Earning His Nickname

Dew Factor: 10

As the mist came down, play began at the 'Wam with quarterback Steve LaBossiere looking for Carter Labossier, literally, as he couldn't be found.  Dubbed "Gatherer" by Jay Burns (out, see below), play began with Gatherer refusing to come to the field, nearly hidden playing under a soccer goal.  While the reasons for the holdout were never clear, when he finally joined the game, he gathered in catches and yards, earning his nickname and the Square Toe honors for the week:

While the game opened with a slight mist, steady rain ensued for the remainder. Babby Strauss, usually weary of field damage during wet conditions, was oblivious and delirious as his Baltimore Orioles are now in first place -- and the Red Sox are not.

The Participants

Ten players toughed out the conditions and may had more fun than those who did not come:  Matt Corbett (taking out docks), Matt Higgins (business display at a wet Fryeburg Fair), Jay Burns (spousal support of his wife in a half-marathon event), Ted Burns (ditto, except filial, not spousal), Mark Soehren (exchanging game tapes with the Bangor coach in Waterville), Mike Brennan (golf), and Cam Letourneau (conjunctivas--couldn't see out of one eye).

Chris Easton, on hearing that Jay Burns would be watching his wife running a half marathon commented, "Well, he's got at least 2 free hours to play." Two hours and 5 minutes, to be exact.

Other questions:
-Would Mark Soehren have had as much interest driving to Waterville has his Vikings lost Saturday?
-How close was Mike Brennan to helecoptering a club in the wet playing conditions at Norway Country Club (either by mistake or on purpose)?
-If Cam Letrourneau had played, would he have been the first to play Wam with vision in only one eye?
-Was there any point during the morning when Matt Corbett wasn't thinking that he wished he was at the 'Wam?

Notes & Past Media (click here to see all photos):

Much was made about off-season preparation, but kudos to Chris Bryant for clearly spending some time in the gym.  Which Chris Bryant would you pick?

Week Two Participants

Who's going to pout more -- Jay Burns for dropping this pass, or Eli Soehren for not getting to play?

Week Three Participants

Might be a clip...

 

Square Toe Week Two

New Blood

Dew Factor: 9

Subs?

Opening day for the 39th season of 'Wam football saw enough players for subs -- something unheard of since the 90's.  Despite the absence of Chris Easton (holding out for a better contract), Sam Iggulden (holding onto a new baby) and Ted Tibbetts (holding a paddle on a river), an influx of new blood and the return of key veterans brought the player total to 19.

A Rookie Receives the Square Toe Award

Tasker Winslow aims a bit higher than previous winners:

The Participants:

Media:

'Wam Bowl 2011 Plays into Overtime

Dew Factor: 0 or 10 (depending on whether you think snow counts as dew)

For the first time in history, the 'Wam Bowl ended in a tie after regulation play.  The pressure was palpable as Team Young vs. Team Old headed into overtime:

Off-Season News & Notes

• A disgruntled Mark Soehren broke from the Poland Panther summer track program to create an Oxford Hills youth track program.  Publicly, the move was made to strengthen the feeder system for the high school track program.  However, sources indicate the program was secretly a 'Wam training session for certain members of the Paine, Soehren, LeBlond and Corbett families.
• Ted Burns has been running 20-minute 5k's over the summer after realizing the easiest way to excel at 'Wam is to simply be in shape.
• Matt Corbett is also attempting to show up in shape has been participating in an experimental osmotic method by hanging around high school football practices.
• Hank Burns has been improving his stamina wandering through the infield of the Windsor Fair race track in search of a winner's circle that was moved sometime between now and 1986, the last time he visited the winner's circle.
• Jay Burns, whose horse has been consistently stopping at the end of every race, will using various horse training techniques and drug therapies to improve his performance this year. Among those used on his horse that he may try on himself at the 'Wam: throat injections, spending a week in a field, 30cc's of vodka mainlined, blinders, tranquilizers and earplugs.