Team 12 heads up to Golf, Illinois (if that isn’t heaven then there must be place called Paddle, Illinois – let me know where that is) to play the second place Glen View team. Our team is amped up and ready to play hard and dislodge the north shore team. Pulling into the club, the golf clubhouse could be the Augusta of paddle and the hut is an architectural compliment to the entire club featuring a stone fireplace and full bar. Upper 40’s, little wind, and a light drizzle from time to time – a perfect night for paddle.
Court 1 pairs up Swinney and Vinnie again vs. Ball and Patterson. Vinnie is pleasantly surprised that the taps are flowing when we arrive so he can properly lubricate before, during and after the match. In the first set, both teams hold serve all the way to 6-5 (good guys) and GE breaks their serve to win 7-5. Not to repeat last weeks mistake of only one can of swing oil during the match, Vinnie goes for a refill - very well played. The Glen View team is like an automatic lob feeder that paints the baseline on 3 out of every 4 lobs . . . unreal. Several points when on for what seemed like eternity. GE comes out aggressive in the 2nd set and quickly goes up two breaks. Vinnie goes for another refill. Once again, Swinney blacks out for about 10 minutes and suddenly Vinnie is serving for the match. GE 7-5, 6-1. Swinford sets a record for fastest consumption of 3 chicken quesadillas and 6 Harp.
GE 3, GV 0
Court 2 has Captain Lu and “Ground” Chuck Snyders paired up for a second time against Murphy and Schwalm. Not a lot on this match because I was distracted from an old guy in corduroys – more on this later. From what I did see, ground Chuck dug back hand screens like he was picking cherries and Lu was doing his thing keeping the ball in play and making timely drives. We go down 3-6 in set one and Captain Lu is beating himself up for not being aggressive enough which proves to be a difference maker in set 2 and we know up sets with a win 6-4. Set 3 is another story and the experience of the opponent takes us down 1-6. We later learn Murphy and Schwalm played series 9 last year and moved down to 12??? Good effort guys!
GE 4, GV 3
Court 4 goes on next featuring Terry Lew and Ciaran vs. Baine and some guy named “Unknown/Default”. After a pleasant warm up (if you know Ciaran – you know it would be no other way than “Pleasant”!) our boys moved over a court to play a retiree father and son team. I talked to the Dad for quite a while before the match and then told Lew and Ciaran that their opponent had little real experience and pointed out them out. Terry says to me “we’re playing the old guy in corduroys?” Unfortunately they sandbagged me and that was not what it seemed. The father/son team was solid and came out strong with a 6-1 win before we really knew what was happening. It seemed our guys were having difficulty finding any momentum with them. The second set saw GE battle tough to 2-2 but the Glenview team pulled away, winning the set 6-2.
GE 4, GV 6
Court 3 has Matt “Ratings” Nielsen and the Bushman again against “Wolverine” Mike Hamp and partner Don “Fran” Tarkington (he looked like him too!). We start warm ups where Ratings is hitting with Fran and Bush is hitting with ‘lil Michigan boy Hamp – I quickly pick up that this kid has a huge tennis background. Michigan boy is driving hard with forehands and back hands and has great touch at the net. Before we start, I tell my partner to be aware that this kid will drive both sides. I can’t tell you what games we won and lost but when set 1 is over we go down 2-6. Matt takes a break and tries to fire me up – I’m pissed going down so badly . . . Little boy Blue smashed our serves continually and we never hit any screens. Set 2 we come out more focused but quickly go down 1-3. At this point something has to change so I go to my spin serve which throws our opponent for a loop. With Matt serving, we switch to the “I” formation and that too messes them up. We see-saw to a 6 all tie and take it in the tie break 7-3. Third set unfortunately is much like the first and we go down 2-6 again. We learn later Lil Boy Blue was a Wolverine tennis stud – he killed us. Next time we need to bring alone team IV’s can of Whoop Ass!
GE 5, GV 9
We all settle in the awesome hut to very good hosts with lots of discussion of all the matches. The atmosphere in the hut was great with tons of stories and laughs. Most guys say it was the most fun match we had but bringing home a victory would have truly made it taste good. Vinnie goes on to say he had wished his match would of gone 3 sets so he could have played more . . . A few pick up games were played with Harp in hand – if not our heads.
After 7 matches we hold on to the last playoff spot. We’ve played the top teams thus far so a break in the schedule is coming.
Rick
Friday, November 20, 2009
Series 6 vs. Winter Club
We leave GE for the Winter Club in Lake Forest without our leader Pagey who is in Vegas at a Paddle convention. As we arrive at the Winter Club the setting could not be better. A nice hut a hockey game going on and 3 lit paddle courts all that is missing is a safety village. It is 48 degrees no sign of rain the scent of grilled burgers in the air and Jupiter is in its 10th house it is a perfect night for paddle.
On Court 1 we have T Nelson (T-Bone) / Giff. This ones end pretty quick with a lot of controlled drives coming from the GE pair. T-Bones drive is clocked at 101mph. Only the winter Club would have a radar gun. We end the match quickly we think in 31 minutes 6-1..6-1.
GE 3 WC 0
On Court 2 we have Neli/JJ. This one ends even quicker (27 minutes). This is not even a match. Neli started to play with out his paddle and just uses the back side of his hand. JJ follows suit and just uses his feet. JJ does a roundhouse kick to end the first set. The second set is not much different but they do start using their paddles again except this time neli has both paddles and JJ is caring neli on his back. JJ is doing the MC Hammer shuffle back n forth across the court while Neli is returning lob after lob with both paddles while he sings "You cant touch this" and the second set ends quicker than the first. 6-0...6-1.
GE 6 WC 0
On court 3 we have the match of the night. Connely/Hunter. This dynamic duo is looking to continue their good karma from their win from last week. They are dressed in their traditional Johnny Cash attire all black but this week they add capes. The first set is a long set. The WC team continues to just throw soft shots into the ring of fire as the GE team is backhand to the middle. They lose the first set 4-6. they enter the warming hut to pour themselves a new beginning and it is the right strategy. They take the next set 6-0 and the third set 6-3. Great comeback and win for this team.
GE 9 WC 1
On court 4 we have Hechta/Glavin who both wear glasses. This will come into play later. The first set goes GEs way with precise serving and great lobs! They take the first set 6-4. They then enter the Hut for some beverages. They grab a drink and wonder if there will be any food left as the ct1 and 2 GE boys are eating like it is feeding time on Animal Planet. Now here is where trouble sets in. As they both leave the hut their glasses are fogged up. They cannot see 2 feet in front of them. We guide them back onto ct 4 and it does not start well. Glavin is serving first and he does not know he is facing the wrong way. He serves it into his own back screen and it comes right back at him and thumps him in the chest. He yells great return and moves over to the other side and starts to do it again until Hechta stops him. The rest of the match they just cannot see. There our plenty of "torn boxers" (at least one ball out) and Hechta keeps calling them in because he cant see with his glasses fogged up. We drop the next two sets. GE takes one on the chin 6-4..4-6..2-6. I would take the GE pair 10 out of 10 times if they could see. Next time maybe ski goggles.
GE 10 WC 4
A good win for the group after a tough loss the week before. It will be good to have Captain Pagey back next week as he was missed.
Sin e anois a chairde
Gif
On Court 1 we have T Nelson (T-Bone) / Giff. This ones end pretty quick with a lot of controlled drives coming from the GE pair. T-Bones drive is clocked at 101mph. Only the winter Club would have a radar gun. We end the match quickly we think in 31 minutes 6-1..6-1.
GE 3 WC 0
On Court 2 we have Neli/JJ. This one ends even quicker (27 minutes). This is not even a match. Neli started to play with out his paddle and just uses the back side of his hand. JJ follows suit and just uses his feet. JJ does a roundhouse kick to end the first set. The second set is not much different but they do start using their paddles again except this time neli has both paddles and JJ is caring neli on his back. JJ is doing the MC Hammer shuffle back n forth across the court while Neli is returning lob after lob with both paddles while he sings "You cant touch this" and the second set ends quicker than the first. 6-0...6-1.
GE 6 WC 0
On court 3 we have the match of the night. Connely/Hunter. This dynamic duo is looking to continue their good karma from their win from last week. They are dressed in their traditional Johnny Cash attire all black but this week they add capes. The first set is a long set. The WC team continues to just throw soft shots into the ring of fire as the GE team is backhand to the middle. They lose the first set 4-6. they enter the warming hut to pour themselves a new beginning and it is the right strategy. They take the next set 6-0 and the third set 6-3. Great comeback and win for this team.
GE 9 WC 1
On court 4 we have Hechta/Glavin who both wear glasses. This will come into play later. The first set goes GEs way with precise serving and great lobs! They take the first set 6-4. They then enter the Hut for some beverages. They grab a drink and wonder if there will be any food left as the ct1 and 2 GE boys are eating like it is feeding time on Animal Planet. Now here is where trouble sets in. As they both leave the hut their glasses are fogged up. They cannot see 2 feet in front of them. We guide them back onto ct 4 and it does not start well. Glavin is serving first and he does not know he is facing the wrong way. He serves it into his own back screen and it comes right back at him and thumps him in the chest. He yells great return and moves over to the other side and starts to do it again until Hechta stops him. The rest of the match they just cannot see. There our plenty of "torn boxers" (at least one ball out) and Hechta keeps calling them in because he cant see with his glasses fogged up. We drop the next two sets. GE takes one on the chin 6-4..4-6..2-6. I would take the GE pair 10 out of 10 times if they could see. Next time maybe ski goggles.
GE 10 WC 4
A good win for the group after a tough loss the week before. It will be good to have Captain Pagey back next week as he was missed.
Sin e anois a chairde
Gif
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