(–ed note: this blog post was actually crafted by the lovely Ryan Bailey, our Boston game manager! Props to Ryan for the detailed play-by-play.)
Seven p.m. on a nice breezy Tuesday night in Boston. The perfect time for a little barbeque, a walk by the Charles, or, for these thirty or forty adventurous souls, a takeover of Boston Common for an exciting game of Steal the Bacon.
Although most of the group were rookie bacon stealers, everyone quickly got the hang of the game. Some players chose to run their fastest and just go for it, while others were more strategic. We had some intense moments when two rivals would circle the pig, each waiting for the other to make his move (strangely reminiscent of Sumo Wrestling.) Other moments more closely paralleled a basketball game, such as when Tim from Schwartz played his aggressive defense - his hands and arms everywhere in order to keep his opponent back from the pig. It got really interesting when two from each team were called at once. Then teamwork developed and some interesting plays came about. Players passing the pig, dodging, and running in crazy circles drew the attention of many passers-by.
Game One was Mimoco versus Sonic Bids. These two teams were the brave guinea pigs (not pigs) in our first attempt at Steal the Bacon. The Mimoco players seemed a little daunted when they saw how far back they had to stand, and how much running would be involved! However they gained confidence when one of their own overtook Kimberly from Sonic Bids. The Mimoco player was chain smoking at the time but he didn’t let that slow him down. After that, Sonic Bids decided they had to step up their game and they finished strong: 13-6.
Game Two was Schwartz versus Shoebuy playing nine on nine. It was an extremely competitive game with the teams neck and neck the whole time. Schwartz brought some super strong players to the game, including many fast runners and their secret weapon, Andrew “Screech” Law. Ultimately they beat out Shoebuy by a hair. (*see blog title above) Final score was 12 to 11.
For Game Three we brought back up Sonic Bids and Mimoco and it wasn’t as much of a competition this time. Perhaps the Mimoco crew already had convenience store subs on the brain, or were dreading their late night return to the office. This paved the way to a smooth victory for Sonic Bids, who won the round 7 to 2.
Game Four was the rematch of two strong teams: Schwartz and Shoebuy. Again and again these two teams continued to tie it up until the score was 6 to 6. The final point was scored by Shoebuy! Looks like a tie breaker would be in order . ..
The two teams had a few moments to catch their breath during which Schwartz requested a re-pacing of the distance. After the distance was paced out again, in an extremely scientific manner, both teams agreed it was fair and the competition resumed as the sun set in the background. The last round was fast and furious, with players increasingly motivated by their desire to finish the game and move on to the bar. A couple of solid victories in a row for Shoebuy led to their triumph – they took the round 7 to 4.
We headed to McGreevey’s for a great wrapup to the night with drinks, food, and even a bunch of free appetizers. The manager, Don, and our waitress, Dana, were very attentive and the atmosphere was great too. Shoebuy and Sonic Bids may have brought home the bacon this time but everyone had fun and all are looking forward to the next one.
