Day 1

Tonight we went in search of the perfect New York style pizza. Considering we're in New York, that wasn't hard to do.

Still, the bitching while we were walking to a little place Lacy and I discovered last July was unrelenting.

"Are we there yet?"

"How far is this place?"

"Are we in New Jersey yet?" Seriously, Carolyn Reidy showed more maturity than the three guys I was leading.

We finally arrived. Lacy was in heaven. He looked for his reflection in the grease accumulating on the top of the pizza on display and smiled, so I assume he saw himself.

Lacy, Iggy, Steve and I ate. I walked back once and asked if I could have some pizza with my grease.

We have walked back, and there are rumors of a possible poker game next.

The Bourques have arrived but are a no show so far.

See you tomorrow with the first full day's convention report. I can promise, we'll be climbing no mountains.

Day 2

The Bourques and Carlocks arrived very late Thursday or early Friday. The only person missing is Mr. Taylor, who will arrive very early Saturday morning.

Lacy has been feeling ill, so he slept in most of today. Then, we headed off in different directions. The Carlocks did a lot of walking around the city, including a nice stroll through Central Park. The Reidys took 5-year-old Carolyn to the Natural History Museum, where she had a great time wrestling some dinosaurs.

The Bourques proudly showed off their 8-month old twins. Will seems very happy, but Kate had the good sense to frown when she saw me coming.

Then, the Bourques went out for a family lunch. With Lacy sleeping in bed, trying to get healthy, Katz, Iggy and I went for lunch, then headed over to the Museum of Modern Art. We met up with the Bourques there. Will and Kate were silent on what they thought of Picaso, Van Gough and Monet's water lillies.

I was upset. We paid full fare, but the MoMA is under construction and a good part of their exhibit is closed down. The painting I most wanted to see, Van Gough's Starry Nights, is on loan to the Chicago Art Institute. So, I felt a little cheated.

We head back to the hotel and relax for a bit before the game. At about 5:30, we leave the hotel for Yankee Stadium in a stretch limo. No, we haven't lost our minds, and yes, even the frugal, penny-pinching Wit Tuttell and Steve Katz agreed. We were charged $5 a person for the limo ride and were dropped off right outside the stadium.

What a deal. We even took the limo back to the hotel.

For many of us it was our first trip to Yankee Stadium. Quite an experience. The pitching matchup was El Duque vs. Pedro Martinez. But, El Duque was rocked early and gave up a 2-0 lead. Then, Pedro lost it and was pulled. The Yankees won 3-2, but no runs were scored after the second inning.

After getting back to the hotel a little poker game ensued. To absolutely no one's surprise, Donny Carlock was the big winner. I may have broken even, winning the last hand, but I was probably down. Everyone else lost big as once again Mr. Carlock looks to finance his TFL convention expenses at the gambling tables.

Everyone is now off to bed. The plan is to play annual touch classic football game starting at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow, (meaning, we start gathering then, and maybe the first snap will happen by 1 p.m.)

Then, everyone is off on their own to do some sightseeing while Scotty and I get the draft suite set up. This year we will have two video cameras to record the action.

All owners who are not going to be in New York should send Steve a T-mail with your vote on expansion by 7 p.m. (EDT).

The draft is going to begin promptly at 8 p.m. EDT. Make sure you are online, or have made other arrangements or you may just end up with Joe Germaine as your starting QB.

Also, the three owners who have not paid their dues need to contact Steve and assure him he will have it by Wednesday. Otherwise, we need to get replacement owners who can take over someone else's team.

See you all tomorrow.

Day 3

Saturday began with the annual touch classic. We started gathering at 10:30 a.m. and eventually walked over to Central Park. The park is huge, but finding a place to play is harder than you might think. Lots of hills, paths, and fenced off areas with signs that say no sports, relaxing activities only.

Finally, we ran into one of the park's workers, and he directed us to a small place to play. He so liked the idea of the game, that he offered his services to the highest bidder. So, your faithful reporter was told to sit his butt down and play cameraman so the two teams could be equal in strength, instead of one of them being forced to carry me.

I accepted my role. But, my replacement proved to be no Red Grange. In fact, he dropped sure TD passes and blamed it on everything other than his own stone hands.

Because of the small field, it was the lowest-scoring touch classic in convention history. On one side was Donny Carlock, Chris Reidy, Steve Katz and Mike Taylor. On the other was Scott "One Hand" Lacy, Wit Tuttell, Michael Bourque and Will Stonehands.

Neither team could score, but Taylor came close. He was touched at the one on a long bomb. The next play was fourth down, and they went for the score. Lacy knocked down the quick slant pass to preserve the scoreless tie.

Finally, Will took his Stone Hands back to his job and the others begged for your faithful reporter to once again come off the bench and lead them to victory.

I joined the Lacy-Bourque-Tuttell team. Defense was still dominant. The field was may 20 yards wide and only 35 deep. There was a huge spot of dirt right in the middle that had everyone slipping.

With little space to get open, there were nothing but incomplete passes.

Finally, we decided on one more series for each team, because we had things to get done that day.

The Lacy-Tuttell-Bourque-Sain team went first. The strategy was to get three complete passes and get the first down, then go for the end zone. We completed two of the first three, but the fourth-down pass fell incomplete.

The Taylor-Katz-Reidy-Carlock team took over. They completed their first pass. But the next two fell incomplete.

This was it. Down to one play. They had to go for the end zone to get the victory. The other team had to stop them to preserve the scoreless tie.

Reidy went back to pass and tossed toward the endzone. Bourque and Carlock went up for the ball, and Bourque came down with it. Carlock fell behind him so he had little chance at touching Mike.

Iggy gave a quick block on Mike Taylor, and then told Bourque to follow him. I turned and blocked Katz, taking him out of the play.

All that stood between Bourque and the end zone was Chris Reidy. Well, Reidy, Lacy, Tuttell and Sain.

"I looked up and saw Mike coming, but I also saw three lead blockers in front of him," Reidy said.

Lacy pancaked Reidy, broken knees and all, and Bourque marched in for the first score of the day, on the last play of the day.

So once again I come off the bench and provide the key block that led to the victory.

Next year let's see if Will Bourque (age will be 1 year, 7 months) will be asked to stand in for me!

After that we walked back. The Bourque family headed off to the Central Park zoo, which they recommend. Others went to lunch, some went shopping.

Lacy and I head over to the Marriott Marquis to get draft central set up. Our room was on the 45th floor (the top) and the hotel was right in the middle of Times Square.

We had a special designer draft board printed which blew away all previous draft boards. The room was great and many kudos go to Michele for saving our butt on this one.

Everyone gathered. The online owners were actually more punctual than those in New York City.

Before the vote on expansion, Mike Taylor offered a few comments why owners should vote against. Then, the vote. As you know, it was 10-4 in favor of expansion. Commissioner Steve Katz formed an expansion committee to set up the criteria and timetable to be used in picking the expansion teams.

They are: Scott Lacy, Michael Bourque and Don Carlock.

Mike Taylor wanted a document read into the record about Charlie Coggins and the Sarasota Sharks.

The draft begins. For those of you not in attendance, it was a pain. At points, some of us were updating the web site, then crossing names off our own lists, then running up to the board to put the name up there. It was very frustrating.

Add to that, there were problems with the web site. Names that we knew were there, were not showing up on our screen.

Lacy and I were as frustrated as we've ever been and had very little fun at an event we look forward to for a long time.

Lacy was also angry because I was leaving early. My friend Jorge showed up a little after midnight and we were going clubbing. I made my 10th-round pick, then left. He had to do everything the final two rounds.

After the draft ended, the owners remaining had a long, philosophical discussion on what the TFL is about, and what it should be about. There were some harsh words.

Some complained about owners who don't seem to be involved and treat this as nothing more than a way to make money. Others complained about owners, past and present, who don't keep up with their roster and start players on their bye weeks and/or who have broken legs.

Lacy got to clear his chest about the massive amount of work and effort some put into this league while others pretty much give nothing back and seem not to appreciate it.

It was good soul searching for all of us, especially as we try to decide what we want from the two expansion owners.

You are aware of the lineup problems. Scott Lacy didn't get to sleep until 7 a.m. trying to fix it. He's very frustrated right now.

But, overall, the convention is going very well. Seems like everyone is having a good time and New York is a great spot to be in.

Good luck with your games today.

Day 4

The lines are blurred as to when Saturday ended, and Sunday began. Somehow, we managed to wake by 11 a.m. and think about the day's games and the best place to watch.

The ESPNZone restaurant wanted a minimum $30 per person cover charge. Uh, no thanks.

After Scotty did some calling around, he discovered Runyons on 2nd Avenue. We headed over there and for the first hour had the second floor of the place to ourselves. They had DirectTV, and the entire NFL package. Food didn't poison us, so it was a great place to watch the games.

The only downside: The tables were about two feet off the floor. None of us could figure out the logic behind such tables, unless they got them at a discount from a Japanese restaurant that went out of business.

Donny and Tina were the only ones not to make it. They did some sightseeing, then couldn't find the place.

After the first games, the group broke up. Steve and Mike Taylor went to the top of the Empire State Building. Scotty and Iggy tried to catch up on much-needed sleep.

Everyone avoided me, figuring anything they said or did might end up in a convention report.

We gathered again about 6 p.m. Scotty showed the second project of TFL Films. This was a 4-minute highlight of the 1995 touch classic in Orlando. He titled it, "Will to Win." He should have titled it, "Will Anyone Ever Catch a Pass?"

It's very good. You might have seen an early version he posted on the website, but this was much better.

After that, the goodbyes began. Steve was the first to leave. He had to catch a train to Baltimore. Then, soon after, Mike Taylor left us. Donny and Tina were next. I didn't see the Bourques after the football games, but I hear they have begun the drive home as well. Happy birthday Mikey. It's good you won on your birthday. May it be your last victory this year.

Chris, Scott, Iggy and I watched the Sunday night game together. Iggy and I had vested interest, both of our games depending on it. Iggy came out of it with a tie. I came up just short of making up a 27-point difference. Lamar Smith and Joe Nedney scored 24 points. They needed 28 for me to win.

We dined on Ray's New York Style Pizza. Scotty is heaven. He has had pizza for just about every meal since arriving. If they ever opened up a Ray's franchise in D.C., he would no doubt keep them in business single-handedly.

There was one disagreement during the game. Scott said he was willing to bet my description of Saturday's convention activities was the longest post in T-talk history. I said no way. One of Tina's rambling, stream of consciousness epics was way longer.

Chris said no way. So, we made a gentleman's bet. $1. Lacy set up the query. I was right. Tina made a post last January of some 2,800 words, all in one paragraph. She had five of the top 10 longest posts in T-talk history.

Lacy and Reidy declined to pay me my $1.

Everyone has gone to get some sleep. Those who remain plan to stay one more day, at least. We'll do Monday night football together. Then, Chris (and family), Iggy and Scott leave.

I am staying through Tuesday to see the opera.

Wish you all were here.

Day 5

Things began slowly, as they usually do on Mondays. Most who remained slept in until noon. Finally, Wit, Chris, my friend Jorge and myself went to a very nice Indian restaurant for lunch. We tried to bring Lacy, but he was intent on forcing us to play a game of Wake the Dead, and in this case the dead were winning.

After our curry, we headed back to the hotel. Finally, Lacy was up and moving around. Chris wanted to head to the Museum of Radio and Television, so we did. Lacy said he would meet us there, because he had to go get something to eat first.

We walked to the museum, again very close. That's the great thing about New York. It may be huge and have millions of people about, but you seem to be close to everything. We'd walk past all sorts of major world headquaters that everyone has heard of. Right past the NBA building, NBC, Christies, Associated Press, Wall Street Journal, Waldorf-Astoria, and on and on.

We get to the museum and find to our dismay it is closed on Mondays. Chris is bummed. We are not sure what to do, without Lacy there. Jorge and I were planning on seeing a Broadway show that night, and wanted to hit the half-price ticket booth at Times Square. Chris wanted to see Times Square again, so we headed there.

Once we arrived, a rain storm hit. We huddled under some protection and waited it out. We called Lacy's hotel room to tell him where we were going, but seriously doubted he would join us.

Finally, sensing the rain was going to end, I got in line for tickets. A man was selling umbrellas for $5. I decided to buy one. And, as you would anticipate with me being Charlie Brown, not one second after I bought the umbrella and opened it, the rain stopped.

I continued to wait in line while Chris, Iggy and Jorge headed over to Bar Code, a video game center on Times Square. I bought two tickets to see Rent, then joined them.

We played a basketall hoops game. Iggy and Chris tied for the lead the first round. We played again, and this time Chris eeked out a 52-50 victory over Iggy.

Then we played air hockey. I dusted off Iggy without moving my paddle much. Then, I took on Chris and smoked him. Since Jorge isn't in the league his narrow victory over me doesn't count. I am the Air Hockey champion!!!

Chris and Iggy then played for second place. Chris opened up a 6-1 lead (needing 7 to win, for those unfamiliar with air hockey). Iggy was having trouble with straight on shots. Then momentum changed. Iggy rattled off six straight points to rally past Chris and claim second place.

We headed back to the hotel, looking for Lacy. He was not to be found, so we sat and waited. Finally, when we were about to give up on him, he showed.

Scotty had been in filmmaker's heaven. He went to B&H Camera, which he claims has the best selection of video goods anywhere.

After some debate, we decided to split up again. Scotty, after his recent trip, wasn't in the mood to leave immediately. So, Chris, Iggy, Jorge and I took the subway downtown. Jorge and I headed for the theater. Iggy and Chris had dinner at Olive Garden, overlooking Times Square at night.

Rent was a very good show. A little different than what I usually expect from a Broadway show. Jorge liked it a lot.

We headed back to my hotel room, where we found Scotty, Iggy and Chris watching the Monday night game. The most amazing thing, was somehow Scotty and Iggy had transformed my usually tidy, anally clean room into their federally-declared disaster area room.

We watched the end of the game. None were happy. It seems everyone who came to the convention lost, and those who stayed home won.

After the game, he had a reprisal of Saturday night's conversation about the future of the TFL. There was some talk about maybe we should not expand, but kick some teams out. What is it do we want from the TFL? Scotty has promised to summarize the conversations in here and lead a debate in the dumpster.

We went to sleep, and now we have been greeted with today's news. We are somewhat in shock. It's too soon to know if Iggy will be able to get out of town today. Most likely, his flight will be cancelled. Scott may not be able to get out by train as he planned.

I was planning on staying through the night, to attend the opera. I have no idea if the opera will go on as planned or not.

Obviously, this will be a tragic day in New York City, as for the rest of America.

Day 6 -- Sept. 11, 2001

Here are some observations from south Manhattan this afternoon. We saw a few bandaged people, but most of the ones right at the scene were taken away by bus. Lacy and I started out from 52nd and made it to Franklin St. about 15 blocks from the towers. It was amazing watching a flood of well-fed refugees in black Gucci clothes with cell phones in their hands calmly walking about 100 city blocks to get away from the scene. Several times we heard supersonic jets flying over, but we could never see them. It was very eerie to hear the sound and not know what was coming. Even hospitals like the Hospital for Joint Diseases on 17th St. had empty stretchers lined up outside its door with staff waiting for the thousands of injured that never came. The massive New York traffic was being controlled by pimple-faced 16-year-olds from the City of New York Police Academy who had sharp grey uniforms with black gun holsters that held no weapons. You could tell how close people were by the amount of grey soot on their clothes. Then there were the signs taped to several buildings saying "Due to the WTC tragedy there is a desperate need for blood. Please donate blood!" It went from the sad such as an expensive Ladies high-heeled shoe left standing in the street to the surreal where someone had put a doctor's mask on their dog.
-- Wit

Well, my editor at the courant had a rather interesting idea: How are New Yorkers, renowned for their ability to come back from anything, dealing with this tragedy?

The answer, from the half-dozen folks I was able to talk to: They aren't. They're still in shock. One woman told me two of her co-workers were still "slurring their words" because they had seen the whole thing. Another woman told me "We're not going to just bounce back from this and go back to work tomorrow like nothing happened."

But on the upside, the blood donation center near the hotel had a line that extended clear around the block. The woman who was coordinating that told me: "This is what New York's all about."

I was supposed to take an 11:30 a.m. train out of Penn Station. So I woke up around 9, but I had drawn the curtains before I went to bed. I got out of the shower around 9:30 and opened the curtains.

From my room, there was a nice view of the Chrysler Building. Just behind it, I could make out a rather sizable plume of black smoke. A factory? No, I'd never seen any exhaust like THAT in New York. Must be a fire, I thought, so I turned on the TV to check it out.

The first thing that came on was the local ABC affiliate. They had a camera fixed on the World Trade Center, with smoke pouring from both towers. As the anchors babbled on unawares, right on the screen the top half of one of the towers just simply disintegrated. The anchors kept right on talking; they hadn't even seen what their own station was televising. I literally couldn't believe what I was seeing.

I still don't think I can.
-- Chris

Well, I'm back in D.C.

Chris, the trains appear to be running on schedule. Be forewarned, however, that my original reservation had been canceled and I couldn't reissue the ticket via electronic kiosk. I had to buy a ticket onboard the train.

Suffice to say, I'd arrive early.

I think a made a good call to come home tonight. There were only about 15 people on the entire train. I had a train car almost entirely to myself.

I imagine it will be a madhouse tomorrow morning. Good luck.
-- Scott

This whole thing has been deeply disturbing to me. I was in a stupor the entire ride home, knowing that I was fleeing a scene of destruction but would end my journey near another one.

I'm not even sure Blackboard will be open tomorrow. We're located about six blocks from the White House and will be following the government's lead. If they're closed, we're closed.

I know with time the psyche always heals, but I wonder how long this one will take. We may just have witnessed the worst disaster on our soil in U.S. history.
-- More Scott

Wit pretty much covered the details of our journey today. I will say the image that stays with me is that shiny new woman's heel lying on the sidewalk, abandoned or lost in flight.

The other eerie thing: it was a beautiful, BEAUTIFUL day. Due to the prevailing easterly winds, the smoke from the fire was being whisked away over the East River. If you looked one direction, you saw this image of massive destruction. If you turned 180 degrees, you saw a perfect urban tableau: blue skies, green trees swaying in the breeze, and golden sunshine glinting off every shiny surface. Totally bizarre.

The exodus of office workers from downtown was also compelling. They came in wave after wave after wave, streaming up the sidewalks and spilling into the streets. It was as if the largest concert in world history had just let out.
-- Even more Scott