Oh, yeah. It's game time, baby! (Plus, a poll question!)

Now that I've returned from my Florida vacation burned to a crisp, it's time to concentrate on the important things.
It's league season here in the Allegheny Mountain region. And for those of us who will never see the grand stage of the U.S. Open, this is war. I participated in a similar war last year, and suffice it to say that I was ... defeated. I managed to lose every match I played. But, alas, that is the past. This year, my tennis bag is full of new weapons, including a tire iron (in case I'm losing). The first battle takes place on Sunday, and I'm pretty psyched.
But it's the match next Saturday, one I'm not even sure I'm playing in, which is the big test for me. A little picture-association game for ya: What do you think of when you hear the word 'Lakevue'? Yeah, man. If it ends in 'vue' instead of 'view,' that's classy as hell. Anyway, I think of my sister-in-law, who apparently is still nursing a grudge against my husband and I because she was hit (accidentally!) with a tennis ball 2 YEARS AGO!!! My husband hit her in the hand with an overhead (come on people, if you or your partner hit a short ball in dubs, you have to get away from the net! Or at least turn around!) but I defended him, which is why we're on the outs. The last two years, I've been getting all geeked up to kick her team's ass, just to prove that I can, and I end up playing the worst match of my entire season. Not this year, dammit. I've got the tire iron, and if I win one match this season, this has to be it.
What's also interesting about the ball-hitting incident:
1. I was playing on the same team with my sister-in-law that day, (twas girls against boys) and she hit me in my back with the hardest serve she's probably ever tried to hit. I did not stop talking to her, but I'm now considering a lawsuit.
2. Some women hear this story, and their responses suggest that they WOULD ALSO BE MAD! Sorry. Yelling is totally rude, I know. But folks, getting hit with a tennis ball is a rule of engagement. It happens to all of us at some time, and unless it's part of my tennis bag for this league season, it's not going to cause any real damage. So, to the masses, (or the four people who read this blog) I unveil the first-ever TWA poll question:

In playing mixed doubles, is it all right to hit a hard ball to a woman at the net?

I, of course, say yes. If you can't hang, don't hang at the net. Others? Well others are wrong. But tell me what you think anyway.
And if you're in a league, swing away, folks. Have a great season, everyone, and have a good time.
Oh, yeah, and apparently the pros are getting ready for some Grand Slam in May. More on that later, I guess, if I can find the time after training.