2004 Archive

Index

12/22/2004 The Yasser Arafat Reunion Tour
12/17/2004 Get Out and Vote
12/13/2004 Congrats to Blue and Doessel
12/09/2004 Vote Early and Vote Often
12/06/2004 Help Support Colorado Youth Rugby
12/03/2004 David Spilsted Featured on Channel 7
12/03/2004 Happy Birthday Eddie
12/02/2004 A Holiday Message from Mr. Matt Mains

11/19/2004 New Little Critter in The Animal Family
11/19/2004 Doessel to Miss Christmas Party
11/12/2004 2005 Fund Raiser
11/08/2004 AGM and Banquet
11/08/2004 Highlander Holiday Party
11/19/2004 It's a Boy (Tarr Family Expansion)

10/30/2004 Men in Black Thrash Boulder

2005 Archives
2006 Archives

The Yasser Arafat Reunion Tour
(and Highlanders Old Boys Party)

12/22/2004

It’s been too long. It’s HIGH time! It’s time for a reunion with your brothers. These are the guys that you bled with, fought for, and bent at the knee (scrummee lingo for you backs) with. Bring the Spousal Unit for a special gathering of your Highlander Old Boys. Presented by the “Men In Black” aka your newly formed Old Boys Liasons:

There’s going to be lots of action so don’t miss it.

Directions: Conveniently located in the barrio, a block and a half south of Auraria and the east end of the Colfax Viaduct (within 2 blocks of two different Light Rail Stations, for the vehically impaired). Five blocks west of Santa Fe. Phone 303-531-6712 if you get lost.

Get Out and Vote

12/17/2004
This year's Annual General Meeting has been scheduled to take place Thursday, January 20, 7:30 pm, at Denver Community Church, 1101 S. Washington St. (intersection of Washington and Mississippi). It is extremely important for all active members to attend and help us choose the club officials for 2005 (or lose any options to complain about them later).

Thanks to Reverend Frank for providing the facility.

Congrats to Blue and Doessel

12/13/2004
The ERRFU annual general meeting occurred on December 11th. At this meeting Geoff Blue was elected to serve a Union Vice President and Dave Doessel was named as Director of Colorado Youth Rugby. Way to represent guys - good job. Hey Blue, does this mean our schedule won't be so f**ked up this year?

Vote Early and Vote Often

12/09/2004
For those of you that don't already know - The Old Hole is in a race to be voted the best sports bar in Denver. Please go to the following link and login and vote for the Old Hole as your favorite bar. The competition is Choppers, Jackson's Downtown, Sports Column, and Brooklyn's. You can vote once every day until the competition is over. I suggest leaving this email as unread every morning when you get to work as a reminder to vote. Also everytime you vote, you get a chance to win Nuggets tickets. Thank you for your support. VOTE NOW

On another note- The Old Hole is having a customer appreciation on Saturday the 18th from 6-8 pm. This will include free appetizers and free wine, well, and draft domestic drinks YES I SAID FREE- from 6pm to 8pm- I expect to see the entire Highlander community down there. Cheers-

Help Support Colorado Youth Rugby

12/06/2004
Do you like a good cup of coffee? Think high school rugby is a cause that is worthy of a few bucks of your financial support? Then why don't you go buy a bag of java and help Doessel's SWARM high school ruggers get to the High School International Invitational Tournament in Fullerton, CA this spring at the same time? Order some tasty gourmet coffee beans from the SWARM at $10/pound or $13/pound for decaf. Coffee makes a great gift too. They should be getting their own link added to the Earth Friendly Coffee website any day now, but feel free to contact the SWARM team mom, Judy Estes, if you are interested in ordering some coffee now. Just make sure you don't accidentally hit one of the green slime's fundraiser links on the Earth Friendly website by mistake.

David Spilsted Featured on Channel 7

12/03/2004
Highlander David Spilsted has been recognized on Channel 7 as an "Everyday Hero" for his fundraising efforts on behalf of the Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Colorado. I'd post the text of the story here but that would be stealing. Please feel free to read it for yourself over on Channel 7's website tough.

Well done Spilo. As Chris Sykes so aptly phrased it, "It was great to see someone associated with rugby on the news who was not wearing an orange jumpsuit."

Happy Birthday Eddie

12/03/2004
Today would have been Ed "Chief" Kaestner's 50th birthday. You are not forgotten big fella, we miss you down here.

A Holiday Message from Mr. Matt Mains

12/02/2004
So in celebration of the Holidays I propose that we go to the Hole and have a few beers. The Highlanders should get together more in the off-season and think it would be a good idea if everyone, players and old boys, tried to make it out to the Hole on Thursdays for a beer or two. I’ll be down there at 8:00 tonight assuming someone else plans on being down there. So send out an email if you are going to make it out to the Hole tonight. After all it’s too cold outside not to be drinking.

New Little Critter in The Animal Family

11/19/2004
Congratulations to Tom "Animal" Sitzman and his wife Sheila. The are the proud owners of another boy, Walker Louis, born November 18th. He came in at 20 inches, 8.5 pounds, just in time for Thanksgiving and poor Sheila now has 3 boys and one Animal to contend with.

For those who haven't had the pleasure, Tom is one of the old boys and truly earned his nickname by being one of the hardest hitting mother f------ I've ever seen and he's fun to drink with as long as you maintain a 5 foot radius from him at all times.

Congrats again Tom and Sheila

Doessel to Miss Christmas Party

11/19/2004
Legendary Highlander back rower and former captain Dave Doessel regrets he will not be able to attend the club's Christmas party at the Old Hole this Saturday. He will be over at the Lakewood Country Club getting a well deserved induction into the ERRFU Hall of Fame instead. The rest of you have no excuses. Oh, congratulations Dave. Well done!

2005 Fund Raiser

11/12/2004
O.K. folks,

A little upper division math for your morning.

(3) old boys have contributed $25/ month x 12 mos. = $900

(3) old boys have contributed $10/ month x 12 mos. = $360

(1) old boy (me) just signed for $10/month =$120

That brings this drive to $1,380

That means that if one more person opts for $10/month we’ve added an even $1,500.00 to the coffers over the next year. If you’re on the fence on this, take the plunge and you’ll be the one that made it happen.

Thanks,
Dave Gremaux

AGM and Banquet

11/08/2004
Players, Friends, and Fans,

This year's "Christmas" party will be at the Hole on Saturday November 20. The info is below. Please come out, drink some beers, eat some food and meet the team.

The end of season banquet is going to be moved to the end of the spring season. The reason for this is that the official season now runs from September through playoffs in the spring. It makes more sense to host a banquet with awards at that time -- the awards should be for one season, not a half of two separate seasons. Therefore, this winter you will be invited to this Christmas party and the AGM in January.

So please make it to the Hole if you can. This is the one club party we are going to have this winter.

Thanks,
Geoff Blue

Highlander Holiday Party

11/08/2004
Come One, Come All - Cash Bar, Appetizers Provided, Family and Friends invited to Join!
When: 7:00PM Saturday, November 20, 2004
Where: The Old Hole (like where else??)

It's a Boy

11/08/2004 - Congrats to Heather and Craig Tarr who are now parents for the 3rd time.
Craig was even able to put the stem on the apple this time with a healthy baby boy joining his 2 daughters for what is going to be a very busy home. Mom and baby are doing well and looking forward to coming home soon.

Men in Black Thrash Boulder

10/30/2004
The weather was perfect, sunny and a slight breeze. When the whistle blew, Highlanders received the ball. The early going was intense from both sides, being blown up often for penalties. Lineouts were a strength for us and a weakness for Boulder. Chooch through wonderfully in his game, hitting Lou and whoever else he decided to throw to. Highlanders had a penalty inside the Boulder half, won the lineout and passed out to the backs. Shane, having a great game, spotted a hole behind the strong side wing, popped it over and Phil Geigle and Herr B, that's right Herr B, were on the scene. Phil captures the bouncing pill and drives to about 10 meters out. Scott is there to secure and the boys arrive to set up a ruck. A few pick and drives from the forwards got us to within 3 meters and then Clinton picks up the ball and drives 3 Boulder would be tacklers back into the try zone and places the ball down. Good Guys on top! On the ensuing kickoff, Boulder had staunch defense and after a long midfield struggle, Boulder starts on the attack. Now was the time for the men in black to stand tall. Boulder gets a 5 meter scrum, Tim Guerra spoils the opposing halfback magnificently and Boulder is pinged with hands in. AWESOME. After 10 minutes of see saw play, Boulder gets in the corner and converts. 5 - 7. Play resumes and Brad Nelson converts a penalty, 8 - 7. Highlanders drive again and Scott B gets in under the posts, don't call it a come back, he's been here for years. 15 - 7 as time runs out in the half. 2nd half - Kickoff to Boulder, struggle in the midfield. Highlanders have the ball and start driving. Great rucking and ball retention see the ball pass from Timmy out to the backs. Low and behold, Zilla is out there! The big man is in, 20 - 7. Play on, Geigle is in, 27 - 7! Boulder in for one, 27 - 12. Restart stolen by Cody, great running and Shano gets in after a tremendous run, 32 - 12. Boulder scores twice, d'oh!!! 32 - 24. Surprise, surprise - Zilla gets another! The man was/is an animal, 39 - 24. Highlanders keep the pressure on and in the final minutes of the game Lou gets in the corner and puts the ball down for 5. Final score, Highlanders 44 - Boulder 24.

A great performance from the entire team, it was a treat to see everyone playing at the level they played. Scrums were tight, lineouts were great. Backs ran straight and hard. I would like to list all the great players, but it was a team effort and all who played had a great contribution to this victory. Hats off to all, you played perfectly!!!