Monday Blues...

Okay, Monday was bad. Despite the fact it was Founders Day, and a half day. Why?? Because it just so happened our semi-final with ACSI was on the same day, in the afternoon, effectively neutralizing the extra time of the half day, since we all had to report back by 3 for the match.

Founder's Day, well, wasn't different from any other Founder's Day. The usual handing out of prizes, timing of how long Mr. Lui's speech would take this year (12 minutes 31 seconds). I liked last year's Guest Of Honour better. Unlike this one, he was a real average Joe, like 99.9% of the school's population, not like the overachiever this one sounded like. Chess captain AND marathon runner and numerous other notable achievements. Yes, the waves of jealousy and hate are just radiating off me aren't they?? Oh come on, doesn't everyone feel a little tug of envy when they see someone like that??

Shen Shin accidentally let loose that Sam wouldn't be getting a trophy for the fencing competition, not knowing that it was something which the fencing team intended to keep quiet about until a later date, to save him some anguish. He wasn't exactly in a mood to speak after that, so trying to count all the guys on the first floor became my only pastime for the rest of the celebrations.

While I did manage to rush back home by 1, all I managed to save was an hour and a half from the very inconvenient match fixture, which was partially to blame me forgetting the time and nearly arriving late for the match briefing.

Which threw the biggest shock at me yet.

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Coach : Micro, today, you start as prop.
Me :????
Coach : Come on lah, don't look so blur today...
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Very bad time for my signature blank look to come out. Despite having played in every match this year except on, I'd been longing for a start all season after falling from the starting lineup this year, but now wasn't a prime time to get it back. ACSI were on a roll, not having lost a single match this season yet, and they didn't intend to break the habit.

We conceded the first try in the first minute, but we made a spirited comeback, pushing them all the way back far enough to look like we might actually score. Our forwards flung themselves at the ACSI defense line, trying to take advantage of our heavier players. A couple more runs by Luohan and me had us 10 meters from the try line. Then someone conceded a penalty. We pretty much lost it from then on.

They just ran through us time and again, and I lost count of how many tries they scored. We lost 83-0. I have never seen SJI lose that badly, to anyone in my four years here. Its a terrible feeling, even worse since I played the full match. We can blame it on 4 to 5 starting players, captain included, not being able to play, but it still sucked.

Annoying thing was, they didn't trash talk or play dirty like they had two years ago. That gave me the will to drag a couple of them for a high velocity sand bath in the drier parts of the field. That hurts like a bitch, just ask Tim Foo. They actually were decently behaved and polite, or at least tried to be. While rugby is supposed to be a rough game, I refuse to try anything dodgy unless the opposition does it first. A stupid moral to stick by?? I don't know, I just don't want to hurt another rule abiding guy like me too much.

Sigh, Monday blues....