on Sunday, but when is Belicheck letting off the accelerator. They ran 9 times against the Steelers, I'm guessing they'll call two running plays this week. Unfortunately their cheerleaders won't be dressed as such...[Bloomberg.com]


ESPN's Playoff Odds - I'm not as in love with the ESPN/SportsCenter name branding as I used to be, but this is still worth an occasional look. I say that because currently, the C's are predicted to have a 61.4% chance at this season's Larry O'Brien Trophy. Obviously, the computer only takes into account what has happened so far, and I know the Cs haven't exactly had to climb Mount Olympus in the early going, but it's nice to see them taking care of business. [Espn.com]

Ellsbury in Limbo - I know trade talks have cooled since the end of the Winter Meetings, but don't count on Theo being done wheeling and dealing. Here's a check into how Ellsbury is holding up after being the focal point of a blockbuster for the first time in his career. [SportingNews.com]

Kobe Now the Vet - Free Darko isn't for everyone, and most will realize this after reading just a couple posts, but yesterday's point about Kobe now needing to be the understanding Vet is a good one. Kind of like when he burst onto the scene and Shaq was the Man. [freedarko.com]

Let's try and get a little consistency around there parts. Check back tomorrow, or late tonight, you never know when you're going to get another Drunk Post

More Shameless Promotion

You'd think that the CAC was paying me by the word. But do you think I would sell out like that? Ok, so I would, but what's foremost on my mind at this point is the ridiculous level at which the 5 on 5 Leagues are playing at. Yes, I'm aware that the Sox are on the brink of elimination, the Cs are getting ready to prove that they're not just the lords of the preseason, and that way too many people are talking about an undefeated season already for the Pats, but those have been pushed back until at least next week.

Well, not entirely; while we're here, since when has winning AT Miami, AT Indy, AT Baltimore and AT the Meadowlands (last game of the season with the division and home field already determined one way or another) been a forgone conclusion. Brady is just 2-4 in Miami, they haven't beaten Indy in their last three tries and have won AT Indy since '03. So everyone do all of us a favor and stop even wondering if the Patriots are going to go undefeated. Talk to me in week 14 if they're 13-0 and the division is wrapped up, then I'll care.

But back to my point. Watching some of the sick talent that has made its way over to our little corner of the basketball universe has brought a single tear to my eye. The best, and some might say only, way for CAC to continue to grow and flourish, is to focus its attentions on the 5 on 5 Leagues. Now with 16 total teams, 2 divisions, and a Women's League in the works, we're headed in the right direction. But there is more work to be done. We need to get out there more, recruit more teams, even better players, and get a loyal, consistant roster of teams.

Look, we all like to poke fun at the Evil Empire that is Basketball City (no you don't get a link, come on now). But they have a lot of advantages over the CAC. They have the flashy corporate sponsorships, the leagues in five different cities, and the expensive gear. But what they don't have is what makes the CAC Leagues so great. They don't have the stats, the write-ups, the characters, and the fantastic "nice guy to asshole ratio", as our own DStein so elequently put it. Where else can you get blogs based on the players, the teams, and our drinking shananigans?

Challenging the Beast won't be easy, but expanding to at least three divisions next season is a step in the right direction. Sure we'll be spacially challenged (not all of us have the facilitis for 6 courts back to back), but Charlestown, both the Boys and Girls Club and high school, have been very accomidating. There are more options in the works to accomidate the lust that grown men have to prove themselves week in and week out. The next, maybe tournaments, grabbing away some of the corporate sponsorships, and bringing this thing city wide. We have the quality players, now we've got to take away the quantity.

Hanging By a Thread [RedSox.com]
Preseason in Swing [Boston.com]
Pats Going Undefeated? [The Bulletin]

Look at that, a link dump AND a coherent thought or two, who would have figured??

Random Ramblings

Full Disclosure: I'm less than sober at this point (1am) so a lot of this may not make sense, but here's what was missed over the past day plus.

- The CRFC Draft really did go down, and here are the preseason rankings (done by yours truly)

- Speaking of CRFC, I love how TiCal can find the time to get the writeups done before I'm done drinking at the 9s. Excellent work TiCal, but I could use some of those brownies next time, or at least a shout out to let me know you've been using your mom's kitchen.

- I know the Yanks are back in 2nd place, and recently signed some dude, but they're already 6 games back. But in case you haven't noticed, the Sox closing schedule isn't exactly brutal.

- Speaking of the Sox, that Beckett guy finally seems to be pulling his weight.

- I don't know how much longer I can go (I may have just licked the remnants of a delicious brownie sundae off the bowl), but as discussed at length tonight, we're only two weeks away from DL Day (Draft Lottery Day) for the C's. Finally, I've found the offical vitals of one Kevin Durant and he's listed as 6'9", not 6'11" as was reported elsewhere. Now that seems like a huge deal when comparing him to a 'legit' post up scorer like Greg Oden. But is Oden the best option for the C's (or anyone)? TrueHoop takes a slightly closer look.

And that's it for me tonight (this morning). Expect a little Dice K analysis while I twidle my thumbs at work pretending to not care about the much anticipated B1 East team/schedule release. You know you're excited.



Seriously, you can get all your bball needs met here [CRFC Basketball]
David Wells is the voice of reason? [Deadspin]
Sox End on Easy Street [MLB.com]
Trading Up [Brothers Judd Blog]
The Vitals [TexasSports.com]
Is Oden a lock for #1? [TrueHoop]

Loose Balls Vol. 1.4

Random assorted sports highlights from the past couple of weeks that you've probably seen already, but all are good enough to view again and again. All, of course, courtesy of YouTube. The internet is so big, and there are so many people posting various copywrite infringing clips, that Google will, hopefully, never have the time to police them all.

Everyone loves a good Tea-bagging
Just like they drew it up in the driveway
Who doesn't love a top 10 list?
It really doesn't get any better than Agent Zero

Lastly, for today, I leave you with a website that I've loved all the more as the NFL season has progressed. "Drew Bledsoe", benched for the second time in his career in favor of a younger, more mobile and more poised version of himself, has been keeping a running blog all season. "He" wraps up his season, and blog; which is fittingly called TonyHomo, here. But if you haven't been following along it's worth reading the archives, some hilarious stuff. If only blogging had been this popular back in '01 we could have had a BradyBlows.com.

Holiday Hangover Cured

And we're back! It's been a long and not so productive break away from the blog, but we're back and as commited as ever to try and continue to lower the bar in the blogging world. After a couple weeks of holiday cheer, family, celebrating and hangovers, it's good to be getting back to the monotonous grind of living life in the Cube.

Nothing, of course, cures a good hangover like a weekend full of football. The debacle in Seattle aside, the first round of the playoffs were relatively tame. No seeded upsets, only the late afernoon game on Sunday featured a dog covering, but at least there was football to help get me through. And just in case anyone had forgotten, these two are pretty good at the whole playoff thing in the NFL. Sure the game was a rout in the end, but it's the little things that win championships. So now bring on the Chargers! Only the best, most consistant team in the regular season. One of the best offenses and defenses in the entire NFL, and it will be no small feat to beat them in their home stadium. Just to up the ante on the level of difficulty scale, the Chargers happened to go undefeated at home this season. But this is the playoffs where the Brady and Belichick are always at their best. Also, has anyone mentioned that Marty Schottenheimer happens to coach the Chargers? The man with the sparkling 5 - 12 playoff record, including 2 loses with a #1 seed, has built quite a legacy based on playoff failure. But this is a new team, with an MVP no less, playing at home against the best playoff QB/Coach, this century. The Chargers can make quite a statement in turning away the Pats on their way to Miami, but can Philip Rivers handle playoff pressure? Hell, even if he can will it matter? The Pats game plan won't be built around stopping Rivers, or Gates, or any of SD's WRs. Expect Belichick to recall much of what he did in 2001 against Marshall Faulk as a basis of containing LT. Nobody the past 10 weeks has been able to stop him, but if you hit him on every play, regardless of whether or not he touches the ball, he's going to be worn out, he is still human after all. If you can 'hold' him to about 100 - 115 all purpose yards on 30 touches, you're going to have a good chance of winning the game. But how to do that? Keep him between the tackles, don't give him any cutback lanes, and for the love of God, wrap him up!! You're not going to bring him down with an arm tackle, he's too strong, too fast, just too damn good. After rooting for him all season as he carried my fantasy team through good times and bad, I won't ever want a pulled hamstring more than I will during the Chargers first series on Sunday. Back tomorrow morning with some links.

Pats one step closer to Miami[ABC News]
Nailing the coffin closed [SI]
Chargers end Pats home winning streak [boston.com]
MartyBall doesn't translate to the playoffs [MSNBC.com]

Loose Balls Vol. 1.3

Ever have one of these absolutely ridiculous days at work? Well today is one of those days. And as long as my co-workers think I'm as productive as this guy, then I'm all set. But instead of actually doing any work, I've been cruising online for, uh, useful and productive alternatives to work. Of course, having not really found any I can do while sitting in my cube, I've simply been tossing paper all day long. No need to thank me, I'm just a guy, doing his job, making sure you're not.

Loose Balls Vol. 1.2

Ok, so I realize it's been a couple days since the last post, and really I have no excuses. I do, and it's called alcohol. Although not recently, in the past it has led to nights such as these. Yea, I know, drinking isn't always the smartest thing for me to be doing, especially on a weekday, but it's almost the holidays!!

At CRFC, it's offically the playoff season! I love upsets, and nothing spells upset like a #1 seed losing. And always, the Wolverine Trap continues to entertain and only speak the truth.

To come this weekend, after recovering from Jrod's Holiday Party:

State of the Patriots
Jay-Z, Kingdom Crumbles?
Adventures in Cubeland

Who gets thrown in a trunk?? [YouTube]
The Sergeon General should adapt these [Dave's Daily]
This better hold through until March [WUnderground]
Undefeated no more [CRFC Basketball]
12 Days of CRFC [Wolverine Trap]

Loose Balls Vol. 1.1

Hectic weekend with a whole lot going on. I know Troy Smith was favored to win the Heisman and all, being a very good QB on the best team in all the land, but the second widest margin of victory ever? Ludacris. McFadden was the most important player to his team in the entire country. His consolation? He's the front runner in '07 and as long as he doesn't get hurt, has it wrapped up based on the media's obsession with adhering to any and all preseason predictions.

If only this guaranteed a productive pro career [Washington Post]

So apparently wins and losses don't really matter to Danny Ainge [ESPN]

Words don't begin to describe how disturbing this is [YouTube]

As long as Jeb doesn't start looking to him for policy, we world will be a better place [Metro]

If K-Fed can bag a celebrity, mooch for 2 years, and walk away without any child rearing responsibilities, there is hope for us all [TMZ.com]

Loose Balls Vol. 1

We'll see how long this last, but every other morning I'm going to try and provide a few links that I found interesting while killing time in CubeLand. The loose set of links, aka Loose Balls, are where I've been and what I've been doing. Obviously, CRFC is going to be heavily promoted whenever possible. But I have other interests, really I do. Ok, so not many, but what more do you want from me??

I'm so jacked up for this, it's going to be terribly awesome [YouTube]

For all those CRFC enthusiasts out there. A2 and B1 East updates for Round 1 of the playoffs are available [CRFC Basketball]

Sadly, I wouldn't be terribly surprised if next year this were true [The Onion]

Yea it's old but Colbert is hilarious and I missed this episode [Colbert Report]

Who didn't see this coming?? [Tech2]