Malo Pa Fuera .. Best/Worst 2014 and Beyond

It's New Year's Eve. Be careful out there everyone as it's strictly amateur and newbie night.

New Year's Eve is a bittersweet night, one year older, a new year ahead. It is also a night filled with many traditions like:

• Countdown
• Time Square
• Drinking
• Partying

Three of my favorite B96 New Year's traditions are:

1. Eating 12 Grapes at midnight, one for each month ahead, for good luck



2. Spinning Suitcase - It's tradition to grab a suitcase and spin it around in all directions as a symbol for safe travel. - LOL - Very hickish but funny

3. Malo Pa Fuera (my favorite)- filling a pot of water and throwing it our door. It symbolizes throwing out the past year's bad luck and starting anew

So ghetto - so fun

 So for my final blog of the Year I would like to do a Malo Pa Fuera for Softball 2014

Top Ten Malo Pa Fuera for Softball 2014

10. Candela - Thanks for ruining my Saturday's Softball Arod. Fucked up a good thing

9. Three Last Inning Championship Losses - Old School, Weintraub, and Old School Fall. "I've always said "losing hurts more than winning feels good". These always stay with you

8. Slumps and lack of Clutch Hits- Learn from it. Adjust. Overcome. Courage, Confidence

7. Big Apple League Shrinkage - Has to be corrected. Softball will not die on my watch.

6. Losing Al – He was a True Mensch

5. Lou 22 sick. Game needs that crazy maniac back.

4. Selfish People -I'm done with them. Team 1st only. Ironically, sometimes you have to selfish to put the team first. A mistake I've made for years.

3. Softball Drama - playing time, egos, inconvenience, head cases - Pa Fuera

2. Leaving the Rangers - it was mutually beneficial for both sides. Just something bad about how it all ended. Good people over there. Never got that Big Apple title for them.

and the #1 Malo Pa Fuera for Softball 2014

1, Unfairly Being Left Out - Sucks when you do well and left out b/c of politics or numbers game. I can understand loyalty, defense, or talent. But getting left out for "other reasons" is wack (see #4).

 SB Malo Pa Fuera!!!!!!!

Now while 2014 had its bad points I would be remiss and be an overall "Softball Debbie Downer" if I didn't mention many good people and moments as well like:

• Old School Upset of undefeated classy McHale's on Tuesdays
• Softball Cancer Tournament
• The Return of Inwood in Inwood
• Batting Title
• 2 Championships

And of course wonderful people and teammates like:

• Glenn R  - great guy
• Eric Brown
• Angelo Gonzalez - never thought he would make this list. I was wrong.
• Entire Choice Parts -Miranda, Chino, Mickey P, Francis, Mickey P, Eric Z , Kip, Sandy Clay, everyone, etc - everything just clicked
• Gil Jr - "Like Father Like Son" does not apply
• Jimmy Myers - Thorwback. 
• Old School Tuesdays - Richie, Andy, Kirk Albie and all the other crazies (including me)
• Chris "Kennedy" and Bob - Charter Fabric
• Entire Ronda's Grocery Team - Knuckle Lou was awesome. Thank you Dio and Blonde
• Jose "Skywalker" Martinez - great future
• Carlos Ramirez and Sito - just awesome A+ players
• Guby - yeah I love Guby even though he's Guby
• Jimmy, Joel. Jack, Paul many of the other locos
• Roberto
• Ralpha
• My softball sons - Christian, Many, Oliver

Going forward I've set my goals (will keep that private) but over the years I've learned a few things in softball/life that I will; apply in softball 2015 and beyond:

1. People - Be kind to the people on the way up. It's the same people you see on your way down. 
2. Softball is about winning, playing, challenges  - If that ain't happening get out
3. Like Ernie Banks famously said "You gotta be a man to play baseball, but you gotta have a lot of little boy in you. “ so important
4. Follow the Love - good things will happen

Happy New Year Everyone!!!!

HOLLER!!!!!!!!!!!

Just Once

This blog has only 4 things in common softball in regards to Winning:

1. Some people win year after year.

2. Some people win multiple championships in one year.

3. Some people only win once.

4. Some People never win.

Unfortunately, the Jets fall into the last category

Even when we win, we end up losing, as after winning a meaningless game in Miami yesterday,

we in reality lost as we dropped 2 spots in the 2015 draft. 

So Frustrating.

Anyway, today the Lysol was taken out and the Jets cleaned house by firing their Coach and G.M 

Good Move

It's 46 years and counting now. Can we get it right this time, so we can win Just Once.

Not looking back anymore only forward.

My Father went down one year ago today.



Respected him more in last 7 years of his life as he fought cancer like a Warrior.I will fight Cancer any chance I get. Hopefully, I don't get it - but anyway Fuck Cancer.

Not looking back anymore only forward.

Ronda's Grocery Lives

Inwood Vibe: WolfPack Roars

Two hard fought last inning Wins Had the WolfPack Roaring to the 2014 Citysoftball Morning League Championship



WP Manager Nellie proved the fallacy that catchers don't matter wrong as he made great defense plays and then started the winning rally as he came up with a lead off single with the Pack trailing 6-4 in the top 7th inning, The Pack would go on to score 4 times thanks to an Ivan's two run single


to take a 8-6. However, Old School with two outs scored one run and loaded the bases only to fall short 8-7.  The WP had taken game one. WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!

In game 2 the score was 2-1


 with the bases loaded and one out when a fly ball was hit to Right Center


the throw was on the money, but Old School couldn't hold on.



Inwood Legend Will made Old School pay by then lacing a two run single to cap a 3 run bottom of the 6th rally to clinch the title


The League and Old School



congratulates Classy Inwood legend Georgie,




Nelson, and the entire WolfPack Team


on a well deserved Championship

Inwood Vibe: SB Celebrities go A96 for the Semi-Finals

The weather was Awesome yesterday in Inwood Hill Park and even though the games were waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyy above 96th street there were several below 96 "B96" Softball Celebrity and Legends on hand to witness the action at field side.

Big Marty and Enrique Perdomo take In the Inwood Vibe


as did John "Glue" Rosenmiller

Inwood Semi Finals

WolkPack vs Hell's Kitchen


Game 1: HK Ace Bennett got a one run lead and


 made it stick throwing a 1-0 shutout.

Game 2: Wolfpack roared pack to score 7 tuns and force a game 3



Game 3: Inwood Legend Nelson



handed the ball to follow Inwood Legend Georgie "Twinkle Toes" Martinez







George Jet hat was good Karma for both the Real Jets and Wolfpack as he had a shutout early and joined us for an in game interview




soon thereafter another Inwood Legend Wil



hit a booming triple to left center to build a 4-0 lead and George went back to work.

and had a shutout until 2 outs in the seventh when HK broke thru for 2 runs thanks to young Jose "Skywalker" Martinez triple to dead center. However George kept his composure got the 3rd out and  advanced to the final where the WolfPack will meet the winner of

Scrappers vs Old School

The Scrappers came into this series hoping to rise the momentum of a very competitive 1st round series win,






but Old School was

 all Business

all Hustle

all Clutch

all Ready

\

and advanced to the finals for the 3rd consecutive year with good Chemistry

Next Week Finals 

WolfPack vs. Old School 9 AM Field 2.

nuff said

Classy Bennett Avenue

I grew up on 44 Bennett Avenue in New York City

and ironically I got the following classy complement from Central Park Legend

Bennett Beckenstein

"I just want to thank Ricky and company for a tremendously run and greatly enjoyable Inwood fall league. I feel I've found a home here. Good vibes, the softball gods are pleased. Best of luck next week. Should be a great final."

Thank you Bennett

Sometimes me and Lochness ask "Why do we do this shit for a bunch of whiny ungrateful MF's" and then someone like you writes something like that.

Very classy.

You have the love

Inwood Vibe - Silenced by Mother Nature

The Weather was wet and raw all day Saturday and the Inwood Fields were a mess

the next day on a very cold, windy Sunday morning so all semi-final games were postponed a week.

However, that didn't stop Inwood Senior Management

from getting numerous, and I mean numerous, calls and text messages on Saturday about what to do on Sunday....from not only Managers but also league players

Inwood Fact: We Are Not God. We only worship the softball gods.

We are governed by 2 simple game cancellation rules:

• Inwood Rule #1: We don't cancel games Saturday
• Inwood Rule #2: We don't waste anyone's time unnecessarily.

Everyone knows that.


So why all the calls on Saturday? Let's Top Ten Analyze This

Top Ten Reasons Inwood Management Received numerous, and I mean numerous, calls and text messages on Saturday about what to do on Sunday from not only Managers but also league players

10. They were Bored

9. Scared about forfeiting or losing players tomorrow

8. Scared that if Sunday got rained out that they will be forced to stay home all day Sunday and watch the Jets. Noooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!

7. Scared about forfeiting or losing players tomorrow...hmmmmm

6. Softball Stalking and Control Freaks by nature

5. Scared about forfeiting or losing players tomorrow - I think I see a pattern forming

4. Wanted to know if they could get their drink on all night and not worry about waking up early on Sunday.

3. Scared about forfeiting or losing players tomorrow - When I start getting Weather.com hourly reports from managers I know they are worried about being short tomorrow.

2. Building Drama

 and the #1 Reasons Inwood Management Received numerous, and I mean numerous, calls and text messages on Saturday about what to do on Sunday for not only Managers but also league players

1. Scared about forfeiting or losing players tomorrow - So Obvious