The CFCL Owners of 2000

Picture from left:  Eric Lamb (Lambchops), Rich Bentel (Dem Rebels), Matt Bentel (DoorMatts), Steve Olson (Steve's Stones), Dave Goetz (ForGoetzMeNots), Kelly Barone (Six Packs), David Mahlan (David's Copperfields and eventual 2000 CFCL Champion), Nick Hansen (Nick's Picts), Paul Zeledon (Da Paul Meisters - in white hat), Bruce Ellman (Bruce's Witzke a Go-Go - in yellow shirt), Dave Holian (David's Ruffins), Matt Grage (Hard Hats).  Not pictured - Harry Witzke (Bruce's Witzke a Go-Go).

 

There is a lot going on in this 2000 CFCL Owner Picture.  First of all, if you have been following this part of the blog as we work our way backward from 2013, you noticed that the quality of this picture is extremely poor compared to previous posts.  That's because this was the last year before we hit the digital photo age.  To get this picture we stood in front of the video camera David had set up, stood real still for a few seconds and then got down to business.  David anticipated needing/using an Owner Photo for 2000 and had us line up in front of the video camera.

 

If you are anal like me, you looked at the names listed (12) and counted the faces (13) and realized someone was not accounted for.  The gentleman on the far right is Tim Leen.  Last week we met Tim as the One Year Wonder owner of Tim's Maulers.  In 2000 he provided backup help as Matt Grage (Hard Hats) needed to step out of the draft for an hour or so due to a family commitment.  Tim sat in for Matt while he was gone, getting a flavor of what it was like to attend a draft and be an owner.

 

Interestingly, while Matt was out and about he had on the radio and heard that Sean Casey broke his thumb - either in a spring training game or an early regular season game.  When he came back he mentioned it to everyone which allowed the owner of Sean Casey (don't remember who that was) the opportunity to focus his efforts on a firstbaseman during the Rotation Pick part of the draft.

 

2000 was the first year the CFCL expanded to twelve teams as the Stones and Go-Go joined the league that  year.  We also had two other new owners.  The Hard Hats replaced the retired Steve's Slackers and Nick's Picts replaced the retired Welch's Flatfeet.  This would also be the last year for the ForGoetzMeNots - an Original 6 Owner who left the CFCL and then rejoined in 1994.

 

The Copperfields would win the first part of their fourth back-to-back CFCL titles.

 

We drafted in somewhat corporate oppulence in Naperville.