“All hockey (and pétanque) players are bilingual. They know English and profanity.”
Gordie Howe
I have been playing the game steadily for the last 10 years and my motto has always been:
“It ain’t over till the fat lady sings”.
My philosophy is that regardless of the situation, a game is never lost until the 13th point has been recorded.
It is only when Brünnhilde has mooed her last aria that I will lay down my weapons.
It is not uncommon by the way for a team to lead 12/3 and (as our Australian friends would say) be “pipped at the post” and lose by a final score of 12/13.
The key to any game is to keep your head cool and your powder dry. No matter how bleak the situation, there is always hope. Try to remember that there is a blue sky just a few feet above the clouds.
And never assume anything.
I have sometimes been surprised to defeat renowned players and be trounced by lesser opponents.
In a game, there is time to play defense and a time to play offense.
The natural inclination of many players is to shoot the boule hugging the “cochonnet” but it is sometimes better to let it go instead of wasting precious ammunition trying to dislodge it.
It is more sensible to lose a single point than 3 or 4.
If you are leading, never show arrogance. Forget jubilant high-fives; they are showbizzy but could come back and bite you in the “derrière” if you lose the game.
In my (humble) opinion, there should never be a long strategy discussion during a game (especially during a timed one). After a quick look, an experienced player will know what to do. Long huddles are useless and exasperating.
And I see no point in walking back and forth to check the likely path of the boule. When you release your metal ball, you never know the exact spot where it is going to land.
Unless there is a bad spot (the size of a pizza) to avoid, scrutinizing the ground is not going to do anything for you.
Above all, good sportsmanship and humility are the true marks of a champion.
That’s the way I see it. Feel free to disagree and throw boules at me.
Alain
