April 26, 2018

I'm Off to See the Surgeon - in Song
I see him at 11AM this morning. (I blogged about this yesterday - it's just a consultation about whether I should get shoulder surgery.) Then I buy advance tickets for The Avengers: Infinity War tickets (via Moviepass, which requires I go in person) for the 8:30PM showing at Germantown. Then I spend the day doing the MDTTC Newsletter and a bunch of other TT stuff. Then I teach a junior class from 6:30-7:30PM. Then I see The Avengers! And now, in honor of my upcoming visit to the surgeon, I give you . . .

I'M OFF TO SEE THE SURGEON
By Larry Hodges
(Sung to the tune of We're Off to See the Wizard, with Apologies to Harold Arlen, the munchkins, Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Lion.)
I'm off to see the Surgeon
The wonderful Surgeon of Oz
I hear he is a jock of a doc
If ever a doc there was
If ever, oh ever a doc there was
The Surgeon of Oz is one because
Because, because, because, because, because
Because of the great operations he does
I'm off to see the Surgeon
The wonderful Surgeon of Oz!

Then I got to thinking - what about players who come to see me, a table tennis teacher?

I'M OFF TO SEE THE TEACHER
By Larry Hodges
We're off to see the Teacher
The wonderful Teacher of Pong
He's beyond reproach as a coach
If ever a coach there was
If ever, oh ever a coach there was
The Teacher of Pong is one because
Because, because, because, because, because
Because of the wonderful coaching he does
We're off to see the Teacher
The wonderful Teacher of Pong!

Two Upcoming ITTF Level 1 Coaching Courses in the U.S.

The Secret Life of the Table Tennis Counter Driver
Here's the article from Coach Jon.

World Championships Prediction Contest
Here's the info page, with $200 in prizes for those who most closely predict the first four finishers at the upcoming World Championships in Men's and Women's Teams, and who will finish higher, USA (world #44) or Canada (#53) Men.

Help Wanted: ITTF Equipment Manager
Here's the info page. But you might have to relocate - "The position will be preferably based in one of the ITTF offices in Switzerland or Singapore, but other flexible arrangements will be considered."

Ma Long is Unstoppable Against Chop!
Here's the video (2 min). Here he is against world #21 Ruwen Filu of Germany.

Two Great Points
Here's the video (90 sec) - Ma Long (near side) vs. Jun Mizutani, and Zoran Primorac (near side) vs. Michael Maze, probably the best modern lobber.

The Story of Ibrahim Hamato
Here's the video (2:07) - playing table tennis with his mouth. (I think this is a new version of one I posted before, but it's always fascinating to watch.)

Double Bottle Serves
Here's the video (32 sec)!

Dude Jumps Through Ping Pong Table
Here's the video! (23 sec, but link takes you to jump 12 sec in.)

Tom & Jack in Table Tennis Game
Here's the video (4:01)!

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