Photos from the Bluegrass BOOndoggle

1st


2nd


3rd

Check out the rest here.

Louisville, i fucking love you guys.

Ya know, i almost didn't make it to this due to some transportation issues, but boy am i glad i did. After a long season of serious polo and working my ass off it's nice to just kick back with some friends, dress up like a moron, and have some fun. Sure polo is taking off like a rocket and tournaments getting bigger and better, but i know the Louisville boys will always be there to keep shit real. Real fun, that is. Here's to the best season of polo yet!

-W.

Who wants to drive to Louisville?

So i just found out my ride to Louisville fell through due to a death in the family. While the circumstances were unavoidable, it also sucks that now i have no way to get there... so i ask- is there anyone out there who wants to pick me up on their way to the tourney??

And looking at that flyer i just noticed a very tantalizing sponsor- Phil! Now i really gotta get down there to win what i hope is a sick freewheel!

-W.

The worst polo video of all time

Are you fucking kidding me! What an ass-backwards advertisement. I really hope Ace and Adam aren't serious about this though i have an inkling they are... they better of been paid a giant pile of cash cause supporting the Office of National Drug Control Policy and their "war on drugs" is about as stupid and backwards as it gets.

Fuckin' a...

-W.

Highlights from Hell's Belles in London

Hell's Belles Vol. 1 from Chan on Vimeo.

Remember how a couple weeks ago i was comparing European polo videos? Well this one fits right in as proper English. Great camerawork, music, and plenty of focus on the subject matter (ladies and polo!) yet just goes on for too long. Still, an awesome video and i'm glad to see they tweaked the "Ladies Army" idea to include men (since this was a "ladies majority" tourney-- ie one man was allowed to play on each team).

Enjoy. I did.

-W.

Midwestern Open in Milwaukee

Hats of to the Capt Jake and the whole Milwaukee club for putting one of the best tournaments of the year! From the 4 ft boards anchored with railroad ties to the free PBR this tourney set new precedent. Awesome action from the Guardians, Mitten Polo, Bourbonic Plague, Machine Politics, and of course anyone from Milwaukee. And how how about that Pasbt beer hall?? I didn't even drink that night and yet it immediately become my favorite bar of all time. For so many reasons I can't wait to go back to Milwaukee.

The photos above are my favorite but go here if you wanna check out the rest of my crappy pics.

-W.

European polo video comparison

Italy.

Note the shitty club music, visible brakeless fixed gears, and i'm pretty sure the interviewee is also a dj. Also the level of play looks... low. But i guess that's Italy for ya?


France.

Artistic, alternative music, edgy video editing techniques, again too many brakeless fixed bikes, and even an old dude playing on said brakeless bike at their awesome court in front of an art museum. Yup, that's definitely France.


Switzerland.

Straight-forward, informative, practical, and yet a lil' boring. Swiss through and through.

- - - - -

They're all great videos that i had never seen before and i like how each one offers a lil' insight into how each culture approaches polo. Of course this is all my own generalizations, but luckily the internet allows me to say whatever i want. Now if Sideshow Bob would just start making more of his gopro videos...

-W.

V-brakes and random pickup photos

Evan has been hard at work brazing v-brakes onto everyone's bikes.

Here he is not so hard at work,
prior to losing his precious green sweater in a polo wager.

Here's my mounts that were stick-welded on by a local "hillfolk".
They work, but they're not pretty.

Kevin being Kevin... but in Bloomington!

Metal plate welded on to brace the seat stays where the snapped off the first time.

Happy girl, depressing wheel cover.

Shot of the rear brake mounts... a little better than the front ones.

Bruce and a watermelon. Yup.

-W.

Bluegrass Boooooondoggle!

Of course this weekend is the Midwestern Open in Milwaukee but i'm already getting excited for the last (and most ridiculous) event on the polo calender-- the Boooooondoggle. Mandatory costumes and a chance of getting shot promise to make for a fun day. Cromer and i are going for sure- anyone else in??

-W.

Indiana State Championship 2011 - photo recap

Tree City hard at work. Here's Evan brazing on v-brakes for rookie Ethan (who used that new-found stopping power to take home the Darkhorse Award!).


All the bourbon, velveeta, and ground meat was nice, but winning would've been nicer.

4
One of my favorite new bikes owned by my favorite new player- Volume Cutter V5 and Tom from Lafayette, respectively.


...and yup- that's what happens when a pretty girl kisses the concrete. Really, it's barely noticeable.


Ft.Wayne just being Ft.Wayne.


Trigger taking a break from all the excitement.


Tori and Andrea teamed up with tourney MVP Caleb as "Easy, Tiger."


Bloomington rookies "Rolling Meth Labs" (Max Evan Jimmy)


And of course our lovely ladies Jordan, Betsy, and sad-Megan.


Joe's puppy. Yeah, puppy.


..and of course Marty was there. Like Megan he took a shot to the face a lost a bit of his bill... nothing a lil' hockey tape can't fix!


Future slayer Corbin. Right now he's too wrapped up in bmx, but his dad already built him a polo bike and is setting him on the right path! Can't wait til this kid's in high school!


I love that indiana tourneys are becoming family affairs.


Tom and Stas joust during the final of the winner's bracket. Between the podium teams there were some extremely hard fought games. I don't recall any of them going to five but there was plenty of strong checks and full speed wrecks. But in the end, only one team could go home with the trophy...


Lafayette's "A-polo III" Tom Tyler and Kevin!

Congrats guys, really, from the bottom of my heart. You guys have put in so much work this year taking polo seriously, traveling, building new bikes. I like to think we taught you a little too much, but really you're just dedicated players who finally got their due. Enjoy it boys, cause we're taking it back next year!

Check out the rest of the photos from tourney here at my Picasa page.

-W.

PS - oh yeah-- 1st A-polo III, 2nd Tree City, 3rd Fort Waste.

Worlds 2011 Highlights by Rawbie Boardz

Alright, this is officially the best polo video of the year. There's a shorter version too, but who doesn't wanna watch more polo?!?!

And keep an eye out for Kremin's out-of-the-air-rebound-bounce-shot. Milwaukee breeds MVPs like Indiana grows corn.

-W.