December 2005
The Champange flows once again
Marv,
I would like to present you with my story of a champagne game
in Portland last week. It was my first "win" ever. As
you know, I was supposed to play in the Wrightson Cup 50+ event
with Nigel Amon but he was not able to make it at the last minute
due to illness.
I ventured down anyways hoping the tournament chair, Chuck Williams
could find me a replacement. (I was playing with Brucey Macfarlane
in the A) He did. Don Livingstone from the MAC filled in admirably.
He is left handed so I naturally said no problem I will play "forehand"
or more accurately "right wall". In our first match,
we were drawn against another hybrid Portland-Vancouver side of
the likes of Rip "Riptide" Peterman and Dave Jubitz
from the MAC. We won the first game with my partner playing superbly.
In game two, we won 15 - 0 and Dave said to me "Is there
something about champagne when you lose 15-0?" I remarked
Oh yah!! Incidentally, it was my "heavy" power forehands
that seemed to open the court for my partner.
Turned out we lost game three 18-16 but won the 4th.
Our opponents came clean at the Saturday night dinner. The Champagne
games are an unwritten rule all over North America. It was great
to win and kudos to our opponents for paying their debt!! Rip
didn't want this publicized but I know if it happened to me it
would have hit the wire moments after the match.
We managed to get to the 50+ Final and got smoked by Marjin Wall
and Gary Johnson of Portland. My sister Cathy, a line judge, remarked
to me after the match "Brian, that was the ugliest forehand
play I have ever seen". I retorted " I still play better
forehand than Smarty plays backhand!" I take my victories
where I can.
Covey
