Well, It looks like my team (indoor soccer) wrapped up first place for the August-September session at Arenasports, but it wasn't without some drama.

We were in first coming in to tonight, a point up on two teams in 2nd, and were playing the last place team comng in (this is a 6-team league). Earlier in the night, both the team in 2nd had won, meaning we needed to win to clinch 1dt place. We played like crap, and stumbled to a 6-5 win, pulling it out... somehow, despite giving up 2 (two!) own goals. Individually, I guess I played pretty well, but it doesn't feel like it given the circumstances. We were down 3-1 at the half, amd scored two quick goals to start the second. I scored to make it 4-3, then we scored again to go up 5-3. After that we alternated goals, with them pulling within 1, then us getting our insurance goal back.

I scored my second of the game on a free kick with about 7 minutes left, to put us up 6-4. Then, two minutes later, I knocked in the second own goal trying to make a defensive play to give the goal I'd scored right back. I was disgusted, and subbed out, thinking we would cycle through the subs and I'd be back on for the last 2 minutes or so.

As it turned out, I didn't get back on -- even though some of the guys on the field really shouldv'e subbed out, but I don't really want to open up that can of critical worms -- but one of our guys got called for a foul with just under 2 minutes left. It was a horrible call, as the referee would later claimed he was screened from seeing what was really happening, which is that our player was grabbed by the arm and pulled down. Our player protested, and was given a two minute penalty.

Despite being a man down, we somehow clung to our 1-goal lead, and preserved the win. A contentious argument/shouting match ensued between our player given the penalty, the referee, and me joining in howling my protest. I guess what set me off, other than the horrible call that very well could have cost us the game, was that the referree was saying our player was lucky to not get a red card. I let the referee know, rather forcefully, that he blew the call and should just admit it, because giving out a red crad on his mistake is bullshit, basically. Fortunately, things cooled down, and it ended as amicably as such a thing can.

On another sporting note, the Mariners aren't going to the playoffs. yeah, mathematically, they are still in it, but the loss tonigh to Texas just aout does them in for all practical purposes. But more than that, i feel compelled to comment on the Booone incident in the top of the ninth, when he failed to score from second on a double.

To me, that is on the third base coach. I can understand how a runner on second can have trouble tracking a line drive to center. That is why the third base coach is out there... if not, what IS his purpose? Scratching himself?