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The annual departmental Olympic Games has begun. Badminton's the first event and the quarterfinal rounds were held today.
My team doesn't really have any superb badminton players, given that they think I am their best hope. HA. HA.
Do not equate being passionate with being skillful. Just because I like it doesn't mean I am good. I freely admit that I am mediocre, it's the truth and my ego doesn't need empty boosting. Badminton just happens to be a sport that I don't suck as much as the other sports. =)
Unfortunately, the team competing against us does have a superb badminton player that we know of. I am a realist, if the team assumed I was their best hope, then we do not have a chance in single match. I made that plainly known to the team.
As we need to win at least two out of three to proceed to semifinal, and the three matches being one single and two doubles, our chance was in the double matches, in the hope that the opponent would pair the superb player with someone who we could capitalise on. That's assuming there's no other superb badminton player in the opponent team that we are unaware of.
The best case scenario for us would be if the opponent superb player was in mixed double, leaving the men's double to others, then I would say it's 50-50 (him being in single is a given).
Well, if the opponent was wise, they would put the superb player in single and men's double (with their second best player) to ensure their best chance of winning.
That was exactly what the opponent did. Well, I would too if I were them, so kudos for playing strategically and winning!
Since there's no published rules before the competition coupled with the dictatorial style the committee is running this Olympic Games, rules were created on a whim so somehow it's okay for the opponent team to compete even though they only have three players, they simply recycled their players. Meaning we ended up having our mixed double (which was fantastic!) against their weaker men's double, and our men's double against their stronger men's double.
The results? Erm... let's just say we are taking the first step in fulfilling the "Last" Olympians promise. =P
Well, I am not saying that we would win if we stuck to the original team formation, but I do think we would have a better chance of at least winning one match if we did. Instead of a whitewash.
I have no problem taking one for the team, so when the captain told me there's a change of plan and asked me to go be the sacrificial lamb in the single match, I duly did so. Thanks for all the cheering even though we all know there was not a fat chance! No worries, I am a realist without ego issue and in truth I believe.
I just didn't realised that being the 'best hope' was also so expendable, all for saving the captain's face.
There is having fun while winning, and there's having fun while losing. Given choice I prefer the former.
Maybe, just maybe, the captain will put what's best for the team before himself in the coming events.
We can always hope.
That was exactly what the opponent did. Well, I would too if I were them, so kudos for playing strategically and winning!
Since there's no published rules before the competition coupled with the dictatorial style the committee is running this Olympic Games, rules were created on a whim so somehow it's okay for the opponent team to compete even though they only have three players, they simply recycled their players. Meaning we ended up having our mixed double (which was fantastic!) against their weaker men's double, and our men's double against their stronger men's double.
The results? Erm... let's just say we are taking the first step in fulfilling the "Last" Olympians promise. =P
Well, I am not saying that we would win if we stuck to the original team formation, but I do think we would have a better chance of at least winning one match if we did. Instead of a whitewash.
I have no problem taking one for the team, so when the captain told me there's a change of plan and asked me to go be the sacrificial lamb in the single match, I duly did so. Thanks for all the cheering even though we all know there was not a fat chance! No worries, I am a realist without ego issue and in truth I believe.
I just didn't realised that being the 'best hope' was also so expendable, all for saving the captain's face.
There is having fun while winning, and there's having fun while losing. Given choice I prefer the former.
Maybe, just maybe, the captain will put what's best for the team before himself in the coming events.
We can always hope.
5 comments:
I was having fun too, but now really feel tension and banyak sien after reading your entry...
Mind you, that's nothing so call expendable in the team... don't even say saving for captain's face, it's not the reason why 'the best' was put into the 'mission impossible'.
Anyway, thanks for your compliance to the direction. Appreciate more if you can voice out on the spot... you know how easily your opinions will be accepted.
Should I, should I not? That's the question.
Ah well, so be it. Maybe the truth will set us free...
Maybe it's just me, but I think planning and discussion are meant to be done before the competition, not when the captain said "CK, you are up next" with the opponent waiting in the court.
That to me, is a moment for action, not question. If the captain says so, I comply.
After all, I have voiced out my opinion in the team meeting when we derived the team formation and strategy. The captain must have a good reason* to make a sudden change in plan, no point undermining his authority in front of everybody, it reflects badly on team unity.
Sorry my bad, the "saving captain's face" is purely the conclusion I derived from what I heard and seen, I am sure the captain has something more honourable and worthy in mind*. No worries, I have no qualm apologising for my action.
As for the "no one is expendable in the team" thing, er... good management talk. I thought we all agreed about the sacrificial lamb strategy when we had our team meeting. How to have a sacrificial lamb that's not expendable?
It's okay really, it's all about having fun, if we cannot have fun winning, we can still have fun losing. We are the "Last" Olympians afterall. =P
*like saving his face, which is very critical for him. =P
Take it easy, bro! :)
hahaaa... GP, maybe it's all because I took it too easy ~
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