The start of any new season is always a mixed bag. We get to meet new people and welcome new teams, but we also say goodbye (or, most often, see you later) to some teams that have been around for a while. I've learned over the years not to sweat the comings and goings. Teams have their reasons. Sometimes (as with last season), we have more teams that are joining than those who are departing. This season, the numbers are about even, with probably a couple more leaving than joining. To cut down on the shock of things, I have one of my scorekeepers text everybody to tell them when their first game is. That helps, but there are always--ALWAYS!--teams that wait until Sunday to send me the dreaded text.

"Tom, I'm sorry, I had seven guys signed up to play, but they're bailing on me. They don't want to (or can't) pay, so just drop us from the League." This happened FOUR TIMES last Sunday. They think it's no big deal, but I have to pay everybody who is working, pay for the courts, pay the insurance, AND give the team that showed up a make-up game. It gets frustrating and expensive.

I'm always interested as to why teams skip a season. Sometimes it's guys going off to college or moving away for other reasons. Sometimes it's because of an injury. Other times, it's like what Mos Def said in "The Italian Job": "I had a bad experience." Generally, this time of year, the mean, mode, and median reason for not playing is that guys want to drink beer and watch football all day Sunday. That's America, I guess.

My ADHD is raging. I wrote this Wednesday night and then neglected to post it. Sorry.