The Year That Was Going, Going...

"And surely you’ll buy your pint cup !
And surely I’ll buy mine !
And we'll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne."

Here we are at the end of yet another year, a time for remembrance and a chance to look forward to a better year ahead. Financial problems aside, it will be hard to top the year of Ought-7. Let's take a look at some of the highlights:

Jan. 1: I give my notice at EFI with no real idea of what I am going to do. My best leap of faith EVER.

Feb. 13: 13 years after first looking for a job in this field, I finally begin a career in baseball, joining the Potomac Nationals. Despite very low pay and very long hours, I could not have made a better decision. It's a decision I might not have made without Staci's support and urging. No wonder I married her. Speaking of...

Sept. 2: The big day is finally here, as Staci and I get married on a baseball field in front of our loved ones. It's a day that I think everyone will remember as one of the funnest weddings they have ever attended.

Sept. 23: Two emotional goodbyes, as we attend the final baseball game ever at DC's RFK Stadium, and later pack up and move from Virginia to Quakertown, PA. It was most definitely past due getting out of Northern Virginia, but between meeting and marrying my wife there, and starting my baseball career there, there will always be a significant part of my life that took place in NoVa.

Dec. 12: I finally get my second job in baseball with the Wilmington Blue Rocks. A nicer stadium aside, my hope is that I can create the same type of great memories I got with the P-Nats.

On a baseball note, I added 4 more Major League stadiums(the 2 Chicagos, San Diego & Anaheim), plus got to see Dodger Stadium again. Over 100 baseball games attended this year between Minors and Majors- not too shabby.

2007, for all of its faults, was a life-defining year for me, the kind of year that you look back on as a turning point in this wild ride of life (much like 1997 and 1987- must be Lucky Sevens..). So raise a glass- here's to hoping that you had as memorable a year, and wishing that Ought-eight is a healthy and fruitful year for all. Salut!

Christmas 07 in Pictures

The long journey across 100's of miles was much fun. 2 states (or 6 if you drove like me), and 2 broken-down cars later, here are the pics that defined a holiday.

Driving through New Hampshire:



Staci and the folks:



Mindy enjoying her present:



Jeremy and Josh being funny:



Staci & Mary:



The whole Kenney clan:



Abby & I on our Christmas:

Happy Christmas!

Just a quick message to wish all a great holiday today. Major car problems aside, Santa has been very good to all of us already here..I will be posting pics of all of the festivities as sson as we get back to Q-Town. Hope all have a great Christmas with you and yours...

2007- The Year in Pictures

Here's a little slice of the year that was 2007- enjoy! Make sure you have your speakers on so you can hear the accompanying music...

Baseball's (2nd) Darkest Day

The first darkest, of course, being the cancellation of the 1994 World Series. But today's announcement of 76 steroids users by the Mitchell Report was a damn close second. This day has been a long time coming. Whispers of steroids use began in 1988, were ignored for 15 years by everyone in the game, and now everyone is to blame. But as much as I, and millions of others, had heard rumors of names bandied about, today's list made it real. There were many "fringe" no-name players, a couple that I had even forgotten about. But it's the big names that really make you sick. MVPs (Miguel Tejada). Postseason MVPs (Andy Pettite). The greatest pitcher since World War II and 7-time Cy Young winners (Roger Clemens). Big Head (Barry Bonds). And my worst fear, two of my favorite all-time Dodgers (Eric Gagne and Paul LoDuca). And this is only the tip of the iceberg. This information basically came from two people! How many hundreds more know something that will eventually come to light?

So many records are tainted, wins, home runs and strikeouts alike. So many awards given to people who did not deserve them. How do you feel if you're a clean player who finished second to one of these chumps? NINE members of the "World Champ" 2000 Yankees were in this report- that's over ONE THIRD of their roster! How many teams won championships they did not rightfully earn? I am starting to feel that ALL records should be wiped clean from the books from 1994-2003. That may be the only way to put the real records back to their rightful owners.

Finally!

It appears that my next destination in baseball will be with the Wilmington Blue Rocks. By driving to Wilmington yesterday for a second interview, and adding another 120 miles to the already-driven 1700 to go to Nashville, I sealed the deal. I will be (once again) be in an almost no-pay position, working as Assistant Director of Merchandise, but how sweet it is. What a long 3 months it has been, waiting and wondering if I was going to find anything in baseball again. Hopefully, this will lead to a long and fruitful career with the Blue Rocks. Now, let's score some runs!

A special shout-out to those of you (and you know who you are) who have truly had my back and given me encouragement and words of hope these last three months. It has been a very difficult time both financially and emotionally, and once again, the people that I can always count on have been there. A Christmas miracle indeed.

Notes From Nashville

Boy, what a wild and crazy week it has been. Never before in my life have 2 sides of my brain been in such conflict. Remember the old Frosted Mini Wheat commercials? Well, the adult in me and the baseball fan in me definitely conflicted in Nashville:



I spent alot of money that I didn't have, and drove 13 hours and 900 miles to Nashville to find a job in baseball. The Job Fair was pretty much a complete joke. Trying to find a team hiring close to where we moved was supposed to be fairly easy; instead, of the 8 jobs that I applied for, 5 of them never even scheduled interviews with anyone! And it wasn't just me, as most of the 450 job seekers that were there were as completely frustrated and baffled as I was. It's not all bad news, as of the 2 interviews I had, I got a second interview scheduled with Wilmington next week, albeit for another barely-paying job as I had with the P-Nats. One more job fair in Philly in a couple weeks, so we'll see what happens...

As for the baseball fan in me, it was a virtual nirvana. There were dozens of baseball players, managers, and TV personalities roaming the same hallway as the Winter Meetings were taking place as well. The two biggest thrills for me was bumping into Tommy Lasorda my first day there, and then seeing and nodding to Cal Ripken as he walked into the hotel bar. Also got to watch live broadcasts of ESPN, XM and MLB.TV, as well as the live announcement of the Vets' Committee on who they are sending into the Hall of Fame. So it wasn't a complete loss, but when you spend money you don't have to further your career, the adult in you invariably wins out.

Some pics from my adventure. Jerome Bettis. Wrong sport, but I'm not gonna tell him:



Cal Ripken:



Former Dodgers GM Fred Claire interviewing Astros manager Cecil Cooper. This also was a big thrill for me, as he is the architect of the last Dodgers Championship in 1988, unfortunately he came and went so quickly that I didn't get a chance to speak with him:



Ravech, Kurkjian and Gammons live on Baseball Tonight:

Sheryl's New Video!

My girl Sheryl Crow's awesome new song & video, "Shine Over Babylon." It should give you even more respect for her talents. Enjoy:

How Bout Them Cowboys!!

The Dallas Football Cowboys looked great tonight as they beat the Packers 37-27in a battle of the best 2 teams in the NFC. All the great things that happened in a game half of the country (including myself) could not see because of the damn cable company:

- Tony Romo threw for 4 TD's, giving him 33 on the year, breaking the Cowboys all-time Season TD record. With names like Aikman, Staubach, and Meredith in our history, that's pretty damn impressive. He's also dating Jessica Simpson, which justifies my man-crush on Romo even more.

- The Cowboys ran their record to 11-1, the best in their history. They also pulled 2 games ahead of the Packers for home-field advantage in the playoffs.

- The Cowboys clinched a playoff spot, and depending on what the Giants do on Sunday, may have clinched the division.

I've gotta say, I am starting to believe just a little bit in this team. It's been a long 12 years since any of my teams did anything, so my skepticism is justified. But with 4 weeks left in the regular season, it's starting to look like this team can do some very special things.

A New Kenney Thanksgiving

Staci & I hosted our first holiday dinner as a married couple on Thursday for Thanksgiving. All of the family was here, except for Colleen & Hillary (we missed you guys!), as well as our extended family of Mari, Ian & Sharon. It was a full house, to be sure, but alot of fun. The turkey came out great, and Staci's chocolate pie was a hit, as usual! And we got to watch my Cowboys go 10-1 for the first time in their history. A day to be thankful for, to be sure.

Thankful For...

One of my favorite holidays has always been Thanksgiving, mostly for the tasty dinner and Dallas Cowboys football. One of the things we would do as kids would be to make a list, half serious and half funny, of things we were thankful for. I've decided to revive that for this edition of BK's Blog. I am thankful for:

- Staci's & my first Thanksgiving as a married couple;
- The first Thanksgiving since 1998 I will be with Mary, and the 1st since 1992 that I will be with Dad;
- The 9-1 (hopefully) Super Bowl-bound Cowboys;
- The great friends that I have, who lift me up in tough times;
- Barry "Big Head" Bonds being indicted on perjury, ensuring that his cheating ass will never play baseball again;
- Being able to listen to all the great Christmas songs starting on Friday;
- A great job in baseball (oops, maybe I can be thankful for that at Christmas);
- A new hometown that I actually like, away from traffic and knock-in-blocs;


Hope everyone has a great Turkey Day, and go Cowboys!

Ian's Birthday Celebration At PSU

Ian's birthday was last week, and the gang headed where we have 4 out of the last 5 years- to Penn State! A good time was had by all, as we wandered to old favorite places, and some interesting new ones as well. And aside from HORRIBLE service at our regular haunt, Ye Olde College Diner, everything was great. And we even found laughs in that situation as well!



It was good to see friends we hadn't seen in a while, and as the week of "Thanks" begins, you have to be thankful spending good times with people you care deeply about.

Dodgers: A New Hope?

The official introduction of new Dodgers, and former Yankees, manager Joe Torre took place yesterday. As deep as my hatred for the Yankees runs, I am actually pleased with this move. In a Yankee team full of classless individuals, Joe was always the epitome of class. And I never have a problem with a smart and proven manager/coach coming over from a hated rival and making my team better (see Bill Parcells).

Having said all of that, I still need to see if Joe can actually do what the last 6 Dodgers managers could not- bring home the World Series title to L.A. After years of suffering, this is the best news we have gotten in awhile.

More Convention..

A couple videos from the Q & A, taken by another fan. The questions aren't included, but Office fans will get the gist. Enjoy!

Part 1:



Part 2:

The Office Convention!

What an unexpected thrill to go to The Office convention on Saturday. It was held in my hometown of Scranton, the setting for the show. I braved the hard rain to go down and spent the entire day taking it all in. First, I got to be in the Office Olympics, a take-off of a Season 2 episode. I did ok, but did not win. Still alot of fun!


After that, I headed back over to the tent to pick up my free t-shirt, and Phyllis Smith (Phyllis) was signing autographs. I got to meet her and she was just as sweet as she is on the show.


Staci and I headed down to grab a bite at one of the many stands that were set up. The Good Alfredo's Pizza was there, as was Poor Richard's and Farley's, all of which are often mentioned on the show. As we walked back up towards the main stage Creed Bratton (Creed) and Craig Robinson were joining local band The Scrantones for a few tunes. Turns out Creed really was in the '60's group The Grass Roots (as is his character).



The highlight of the day was definitely the Q & A with the cast. 10 members of the supporting cast were there and they answered silly and serious questions for 2 hours. They really seemed touched by the reception they had received by locals and out-of-towners alike.



All in all, a great day, hopefully next year, we can all go and hit the non-free events!

We Are...

Penn State! Well, thanks to Jason, I was finally able to see the only one of my favorite teams that I had never seen. Only took 34 years! Penn State did not disappoint in my debut, as they tromped all over #15 Wisconsin, 38-7. Jason made sure I had the whole experience, from the great tailgating to getting onto the field after the game. Only 109,000+ fans in attendance. I will always love baseball first, but there is nothing like a true college football game for a sports fan.

From Good To Great- 5-0 Cowboys Have a Folk Hero

Wow! I have not had a sports night like this in awhile! Flipping all night between Monday Night Football with my Cowboys and the playoff game between the Indians and hated Yankees, I was in heaven. The Indians got off to an early lead, but the Cowboys were stinking it up against a much less talented Bills team.

Then, around 11:25 tonight, the Yankees lost and got bounced from the playoffs. As I celebrated that moment, I flip back to a much more important, but excruciating, Cowboys game, we're losing 24-16 with 2 minutes left. Then my boy Tony Romo finally gets on track and brings the Cowboys within 2, all they need is the 2 point conversion. They fail. With 20 seconds left, the Cowboys get the rare onside kick and get the ball back with no timeouts and 20 seconds left. Romo throws a couple short throws and gets the ball set for a long 53 yard field goal for rookie kicker named Nick Folk. Folk has not had a kick longer than 47 yards, but with no time left, he kicks a beautiful 53 yard field goal to win the game. The 'Boys are now 5-0 for the first time since 1983, amazing for a team that won 3 Super Bowls since that year. I couldn't be happier.

Postseason Baseball Fever..Catch It!

Sorry to loyal readers for being away for a couple weeks; honeymoon, moving to another state, and job-hunting will do that! On with the show...

Well, I have gotten myself psyched up for baseball's postseason once, in spite of the Dodger's September collapse that leaves them out of the playoffs. So many good stories, including:

- the Colorado Rockies winning 14 of 15, including a one-game playoff, to sneak by the Padres for the NL Wild Card.

- the Philadelphia Phillies winning the National League East on the last day of the season after spending exactly one other day there in the last 5 months, which couldn't have happened without:

- the New York Mets epic collapse, losing a 7-game lead over the Phils with 17 to play.

So, will there be a Kirk Gibson-like moment in the playoffs? Or will it be as boring of a postseason as last year? Time will tell, but here are my bold predictions:

National League:

- Rockies over the Phillies in 5 games.
- Cubs over Diamondbacks in 5 games.

- Rockies over the Cubs in the NLCS in 6 games.

American League:

- Red Sox over the Angels in 4 games.
- Indians over the Yankees in 5 games.

- Indians over the Red Sox in a 7-game ALCS.

World Series:

- Indians over the Rockies in a classic 7 game World Series, the first exciting one in 5 years.

We'll see if I have to modify any of my picks, but remember if I'm right: you heard it here first!

P-Nats' Kenney Announces Free Agency

The Potomac Nationals' Bill Kenney announced today that he will be testing the free agent market, effective immediately. "It's a sad day for me," Kenney said in a press release. "But I have decided that I have to find a team that is closer to my family, although it pains me to leave my P-Nats family." Some stats from Kenney's only year with the Potomac franchise:

69 games
47 tarp pulls
105 hours sleep lost
21,345 hot dogs sold
1 mascot appearance
countless memories

Stay tuned to this blog for Kenney's next destination...

Our Wedding Vows

Thank you to all who requested to see the words that Staci and I spoke to each other on Sunday afternoon. It truly touches us that we were able to pull a heartstring or two. I am also including the first of our wedding pictures (thanks to Aunt Ricki for being the first to get pictures to us). I will be posting more pictures as they come in. So without further ado:

Staci's Vows To Bill:

Bill-

On our wedding day, I want you to know that you have given me the most important gift anyone could ever give another person. You have given me many gifts over the years: love, trust, devotion & your great sense of humor, to name a few. But the most important gift you have given me is the gift of self-discovery. Your love and support have helped me discover who I am as a person. Some of the discoveries have been joyous. Who knew I could enjoy a baseball game that the Yankees aren't playing in? Who knew I loved to travel so much? I guess I just needed someone I love to travel with.

Other discoveries have been heart-breaking. When I have received such crushing setbacks, you have never let me feel sorry for myself. You have always made me pick myself back up and try again. While that may not have been the reaction I wanted from you, it has always been exactly what I needed. In short, you have helped me become the best I can be.

So my vow to you on our wedding day is to give you as great a gift as you have given me. I promise to love you everyday as much as I do today. I promise to be your best friend & confidant. I promise to always be honest with you, even when the truth may not be what you want to hear. I promise to trust you. I promise to support your dreams. And while I cannot promise to obey, I can promise to be faithful to you and love you to the end of our lives.





Bill's Vows To Staci:

Staci-

I had been awaiting your arrival my whole life. I didn't know when or where I would meet you, I just knew that you would eventually get here, and I would know you when I saw you. I searched everywhere for you- who knew that you be at a Chili's Bar & Grill? I sometimes waited patiently for you; most times I did not. But when you finally did arrive in my life, I was so glad that you did.

You have brightened and bettered my life in ways you cannot even imagine. You're an incredible and giving woman who amazes me more with each passing day. You are my twin flame, the mirror of my soul, my best friend. You have the keys that fit my locks, & the locks that fit my keys. You love me unconditionally, as I do you. I love who you are & I love that you make me a better person. I love what we are and what we will be, together. I love you forever, and I am honored to start the rest of my life with you here today.

Final Pfitzner Game- 8/31/07

The beginning of a hectic but wonderful weekend, which would culminate in our wedding, began at Pfitzner Stadium on Friday night. 10 of our "group" that came down early got to see my fianl game here in Woodbridge. I even played a mascot for the first time in my life, as we dug out all the old suits from past incarnation of the Potomac team. I got to be "Prince Willie," a frightening looking thing, to be sure. I'm second from the left.


The highlight of the evening was the Famous Chicken. I am not a big mascot fan, as most people know, but the Chicken is definitely an exception. The skits he put on between innings were priceless. And we got a great photo of most of the front office and coaching staff afterwards. And the P-Nats won their 11th game in a row, a new Nationals franchise record. The only sad thing was being elimated from playoff contention this same evening. 69 games in the books for my first season in baseball, and what a season it was.

And On The 11th Day...

...he rested? Wow, two of the most emotional and brain-draining events in my recent history took place in the last 4 days, as mentioned in earlier posts. Within the next few days, I will be posting both wedding and final P-Nats game pictues and stories. But for today, just a quick word and thank you to all those who made Sunday's wedding such a memorable day. From beginning to end, Staci's and my wedding day was tremendous. We were surrounded by the best people in the world, from our wedding party to our family and friends, everything about the day was a blessing and success. And that's all we could have ever hoped for.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I am going to sleepwalk through the next 7 hours of work, take a nap, and take my WIFE out for a nice dinner. Please stay tuned to this blog for the pictures and stories that are to follow...

Wait, What's Going On This Weekend?

Is Monday here yet? No rest for the wicked, as we head into the homestretch of both the wedding and the P-Nats' schedule. It has been a brutal homestand, with tarp pulls, VERY early mornings, and even longer days. But we're almost there. One tonight, one tomorrow, and then goodnight Irene.

Then there's the wedding of the century, as Staci and I tie the knot on Sunday. I'm very excited about the actual event(and reception), it's just getting to that point and dealing with all the anticpation and attention. Thank God for Staci, who has done 99 44/100ths of this crap herself, because I probably would have jumped into the Potomac River by now.

So now, I am going to try, exhausted as I am, to enjoy the rush of two emotional moments and look forward to a nice after-wedding day Labor Day at RFK. And watch the "Pickle Girl" clip over and over again. Hee hee:

Abigail at 10

Tomorrow is the actual 10th birthday of the beautiful Abigail Elizabeth, but since I won't be near a computer all day, and today celebrates the events leading up to the wonderful result of Abby's birth, I figured, no time like the present to wax poetic. :)

It was right around 6PM that Jen called me at Friendly's in Eynon to tell me that it looked like Abby was about to join the world. I was prepared for this call, but that didn't make me any calmer. She told me there was plenty of time and to not rush. Of course, I did anyway. I was working my normal 10-8 shift, so I asked my manager if I could take off early. I jumped in my new Ford Escort and drove to my Dad's(where I was staying for summer break). As I packed my duffel bag, the range of emotions was incredible. It's a rare moment in life when you are aware that everything is about to change forever. I told my Dad the news, stopped at a gas station and headed on the 64 mile drive to Easton.

I arrived in Easton around 10PM, ready for what the night was about to bring. We sat at Jen's parents' house for awhile, until it was time to head to St. Luke's Hospital in Bethlehem. Things slowed down, as Abby took her time, but I've never had the hours go by so quickly. After a night of pushing and breathing, Abby joined us all early on Saturday morning, August 23rd, 1997. It truly is an emotion you cannot describe, watching someone you helped to create start their life.

Now, ten years later, Abigail is a beautiful, healthy and intelligent young lady with the world at her feet. And while I take no credit with her being those things, it is truly a pleasure to see her turning out in such a magnificent way.

Great Pitching Rules Weekend At The Pfitz

A pitching trifecta of the past, present and future aligned here at the Pfitz this weekend. First up was Friday night's Carolina League debut of Ross Detwiler. This has been eagerly anticipated since he was chosen 6th overall in the draft just 2 months ago. He is incredibly talented and looks like he could be the real deal.

Saturday was a complete surprise, as Justin Jones carried a perfect game into the 9th inning for the P-Nats(see scoreboard above). Buzz started to build as the game went into the 5th inning and still nothing on the board for the Warthogs. With one out in the ninth, he gave up a single and the chance for a perfecto was gone. Great effort by a guy who has shown flashes of brilliance.


I was excited as Sunday approached, as former All-Star Detroit Tiger and Washington Senator Denny McClain was here to sign autographs and promote his new book. McClain was the last pitcher to win 30 games in a season, which will most likely never happen again. I was able to speak with him for a few minutes, and for all his past post-baseball troubles(tax evasion, federal prison time, etc), he was a very friendly and charismatic person.

It's rare to see former greatness and potential all in the same place, especially in Woodbridge, VA. It definitely makes an extremely long day/week seems a little less so.