March 21, 2018

It's Snowing
Yes, it's snowing - we're supposed to get 5-8 inches here in Maryland. But that barely affects us, an indoor sport, correct? Well, obviously it does affect us as players have to get to the club before they can take part in the world's greatest indoor sport. We had to cancel our Tuesday night league last night due to weather.

Except why do we insist on believing table tennis is an indoor sport? Do you really need walls around you to play? I once did an outdoor exhibition with Scott Preiss in the rain, with the wind blowing. (Okay, we looked like amateurs.)

Table tennis can be played anywhere. Don't believe it?

• Table tennis in snow
• Table tennis in rain
• Table tennis on a beach
• Table tennis in water
• Table tennis underwater
• Table tennis on a boat
• Table tennis on hoverboards
• Table tennis on a bicycle
• Table tennis on a car
• Table tennis on a truck
• Table tennis on railroad tracks
• Table tennis on a skyscraper
• Table tennis in the jungle
• Table tennis in a hospital bed
• Table tennis on the moon
• Table tennis on a moon of Saturn
• Table tennis on a spaceship

10 Fundamental Skills for Modern Table Tennis
Here's the article from Ping Sunday by EmRatThich. Here's the list they cover:

1. Forehand drive technique
2. Backhand topspin close to the table
3. Forehand push and backhand push
4. Forehand flick
5. Backhand flick
6. Backhand loop the underspin ball
7. Forehand attack the semi-long ball
8. Learn Forehand fast serve
9. Forehand pendulum serve
10. Backhand sidespin serve

Tomorrow Table Tennis
Here are two coaching videos.

• The most comprehensive guide to Short Touches (pushing short) (9:56)
• Flipping like Fan Zhendong — Powerful Backhand Banana (9:21)

2018 German Open Highlights: Kanak Jha vs Cristian Pletea
Here's the video (2:30) of USA's Kanak in the round of 32 of Under 21.

Nicholas Tio Thrives Under Trial and Rises to Face World Stage Again
Here's the USATT article by Richard Finn.

Spin & Smash Table Tennis & Ping Pong Club
Here's the article by Steve Hopkins.

Glen Head Table Tennis Center and Chess Academy
Here's their grand opening notice for April 6 in Glen Head, NY. Though it's only a part-time club, I like the combining of chess and table tennis - after all, the latter is often called "chess at light speed." Or should we call chess "table tennis at molasses speed"?

Panda Pong Products
Here's the page.

Afghanistan vs. Pakistan Pong
Here's the cartoon!

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