Buzzardgate 2009

So I’m thinking I might try and get sponsorship for the 2009 Buzzards Point Ultimate Club from Backpacker.com, REI, or even Garmin. A good 20 minutes of our lunchtime game yesterday was spent getting to and returning from the pitch. Rumors had been rumbling for a while about the pedestrian gate closure on McNair, presumably to warrant the months of new construction that produced one big new shiny gate 5-6 blocks up the street.

Early yesterday there were conflicting reports of the gate status as the game email was sent out and responded to and our 8 requisite players had all responded by about 0830. At 0908 I sent out the “Game On” email with a disclaimer about how we would actually have to access Ft. McNair. But quickly Brad responded that he had actually walked through the gate and Paul sent another email saying that he could “see” that it was in fact open at that time.

Well, first of all, what in the world is Paul doing with a window office! Secondly, Brad’s claims notwithstanding there were actually some emails and Special Notices that the gate was in fact closed. It’s possible, we thought that Brad could actually have been asleep when he thought he came through the gate this morning. I mean he even admitted that sometimes he could walk to work almost as fast as he could peddle to work when he took his bike. Huh?

So, with an email from Jeana (more on her and her credibility to discern gate status later) saying that she had heard the gate was now closed we were all pretty much up in the air as to how we’d get to the pitch. But the important thing is that we were going to play, after 2 days off during windy, rainy, sleety and otherwise perfect Ultimate weather. So with positive replies…and note these are in chronological order… from Jeana, Bob, Paul, Phil, Kevin, Jason, Brad, and finally Todd we readied for the game. Oh, by the way, Jeana, who we may be calling “Gatekeeper” from here on out sent an email saying “I may be a little late” with the obligatory sad face emoticon. Operative words here… “little late”.

About 1120 I got down into the locker room to find Phil, Paul, and Brad already there and almost changed. “Wow, you guys are early” I remarked, noting I’m usually the first one down there.

“We thought we’d get an early start, the gate is closed” explained Phil.

“But Brad, I thought you walked through it this morning?” I replied, somewhat surprised.

“Yea, I thought I did too” Brad deadpanned as he sincerely seemed to be questioning his own recollection of his arrival at work that morning.

“Fair enough” I said and began to put on my several layers for the game as it still seemed to be a bit windy and cool. “See you guys out there.”

“I’ll grab the bag” Brad said as he headed out to hopefully pass through a gate…again.

Bob and Todd came in shortly and I explained to them the gate situation. And we changed and made our way up 2nd St. about half a mile and then backtracking through the gate and over to the field for another quarter of a mile. Listen, it’s not a long walk but it was easily and extra 10 minutes both ways.

George wound up wandering out to join us and we had 9 to start the game and were waiting for Jeana to come out and balance the teams so Kevin headed over to Gold when we was the last one out and created the extra player situation. He joined Phil, Bob, George, & the phantom gate passer Brad.

I stuck Todd with the vertically challenged team of myself, Paul and Jason and after staking out what seemed to be the least swampiest area of the parade field and walking off a close to official length field for the first time in weeks we pulled to start.

Our green team had some initial problems defending some longer passes and Todd decided to drop back, play safety and see if he could bat down a few of those. We continued to give up more than we got and decided to accept the extra player flopping teams option. Brad came over to Green after Gold’s third or fourth consecutive score. Then Green began to gain a little traction as Jason came up with some improbable catches by continuing to hustle on plays and caught at least 3 deflected passes and then a 4th that just seemed to drop into his hands on the goal line on one play.

But George was also having a MOB-type game (oh wait, sorry, that title doesn’t exist anymore) and came up with several impressive one-handed grabs over the green team of “giants”. Todd had to leave a little early as his office had decided to invite him to a 1300 meeting on his way out to the field and considering the newer, longer trek to the pitch, needed to run back.

The green team took a major hit to their average height. Now, with just Brad, Paul, Jason and I coming in at about an average of 5’ 7” we finished off a game in less than impressive fashion. There were complaints that we didn’t get a “last 3” call and instead it was at 1233 a “last point” call.

“What’s wrong Bill, do you actually have to get back to work? I thought you were a Chief?” I was taunted as we picked up the cones.

“I don’t like the New Year Bill” Phil groused.

We packed up the gear and made our way back down the long journey back to the office accompanied by an appropriately complaint filled banter on our way through the new gate and back down the street. We are all sailors after all…or recovering ones perhaps.

“Hey, I thought Jeana was playing” Kevin noticed as she had not joined us.

“Well, she sent me an email saying she would be a little late” I said.

“We’re done, I’d say that’s more than ‘a little late’” …you can’t get anything by Kevin.

Well the rest of us had a good time and when I got back I found out what happened with “Gatekeeper”. Here is the transcript from our chat.

Jeana [1:28 PM]:
so much for me being a "regular"
I went out to the back and side gates. Both were closed. Denied!
Bill [1:28 PM]:
How did you not get through the new side gate?
Jeana [1:29 PM]:
It was closed
I didn't exactly feel like clamoring over it
Bill [1:29 PM]:
Strange , that's how we went and came back.
are we talking about the same gate....you know the new one about 5 blocks back up 2nd street Jeana [1:30 PM]:
I believe so. There's only one side before you get to the front gates
Yes?
Across the street from that big parking lot?
Bill [1:31 PM]:
yea, as far as I know...It just seems weird that they would have closed it while were over there. Actually, there is one gate (it looks like an exit gate) that was closed, you have to walk past that one still even further
Jeana [1:32 PM]:
there's 2 side gates?
I stopped at the exit gate
Bill [1:33 PM]:
apparently, i wasn't really paying attention too much as I walked up. I saw a "Do Not Enter" or some such sign on that first gate, kept walking up and there was the new one where all the turnstiles, building, guards, and medians are...you couldn't have missed it had you gone that far.
Jeana [1:35 PM]:
Ah. I saw the first gate and the corner of the entire block. It's so close to the front entrances that I don't see the point in its existance. Anyway, I'm sorry I didn't show up. I'll try again next week.
Bill [1:36 PM]:
Okay...meanwhile I'm sending your excuses to Bob & Kevin...expect to be teased
Jeana [1:37 PM]:
& Paul. No worries. I can take them all with 1 arm tied behind my back
Just kidding

Okay, well we got word when we got back to the office that the old gate should be opened for business again next week. Hopefully this will put an end to Buzzardgate 2009.