4th Biannual Midwest Bike Polo Champeenships

This is the 4th tourney in a two year span.

jonny

No. This is actually the beginning of the third year of the tournament. Fall 06, Spring 07, Fall 07, and now Spring 08.

What I’m about to say does NOT reflect the majority opinion of the Bike Polo players I’ve talked to in the Midwest and will make me look like even more of a prick than making fun of Adam’s haircut did:

The Mid West is fractured and enormous. The longest axis between polo plying cities I know about around here (Lexington, KY to Minneapolis, MN) would be a 13 hour drive. The previous runnings of the BIMWBPC’s were pretty much just 3 teams each from Madison, Milwaukee, Chicago, and one defferent team from further out each time. This year, because of mad outreach on line and in real life we stand to get a coupla teams in from 7-10 cities, most of whom have only been playing for a year or two, and for whom this would be their first big tournament.
I don’t have the power or the desire to exclude other, non Mid Western cities from coming to Madison. Especially given the generosity they’ve all showed to us through invites to East, North, Northwest, etc contests. But I admit that I would feel pretty terrible if the NYC A team took home the Mid West Cup. I want to say “give us some time to develop our league” but I don’t want to be an exclusivist, protectionist, regionalist, jerk.

So, in true passive-aggressive Midwest style: If you can find two others and cheap tickets (look at flying into Milwaukee or Chicago and getting a ride to Madison) you will be welcomed with open arms. But don’t knock yourself out trying to make it happen.

fuck that, we can take any of you coasties. we DARE you to come. we’ll destroy you in the Thunderdome and then make love to you in our homes.

you should be able to find one-stop flights for about $200 if you scrounge around, try Midwest Airlines among others.

I understand where Lucky is coming from and partially agree. We have been shown open arms and generousity by other regions. And believe you me it is appreciated here in MKE. I welcome anyone who really wants to make it out here to play. I think the stongest point that Lucky refers to is that the Midwest has been playing with a so-called “beach ball”-(Corey the courier) and just since this fall have been moving more and more to the small ball. In Milwaukee we have been playing small ball 2x a week since November…hoping to eventually show up and make a run at the Worlds and ESPIS and Northsides final rounds. I would like to point out that MBPC was able to win 4 games at the NSPI last labor day with using wooden angled mallets and having played with the small ball less than a handful of times before that..and our skills have vastly improved since then if i do say so myself.

Welcome everyone …but don’t just think you’ll come in here and wipe the floor with us..MKE can put up a tough challenge.. although we’d rather just whoop on Madison and take stop the 4 peat from happening

-Jake

OK, so based on these last comments the Midwest is bipolar, has terrible manners and a shitty fashion sense but can they play polo?

Are we going or are we staying home?

Where in the above post did we mention out fashion sense? Need I remind you that probably half to two thirds of your 20 and 30 something fabulous and trend setting friends there in New York City were born and raised in the Midwest.

Once again, the following is only me talking. This opinion is not representative.

You’re welcome if you can get here, it would be beyond my authority (I have none for this tourney) and downright rude of me to say you couldn’t. As I hinted at above, it makes me cringe a little to think that battle hardened, ESPI and NSPI experienced, never played anything but little beirut hardcourt NYC bike polo teams would roll all over our motley Midwest patchwork of crews. Some of whom have no tournament experience. Some of whom have less than a year with the small ball. Some of whom have been playing on grass (and loving it). Then again, it may be just the kick we need to strengthen our league, systematize our rule set, and get us competitively focused.

The small small ball. Kiss it or shut the fuck up.

The A-Team has been broken up and will only be reunited in exhibition games…or until our fans demand a reunion tour.

we demand a reunior tour

Stop it, i’m blushing.

He’s lying. I’ve never known Ange to blush, he loves the attention

Coasties, coasties, of West and East! Attend! Attend! You are ever so welcome, says I the Midwest diplomat!

But don’t sleep (especially maya704. Kiss,kiss) cause the Midwest been workin’ out, ya heard? We LOVE Beirut! And those who don’t….well…..

Doug’s in. Do any other east-siders dare follow, or will he be repping his hometown of Dayton, OH?

P.S. Ben never talks like that in real life. I think that must’ve been a drunk post.

ticket from NYC or Boston to MKE, if your sched is a bit flexible: $175 with midwest air. do it!