AWVP

Sunday funday AAR. It was a bit hard for me to get up after yesterday’s tournament:

https://youtu.be/Drmy6EtwiHA?si=nXYjNYMzGa21frdD

The end of the day is kinda a blur, but my team won the games we needed to win, and apparently I put on a good show with the partying, so goals for the day achieved.

Nice dynasty photo. I was just arriving when that team formed and was just a bit too late to get on it. For those who are wondering, this is an example of what a “mixed” team looks like. They were definitely overmatched in many positions against their first opponents, who figured they were gonna cruise to victory.

I’ve got one thing to say about that, which I’ve said many times before and I’m gonna say it again. Wanna hear it? Here it go:

That’s why we play the games!

Big turnout today, which makes things hard to manage.

Accentuating the positive, there were some signs of attention to the fairness factor, which is better than zero : )

And it turns out I did my math correctly when it came time for the 2 news teams draft. There were 13 dries, not 12 as others insisted. So I ended up with 7 players. What to do? My thought would be either last choice sits out or I do. 2nd round draft choice nopijg out to strategically sit was not the best idea in terms of making the team more competitive. But, if memory serves, we won that game anyway, thanks to the contributions of Joe Wilson and the return of the Walrus. See that why we play the games reference above.

It kinda defeats the purpose of going through a draft if people nope out. Same thing happened again with a Kenny team later in the day.

Sadly strategic sitting is apparently contagious. One of my water babies did it. Not gonna play on my shitty team. Gonna wait to get on a better one. Fair warning from past experience, when you don’t get in when you can, you might get skipped in the next game.

So, in no particular order, how do you decide who plays and who don’t? Order of appearance at the obstacle. As games progress, who hasn’t played at all, who is double dry, who is single dry, shirts, draft. Mix and match at your discretion.

Be aware whatever method is chosen, there will be efforts to game the system and form a super team. When those efforts succeed but the super team fails to achieve dynasty, the proper response is:

https://youtu.be/bx9kaa7IsBg?si=PlHzasca_hQfvwqT

The theory is that short term pain of not being able to play on a super team increases competiveness, gets people to learn to play together who usually don’t, and encourages the lesser experienced/skilled players to perform in ways they didn’t think they could—a rising tide raises all pandas.

I’ll mention Alex along these lines today. I think he made it into a dynasty photo. His serves were good and his serve receive was much improved.

Other notables. Return of Big Papi and Woodcock. Haven’t seen either of them in a while.

Javi had a good day at the net as usual, and replicated Dan’s famous Dallas move, by gliding halfway across the back row for a save.

We had a pole shot today. Those are rare and amusing. I think my hat hanging on the pole (to indicate next game) was accused of interference

Returning to the old man yelling at clouds portion of be AAR:

It takes 2 calls to determine a net serve. So be careful when you make that first call and there is no second, because that is gonna throw your team off.

But… when there is a whole team calling net, including impartial observer yours truly who heard it from the back of the pool, there shouldn’t be no redo. While you can argue everything in the hopes that by arguing you’ll get at least some bs you argue to go your way, you shouldn’t.

For my contribution to conflict resolution, I was called senile. That’s a new one. But I’m impressed. It turns out that some of our bigger sand ballers have a vocabulary beyond “hit ball hard” and see in fact polysyllabic! I mean who knew?

Miami accurately pointed out that I ducked 4 serves today in the back row. That’s because I knew I didn’t have em, which is the opposite of senility:

https://youtu.be/KPNT5j_OMzw?si=_QwZPgKLfKknKdqC

Lotta things on me hurt after today. Pride ain’t one of ‘em. Thanks teammates. We often exceeded expectations.

I’m gonna get some time to rest up. Announcement: I’m out July 13-20. First vacation since before covid. So someone will have to do the AARs in my absence, if any of you can remember to do them, that is. Because non senile inquiring minds will want to know what happened.

https://youtu.be/_f_zsoFSjN0?si=J125MUrMizTPp1VS

Play some good ball while I’m gone, pandas.