We went up to Saratoga but our team didn't win

I just returned from a very enjoyable week of bridge with my friend and relatively new bridge partner, Steve.  We stayed in his cottage in Stockbridge (near Tanglewood) and thence commuted to Saratoga Springs (about 75 minutes).  I enjoyed hearing Steve practicing his viola while working on my computer.  Steve was a very generous and welcoming host.

Although we enjoyed playing together, we didn't have much bridge success.  So it goes.  We had a very tough time finding teammates.  Why is it so difficult?  Well, I think I know but it's a long story and I won't go into it here.  We started on Monday evening with a non-stellar pairs game, then peaked Wednesday and Thursday in team games that eventually were unsuccessful.  Finally, we played quite dreadfully on Friday after which, as planned, we went home. 

Good performance at the bridge table depends on a number of factors: Bridge knowledge/experience, (technical) Sharpness, emotional/mental Readiness, Teammates (actual or, in a pairs game, virtual), and plain old Luck.  When all of the variable factors (SETL) come together, any really competent pair (i.e. with a decent amount of factor B) can win or place in an event.  But when they're all wrong it can be awful.  Our first two sessions were low on L; T was a problem for some of the sessions in between.  On the final day, we a little worn out I think and suffered from both E and S. 

But, here's the good news.  We never really got fed up with each other.  We both made some bad decisions at the table, and we weren't always exactly on the same page.  Overall, we had remarkably few partnership misunderstandings.

The big disappointment of the week was that the Celtics lost the NBA finals.  I'm not much of a basketball fan, but I do like to see Boston teams win.  What I saw of the game (most of the final half) was shocking.  The refereeing was really bad (for us, that is).  Basically, our opinion (backed up by most of the totally independent fans in the bar where we watched) was that the officials won the game for the Lakers, not the players.

Speaking of officials, did you see the pathetic job they did in the US/Slovenia game?  Now, you know that I'm not a die hard fan of the US soccer team, although I do like to see them win (as long as they don't beat England of course).  And I like to see smaller, less powerful nations such as Slovenia (a place I've actually been to) do well.  But the officials made two blunders, each of which made a one goal difference in the game.  Instead of winning 3-1, the US drew 2-2.  The second Slovenian goal was off-side but not called.  On the third US goal (what a second half they had!), the whistle was blown and the goal disallowed for no apparent reason.  We still don't know what the infraction was!

Finally, my title refers to that wonderful song by Carly Simon, You're so vain (incidentally, the identity of the vain one is still not really known). Saratoga Springs is a really nice small city with a very wealthy and comfortable feel to it.  Lots of good restaurants in the center of town, including Tiznow, at which we had a very enjoyable meal (we were the only diners).  I may write up my specific thoughts somewhere else like TripAdvisor. 

Well I hear you went up to Saratoga and your horse naturally won
Then you flew your lear jet up to Nova Scotia
To see the total eclipse of the sun
Well you're where you should be all the time
And when you're not you're with
Some underworld spy or the wife of a close friend
Wife of a close friend, and...

You're so vain, you probably think this song is about you
You're so vain, I'll bet you think this song is about you
Don't you? Don't You? Don't you?