April 7, 2011
Coaching and Hardbat and Sandpaper, Oh My!
For those who are distracted by various wars and government shutdowns, the U.S. Open entry form is out. It's in Milwaukee, June 30 - July 4. Here's info on it:
2011 US Open: usopenmilwaukee.com | Entry forms: Online | Domestic | International
Now's the time to go over the schedule in painstaking detail, calculating which events to enter to maximize the sense of grandiose accomplishment after you devastate the field in your chosen events.
For me, it's a headache trying to work out conflicts. I'll be there primarily as a coach - the father of a cadet player I'm coaching is paying my way. But I also like to win National Titles. While I'm basically retired from tournaments as a sponge player (that's how I normally play and coach), I've won a lot of national hardbat titles at the U.S. Open and Nationals, including Hardbat Singles (twice), Hardbat Doubles (10 times), and Over 40 Hardbat (4 times). Now I have to figure out which of these events (plus two sandpaper events? Over 50 Hardbat?) I can enter without conflicting with my coaching schedule. I may have to go back to college and get a degree in rocket science because that's what it's going to take to work it out.
My long-time Hardbat Doubles partner Ty Hoff - we've won six times, including at the last Nationals - said we can go ahead and enter and, if there's a major conflict, such as matches during the Cadet Singles event, we can drop out. That'll be a hard decision, but that's the most important event for the cadet I'm primarily coaching.
Watch the serves and receives of these great matches!
- Ariel Hsing versus Zhang Mo, final of North American Championships (4:54). Ariel wins 4-0.
- Fan Yiyong vs. Peter-Paul, semifinals of North American Championships (15:20). Peter-Paul comes back from down double match point to win 4-3.)
Wanna build a Table Tennis Clock?
Then build a Table Tennis Clock. Here's how.
On a completely non-table tennis note
Nine years ago I replaced the ceiling incandescent light in my office with a light with two roughly four-foot long fluorescent tube light bulbs. Since that time I've kept it on nearly continuously, sort of as a night light. Even when I'm away I leave it on for my dog. And nine years later, the same two fluorescent light bulbs are still running! Don't they ever run out? Or is this some supernatural thing?
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