Pttcpingpong.com

Table Tennis, also known as “Ping Pong”, is believed to have begun life in Victorian Britain where it became the game of fun for the Upper Classes.  1901 saw a breakthrough in the game when a link was made to celluloid balls and table tennis.  The modern table tennis racket was also invented in 1901 and it was these advances in the game that kept it in the public eye and boosted its popularity in general.  1926 saw the foundation of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) and 1988 saw the games entry into the Olympics at Seoul in South Korea.

The official dimensions of a full size table tennis table are 9 foot long by 5 foot wide but smaller versions are available for the home market and leisure industry.  As with most sports, there are international rules governing the size of the balls to be used in tournaments. The ITTF state that the balls must be 40 mm in diameter and just 2.7 grams in weight.  The table tennis racket (also known as a bat or paddle amongst others), is a wooden, lollipop shaped bat that will be covered in textured rubber on one or both sides. The ITTF regulations do permit different surfaces to be present on each side of the racket and this allows players to utilise different levels of spin or speed.  Competitive table tennis is currently popular throughout Europe and Asia and is becoming more so in America.  China has dominated the sport over the last half century although as its popularity spreads, so do the skills of European players.

Copyright © 2009

Carlos Boozer ended his slump with 27 points and 14 rebounds and the Utah Jazz snapped a two-game losing skid by beating the San Antonio Spurs 113-99 on Thursday night.

Deron Williams also scored 27 and had nine assists in Utah’s first win over San Antonio since April 2008. Andrei Kirilenko added 12 points and six assists and rookie Wesley Matthews scored a career high 12 points for Utah, which improved to 2-3.

Tim Duncan had 15 points and 13 rebounds. Tony Parker had 21 points but scored just four in the second half as the Spurs couldn’t overcome the Jazz’s shooting.

Boozer finished 12 for 20 and the Jazz went 44 for 83.

COWBOYS-WOEBEGONE WILLIAMS Cowboys WR Williams repeating frustrating refrain

IRVING, Texas (AP) — While Cowboys receiver Miles Austin breaks records, Roy Williams sounds like a broken record:

The player who cost Dallas three draft picks and a $45 million contract extension has offered the same refrain for weeks now. He’s frustrated, he can’t get on the same page with Tony Romo, and he doesn’t know why.

Williams added a twist this week by declaring himself the No. 1 receiver. He said “things are just doing No. 2’s way,” referring to Austin.

Austin has more yards and touchdowns in the past three games than Williams has in his first 16 with the Cowboys.

Austin set an NFL record with 482 yards in his first three starts. Williams has 447 yards for the equivalent of a full season in Dallas.

TEXANS-DEFENSIVE SWAGGER Houston’s defense has new edge

HOUSTON (AP) — Houston’s defense has a new attitude. Some might call it confidence, but the Texans prefer to call it swagger.

It’s a feeling that’s growing each week as this group improves and Houston keeps winning. On Sunday they’ll see if their newfound swagger can help at Indianapolis, a place where they’ve never won.

Cornerback Dunta Robinson says Sunday is the time for the defense to make a statement. The unit has been bolstered by the emergence of rookie linebacker Brian Cushing. He leads the team and all rookies with 66 tackles.

T25-TEXAS-SECURITY High-tech eyes of Texas security are watching

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The high-tech eyes of Texas see all at Longhorns home games.

University officials have installed 43 surveillance cameras that watch the crowd from all angles in and outside of Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. The stadium used to have four cameras.

The cameras can focus close enough to see facial expressions or catch someone sticking a bottle of alcohol under the bleachers.

The upgrade cost about $400,000 and was done as part of a $175 million stadium expansion and renovation in recent years.

No. 2 Texas (8-0) plays Central Florida (5-3) at home Saturday.

MAVERICKS-D-LEAGUE-LIEBERMAN Lieberman breaks another basketball gender barrier

DALLAS (AP) — The first woman to play pro basketball with guys is also the first hired to coach them.

Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman was introduced Thursday as the head coach of the Dallas Mavericks’ affiliate in the NBA Development League, which will tip off next November.

Lieberman is excited about the chance to help prepare players for the NBA and, of course, about breaking another gender barrier. She broke through as a player with the United States Basketball League in 1986.

Mavericks president Donnie Nelson is among the owners of the D-League team and it was his idea to hire her. This is no publicity stunt — she’s been a coach before and has run camps in the Dallas area for 26 years.

BKC–TEXAS TECH PREVIEW Knight’s focus is improving Texas Tech’s defense

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Texas Tech coach Pat Knight is keeping his expectations for the basketball team to himself — though he knows the Red Raiders can’t fall much farther.

Tech finished 11th in the Big 12 (14-19) last year, the school’s worst season since 2000. That was the year before his dad, Bob Knight, took over the program and led the Red Raiders to four consecutive seasons of at least 20 wins.

Pat Knight’s team won just three Big 12 games last season — one was against No. 9 Kansas — and he openly criticized officiating twice in a three-week span. The Big 12 slapped him with a public reprimand and a one-game suspension.

The younger Knight blamed himself for last year’s abysmal record, saying he focused on the wrong aspect — letting defense slip.

The Red Raiders will rely on man-to-man defense — the mainstay of Bob Knight’s teams.

RANGERS-HURDLE Hurdle named new Rangers hitting coach

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Former Rockies manager Clint Hurdle is the new hitting coach for the Texas Rangers.

Hurdle was hired Thursday, taking over the job that Rudy Jaramillo held for 15 years before turning down a one-year deal at the end of the season. Jaramillo then got a three-year contract to become hitting coach for the Chicago Cubs.

The Rangers plan to emphasize situational hitting over slugging next season. Texas hit .260 last season, 11th in the AL, but was second with 224 homers.

Hurdle was the Rockies manager for seven-plus seasons before being fired in May, and led Colorado to the 2007 World Series. Before being manager, he was the team’s hitting coach for five-plus seasons.