usbikepolo’s blog

On April 27th, the NY Times ran an article on an Urban Bike Polo Tournament being held in Manhattan that weekend we provided background information on the history of the game.  It was interesting to see the number of visits to our web site (www.bikepolo.com) skyrocket between 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM.  It was as if everyone who read the article in the sports section on the way into work, sat down at their desks and immediately Googled us.  Its kind of cool to say you were quoted in the NY Times.

Our much anticipated piece on bike polo in JANE Magazine hit the news stands on 3/27/07, just as the people at JANE said it would.  To that extent they demonstrated some level of competence.  To get this article written, we organized gear, bikes, fields and players for both the grass version of game and the blacktop version. 

When the article appeared there was a sidebar telling readers where to buy mallets and balls and it sent them to a company that had nothing to do with article and omitted us entirely.  The "error" was attributed to a mistake by researchers following a layout change.  That explanation is at best weak.  The result is that we did the work and didn't get the payoff.  What a waste of our time and effort. If they did an article on NIKE would they send readers to Reebok for sneakers and running shoes.  NO, they wouldn't.  We aren't NIKE and therefore we don't count.

I E-mailed a number of the editors on the staff and none but the author has responded, giving the appearance that they couldn't give a rat's ass about the foul-up. 

Guinness ran a contest for St. Patrick's Day on MySpace. Sites featuring a profile picture that in someway celebrated Guinness would have a chance to make the Top 24 Friends on the Guinness site.  This had to be the cheapest promotion Guinness ever ran.  Nevetheless, being the great fan of Guinness that I am I used the following photo taken at St. James Gate and sure enought it was selected. 

JK_brilliant

Over the weekend we worked with Celia Ellenberg of JANE Magazine for an article on bike polo.  On Friday February 2, we met with a photographer and her assistant to take preliminary photos of the basics of bike polo. Then we took them over to catch some urban action with a group of messengers and bike shop employees who play under the lights and under a nearby highway.  I think we got some good video of that and we hope to have it posted soon.

The next morning we hooked up with the same folks for our grass version of the game.  It was interesting to see how well the track bikes handled the grassy surface and how the advanced bike handling skills were immediately put to use by these guys.

The article should run in the April or May edition (On the news stands in March or April).  We'll keep you posted about the dates and availability of the video from our version of Friday Night Lights and Saturday Morning Daylight.

It is pretty obvious that bike polo is a variation of the game of equestrian polo.  Although not well known, the game dates back to the late 1800s and was heavily promoted in the UK by an Irish bicycle racing champion and promoter, Richard McReddy. (McReddy's son later became bike racer, a physician and was among the fortunate folks to survive the sinking of the Lusitania.) The game was even an exhibition sport at the London Olympic Games in 1908. 

The game has survived throughout the decades in pockets throughout the world, with the largest number of players in India where the game seems to have originated before it made its way back to the UK with returning British soldiers.

Now it is played in various ways.  Some play on grass and others play on asphalt or concrete in the growing urban version often championed by bike messengers.  At the United States Bicycle Polo Association (USBPA) we promote a grass version played on a football or soccer field.  To keep folks from crashing, we have the parallel rule that requires players to have their bike frames parallel to the side line at least three (3) bike lengths before you strike the ball.  So you have to anticipate where the ball is going and ride to a point where you can legally intercept it and fire away.

There is also high sticking rule that says if players approach the ball at the same time and both are within three bike lengths, neither one can raise a mallet above their wheels.  The balls we use are inflated and about the size of  a softball, so you don't need a big swing to get it going.  We don't want folks to get a mouthful of mallet and we want schools and recreation departments to understand that this is not wheeled mayhem.

If you pull out of the pedals and your foot touches the ground you have to ride out of bounds at the nearest point and then come back into play.

For full rules and some video you can check out the USBPA at bikepolo.com.

What comedian makes you pee your pants laughing?
Submitted by pookieb.

Jonathon Winters has long been a favorite and was Robin Williams before there was a Robin Williams.  But the other night I saw an old concert of Richard Pryor and remembered how really funny that guy was.  A lot today's comics owe a lot of their style and success to both of those guys.