verdugo288

Yes-sir-ree it was one hell of a celebration that ignited after that victory. The General and I made a few rounds at the local watering holes and basked in the glory for a bit.

Everybody was happy with what we had just done. We must have taken about five 400-500 pretty hard congratulatory slaps on the back and were the subject(s) of about one or two at least three-dozen toasts.

We got back to The Dome with the cheapest twelve-pack we could find some very high-end and top-dollar private reserve we had just purchased and then heard all this noise.

You all remember that alley running down parallel with Ocean View Boulevard that led to The Dome.

Cars were ripping down that alley!!! Blasting horns!!! A couple of explosions went off!!! Word had definitely spread regarding what Verdugo had done.

It was mighty humbling. The fact that what we just done really had no meaning to anyone but ourselves had finally brought this divided City together again. We opened one of the windows to try and get some air moving around in that stuffy little place and we heard lots of singing and could smell the barbecues!!!!

Then we heard all kinds of noise outside. We looked down to the patio area of The Dome and some random dudes were down there who had obviously started some kind of party!!!! They were drinking, smoking cigars, raising hell, cranking music on one of those ghetto blasters!!!!

The General and I knew these dudes from somewhere …. we weren’t sure exactly where we knew these guys from but we thought “what the hell?” and we went down there and partied down for a while with those guys….whoever they were….

At least until the police came and broke it up. I gotta say, those police officers were some mighty upstanding guys!!!! They broke things up….sure….they were just doing their jobs.

Before they left….one of the Officers said “oh …and one more thing”

I thought for sure they were gonna slap the cuffs on us.

Until the other Officer said “would you two guys mind signing our Police Hats? We’re pretty big Verdugo fans ourselves!!!!”

We squinted our eyes at ’em and said “well….okay” kinda letting ’em know we were doing them a favor.

I told the guy….”we’ll sign ’em….as long as you promise not to auction ’em off some day on eBay”

He gave me a funny look and said “eBay????”

Anyways, we went ahead and signed ’em.

The General told them “we’d like to take this opportunity as well to Thank you guys for your service to the community!”

We all shook hands before they left….

Like I said….some real upstanding guys!!!!

The General left and I cleaned up the mess from that party and got in the shower. About an hour after I got out of the shower the phone rang….I’m guessing around 9pm.

It’s…..THE GENERAL!!!!

“let’s go” he said

“Where we going?” I asked

“Don’t worry I got a cab I’m on my way”

I was completely plastered at this point buzzing pretty good already but thought “what the hell? Bring it!”

He arrived and the cab drove us about 6-7 blocks over to “Lady Janes” in Montrose.

The General said “we can walk back home from here if we spend all our money”

And that we did.

Dang….

We staggered into Lady Jane’s proudly, confidently and triumphantly walked into Lady Jane’s to quite a rousing ovation. Nobody in there gave a fuck about who we were or what we had just done It was humbling to see all the familiar faces and how proud they were of what we had just accomplished….and about two minutes in…,over at a table we saw a couple of the MOM’s of the Verdugo Team!!!!

They were celebrating our win too!!!!

They waved us over to their table and we sat right down and joined them.

We soon found out they weren’t messing around either!!!!

KAMIKAZI’s!!!!!

I told you they weren’t messing around!!!!

We obviously were in no condition to be drinking any more at this stage felt it was our duty, so The General and I proceeded to match those lovely ladies shot-for-shot and even got out on the dance floor at one point!!!!

I’m guessing at least…..ten?

They left before we did….mostly due to the fact that these two ladies had completely drank us under the table “had to get going”….

It’s a good thing you can only clinch a playoff spot once a year right????

I woke up the next morning….STILL DRUNK….with a slight buzz still going.

It was about 9:45 and the General was due to arrive in about 15 minutes.

I LEAPT OUT OF BED and started checking my body. Looking at my arms all over. My wife is looking at me

“What are you doing?” she asked

I took off my shirt and asked her “do I have any burn marks anywhere on me?”

I was looking in the mirror….

She’s like “burn marks?”

I realized (thankfully) I didn’t have any burn marks on my body.

“Yeah…..” I told her….”uhhhhh….ummm….yeah…..uhhhh….I had this weird dream like maybe one or both or my arms had been burned ….like….with a cigar or something”……”I mean …..I coulda sworn…..”

“It was probably just a crazy dream” I told her as I took a big sigh of relief and jumped in the shower.

I was ready by 10….

Then the phone rang….

It was The General !!!!

All he said was “GONNA BE LATE…..STILL DRUNK” “I’m gassing up the truck and running just a little behind schedule….just wanted to let you know!”

He was about maybe five minutes late….

We loaded up the gear….and General drove about ten feet….stopped his truck ….opened the door and PUKED ALL OVER THE GROUND courteously threw some trash out of the car that was over on my side to make for a more enjoyable ride.

“I appreciate you making sure my side of the ride is clean Gen…thanks!” I told him.

Finally we were on our way to the field…..both of us STILL DRUNK now free from any effects from the party last night. We got to the field by around 10:30….about a half-hour before game time.

DAMN what a bash!!!!

P.S. – gentlemen? I wanted to write that one to let you guys know a couple of things. I’m 60 years old now. I’ve “evolved” as a person. We all have. But two things here….number one I really haven’t changed too much have I? And secondly, I’m the luckiest guy on earth. Not too many coaches can say they partied with the players AND some of the parents. I was the proverbial “man-in-the-middle. We all deserved THAT day. And 28 years later….I still have no regrets. I am also thankful that someone….or something….was watching over all of us back at that time.

And I can’t think of ANY coach on earth….ever….who can look someone in the eye and be truthful when he tells a story about how more than a few of his players branded themselves with cigars after a big win.

I loved VERDUGO with all my heart and all my soul. Back then….and even still….today.

Gee