Gentlemen:

Congratulations to all of you for completing your 25th year of competition and camaraderie.  I take great pleasure in watching the thirteen of you battle back and forth, both with your pens and your baseball management skills, and seeing the strong bonds of friendship that exist among you.  Some one of you may have said this before, but in thinking of your group, I always think of the words of Shakespeare in his St. Crispen's Day Speech which he wrote in 1599.  Although the speech is a work of fiction, it is evocative of the spirit with which Henry V--and all strong medieval kings (which is how I like to think of all of you)--ruled through the strength of their convictions and by force of their personality:

We few, we happy few, we band of brothers.

I also wanted to share with you something that I wrote for my boss, Dave Ernst, and presented to him on Boss's Day, October 16th.  Click on the song title below to hear the song (sung to the tune of My Country 'Tis of Thee).  In case you can't quite understand some of the words, below is the poem. 

ODE TO THE BOSS

We think our boss is great;

We could not tolerate

Any other boss.

And when we're tired and sick

He doesn't nag or pick

Or beat us with a stick.

He's a real great boss.

Time off, he lets us take.

Says it's for his own sake.

Thank you very much.

And when mistakes are made,

He doesn't rant or rave.

That's why we love our Dave.

He's a real soft touch.  He's a real soft touch.

Maybe you think we're dumb.

Maybe we think you're scum.

Call a spade a spade.

We would elect him,

Serve and protect him,

Love and respect him,

Long as we get paid.  Long as we get paid.

Let us reiterate,

We think our boss is great.

And you would, too.

We'll never leave our Dave

Until that fateful day

Big Brother says that it's okay,

When we're sixty-two.  When we're sixty-two.

Must put an end to this,

Though it is truly bliss

Singing his praise.

No matter where he goes,

We both will love him so.

Dave, you're our hero.

Well, at least most days. 

Well, at least most days.

Good luck to all of you next year.  May you have a peaceful and rejuvenating winter so that you can all come back at next year's Draft refreshed and ready for another summer of box scores and baseball.  Stay well.

Linda