Why do I play the Game and the Cost of Having Kids

Friggin ugly would describe the little bit I played yesterday. I didn’t want to get to involved so I played a few low buy-in sngs on UB and Full Tilt. The moronic skills I employee at times make me wonder why I play the game. Actually, I only made one really bad mistake when I caught top pair on the flop and hit top 2 on the river but got suckered by a guy chasing an open ended straight draw that happened to hit when I got my second pair. I keep forgetting that these lower level players will continue to chase even when they don’t have the odds to do so. It’s probably because guys like me will pay them off when they catch their hand.

Anyway, Considering I didn’t catch anything for cards I think I played well over all. Its funny when a shorty goes all-in and the sb calls, then you push will a pocket 10’s, trying to isolate the short stack and the sb calls with the all might K8 off suit. It’s even funnier when he hits a boat on the flop giving you no chance to win the hand and knocking you out on the bubble. I laughed real hard at that one. Now I could have just called and thrown away my hand after the flop but I didn’t think he was strong and I was right. But those are the breaks.

I’d like to play the Mookie tonight but instead I’ll be watching the free roll from the BBT. It should be fun watching the action as these players battle for the blogger championship and the bragging rights of the invisible friends league.

********************

Softball E. needed a new softball bat so I did a search on line to find out which weapons were the best and what the relative cost were for each item. After an extensive search I narrowed it down to a few bats based on price and quality and came up with this. I took I picked it up at Sports Authority on the way home and she is good to go. One of the girls on her team had a smaller version of this bat and it had some real pop so she should be good to go. We still have to get her a new gloves because she has been using mine and even thought it is a good glove, I bought it back in 1989 and it is in dire straits. I’ve had it repaired a few times but it is on it’s last leg. All told we will spend around $300 or $400 on ball equipment after the season is over. I don’t think I spent that much money on equipment for me in my life.

*********************

I went down to the ball park last night after my amazing showing on the virtual felt. Some friends were playing and I had not made the trip all season. I watched much of the first game chatting with an old timer about the state of men’s fastpitch in the United States and the player movement over the past two season since I retired from the game. I read a post on a forum posted by a friend of mine who talked about how they predicted the demise of the game 20 years ago. How there would be no place to play and nobody playing the game. His point was that he could play every day of the week if he wanted to by traveling no farther then maybe an hour to do so. He named all the leagues within 40 miles of his house and the days that they played and he was right. The game isn’t dead…it’s just not feeling as good as it could.

Reading some of the reports on teams going to the world tourney, it looks like 8 or 10 teams have a shot at winning the ISC championship this year and that is good. It means the talent has spread some and that the laws of supply and demand have made it easier for the lower budget teams to compete. There are still a few powerhouse teams but they don’t have the same strangle hold on the top like in the past. It would be a good time to be in the game for me but I think most of my time has past.

Anyway, I left the field and picked up the kids at bible school and asked if they wanted to go watch the second game. They did, so we went back to the field and I watched a group of guys I played with get ready to take the field. They needed another guy but I was in jeans and a pull over with my dress shoes. Not really the uniform of choice so I politely turned them down. It would have been fun but I know I’d be hurting today.

I got to talk to a friend who’s daughter is playing for one of the teams SE is trying out for so she has an in with the team. He is a board member of their association and thus has the power to help her get on the team but I told him to let her earn her way… you know, the ethics thing. Anyway, this team would be a good fit for her for the next two years if she makes it.

That’s it for today. Have a great day.