Mancini Scores Big in Season Finale

Watch as Frankie, jersey number 77, kicks off, scores 4 extra points (in this league you score 2 points per kick), and gets a tackle on defense while playing for the Gates Jr. Spartans. The Spartans finished the regular season 6-1 and will play in the division championship on November 1.

Homecoming 2008

As Tony contiued in his second year in the Gates Chili High School Marching band, he began the preparations to march in the Homecoming parade and football game on Saturday, September 20. There was one slight problem: Tony broke his leg the Saturday before Homecoming.
Rather than panic, Tony and the family prepared for yet another Mancini adventure and made arrangements for him to still perform in his cast.


Here you see Tony escorted by his pair of loaner legs, his dad. Of course, though his lack of uniform lost him major points with the judges, Frank's lively footwork and superb sense of rhythm earned him an honorary goofy looking marshmallow hat to be awarded later.


Here's Tony performing in the halftime show (lower left corner in the wheelchair) playing in a Beatles medley. Although no one in the band had any idea who the Beatles were, most of the parents in the crowd raised their triumphant peace signs in the air to sufficiently embarrass all the teens in attendance.

Trek to Catholic Disney World

That's right, the weekend of September 6, it was time to finally fulfill the Mancini boys' destinies and travel across several states to the land of the Hoosiers (and all that entails) to visit the campus of the University of Notre Dame for the most holy of events: the season home opening football game versus the San Diego State Aztecs.


Thanks to the unbelievable generosity of Bill Lytle from York, PA (a dormmate of Frank's from about a hundred years ago), we were not only able to obtain tickets, but a hotel room in Sandusky, OH.
The game itself proved to be a somewhat less than comfortable experience until the fourth quarter, but the weekend as a whole ended up being an excellent example of just a fraction of the many sights, sounds, smells, and confidential stories that four years of college will someday offer to the boys.


Tony had an excellent vantage point just a couple rows up from the end zone not only to view the game, but to also capture some of the action photographically.


Along with many of the other historic icons of the campus, such as Touchdown Jesus, the golden dome, and the football stadium, Tony was able to capture Joe Montana (in the blue and white striped shirt and sunglasses).


Sophomore quarterback Jimmy Clausen fires off another pass


Another shot proving how close to the action Tony really was


After the game, the boys pose for one final shot in front of the most famous library adorned with a gigantic religious mosaic in the world.

Back to School, Parental Sanity Returns

The Mancini boys pose for/tolerate the annual tradition of the first day of school picture. This year marked Bobby's first as he prepared to ride the bus to kindergarten. There was also another first as Frankie actually almost smiled for the picture. We postulate that Frankie was actually thinking about what it will be like spending 8 hours away from his parents.

It's Labor Day, It Must Be Time to Go Camping

Labor Day Weekend once again saw the return of the annual multi family camping trip. The Mancinis this year joined the Burkovich and Hossenlopp families at Holiday Hill campgrounds in Springwater, NY. While there, we were able to briefly sample the New York State Festival of Balloons in Dansville. Here now are just a few samples of the naturally outdoorsy goodness that the Mancinis enjoyed.


Here is Frankie renenacting a scene from the latest Spongebob Squarepants episode where Mr. Crabs finds a penny while camping with Spongebob and Patrick.



Fisherman Bobby proudly displays his catch. If you look closely, you can see the professional Pirates of the Carribean pole he used to bring in the vicious beast.


Tony displays "Sheldon" the turtle who was captured and subsequently labelled by all the kids. Please don't mention this to the DEC.


Frankie successfully restrains his jubilation after winning the youth fishing derby at the campground. The winning fish measured a whopping 15 inches. The trophy measured almost half of that.


Here is proof that we did not capture/torture everything we saw during the weekend. During a hike through the woods we found this waterfall. It's still there and relatively intact after our visit.


Here is one of the over 50 hot air balloons that we saw in Dansville.

Thunderbirds are Go (if you know what that means, you're dating yourself)

Some of the Mancini Men went to the ESL International Air Show recently to view the Thunderbirds' performance as well as various military aircraft, some commercial aircraft, and unreasonably long lines to ride school buses to your car.

This is Why They are Called Sports Fan(atic)s

Okay, while this clip is somewhat disturbing and it is very uncomfortable to admit that Notre Dame has fans like this, we are compelled to share the enthusiasm and raw spirit that "the Masked Bencher" displays in this video. If only it were this easy to turn around the football team's 3-9 season.

Mancini Boys Join In on Superhero Summer

On Father's Day, the entire Mancini family visited the Strong National Museum of Play to participate in Superhero Day. While there, each of the boys utilized their new found super powers (some more successfully than others).

Marching Band Memorial Day Marathon

Here is the Gates Chili High School Marching band (starring Tony Mancini) doing their annual Memorial Day Marathon. They start out the morning in the Chili parade, move quickly and quietly to the Gates Memorial Day ceremony, and then finish up in the Rochester parade (all before Noon). Although the skies were overcast and the temperature never got above 60, the rain held off and the band was able to perform without any casualties.

Mancinis Visit Lilac Festival

The Mancini family once again paid a visit to Rochester's Highland Park to partake in the annual Lilac Festival. The excursion was nearly a disaster when they found that there were no deep fried Oreos left, but the evening was salvaged when the line for fried dough was short and the cinnamon and powdered sugar supplies were plentiful. Oh yeah, we also saw a bunch of flowers.

Future Soccer Champion Begins Career

Bobby Mancini is seen here ready to begin his first practice for what is sure to be a long and successful career. To check on the details, click here. Currently he is playing for the Purple Monsters in the Gates Soccer League, but we're expecting a call from the MLS any day now.

This Just In...Tony Spotted in Times Square

While on a trip to New York City with the Gates Chili High School Band, Tony was captured on a webcam in front of TGI Fridays in Times Square. Look closely and you'll see Tony standing in front of the phone booth wearing a white tee shirt and shorts and talking on his cell phone facing right. To his right is his friend Dan Montgomery (with his back to the camera). Also, if you look closely near the top of the picture, you can see a taxi driver, with way too many consonants and symbols in his name, charging an outrageous fare to an unsuspecting tourist.

If It's October, It Must be Time for Stokoe's

Once again, as the month of October hits, the Mancinis once again joined the Reynolds family at Stokoe Farms for their annual Fall Extravaganza Celebration Festival Party Thing. We won't mention the $6.75 admission that doesn't include the price of a pumpkin, but we will say that a great time was had by all. Just some of the events included tractor rides, live animals, zip lines, a corn maze, and general autumn frivolity.

Bobby picks up a chick.

Bobby rides the zip line all by himself.

Tony "Pumpkin Head"

Tony and Frankie get corny

Strike Up the Band

Tony not only entered ninth grade and the high school this year, but he also joined the Gates Chili High School Marching Band. Here Tony is pictured getting ready to perform at a school sponsored family festival in September, but Tony also marched for every home football game and will soon be performing at halftime during the high school football post season tournament games. It's a good thing that the Mancini men are secure in their manhood as the marching band has been performing songs from the Tony Award winning Broadway play Wicked.

Another Day, Another Milestone

Here you see one of Frankie's first attempts at a kickoff during the Gates Jr. Spartans' game vesus West Seneca (near Buffalo) on Septemper 21st. The Jr. Spartans were able to squeeze out a victory (final score, 50 - 7) and continue their undefeated season.

Ready or Not, Here He Comes

Mid September saw the beginning of the end of Bobby's career as an adorable little baby. Now Bobby, the adorable little big boy, is entering pre-school with his best buddy/third brother, Brett Seaman. Those who wish to contribute to the fund for their teacher's therapy sessions can send an e-mail to the blog author.

It's Apple Pickin' Time Again

In early September, it was once again time to head over to Beez and Papa's house for the annual apple picking extravaganza. The boys (including Daddy) don their hard hats and helmets and proceed to shake the living daylights out of the tree. As the apples rain down from the branches and pelt everything and everyone within a 30 foot radius, a good time is had by all (except for those not wearing a helmet).

Frankie Begins his Football Career

In August, Frankie began what will most assuredly be a long and productive football career with the Gates Jr. Spartans organization. Seen here at their first scrimmage in Hilton versus the Greece Titans, Frankie, #92 on the line of scrimmage, gets himself set to dispense a whole lot of whuppin' on that puny defensive line.

Cousin Will Hits Town

In June, Kathy, Randall, and cousin Will visited Rochester. Usually they visit between Christmas and New Years Day, but this time they decided to try a visit when the weather is more like their Alabama winter. While they were unable to go sledding and have snowball wars, they were able to enjoy the Strong Museum and participate in go carting and miniature golf with the cousins.


Here is a glimpse into the future as the bachelor cousins go shopping for themselves for the very first time.


Here are the cousins after go carting and miniature golf. We aren't going to mention how Will got the cast on his arm demonstrating his latest skateboarding tricks.

A future designer/abstract artist is born

Here is Bobby displaying just a few of his latest creations. Not only does he create the typical spaceships and vehicles, but he also has chosen to represent friends and neighbors in his chosen medium, oversize Legos. Maybe he has a future working with modern bands creating music videos



Anyway, here are a few closeups of some of his first pieces in what is sure to be a long career.


This piece silences any questions as to how strong Bobby's patriotism is.


Here is one of Bobby's more abstract pieces. The description says it all. If you don't get it, then you are truly not on as elevated an artistic level as Bobby is.


Of course, it just isn't a complete Lego collection without at least one Star Wars reference.

This was just a tease of the rest of the ever growing collection. If you want to see more, keep watching for the upcoming Museum of Modern Art premiere.