sports

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

More Residents Upset With Road Work — Arlington Ridge residents aren’t the only ones who have qualms about Arlington County’s traffic calming efforts. In the Chain Bridge Forest neighborhood, residents “wanted $16,000 worth of speed humps… What they got was $200,000 worth of concrete dividers and narrowed lanes that they said increased the risk of drivers being rear-ended while turning into the neighborhood.” [Washington Examiner]

Chicken Boosters Look to 2012 — Supporters of hen-raising in Arlington are hoping for action from the county government in 2012. They hope to convince homeowners (and the County Board) that keeping outdoor chicken coops won’t cause noise and odor problems, since hens are quieter than roosters and since regular coop cleaning can abate the smell. [Sun Gazette]

MMA Champ Trains in Arlington — Did you know that there’s a mixed martial arts gym in the Courthouse area? Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight titleholder Dominick “The Dominator” Cruz trained and spoke to the media at the Team Lloyd Irvin NOVA MMA gym at 2407 Wilson Boulevard yesterday. The gym’s class offerings include Brazilian jiu jitsu, judo, Thai kickboxing, women’s fitness, children’s martial arts and mixed martial arts. [NOVA MMA, USA Today, MMA Nation]

Photo courtesy Jeannette Louise Smith

Video: Arlington Soccer Player Scores Incredible Goal

By ARLnow.com

This video of a 13-year-old soccer player making an incredible bicycle kick goal at the Thomas Jefferson Community Center soccer field is making the rounds on the internet today.

BigLeadSports first posted the video on its web site this morning. That was followed by a post on the popular sports blog Deadspin, where it has received nearly 10,000 views in just four hours.

The player who made the “Rooneyesque” kick is said to be a 13-year-old from the Arlington Civitan club’s U13/14B Bengals squad.

Two years ago a 16-year-old Yorktown High School student made a similar bicycle kick goal that earned him “Goal of the Year” honors from the US Youth Soccer organization.

H/t to Mark Blacknell

Rugby, Hockey Come to the Parks and Parking Lots of Crystal City

By ARLnow.com

Crystal City may not seem like an obvious venue for team sports, but don’t tell that to the growing number of players who compete in sports leagues in and around the neighborhood.

Starting this year, a few new sports will start to be played in the shadows of the office towers and high-rise hotels that line Jefferson Davis Highway. Among them: street hockey, rugby and outdoor volleyball.

An “old school” street hockey league is currently accepting new player and team registrations. The co-ed league will play on Thursday nights from May through July at a surface parking lot near the corner of 20th Street and S. Bell Street. The league’s start date — May 5 — is set to coincide with the Crystal City’s Fit Week.

A co-ed touch rugby league will play its first game Saturday afternoon, at a park on Eads Street near Ft. Scott Drive. The leagues is still in open registration for individual players.

Registration for an outdoor volleyball league at Virginia Highlands Park (1600 S. Hayes Street) started last week. The 6v6 league will supplement an indoor volleyball league that is played at Sport & Health Club Crystal Gateway (1235 S. Clark Street).

All the leagues are run by the Arlington Athletic and Social League. AASL is also running an indoor dodgeball and a women’s 3 on 3 basketball league in Crystal City this spring. Both sports are in open registration for individuals.

Photo courtesy DC Social Sports

Outdoor Caps Rally in Clarendon Tomorrow

By ARLnow.com

The Capitals are planning an outdoor rally next to the Clarendon Metro station Sunday afternoon.

The Caps pep band and drumline will be on hand starting at 1:00 p.m., along with Slapshot (the Capitals mascot) and the Red Rockers cheerleaders. There will also be balloons for the kids and a slapshot cage for fans to test their hockey skills.

At 3:00 p.m., the rally will head into Hard Times Cafe (3028 Wilson Blvd) to watch Game 3 of the Capitals playoff with the New York Rangers. During the game, there will be raffles of autographed items and a giveaway of two Game 5 playoff tickets.

“We are proud to host this event and bring the Caps Playoff excitement to the streets of Clarendon,” said Hard Times owner Doug Welsh.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Davies Driver Sentenced in Crash — The driver in the fatal 2009 George Washington Parkway crash that left soccer star Charlie Davies severely injured was sentenced to two years in prison Friday. Maria Espinoza was drunk when the SUV she was driving hit a guardrail near Memorial Bridge and split in half, killing her best friend and leaving Davies maimed. Davies, now playing for DC United, scored two goals in the team’s home opener at RFK Stadium on Saturday. [ESPN, NY Times, Washington Post]

Arlington Woman Rescued from Potomac River — An Arlington woman was rescued by the Coast Guard after her kayak overturned in the Georgetown Channel, near Key Bridge, just before noon on Sunday. The woman, identified at 61-year-old Jenie Upchurch, was reportedly struggling to stay afloat when a Coast Guard vessel arrived at the scene and threw her a life ring. [U.S. Coast Guard]

APS Principal of the Year Named — Arlington Science Focus School principal Mary Begley has been named the Arlington Public Schools 2011 Principal of the Year. [Arlington Public Schools]

Pet Dove Eaten By Hawk — A pet dove named “Paci” was out enjoying the great outdoors in Alcova Heights last weekend when, according to the Ode Street Tribune, a hawk swooped in and put an abrupt end to her peaceful existence. [Ode Street Tribune]

2011 St. Patrick’s Day & NCAA Tournament Guide

By ARLnow.com

If there was ever a day to skip out of work after lunch, this is it. Between the nice weather, the start of the NCAA basketball tournament and — of course — the fact that it’s St. Patrick’s Day, this is not a day that should be spent cooped up in an office filing TPS reports.

Here are a few places you can go to wear the green, watch the game or otherwise have a good time.

  • Arlington Cinema Drafthouse (2903 Columbia Pike) — Tonight at 7:15 p.m. everybody’s favorite gun-wielding, God-fearing Irish brothers will kick some Mafia butt as the Drafthouse holds a special screening of the movie Boondock Saints.
  • Clarendon Grill (1101 N. Highland St.) — The Grill opened its doors at 11:00 a.m. for its St. Paddy’s Day celebration. Drink specials at the bar and March Madness on the TV. Energetic local band The Fuzz takes the stage at 9:00 p.m.
  • Ireland’s Four Courts (2051 Wilson Blvd) — Doors opened at 10:00 this morning. The always-packed St. Paddy’s extravaganza at Four Courts includes Irish food specials, cash-only satellite bars, music on the main stage all day, and a heated tent behind the restaurant.
  • Iota Club and Cafe (2832 Wilson Blvd) — Raucous Irish band O’Tasty performs, with warm-up act Hellfire and the Brimtones taking the stage at 8:30 p.m. Admission is $12.
  • Kitty O’Shea’s (2403 Wilson Blvd) — No cover and March Madness on the TV. Open all day with an all-Irish food menu.
  • O’Sullivan’s Irish Pub (3207 Washington Blvd) — Irish bands all day starting at noon. The Michael Patrick Band perfomrs from 4:45 to 8:45 p.m. and Willem Dickie performs from 9:30 p.m. to closing time.
  • P. Brennan’s Irish Pub (2910 Columbia Pike) — This is the first St. Patrick’s Day celebration for the cavernous, 11-month-old Irish pub. P. Brennan’s opened at 11:00 a.m. for an all-day and all-night event featuring Irish music, Irish dancing, Irish food and anything else Irish-related. $5 cover after 6:00 p.m.
  • Ragtime (1345 N. Courthouse Road) — Happy hour specials from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., green beer starting at 4:00 p.m., a traditional Irish menu and NCAA games on the TVs. Local funk/jam/rock band Aquatica becomes O’quatica for a performance from 9:00 p.m. to close.
  • Rhodeside Grill (1836 Wilson Blvd) — Irish specials and NCAA basketball all day. Plus: green beer.
  • RiRa Irish Pub (2915 Wilson Blvd) — Starting at noon, RiRa is holding a charity basketball shoot-out on the back patio. The hoops will benefit the charity PeacePlayers International, which helps to unite young people in divided areas of the world like Northern Ireland. Live music includes Kilmaine Saints starting at 3:00 p.m. and Dr. Fu at 9:00 p.m. Naturally, there will be a traditional Irish menu and NCAA games on the big screens.
  • Samuel Beckett’s Irish Gastro Pub (2800 S. Randolph St.) — The newest Irish pub in town will host acoustic folk/pop/rock artist Taylor Carson at 7:00 p.m. There will also be authentic Irish food, plenty of Irish beer and whiskey and a special menu, all served by a straight-off-the-boat Irish staff.
  • Sine Irish Pub (1301 S. Joyce St.) — Green beer, no cover and an Irish buffet starting at 3:00 p.m.
  • Spider Kelly’s (3181 Wilson Blvd) — SK opened at 11:00 a.m. for St. Patrick’s Day and March Madness specials all day long. The popular nightspot also added Guinness to its taps for the occasion.
  • Tortoise and Hare (567 S. 23rd St.) — Tortoise and Hare is offering “plenty” of food and drink specials. The all-day celebration features a full Irish menu, green beer, car bombs, Guinness and Smithwick’s, etc. etc. etc. Plus March Madness on TV and hip hop cover band Flow in the Dark taking the stage around 9:30 p.m.
  • Whitlow’s on Wilson (2854 Wilson Blvd) — Irish menu until 11:00 p.m. Bagpipers providing music plus Celtic band Shannon Tide at 6:00 p.m. March Madness games and drink specials.

County Board Rejects Lights for Bishop O’Connell High School

By ARLnow.com

The County Board has rejected a controversial proposal to add lights to the football and basefall fields at Bishop O’Connell High School.

The board’s 3-1 vote to reject the proposal came after nearly 75 speakers — including neighbors, student athletes, nuns and local gadflies — spoke both strongly in favor and strongly against the O’Connell lighting plan.

(Board member Barbara Favola recused herself due to her work for Marymount University. The lighting proposal called for Marymount’s athletic teams to be granted partial use of the fields.)

The nearly three hours of public comment produced a bit of consensus — that Bishop O’Connell was generally a good neighbor and that its plan to renovate the athletic fields themselves was more or less acceptable to the East Falls Church and Williamsburg communities. Otherwise, the two sides were at loggerheads with little hope of an acceptable compromise.

Sister Bernadette McManigal, superintendent of schools for the Diocese of Arlington, asked that Bishop O’Connell be granted the same privileges as Arlington’s public high schools, which have field lights in “neighborhoods comparable to O’Connell.”

“I ask for the same consideration,” she said. Many of the O’Connell student athletes who spoke last night made the same plea — that they wanted the same level of facilities as their public school peers.

In fact, the school argued that its proposed facilities were more modest than the athletic facilities at other Arlington high schools, and insisted that it was being careful to minimize neighborhood impact.

But one resident said that O’Connell’s proposal would have negative effects not experienced in other neighborhoods, according to a lighting consultant hired by neighbors.

“The school’s current design will result in light spillage far in excess of national standards,” said John Seymour, who identified himself as a 20-year resident of the neighborhood. “The spill will significantly impair the lives of neighbors subject to it. It will also impair the values of their homes.”

(more…)

Soccer Fans to Kick Off MLS Season in Clarendon Tonight

By ARLnow.com

Local soccer fans will be gathering at Clarendon Grill (1101 North Highland Street) tonight to mark the start of the 2011 Major League Soccer season.

DC United goalie Bill Hamid is expected to stop by and greet fans at the event, which is being organized by the Arlington Athletic and Social League. There will be gift bags for the first 50 fans who arrive, plus raffles for DC United opening day tickets (the game will be held on March 19 at RFK Stadium) and other memorabilia.

In addition to the soccer festivities inside, organizers plan to set up pick-up games of cornhole outside on the patio.

The event will be held from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. Admission is free. It will be immediately followed by the start of the LA Galaxy vs. Seattle Sounders MLS opening night game on ESPN2.

Athletic Field Upgrade Plan Sparks Neighborhood Spat

By ARLnow.com

What happens when a parochial high school, which has owned its 20-acre tract of land in North Arlington since 1949, plans to upgrade its athletic facilities with the help of a local university? A full-blown neighborhood controversy, of course.

Bishop O’Connell High School wants to spend $6 million renovating its football and baseball fields. The renovations would add new artificial turf to the football field, making it doubly usable as a regulation soccer field.

The renovations would also add lights to both fields, so they can be used after the sun goes down. The school has agreed to limit hours of use, however.

Nearby Marymount University will help pay for the renovations, in exchange for use of the fields.

Enter the neighbors, who are worried about increased traffic and “commotion” in the area, especially at night.

“Realtors expect decline in home values,” blares a headline from a blog set up for the sole purpose of opposing the renovations.

“Petition drive shows strong opposition to O’Connell plan,” reads another, announcing that more than 250 people signed a petition opposing the plan.

The petition was signed by many people who don’t even live next to the school.

“[Signature gatherers] have found a large percentage of residents opposed to the proposal, including many who live outside the immediate streets around O’Connell,” the blog stated.

In an interview with TBD, one vocal neighbor and Williamsburg Civic Association member said he moved to the neighborhood under the assumption that the high school — and Tuckahoe Elementary School, across the street — would remain quiet after school hours.

“I’ve lived in the neighborhood 25 years now, and when I moved in, I was concerned about the high school,” the resident said. “But I talked to the neighbors, and they said it wasn’t hard to come to grips with the commotion during the day. It was a factor in my moving here.”

The county board is expected to consider the school’s renovation proposal at its Jan. 22 meeting.

Unanswered question: At what point is the desire of homeowners to maintain the neighborhood status quo outweighed by the desire of a long-time landowner to upgrade their facilities?

Buffalo Wild Wings Opens Today

By ARLnow.com

The Buffalo Wild Wings in Crystal City is officially opening to the public today.

The beer-wings-and-sports joint, with its large expanse of flat screen TVs, is sure to attract a nights and weekends crowd. Today we’ll get our first taste of what the buttoned-up Crystal City workday set thinks of it as a lunch destination. The restaurant will open at 10:00 a.m.

While today is the official opening, some lucky customers were able to sneak in for a free meal this week. The restaurant quietly opened its doors for two hours at a time for employee training. Anyone who happened to wander by got their food for free.

Buffalo Wild Wings Opening Pushed Back

By ARLnow.com

The new Buffalo Wild Wings in Crystal City (at 23rd Street and Crystal Drive) held an employee orientation session for a couple dozen new hires last night.

During the orientation, the glow from the galaxy of overhead flat screen TVs illuminated a relatively wide open, comfortable-looking space. The decor looked a bit more sleek than your standard, suburban Buffalo Wild Wings location. The huge floor-to-ceiling windows facing the street also helped to add a more urban feel.

An employee coming out of the orientation revealed that the restaurant’s opening date has been pushed back. Instead of opening on Monday, as originally planned, the restaurant is now expected to open to the public on Thursday, Dec. 16, he said.

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