While we all may know the answer, many realize, but few recognize the power and popularity that phoning friends provides Ping-Pong. What condensed blurb do I share to increase the popularity of Table Tennis? Like a deer in the headlights, I couldn’t for the life of me answer my interviewer’s Question. I sat feeling like Sarah Palin in an interview with Katie Couric and remembering Tina Fey’s parody asking to “Phone a Friend” in help for the answer. I wanted to blurt it out, but instead I searched and searched and provided little more than a shrug, a shake of the head and a toss of my hands in the air.
I finally admitted I couldn’t think of one. I then went on, and on, and on about things I’d heard from others like it’s international following and how it brings cross cultural understandings and blah, blah, blah. Of course while giving this answer I was thinking of The Answer Man’s response on increasing the popularity of Hardbat. His answer to Scott Gordon is “Have Rob Trudell hire strippers as cheerleaders.“ I’ve spent hours imagining, demonstrating and following the attraction that bouncing breasts bring to the game.
Like many answers, the true answer came to me later that night after the interview; the answer touched me throughout my ping pong career. Phoning friends always worked for me. It’s more a pragmatic than a dramatic answer; it’s an answer that truly works.
Table Tennis takes 2 to make it right and building from that number is easy as pie. Whether it’s Luis Houed, and I playing Ping Pong at Phoenix’s Playa Bar or Jay Turberville at Tucson’s Maloney’s Bar, bringing 1 friend to the table attracts others. The Map to Popularity is simple, bring one and attract many. The guarantee is there is always someone to play with.
Luong Nguyen practices his Ping Pong Magic
In the desolate Yuma, Arizona desert Foothills, Luong Nguyen invokes “Phone a Friend” to conjure up another spell. I first met Yuma’s Top Player, “Lou” at a Yuma Army Proving Ground (YPG) Double Elimination Tournament. It’s with the Phone that Steve, the YPG Gym’s Morale, Welfare & Recreation Director, organizes the event. Steve maintains a list of Tournament Players and their Phone Numbers; he calls the players in for specially scheduled matches that progress over weeks until the Final Elimination Match is held and Trophies are presented. Luong contacted me directly to schedule our 1st YPG match and to check if he could get a ride back to the Foothills afterward.
Steve suggested once I met some local players, I’d find other places to practice and play. Steve was right. I surveyed Yuma for table tennis action and found nothing more than lonely tables in empty gyms. There are tables at the Arizona Western College Recreation Center, the National Guard Armory, the Army YPG Gym and Yuma Marine Corp Air Station. I also saw online the Criminals at Yuma Union High School organized some sort of club.
Luong later invited me to play at Chuck Keller’s house with it’s dedicated Table Tennis Room and Sauna. While the room has an air-conditioner, I think Chuck turns it off to prevent the wind from blowing the ball around. I had a chance play Luong’s son, Liem and meet his other son Sam. Luong coached the 2 for 2 years after they discovered the game and expressed an interest in improving.
Tuesday's with Chuck (Keller)
Tuesday’s with Chuck
Chuck called me one morning and asked me to commit to practice with him twice a week. I’ve committed to practice every Tuesday and am open to more sessions when I’m in town.
Minnesota Rick
I’ve met and challenged Rick from Minnesota.
Samuel Nguyen
I played a deuce game with Sam.
Liem Nguyen
I’ve warmed up and loosened up with Liem.
Robert Trudell - Backhand
Now I remember the importance of a Phone Call and the power it wields.
Ping Pong Phone a Friend Numbers - Un tipo suave. - Desert Table Tennis Outpost Listing
Ping Pong is fun and I know it’s popular; if you want to experience the Secret Answer to Ping Pong’s Popularity, just Phone a Friend.
Busting Blackwell’s Killerspin Ping Pong National’s Player’s Union Strike, Doru Gheorghe breaks Landers’ mom, Joan, down; she convinces her Agnostic son and Men’s Single’s Quarterfinalist, Michael Landers to participate in a Final’s Men’s Singles Match against the hold-out Christian, Samson Dubina.
USATT Strong Arms 15-year-old Junior Boy's Player's Mom to participate in USA National Table Tennis Men's Singles Final
Dethroned and dieting USATT Board Member, Barney Reed Sr., beckoned me to “Run, run!!!” as I photographed the crippled Paralympic Ping Pong Players. “Come here, come here” as Barney motioned one way and I looked the other. “No, over there, the Players are Boycotting for the first time in 20 years”. Barney called me to capture a Historic Table Tennis moment; this was a moment to photograph a crippled organization.
From a distance I saw Dan Seemiller talking with Mike Cavanaugh and a few Elite Table Tennis Player surrounding them.
Mike Cavanaugh talks with Dan Seemiller about Men's Singles Quarter-Final Boycott as Elite Players stand by.
I approached the action to get a better shot of the discussion. Dan and Mike coyly faced in opposing directions of the camera as I circled them.
Dan Seemiller and Mike Cavanaugh coyly face away.
After finally capturing a shot of Mike, the frustrated CEO erupts and shares his displeasure in the coy camera game. He comes up to me and boldly says, “You want a picture of me! ?! Go ahead take a picture! Take a picture!”.
I explained, “I prefer candid shots.”; he then went back to his conference.
USATT Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mike Cavanaugh discusses US National Men's Singles Final boycott.
The list of 5 boycotting USA National Men’s Singles Quarter-Finalists given on About.com’s table tennis forum are Fan Yiyong, David Zhuang, Ilija Lupulesku, Raghu Nadmichettu, Mark Hazinski. The 6th missing player and Player Representative, Han Xiao claimed a conflict of interest and bowed out of the competition with the boy-cotters.
Disappointed Hardbat paddle smashing (as in breaking, not slamming) and $100,000 Bud Light Money Hungry, David Zhuang displayed his disgust to USATT CEO, Cavanaugh with some sort of big fat Zero type finger symbol with his 3 remaining fingers splayed out as well. I’m not sure if it had something to do with the measly $3000 prize, wanting more “0′s” after the 3000 or referring to the amount of recent money increases in the portions the Finalists receive.
David Zhuang displays some sort of Zero finger sign during his discussion with USATT CEO, Mike Cavanaugh
Insider, and USATT Reporter, Larry Hodges explains details of the walk-out in the USATT Online Results page.
It seems Han Xiao represented the boy-cotters and struck a deal with USATT to get their prize money doubled next year along with a player’s lounge. Double would be $3000 to $6000. He and Michael Landers thought the concessions were enough and were both willing to play on. Samson Dubina never agreed to the boycott. Han stepped out of the competition based on the misunderstanding and conflict of interest since the 5 additional angry players wanted the money now!
The Decider, Michael Landers, plays on agreeing to USATT's Prize Money concessions. He faces boycott hold out Samson Dubina in the Men's Singles Final.
Larry Hodges article doesn’t explain the exact reason that Michael made the choice he did or how he came to his decision.
During the angry brouhaha, someone that I don’t currently recall told me that Michael Landers mom was pulled aside into a separate room and “strong armed” into convincing Michael, who had a “bright future” with USATT and table tennis to play on and not ruin his chances and destroy a promising career.
When reviewing my tournament photos, I wondered if the “room” was the end of the stands and if the “USATT” was Doru Gheorghe that “strong armed” Micheal’s mom.
USATT High Performance/Technical Director, Doru Gheorghe talks with Michael Landers mom.
Pictured protesting players are:
Boycotting player, Fan Yiyong won't play Ping Pong
Fan Yiyong
No Money - No Table Tennis for Ilija Lupulesku
Ilija Lupulesku
The Future is Now, not Next Year - Mark Hazinski
Mark Hazinski
Staged Ping Pong Boycott - USA National Table Tennis Championships
Now my initial instinct, which generally prove 95% wrong, was to think the Killerspin sponsored players led the strike. I wondered if Fan Yiyong was a more independently sponsored player and could participate without fear of losing his backing. I’ve twice read elite player, Barney Reed Jr. lead the strike, though he dropped out of the event early due to a back injury.
Larry Hodges added some more details from his phone interviews with Han Xiao and David Zhuang 2 days after the event. It’s a dedicated Walkout article.
During the event many wondered whether there would be a Final or not. It seemed many Quarterfinal spectators left frustrated and announced to me and others that there wouldn’t be a Final. I wasn’t sure what was going on and didn’t know if the Women were involved in the walkout as well.
When I saw the Men’s Doubles event start with some of the boycotting men (Fan Yiyong and Mark Hazinski), I thought they might have settled their differences.
NATT front man, Alan Williams, announced over the PA that there would be a Men’s and Women’s Singles Final. Still the crowd was filled with confusion and not much scheduled play was happening.
The Live Web Broadcast team, Dyyno cameraman, showed his disgust by sarcastically commenting on how “exciting” the rescheduled (lower level) play was.
The Dyyno Team invested their time and money for the webcast and anticipated some high level competition. They spent the previous few days tweaking and tuning the equipment for this final crescendo, then nothing appears but Quarterfinal delays, then more nothing.
While I heard Alan Williams PA announcement that the Men’s Final was still scheduled, I later asked him in person to verify. It seemed as though he gave a USATT contracted Company Line sort of answer. I asked if the finals were still on and he replied affirmatively. Questioning again, I asked what happened with the boycott and he stated “Some players were defaulted”.
NATT Front Man, Alan Williams in bright blue, stands shouldered by Head USATT Referees Joseph Yick (left) and another.
Looking at some of the Elite Player outfits now, I see several Butterfly logos on their clothing. David Zhuang, Fan Yiyong, Michael Landers all sported Butterfly sponsored wear. An interesting thing I noted was on the supposed broken backed leader, Barney Reed Jr., was he wore a Vegas Table Tennis Club shirt.
Broke Back Barney Reed Jr. in Vegas Table Tennis Club Shirt and Shorts
Samson Dubina said several time Elite National Champion, Cheng Yinghua dumped his match against lower leveled Raghu Nadmichettu. Did Cheng dump his match because of the known strike and he didn’t want his name and sponsor associated with it?
Samson sported a Nittaku and Robo-Pong logo patched shirt.
Mark Hazinski posts an explanation letter on the South Bend Table Tennis Center website asking the USATT not to sanction him for his part in the boycott. Brad Balmer and Dan Seemiller post supporting letters with Dan making some of the demands the Players asked for.
After reading the 3 letters, it reinforces a belief in the “strong arming” that USATT did at the event. The letters all ask that Mark not be punished and sanctioned for his actions or part in the boycott. Mark’s letter suggests he was “strong armed” by both the Players Union and the USATT and felt trapped in the situation he was in.
USATT Magazine Editor, Steve Hopkins say’s Joan Landers didn’t feel “strong armed” by Doru and that she just had some questions she wanted answered by him.
Michael Landers told Hopkins and reconfirmed the fact that there was no USATT request to his mom for him to play.
As I sat that night in the Arena there was a mass of confusion as if the head had been severed from a tribal leader. Few seats were taken and the Women’s Singles matches were being prepared. Gao Jun and Crystal Huang were placing balls on the Butterfly Table and watching them roll from 1 position to the next. The Butterfly Reps were carefully adjusting the table to Gao’s specification.
Perhaps because there were so few people, some officials and contractors didn’t think or know if it was necessary to clear out the crowd as usual. Michael Cavanaugh came in and asked if they were going to clear everyone out for the final; when he was asked, “Should we?”, he commandingly replied, “Yes!”.
USATT Singles Final Waiting Crowd - Line
Some wondered why they were forced out of the Arena this time, but this time I knew when I reentered that we were here for a show.
Our raffle stubs were taken for a drawing by the 4-year veteran Security Guard.
4-Year Veteran Ping Pong Convention Center Security Guard
While many left without seeing the treat, this Year’s Men’s Singles Final had something fresh and a vibrant new spirit brought to life by Michael Landers.
