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 Post subject: Riata AAR 8/17-18
PostPosted: Sun Aug 18, 2013 9:28 pm 
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Saturday gave me a sad--we were all told to assemble at Deerfield and, when I got 3 blocks away, was advised to abort--beatdown undeliverable at this address. Apparently they were having an apt complex party.

I was on the road, so my messaging ability was limited. Would've been nice if someone had warned other inbound pandas what was up. But they didn't. See my little peccadillos about planning.

So, I did something I never do, drove all the way back up to Riata. It was Saturday, dammit, and a day without ball is like a day without sunshine. Made it by about 6, eager, sober, and ready for a crack at anything I could get.

Apparently some drinking had been going on up there... I managed to get 5 players together, strap them to my game, and carry them to one victory and another close fought defeat. This serves as a caveat to the general rule that it takes at least 2 experienced players to get a win. Cut that to one if everyone is drunk.

Sunday was far better. Lots of players and shirts. I played every game except for one today (voluntary sit out for 2 shirt all play), so I can never have a shirt up.

Here's something about teams and shirts: I was there by 3 and got things rolling. In the beginning, you play with the personnel available. However, a bit of strategizing about what teams you play on can be useful as the day goes on. As the high class play started to show up--Mikey, Wescott, Dub, Tif (best point guard in the pool--she's taking the award this year), Tbone, etc, you're starting to look at some serious mismatches in terms of challengers vs winners.

So, sometimes, it's better if you lose, in order to get picked up by the good challenge squad. But I don't know how to do that. Case in point: the early "super team" of Jared, Ronin Steve, Warren Sapp, and others who generally know what they're doing, faced off against me, Scotty, Wilson, and others who generally don't know what they're doing. No problem--you take your beating, but try to give the fans a good show (and, as they day goes on, we do have people who watch the games), then jump on the next team and really give em a good show. But that's not what happened--we freaking won! Not the most shameful loss anyone has suffered out there, but pretty damn shameful nonetheless--and you should be winners wrecked all my plans, and made me have to fight another game which was really mismatched. Shame on you for messing with Mr. Burns' plan for world domination. I had to wait a couple games before it came to fruition.

When it's a 2 against the world situation, opinions vary on how you set up your 2. One theory is you cross, one in front and one on the opposite side in back. But what has been working more regularly recently is you follow each other around the pool. Also helps if the 2 in question is a setter-hitter combo, which was exactly the case with me and attorney Scott.

When I got to sub in for Bunny, who made her season debut for one game today, things got really fun. Reunited with the old Argosy crew: Mikey, Dub, Wescott, Jared + Tiffer and other supporting cast members.

Some professionals, who shall remain nameless, wonder why I keep plugging away at Riata, where things can be kind of chaotic, there are too many people who don't know what they're doing, you have to sit out too many games, etc.

Here's why--winning hearts and minds. It's just that simple. If you get picked to be on a "bad" team, that's an honor--you have been selected because those people respect you. So make their team better and play your ass off, because that is what's expected of you.

Also, big ass talent pool up there. People with skills are showing interest in our little club. Today Ryan and the Flyin Hawaiian said they want to keep playing after Riata shuts down. They have been instructed that there is other intelligent life in the universe, and that we will keep on goin through October at least.

Ryan is a big fella with a good heart. He's going to make a strong hitter with a little more instruction. The Hawaiian is a damn good "tweener" player, like Wescott--little big man with a stinging spike and good all around skills. I thank you for your interest in our endeavors, gentleman. Welcome to the club. You have definitely proven you deserve to serve as rifleman in my beloved corps!

Pants, Nice Beth, and Dwayne showed up late, and games stayed good until the end. Pants talked me into the trap I almost always fall into--playing the "one more game" I shouldn't play. So, in the back row, I anticipated E-Dub's strike zone and sat down right in it--low, both hands up, just like you should--but he hit it so hard it went right through and into my throat. I think I'm still coughing up chunks of that ball.

If things keep up this way, I think we will be able to rebuild Panda Corps to the level where we can fight on 2 fronts at the same time.

Compared to in the past and the opinions of the detractors, there's a whole different vibe to the Riata, on a good day. May I remind you what our dual mascots symbolize--Panda = rare breed + camaraderie; Optimius = competition. The spirit of the Argosy is alive and well, even if the rebel base I maintained for 20 years has fallen. Inclusion for people who get it = improvement = involvement = the league survives, and hopefully grows.

I drove a tank and held a Chief's rank when the Blitzkrieg raged and the fighting stank, so I'm old as dirt. The "vets" I trained are now mid to late 30's. If I'm any example, that means they can keep on killing for another decade. But we gotta youthenize--new blood, younger players, who will keep the dream that is ball alive.

Sparta will need sons, and daughters. And I am excited that we have some Riata players who are willing to soldier on when the fight is done up there at the end of August. Because, people, that's when the playoffs begin!

Strength and honor

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Death from above! Fire down below!


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PostPosted: Mon Aug 19, 2013 1:47 pm 
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sunday was a great day at riata. as you note there are lots of good players. i mean lots. i could assemble a non-panda (nanda?) team up there and have a dam good squad. me, hawaii five o, tiff, alex of good, kenny, and wings for example. be a little rough around the edges, but possible.

with chief, me, ronin, the above mentioned, dub, lj, scotty, jared, vaughn, tbone, pants, lady pants, and wescott and anyone i am forgetting = bbg possibilities. and the good kind. the one were if anyone steps in they get beat down by which of the two bbg teams is standing

a ford, a jess, a creeps = completion.

tiff is in the top five. i would take her first off the bat for my squad. she is outstanding. one play prompted wescott to comment "does bunny know she is hooking you up like that?". lulz

its amazing what hitting a volleyball can do for one's spirit. injuries be damned. not much summer in the tank left...

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PostPosted: Mon Aug 19, 2013 2:45 pm 
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My shoulder is just about done hurting. Just a little hurt left. It's been 2 solid weeks of mystery shoulder pain. Maybe the aliens implanted a chip in me.


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PostPosted: Tue Aug 20, 2013 11:57 pm 
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In terms of summer ending, the AWVP usually says:

C'mon, Balboa, I gotta who lotta mo!

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Death from above! Fire down below!


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PostPosted: Wed Aug 21, 2013 8:49 am 
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Well put...I have been showing up late, but games have been mostly good depending on if day was a rager or not...Enthusiasm even from the Buoys is incredibly high and consistent...


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PostPosted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 12:57 am 
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Enthusiasm I can work with, to a certain extent:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keMR42a14YQ

Ein Sportvehrein macht Spass! Aber, mit zu viel Soldaten ganz blau, es ist schwerig, gut Spiel zu haben.

Translation--a league is fun. But with so many drunk soldiers, it is difficult to have good games. I haven't tried German in 20 years. How'd I do?

Oh yeah, and guess which guy I am in the clip!

What we've got up there could be described as "teachable moments" But the problem is, there are so many lessons, and some of them are contradictory:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKMG-FdCGtM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9p2BjhSEnNI

They will of course have to survive the training, and learn to excel at this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_42qmKBSC3g

Possible solution to keep in mind when facing the barbarian horde in team play:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5K3AKl5qpc

Good point-guard hitter teamwork analogy in the latter example, plus, it includes the Riata version of the AWVP prayer.

The original goes something like this:

Let me be mobile, agile and hostile;
Let me be first, fast, and accurate,
And, in so doing, let my team prevail,
So that we may face the next challengers,
And do the same to them.

More aptly conveyed this way:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oo9buo9Mtos

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Death from above! Fire down below!


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PostPosted: Fri Aug 23, 2013 8:45 am 
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