Tank McNamara by Bill Hinds for September 27, 2020

This one hits too close to home for me. When someone forces you to play their game instead of yours, it’s really hard to be a good sport.

I don’t know who said “It’s winning” at the end, but both Tank and Barb have earned the right to say it.

My college dorm had a ping-pong (table tennis) tournament. The second=place finisher was very aggressive, with lots of slams and spin. The winner just stood there and returned everything. Just exactly like what’s described in the strip.

When I play ping pong, I sometimes get hit in the eye.

I’ve seen football games like that. The winning team wasn’t flashy or had marvelous plays. Just ran at the defense until it got tired…

I take is whining Bill can’t make any winning shots either.

This reminds me of college basketball before the shot clock, when teams would get a lead in the second half and play keep away…made the game almost unwatchable, but if you’re playing within the rules there’s not much you can do (except amend the rules)

Isn’t that a lot of modern tennis, the two players back on the baselines hitting the ball to each other, mixing it up forehand-backhand but just a battle to the first mistake?

We had a doubles team in a league that played that way. One opponent, who was strung on the tight side, threw a tantrum about it one night.

I couldn’t help wondering if this is not a self-portrait, Mr. Hinds?

When you get opponents like that, you just use them for practice….

practice your drop shot. practice your cross court shot. practice aiming for the corners. practice your slice

Get them running around… they’ll tire out over time.