Statement

After getting support from Jake for whatever desicion I make he will accept, and conferring with Todd I humbly put forth my proposition. I reluctantly want to make an administrative choice. I made an administrative choice when I decided to ban (along with a majority vote) the "Assassin Ball", or as it has become known now as "ass ball". I put forth my reasons why, and the USCA and Sooner Croquet players agreed with me. However, in this finals desicion, I do not claim property of the feild as my authority. But that I am the only one that does not have some motive for what should happen.

There are good reasons for each proposition. There is a good argument for extending the season to 20 games (which we have), and good reasons for who should play in the final. Becuase each senario has its own reasons (I assume they have been addressed suffiently in other posts) for why who should play, it makes an objective reason difficult to arrive at.

I therefore, throw my wieght (as essentially an outsider) behind Jake, Jumpy, and Todd all play a 2 ball semi final game. The purpose of us meeting together has always been to enjoy each others company and also enjoy sport. I feel this situation, where three players basically decide by their own merits, is the best one. The two finishers will then play a championship. I hope everyone knows that I have thought about what senario would be best, and I hope no ill will is taken in my desicion. As said before, becuase this particular situation is so difficult, I see this as the most fair way to solve this. I also would hope to think that the spirit of why we have played together for so long, and so loyally, with each other is that the spirit of enjoying fraternity amongst ourselves is strong. If you do not agree with me, please answer with your reasons. Any dissention is welcomed, but for the reasons stated above I believe this is the best way to solve our issue.

Again, whatever the outcome, the players of Sooner Croquet have stuck together, through rain, drought, snow, darkness, and outstanding circumstances. I hope for the summer season to continue to hold these qualities that have sustained us for so long.

Final Tally

Okay, I tallied the 15 game stats, and then the 20 game stats.

15 Games
Jake: 39/48= 81.25%
Jumpy: 51/72= 70.83%
Morris: 60/90= 66.67%
Todd: 60/78= 76.9%

20 Games:

Jake: 62/78= 79.49% **
Jumpy: 64/90= 71.11%
Morris: 81/120= 67.5%
Todd: 84/108= 77.78%

**However, if you take Todd's 'bring the up to 75%', then Jake does a

62/90= 68.89% (oh geez, he's still beating me)

However, I'm not a real big fan of this. On the other hand purposefully extending a season becuase a player chose to not play enough games. If we're going to do that, then why not extend the season until I'm in second? I do however, accept that making a season 20 games makes it easier to remember that you need 15. This also provides a richer demographic.

Also notice that not a lot changes from 15 to 20 games. I think you could argue that since Jake is out of standing a playoff of Jake, Jumpy, and Todd could be played. This situation isn't that fair to Todd, since he really is has the most to lose, or the only one. Otherwise, a Jake/Jumpy playoff could be had, then the winner play Todd***. Or just do a Todd/Jake final. I hesitate to reveal the scores when there needs to be a descion , but I trust you can make an objective opinion. Post or comment what you think should happen, and why.

***This all assumes Jumpy ever comes back, or answers his phone, or gives any signals he's alive.

Less Jumpy= Extra fun!

Well Jumpy was unable to make it today. Too bad for him, becuase the Greek House doesn't come around handing out free gyros everyday, and then when the Johnnie Walker rep came and played with us, then gave us a few extra bottles of Blue, Green, & Gold labels. Truly, even excluding the Oriental cheerleaders, the day was one of super fun. Anyway, heres the stats:

05-07-06
Game 1- Dearner, Jake, Morris, Todd (1 Ball)
winner: Todd, Jake, Dearner, Morris

Game 2- Dearner, Jake, Morris, Todd (1 Ball)
winner: Todd, Morris, Jake, Dearner

Game 3- Dearner, Morris, Todd (2 Ball)
winner: Todd, Todd, Dearner, Dearner, Morris, Morris

Regarding the Bourg. game. Todd mentioned how he would like to have a "Good Bye" game to the course that has given so much to us, I agree. However, we also should have a "Hello, Nice to Meet You" party for the new course. Unfortunately, since my evil roommates are moving me out early, playing on the 19th is screwed. The house will have no electricity, no running water, and pretty much moved out of. So the Bourg Good Bye party will have to be held at an earlier time. And yes, white is in this season.

Comment! Post! Comment! Post!

Re: "Bourg," Vindication, and Season

Re: Season

My motion for increasing the requisite game count for a season to 20 games stands. The rationale is twofold: 1) We readily fit 15 games before the end of the season. 2) 75% of 20 is more readily accessible to the mathematically-challenged of our players (the answer is 15), which simplifies the process of determining the eligibility of any one player.

Re: Vindication

Support from the Croquet community is backing Morris. While a legalistic viewpoint puts Master Jake in the right, the "gentlemanly" argument carries a lot of weight with me. A player "A" that goes "rogue" for the purpose of conspiring with another player "B" in an effort to boost the odds of a win for "B" does smack of ungentlemanly conduct.

Re: "Bourg"

White is in season, isn't it? Morris's motion for cocktail croquet by tiki light is hereby seconded.

Bourg. Party

Since we've gotten the rain, and hopefully more is coming, it seems we may be able to have night games again. I know what your all thinking- Bourgeoisie Party! Yeah, I was too. I have to move out by the 20th if we want to do it here, I think the 19th is a Friday. Gin, ties, bowties, etc.

Think of it as a kickoff to the Third Season (if we vote it in).

Vindication

On my post after Sundays game I rehashed my reasons against the Assassin Ball as being legal. Apparently Im friends with a bunch of legalistic hardnoses, Tocqueville is rolling in his grave. Anyway, I began to wonder if my action to just outright ban the AB practice as a personal field rule was overkill. But then I decided to seek higher authorities. Here is the response I got:

Hi Chris,

My name is Bob Kroeger, I am chairperson of the USCA 9 Wicket Croquet Committee. You are correct in saying that the action this person takes in giving his balls to an opponent is inappropriate.
If I was running an event and heard of this taking place, I would disqualify them for this action.

If I can be of any further assistance to you, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Sincerely,
Bob Kroeger

(end transmission)

So beyond my own personal protests, the full weight of the USCA is behind my (correct) descion. So since the USCA has this opinion, I resend my initial private rule, as it is a REAL rule.

P.S. And Blogger has been acting really weird today, so Im not sure what has made it on here or not. Hopefully my previous post and this one will make it up.

Season 2...or 3?

Okay, I have come up on a third option for what we should do.

Possibility 3: Take the top 2 scores from the first 15 games, and they play for the season final. I had ran this senario before, the top 2 are actually kinda close, where the bottom two are actually close to each other.

Theres also the other 2 options that are laid out in the previous post. Here they are for your viewing pleasure:

Possibility 1: Cut off at fifteen games. Since Jake is out of standing, just play a (whether 1 or 2 ball) semi-final game. Then, the top two players then play the final.

Possibility 2: Extend the season five more games, this would give Jake a higher standing.


Comment or blog your response, explain why you think we should do what option. I'd like to have this resolved by the next time we play. Which by how its been going is 1 game and maybe 45 minutes long. Again, I want to commend our club for being so dedicated.

Also, other people are actually allowed to post on this, just to clear up any confusion. Actually, it would make it better.

Todays Game

Today we actually had six (6!) people play. As thought it would be, it was glorious. Also, Morris showed that the broken mallet isn't handicapped, there, there orange mallet, at least he likes you.

04-30-06
Game 1- Amanda, Luke, Jake, Jumpy, Morris, Todd (1 Ball)
winner: Morris, Jake, Jumpy, Amanda, Luke, Todd

We didn't get to fully debate what we are going to do with the new season since everyone was running around with their heads cut off. There have been two senarios proposed:

Possibility 1: Cut off at fifteen games. Since Jake is out of standing, just play a (whether 1 or 2 ball) semi-final game. Then, the top two players then play the final.

Possibility 2: Extend the season five more games, this would give Jake a higher standing.

I don't like the second option becuase it is soley just to bring Jake up to higher standing. Also, the standing rule isn't concrete, its within reason. Jake played (and won) the championship while out of standing in the first season. So extending it past what was planned does not make much sense. Another reason why the the first possibility is better is becuase we only play ONE game a week. In the fall we would play at least two, probably more games, so retarding the start of a third season would be deterimental to the third season ever actually getting finished.

And while I have not found any explicit rules against going "assassin ball" in a game, it has always shown ill will to the people that are victim to it. In short, the game becomes less friendly, and instead becomes a tense competition.

The Assassin Ball also artificially changes the games results. If the player in last place went after the winner just to knock down the percentage, then presumably all the percentages would become nearly the same.

And finally, as everyone says on their sites,backyard croquet may have any rules anyone wants. There is an eXtreme croquet movement even. So since I control the feild, I am now taking adminstrative action and here by out lawing the practice. A player must keep on a reasonable course for going foward in gameplay. If a player does not wish to play further his ball may be left on the field, or if that player is so behind it is of no use to anyone, the ball may be removed from the course. That settles it. If Jumpy wants to enact different rules on his field, then he may do so.

Taking New Season into Consideration

Okay, I don't want to do my speech, which you may have picked up due to my number crunching and third post of the day.
So I spoke about how since I realized that we actually have played 15 games, which I think we agreed would be a season. Anyway, that makes the following final combined scores (considering the first 15 games-both 1 &2 Ball). There is also the issue that if we want to consider the 2 2-Ball games that I'm not scoring since I didnt correctly record the final places.

I'm going to with hold the numbers until we reach an agreement, becuase the adjusted numbers offer some surprising results.

Clarifying 'Ball in Hand' Rules

There has been some confusion on what options a player has once they roquet another players ball. I found these rules and they explain the whole situation pretty clearly:

1) Take the two bonus strokes from where the players ball has come to rest.

2) With "ball in hand" place the players ball one mallet head's length away from the other ball in any direction and then take two bonus strokes.

3) With "ball in hand" place the players ball in contact with the struck ball (where it has come to rest) then strike the player's ball so as to send both balls in the desired direction. This is called a croquet shot. The striker then has one bonus stroke remaining.

4) With "ball in hand" place the players ball in contact with the struck ball (where it has come to rest) and placing the player's foot on his own ball so as to render it immobile, strike the player's own ball so as to send the other ball off in the desired direction while the player's ball remains where it is. The player then has one more bonus stroke remaining. If the players ball moves from under the foot there is no penalty and the bonus stroke is taken.

source: http://members.chello.nl/vleeschd/9wicket.html

Current Percentages

Okay, so I decided to run the percentages while God has been merciful and has been dumping rain on our dear course. Anyway, here's what I did. First there will be the one-ball games, then I also ran the two-ball games. Here there were two games I did not record the full places, so I'm not counting them. This is becuase I basically averaged the two-ball scores. If you came in first (6 points) and second (5 points) I gave you 6. If you came in first (6 points) and third (4 points) then you got 5 points. It should also be mentioned that the two-ball games are actually more relfective of your game, since there is the full 6 points in play there. If I would have just done a 6-5-4 assignment this would seem unfairly inflating the scores.
Anyway, and finally I combined everything.

One-Ball Games:
Jake: 46/54= 85.18%**
Jumpy: 52/66= 78.78%
Morris: 53/84= 63.09%
Todd: 61/78= 78.2%

** Jake only has a 64.28% attendence record, all other are complient

Two-Ball Games:
Jake:2/6= 33.33%
Jumpy: 9/18= 50%
Morris: 14/18= 77.78%
Todd: 10/12= 83.33%

This one is interesting, Morris does far better in 2 Ball, and Todd is shown to be consistent in both types of games. However, Jumpy and Jake, suddenly do poorly.

So now everything is combined:
Jake: 48/60= 80%
Jumpy: 61/84= 72.61%
Morris: 67/102= 65.7%
Todd: 71/90= 78.89%

As noted above, Todd's consistentcy in 2 Ball brings him up to definate striking distance for the numer 1 ranking. Also, there have been 14 1-Ball games, and 17 total games (actually 19 if you count the two deleted 2 Ball games). So, if we are sticking to a season being 15 games (in total i assume), we are actually in a new season. I'll see what everyone says and then I'll see where the numbers are then.

Results

Heres the latest games, way to play an entire TWO that lasted for an entire 45 minutes. We're certainly troopers at soonercroquet, yup, no weenie girls here.

04-16-06
Game 1- Jumpy, Ken, Morris, Todd (1 Ball)
winner: Todd, Jumpy, Morris, Ken

Game 2- Jumpy, Ken, Morris, Todd (1 Ball)
winner: Jumpy, Morris, Todd, Ken

04-23-06
Game 1- Jake, Jumpy, Morris, Todd
winner: Todd, Jumpy, Morris, Jake

Game 2- Jake, Jumpy, Morris, Todd
winner: Jake, Todd, Jumpy, Morris


I may need to remind people that croquet is a gentlemen's game. A gentlemen is someone that is tough, say, he could do something for a few hours. Especially if that thing is something he only does once a week.

Another part of croquet is ettique. The gentlemen idea comes into this as well. When a gentlemen performs badly at something, his character, honor, and the very ettique (or essense) of the game would prevent him from acting less than expected. When a gentleman, or just man wins something, he's happy he has succeeded, but he doesnt gloat. At the same time, when a gentleman, or man, loses, he takes it as a setback but does not pout. A simpleton can simply be happy when he is winning, but angered if he loses, becuase that is the character of a simpleton, it is simple.

Rule Change!

After discussion, we have decided to atleast try the "ball in hand" type of croquet, which actually is the official version. While our way demands almost exact accuracy, there rarely is the action that the game is named after (croquet). With trying out the rules we have shunned I expect a few things with happen: 1) The games are going to be longer, since everyone with be croqueting everyone else with all the vengence of a 20 year-old girl has towards any other girl prettier than her. 2) Fist fights may be on the rise, this though is outlawed by the etique rules. 3) It throughs even more uncertainity into a game where the last ball can go to first in one turn.

Heres the explanation from the Croquet Assoc. of America:

The striker earns one bonus shot if the striker ball scores a wicket or hits the turning stake. The striker earns two bonus shots if the striker ball hits another ball (a "roquet") (but see the Exceptions below).

The first of these two shots may be taken in any of four ways:

From a mallet-head distance or less away from the ball that was hit ("taking a mallet-head")
From a position in contact with the ball that was hit, with the striker ball held steady by the striker's foot or hand (a "foot shot" or "hand shot")
From a position in contact with the ball that was hit, with the striker ball not held by foot or hand (a "croquet shot")
From where the striker ball stopped after the roquet.
The second bonus shot after a roquet is an ordinary shot played from where the striker ball came to rest, called a "continuation shot". Bonus shots may not be accumulated. Upon earning a bonus shot by scoring a wicket, hitting the turning stake, or roqueting another ball, any bonus shot previously earned is forfeited. If a ball roquets a ball and in that same stroke the striker ball hits another ball, the second ball hit is not a roquet and remains where it comes to rest (with no deadness incurred on that ball).


Basically, when you roquet someone, you can pick up your ball and croquet them with your first bonus shot. You then play as normally. READ: If someone hits your ball, they can choose to pick up their ball and place it to hit you with a croquet shot.

Good luck hunting.

What is deserved

We (as in Jumpy, Morris, Todd) need to get together to buy Jake's prize for winning the croquet season. He has been a gracious winner, and we should have been gracious enough to return the favor of what was promised to the winner. Therefore, I submit each club member needs to bring together their respective monies owed and together, or as a selected representative buy the wine. This really needs to happen as soon as possible. I'm not trying to brow-beat, but this needs to be remedied.

New Numbers

I went ahead and crunched the numbers for this season. Whats pathetic is that we've played only NINE single ball games so far (I didnt count any 3 man games, also 2 Ball games were not counted as Im not sure how to score them). So here you go

Jake- 31/36= 86% win and 66.67% games played
Jumpy- 32/42= 76.2% and 77.78%
Morris- 33/54= 61.1% and 100%
Todd- 35/48= 72.9% and 88.89%

Go nuts.

New Games

03-26-06
Game 1- Jake, Morris, Todd, Jeff Craighead, Red Guy
winner: Jake, Todd, Morris, Red Guy, Jeff C

It should be noted later this day Jumpy, Morris and Todd played a great series of games

Game 1- (winner) Todd, Jumpy, Morris
Game 2- Todd, Jumpy, Morris
Game 3- Morris, Jumpy, Todd

04-02-06
Game 1- Amanda, Jake, Jumpy, Morris, Todd
winner: Todd, Amanda, Jumpy, Jake, Morris

Game 2- Amanda, Jenny, Jumpy, Morris
winner: Jumpy, Morris, Jenny, Amanda

The first game was o-k...ish. The second was better, but becuase of a outbreak of Girlitus a few players had to not play the second to care for their vaginas.

Mo' Sun, Mo' Problems

Well, as if the burn ban has severely hindered (or killed) night play, theres even more. Norman will vote tomorrow http://www.oudaily.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2006/03/05/440bbe6e691d9 (and I assume pass) for a $44 million update on its water system. Whats that mean? A 77% INCREASE in your water bill. Why do you care? Becuase since Norman is so down on rain, it seems unlikely that this spring enough rain will come our way to really help anything. The reason I'm getting to is that when we play regularly the course gets pretty worn down. Without heavy watering, it gets beat up even more. Last year I watered enough to cuase an increase in the bill the roommates complained about to get the yard somewhat healthy. With the new prices the turf we were hoping would come back won't have a chance with a few inches of rain every few months. sigh.

Games!

When Jumpy finally made it to the game he had suggested we play a week ago a few hours after the time he suggested we start, things really got tense. With Berry here, a wrench was thrown into the normal workings of the game, that is, Berry is pretty good. Also, the black and white nature of the game was revealed: both games the first three players battled through the course nearly the entire game. The games were a change in that no player ever got a comfortable lead the entire time. All in all, thats how it should be.

03-05-06
Game 1- Berry, Morris, Todd (2 Ball)
winner: Berry, Morris, Todd

Game 2- Berry, Jumpy, Morris, Todd (1 Ball)
winner: Jumpy, Berry, Morris, Todd

Game 3- Berry, Jumpy, Morris, Todd (1 Ball)
winner: Berry, Jumpy, Morris, Todd

The Docket and The Trial

If we are to resume night games, I suggest a start time close to 8:30. It will have to be decided upon among members whether my appearance at games will justify this late a start time, but my schedule will not allow a weekday game earlier that this.

As for the gossip of the week, pertaining primarily to Mr. Loftin's apparent Sunday comeback, authoratative sources have waxed jubilant about the sudden rally in this venerable veteran's play. Although the match was a minor one, the senior croqueter's technique and strategy were both sound and decisive. And while his play lacked the creativity and deftly-executed high-risk full-grounds maneuvers that rocked the sport when then-junior croqueter Jake Rowe commandeered the Fall 2005 season, this only tends to support the opinions and cautions voiced by the sometimes guardedly conservative veterans of the sport -behind which inhere the implication that strong technical skill will trump Agassi-style braggadocio- but also that Mr. Loftin's defeat last season was due in part to the chorus-like gasconade that lauded Mr. Rowe's successes. We will see this season if there is any truth to the assertion that Mr. Rowe's inaugural trounce was more due to popular plug than to superior skill. It may well be that Mr. Loftin was defeated more by flighty fans than by an adroit adversary. Time will tell.

No posts in a bloody month?! Deplorable!

Reproachable, lamentable. Woeful. Add to that the fact that we've not organized a good game (none that I've had the pleasure of playing) in about the same time and I say its high time we get the ball rolling -as it were- on the Spring season. We will play this weekend, my croquet comrades. I propose early afternoon with a cocktail-party smile and glee-club attitude. Cell phones optional. Bourgeoise artifact mandatory.