Where is Chevy? 

Chevy took the family on a European tour rumor has it that he has been scouted by the Venice SouthSide Serpents to play in the European league. There was some heavy scouting and contract negotiations (Similar to the Lionel Messi Maimi deal). 

Some interesting useless facts- A gondola costs $200,000 Euros (yep just for the boat) there is only one builder of gondolas and located in Venice. A new license to operate a gondola $300,000 Euros; most gondolas are passed down through generations of family members. Italian mafia at its best! 

While in Venice –  Chevy ran into Snowpants working as a gondola driver.  You could hear him belting O Sole Mio down the canals of Venice!

Additional scouting occurred with the Greek team –  Mykonos Vagenas but apparently Venus and Aphrodite below created too many distractions and Miss Chevy stymied the Greek deal.

After meeting  Venus and Aphrodite additional rumors is that Chevy signed an endorsement/ sponsorship contract with Play Airlines

As it stands right now, Chevy’s bags are packed and unless the Tomcats come back with a sweet counter offer you may not be seeing Chevy on the first night of ball hockey.

Their motto was the clear reason why he signed the deal. 

Since asked, Rocky is sharing his whereabouts this summer off-season. Ahead of the season start, Rocky and his family headed west to take in the sights and sounds of San Francisco.

While on this trip, Rocky also scoped out potential venues for a Tomcat West Coast Charity Tour event. The recreation yard of Alcatraz Penitentiary has potential for such an event. The Coliseum in LA was already on the list, along with the flight deck of the USS Midway in San Diego. Stay tuned for more details.

Footnote: I wondered what it would be like for one of the longest-running Tomcats not to be playing this year, so I asked him.

We met at Stevo’s home in Beautiful Essex Ontario, he asked me to join him in his hot tub, so I said ’sure’.

Question: So what is it like not getting ready to play this year

Answer: Mid way through last year, I knew I could not play this year, I was 5 steps behind everyone, (more like 10) I had it in my mind I was going to be done and knowing what I know about my play last year, I am able to accept that fact, so not getting ready for the upcoming season, means morer BBQ’s, Golf and twisted teas.

Q: Is there one thing you will miss?

A: I think the first night seeing everyone, the magic that occurs on stage when guys walk on and smile and shake hands or hug. I will miss that, I know I will.

Q: What will you do with yourself on Tuesdays?

A: There is a bar here in town and they do country line dancing, It costs $10 a class, I may sign up for that. (He says smiling)

Q: How is your knee feeling?

A: I have good days, with Tiger Balm and Volteren and CBD Oil and it helps, other days it is fine on its own and then of course on other days, I can’t even make a turn when I get up off the couch.

Q: What do you think of this years format where you and 3 other retired Tomcats will be selecting the teams?

A: Wow, what a great idea and what a great way to get the alumni involved. I am looking forward to it.

Q: Is there one thing you will miss the most about Tuesday nights on stage?

A: Hmmm, let’s see, yes, you know, while having beers on stage, after hockey, I will miss tossing beer caps into Bullwinkle’s gym bag when he is not looking.

Q: Is there anything you want to say to the boys, who might read this blog?

A: I am not falling off the face of the earth, I hope to stop in on a Tuesday here and there to say hi and have a beverage. I will miss the camaraderie ….I love those guys, 30 best friends, right there wearing their Tomcat swag.

I asked if I could come back and talk to him midway through the season and get a further perspective and he agreed, in the meantime, he wanted to leave the boys a poem that he came across by an author, by the name of Charles Bukowski. “Tomcats are magic” Stevo told me, as he read me the poem called Nirvana.

Nirvana

not much chance,

completely cut loose from

purpose,

he was a young man

riding a bus

through North Carolina

on the way to somewhere

and it began to snow

and the bus stopped

at a little cafe

in the hills

and the passengers

entered.

he sat at the counter

with the others,

he ordered and the

food arived.

the meal was

particularly

good

and the

coffee.

the waitress was

unlike the women

he had

known.

she was unaffected,

there was a natural

humor which came

from her.

the fry cook said

crazy things.

the dishwasher.

in back,

laughed, a good

clean

pleasant

laugh.

the young man watched

the snow through the

windows.

he wanted to stay

in that cafe

forever.

the curious feeling

swam through him

that everything

was

beautiful

there,

that it would always

stay beautiful

there.

then the bus driver

told the passengers

that it was time

to board.

the young man

thought, I’ll just sit

here, I’ll just stay

here.

but then

he rose and followed

the others into the

bus.

he found his seat

and looked at the cafe

through the bus

window.

then the bus moved

off, down a curve,

downward, out of

the hills.

the young man

looked straight

foreward.

he heard the other

passengers

speaking

of other things,

or they were

reading

or

attempting to

sleep.

they had not

noticed

the

magic.

the young man

put his head to

one side,

closed his

eyes,

pretended to

sleep.

there was nothing

else to do—

just to listen to the

sound of the

engine,

the sound of the

tires

in the

snow.

Is it me, or is Sunny not the handsomest Tomcat?

Thanks for reading, I’m Ophelia Butts.

I leave you with a funny…..

Happy August Tomcat Nation. Get out and enjoy the final official month of summer. Before you know it, we will be back at the Kapusta. Expect and email shortly confirming your commitment for the 2023-2024 season. Below are some details to remember:

– Season starts Tuesday September 12th and every Tuesday thereafter. 6:30pm start

-$55 to start, $5 per night after $55 is paid.

– The hall is asking for money at the start of the fall instead at the end of the year. As such, we will need everyone to do their best to have the $55 on or by the first night of hockey.

– look for special games and events throughout the season

– Tournament in February per usual, with new format and instead of captains, 4 retired Tomcats will select teams and serve as Coaches to their team.

Please respond to email as soon as possible so we can confirm numbers and make sure we are ready to start the season

Also, we will ask for volunteers to do a pre-season clean up and hopefully get some different faces contributing this time. Let’s all do our part!

Finally, send in photos of your travels and adventures this off season. We love to see Tomcats in Tomcat gear (preferably) in interesting places.