The Gauntlet Has Been Thrown and a Challenge Has Been Issued

July 20, 2009

To be frank, what has become the topic of numerous blogs and much good-natured ribbing, actually had very random beginnings.  The first set of Senior Interviewers purchased a giant red kickball (you know the kind that was used at recess in elementary school) on a whim.  They brought it into the office and benignly asked if anyone wanted to play a game.  And from there, a tradition was born; the annual deans vs interns kickball challenge.

Over the years the tradition has added many elements.  First it was simply a game; then came the after-game celebrations, then came the issuing of the challenge.  One year the challenge was issued as an electronic rhyme, last year the challenge was issued via video, and this year’s challenge came in the form of a ransom note.  Never ones to be outdone (as is obvious by our 5-0 record), the deans were quick to respond to the challenge as shown below with a ransom note of our own but to be green, we recycled the letters originally used by the interns in crafting their own message (it reads “U will lose, bring it on suckas.  The Deans”).

While you’ll have to tune into next week’s blog to find out the outcome of the sixth annual kickball challenge (although the sure bet is always on the deans), you can read last year’s blogs (just look at any dean’s block date late July/early August 2008) to know that this tradition is esteemed, honored, anticipated, and beloved.  It showcases our “life in balance”, our sense of fun and creativity, our spirited students and equally spirited staff.  It is physical proof that W&M is a community, a family, a Tribe.

July 22, 2009

PS: In case you didn’t think we take this kickball thing seriously, the issuing of the challenge has been slowly escalating with each passing day.  The day after the ransom note was left this appeared where the deans enter the office each morning.

And these greeted us on the third day.  They are pirate party plates and the name of a dean appears at the bottom of each skull and crossbones.  On the back is a personalized/trash talk message to that dean regarding the impending kickball game.

July 23, 2009

And the pirate-themed challenge continues.

July 24, 2009

These “lifesavers” provided a path to my door where a warning of “stormy seas ahead” greeted me and Pirates Booty Popcorn was left for the deans.

July 27

They are persistent little interns.  Today we were met with messages in bottles.  The message, when put back together, was a treasure map (albeit a bad one) that pointed us to our gold (candies).  The note read here’s your gold, fools!

July 28

Today, all of our doors (and by extension all deans) were “marked for death”.  Trash talk is not being taken lightly.

July 29, 2009

The intern ship has docked.  The day of the big game has finally arrived.  This morning we were greeted by a “treacherous sea”, a warning to come prepared, Pirates of the Caribbean music, a Scrabble board message, and a wall length message to “surrender”.  Tonight we will see what all the trash talk amounts to.  The next blog will tell the story’s conclusion.

– Wendy Livingtson