D7 R27 2025

@Burreaux this is the emoji you were talking about, right?
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1/2 So, in the event anyone is curious (still) about this dreadful saga that just played out, I’ll provide an update. I guess part of the below addresses this week’s topic, and the rest basically explains… whatever?


So, I have still not heard from @ballknower12 – but in light of new information that came to me today, I feel significantly ā€˜better.’ Obviously this has been a sh*tty week for me, and a pretty sh*tty one for them. 168 hours in a week, the first 120 hours have been bad. It looks like the final 48 hours will be fine. Just to give an idea of how steamed this thing had me: forgot to fill out a bracket, haven’t seen any of the games and I have yet to touch The Show 25 despite the I did do the early access purchase. Took a personal day for the first time since having a dystolic (bottom number) blood pressure higher than the largest ever graduating class from FC, at the age of 29 and 180lbs, is not ideal when half of my job is busting up dumbf*cks sending up 150lb office furniture & wooden pallets up to an overhead sorter across two bays. In other words, I stand on ā€œThe Dockā€ and that pride can’t be taken away – but I’m not willing to die on the dock in defense of that pride. Despite the depressive spell, my will to live is even stronger.


That’s not said to invoke sympathy, because those who know me well know I don’t care about others’ sympathy. It’s said because I recognize this person is hurting too. I don’t know what this person is going through, what their ultimate fears were in this saga, or the ultimate impact of my words on here at them were. I, for instance, don’t know if this person has had an outlet to confide in about what was happening (e.g. someone to talk to.) I know that’s painful, to have it bottled up, because I was doing the same thing all along offline. I haven’t talked to anyone from the FC orbit about this (talked to a few friends outside of the FC orbit and it helped.) That doesn’t make my reaction and the subsequent reactions fine, because it doesn’t.



I realized in the end, the only thing I was accomplishing following Sunday night was my attempt to take away @ballknower12’s pride. I think ballknower12 is a good person. I do. Now, granted, I still don’t really want to interact with them offline (although at this point it’s because tension/distrust in the air serves no one well) and it’s completely understandable that they don’t want to with me either again. Don’t have to be friends, don’t have to be enemies. Generally civil, restrained, keep the distance, that suffices. I f-cked over ballknower12 in my IRL interactions with them looking back (although to be very abundantly clear, it was not done with the intent to f-ck them over), so I get it.

I’d like to take this opportunity to apologize to ballknower12. I’m not saying this to try and seek some sort of healing moment, because that’s not how I roll. My anger and frustration boiling out in the open at the expense of the human being behind ballknower12 came at a cost to their happiness, their peace of mind and sense of security. That was wrong of me. I did not do right by that person, or by FC by acting the way I did. To ballknower12’s credit, they showed considerable restraint. Lesser people would have reacted and fought fire with fire.

My line is open again, bk12. I'll do the listening. Completely understand if you don’t want to take it up. I have no hard feelings toward you anymore. If we don’t talk to each other again (no worries either way), then I’d like to take this opportunity to a) thank you being the better, bigger person in this sh*tshow and b) acknowledge that as a parent you have made FC a better place, far better than I possibly ever could have. I think it goes without saying that sometimes parents don’t make it a better place, and that was the case before you got to Route 37.

TM
 
2/2

In other news, I was forwarded an interesting email that went out today...

Mhmm.

This is big. And it's very exciting. 43 degrees out right now, but it feels like '98!

For those in the Village who received the same thing, I absolutely put 10's on questions #10, #11 and #12.

This is, without question, the most impressive body of work I've seen in my fifteen years of FC. It's still in its infancy, already, but I can tell 'yinz that THIS WILL WORK. It is organized, it is thorough, it is deeply thoughtful and it is well-measured. Although it's not going to happen overnight, this thing is a major machine in motion. Take it from a logistics guy, after all. I know 'em when I see 'em.

It took me seven hours to do it, because I kept pausing and thinking "WOW!" after every single line before my eyes. After every input for every line, I felt a sensation that I hadn't in fifteen years. Anyone who has been at baseball with me knows I'm a yeller, and the sum total of yells over the years amounts to 1/100 the excitement, energy and spirit I'm feeling for FC at the moment. In logistics mgmt you work with three things: urgency, action, and strategy. You know your personnel and their talents; their strengths and their weaknesses. Assign, monitor, encourage when they do well, critique how it can be done a different & better way, and you send home those who are screwing up the plan. Prioritize, you figure out which eggs need to be cracked if the whole carton can't survive, and you never stop pushing. You push through.

And this has ALL OF THAT. And I know this will be successful, regardless if I'm involved (there's a possibility I may decline if I'm invited, but I otherwise would be happy to answer any questions and possibly lend a small hand a la part 'C'.)

How do I know it will be successful? I already see big things happening, and the best has yet to come. There's a lot of talent and dedication in the cause. This will absolutely succeed without me being involved. That's how confident I am in this prospect. A+ personnel, ambition, and there's going to be many, many pairs of solid hands who will commit to this being successful. Tying it all together, one mission.

LFG!!!!!! (and I have no problem saying that regardless if I don't get invited lol.) This is like when LeBron came back to Cleveland, and its for the school who deserves it the most.
 
Is this the FC resurgence that we've been hoping for?
Yes.

It won’t happen overnight and it doesn’t mean they’re going to take Region 27 by storm in 2026, lol, but I do see this churning into an unstoppable force that will make the back end of the 2020’s laden with Elite Eights and maybe some Final Fours across the various sports on the annual (among many other good byproducts.)

Breaking it down part-by-part: it is powered by high-voltage levels of vigor, passion and loyalty, with an unrelenting motor. Strict rules on input/output relating to what can go through it and what needs to come off in the process; its size will be big enough to endure and persevere through the most stressful of situations; watchful eyes will make sure debris doesn’t fall through the tract into the bearings, since that’s a fire hazard. Divvying up of labor, everyone on the same team.

The brains and bravery behind this have experience. I know some of them. They know what will work and what won’t. They aren’t going to tolerate half-as work. They’ll make sure to have their needs met since there will be times when the work is draining.

— — —
I’ll end with this: earlier this week I was playing Hell’s Bells on repeat (probably didn’t help the BP) and getting more upset.

Tonight I played it. I smiled, exhaled, smiled some more — they’re ringing the bell on Rt 37, and there will be droves of people answering it (this could possibly involve as many as 70-100 people, I think.) There will be plenty of alumni coming out of the woodwork to pitch in, and they’ll be greeted with open arms. This is a rolling thunder, and it’s coming on like a hurricane. Whether I’m on the field, sidelines or told to go sit in the stands, it’s going to be a sight to behold and whatever my role is (even if it’s being told to stay away) is one I’ll enjoy wearing. It’s going to be beautiful once the machine fires up. Loud, relentless, and dependable.
 
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One more soliloquy…

I owe the architects of the resurgence a long overdue acknowledgement, and an apology.

As far as my eye can see (I haven’t been involved with FC since ā€˜22-23), this initiative is largely being spearheaded by the parents of the graduating senior class. It is well-worth supporting, and they as individuals love FC more than I do.

Backstory: so I came back in 2019. COVID messed up a lot of the continuity, and basically Spring of 2021 was playing catch-up & trying to get things ready for ā€˜21-22. Basically the Athletic Association I came into slipped out of my hands (turnover/retirements), and I didn’t fully get that until Fall 21. I was one of two who stayed. It was a full line switch, full of new faces. I was kind of, I guess, the one link the organization had for continuity?

One thing about this cohort is all of the kids in this class, IIRC, are their oldest. So it’s a pretty tightly-knit group that went through the ropes together over the years, and they’re new to FC as parents. Let’s just say that I struggle to read the room, at times!

One of the difficulties with being the odd man out isn’t a matter of not feeling heard, but it’s a matter of not hearing what everyone else has to say. And me, a hardened, headstrong person with clinical Yappimania, it does not really add for much productivity in the room. I didn’t mind putting myself out there in front of people I didn’t really know.

I left in ā€˜22-23 because I felt it was best for everyone involved. I had some hard feelings about it at the time, but it comforted me to remember I was doing what I thought was best.

When I took a step back, let time pass, and found myself back in the gym on two separate occasions (BBK v MP ā€˜23-24; GBK v MP ā€˜24-25) I saw beautiful things. Like seeing color for the first time. I got to see momentum, energy, passion, all at heightened levels the likes of which I had never seen before. I got to see a better place, and a better FC. There were too many times when I was passionate, thinking that barking out ā€œSTART COUNTINGšŸ¤¬ā€ (or yelling ā€œTHATS A SQUEEZE CALL šŸ¤¬ā€ at HPU in baseball) was how to show energy and passion, and here all along it was done by action. Dedicated volunteerism, creative programming. Community servants — putting the whole in front of the individual.


Very similar to many of our forefathers from the same Emerald Isle when they got off the boat. They banded together, put in the cornerstones to form a church, from which the church was their cornerstone to community. Shared principles, shared identity. Persevered through turbulent times. I step back, and started to see them as humble, selfless stewards of my school.

There’s a lot of talent in this cohort leading the charge for the best FC imaginable. A lot of passion and conviction. I think what really moves me is they come from proud traditions themselves (BSJ, TCC, NC, BR? and of course FC.) There’s no doubt that if they had magic wands to wave, they’d wave it for pieces of their heart too.


This cohort has given a massive amount of themselves to the community, out of the goodness of their hearts. I admit that I often struggled to see it in the beginning, and I’m sorry to have not given the appreciation due. FC has the best facilities in the MSL and Fairfield County thanks to them.

I was wrong to not give them more of a chance in my time. More so, I was wrong to be adversarial and being a source of pain. I think I know what it’s like to feel unappreciated; that your fight is lonely. That no one understands why something bothers you. I’m not going to pretend to know what’s it like to feel unappreciated when you sacrifice so much more than what’s asked of you, and that’s before having to deal with my thankless as.

— — —

I’ll also take this moment to honor two parents from that class in particular. When I did FC-MP boys game in 23, I did come in with some trepidation. I had some emotions that were difficult to work through about coming home to do the radio. Radio’s on the stage, so everyone sees you. After the game you break down the equipment. Both the dads came up, and all I remember looking back was how kind they were & how cathartic it was for me in the moment. They knew who I was (again didn’t know me well), and I think they picked up on some of the ā€˜returning home’ uneasiness I felt. They comforted me, and saw that I was doing what I could for their kids in a better and different way.


Feb24 I broke my foot ā€œin halfā€ in a freak work accident. Couldn’t walk (could not bear weight) for six months. The injury ripped me to shreds on so many levels. I went to Central Crossing for boys sectional, and they asked what happened & gave their best wishes. Apr24 I went to Beavers to get my FC baseball fix (since you can’t crutch your way to FC’s diamond.) They both acknowledged me, came up and embraced me. It was powerful. When it was at FC they saw my pain on the inside, when it was at Beavers they saw my pain on the outside. They didn’t owe a single thing of themselves to me, and yet they gave a piece of themselves to acknowledge my humanity.

It was powerful.

— — —

I’ve waited fifteen years for the day when I’d learn that FC will be OK. FC is going to be more than OK. FC is going to… well, that’s for the rest of y’all to see 5-10 years from now.

I’ve waited fifteen years for the day that my mind, heart and soul comes to its ease. It seems like the best time to decide to let them take it from here, supporting them how they see fit if they’d find it useful.

I’ve waited fifteen years for this day, and it’s possible thanks to these soldiers for the cause. Better soldiers than I. From the bottom of my heart, and behalf of all FC alumni I know: thanks for everything so far, and thank you for making sure that Fisher received the best out of you. Something that I could not do.
 
hooray, a resolution to the "Dockmania comes for @ballknower12" saga. Time for me to devour a big hunking heap of
crow.
Mmm...
crow.

Yeah!! Turns out they are... not someone I know in real life! Which... thank goodness that is the case. More than [blank]-ing happy to readily admit the fact my gut was wrong. For that matter, they are not an FC person. So that's even better.

But what's best is, they had good intentions all along (or they didn't have bad intentions I guess.) I know, I know, I know... they actually are fine. Big shoutout to them for being willing to talk to one of my friends (an FC alum in the greater Atlanta area who has an account but simply lurks and reads), and a big shoutout to my guy for helping get some info bridged between me and bk12. Especially for willing to go talk to him, since tbh I wasn't real interested in firing off the first DM (because of who I thought this person was and what they had to say to me.)

So... at least that part is over. I'm glad that part is over and resolved, since at the very least I no longer have a sense of trepidation/anger/distrust toward the person who I thought was behind the handle.

...maybe we can get this train back on the tracks, now.
 
No more games like this at Tough Street Stadium
 
Props to FCA for seeking out the Northwest Passage.

How we doin' on the Emerald Isle in making sure football doesn't go into the tubes for good? We chillin'?
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Let's throw in the Sciotoville East hate club for one of our friends at the Glouster Ez-Mart on Toledo Street 4/19.
Like the great Arena Football League rivalry between the Orlando Predators and the Tampa Bay Storm known as "The War on I-4", we'll know about June 30th if there's indeed going to be a long-term rivalry between an R27 school and its resident poster that would be aptly known as "The War with __ ___"
 
Like the great Arena Football League rivalry between the Orlando Predators and the Tampa Bay Storm known as "The War on I-4", we'll know about June 30th if there's indeed going to be a long-term rivalry between an R27 school and its resident poster that would be aptly known as "The War with __ ___"
He may be back when they beat Southeastern week 1 35-34 in 3OT.
 
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