Short notice - But we're going to try to get a tourney scheduled this first weekend in December. Please hit the sign up link above to let me know you can make it. If you can't make it, check out the Fall/Winter SMASH Schedule
For those of you who don't know about Squash SMASH Tourney's.... This is a high pressure event with cash prizes for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and maybe 4th. Randomly selected players will also get a $25 Marlow's Tavern Gift Card, Free Blue Moon Pizza, $50 Sushi Nami Gift Card, or other cool stuff.
We CANCELED this event... Looks like everyone selected options B and C below. No worries though - Next event will be on Sat Dec 2. Got Squash Leftovers?
It's a tough call to have a tourney the Saturday just after Thanksgiving because people will be off work and:
a. Want to play squash - so the tourney will be giant! b. Traveling and having fun outside of Atlanta... maybe playing squash somewhere else? c. Have friends and family in town who are funner than playing squash (not likely)
So - If you think you will play, please sign up online so that I know to run the tourney or not. We need at least 6 players signed up by 10:30am on Saturday morning.
High pressure with cash prizes for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and maybe 4th. Randomly selected players will also get a $25Marlow's Tavern Gift Card, free Blue Moon Pizza, $50 Sushi Nami Gift Card, or other cool stuff.
Happy Thanksgiving! - See you on the courts!
- Bob -
...Squash is only for those who can stomach it...
We had 8 players in Saturday's Squash SMASH Tourney and Reemez A. (4.0) came out on top. He's a squash machine - not only did he play in the tourney, he also played in pickup matches on the side while waiting for his matches - and then - AND THEN... after winning the tourney, he still kept playing!
Rameez had some tough matches too. Like when he had to play first time player, Shane M. (5.0). Shane is brand new to the handicap and wasn't ready for how close it was going to be. The first game against Rameez went down to game ball for both players in a tight match. Then there was Mario de M. (4.5), one of our most seasoned SMASH players and #5 of all time WINNERS, who gave Rameez another tight match. It wasn't until Rameez ran up against Roger W. (3.5) that things got real.... and due to a bad handicap call that rated Roger as a 3.0 (No effnwai) by your the tourney director, aka that mediocre player, he got pushed into the Losers' bracket to face Mario again! The squash machine worked back through the Losers' bracket and faced off against Roger W. again - this time with the correct handicapping. Congratulations to Rameez A. (4.0)! 1. Rameez A. (4.0) - $96 2. Roger W. (3.5) - $44 3. Mario de M. (4.5) - $20 Mario de M. (4.5) - $25 Marlow's Tavern Gift Card Randy J. (3.5) - Blue Moon Pizza Gift Card
Final Brackets
If you missed it, you missed a lot of fun. The field was skilled between 2.5 and 5.0 and had two new players Shane M. (5.0) and Avi A. (2.5). Even though Avi got knocked out in the first rounds, he still got to play Mario de M. (4.5) and Shane M. (5.0) - players he would never have gotten to play in a standard tourney. Avi made it hard on them by taking at least one in each match letting the skilled players know that he was serious. Shane M. (5.0) hung in there a bit longer and made it to the second round against Rady J. (3.5). Randy has played is a few SMASH tourneys and knew how to keep the pressure on his higher skilled opponent and even pushed one of the games to game ball for both players.
Speaking of Randy, Randy started the tourney off by matching up against Bob W. (3.5), aka a mediocre player, and punished Bob for his squash mediocrity. Randy finally went home after getting pushed out by Mario de M. (4.5). Bob also got to play longtime sparing partner, Jeff D. (3.0).... but Jeff made sure Bob knew they were not sparing this time... All in all there was a lot of fun - too much to write - Next time get there! Check below for all the pics and vids and bonus commentary. The next SMASH Tourney will be held 11am Saturday Nov 25 at Lifetime Fitness. Rumor has it that Andre 'Legend' Maur will play! Registration is open! Online Squash SMASH Tourney Registration Form. You can see all upcoming SMASH events on the SMASH Tourney Schedule.
Until the next event, you can always follow along with live updates and latest info on Twitter @EvenSquash, Facebook @EvenSquash, Instagram @EvenSquash. And you can always add your email address (see the left side bar) to get emails about the latest posts. Game on! - Bob - I told my wife I needed to get some new balls. She asked me if I needed to get fitted for them....
Rameez A. (4.0) vs Roger W. (3.5) (White shorts)
Final point
Roger W. (3.5) vs Jeff D. (3.0) (Black shirt)
Jeff aces Roger...whaat....
Mario de M. (4.5) vs Avi A. (2.5) (Yellow shirt)
Mario is trying to keep the focus and not make any errors
Mario de M. (4.5) vs Rameez A. (4.0) (Grey shirt)
Quick points...
Shane M. (5.0) vs Randy J. (3.5) (Blue shirt)
Watch how Randy earns a points off of Shane
Shane M. (5.0) vs Randy J. (3.5) (Blue shirt)
Shane trying to build some rhythm and minimize mistakes
We're calling you out! - You skeerd?
Scott F. (4.5), Morgan P. (3.5), Gary W. (4.0), James W. (3.0), Alex W. (3.5), Robert M. (4.0), Courtney W. (3.5), Roger W. (3.5), Rehan S. (4.0), Michael W. (3.0), Tucker M. (4.0), Charlie J. (5.5), Adam S. (4.0), Tom R. (2.5), George B. (3.5), Frank G. (2.5), Carl K. (2.5), M. Hadi (3.0), Gareth J. (4.0), Brian S. (3.5), Shane G. (4.0), Cody H. (2.5), Chris M. (3.5), Andrew M. (4.0), Ben Q. (5.0), Siam K. (5.0), Fletch C. (5.0), Todd H. (3.5), Shea M. (3.5), Yoann B. (3.0) Come back - We'll be nice - We miss you - We miss your $20
That's just the short list of some of the players we haven't seen in ages. Seriously though, if you haven't played in a while or have never played, you know you're missing out on some great squash and massive fun. Fast: Only takes about 2 hours... if you last that long. Lots of new prizes: cash payouts down to 4th, $50 Sushi Nami Gift Card, $25 Marlow's Tavern Gift Cards (x2), Blue Moon Pizza (x2). Odds are you'll come away with something. Get back on that T!
11am ~ 1:30pm THIS Saturday, Nov 11 Squash SMASH Tourney Lifetime Fitness - Sandy Springs
We weren't sure there was going to be enough payers to even have a Saturday morning SMASH tourney. At one point it was canceled at the last minute because we only had two players... then Assam walks in and ropes 3 guys that were ready to leave into playing a few more games! Those 3 players, plus Assam, plus the two that were already there pushed us over the minimum 6 players. GAME ON! 1. Paul D. (3.5) - $72 2. Muhammad J. (3.0) - $28 3. Mario de M. (4.5) - $20 Nadeem C. won the $25 Marlow's Tavern Gift Card
It all played out in about 1.5 hours and at the end of that, Paul D. (3.5) was standing alone. Paul has played in a few SMASH tourneys but this is his first time finishing in the money... and even better - winning! It wasn't all easy because he had to go up against some serious competition. His first match was with Nadeem C. (2.5), who is pretty new to squash but still can manage a racquet and not to be underestimated. Nadeem put up some great pressure but it wasn't enough to keep Paul down. Paul's next match was against a tiger! The tiger was named Assam J. (5.5.)! Paul has felt Assam's true competitive speed in other SMASH events so he knew this was going to be nerve racking. But Paul kept it together, waited for Assam to make an error or two, and then take the points when he could. Paul pulled that one out and pushed Assam into the losers' bracket. But what's worse than playing a tiger? How about the father of a tiger!? For realz! Paul had to play Assam's father, Muhammad J. (3.0) who knows a thing or two about squash... but Paul was able to keep the wheels on through some tough rallies and muscle through. Paul held on to the winner's bracket. Muhammad went down into the Loser's bracket and clawed his way back to the finals where.... he had to face Paul again in the finals. It was closer this time but in the end, Muhammad ran out of steam, and the outcome was the same. Congratulations to Paul D. (3.5)!
There were a lot of fun matches - Like when Kashif A. (3.5) went up against Muhammad J. (3.0) in the first round. Both players had never played in an EvenSquash Handicapped tourney before but have played each other frequently. They though this was going to be another fun game until they realized that... the handicap was going to make it very close. Assam J. (5.5) went up against Mario de M. (4.5) with some long rallies and tight matches where both players were on game ball points. Mario eventually knocked Assam out and advanced. Mario then played Kashif. Did I mention that Kashif had been working out since 7am? This was Kashif's last match, he knew he was spent, and he played it smart, forfeited instead of risking injury. Mario and Muhammad then battled it out to see who would face Paul in the finals. Mario took 3rd.
There was a lot more action - too much to write - Next time get there!
Check below for all the pics and vids and bonus commentary.
The next SMASH Tourney will be held 11am Saturday Nov 11 at Lifetime Fitness. Registration is open! Online Squash SMASH Tourney Registration Form. You can see all upcoming SMASH events on the SMASH Tourney Schedule.
Until the next event, you can always follow along with live updates and latest info on Twitter @EvenSquash, Facebook @EvenSquash, Instagram @EvenSquash. And you can always add your email address (see the left side bar) to get emails about the latest posts.
Game on!
- Bob -
Muhammad J. (3.0) vs Paul D. (3.5) (in shorts)
This is a quick look at how the finals went... tired and serious or seriously
Muhammad J. (3.0) vs. Kashif A. (3.5)
Yes Let? Video replay comes in handy
Mario de M. (4.5) vs. Assam J. (5.5) (white shorts)
It looks like Mario is doing all the work....
Paul D. (3.5) (shorts) vs Nadeem C. (2.5)
Paul learns that Nadeem will put it away if given the chance
Muhammad J. (3.0) vs Kashif A. (3.5) (white shirt)
...some short rallies...
Kashif A. (3.5) vs Mario de M. (4.5) (blue shirt)
First round match... working the kinks out....
Muhammad J. (3.0) vs Mario de M. (4.5) (blue shirt)
.... like the old saying, "two ships passing after a hard rally..."
