Today was a good day for bocce. We've had some trouble fielding a full team lately. Today, only Eric, Hugh and I were available. Luckily for us, Joanie is a likeable team. Early in the season, I made nice with one of the new teams, Count Boccula (nice name!), and when I asked their captain (I think), Lauren, if one of their teammates would be willing to be our fourth, she told me to take my pick. I picked Valerie, who seemed to be their best player. They were eager to help, since we were playing the Little Lassos, a team that has gotten a reputation for being a little obnoxious. Lauren and Val wanted to see the Lassos lose, and Joanie was just the team to make that happen.
Val and I played at the North end, Hugh and Eric at the South. For the most part we played our game, kept the bocces close, picked away at them, wore them down. It helped that the Lassos were drunk. It also helped that Val was cute and perfectly willing to flirt with the other team in order to distract. I don't know if that accomplished anything, but it was fun to watch. Personally, I just think we were just the better team today. Thanks to Val and Count Boccula, Joanie kicked some ass today.
Val -- You and the rest of Count Boccula can now count yourselves honorary Joanies.
Val even gets her own Happy Days name... Jenny Piccolo. Congrats Val! Go Joanie!
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Joanie "loses" to The Mo I Bocce...
So I don't like to complain about the other bocce teams, really I don't. But sometimes, I am left with no choice. We had a double-header scheduled our last time out, both against rookie teams. The first team had only two players and forfeited. The second team, The Mo I Bocce (another bad name--honestly, there are some great named teams in this league, see, e.g. Do These Droids Speak Bocce, If You Want My Bocce, Boccelism, Veni Vedi Bocce, etc.; it doesn't take that much effort) had only three players. Since I didn't want to waste the double header, rather than make them forfeit, I agreed to play--also Eric had schlepped in from New Jersey. They won 2-7, 7-5, 7-5. Fine, I'll live with that; I agreed to play. But what really bothers me is that they didn't seem to know that they were supposed to forfeit. They also didn't seem to know some other league rules and at least one basic rule of how to play. Perhaps it wouldn't have bothered me so much if we won. But is it asking too much that the new teams acquaint themselves with the league rules? I don't think it is.
The era of the kinder gentler Fonz is over.
The era of the kinder gentler Fonz is over.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Joanie beats Count Boccula: 7-2, 7-5
The title says it all. Joanie bounced back from the painful season opener with a much better performance against rookie team Count Boccula. Teresa and Abby played at the North end, and Eric and I played at the South. As usual, the gang at the North end played a little looser of a game, more in the middle of the court, more hitting, more space between the balls. And Eric and I played a much tighter game, keeping the palino short, leaving less room for multiple points for either team. At least, until the middle of the second game. Count B generally controlled the second game. They were up 5-1, when Eric and I had the round of the day. As usual, we kept the balls close enough that after Count B expended all of their balls, we had two closer than their closest ball, but if we could knock away their closest ball, we'd be able to pick up 4. Eric didn't go for the hit and instead tried to just get it in closer than their ball. He laid it in short, in front of the pallino, but not close enough to add any points. I rolled our last ball intending to sneak around that ball, bump Count B's ball and stop near the pallino, in hopes of picking up 3, and maybe a 4th if their ball rolled away. I ended up bumping Eric's short ball, then carrying forward enough to bump their ball a little and land close to take all 4 points. We tied it up at 5-5. Teresa and Abby closed it out without having to roll more than 2 balls.
Doubleheader next week. Go Joanies!
Doubleheader next week. Go Joanies!
Saturday, June 13, 2009
A new season
I haven't blogged about the team in a while. We ended last season on a sour note. After dominating the league for most of the season, we lost our last two games again two veteran teams, Gowanus Iguanas and Old Dirty Barristers. We drew the Old Dirty in the first round of the playoffs, and lost to them again. And to make matters worse, I wasn't even there. On the bright side, I wasn't there because my employer sent me to Paris to manage a team of twenty other lawyers on a fairly important project. And then I had a week of vacation in Paris. And then I came back and got to announce that my wife is pregnant. So there were good things, just not in the bocce universe.
So today we started the summer season. And again, not in a good way. We played a very annoying team of rookies and drunks, the Little Lassos, and lost in straight games, 7-5, 7-0. I don't even want to write about.
This is probably my last season of captaining the mighty Joanies, since next season I'll have a baby right around playoff time, and the following season I'll have an infant and I'll have to focus on captaining the Trokensimons instead. So this loss doesn't really mean anything. There are lots of games ahead.
So today we started the summer season. And again, not in a good way. We played a very annoying team of rookies and drunks, the Little Lassos, and lost in straight games, 7-5, 7-0. I don't even want to write about.
This is probably my last season of captaining the mighty Joanies, since next season I'll have a baby right around playoff time, and the following season I'll have an infant and I'll have to focus on captaining the Trokensimons instead. So this loss doesn't really mean anything. There are lots of games ahead.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Winter/Spring 2009, Game 6: Joanie vs. The Holy Rollers
Today's game was as dull as a 7-0, 7-0 beating can be. We played well; they played really really badly. I think they must have had some rookies filling in or something.
Teresa and Lisa played at the North end, Hugh and Eric at the South. I sat out. Since we won the first game 7-0, we stuck with the same team and I sat out again.
Holy Rollers = HR
Lisa = L
Teresa = T
Eric = E
Hugh = H
First letter is either S for Short, M for Medium, or L for Long.
Second letter is either S for Shoot or L for Lag. Shoot means trying to hit something and lag means trying to softly roll the ball to a specific spot.
The last symbol is either - for a bad roll, 0 for a neutral roll, + for a good roll or ++ for a perfect roll.
Game 1, Round 1.
HR SL-
L SL+
HR SL0
HR SS+
T SL+
HR SS0
L SL+
T SL+
Holy Rollers won the coin toss, rolled the pallino short and then missed long with the first roll. Lisa stuck her first bocce. The Rollers missed long with their next bocce. With their third they took a shot and knocked the balls around and ended with the point. Teresa then rolled the ball in closer. The Rollers tried to shoot again, but wasn't successful. Lisa then Teresa rolled good bocces and took 2 points. Joanies up 2-0.
Game 1, Round 2.
E SL+
HR SL0
HR SS+
HR SL+
H SL-
E SL+
H drop
Eric dropped the pallino short and then put the bocce close. Rollers missed on their first attempt to get it close, then hit it with a shot but didn't end up closer, missed again on number three, then lagged one in on their last try. Hugh then missed short with his roll. With the third bocce, Eric got a lucky zig zag on a short roll that landed a fraction closer. I got to use my calipers. Hugh dropped the ball for 1 point. Joanies up 3-0.
Game 1, Round 3.
L ML++
HR MS0
HR MS+
T MS+
HR MS-
HR MS-
L ML+
T ML+
Lisa rolled a medium length pallino, then put the bocce right behind the pallino for a perfect first roll. The rollers missed on their first shot, hit on their second. Teresa then shot their bocce and landed closer. Rollers missed with two shots in a row, and Lisa and Teresa put their next two close for 3 points. Joanies up 6-0.
Game 1, Round 4.
E SL+
HR SS0
HR SL0
HR SS-
HR SL+
H SL++
Eric dropped the pallino short and then put the first bocce close. The Rollers missed with three rolls and landed it close enough with their fourth. Hugh knocked it away with his first ball to get the 1 point necessary. Joanies win game 1, 7-0.
Game 2, Round 1.
L ML++
HR MS-
HR ML-
HR MS-
HR ML+
T MS++
L ML+
T ML+
Lisa started game 2 with a medium roll on the pallino and perfect roll on the first bocce. The Rollers missed long on three rolls and then scored on their fourth. Teresa knocked their ball away, then she and Lisa landed a couple more close for 4 points. Joanies go up in game 2, 4-0.
Game 3, Round 2.
E ML+
HR ML-
HR MS-
HR ML-
HR MS0
H ML+
E ML+
Joanies win 7-0, 7-0.
Eric tossed a medium pallino and solid first roll. Rollers missed on four in a row. Hugh and Eric both put balls close enough to score 3. Joanies win 7-0, 7-0.
Now we get three weeks off before round out the season with games against the Gowanus Iguanas and the Old Dirty Barristers.
Teresa and Lisa played at the North end, Hugh and Eric at the South. I sat out. Since we won the first game 7-0, we stuck with the same team and I sat out again.
Holy Rollers = HR
Lisa = L
Teresa = T
Eric = E
Hugh = H
First letter is either S for Short, M for Medium, or L for Long.
Second letter is either S for Shoot or L for Lag. Shoot means trying to hit something and lag means trying to softly roll the ball to a specific spot.
The last symbol is either - for a bad roll, 0 for a neutral roll, + for a good roll or ++ for a perfect roll.
Game 1, Round 1.
HR SL-
L SL+
HR SL0
HR SS+
T SL+
HR SS0
L SL+
T SL+
Holy Rollers won the coin toss, rolled the pallino short and then missed long with the first roll. Lisa stuck her first bocce. The Rollers missed long with their next bocce. With their third they took a shot and knocked the balls around and ended with the point. Teresa then rolled the ball in closer. The Rollers tried to shoot again, but wasn't successful. Lisa then Teresa rolled good bocces and took 2 points. Joanies up 2-0.
Game 1, Round 2.
E SL+
HR SL0
HR SS+
HR SL+
H SL-
E SL+
H drop
Eric dropped the pallino short and then put the bocce close. Rollers missed on their first attempt to get it close, then hit it with a shot but didn't end up closer, missed again on number three, then lagged one in on their last try. Hugh then missed short with his roll. With the third bocce, Eric got a lucky zig zag on a short roll that landed a fraction closer. I got to use my calipers. Hugh dropped the ball for 1 point. Joanies up 3-0.
Game 1, Round 3.
L ML++
HR MS0
HR MS+
T MS+
HR MS-
HR MS-
L ML+
T ML+
Lisa rolled a medium length pallino, then put the bocce right behind the pallino for a perfect first roll. The rollers missed on their first shot, hit on their second. Teresa then shot their bocce and landed closer. Rollers missed with two shots in a row, and Lisa and Teresa put their next two close for 3 points. Joanies up 6-0.
Game 1, Round 4.
E SL+
HR SS0
HR SL0
HR SS-
HR SL+
H SL++
Eric dropped the pallino short and then put the first bocce close. The Rollers missed with three rolls and landed it close enough with their fourth. Hugh knocked it away with his first ball to get the 1 point necessary. Joanies win game 1, 7-0.
Game 2, Round 1.
L ML++
HR MS-
HR ML-
HR MS-
HR ML+
T MS++
L ML+
T ML+
Lisa started game 2 with a medium roll on the pallino and perfect roll on the first bocce. The Rollers missed long on three rolls and then scored on their fourth. Teresa knocked their ball away, then she and Lisa landed a couple more close for 4 points. Joanies go up in game 2, 4-0.
Game 3, Round 2.
E ML+
HR ML-
HR MS-
HR ML-
HR MS0
H ML+
E ML+
Joanies win 7-0, 7-0.
Eric tossed a medium pallino and solid first roll. Rollers missed on four in a row. Hugh and Eric both put balls close enough to score 3. Joanies win 7-0, 7-0.
Now we get three weeks off before round out the season with games against the Gowanus Iguanas and the Old Dirty Barristers.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Winter/Spring 2009, Game 5: Joanie vs. Baracce Obama
So the experiment is back on. Eric and I brainstormed about how best to keep a scorecard in our bocce games. First priority, it had to be easy. I have to be able to play, advise the other players, keep score, and still have a good time. In order to do all that, I had to be able to keep a simple shorthand. Second priority, it had to be worthwhile, which meant I had to keep track of information that I thought would be useful. Last time I kept score, I tried to keep track of where every ball went, how close it was to the next ball, how hard it was rolled, etc., all because I didn't think I knew which information was going to be useful. But in the end, there was too much noise. So this time, the plan was to keep track of just a few metrics: how deep, how hard, and whether it was a successful roll. And of course, whether the round resulted in points for or against. So for each ball, I wrote down S, M or L for short, medium or long. Then I wrote L or S for lag or shoot. Then a +, - or 0 for positive, negative or neutral. This last one involved some judgment calls, but I figured give enough data it will all even out. And I put an asterisk if it either kissed the palino or for some other reason was a perfect shot. Below is the transcript. For the first game, I put the meaning in parentheses.
Game 1, Joanies 4, Baracce Obama 7.
Teresa ("T") and Danielle ("D") played at the North end, Hugh ("H") and I ("M") at the South. Baracce Obama ("BO") won the toss, chose red, and started from the North.
Round 1: PM (palino medium)
BO: ML+ (medium, lag, positive)
D: ML0 (medium, lag, neutral)
T: ML+ (medium, lag, positive)
BO: ML0 (medium, lag, neutral)
BO: ML+ (medium, lag, positive)
D: ML- (medium, lag, negative)
T: ML- (medium, lag, negative)
BO: ML+ (medium, lag, positive)
Score -- D/T -2
Joanie 0, BO 2
Round 2: PM
BO: ML+ *
M: ML-
H: ML0
M: ML0
H: ML0
BO: MS0
BO: MS+
BO: MS+
Score -- M/H -2
Joanie 0, BO 4
Round 3: PL
BO: LL+
D: LL+
BO: LL0
BO: LS-
BO: LL-
T: LL0
D: LL-
T: LL0
Score -- D/O +1
Joanie 1, BO 4
Round 4: PM
H: ML+
BO: ML0
BO: ML-
BO: ML+ *
M: ML0
M: MS+ *
BO: ML-
H: ML0
Score -- M/H +1
Joanie 2, BO 4
Round 5: PS
D: SL+
BO: SL-
BO: SL+
T: SL0
D: SL-
T: SL-
BO: SL-
BO: SL+
Score -- D/T -2
Joanie 2, BO 6
Round 6: PM
BO: ML+
H: MS0
M: ML+
BO: ML0
BO: ML0
BO: ML0
H: ML-
M: ML+
Score -- M/H +2
Joanie 4, BO 6
Round 7: PM
D: ML+ *
BO: MS-
BO: ML-
BO: MS+ *
T: ML+
BO: ML+
D: ML0
T: MS-
Score -- D/T -1
Joanie 4, BO 7
Game 2, Joanies 7, BO 3.
Kirstie ("K") and D at the North end, H and M at the South.
Round 1: PM
BO: ML0
H: ML+
BO: MS+
M: LL-
H: LL-
M: LL-
BO: LL-
BO: LS+
Score -- H/M -2
Joanie 0, BO 2
Round 2: PL
BO: LL-
D: LL-
BO: LL-
BO: LL-
BO: LL+
K: LL+ *
D: LL-
K: LL+ *
Score -- D/K +2
Joanie 2, BO 2
Round 3: PS
M: SL+ *
BO: SL-
BO: SS+
BO: LL0
BO: LS-
H: LL+
m: LL+
H: LL+
Score -- M/H +4
Joanie 6, BO 2
Round 4: PM
D: ML-
BO: ML+
K: ML0
D: ML-
K: ML-
BO: ML-
BO: ML0
BO: ML-
Score -- D/K -1
Joanie 6, BO 3
Round 5: PS
BO: SL-
H: SL+
BO: SL-
BO: SS-
BO: SS+
M: LS-
H: LL+
M: Drop -- Tied, replay frame
Round 5a: PM
BO: ML-
M: ML-
H: ML+
BO: MS-
BO: ML+
BO: MS-
Score: M/H +1
Joanie 7, BO 3
Game 3, Joanies 7, BO 1.
K and D at the North end, H and M at the South.
Round 1: PM
T: ML+
BO: ML0
BO: ML+
K: MS+
BO: LL+
T: LL-
K: LL-
BO: LS-
Score -- T/K -1
Joanie 0, BO 1
Round 2: PM
BO: ML-
H: ML-
M: ML+
BO: LL-
BO: LS+
BO: LS+
M: LS+
H: LS+
Score -- MH +3
Joanie 3, BO 1
Round 3: PL
T: LL+
BO: LL0
BO: LL0
BO: LL0
BO: LS0
K: LL+
T: LL0
K: LL+
Score -- KT +2
Joanie 5, BO 1
Round 4: PM
M: ML+
BO: ML+
H: ML+
BO: ML-
BO: ML+
M: MS+
BO: ML-
Score -- MH +2
Joanie 7, BO 1
Joanies win, 4-7, 7-3, 7-1. Decent game. I'll leave the analysis for the next post. Go Joanies!!!
Game 1, Joanies 4, Baracce Obama 7.
Teresa ("T") and Danielle ("D") played at the North end, Hugh ("H") and I ("M") at the South. Baracce Obama ("BO") won the toss, chose red, and started from the North.
Round 1: PM (palino medium)
BO: ML+ (medium, lag, positive)
D: ML0 (medium, lag, neutral)
T: ML+ (medium, lag, positive)
BO: ML0 (medium, lag, neutral)
BO: ML+ (medium, lag, positive)
D: ML- (medium, lag, negative)
T: ML- (medium, lag, negative)
BO: ML+ (medium, lag, positive)
Score -- D/T -2
Joanie 0, BO 2
Round 2: PM
BO: ML+ *
M: ML-
H: ML0
M: ML0
H: ML0
BO: MS0
BO: MS+
BO: MS+
Score -- M/H -2
Joanie 0, BO 4
Round 3: PL
BO: LL+
D: LL+
BO: LL0
BO: LS-
BO: LL-
T: LL0
D: LL-
T: LL0
Score -- D/O +1
Joanie 1, BO 4
Round 4: PM
H: ML+
BO: ML0
BO: ML-
BO: ML+ *
M: ML0
M: MS+ *
BO: ML-
H: ML0
Score -- M/H +1
Joanie 2, BO 4
Round 5: PS
D: SL+
BO: SL-
BO: SL+
T: SL0
D: SL-
T: SL-
BO: SL-
BO: SL+
Score -- D/T -2
Joanie 2, BO 6
Round 6: PM
BO: ML+
H: MS0
M: ML+
BO: ML0
BO: ML0
BO: ML0
H: ML-
M: ML+
Score -- M/H +2
Joanie 4, BO 6
Round 7: PM
D: ML+ *
BO: MS-
BO: ML-
BO: MS+ *
T: ML+
BO: ML+
D: ML0
T: MS-
Score -- D/T -1
Joanie 4, BO 7
Game 2, Joanies 7, BO 3.
Kirstie ("K") and D at the North end, H and M at the South.
Round 1: PM
BO: ML0
H: ML+
BO: MS+
M: LL-
H: LL-
M: LL-
BO: LL-
BO: LS+
Score -- H/M -2
Joanie 0, BO 2
Round 2: PL
BO: LL-
D: LL-
BO: LL-
BO: LL-
BO: LL+
K: LL+ *
D: LL-
K: LL+ *
Score -- D/K +2
Joanie 2, BO 2
Round 3: PS
M: SL+ *
BO: SL-
BO: SS+
BO: LL0
BO: LS-
H: LL+
m: LL+
H: LL+
Score -- M/H +4
Joanie 6, BO 2
Round 4: PM
D: ML-
BO: ML+
K: ML0
D: ML-
K: ML-
BO: ML-
BO: ML0
BO: ML-
Score -- D/K -1
Joanie 6, BO 3
Round 5: PS
BO: SL-
H: SL+
BO: SL-
BO: SS-
BO: SS+
M: LS-
H: LL+
M: Drop -- Tied, replay frame
Round 5a: PM
BO: ML-
M: ML-
H: ML+
BO: MS-
BO: ML+
BO: MS-
Score: M/H +1
Joanie 7, BO 3
Game 3, Joanies 7, BO 1.
K and D at the North end, H and M at the South.
Round 1: PM
T: ML+
BO: ML0
BO: ML+
K: MS+
BO: LL+
T: LL-
K: LL-
BO: LS-
Score -- T/K -1
Joanie 0, BO 1
Round 2: PM
BO: ML-
H: ML-
M: ML+
BO: LL-
BO: LS+
BO: LS+
M: LS+
H: LS+
Score -- MH +3
Joanie 3, BO 1
Round 3: PL
T: LL+
BO: LL0
BO: LL0
BO: LL0
BO: LS0
K: LL+
T: LL0
K: LL+
Score -- KT +2
Joanie 5, BO 1
Round 4: PM
M: ML+
BO: ML+
H: ML+
BO: ML-
BO: ML+
M: MS+
BO: ML-
Score -- MH +2
Joanie 7, BO 1
Joanies win, 4-7, 7-3, 7-1. Decent game. I'll leave the analysis for the next post. Go Joanies!!!
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Winter/Spring 2009, Game 5: Joanie vs. Laser Cats
Game 1: Joanies 3, Laser Cats 7
Teresa and Danielle at the North, Eric and I at the South. We did not play well. I started out trying to keep score like I did again Bourbon Balls, but we were playing poorly and it was distracting so I stopped. I kept a few notes though. Laser Cats won the coin toss and started from the North. Teresa and Danielle took the first point. Eric and I missed a few and gave back three points. Then Teresa and Danielle gave them three more. Eric and I took back two, but Laser Cats got the last point and won 7-3.
Game 2: Joanies 7, Laser Cats 2
Danielle and Kirstie at the North, Eric and I at the South. We got out to a 5-0 lead pretty quickly. They fought back a little and picked up one point in each of the next two rounds before we finished off the game.
Game 3: Joanies 7, Laser Cats 4. Same team. Same outcome. Go Joanies.
Not a great game, but not a terrible game. We had a long layoff, and need to practice more. Before we played, Bocce Brunch beat the Gowanus Igaunas. And after our game, Old Dirty lost to Do These Droids. I'm pretty sure Joanie is in first place in the Sunday division.
Teresa and Danielle at the North, Eric and I at the South. We did not play well. I started out trying to keep score like I did again Bourbon Balls, but we were playing poorly and it was distracting so I stopped. I kept a few notes though. Laser Cats won the coin toss and started from the North. Teresa and Danielle took the first point. Eric and I missed a few and gave back three points. Then Teresa and Danielle gave them three more. Eric and I took back two, but Laser Cats got the last point and won 7-3.
Game 2: Joanies 7, Laser Cats 2
Danielle and Kirstie at the North, Eric and I at the South. We got out to a 5-0 lead pretty quickly. They fought back a little and picked up one point in each of the next two rounds before we finished off the game.
Game 3: Joanies 7, Laser Cats 4. Same team. Same outcome. Go Joanies.
Not a great game, but not a terrible game. We had a long layoff, and need to practice more. Before we played, Bocce Brunch beat the Gowanus Igaunas. And after our game, Old Dirty lost to Do These Droids. I'm pretty sure Joanie is in first place in the Sunday division.
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