Hi Everybody -
Just a quick update and second request: Alvaro Beltran has been nominated for favorite sportsman of the year by a Tijuana newspaper. It's an all-sport competition, and Alvaro is currently a close second place behind a local Tijuanese baseball player.
http://www.frontera.info/deportista2010/If you voted last night, you are allowed to vote again. Every vote does count, Alvaro has made up 100 votes of a 200 vote lead, so you could personally close the gap that would put Alvaro and the sport in the newspaper headlines in Tijuana, Mexico.
In case it's not clear why those outside Tijuana, Mexico would vote, let me tell you...lol. Alvaro is a great ambassador for the sport. He's played in the top 4 of the IRT for over 10 years, and in the process has touched a lot of lives around the world. I feel like it's great for us all to reach out to him and help him get the recognition he wants and deserves in his hometown.
As a competitor, he has been awarded the "Sportsman of the Year" by the IRT, and as a person he is generous, tough, humble, classy, and warm.
If you take a couple seconds to vote, it's a free and easy way to bring some positive recognition to this quiet, funny, gentle athlete. It will also bring positive recognition to the sport with some headlines in a respected newspaper in Tijuana, Mexico.
Voting ends tomorrow, and it's a very tight race, with Alvaro getting closer to first place by the hour. If you could take a second two seconds to cast your vote, I'm sure Alvaro would appreciate it.
Thanks!
http://www.frontera.info/deportista2010/
Hi everybody,
On behalf of the Beltran family, wanted to make you aware of and ask you to participate in a contest conducted by a popular newspaper in Tijuana, Mexico. Alvaro is competing against several other local celebrity-athletes for that journal's title of "favorite sportsman".
It takes just a second to cast your vote over the internet at the following link:
http://www.frontera.info/deportista2010/The voter count is kept as well, so you can see how close the race is - he has a good chance if he can bump up participation.
For those that may not be aware, racquetball is a fairly mainstream and recognized activity in Mexico. Since he is competing against athletes from other sports, casting your vote is an easy, free opportunity to get the sport in the headlines for some free promotions and good will. (Alvaro was just nominated by a different agency in Tijuana a few weeks ago for a similar type of award).
If you have a minute, follow the link and click on the button for Alvaro, "jus like dat".
The contest ends Friday, and you can vote once every 24 hours.
Thanks in advance,
Kathy
Hi everybody,
On behalf of the Beltran family, wanted to make you aware of and ask you to participate in a contest conducted by a popular newspaper in Tijuana, Mexico. Alvaro is competing against several other local celebrity-athletes for that journal's title of "favorite sportsman".
It takes just a second to cast your vote over the internet at the following link:
http://www.frontera.info/deportista2010/The voter count is kept as well, so you can see how close the race is - he has a good chance if he can bump up participation.
For those that may not be aware, racquetball is a fairly mainstream and recognized activity in Mexico. Since he is competing against athletes from other sports, casting your vote is an easy, free opportunity to get the sport in the headlines for some free promotions and good will. (Alvaro was just nominated by a different agency in Tijuana a few weeks ago for a similar type of award).
If you have a minute, follow the link and click on the button for Alvaro, "jus like dat".
The contest ends Friday, and you can vote once every 24 hours.
Thanks in advance,
Kathy
Hi everybody,
On behalf of the Beltran family, wanted to make you aware of and ask you to participate in a contest conducted by a popular newspaper in Tijuana, Mexico. Alvaro is competing against several other local celebrity-athletes for that journal's title of "favorite sportsman".
It takes just a second to cast your vote over the internet at the following link:
http://www.frontera.info/deportista2010/The voter count is kept as well, so you can see how close the race is - he has a good chance if he can bump up participation.
For those that may not be aware, racquetball is a fairly mainstream and recognized activity in Mexico. Since he is competing against athletes from other sports, casting your vote is an easy, free opportunity to get the sport in the headlines for some free promotions and good will. (Alvaro was just nominated by a different agency in Tijuana a few weeks ago for a similar type of award).
If you have a minute, follow the link and click on the button for Alvaro, "jus like dat".
The contest ends Friday, and you can vote once every 24 hours.
Thanks in advance,
Kathy
Hi everybody,
On behalf of the Beltran family, wanted to make you aware of and ask you to participate in a contest conducted by a popular newspaper in Tijuana, Mexico. Alvaro is competing against several other local celebrity-athletes for that journal's title of "favorite sportsman".
It takes just a second to cast your vote over the internet at the following link:
http://www.frontera.info/deportista2010/The voter count is kept as well, so you can see how close the race is - he has a good chance if he can bump up participation.
For those that may not be aware, racquetball is a fairly mainstream and recognized activity in Mexico. Since he is competing against athletes from other sports, casting your vote is an easy, free opportunity to get the sport in the headlines for some free promotions and good will. (Alvaro was just nominated by a different agency in Tijuana a few weeks ago for a similar type of award).
If you have a minute, follow the link and click on the button for Alvaro, "jus like dat".
The contest ends Friday, and you can vote once every 24 hours.
Thanks in advance,
Kathy
Hi everybody,
On behalf of the Beltran family, wanted to make you aware of and ask you to participate in a contest conducted by a popular newspaper in Tijuana, Mexico. Alvaro is competing against several other local celebrity-athletes for that journal's title of "favorite sportsman".
It takes just a second to cast your vote over the internet at the following link:
http://www.frontera.info/deportista2010/The voter count is kept as well, so you can see how close the race is - he has a good chance if he can bump up participation.
For those that may not be aware, racquetball is a fairly mainstream and recognized activity in Mexico. Since he is competing against athletes from other sports, casting your vote is an easy, free opportunity to get the sport in the headlines for some free promotions and good will. (Alvaro was just nominated by a different agency in Tijuana a few weeks ago for a similar type of award).
If you have a minute, follow the link and click on the button for Alvaro, "jus like dat".
The contest ends Friday, and you can vote once every 24 hours.
Thanks in advance,
Kathy
I'm getting used to this routine of tuning in to the pro ball over the weekends. I'm lucky to work from home, and have afternoons off, so it is very easy for me to tune in and follow along with the earlier rounds, which I find to be a good chance to watch somewhat unfamiliar faces.
I'm guessing that the IRT Network would benefit from an audience that develops a sense of comfort and expectations and routine in the programming. If this kind of thinking has any truth, they could better capitalize by setting the schedule in a more amplified way. As it stands, you kind of have to jump around on the internet to figure out what times the matches will be broadcast. I think you would get more people if you would begin promoting the match broadcasts earlier in the day so that people can have a clearer sense, and also how they might plan their days.
Typically, I try and pair up with a friend to watch some of the matches over a meal, and also to do chores, like folding laundry, etc. So less randomness would better serve you, in my opinion.
Also, Andy Hawthorne rocks on the microphone.
Have fun...
Just give me points.
Thanks in advance.
Since I live so close to the border, most of my racquetball related relationships are heavily infused with Mexican-ness. To be able to work out at the same gym as Alvaro Beltran, it also brought me a lot closer to the upper levels of this sport (a sport which - BTW - I have enjoyed for over 30 years). I even experienced a case of transference when I relocated out here, and developed a very serious crush on Alvaro, since I saw him at the gym several times a week, and he is such an elegant and dignified person, he was always unfailingly polite and friendly towards me and I knew so few people... It was very difficult to recover from the broken heart he gave me, but it has been a harmless and sweet way to maintain my connection to the highest levels of the sport. Everything worked out ok in the long run with my heart, since his mom is a great racquetball player and we play together, and his aunt and other family friends typically include me in their fiery support and enthusiasm for him when he competes. It has been a really good way to enjoy the game here in California these past two years, and especially fun and exciting to observe Alvaro's recent efforts to get back into the game at such a high level, and with so much competition.
So congratulations to the Beltrans for raising such a great professional athlete, your son, nephew, brother, etc. - it has been a great couple years watching Alvaro work so hard.
Paola Longoria is also very symbolic to me as a female athlete, and her success inspires me. She is such a well-spoken person, and so gracious and enthusiastic and alive. For me, she also represents a lot of positive things - such as being a fierce competitor that is also tasteful and feminine and ladylike, and deserving of respect, but also tenderness and protection. So to watch her rise has also been very personal, because she receives so much local support, and is very beloved by many of my friends that play down here; they respect her, and her success gives them pleasure, even as male athletes, and in this way we share and enjoy her success. It opens things up in a new way for me, as the female pro game has previously existed somewhat in obscurity at other times in my life, this is another nice type of sharing that this local Mexican culture has gifted to me indirectly.
And then of course, there are Jason's Mannino's achievements with the IRT, and watching the consistency of his efforts play out this season. That's a good feeling for someone that wants the sport and its athletes to enjoy as much success as is practical in a challenging domestic economic climate. He seems committed to raising the level of the IRT, and also to have the support of an excellent team, so this has offered me rewards as a fan.
But what has been especially rewarding this weekend is to be able to stay connected to such a major event by watching it over the internet. The coverage was consistently excellent this weekend, and the broadcasts themselves were very engaging - the commentary was steady and professional - although at times I did not agree with the points of view, it was always something I could sink my teeth into and enjoy as being somewhat thought provoking and educational. I hope that many other fans also felt so rewarded by this weekend. My feeling is that good quality control should ultimately determine the success of the racquetball related products and business. Consumer loyalty is important, but in my opinion should be earned, not given. My time and attention this weekend was definitely worth the low price of admission many times over.
Just wanted to say so.
Often when I communicate about racquetball I find myself wearing some sort of business analyst hat - many times with a vision towards how things might be done differently in order to increase the payouts to the athletes that work so hard. But for this day, it seemed important to come across with the positives, and with how I personally feel rewarded by so many efforts, even if the athletes I believe are still not being compensated in a way that is commensurate with their achievements. I maintain we must remain professional in our orientation and we cannot afford to rely on the personal to elevate the sport or people will not be able to maintain their passionate involvement. However, it's probably in MY best interests to leave these issues to other people, while I try to relax and enjoy the ride, and give as much support and appreciation as possible to those that have brought the sport so far forward.
With that in mind, I hope everyone else was as rewarded as I was by the business of racquetball.
Anybody know what's goin' on out there?
Since Control Freak has touched the essence of my being with his dream interpretation therapy novella, especially appropriate on the "Pros & Pro Quals" thread, he has created another opportunity for me to share. And share. And overshare. And overshare yet again.
Mainly I just want to say that for me, one of the greatest gifts for me is forgiveness. I take all of my relationships very seriously, they are not hobbies for my amusement, and so there is risk and disappointment in them, both personally and professionally.
With Vic, at one moment in my personal space continuum, I had expectations of him, I grew frustrated with him, and disappointed with him. Not saying this was my right, this is just how I live. It's ALL personal to me.
When I left Miami two years ago, I had a huge amount of confusion and anger and pain, and Vic was at the center of a lot of it. Not saying it was right, or wrong, but it was there.
After Vegas, when I reacted to one very small thing in the big bleep of life's circumstances, I received the gift of being able to step back and let go. Vic is who he is, I am who I am, and that is all that means. There is no war, there is history, and events, and nothing very important to hang onto.
I had the best of times at Holiday Park, where Vic plays. He was not that big a part of my good times there, just due to scheduling. He was kind of central to my departure from there, but it was just a moment.
Vic does what he does. He is doing it. What I think about it is important to me, but perspective is a great thing...I wanted Vic to hear me, and it made me unhappy to think he didn't. But that was my problem. And in realizing this, I was able to let go of my little worries about Vic meeting my approval and Vic respecting me and me eventually being head commando of the universe.
Poof. Just like that!
A fire cannot breathe without air. And so, now either the fire or the air is gone, and the only thing important to me about this dynamic is that I stay free from the resentment and hurt feelings that took a lot of my joy for over two years. I guess maybe I have an addiction to getting in fights, because it's on my track-record. I could do things differently than I do, but maybe that is just skill and composure, and not good or evil. Feel me? lol.
So, as I sit here and toke on my opium pipe to soothe my tattered soul, I think of my friends at Holiday Park, forever my friends in my heart, regardless of how I departed...I see Vic. His tummy is overly large, and I know if I can push his partner deeper back, Vic cannot return my shots that are low and in the corner because he just can't see over his tummy. He is not like a Weeble, he will not wobble, he will fall down. But instead of being mad at Vic for being a poster child for cigar-smoking, back-slapping good ole boys that don't take too kindly to mouthy women, I am a new woman. I am happy. I don't care that Vic is an icky poster boy for outdoor racquetball, sucking on his cigarettes, with his marginal understanding of the rules, and using the book to win at scrabble like some lame scrabble player with no personal pride....no no WAIT, I don't mean it! I mean "Vic is swell!" lol...
Ok - what I mean is, Vic took on a job and he accomplished a lot more than I could ever even dream up, and he did it his way, and without my help or my great ideas, so yea - if he tips over his stomach running for a front court shot, I can live with that.
To Vic:
"Live long and prosper" no no! I mean
"May the force be with you" no no - that's not it! How about,
"Flower? I'm not a flower!"
Thank you, CF. Thanks to you, the healing is truly complete. Hasta...
I'm not sure if I'm getting this right or not, but it looks as if the top 16 ranked players do not have to qualify, everybody else does. It also looks like Shane's withdrawal has been adjusted for in the main pro draw, versus being listed as a forfeit in the main draw. If so, it's an interesting impact on the match line-up...
I got a little confused when looking at the draws to see what the round of 32 might look like in the main pro round, based on the speculation that the main draw has been adjusted, but no changes are reflected in the quals yet, so Kris O is listed in both the quals and the main draw, as the #1 seed in the qual, and as the #16 seed in the main pro draw. The way it is currently laid out, in theory if he makes it through the qualifying round he would play into himself in the round of 32, the first round of the main pro draw.
Am I right in speculating that this is the result of the adjustment for Shane's withdrawal? If so, it implies that Shane's withdrawal moved everybody up one spot and gave Kris a pass into the #16 seeded spot in the main draw. At #17 for seeding purposes, Alvaro is now the #1 seed in the quals. How will the qual round adjustments play out? Will Alvaro go up in the qual round to take Kris' spot in the schedule, playing a different player at a different time, Munoz take Alvaro's spot, and so on, so that everybody moves up one position, and all the matches are adjusted accordingly? Or will the qual matches remain as scheduled, and the match that was to be played against Kris will get a walk-in to the main draw by forfeit?
Also, are the main seedings based purely on current rankings, or also on previous performance?
I hope my speculation is not a confusing misinterpretation. I'd like to figure out the player schedules. Depending upon the details, if the qual match schedule remains as is, if Alvaro quals he will play into Rocky in the round of 32, and in the next round will play into the middle seeds, versus if he moves into Kris' spot in the quals, he will play into Kris in the 32 round of the main pro draw, and the winner plays Kane the next round.
Anyway - working on speculation, not knowledge, hope I have not misunderstood something essential and in doing so confused everybody else. Thanks in advance for any clarification. I'd like to get some advance notice of which players will be playing at what time.
Kathy
Thank you all for having me back for a time. It is fun to come out and visit with people, fictitious and otherwise, that I have been chatting with for about 15 years over the internet.
I really appreciate the contributions of everyone out here. It's unfortunate that in some instances I feel negatively affected by personal values and agendas as they are expressed in leadership roles.
I guess the bottom line that I am happy to deal with with as much dignity as possible is that you all have your leadership roles which you earned, and therefore you get to call the shots and run the show your way.
Having met many of you personally over the years, I really like how you bring your personal style into your role, because this is in a way a "mom and pop" business, so if you were not getting the personal relationships part down, we wouldn't have anything left to enjoy. Well - I don't know if that came out quite right, but you all have my respect and admiration for working to achieve within your means.
As for me, Jason Mannino helped me achieve a personal goal of contributing to the industry on some level when he invited me to write for the USRA mag and the IRT Newsletter. I would like to do more writing, but probably need to get some other things in place before trying to climb higher as far as my personal goals.
So with that in mind, I should probably wander back to Facebook now and let you all get back to enjoying Meetandplay without the clutter of my ideas making things unpleasant for you.
If you would like to visit me for any reason, or for civilized conversation, you can find me at www.Facebook.com/pragmatic.diva. I don't talk about racquetball that much over there, but it's a nice place to share ideas and smaller talk, and pictures and things like that.
Enjoy the game on whatever level you like, share your satisfactions and joys as best you are able, that is what they are therefore. Also, my recommendation is that you don't stay mad, and if you have to go away, try and say a nice good-bye because you might not ever see your pals again, even on the internet.
Thank you again for having me,
Kathy
I would probably look at changing the sanctioned tournament set up so that it could accommodate a less passionate level of interest. Maybe standardizing skill levels around the country so that people could expect x amount of time, roughly, at x time of day, roughly no matter where they are. That way they would not have to dedicate an entire weekend for an event, which is a time constraint for many people.
The officiating I would look at too, as far as developing a way of standardizing the quality of reffing all across the country.
As far as the recreational product, I would look and see about corporate partnerships to sell the sport locally, without being tied to sanctioned tournament play. I would probably use some kind of media campaign with the partnership to promote and educate the sport, and increase awareness and access at the entry-level, to the masses.
Those are three things I would think about doing, that have to do with infrastructure and media awareness and quality control. I'm not sure if they would change things, but they would be how I would start to look at doing things a lot differently than they have been done for decades. Doesn't seem like they could really hurt that much, and the main requirement would be simply improved communications and expanded infrastructure, versus a material investment in advertising dollars and things like that.
Tennis also has a bunch of public relation campaigns running all the time in the communities all over. It is hard, being rb is so unknown, but maybe local charities are eager for the exposure and assistance. That might help increase a positive image and awareness to a broader public.
If everybody that is currently getting paid gets paid whether the business model is more effective or not, why change it?
Why work harder to get more participants and bigger purses, if you are an exec that is already getting paid, and everybody else is volunteering, or working for free, in exchange for social status and favors and influence and visibility?
In my Econ 101 class, it talks about the multiplier effect of wages. If, for example, you give a tax break to the working class, that tax break works as follows:
the guys at Lockheed Martin have more money in their bank account. Part of it they put in savings, part of it they spend on new boats. The money they spend on new boats goes to the salesmen on the boat-showroom floor, the boat manufacturers, etc. So they can now put part of their money in savings, and spend part of it on beer. The beer people now have more money to spend. And so on....
So when you base the model on a few people at the top getting paid, and everybody else works on favors and barter, you are limiting the revenue potential within the industry on an exponential basis. A lot of that money that a volunteer would receive in wages would in theory get circulated back into the micro-economy.
that is one case against volunteerism as a model. There are countless others, including the fact that in this model, people get paid regardless of performance. So if you are getting paid, and if in doing better, you increase the competition for your own job, and you have to work harder, what exactly is the incentive to change?
This is a poetically written article about the business mechanisms which are the underpinning of slavery. If you are open-minded, it's not hard to draw parallels between a slave economy, and racquetball's volunteer economy.
1.) In order to draw parallels, note that racquetball is controlled in a colonial manner by a few salaried interests at the top.
2.) Also note how "divide and conquer" can be used in either scenario to pit the lower economic ranks against each other (tournament directors and players) as a way of keeping cooperating from forming at the bottom, which would increase competition for control at the top. In the words of the article:
(quote)
If they asked for higher wages, they were told: “I can hire any n*gg*r off the street for half of what I pay you.”
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/10/07-6 (quote from article)
The viciousness of Birmingham’s white underclass
served the purpose of the ruling order. The city was controlled, in de facto colonial manner, by coal and steel barons whose seat of power was located up the Appalachian mountain chain in Pittsburgh, PA. The locals dubbed them the Big Mules. They resided in the lofty air up on Red Mountain; most everyone else dwelled down in the industrial smog.
These social and economic inequities, perpetuated by exploitative labor practices, roiled Birmingham’s white men with resentment.
If they asked for higher wages, they were told: “I can hire any n*gg*r off the street for half of what I pay you.” In the colonial model, all the big dollars flowed back to Pennsylvania, and economic rivalry and state-codified delusions of racial entitlement, vis-à-vis Jim Crow Laws, was used to ensure the working class white majority rage at the ruling elite remained displaced -- their animus fixed on those with even less power and economic security than themselves.
(quote from article)
This one is interesting, as far as describing the conditions that allowed for women's tennis to thrive in Russia. It does not talk about the marketing strategy, but I will research and post if I can find material which suggests this was a conscious strategy to popularize the activity.
http://accidentalrussophile.blogspot.com/2006/10/russian-womens-tennis-dominating-world.html(quote from text)
So there is certain temptation to seek a Dostoevskian explanation for the rise of Russian tennis. Are these young stars a post-Soviet reaction to the collective ethic of the Soviet era? Are they another version of the trillionaire oligarch, people who frantically grasp for all the riches and glory denied them for 70 years? Tursunov has admitted in an interview that Hugh Hefner of Playboy fame was a model: "After tennis, I want to have a big house and wear a velvety robe."
The Cincinnati Enquirer suggested that tennis was the Russian equivalent of basketball in the American inner city - a way out: "Think of a tennis court in Siberia as analogous to a basketball court in the Bronx."
Here's some more info on Pete Rozelle, who is widely credited with "Moving the NFL from the back page to the front page," New York Giants owner Wellington Mara said. "From daytime to prime time."
Interesting, in the context of sports marketing and leadership and vision.
http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com/nfl/comish/rozelle.html
Name: Alvin Ray Rozelle
Commissioner: 1960-1989
Born: March 1, 1926
Died: December 6, 1996
Occupations:
Public RelationsInducted in Hall of Fame: 1985
And another article here, that measures his success and methods more specifically. He was a stickler about public-image, as this article details...
http://espn.go.com/classic/biography/s/rozelle_pete.html
