Begin with the Beginning

Stephen Covey teaches to "Begin with the end in Mind", what an idiot.  Everyone knows things should always begin at the beginning.  Today was the "unofficial" beginning of the 2009 Kickball season.  Just hours ago I was in the "Kickball Meeting" going over all the rules and picking up my kickball with all of the other team captains.  The smell of competition coming out of that room was so thick I could literally taste it while I was driving down Oak Park Blvd.

When it comes right down to it, going to the Kickball Meeting is really uneventful.  I walk in pick up the rules and my new set of balls, and that's about it.  But I have to tell you, my heart was racing looking everyone in the eye, knowing the next time we see each other it will be under much different circumstances.  It's kind of like going into a slaughter house and looking the milk fed veil calves in their big brown Obama inspired hope-filled eyes right before they are shoved through the meat grinder of life.

So as the opening credits of the 2009 season roll and Episode 1 of Season 1 of the Bayside Tigers Kickball Team approaches the May 29th opening day, I become more an more filled with breathless anticipation of the season to come.  We are not much different than those kids at the top of this page.  Just look at them.  Max thinks he will be on the show forever, Screech and Richard Belding have no idea they will be on the show for another 15 years with no other chance of working again.  Zack has no idea that Kelly will rip out his heart and throw it on the floor time and time again.  Jessy would have never guess that her big move from Farmington Hills to an NBC Saturday Morning show would someday get her the lead roll in the biggest Cinemax Late Night movie ever Showgirls.  Slater has no idea that when he gets to College he will learn that he is Mexican.  Lisa... Oh lets face it, Lisa will continue being "Daddy's Little" girl and spending money without consequence for the rest of her life, she was the least developed character on the show.  And finally Kelly.  I had Kelly built up so high in my youth, to witness the shenanigans she pulls on the show through the eyes of an "adult" turns my stomach. 

The Team T-Shirts are in and they look great.  I hope everyones off season training was up to snuff, so we don't get 4 pulled hamstrings on the 29th.