God, it's been a long time since I started a thread in this place. I'm describing doubles, so keep that in mind. It's one of those days: your badminton had been improving every week, you are slowly moving away from the frame-hitting days of yon; all drops fall before the service line as the opponents shook their head as both didn't see it coming, expecting a smash; your drives at the net catches the opponent out of position; your smashes unreturned; the cross net lifts killing off the game. Awesome time. But of course, along the way, your partner puts a couple of cross court drops, and the opposition pushes the bird deep down the tram, causing the loss of serve or points. You kept at it, catching the opponent who did it too, hoping your partner will see why you have been talking about 'as little crosscourt drops as possible'. Again, it happens but you were ok with, managed to save it via fluke reflex shot. No time to think about, the game went on. Again, when the shuttle should have been killed, it feel across your head to the other side of the net, catching you dead down the tram again. You tell him, "Try less of those - that guy is already waiting for you at the net". For a while it went well as you fought valiantly, winning point after point. But of course, there it came again, it floated slowly to the other side, and a quick cross net catches you out of position, stretching in vain for the falling bird. You thought, "What the?". The team wasn't in any pressure to return the shuttle, it was high and good to pounce on for the weak reply. You remember that your partner is pretty good at the game but for some reason, he just can't see that the attack must not cause trouble. Alas, you gave up and started to chase everything, got tired and shrugged when the score finished 13 - 15. During the packing up period, you spoke a bit to the guy to why it is not advisable to play like that in doubles. The other friend said that they were still learning - sorta to diffuse the potential blame game. "Hey, you guys played badminton longer than I have eaten salt", I said, giving up since they were once school players who humbled experienced adults for fun. And he barked back, "Of course, that says it all - don't that tell you there are things we know better". I was both and at that, wondering if I have actually taken things a little too seriously. Ego sets in and I replied, "Of course, don't that mean you really should know what I was talking about?". It takes two to tango, and we're not dancing to the same tune. To be honest, I wished I hadn't said anything. I drove home thinking that I must have contributed to some of the problems on the court, but then again, we weren't under pressure to make any errors but it still happens. And I was having a smashing (pun intended) time. What do you feel or think when things happen like this?
play against them instead i dunno..some people play to "show off" their shots, even though they are tactically suicide (but look *skillful*) maybe he was not thinking about the game, something else was distracting him? so that he wasn't keeping up with the game? nah...i'm sure u were right to voice your mind, otherwise he'd keep doing it
I've certainly been in similar situations myself. When I see a pattern emerging in a game, I try to talk to my partner DURING the game. That way they have a chance to correct it. The best pairs that I have played against are often the most communicative - they can point out errors, and pick each other up. However, I do that with a partner who I have played with for a long time and I know will react positively to such comments/advice. The dynamics between pairings can vary a lot - so what works for one may not for the next.
Getting Mad I used to play with a guy who yelled and scowled at me for making mistakes. (He was a more advanced player). After a while not many people liked to play with him, though he was a good player. He did give lots of advice though even if it was given in not so friendly a way. But because of his temper not many people are willing to listen or swallow it (And why should they?) In the end I improved a lot from it. After a while he learned to be more friendly and I started to suck again. Was it worth it? In my opinion: if you are not playing competitive badminton then no. There are better friendlier ways to go about it even if it's not as direct. I say buddy back up to your partner and try a different tactic. Who cares who's fault it was. You just wanna get better right?
Heh! One can always count on dramatic and interesting anecdotes from Wilfredlgf. It's good to be serious about the game. Afterall, only passionate players cared anyways. Pairing of players with varying degrees of passion is bound to frustrate. I feel that Wilfred's delivery of advice could have been less confronting, but it's totally understandable given his frustration with his partner repeatedly giving the edge to the other team. Commited partners could have just listen to one another's feedback with objectivity and analyse the games together. The common goal being to improve the partnership and their individual skills. But since this is a casual pairing of weekly competitive games (my assumption), there's no common goal other than to beat the other side. I find partnership of this nature far more difficult to enjoy.
yeah agree. ultimately whether a certain attitude is right depends on the level of competitiveness of the match and the passion in the players. no point yelling at someone who just wishes to wave his racquet like a baseball bat in a casual weekend game. it does get frustrating at times, but well, tolerance is a virtue ya?
You tend to see, or at least i do, what when playing a v friendly game, you can afford to use a bit of showmanship. I do, when im just playfully practising. If theres a shot that looks good, and i can do it reasonably well, why not try it? What have you got to lose? These are typically things like insane cross court drops or an extravagent backhander. Its all for the fun of the game, though of course i wouldnt use them in a competitive game unless i had to. This may be what the guy was doing.
Well, we do have our rights to voice our minds, but the "receiving end" also have theirs to say "i don't want to listen", right? I think to analyze a matter, we need to think about "being in both shoes", in order to be fair. Personally, I could get frustrated, if I see my partner makes mistakes, then, I might want to point it out. However, most time, I just try to hold it back. Because I will think, what about ppl come to me during a game, and say whatever I did was all wrong? Is that really going to help? Mostly, no. So, why bother. For whatever reason, if a partnership does not work out greatly, don't be mad at first. It takes 2 to tango. Say, my partner makes a lot of mistakes on his back court game. Then, I should ask myself, why I can't cover his back more effectively? If a stronger player can carry this guy to victory, but I can't, then, it's not fair to just blame on him. It always shows, I am not good enough yet, even if, I might be the better skilled one in the pair. There are do have individuals in my club I feel more like to play against rather than team up. However, the main reason is not because we hate each other or something, but more like our style/strength does not make a good pair. Therefore, to balace out the teams, and to get more fun out of the game, I will play against them instead. However, that's definitely NOT a case to prove, "who's goat from the previous game".
I have learned in life (not just Badminton), don't take things that are non-essential too seriously and you'll be much happier and probably live longer.
wow, r u part of me? or are u real? it happened the exact same thing to me yesterday and the score is 15-13 too!!!!
haaa...It's even get harder when you and your partner is not playing to your normal game rythm, but get sucked in to the opponent's rythm and cannot change playing rythm all that sudden. it's like u are used to play fast game and your opponent is playing slow game or vice versa and you're just not used to it. then if u are stuck at the wrong place. i.e u r a smshing player and get stuck at the net or not good with net but has to play net (I'm not that great either way, more like all rounder, but my net play is a little bit worse than the other :crying: )
"The mind is its own place and in itself, can make a Heaven of Hell, a Hell of Heaven." -John Milton, Paradise Lost
No offence man,but i can tell u something form my own experience that sometimes when you play against players who are of the same level or are slightly better it can sometimes happen that everything looks to be going smoothly ,it looks like you are going to win but eventually you end up losing just by one or two or just three points.While these maybe just one or two pts but if such things repeatedly happen ,i.e everything looks good and you end up losing just by an inch i think the lesson to be learned is that they are a still a level above you and that you have some catching up to do which the score may not suggested. Of course you can improve and beat them but beat them and outwit them in the crunch long pressure points and you yourself will be satisfied.So yeah the idea must not be to take things so seriously and try to win the game only but to realize where you stand against them[if u are of the same level then maybe it was just one of those days] and try to better them. And as you yourself had said you should not have said what you did.Anyway how did things go after that?Did you play against them again?
