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| brain
- 11 Jul 2012
Total Posts: 578
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Anthony Marino has challengd me for a Mitic Rating advancement Opportunity. We both have something to gain and plenty to lose in the match.
The match will take place this Saturday, July 14 at SRO at noon sharp. We request referees to come and help officiate this classic match that will have significant implication on the matchups for the upcoming World Championships.
Thanks,
Brian Accrocco
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| brain
- 14 Jul 2012
Total Posts: 578
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Anthony and i are webcasting our match. The link is http://www.ustream.tv/channel/usaa-ranking-challenge-matches
We will start about 12:30.
Brian
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| stubbs7
- 14 Jul 2012
Total Posts: 582
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Congrats on your win Brian.
You and Anthony have had a few close matches before, right?
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| carolina phil
- 15 Jul 2012
Total Posts: 1084
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Well done, Brian. A big win over an extreme fighter. Being in practice and physical shape no doubt earned you those two one game victories, and made the difference.
Phil
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| brain
- 16 Jul 2012
Total Posts: 578
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I wish I had more time to elaborate, but balancing work and management for the tournament has me literally strrapped for minutes every day right now.
Anthony is a brilliant player. There are a few player like him (Jose, Jimmy), who can not play a single game for a year, and within a few practice games are right back to exactly where they were. They seem to lose no skill. Or they get it back really fast. Not me. I have to wortk hard just to maintain what I have. And then I have to work a ton harder just to gain a tiny tiny amount of growth. I'm sure Billy understands. His rise did not come without immense hard wortk and sacrifice. When you get to where we are, its a whole lot of investment for a very small return. You have to want it badly enough to make it worth it.
For those who saw the match, they saw an epic battle of momentum shifting and a whole lot of strategic changes. I stuck wityh my game plan. I had to keep shifting aorund what I was shooting because Anthony kept changing defenses. He also used at least 4 different offenses, and the timing of his adjustments was brilliant. He would change his offense and defensive strategy at key point and completely reverse the momentum.
I played very sloppily in the first set, getting very upset at pop outs nad lack of the puck staying in. The fact was that I was overly eager and not playing with the proper rhythm, and that is why my game was executing poorly. I calmed down in the second set even though it continued and had patience. He got up on me 3 games to 0, but I continued to try to figure out what he was doing. And I did. I managed to come back 4 straight games to tie the match. That in my opinion, was where I truly won this match. If he goes up 2-0 on me, I am in big trouble.
But then the next set I got up on him 3-2 and looked like I had it. And again, he altered his Offense and defense in game 6 and I didn't figure it our until late in the 7th game, and he was able to hold pace and steal the set. So I stole one form him, and then he stole one from me. Advantage, Marino.
Then I took my shift into the 4th set and went up 3-0! It looked like I had him put away, but then he made another brilliant adjustment, shifting to a game of high angle overs and far back releases that were defying my recentering that got him back in. Netx thing you know, it was 3-3, and I was starring being down 3-1 instead of even at 2-2. By the grace of God, I managed to pull out that 7th game and even the match. So then maybe this was the key moment.
ANd then the match got weird. Once again, I jumped out into a lead on Anthony, and this time he just looked defeated. The whole 5th set he seemed like that 7th game loss after coming back 3 games just deflated him. I rolled over him 4 straight games. He started to make a shift in the 4th game, but I was able to put it away this time. Advantage: Brian 3-2.
The Anthony did it again. to be continued...
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| brain
- 16 Jul 2012
Total Posts: 578
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Then Anthony again made brilliant offensive and defensive changes, pulling out the Jimmy Heilander "relazed" defense and mixing in high angle overs and far back releases to shred my defense and get a 3-0 advantage.
And then again, I figured it out. 1 game at a time i reaised my concentration and really focussed on what was open. He was absolutely not going to let me have a cross. Not gonna happen. So then I knew - the cut was the answer. And so I worked harder than I have ever worked for ever single point in thsoe 4 games. I scored right and left wall unders by freezeing him for crosses and cuts, and I ripped about 4-5 different kinds of cuts to get past him, altering position, speed, relase style - you name it.
And so it is 3-3. I am about to collapse from exhaustion. And of course, Anthony makes another adjustment. He get 3 quick point to go up 3-1. Danger. So I fight back and keep myself alive and find myself down 6-4. Looking like we are going to the 7th set. And then God jumped right into my body and loked down the defense. I scored on my first possession at 6-4 to make it 6-5. And then I got the puck back at 6-5. I don't even remember what I shot. I think it was a cut. I worked my tail off to get it. I ahve to go back and watch the recording to see what I did.
And so it is nor 6-6. I need one capture and one point to close this out. The psychology of it was draining. I went from accepting that I was playing a 7th set to being that clsoe to wrapping it up. And so I begged God, please let me get this puck and help me put it away. And He was there. I truly felt it. As my concentration reached a level I have never been to before. I captured Anthony's puck. And I made the best decision I ahev ever made. I called time out.
I said aloud, "Now win Brian". And I didn't know what shot it would be or how I would get it. But I knew I had to do it right now. Exhausted, tense, stressed, desperate - I stepped back up, and began the set up process. Anthony was expecting me to go after that cut, and I finished him off with a powerful deadly accurate cross. And I yelled like I have never yelled. I roared like a Grizzly Bear, as I had stricken the final blow to my opponent and captured a great victory with the help of my Lord God who sent the Holy Spirit upon me so that I could perform better than I can on my own.
Those who were there saw an incredible match of two intense and determined men givi9ng everything from the depths of their souls. I love Anthony, and my only regret is that he had to lose that match. In my eyes, my former Doubles World Champion partner will always be a champion!
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