Bingham Blogged Begins

Hello there. Some of you may know me from my Diary. I'm Neil and I play rugby.

Everyone in unison: "Hello, Neil."

Aw...thank you. That's very kind. Well, I've been playing rugby for almost two years now. I started in September of 2004. I belong to the Gotham Knights. This Spring we're hosting the third annual Bingham Cup.

The Bingham Cup is an international, rugby tournament named in the memory of Mark Bingham.

"Why another blog Neil?"

Good question. I've mentioned my rugby experiences a few times on DoaCD. With Bingham, though, I think I have an opportunity to create a beginning and an end.

Beginning

The season started with a meeting to discuss team goals on Tuesday. I missed it. A work party with an open bar pulled me away. C'mon, an open bar versus a "chalk talk" would give any footballer pause to consider which is more important. I see Tuesday's free vodkas as ample training for those strenuous post game drink-ups.

I've puked at one too many. I needed my liver kicked back into the rugby season.

I actually need alot kicked back into the season. The past "off-season" I've not run. I've not gone to the gym. I've not lifted a barbell. Nothing. I'm anticipating getting back into shape will be horrible. Eh. I anticipate horror in most things. I've leared rugby isn't the sport for the habitual worry-wart.

That is precisely why I fell in love with it two years ago. Running and colliding on "the pitch" takes me out of my neurotic head. Adrenalin is an addictive substance. Those instinctual decisions and pushing as hard you can - and yeah... sometimes simply puttering out..

So - let's take a nervous ride for a few months to the Bingham Cup together. Enough excuses and enough putting it off. Tonight the indoor practices begin. I'll push myself and complain about it here. And maybe, just maybe, if I push myself hard enough - I'll stop bitching and actually rediscover why I enjoyed this sport as much as I did two years ago.