Clarifications

I originally started Ladderball Weekly because I was unemployed and had nothing better to do with my time than to play ladderball and blog about it. Things have changed since last summer, however. Ol' Andy had to pick up a day job because playing ladderball doesn't pay that well during the winter months. Also I decided to go back to school for ladderball court management leaving me little time to blog. Mr. Eric Rooney was nice enough to come in and do a little guest blogging. I highly enjoyed reading his thought provoking post, "The Bad Boys of Ladderball." I think guest blogging is a great idea and have decided to make Ladderball Weekly a community effort. Anyone who wants to blog just let me know. This will keep Ladderball Weekly going when I'm too lazy to do so. It will also make Ladderball Weekly fair and balanced. People have told me in the past that Ladderball Weekly is pretty one-sided. My first reaction to hearing something like this was "Fuck you! You don't like it? Write your own fucking ladderball blog." But then I lightened up and though there might be some truth to what they said. I definitely don't want to be the Fox News of the ladderball blogging world. So there you have it. Ladderball Weekly. Now for the people by the people.

Team Leggies Win on Independence Day. Too Much for Words?

Team Leggies beat out the likes of the A-Team and Team Shake and Bake to win their first ladderball tournament on July 4th, 2010. This incredible feat left Ol' Andy speechless for 2 months! I feel really bad about this. I didn't mean to take anything away from the Leggies by not reporting their extraordinary accomplishment. Any other reputable ladderball blog would have most definitely covered Kyle and Alyssa's spectacular performance from start to finish. As you may or may not know I was not able to attend the Independence Day tournament due to contract obligations with one of my sponsors, Ocean Beverage. This was quite devastating for me. I now know that I missed history being made that day. Team Leggies are the first co-ed team ever to win a ladderball tournament at the Shipmaster Resort. By doing so, they answered my question of the week from last summer: "Should Women Be Allowed to Play Ladderball?" Nice going Alyssa! Anyway, just wanted to right the wrongs and congratulate Team Leggies on a job well done. I wish them the best of luck on Labor Day but I doubt they will be able to repeat.

The Bad Boys of Ladderball

Every sport has them, and Ladderball, no longer in its infancy, is proving to be no exception. While there is a growing sense of parity in the league, with several teams having proved worthy of future invites to tournaments at the Shipmaster, it is impossible to overlook the fact that the same four teams are finding their way into the final brackets of every major event. Of these four, two could be described as loved and adored. The other two, anything but.

It is typically not difficult to comprehend a lovefest, in ladderball or otherwise. Easygoing personalities on and off the pitch, lack of excessive showboating and taunting, costumes/pads/helmets, and the ability to be perceived as an underdog despite also having the wherewithal to actually win the big one. See; B-Team, Leggies.

Being controversial is one thing. Being hated universally around the sport is something different entirely. The Bad Boys of Ladderball have all achieved this designation in their own special way; the only common denominator being that spectators are not so much rooting FOR their opponents, as they are rooting AGAINST the Bad Boys. We will take a closer look as to how exactly these outlaws created all of this ill will in the ladderball community.

A-Team
















The A-Team did a great deal to earn some goodwill amongst fans and competitors in the Independence Day tournament (despite debuting some new black jerseys - how fitting), namely by not winning. But also gone (for the most part) were Bob's unsportsmanlike antics and Fred's excessive alcohol consumption, as aptly noted by Ol' Andy in the tourney preview issue, neither change going unnoticed by those in attendance. But for the time being, the A-Team remains a threat in future tournaments, are expected to continue wearing their nifty black jerseys, and are simply not far enough removed from their excessive labor day 09 celebration to be back in the good graces of the sports Good Guys and Girls.

However, None could not have expected the A-Team to fall from their perch of Most Hated in the first big tournament of 2010. Most would agree, the hatred in this event was most palpable for another pair, formerly known as the ZJ's, recently reborn as....

Shake and Bake















Shake and Bake, consisting of brothers Eric (El Diablo) and Brian (Magic Man) Rooney, have easily established themselves as the most hated in the game currently, and have managed to do so without a major tournament victory; no small feat.

"How did we get here?" you ask? It all goes back to the pair's first tournament, during which an early hot streak led them to quick wham, bam, thank you ma'am victories over the A & B-Teams. As the (then) ZJ's confidence grew, chest bumps, high fives, threats, and boasts resulted, culminating in the fatal mistake of lighting victory cigars and taking shots before/during the semifinal round, leading to a disappointing 3rd place finish.

The team reinvented themselves in the form of Shake and Bake, an ode to the hilarious "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby." While starting out on an even keel, a favorable draw in the brackets led to early victories once again, and with that, excessive displays of braggadocio. Despite their best attempts to remain humble, "shake n' bake" gestures lifted from the movie and more jumping high fives were not received well by those in the audience. As the final game ended, spectators collectively sighed in relief, as SnB once again fell short to the much more lovable Team Leggies.

Whether these Bad Boys will ever to be able to reverse the ladderball community's negative feelings towards them remains to be seen.

Team Leggies Win Big on Independence Day

More stories and photos to come!

Independence Day Tournament Team Breakdown

A look at the teams that have a legitimate chance of winning it all.

A-Team


Winners of last season's Labor Day Invitational, pressure will be on them to repeat. They appear confident and ready for the task at hand though. In the off-season they upgraded their homemade white-t uniforms for cheaply made personalized mesh jerseys that they believe they can't lose in. They also made changes on the court with Fred curbing his alcohol intake and Bob developing some type of quasi-sportsmanship. Despite these things they are still the most hated team in ladderball and everyone will be gunning for them and hoping they get eliminated early.

B-Team

After winning the first ever ladderball tournament held at the Shipmaster Resort, they were disgusted with their 4th place finish at the Labor Day Invitational. Expect this team to "bounce" back and win big.

Team Leggies


They may look tired in the photo above but I know Alyssa and Kyle will be ready to play come Sunday. Their loss to the A-Team in the Labor Day Invitational left a bad taste in their mouth. They ended up finishing in 3rd but that's not why you play the game. They have waited all year to make things right. I'd like to see them win it all if the B-Team fails to do so.

Eric Rooney & Partner

No one knows who Rooney will be playing with on Sunday. He apparently won't reveal his decision until gameday. No matter what he decides, one thing is certain. Rooney is seeking redemption on the ladderball court this season. Rooney started last season strong with a 3rd place finish at the Ladderball Open partnered with his brother on the ZJ's. He looked to place better in the Labor Day Invitational with a new partner in Wyz however they both had dismal performances. Word on the street is they haven't played much ladderball this year. All I know is if Rooney plays anything like Wayne Rooney did in the World Cup, he too will be going home early.

Team Cherita


Rita wasn't happy with being the runner-up in two straight tournaments last season so she decided to put her partner Brian on waivers. She has her eye on the prize and has recruited Fred's off the field partner, Cherie to help her reach the promised land.

Or will there be a dark horse that wins it all?

James K. Polk, America's First Dark Horse President

Ladderball Weekly wants to know what you think. Who will win the July 4th Tournament?

And I'm Proud to be an American...

...Where at least I know I'm free to play ladderball.

Stay tuned for more information regarding this exciting event!

Question of the Week: Why Does Andy Only Update This Blog Once Every Few Months? Pure Laziness or Something Else?

This really needs to be addressed. I know many readers have been wondering it. Honestly, sometimes I forget that people actually read Ladderball Weekly and I need reminding to publish my thoughts concerning ladderball.
Also, my priorities have changed somewhat this summer compared to last. Last summer I spent about 50% of time playing ladderball whereas this summer I have played much less. Now I know what you're gonna say. "But Andy you started this blog because you were unemployed and wanted to play ladderball and blog about it. Aren't you still unemployed? What gives?" Well unfortunately, the state of California has kicked me off unemployment forcing me to re-enter the workforce. Apparently, they found out that I worked a few nights washing dishes at the Shipmaster Resort and deemed me unworthy of their support. So I've been spending some time beefing up my resume and scouring the job market. Much to my dismay, the market is looking pretty bleak with not many job openings for ladderball instructors. I am confident though things will turn around for me soon enough.
But to answer the question, yes, I can be lazy too!
Anyway, I guess I never realized how much joy this blog brings into people's lives weekly. I will make a conscience effort to keep it current here at Ladderball Weekly. This is the last time I will apologize for my occasional and scattered blog posts.

2010 Preseason

Greetings all. Sorry again for the long period of time between posts. Ladderball Weekly somehow has become Ladderball Monthly. But I promise it will be back in full swing once the season kicks off. The 2010 Preseason was prety rough on Ol' Andy. It took me a while to work out all the kinks in my game. When the preseason started in March I decided to keep records on wins and losses of some of the games major players. Here are the win-loss records for singles play before I got tired of recording them.

Andy: 10-28
TJ: 21-12
Bob: 10-6
Fred: 12-5

As you can see, the preseason wasn't kind to me. Some people were saying that I just didn't "have it" anymore. Others said I never had it. Rumors began to swirl that my B-Team partner, TJ, was looking for a new teammate. They turned out to be dirty rumors and nothing else. With a lot of coaching from my throwing instructor and some quality time put in with a world renowned sports psychologist I feel as though I have found my stroke again and look forward to the upcoming season.

I must say that the other stars of the game came ready to play this year. The A-Team (Bob and Fred) are looking quite strong and as much as I hate to say it, they are the team to beat this year. I am confident though, that the B-Team will defeat them many times this season making everything right in the world again.

In other preseason Ladderball news, just last week the B-Team took a trip to one of our sponsors, Home Depot, and got all the supplies to construct a new regulation ladderball set (the old one, having endured a harsh winter was on it's last legs. The new set came out perfect thanks to our top-notch craftsmanship. Hopefully its a good omen that the B-Team will win many games this season.
Stay tuned for news regarding the upcoming season!

A Trip Down Memory Lane: B-Team Celebrates After Winning 1st Annual Ladderball Open

Early Bird Catches the Worm

Get ready ladies and gentleman. It's that time of year again. Spring is almost here and that means one thing. A new ladderball season. As you can see, someone's already been practicing. I will personally be holding double session clinics in March for anyone who's looking to improve their ladderball skills (for a small fee of course). Clinics will include plyometrics as well as resistance and endurance training. Attendees of the clinic will also receive a complimentary lunch and a drink token redeemable at the Shipmaster Resort. Stay tuned for dates and prices.

Question of the Week: Is Ladderball Weekly Now Defunct?

Of course not! Greetings all Ladderball Weekly readers. First of all, let me apologize for the long hiatus. After the A-Team won the Labor Day Invitational I couldn't bring myself to report ladderball news anymore. It seemed as though the passion I once had for the game died that night they won. I haven't felt inspired to write anything in a long time. Also, there hasn't really been any ladderball events to document. The occasional game here and there but nothing more. Unfortunately, the highly anticipated singles tournament was never held and now the winter classic might not happen either. Many have criticized the Shipmaster Resort for dropping the ball on both of these matters. Anyway, with spring just around the corner I am starting to get excited about ladderball again. Expect many more posts in the near future. And a special thanks to all my loyal readers who have stuck with me through the good times and bad.

A-Team Wins Labor Day Invitational

Follow-Up Question of the Week: Who Comes in 2nd? A Look at the B-Team's Competition

Some people seem to think that the B-Team will not win the Labor Day Invitational. Here's a look at the notable teams the B-Team is up against.

The A-Team, Bob and Fred
The B-Team's bitter rivals. The A-Team seemed to be the clear cut favorites to win the Ladderball Open. We all know that didn't happen. They blame their sub par performance on a few different things. Fred drank too much and tired himself out by doing push-ups in between games. Bobby the Bounce apparently couldn't focus due to having to man the grill and keeping party-goers happy. They say things will be different this time around. They definitely have the most pressure on them to perform well.

Team Leggins, Kyle and Alyssa
No strangers to the game, this team shows a lot of promise. They took down the A-Team at the Open but fell short when they played the B-Team. This team has a fire in their belly like no other. Kyle could possibly be the best player in the game. Rumor has it they will try and soften up the competition by feeding them tasty appetizers made by Alyssa.

The ZJ's, Rooney Bros.
The only team to beat both the A and B-Teams. They finished 3rd overall at the Open. However, no one has seen them since that night. Do they even still play ladderball? Eric seems to be a pretty solid player but the verdict is still out on his brother. Rumors are swirling around that he might be replaced by the athletically inclined Eric Wyzykowski.

The New Kids on the Block, Brian and Rita
Runners up at the Ladderball Open. Some say that this up and coming team's 2nd place finish was a fluke. They think differently. Sources report they have been getting a lot of practice in the Eddie Bauer League in Sewell, NJ. Brian has one of the nicest strokes in the game. Ol' Andy taught Rita damn near everything she knows about the game. Will that be enough to prove the naysayers wrong and win it all?

Or will it be someone else. Is there a sleeper team out there that will bring home the bacon? Ladderball Weekly wants to know what you think. Let your voice be heard.

Question of the Week: Who Will Win The Labor Day Invitational?

Andy the Greek says it's a lock!

Question of the Week: Unemployed Ladderball Players: Do They Have an Unfair Advantage?

With Labor Day right around the corner I think this question is quite fitting. Long time Ladderball Weekly reader and avid ladderball player Madison writes "Should unemployed individuals be permitted to participate in ladderball tournaments due to their extreme availability to practice?"

Great question Madison. Thanks for writing in and questioning the system. I take it you must have a job. As an unemployed ladderball player myself this topic hits pretty close to home. I think unemployed people should not only be allowed to participate in ladderball tournaments but they should be able to win them as well. I think the B-Team (both members are currently unemployed) proved that on August 8th. So I think the real question you're getting at is "Did the B-Team have an unfair advantage being unemployed? Did they have too much time to practice for the Ladderball Open? Should they relinquish their crowns? " No, no and of course not.

The B-Team did not have an unfair advantage over the competition except for maybe home-field advantage. We did not have too much time to practice either. First of all, I think there is something called too much practice. Ladderball is a simple game and you can definitely overthink it. But that didn't happen to us. We didn't overthink or overpractice the game. My teammate TJ engages in many activities other than ladderball. He enjoys spending his days fishing and bodysurfing. What's that you ask? What other hobbies do I have? Well for starters, having just mastered Wii Mario Kart I have moved on to playing a lot of online games of FIFA 09. Also this blog does not write itself. But the truth of the matter is I don't need to do anything but play ladderball. I am hoping that one day the professional sports world will recognize ladderball as a legitimate sport. And that's when I get a job. Now I'm not exactly sure when this will happen. I might be too old to play the game and will have to resort to being a manager or coach but that's alright as long as I'm still involved. So think of me playing a lot of ladderball right now as building my resume for a job interview in the near or possibly distant future. I'm like a modern day Tom Joad if he had played ladderball.

Ladderball Weekly wants to know what your thoughts are on this highly controversial topic.

Upcoming Events in the World of Ladderball

It's been an exciting summer season of ladderball at the Shipmaster Resort but it's not over yet. After record setting attendance at the Ladderball Open, fans and players alike are hungry for one thing: more ladderball. Many teams are seeking redemption after mediocre performances at the Open. With that being said I'd like to officially announce the Labor Day Invitational. This exclusive tournament is invite only. If you didn't finish in the top half of the competition at the Ladderball Open, don't expect an invite. The heavily-favorited B-Team will be there to defend their crown as Ladderball Champions of the World. The Shipmaster Resort Ladderball Commission has yet to decide a prize for the event but one thing is certain: Winner takes all.

Ah, but what's that you say? Not enough ladderball for you? Still want more? If you're not invited to the event on Labor Day please don't fret. There's still the Fall Classic to look forward to. This prestigious singles tournament matches the best players in the game head to head. This tournament is being held to answer one question: Who is the best ladderball player of 2009? It will, of course, also answer many smaller questions as well like who is the best player on the B-Team? Ol' Andy or TJ? and Who is worse? Fred or Bob? This tournament will also decide the power rankings of players going into next season. My money's on me. Date TBA

After these tournaments are held the ladders and balls will be put into the shed for the winter. I'm not exactly sure what I'll blog about then.

Question of the Week: B-Team the new A-Team?

A lot of people have been asking me this question lately. If the B-Team won the Ladderball Open and the A-Team didn't even finish in the top 3 (they blame their poor performance on alcohol), wouldn't that make the B-Team the new A-Team? Yes, yes it does. But some people still say no. One person in particular is member of the A-Team, Bob. He wants to the keep the name he gave himself and his teammate. He argues that since the B-Team won the tourney without ever having to face the A-Team, the team names should stay the same. If that's the case then I think at least they should demote themselves to a lowercase A or an A with an asterisk that says they are not ladderball champions. Just a thought. The question will be answered once and for all in September when the two teams match up in a 7 games series better known as the Fall Classic. The winners gets an all inclusive trip to a Phillies game paid for by the losers. Ladderball Weekly wants to know what you think. Who is the real A-Team?

LADDERBALL'S MOST WANTED

The 1st Annual Shipmaster Resort Ladderball Open turned out to be a huge success. A huge success for the B-Team that is. The legends of the game won the double elimination tourney in historic fashion on Saturday beating out 13 other teams. I will not mention the other teams because they are not worth mentioning. Nobody cares about second place, right? My apologies for taking a while to update this blog, but as a member of the B-Team you can imagine that the past few days have been pretty crazy for us. Being a Ladderball Champion leaves little time for blogging. We took our $150 cash prize and blew half of it on cocaine and high class prostitutes. We plan on donating the other half to charity. Thanks again to the Shipmaster Resort for holding such a great event and providing the kegs for the losers to drown their sorrows in. More photos/stories to come!

Question of the Week: Should Women Be Allowed to Play Ladderball?

With many women signing up for Ladderball Open, the question begs to be asked. Is there a place for women in the game? Personally, I think that there is a place for them. A little eye candy never hurt anyone, right? I am totally okay with competing against them in the tournament. I welcome the opportunity to take all of their money. It's 2009 and this great nation just elected it's first black president. I say its time to let them play. Ladderball Weekly wants to know what you think. Let your voice be heard.

WEEKEND UPDATE

It was another exciting weekend at the Shipmaster Resort. Many games of ladderball were played. Friday's games commenced with a best of 7 series between the A-Team and the B-Team. Although the B-Team fought hard, they were no match for the powers of the darkside. They lost the series 4-1.
The tide of fortune changed, however, for the B-Team on Saturday. They ruled the beach and backyard. They went 6-0 on the day beating the likes of the Two Erics, Bob and Kyle, and off the field partners Fred and Cherie.
Ladderball play was suspended on Sunday due to rain. A few games were played between the B-Team and Fred and Cherie when the rain stopped. I can't remember exactly what happened.