tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86127389690987780062012-02-09T10:52:41.195-05:00Get addicted to squash!Mick Jointhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18240168906251647283noreply@blogger.comBlogger240125TheSquashJointhttp://feedburner.google.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612738969098778006.post-61613459862216092272012-02-09T10:52:00.001-05:002012-02-09T10:52:41.202-05:002012-02-09T10:52:41.202-05:00

Boasters League round 6~~ It appears to be the trend for the second half of this season: “Town Pump” and “Old Shillelagh” continue to play matches, pick up bonus points and solidify their first and second placing on the ladder… while “Speakeasys” and “Jacoby’s” fall further and further behind the rest of the pack. Given, the “Speakeasys” had the bye week, but they only collected 2 points

Mick Jointhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18240168906251647283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612738969098778006.post-89401206032753223922012-02-02T12:32:00.000-05:002012-02-02T12:32:00.937-05:002012-02-02T12:32:00.937-05:00

Boasters League round 5~~ Count on Patrick Petz to push his team to the top. Well, almost to the top. “Town Pump” decided to flex a little muscle in round 5 and his team pretty much dominated the evening. Nine of twelve matches completed (of which they won 6), and another 9 bonus points to boot propelled his team to within 1 point of the league leaders “Old Shillelagh” and in doing so also

Mick Jointhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18240168906251647283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612738969098778006.post-54276686449378360302012-01-31T12:53:00.000-05:002012-01-31T12:53:28.894-05:002012-01-31T12:53:28.894-05:00

I can’t say I know too many hip-hop or rap songs, and if I even had an iPod, it would be full of rock from the 80’s and 90’s. So, because I am tone deaf and my singing is akin to rasping fingernails down a blackboard, it would be easier for me to read the Squash Poet’s next rhyme if I had a beat in my head to go with it. (I figure he’s going with the rap angle here…) Maybe someone clever reader

Mick Jointhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18240168906251647283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612738969098778006.post-88950975803508118302012-01-26T11:24:00.002-05:002012-01-26T11:24:33.398-05:002012-01-26T11:24:33.398-05:00

Boasters League round 4~~ Not that there isn’t enough time to catch up (although round 9 is only 5 weeks away and we all know how fast that can go…) but does it already appear that the top three teams are set? “Old Shillelagh”, “Town Pump”, and “The Tap Bar” – 1st, 2nd and 3rd respectively – increased their lead over the chasing pack. It looks like that unless players start getting their acts

Mick Jointhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18240168906251647283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612738969098778006.post-70075037312208566922012-01-23T11:04:00.002-05:002012-01-23T11:04:52.027-05:002012-01-23T11:04:52.027-05:00

Trinity’s Domination Termination  All great things must come to an end. In Trinity’s case, ‘great’ doesn’t quite cover the inconceivable achievement of the “Bantams” – their record holding squash team. (On a side note, if you’re like me, I didn’t know what a ‘bantam’ is, so I looked it up. It’s means small, feisty and combative. It’s also a name of a small chicken. So, the Trinity Squash

Mick Jointhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18240168906251647283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612738969098778006.post-78542366594086898012012-01-19T10:50:00.003-05:002012-01-19T10:50:50.902-05:002012-01-19T10:50:50.902-05:00

Boasters League round 3~~ For a Wednesday league, it’s rather odd that the majority of the matches are played on every other day except Wednesdays. I am sure I’m not the only one who is scratching their heads wondering why people are avoiding the scheduled evening. The keg is there. The courts are ready. It’s social. Incredibly, 6 of the 8 teams picked up more points by turning up last night,

Mick Jointhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18240168906251647283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612738969098778006.post-75497452965381870462012-01-13T14:49:00.001-05:002012-01-13T14:51:19.684-05:002012-01-13T14:51:19.684-05:00

Jon Power has many titles. Included in his 36 career tournament wins are the World Open in 1998, the British Open in 1999, 3 times PSA Masters Champion, 4 times Tournament of Champions winner, and a gold medalist in the 2002 Commonwealth Games. He was ranked world number 1 when he retired from international squash in 2006 and is considered to be one of the all time great players. And here is

Mick Jointhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18240168906251647283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612738969098778006.post-20268271242369104322012-01-09T15:02:00.000-05:002012-01-09T15:05:30.032-05:002012-01-09T15:05:30.032-05:00

It was BAC’s turn to host this, the 8th running of the Farris Cup. They comprehensively thrashed us last year on our home turf to win the Cup for their second time so it was up to us to hand out a little of their own medicine. As it turned out, the medicine wasn’t working and in fact it appeared we accidentally drank it ourselves. Ugly is an understatement. The DAC didn’t really have a chance

Mick Jointhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18240168906251647283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612738969098778006.post-86728199867229472492012-01-05T14:35:00.001-05:002012-01-05T14:35:18.699-05:002012-01-05T14:35:18.699-05:00

Boasters League round 1~~ The first week back after the holiday break is always a little iffy. Players can be somewhat skeptical at how they are going to perform after no doubt indulging themselves waaaay too much for the past couple of weeks. I realized it was tough for many to pass up those Christmas cookies as I did see a few ‘muffin tops’ wobbling around on court, quite a few hands on

Mick Jointhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18240168906251647283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612738969098778006.post-66918032468749407392011-12-29T09:39:00.000-05:002011-12-29T09:40:27.743-05:002011-12-29T09:40:27.743-05:00

The “Mickies” Awards for 2011 Keeping up with the season of giving, it is once again time to hand out the “Mickies”! Absurdly frivolous awards that really don’t do anything except take the ‘Mickey’ out of you. 2011 has been another magnificent year for the DAC Squash program. Court usage is up, we won the Cross Border Challenge against Windsor in September, the DAC Classic is bursting at the

Mick Jointhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18240168906251647283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612738969098778006.post-84837540002689194472011-12-23T11:14:00.001-05:002011-12-23T11:14:18.162-05:002011-12-23T11:14:18.162-05:00

Squash enthusiast? That’s an understatement. This guy loves squash so much, he decided he wanted to help run the sport in this state. When he joined the DAC in August, it didn’t take him 1 week before he had registered for squash lesson subscriptions, 2 leagues, the ladders and 1 doubles tournament! Apparently, it is possible not to have enough activities! If you are looking for him, try

Mick Jointhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18240168906251647283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612738969098778006.post-86357451046460455962011-12-19T13:57:00.000-05:002011-12-20T16:10:45.702-05:002011-12-20T16:10:45.702-05:00

DAC Squash Classic – February 9-12 Deep breath in… and… exhale… Deep breath in… and… exhale… That’s me preparing myself for the onslaught of the behemothic weekend that is the DAC Squash Classic. Even before I opened this event up for registrations, I was receiving e-mails from our Canadian buddies wanting to sign-up. I couldn’t do that, but I know a couple of them did in fact reserve their

Mick Jointhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18240168906251647283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612738969098778006.post-67620235409650813412011-12-15T14:20:00.000-05:002011-12-15T14:39:53.171-05:002011-12-15T14:39:53.171-05:00

I think above all else, I was most surprised that the keg wasn’t emptied! I don’t think I saw the thing without a member or two attached to the lever all evening – which of course was the point. The Beer Challenge managed 29 players, plus a handful of spectators that just came down to enjoy the show. That ‘show’ being the Brien Baker and Matt Jarboe loser-pays-for-the-keg confrontation. But

Mick Jointhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18240168906251647283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612738969098778006.post-10189552104035496102011-12-14T10:32:00.000-05:002011-12-14T10:32:27.428-05:002011-12-14T10:32:27.428-05:00

Doubles 100 – Starting January 10, 2012 Whip out the calculator, or if you are not so technologically savvy, your abacus, and start evaluating your potential doubles partner! Starting on January 10 is the Doubles 100 Tournament where you and your partner’s ages must add up to at least 100 years. And I suggest you lock your partner in quickly. There will be an ‘A’ and a ‘B’ draw, and I expect

Mick Jointhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18240168906251647283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612738969098778006.post-72623491608633517502011-12-13T09:37:00.003-05:002011-12-13T09:37:44.660-05:002011-12-13T09:37:44.660-05:00

Boasters League first half final standings~~ I wonder who from the non-winning teams will be kicking themselves now. Should haves, could haves, just a couple extra points here, a game there, should have shown up one more Wednesday... I can’t remember when the final standings have ended up so tight between the four top teams. But – and I’m sure I’ll hear a collective groan form the other 8

Mick Jointhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18240168906251647283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612738969098778006.post-80922789431778076262011-12-12T10:28:00.002-05:002012-01-03T09:37:21.878-05:002012-01-03T09:37:21.878-05:00

The BAC sent out a statement last January when they came to our home club and pounded us into submission with a convincing win in the Farris Cup. We won only 4 of the 15 matches and were forced to lick our wounds and wear sun glasses and false moustaches in public. Gratefully, the time for redemption is close at hand! On Saturday, January 7, the forces have been brought together to storm

Mick Jointhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18240168906251647283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612738969098778006.post-79630547785610692742011-12-05T13:11:00.001-05:002011-12-05T13:20:21.599-05:002011-12-05T13:20:21.599-05:00

Holiday Tournament – December 2 The 8th running of the Holiday Tournament experienced its smallest participation level so far. That was naturally disappointing but we did have enough to run it, and the overall standard was probably at its highest. Anthony Fracchia won this event last year and was certainly one of the favorites to repeat his success. But standing firmly in his way would be

Mick Jointhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18240168906251647283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612738969098778006.post-68043633296316544832011-12-02T09:41:00.001-05:002011-12-02T09:52:43.549-05:002011-12-02T09:52:43.549-05:00

The signing of David Palmer to PST last month was an enormous boost to the tour. I suppose however, that the only negative I could see from it was the lack of competition for him. Sure, the other players are of an excellent standard, but you can’t really place them at the same level of a 2-time World Champion, top 10 legend such as Palmer. When would true opposition present itself, and from who?

Mick Jointhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18240168906251647283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612738969098778006.post-90811035748773741762011-12-01T14:18:00.001-05:002011-12-01T14:20:39.967-05:002011-12-01T14:20:39.967-05:00

Boasters League round 8~~ The only team that kept its round 7 position on the Ladder was “1st Place Lounge”. The courts have been humming recently with the huge push from most players to get their matches in. (Add on the amount of box ladder matches we had as well, and the finding a time to play is becoming rather challenging.) Biggest point-picker-uppers happened to be “Vivio’s” who over the

Mick Jointhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18240168906251647283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612738969098778006.post-60893328288284010402011-11-29T09:46:00.001-05:002011-11-29T09:53:06.648-05:002011-11-29T09:53:06.648-05:00

On Wednesday, December 14, get ready for the next Beer Challenge “Celebrity Keg Match”. This is where I grab two mates who are also gracious rivals on the court, throw them into the squash arena to test just how good their friendship is as they battle it out to see who will be left with paying for the keg. Just for kicks and giggles, I will also organize a game for anyone interested in

Mick Jointhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18240168906251647283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612738969098778006.post-63753127185701067622011-11-22T09:45:00.001-05:002011-11-22T11:13:12.628-05:002011-11-22T11:13:12.628-05:00

In the squash community, the PST (Pro Squash Tour) seems to be a little like the New York Yankees – you either love ‘em, or you hate ‘em. Ever since Joe McManus started this tour about 18 months ago with the no ‘let’ rule, controversy has ensued. The tour is growing rapidly, and PSA ban their players from competing; the rule itself has met much criticism, and from what I read on the squash

Mick Jointhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18240168906251647283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612738969098778006.post-8042913500798872812011-11-17T13:17:00.001-05:002011-11-17T13:18:24.271-05:002011-11-17T13:18:24.271-05:00

Boasters League round 7~~ Now, that’s more like it. Maybe because it’s getting closer to the end of the first half, or maybe because Thanksgiving is next week and people need to feel they can justify porking out on turkey and stuffing by playing plenty of squash leading up to it, but either way the past 7 days have turned in an abundance of scores. Surprisingly, none more than the “O’Blivions

Mick Jointhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18240168906251647283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612738969098778006.post-67921720558398241922011-11-14T11:08:00.001-05:002011-11-14T11:10:10.063-05:002011-11-14T11:10:10.063-05:00

Ah yes! Nothing signifies Christmas more than the sound of jingle bells in the background, the merry “Ho! Ho! Ho’s!” of the pretend Santas lining the street corner, images of decorated trees, large mountains of presents, the sweet harmony of carolers, a light powdery snow drifting down in the fresh cool air, laughing faces of young children without a care in the world… and the deafening sound of

Mick Jointhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18240168906251647283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612738969098778006.post-67814881150177517052011-11-11T11:21:00.001-05:002011-11-11T11:25:48.786-05:002011-11-11T11:25:48.786-05:00

The end of season PST (Pro Squash Tour) Tournament being held at the DAC from May 4-6, 2012 just became a lot more attractive. The PSA (Professional Squash Association) still ban their players from competing in any PST event, so it is difficult for the PST to attract top world class talent. PST have been continuously signing players to their tour, but up until now they have – for the most part -

Mick Jointhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18240168906251647283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612738969098778006.post-18750707340592698282011-11-10T13:18:00.001-05:002011-11-10T13:19:53.293-05:002011-11-10T13:19:53.293-05:00

Boasters League round 6~~ I guess all the teams were quite content where they stood last week since there was only 1 move on the ladder for round 6. And that only occurred because the “Speakeasys” had the bye and were overtaken by “Old Shillelagh”. A few matches have been made up in the past 7 days, but none of the teams are making any significant push. Only 13 matches were completed for

Mick Jointhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18240168906251647283noreply@blogger.com