My dear friend
How are you doing, pal? I got your letter back. I was so glad to hear from you. I know that you are not in Tweeter, Facebook or things like that, so I wasn’t sure if I would reach you with my letter. I did!
I´m sorry about the weather down there if it’s not as hot as you like. Don’t worry. Spring will soon arrive and summers hell too. So you can get your bicycle and go riding through Dania Beach boardwalk , and on your way back you can stop at Dania Casino and talk with Benny. Because according to what you say, you haven’t seen him since Dania closed.
Anyways I can see that you follow the news trough Tiger´s and Pelotapress and you knew that Dania Jai Alai is going to be open for this “Battle at the Palace” tournament.
You are right my friend. Now we will see how many real fans miss the game. Anyways, Steve. The experience is going to be worth. It’s completely a different approach, a distinct format. A new mentality of focusing the sport. It will take time to consolidate if it does. Besides, the cost od the risk is near none, 20.000 $ plus paid expenses for the players traveling from overseas.
What’s that? Peanuts for the company. No Union involved, nothing.
As you know, Dania Jai-Alai will be open next December and January for a regular parimutuel two months snowbirds season with a roster of 20 players. Another test to see how many fans miss jai-alai. Better tan nothing, pal.
You did and you do it again in your letter. Young people must be attracted to the sport. That’s according to you the reason why jai-alai went down in the US. One of the main reasons at least.
Let me tell you something, dear friend. The Tournament that is taking place in Gernika is having a tremendous support from the fans. As you know 1400 people attended last Monday, with limited seats because of Covid. Sold out every week. And the best news is that most of them are young, a lot of young women too.
Is this a fad that will vanished or is this something to stay?
So far is working. Gernika Jai Alai Professional, which is the name of the company, is doing an impressive effort to succeed. No question about it.
If they try to make last, the way companies did in Florida extending seasons to a yearly basis. I mean if they get the temptation to keep offering partidos every single Monday, would it work?
In the long run did not do any good to companies in Florida. What do you think, Steve?
You were wrong so I was when we picked Barandika and Leke as favorites against Olharan and Etcheto. You saw the partido. In my opinion Barandika played as usual. It’s a pleasure to watch him playing, but as far as winning the match, that’s another question. His main fault is that he’s not a killer. He does not have that instinct. And when you want to be a candidate to take the Tournament you have to have all the tools. Especially a sharp knife or a machine gun.
Leke missed more balls than usual. I was surprised to see him missing so many unforced errors. Leke is a steady player anywhere, especially when he plays at Gernika.
Let me tell you something, Steve. The kids had too much pressure on them. Playing local in front of their people. Knowing that if you don’t win you are out of the competition. Hard to swallow it.
And besides, Olaharan and Etcheto were the underdogs. They are fierce competitors used to play under big pressure. They played their game, not taking too many risks. Putting the pelota away from Barandika.
But you know what, pal? I think one of the keys for the final score was the kind of pelotas they played with. The balls were not fast, the kind of pelotas we used to play years back, in Florida and even in Gernika. Difficult to reach the back wall. A pain in the ass when you have to play rebote from line 9 or 8. Not good at all for a player like Lekerika, basically a right hand player.
I don’t know who is the guy in charge of picking the balls. I would invite him for a cup of coffee. Who ever he is, is doing a great job so far.
I watched the partido with Katxin Uriarte and Arratibel. You are right once again. They would beat the two guys, Barandika an Leke. Not question about that.
“I can remember watching them at Miami, like it was yesterday”, you say in your letter.
But do you know who beated them over at Miami?
Sure you remember.
My brother Zulaica and Pierre. Yes! In a 15 point partido in the Tournament of Champions. They were the underdogs too, but, what a surprise! they won.
You probably made some money because you love to bet on underdogs. Let me know it in your next letter.
One more thing. You say that you watch Magic City games even though you “still not like a pelota hitting a granite wall”. For me too is kind of strange to hear that kind of Tok Tok sound that remains me as if some one was knocking at the door over The House of Usher.
Let me tell you something, dear friend. in my humble opinion the thing about the sound against the walls can be improved maybe using some kind of acustics technology. Keep in mind that we are talking about Fantasy Jai-Alai.
It takes time.
“With Dania players MC is much better”, you say.
Sure. Once they get use to it, guys like Douglas will improve too.
Let me tell you something, Steve. How about Douglas and Goixerri playing against each other first at MC and after that at Dania? A Battle between Frontons. How about that?
That kid, Douglas, looks good. Believe me. Give him a couple of months and he’ll be able to play late games even at Dania´s. How about in Gernika in two years?
What do you think about that? You can ask Benny too.
I can guess what’s your answer. No way MC management would allow something like that. It would be like walking backwards in a fancy Michael Jackson’s dance. Beat it..!… Beat it..!
Well, pal. That’s all for today. I write you back next week. See who plays next Monday at Gernika. Oh! yes I do remember. Arbe and Lopez against Goikoetxea and Aimar.
“Arbe had a great potential at Dania, but he got homesick”, you say in your letter.
He and Lopez have to win 2 to 0 in order to go ahead in the championship.
I know whom you would bet on. You love underdogs so I do, but I don’t bet.
Take care, dear friend.