Chasing My Tail: ep 31 "March Madness"

Chasing My Tail: ep.30 Sweet Sistine!

The Flying Popeshank Redemption

I wish I could tell you that the Flying Popes fought the good fight, and How I Set Your Mother let them be. I wish I could tell that  - but recreational volleyball is no fairy-tale world. They never said who did the beatings, but we all knew. Things went on like that for awhile - rec. volleyball life consists of routine, and then more routine. Every so often, the Flying Popes would show up with a few fresh bruises on their egos. How I Set Your Mother kept at them - sometimes they were able to fight 'em off, sometimes not. And that's how it went for the Flying Popes - that was their routine. I do believe those first five weeks were the worst for them, and I also believe that if things had gone on that way, this rec. league would have got the best of them.

As we sit, waiting for a shot for proving our growth and abilities to the fine administration of Players Sports Group, I can only imagine a regular season exit interview...

PSG:Flying Popes Volleyball, your file says you've played out twenty four games of a seven week regular season. Do you feel you've been competitive?

Flying Popes: Competitive? Well, now let me see. You know, I don't have any idea what that means.

PSG: Well it means that you are inclined or desiring to succeed over all others...

Flying Popes:  I know what *you* think it means sonny. To me it's just a made up word. A commissioner's word so young fellas like you can wear stripes and whistle, and have a job. What do you really want to know? Am I sorry for how we played?

PSG: Well, are you?

Flying Popes: There's not a day that goes by I don't feel regret. Not because we're in the bottom of the standings, or because you think we should. I look back on the way we were then: a young stupid team who committed those terrible unforced errors.  I want to talk to them. I want to try and talk some sense to them, tell them the way things are. But I can't. That young team's long gone and this thirty something is all that's left. We got to live with that. Competitive? It's just a bullshit word. So you go on and fill out your playoff bracket, sonny, and stop wasting my time. Because to tell you the truth, I don't give a shit.

*********************************************************************************************


I find I'm so excited, I can barely sit still or hold a thought in my head. I think it's the excitement only a recreational champion can feel, a recreational champion at the start of a long journey whose conclusion is uncertain. I hope I can make it across the gymnasium. I hope to see my dad and shake his hand. I hope the banner is as blue as it has been in my dreams. I hope.

"Chasing My Tail" ep 29: A Disturbance in the Force

"Chasing My Tail" Fat Tuesday

"Chasing My Tail" ep. 27: The Carrie Diaries

"Chasing My Tail" ep. 26 - The Registry

Week 3: Flying Popes' Silver Linings Playbook

We are three weeks into a title defense and the Flying Popes appear to be hung over. The only other collection of highly skilled athletes that seem to be on such different pages are the Los Angeles Lakers. Losing two of three tonight to "How We Set Your Mother" was extra painful as a team chose to be more pun-laden than the actual CBS sitcom itself. Salt, meet the open wound.

Simple unforced errors can attribute to this early season slide. Why really are the Flying Popes unable to pull it together? Pressure to deliver again? Aside from the Popes championship last year, it had been two years since Chicagoans we treated to such a rise to glory. Maybe it's because the court in our peripheral, Team Juicy, were too much a distraction (pure speculation). I'm not sure if they're called Team Juicy but if every woman on your team is in yoga pants or actual volleyball shorts, odds are Team Juicy should be your name. Our season is at a point where we may need to channel our inner Val Kilmer, Tom Cruise and Anthony Edwards. It sure could help pair with the Kenny Loggins stuck in my head.

Taking stock on the evening (it's nearly midnight I am still thinking of this game!) I must say at least I didn't lose my cool and further my attempt to publicly impersonate myself at the age of six. That's progress right? Recently watching Silver Linings Playbook makes me wonder if the Flying Popes plan to get our season back needs to be hit head on with an equally crazy idea, like a grown man drawing parallels between his struggling recreational volleyball team and an acclaimed story of lost man intent on getting his life back together no matter what it takes.

Who knows, maybe next week we should all play in trash bags!? (side note, thank you God, for not having Tom Petty's Free Fallin'  on the soundtrack.)

Flying Popes Week 2: The Promise

Last night the Flying Popes took to the hardwood once again in the early season. The roster is still coming together, as it is likely no other recreational volleyball team in Chicago has experienced this many early season injuries due to hyper extended day job responsibilities. The Popes pressed on.

Week 2 was a familiar match up against the Wasabi Shockers who apparently have a roster deeper than an average elementary school classroom. Games 1 & 2 were super close but both fell to Wasabi. Highlights from the match include Vinnie potentially earning his Flying Pope call sign as "Jazz Hands." Clearly we don't try to over intimidate.  I also had a season high, for on court pissiness. As a 31 year old man, I made it clear to my teammates that as expected, a man-child is in fact a shell of maturity. Perhaps, seeing that we're playing in a church gym, we could get a priest to attend so I can schedule post-game confession regularly.

It's easy to point fingers in a loss. Frankly, I wasn't wearing the appropriate shirt I normally play volleyball in so someone has to tell m'lady that although she got my sweatband through the laundry, the shirt is part of the uniform. Let's not make her feel bad though, she's an avid/obligated Flying Popes fan.

To my team, and Flying Pope Nation I give you this....

THE PROMISE

To the fans and everyone in Flying Popes Nation, I'm sorry. 

I'm extremely sorry. We were hoping for an undefeated season,

that was my goal, something

The Flying Popes have never done here.

I promise you one thing. A lot

of good will come out of this.

You will never see any player in

the entire rec league play as hard

as I will the rest of the 

season. You will never see

someone push the rest of the

team as hard as I will push 

everybody the rest of the season

You will never see a team 

play harder than we will 

the rest of the season.

God Bless.

Flying Popes 2013 Season Preview

Flying Popes 2012 Players Sports 6 Coed Volleyball Champs

Chicago doesn't get the chance to celebrate champions the past few years (or hundred for some yahoos). While most our pro teams play like they're in a rec league, Flying Popes are the rec team that has pro swagger to it. Let's be honest, who doesn't take a team more serious when they step out on the court with red, white and blue sweat bands?

Above is the photo after the 3 seed ran the table and cut down the net (no we didn't PlayersSports, we don't want a fine) last season. Now what? What do the Flying Popes do to keep their focus and not stare up at the rafters of St. Andrew's Church? I'd like to believe budget cuts is the main reason why the Flying Popes Championship banner is still not hanging up. I digress.

The bands are back on our heads creating the minimal intimidation and distraction we planned on. The Flying Popes roster is impressive once again. In the era of rec-league free agency, anything can happen once the season is done. People move, get a dog, or lose the drive to be a top tier athletic specimen, recreationally speaking. Flying Popes return all members of the 2012 title team with the addition/return of the wild card Vincente Lacey. I had to change his name a little because of all his tv commercials, we don't need this season to require security Beiber style. Little does most of Chicago know, but Lacey was integral in the roster creation of the 2012 team.

Having Vinnie on the court is like if Jerry Krause wanted to lace up with Jordan, Pippen, and Rodman.

Week 1 saw a Flying Popes match victory, winning 2-1. As, Alabama football coach Nick Saban says, there's no talk of repeat. Each season is it's own, full of it's own challenges and goals. It's going to take a lot of effort and teamwork, good thing we're wearing those cool sweatbands.

"Chasing My Tail" Dad Pride

www.mikemaxwell.org

Comedian Collaboration Time with Warren B. Hall

When I recently hosted for Chris Kattan at the Improv Chicago, I met comedian Warren B. Hall. He's funny and super cool. Warren has a webseries and asked I help on an episode. It's a game called WhiteMan/BlackMan. Check it out!

"Chasing My Tail": Merry Christmas!

"Chasing My Tail" Ep. 23 Animal Instinct

Chasing My Tail: Ep 22 "Movember to Remember"

Chasing My Tail: Ep.21 Ironically Fashionable

"Chasing My Tail" Ep.19: Self-Promotion/Loathing

Wander Inn, South Bend IN

Chasing My Tail Ep: 18 - Election Burn Out

"Chasing My Tail" ep17: Marathon Man