What a season we had in 2022! It may seem like a previous lifetime ago for some, starting the season in frigid May conditions with guys sporting tuques, mittens and a questionable selection of their wives’ yoga pants under their shorts. It wasn’t long thereafter that we were taking mid-half water breaks and fighting for the shade of the one tree that adorns Potvin NW. What really sticks out to us is how many ups and downs every team had over the course of the year. – Here’s how we’d sum it up:
- It’s a Boy! (Light Blue) crawled before they walked before they ran and became men, all in one season, winning the title before regressing to the womb with a performance in the playoffs that left them cranky and curled up in the fetal position.
- Pinky Blinders (Pink) came within a razor’s edge of winning a three-horse race for league glory, but were outgunned at the death. In the following (post)season, it was more of the same: a promising start that ended in tragedy and heartache.
- Liverpickled FC (Red) showed up completely loaded. They were the life of the party at the start; then they got a bit defensive, but still managed to hold everything down. Ultimately, despite things getting somewhat sloppy, it was really just the last shot at the end that did them in.
- The Dad Bod Blues (Dark Blue) proved they really do have guts. While slightly thin at the top at times, they pulled their weight on the back end and returned to their suburban mancaves with great stories to tell, and that’s no joke.
- Half the Players We Juiced to Be (Orange) were a bright and vibrant team, but their possession in the box proved pithy, which resulted in them settling near the bottom of the standings. However, once given a good shake, they played with zest and had a sweet run when it really counted and almost squeezed themselves into the Founders’ Cup. We hope the whole experience was a-peel-ing and didn’t leave them with a sour taste in their mouths.
- Yellow No Submarines (Yellow) found themselves in way too deep and under great pressure for most of the season. Just when we assumed they were completely sunk, they rose to the top and found themselves in rarefied air. It was a great final to watch, well fought between two tough teams. Huge congratulations are owed to U-boat. All you need is love, love (and maybe a penalty)… love is all you need.
Awards
Individual Spirit of the League – Congratulations to the six model gents who were nominated by their teams for the Spirit of the League Award. Glenn Borbely was selected as the winner (hats off to a supremely fine gentleman!), but all of you deserve a round of applause for embodying what we all want this league to be for many years to come.
Team Spirit of the League – Bravo to the Dad Bod Blues and their manager, Eben Crofton: they had zero cards issued this season. What an outstanding achievement and again something to be very proud of.
Best Team Name – Hey there, Half the Players We Juiced to Be… thanks again for making us type it out one last time. Turns out you were selected (possibly randomly but they tell me it was a vote) as having the Best Team Name of the season. Well done to the creative minds responsible!
Indoor Season
We are working away behind the scenes to get everything ready for the Indoor season, which kicks off on Thursday, November 3rd. We have not yet completed the team rosters, but will have them done soon. We hired a world-famous octopus to assist with the selection process, but he has been somewhat of a difficult-to-work-with diva. We’ll get there. Just get yourself in tip-top shape for November 3rd and keep an eye on your inbox for an email from your manager.