Thursday, January 30, 2025 (Court Day #768)
A beer commercial appeared online this week featuring pickleball and, of course, I had to look it up to share with you! It’s to appear in the Super Bowl. And it doesn’t make pickleball look lame. Well, how do you like that?
The ad features Willem Dafoe (who appeared in the 2002 Spiderman movie as well as Platoon and many other films) and Catherine O’Hara (the mom in Home Alone, and she also appeared Beetlejuice). Both have been very prolific in the film and TV industry.
There’s a longer version too with a little commentary:
Now, those of us who actually play will notice that on the initial serve to Willem, he’s in the wrong place (at the kitchen) and hits the ball out of the air (a fault). Still, pickleball is ‘full steam ahead’ into the mainstream! (Of course, one could argue it’s a montage, and therefore not representative of a true game start.)
Tournament
Dave Cox invited me to play with him in a round robin at Chamisal. I had to break the news to him that it’s a mixed doubles tournament.
Private Games
Charles Overbeck had arranged a private game for this morning. Staffing was going to be OK and there were no major deadlines at work. when Charles contacted me, he already had Tony Sloss lined up and I would be the third. Charles later arranged Rick Arnold to be our fourth.
For the first time a long time, my right knee has been bothering me a little bit. I think I tweaked it playing on Tuesday. It was mildly aching again last night.
It was overcast and 48°F as I left my house. I almost was out of my neighborhood when I realized I left my phone behind and had to turn around and go back. Once I had my phone in hand, I texted the rest of the group and let them know that I’d be a few minutes late.
My wife texted me telling me the rain is supposed to come in tomorrow morning and stick around through Wednesday next week. She said today would be my “last hurrah” for pickleball. Ah, well. We’ll take what we can get!
Derby Park
As I walked into Derby Park, I realized that this was my first time there in probably 6 months… since I stepped down as the Sunday club site coordinator at the end of August last year.
I walked through the gate a few minutes after 9 a.m. and found the others warming up. There was a slow game happening on one court and Larry Yein appeared to be giving a lesson to two older men using his ball machine on another.

After charging its batteries last night, I had brought my neglected Akaso sports camera. (A GoPro competitor.) I hung it up on the fence, but with the guys waiting, I was having trouble getting a it started and opted to forego any recording. I think it’s been over a year since the last time I recorded any of my games with this camera. Locally, with games typically shifting court to court, only private outings at slow times are conducive to video recording.
Rick and Me
Rick and I paired up in the first game and therefore took on Charles and Tony. We started off the session with an extremely close game. I was playing well off the bat and earned a series of compliments. Rick and I pulled off a win 13-11.
We opted to play two games with each pairing, so we had a the rematch. After being up 10-8, Rick I lost 10-12.
My sweatshirt only lasted a game or two before it came off.
Charles and Me
Charles and I teamed up and coasted to 11-3 win. In that game, I hit an awkward shot that went almost straight up. I bounced on their side then came over to our side and Tony reached over and tapped the ball into our side of the net for a winner. I’d read about this, then saw Ben Johns do it in a recording of a pro match, but this was the first time I’d seen it in person. Charles said as much too.
In our next game, after the lopsided win, Charles and I got a bit complacent and lost 7-11. Oops.
Tony and Me
Next up was the last possible combination, Tony and me against Charles and Rick. We lost that one in a miserable fashion, 4-11.
But, as was the pattern this morning, we split those two games, winning the second game 11-7.
Last Rotations
By this time, it was around 11 a.m. We decided to repeat the pairings but with one game each this time.
Rick and I lost 3-11. (Ouch.)
Charles and I won 11-5.
Tony and I won 11-6.
At 11:54 a.m., we were done.
When I left Derby Park, it was still only 52°F. It was a chilly, overcast day.
Analysis
Later on, I did some quick analysis and shared it with the guys.
The nice thing is that we completed our full partner rotations. It reduced the necessary math and made drawing conclusions much easier.

Rick bemoaned, “Just what I needed … proof I was the weak link. ”
But he hadn’t played badly at all and I relied, “Rick, how many times have you had to switch what arm you have to use over the last few years?? You were only two average points off of Charles.”
This was a really good outing, where balls came back that typically don’t, with speed ups, dink rallies, resets… good times.
Friday, January 31, 2025 (No Play)
Here’s a very nice rally in a recent semi-finals match:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DFLG-rNtgX1/
Monday, February 3, 2025 (No Play)
Weather report is not looking good for play on Tuesday and Thursday nights at Skypark! Gag.

Tuesday, February 4, 2025 (No Play)
CRBN announced a new foam core paddle this week and then Selkirk announced their new foam core paddle within days. These new paddles feature a… wait for it… foam core. The story goes that polypropylene cores deform and compress over time and this new high-density foam composition lasts far longer.

The CRBN paddle has sections cut out of the foam and Selkirk’s is solid foam. Similar materials, different design/use.
Tournament
Dave Cox reached out and said that the round robin at Chamisal is pretty low-key and they are allowing any pairings in the event, man/woman, woman/woman, man/man… not just mixed. Dave said that the TD Mike said that they had one spot left and so I told Dave that I’d play with him. He added, “And I know, no coaching.”
Athletic Club Membership
The La Madrona Athletic Club reached out to my wife and after a couple of years on their waiting list, we’ve been told we can become members. I explained to my wife that the odds of me using that membership enough for it to make sense are very low. I told her to get her a membership for herself and I can always be added on later at any time.
Some Pro Analysis

There are a few things I want to talk about in this clip:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DDLfvozgX1U/
Watch Anna Leigh Waters (on the right) and see how she reacts differently to different scenarios.
When her dropshot is too high, she retreats with both her and her partner Catherine Parenteau. However, later, when there’s a lob over CP’s head, CP runs back to the baseline to get the ball, but ALW stays planted at the kitchen line. Apparently, ALW trusted her partner to a) get to the lob, b) hit a successful drop shot off that lob. Either those or ALW trusted her own ability to handle whatever her opponent threw at her after CP’s shot. It’s a risky move, but ALW is the #1 female player in the world after all, if anyone can handle what’s coming, it’s her.
Another thing to notice, is that their opponent does something at the pro level against conventional wisdom: “Never lob from the baseline.” Probably more true than not, but it worked this time. CP was forced back to the baseline and had to work her way back up to the net. Granted, ALW did something less common, as I mentioned, staying at the kitchen line on a lob, so only one partner had to work her way back up to the net. Now, if CP had hit her drop shot straight ahead, there would have been a crosscourt opportunity for her opponent to hit the ball into the gap between CP and ALW. Instead, CP hit crosscourt and there was no gap from that position. Geometry and smarts in action! Obviously, these two partners know and trust each other’s play.
Number of days on a court: 768
Number of total hours: 3,083
Number of paid coaching hours: 111.5
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