February 9, 2016

Pong in the Snow
Yes, it's snowing outside again here in Maryland. It looks like we'll get 3-4 inches, but it'd more except it's been in the 40s the last few days and so the ground is above freezing, and so it didn't stick at first. But schools are open (two hours late) even though the snow continues to fall. And so in honor of our latest snowstorm, and with apologies to the Let It Snow song (and the full version sung by Dean Martin)…

PONG IN THE SNOW
Oh the weather outside is frightful, 
But ping-pong is so delightful,
To the ping-pong club we'll go,
Despite the Snow! Despite the Snow! Despite the Snow!  

It doesn't show signs of stopping,
But I've brought some balls for chopping,
At the club we'll play like a pro,
Despite the Snow! Despite the Snow! Despite the Snow!  

When we finish up pong tonight,
And leave behind our playing site,
We'll stop working on our form,
As we venture out in the storm!

The pong in us ain't dying,
But it's time for our good-bying,
But we'll always have our pong chateau,
Despite the Snow! Despite the Snow! Despite the Snow!

Ask the Coach Show
Episode #220 (27:25) - Returning Smashes.

Inside the Mind of a Coach
Here's the rather detailed graphic! (Here's the non-Facebook version.)

Table Tennis Secrets of China
Here's the video (8:18). Notice at the start how they put towels on the table to force the players to keep the ball to the wide corners? I do the same thing in my coaching!

Xu Xin & Liu Guoliang Multiball Training
Here's the video (5:50).

How Long Pips Work
Here's a video (74 sec) that shows graphically how long pips and inverted affect an incoming ball with spin.

Meet the Six U.S. Athletes Who Won Olympic Trials for Table Tennis
Here's the USOC article.

Former Marylander Crystal Wang Reaches North American Table Tennis Trials
Here's the article from the Baltimore Sun, with a video (1:32) they did two years ago. (Most of the article is from the press release I sent them.) 

Jack Huang's Hall of Fame Profile
Here it is! It's by Tim Boggan, with lots of photos. (His Chinese name is Tong Sheng Huang.) Jack's a full-time coach at MDTTC.

League Awards Banquet for Fall 2015 LA League Season
Here's the article, with pictures and video (1:23).

Vladimir Samsonov's Favorite World Team Championships Moment
Here's the video (46 sec).

Comedian Jackie Mason on the Ping Pong Hustler (Marty Reisman)
Here's the video (39 sec).

Ping Pong Song
Here's the animation music video (3:34).

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