AWVP

Yeah, it was supposed to be. I wrote a whole detailed AAR, and then the website wanted me to sign in. Now it's gone. Is this what I just paid for, Dan?

I really, really hate covering the same ground twice.

So, now, a shorter:

LJ is correct that secret BBG needs to happen earlier than we tried today. That's why today was a test. Who knew that, when we Pandas, who, apparently are the only players that matter, are not present, that Riata plays ball without us? News to me! : )

So players were on hand that didn't fit the BBG model. Too bad, so sad. Our own BBG players won't even put up a freaking shirt, because they somehow think they deserve game.

Well, right out of the gate, Joe and a bunch of lady sand ballers almost invalidated that policy--he served it up 7-0, which, in and of itself, makes me think you deserve a shot at starting. We almost had to sit.

I know why we're hard hearted--a chink in the armor gets you killed. Big (rusty) Ben missing 5 serves in a row, Alex setting himself 5 times, that will do it. Only advice I have is that you don't want to be "that player," meaning the one that let your team down and/or got chumped on the matchups.

But that's why we play the games, so we can get a play of the day like this--Jared's friend Jim, who comes in shorter than me and probably about as old, with a 1 handed stuff of Mikey on the net! Vet BBWhat??

When the BBGs happened, it wasn't with all old school players--we were short a few, which means people had to step up and do their part.

But there was one game, where it was super quiet out there, because the teams knew it was on--the ball wouldn't go down, no matter how good your play was (hint--another sign a BBG is in progress), and I started listening to the ball coming off peoples' hands. Sounded like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZnYtFJWyR8

Here's a thought--being mean elitist bastards is what road trips are for--on those, no mercy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEp76ppPc8o

Those are agreed to the death matches. But that's not what we're doing at the exclusive resort community.

We are not propiretors, we are invitees. Remember that, people. There are many of you who don't think you have to put a shirt up to play. Because you think you deserve to play. You're wrong.

Some of the most fun I had all day was helping a good lady baller out of San Marcos named Caroline set up a good team to get a win. More than one, actually.

Conversely, in the heat of battle, I may not always hold true to dry people play up there, and be inclusive. If you are not being picked to play, put up a shirt--then you are guaranteed a game.

There's 2 ways I can think of to go with LJs BBG extravaganza--first is to do it. I'm down. But, in terms of doing BBGs in the future, rather than thinking it's our right, how about asking?

At Argosy, we had to stop the concept of "run it back" and "best of 3" because others were waiting. Same but double at a place like Riata. But here's a concept Nice Beth was able to help out with--we'd set up a BBG, and others would want to get in. She'd tell them this is probably not the game you want to play, because these bad guys have been waiting all day to kick the crap out of each other. Sit one game, and then you're in.

If we ask people nicely to sit one game so we can kick the crap out of each other, and give them a good show, I bet they'll agree, even at the exclusive resort community.

We're doing good work up there, and, non road trip, it is better to be loved than hated:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-zpOMYRi0w

_________________
Chief

Death from above! Fire down below!

I would like to propose a new plan to avoid the scrubs and achieve major BBGs:

Late Ball!

It's like the plan for early ball, except we get there real late after all those damn scrubs have left, and then we ball it up with BBGs!!

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#23
My name's Dan

We may need to bring some spotlights, however that is much more desirable than getting up early on a weekend.

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#23
My name's Dan

Define scrub. Seriously. And, of course, since the term flies around generally, don't be afraid to say who's who.

Have you ever been beaten by scrubs, when you thought you were gonna win? Feel free to share those stories with the class.

I am not getting soft in my old age. People who are lippy, think this game is easy, bring in like minded amateur teammates, and lather, rinse, repeat... they resemble the scrub remark. And should be treated as such.

How many times do I have to say this! You're working at cross purposes with a longer term strategy. The thing that brought Riata down in the first place was elitism, having a bunch of old guys dominate the games. Does this sound fucking familiar in any way???

Here's a definition of scrub that I work with--I AM A SCRUB. I am old, and short, which means I will be at a disadvantage against many players. I don't always play the ball well, or the way my team wants me to. I do have a certain amount of experience, and can do some things well, but not every team needs that.

Can I be on your team?

_________________
Chief

Death from above! Fire down below!

Good points. We were all scrubs once.

I hereby renounce my Late Plan, and think we should just do things how we've been doing them.

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#23
My name's Dan

Also, this. We were the folks that broke the glass ceiling at Riata. Ladies play. Let's not go backwards.

Not smart that they decide to play in bunches. Even I have to admit that tall men on your team have uses...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfKVMLxFot0

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Chief

Death from above! Fire down below!

LJ Riata resident is. His plan 8/17 we do. Today was a test. 8/17 will be more of a test. But right now, we need to get through 8/10. Because, as all know, you're only as good as your last game/play.

whttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1D-aJSDJqlAe

Who wants to step up? Free to all...

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Chief

Death from above! Fire down below!

Also, when there's a big ass party blasting their tunes from across the way, why do you try to match them? Just creates cacophony. Also, mea culpa, I like techno.

Which means it's just a matter of time until I challenge little blondie blondie to a dance off--I know who will win, just sayin:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VErXDjMqUak

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Bxpt7waG4Y

Someone should put some competition out there for her. Or tell her that ball and dancing have kinda the same moves.

Until this happens:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVACVY4DBew

_________________
Chief

Death from above! Fire down below!

i am sorry to say but yesterday was disappointing. yes there were some good games but dammit its just hard as shit to get the game quality i need to keep my attention.

the alex and ben routine to be counted on f-ups just kill the rhythm.

but far and away the biggest problem i have is the bitching. it just won't stop. there are way too many people out there who simply don't understand what it means to play a team sport. on every play that doesn't go perfect there is bitching. lets do this. hey why not pass it? hey why not try this side?

hey WHY DON'T YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP.

i was out there doing my best to stay positive. every time one of my team hit it out or in the net it - i was there saying "good shot" or "don't worry about it" or whatever. i didn't fucking act like a faggot every time we messed something up.

then i go something like 8 for 9 on hits. including like three from the back row to win a game. next game starts and i miss one long. and low and behold i have misty and joe fucking bitching at me. fuck them. and fuck this shit. i am sick of this BS attitude that everyone out there can't fucking shut up for a game and just enjoy it. its a game. sometimes people miss a shot. get over it. you fucking kill the team's rhythm when you have to interject your fucking nonathletic mindset into the game.

not playing today because of this shit. next time out there i am leaving any game where that shit becomes prevalent. it has to stop.

to your other points chief - i have no clue why pandas don't put up a tshirt.

i got kent pissed at me for him playing a game, and then losing, and then claiming next cuz his shirt was there. i stepped in as the "asshole" to stop that shit. i got kent on the next team, but dammit this is a behavior that has to stop.

its a fucking circus of ethical challenges out there. almost all of them lack some general principles on this shit. so you see, it can flow both ways with the shirts. no shirts. too many shirts. what we lack are actual shirts. ones for people who have next and such and aren't playing the current game.

maybe for me next appearance i will casually float into the pool and demand to play - ala some special residents. and then get mad at everyone and fuck off for two hours, come back, demand again, and then sit there complaining to everyone how everyone hates me and i suck.

and some more here chief. i now remember the game that misty drafted me. before the game she tells me "don't be a jerk". i was like huh? just don't be a jerk? i was like what do you mean misty?

"you know not all hard hitting and crazy, like you were with the girls".

of course the girls were all very good sand players and could really ball. after the first game i was super nice to them and asked them to keep playing. they were digging it. maybe misty wasn't, but they were. but then they forgot to get a shirt up, or didn't understand.

aside from my anger here (and misty's very odd social anxiety thing) i think we are mainly doing a great job. lots of folks interested and wanting to play. we need more pandas to obey the rule of the shirt. we need more positivity from everyone out there. that starts with us because they are mostly still intimidated. we need to make sure they are engaged and not angry as shit and bitching during the game.

the more i think about it the more i realize poor misty really created lots of weirdness out there yesterday.

and on a final note - the talent level was outstanding.

Dan, I'm too long winded for the website. This is killing me. Another post that just got wiped out.

Shorter, again. To address college's concerns:

Would you say the Riata is better, worse, or about the same as we found it, say 7-10 years ago, when we first busted the exclusive resort community's cherry?

Pulling shirts is not always the goal. Let's use the Kent example. If memory serves, he played on a not so good team to fill in. And then I was going to be thrown into the mix as well, meaning my shirt would go as well. No trading or bartering of shirts. Shirts are shirts, and if you play, you're gone!

This approach will end up slowing games down, and preventing certain strategery about getting good games going.

We already have a problem getting players to play with new people who shirt up but don't have a full team. Makes it a lot worse if you lose your spot for playing with them. It will slow the game down, big time if we stick to the letter of the law.

Criticism? I'm more or less used to it. As always, but now with the help of Riata residents, I attempt to do the greatest good for the greatest number.

What I fully expect to have on my headstone when you bury me under the Argosy pool (what's that smell?) is "Chief is a poopy head, and I like cheese."

Because I'm experienced, how many serves am I allowed to miss on the day? I'd say zero. How many of my sets are supposed to be perfect, no matter what? 100%.

That's a lotta pressure. My thought is that there's a lot worse things that could happen to you than having people depend on you and expect you to be perfect. Agreed, it's a lotta responsibility. But if you want to be an elite player, I expect it comes with the territory.

And, when players get frustrated that things aren't perfect, or get upset when they are told they don't play perfect, and then don't play, it makes it harder on the rest of us.

I'm at the end of my career, and would like to see something sustainable when I'm gone. Which is different than the lessons I taught early on.

But seriously, folks, "best of 3" and "run it back" started to die at Argosy right around the time we got more than 8 people wanting to play.

Minus one truly clown college crew of scrubs, I'm still at a loss as to how we can justify ruling a pool. Because I'm guessing that at least one of the BBGs LJ is calling down next weekend will go like 15-2. And anyone can lose like that! How do you explain to the people that have to sit why your 2 points were better than theirs?

Open question--what is a good % for a hitter? As a setter, I have to be 100%, under the mantra "if the set ain't pretty, big man looking shitty." Some hitters will transition when I blow it, if I'm lucky.

I'm sorry there's frustration out there. But I'm doing the best I can. And, at this stage of my career, I'd rather leave something behind that doesn't involve death and destruction.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_b7bgtu2O4E

Those who think that makes me weak are welcome to step up to the plate

_________________
Chief

Death from above! Fire down below!

who is saying you're weak? lets not talk past each other.

i agree with everything you say. i was venting, yes, i agree there. it wasn't my best thoughts. i was actually doing quite well in the battles. i just sat there quiet and did my best to enjoy myself. and did my best to make sure others there did too. i just lost it when i had to get bitched at for hitting a ball out of bounds. that puts me off on way too many levels.

i actually most of the other times saturday. and i can take the suck medicine myself for the time being. we have no other medicine to take. and yes, they are getting better.

lets just work on eliminating the bitching. its grating and doesn't help anyone.

A lot of good pts and a good rant...

1. Misty is Misty...The sand crew has been dealing w/ her umm "idiosyncrasies" for almost a decade...I would even venture to say there has been more tension because of her extreme sensitivity and trying to run things when there is a system that kind of mostly works...At the heart of things tho she is a nice person that would kill for anyone she has ever met, but one you have to work w/ or ignore at certain times...

2. Mikey Mikey Mikey...I agree w/ so much of your post, but do you know how boring it gets for Chief, a few others, and me to be expected to set basically Ford, Edub, Scotty, and you every game every pt...I dont even get mad at Chief for his two overs anymore because he knows thats his only opp to hit...I have gone literally whole games where I set you or the other 3 every ball, and some times where there should have been some reciprocity...Yeah, I will never be a hitter because of height, knee surgeries, lack of fast swing, nubs, and because I never get a chance to swing more than once per game per day if that, so yeah, we are going to bitch a little when the big hitters screw up because our role is expected near perfect sets all the time, and when there is a chance at passing back to us it rarely happens...And yes, I do prefer to play w/ the big hitters and do my role, but I also would like to take a wild swing every now and then...Who knows, maybe they will become better if set a few more times...My favorite wins in my vball career were 3 pg games where a team w/ of 3 them were on same time like Chief, Jarrett, Crawfish or me because we shared the ball at all costs, and got to be offensive...

3. For the most part games are fun these days...We bitch about the same things every season...

4. I do hope the BBG noon game really happens...We do need to have a talk w/ a few Pandas that might be inviting some not ready for that level tho...

_________________
#23
My name's Dan

_________________
Chief

Death from above! Fire down below!

_________________
Chief

Death from above! Fire down below!

_________________
Chief

Death from above! Fire down below!

_________________
Chief

Death from above! Fire down below!

_________________
Chief

Death from above! Fire down below!

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#23
My name's Dan

lol dan. but pat is right on both accounts. shirts are silly but its what we have. but at riata we have a bigger issue - ethics. when they lack the system won't work regardless. at the argossy our respect for the ggame and friends allowed us to manage.

ethics.

Already wrong, Pants, given our secret BBG plan.

But also right--slowly but surely, we are bringing the Argosy Way to the exclusive resort community.

What is this win and stay in doesn't work anymore concept you speak of? What do you mean people with lady parts should get to play? Who are these dry people you speak about who are not on my winning team and are therefore invisible and undeserving? What do you mean that a ball that hits water, skips, and then hits wall is not out? Who are you that says that we can't argue about that until my flawed vision is a reality?

Well, I think we've fixed all that. Or at least addressed it.

You know I bought them a white board to try to eliminate the shirt confusion? You know what Tbone told me? It made things worse! People would erase, and cheat by writing above others:

Well, it appears we have a long way to go....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wmQeXuDGGU

_________________
Chief

Death from above! Fire down below!

Guy named Pants says shirts are dumb. Conflict of interest me thinks.

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Smile! It only hurts for a second.

Ah, I remember the good old "win and stay in" "us" and "them" conflicts at Riata:

We of the dirty Philadelphia gym have been sharing our culture with Riata for a few years now:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXaTcZWBfC0

I at least try to only kill as long as killing is necessary. Fight as hard as you can, until BBG best of 3 decides things had a goal that some of the players in same may not have agreed on--mix it up, so that fellow warriors can learn how to play together.

Many things have changed, for the good, I think. When I first got to Riata, women didn't play. Clearly you don't know our women!

Changing a culture, for the good? Don't tell me it can't be done!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xu3kyRv3PEI

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Chief

Death from above! Fire down below!