week3

Check the latest standings – after three weeks, every team has at least 3 wins and every team has at least 3 losses and some divisions are as tight as can be. Parity rules! The Bay House Babes played the Beach House for some good old fashioned beach volleyball. The Bay House Babes won five but could just have easily lost five; that’s how close the games were. Jason and Bryan are going to do squats but Jason has fears of being harassed for his ample bottom by the older women. Sands Point lost to Sets on the Beach 4-1. Brendan and Neal kept Sands Point in the hunt but succumbed to superior sets. In a league first earlier this season, the entire Sands Point Team (minus Pops Touhey) missed the RBVL practice night due to their high school prom. That could be why they lost tonight. The unofficial physical therapy of the RBVL is Sands Point. Kerry Hills is off to a great start in their new division playing great with the sideline support of Brian Brady. He was both benched by the referee and grounded by his girlfriend. Kevin Egan made a play that was “beautiful” according to Deidre, who stood the team up at the after party. I wonder if she also stood Kevin up. The Hills crew would like to thank the piping plovers for banishing us to the steppe. Congrats to Ella May on delivering the newest member of the Kerry Hills squad, Ella Grace. We look forward to your return in a week.

As usual, tremendous thanks go to Carmel, the owner/cook/shopper/greeter and super person nonpareil, who provided a great array of home-cooked food. Her spread has been a league favorite year after year, from day one. A partial food list is as follows: Ribs, chicken, Irish meatballs, the famous Shepherd’s pie, Caesar salad and peppers, chicken over rice, lasagna etc. Carmel’s son James did a masterful job on the grill. It’s as close to Thanksgiving as you’ll ever have outside your home in June. Although attendance at the Kerry Hills was good, it could have been a lot better. Our sponsors go through a lot of effort and expense to make our Wednesday nights completely enjoyable and we should show up to thank them. You don’t have to stay until closing time (but you can if you like); just stop in for a beer and some free food and a good time with your neighbors and friends. We only have 11 nights (8 now) to get together after volleyball so let’s make the most of the time. We’d actually like to see you out on Wednesday!

Now here is Vinny’s restaurant review: Kerry Hills had a top notch selection of food. Their sausage & peppers were smothered with an abundance of vegetables and they cooked up some amazing grilled Ribs - so tenda! Potato salad popped with a hint of scallions and the coleslaw had thinly sliced cabbage, carrot, mayo proportions – scoopable! Store-bought but delicious. Where was Sica with the salt and pappa? The salads were made with fresh greenery and the Fourth of July napkins added a fancy touch. Congratulations to Mark and Judy on the birth of their first son, Richard Thomas; there is now a new Malibu guy in town. Well, the rumor has been proven. Kelly and Rob Schmitt have not been helping their daughter, Jenna, study for finals all week, like they claim. Kelly's serves and her amazing play confirm that she and Rob have been taking private volleyball lessons, on 128th street beach, with long-time volleyball professionals, Craig and Regina Carey.

Superstars and linesmen of Robin Shapiro Realty say that if their teammates remain no-shows—the team could be a no-show next year. The match play against the Sons of Beaches was competitive and fun. The final score did not matter. Both teams were diving more than Jacques Cousteau. But in case you were wondering Robin Shapiro beat the Sons by a 4-1 score. Connolly’s is in end-of-season form blowing three games. However, they all made it back to the bar where everyone is a winner. Happy birthday, Andrew G. on #11. You are now as emotionally mature as your father, Stevie G. After winning five last week, the Rockaway Breakers lost four but hope that next week they can bump as well as they sing, set as well as they dance and spike as well as they party. Matt Sutterline and Rob McHale realize that the most important aspect of volleyball occurs in the bar afterwards. Yes, they get it. John McHale is developing quite a reputation for hogging the ball. Noreen left Harbor Light to play volleyball and is progressing quite well. I guess, in a way, you could say she left Harbor light for Bud Light.

Casino played Jameson’s in five intense, well-played games with one game going 29-27. Referee Ed started asking the teams to speed up play so he could be first on the food line for the 49^th week in a row. Cathy Dempsey and Sarah McCarthy ‘set’ the way for the rest of the team. Lauren Ganun served terrific and had teammates lamenting the fact that they didn’t replace father Frank with Lauren years ago. T.C. and Keith Green played solidly in the five game loss, which could have been a three game victory with a few additional points here and there. In the win, Captain Rocky D. came of the disabled list and made his first appearance of the year and it wasn’t much to write about so we won’t. The Bungalow Bar doesn’t know who they played because no one had league shirts on. Never the less, they won their customary two games. Tara V. of the Bungalow Bar turned 21, plus one. The team celebrated the event by sporting Charlie Chaplin mustaches and playing Kazoos. Once again, they are setting the standard for fun and frivolity in the league. (In the early going they are tied with the Rockaway Breakers at the top of the fun standings. They may have to settle that title once again at the awards dinner.)

Federation keeps their three week "last one on the beach" streak going.

The Sharks have some new blood but the same old ineffective bite, Cement Shoes and Pappy had a duel at the net that rivaled the OK Corral. Two legends doing battle! It’s All Good won three games against the Sharks either despite or because they were ‘Bug-less’. Or maybe it was because future hall-of-famer Seal came in from Florida just in time for the match? Timmy Murphy is very proud of himself. He hasn’t had alcohol touch his lips in three weeks. That coincides with the day he bought a plastic funnel which bypasses his lips altogether. Cubby is really close to retirement (6 days while you are reading this) and he is considering a second career. He took a vocational placement test and was recently notified that he is highly qualified to do Sham Wow commercials. Wow! The Federation took three from Safe Sets (Is that an un-topless bar?) with long volleys and long-winded Tom Ford actually playing. Safe Sets lost three games which may indicate that they practiced unsafe sets. Congratulations are in order for John ‘CRASH’ Resker. It seems that he has gone over three months without wrecking a car. Remember John, since you’re the type of person that doesn’t succeed at first--don’t ever take up sky-diving.

Rocks Rockservations: Being unable to play for a few weeks, I am able to float around and do some Rockservations. Dave Reilly was seen at the Brooklyn Transplant game yelling, “Set me, set me!” Dave, there’s no we in team but there is an “I” in Reilly. While standing outside the Summer Winds, formally known as the Lobster House, I observed RBVL ref, Tony Carty walking into the place with his date Patty. It was Sunday and they were planning on catching the terrific band Alive ‘n Kickin’. That plan went awry when Tony and his date approached the bouncer, who requested a cover charge of ten dollars. Tony inquired as to what you get for ten dollars. “In” the bouncer said. Tony responded, “On Wednesday there is no cover, no drink minimum and free food.” The bouncer shrugged as Tony told his date he had a tickle in his throat and went home. Patty came in and danced the night away. The cover charge seemed to work well for her. .

We know that it has been difficult determining where to set up the nets and some teams have hired a cartographer to assist, but bear with us because the birds are scheduled to leave in a few weeks. I hope they remember to check their departure flight date. At that time we can move teams in from the Serengeti Plain. While thumbing through my book of Brooklyn idioms I came a across the word ‘Mook’. A Mook is defined as: (1) a moronic bonehead who needs a lobster bib to eat spaghetti or (2) a person who yells at the refs in the RBVL. The refs don’t yell at you when you shank the ball so don’t yell at them. We have suspended players and removed teams from the league for just this reason. Remember, we are a friendly dictatorship, informally known as the Gang of Six, and we will not put up with abuse of the refs. Don’t be a Mook!

RBVL Captains - If you are reading this and have not handed in your SIGNED rosters, you are late. If you have a balance due for league fees or additional shirts, it is overdue. Please take care of this unfinished business so we can concentrate on volleyball and volleyball parties. Thanks you very much. We asked you to treat our refs with respect and so far you have done a terrific job. Keep it up for all 11 weeks. Continue to send us an e-mail (jmcgivney2@nyc.rr.com) on Thursdays with a quick summary of the previous night’s ref and identify yourself and your team so we know who you’re talking about. The first two rounds of e-mails were very helpful. Keep up the good work. As always, if you have any questions please call Patty at 917-613-0908. (Be sure to call between 10 AM and 9 PM. Remember, Patty has a life outside of VB, too.) Or just check our website at www.rbvl.com. You'll find the answers to most of your questions there, not to mention pretty pictures and funny stories.

See you on the beach!