Hadley vs. Patrick
The score indicated a long, hard fought battle between two veterans. This time - and this time only - power overcame precision. Dave won in 5 with a 10-9 game 5. We play them again!
Gryphon vs. Ted
The 7:00 a.m. match was, like our teammate, akin to mutiple personalities. There were great rails, long rallies, one shot shooters, shots into the floor, huge amounts of hustle, self admiration after thought to be winners, power shots and finesse shots.
The battle was on after the first game. Gryph took an early, solid lead but let Ted back into the game and the win. Game 2 was where the craziness started. Gryph bageled, blanked, shut-out and mind tweaked Ted with a 9-0 pasting. Which personality was that? Game 3 went to Ted in another good game but the tank was running on fumes as the rallys went a little longer than usual and Ted made some remarkable shots with great hustle that looked like sure winners for Gryph. Game 4 was a reverse bagel - 0-9 and as Carl Spackler aptley says in Caddyshack, "That's all she wrote - click here."
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Thursday, December 13, 2007
The Battle For The Castle - US vs. THEM
RICC vs. RICC
The line-up was set and we were looking pretty strong. Confidence has been building; we're comfortable as a B Team. Team fitness has improved; pounds have been shed and strength has increased.
Nina vs. Grossman - The 2 slot - more on that later.
Jenks vs. Wall
There was great anticipation for the #4 match. Two rather large former hockey/lax players in a confined area trying to hit the ball as hard as they can, you could feel the potential volitility. Everyone watching the match was expecting and hoping for some checking and slashing. Unfortunately, there were no sparks, no yelling - other than Jenks regular NICESHOT! (Yes, it's all one word), no checks, no dropped gloves. As a matter of fact it was described as FUGLY Squash by one spectator (more on the spectator later). Apparently, the guys kept hitting the ball down the middle at each other which allowed them both to swing harder and harder. Ultimately Jenks wore down his opponent and closed out the match 3-1. There was even a friendly 5th and Jenks rolled 9-1 in that one.
The Capt. vs. Mully
The match pitted 2 Irish guys against each other, one older who loves to shoot, the other, younger, more handsome and prefers the sustained rally. It wasn't a great match. Mully pulled something and couldn't run. I got a better sweat warming up with Hads before the match.
Nina vs. Grossman - So now we're up 2-0 and the only match left is the #2 match between Nina and Grossman. Nina comes out blazing and wins the first game. She's cutting it off, hitting to length, getting around the court great. She's just outclassing Grossman in all aspects of the game. At the same time, The Spectator (see above) has just finished up his match with Hads. The Spectator has been receiving a ration of grief for his not-up-to-par play and overly boasty game. Apparently, his head and chest cold have resolved and he's been getting some practice in. The Spectator almost pulled off the upset. The match went 5 and Hads, true to form, clawed his way to the win. Nice work guys.
Oh yeah! Nina vs. Grossman - Grossman comes back in the 2nd game to even it all up. Some good solid squash with a lucky break here and there. Game 3 goes to Grossman again but he looks like he's almost out of gas and getting frustrated with both his game and his racquet. He changes rackets once and pulled off the grip tap to start the 4th. He's also doing a good job of not letting the momentum build for Nina by delaying the game (See the Rules of Squash - "Continuous Play"). Not only is it poor sportsmanship but also a breach of the rules. Nevertheless, Nina is focused like a laser-beam and causes Grossman to hit 5 tins in a row to lose the 4th in style.
Nina is looking strong and Grossman is looking like hell. It's well known that when Grossman starts hitting tins he continues to hit them lower and lower. Between game 4 and 5 the Spectator comments that Nina is a 90% lock. True to form she comes roaring out and is up 6-0. Smiles and winks go back and forth between the members of RICC because we know she's a great closer and with 3 more points we get a team win.
Nobody thought Grossman was going to just give up and lose 9-0. He gets a couple of points on some dumb luck nicks, a shot that was so bad it was good that went up the middle and through Nina's legs and he stemmed the tide on the "That's not a Stroke" point (more poor form).
The #1 and #3 matches needed to be rescheduled and I'll provide an update when I get the details. Hadley was supposed to play Patrick tonight but the snow storm might have interrupted those plans.
Anyway, all we need is Hadley or Griffin to win and we get that team win we were almost positive we had until the GAG REFLEX kicked in again. What seemed to be a win for the Pink turned into a no-loss for the Blue.
Capt. Morgan
The line-up was set and we were looking pretty strong. Confidence has been building; we're comfortable as a B Team. Team fitness has improved; pounds have been shed and strength has increased.
Nina vs. Grossman - The 2 slot - more on that later.
Jenks vs. Wall
There was great anticipation for the #4 match. Two rather large former hockey/lax players in a confined area trying to hit the ball as hard as they can, you could feel the potential volitility. Everyone watching the match was expecting and hoping for some checking and slashing. Unfortunately, there were no sparks, no yelling - other than Jenks regular NICESHOT! (Yes, it's all one word), no checks, no dropped gloves. As a matter of fact it was described as FUGLY Squash by one spectator (more on the spectator later). Apparently, the guys kept hitting the ball down the middle at each other which allowed them both to swing harder and harder. Ultimately Jenks wore down his opponent and closed out the match 3-1. There was even a friendly 5th and Jenks rolled 9-1 in that one.
The Capt. vs. Mully
The match pitted 2 Irish guys against each other, one older who loves to shoot, the other, younger, more handsome and prefers the sustained rally. It wasn't a great match. Mully pulled something and couldn't run. I got a better sweat warming up with Hads before the match.
Nina vs. Grossman - So now we're up 2-0 and the only match left is the #2 match between Nina and Grossman. Nina comes out blazing and wins the first game. She's cutting it off, hitting to length, getting around the court great. She's just outclassing Grossman in all aspects of the game. At the same time, The Spectator (see above) has just finished up his match with Hads. The Spectator has been receiving a ration of grief for his not-up-to-par play and overly boasty game. Apparently, his head and chest cold have resolved and he's been getting some practice in. The Spectator almost pulled off the upset. The match went 5 and Hads, true to form, clawed his way to the win. Nice work guys.
Oh yeah! Nina vs. Grossman - Grossman comes back in the 2nd game to even it all up. Some good solid squash with a lucky break here and there. Game 3 goes to Grossman again but he looks like he's almost out of gas and getting frustrated with both his game and his racquet. He changes rackets once and pulled off the grip tap to start the 4th. He's also doing a good job of not letting the momentum build for Nina by delaying the game (See the Rules of Squash - "Continuous Play"). Not only is it poor sportsmanship but also a breach of the rules. Nevertheless, Nina is focused like a laser-beam and causes Grossman to hit 5 tins in a row to lose the 4th in style.
Nina is looking strong and Grossman is looking like hell. It's well known that when Grossman starts hitting tins he continues to hit them lower and lower. Between game 4 and 5 the Spectator comments that Nina is a 90% lock. True to form she comes roaring out and is up 6-0. Smiles and winks go back and forth between the members of RICC because we know she's a great closer and with 3 more points we get a team win.
Nobody thought Grossman was going to just give up and lose 9-0. He gets a couple of points on some dumb luck nicks, a shot that was so bad it was good that went up the middle and through Nina's legs and he stemmed the tide on the "That's not a Stroke" point (more poor form).
The #1 and #3 matches needed to be rescheduled and I'll provide an update when I get the details. Hadley was supposed to play Patrick tonight but the snow storm might have interrupted those plans.
Anyway, all we need is Hadley or Griffin to win and we get that team win we were almost positive we had until the GAG REFLEX kicked in again. What seemed to be a win for the Pink turned into a no-loss for the Blue.
Capt. Morgan
2 Weeks Ago
BROWN
We played Brown. I was away. I didn't see any matches. Hadley and Griffin were the only winners.
Capt. Morgan
We played Brown. I was away. I didn't see any matches. Hadley and Griffin were the only winners.
Capt. Morgan
Thursday, November 29, 2007
2 WEEK SUMMARY
AGAWAM & BROWN
The Agawam matches went pretty good:
#1 - Neens was primed for the match. Unfortunately her opponent failed to answer the bell - or the bells were going off in the cardiac intensive care unit- and we scored a double win with the default. "Just be considerate and call next time." "I hope he's alright." and "A win's a win" were the most frequently heard phrases.
#2 - Jenks played High Shorts later in the week and rolled 3-0. The socks and shorts may be hiked a bit high but at least they don't smell as bad. Anyone interested in chipping in to help Pete with a new squash wardrobe? The 1986 Baltimore Open? Nostalgia is great but you are killing us.
#3 - I played the hockey player. Another win for the good guys.
At #4 Gryphon crushed the President of Bryant University. Plenty of niceties were heard during the match - Gryph looking for a cushy professorship up there with his buddy Billy D!
#5 needs some work. It was almost a perfect night.
Food and Drink
Didn't make that much of an impression but it's fair to say that STELLAS BLUES is off the radar. Except, Gemma showed up from his match in Boston. I do recall the ribs being pretty good. I will talk to TPG to see if they will accomodate us.
BROWN
Many reschedules. At print Hadley won at #3 over Yuseff. Gryphon is too strong at #4 and won going away - again. And #5 is still having problems.
#5 needs an assessment. What is happening? How can you be up 2-0 out of the blocks and lose -EVERY TIME?
THANKSGIVING & CLINIC
I hope everyone enjoyed themselves. Although Riley is away in Bermuda, reffing the World Championships, the courts are still booked for Sat. afternoon. See you then.
Capt. Morgan
The Agawam matches went pretty good:
#1 - Neens was primed for the match. Unfortunately her opponent failed to answer the bell - or the bells were going off in the cardiac intensive care unit- and we scored a double win with the default. "Just be considerate and call next time." "I hope he's alright." and "A win's a win" were the most frequently heard phrases.
#2 - Jenks played High Shorts later in the week and rolled 3-0. The socks and shorts may be hiked a bit high but at least they don't smell as bad. Anyone interested in chipping in to help Pete with a new squash wardrobe? The 1986 Baltimore Open? Nostalgia is great but you are killing us.
#3 - I played the hockey player. Another win for the good guys.
At #4 Gryphon crushed the President of Bryant University. Plenty of niceties were heard during the match - Gryph looking for a cushy professorship up there with his buddy Billy D!
#5 needs some work. It was almost a perfect night.
Food and Drink
Didn't make that much of an impression but it's fair to say that STELLAS BLUES is off the radar. Except, Gemma showed up from his match in Boston. I do recall the ribs being pretty good. I will talk to TPG to see if they will accomodate us.
BROWN
Many reschedules. At print Hadley won at #3 over Yuseff. Gryphon is too strong at #4 and won going away - again. And #5 is still having problems.
#5 needs an assessment. What is happening? How can you be up 2-0 out of the blocks and lose -EVERY TIME?
THANKSGIVING & CLINIC
I hope everyone enjoyed themselves. Although Riley is away in Bermuda, reffing the World Championships, the courts are still booked for Sat. afternoon. See you then.
Capt. Morgan
Monday, November 12, 2007
Newport Update
TIE BREAKER
Jenks took his game on the road and checked out the courts at St. George's. The courts are cold! Jenks thought he had his opponent gased. Not gased enough. Apparently the match was much closer than the 3-0 result. Maybe a little more squash and a little less paddle?
Capt. Morgan
Jenks took his game on the road and checked out the courts at St. George's. The courts are cold! Jenks thought he had his opponent gased. Not gased enough. Apparently the match was much closer than the 3-0 result. Maybe a little more squash and a little less paddle?
Capt. Morgan
Thursday, November 08, 2007
THE NEWPORT GAG REFLEX
TEAM GREEN
This is Green Week on NBC so it was only appropriate that we all piled into one car for our match on Acquidneck Island. Sometimes we make good conscious decisions, other times we have 2 cars with no gas and a mini-van that has its dvd player stuck on Little Mermaid. Too bad Jenks wasn't there to tote us all down there in the Electric car. Thanks for the ride Al.
THE MATCHES
When it was over we split 2-2. Jenks has the deciding match to play. I think he's shy - 2 weeks, 2 matches and neither with the team.
Dobby at 5 - This was the first B - match for Dobby. He climbed out of the C division to compete on Tuesdays. The match was not his best and he clearly got caught up playing CJ's game - lots of short shots, drops and barely any length. Dobby did throw in his patented D-league boast that worked 1 time out of too many. Not sure what got him out of his game. Maybe it was the gracious invitationS to join him to play on the weekend at St. George's, or, maybe he became disconcerted when Gryphon started cheering for CJ after a Griff-like, cross-court, chop, drop shot. In any event there will be plenty more matches. Besides the invitation to play, CJ also opened up to Al and all that his wife is due with their first child in March. As a father of 3, Al felt confident providing parenting tips.
Griff - The #4 match was over before it started. Griff knew as soon as he saw the bloodshot and watery eyes of his opponent that Henry was either hung over or just got off the Red-Eye. I didn't have a chance to see a point. 3-0 to Griff in 10 minutes - no sweat! Why bother washing your stuff or showering?
Capt. - You know what really pisses me off? When the ref doesn't know the rules. This isn't the D league anymore!!! You should know the difference between a let and a stroke at this level. Well, the temper flared, I got my point across and I channeled my energy into the match and defeated the loser of the Democratic primary for the Office of Secretary of State. His 2nd child is due in March - no advice offered.
Neens - She's so savy. She utilizes the mind game psych-out to gain advantage at the beginning - "Oh, your going to kill me." "You're so much younger." Anyway, the score didn't show very much disparity. The 2-3 loss to the 22 year old teacher at Portsmouth Abbey turned out to be a great match with some fantastic shotmaking.
The differences - Harvard v. Yale, 1 new puppy v. 3 girls, 22 v. 39.
It looked like she just ran out of gas at the end. Great match.
1 Beer and We'll Go
Pat's BAR was actually pretty good. The dramatic decisions coincide with the mood swings of those making them. The discussion went from "Turn Right" to "1 beer to be social" to a plethora of food - calamari, coconut shrimp, pizza and the "I'm not sharing my shrimp salad with you" special that Nina wouldn't let anyone near. It looked good. Good thing you didn't gag on it given the size of the bites you were taking.
RIDE HOME
Certainly interesting but much too serious. Hypothetical v. the real thing. The Consequences to an individual v. the responsibility to society as a whole. Protection of our children v. teaching them a lesson and suffering the consequences. To whom do we owe a greater priority - family or neighbor? The ride to the match was more fun than the ride home.
Remember - It's a marathon and not a sprint.
Drink water. Lay off the empty calories. Eat something on the day of the match.
Capt. Morgan
This is Green Week on NBC so it was only appropriate that we all piled into one car for our match on Acquidneck Island. Sometimes we make good conscious decisions, other times we have 2 cars with no gas and a mini-van that has its dvd player stuck on Little Mermaid. Too bad Jenks wasn't there to tote us all down there in the Electric car. Thanks for the ride Al.
THE MATCHES
When it was over we split 2-2. Jenks has the deciding match to play. I think he's shy - 2 weeks, 2 matches and neither with the team.
Dobby at 5 - This was the first B - match for Dobby. He climbed out of the C division to compete on Tuesdays. The match was not his best and he clearly got caught up playing CJ's game - lots of short shots, drops and barely any length. Dobby did throw in his patented D-league boast that worked 1 time out of too many. Not sure what got him out of his game. Maybe it was the gracious invitationS to join him to play on the weekend at St. George's, or, maybe he became disconcerted when Gryphon started cheering for CJ after a Griff-like, cross-court, chop, drop shot. In any event there will be plenty more matches. Besides the invitation to play, CJ also opened up to Al and all that his wife is due with their first child in March. As a father of 3, Al felt confident providing parenting tips.
Griff - The #4 match was over before it started. Griff knew as soon as he saw the bloodshot and watery eyes of his opponent that Henry was either hung over or just got off the Red-Eye. I didn't have a chance to see a point. 3-0 to Griff in 10 minutes - no sweat! Why bother washing your stuff or showering?
Capt. - You know what really pisses me off? When the ref doesn't know the rules. This isn't the D league anymore!!! You should know the difference between a let and a stroke at this level. Well, the temper flared, I got my point across and I channeled my energy into the match and defeated the loser of the Democratic primary for the Office of Secretary of State. His 2nd child is due in March - no advice offered.
Neens - She's so savy. She utilizes the mind game psych-out to gain advantage at the beginning - "Oh, your going to kill me." "You're so much younger." Anyway, the score didn't show very much disparity. The 2-3 loss to the 22 year old teacher at Portsmouth Abbey turned out to be a great match with some fantastic shotmaking.
The differences - Harvard v. Yale, 1 new puppy v. 3 girls, 22 v. 39.
It looked like she just ran out of gas at the end. Great match.
1 Beer and We'll Go
Pat's BAR was actually pretty good. The dramatic decisions coincide with the mood swings of those making them. The discussion went from "Turn Right" to "1 beer to be social" to a plethora of food - calamari, coconut shrimp, pizza and the "I'm not sharing my shrimp salad with you" special that Nina wouldn't let anyone near. It looked good. Good thing you didn't gag on it given the size of the bites you were taking.
RIDE HOME
Certainly interesting but much too serious. Hypothetical v. the real thing. The Consequences to an individual v. the responsibility to society as a whole. Protection of our children v. teaching them a lesson and suffering the consequences. To whom do we owe a greater priority - family or neighbor? The ride to the match was more fun than the ride home.
Remember - It's a marathon and not a sprint.
Drink water. Lay off the empty calories. Eat something on the day of the match.
Capt. Morgan
FALL RIVER
Not a lot to talk about for week 1 (Mile 1 for those applying the marathon analogy). We got off to a slow start but at least grabbed a couple matches.
Jenks beat up on chubby, tired Tenny prior to the scheduled match but showed full support by not only rallying at STELLA BLUES but losing at credit card roulette.
Nina had a good match but her opponent was just too tough.
The Capt. just didn't show up. I had aspirations of being the non-confrontational player all year and tried to keep it in check which really did not help. Inspiration, drive and emotion are bundled and you can't lose one without effecting the others - See next week!
Gryphon played like a lion with wings. He was flying all over the court and showed his mettle and a commanding presence.
The big disappointment was Coogs! He was up 2-0 and folded like a cheap suit. It looked like he gave up out there, lost his focus, ran out of gas and played into the hands of the left handed Buddah. What is Larry doing for you?
APRES SQUASH
Stella Blues - Good service and good food. Did you see their add in the Barrington Times? 1/2 price apps after 9:00 pm
Jack's BAR - Why? At least we saw the action shot of Jimbo.
Next week Newport.
Capt. Morgan
Jenks beat up on chubby, tired Tenny prior to the scheduled match but showed full support by not only rallying at STELLA BLUES but losing at credit card roulette.
Nina had a good match but her opponent was just too tough.
The Capt. just didn't show up. I had aspirations of being the non-confrontational player all year and tried to keep it in check which really did not help. Inspiration, drive and emotion are bundled and you can't lose one without effecting the others - See next week!
Gryphon played like a lion with wings. He was flying all over the court and showed his mettle and a commanding presence.
The big disappointment was Coogs! He was up 2-0 and folded like a cheap suit. It looked like he gave up out there, lost his focus, ran out of gas and played into the hands of the left handed Buddah. What is Larry doing for you?
APRES SQUASH
Stella Blues - Good service and good food. Did you see their add in the Barrington Times? 1/2 price apps after 9:00 pm
Jack's BAR - Why? At least we saw the action shot of Jimbo.
Next week Newport.
Capt. Morgan
Monday, October 29, 2007
Preparing For the Season
NEW PLACE TO GO AFTER THE MATCH
1/2 Price appetizers was a good thing at Chiazza. I never followed up to see if TPG would compete. Knowing that was left undone from last year, I was proactive. I recently went to dinner at Stella Blues on Water Street in Warren - across from the Wharf Tavern - and learned that a friend of mine is running the joint. I mentioned the team and Tuesday nights. He said he would be happy to provide us special treatment to compete against Chiazza if we had enough people showing up on a regular basis.
CLINICS
It seems like the clinic time is working for everyone - Sat. 2:30 - 4:00. Please let Riley know if you will not be able to make it.
Hadley made his return to the court this weekend and he was all smiles - Hey nice new teeth!
GEAR
I will be contacting the shirt guy for team shirts. Please let me know what size you want. I think we'll go with White this year. The camo didn't make the cut.
Also, please consider updating some of your practice gear (especially Coogs and Jenks) - you just can't wash the ripeness out after a while.
Capt. Morgan
1/2 Price appetizers was a good thing at Chiazza. I never followed up to see if TPG would compete. Knowing that was left undone from last year, I was proactive. I recently went to dinner at Stella Blues on Water Street in Warren - across from the Wharf Tavern - and learned that a friend of mine is running the joint. I mentioned the team and Tuesday nights. He said he would be happy to provide us special treatment to compete against Chiazza if we had enough people showing up on a regular basis.
CLINICS
It seems like the clinic time is working for everyone - Sat. 2:30 - 4:00. Please let Riley know if you will not be able to make it.
Hadley made his return to the court this weekend and he was all smiles - Hey nice new teeth!
GEAR
I will be contacting the shirt guy for team shirts. Please let me know what size you want. I think we'll go with White this year. The camo didn't make the cut.
Also, please consider updating some of your practice gear (especially Coogs and Jenks) - you just can't wash the ripeness out after a while.
Capt. Morgan
Thursday, September 06, 2007
WARM-UP
EARLY SEASON PRACTICE
Just warming up. I hope everybody had a great summer. As is always the case, some work out harder than others - E.g. Stevie G now 1/2 the man he once was.
I was just checking the blog to see if it was still up and running.
We need names for the teams to submit to RI Squash - new name - no longer RISRA. We also need to submit a captain for each squad. Any takers?
THE SEASON
Remember, it's a marathon and not a sprint. Fitness and cross-training are very important.
Just warming up. I hope everybody had a great summer. As is always the case, some work out harder than others - E.g. Stevie G now 1/2 the man he once was.
I was just checking the blog to see if it was still up and running.
We need names for the teams to submit to RI Squash - new name - no longer RISRA. We also need to submit a captain for each squad. Any takers?
THE SEASON
Remember, it's a marathon and not a sprint. Fitness and cross-training are very important.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
L.W.I.S
Last Week In Squash
This was our LAST week of squash. There hasn't been a posting since February. What happened to March? Squash Apathy took over, weight gain from multiple pounds of Irish Soda Bread during St. Patrick's Week and Beer Pong became the favored racquet sport.
Sorry.
Thank you
Thank you to everybody on the squad for a nice effort this year. This was a building and learning year. History has shown that the first year in a higher league is always a tough one. And this was a tough one. However, next year we should have greater expectations of ourselves. From my personal experience over the last 4 years, it took our squad a year of adjustment before we won the State Finals. Next year will be more competitive.
Not Bad For the 1st Year
We came up as a team after winning the C's and:
Showed up every week - minimal defaults
Won a game or two most weeks
Won a couple of matches
Made the playoffs!
Keep in mind we were decimated by injuries - Coogs' knee, Nina's calf implants, Hads' knee, Jenks' mind, and my kneee and thigh, just to list a few.
We should keep in mind for next year that the league season is a marathon and not a sprint. We need to make sure that we each take some time off and cross train insteadof just heading over to the courts to hit and play. I know it's the easiest thing to do but we need to make a conscious effort to avoid falling into that trap again.
Next Year
The Squash Committee has determined that RICC will have 2 A-teams next year instead of the 1 overly dominant squad as presently constructed. This will mean that we will be fighting among ourselves and the other B-team players for spots on one of those squads. Remember, sportsmanship is the cornerstone of this sport.
Change of Season
It's official - with our loss last night and our elimination from the playoffs, it is now GOLF SEASON! The Master's is on this weekend; my new golf shoes arrived; my special ordered, logo golf balls are in my locker; my new golf slacks are on order; Hugh Richardson trapped me into playing in the Spring Member/Member with him; I have 2 rounds of golf already planned during my visit to MIL and SIL (Mother In Law/Father In Law) on Folly Beach, SC.
The Captain
It was a pleasure serving as your Captain this year. This was my 4th year in a row as Captain and need to take a break from that spot. I will be glad to show the new Capt. how to work the blog if you so desire.
Have a great Spring and Summer.
See you on the golf course when it finally opens and at the pool.
Captain Morgan
This was our LAST week of squash. There hasn't been a posting since February. What happened to March? Squash Apathy took over, weight gain from multiple pounds of Irish Soda Bread during St. Patrick's Week and Beer Pong became the favored racquet sport.
Sorry.
Thank you
Thank you to everybody on the squad for a nice effort this year. This was a building and learning year. History has shown that the first year in a higher league is always a tough one. And this was a tough one. However, next year we should have greater expectations of ourselves. From my personal experience over the last 4 years, it took our squad a year of adjustment before we won the State Finals. Next year will be more competitive.
Not Bad For the 1st Year
We came up as a team after winning the C's and:
Showed up every week - minimal defaults
Won a game or two most weeks
Won a couple of matches
Made the playoffs!
Keep in mind we were decimated by injuries - Coogs' knee, Nina's calf implants, Hads' knee, Jenks' mind, and my kneee and thigh, just to list a few.
We should keep in mind for next year that the league season is a marathon and not a sprint. We need to make sure that we each take some time off and cross train insteadof just heading over to the courts to hit and play. I know it's the easiest thing to do but we need to make a conscious effort to avoid falling into that trap again.
Next Year
The Squash Committee has determined that RICC will have 2 A-teams next year instead of the 1 overly dominant squad as presently constructed. This will mean that we will be fighting among ourselves and the other B-team players for spots on one of those squads. Remember, sportsmanship is the cornerstone of this sport.
Change of Season
It's official - with our loss last night and our elimination from the playoffs, it is now GOLF SEASON! The Master's is on this weekend; my new golf shoes arrived; my special ordered, logo golf balls are in my locker; my new golf slacks are on order; Hugh Richardson trapped me into playing in the Spring Member/Member with him; I have 2 rounds of golf already planned during my visit to MIL and SIL (Mother In Law/Father In Law) on Folly Beach, SC.
The Captain
It was a pleasure serving as your Captain this year. This was my 4th year in a row as Captain and need to take a break from that spot. I will be glad to show the new Capt. how to work the blog if you so desire.
Have a great Spring and Summer.
See you on the golf course when it finally opens and at the pool.
Captain Morgan
Monday, February 26, 2007
Writers Block
Playing But Not Writing
Sorry about the lack of updates. Since the last update I've had some problems putting the time into the Blog. Besides an unbelieveable trip to Telluride, CO, a week off for school vacation, President's Day, Ash Wednesday and the US Nationals I really haven't wanted to write about squash. The combination of playing poorly and time away has provided me with a great excuse to not write. Then it hit me when I saw the commercial for "Cymbalta." I think about writing the squash blog and curl up into the fetal position. I think "This Week in Squash" and I can't get out of bed, heavy sighs, the squash bag is too heavy. I had Squash Depression. But I've got it licked. Squash Depression is treatable and curable. Winning is a major contributor to beating S.D. I will no longer allow S.D. to affect me. If I feel it coming on again I'll just call T.O. or Dobron and play a match.
Playing But not Playing Well
There is a big difference between playing, even frequently, and playing well and with a purpose. There haven't been any clinics; Riley hasn't been around so attempts to get a few lessons have gone unanswered and the usual intense workout by oneself have been few and far between. The focus is back and so is the effort. It's time for RICC-Red to start ramping it back up for the homestretch.
The injuries should be healed; the doctors have given us permission to get back on court; vacations are over and excuses are like ass-holes - everybody has one and they all stink.
Prior Matches
We lost some and we won some. We're in the middle of the pack and could actually get home court advantage in the playoffs. We need to focus like a laser beam, put in a little extra time (find some time to get on court)and effort, act like the cohesive team we were last year and hit another rail instead of a cross-court.
Heliskiing
If you've never been heliskiing you should. I just went for the first time and not the last. Check out this link - watch the videos and if you get the opportunity, do not hesitate. www.helitrax.com
EXTRA Effort
Play squash instead of paddle. Put down the beer. Drink water. Eat fruit instead fries. Try a salad instead of a burger. Do some sprints the next time you go to the courts (3 x 10 only takes 5-10 minutes). Throw in some push-ups and sit-ups beofre you jump in the shower after playing. Get a squash DVD from Riley's office - it will fire you up. Be available for the clinics.
Remember
There's a point when a player reaches the next level. Yours can be the next time you play.
Fired Up!
Capt. Morgan
Sorry about the lack of updates. Since the last update I've had some problems putting the time into the Blog. Besides an unbelieveable trip to Telluride, CO, a week off for school vacation, President's Day, Ash Wednesday and the US Nationals I really haven't wanted to write about squash. The combination of playing poorly and time away has provided me with a great excuse to not write. Then it hit me when I saw the commercial for "Cymbalta." I think about writing the squash blog and curl up into the fetal position. I think "This Week in Squash" and I can't get out of bed, heavy sighs, the squash bag is too heavy. I had Squash Depression. But I've got it licked. Squash Depression is treatable and curable. Winning is a major contributor to beating S.D. I will no longer allow S.D. to affect me. If I feel it coming on again I'll just call T.O. or Dobron and play a match.
Playing But not Playing Well
There is a big difference between playing, even frequently, and playing well and with a purpose. There haven't been any clinics; Riley hasn't been around so attempts to get a few lessons have gone unanswered and the usual intense workout by oneself have been few and far between. The focus is back and so is the effort. It's time for RICC-Red to start ramping it back up for the homestretch.
The injuries should be healed; the doctors have given us permission to get back on court; vacations are over and excuses are like ass-holes - everybody has one and they all stink.
Prior Matches
We lost some and we won some. We're in the middle of the pack and could actually get home court advantage in the playoffs. We need to focus like a laser beam, put in a little extra time (find some time to get on court)and effort, act like the cohesive team we were last year and hit another rail instead of a cross-court.
Heliskiing
If you've never been heliskiing you should. I just went for the first time and not the last. Check out this link - watch the videos and if you get the opportunity, do not hesitate. www.helitrax.com
EXTRA Effort
Play squash instead of paddle. Put down the beer. Drink water. Eat fruit instead fries. Try a salad instead of a burger. Do some sprints the next time you go to the courts (3 x 10 only takes 5-10 minutes). Throw in some push-ups and sit-ups beofre you jump in the shower after playing. Get a squash DVD from Riley's office - it will fire you up. Be available for the clinics.
Remember
There's a point when a player reaches the next level. Yours can be the next time you play.
Fired Up!
Capt. Morgan
Monday, January 22, 2007
UClub
I wish we could play these guys every other week. How are they ahead of us in the standings? We really outperformed them.
Hadley started the evening off by crushing Dr. Squash 3-0 in 17 total minutes. The match was over so fast the guy didn't even have enough time to complain about an injury he has or some arbitrary, faux rules infraction- amazing.
Nina's match took way too long. It was like pulling teeth out there - dentist joke. The dentist and the BHW (Barrington House Wife) battled it out for what seemed like 5 games but was really only 4 and Nina came away the victor. Too bad she had to wait in the stairway while everybody else was relaxing and enjoying a lovely beverage after their match.
Mark and his opponent were both purple faced by the end of their match. Another 3-2 match, except this one was a disappointing loss - especially since Mark had about 10-12 match balls on P. Shannon. Mark - FYI, you cannot win the match by hitting the ball through the tin; try a drop shot every once in a while.
I love playing squash when my opponent is bigger than I am, both height and width and absolutely drills the ball as hard as he can - every time. Thank you D.P. for giving me a taste of that game from the RICC v. RICC match. Take 5-10 mph off of D.P's ball and that was my match at the UClub. I'm not a small person on the squash court but I never realized how a smaller person has so much trouble seeing the ball and front wall when there is a human wall of unmoving flabby flesh on the T. Fortunately my opponent was more competitive in his mind than on his feet that (k)night. There is no doubt my opponent either went to Notre Dame or his favorite movie is Rudy. He was psyching himself up by yelling "Play like a champion." and "Suck it up." I would have giggled out loud but he was frighteningly large.
Jenkins made up his match - Hey, it's better than a default.
LADDER CHANGE
Hads and the Capt. battled it out on Sunday in a challenge match. Bad knee and all Hads scraped out a victory over the Capt. 3-1. From my perspective the one and only good thing that came out of the match was that Hads learned the "New Rule" about turning. Glad I could help with the lesson - taking one for the team, etc. I'm sure the swelling and bruising will go down by the end of the season.
HALF-TIME
We have now played every team in the B-league. It was pointed out to me that, for various reasons, the other teams in our league look to be softening. There appears to be a lot of injuries requiring players to move up a level (Newport) or guys just falling out and being filled in from below (Brown). This helps us considerably because, as we all know WE ARE A SECOND HALF TEAM!
It's our job to make adjustments at half-time and come out playing with a new attitude and game plan. Our attitude is a new found confidence and our game plan is to play smarter more patient squash. Our objective is to get to the playoffs. The top 8 teams in our division make it.
Let's start the second-half with a win in the Ice-box.
Capt. Morgan
Hadley started the evening off by crushing Dr. Squash 3-0 in 17 total minutes. The match was over so fast the guy didn't even have enough time to complain about an injury he has or some arbitrary, faux rules infraction- amazing.
Nina's match took way too long. It was like pulling teeth out there - dentist joke. The dentist and the BHW (Barrington House Wife) battled it out for what seemed like 5 games but was really only 4 and Nina came away the victor. Too bad she had to wait in the stairway while everybody else was relaxing and enjoying a lovely beverage after their match.
Mark and his opponent were both purple faced by the end of their match. Another 3-2 match, except this one was a disappointing loss - especially since Mark had about 10-12 match balls on P. Shannon. Mark - FYI, you cannot win the match by hitting the ball through the tin; try a drop shot every once in a while.
I love playing squash when my opponent is bigger than I am, both height and width and absolutely drills the ball as hard as he can - every time. Thank you D.P. for giving me a taste of that game from the RICC v. RICC match. Take 5-10 mph off of D.P's ball and that was my match at the UClub. I'm not a small person on the squash court but I never realized how a smaller person has so much trouble seeing the ball and front wall when there is a human wall of unmoving flabby flesh on the T. Fortunately my opponent was more competitive in his mind than on his feet that (k)night. There is no doubt my opponent either went to Notre Dame or his favorite movie is Rudy. He was psyching himself up by yelling "Play like a champion." and "Suck it up." I would have giggled out loud but he was frighteningly large.
Jenkins made up his match - Hey, it's better than a default.
LADDER CHANGE
Hads and the Capt. battled it out on Sunday in a challenge match. Bad knee and all Hads scraped out a victory over the Capt. 3-1. From my perspective the one and only good thing that came out of the match was that Hads learned the "New Rule" about turning. Glad I could help with the lesson - taking one for the team, etc. I'm sure the swelling and bruising will go down by the end of the season.
HALF-TIME
We have now played every team in the B-league. It was pointed out to me that, for various reasons, the other teams in our league look to be softening. There appears to be a lot of injuries requiring players to move up a level (Newport) or guys just falling out and being filled in from below (Brown). This helps us considerably because, as we all know WE ARE A SECOND HALF TEAM!
It's our job to make adjustments at half-time and come out playing with a new attitude and game plan. Our attitude is a new found confidence and our game plan is to play smarter more patient squash. Our objective is to get to the playoffs. The top 8 teams in our division make it.
Let's start the second-half with a win in the Ice-box.
Capt. Morgan
RICC v. RICC
Happy New Year. It's been a while since the last posting and there has been much happening on and off the squash courts. Initially, I was waiting for the final match of the RICC v. RICC match to be played. The delay was mostly due to the fact that there was uncertainty in the delivery date for Baby Dessel (Girl kind).
The night of the match proved exciting. A-Rob came in from up above with some serious focus and pulled out the 3-2 victory over Ted. Nina lost 1-3 to Grossman in a tight one. Hads had his way with Mully 3-0. The Capt. was roughed up - shell shocked after the 1st game - by the pounding of Patrick 3-1 and it was all tied up at 2 each. A lot was expected of Jenks; our hopes rested on his shoulders; it was thought to be a good match-up. Apparently a stomach bug was too much to overcome even though the opponent was getting very little sleep due to the new arrival (HA!). 3-0 to the bad guys.
INJURY REPORT
Coogan is limping around with one bad peg. He actually said "I slept on it wrong and now it's blown up like a watermelon." He should have stuck to Synchronized Swimming. Nina is almost completely healed from her calf implant surgery and Hadley is forever complaining about his sore kneee - blah, blah, bone-on-bone, blah blah, 10,000 mg of ibuprophen a day, blah, blahbity, my knee brace is too tight, blahbity blah, blah, I don't get any work done because I'm iceing my knee all day in the office. Hadley is full of it. Every time I see him play he gets around a lot better than an invalid that he makes himself out to be. Very crafty.
Capt. Morgan
The night of the match proved exciting. A-Rob came in from up above with some serious focus and pulled out the 3-2 victory over Ted. Nina lost 1-3 to Grossman in a tight one. Hads had his way with Mully 3-0. The Capt. was roughed up - shell shocked after the 1st game - by the pounding of Patrick 3-1 and it was all tied up at 2 each. A lot was expected of Jenks; our hopes rested on his shoulders; it was thought to be a good match-up. Apparently a stomach bug was too much to overcome even though the opponent was getting very little sleep due to the new arrival (HA!). 3-0 to the bad guys.
INJURY REPORT
Coogan is limping around with one bad peg. He actually said "I slept on it wrong and now it's blown up like a watermelon." He should have stuck to Synchronized Swimming. Nina is almost completely healed from her calf implant surgery and Hadley is forever complaining about his sore kneee - blah, blah, bone-on-bone, blah blah, 10,000 mg of ibuprophen a day, blah, blahbity, my knee brace is too tight, blahbity blah, blah, I don't get any work done because I'm iceing my knee all day in the office. Hadley is full of it. Every time I see him play he gets around a lot better than an invalid that he makes himself out to be. Very crafty.
Capt. Morgan
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