A couple or three random observations:
The signed American flag looks to be a full-sized no-kidding flag draped in the American corner, with signatures displayed. Though I’m positive no disrespect is intended, any screen shot of this to any one of several dozen organizations and a shee-at storm would rain down on them. Someone should advise them to take it down.
If any one of you has not had at least one passing fantasy involving Michaela, her white gloves, and Scottish lilt... you are not human.
It appears that Captain Wiley is wearing a jacket covering his team shirt. I don’t care how cold it might be there -- for a team captain to be doing that looks bad.
Some bad technical calls from the booth on what the player is intending, like late calls on a jump shot (when the guy is holding a jump cue the whole time), imagining and calling angles that are not playable, and calling some shots tougher than they are. I also think their characterization of the SVB match was grossly unfair. Yes he missed a ball, but other than that it was just the way the balls rolled out. SHs.
I don’t in any way fault the play of Dechaine or Shuff -- they are playing marvelously. The problem is that under the glare of the MC lights, anything less than absolute perfection is all too easy to take to task. That is unfair.
My hat is off to MR for engineering the teams this year. The future of the game is with the younger players and not the war horses, or perhaps a smart combination of the two. I also think it actually works to to have the younger players introduce some degree of humanity and imperfection to the competition, along with some stellar play. Robots sinking shot after shot makes for boring TV. What these up and coming stars illustrate is just how hard the game is -- and that even the rising stars struggle with some of the plays. I mean, who amongst us cannot find something to identify with when these younger guys (and occasionally the veterans) blow position or what appears to be a highly make-able shot?
Lou Figueroa
The signed American flag looks to be a full-sized no-kidding flag draped in the American corner, with signatures displayed. Though I’m positive no disrespect is intended, any screen shot of this to any one of several dozen organizations and a shee-at storm would rain down on them. Someone should advise them to take it down.
If any one of you has not had at least one passing fantasy involving Michaela, her white gloves, and Scottish lilt... you are not human.
It appears that Captain Wiley is wearing a jacket covering his team shirt. I don’t care how cold it might be there -- for a team captain to be doing that looks bad.
Some bad technical calls from the booth on what the player is intending, like late calls on a jump shot (when the guy is holding a jump cue the whole time), imagining and calling angles that are not playable, and calling some shots tougher than they are. I also think their characterization of the SVB match was grossly unfair. Yes he missed a ball, but other than that it was just the way the balls rolled out. SHs.
I don’t in any way fault the play of Dechaine or Shuff -- they are playing marvelously. The problem is that under the glare of the MC lights, anything less than absolute perfection is all too easy to take to task. That is unfair.
My hat is off to MR for engineering the teams this year. The future of the game is with the younger players and not the war horses, or perhaps a smart combination of the two. I also think it actually works to to have the younger players introduce some degree of humanity and imperfection to the competition, along with some stellar play. Robots sinking shot after shot makes for boring TV. What these up and coming stars illustrate is just how hard the game is -- and that even the rising stars struggle with some of the plays. I mean, who amongst us cannot find something to identify with when these younger guys (and occasionally the veterans) blow position or what appears to be a highly make-able shot?
Lou Figueroa
