Happy Christmas from all of us from the McWhalers!

I know many of you would have expected The Pogues & Kirsty McColl performing "Fairytale of New York"but I found this performance by Coldplay which I thought was great-due to the sing-along by the crowd!

Sometimes I Think Jay-Bird Looks Just Like This @ Short-Stop!

I've always enjoyed the nicknames players have attached to their careers in sports and from what I have been hearing, Jay-Bird is known as "The Short-Stop" around the Charleston Law League! I said it on Monday, when I see a ball hit towards short and Jay-Bird's glove lowers to the ground, I get this grin, as if I know something clever that no one else knows, but truth is, we all know, that batter is toast.

(Photo courtesy of JayAlexander.com)

Tomorrow Night's Game Against Rosen For The Championship!

Tomorrow is the championship game at Parkshore (6:15 PM) and who would have thought that we would be playing in it??? Great game to all of you who played last night. For those of you who who didn't play last night, my apologies and we'll try to get you in the game tomorrow.

(Photo courtesy of BacktotheEighties.com)

Even though I'd love to win tomorrow, if we don't it's not a big deal. We've come further in the playoffs with any team we've fielded and we've had fun doing it. In the same breath, I'll say we've come this far so why not win it? I'm going to steal a line from the movie Young Guns II when Billy the Kid says "I shall finish the game, Doc." Cheesy, I know - but it's quite fitting.

I emailed Chip Bruorton at Rosen and he agreed to a game time start of 6:15; for the last time this Lawyer's League season - please let me know if you are going to be able to make it.

Let's finish the game.


Donn

J.I.C. You Didn't Get The Miller's Crossing Reference

Here is a short clip from the film, where the line “The old man is still an artist with the Thompson”.

McWhaley Is Headed to the Championship Game!

McWhaley Wins 15-12 over the PD's Office and we're headed to the Championship game on Wednesday against Rosen!

Highlights

As Terry put it in the movie, Miller's Crossing, "It seems the old man is still an artist with the Thompson" and if you were at the game last night the same thing could be said for the "Big Dawg" Dawes as the PD's office came in thinking he had no power but then it would appear that Dawes is still in artist with the softball bat hitting three doubles and a single. It could have been four doubles but he was thrown out at second as he tried to stretch one out. Dain parked one even after being heckled by the other team's ladies. Bryant parked one. The ladies (Mel, Karen and Ann) are swinging the bat well. Although Harper had a bit of an off game he made up for it with his defense. Jay Jones finally started getting the hits he wanted. Jim and Ann, the dynamic duo, played to their usual high level. Jay-Bird notched a couple of doubles and with an assist from Jim turned a beautiful double-play.

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Reminder Game Tonight @ Orange Grove (6:15 PM) vs the Public Defender's Office!

Just a reminder that we play the Public Defenders at Orange Grove tonight. Game time is supposed to be 6:15.

Thanks!

Donn

Correction: It Was "The Magic Man" Jay-Bird Who Hit The Homer

All right, so we've beat this horse a few times, but for yours truly, it never gets old and since we have to print a correction, we might as well have fun with it.

Correction: Jay-Bird (Alexander) hit a home-run tonight not Jay-Harper. Jay-Bird also set a new standard as being the only pitcher to be hit in two-games straight, tonight's hit was from Harper, which we think will leave a mark.

(Photo courtesy of the real magician from San Francisco, Jay Alexander.com)

McWhaley Continues On To The Semi-Finals Defeating The Usual Suspects-23-6

What a great night for the McWhaley Squad as we poured it on Seekings and the Usual Suspects! Final Score 23-6!

Highlights
Dain parked two home-runs, Jay-Harper parked one, Dawes was 3 for 4 and Karen got a hit! Holy schinolie!

Next game will be Monday night! Let either Donn or I know if you can make it.
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McWhaley Plays Tonight 6:15 PM @ Orange Grove and the GBU Write-Up!

McWhaley will play tonight against Commissioner Mike Seekings team, The Usual Suspects. The game will be at Orange Grove, start time is 6:15 pm. If we play with the same intensity and ability as we did last night we will have a great chance of beating this team tonight; we had them during the last game we played but let them slip away, let’s keep the momentum and bring home another win tonight. Please send either Donn or myself an e-mail if you can make it tonight.

Game vs GBU
Last night was a great example of the team firing on all cylinders: communicating, being in position and keeping cool even under pressure from the other team and heckling from their fans. As I thought about the game last night, the way our team played reminded me of all of those old adages Coach John Wooden used to say, “Be quick, but don’t hurry.” “It's not so important who starts the game but who finishes it.” “It's the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen.” And in response to the folks from GBU wanting to argue each call ”Sports do not build character. They reveal it.”

Highlights
We came out strong last night scoring six runs in the first inning, which kept GBU behind the “eight-ball” for the rest of the game-an early lead is something that we have struggled with all season-defensively we were outstanding as we held GBU’s “new and improved” line-up to naught for the first three innings. Offensively, Jay-Bird went yard with a three-run homer but this win was a team effort as every base hit that advanced runners into scoring position helped to pile it on as McWhaley brought home our first Playoff victory!
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Mc Whaley Advances After a 12-3 Routing of GBU

We haven't heard back from the Commish yet but bring you gear tomorrow just in case we have a game
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Playoff Schedule is Released-McWhaley Plays Monday @ Orange Grove v the Good Bad (& Ugly)

From the League Commissioner: "If the hour was not so late, I might wax poetic about what a great season it has been and how the full moon contributed to Turner’s first round bye (and first appearance in the playoffs since David Cobb was a Little Leaguer), but rather I will just post the games for Monday. Please start as close to 6:15 as you can. Note that home teams are designated. I will send out a rules memo later."


McCarlock (H) v. Rosen Navy Base

Solicitors (H) v. Outlaws Parkshore

Good Bad (H) v. McWhaley Orange Grove *GBU was the first team we played and the first team we beat this season (22-12) so our chances look pretty good on Monday. (Click the tag at the bottom of the post and it will take you to Donn's write-up about the game).

If you win on Monday, be prepared to play second round games on either Tuesday or Wednesday. Usual Suspects & Buist Moore will play a winner of first round on Tuesday. Turner will play PDs on Tuesday. Pierce (and others) will play on Wednesday. I am out of town starting at 7 tomorrow morning. I will be checking my e-mail—good luck—be good sports--MSS

(Photo "Rugby Players", 1929 by artist Max Beckmann, courtesy of Max Beckmann)

Haynesworth Gave McWhaley a Reality Check This Evening

The HSB squad gave us a reality check this evening in the form of one really bad bat around inning and a basic understanding that although this is a team sport if you have one star (err, "Stretch") firstbase-person, they can make your whole infield look good. But as mentioned, the young lady playing first base was not their only good player, they hit the crap out of the ball and we came out flat. There was a lot of distractions tonight (i.e. the music coming from the b-ball courts or for yours truly, the smell of HSB grilling out brats) regardless, we need to block those distractions out, keep our chins up and play our game.

Not that we made numerous errors or people didn't play well, we just didn't play to our potential (I know, my bad about the triple negative): part of that rests on the shoulders of each player, part of that is Donn and my fault in the coaching department. Trust me; we're not going to let it happen again. On a positive note: Ann and Jim are excellent additions to the team, which I don't think we've mentioned here yet and we appreciate their "utility ability". Also, it was good to see Big Daddy Joel Warren back out on the field and it seems he hasn't lost a step.

Playoff Game

We should know about the approaching playoff game by Friday. The date is in stone, Monday, August 10th, we just don't know who we are playing as of yet.

Lesson we should take from tonight's game: don't beat yourself mentally before the game even begins. As soon as I heard someone say, "Oh, this game really doesn't matter, we're already in the playoffs"; I knew we would not play to our potential. Let's turn it around and get some rest this weekend and come our strong on Monday.

(Photo courtesy of the Muy Guy)

Oh That's No Glitch! McWhaley Plays A 12th Game Tonight @ Orange Grove Field!

Due to a glitch in the system, we have our twelfth game tonight against Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd (no spell check, I am right, you are wrong, they really don’t use any commas in their name) at the Orange Grove field. Let me or Donn know if you can make it.

Last night, the McWhalers completed the rain-delayed game from last week, promptly shutting down our old rival the Motley Crue 9-5 in just two innings of work. Great job gang! See you out there tonight!

The Commish Puts Nelson Motors to a Vote from the League

The Commissioner has decided to put the fate of Nelson Motors in your hands allowing a league vote as to whether NM should be out of the league or allowed to stay. Nelson Motors forfeited five games this season, I believe the league rules allow three. Honestly, this is much a do about softball but alas, this was an entertaining part of my morning.

I thought about including the e-mail and just changing the names of those on the list, but with all of the disclosures attached to e-mails these days (and since we McWhalers try to maintain a certain level of comity), I decided it best to just give you an idea of what was communicated via e-mail as a professional courtesy to those involved.

The Set-Up

Motley Crue was supposed to play Nelson Motors tonight but with a total of five forfeits (an expulsionary league violation) Motors was out (they were just unaware; evidently Motors missed the meeting about being kicked out of the league for excessive forfeits) and the Crue's contact responded with the proverbial cat out of the bag e-mail informing them (Motors) the Crue was playing their make-up game against us tonight per the Commissioner.

The Juice

Now here is where it gets good: Motors responds back to the Crue with a bit of attitude using the old "Oh we will see about that!" firing off the next e-mail to the Commish, "So since we forfeited 5 of our games so we are out of the league. We paid our money so we cannot play our last game and so you told Motley Rice to schedule a make up game??" (Syntax aside, I think I would have been a little less "in-your-face" in my e-mail to the Commissioner because he responded with the following: "Of course, you are kidding. The biggest firm in the Southeast no-shows for a season and now wants to play?! I am happy to put it to a vote of the league, but I don't like your chances." As well as attaching all of the e-mail correspondence between the three parties below his comments. Finally, some excitement in the morning. By all means, leave your opinion-thumbs up or down in the comments section.

In re: Our Rain Delay

I think we are going to try and finish the Motley Rice game on Tuesday. Motley Rice is supposed to play Nelson Mullins, but I think Nelson Mullins has been kicked out of the league due to forfeits. If Seekings says it's okay, we will be finishing on Tuesday. Who can make it? I will let you know for sure later today or Monday.

Our regularly scheduled game and last game of the season is on Wednesday against Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd at Orange Grove. Game time is 6:30. Please let me know if you will be at this game.

Apparently, we have a good chance of making the playoffs and these last two games are crucial.

Thanks

Donn

Rain Delay-Game Will Be Replayed Next Week

Our game was called midway through the fifth inning due to the weather. McWhaley trails 2-4 to the Crue. Either Donn or myself will keep you posted.


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Reminder Game Tomorrow Night @ Parkshore!

Our team’s record is sitting right at .500 with only two games left to play in the season (before the playoffs). Tomorrow night we take on our old foes (on the softball field) the Motley Crue of the Motley Rice Law Firm @ the Parkshore Field, game time is 6:30 pm; come on out for a good time.

If you plan on playing and have not let either Donn or me know, please do so ASAP. Thanks!

(Photo courtesy of HeavyHarmonies.com)

A Kind Message From Bob @ Citizens Cope and the log-jam at the 8-12 point range

"Just wanted to say great game last night. I always like the close ones (more so when we win, haha) I am sure neither of you like losing no more than we do, but at least if you do, always nice to do it to a good group of guys and gals. Good luck rest of the way and hopefully we get a chance to see ya'll in the playoffs, seems to be a log jam at that 8-12 point range so we have some work to do if we are going to get there."

-Citizen Bob

(Photo courtesy of lebowskibash.com)

This Week's Game is Tuesday!

Our game this week is tomorrow at Park Shore against the McAngus law firm and Carlock Copeland. I think Seekings named them McCopeland* (he is a man of many talents, folks).

Let me know if you are going to be able to play.

Thanks!
Donn

*Editor's Note: Personally I would have went with "Citizens-Cope" but careful with the "s"-some people will think you are just being a "smart guy" when you use the plural form.

McWhailers Hold Steady @ .500 With A Nautical Theme Against Dr. Rosen, Rosen-lyrics are not work apropos!

We have a lot of love for Dr. Rosen, Rosen, so we thought since they beat us tonight to show that we're good sports, a love song would be apropos. Enjoy the "I'm On A Boat" cover. Highlights from tonight's game-Dr. Dre hit a homer and we had a lot of fun out there.



See you all next Tuesday

Just to Set the Tone For Tonight's Game-I'm On A Boat--The Clean Version!

McWhailers Are Finally Over .500 as Nelson Motors Bows Out of Tonight's Game

It would appear that last week Nelson Motors was putting off the inevitable as today they decided to forfeit tonight’s game because sadly they can not field a full squad.

Our next game will be against Rosen, Rosen, on Thursday at the Parkshore Field. Let me know if you can make it to that game.

Directions for Tonight and Thursday Night's Games

Here are the directions (easiest way from the office) to tonight's game:

·Take I-26 West, get off on the second Cosgrove Exit (Exit 216A)

·After crossing the river, take the first left you can make-you will see a turn lane and an opening in the highway's cement divider (there is a traffic light here now) . This is Poston Road.

·You will see a sign for Parkshore Business Centre III at the entrance to the street; the Scottish Rite Temple will be on your left.

·Cross over the frontage road and continue straight until you reach a stop sign. The Synagogue-Emmanuel will be directly in front of you.

·Turn right onto Windsor Street and follow that road back to the park and softball field.

I look forward to seeing you all at 6 tonight. Thanks, Jet