Significant Relationships Through EF?MF

[Tudorian]

Comrads:

I am fascinated by the kinship, comradery, and good will that EF/MF builds?

Name some of the most significant relationships you have built through playing the sport of EF/MF.

I'll start the ball rolling.

1) Jim Javore, Head Coach, NYEFL 2-time Champion Bronx Chicago Bears
2) Wally Jabs, BAM
3) Hurricane and Dolphinatic Johnnie Thomas, NYEFL

Just to name a few.

Your turn.

Carpe Diem,
Paul L. Gardner

P.S. - If there's not a point on the ball, what's the point to the game.
If there's not a buzz sound coming from your home or garage on any given Saturday or Sunday, then you are not having fun.

[NATIONAL]

I would have to say just about everyone I have met thru the years. And that's the truth!

But Ed Scott & Ty Ware are probably closer to me than most.

Nat'l

[TVsCHACHI]

I've met so many solid fellows in this hobby, mostly by way of this awesome site. When I met them in person it was like we'd known each other for years. I cannot wait for the convention to see familiar faces and meet a few new ones. This hobby has been the bridge to substantial connections money can't buy. We are united by our healthy obsession, and the fact that at the end of the day, we're nerds...

and Nerds Rock!

[PraiseDaddy]

NERDS ROCK!!! INDEED

[RavennaAl]

It was the summer of '74 that I met Jim Jones. My sister and his wife worked together and she invited my sister over for dinner. My sis didn't want to go alone, so she asked my brother, but he couldn't go, so she asked me as a last resort. Anyways, we went over to their house for dinner. Afterwards, the girls went into one room, while Jim and I went into the other room and started talking. He asked if I had ever played EF before. I said sure, I had one of those games a few years before, but like everyone else, gave up on it. He brought out his teams and I was floored. He had painted them - Redskins and Broncos, he was a much better painter than I am so you can imagine how they looked - and then proceded to demonstrate a few plays. When he turned the board on, I was absolutely stunned that the players actually ran where they were supposed to go, instead of turning around in circles. I was hooked.

A few days later we went to the store and I bought a 620 game and a 500 set, just for the extra players, threw the small board away. :o He then helped me paint my first real team, a set of 1969 Rams that took all of 2 whole days to do. I later started painting on my own and adding teams.

What started off as just a couple of guys getting together and playing grew into a great friendship. His wife, Aurora, was from the Phillapines and had a heavy accent. Sometimes I could'nt understand her very well, and vice versa. I'll never forget the time I was making jokes with the girl that lived next to them when Aurora started commenting, not understanding that I was only kidding around. I jokingly called her a 'killjoy'. She didn't knbow what that meant, but the next day Jim came over and said that Aurora was crying because I had called her an awful name and wanted to know what it was that I had said. I explained to him the circumstances and he laughed, realizing that Aurora had mistaken everything because of the "language barrier".

Another time I'll never forget was a night that we all went to a drive-in movie. On the way back, Aurora was talking to me. "Cheep. (My nickname is Chip, but she always pronounced it Cheep) You know what I don't like about American drivers?...Jim, get around this guy.... They are always driving in one lane and then the other....Jim, get back over, go around him.... They are never satisfied being in one lane they...Jim, I said get around this guy. Change lanes....They are always in one lane then the other and...JIM, get back ..GO, GO, GO!! ...What's so funny?" I was laughing my head off in the back seat because Aurora was telling Jim to drive exactly how she hated American drivers to drive.

At any rate, we were best friends for close to 20 years, but moving away to Michigan, combined with Aurora passing away, we haven't seen each other in a long time. I still talk to him once in awhile and have asked him to join the chat board, but he has a new life and wife in Mexico. I miss going over to their house for dinners and working on his car, going to the park and playing real football with other guys, going to the ocean together, movies and even moving their furniture around, which seems like is what we did every time I went over to their house. I wouldn't have any of those memories if it wasn't for EF.

[Silverhorse 228]

Everyone on this forum I consider to be my brother and friend. We all share a very unique past time, which gives us all a common ground for fellowship and friendship...but without this hobby I would not have got to create some very close friendships that I truely cherish more than the game itself...some guys I would like to mention...

Lynn Schmidt-Lynn has become one of my closest friends and he has become more than just someone to share the hobby with...he is like a brother to me. I have called him on bad days about personal family issues and he has given me great advice. We have spirited debates about politics and he truely respects my opinions and beliefs. He has rose to the top of my "list" mostly because he is someone I can count on. If we had more Weirdwolfs in the world, this world would be a better place.

Al Dunham-Al has also become a great friend. He is the "quirky" brother I never had. The thing about Al I enjoy the most is his friendlyness, his understanding and let's face it...this guy has an imagination! He is a kid at heart...just like me and he always looks to the positive aspects of things...he picks people up. The next time you see Al remember...this guy washes cats every Sunday night...hide your pets!

Tim Young-Without miniture football I never would have met this guy. Nobody knows much about Tim on this forum...he is still new to the hobby, but let me shed some light on who this guy is. Tim is a never give up, kind of person. He has struggled winning games in our league, but still he comes to play. Winning is not his goal...it is just having fun. I have never seen anything like it. When your average guy would have given up, Tim just keeps playing and he is getting better. The problem for all of us is that he is figuring this game out and it will not be long before he will not only starting winning games, but our league and then the major tourneys. Tim also is just a great guy to be around and we share many things including our firm christian beliefs...love for football and "cracking plastic".

Matt Wavra-I met Matt at the South Bend Miggle Convention and we have been best friends ever since. Matt and I get along so well that sometimes it is a bit scary. Together we formed the Hoosier Heartland EFL and we have enjoyed some great MF moments through the years. But we have also became great friends, as I have got to know his wife and now I get to sit back and watch his daughter grow up, just as he watched mine. Matt's skills as a MF coach have also always been solid and has always been how I measured my skills. Matt has made me a better MF coach and a better person and for that I am a richer man for it.

Corey Johnson-Well Mr. National is just that Mr. National. Although we don't get together enough, there is something infectious about Corey's personality that makes him something special. Corey is that guy that always has your back and as many of you know...he just loves this hobby. I am really looking forward to this up coming convention...but I am really looking forward to hanging with Corey at the tailgating party...BONUS-BONUS!

Will Travers-What can I say about Will...he is a Mustang guy like me. Sometimes I wish I lived on the east coast, so we could go to car shows together, but we can't...but I still enjoy our phone call conversations. What can I say about Will...he is fun to be around...he treats everyone with the upmost respect and is a guy you can count on. He went through a very difficult time two years ago and is a committed family man...he has qualities that I hope someday to have...that sturdyness through a storm kind of quality. Can't wait to hang with him at the registration booth during the MFCA convention.

I can't go on all day,so one more...

Joe Allore-This past season I got to know Joe Allore and I was truely blessed to get to know him and his family better. He is a great competitor, a great MFer and has a great talent as a coach. But with that put aside...he is a great human being. You don't have to be around this guy to long to notice his kindness and great spirit. I hope we can get together more in the future...now that you know where I live I promise it won't take you 6 hours to get to my house...JUST DON'T LET JIMBO BE IN CHARGE OF THE MAP! Joe Allore is on my "list" and always will be.

Here is some more of great friends I have made through MF...
THE LANDSMANS
John DiCarlo
Ray Fanera
Jim Jackson
Frank Johnson
Greg Harmon
John Martin
Mark Francis
Robert Slate
Ed Koche
Ron Christianson
Edgar Downs
Jim Davis
Jimbo Dunagan
Don Smith
John Merida
Chris Fields
Jeff Priest
Dwayne Jennings
Anthony Burgess
Mike Robinson
Sergei Chernetsky
Dave Campbell
Jeff Eby
George Diamond
Mike Guttman
Reggie Rutledge
Norbert Revels
Beenutt
Steve Martin
Kelvin Lomax
Jerry McGahee
Mike Turner
Cleon Tate
Dave Haydel

New...new friends
Scott Hooper
Don Lang
Joe Greco
Andre Cogdell
Leonard Crawford
John Stamm
Ed Scott
Butch Carter
Joel Pritchard
Will Shropshire

[styx]

I CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT EVERYONE I HAVE MET IN THE EF/MF FREE SPEAKING WORLD IS MY FRIEND, EVERONE HAS BEEN SO KIND / MY HAT REALLY GOES TO THE PLAYERS IN THE GLEFL AND THE MOMFL FOR BEING FREE SPIRITS AND SUCH LOVERS OF THE HOBBY AND FOR SHARING SO MUCH KNOWLEDGE TO ANYONE THAT SHOWED A BIT OF INTEREST,HERES TO NAME A FEW.

KEN ALLEN
TONY JOHNSON
STEVE MARTIN
GREG HARDMON
CHUCK LAWRENCE
CHUCK PITCHFORD
THE GREAT NORBERT REVELS
FRANK JACOBS
DEWAYNE THE INVENTOR JENNINGS
CHRIS PICASSO FIELDS
AND AJ JUICE JOHNSON GOD BLESS EM ALL