Best of Five Series - Ends in Humiliating Defeat for Team Z Obut

[from our correspondent in Rochester, Ken Chance]

Yet another 'Rochester - Best of Five' series ends in a humiliating defeat for Team Z Obut. This one was even more painful than previous defeats, with this Best of Nine ending in just five games! All five, of course, ended as victories for the apparently unstoppable Team LaChance Integrale. Mr. Chance was asked why he had put his opponent away so quickly this time around, and he replied that with his busy schedule, he "wanted to be sure that this series ended before the snow started to fall."

Of course in late developments during the week, Mr. Zajac, in his role as President of Petanque Michigenne (and despite probable despair at having lost his fourth Best of Nine in a row) secured a winter piste for the Michigan boules club. Bordine's Nursury on Rochester Road very kindly agreed to let the club hold their matches in the vacant greenhouse enclosures. It is also likely that people at the nursury perceived from the uninterupted string of defeats for Team Z, that Mr. Zajac may need the practice.

We tried interviewing Mr. Zajac about the slump Team Z seems to be mired in. He was muttering things about 'having new boules which need a break in period' and that on occasional throws 'Team LaChance would lift a foot from the ground.' The sports writing staff may agree with Mr. Zajac that lifting a foot is technically 'bad form.' Still many of these explanations had the appearance of a devasated opponent grasping for straws. Of course, after losing so soundly, anyone would be looking for excuses and technicalities to explain away the defeats. Some here at the Petanque Sports Central staff were reminded of excuses made by Coach Marty Morningweg of the Lions during their record setting slump a few seasons ago. Our opinion is that the Petanque gods are still angry with Mr. Zajac who flauted the rule of 'never shooting with the final boule' during a set of recent games.

In one of the most remarkable shots of the evening, LaChance pointed against a boule of Zajac's resting just 1 millimeter from the couchonet. After pointing, Mr. Chance's boule ended up resting directly on the couchonet itself, without disturbing the other boules. Mr. Zajac's almost primal howl of frustration was drowned out by the wild cheers of the assembled crowd, cheers which escalated in volume as Mr. Chance took a bow after such a masterful point. The Petanque Central sports staff is looking forward to the wintertime Rochester Best of Nines, to see if Team LaChance Integrale can extend its lead of four unanswered Best of Nine victories."