Other Interests

[Spongebob!]

Being on this website suggests we all really like the sport and would like to promote the sport more at every opportunity.

However, I was just wondering do any other members have other interests which they really believe in or excel at (keep it clean Mr Thorpe...!).

Its an opportunity to know more about the person and also there may be some common interests for future discussion.

Sponge!

[Annie]

Excellent Thread Spongey and as such I've created a section just for such Threads.

Me as well as watching my dad play Table Tennis I used to go fishing with him a lot. Sea fishing on a good day is unbeatable!

[Spongebob!]

Aaaah - that's not nice - catching my friends - why I orta...!

I remember once going fishing with my Dad on my holidays (when I was about 8 or 9) in a village near Pickering in Yorkshire (called Sinnington). I was over the moon when I caught a Trout - until my Dad said I had to kill it - of cause I couldn't but my dead did and I went back to the holiday home crying.....Sponge....come back!!!

[Annie]

Well I would never fish for just sport because that is cruel. We always ate what we caought. :licklips:

[Spongebob!]

Well...we did eat it but I couldn't! Me and my brother used to catch there little fish with our hands and keep them in a dish by our beds and then put them back the next day!

See the kids nowadays don't know they born. I took my 2 daughters back there a couple of years ago - where we going? - just a little village where I used to go when I was your age! - what's there? - not much, just a country village, stream, picnic area, horses, farm and nice walks! - Oh, that's boring...

Well...they had a brilliant time and often ask to go back on weekends when the weather's nice - then Fish and Chips on the way home (loads of salt and vinegar) - there's irony (hope it's not trout!).

Spongey!

[Annie]

Ever killed a Chicken? I have a few times. I believe you should only eat what you are prepared to kill. And killing for sport only is disgusting.

Am I scaring you yet? No? Well there's time yet and don't forget to look over your shoulder next time you're in Wolverhampton! :evillaugh:

[Spongebob!]

You're scaring me now...no I haven't and couldn't either - and another thing - I've never killed a custard tart or a loaf of bread either....!!!

Think I'll avoid Wolves - heeeeelp...!

[Annie]

:Drive:Jump in my car I'll take you for a ride!












:evillaugh:

[Spongebob!]

No - you're only after my chicken!

[The Windmill]

As some of my friends on here will know, I used to race push bikes in the summer and play ping in the winter. I played for 3 or 4 teams in various leagues as well as representing Newcastle in the National league. It got to the stage where I was sick of playing ping 4 or 5 sometimes 6 times a week. So I stopped totally for 10 years or so and concentrated on the cycling. Now although most people know I cycled, none probably know that I raced time trials for a semi professional team with former Olympian and Commonwealth medalist Joe Waugh. We had major cycling sponsors and traveled the country competing every weekend competing in various events including all the National Championships at 10, 25, 50 100 miles, 12hr and hill climb. We won the National team title at 10 miles in 1996 and were runners up in the British Best all rounder competition (a competition over 50 miles, 100 miles and 12hrs) in the same year. The following year we went one better and Won this competition. My personal best times are as follows.
10 miles, 20.41
25 miles, 52.30
50 miles, 1.50.51
100 miles, 3.50.50
12 hrs, 258 miles
I eventually gave up competition when after winning the North East Best all rounder competition in 1999 was stripped of the title because my team manager paid our affiliation fees late, bureaucracy gone mad in my book. I still cycle for recreation and completed the 100 mile Northern rock cyclone and the 105 mile Cumberland Challenge rides last summer.
I am now playing table tennis again after a good break…..I think I am enjoying it as much as ever, but get frustrated because I am no where near as good as I used to be. So any of you people who have been on the end of one of my many tantrums, its nothing personal. It’s just me getting upset with myself. But as the saying goes, you only get out what you are prepared to put in.

[DaveR]

Hey ive known you a good few years and your tantrums amount to nothing but good banter, with the odd sarcy comment (but where would we be without that) and lets face it i was king of the clowns in the stupid comments stakes a few years ago, being banned for a while !

Enough of that have you any pictures though we need pictures of the cycling also !

Slowly but surely the skeletons will fall out of the cupboards..........................

Aactually i played squash for the county when i dropped out of TT for a few years, proving you can be good at a few things..............cycling maybe not.

[The Windmill]

Its funny how you can know someone for years through table tennis but not really know anything about them ........I too played squash for a while, competing on my clubs ladder. Never getting to the highest division though.

[The Windmill]

Pic taken on Alston front Street

[DaveR]

well superstar..........name aswel

ill put it in the gallery!

[Spongebob!]

Well done - brilliant achievement - and you're still good at table tennis too despite the break.....aaaah that spinny backhand loop (The Windmill..!).

I won't mention your crashes - ooops I already have!!!

Seriously...well done maaaaatey - I never thought you took it that seriously - see, some people keep a low profile on their other achievements / skills.

Cheers - Spongey!

[JKC]

I bet you haven't admitted on a cycling forum to being a table tennis player.

[Annie]

I bet you haven't admitted on a cycling forum to being a table tennis player.

I bet he has but conveniently missed out the Table bit! :Ahhh:

[DaveR]

I bet you haven't admitted on a cycling forum to being a table tennis player.

Now thats exactly what we were talking about PROMOTION!

I would say most tend to not advertise they play the sport, maybe this comes from its lack of media coverage and obviously the money element?

[Annie]

Each and every one of us has the power to change this outlook. I don't play but always talk respectfully of the game. Take the time to explain to poeple what the sport is really about, I do. If you are a true professional and serious about the sport should want to.

[The Windmill]

You are right JKC, I have not admitted that I play TT on any cycling forums but only because there are no decent cycling forums out there. I do tell people that I play TT and most say they will give me a game sometime as they used to be pretty good down at the youth club. I then tell them that I played at the world VETS championships 2 years ago and then they don't seem so keen.

[Highside]

The same story oh so often "i'm good at that" or "i played a lot" as if they will absolutely hammer the daylights out of any and every player they see or hear of, why does this attitude happen?

The answer is very easy, the sport was (and still is in some places) classed as "ping pong" and not Table Tennis with capitals. With many sports like Badminton and other fringe games Table Tennis needs the positive and promotional push from everyone who plays or watches with a keen eye and at any or every opportunity tell people about the places and events organised.

This is where i agreed with Jose in a thread about Regional Table Tennis, which seems to have dropped out of the system for some reason meaning local events are not so important and "central only venues" are the rage, we need to have a very balanced happy medium with Regional being brought back.