STL BIKE POLO

The Lock-In Approacheth like an Eagle Owl In Flight, aka NEW POST!!

2011-12-18T22:18:00.004-06:00

Saint Louis is the Best!!!

2011-10-28T22:41:00.004-05:00

Fact.

Let's party!

SUNDAY POLO!

2011-10-01T13:32:00.003-05:00

Sunday polo is happening at Mt. Pleasant Park at 2pm. The weather will be amazing. Bring some food and drinks and fun. Our dear friend Evan will be in attendance. It's sure to be a great afternoon.

Also, we are going to do a small collection for a deposit on a skating rink for a party. If you are interested in donating a little cash to help us secure our party place for a future shindig, please bring a little dough on Sunday. Anything you have to donate will be appreciated, recorded, and repaid.

See you Sunday!

PS - Thanks for Matt for organizing an awesome alley cat!

There is a Race Tonight!

2011-09-30T10:08:00.009-05:00

More Details Here: http://spokedstl.com/litupalleycat

FALL POLO

2011-09-04T11:00:00.000-05:00

This is the beginning of fall POLO! Lets play until the sun goes down!

2:00 PM Mt. Pleasant Park.

View Larger Map

Big Tides says "PLAY POLO"

We're Going Sailing!

2011-08-17T22:01:00.002-05:00

Let's get down to business. The float trip. The Missouri Bike Polo float trip. It's happening.

When should this happen? Summer is quickly coming to a close, and hard decisions need to be made soon!

After polo tonight, the CoMo crew called me and voiced their support for the float trip. Everyone is ready to go. Let's hammer-out the details St. Louis style (i.e. in the comments section of this post).

Hands in the center!

Form and Function

2011-08-04T16:25:00.000-05:00

1st Wednesday of Month Noobie Night August 3rd, 2011!

2011-07-22T12:11:00.000-05:00

To further our effort of growing our club, I propose we make the first Wednesday of every month Noobie Night. This could be a night where we encourage people to come out and experience bike polo. This includes less aggressive games, slower games, helping people get the hang of riding the bike and swinging a mallet.

What are everyone's thoughts? If we move forward with this, the first night will be August 3rd 2011.

I think we should draw up a flyer and hand out to bike shops, hang in bike shops, etc.

Thoughts?

ISO: New Polo Players

2011-07-11T09:37:00.002-05:00

Yesterday at polo we decided we we're going to need a new crop of players soon. We need more than 6 people showing up for polo days. It'd be nice to not have to guess if we'll have enough for a game on Wednesday nights and Sunday afternoons.

We determined the best way to find new people would be to play some low intensity games and invite the Saint Louis bike folks out. It will be nice to get a group of new folks on the court with each other for some low intensity games. It can be a bit intimidating for a first timer to get thrown on the rink with five people who've been playing for a couple of years.

Since everyone in the world (except Shin) has a Facebook account we decided to start a Saint Louis Bike Polo page. Go to Facebook and "Like" Saint Louis Bike Polo. Suggest that your friends do the same and maybe we'll round up a few fresh recruits.

Different Month. Same Story.

2011-06-26T21:17:00.003-05:00

We have been invited to join Springfield Bike Polo and Scary Larry Bike Polo in Columbia, Missouri for a friendly gathering. The date for this event is July 9th, and coaster fights and fireworks are encouraged. Mark your calendar and make the short drive to CoMo on July 9th.

Time for a new post.

2011-06-20T12:27:00.003-05:00

Let's play polo soon.

Who agrees that our next team shirt should involve this image?

Weekend Activities

2011-06-10T13:27:00.000-05:00

POLO FRIDAY EVENING!

7:00 PM to Whenever!

MAPLEWOOD COURT!
BOOM TUBE and LIGHTS!

View Larger Map

SATURDAY POLO!
HIGH NOON!!!
12:00 PM to Whenever!
BOOM TUBE, BBQ, MOUNTAIN DEW, BEER, FUN!!!!

View Larger Map

Celebrate The Fact That Missouri Is Awesome!

2011-05-28T21:52:00.004-05:00

JUNE 11th...Not June 4th

Missouri is overflowing with polo and party talent. Let's get together and enjoy the fact that polo, partying, and fun easily mix when it comes to Bike Polo in the Show Me state.

STL BIKE POLO T-shirts

2011-05-23T08:34:00.000-05:00

Bring a t-shirt we will provide the sharpie. $10.

BIG TIDES

2011-05-15T12:57:00.000-05:00

Ok... Lets bring the spirit of Big Tides back and play some polo today!

2 pm at Mt. Pleasant BE THERE!!!

FRIDAY NIGHT BIKE POLO!!!

2011-04-29T13:06:00.000-05:00

Its been a while since we had some Friday Night Polo. Any one interested?

Maplewood 6:00 PM.

STL BIKE POLO FUN!!!

2011-04-22T06:15:00.000-05:00

Well done Jon. Heal up and lets see you on the court soon!

Wednesday Night Polo

2011-04-20T14:26:00.006-05:00

We're playing polo tonight at Maplewood. The fun starts at 6pm. I have a dollar for the the person that scores the most goals tonight during gameplay.

Sound good? Bring fun. Milkshake party!

APRILWEEN SUNDAY POLO!!!!

2011-04-16T17:31:00.000-05:00

Bring beer, soda, water, BBQ pit, bikes and fun! Its APRILWEEN! Lets pre-party before the party tomorrow night with the FBC. Lets play some GREAT POLO!!!!

The forecast for tomorrow is going to be 73 degrees and sunny! Lets get everyone out to play some polo tomorrow.

Gongratulations

2011-04-07T21:42:00.003-05:00

Congrats to Beef, the newest Representative of the Midwest Region of North American Hardcourt.

Sunday! Sunday! Sunday!

2011-04-02T16:14:00.002-05:00

It's that time again. STL Bike Polo will be starting the week off right with a small Polo party at Mt. Pleasant Park. The fun and games will begin at 2PM. Show up on time and stay late! The weather is going to be great, and the polo is going to be even better.

Bring some beer. Bring some Mt. Dew. Mix 'em together if you like. Sunday is Polo day in STL.

On The Horizon...

2011-03-21T15:10:00.004-05:00

Since STL is not making an appearance in Little Rock this coming weekend, the next tournament on the STL Bike Polo horizon is the Riverside Tournament in Lafayette, Indiana. A handful of people have expressed a little interest. I suggest you decide if you want to make the trip ASAP and start talking to potential teammates (talk to them on Wednesday at polo).

For anyone that does go to Lafayette, consider this:

As for normal STL Bike Polo action, Wednesday at 6pm we will be at Maplewood. Show up on time and shred. Our regular Sunday schedule will be 2pm until dark now that the sun is on its summer schedule.

Party hard!

SATURDAY POLO MT P!!!

2011-03-11T12:39:00.000-06:00

Even Prince Henry Spits Beer! Lets celebrate that fact by playing polo on Saturday.

Mt. Pleasant Noon.

Its going to be close to 60 out. LETS PLAY POLO! Lets drink beer, play polo, and BBQ.

Charlie Hard!

Things to Consider...

2011-03-04T14:15:00.002-06:00

It's supposed to rain this afternoon, and I don't know how much things will dry before Sunday. Regardless, everyone that has the strength to move after the 80-mile Cold Weather Ride should be playing polo on Sunday starting around 1PM. I'll let everyone debate the best place to play in the comments.

Also, our dear friends 1.5 hours West of us are having a Pull Out tournament on Saturday, March 19th. Make the trek to CoMo and experience playing in a tournament where the alcoholic beverage you pull from Floppy's mythical cooler determines your team for that day. If the rumors are true, there may be a coaster fight in a nearby bar after the tournament.

Finally, consider attending the Lafayette tournament on April 2nd. New players and veterans of the sport should have a good time. At the very least, I'm sure there's a good Purdue party to stumble into after the tournament.

SATURDAY POLO!

2011-02-25T10:39:00.002-06:00

Sunday is going to be a MESS! Therefore, Due to weather and scheduling conflicts Im hosting Bike Polo on Saturday 02/26/11. We will play at Mount Pleasant Park at NOON. Bring your game and mabe a bullet proof vest...

After The Thaw

2011-02-15T09:49:00.000-06:00

Where are we playing polo Wednesday?

24 Hours of Partying!!

2011-01-17T16:09:00.004-06:00

I'll be honest, I was not totally convinced that having a 2011 St. Louis Bike Polo Lock-In was a good idea. For me, the first lock in was a life changing experience. By the end I had completely lost my capacity to speak, and mostly lost my desire to sleep. It was fun overload.

Lucky's idea was brilliantly conceived and flawlessly, while seemingly effortlessly executed. St. Louis Bike Polo showed the rest of the polo-verse what we are about. Having fun, applying energy and being inclusive. The people who showed up fell right in and, I would like to think, everyone there had an amazing time. For me it was perfect.

So when it came time to think about planing a 2011 Lock-In, I was hesitant. They say lightning doesn't strike in the same place twice. I was afraid that anything less than perfection in 2011 would somehow take away from 2010. Thankfully, the rest of the club didn't share my reservations.

Ben took the reigns and did what St. Louis bike polo does best, started a blog. Then he secured the venue, tiny liquor bottles, pinata, small motorcycles, Mountain Dew, playground balls and tens of thousands of ounces of beer that it takes to make a bike polo lock-in a success. The people came. They played polo. They partied. They danced. They bled. They hit the kicker ramp. They smashed the Pinata. They earned merit badges. And they had a blast. Thanks to everyone involved.

Fuck lightning, We'll make our own.
-Lee

psst... We're having a PARTY this weekend.

2011-01-12T14:38:00.003-06:00

In case you haven't heard: This weekend we're having a 24 hour PARTY at the Skatium. There will be some some polo playing but I think most of us are just going to be there to eat pizza and look cool. Ben posted some details and crap HERE.

Tournament

2011-01-09T04:49:00.000-06:00

Bike Swap Sunday January 30th

2011-01-05T13:19:00.004-06:00

MORE INFO HERE

The Bike Swap is coming up. This can be a good spot to find cheap parts. Some dudes have deals, some are there trying to get rich on their old junk. I'll be going.

Oh yeah, polo tonight (1/5/11). Maplewood. Be there.

In case you missed it...

2010-12-18T09:52:00.001-06:00

..It'll be up forever at the Handlebar. See you fools for the Lock-in pre-party!

A sad party is still a party.

2010-12-12T09:09:00.002-06:00

Hey all. The bittersweet day is set. I need help drinking drinks and remembering all the good times on Friday, December 17th at The Handlebar. Then I need (a lot) help loading up the moving truck Saturday afternoon. Some of you remember how heavy and how many things Jenny's print shop is. The more folk who help, the faster it will go/the fewer trays of lead type each of us have to carry.

Thanks to each and every person who ever played Bike Polo in St Louis. It's been a great, great time, and I won't forget it.

TRAINING IS...

2010-11-28T20:01:00.007-06:00

Training is... pushing each other to play our hardest.

Training is... striving to be our best.
Training is... fun. Having fun is... easy.

Rose is in training. Tatiana is in training. I'm in training.
Next training session is Wednesday. Why not join us??

Team Manager

2010-11-15T10:12:00.000-06:00

Polo on Sunday, 2pm at Lindenwood Park

2010-11-12T06:22:00.002-06:00

Just cos two cars full of StL Bike Polo are heading to Lexington this weekend, there's no excuse not to play this Sunday. The club rolls deep, there will be plenty of players, slayers, screamers, and bleeders. Go have fun.

Legitimacy.

2010-11-01T19:45:00.002-05:00

Weird weekend. Most interesting thing learned on Sunday (besides another lesson in why I should wear my shin guards and some basic 6 vs 6 strategy) is that in St Louis, neighborhood associations have a lot of say in how the parks in their 'hoods get used. It goes from the local homeowners, to the Aldermen, to the parks dep't. The parks can't build without appropriations, and the Aldermen aren't going to give them the money for ideas their constituents don't like, cos that would be politically stupid.

We have a verbal agreement with some influential people at Lindenwood that we can have the rink from 2pm on Sundays. The Alderman heard it, the park ranger(s) heard it. Kacye brokered the compromise by being reasonable, cordial, and persistent. Any one of you who did anything else were not helping our cause. We'll follow up with the Neighborhood association at their next meeting to get written permission to have bike polo be allowed in that (and therefore, by aldermanic courtesy, every St Louis City) park. The verbal agreement and the 12-2 is for hockey, 2-dark is for polo compromise should hold up on their own until then.

We also ran into someone from the Mt Pleasant Neighborhood Association. He was excited to see people using the rink and took a few pics to pass along to the other members and the alderman, who are right now considering wrecking the rink in favor of a physical resource that might get more use. There may be a meeting or two we can go to down there to support keeping the rink. If any of you have friends who play roller hockey or who want to practice roller derby, or any other use (aside from telling the soccer players about it) live near there or use that rink, let 'em know it's in danger of being torn down.

And yes, I told the guy that if it was already a done deal that we would dismantle and haul away the old boards.

In the meantime, we've been linked to by the Mt Pleasant Neighborhood Association, and we're the first thing that come up when anyone googles "St Louis" and "Bike Polo". So only curse in your replies after 9pm, when the kids go to sleep.

Polo today. 10-24-10 12:00-whenever.

2010-10-24T09:00:00.002-05:00

Polo polo polo! Starting at noon at Lindenwood. Pick up games will be played, rookies will be tested, acorn training will continue, Nick and Francis will try out thirds for Lexington. See you there.

important announcements

2010-10-05T17:31:00.003-05:00

The Midwest Open in Lexington on November 14-15 is limited to 48 teams. Registration opened two days ago and 24 teams have already signed up. How many teams do we plan on sending total? We don't have to have the line ups finalized, but we do need to pay 45/team in advance. 2 teams? 3 teams? 4?

Don't forget about Friendlies this Saturday in CoMO. My car leaves at 9am Saturday morning. Still 1 spot available.

Also don't forget that next Tuesday, Oct, 12 is for real, absolutely, no joking, bike polo demo/pick up games before the bike in movie at the atomic cowboy. We play from 6-8. Movie from 8-10. Zombieland.

OK? OK.

October Friendlies

2010-09-17T06:36:00.002-05:00

The fall season is on! Cool weather and short days make for hot competition and longer nights for partying.

Saturday and Sunday October 2-3. Lawrence Kansas. 5 hr drive.

Saturday, October 9. Columbia, MO. 2 hour drive.

Saturday, October 16. Louisville, KY. 4 hour drive. Friendly play and a double elimination tournament.

Halloween weekend. Austin, TX. 14 hour drive. Kinda big tournament/party.

Tonight & Next Week

2010-09-08T14:16:00.004-05:00

Next Tuesday: Bike in Movie at Atomic. Maybe a polo game. Check the comments for Lucky's word on that. Breaking Away is good, you like beer and hanging out with your friends so don't miss it.

Tonight: Polo in Maplewood. Get there early if you can. We'll play until 10.

Newbies

2010-08-26T07:29:00.002-05:00

Hello to all the new kids, this is our blog. Here you will find a lot of smack talking, plus any changes to where or when we are playing on any given day, if it's not going to the usual Sunday afternoons at Lindenwood and Wednesday evenings at Maplewood. Plus special events, demonstrations, tournaments, polo players traveling through town, bikes for sale, etc.

For all the vets in the club: Please post your best advice for the new class. The piece of equipment, strategy, attitude, or whatever that has made the most difference in your game.

Bike-in Movie tonight!

2010-08-17T10:01:00.003-05:00

Bike-in Movie tonight at the Atomic Cowboy. Have a drink, see some old and new friends, hand out a million flyers and recruit some new bike polo players. Let 'em know that we'll be playing demo games at the next two bike-in movie events. I'll be there after 7. No idea what time the movie starts.

Lemme know your plans.

Hood Kicks Tonight

2010-08-13T08:41:00.003-05:00

Hood Kicks. Tonight. Bike/Metrolink to the show. Who is going?

BM in CoMO

2010-08-09T14:33:00.003-05:00

This Saturday morning, as many of us as can go are heading to Columbia, MO for a "bench minor" style bike hockey game. Two teams of ten, two half-hour periods, on-the-fly line changes, most points wins. Raging Kegger to follow. Please no fireworks.

Let's use this thread to trash talk CoMO and work out our ride sharing.

Planning.

2010-08-06T11:36:00.002-05:00

Imma measure the street next to the Atomic Cowboy this afternoon so we can make plans for boards to do demos during the bike-in movie dates this summer/fall. If you're free and can hold the dumb end of a tape, send me a text and we'll get together.

While we're on the subject of planning: If y'all want to do another lock-in this winter at the Skatium, you should get over there pretty soon to reserve a weekend. I did it 5 months in advance last year, and he still had to cancel out an already booked roller hockey league game Saturday night.

Polo this weekend: Sunday, 2pm, Lindenwood.

End of an Era

2010-07-23T21:40:00.002-05:00

Tonight, I put together a large-diameter pipe, one-end-open mallet head on a lacrosse stick. Thus ending 3 years of playing on small-diameter, double-capped heads and ski poles. You may now call for me to scoop-a-doop pass to you up-court.

The NEW New Chaos Machine. This shit is Dialed!!

2010-07-13T19:40:00.001-05:00

ROAD TRIP !

2010-07-13T12:50:00.002-05:00

We're going to Madison. We are driving a 1973 Ford E200 van. It is white. It has few windows. The stereo will be a boombox. When we get there we're gonna party like the dude in this photo. Oh yeah, we might play a little bike polo if the mood strikes.

Meet at my house around 5:00 on Thursday afternoon. Bring as little baggage as possible, it'll be a tight fit. If you have any sweet cassette tapes, bring 'em!

Maplewood Polo Tonight

2010-07-12T11:35:00.002-05:00

Polo tonight in Maplewood at 6:00pm. Our friends from Austin are visiting, so come out and have a good time.

The court is by the Police station and Maplewood High School. Across the street from Steak 'n' Shake. Look for the water slide at the pool, it is hard to miss.

GOOGLE MAPS

Our Laser Spotted On Chicks and Bikes!

2010-07-05T13:02:00.000-05:00

New Post!

2010-06-29T14:59:00.002-05:00

come play polo tonight at lindenwood. 6:30 or so. tonight. 6-29-2010. I will be there, so will anchovy. Hopefully some people show up.

Sunday Sunday Sunday

2010-06-16T22:38:00.002-05:00

A little bird told me that some Como polo shredders will be in the Lou on Sunday. Where do we want to play? Will anyone be wearing tights? These questions and more will be answered.

Exhibition Games

2010-06-10T06:39:00.003-05:00

I had some unannounced time off yesterday so I went and talked in person to the people I had been emailing about playing demo games at the Tour De Grove/Artcrank this weekend. Those people are, by the way, the owners of Big Shark and the Atomic Cowboy.

Big Shark would like it if we could play some games in Francis Park during the Gateway Cup for one day over labor day weekend. There is a boardless rink in the park. Just an asphalt pad with nets mounted in it. We talked about having high intensity demo games once an hour (or whatever) and pick up with us and spectators the rest of the time.

We would have to build boards, and probably bring extra bikes and equipment to pull this off. But we have all summer to plan for it.

Atomic Cowboy wants to know if we want to do our regular pick-up games one evening a month pretty much all summer along with their bike-in movie night series. We would be taking over Tallmage between Manchester and the alley behind the bar. Rough estimate is a court about 35-40' X 100-110'. For comparison, Lindenwood is 50' X 120'. He said he could keep the boards at the bar, and maybe New Belgium would help us out with some costs, seeing as they love the bikes.

Whaddya think?

I made some changes...

2010-06-08T17:31:00.002-05:00

Playing hardcourt bike polo the way it's intended to be played earns your club some odd labels.

This is what everyone expects...Let's make sure we deliver.

Men In Tights...

2010-06-06T17:44:00.002-05:00

CoMo polo. They don't know how to party, and they don't know how to dress.

I think our club is a pretty laid back club. I don't think STL Bike Polo has any club rules. Well, I guess, "don't be a dick" is the only rule to which we all adhere.

But I'd like to suggest another rule that our club should follow:

No male player representing STL shall ever wear tights. No exceptions.

We have never had anyone make this fashion misstep, and I would like to keep it that way. I insist that STL men remain men. And that means refusing to slip into skin-tight, stretchy tights. Please do not embarrass our club like this poor gentleman(?) has done to CoMo Polo.

Discuss.

Polo Party

2010-06-01T18:50:00.007-05:00

So its my birthday this weekend, and I want to play polo and BBQ. I say we have a polo party this Saturday at Lindenwood Park. I'll be at Lindenwood at 2:00 PM this Saturday.

Wait Until You See The Video

2010-05-31T16:59:00.000-05:00

The King Has Spoken

2010-05-24T19:35:00.004-05:00

Due to the threat of rain in the forecast, Wednesday polo is being moved to Tuesday afternoon/evening.

Be at Maplewood at 6pm if you feel like sharpening your polo skills.

Bring a case of beer to say goodbye to The Girl (this may be the last time you cuddle with her in the corner for awhile).

Bring water too. It's going to be warm.

Bring fun. Fun is fun.

14 hours from now

2010-05-21T21:57:00.002-05:00

Mt. Pleasant Park.

Bring your motorcycle if you think you're ready to join the biker gang.

Friday Night

2010-05-21T13:44:00.004-05:00

Some people will be at Lindenwood Park tonight looking to play with balls.

If you like playing with balls, show up around 5pm.

Bring your bubble wrap and ear plugs.

Remember When It Was Raining?

2010-05-19T12:42:00.003-05:00

Yesterday, I think I heard that it had rained 9-days-straight.

St. Louis was temporarily Seattle.

But all of that has changed.

Today it is dry and the weather is perfect for some Wednesday night polo.

So assemble your bike, grab your gear, and wear your football pads. Tonight, WE'RE PLAYING POLO.

Maplewood Rink (Manchester and Big Bend)
6 PM.
Bring a light (one of mine burned out).
Bring fun things.

Leave your apologies at home.

Copyright Infringement

2010-05-17T10:18:00.008-05:00

Drew from CoMoPolo found this and posted it on their blog. This guy is using Big Tides as a recurring character in his strange comic strip.

WHEN IT'S TIME TO PARTY, WE WILL...

2010-05-14T14:43:00.004-05:00

Sunday Polo: Mt. Pleasant

2010-05-08T20:44:00.006-05:00

UPDATE:

Sunday at 1pm, we're playing polo at Mt. Pleasant Park.

Be prepared to see an unlicensed boxing match and motorcycle tricks.

We're also hunting for the amazing artist responsible for the masterpiece pictured above.

PS. In response to the STL vs. Cleveland "who parties harder" debate: I have yet to see Cleveland pictured with AWK. Another point: STL.

Birthday Party...with Polo

2010-05-03T17:31:00.004-05:00

Who: You
What: Partying
Where: Lindenwood Park
When: Tuesday, May 4, 2010 @ 6p - 10p
Why: Lucky's birthday

Bring something to grill, lots to drink, your polo gear, a stereo, a kicker ramp, and a willingness to have fun.

Those of you that have grills, bring them.

Those of you that have friends, bring them.

Those of you that have Hulk hands, bring them.

Those of you that have fun additions to any BBQ, bring them.

See you tomorrow night!

Polo is NOT a Crime!!!

2010-04-26T17:26:00.004-05:00

STL Bike Polo Suggestion/Help Box

2010-04-16T18:41:00.005-05:00

Here are a few questions and comments I pulled out of the STL Bike Polo suggestion/help box.

"Jake got blood on me. I'm not sure if it was my blood or his blood or blood from someone else. Is there a way to keep this from happening?" - Anonymous

Dear Anonymous,

We've all experienced this phenomenon. Don't fret. There's no way to keep Jake from bleeding on you or making you bleed. Wear those bloodstains with honor. Take pride in the fact that the amount of blood staining your clothes and epidermis is equally proportional to how hard you were poloing on that given day.

Personally, I try to look like Carrie (sans the prom dress) by the end of a successful day of polo.

"Anchovy keeps slamming into me on every inch of the rink. What can I do to prevent this?" - Bruised in Ballwin

Dear Bruised,
The only real way to avoid the bumps and bruises that Anchovy dishes out is to be on his team. Other than that, there's really no way to escape the pain. Anchovy's school of hard knocks is always in session when you're on the opposing team.

"How do you stop the Knobbe Laser?" - Frustrated, Injured Goalie

Dear Goalie,
I do my best to provide an answer to every question and comment I receive. When I don't know the answer to a question, I do all of the research I can until I feel that I can provide you with an informed answer. But the question you just asked has no answer. In fact, I would encourage you to stop trying to block the Knobbe Laser altogether. Your efforts are only going to result in broken bones and shattered orbital sockets.

"You should let your bulldogs out less. It's unsettling to hear people barking at the neighborhood roller hockey rink." - Frustrated Neighbor

Dear Neighbor,
That suggestion is noted. Unfortunately, it will be immediately ignored. You are not officially playing polo until you have released your bulldog. Polo without bulldogs is like a bike without wheels. Normally, there are no stupid questions or suggestions...Unless your suggestion is for us to cage our bulldogs.

Until next time, keep sending in your questions, suggestions, and comments. And remember: keep having fun out there...keep pushing yourself to be the best you can be...keep partying hard.

Anatomy of a Party

2010-04-05T19:21:00.003-05:00

Parties officially start with a crisp can of STACK. Enjoy it out of a cup or the can.

Then stop at the nearest Waffle House and order the following:
- Pecan Waffles
- Hashbrowns
*smothered
*covered
*chunked
*diced
*peppered
*capped
*topped
*country
- Grilled Cheese
- Diet Coke

Consume.

Walk across the parking lot and puke behind the gas station.

And that is how you party on a Sunday afternoon in Middle of Nowhere, Kentucky.

STL WINS THE PARTY CONTEST!

ps. Colin and Toph are both forever banned from the FJ Cruiser for making a mess. Sunflower seeds and Trail Mix.

Never Forget.

2010-04-02T14:29:00.003-05:00

The cuddled know only one thing: it is better to not be cuddled.

The Challenge Has Been Issued...

2010-03-23T18:35:00.003-05:00

Pete from COMO said his team was going to Lexington to win it all...Again.

1.) I have a pizza and a case of beer for any team with a STL player that beats Pete's team during the tournament (Saturday and/or Sunday).

2.) I also have a case of beer for any team with a STL player that places better than Pete's team.

Seriously.

You have just over a week to do whatever it takes to make it happen.

MAKE IT HAPPEN!

ps. COMO men and women can buy their own pizza.

New post, geez.

2010-03-23T18:06:00.000-05:00

89 comments. You guys are animals.

We are all the teachers. We are all the students.

2010-03-15T12:41:00.004-05:00

Excuse me while I momentarily assume a teacher/leader role:

18 days and counting...

There are several important things I need from all of you. These are things YOU need to do in the coming days; doing them will make your life and everyone else's life much easier. Before YOU do these important things, I want YOU to assume nothing about anyone else and expect nothing from anyone other than yourself. This post applies to you as an individual but no one individually. These are steps that you need to take.

Below are several questions. You need to ask yourself these questions and answer them honestly (rhetorical answers). The answers should be black and white. If your answers are gray, you're not taking the test right.

The test begins...now:

1.) Are you going to the Spring Invitational in Lexington, Kentucky on the weekend of April 3-4, 2010? - What I mean is: Are you literally going? The appropriate answer to this question is NOT: "Well, I want to go." This question requires a simple "Yes" or "No" answer. If you are not sure about this answer, figure it out quick. Teams are organizing right now, and dithering helps no on and hurts your chances to play with the people you want to play with.

2.) Do you know with whom you are playing at the Spring Invitational in Lexington, Kentucky? - What I mean is: Have you talked to people within (or outside of) STL Bike Polo about organizing a team and playing together in this tournament? Read that last sentence again (Seriously. I'll wait.). If you have not talked to anyone about organizing a team, you should start doing that now (not in the comments section). Do not assume you are on a team or that someone is making a team for you. Take responsibility for yourself and talk to the people with which you want to be on a team.

3.) Are you ready to let your bulldog out during the Spring Invitational in Lexington, Kentucky? - What I mean is: Are you ready to let your bulldog out during the Spring Invitational in Lexington, Kentucky? Tournament play is a weird thing. Professional athletes are always talking about replicating "game speed" at practice. It is nearly impossible. We "practice" every Sunday and Wednesday. But come tournament time, you will be playing at levels you rarely reach at our normal weekly pickup games. The heat of tournament play leaves you a couple of options: A) Let your bulldog out and rise to the occasion -OR- B) Cage your bulldog and release your timid turtle. I encourage you to do option "A." And I encourage you to practice embracing option "A" as much as possible over the next 18 days.

4.) Are you ready to have fun playing polo on a team of your STL brothers (or sister) and have fun...win or lose? - What I mean is: Yes this is a tournament, but do NOT get caught up in the fact that wins and losses actually matter. Do NOT take everything too seriously. Do NOT allow yourself to not have fun. At the end of the day on Sunday, you will have won some great games and lost some real heart breakers. Just remember: Polo is a game. We are all having fun. The instant you are not having fun, I insist that you pull yourself aside and remind yourself why you are in Lexington, Kentucky. (Hint: It's to have fun.)

5.) Are you ready to have the time of your life at the Spring Invitational in Lexington, Kentucky on the weekend of April 3-4, 2010? - What I mean is: Are you ready to storm into Lexington, Kentucky, hang out with our hosts -one of the coolest polo clubs in the world-, show everyone how hard St. Louis parties, and have an amazing weekend that you will remember for years to come? The answer to this question should be the same as your answer to question #1.

Are you ready? GET READY! Endless fun awaits us.

St Louis to Chicago

2010-03-08T08:09:00.002-06:00

Friendly pick-up day Saturday, March 13th in honor of Chris from CoMO's birthday in Chicaqo. Two courts! Brutal alleycat Saturday night. Who's in?

You asked for it!

2010-03-04T12:47:00.005-06:00

Start planning your team...Or bribing people to play with you.

The first legit tournament of the season is less than a month away.

Lexington's club is cool, and their city is a great place to kick it.

If you've never been to a polo tournament (I'm not talking "friendlies"), this will be a good learning experience.

I see no reason why we can't send four teams to this tournament.

I also see no reason why two of those teams can't do really well in this tournament.

Let's make AWK proud!

CoMO pull-out tourney this Saturday 3/6/10

2010-03-01T08:22:00.002-06:00

From LOBP: "Missouri friendlies/throw in tourney will be held at cosmo park on March 6 starting promptly at noon. All participants will select a beer from the mythical cooler and those with the same beers will form a team. Round robin all day at dusk top two teams play for the glory. Housing available. See you soon."

Who's in, who's out? Who can drive? When do you want to leave? Do you want to spend the night? Who's coming of the injured list this week?

When are we doing this?

2010-02-25T16:26:00.002-06:00

BMX Bike Polo from Sara Kinney on Vimeo.

Little bike polo. We've talked about it. We haven't acted on it. We're missing out, in my opinion.

Saint Louis Bike Polo

2010-02-23T12:35:00.004-06:00

The Legend Continues...

2010-02-22T21:18:00.002-06:00

2010-02-22T17:14:00.000-06:00

For those unsure...

2010-02-22T12:40:00.002-06:00

The road is rough.

The price is steep.

Victory awaits.

Tonight.

2010-02-22T04:14:00.001-06:00

I saw death in the shadow of a fallen tree.

-Lee W.K.

There can be only one...

2010-02-21T20:42:00.002-06:00

Shredding the battlefield.
Slaying the competition.
King . . . of Polo.

Hunting

2010-02-20T00:01:00.007-06:00

Opponents are mice scurrying in the field.

Monsters on Bikes

2010-02-19T12:31:00.004-06:00

The rink is a closet.
We are the monsters.
Our opponents are small children cowering under their covers.

Step into our realm, and the fear will be real.

this weekend

2010-02-18T07:45:00.001-06:00

Looks like the weather will be crap for polo all weekend long. Who'd like to go outstate with me and face fear/cross train with some caving? All you need is a change of clothes and three sources of light.

Strategizing...

2010-02-14T14:33:00.000-06:00

Tonight, STL Bike Polo will be gathering in the War Room (aka: Lucky's living room) to discuss our successful future invasion and domination of Hardcourt Bike Polo.

Tactics and training regiments will be discussed, laid out, and implemented.

Prepare yourself. Some of the training methods that could potentially come out of this meeting are listed below:

1. Getting everyone's attention:

When Ozzy Osbourne signed his record deal with CBS, he attempted to get everyone's attention by releasing doves in the room. When no one cared, he took things up a notch...or ten notches. He pulled a dove out of his pocket and bit its head off. You best believe he had everyone's strict attention after that.

We've signed our fate with Bike Polo championships, and now we're going to make the Bike Polo world notice us...Possibly, by decapitating birds with our teeth.

I'm listening to Ozzy right now. You should be too.

2. Releasing stress through smashing:

Paul Simonon was having a bad night in 1979. His bass guitar was giving him problems, and instead of exiting stage left to grab his backup, he decided to teach his bass a lesson for daring to give him trouble. He wasn't done until the bass was nothing but splinters scattered around the stage.

Tonight, we will learn the best way to smash opponents foolish enough to give us problems on the court.

3. Never give up the fight:

In Greek mythology, Sisyphus was a king that was punished in Tartus by being cursed to roll a huge boulder up a hill, only to watch it roll back down, and repeat this throughout eternity.

Some would see this as punishment; I see this as perfect training. We should gladly push boulders up mountains repeatedly. Think about it: After an eternity of pushing a boulder up a mountain, how hard would it be to push opposing polo players against the boards in a strong, forceful manner? I don't know about you, but I'm going to go start pushing a boulder right now!

So remember:

Today, we meet in the War Room.

Tomorrow, we take over the world.

Everyday, we PARTY HARD!

Less Aggressive...

2010-02-13T16:41:00.000-06:00

Hello, Friends.

Tonight we're going to Friendly's Restaurant and Bar to enjoy ridiculous drink specials during the Blues game. Come cheer the Blues, or simply get drunk on cheap beer.

Mr. McFeely will be there blitzed out of his mind and sharing Post Office horror stories.

A fun time will be had by all.

POLO BONDING = TRAINING!

The Blues game starts at 7pm. Drink specials last throughout the game.

Mr. Rogers PARTY TIP: It's time to bow down & worship bottled liquids. Pay tribute to a bottle today + PARTY HARD!

(What if Andrew W.K. was Mr. Rodgers when we were kids? How awesome would that neighborhood have been?)

Since There's No Polo Tonight...

2010-02-10T18:50:00.001-06:00

(click image for full size)

Since we're not playing polo tonight, I'm issuing a challenge to all of you. Yes, even you.

Tonight, I want you to do at least two things on this list. Don't be timid or embarrassed. You'll be a better polo player AND a better human being because of it.

- BUILD SOMETHING
- DESTROY SOMETHING
- BEND SOME METAL WITH YOUR BARE HANDS
- PUNCH A HARD OBJECT
- KICK SOMETHING "CUTE"
- BREAK A SWEAT
- BREAK SOMETHING FRAGILE
- SCARE YOURSELF
- SCARE SOMEONE ELSE
- STOMP SOMETHING 'TIL IT'S DUST
- DO SOMETHING YOU'VE NEVER DONE BEFORE
- EAT A LITTLE DIRT
- WALK BAREFOOT IN THE SNOW
- GET ON YOUR BIKE AND *SPRINT*
- VOW TO BE THE BEST POLO PLAYER YOU CAN BE

Share your experiences in the comments section. Everyone must participate! GO!

Be The Pole...

2010-02-09T17:27:00.001-06:00

STL Bike Polo: Inflict pain. Instill fear.

If anyone knows a warm, lit parking garage that can host a little polo training session tomorrow night, please share. Obviously, none of our rinks will be snow free tomorrow.

Food for thought:

Winning is not a sometime thing; it’s an all the time thing. You don’t win once in a while; you don’t do things right once in a while; you do them right all the time. Winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing...

...Every time a polo player goes to play his trade, he’s got to play from the ground up – from the tires of his bike right up to his head. Every inch of him has to play. Some guys play with their heads. That’s O.K. You’ve got to be smart to be number one in any business. But more importantly, you’ve got to play with your heart, with every fiber of your body. If you’re lucky enough to find a guy with a lot of head and a lot of heart, he’s never going to come off the rink in second.

Running a polo club is no different than running any other kind of organization – an army, a political party or a business. The principles are the same. The object is to win – to beat the other guy. Maybe that sounds hard or cruel. I don’t think it is.

It is a reality of life that men are competitive and the most competitive games draw the most competitive men. That’s why they are there – to compete. To know the rules and objectives when they get in the game. The object is to win fairly, squarely, by the rules – but to win.

And in truth, I’ve never known a man worth his salt who in the long run, deep down in his heart, didn’t appreciate the grind, the discipline. There is something in good men that really yearns for discipline and the harsh reality of head to head combat.

I don’t say these things because I believe in the ‘brute’ nature of man or that men must be brutalized to be combative. I believe in God, and I believe in human decency. But I firmly believe that any man’s finest hour – his greatest fulfillment to all he holds dear – is that moment when he has to work his heart out in a good cause and he’s exhausted on the field of battle – victorious.

–Vince Lombardi.

St. Louis Polo Powerhouse Training

2010-02-07T18:46:00.000-06:00

This week:
Wind sprints.
Mallet pickup shuttle runs.
Footdown cuddlefest.
Continuous red rover.

Next Week:
Opposite hand polo.
Chaining cars to our bikes and pulling them around Mt. Pleasant Park.
Wind sprint races against the biker gang.
Playing polo while wearing backpacks full of gravel.
Releasing a ferocious dog onto the rink in the middle of a games (cuddle without being chewed).

Embrace the fear.

Spring and summer for StL Bike Polo

2010-02-05T17:20:00.001-06:00

Stuff coming up:
February-
•22-26 Bike Polo Spring Break. Pensacola, FL 13 hr drive
•27-28 South East Side Invite. Pensacola, FL 13 hr drive
March-
•6 Pull-out Friendly Tournament. Columbia, MO 2 hr drive
•13 Chris from CoMO's Birthday polo bash. Chicago, IL 5 hr drive
•20-21 Bench Minor Tournament. NYC, NY 16 hr drive
April-
•10-11 Friendly Tournament. Little Rock, AR 7 hr drive
May-
•22-23 8th Midwest Champeenships. Minneapolis, MN 10 hr drive
June-
July-
•16-18 North American Hardcourt Championships. Madison, WI 6 hr drive

YES!

2010-02-02T19:12:00.000-06:00

Team wheel covers, shirts, hats, and stickers for all! Lucky, I'll be cutting your St. Cago logos from now on.

Prepare Yourself...

2010-02-02T13:15:00.000-06:00

Bring your bike.
Bring lights.
Bring extension chords.
Prepare to fight a hockey player.

Training!

Today

2010-01-31T09:59:00.000-06:00

Morning: Bike Swap

Afternoon: Maybe Polo. Stay tuned to the comments section.

I Started this Blog . . .

2010-01-28T11:49:00.000-06:00

. . . And I shall post whatever non-polo related stuff I want.

So, anyone interested in celebrating my 28th Birthday with me should come to Friendly's tonight around 7:00.

Vintage "Thor's Hammer"

2010-01-24T21:13:00.001-06:00

This year we will be winning tournaments with jaw dropping game-winning-goals via "Thor's Hammer." Make sure you start charting your personal training sessions ASAP.

Bike Polo Spring Break / SESPI Feb 22 - 28

2010-01-21T14:29:00.000-06:00

Last year Lucky, Dumptruck and myself put together a team last year for BPSP '09. It was a ton of fun. There was decent competition and got to play a ton of games. It was about a 12 hr drive to Florida.

Anyone interested in putting a team together this year for the tournament the weekend of Feb 27 and 28?

Cole from two sides.

2010-01-21T07:17:00.000-06:00

Neat things happen when 90 people are crowded in a semi-circle taking pictures.

Next Year...

2010-01-19T17:13:00.000-06:00

KIKKELO PARTY!!

The Oblimber Bike Polo PARTY will be limited to 60 participants. 60 days prior to the event all interested persons will be given a PARTY aptitude test.

The PARTY aptitude test will consist of:
-Sharpie Knuckle Tattoo Artistry
-PARTY VAN Trivia
-Piñata Breaking Mechanics
-Donut Identification
-Sleep Deprivation Survival
-Story Telling Ability
-Knowledge of AWK Lyrics
-Mastering KIKKELO
-City Flag Capes
and SO MUCH MORE!

Will you be one of the chosen sixty?!

What Just Happened. (Walls)

2010-01-17T21:02:00.000-06:00

Did You Come For The Polo?
Did You Come From Miles Around?
Well, You're Here Now

To Move Faster Than Time
And Remove Every Doubt
That You Are What This Is About
When This Was Then (Re-Experience)

When I Came By Myself
I Came For You (You!)

I Came For You
Oh
You Were There Now (Re-Experience)

Expectations Derailed
So Take The Frame Off The Nail
And See Where The Color Runs Pale?
Its Outline Shows

That All The Essence Remains
It Has Left Many Stains
On Our Walls, On Our Souls
On Our Brains
When THEN Was NOW

And When I Came By Myself...

I Came For You.

-Future National Champions of Bike Polo W.K.