November Polo Trip!?

Some of you know, some of you don't, all will soon enough, that some of the bike polo crew have decided that November will be the biggest bike polo social club outing to date and we want you to tag along, if you can of course. Mo, myself, and several other clubbers want to take an extended road trip of the Midwest, Northeast, and of course, the Dirty South to play polo, meet new friends, visit new friends, play polo, ride our bikes, and see things we've never seen before! Mo started a discussion on bikepolo.ca to get the word out and see if anyone is willing to hook us up with rooms, places to play, etc. This should be our main base of operations for this trip, our blog will update you all from time to time, but the full discussion should happen on here!

I think this is going to be a blast! And to help get it going a little, Mo and I talked briefly about having a party, selling shirts, and how about a bake sale all to raise some funds for us on our trip! This will ensure we don't get stuck on the road somewhere unable to return to our beloved ATXBPSC!

So with all that said, WHO'S COMING WITH US, and who has some ideas?

-ooh ooh I do I do, going along with the shirt idea, since it was already in the back of my mind, here are a couple of designs I created in the last couple of weeks, would you buy a shirt like this? and if so will you buy one?:

That's what I've got so far. If you are interested in any of these let me know and I'll start getting everything set up to make some shirts. Have some other ideas? I'd love to hear them, just let me know! Until next time, ciao!

Sunday is coming...

Clown Dog is hosting a BMX JAM at 2:00 p.m., which you might know is the time that bike polo officially begins, but no-one, except Wes and I, show up at that time so I'm gonna go over to Clown Dog and check out some BMX action before polo starts, so if you show up, and read this, come check out Clown dog for a bit instead. Polo will begin sometime after when more people show up.

Rumors

So I heard from a fellow co-worker that there are some peeps who still play bike polo in H-town, Chris what's up?, and some if not all go to school here, but just haven't come out to play with us yet... now I wonder why that is. Aren't we friendly enough, welcoming enough, don't we get our message out enough.... well apparently not!

So our mission is to get anyone from Texas who has played bike polo before or is interested in playing bike polo to come forward and play with us and our club! Easy enough, now peeps get to work!!!

TEXAS WHERE YOU AT?!

San Marcos?
San Antonio?
Houston?
Dallas / Fort Worth?
College Station?
Any other city in Texas?

It's Thursday....

You know what that means!!


Just saw this, has some good info for everyone.

Radball

...but officer...

Tuesday Night

meet at the capitol at midnight!! don't forget to bring a mallet if you got one, I'll bring a few extra and a ball or two!

B-L-OO-D

Oh and check this out... I just got a bunch of balls in the mail, 24 to be exact! Finally! It only took 2 extra weeks due to FedEX losing the first package, damn you FedEX. I know some of you want some balls, (because you're lacking your own, ha, sorry), so I'm selling these to y'all for 3 bucks. That'll cover the shipping and handling and cost of the balls! Let me know on Sunday or on here if you want one!

European Hardcourt Championships

This has nothing to do with Polo

Miguel, looks like some bike fag wants to have sex with your girl.... or something like that... click the link and scroll down a bit. I'm not sure what this is but our friend Chris sent it to me via email. Some blog entry entitled, Do I have to live in a big city to be a True Bike Fag... where Annie's picture, below, made it onto another blog!

Cousins Brothers Sorted Out...

Ha, no that is not me in the previous post. I was on the side next to the Russian immigrant (a 50+ year old with a sweet track bike riding fixed in Spokane) taking the video. That is my brother Reese (in the cycling cap) who turned me on to bike polo. The Pullman/Moscow club started playing some time last spring. This year they went up to Spokane and got polo going there as well. The Spokane club is in its infancy, but like us they love the game and are eager to play when they have enough people. A lot of the players in both clubs are college students and were out of town when I visited, thus the two on two games. All in all it was great fun, especially playing in the rain! That added a whole new dimension to the game. The best part of the trip was scoring 21 ski poles for new mallets! By the way if you used one to build a mallet please spot Rob $5 for the pole and $5 for the tubing, if you haven't done so already. We are using the funds for new balls, beer, a polo bike for Jimmy/Max :), etc. That's funny Rob, I called you and left a message after that game at precisely the same time you were breaking your wrist...actually that's not funny, I'm glad your healed up. Watch out for the wheelie shot! Jordan has already got it down.

It's Thursday already?? !!

Damn time flies when you're having fun, right, or at least that's the saying. I can't believe it's already Thursday again, I feel like it was just Monday, yesterday. So you know what that means, POLO DAY TODAY YAY! (say that as one word, it's more fun) Cyrus will again bring the equipment out to Eastwoods at or around 5:30 p.m. I will be at work, but I'll try and make it down on my break, assuming I get one, to play a couple of games like I did last week. And speaking of Cyrus, I know he was in Washington State in the Month of June, and I just came across this video on YouTube of some Bike Polo in Spokane Washington on June 21st of this year, the same day I broke my wrist... and someone very similar to Cyrus is playing... could it be Cyrus, well Cyrus, is it you?



And speaking of our buddies, after I watched that last video, I stumbled across this one... which shows our good friend Mike the Butcher playing on his home turf in D.C., he's just in the background and there are some shots of him on the court and falling, but the video is entertaining and fun, so watch it.

News on bike polo

I always like to see this kind of stuff, it's neat to see where and how other people think about and play bike polo, this time it's in Vermont!

The Onion A.V. Club Austin

Hey I forgot about this, but The Onion's A.V. Club here in Austin did a little piece on us in their "We be clubbin'" series the week before the tournament, and it went online Saturday during the tournament, so without further ado here is the link...

I'm ready!!

New bike, new brake, new tires, new bionic wrist and I'm finally ready! Thanks Todd for the frame, it worked out perfectly!

This is my third bike specifically meant for polo, second time with a brake and I think this one will be my favorite! It's ready and I'm ready! Who want's to play?

Midnight guerrilla polo tonight anyone?
(Tuesday the 18th)

Location should be at some parking garage or some other place with lights! North side, south side, east, west let me know! I'm down!

another video

Bored? Well watch these... this video kind of irritates me with the stop motion, but it's a good one to watch, our friend Mike the Butcher is in there... wouldn't it be nice to have some boards like that?

On the court with D.C. bike polo from NPR Interns on Vimeo.

This is sort of a documentary of Bike Polo... and a small court, ha.

Eugene Hardcourt Bike Polo from Ian M. Summers on Vimeo.

Is it Sunday yet???

Sunday Polo will be at EASTWOODS PARK at or around 2 p.m.

Lookin' forward to it, see y'all there!

Thursday Today Polo Today

It's Thursday and we are back at good ol' EASTWOODS PARK! Metz was fun, but I'm not bringing those boards out everyweek and I think y'all don't want to have to ride so far, except for a few who live close by. Either way, our usual spot is calling for us... I'm sure no one has used those tennis courts since we've been gone... so it's time to pick-up games again at Eastwooods. Bring your bikes, mallets, if you got 'em, and Cyrus will bring the rest.

Also, our friend K from Kurban Trash Co. has requested that you bring any and all broken foot straps, plastic bags, velcro, thread, and stencils to pick up as she is going to be making some top tube pads that'll hold a polo mallet.... pretty f-n sweet if you ask me. You know you want and need one... or two! So do it and she'll sell to us all for real cheap!

I hope to make it out during my work break so y'all better be there playing! Ciao!

oh and here is some video from this past tournament weekend! Thanks Miguel, you just can't keep them wheels lookin' good! ha

bike polo tournament-austin texas from miguel reyes on Vimeo.

Tournament Results!

How about that for a weekend of polo... I've got a bunch of stats I want to post up for the curious and dorky, like me, not to mention the results... but first off I want to say I had a really good time watching all you guys play some really intense polo. I hope you all had as much fun as I did. I know the competition was fierce, and I expected that coming into the tourney, but I hope even though there were some close calls, some rough plays, and some heated rivalries you all still managed to have fun and make some new friends in the process. I also hope you were taking some mental notes and learning a few new strategies in the process, as well as really feeling what it means to play with a team and as a team. For those who played thank you so much for coming out and playing, it was all well worth the effort.

Ok so here are the stats:

There were a total of 47 games played over 2 days. The first days play consisted of 26 round robin games, and I have to apologize for not having that as organized as I could have, I know some of you all didn't get to play all the teams, while a few got to play most, we also ran out of time, so we had to cut it short... but 26 games ain't bad, and I know most of you got in at least 5 or 6, which worked out perfectly to set up the Double Elimination bracket, I feel like the teams were seeded very appropriately. Day 2 had 21 games completing the Double Elim. with 2 Final games. Damn were they intense...

11 teams played the final day which means there were 33 of you all playing. I believe all but 1 or 2 scored a goal at some point in the tourney, but I won't call out who didn't, but I know who you are, ha!

There were 109 goals scored the first day and 130 goals scored the second day!

The first day we only had 6 out of 26 games go all the way to 5 points, remember they were timed.
The second day we had 14 out of 21 go all the way to 5 points, and all but the final 3 matches were timed...
The first day had 9 shut outs, while the second day only had 3, pretty amazing actually.
Jeff from New Orleans repping team Squid Ink had the top goals scored with 31 goals, I know we said it was 33 after the tourney, but it was counted wrong, he still beat the second top goal scorer, which was Jordan from ATX repping Team YSYFWM, by a long shot with 17 goals scored... simply amazing, there were 6 others right behind with 14 and 12 goals scored.

Ok and now about the teams: (in order of seed)

1. Jumbo Cookies - Ryan (pcola) Frazer (Mobile) and Paul (Nola)
2. Squid Ink - Jeff (Nola) Will (Nola) and Mike (DC)
3. Brolo - Colin, Travis, and Dave (Baton Rouge)
4. Hammerhead - Owen, Miguel, and Cyrus (Austin)
5. Backstabbers - Casey, Israel, and Chris (Austin)
6. Black tits - Adam, Max, and Ryan (Denver)
7. You shut your fat whore mouth - Jordan, Dan, Ben (Austin)
8. Dark horse - Keith, Daniel, and Nic (Austin)
9. Titties - Andy, Chris, and Daniel (Austin) and eventually Mark (Baton Rouge)
10. Ball busters - Elise and Kristina (Austin) with Rahja (Denver)
11. Fast folks - Annie, Mo, and Jasmine (Austin)

Team Jumbo Cookies took 1st place with only 1 loss the entire weekend.
Team Squid Ink took 2nd place with 3 losses the entire weekend.
Team HammerHead took 3rd place.
Team Backstabbers took 4th.
Teams YSYFWM and Brolo tied for 5th place.

And of course I would post the Bracket, don't want y'all thinking I keep secrets...


We also had several side events that happened in between some of the games. There was a Mallet toss, thanks Ahlee for the suggestion, which Keith from ATX won by only a few feet. The footdown comp was won by Ryan from Denver. We also had a skip race, thanks to Jasmine for the suggestion, which was won by Chris from ATX. The best crash award went to Jasmine for getting nailed in the eye by a mallet, gashing it open pretty good. And the Farthest travelling team came from Denver, so they all got something for that.

And of course I would like to thank Jeanette and Brian from the ATX Bicycle Film Festival for helping us out and allowing us to do our first bike polo tournament during the festivities. I would also like the thank some of our wonderful sponsors, whom without their support we would not have been able to provide the wonderful prizes we gave out.

Owen from Hammerhead Bikes here in Austin, who also played in the tourney!!

Russel from Psychlist right here in Austin!!


Kay from Kurban Trash Co, who makes some of the coolest recycled product bags and pouches out there, also a good polo player, from right here in Austin!!

Empire BMX, also from Austin!!

Natalie from Fast Folks, who had a team repping in the tourney, also here in Austin!!

And of course the guys from Urban Velo!!






This is my favorite picture so far
next to this one



no no... this is my favorite by far, Paul your wheel cover is so obscene!
hahahahahahaha

Mallet toss

Untitled from Adam Sampson on Vimeo.

THE polo pic of all polo pics.

You guys don't want to know how many pics I've come away with after this weekend, it's pretty bad. I figure though that while I sift through them and delete a couple hundred I'll give you a taste of whats to come by posting just one. Better than a pic of the winning team or even the pic of Cyrus flying through the air after T-boning Israel is this...

Proof that Jasmine bleeds polo.

Join the mailing list, y'all

Ahoy!
In case you want to be virtually updated via email, then here, click this here link. Hear hear!
Also, email the group at :
atxbpsc at googlegroups dot com

See you on the court,
-ATXBPSC safety committee

Confusion Resolved?

Ok, so I apologize for not making everything crystal clear about the tournament. I will try to here...

Registration for the tournament will be from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday Morning
the fee will be $15 per team - that's $5 a person and it covers both days. This will buy us some food and drinks as we need them throughout the two days.

Saturday's play will be round robin style, with pick up mixed in here and there... if you choose to miss a game or two on Saturday it won't knock you out of the tournament. It will only lower your seeding for Sunday's Double Elimination round. I am going to rank each team based on the amount of wins or losses they have for a Double Elimination bracket for Sunday's play.

Sunday will begin at 12 p.m. again, there is no new registration or fee,
The double elimination round will begin with the top seeds playing the lower seeds
each time a team loses they will be put in the losers bracket, unless they are already there
and the winners will continue in the winners bracket
I will hopefully have this drawn up very big for everyone to see as we go along...
And so it is possible for the winner of the loser's bracket to play the winner of the winner's bracket and come out on top and win the tournament.

It's double elimination, so 2 losses and your out, otherwise you keep playing.

So that's everything, if you plan on doing the race or going to some other events, let me know you do intend to play in the tournament and I will put your team down and you can pay the registration fee when you get there. I assume there will be time to leave and come back on Saturday if you'd like to go to some of the other events.
You don't have to play Saturday if you don't want, but again, you will just be seeded at the bottom for Sunday and will start off playing the best team from Saturday. And you'll miss out on all the fun! Just let me know in advance that you are playing if you won't be there to register before noon on Saturday. call me, text me, whatever - 512.423.5008 give me a team name and the members, thanks y'all!

All The Faces Of Polo.

Lookin good people...

Tournament Week

The Tournament is THIS SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. Registration starts around 11 a.m. and games will begin at Noon. Please come early and register your team and pay the 15 $ so I can get the bracket all together before we need to start playing. Sunday play will begin at noon again, and I'll have the brackets ready for that. The tournament will be round robin style on Saturday and we will use the results from Saturday to seed the teams for Sunday's double elimination. So that means on Sunday two losses and you're out! This two day tournament should give everyone a good amount of play, we want y'all to play as much as possible. We have teams traveling in from several different places and want them to get in as much play as possible with our Austin club.

We'll have some food and some drinks available. We'll also hopefully have some seating available so we don't have to stand the whole time.... ummm what else.... oh and if you guys have the time or the energy get some team uniforms together... a unifying shirt or something so you look like a team. It will make things easier for the spectators who don't understand the chaos. And tell your friends and family to come watch... it should be a lot of fun. We will also do some side games and activities to get the spectators involved and keep things fun and not too serious. Have fun!!!

Polo Pics.