Latest news with #IFL
San Francisco Chronicle
3 days ago
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
Football lifers chase gridiron dreams indoors with Bay Area Panthers
The cheapest single-game ticket to a Bay Area Panthers football game is $19. The seats aren't situated in nosebleed-nowhere, but behind the back of the end zone. Panthers team president David Eisenberg called it 'one of the most accessible live sports experiences' in the Bay. Players are regularly made available for autographs and photos, so much so that fans might just realize they asked for the signature of the same person who sold them life insurance the other day. Meet football lifer Justin Rankin. In 2023, the running back rushed for the second-most yards (923) and touchdowns (45) in the Indoor Football League en route to the Panthers' first IFL championship, earned in just their second season after their COVID-delayed launch by co-owners Marshawn Lynch and Roy Choi. Rankin was also a part-time life insurance salesman who'd previously worked at FedEx, Amazon, DoorDash. The list goes on. When you talk about pro football players, you might note their status as celebrities. Rankin, like most indoor football players, was anything but. He remembers his daily schedule as an IFL rookie out of Northwest Missouri State: practices for the Bismarck Bucks ran from 6 a.m. to noon before his subsequent shift alongside coworker Richard Stammetti (the Bucks' quarterback at the time) at Dick's Sporting Goods that took them to 8 p.m. Rankin clung to his opportunities in the IFL when he realized how dull the 'real world' can be by comparison. 'At the end of the day, I've lived in the real world, I worked real jobs,' Rankin told the Chronicle. 'Football, I always tell people it's not reality … it's kind of like you're in this fantasy world, so to speak, and it feels good. You love working hard, you love being around a group of guys that are all trying to pursue one goal and one dream. 'I've worked a lot of jobs where people hate showing up every day, and that can make it miserable for you.' Such desperation to succeed defines the Panthers, a young franchise that has brought indoor football back to a fan base rabid during the San Jose SaberCats' glory days in the Arena Football League. SaberCats legend Mark Grieb, who quarterbacked them to ArenaBowl Championship wins in 2002, 2004 and 2007, said he was disappointed upon finding out the organization had disbanded in 2015. He still went to the games as a fan following his retirement in 2012, if only to recapture a sense of the childlike joy the sport gave back to him over his 13-year career in the AFL. 'For that period of time in my life, I really never felt like I was working,' Grieb said. The SaberCats drew more than 2 million fans in total attendance, averaging 12,364 at SAP Center across 19 seasons. Panthers home games have also been played at SAP Center since their inaugural AFL season in 2022. Grieb got himself a ticket that year. He said he believes there's still a market for indoor football in the Bay Area. The IFL places emphasis on a more traditional football approach in the indoor setting, meaning scores are not quite as high as when Grieb threw for 100 touchdowns in a given AFL season. But the level of fan support during his playing days at least proved what may be possible for the Panthers, albeit in a different league with slightly different rules. He still has vivid memories of his favorite hecklers. What may be a chirp in the distance at an outdoor football game becomes a one-on-one chat indoors, given the close proximity of fans to the 50-yard field. It was as if they were part of the game, and in another breath, more similar than not to the actual players on the field. 'There is a fan base of people that really loved — love that environment,' Grieb said. 'I think it's there if you can put out the product. Winning helps, of course, and having players that fans identify with.' The Panthers win. Though they lost in the first round of the IFL playoffs last year, they were still tied for the best regular-season record in the league at 13-3 that earned them the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. And a 6-2 record this season has them sitting comfortably at second place in the Western Conference standings. The Panthers' two losses? A 53-48 nailbiter against the Arizona Rattlers, the lone IFL team with only one loss so far, and an uncharacteristically low-scoring 28-21 defeat to the San Antonio Gunslingers in their season opener at home. They avenged that loss last weekend on the road, romping to a 55-26 win. Bay Area newcomer Josh Jones proved to be the difference, tossing four of his 16 passes for touchdowns with zero turnovers. 'You have to basically learn a whole bunch of new guys within nine days, or whatever it is, and that's always a tougher challenge,' Jones said of the IFL's abbreviated training camp compared to other pro leagues. 'Most of the time, the first couple games of the IFL season, you're still learning your teammates, their tendencies on the field, obviously off the field.' Among the Panthers' longest-tenured players is defensive end Tevaughn Grant. He has only known success in the team's black and gold, having contributed to the team's championship run in 2023 when he earned All-IFL second-team honors in his debut campaign. He had spent the previous two years with no roster spot in any league. Fast-forward to his third season in the Bay Area and he now has the better problem of playing for a coach whose goal isn't to retain him, albeit in the best way. 'He don't be wanting to see us again, and I'm the same way,' Grant said. Rob Keefe has been in and around arena football for nearly two decades, first as a player and now as a coach. He understands the life associated with chasing the sport from opportunity to opportunity. Players make less than $40,000 per year on average. He has presided in 16 different places over the course of his career doing so. 'It's a league of one-year contracts so the goal for this league — in my personal opinion, for the players — is to continue your career but to get onto the best team that can give you the opportunity to perform at the highest level possible, to then get to the next level,' Keefe said. 'In the last two years, we've actually had 20 of our players signed to the NFL, the UFL and the CFL.' Rankin closely kept track of how long he played in the IFL: three full seasons, plus five games in a fourth. Over time, he came to terms with the potential reality, that he could end up playing the rest of his football career indoors. Quitting wasn't an option. He knew because he tried, sitting out the Bismarck Bucks' first playoff game in franchise history. Without getting into specifics, he expressed frustration with where he was in his career at that point; he longed to be on an NFL or CFL roster. 'I was over it,' Rankin said. But regret followed. He wasn't ready to let football go, and ultimately decided to cherish the opportunity in front of him, having bounced from the Bucks to the Frisco Fighters, and then the Panthers in 2023. That's when the Bay Area start-up, fresh off of a 1-15 inaugural IFL campaign, put themselves on the radar of former SaberCats fans with a championship run reminiscent of the team's 2000s heyday which obsessed that loyal cadre. And starring for the Panthers was Rankin, whose resilience ultimately earned him a chance to do the same for the Edmonton Elks a year later as part of a breakthrough CFL rookie campaign that landed him an extension with the Elks through the upcoming 2025 season. 'Nobody's playing indoor football to get rich,' Rankin said. 'It's the opportunity (to play).'
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Punjabi tipplers graduating to foreign liquor, sales jump 10-fold in four years
More and more people in Punjab are now opting for Imported Foreign Liquor (IFL), data available with with the state's excise and taxation department has revealed. Approximately 2.5 lakh cases of IFL were sold in Punjab in the 2024-25 fiscal ending March 31, as compared to 1 lakh cases sold in 2022-23, and only 20,000 cases in 2021-22. 'Punjabi tipplers have gradually graduated to the IFL. However, the sale of Punjab Medium Liquor (PML) was recorded to be 32 times more than IFL. As many as 80 lakh cases of PML were sold in the 2024-25 fiscal,' an excise department official said. In its liquor policy formulated for the state last year, the Punjab government had reduced the prices of IFL and there was no change in the prices of PML. Buoyed by the increase in demand, the government, in the excise policy for the current fiscal, made Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) and Imported Foreign Liquor (IFL) costlier, targeting to collect Rs 11,020 crore in revenue — a sharp rise of Rs 875 crore over last fiscal. 'Every bottle of IFL cost lesser last year. It was felt that the IFL was consumed by Punjabis at weddings and other celebratory parties. But a large quantity was being smuggled in from Haryana and Chandigarh, where it was cheaper than Punjab. This segment was troubling us. We rationalised the fee structure by bringing about changes in the price-determining formula. This has paid dividends and the volume of sales has risen,' the official said. This year's policy has made IMFL costlier by Rs 10-20 per bottle, while the IFL has seen a marginal increase in prices. The price of Punjab Medium Liquor (PML) or country-made liquor and beer has not been changed. The government, another excise department official, said did not hike the prices of country made liquor as it is a segment catering to rural masses and is a major revenue generator. This official too said that residents of the state were graduating from country made liquor to IFL. 'The transition has started but still the country made liquor sells the most. In fact, all segments are growing. Every year, we see 7-8 per cent growth in the trade as more youths are added to the list of tipplers,' he said. Punjab was already giving a tough time to Chandigarh having made the quota of liquor unlimited, and IMFL and country made liquor cheaper than neighbouring Haryana and the joint Capital, in its first policy after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government took over the reins of the state. Now, to make dividends, the government has increased quota of country made liquor by 3 per cent. — from 8.286 crore proof litres in 2024-25 to 8.534 crore proof litres in 2025-26. After the IFL, the government is now looking at selling more beer and has reduced the license fee for the beer shops considerably. It will be Rs 25,000 next fiscal, a sharp decline from Rs 2 lakh per shop last fiscal. A source in the government said that last year only 25 new shops were set up across the state.
Daily Mail
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Dangerous moment football player crashes into fan after leaping over barrier to make crucial touchdown
An indoor football player went to extreme lengths to score a touchdown on Friday night after leaping over a barrier and flying straight into a fan sitting in the front row. With his team trailing 23-15 at the end of the first half, Tulsa Oilers wide receiver Jerminic Smith ran through to the end zone after being picked out with a stunning 40-yard pass by quarterback TJ Edwards. Yet as he jumped up to catch the ball, Smith's momentum took him over the barrier at the top of the end zone and into an unlucky spectator sitting close to the action. The Oilers star almost crushed the fan in question, while his helmet also appeared to land on a woman sitting next to them. Nevertheless, he still managed to keep hold of the ball despite the unusual landing and register a crucial touchdown for his team. Smith jumped down from the stands and dusted himself off before returning to his feet and celebrating the touchdown by dancing with teammate Hasan Rogers. 🚨TOP PLAY IN THE NATION🚨 @tulsa_oilers_fb WR Jerminic Smith just went OVER. THE. WALL. His insane grab landed at No. 1 on SportsCenter's Top 10 and lit up the IFL world. — Indoor Football League (@IndoorFL) May 24, 2025 After the interval Tulsa went on to secure a 56-51 win over the Iowa Barnstormers, with Edwards picking out Tre Harvey in the dying seconds to snatch the victory. It keeps them second in the IFL Eastern Conference with an overall 6-2 record. Iowa, meanwhile, sits bottom of the conference after losing seven games out of eight this season. Smith's acrobatic touchdown earned the No. 1 spot on ESPN's SportsCenter Top 10 Plays Friday night.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
We laughed, but we would've watched: Ferguson, Danis and GFL should've owned this weekend
Living in Ireland and covering combat sports for a living, you'd think I'd rejoice in a malnourished MMA weekend that allows for a full night's sleep, but you'd be wrong. Over a decade of diminished dozing has taught me that it isn't a choice. It's a sickness. And nothing has highlighted that sickness quite like realizing Saturday was supposed to mark GFL's debut. On a weekend light on MMA, the freak-show loving hardcore crowd I proudly belong to would've been glued to our screens. Advertisement The pièce de résistance of this meme-fueled double-header was Tony Ferguson vs. Dillon Danis — a bout that doesn't quite reach the giddy morbid highs of Eddie Hall vs. Mariusz Pudzianowski or Eddie Hall vs. Two Tiny Guys, but it came pretty damn close. Of course, there was something frightening about a legend like Ferguson taking his eight-fight skid into a contest against the oft-ridiculed résumé of a formerly celebrated jiu-jitsu player Danis. But the mockery the bout drew on announcement had a communal feel — and an unspoken guarantee that we'd all show up anyway. Not in support, but in solidarity of disbelief. The GFL dream It's never a great sign when one of the biggest talking points around a new promotion is, 'Will it even happen?' — but that was the dominant narrative surrounding GFL when founder Darren Owen announced his intentions on "The Ariel Helwani Show" back in December. Advertisement From the jump, the team-based format drew ridicule, with MMA's grizzled memory bank immediately pointing to the ill-fated IFL (hat-tip to Uncrowned's own Ben Fowlkes). While the promised 50/50 revenue split with fighters was a commendable idea, the absence of a broadcast partner raised the obvious question — what revenue? To be fair to GFL, they must have pitched well — the roster was nothing to scoff at, boasting a vast array of former UFC champions (albeit many well past their sell-by dates). But cracks appeared early when multiple announced fighters publicly claimed they were still under contract with rival promotions. We got our first real glimpse of the GFL's surreal appeal during January's 'live' draft. What should've been a hype-building event instead became a masterclass in collective cringe, as the 80% AI-generated production had fans stampeding to social media to join the pile-on. The most talked-about moment? Not a fighter, coach, or team — but a rap song (yet another IFL nod), its chorus echoing through the chaos. 'Protect your neck… wooooooaahhh!' UFC dominance While my overview of the promotion may seem trite, I genuinely believe a lot of fans would have tuned in if Saturday's debut event went ahead. In an age where the gap between the UFC and every other promotion appears to be growing every weekend, the ability to put on an event that inspires genuine curiosity is no mean feat. Advertisement The Patchy Mix to UFC story and the postponement of PFL's biggest event of the year — starring Dakota Ditcheva and Johnny Eblen — are the latest marks against the MMA co-leader in what seems to be a conveyor belt of critical developments throughout 2024-25. The promotion's best work has been done on the European scene. I marveled at the event I witnessed in Paris, where 20,000 people showed up at the Accor Arena to heap adoration on Cedric Doumbé. Similarly, in Belfast last weekend, Paul Hughes' homecoming felt like a real moment for the brand. However, those in the U.S. simply have to take my word for it as there was no legal avenue to watch either event in "The Land of the Free." Donn Davis's 'co-leader' moniker is drawing more and more ridicule as the hits keep coming for PFL, but there is a lot happening in Europe with Oktagon regularly booking gargantuan venues and the kings of the freak-show, KSW, drawing the intrigue of the world with their recent Pudzianowski vs. Hall offering. PFL hosting the early knockout rounds of this year's global tournament at the Universal Studios soundstage point to a lack of interest U.S. fans had in attending the events. It also underlines the dominance the UFC boasts in its homeland, where TKO continues breaking gate records at every venue it visits, often to the confusing delight of those in attendance who whooped and hollered when the dollar-pinching tally was announced. Oh hey — TKO just broke another gate record while you were reading this. (Georgiana Dallas/WWE via Getty Images) (WWE via Getty Images) Attention In the end, GFL didn't happen. Advertisement Ferguson didn't fight Danis and we didn't get an opportunity to collectively chortle to our hearts' content — and perhaps we should be sad about that. Even though the promotion was doomed to fail, it did something the overwhelming majority of promotions outside the UFC cannot do. It got people talking. As the UFC effortlessly widens the gap, the No. 2 spot in MMA remains a strange, shifting thing. It's not about talent. It's not about titles. It's about attention — and occasionally, about tapping into the bizarre, junk-food part of our fandom that just wants to see what happens when chaos is left unsupervised. Ferguson vs. Danis could have very well been a car crash, but deep down we know we would have all been there, bracing for impact together. In that shared, guilty curiosity, there was a chance — however fleeting — that the GFL just might have worked, if only for one weekend.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Mailbag: Which fights defined Robbie Lawler's hall of fame MMA career?
With Robbie Lawler headed to the UFC Hall of Fame, what are the fights that best represent his specific brand of delightful barbarism? Did Alex Pereira get exposed at UFC 313, and will it rule out a move to heavyweight? Plus, what kind of interest will TKO's boxing 'league' generate once it finally debuts? All that and more in this week's mailbag. To ask a question of your own, hit up @BenFowlkesMMA or @ Since fighters get inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame for their fights as well, how many times over does Robbie Lawler deserve to be a Hall of Famer?And same for Justin Gaethje — Jed Meshew II (@JedKMeshew) March 11, 2025 @JedKMeshew: Since fighters get inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame for their fights as well, how many times over does Robbie Lawler deserve to be a Hall of Famer? And same for Justin Gaethje Here's the thing people need to appreciate about Robert Glenn Lawler: He debuted at UFC 37, then had his last fight at UFC 290. He won both of them. That's a career that spanned 253 numbered UFC fights, and in between he won titles in two other organizations. What I'm saying is, it's not just the high points that make him an all-time great — although the high points were super high and very memorable. It's also the incredible longevity, the ability to recreate himself again and again across at least three different eras of the sport, and also the growth and maturity he attained without ever losing that signature ferocity. As for my personal favorite Robbie Lawler fights, in and out of the UFC? I was in the building when he defended his UFC welterweight title in that absolute bloodbath against Rory MacDonald in 2015 and I'll never forget that one. Also his 2010 fight with Melvin Manhoef in Strikeforce, where Lawler got his legs kicked to shreds before coming back with the one-punch KO and then limping off in celebration. His knockout of Frank Trigg in Hawaii's ICON Sport promotion in 2007 was one of the most brutally violent finishes I've ever seen (seriously, go watch the end of that fight). And while not necessarily a competitive fight, I remember when he first came back to the UFC and got Josh Koscheck as an opponent. It was the exact type of fight Lawler always used to lose, going up against a suffocating wrestler. This time he stuffed a takedown and immediately hammered away for the knockout, as if signaling that this UFC run would be different. But I'll also never forget the first time I saw him fight in person. It was in 2007, when he fought Eduardo Pamplona in the IFL. I was ringside for that one, typing out live blogs for the IFL website. Pamplona was a tough dude, but the punches Lawler was hitting him with, I could almost feel the shockwave from the impact a few feet away. Just the sound of them, it became instantly clear that Lawler's punching power was something completely different. And when I tried to ask him about it afterward, it was like it was no big deal to him. Just another night of work. Lawler was truly special, not only because of what he could do but because of what he willed himself to become. We shall not look upon his like again. Oh, and as for Justin Gaethje? Now that I've gone on and on already, it might be easier to list the fights of his that weren't incredible. Was Poatan as good as we thought (before the fight with Ankalaev) or everyone overestimated him because of some favorable match ups in LHW ?Greetings from Greece! — Stavros Lefkaditis (@SLefkaditis) March 11, 2025 @SLefkaditis: Was Poatan as good as we thought (before the fight with Ankalaev) or everyone overestimated him because of some favorable match ups in LHW? Greetings from Greece! It's about time we get some greetings from Greece in this mailbag. Let's not start second-guessing Alex Pereira's whole career just because he lost one competitive fight. No one else has run through two different UFC divisions like he has, or put the light heavyweight title up for grabs as frequently and eagerly as he has. Which, if we're looking for reasons as to why he looked a little hesitant against Magomed Ankalaev on Saturday, is at least worth considering. This was Pereira's fourth title fight in less than a year. If he looked a little off, like he was struggling to pull the trigger at times, maybe it's at least partially because anyone who gets in there so often is bound to have a bad night eventually. I'd still be interested to see what Pereira could do in a rematch. It's not as if Ankalaev just totally outclassed him. And even if this does signal the end of Pereira's UFC title reign(s) for good, let's remind ourselves that the man didn't make his UFC debut until his mid-thirties and still won belts in two divisions in the span of just two years. Even if he really is starting to fall off now, as he nears his 38th birthday, it doesn't mean he wasn't great in his time. Will what happened to Poatan put a stop the talk of a HW title still could beat many of the top 10 but Tommy Gas Hands and Bones seems close to impossible more importantly is a 3 weigh champion even possible (pouring one out for HenryC who maybe could've) — Conor (@NeedXtoseePosts) March 11, 2025 @NeedXtoseePosts: Will what happened to Poatan put a stop the talk of a HW title reign. He still could beat many of the top 10 but Tommy Gas Hands and Bones seems close to impossible now. So more importantly is a 3 weigh champion even possible (pouring one out for HenryC who maybe could've) I do think someone will eventually become a three-division UFC champ (I wouldn't rule Ilia Topuria out just yet), but for Pereira it would have to come in weight classes that span an 80-pound range, from middleweight to the 265-pound heavyweight limit, which is insane. I doubt that this version of Pereira would beat either Jon Jones or Tom Aspinall. That doesn't mean I wouldn't still watch him try, though. If he wants to move up and challenge the winner — let's be very clear that Jones vs. Aspinall is the only fight to make for the UFC heavyweight title right now, end of story — I'd cancel plans to stay home and watch. Even if I think it might be a bad night for 'Poatan' in the end. How does TKO make people want to watch a boxing league comprised of up and coming boxers?Will UFC fans just watch because they are told to by Dana?Will boxing fans care about low level Boxing? — jona freedman (@JonaFreedman) March 11, 2025 @JonaFreedman: How does TKO make people want to watch a boxing league comprised of up and coming boxers? Will UFC fans just watch because they are told to by Dana? Will boxing fans care about low level Boxing? The test case for how many people will watch something solely because Dana White tells them to is Power Slap. It's purely a marketing job, with White leveraging UFC assets and celebrity friendships in an attempt to make it seem cool. The result is that it's more popular than all other sports combined! That's, you know, if you just take White's word for it. If you look at the numbers over on YouTube, you'll see that its "massive YouTube Live debut" currently has about one-tenth the views of this video highlighting the 'most ridiculous moments' in women's snooker. I think there will be a lot of initial curiosity about TKO's boxing foray just because it's so new. People will want to see what this looks like and how it might shake up the boxing world. But if it's all just up-and-comers who most fans aren't particularly invested in — basically the Dana White Contender Series, but for boxing — that interest will evaporate really quickly. What this needs is some big names and big fights right out of the gate. The good news is, that should absolutely be possible with the Saudi wealth fund behind it. TKO isn't investing any of its own money into this. It's purely acting as the promoter and collecting a fee, so maybe some of the company's miserly tendencies won't hold this effort back. why do grown men get so worked up about Taylor Swift? Luke Thomas, for examples, all but froths at the mouth when talking about how much he hates her music. Why would an adult even have an opinion? It's not for us, it's like having a strong opinion about Peppa Pig. Why? — KanoliKeepIt (@ItKanoli31520) March 11, 2025 @ItKanoli31520: why do grown men get so worked up about Taylor Swift? Luke Thomas, for examples, all but froths at the mouth when talking about how much he hates her music. Why would an adult even have an opinion? It's not for us, it's like having a strong opinion about Peppa Pig. Why? I see your point, but can I be real with you here for a second? I really like a lot of Taylor Swift's music. My oldest daughter is a big fan, so I hear a lot of it. 'Folklore' is a hell of an album. 'Evermore' has some bangers on it as well. I mean, "Closure" alone is a great song. Her work with Bon Iver and The National and Big Red Machine is always good. I guess my only real criticism is that she can't dance. But come on, does she need to? She writes and sings, plays the guitar and the piano. Bob Dylan didn't dance. Axl Rose only had that one move. Mick Jagger dances like a rooster being zapped by an electric fence (and I say this as a big Stones fan). I say we let Taylor just stand there and do her thing. @ In terms of who the UFC machine likes, have there ever been less liked champs than Belal, Merab, and Magomed? You're absolutely right about Belal Muhammad, who had to publicly campaign just to get the UFC to let him have his flag on the website the way every other fighter does. With Ankalaev, I think it's too soon to tell. He does seem to be the least interesting and charismatic of the Dagestani standouts, but we'll see. As for Merab Dvalishvili, there I cannot agree. He's built up a good following and gets a lot of love for fans, even when he's running up on fans in the crowd or posting cringe on socials. He has an infectious enthusiasm, and I think the UFC gets that. Or maybe I just hope so. Which of the Fighting Nerds wins a title first and which loses first in the UFC? My money is on Caio, then Jean Silva for gold — Sabertooth Mummy King (@EyeofMihawk) March 11, 2025 @EyeofMihawk: Which of the Fighting Nerds wins a title first and which loses first in the UFC? My money is on Caio, then Jean Silva for gold Honestly I think Caio Borralho has a real chance to be the first to win a UFC title. He's already ranked at no. 6 in the middleweight division, and that's a weight class where fresh blood can more easily rise quickly with a couple key wins. Jean Silva has looked really good, but he's not yet ranked and is one of the most talent-rich divisions the UFC has. Hypothetically, how many novice league hockey MVPs should one be allowed to win before being politely, yet firmly, escorted to the intermediate division? — Billy Ward (@Psychoward586) March 12, 2025 @Psychoward586: Hypothetically, how many novice league hockey MVPs should one be allowed to win before being politely, yet firmly, escorted to the intermediate division? OK look, the first time I won the novice league MVP it was because I was the leading goal-scorer, even though I think some errors by the scorekeepers contributed to that by giving me credit for several of my teammates' goals. (No offense to the scorekeepers. I also would not care too much about properly recording every player's goals in the lowest possible league, especially if I was on as many edibles as they often seem to be.) The second time I won? I think it was just because someone had to win and they already knew my name from last year. Either way, I went home with an MVP water bottle that gets good use in my garage gym. The real point is, I am 45 years old and I didn't know how to ice skate until like six years ago. The intermediate league has a bunch of sandbaggers who played high school hockey, but more importantly the games are super late on Tuesday nights, and I'm not doing that. So give me a break and let me enjoy my trophies.
