Officiating

Playing the game and being able to manage it between competitors that may or may not have any confidence in you... well that is a challenge.

I was the ref for the Men's C finals. The game went fine up until half way of game two. I called no carry on the first of three controversial calls. The ball was tipped, not only did I see the shot, the gallery and I saw the ball egg up from the shot and bounce oddly once it struck a surface. There is a good rule of thumb. Until the play is call dead (meaning the ref bags on the glass with the cliboard - can't miss sound) keep playing. The loser of this match did not do that. After losing the first game 15-4, he was not pleased with my call.

As you would expect it happened again, and he stopped playing and lost the point. Not a huge debate, but he was not pleased with my call and made and the gallery aware of it. The third time was a charm. He gave up and took 7 straigt serves without return to lose. Tough match for him, but he is a quitter.

I did make one error letting go a serve that most said was short. I also overturned one of my calls when both players agreed to the opposite. All in all... being a ref was fun. You can actually get paid for it as well. Not sure if I will ever trade time for a few measily bucks away from the family so long... but if my kids get older and play... I will surly do it.

Bigger Place - 6 courts; Better Results!

My doubles partner and I were handed 3rd place. I took second place in Men's D. The whole weekend was a huge dissappointment. The best part, other then my final's match was learning and completing my officiating skills. It is one thing to know 95% of the rules, but making the calls and sticking to them was somewhat of a challenge. I'll get in that towards the end.

Men's D doubles was folded into Men's C and D due to the overall low turn out of players. We arrived late on Saturday and got ready to play our match. We were set to play a level B pair. (Oh great!) However, one of the players is a known jerk with a history of talking a great game and backing up very little of it. I thought he was playing with someone similar to his skill, but that was not the case. The loud mouth jerk who truly did not belong with his partner (skill wise) took my and my teammate through a clinic of how to delay, disrupt, and ultimately ruin a racquetball experience. This was, afterall, our first doubles match competitively. There were a total of 10 doubles teams and we were confident that we were going to lose... the question was when!! :)

Within 30 seconds of the start of our match, Andy was yelled at by the better of the two opponents. Apparently, you cannot communicate with your doubles partner! That is great. First off, we learned a new rule. Second, it is a stupid rule which contradicts how we play and almost everyone we know and have played with. By calling out to your partner, cover front or watch the pinch we are speaking what is obviously well know and obvious to all. So the rule states basically not to say it - for those same reasons. If everyone knows... shut up about it.

Shortly there after, we found ourselves in violation of a half dozen more soft rules rarely called in a gentlemens game of racquetball. Clearing out for a shot to provide both a cross court pinch and same side court passing shot. We cleared, but not enough for the two players who call it all - not to call it! Down 5-0 and on our way to a 15-2 loss Andy and I were completely unprepared for this onslaught of rules and sportsmanship. The loud mouth jerk nobody likes hit 5% of the shots and did 95% of the talking which is really annoying.

Serivce: I was not served the ball except for 3-4 times in two games. (yes we lost in straigt games) Apprently, the gentlemen's accord to not serve in front of your partner for fear that they may be hit was an agreement these two felt completely at home with breaking. Although I will not admit intent, we never hit them with our return serve.

The first game went quick. The second game we showed we could hold our own. I got several 35-40 ft kills shots, which is truly my role in doubles patrolling the back court. In the end, we did not have our best game and we were playing a superior doubles team in both experience and shot selection.

41-15 was the match result. We were dropped into the third place bracket. Every team in that bracket either did not show or was injured so we won by default. This was not pleasing as we wanted to play more.

My singles matches were equally dissappointing but for different reasons. Entering the tourney I consulted with the director that knows my play well for placement purposes. (That will be the last time I do that.) She said go with Men's D. So I did and so did Andy.

My first game dropped due to injury. Andy claims I would have creamed him as Andy slaughters him.

My second game I defeated a 10-12 year old who barely could return any shot.

My third game I defeated a 75 yeard old man who was dead tired from playing Andy two hours earlier. He barely put up a fight.

My final match was vs Andy. We play all the time and know each other well. Let me just say I have a 12-4 lead and lost the game and match soon after. Andy took the game and match from me and I did not seem to have a way to stop it. Good match.... terrible tourney... will go to another, but never back to the Green and Gold at South Floriday University. I did not get any of the other benefits either... no food / drinks were never available. Although the tourney Director was new... my expectations were set prior to attending.

Green and Gold

I am attening my first tournament of the 2008 season. A long way back, I posted about my first tourney and how I got rocked. There were several factors contributing to my obliteration. The first and foremost was the gallery. It is weird to have so many people watching your game. The good shots do not seem as good. The lucky shots seem like you needed that break, even though you control tempo and opponent position on the court. Bad shots seem horrible as if you do not belong on the court nor worthy of my entry.

The bottom line is you feel like a fish in a fishbowl. Well, I am at it again!!

This tourney will be different! I have entered two different events. Men's singles and Men's doubles. I skipped my previous entry for Men's 30-35 mainly since the players in that event are all well well above me in skill. I did not want to put any energy into them making me run like a dog just so they can still cream me. I thought it wise to do so...

The Green and Gold Tournament is being held at The University of South Florida. I'll post details after this weekend. Results; some play by play if interesting; and pics if they have them available.

Wish me luck!

300

No this post is not about the movie. Refer to an earlier post on the subject.

No this post is about another 300. My current weight. <1.29.2008>

I'd like to say a few words for the tier: It has been nice. I got to know you well. Mostly, you crept up on me slowly but silently in the wide open with a spot light on you... There are always benefits and I enjoyed most of them. I have no regrets. I can recall the ability to eat an entire NY style pizza. In the past, I could consume 10k+ calories and think nothing of it. I may do that again, but things will be really different if that comes to pass. 300, what I am getting at is... I have changed.

Now, I am done with you.

30 down... 105 to go. One day at a time. One meal at a time. One stair or rep at a time.

This weekend I had a great conversation about Triathlons. I have made a decision to complete one in 2008/2009. I will make it official about my registration once I have a race picked out. I am still not ready to just jump into one, so once a minor weight hurdle is met (I have three 275 -240 - and 220) I will choose the race.

I was advised to pick a race.
Ccount back 12 weeks and ask for the training program from my source.
Provide as much advance notice as possible and communicate my registration confirmation number.

~ A future post will outline what I need to do to make this goal a reality.

Perfect Dark Zero

Gamespot rated this game an over all 9.0, which is saying something. As one of the first games to come out for live, I have been impressed with the game play. It is fun, not overly complicated, straight forward killing. Not to mention, one of the best capture the flag games in sometime. The spawns are pretty far apart, so if you get killed defending the flag the offense will undoubtedly score, which is more than you can hope for. I can only tell you how many times on offense I enter, kill the defenders, and leave the base only to get run down and killed like a dog from other players unfit to play on the same field. (It happens more than you would imagine.) The Halo series, I know - how can I criticize my favorite game, is totally guilty of this, which is hard to believe for such a good game type on such a good game.

Perfect Dark Zero is getting some good points as well since it is still aggressively played... I have had little trouble getting people into games both created as well as pick up. I will comment that due to the relatively low price tag, I think this game is heavily used by non English speaking people. This is turning out to be yet another strength since I rarely say anything during a game. I have plenty of "It's not your fault!" opportunities, but I feel it falls on deaf ears with the language barrier so now I am just never speaking. (What a relief... to play like the old days and say nothing!!)

Good game and well worth the 8.99 price tag I payed for it used.

Burnout Paradise is my next purchase!

Good Times - Montreal

I was checking out a good friends album with the latest baptism picks for his son. (Wish I could have gone...)
I flew to Montreal from Tampa. That afternoon on a day we thought would be miserable the sun came out and we gathered at an outdoor Greek cafe. This trip was a great deal of fun... not to mention a well supported bachelor party!!


from left to right and around the tablet: (Chris, Manny, me, Manny, Tony, & George)

Weight Change

This week kicks off week three of my weight training. I am not really sure what I am training for, but this is a widely accepted phrase.

I have been keeping steady records of what I have done for reference and to understand weaknesses, which need to be addressed. As I warm up for a lifetime of tearing, ripping, and rebuilding, surprisingly, I feel very good with increased energy levels. Endorphins are at work in my body and they feel good!