Anxious Andrew Exhales
The first week of the league can be a stressful one for league organizers. Multiple variables are in play. Will the goals be locked? Will the lines be ready? Will other groups be using the fields? Will the new jerseys be ready? Will the players and referees show up? Will the games be competitive? Will the weather cooperate? Will it all come together? Not exactly the elevated, people’s lives at risk type of stress associated with a mission to the moon but when your name is all over the something it can be stressful. Everything to guarantee a smooth start had been done, but that bloody weather. What surprises lay in store on the other side of Donner Pass? Jeff Thompson and his fellow meteorologists were tossing around “STORM,” one of the most overused words in Northern Nevada. Low temperatures, precipitation and wind were all tossed around in the atmospheric recipe. But, as so often happens, the extremes did not materialize. Instead, last Thursday was actually an almost perfect evening for football (soccer). A little chilly but nothing energetic exercise could not remedy. The 2026 season was off and running.
Not only off and running but no blow outs, with four games decided by only one goal. Not the five draws I always dream of, but competitive games. None more competitive than the drama that unfolded on Upper Field One. The Key Players were seemingly in control with a three-goal lead at the half. However, Keep Calm & Comparion lived up to their name. No panic buttons hit, just calm confidence in their ability to make a comeback. And just like the digits on a gas pump their score began to increase and, as we say in blighty, “bob’s your uncle.” Come the final whistle, they had turned it around. A 6-5 victory in a goal fest for the ages with the Key Players locked out of the party. A few yards to the northwest, FCIT FC were missing some key players but stayed in the game against the always clinical Closers. Across the way Misspent Youth squeaked out a narrow win over Home Goals. Meanwhile down under, on the lush turf of the lower fields controversy reigned as referees influenced results much to the chagrin of the Brewers and Closing Crew and probably to the delight of the Big Lewandowski and Gneiss Goals (one of the greatest team names in the history of the league), gifted to us by Gleland and Gmax.
The Team with the Funny Name
Among this season’s new team names one comes courtesy of new sponsors Geologica. When Gleland Gdavis submitted the name suggestion I was overcome with excitement, I am not sure the league has ever had a better name. How can you beat Gneiss Goals? I don’t think you can. For those not well-versed in geology here is a definition of Gneiss:
Gneisses are high-grade foliated metamorphosed feldspathic plutonic “rocks.” The Geologica representative (Gpaul Gfechko) providing this definition added: “archeologists (I know, why are they being brought into this) recently discovered that gneissic banding (the aforementioned foliation) was the original inspiration for layered cake, which refutes the commonly held belief that the original cakes were inspired by flysch and molasse. Fun fact: geologists love using baking analogies to describe rocks.”
He went on. It’s a fitting name for the league because they are some of the oldest known rocks on the planet. In the same way some of our players are the oldest-known soccer players on the planet. Some now move at glacial pace at risk of being consumed by geologic forces.
Pay Your League Fees
Thank you to all those who have paid their fees. Extra thanks to those that made an additional donation. If you still have to pay, you have options. Seek me out at games. I am always around at the beginning each week so we can figure out – cash, checks, etc.
Party On (Not at the Fields)
The county has rules that come with the permits for the fields. Violation of those rules jeopardizes future use of the fields. The most pertinent rule is this one – consumption of alcoholic beverages is PROHIBITED…
Over recent years, some of you have chosen to have a post-game pint at various nearby establishments. Schussboom (South Virginia) has emerged as the most popular destination in recent seasons. Pinon had also been frequented; however, this bar has now closed.
TMSA not TMWA, Just Like Nevada is not Nevada
The transition to the new name of our league will take some time. I am slowly adjusting to the change myself. We should not be confused with that other local institution TMWA. However, if you insist the league will be happy to accept your water bill payments.
Now it is Time for Some Shameless Self Promotion
Not surprisingly, this week they are all trivia related.
- I will be hosting a trivia game at Ferino Distillery on East 4th this Saturday 4/11 at 7:30pm. Join me ode some fun. You can bring your own food in.
- I regularly host a DJ Trivia game each Tuesday at Sierra Taphouse (by the river at Arlington), again at 7:30pm.
- Next Saturday 4/18 I am hosting a fundraiser trivia game at Craft on behalf of a friend of mine raising money for a local scholarship program. See the attached flyer for more details.
- A little further down the road (May 30th) I am hosting a trivia fundraiser on behalf of the Down Syndrome Network of Northern Nevada at Brewer’s Cabinet Production Facility. This organization is led by the league’s very own Christina Ugalde. This organization (among other non-profits) were victims of fraud recently that seriously impacted their financial resources. Those of you that know Christina recognize her tireless efforts on behalf of the community, entering a team into this fundraiser would be a wonderful way to thank her. More details in the next few weeks.
- There is another trivia fundraiser down the line that I am currently working on with Becca Delameau
If you have something you want to plug, send me details. If you are involved with an organization that is looking for fundraising opportunities, drop me a line too.
Our Code of Conduct (This one goes up to 11)
- I will be kind to others
- I will be polite and respectful to officials
- I will watch my language
- I will accept referee’s decisions
- I will keep opinions to myself
- I will play fair and clean
- I will clean up my garbage (and that of others if needed)
- I will be gracious in victory and defeat
- I will volunteer before I complain
- I will not hog playing time
- I will return my jersey at the end of the season