The San Francisco Spikes won the annual Pumpkin Patch Soccer Tournament, held October 7-10, and hosted in Philadelphia by the Falcons Soccer Club.

Having won the first Pumpkin Patch tournament held in 1998, the Spikes had not been back since then. This year, with a full squad from their Marin League, in the words of the Spike Barry Skown, "We basically crushed all our opponents."

Five teams competed at the Pumpkin: The Spikes, a team from Washington, D.C., two Philadelphia teams, and New York City's Ramblers.

The Spikes' first game was against the "Philly Green" (B-level) team. The Philly team consisted of a lot of players whose skills were not at the same level as the Spikes, who dominated, winning 8-0. The second game of the day against Washington, D.C.'s team, while more competitive, resulted in the Spikes winning 2-0.

The following game against the "Philly White" team resulted in another 2-0 win for the Spikes. "No other team had a perfect record after the first day, so we were assured a spot in the final on Sunday," said Skown.

Some reorganization of that final match gave the New York team a short rest before facing the Spikes, but some additional complaints from the New York Ramblers didn't help them.

At the final match, the Spikes' first rush down the field involving their midfielders and forwards resulted in the first goal only minutes into the game. Their second goal came four minutes later.

"This pretty much demoralized the New York team, and gave us the momentum to carry the game to them with confidence," said Skown. By halftime, the score was 5-0, ending in 8-0 for the Spikes – good for both the gold medal and champions trophy.

"We went with the intent of having a great team experience, and renewing friendship bonds that we've all had for the past years playing together," said Skown. "We accomplished all that, and added another gold medal to our tournament history in the process." www.sfspikes.com/

The Fog

The San Francisco Fog Rugby Football Club marks its fifth anniversary as the West Coast's first gay-friendly rugby team with an upcoming feature article inESPN magazine. "Playing for Pride," appears in the October 24 issue, and is written by ESPN senior writer Seth Wickersham. It provides an in-depth look at rugby, the Fog as a team, and three players with compelling personal stories about their experiences with the sport and the

The Spikes' Patrick Johnston (dark jersey) fights for the ball. Photo: Ismael Ruiz

The release of the ESPN article coincides with the Fog's preseason training for 2005-2006 Northern California Rugby Football Union league play. The club is also planning and fundraising for its appearance at the 2006 Bingham Cup 2006 Tournament, where the team will defend its Cup championship for a record third time. Approximately 40 domestic and international gay-identified rugby clubs are expected to participate in this International Rugby Board-sanctioned event. www.sffog.org

Citi-scrum Kane?

Speaking of gay rugby, actress Catherine Zeta-Jones, who grew up among rugby fans in her native Wales, has teamed up with her brother David to produce a new comedy about a gay rugby club boss.

The film, titled Coming Out, tells the story of a teenage gay theatre actor whose father dies and leaves him the local rugby club in his will. The gay son then returns home, and coaches the out of shape players into competing in a local tournament. Hilarity ensues, allegedly.

The movie will be produced by David's movie studio Initial Entertainment, and Zeta-Jones admitted that she was struggling to get the project off the ground. "It's hard to get the financing because I'm not starring in it. I just have a cameo role in it," she said.

Think global, act local

The Federation of Gay Games invites all Bay Area LGBT sports leaders to a discussion regarding site selection for the 2010 Gay Games, as well as a reorganization plan being considered by the federation.

The meeting will be held on Saturday, October 29, at 11 a.m. in the community meeting space above the Bank of America at the intersection of 18th and Castro streets in San Francisco.

Local FGG directors Roger Brigham, Gene Dermody, and Charles King, who are also on the strategic planning committee, will be in attendance, as well as other FGG delegates. The SPC studies organizational models, surveys the FGG constituency, and, following a directive passed by the full board of directors last year, proposed a reorganization of the FGG. A new set of bylaw changes will be proposed.

"Currently, we have a very flat organizational structure: the members are the board of directors," said Brigham, who is also the FGG communications director. "We would move to a three-tiered structure, in which membership of sports organizations would maintain control of votes over critical issues, such as site selection and officers."

Please RSVP with questions, or if you plan to attend, to rbrigham@gaygames.org. www.gaygames.org

Read more columns at www.sportscomplex.org.

Upcoming events

Critical Mass Halloween ride

Dress yourself and your bicycle for the Halloween Critical Mass, Friday, October 28 at 6 p.m., at Justin Herman Plaza, Market at the Embarcadero. Get ready to ride into the night spooky-style for the world-famous SF Halloween ride.

Veloswap & Sports Expo

Saturday, October 29, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the SF Concourse Exhibition Center, 635 8th Street, between Brannan and Townsend. The world's largest consumer bicycle and sports expo is the place to see, swap, buy, and sell every imaginable bike, part, and accessory. New for 2005 is the addition of both Triathlon and snowsports expo areas. Plus, it is a fundraiser for the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition. Get some goodies and support a good cause. Free valet bike parking will be provided, so ride your bike. www.veloswap.com/expo

Yoga & bike ride to Marin

Saturday, October 29: 9 a.m. yoga, 11 a.m. bike ride to Marin. Meet at Satori Yoga Studio, 40 1st Street, 2nd floor. Ninth year AIDS Life Cycle participant Tony Eason and Cat-2 cyclist Luca Ortolani will start participants off with a yoga class followed by a scenic, guided bike tour of Marin. Cost is $35 and includes the yoga class, bike ride, and a bag lunch. Info: http://ynottony.com/cyclie2.htm

Hallowheels

Enjoy Hell On Wheels, Sunday, October 30, from 10 a.m. to dark, at the Bike Kitchen, 19th & Florida streets in San Francisco. All bicycle enthusiasts (and the undead, or those dressed like them) are invited to San Francisco's only zombie Halloween carnival dedicated to the almighty bike. In addition to the all-day ramp jam, there will be zombie painting, bands, music, tall-bike jousting, mutant bikes, and the Heavy Pedal Cyclecide Bike Rodeo, followed by an after-dark Zombie Ride around the desolate backstreets of shady San Francisco. Hell On Wheels benefits the Bike Kitchen, a Mission District community bicycle repair and learning shop. Cost $5-$10, kids under 12 free. www.cyclecide.com.