Everything but the Kitchen Dink

Pickleball : recreation = bitcoin: finances.

Chart below reflects searches for the term “pickleball” on Google. You can see the meteoric rise and interest in the game beginning in 2014.

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Just sayin’…I prefer being the underdog than the favorite.

I’d rather run the risk of losing 0-11 if I had the chance to upset or be competitive with a superior team than win 11-0 against a less talented or experienced team. I may remember the one or two successful points against a pair of 4.5+ players than the 10 or 11 successful points against a less talented or experienced team.

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Signs of smart intermediate doubles play: handling your opponent’s lobs and making necessary switches for court coverage. Strategy on handling lobs should be discussed between partners prior to a game particularly if you are playing together for the first time.

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I’ve noticed in mixed doubles competition that the role of women decreases with each higher level of play. Many women players are relegated to defensive plays and resets, especially in money tournaments. This is very noticeable in professional tournaments when games are close. Some male players, like Ben Johns will cover 80-90% of the kitchen area even when he’s paired with Simone Jardin!

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I’d like to see a mixed doubles pairing of Ben Johns with 14 year old Anna Leigh Waters who won the singles title and the women doubles title (with her mom) at Orlando PPA. Anna Leigh poached aggressively and “pushed” her mom off the court on a few points at last weekend’s tournament during the women’s doubles tournament match.

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Morgan Evans: pickleball commentary = John McEnroe: tennis commentary.

One of the benefits of the PPA Pickleball Orlando coverage was the commentary by Morgan Evans. Like John McEnroe, he is an accomplished player who is articulate and can explain the game to the general audience as well as current pickleball players and also has a dry sense of humor.

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Lucy Kovalova: pickleball = Anna Kournikova: tennis

Big difference is that Kovalova routinely wins tournaments as a mixed doubles or women’s doubles champion.

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I recommend Manny Lai’s YouTube page. Lots of great pickleball competition from a local star and the cinematography is excellent. Singles and double matches (mixed doubles with Kaley). Note: Manny has an unusual but very effective chainsaw serve that you can see in his videos.

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I have been a part-time Meet-up host who has been blessed with a great group of attendees and players. Pretty much, my primary role is to open the gates and get out of the way. However I have tried to incorporate the following to make the Meet-up a more pleasant experience for the attendees:

When possible, maintain a workable attendee number to promote quick turnaround of games for players.
Get to know attendees by their name, especially newcomers.
Encourage newcomers or players who may feel intimidated or uncomfortable to play.
If you see a game where the sides are uneven, suggest a change of partners or a change of game. Avoid routs and blowouts due to talent level differences.
Check on people who may be experiencing issues with heat, illness or injury.
Ensure safe playing conditions. Clear puddles, wet spots, debris etc. from playing areas.
Post pictures or comments post Meet-up to memorialize session.
Promote compliance with USA Pickleball Sportsmanship Guide.

Waxing Nostalgic II

“The Greek word for “return” is nostos. Algos means “suffering.” So nostalgia is the suffering caused by an unappeased yearning to return.”

― Milan Kundera, Ignorance

The Andy Griffith Show, Hogan’s Heroes, Match Game 75, Barney Miller…these are all 1960 and 1970 television shows enjoying a revival. Many viewers, generally in the Medicare and Social Security eligible categories, are eschewing current produced media fare for TV shows of their younger years.

Why? The reasons may vary but for many it’s a portal to a simpler time with less stress and drama. People need a break from Covid 19, Trump rants, smarmy Fox commentators and an endless stream of violence, disasters and deaths on their TVs and computer screens.

I too pine for simpler times and have compiled a short list of memories, places and people that take me back to a simpler time.

Cherry Hill Mall food court with Nathans, Arthur Teachers and Bassetts Turkey
Drive-In movies
Emma Peel
Local minor league hockey (Jersey Devils, Ramblers)
Walter Cronkite, Peter Jennings and Chet Huntley
Extensive coverage of college and high school sports by local papers
Fish’s (Abe Vigoda) asides on Barney Miller
Summer League Basketball at Wood and Memorial Parks (Cinnaminson NJ)
“Missed by that much”
Pat Paulsen running for President
Gladys Ormphby and Tyrone on Laugh In
Barbi Benton
U.S. Pro Indoor Tournament at Spectrum
Chief Jay Strongbow
Lindsey Nelson and Ray Scott announcing college and professional football games
Old Republican party (Everett Dirksen, Hugh Scott, Gerald Ford)
Apologies
Soupy Sales
By Saam and Richie Ashburn broadcasting Phillies games
Petula Clark
Diving horse at Steel Pier
Sparklers
Tinsel
Hill Street Blues
John Larroquette’s (Dan Fielding) leers on Night Court
Mike Wallace interviews on 60 Minutes
Playboy interviews
Sport magazine
Archie Bunker
Phyllis George
The Grassroots

Reader, how many from this list do you remember and know?

The “It” Factor

Clara Bow was an actress in the 1920s who was labeled “The It Girl.” She was the predecessor to Farrah Fawcett, Marilyn Monroe, Raquel Welch and a number of sex symbols who were on TV and movie screens as well as posters on many men’s collegiate dorm walls. Clark Gable, Paul Newman and Brad Pitt might be characterized as having “it” by women.

What is “it?” “It” is a mixture of attractiveness, charm, personality, sex appeal and confidence that radiates from the person. I don’t think that “it” is only a phenomenon or brand for just Hollywood actresses or celebrities. I think that all of us have “it”. “It” are the qualities that make us attractive and what attracts us to a potential spouse, partner and opposite sex. It may also be defined differently as to its constituent qualities.

“It” is not inexhaustible and some people are blessed with more of “It” than others. There are peaks and valleys of “It”. Some people run out of “It” faster than others. Some lucky people never lose it no matter how old they get.

Here is my unscientific, totally subjective and undocumented (no data) analysis of the peaks and valleys when most men and women exhibit IT. Apologies to George Clooney, Morgan Fairchild and Christie Brinkley in advance…

Women acquire “it” earlier than men as they mature more quickly. Women may also lose “it” at a faster rate than men from age range 40-70. The peak age range for both men and woman is from 20 to 30. Again these are generalizations. Depending on one’s heredity, health, financial status, plastic surgery and desire to maintain “It”, results can vary.

Senescence: Round 4

A shower of passing thoughts and thunderous ruminations…

With apologies to Rodney, five jobs where you don’t get any respect:

Epidemiologist
Eagles football coach
Governor of a largely populated state
New host of Jeopardy
44th U.S. President

Summer is coming to a close. I won’t miss the heat, the humidity or the mosquitos. I will miss the early dawn sunrises and the late dusk sundowns.

On deeper reflection, I have lived through 70 summers, how many summers do I have left to enjoy?

The French showed more resistance in 1940 to the German invasion of their country than the anti-vaxxers have demonstrated to the invasion of covid in the United States.

Long running TV Talk Show in the 1960’s and 70’s that would not last 13 weeks today: Dick Cavett.(That’s no reflection on Cavett, it’s a reflection of our culture and the limited sophistication and education of today’s audiences).

RIP Markie Post. She was a beautiful distraction on one of my favorite comedies in the 1980s, Night Court.

Celebrity whose death affected me the most? John Lennon

Current Five Overrated Sports People and Events

Pickleball ratings
NBA Draft
Dallas Cowboys
The Process (not Embiid but the tanking by the 76ers)
Sports Talk Shows (worst show is Undisputed with Skip Bayless and Shannon Sharp)

While I enjoyed the Gold medal victories of the U.S. Men and Women’s Basketball Teams in the Olympics, I became a fan of the 3 on 3 Women’s Basketball competition (also won by the U.S.)

Two late Summer 2021 Book Recommendations:

The Premonition: A Pandemic Story by Michael Lewis
The Bomber Mafia: A Dream, A Temptation and The Longest Night of the Second World War by Malcolm Gladwell

Another 1970 high school classmate passed away recently. My class had 481 students. Based on what I know, approximately 10% of my class has passed away in the 50 years since graduation. Given our stage in life now, it’s possible that 50% of us will die within the next 10 years.

Health, opportunity and time. The older we are, the less certain and smaller window to take advantage of them.

With possible apologies to W.C. Fields, I’d rather be living in Philadelphia than anywhere in Florida.

A Self Interview about Books and Reading: NY Times Style

What books are on your night stand? Doom: The Politics of Catastrophe by Niall Ferguson, Thinking in Bets by Annie Duke, William James in the Maelstrom of American Modernism by Robert D. Richardson Jr., I Alone Can Fix It: Donald Trump’s Catastrophic Last Year by Carol Leonnig and Philip Rucker.

What’s the last great book you read? The Quiet Americans: Four CIA Spies at the Dawn of the Cold War—-A Tragedy in Three Acts (non-fiction); The End of October by Lawrence Wright (fiction)

Are there any classic novels that you recently read for the first time? Babbitt by Sinclair Lewis.

Describe your ideal reading experience (when, where, what, how). Reading from my recliner in my living room or outside on the porch are my favorite reading places. I read all day and from a variety of locations. I also read in bed before I fall asleep. I read in the tub while taking a bath.

What’s your favorite book no one else has heard of? Stoner by John Williams

Which writers working today do you admire most? John Feinstein (sports), Seth Godin (business and marketing), Anthony Horowitz (mysteries), Robert Harris (historical fiction), Kurt Andersen (history) and Maria Konnikova (psychology).

Do you count any books as guilty pleasures? Stone Barrington series by Stuart Woods, James Bond novels by Ian Fleming, John Gardner, Kingsley Amis, Anthony Horowitz and Spenser detective series by Robert Parker.

How do you organize your books? I get my books from three sources: my local library, Kindle and Barnes & Noble and in that order, if I can. I wish I had a study which could house thousands of books but I don’t. Normally as soon as I get a book, I read it. Books that I have purchased and that might be of interest to others, I pass on to friends.

What kind of reader were you as a child? Which childhood books stick with you most? I was an avid reader. I was a huge fan of The Hardy Boys series, Tom Swift, Chip Hilton. Rick Brant and Bronc Burnett. I’d rush through my school work just so I could read those books.

How have your reading tastes changed over time? I prefer shorter books (less than 250 pages). I’m starting to read more fiction and I avoid books that offer advice or self-help.

What books are you ashamed not to have read yet? None. I have read what I was always interested in. I have never had the desire to read The Bible or War and Peace. I also don’t follow what is a “best seller.”

What do you plan to read next? Today’s New York Times.

May Lightning Strike Me: Heresies and Reckless Punditry

With apologies to Franklin Pierce Adams, I paraphrase…

“These are the saddest of possible words

Tucker to Hannity to Ingraham”

80 years ago, a generation fought in jungles, bloody battlefields, and deadly beaches thousands of miles away to defeat their enemies and maintain their freedom. Today, many are declaring their “freedom” by refusing to walk a block or drive a few miles to a drug store and get a vaccination.

About 50% of American adults have refused the Covid 19 vaccination with the insouciance of a condemned man declining a blindfold awaiting execution.

President Biden is suggesting that a $100 cash incentive be used to get people to get the vaccine. Not sure if that would be effective. What may be effective is when an unvaccinated person catches Covid and requires medical treatment, they are subject to a $1000 surcharge that will be used to assist vaccinated patients suffering from long term Covid effects.

We needed Joe Biden just like we needed Gerald Ford after the stench and corruption of their predecessors’ administrations. However I don’t want see an 82 year old man, no matter how decent, running for President in 2024.

One wishes that the expectations and pressures that the public places on the performances and personas of athletes would also apply equally or more to the representatives they voted to office.

If our Founders could see the current state of the government they created, they would renounce their efforts and become monarchists again.

Give me movies with stories > movies based on special effects

Doctors act as pilots for our health. Initially doctors help us get off the ground from birth to maturity through pre-natal care and immunizations. In the second phase, they serve to keep us “in the air.” They address any turbulence or bumps we experience while in flight. Finally, as we get ready to “land”, some for our final destination, doctors are expected to ensure a smooth landing.

So the incoming starting QB (Bryce Young) at Alabama is expected to make close to $1 million thanks to the recent Supreme Court ruling on endorsement deals for college athletes. I wonder how incentivized his offensive linemen are as they may not be offered any money for their jerseys or profiles?

After reading The Premonition: A Pandemic Story by Michael Lewis, I have doubts about any medical pronouncements made by the CDC. With the possible exception of Dr. Fauci, I have very little confidence in the accuracy of Covid 19 information from anyone. ( I recommend the book!).

The Catholic Church serves as a typewriter, useful to a few but largely irrelevant and obsolete for the many, particularly to those who were once customers.

I wouldn’t object if there was a law banning car and home insurance commercials and marketing. I’d love to say “good-bye” to LiMu, Doug, Flo and The General. The commercials are dumb, not funny nor have any entertainment or informational value. Next to go, gambling site ads…

The best investment I ever made wasn’t a stock, mutual fund or bitcoin. It was a library card.

Decency

The start of the first American Civil War occurred on April 12, 1861 when Confederate forces fired on Fort Sumter. The start of the second American Civil War started on January 6, 2021. In the first American Civil War, the battlefields included Gettysburg, Shiloh, Fredericksburg and Vicksburg. In the second American Civil War, the battlefields will be named vaccinations, Roe v Wade, science vs. superstition, income equality, Black Lives Matter, voting rights, Qanon conspiracies and Trumpism. One side comes with memes, verbal and violent bombast, the other’s armor are facts, data, science, rationality, experience and proof.
Eric Burleigh

“You’ve done enough. Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last?” In 1954, these words at a Congressional hearing helped lead to the demise of the demagoguery of Senator Joe McCarthy. These same words can easily be applied 67 years later to a former disgraced President, U.S Senators from Texas, Kentucky and Wisconsin, a totally incompetent female representative from Georgia and a plethora of anti-vaxxers from government and media. Not to mention clueless distributors of lies, propaganda and false information on social media.

Our culture, politics, economy and government have been subverted by irrationality, superstition, and stupidity. What is worse? That many of our politicians, business leaders, social media executives and “journalists” are pushing lies, targeted exaggerations and Or that so many citizens do not have the education, intellectual bandwidth and judgment to read between the lies.

The Republicans and the extremists are fighting the Second American Civil War with haymakers and head shots; the Democrats are content with soft jabs and body shots. Mitch McConnell likes the punchers chance.

Replay in the major sports such as basketball, football and baseball takes place in a matter of minutes. Upon this review, those involved in acts of violence are identified and ejected from the game. Depending upon the degree of the act of violence, an athlete may be subject to a long or short suspension or even possibly expulsion from the sport. We don’t need a 1/6/2021 Congressional Commission. The evidence is on various videos and media reports – – plain for any rational person to see. It’s time to mete out the punishment. Severe punishment. We are talking about treachery here.

Observations on reaching the last year of my seventh decade

From left to right, Sandra, Eric, Joanne and two other unnamed cousins

Feeling wistful, ruminative and a bit thankful…

If life is a train ride, my station may be coming up soon. Regrettably most of us don’t know when our ride will end. A few friends and family members have disembarked too early, leaving me sitting sadly alone in the train car.

All of us have an “aha” or life changing moment. Mine occurred on the morning of February 14, 1960 when I was told about my father’s sudden death. At age 7, I learned about impermanence, self reliance and responsibility. Some people never receive those insights no matter their age.

I have not measured my life’s success based on my net worth, corporate executive titles or possessions I owned. Simply I wanted to be the best husband, son, brother, uncle and friend I could be. Largely that meant I needed to be “present” when someone needed help or encouragement.

My 44 years of marriage to a wonderful woman represents the best decision and greatest commitment of my life. The joy and love from this woman more than offset any disappointments, failures, and travails I have experienced. Life does not always offer an easy road but I am grateful for my constant and supportive companion.

Some of my life’s biggest disappointments, socially and in business, were as a result of women. This is not an indictment of women as much it shows my lowered expectations of the words, promises and actions of my brother man.

Coincidentally, but not surprising, my biggest supporters and influencers, in my youth, were women. Besides my wife Chris, my sister Sandra was a source of encouragement, love and motivation. Sandra’s death twenty seven years ago is my greatest personal loss.

Two biggest trends in my lifetime: (1) the explosion, breadth and advancement of technology in business and personal life and (2) the disintegration, coarseness and division of our politics and civility.

I have no heirs but I am sad about the type of world that my generation is leaving to those generations behind us. We’ve left them problems with government debt, climate change, rebuilding infrastructure, improving public education etc. Those are issues that we should have been focusing on instead of building walls, creating conspiracy theories and disputing fair elections.

I was looking at some pictures of birthday parties for me or cousins when I was 6 or 7. The black and white pictures were a bit faded, many of my family in the photo are deceased but the memories remain. Was there anything more exciting for a young boy or girl than to look forward to a birthday party with friends and family?

The basic evidence of humanity among people is simply sharing a smile.

I’ve lived 25,202 days. That’s a lot of opportunities to appreciate sunsets, sunrises, great conversations, varied travel experiences, meet new friends, and make social and business contributions. Success and appreciation of life are often measured by how close our results = opportunities.

Sign of the Times: We need a Facebook prompt to remember and celebrate a friend or relative’s birthday.

Why is it that despite much improved personal training and sports medicine that today’s pitchers can’t go beyond five innings and basketball players can only play half a season?

Dinks and Smashes III

Third edition of muses, thoughts and rants on pickleball…

If you measure your worth in recreational Pickleball by wins and losses, you are playing the wrong game at the wrong time.

I created an unscientific, no data included chart of how I view the estimated progress of many (not most) pickleball players in their first year of play. My chart is based on an older player, who plays 3-4 times weekly mostly for exercise and to meet new people and is not interested in tournament competiton. Every player is different and their rate of progress is contingent on the following factors below:

Health
Age
Experience with other racquet sports
Athletic Ability
Injuries
Attitude/Motivation
Level of Competition/Play
Practice
Mentoring/coaching

Chart Summary:

The fastest rate of improvement usually starts when the player first starts learning to play pickleball. Credit beginner classes taught by Denise Donald, Cookie Sey, Lori Flickinger and others for the fast start in providing new players the basics of the game and more important, the encouragement to have fun and relax.
One of the most effective ways to increase your rating from 2.5 to 3.0 besides lowering your unforced error rates is not hitting “out balls.”
A performance plateau tends to occur between levels 3.0 to 3.5. Many of us start to pick up nasty playing habits and our performance tends to stagnate.
Many players achieve level 3.0 within a year. Some achieve it within days. Depends upon the individual’s starting points, experience and talents. My guess is that Roger Federer would be a 5.0 as soon as he picked up a paddle.
Many players are content with just reaching an intermediate level. Again due to age, health and time commitments, a 4.0 rating may be out of reach for many. However I am aware of the 60+ age players who invested the time, practice and dedication to reaching an advanced rating.

I’m amused by this description on Meet-Up describing an Advanced only session. “Come play on 6 courts with like minded advanced players without worrying about the intermediates or beginners jumping on a court with you.”

For many of us, playing pickleball is a short time travel back to our youth…

Inflation: A Players Rogue 2 that I purchased for $89 in 2020 now retails for $124. It is a very good paddle but that is a 40% increase! Tournament fees, paddles, pickleball shoes, and classes are also experiencing significant rises in pricing. Given the sport’s popularity and growth, there must be a public company or companies that may be investment worthy??

Observation: I rarely see two of the same model paddle hanging on a fence or queue at Meet-ups.

Revised edition: With apologies to my past and future pickle ball partners, here’s what you may expect from playing with me (I have added two more to the original post shown in italics:)

I will continually forget the score and you will have to remind me what the score is.
I will poach at the most inopportune moments and leave you to cover the entire court.
I will chase “out balls” like a dog chasing a flung chew toy
My eyes are not what they used to be so my line calls may need a second review.
I will play with anyone and at any level. Win or lose, I want my partner to have fun and to be willing to play with me again.
I am not good enough to offer advice. My best and only advice to most players is to continue to play, have fun and your game will improve over time.
When I “tag” someone on the opposite team, I will generally apologize and check to ensure they are OK.
My hearing is as reliable as my third shot drop – – so you may have to repeat things to me.
If I forget to bring it up before we play, let’s communicate how we will handle lobs and shots down the middle.
I may sometimes forget your name if it has been awhile since we played. I apologize beforehand. The only two things I definitely remember are my wife’s birthday and our anniversary!