I left around 9:30.  I would have bolted earlier but one of my cohorts at the front check-in desk WROTE DOWN A SCORE INCORRECTLY -they reversed some results in the Men's 4.5 division.  It took me about an hour to figure out why my tally sheet was off.  Oh, it didn't bother me at all, though, no not me! I don't mind slaving over the computer while all my friends are whoo-hooing it up in the bar. 

I didn't even get to tell one of my friends she played a great match, good win yesterday :).  So, there it is, in writing even!!!

Tom Wallace (CCV Captain) showed up in a suit. He told me he likes to show respect and support for the players, his club and the sport.  At least he isn't wearing the standard CCV all white or he'd look like a (much taller) Colonel Sanders.

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Anyway, I want to thank everybody for not bidding me up on the PF Chang's Gift Certificate.  If I can actually walk away with $50 for $40, then you all must really like me a lot. 

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As far as the weather, people ask me whether we'll be playing outside on Sunday.  Like I would know what sun would look like if I even saw it.  So, the answer is I HAVE NO IDEA, I only report stuff, I really have no authority whatsoever.

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For those of you who were so kind to pose for me, I am posting photos on the photo pages. It seems I wasn't able to get pictures of anybody actually holding a racquet.  Wondering what Anthem will think about sponsoring this event next year due to its goal of promoting a healthy lifestyle and given most photos show people drinking beer. NOTE TO ANTHEM:  Lots of people sweated, strained for hard serves and tore their Achilles Tendon yesterday (future business!) and shrimp is an important food group.

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Sunday 11:15 am:   If you are of the belief that if things are going good then bad is just around the corner, well, then welcome to Sunday here at the Anthem Challenge.  A little controversy has been threatening to boil over due to a player rating.  A player is playing at a lower level than what he is rated in the USTA computer and somebody noticed.  

Can you believe that somebody NOTICED?

Anyway, since I have been getting emails about it (truly) I will let you know that the team captains are meeting this afternoon to come up with a resolution to the issue.  I have been told that the captain of the club member in question will abide by the captains' decision.  

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Sunday 12:30 pm:  A friend calls me over and says he has a way to boost site traffic on the website.  I'm thinking he's going to suggest he pose shirtless on the home page, but that's not what he had in mind. Too bad... anyway, he says I ought to write about the big controversy.

Well, too late for that, because as quickly as it came, it is now over.  The team captains determined that the club in question would lose two points.  Case closed.

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Spirits are higher today as play is going on outside on most courts.  Although as I am  getting scores, a player comes running to the desk, frantically calling for a court monitor.  Seems someone is foot faulting again!  Matt Magner, roused from his sleep at the check-in desk, suddenly has an official capacity! "Foot Fault Monitor".  He appears very excited.

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Sunday 4:00 pm:  It is getting down to the wire and we are divided between those who now say tennis is all for fun, and those who are very interested in knowing who's ahead.

Now that the sun is shining, it seems like a real tournament again.   There is a shortage of sunglasses.

Joy L and Katherine M are playing on the indoor court next to where I am entering scores.  Joy hits a nice volley.  "VIOLENCE IS GOOD!" yells the CCV crowd next to me.  

I mentioned to Tom Wallace the fact that every CCV team we sent over to CCV yesterday came back with a win.  Wondered how that happened, exactly?  He said they just held their teams over there until they won.  "We were just taking the best two of whatever it took to come out ahead, then we'd call the score in," he explained.

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Note to parents who leave their kids to fend for themselves for the weekend (just kidding, I promise)   Your children are behaving themselves quite nicely!

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Congrats to Leslie Rhea and Sara Brown of Willow Oaks, who went 3 for 3 this weekend!  Anybody else?  Let me know and I'll post you on the website.  And Jack Berry, who played with different partners and still won all 3 at WOCC 3.5.

10/25/06:  For an Updated List click here

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Sunday 6:00 pm:  I heard something funny when a Hermitage guy reported his score:  0-6, 6-2, tiebreak win.  He must have had a slow start, I said to him.  "No, not at all.  I was playing so bad I just sucked the good out of my opponents," he replied.

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Sunday 7:30 pm:  Some people don't realize that the Anthem Challenge is a tournament event of the RTA, sponsored by Anthem, hosted by Westwood and run by participating clubs.  Robious ran the tourney this year.  Let me just say, at times, dear friends, such a thing can be very exasperating.

I went to get final scores, and couldn't get anybody to give me a definitive answer about anything.  One woman was standing at the table, venting her opinion about the controversy, as if the poor Robious volunteers could do anything about anything at all.....Lou was trying to get the trophy handed out while players were still on the courts and all I needed was a score or two!  So, I asked Karen:  Karen, please may I have the final score for so and so? Karen throws her hands up and says "I DON'T EVEN CARE ANYMORE!"

Note to Salisbury, yes the club whose members hid out in the Army supply truck all weekend, and the team running the tourney next year (S comes after R, right?) - HA!  Good LUCK!

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Sunday 9:15 pm:  Thanks to Rachel for bringing me batteries for my camera. Just as I was getting ready to take the photo of the CCV team hoisting up the trophy, my camera says "Change the batteries." PERFECT.  John Packett of the RTD was standing there, shaking his head, certainly thinking this is what happens when novices try to do his job.

After posting the final results (I had to make up a couple scores since Lou took home the score sheets) I packed up and went home.  Some of the higher rated players walked by on the way to the lounge and asked me to join them.  It sounded like fun, but it was TIME TO GO.

POSTS FROM SATURDAY, OCTOBER 6TH

Maybe someone said to themselves at that moment, as they lay comfortably in bed, "I wish I didn't have to play today...."  (I am thinking that person might have been Al Thomas, Willow Oaks Pro, who was struck by lightening while doing laundry in his upstairs room a few months ago.)

OH! But not me! I'm only on the sub list, having had my hopes dashed by the fierce duo of Bateman/Abell, and after a day of watching players from all of the City take to the Westwood Courts, I surely wish I was playing, too.

Interesting, after a full day of play, how close in points the clubs are.  Joe Cappellino, Pro at Dominion Club, wouldn't dare to comment on the tally board yesterday, as his club won the first 8 of 10 matches.  "I'm not paying any attention at all," he'd say to anyone who remarked about the 3.0 and 3.5 successes.  

As if.

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Funny how Matt Magner appears to be comatose working the check-in table, but then he gets out on the court and goes vertical for shots like he's Air Bud.   Laura Tuchscherer has a theory about it, but you'll have to ask her.

Speaking of Laura T., did you know that Gretchen Steinour, who is playing Mixed Dubs for Salisbury, is her sister?  That's right.....if you listen to their voices, you can tell.  Laura was rooting for her big sis - who has come out of a ten year retirement - against her boss Cris and Melissa Robinson.  

"I'll probably be fired tomorrow," she said (but didn't sound like she cared?).  I responded that they'd most likely delay her termination til Monday because they needed the help at the desk.

Service Master Seth Lipstock

Gretchen (married to Pro Scott of the floppy hats) is playing with Seth Lipstock, who -  I SWEAR - has the fastest serve in Richmond!  It's amazing.  One of them went right through the net - There are witnesses, for those who have questioned my calls before.

And, did you realize that the Army Supply Truck in the parking lot (full of beer, we presume) belongs to Salisbury?  They are prepared for battle, but unfortunately the gig isn't that intimidating this year since nobody's outside to see it.  But leave it to Scott, Tripp and Seth to have a good time anyway.

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RTA President Eric Perkins did official duty yesterday in a Mixed Dubs match, where he was called in to check out foot faults.  Yes, even though this is all for FUN, some people whom you are playing are taking this very seriously.

Just so you know.

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Cris Robinson looked puzzled by a caller on the phone yesterday.   "What was that about?" asked Margie Rich (who volunteered more than 6 hours and had reached her wits end with me stealing her score sheets).  

"They asked me if there was a dance Saturday night," Cris answered, looking frazzled.  

"A Dance?  At the Club Challenge?" - everybody at the desk laughed at the thought of it.

I don't know, could be fun.......

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Saturday 9:30 am:  Bo Webb, Pro at Brandermill, agreed that the first three matches this morning were reported too quickly.  "But they were all VERY CLOSE matches," he insists.

Back at the check-in desk, Laura T props up a placard that clearly reads CHECK IN WITH YOUR PARTNER!  

I asked her if maybe that was a little overkill, all those notices but she said absolutely not.  "It's like, people come up, they look right at me, and say 'I'm here to check in' and I say, 'well, and where's your partner?'

Even though it's quite obvious they NEED TO CHECK IN WITH THEIR PARTNER.  I need five more signs like this one, but no, it still wouldn't matter...."

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Saturday 2:30 pm:  It's very crowded in here and I am starting to wish it would clear up outside already. 

How many times can you say "Oh Great Match!" and still sound like you mean it? 

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No need to call the paramedics, she does not have Ebola.  This is the latest in Tennis Technology.  Infrared laser contact lenses.  She can SEE RIGHT THROUGH PEOPLE, totally night vision capable.  Don't let it bother you.  It takes more than a good outfit and accessories to win a match, and I should know.

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Update from Laura T.  It is very draining working the desk.  "Especially handing out the balls." 

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Rachel Gale (Activities Director at Westwood) came up to me and said she was enjoying the website.  I just posted the photo of Westwood Captain Tom Hopkins.  We'll see how long it takes for her to change her mind.

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Saturday 4:00 pm:  Latest tallies show Robious tied for first place with Westwood (58 pts each), ACAC at 57 and Raintree with 56.

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The loudspeaker calls are getting more strident.  "WE ARE GIVING YOU 20 SECONDS TO GET TO THE TABLE" the microphone screams.  Either it's just been a long day or higher rated players won't have anybody telling them what to do and when to do it.  They KNOW we just wish we could be playing at 5:00 instead of 8:00 am.

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Scott S of Salisbury asks me how things look. Well, Scott it looks pretty good if you're from anywhere but Salisbury. 

Hmmmm.  That wasn't very nice.  I think I'll take a break or I may find myself tied up in the parking lot in the back of an Army Supply Tank.