SEPTEMBER 22, 2019

First off, a thousand apologies for taking so long to get this website updated. Tons of reasons why it took so long, but no one really cares. Fact is, it’s 21 days late. Sorry.

Second thing ... congrats to Team Duysen. Have had the pleasure of playing with three of my boys a few years ago, and it was one of the highlights of my life. We didn’t win it all like David and Charlie and Jack and Kirk did, but it’s a once in a lifetime kinda thing. Looking forward to seeing Gerard, Connor, Austin and ... Patrick Conroy on the same team next year? I’d go with Claire before Patrick, but then the team would be too damn good, and we on the committee would never hear the end of it.

Thanks are due to all who worked to put this together. You know who you are, and we know who you are. I just don’t want to take the chance on forgetting anyone, hence no names.

Finally ... Duysen by himself, on top, with SIX TITLES. He has no cartilage in his knees, he feels pain in his sleep, I once saw him blow out his ACL jumping an inch off the ground with no one around him. But dang, he finds a way to win, doesn’t he? And to hit the game winner to take the ‘ship, well Hell, that’s a GOAT if you ever saw one. Well done, David.

Heck, we may see Lenny Kola come out of retirement next year because of this.

Love you all. Had a great time NOT playing this year. Loved spending time talking to everyone, seeing all the families, but I especially loved not feeling damn near crippled on the Monday following.

Already looking forward to 2020.

Roger

AUGUST 30, 2019

Greetings from the Land of Ten Thousand Lakes ... where mosquitoes are the state bird ... where people actually, really do say “you betcha.” Yes, I’m in Minnesnowta. Am enjoying it out here so far, but then again the temps haven’t dropped below 15 degrees below zero yet, and I haven’t had to shovel any snow just to get to the car ... talk to me again in January and I’ll probably be singing a different tune.

I miss everyone back in Marin, I miss Sunday Hoops, I miss the COL. But that’s all about to change, because it’s tourney weekend.

Yeah baby.

Can’t wait to see everyone, can’t wait to see the games, am so happy I retired after last year and am not facing the prospect of having to play six or seven games.

When are the kegs being delivered again?

Looking forward to watching and wondering who will take the coveted Tournament Championship crown in 2019.

Here are some words of advice from a 20 year vet:

1. 1.Rest up. Unless you’re a yute, it’s a long-ass day. Even for them it’s not that easy, but they don’t have their own, personal bottles of Advil like we Old Timers do. When it’s the semifinals and you need to find some extra font of strength, you’ll be glad you rested up and didn’t party Saturday night.
   
   

2. 2.This is all for fun. Sure, we’re all competitive and want to win the whole thing. But Sunday Hoops has always been about more than winning and losing. It’s about fun, it’s about family, it’s about friends. If someone’s got a breakaway, let ‘em have it. Game point? OK, that’s a different story, but you know what I mean. Injuries are no bueno. They’re really no bueno if they come as the result of a hard foul.  Steve ... we hope you’re healing well.
   
   

3. 3.Even from 1,950 miles away, I know it’s been warm in Marin of late. Forecast says 82 degrees on Sunday. That doesn’t sound too bad, but you never know what it’ll actually be like out there. So, drink lots of fluids before, during and after, and I don’t mean beer. Keep hydrated. I still remember Denny crashing from the heat years ago. That he’d imbibed enough beer during the day such that he ensured the local Coors rep made his quota for the entire year didn’t help either. But having gone through a health scare of my own recently, am a lot more aware of how we need to take care of ourselves. Be smart on Sunday.
   
   

4. 4.Make sure when your day/night is over, you pick up after yourselves. Last year was great, we did a good job. No one wants a repeat of the prior year’s problems.
   
   

5. 5.Finally, try to get Charlie Duysen on your team. Yeah, sure, I had to carry his ass through all the games last year. But he can get you a bucket or two over the course of seven games, and that could be just the difference between winning and losing the ‘ship.
   

Alright, enough is enough. Get psyched, have fun Friday night and remember, as Ecke always says ...

“Yesterday is history, tomorrow’s a mystery, and today is a gift––that’s why it’s called the present.””

- RJ