Garth McQueen 04/17/2003 12:28 PM Dear Mark: This is a rather lengthy note (so Mauro, don't delete till you see the words Next Year). Attending the final banquet brought home a few additional thoughts. First is; that no matter how good you might have been, you are always apt to be called SECOND LAST to the prize table. Your trinkets will be a testimony to that. Secondly, sand baggers abound all the way down to the D division and thirdly, I witnessed a team that NEVER won a single game all year go through to the finals of E division and win. Oh, there is hope for us yet. And a final thought about the last weekend of curling...please please, we must get into the semi finals. I can't handle the pressure of making Bruce's breakfast any more. Everything has to be just right. I was up all night preparing for this challenge (oh, sorry,, I was up with Pioli all night trying to remember what it was like to be young again). Here are some of my memories of the past year: Best Play by a Second: George kicking Mauro's stone Best Play by a Lead: Mark hiding Garth's Broom Best Play by a Third: Steely Determination with JACK like qualities Best Play by Skip: Hit and roll from a side stone to the Button while Barefoot Best record against: Teams with physical deficiencies Best games against: Retirees who arrive by Air Ambulance Worst Games: Playing after time off - Christmas and Banana Belt or teams who know the game Most memorable time: Mike Milink's first ever shot....ah... the thrill of sweeping the stone past the first hog line. Most Ludicrous Statement: Mauro's concern he was like Roger Greatest Insight in the game of Curling: "there really is a proper way to open peanuts" Cross over from Sport to Business: Stratum I versus Stratum II Most Important thing to remember: Garth bought the Last Round of Beer Most Heroic Effort: George playing with banged up Stones Synopsis of the Year From the author's perspective, I found this year to be the most enjoyable year yet. We curled well and have learned to live with the times when we don't. It is great to go out each week knowing you will laugh and have fun. The strength of the team is that everyone has a say, disagreements abound, but all are left behind when the shot is called. Big Kudo's to Mauro for listening and putting up with all our ideas and our kidding about his sweeping. Actually there is so little sweeping from him I don't know what we make fun of!!. I think this year we recognized that for an ENTIRE TEAM of ONCE A WEEKERS, we put together a damn good game. Yes we have flashes of brilliance, but the reality is that it's not enough against the regulars. Does that mean we will give up on our aspirations....I think not. It just means despite being "Once A Week" we will always be capable of pulling off the big one (no Bruce, that was not pulling On the big one) and that the timing will dictate how far we go. We will win, that is for sure, it is only the when that we don't know. Special thanks to Mark who can't even say he was once a week (and I mean Curling) but still stepped up and was counted for. And to Mikey who took the plunge, know this. If you are going to golf you gotta curl. It is a great team to play on and be a part of. We have a lot to look forward to.. beginning with the $500 Mauro already has for next year. We all can look ahead to the team's BBQ in Chippawa (unfortunately it won't be fully hosted this year..details to be worked out) and there was a commitment from Mauro to play golf on a few Wed's , so let's get the foursome together those nights. Well boy's this is the close of the Pioli Papers for this year. Let's just say it was a : Firkin Good Time...Good Curling, Good Beer, Good Fun. Till Next Season. Mark Pioli 04/17/2003 01:46:47 PM I think I should elaborate a bit on this line from the Pioli Papers (oh, sorry,, I was up with Pioli all night trying to remember what it was like to be young again). It started out innocently enough, Garth to drop by at a bar , to meet me and my friends, after going to Canadian Tire to watch the Leaf game. Poor Garth he believed the story we tell our wives. Shots on Goal Leafs 17 Beers on tab 25. At this point we told Garth o.k. we are now ready to go out. Garth's jaw hit the floor as he explained to us that he had to wake up early and cook Bruce breakfast. After explaining to my friends that Bruce wasn't his boyfriend just a curling buddy they understood. We took it easy on him, taking him places where the girl guy ratio was 99 guys to 1 girl, he mentioned something about his Viagara being used up. After a few more beers, all the breakfast talk made us hungry for pickled eggs, and few more laughs Garth left with the " I am too old for this" and went home missing the pool tournament. Remember this night Garth, when we ask you, and tell our wives, we are going golfing.....