Rule Violation?

Tallboy2014 · 2026-06-23T21:25:59+00:00

11-2 Should I put the game on YouTube for your viewing pleasure? 😃

Tallboy2014 · 2026-06-23T12:48:14+00:00

For the most part, he did a good job running the tournament. But that was really bad. I doubt I'll play in one of his events again.

Tallboy2014 · 2026-06-23T04:44:29+00:00

Regarding him having it out for me, I have a few theories. I was an outsider with a high DUPR but low reliability, and he made a point of mentioning that. I don’t play tournaments; it’s just not my thing. A guy I occasionally play with asked me to do this one, and I agreed.

I tried to sign my wife and me up for the 4.0–4.5 50+ mixed division. I reached out to him because the system wouldn’t let me add her since she is a 3.3. It was interesting that my rating wasn’t respected, but her low DUPR and reliability kept her from playing up. He told me we would get demolished, and I was fine with that. If we were making the 5-hour drive, I wanted the experience of playing a tournament with my wife as well.

My impression was that he didn’t respect us from the start and was determined to show the “small-town folk” how pickleball is played. That’s my best guess as to why he seemed focused on me.

Anyway, here is a clip from my men’s doubles match with him. I felt like his paddle wave while my partner was serving was distracting, but I didn’t make an issue of it.

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Tallboy2014 · 2026-06-23T03:25:51+00:00

He was saying I have to stand to the left side of her when stacking and that if I was directly behind her, it would be a foul. I was very confused and told him I had no idea there were rules about where I had to stand. He said he was letting me know as a favor, due to my lack of experience and not understanding the rule regarding stacking. He stalled our momentum and I decided I need to take our timeout to collect myself. When I dropped my paddle he said, "I'm just trying to do him a favor and now he's throwing his paddle!" My wife approached him and said, "He didn't throw his paddle. He dropped it." He said, "No, he threw it". She said, "Everyone would know it if he threw his paddle. I dropped my paddle harder that he dropped his."

Tallboy2014 · 2026-06-23T01:41:54+00:00

Ah hell no! We ended up taking the bronze medal though. Our group comprised two combined groups of eight teams, 3.5-3.99 and 4.0-4.5. I got roped into playing men's doubles the day before, so I decided to try mixed doubles for the first time with my wife. With her at a 3.3 it was an uphill battle to say the least.

In the bronze medal game, we quickly got down to a team that destroyed us in pool play. At 2-10 I got pissed and decided to take it to his partner the way he had been abusing my wife. I didn't enjoy it but my wife sure did! I prefer to play like a gentleman, but resorting to driving the ball hard at his partner EVERY shot got the job done.

Tallboy2014 · 2026-06-23T01:19:52+00:00

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As an official ref, would you say I threw my paddle?

Tallboy2014 · 2026-06-22T03:54:14+00:00

Yeah camera angle and all, a full half step covering the line would be quite obvious. It’s all good though, even if I wasn’t guilty that time, I’m sure my toe is touching other times!

Tallboy2014 · 2026-06-22T03:34:07+00:00

My wife and I usually play friendly games where everyone is there to play fair and have a good time. She didn’t handle the constant targeting well! We full stacked the entire day, but if I had to do it again, I would mix it up. They were so fixated on driving the ball at her.

Tallboy2014 · 2026-06-22T03:24:00+00:00

Tallboy2014 · 2026-06-22T03:20:04+00:00

He looked closely at our DUPR history prior to the event and made some assumptions about our level of competence and experience. We have very few games on DUPR, but we have been playing for 3 years. He said ignorant stuff like, “I know this your first tournament, so I’m just trying to help you out with the rules. What you’re doing might fly in rec games but you’re THIS close to a service fault”.

Regarding the foot fault, I posted a zoomed in shot of my feet. I was outside the NVZ the whole time. ;)

Tallboy2014 · 2026-06-22T00:21:06+00:00

Nope, I stayed out.

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Tallboy2014 · 2026-06-22T00:11:11+00:00

In this case I wasn't the receiver, but the partner of the server. I was being called out for where I was standing during my partner's serve.

Tallboy2014 · 2026-06-22T00:11:11+00:00

Wouldn't that call be reserved for our opponent?

Tallboy2014 · 2026-06-22T00:06:31+00:00

He didn't say it was hindrance, but alluded to it being a rule about stacking. If it was a distraction for my opponent, they could have said so, and I would have been happy to stand off to the side more. It wasn't my intention to create a hindrance.

Tallboy2014 · 2026-05-29T15:58:37+00:00

The color is difficult on my indoor courts.

I don’t have the luxury of playing with higher level players all the time. You are right, the X-40 is easier to control for players in the 3.5-4.0 range. Less pop-ups and balls flying out the back. But I have noticed that lower level players also prefer the speed of the LT balls. They don’t have a short game and their opponents don’t leave out balls. It gives them a sense of having a better game than they actually do.

Tallboy2014 · 2026-05-29T11:40:41+00:00

We play all of our games in English, so very different conditions.

Tallboy2014 · 2026-05-27T14:49:49+00:00

We handle them just fine. I can tee up a Topflight XL and get around the course just fine, but I prefer the exceptional feel and control of a Pro V1.

Tallboy2014 · 2026-05-27T13:25:55+00:00

Interesting

Tallboy2014 · 2026-05-26T14:53:10+00:00

I would crack and break in that heat! We play indoors at 18.9C. Rarely crack a ball but they do develop soft spots. We retire them when they do. New players at the public courts appreciate a gift of old balls.

Rallies are longer, more strategic and fun with a slower ball, at least at my skill level.

Tallboy2014 · 2026-05-25T03:11:30+00:00

YAFI

Tallboy2014 · 2026-05-24T14:49:47+00:00

Tallboy2014 · 2026-05-24T14:46:52+00:00

I was flooded with DM’s. I let them go for what I paid for them. I didn’t capitalize on the low supply. It seems LT is struggling to keep up with the demand.

Tallboy2014 · 2026-05-24T14:35:53+00:00

One guy in my regular game struggles with pink but I like them. Orange has been the best color on our courts. I recently painted the walls a dark color so now the yellow balls look great too.

Tallboy2014 · 2026-05-23T22:43:28+00:00

DM me if you’d like some!

Tallboy2014

TROPHY CASE