What Really Happened

Forest couldn’t believe it! He looked at that ”2008 BOCCE CHAMPION” trophy filled with marbles and with a chuckle asked, “what, did you win?” OHHH YEAHH! WE WON!!! Pinch me! It was like being the under dog team in a movie! The Mighty Ducks or Miracle, yeah that’s it, definitely, a MIRACLE! All we had hoped for was our tiny pasta, and maybe a chance at the insult prize. Ha, Mark pulled out his index card and let a few loose and I said Fugheddaboudit!! But never in our wildest dreams did we think we’d snag the GRAND PRIZE, no way!

Now, I know there have been some, lets say “Untruthiness” going around out there, Godfather, beer buying and such, and I want to take the time to get it cleaned up. This is what went down on those bocce courts. Under Dog Team “B”, completed the first round with 2 wins - 1 loss, not to shabby! What happen next was paranormal!

Game 1 in the finals, “The Graffer’s”, and Rick spouting “lets go for a shut out Ter!” Something took control of Team B’s hands. I watched that bocce ball leave my fingers in slow motion and roll to the pallino. HA, HA, non questa notte (not this night) Graffer’s!

Game 2, Arrivano I guai! (here comes trouble!) Mary and Liz “Rothchild”. It was during this game that I first noticed something curious! Did you all see it, the light in the sky? It looked like lighting, but it was something else. With the ”thunderous cheers” in our ears coming from the “A Teams” i tifosi (fans) in the next court, our bocce ball once again made its slow journey to the cute little pallino! AMMAPPA! (WOW!)

So there we were, the all round loser team in The Final Game, the sky still flashing! (or was that Pat’s camera?) Frank saw it too! A few of the fans on the side were making “old” remarks of some kind. The game was tense. I had the bocce in my hand, this would be the make-or-break throw and that’s when I heard it, the voice, the “Bocce Goddess” I think, shouted, “let it roll honey”! (or maybe that was Ellen?) Anyway the bocce left my fingers, rolled down the court right up to that cute little old pallino again!! The rest is history that will remain on that BOCCE CHAMPION” trophy cup forever, right under the Roths! HOW SWEET IT IS!! And THAT is what really happened! Capire?

Vedervi il prossimo anno.

Random Photos from Bocce 2008

Well, there ya have it.....the way it all played out....the story of the night. The 8 teams that made the championship bracket......A&A beating last year's champs .....and then the final....the victorious....the Godfather and Godmother of Bocce....the Browns!!.......(and this gives us all hope......have heart....if they can win it, anyone can!). The Title is theirs for the whole year.....So one more time, with admiration and awe, put your hands together for the Browns!



The Napolitans came with their Italian heritage on their chests. What syle! They are definitely dressed for the occasion....



Lauren and Liz are such a cute team!



Ricky does a great measuring job.....and wins anchovy paste for his effort!



The girls are in heavy conversation mode....



There's never been a picture of Fran that didn't look great. I vote her "most photogenic". Yeah, Denny, stick with Fran and you'll always look good....



Some silly stuff goin' on....



Is this Rothchild a future Bocce Champ?



This is the man to learn the game from.....



Joanne shows us the "Beauty Queen Wave". She taught us the WAVE when we first moved to Lititz. So far, I haven't had the occasion to use it....maybe next year. Joanne has that move DOWN!



Marty and Robyn musta had a good roll! What enthusiasm, what excitement!!


So there ya have it............................SEE YA NEXT YEAR!!!

More Fantastic Form......and Fanatic Fans!

The Boys....Thomas and Zach....thought they had it made in the shade....piece of cake.....in the bag. They won their first two games convincingly. But then they sputtered....and were astounded....astonished, I tell ya... that they could be beat. But they were good, if stunned, sports about it all.





We mustn't forget to mention the perfect form of our Measurer-in-Chief and Ref-in-Charge. Many a dispute was negotiated to a successful conclusion and mayhem avoided. Good job, Steve!



Amy's not sure if her ball went where she intended.....



Kirk demonstrates perfect form for hanging out under the tree....




Mary before her "Thrill of Victory and Agony of Defeat" episode....



Terry shows proper form with the "ball fling" method. Fran shows us how to hold the ball in anticipation of her turn. She is READY!



The crowd goes "oooooohhhh!"



Steve shines a little light on the situation....



It's hard to see, but notice the "grrrrr" grin on Anna's face. So fierce! So ready to take on the Browns!



Robyn winds up.....




The crowd goes "ahhhhhhh!"




The crowd goes "hahahaha!" Lenny musta made one of his funny wisecracks!



Pay attention, A-Team! you're up next!

Fantastic Form!

What kind of throw is THAT?!















THIS is PERFECT form for throwing a bocce ball. Bill can place a ball anywhere he wants to. He and Ellen were champs last year, and I tell ya what, that Bill can put the ball right next to the polina....kissing the polina.....or he can knock your ball right off the court. VERY IMPORTANT! Take note of the beer bottle in Bill's left hand for balance.



Also note: Flip-flops have been designated the official footwear for the sport of bocce.

Tourney Runner Ups.....They Took Down the Roths! And Other Assorted Highlights....

These are the young ladies that did it, the unthinkable! They took the Roths "delle stelle dalle stalle".....from the stars to the stables. The crowd was stunned. The Annas were stunned! The "A" Team. Anna and Anna....we always knew they were bound for glory.



The Browns graciously share the spotlight with these worthy competitors



Anna M. shows us her style....hahaha....well, it works, Annie.....



Note the intensity on Anna C.'s face....



Never mind that two faces are cut in half in this photo, the excitement in Anna's "YES!" move, shows us her competitive drive!


I woke up Sunday morning with my hair all glumped together and matted to my head. Hmmmm.....well, this guy, this Lenny Korzon, he's the the ONE! Tossing beer on my head for making him and Deb play the Roths in the opening rounds. Hey, Buster!, I'm the Bocce Boss here...the Bocce Ballmeister. I also want to recognize Lenny for his hilarious wisecracks during the championship rounds.....hahaha. I do wonder, though, what the heck are Ellen and Deb up to back there?



Get Chris and Ellen to tell you the story of their A.C. Moore Painting Class.....hahaha! Those things in the foreground there, they used to be trees. These things are WAY more interesting than a "Tree, church, mountain" A. C. Moore painting.....you go! girls!!



OK, this is Mary....before her moment. Mary looks so calm and collected. It's deceiving. In a matter of 20 seconds Mary went from a "Thrill of Victory" leap and dance and hoopla, to an "agony of defeat" crumple and collapse to the ground. Mary, have you recovered yet?



This is Robyn taking charge with the measuring tape.....



This is Robyn doing her thing.....her silly, lively, spirited thing. Robyn leaps, she dances around the court, she hooplas.....


And so Robyn wins the "most animated" prize....it's a book of Italian phrases....dirty Italian phrases. We think she's the one who can make the most out of this material!



The Graffers are a little underwhelmed with their prize of Anchovy Paste.....which they won for coming in, I don't know, third or fourth or something like that....



Margaret, on the other hand, is overwhelmed with her Bocce Basement prize (though the Thorns did actually make the cut to the Championship Rounds don't forget) of chopped and sliced olives. Art seems to be pretty happy too. After their ignamonious start, they were expecting a half-used box of pasta.....


And last but not least is Mark. Oh man, Mark took the Italian Sayings Contest to very serious heights. He was spouting Italian all night long.....with vigor, with emotive body language. He was truly the champ of great and hilarious sayings....


Here, Mark is reciting some of the best of his many wonderful maxims. The one I can remember the best and laughed at the hardest....."My parsley is not so good.....and then the cat peed on it!" Oh goodness. Thatsa good one!! Thanks, Mark, for sharing your Italian knowledge with the rest of us. Forza!! (way to go!)


More photos yet to come.....