Old guy tennis last night. I’m still 0 for the century but my partner and I are playing better. This league is pretty competitive and there’s lots of testosterone in the air. Or at least lots of guys trying to prove they still have some. Doing that don’t look at or talk to your opponent, stay ever so silently serious. That doesn’t work for me. I pretty much know going in I’m going to get an ass whooping, so I try to make sure everyone knows I’m not taking it too seriously and that I’m having fun. I crack jokes about the match, keep a running commentary going, catch an opponents eye and make a funny face, and make sure that I compliment everyone on their good shots. It’s infectious, everyone loosens up and hopefully has a good time. One sided contests aren’t usually much fun for me whether I’m the kicker or the kickee (unless it’s old guys whipping up on cocky young guys in hoops) so I try to remind people the real reason that we’re playing. Remember….FUN!
I’m seein’ it, I’m feelin’ it . . . you’re an other-generational me. Only, my kids’ll be out of the house sooner, relatively speaking. Ha!
Fun, why should have fun. That isn’t what life is about.
Wrong. That is great you make fun of and have fun playing tennis.
By the way, is there a slang term for tennis. For football your a throwing the pigskin, baseball you are playing America’s favorite pasttime. I don’t know just thinking.
I refer to it as “whack the fuzzball”
Damn tightasses… I bowled (yes I admit it, Chicago c’mon) a midnight mens league when I worked 2nd shift. There was this one team (always one, right?) that had that same overly serious must-win attitude. The rest of us were just there for beer and laughs.
“whack the fuzzball” bahaha… sounds like some kind of euphemism to me.
whenever a team I’m coaching is losing, I say (and mean it truthfully), “Oh, I’ve lost much worse than this…”
Old guy tennis should definitely be an olympic category. Or subcategory.