Thursday, September 30, 2010

Action Packed Piste at Cadillac Square Park


Lots of folks at the courts today for petanque. Must be the nice weather and word-of-mouth that Pat's out of town! (kidding). The main game going on had quite a comeback win for Team-Derek.
Over on Court-7 I was teaching some petanque to newbies: Ti's fiance Fred. Fred was throwing in points like he's played the game for 25 years.
Quintis, Raphael, and Wil stopped by to check things out. I'd say a busy day...

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Another close game for the Detroit Petanque Club

It came down to the final round where both teams were at 12 points. Nick laid in a close boule, which Tom replaced, and then Nick put in another close boule, Tom replaced it again, and so on, with each team pointing in the close boule in alternating sequence. Finally, it was up to Maury and Eric. Maury put in his second to last boule - close but still with a bit of room. Eric almost gained the point back, but left us in the win with 13 to 12. A great game.

We were joined today by relatively new player, Nick (who was pointing great) and Mark (not Weisgerber) who was really showing his Bocci skills by pointing in great boules.

See you soon!

Monday, September 27, 2010

a Win it was for Team Abu

[click on photo to enlarge]

The Honigman boys wanted a win so badly, but that victory will not come for them today as they barely surfaced above 2 points for their team - the score was 13/7 but if not for Pat's incredible cochonnet strike (for 5 points) it would have been brutal!





Friday, September 24, 2010

Christmas Came Early to Pat, Abu, and Eric


Whew! We took quite a beating today on the petanque piste, with two really badly lost games. "an olde fashioned shellacking" 13/1 and 13/2
Our pointing was off - and the opposition's point and shooting... obviously well on the mark.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Wednesday's Petanque Results

Sam has been leading off for his team and not disappointing. His plombe arc shots have brought a good 75% of his boules to within a foot of the intended target. Usually a player begins by directly rolling along the ground to the cochonnet so it's great that he's mastering this more difficult throw. I do think a player should have a number of different styles of throws in their repertoire. For pointing: the Bonne Mamen (roll all the way from point A to point B); the Demi-Portee (half-lob, rolls the rest of the way); and the plombe (high arc with lots of back spin). As a court fills with boules, you might find one method more favorable than another.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Nine is Enough! Close Petanqe Match Today

Today's game proved to be a bit boule-tastic, with nine players on the piste (staggered appearances led to a single 5 vs 4 player game!) We had the pleasure of seeing some familiar faces return to the courts: Aaron E. fresh from the Renaissance Faire circuit; Nancy (who we've not seen for a year); Tom C. between work and lunch; and Buzz observed from his hotrod (he'll be playing again soon).

Abu's troops (Sam; Eric; Tom) were sitting on 11 points for a few nerveracking rounds as Team-Jeff (Aaron; Maury; Nancy; TimC.) built up 1-point round after round - finally passing Team-Abu to arrive at 12 points.

In the last round, Tom C.'s boule rolled in for 13 points giving a slim but definite victory to Team-Abu. When there's "unorthodox petanque" of 7 or more players you really need to ration out and use your players wisely. Sandbagging your strongest pointers for later might not be the best choice if the area in front of the cochonnet is littered with blocking boules. Something to consider.

See you tomorrow!




























Monday, September 20, 2010

Sam - M.V.P. for today's petanque game

[CLICK ON TABLE TO ENLARGEN]

This being Sam's 9th game, he's really getting his plombe arc throw fine tuned. Today he really showed his potential by slamming away a close boule numerous times, as well as placing close boules. Team-Pat, despite their yelling, couldn't throw us off our game as we pummelled the opposition 13 to 7.

Friday, September 17, 2010

Second Game a Real Nail Biter

"What a game!" Pat/TimC. led 9 to 2... then Team Abu/Jeff/Eric began a comeback which went to 10 unanswered points. Sitting on 12 to 9... Pat and Tim C. dug deep (into...) and pulled out another point for 10 to 12. Ten, we sat on a very close point (no boules left)... Team Pat/Tim had 4 boules left but no clear path for pointing into the cochonnet which was very protected. Pat took a bold but smart move... he fired away into the grouping hoping the cochonnet would fly off the court (which it did!) for his win: 13/12. Pat was so elated, we was already "running to the clubhouse" once that cochonnet flew off the piste. Well Done!


Thursday, September 16, 2010

Mark W. is the Petanque Czar - Ruling Above All




In a not-so-surprising turn of events, Pat, who was adamantly opposed to teaming up with Mark W. and Mob-Rob lost a surprising 4/13 against Boule-Czar Mark W. (Mark W./Jeff W./Mob-Rob). We kept them at 4 points (earning 1 point, then another, then 2 points but that's it!) while we smacked away any of their offending closer boules with laser-like precision. Pat's team: Abu M. and Tim C. seemed to be the favored one - but they ended up being too many Chiefs... each having their own different plan of attack. Our own team was a concentrated strategic force and it showed on the court.
In the second game, a five-pointer, an interesting twist in the last round had us sitting on the cochonnet (Jeff & Mob-Rob) at 4 to 3 while Team Abu (Abu/Eric/Mark) has only 2 boules left. Abu was already stating "the game is over..." but I knew better. Eric plowed in his boules for 2 points and the win. Now... the game is over!

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Pat Loses 5-0 and Accepts Loss Like a Gentleman

In a huge upset, Team Abu/Jeff beat Team Pat/Sam/Fred Five to Zero in a no-holds barred 2nd game battle extraordinaire this afternoon on the petanque court. We also played on the far courts - lesser known/played and full of some rough holes, thick gravel puddles and stones. Fun!


Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Pat Chose the Teams - But Abu Takes the Win

Going into today's game, Pat already chose his team: Fred K. and Tim C. - which, together with Pat A. would make for a very powerful combination: Strong Shooting and Pointing. BUT, my own team was composed of some sensible strategy... Abu and I played a careful defense when needed, but chipped away at points when we could. Eric laid in the crucial poiints, while Sam (only 6 games in and he's addicted) has been putting in pretty consistent plombe arc boules. The teams were nicely matched.

Monday, September 13, 2010

a good olde tyme Skunking . . .

Pat A. and Fred K. teamed up to show us (Jeff; Derek; and Sam) a good skunking this afternoon. Round after round they threw that darned cochonnet out to 10 meters and we just couldn't get even one point off of them. One time the cochonnet was hit to 18 meters (still valid) and still they got 2 points on us!

Pat: you're still trailing Mark W. who is reigning champion...

Thursday, September 09, 2010

Quieter Game for Thursday

Pat A. and Clark C. pointed in terrific today not allowing Abu M./Jeff W. to sneak in any easy points. Sure, we could have shot away the close boules, but they were sinking in a close boule with every throw (and I don't shoot at 100%).

Reminder: if you're running late - don't worry, we'll mix you right into the active game. This is normal procedure and accepted by everyone in the club. In fact, newly arrived players add a welcome twist to a game (new pointers/shooters).

See you all soon,

Jeff

Wednesday, September 08, 2010

Cool Weather for Cool Playing

MCPS is showing full-force these days against the Honigman group as the petanque pistes heat up for the upcoming tournament (in about 2 weeks). Today's team mixes pitted newly returned Pat A. with Scott T. (strong shooting and pointing team) against very good pointer: Clark C. and Jeff W. (50/50 shooter). The first game, Jeff/Clark scored 4 points and it was looking good until Pat/Scott got 4 points the very next round, then followed up with a 6 point (!) gain the 3rd round. Sheesh! It was an up-hill climb to get another 2 points before Pat/Scott sealed out fate: 13/6. Joined by Eric, the tide turned, and we began a steady lead up until the end where we played a "winner gets 13/Loser gets 12 game due to time limitations"

See you tomorrow!

Thursday, September 02, 2010

Jazz Festival pushes Club to Old Digs: Campus Martius Park


With the huge set-up/stages/mechanicals for the Detroit Jazz Festival being set-up on our usual boule pistes at Cadillac Square, the players met up across the street on the "old" club's pistes at Campus Martius Park. The setting is nice, with plenty of shade trees, sitting, and the neary fountain. True, there's also more onlookers, so a bit "oblivious" to the game and walking in amongst the boules - but regardless, it is fun and a bit refreshing to use a new terrain. As long as there's space to play, we'll be out there. Hope to see you Friday. Jeff.