Count the chins

Laurie took this fat guy picture of me during our co-ed game on Wednesday. We lost 2-0. I figured I'd put it out there before she used it against me.

To add to my misery, I failed the international referee fitness test this morning. I passed the first part, where I had to run 6 x 40 m under 6.4 seconds each. I failed the second part where we had to run 20 x 150 m in under 30 seconds each.

I chose to skip breakfast this morning and only drank water. You know what happens to me when I over exert myself, right.

Yeah. It happened.

Thank God I didn't eat.

Anyway, I finished 9. That was punishment enough.

******
So what I'm trying to get at is I joined the Body Success Challenge at Gold's Gym, or as I prefer to call it, the Fat Guy Contest.

The contest runs from June 15 - September 15 and the winner is the person to lose the largest percentage of their original weight, mine being 200 lbs.

I thought I 'd make this really tough on myself and continued to pig out and drink beer right up until...Wendesday. Now I'm getting serious. I started "competing" during about the second lap this morning.

I am officially on a diet. No more beer.

I mean it. No more beer!

...and hopefully I'll have only one chin come August.

I scored! Twice!

Day 1 on the NMIFA Co-ed Soccer Summer League was a success. My team, which has yet to be named, played against Dean and Dora's team, also yet to be named.

The female players on my team are Katie Busenkell, Becky Covarrubias, Meaghan Hassel Shearer, Nola Hix, Brianna Martin, Laurie Peterka, and Rebecca Warfield. The guys on my team are David Banes, Mike Blasberg, Ian Catlett, Julian Fitial, Jetsada Phonsutjit, Jimmy Pua, Rio Sawhill, Glen Smith, and Angelo Villagomez. I put eveyone who showed up yesterday in bold. We're still registering players, so I'm sure we'll add a few more in the next couple of weeks.

We have more guys than women playing this year (so far), so if you know any women that want to play soccer, have them give me a call.

(please)

So back to the game, both teams didn't have enough players to actually play (because this is a scrimmage week), so we asked people from the other teams to come out. We picked up Tamarie and one other person. The other teams best players were Peter Houk, Peter Lokan, the league's #1 Draft Pick, Dave Duenas, and Madison Smith.

We kept the score 0-0 for most of the first half, but with about a minute to go I dribbled through several players (including Dave Duenas) and took a shot on keeper Dean Tenorio to score.

In the second half our team came out strong. In about the 35th minute, Jimmy Pua, playing soccer for the first time, crossed the ball from the left side through three defenders over to Julian Fitial, who tapped the ball in for a goal. Both of those guys were playing in their very first soccer game. Becky was still explaining the rules to them when the game was starting.

I've been playing soccer on this island for almost two years and yesterday's game was the first time I scored in an official game. This kid scored on his very first day!

No fair!

The other team fought back and scored off of a penalty kick. One of our players had a hand ball inside the box. For a while it felt like the other team was going to tie things up. Peter Lokan took shot after shot after shot, but most of them went wide. The ones that were on target were stopped by our keeper Tamarie (she's going to be trouble, she's actually on another team).

It wasn't meant to be though. In about the 50th minute the other team had a corner kick. I got a head on the kick and then dribbled the ball down the entire length of the field to score.

The game ended 3-1.

******
Tonight's game is Steve and Nicole's yet to be named team vs Jason and Tamarie's yet to be named team. Kickoff is at 5:15. This is a scrimmage game, so if the two teams do not have enough players (like we had last night), players from other teams will be allowed to play.

We still need players

41 individuals have registered for the NMIFA Summer Co-ed Soccer League. We want to start the league next week, so get your registrations in! We'll need about 90-120 players if we are going to play with six teams...and we want to play with six teams. It makes things more interesting instead of playing the same teams over and over.

Download the registration form here and email it to me at nmifacoed at gmail dot com. If you have any questions you can call me at 285-6462.

I hate to name names, but yes, Brad, Kathy, Walt, and many others...hurry up and get your registration forms in.

Co-ed Soccer Summer League Info

The NMIFA Co-ed Soccer Summer League is set to kick off next week for a second year of co-ed action. Registration for the league is ongoing and organizers are looking to fill the rosters of six co-ed teams.

Teams will be picked over the weekend via a school yard draft. The two co-captains of each team will pick a player, then that player will pick the next player, and so on until the rosters of all six teams are full. With this kind of a draft, players will get to play on the same team as their friends, while also ensuring that the skill level of all teams will be roughly equal.

The Summer league lasts for 8 weeks starting on June 10, with games played on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday afternoons. Each team will play one game per week.

Games will start at 5:15 on game days and will consist of 2 thirty five minute halves with 5 minute halftimes.

The Co-ed Soccer Summer League is an adult league, but younger players looking to compete against some of the island’s veteran players are encouraged to register. Last year’s youngest player was 13 year old Sami Birmingham-Babauta, now a Sophmore at Saipan Southern High School. All skill levels are welcome to participate, as this is a non-competitive recreational league.

This year there will be six teams as opposed to the four teams that competed last year. The sponsors for the 2007 league were Porky’s, Wild Bills, Godfather’s, and Fiesta Resort. The league is still looking for sponsors for this year.

The registration form can be downloaded at http://nmifa.blogspot.com/ (it can also be downloaded here). Completed forms can be dropped off at the NMIFA office located on Beach Road in Garapan or emailed to nmifacoed@gmail.com. The registration fee is only $15 and includes a Co-ed t-shirt and 8 weeks of play. For questions contact Co-ed League Commissioner Angelo Villagomez at 285-6462.

Co-ed Soccer Registration

The registration form for Co-ed soccer is available here. Please print it out and return to me this week. We are going to pick teams over the weekend.

You can email the completed form to nmifacoed@gmail.com or give the form to me. My phone number is 285-6462.

The cost to register is $15 and includes a Coed t-shirt and 8 games. Games will be played on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursday from June 10 - July 30.

Steamroller

The body is a little sore today after playing almost four hours of soccer yesterday. Four teams played in the "Sportmanship Tournament," including my team, Wild Bill's Independents (in orange).

We called it the "Sportsmanship Tournament" because a few of the Men's League games ended with fights out in the parking lot...including the fight between the Ol' Aces and Onwell that forced the NMIFA to cut the league short by one week.

With four teams participating (the Fightin' Ol' Aces and the Brawlin' Onwells weren't invited), we played a round of pool play, with the top two teams playing for the championship and the other two teams playing for third.

Our team played really well in pool play. We drew Inter and the MFC 2-2 and 0-0, respectively, and we beat the Korean team, FCA, 1-0. That was good enough to get us into the championship game against FCA (Football Club Arirang).

After three games, nobody's legs were moving too quick. We were given a respite when Eli showed up half way through the first half, but we were really, really tired.

The game ended in a 2-2 tie and the game went straight to penalty kicks.

We choked.

Damn it.

Even so, this is the best our team has ever done. This was our first time playing in the championship game. I wish we had won, but I'm proud to have just been a contender.

(tear)

The next men's league starts in August. There's always next year.

I love this bar

A few months ago I was scolded by Rose for following a post about my Mom up with a post about two monkeys having sex (BTW, that Youtube video has over 2,100,000 views now).

In that same vein, I will follow my last post up with a post about Godfathers.

Does this picture not describe an average night at Godfather's? I'm looking forward to taking my 10 year old brother, Kevin, there for some chicken fingers and poki (the family gets here next Friday!).

:)

Just kidding, Mom.

Oh yeah, thanks for the shot, Scott.

Of the girls in this photo, one is getting married, one is dating a lawyer, and a third is single. Any guesses as to whom is who? But the real question should be, can they play Co-ed soccer?

More Co-ed Soccer

Last week about 15 people showed up for our Co-ed pickup soccer game. We're stretching our legs and honing our skills for the upcoming Co-ed soccer league.

Come on out and play with us. Everyone is welcome regardless of skill level, just keep in mind that this is an adult league. Younger players are welcome, but be forewarned that Brenda Schultz has been known to drop the F-bomb every now and then. Really.

We'll start playing right after work on Thursday at 5 PM.

I'll bring my ball even though Michael Thomas made fun of it last week. If you don't want to play with my ball, which by the way is approved by the Korean Football Association, bring another one.

We're still looking for some captains. Norm and Dora Camacho, Greg and Mel Borja, and Angelo Villagomez (that's me!) and Meaghan Hassel-shearer (Irish?) are captaining three teams. We need three more pairs of captains if we are going to have six teams. Any volunteers?

Stretch Those Legs

Environment, Soccer, and Blogging...oh my!

It's co-ed soccer time!

Everyone is invited to a co-ed pickup game up at the airport at 5 PM today. All players and all skill levels are invited (even Brad Ruszala), so please forward this message to interested players.

See you there!

(can someone bring a ball?)

Mark Your Calendars

Men's and Women's soccer is over, so you know what that means, right?

Co-ed Soccer!!!

We're going to form six teams this year. There will be games on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays during the summer. I'll call a meeting sometime next week to determine captains, but in the meantime, let's stretch those legs.

For the entire month of May we are going to have pickup co-ed soccer games at the airport field. We'll start after work, which should be right around 5 PM. Feel free to bring your kids, some drinks, and something to grill. You provide the flame and the meat, I'll provide the empty stomach.

We'll see how Thursdays go, then we'll discuss the idea of having a second day of pickup games, perhaps on Sunday afternoons.

This will be an adult league. Younger players are welcome, but keep in mind that they'll be playing against some 200 lbs grown men...like me. Some of our younger players are developed enough to play an adult game, while others aren't. Just keep that in mind.

All skill levels are welcome. This is a recreational league in every sense of the word.

We Lost?

Hear us roar: My teammates celebrate moments after Steve McKagan (#4) scored a tying goal to force an overtime. Photo credit: Wes Bogdan.

We lost the game 3-2. They scored, then we scored to tie it up. Then they scored again to end the half at 2-1. We scored again in the second half, to force an overtime. The first overtime went scoreless, but Guam scored in the last 30 seconds of the second overtime to win the game.

Doesn't matter.

We can compete and did compete with a FIFA ranked team. I'm a Boston Red Sox fan. There is always next year.

Game Day

The women put on one hell of a show yesterday by stuffing Guam 0-0. Guam is a FIFA ranked team. I think they are #75 in the world. Yesterday they couldn't beat a rag tag bunch of island girls.

Go CNMI!

Our game is in about 6 hours. I won't be starting this game, but I should get a few minutes towards the end of the game to rip stuff up. I really want to win this game.

2008 CNMI Men's National Team

Here we are. The game is Sunday at 3 PM at Ada Field. Come out and cheer #9 (that's me).

Guam, are you ready?

Is it time to play yet?

2008 Marianas Cup

This Sunday the Northern Mariana Islands national football team will suit up for a game against our neighbors to the south, Guam. The game starts at 3 PM at Ada Field in Susupe.

Please come out and cheer for #9.

Next Retreat: Pohnpei!

The 10th MIC retreat is over and I'm on my way back to Saipan. I've got soccer practice in a few hours. Officials from AFC will be there to watch us.

I'd better take a nap first.

Dang, I'm tired.

Big Game in One Week...and a half

Brad Ruszala writes:

In less than two weeks, the CNMI Men's National Football Team will defend its home pitch in an effort to do what last year's squad was unable to accomplish by beating Guam on Saipan.

Last year, football fans from across the world watched as the home team came within one goal of beating the FIFA-ranked Guamanians, as the visitors escaped with a 3-2 victory at the Oleai Sports Complex. A week later, the men from Saipan were unable to find similar success against their heavily favored opponents abroad, as Guam dismantled the CNMI at home, 9-0, in the rematch.

Aside from pleasing their fan faithful at Harmon Field, the Guamanians also drew first blood in the Inaugural Marianas Cup. This month's match will mark the second time the regional rivals vie for the giant perpetual trophy, and several new faces will don the home team's uniforms on Sunday, April 27, at the OSC.

Team CNMI will be without 11 of players that filled out its roster in 2007, as Bruce Berline, Vince Stravino, Wesley Bogdan, Mike Hall, Aaron Lewis, Chris Nelson, Mark McDonald, Kyle Cabael, Jonathan Mafnas, Tyce Mister and former captain Yosh Gabaldon have either opted out of the grueling national schedule or will be unavailable for this month's match.

The CNMI still has a core of players who remember the bitter pill that Guam served up on Harmon Field, as Ben Wood, Dale Roberts, Michael Thomas, Brad Ruszala, Lucas Knecht, David Dueñas, Chris Leon Guerrero, Peter Houk, and Angelo Villagomez return to the Blue Ayuyus with manager John Ravell.

Filling the vacancies left by last year's history-makers was no easy task, but a crowd of new faces survived the training and evaluation process, and is now ready to officially don the blue and white for the first time. Among the rookies added to the 2008 lineup are Peter Loken, Steve McKagan, Dan Westphal, Joe Miller, Choi Yong Woon, Norman Camacho, and Nick Swain.

Change has been the theme to this year's team, as Team CNMI made changes at the top with the departure of last year's coach, Jeff “Ziggy” Korytoski, who has since moved back to the Mainland. His replacement, Jason Higgins, will also miss match, as he and the Northern Mariana Islands Football Association quietly parted ways two months ago.

Since then, Swain has taken the reigns as player/coach for the local squad, and NMIFA officials regard the former Pacific Islands Club Clubmate as a magnificent find who possesses the talent to direct his teammates both on and off the field.

I have missed so much practice due to my conferences in Chuuk and now Guam and with work back on Saipan, that I probably won't play in the game. I'm expecting to suit up and and watch my team from the bench as they take us to victory. Should I get the call to play, I'll be ready, but there are others on the team more deserving than me.

I should have bought the nose guard

In our soccer game against Multinational Football Club two weeks ago, I took an elbow to the face and had my nose broken. I didn't go to the hospital to see if it was actually broken, but I could slide it side to side and hear (feel) a definite crunching sound.

In Guam last Tuesday I bought two new pairs of soccer boots. There was a hard plastic nose guard on sale at the store for $40. I should have bought it.

...because during yesterday's game against the Independents I took a ball to the face and busted it again.

Always Something to do on Saipan

Jeff and Brad star in a new production called The Play Buffet: A Little Something for Everyone's Taste, and it debuts Friday, March 7 at 7 p.m. in the American Memorial Park with followup performances March 8, 13 and 14.

Tickets are available for $5 from cast members, at the door or you can inquire via email at barbara.sher@gmail.com.

******
The unveiling of the Ben Ki monument at the Grotto is Saturday at 3 PM. Friends, family, and lots of people more important than me will be there.

There has been talk of a 1:30 PM dive, but nothing quote me on it.

******
Men's League Soccer continues on Sunday. Last week there was a fight and someone was arrested. I wonder what will happen this week?

All the games are at Ada gym. Inter plays FC Arirang at 12:00 PM, Independants play Onwell at 2:00 PM, and Multinational Football Club plays Ol' Aces at 4:00 PM. All games have two 45 minutes halves.

******
I have a friend coming in from Takaoka on Monday afternoon. This is the friend who took me to visit Gokayama about two years ago. I'm thinking of taking either Tuesday or Wednesday off and heading down to Forbidden, Bird Island, or Managaha. Anyone want to tag along?

On my way

I have dropped about 20 pounds in the last six weeks. I cheated a bit last night, but I haven't been drinking alcohol or soda. I also haven't eaten any fast food. I lost the first few pounds when I was sick in bed for two weeks and I've shed a few pounds each week since.

Other than restricting alcohol, soda, and greasy food (my breakfast at Shirley's this morning excluded), my weight loss plan consists of playing soccer six days a week (the NMIFA Men's soccer league is in its seventh week and I've been training with Team CNMI).

I topped out at about 210 and I'm about to go below 190.

I'd like to get down to 160 by the end of April.

Being overweight is very uncomfortable. I don't like it. Obviously when I'm heavier I can't move around on the soccer field the way I would like, but even off the field I notice the extra baggage.

I clean up well

Surprised to see a picture of EJ on my blog?

Well, EJ showed up on Saipan just in time for Valentine's Day. She's here for a few days to help her parents settle the sale of their business. She's their official translator.

As coincidence would have it, she also happened to be here for the Rotary Club of Saipan's 40th Anniversary dinner. Turns out I didn't need a date after all.

EJ and I sat at a table with Pete and Mathilde Igitol (and David Igitol and Karl Reyes). Mathilde is my first cousin. She almost came out to live with us in Massachusetts 25 years ago and when Alex and I visited Saipan as kids, she always made sure to take us out to dinner. If I remember correctly it was usually for teppanyaki at the Hafa Adai Hotel, but that was a long time ago so I may be mistaken.

******
On Sunday morning I had a soccer game. My team, Wild Bill's Independents, played Onwell, a team composed of mostly Thais (read: lean, fast, and talented).

It was one hell of a game. We managed to keep them scoreless in the first half. We also kept them scoreless in the second half, but we scored on ourselves twice. Yeah, twice. Ouch.

They ended up winning 2-0. Our record is now 2-2-1.

The season is halfway through. We'll play each of the other five teams one more time before heading into the playoffs.

You can see from this team picture that I've put on a few pounds over the last year. That should change in the next few weeks as training for the National Team is set to begin on Tuesday.

That means no more soda or beer for awhile.