Au Cochonnet Marin

I like taking action shots, and during a tournament I can capture between 350 and 400 photos.
That’s a lot, and after I have transferred all these pictures to my computer, I try to bring that number down by weeding out everything that I deem unworthy of publishing.

The criteria that I use for publishing photos are as follows:
First, the picture has to be properly focused; second, it should be candid and third I will favor an elegant boule thrower versus a clumsy one.

Ideally speaking, I would like to retain the most elegant pictures, but sometimes I keep and publish some shots that are not particularly graceful.
The main reason for doing this is my innate sense of fairness.

Most of the people like to see pictures of themselves, but few people have the natural ability to display elegance in motion.
Some people tend to look clumsy, and I try to spare feelings by not displaying unflattering shots.
Just like beautiful people, players showing an elegant form get better coverage than clumsy looking ones. It is not fair but every grownup should be resigned to the fact that life is not particularly fair.

But good form doesn’t necessarily equate with effectiveness, and vice-versa. A player can be highly photogenic but ineffective, while another one can look ungainly and be very successful.
And depending on age, infirmities or athletic abilities, some people are unable to display a fluid playing style.
Should they be shunned for it? No. I think that they deserve the right to have their moment in the sun like anybody else.

If you want to improve the way you look, you might ask a friend to videotape you. That’s what was being done when I was skiing.
Then you could show the clip to your friends and ask them to give you an honest assessment of your playing style.
You will probably lose most of your friends but you will definitely understand why you are not featured in Sports Illustrated.

I understand that Marco Foyot (a renowned French pétanque player) is coming to our area very soon.
If you don’t particularly like the way you look on pictures, now is the time to book him for a few private lessons and a complete pétanque makeover.

Alain

 

A little while ago somebody suggested that I watch a show called “Big Love”. Being the obliging chap that I am, I did so.
Big Love turned out to be an unusual marital marathon.

It is an American television show that first aired on HBO, and it features a polygamist Mormon family living in Utah.
In this story, a businessman is wedded to three different women who live in adjacent houses.

There is Wife Number One (the oldest), Wife Number Two and Wife Number Three (the youngest). They call themselves “sisterwives” and form an uneasy alliance that includes nine children.
The husband, under the dual umbrella of religion and duty, shares the bed of a different wife every night. Needless to say that this job requires exceptional mental and physical stamina (and occasional chemical assistance).

Some men might think that is cool, but it appears that polygamy it is not all what it is cracked up to be.
Being married to a single woman is taxing enough, but having to deal with three women at once time strikes me as the pinnacle of lunacy.
The man has to fulfill the emotional, sexual, and financial needs of three different females and this is more than any fellow can handle.
Then there is also the ever-present stress of keeping this cozy arrangement secret for the high-minded neighbors must not know about this unconventional modus vivendi.
This is not a job for Joe Schmo, it is a job for the Man in Tights.

Fellow men, a word of advice if I may.
Don’t be a tightrope walker and don’t bite more than you can chew.
A single woman is more than a match for you.

If the same daily offering easily bores you, don’t get embroiled in any kind of matrimony… and absolutely not in polygamy.

Opt instead for the glamorous role of perennial bachelor (see George Clooney).
This exalted status will keep you in good standing with your neighbors, female admirers and will allow you to spread your benevolence evenly (and without strings) to all of them.

You need to remember that matrimony is not for the faint hearted. According to statistics, more than fifty percent of marriages end up in divorce.
If marry you absolutely must, make it clear from the outset that you need some elbow room.
Instead of a “prenup” suggest separate living quarters or at least a very large apartment that will afford some privacy.
When in need of company, send flowers to your wife and arrange for an amorous encounter.

You have to admit that seeing somebody on a date is more thrilling that seeing somebody in bathrobe and curlers.

So again be wary of matrimony, and if you know what’s good for you never succumb to the siren song of polygamy.

Alain

 

Here we go again… The Commemorative Cup.
Why by the way is this event called the Commemorative Cup?
According to Louis Toulon, it was created to celebrate and pay tribute to La Pétanque Marinière’s founding fathers: Louis Toulon, Jean-Louis Bontemps, Marcel Parnell, René Di Maio, and Charles Davantes.
Merci messieurs!

Contestants came from all over California in an effort to get their names engraved on the Perpetual Trophy.
In case you had forgotten, last year’s winners were Claudie Chourré and Etienne Rijkheer who defeated Ed Porto and Teri Sirico in the finals.
They teamed up again this  year for a second win.
Can it be done?
Improbable, unless they are on a Lance Armstrong regimen (which of course they will deny).
Just kidding guys!

The field looked good due in part to David Riffo and Christine Cragg who laid some highly visible strings on the ground to delimit playing boundaries.
The field was also groomed again last Saturday by a handful of volunteers.
Thank you all ladies and gentlemen for your help.

The weatherman promised good playing conditions and he kept his word. We enjoyed a cloudless sky and except for a few hours in the morning the temperature hovered around 70 degrees most of the day.

“Viennoiseries” were offered by Jean-Claude Bunand. Thank you Great Bearded One! “Avec un boulanger on n’est jamais dans le pétrin.”

The format of the tournament was Mixed Doublettes (1 man + 1 woman).

Since we have twice as many men as women in our club, I assume that women were in hot demand. It is nice to be wooed ladies, isn’t it? Was it flowers? Candy? Money?
Your secret is safe with me.

Last year 20 doublettes participated in this tournament. This year we got 32!

Here are this year’s contestants:

1. PJ Mallette/N. Garrett //  2. M. Couglin/Nicole Coughlin
3. J.M Poulnot/S. Mattei // 4. F. Moser/T. Efron
5. P. Wellington/B. Hall // 6. T. Parkinson/ H. Sammons
7. J. Sarafian/A. Paulsen // 8. K. Evoy/S. Bowman
9. J.C Etallaz/ G. Etallaz // 10. E. Rijkheer/C. Chourre
11. E. Porto/T. Sirico // 12. F. Menhaus/B. Howard
13. D. Riffo/M. Bricca // 14. M. McMillan/C. McMillan
15. F. Haney/D. Haney // 16. B. Bardet/K. Summers
17. A. Marchand/E. Marchand // 18. D. Carlton/C. Jones
19. A. Lofaro/E. Lofaro // 20. A. Gusella/D. Gusella
21. L. Toulon/C. Cragg // 22. J. Gautier/M. Di Maio
23. J. Lecouturier/L. Kraft // 24. B. Passmar/C. Van Der Meulen
25. E. Moilanen/S. Garcia // 26. R. Dunn/T. Whitney
27. B. Lysten/B. Forte // 28. M. Menefee/E. McTaggart
29. P. Kos/I. Koss // 30. J.C Bunand/J. Krauer
31. R. Di Maio/H. Facchini // 32. D. Feaster/N. Feaster

If I misspelled any name, please forgive me for I just read handwriting.
If you see any mistake, send me a brief e-mail and I shall correct my mistakes.

Two 13 points qualifying games were played before lunch, and as a result 16 teams advanced to the Concours, 8 teams ended up in the Consolante A, and 8 teams in Consolante B.

After lunch

Consolante A
Parkinson/Sammons won 1^st Prize by defeating Bardet/Summers

Consolante B:
Mickey and Nicole Coughlin won 1^st Prize by defeating Dunn/Whitney (13/3)

Bottles of wine for all winners.

Concours:
Semi-finals

Riffo /Bricca defeated Sarafian/Paulsen (13/4)
Di Maio/Facchini defeated Mallette/Garrett (13/10)

Finals:
David Riffo and Monique Bricca won the finals by defeating Di Maio/Facchini (13/2)

The stars of the finals were definitely the women, with men playing supporting roles.
Both Monique Bricca and Helga Facchini did superb pointing jobs and both absolutely deserve to have their names engraved on the Cup.
If there was a special medal for pointing, I would give it to Monique who, on a scale from 1 to 10 would get a 9, while Helga would get an 8.
Men did what they were supposed to do, assist the women, keep quiet and strike when required.

Congratulations David and Monique!

Yesterday, Genevieve and Jean-Claude Etallaz also celebrated their 47^th wedding anniversary.
Congratulations to the lovebirds.

A good tournament, and a good sign of things to come.

Alain

PS: To look at pictures (slideshow) of this event, turn the sound of your computer on, click on the “Home” link at the top of the page, and click again on “My photos” located on the right side of the page. Enjoy.