Being a lawyer is my second dream job. My first was succeeding Ted Williams, Carl Yastrzemski, Jim Rice, and Manny Ramirez in the long line of legendary Red Sox left fielders.

I’ve accepted the fact that I’ll never stand in the shadow of the Green Monster while raking in millions of dollars. But the BC Law Softball League helps me work towards my current dream job while coming as close as I possibly can to experiencing the original.

In this post, I’ll provide some background info about the way the league is organized and run. Then I’ll explain my team’s quest for redemption after a heartbreaking finish last year. Finally, I’ll include the results of this weekend’s games along with the standings, which I will try my best to update weekly until a new softball champion is crowned.

The BC Law Softball League is hands-down my favorite social event at school. It’s a great way to spend time outside the library with friends on the weekend, meet new people from other sections or classes, and have a bunch of fun before binging on college football for the rest of your Saturday cracking the casebooks back open.

The league is structured in a straightforward manner. 1Ls are automatically placed onto teams representing their respective sections. So each year, we have a “Section 1” team, a “Section 2” team, and a “Section 3” team.

2Ls and 3Ls form teams over the summer and register them with the Commissioner around the start of school. These teams tend to have cleverer names and cooler (i.e. matching) uniforms. Here are some quick facts about the way the BCLSL operates:

• This year, we have three predominantly-3L teams and three predominantly-2L teams, for a total of nine in the league.
• All teams are co-ed (minimum of three members of each sex on the field required at all times).
• Starting in September, each team will have one or two games every Saturday through the end of October.
• Games start at the top of the hour, and we play as many innings as we can fit in an hour. First game starts at 9 AM, last game starts at 2 PM.
• The playoffs take place entirely on the very last Saturday , with the winning team taking home bragging rights for the rest of the school year and a spot on the plaque in the Law Students Association office for all eternity.

Here is a picture of It’s Raining Mens Rea, my team from last season:

Last year, we were the baddest team on the field. We didn’t just win games, we dominated them. Unfortunately, when Playoff Saturday came along, we didn’t bring our A-game, and the law school softball league equivalent of this happened:

(Fellow Patriots fans, look away.)

Devastatingly, we finished last season with a single loss, which of course came in our final game. This year, we return with more focus, more intensity, and way better songs on our walk-up music playlist (of course have walk-up music). I personally have no doubt that the last day of our season will end much more like this:

(Fellow Patriots fans, enjoy! And for the record, yes, I try to find a way to work this video into every post.)

As the great Bill Belichick would tell us in far fewer words, the only way to keep your eyes on the prize is by focusing on the opponent directly in front of you. I like to think that It’s Raining Mens Rea has done just that so far, but judge for yourselves – here are the results and standings after Week 1:

Scores – Week 1

• 9 AM – It’s Raining Mens Rea (16) – Section 1 (2)
• 10 AM – Lawyers, Guns, Money (11) – Section 2 (3)
• 11 AM – The Other Guys (6) – Hits Out For the Boys (5)
• 12 PM – Hits Out for the Boys (25) – Section 3 (4)
  
• 1 PM – Grimes County All-Stars (22) – Section 3 (0)
• 2 PM – Grimes County All-Stars (10) – Top Gunners (1)

Standings

1. Grimes County All-Stars (2-0, +31 runs)
2. It’s Raining Mens Rea (1-0, +14 runs)
3. Lawyers, Guns, Money (1-0, +8 runs)
4. The Other Guys (1-0, +1 run)
5. Hits Out For The Boys (1-1, +20 runs)
6. Section 2 (0-1, -8 runs)
7. Top Gunners (0-1, -9 runs)
8. Section 1 (0-1, -14 runs)
9. Section 3 (0-2, -43 runs) (ouch)

It’s Raining Mens Rea started the 2015 season on the right foot, with a big win over Section 1. We may only be in second place, but that’s not bad when you’ve only played half as many games as the first-place team. We will look to keep it up this Saturday, as we face two far more experienced teams (i.e., neither will be playing its very first game ever): the literal middle of the pack, Hits Out For the Boys, and the big bad frontrunners, the Grimes County All-Stars.

Check back next week for score updates, action photos, and hopefully epic tales of triumphant victories and fun. For now, cue the music!

Wish us luck and see you next week!

Rob Rossi is a 3L at BC Law and a three-year veteran of the BC Law Softball League. He is also a current member of the Boston College Law Review‘s Executive Board and the former Chair of the Law Students Association Social Media & Communications Committee. Feel free to contact him with questions about his experience, BC Law, or law school in general. Comment here or send him an e-mail at rossire@bc.edu, and don’t forget to follow the Boston College Law Students Association on Twitter @BCLSA.