Didn't We Almost Win It All??

LAST NIGHT: 

HERD 9/Jose Canseco's team full of people who needed pinch runners and somehow managed to hit every ball between the infield and outfield with absolutely no power despite immaculately immaculate defense 10

Absent Next Week??? Let coach know

Didn't We Almost Win It All by: John "Sparkles" Spivey (The artist formerly known as Laura Branigan)

You don't act the same 
And your eyes have changed 
I don't want to hear the words you say
I don't want to know the pain 

And I see your lips move 
But I can't hear the sound
So I turn my head away
As my HERD drops to the ground

And I've tried to see right through you 
But it's all in vain 
Like a locomotive blinded by the rain
And I swear that you loved me just the other day
I still remember how you used to say

I would die for you
I would live for you
I would fight for the right just to give to you
You can set me free but you'll come back to me
Didn't we almost win
Didn't we almost win it all 

Time seems to heal wounds
Well that's what they say
But it doesn't matter now
'Cause I never felt that way

And I see your lips move 
But I can't hear the sound 
So I turn my head away
As my HERD drops to the ground

And I've tried to see right through you
But it's all in vain 
Like a locomotive blinded by the rain
And I swear that you loved me just the other day 
I still remember how you used to say

I would die for you
I would live for you 
I would fight for the right just to give to you
You can set me free but you'll come back to me
Didn't we almost win
Didn't we almost win it all 

I could swear that you loved me just the other day
I still remember how you used to say

I would die for you
I would live for you
I would fight for the right just to give to you 
You can set me free but you'll come back to me
Didn't we almost win
Didn't we almost win it all 

You can set me free but you'll come back to me 
Didn't we almost win
Didn't we almost win
It all

A wise man once said "It's not whether you win or lose- it's how you play the game."

That man wasn't wise at all. He was a complete idiot.

pur·ple  (pûrpl) n. 1. Any of a group of colors with a hue between that of violet and red. 2. Cloth of a color between violet and red, formerly worn as a symbol of royalty or high office. 3. Imperial power; high rank

herd  (hûrd) n. 1. a. A group of cattle or other domestic animals of a single kind kept together for a specific purpose. b. A number of wild animals of one species that remain together as a group

Game Notes:

It brings me great sadness for my first HERD Report to bare news of defeat. On a night where a HERD record was set for number of team members absent at a whopping 5, the HERD still had every ingredient they needed to lay the smacketh down. With help from the ladies from "Tee Time", and Jenny from Mullen, the HERD was primed for victory after a despicable display of dissatisfying disrespect to the softball gods the week before. The night would start off bumpy, but the Mighty Herd found a way to fight back and make the night worthy of an ESPN Instant Classic.

Unfortunately, I don't have any game notes from last night and I have the short term memory of an infant/80 year old man. Coach is much better at that, sorry everyone!

 The following is a list of things that I DO recall from last nights game, in no particular order:

• It was pretty muggy out there. I was very surprised the other team's pitcher's hair was able to keep its stunning shape and blinding sheen throughout the night.
• Christopher "Let me give everyone a heart attack by telling them I don't think I'm going to make it to the game then show up in a blaze of glory to the sounds of exhaling and cheering" Nixon told us he didn’t think he was going to make it to the game, giving us all heart attacks, then showed up just before gametime in a blaze of glory to the sound of exhaling and cheering. He also almost hit his loving wife with a foul ball that would have surely left him in the doghouse with Leroy for a few hours.
• David "I also bleed purple" Allred was in attendance, making him the W-S Co-Rec softball equivalent of a FourSquare "Mayor" for HERD games. David, I speak for all of us when I say "your attendance brings tears of joy to our eyes." You can "check-in" on me anytime sir. Thank you for your unwavering support. 
• The HERD supported every single batter, held their heads high, and cheered on their teammates like never before. 
• The pimento cheese sandwich at PGF was the best idea Bryan "Doubles" Timmons ever offered me. Without that sandwich, I would have perished.
• Coach's encouraging words from first base helped me end my 0 for 2 streak. Thanks coach, you have some pretty legs too!
• Gena hit a foul ball harder than anyone I've ever seen. Good thing it wasn’t a fair ball because the left fielder would have been empaled upon trying to field it and there wasn’t a doctor in the house.
• For about 8 minutes we had the largest crowd in HERD history. I'm not sure where those people came from, but I can only assume they were guided by the lightening to the HERD much like the wise-men to little 8 pound 5 ounce baby Jesus in his golden fleece diaper. It was a miraculous site to behold, indeed.
• The game was a close one, coming down to the final out. The HERD almost got it done, but fell just short in the bottom of the 7th inning. The taste is bitter, but will drive us to victory next week.
• The other team's first base-lady's nickname was also Sparkles… Thanks guys
• Shannon Craft Award is pummeling the softball. I would liken watching her play softball to seeing a newborn baby with it's parents, watching a space shuttle take off, 4th of July fireworks, the waiter walking towards me with my pimento cheese sandwich and fries, opening a Christmas present and seeing that small ripped section where you can tell it is what you asked for, watching the cork go underwater when you're fishing, winning the lottery, listening to anything by Celine Dion, The Lion King when the monkey raises Simba up on the cliff for everyone to see their new King, Top Gun when Tom Cruise throws Goose's (no relation) dogtags into the ocean, ESPN Top Ten replay, helping out a homeless person, that feeling between beer 7 and 8, solving a difficult puzzle, completing any home improvement task, "One Shining Moment" after the National Championship Game, Corey Lynch's blocked field goal to beat Michigan, paying off a credit card, sitting down to watch episode one of the Tuesday night back to back to back to back to back lineup of "The Office" on TBS  and the feeling you get when something bad happens to a really bad person, even if its really bad and you act like you didn’t wish that bad thing upon them even though, deep down, you know that you got pleasure from seeing the bad thing happen to them because they are such a bad person. (maybe that’s just me?) Also alternatively(not sure thats the right word but you know what I mean), seeing a good thing happen to a good person who does good things and deserves good things. Which brings me to my final point:

The HERD will win next week. We are meant for glory. We are ready for domination. We all love puppies and babies and deserve to be champions. These other teams suck. We are the greatest ever. 

We played our hearts out last night fellow HERDspeople. A loss sucks, but battling the way we did and our drive to succeed will, in time, propel us to our rightful spot as the kings of softball lore where we will demand respect and deal accordingly (offer death) to those who fail to offer it. Mark my words HERD family, our time is coming and we must let ourselves be great.

Rookie Report:

On on night with many new faces, the support and effort was through the roof from our rookies. With laser line drives and outstanding field play from each of you, it was a promising site to behold. Keep bringin' it!

Evening Awards:

The “Ashley Perdue” award for causing Herd Management significant chestial pain due to arriving last goes to: C-Nix! Car trouble is a thorn to the rear-end- I feel your pain good sir.

The "Brett Favre Comeback Teaser Award" goes to Bryan "Doubles" Timmons. I don't know about everyone else, but having you in left center just felt right. You had to go and produce offspring didn't you!?!? Please come back as often as possible and bring the tremendous defense, batting skills and HERD passion you possess with you every time.

The “Herd Pride” award for bringing the most Herd support goes to Jenny from Mullen. Your upbeat attitude and congratulatory efforts had the HERD in awe last night. You, my friend, deserve the congratulations on being such an awesome teammate. 

The “Shannon Craft” award for being Shannon Craft goes to Shannon Craft. Ms. Craft, the hitting clinic you have put on this season brings me to happy tears (refer to above list for similar events when this happy feeling also occurs). You consistently leave us wanting more………….…that’s what she said.

HERD Facts:

When the HERD wants popcorn, we exhale on Nebraska.

The HERD uses Tabasco sauce as eye drops

There's strong……then there's Army strong……….Then there's HERD strong.

The HERD gives Freddy Kreuger nightmares

The following is a short list of the things the HERD cannot do:

Get it?

I love you HERD. Game next week at 6:30 vs. our fierce rivals Motlee Crew on Field 3. Come prepared to crush our opponent.