Rose says, "We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing."

 

Turn on your speakers to hear "It's 5 O'clock somewhere" 

by Allan Jackson and Jimmy

 (Sorry, the music won't play on a Mac) 

2011-12 Schedule is posted

Duffer News

Big Opening Night Turnout

Romeoville, IL
9/9/2011
Attendance: 26

Big Turn Out, Great Game!

The Reds outnumbered the Whites at game time, so Tommy Z traded himself to the Whites.  The Alien came out late, so he was sent back to get a White Jersey.  That gave the Reds 13 skaters and the Whites had 11.  Geno gave the Reds an early lead when he converted a nice pass from the Bookie.  Papa Joe tied the score when he tapped in a rebound from his son, Cowboy Joe.  On his next shift, Papa deflected a shot with his skate past the Anvil, but our official Referee, Beer Nuts, disallowed the goal,

Drink to another season opener

 because he saw a distinct kicking motion.  Brinks took a pass from his cousin Steve "Rembrandt" Granato and gave the Whites a 2-1 lead.  The Bookie set up Porta John to tie the game at two.  The Bookie made a coast to coast run making several Coast League moves to blow past defenders and skate in all alone on Rob the Guest Goalie.  He had him beat until he fumbled the puck just before crashing into the boards.  Terry recovered from his unassisted crash in the first period and fired a shot past the Anvil to give the Whites a 3-2 lead. TZ was credited with an assist.  V-Man and Magoo got that goal back when they came in all alone.  Just as it looked like John was going to shoot, he slid a perfect pass over to V-Man who one timed it in to tie the score again.  TZ and Brinks gave the Whites a 5-3 lead in the third period.  Rags turned the game into a nail biter when he fired a blast in from the point.  The Reds pulled their goalie and added a 6th attacker that almost tied the game, but the Whites were able to get the puck out of harms way to pick up the thrilling 5-4 win.  The Whites also won the Meaningful contest 3-1, but got skunked at the bar 12-4.

2011-12 Klinger Krash Nominee

In the 2nd period, the Steve and Steve had a bone crushing collision.  Steve "Lil Bro" Mazzarella was trying to stay on side as Steve "Rembrandt"  Granato was heading his way at ramming speed.  Beak was thinking about nudging Steve off side, but before he could get a glove on him, Rembrandt hit his teammate at full speed and knocked the snot out of him.  Both of them are in the running for the 2011-12 Klinger Krash award.

                     Perfect Attendance   
3 Mazarellas, The Anvil, The Alien, Beak, Beer Nuts, Bill BTW, Bookie, Brinks, Dimples TZ, Face Plant (Joe Evans), Frank, Fruit Cake, Geno, Hacksaw, Harvey, Klinger, Magoo, Bill Maestro, 

Porta John, Rags, Goalie Rob, Steve Rembrandt G,  Terry (Crash King), V-Man and T&A. .

Dan Smith, our Pittsburgh goalie made  the Bradley team

Read about it

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Harvey is back in town and helped us get to a near record crowd at our Neutral Zone lunch. 

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We even had a few ladies show up for lunch

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The biggest surprise was seeing Harvey in jeans with a pot belly.
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We toasted the new season.

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Everybody's on the phone,......
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We're so connected, we're all alone

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Mini Wheezer left the bench in the 1st period to get his phone
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Eddie didn't last too long at Wild Wings

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Boris started training the new Wild Wings manager
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We were all happy to see Klinger back on the ice after a tough August.  He could still manage a smile.  

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V-Man had a nice goal set up by Magoo

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Rags scored a late goal to give us an interesting final minute

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The Maestro conducted the defense for the Red squad.

Rembrandt put a hurt on his own team mate

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The Alien was late and helped even up the sides
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Papa Joe showed his sons how to score and stay out of traffic

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Tom "T-O" O'Connor is on suicide watch as he is counting down the Tiger's Magic Number.  He normally perks up at this time of year when he gets a lift from his beloved Fighting Irish.

 
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Terry had the first spill of the year when he had an unassisted fall early in the game.  He scored later to help his team to a win.

 

Magoo had a beautiful assist on V-Man's goal

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The Bookie had 2 nice assists and a Klinger Krash.  He later told Beak that he should send more e-mails.  Beak said., "I was holding back because Hacksaw always complains about all of the e-mails."

2011-12 Schedule

September 9, 2011 8:30 P.M Romeoville International Ice Centre
September 16, 2011 8:30 P.M Romeoville International Ice Centre
September 23, 2011 8:30 P.M Romeoville International Ice Centre
September 30, 2011 8:30 P.M Romeoville International Ice Centre
October 7, 2011 8:30 P.M Romeoville International Ice Centre
October 14, 2011 8:30 P.M Romeoville International Ice Centre
October 21, 2011 8:30 P.M Romeoville International Ice Centre
October 28, 2011 8:30 P.M Romeoville International Ice Centre
November 4, 2011 No Ice Maybe a mini trip to Bloomington
November 11, 2011 8:30 P.M Romeoville International Ice Centre
November 18, 2011 8:30 P.M Romeoville International Ice Centre
November 24, 2011 TBA Turkey Skate
November 25, 2011 8:30 P.M Romeoville International Ice Centre
December 2, 2011 8:30 P.M Romeoville International Ice Centre
December 9, 2011 8:30 P.M Romeoville International Ice Centre
December 16, 2011 8:30 P.M Romeoville International Ice Centre
December 23, 2011 8:30 P.M Romeoville International Ice Centre
December 30, 2011 8:30 P.M Romeoville International Ice Centre
January 1, 2012 TBA New Year's Day

 

Go to the Last Duffer News

Go to 2011 MLF Game

Go to 2010 MLF Game

The Rampage Women's Hockey Team has a new web site at: http://www.rampagehockey.org/index.cfm

They Had 2 WODs and a DOD on their team.

WOD=Wife Of a Duffer, DOD = Daughter of a Duffer

Links to Duffer Hockey Newsletters

2008-2010 Stats page

Tweedy's Wags Game

Links to 2010

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Links to 2008

Links to 2007

Links to 2006

Links to 2005

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Links to 2000

Links to 1999

Links to 1994

Peoria History

Nashville Game 2

Bill Gaston interview

Michelle Spillman hits and fields

      

To E-mail the Duffer News Web master, just click here! g.lopatka@comcast.net

You can e-mail History updates to Beak. 

 

Duffer road trips

 

Past Picnics  

2010 Page 2 Cartoons I

Page 3 Cartoons II

Page 4 Cartoons III

 

Here's to 40 more great years 

.
 Rose

On the first day of school our professor introduced himself and challenged us to get to know someone we didn't already know. I stood up to look around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder.

I turned around to find a wrinkled, little old lady beaming up at me with a smile that lit up her entire being..

She said, 'Hi handsome. My name is Rose. I'm eighty-seven years old. Can I give you a hug?'

I laughed and enthusiastically responded, 'Of course you may!' and she gave me a giant squeeze..

'Why are you in college at such a young, innocent age?' I asked.

She jokingly replied, 'I'm here to meet a rich husband, get married, and have a couple of kids...'

'No seriously,' I asked. I was curious what may have motivated her to be taking on this challenge at her age.

'I always dreamed of having a college education and now I'm getting one!' she told me.

After class we walked to the student union building and shared a chocolate milkshake.

We became instant friends. Every day for the next three months we would leave class together and talk nonstop. I was always mesmerized listening to this 'time machine' as she shared her wisdom and experience with me..

Over the course of the year, Rose became a campus icon and she easily made friends wherever she went. She loved to dress up and she revelled in the attention bestowed upon her from the other students. She was living it up.

At the end of the semester we invited Rose to speak at our football banquet. I'll never forget what she taught us. She was introduced and stepped up to the podium. As she began to deliver her prepared speech, she dropped her three by five cards on the floor.

Frustrated and a little embarrassed she leaned into the microphone and simply said, 'I'm sorry I'm so jittery. I gave up beer for Lent and this whiskey is killing me! I'll never get my speech back in order so let me just tell you what I know.'

As we laughed she cleared her throat and began, ' We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing.

There are only four secrets to staying young, being happy, and achieving success. You have to laugh and find humour every day. You've got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die. We have so many people walking around who are dead and don't even know it!

There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up.

If you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year and don't do one productive thing, you will turn twenty years old. If I am eighty-seven years old and stay in bed for a year and never do anything I will turn eighty-eight.

Anybody! Can grow older. That doesn't take any talent or ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding opportunity in change. Have no regrets.

The elderly usually don't have regrets for what we did, but rather for things we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets..'

She concluded her speech by courageously singing 'The Rose.'

She challenged each of us to study the lyrics and live them out in our daily lives. At the year's end Rose finished the college degree she had begun all those months ago.
The Rose
 
Some say love, it is a river
That drowns the tender reed
Some say love, it is a razor
That leaves your soul to bleed
Some say love, it is a hunger
An endless aching need
I say love, it is a flower
And you, its only seed

It's the heart, afraid of breaking
That never learns to dance
It's the dream, afraid of waking
That never takes the chance
It's the one who won't be taken
Who cannot seem to give
And the soul, afraid of dying
That never learns to live

When the night has been too lonely
And the road has been too long
And you think that love is only
for the lucky and the strong
Just remember in the winter
Far beneath the bitter snow
Lies the seed
That with the sun's love, in the spring
Becomes the Rose

 

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