It's all fun and games until...

JMac · #1 (**permalink**) 11-02-2003, 02:31 PM

...someone loses an eye.

Then it's - badminton!

My warning for the week - wear protective eyewear for any sport, if you value your sight.
Last Monday night I took a birdie to the eye at 150kph minimum - close range. For 3 days I was functioning with half my usual sight. It's an experience.

JMac

mikmik · #2 (**permalink**) 11-02-2003, 05:03 PM

I never got it in the eye, but I did get whiplash avoiding that. Hate those drop shots that pop a little to high.
Squash is much better, it is crippling no matter where you get hit [o;

Greyhawk · #3 (**permalink**) 11-02-2003, 06:19 PM

Sure now you two have everyone else thinking that people in BC are all accident prone when it comes to sports. It's not true folks! I get hurt even when not playing sports. LOL This is why I prefer the sport of Ballroom Dancing (yes it is a sport just check out the Olympics).

Seriously though JMAC I hope your eye is healing nicely and no permanant damage was done.

Greyhawk

rocky1 · #4 (**permalink**) 11-03-2003, 04:19 PM

I do hope you two don't bowl! }:~)

Rocky

JMac · #5 (**permalink**) 11-03-2003, 04:59 PM

Rocky -

I'll have you know, I've only hurt my self-esteem {sniff} while bowling!
I am guessing sports just aren't for me. If I can make it from point A to point B without hurting myself or anyone else - it's been a good day!

Knock on wood...

JMac

rocky1 · #6 (**permalink**) 11-03-2003, 06:05 PM

Couldn't resist JMac, here badminton is supposed to be about the safest game in the world, or so I thought.

Rocky

mikmik · #7 (**permalink**) 11-03-2003, 06:35 PM

I also almost killed my partner playing doubles, the birdy was up high and dropping down just behind him and just in front of me. I stepped into it and uncorked a devastating smash - right to my teammates nose! He was looking up, I was looking up, we both went for it... As for squash, It was always me smoking my oponents with the pellet they use for a ball. Seems that the other people got hurt but not me. I would greatly pity anyone who tried ballroom dancing with me, I'm sure greyhawk represents our province just fine.
I think what jmac means is that she has more common sense than the likes of me, not less coordination! And I played semi-pro soccer! Yikes.

And rocky1, if we ever do meet sometime, it may be in your best interest not to take me out fishing, no telling what I could do with a fish hook and 20 lb test. [o;

rocky1 · #8 (**permalink**) 11-03-2003, 07:13 PM

After the kids, the wives, and my one fishing partner I don't think there's much left to show me Mik!But..... I could be wrong.

Rocky

minstrel · #9 (**permalink**) 11-03-2003, 08:23 PM

Following the lead of journalists, politicians, and spin doctors:

Quote:

Originally Posted by rocky1

Rocky said, "After the kids, the wives, and my one fishing partner I don't think there's much left to show..."

Asked what had happened to all these unfortunate souls, Rocky declined to comment, except to add softly, "Maybe I was wrong...".

As to why, in his entire career, only one person has ever consented to be Rocky's fishing partner, until Rocky breaks his vow of silence, this must remain a mystery.

JMac · #10 (**permalink**) 11-03-2003, 10:51 PM

Mikmik - !!!!
That's exactly what happened to me - except I was on the receiving end and... replace your partner's nose with my eye! I didn't even have time to blink! It was surprisingly - unsafe.

Greyhawk - I haven't seen you at the finals - is it the notorious underfunding all our Olympic athletes receive?
:-)

Rocky - I thought it was the safest sport, too. I was misinformed.

And as you can all see, it is Monday night - and I am not at badminton. Maybe it's the cold walk there - maybe I'm a little birdie shy. I've never had a keyboard related accident. Maybe a touch of carpal tunnel here and there but that's the extent of it.
Walking - I'll stick to walking.

JMac

rocky1 · #11 (**permalink**) 11-03-2003, 11:16 PM

Well... Rocky has had more than one fishing partner, but only one that would fall into the category MikMik suggests above. In fact Rocky won't even write stories about that partner for the RTFI website, because no one would believe them! The stories there are based upon factual events so folks can relate to them, even if they are slightly embellished. Not to mention stories regarding said partner could cause me to incurr certain liabilities from people falling out of their chairs, in fits of laughter, thus sustaining injury on account of my stories!

I mean if I was to tell you we went to the lake backed the boat in, and had to have the truck pulled out by the Corps of Engineers' staff with the Government skidsteer loader you might believe that, and not think much of it. But... if I was to tell you that we had to push it off in a crowded parking lot and yell at someone to run over and throw a rock under the tire to keep the truck from rollin' in the lake whilst we loaded the boat the next day, with 60 other teams standing around the parking lot shaking their heads, you'd find that one a little tougher to believe, and picturing such a fiasco you might be inclined to chuckle a little. Especially considering we were both about half sloshed by this time, which made pushing this thing off, jumping in, getting it in gear, and dumping the clutch a bit of challenge to begin with. Which was only surpassed by the other half drunk feller trying to get out from behind the truck we was pushing, before getting run over by the boat trailer when she fired off! It was a might close believe me.

But.... if I were to further tell you, he carried it to the shop on Monday and they said they found a starter bolt missing and they put another one in and had it fixed, and the next time we backed the boat in the water, two days later, we had to have the State Park staff pull the truck out again. You might be inclined to understand how Mik might have a bit of a tough time topping this one. Which that in itself wouldn't have been bad except we were out of town for the week at a fishing tournament, and the knothead wouldn't take it to the shop over there, so we spent the entire week parking on hillsides so we could push the truck off! And, then he elected to load the boat in the midst of 250 teams standing there at weigh-in wondering, "What is that guy doing standing there holding that big rock over at the boat ramp?!"

I told him the only government agency we missed at the lake that week, was Game & Fish and I expected them to have to pull the boat off to start it at any time!

Suffice to say I got tired of trying to drive out of crowded parking lots whilst hiding my head below the dash so no one would know who I was, and I found a partner with a more dependable vehicle and boat to Tournament fish with!

The Dock Repair story is even better yet however! Let's just say the first swing with the sledge hammer missed the post it was supposed to be reinstalling after spring thaw, and hit the lake instead, and the goof ball was pretty much soaked! I was doubled over in fits of laughter on the sidelines watching this happen, whilst he spit and sputtered out there on the dock, teetering on the edge of falling overboard, as it wasn't just real stable at the time. The second swing he aimed much truer and that one hit the post squarely, which it then immediately turned loose from the remainder of the dock, under his weight, dropping the end of the dock and the guy with the sledge hammer in the lake, head first, sledgehammer and all!

Rocky was at this point, rolling in the grass, with tears in his eyes he was laughing so hard! It took several minutes to regain my composure after that one, as he was having a bit of a tough time trying to get out of the lake and back on the lopsided dock with the chest waders on, and full of water. Had it been deep I'd have been worried, but we're only talking waste deep here guys... Them waders just don't work well, when you go head first in the drink. I finally told him, why don't you just walk out of there, rather than try and get back up on that dock! He thought for moment decided that would be easier, then decided to fix the dock first, wherein he immediately missed the post all over again, water shooting 10 - 12 feet in the air, and I about died over on the sidelines!

And, thats' just the tip of the iceberg, I could go on for days, on this guy! Nobody else will fish with him; I just have so much fun laughing at him I can't help it. Folks ask me why I put up with him, and I just shake my head and tell them, you got try it some time to understand, you've never laughed so damn much in your life!

I just can't imagine MikMik being any worse!

Rocky

minstrel · #12 (**permalink**) 11-03-2003, 11:56 PM

Well, first, it's been a long time since I've heard anyone call someone a "knothead"...

But, more importantly, tell me... how long have you been having these... well, let's call them "dreams"... about icebergs and trucks and smacking docks with sledge hammers? And is MikMik usually in the "dream"? or is he more of an innocent bystander?

rocky1 · #13 (**permalink**) 11-04-2003, 01:33 AM

Haven't seen MikMik in any yet, but you can obviously understand now why I don't write about Stan, the former tournament partner! I can't imagine what the day might be like if you put the two of them together! That could be down right spooky!

Rocky

mikmik · #14 (**permalink**) 11-04-2003, 01:41 AM

Well, c'mon rocky, finish the story. Did you guys win the tournament?

Dreams in which mikmik appears are technically known as "night terrors".

Thanks for sticking up for me, rocky1. I only dream of being that 'talented' but I had to quit drinking when my liver just up and ran away one day.

rocky1 · #15 (**permalink**) 11-04-2003, 01:53 AM

Uh... nope! We did place third in the smaller one on one occasion, and fifth once, and about ninth once I believe it was. As for the big tournament, we contributed faithfully to two or three until I switched partners. Then we contributed faithfully!

Actually I and the current partner have gotten close to the pay window a time or two! Unfortunately they never had a check with our name on it when we got there.

Tournament fishing is about 20% skill, and 80% luck. It's just like regular fishing only you get to do it in the ugliest weather imaginable. Folks be sitting all over shore saying, "Those guys are #*^~ing' nuts!"

It takes a special breed to tournament fish. When you're sittin' in the middle of the lake surrounded by thunderstorms, and reach down to pick up your rod and it snaps you, kinda like draggin your feet across new carpet and grabbin' a doorknob, and your only response is, "I think we need to move partner, we aren't gettin bit here." Then you know you've made the grade.

Rocky

JMac · #16 (**permalink**) 11-04-2003, 12:12 PM

So now - what IS the safest sport?
Which sports should I subtly poison the kids against?
Fishing is out for sure - hooks in the eye ...
Badminton - same
Hockey - I'm NOT getting up that early to drive to the ice rink
Baseball - sure... they could qualify for the Expos next year! hahahah :-)
Gymnastics - well... well... well... (three holes in the ground) I don't know about this one. Seems cheap - relatively safe with the exception of chiropractic bills and therapy...
How about team sports vs solo sports?

Minstrel - what did your kids do for sport?
Rocky - I think I already know but tell me anyway!!!
Mikmik - drinking is not a sport (until you do it right)
Greyhawk - when it's not stormy - is the surfing still good there? Now, for a sport, surfing CAN be expensive but once you do the initial cash outlay - you're sailing... no, wait... surfing!

JMac

Sammi290 · #17 (**permalink**) 11-04-2003, 12:24 PM

Hi JMac,

I have 2 teenage sons (13 & 11) both play golf and skateboard in summer, ski/snowboard in the winter, and my youngest plays touch football in the fall..

While I do not want to say these sports are the 'safest'but I can truthfully tell you (touch wood) we have been ok so far...

Oh and they always (so they say ...) wear their helmets/protective gear when skiing, snowboarding and skateboarding...

Hope that helps...lol

Sam

rocky1 · #18 (**permalink**) 11-04-2003, 12:56 PM

uhhh.... Given mother's stated propensity for injury at seemingly safe and innocent sports.... might I recommend Chess or Checkers! Cyber of course, so they don't swallow the pieces and choke on them! }:~)

Rocky

JMac · #19 (**permalink**) 11-04-2003, 01:27 PM

NOW we're talking, Rocky!
Checkers - chess... that's the stuff. Except for the hazings in high school. (That's what you call bullying, right?) But, that makes playing online a great idea! My almost-4-year-old loves online games so much, she's my top reviewer at Mostly Mommies. And except for the fact that she deletes my work at random ("NO!! Don't click.... okay... oh my... oh cr*p..." maybe she inherited that, too!) she's pretty awesome with a computer already. If I can get her hooked on chess instead of ScoobyDoo, well, therein lies the issue, eh?
Will online games ever become an acceptable activity for kids though? All I hear is, "get them outside" and I do, of course.

Now, I don't remember what I started talking aboot but...
http://www.canada.com/vancouver/stor...C-3B335394976B

We aren't ALL wild here in BC but apparently, some people still live in the bush, off the grid, all year round. What are those kids doing for sports??? Hunting! Fishing! All that self-reliant, good stuff.

I digress and ramble - got to run - oh wait, that's not a good idea for me now, is it?

JMac

carju1 · #20 (**permalink**) 11-04-2003, 02:48 PM

Well of the sports listed by Sammi- Golf is definately not the safest. I've played since I was 12 and been hit by more flying golf bals and clubs than I care to remember - plus the dodge the lightening games. The good side is they have all only been bruises apart from one time I got knocked unconcious.

OK OK I'll tell. There I was (must have been about 16 at the time) standing on the 5th tee at my old club driver in hand. Cracking swing, whack stright up the middle. Only problem was that the 5th was a funny hole about 20 yards in the middle in front of the competiton tee was a large old Oak tree (protected couldn't be cut down and it managed to dodge the lightening). Ball hits tree at umpteen hundred miles an hour, I start to curse then realise that it has hit the tree dead square on and is return to me at umpteen hundred mph. Turn to duck and twack, right on the temple. Woke up a minute or so later and I was really annoyed because touching your own ball in play is a two shot penalty and I had a good round started.

Julian

Greyhawk · #21 (**permalink**) 11-04-2003, 02:55 PM

JMac here is my list of sports

1 Rugby to toughen them up.
2 Ballroom Dancing to teach them Grace (but this can actually become a very physical sport in higher levels including a full contact sport. I have seen it happen.)
3 Martial arts to teach them discipline.
4 Surfing to teach them humility
5 Badminton to teach them the value of safety equipment.

The surfing here is actually better in the winter, and in the storms you get bigger waves, and can alway rent equipment to see if it is truely a sport for you.

Greyhawk

JMac · #22 (**permalink**) 11-04-2003, 02:55 PM

Julian - so you're saying we should wear full protective gear (a la hockey goalie style) for any and all sports?

I'll bet dollars to donuts that GreyHawk would find ballroom dancing in gear quite cumbersome.

JMac