Upset

It doesn't happen too often, but I got really emotional and, frankly, pissed off last evening while playing racquetball.

Why?

Philosophy.

I play racquetball because I love to play. I don't call hinders and screens unless they are flagrant. I played a guy who was so intent on winning that he called even the most minor, and frankly not there, hinders. I could not believe some of the calls--in fact when I won the second game I was more concerned with looking around to make sure he couldn't call a hinder than I was celebrating a great comeback and a stolen win.

We had played last week and he upset me with his tick-tacky calls then. As we were discussing that game after last night's game he admitted he called screens on two of my ace serves because they were close. The standard is 18 inches--and at the time I knew they weren't that close. That is just the wrong approach. If we were playing for money in a tournament, then there would be a disinterested party, a/k/a/ referee, to make close calls. Without a referee, my philosophy is--play on.

I know how to lose--Lord knows I lose more than I win now. I just don't like losing when we are playing two different games on the court. I play racquetball because I love the game and the competition.

But I admit, I kinda lost it last evening and just let the other guy have the last three points of the tiebreaker--just because I was so upset about the bad, questionable calls he kept making. I didn't even return the last three serves just to express my dissatisfaction.

Bad on me.

Today is a new day though. I'll try to do better.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD