Notice: Function _load_textdomain_just_in_time was called incorrectly. Translation loading for the photo-gallery domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /home2/fthrnola/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6121

Notice: Function _load_textdomain_just_in_time was called incorrectly. Translation loading for the wprss domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /home2/fthrnola/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6121

Notice: Function _load_textdomain_just_in_time was called incorrectly. Translation loading for the cryout-serious-slider domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /home2/fthrnola/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6121

Notice: Function _load_textdomain_just_in_time was called incorrectly. Translation loading for the bravada domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /home2/fthrnola/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6121

WordPress database error: [Error writing file '/var/mysqltmp/MYRq4SHo' (Errcode: 28 - No space left on device)]
SELECT p.post_type, m.meta_key FROM 0bf_postmeta m INNER JOIN 0bf_posts p ON p.ID = m.post_id ORDER BY post_type, meta_key


Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home2/fthrnola/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php:6121) in /home2/fthrnola/public_html/wp-includes/rest-api/class-wp-rest-server.php on line 1896

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home2/fthrnola/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php:6121) in /home2/fthrnola/public_html/wp-includes/rest-api/class-wp-rest-server.php on line 1896

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home2/fthrnola/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php:6121) in /home2/fthrnola/public_html/wp-includes/rest-api/class-wp-rest-server.php on line 1896

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home2/fthrnola/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php:6121) in /home2/fthrnola/public_html/wp-includes/rest-api/class-wp-rest-server.php on line 1896

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home2/fthrnola/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php:6121) in /home2/fthrnola/public_html/wp-includes/rest-api/class-wp-rest-server.php on line 1896

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home2/fthrnola/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php:6121) in /home2/fthrnola/public_html/wp-includes/rest-api/class-wp-rest-server.php on line 1896

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home2/fthrnola/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php:6121) in /home2/fthrnola/public_html/wp-includes/rest-api/class-wp-rest-server.php on line 1896

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home2/fthrnola/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php:6121) in /home2/fthrnola/public_html/wp-includes/rest-api/class-wp-rest-server.php on line 1896
{"id":440205,"date":"2024-03-25T10:13:14","date_gmt":"2024-03-25T15:13:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.f3nola.com\/2024\/03\/25\/rugby-played-by-men-with-odd-shaped-balls-from-americas-best\/"},"modified":"2024-03-25T10:13:14","modified_gmt":"2024-03-25T15:13:14","slug":"rugby-played-by-men-with-odd-shaped-balls-from-americas-best","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.f3nola.com\/2024\/03\/25\/rugby-played-by-men-with-odd-shaped-balls-from-americas-best\/","title":{"rendered":"Rugby: Played by men with odd-shaped balls – from America\u2019s Best"},"content":{"rendered":"

This day, the last day YHC could proclaim himself 47 years old, we would do what I’ve been waiting to do for a long long time: we would play rugby. YHC knew this would be a challenge, not only because of the length of time that has passed since I last touched a rugby ball, but because almost all of the PAX has likely not even watched rugby before. Luckily, Yankee Jeaux is a fellow Virginia rugger from the same era. What are the chances? YHC would lean heavily on YJ for help with this beatdown.<\/p>\n

Warmarama: Co-Q’ed by Yankee Jeaux (see?) as I tended to my ball. <\/p>\n

The first quick Thang (bc we can’t go straight to the fun):
\nOstensibly, we learned to slide-dive, by deconstructing it into a deep squat and a \u201cMike Tyson merkin.\u201d
\nThis was actually just YHC\u2019s way of introducing yet another type of merkin to the PAX. Someone asked: \u201cWhy are they called Mike Tyson merkins?\u201d
\nThe answer is simple: Because that\u2019s how Mike Tyson does them.<\/p>\n

The Main Event: Rugby<\/p>\n

For the first time in a quarter century, YHC donned his old rugby jersey.
\nWe held plank whilst the instructions and rules were outlined.
\nAnd upon the start of play, there was much confusion. YHC almost immediately forgot one of the most important rules (allowing Goose to accidentally cheat), and YHC forgot Enron was on his team. And confusion runs downhill\u2026<\/p>\n

The highlights:
\n–Mom Jeans again materialized out of nowhere, and he and a shoeless Wet Tap made a living swatting passes down like Dikembe Mutombo.
\n–Enron ran the sideline to the end line more than once\u2026 once as dummy half. He didn\u2019t attempt the try but passed for a teammate to score\u2026 this caused great controversy and YHC has still not figured out if it was legal.
\n–Safety Valve was awarded 1\/3 of a point for kicking the ball into the top of an oak tree.
\n–Cardinal and Lil Cuz caught on quickly and by halftime (there was one?) they actually looked like rugby players.
\n–Goose and Paradox showcased a rivalry not seen since Deion Sanders and Jerry Rice.
\n–Yankee Jeaux played with effortless confidence, shouting down the opposition with, \u201cI wouldn\u2019t recommend it\u201d in a voice that was at once Michael Caine and also the \u201cseats taken\u201d kid from Forrest Gump.
\n–Popeye lived offsides, realizing that creating mayhem was more fun.
\n–Pope is fast.
\n7:30 came way too soon and we moseyed back to the flags.<\/p>\n

COT. <\/p>\n

As the PAX lamented the (hopefully temporary) loss of Animal, Gigi, and The Fleece, YHC remembered he had an old practice jersey in the truck, and made a game-time decision to award it to \u201cmost competitive.\u201d
\n(\u201cMost competitive\u201d and \u201cbiggest cheater\u201d are actually the identical award, with the former being a member of one\u2019s own team, and the latter being an opponent.)<\/p>\n

Cardinal prayed us out.<\/p>\n

Thanks for coming out my dudes. As always, I hope the fun outweighed the confusion.<\/p>\n

SYITG,
\nAmerica\u2019s Best<\/p>\n

AB Sees:
\nAn opportunity to ramble and reflect.<\/p>\n

This beatdown started as a tribute to my past, a swan song to my inner Uncle Rico. But it became a celebration of the present and future. The number 47 became significant to me 30 years ago, and I began see it everywhere\u2026 and I don\u2019t just think it\u2019s the Baader\u2013Meinhof phenomenon. (If you need to know what that is, please see Dox, as I\u2019d wager he\u2019s already on the third page of his Google search results by now).
\nSo I always hoped that the age 47 would bring something meaningful. . .<\/p>\n

Eleanor Roosevelt said, \u201cThe past is history, the future is a mystery, but today is a gift. That\u2019s why we call it the present.\u201d
\nBut Michael Jordan more eloquently said, \u201cThe ceiling is the roof.\u201d Really makes you think. Perhaps the most profound thought, however, comes from 20th century philosopher William Madison, who said, \u201c\u2026 the puppy was a dog. But the industry, my friends, that was a revolution.\u201d<\/p>\n

Where am I going with this? I have no idea.
\nBut I bid adieu to the past with this soon-to-be famous quote: \u201cTo everyone who wrote \u2018stay cool\u2019 in my middle school yearbook, I have some devastating news.\u201d<\/p>\n

And the future? Well, in the past, the future was so bright, we had to wear shades.
\nBut that future is now the present. And now my future\u2019s not so much bright as it is blurry, so I have to wear prescription multifocal lenses. <\/p>\n

So the present, it is a gift. Thanks to all of you for being a part of this extraordinary gift of F3 that came in my 47th year. <\/p>\n