I was watching the Desert Classic yesterday online (since they won't televise it live in the U.S.--- That's a rant for another blog) and I noticed something; heck, even the commentators mentioned it.  The crowd was so quiet.  It was almost as if the place was empty, but looking behind the players, the place looked pretty packed.  At first I thought it may have been due to no american on stage at the time, and perhaps some of the people there weren't familiar with these two players.  Finally, in the last match of the day, Darrin Young gets to the stage.  I'm hoping that finally the crowd will get into it, but they're silent as ever. 

    In a way the silence is a good thing.  It's less distraction for the players.  But I also feel like it's a let down to them.  During the days matches, there were several 180's and a bunch of amazing out shots.  Most of the amazing shots got standing ovations and a few hoops and whistles, but it seemed so weak and far from being loud or even a majority of the audience. 

    Darts isn't golf or tennis.  The thing that makes it exciting sometimes is the roar of the crowd in the background between throws.  Often the camera will run through the crowd between matches and throws showing the crowd with their signs and wild flags, hats and shirts.  Not once did I see this happen yesterday.  Mostly because there wasn't much to see.  A few times they showed some groups with flags and everyone had signs but little was shown of it.  Only during interviews near the crowd did the crowd even seem really into it.  And then all they were doing was waving their signs wildly in the background while the player was interviewed.

   Come on America!  If we want to be taken seriously in the world of darts, then we have to stop taking the world of darts so seriously!  Relax, have fun, cheer loud, wear a silly hat, wave a flag.  Besides, you don't have to worry about anyone seeing you around here.  They still aren't televising it here.

    Well, I haven't written a blog in forever, so I thought I'd write.  Currently we're on break from league.  A short session should be starting up in a couple weeks, although I've heard nothing from the other League committee members. 

   Last session turned out really well.  Considering it was my first time captaining a team I was really happy to make the playoffs.  We went to sudden death before we lost by a point.  Oh well, I was still happy about the season.

   At the end of this month, a couple friends and I are going to Indy for the bullshooter event.  If any of you are going, please let me know and we can meet when we get there!  It's ironic;  This will be my first big soft tip tournament I've ever been to.  I've been to two big ADO steel tip tournaments (and placed in an event at each), but I've never done a major soft tip event... And I'm a soft tipper! lol

  Well, I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Years.  Take care all!

    After the dust settled from everything that happened at the league kick off tournament (read previous blog), we were told there wouldn't be a league this season.  Some people talked about starting their own league but none of them knew how to start, much less how to handle all that's involved with running it.

    Last Wednesday, my team captain from the previous season came to see me at work.  He said that the league was back on, but their would be some changes.  Also, there was going to be a captain's meeting Sunday and they wanted me to come.  I was confused as to why they'd want me there.  I wasn't a captain and had only played in the league for one season.  The reason the league director wanted me to come was that he wanted me to captain a team.  Due to the fight and uproar at the tournament, one captain was not going to be able to have a team as punishment.  I was their first choice as a candidate to captain a team.

    I was shocked, and flattered that they thought that I could do it after only being in a league for one session.  My captain said, "I hate to lose you on my team, but I think you'd do a good job and the league needs you."  So I went to the meeting.  At the meeting we talked about all the things that went wrong and how to make it better.  They decided to vote on a governing committee, with a President, V-President, Secretary, Tres., and Seargent at Arms.  The shock came again when I was nominated and elected as Secretary of the League!!!

    The tournament director is not on the committee, and is now considered just an employee of the league.  This keeps all the stress off of him so he can keep making sure the paperwork and rankings and stats get made up and sent out.  I think the league will run a lot smoother with this in place and will make it a lot more fun for all involved.

    I finally got my team together.  4 out of 7 players on the team have never played in league before.  However, all 7 of us are close friends and we all play at the same bar twice a week.  We will have a team with great chemistry.  Not only will we get along with each other, but everyone on my team is pretty easy going and good natured, so we'll get along great with all of our opposing teams.  Our team rule is "Our games begin and end with a handshake."  We play like ladies and gentleman (the way it should be).  Hopefully, by the end of this session we will be a shining example to all the other teams (hopefully while holding up the championship trophy!!! lol)

    I hope all of you are doing well.  Have a great week and SHOOT WELL!!!!

    Last night was the Luck of the draw tournament for the Kick off of our league season. It was nice to see people from other teams that I haven't seen since the league championship (my team won last season by the way! lol). The league director, who at times has the personality of a rattlesnake with PMS, took the league fees and tournament fees. He had bracket sheets drawn out for the evenings events. In his infinate wisdom, he chose a woman to keep up with the tournament bracket and placement who not only had never been involved in a tournament, but had never even played darts. To her credit she tried her best but was confused a bit on where to place losers and winners in the brackets. Also people weren't around when called to a board, which irritated the league director to no end. He was constantly dealing with bracket problems and players complaints, which is his job; but keep in mind he isn't exactly a "People Person" lol.

     In the last tournament of the night, I drew the league director as a partner. I really didn't mind. He and I get along fairly well because I never cause problems and I stay out of his way. He's a good player so we were doing well in the matches, although each game would have long delays in the middle while the director was fixing another bracket problem or player complaint. I could tell he was getting more and more irritated as the night went on.

     The money for league and all the evenings tournaments were taken up at the beginning of the evening, at which point you chose which tournaments you were going to play in. When you pay your league dues, you are covered for all events weather you wanted to play in all of them or not. Problem was, some of the league players left after the second tournament, but they were still down for the next one, and our wonderful league director, in his infinate wisdom, did not have players check in before laying out the draw bracket for the frazzled and confused woman who had no clue what was going on. Needless to say, some people, after the draw didn't have a partner. Instead of trying to put them together, the director again, in his infinate wisdom, said they'll just have to play by themselves and (get this!) they had to skip their partners throw! Well, as you might guess, this brought some of the players to the boiling point. It wasn't their fault the people left. So the people really started to argue.

     The director and I were in the middle of a game when he decided on all of this and since he was busy arguing with everyone, I decided to go to the bathroom. While doing my business (and cursing my kidney stone), I heard our wonderful league director's voice come over the speakers from the DJ booth. He said, "If any of you don't like the way I run a ~@#*#*! tournament you can just leave! Get the @#$% out!

     I stood in the bathroom thinking, "Oh no!!!" When I walked out of the restroom, most of the people were outside. The director was into it with a couple of the guys in the parking lot and the bouncer got involved. The director punched the bouncer a few times then ran; at which point several of the players realized he still had the league and tournament money with him. Two police officers were sitting in the shopping center parking lot where the bar is located and saw the whole ordeal go down. The blue lights when on and the director was put in the car. We got the money back, but surprisingly, the director didn't go to jail. They let him go, when his ride arrived.
We walked back into the bar and didn't really know what to do. I had just lost my partner too so I was kind of screwed. The bar manager, who is a dart player and a really great guy, took it upon himself to take over the events for the evening. We redrew partners and started over the last tournament. My new partner and I got third.

     I've always considered dart's a gentleman's game (and ladies). It's a sport that should begin and end with a handshake. We should leave the fights to pool players. Take care all! I kept the director's name out of this to protect the guilty lol.