I want to start this series of blog posts by saying I am completely uninspired to write. I think my expectations of blog suggestions were unrealistic. I think I expected to give my opinion on issues, or possibly something of importance. Instead I have what most blogs consist of…nothing. Don’t take offense to this statement, it’s just my opinion. Although in today’s climate, opinions are one of the most dangerous things you can have.

I began my Table Tennis (TT) career when I was probably 8 years old. Naturally being a Baptist kid, my first experience was at church. There sat the “Ping Pong” (PP) table next to the pool tables.

(Side note: To Baptists, pool tables are ok in the Fellowship Hall, but not so much in the Pool Hall down the street. This is an over generalization; and if you don’t like that I stereotyped Baptists this way then get your own blog and write your opinions.) {I’m in a feisty mood at present. This is honest and truthful. If you’re in the mood to read lies, see Glenn Beck.}

At the time I much preferred the Church’s scooters to the PP table. The scooters went fast, and I could run into other people. With PP, I couldn’t get a chance at the table because of all the college kids.

My TT experience from age 8 to age 20 is pretty bleak. Im sure I played on occasion at a youth camp, or High School retreat. Most likely I was terrible; and who isn’t? When you play only a few times a year, you don’t have much hope of getting better. It wasn’t until Crossroads that I really got my start.

Now Crossroads was the College group I was a part of in my illustrious Junior College years. In amongst all the wild Junior College antics (i.e. what to eat for lunch, should I go home to my parent’s house over my 4 hour break, bitchin’ about the weather) I learned to play what I now realized was called Table Tennis. PP was the term middle school kids used. TT is the proper term, and the only way to refer to the sport. The church where Crossroads made it’s home had 2 professional TT tables. These were $1,000 tables that were donated. (Side Note: Why do Mega Churches get all the crazy donations? Someone just had a few grand lying around and decided the youth department needed professional tables? Give me one of those tables. I’d use it to it’s full purpose …not as a buffet for youth events. I stray…)

Many days I’d find myself alone, practicing. There were several people there at what I like to call the Awakening. One such person was Steven Coley. There were many games played between us. Most times I lost, but sometimes I would squeak by with a victory. Steve is better than I am, and I attribute this to his skills at a tennis player. In fact, most of the people who were better than me played tennis. Some people just had natural talent.

As I think back I don’t think I was all that great. Consistent…maybe, but far from the best of the bunch. I feel like my role in the great TT awakening was the godfather of the table. I was more a promoter, not a player. Don’t get me wrong; I’d still play as much as I could. I was an ever-present mascot for a game that I had come to love. I found posters describing techniques and official rules, I bought my own paddles, and bought my own 3 star balls…I was committed.

I was so psyched about this new sport that Steve and I found the Pensacola Table Tennis Club. They meet once a week and it was open to anyone. We went a few times, and even brought some friends along. We quickly learned that we were out of our league. The guy who ran the club was a former Olympic player (at least that’s how I remember it. He may have only mentioned something about the Olympics, but in my mind he played there.) Things were going great for this new sport of mine.

At one point I organized a Crossroads TT tournament. I had sign-ups, and made out a tournament tree. I can’t remember if it was double elimination or not, but I just remember pumping it up to the greatest thing to hit the church since the Flag procession. (You know what flags I’m talking about. The big banners with the names of Jesus on them.) I feel like after the Crossroads tournament my TT life went downhill. I don’t remember playing that much, and eventually I moved here to Tallahassee (AKA the TT desert).

Tallahassee has little to offer a former TT promoter. I feel like Don King would feel if he found out boxing was made illegal. I’m not saying I’m Don King, no wait…Maybe I AM saying I’m Don King. I’ve had my heyday and now Im in the doldrums of my TT life. If I don’t have a resurrection soon, I may lose all my skills.

I see myself sitting on my porch and telling my kids of the times dad was a player. How I used to inspire people to play a sport they thought was goofy, or just a kids game. I’ll spin tales of victories, and epic defeats. How in ’05 I got a splinter and was out of commission for a whole 3 days. All these things are a very real possibility. A possibility I hope never comes true.

I am in the process, albeit a slow process, to build my own TT table. I’d make it an outdoor table because my wife would not allow it in our living room. I hope my plans of this table come true. If so, then maybe the great TT promoter/inspirer will rise again to former glory. Tallahassee you better watch out…Stiga and Butterfly may soon be in your vocabulary.