Serengeti Bar Billiards Update – July 2023
I’ve just realised that this ‘riveting’ series of bar billiards posts has now overtaken my market posts as my popular collection of posts on this blog. I’m slightly worried who is reading it and that it’s not a legal company collecting evident for libel or something. Anyway, two matches in one go in this post as my blog was a bit out of action and I’ve got behind with these updates that I thought no-one was reading. Our next league match was at the Cottage, somewhere that I’ve only played in practice with tornado Emma from my team, the Serengeti.
We started the evening like this, somehow topping the table. Given our low practice rate this came as a surprise to I think it’s fair to say nearly all of us. I’m pleased that Emma and I have got a new regime going for our team of Indian meals and bar billiards, a beautiful combination if ever I heard it. What a genius it was that suggested it. I’d better thank all of my team members (Andrew, Eileen, Westley, David, Emma, Roy and Guy) for putting up my food demands, it’s much appreciated.
When I first signed up to bar billiards I was promised that there would be lots of beer and food, something which hasn’t disappointed me. I haven’t quite dared to do the pen portraits of the Serengeti team that I had planned for the Manes (my initial team before switching), but that’s likely all for the best as I would have likely pushed the matter too far with a formal complaint being made 🙂 Although the planned and cancelled photographic series of “Manes captain in victorious pose” after winning is something that I might see if Roy would consider taking over for our team…. Let’s see how we go, but that would make a wonderful calendar if we decide to sell Serengeti merchandise next year. And if we get promoted, we’re doing exactly that.
But, I digress, the pizza was from Brick and was delicious. As were the fries. Oscar, the formidable White Lion landlord who plays for the Manes, had told me that they had been given individually wrapped burgers the week before, another wonderful meal. I hope to play at the Cottage more often if I’m being honest. The table arrangement is a little blocked against the wall, but it does mean that there’s potential for some trick shots more from necessity than desire.
Beer. I can’t be doing commentary on the beer, I have an Untappd account for that.
David wasn’t there to comment (un)helpfully about my food intake which was handy, but we missed his observations and commentary during the game. I never listen to his food commentary, but he has a sound knowledge of bar billiards and indeed some other matters such as history. I like his fun facts.
And another two victories for Whirlwind White. This made it a 100% home record for singles at the White Lion and a 50% away record for me. And the team won 7-2, but I have to comment on how much fun the Cottage team were, they were clearly enjoying playing. Or they were good actors if not.
Back to this week and we were playing the Coach & Horses, who I think were second in the league, at home at the White Lion. And look, we’ve got a new sign!
And little name plates, how marvellous are these? I think I’m right in saying that Eileen gets the credit for these. Several of us agreed that this top of the table status was going to our heads and we would inevitably lose against the Coach and Horses. As a spoiler, we did.
Oops. That’s a 7-2 defeat and very sub-optimal. I managed to miss the final ball four times on the end part of the game, so destroying my 100% home record. Annoyingly I had practised it for the first time in ages as well as I thought it might be the first time I went to the end game in the league this year. I got over the loss quite quickly though by getting more food. Even the tornado Emma wasn’t victorious, this just wasn’t our night but there were some close games and some high scores gained and then lost when the pins fell over. Wes managed to win with a score of just 40, which secretly annoyed me as I got 1,000 and lost, but I don’t go on about these things. I wasn’t in the doubles this week, but that might have been for the best given the deluge of losses we faced.
I also got more beer to help cope with the defeat. There are some very good players on the Coach and Horses team, I can see them being promoted.
The excellent food offered by Oscar and Chay, meaning it’s always a delight to play here.
That means half of the season is now over and although the league tables haven’t been updated this week, it’s fair to say that we’ve lost our top spot. Which means just one thing, there will have to be more Indian meals and practice sessions if we want to regain it. And if necessary, we’ll have to have them more regularly and I’m happy to plough through more food if it helps the team. Roy will steady the ship though, we needn’t panic yet about our recent poor run. Well, losing one league game. Lose another one and I’ll panic though as I obviously take this very seriously (well, something like that, but I take eating the food and photographing it seriously and I’m definite about that).
Anyway, it’s still all very exciting and I’m very grateful to Emma and David for keeping me in check with regards to the food 🙂 And for everyone else for having me along, although they might read this and be less impressed at my commentary.
