NOTE: a longer post, which I'm known for
, in the
Daily Table Tennis Chit
Reposting the relevant parts of that long post to this thread
--------------------------------
What a great and fun TT weekend!
Long AAR (After Action Report) follows... will give you the FRAT (Frag Reading All That version first):
FRAT version
Sat = Played Der_Echte 1 match - lost 3-0; played a match with 42andbackpains and luckily won 3-2... 42&bp should beat me easily
Sun = served/drilled with Carl for ~15 mins; played with Der_Echte 1 match - lost 3-0; played with NextLevel ... also coached by both Der and NL
UNABRIDGED VERSION
Saturday, Oct 1, 2016
I got to the Korean TT club at ~10:30pm. The Squad were pretty much done for the day. Had my gear and because of the time, was ready just to hang out and chat and not play. Der said he still had many sets left in him.
We warmed up for 5 mins or so, my Chuck Knoblauch syndrome continued. Chuck was the 1990’s baseball 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] baseman who towards the end of his career, couldn’t throw to 1[SUP]st[/SUP] base, which is one of the primary throws/skills a 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] baseman needs to execute. Some mental block. Using my Avalox P700, I’m missing the table on basic shots like FH during warmup. It has been 2 weeks like this. Prior to my malaise, I’ve been hitting/playing with the Avalox for ~4 months and was used to it as it became my primary blade. My solution was to warmup with my backup racket, an off the shelf 1980’s DHS racket, which I slapped on 2 old rubbers. It is way heavier than I am used to, as I’m an oldschool penholder and play with single side only. But my strokes were landing properly. Switched back to the Avalox for a few more shots and the match begins.
I didn’t expect to win against Der-Echte, a 2000-level player, but was going to give him my all. Saw his fast Rambo loops in a previous Goon Squad mission in doubles as well as face his high-toss serves, so I had some idea what I would be going up against.
By Der’s estimates, I won 80% of my serves and he won 90% of his serves. Lost 3 straight, mostly at 7 or 8 if memory serves. Have video of the match, will probably post, just didn’t have time to edit yet. All I remember was me eating all his serves. Couldn’t read them. After the match, Der confided to me that all he did was serve downspin and then topspin the whole match ... 1-2 .. same serves, same sequence! Man, I suck at reading serves, but also suck at discerning any patterns. LOL
What I didn’t expect was how underrated Der’s trash-talking game is! He is at least 2500! I tried not to let it get to me, generally don’t let it get to me, but the seed was planted firmly with the trash talking. What cemented it was my helplessness and free points he got off my botched attempts at return of serves.
I had a few decent rally winners, but for the most part, match was un-highlight worthy IIRC. Will review the video to see. Service returns continue to be a huge Achilles Heel for me! Thanked Der for the match as well showing me what I need to work on via match.
Played my friend 42andbackpains for a set. It was the first time in 30 yrs since he played with both sides smooth rubber. For the past 2 yrs, he has been using short pips on his BH. Eked out a win 3-2 over him, but I wasn’t executing my game/style the way I wanted to and felt he should’ve won. With his lessons with a professional coach, truly expect him to be a formidable player very soon. Feel he should beat me easily as well as our mutual old 1980's TT crew. If not for his backpains etc ... if he's healthy, WATCH OUT!
Everyone called it a night and we went to a restaurant for a midnight dinner. I was not hungry and just sat there soaking in TT discussions from players higher level than me. In attendance, Carl, PPHolic, Der and 42&bp. Awesome night!
An aside: it’s one thing to read on the forums that someone speaks a foreign language, it’s another to see it in action. Der was FLUENT in Korean and it was awesome listen to him speak with the club owner!
Sunday, Oct 2, 2016
Got to the club ~4:30pm. I started off serving to Carl for maybe 15 mins my pendulum fast side-top serve to his BH. He has trouble with this serve and I wanted to help him out. He returned most of them, some with the BH pick/flick, some with his BH loop. He didn’t ‘eat’ as many. Truly hope that helped out his game!
NextLevel arrived and he worked with Carl a bit. Carl had to leave and we took a group pic. Reposting Carl's pic from Der_Echte in NYC thread:
Der comes to my table and I politely explained to my partner, despite language barrier, I wanted to play Der as he was from out of town… I think she understood.
IIRC, all I did was serve side down the whole match to Der and he would push it back to my FH and I topspin looped it and ready for 5[SUP]th[/SUP] ball attack via smash, punch or loop drive. Still have problems with serve receive. Lost 3 straight, but it was more drilling but in an actual match. Der commented that I made a lot of the 3[SUP]rd[/SUP] ball slow topspin loops, more than he has seen me before he coached me. An aside, recently JeffM posted a match vid in which he beat his opponent and NextLevel commented pretty much that the same combo of slow topspin loop and get ready to attack the blocked loop should be one of JeffM’s staples.
Played NextLevel next. Lost pretty easily, I think all at 5 or less. I was not thinking too clearly in serve placement ... served mostly long and fast to NL’s BH which he adroitly returned. Didn't remember to serve short to FH. Der on the side reminded me to try to serve sidedown and go for slow topspin loop. Many of my serves were too long and NL attacked them all not affording me a chance to 3rd ball slow topspin loop.
Unedited video courtesy of NL's channel:
4:19-4:24 – after nailing my 3[SUP]rd[/SUP] ball punch down the line, I missed my 5[SUP]th[/SUP] ball smash LOL at my inconsistency
4:37-4:49 – most memorable point for me, not because I actually returned NL’s serve, not because I saw the net ball, waited and successfully returned nor because I smashed the 6[SUP]th[/SUP] ball for a winner, BUT because of Der’s reaction to the point … he posted a comment about our Saturday match, that some of my smashes were moments to flex my bicep and here he was, right after my smash he got up and did just that… had me cracking up!
~12:16 – 32:58 NL coaching me
I got a text from my daughter informing me my wife is upset with me as I told her I believed i would finish at 6pm. Got home at 8:30 pm. Apologized to both NL and Der but I had to leave or else ... lol
Thanked them both for their gracious sharing of time, experience and playing with me!
p.s. the 2 things I need to remember of the many things I've learned this past weekend is:
1) Serve downspin, get a push to my FH, loop slow topspin, get reset and prepared for 5th ball attack
2) wrist motion - how to serve a real pendulum serve (i have a pendulum serve with wasted motion); serve receive; and loop
Sincerest gratitude to Carl, PingPongHolic, and 42andbackpains. And again my deepest gratitude to Der_Echte and NextLevel for working with me!
