Strong Bonds

Last week we learned “How To Be A Hero” and the Cougars were heroic in Tuesday’s game!

This week the Cougars beat The UBAA 10-5 on Tuesday night.  Everybody contributed with newfound strength and resolve. 

The Cougars showed a unique James Bond-like stack of skills.  

 

PITCHING

Martini is a master.  Look at this pitching perfection.   Martini lofts a high strike, fakes a pickoff to move runner back to first, and then another savvy strike for the foul out strikeout.  

 

 

 

DEFENSE   

Defense always wins.

Here is Fort with Over The Shoulder Ball Catching 101.  Just unreal!

 

 

Pretty sweet, right?

Well, how about this unique and incredible (and enthusiastic!) double play by Li’l Rads and Joker.

 

Badass, right?  

Pete didn’t stop there.  Look at this hustle!

 

 

OFFENSE

We crushed Clinchers all night and this triple by JD was a highlight.  Look at that baserunning!

 

 

BASERUNNING

CRads came to the plate with Kev on third and SRads on second.  CRads absolutely smashes a ball that the third baseman can’t handle.  Kev scores easily and SRads takes third.   Charley, always a tactician, took a giant turn around first base to goad the fielder.  As soon as the fielder ran towards CRads, SRads ran home to score and CRads slid safely into second base and successfully generating the extra run.

 

 

You want more crushed Clinhers and brilliant baserunning?  Here you go. 

You have to see this one.   It’s is a beauty.   Kev at the plate and Boom on first.   Kev takes the first pitch and Boom takes a huge secondary lead and bounces around to provoke a throw from the catcher.  As soon as the ball is thrown to pick him off, Boom easily moves to two.  Kev obliterates the ball to the shortstop’s ankles and hustles safely to first while Boom raced around to score.

 

 

Let’s look at the end of that video again.  Boom is so suave and debonair.  Look at that perfect pop-up slide!   Dashing while dashing.

 

 

Boom.   Chad Boom.   

 

The Cougars have strong bonds and we are strong Bonds…and we always have a Martini at our side.

Be James Bond.  

Highly intelligent. Exceedingly cunning. Sound mind.  Strong spirit.    

Bond is also extremely vengeful...just like the Cougars.

Our playoff run starts Tuesday.

Go Cougars!

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GAME VIDEO

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How to Become a Hero

You don’t start as a hero.  You become a hero.  

In his 1949 book, The Hero with a Thousand Faces, Joseph Campbell defines the Hero’s Journey.

“A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man.”

 

The Hero’s Journey is a three-act story:

Act One

The Departure Act:  The Hero accepts a Call to Adventure and leaves the known world.   

Act Two

The Initiation Act:  The Hero ventures into unknown territory and faces considerable conflict, adversity, and loss.  The Hero then transforms into a true champion.

Act Three

The Return Act: The atoned and transformed Hero returns home in triumph.  The Hero has found the elixir of life.

The Cougars just completed Act Two.

Last night we were disastrously defeated on the field.

The good news?  Heroes always suffer one gigantic disastrous defeat.  

Suffering is redemptive.

You know what happens next?

Heroes undergo a metamorphosis and emerge with newfound strength and resolve to achieve their goal.

Atonement is next week.  Do you really think our opponent has any prospect of success?

Once we atone with a resounding victory, the playoffs are the Journey Home.

Act Three is the best part of our story.

Go Cougars!

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GAME VIDEO

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Miller Time 9  Cougars 6

Real Highlight Reel

It was a picturesque night under the lights at beautiful Howard Park as the Cougars put on a show and left Pitches reeling.

There were so many highlights as the Cougars triumphed 16-6 in a five-inning slaughter.  Everyone contributed the big victory.

Here, see for yourself.

Need more highlights?  Here, watch for yourself. 

CRads had eight RBIs.   Yep, eight ribbies with a homer, triple, double and a sac fly.  Joker gathered the Cougars after the game to point out that our game shortened slaughter stopped Charley a single short of the cycle.  Here is CRads touching them all.

 

 

Here is Ev skillfully finessing and crushing the Clincher for a four-bagger.  

 

Oh yeah, Ev also played a perfect CF.  Here he is unleashing a laser throw home to Joker to stop the advancing runner.  Joker then started the rundown and fired it to Charley to chase down the runner.

Joker is funny but he is no joke.  A couple weeks ago while hanging at the pregame, we had a discussion on how to handle opponent leadoffs.   If the runner has a big lead, we need to run straight at him because he isn’t allowed to advance unless we throw the ball.  Like our favorite, The Wheel Play, you gotta know the rules.  Pete perfectly executed the play.

 

Here is a motion picture you don’t want to miss.  The Cougars are the reel deal!

 

  

Nemesis Excellence

Everyone needs a good nemesis.   

A nemesis will drive you to be your best.  You think about your nemesis while getting ready in the morning and going to bed at night, and that’s after thinking about them all day. About how to overcome them, beat them, crush them.    You wouldn’t be who you are today without a good nemesis.    

A good nemesis makes you see red.   A good nemesis will motivate you to buy green solo cups and outlaw the red ones.   You eat a good nemesis for dinner.   

Last Tuesday at Howard Park, under a captivating canopy of clouds, rival nemeses Cougars and Chicken Shack had another raucous night at the ballpark with pumped up players and fired up fans.    

 

 

 

The Cougars are never ones to count chickens, but we started hot and had more runs than the Shackers most of the game.  We took an early lead and seemed to be running away with it.   On offense, CRads crushed a three-run homer.  On defense, we had two sweet double plays with one started by the two Forts and another Rads brother-to-brother DP.  

 

It’s always a game of chicken with the Shackers and they never give up.

Chicken Shack was within one run in the bottom of the last inning.  The Shackers plated two for the Cougar-like 7-6 walk-off winner to split the season series.     

You measure yourself against your nemesis.  This year Cougars and Shack have split the season series, each winning in the last inning and each scoring 20 runs against each other.  Looking at the standings, the Shackers improved to 6-4 and are in fifth place while the Cougars remain on top by a game, holding down fourth place with a 7-3 record.  

The loss was tough, for sure, but having a nemesis is important for self-improvement.  Healthy competition with your nemesis will expose your weak spots and challenge your strengths.  

You push yourself and try new things because of your nemesis.  You might climb a mountain with your nemesis.   You might create a combined CougarShack fall ball team with your nemesis.  You might ask your nemesis to design and build beautiful backyard for postgame parties because nobody is better at going yard.

You need a nemesis to create lifelong memories on and off the field so we can reminisce with our nemesis.

Go Cougars!

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GAME VIDEO

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