Tales of the table
PHILADELPHIA — Jonathan Bricklin's forearms are only slightly larger than the handle of his pingpong paddle, proving there's likely no need for a table tennis version of the Mitchell Report.
The 30-year-old New Yorker's play was only marginally better than some pickup pingpong match in a college dorm rec room. He was dressed more like a casual jogger than an Olympic athlete, wearing a plain blue T-shirt, black shorts, green sneakers.
None of Bricklin's handicaps deterred him much Thursday when he traded his usual friendly games with his buddies to take a shot — make that long, wide and errant shots — in a match with a bit more at stake than bragging rights: This was a chance to be in the mix for a spot on the American team that will compete in the 2008 Beijing Games in August.
"In all likelihood," Bricklin said, "I'm the worst player to ever try out for the Olympics."
Forrest Gump was told any idiot can play pingpong. Well, anyone with $200, a cheap USA Table Tennis membership and a dream could show off their oddest herky-jerky serve with a little topspin at Drexel University and take aim at qualifying for the U.S. Olympic table tennis team.
"All I've got right now is my dream," Bricklin said.
Imagine the Washington Generals trying out for Kobe or LeBron's spot in basketball. Or even a summer club swim champ hoping to stroke goggle-to-goggle against Michael Phelps for his spot.
No way.
In table tennis, going from the basement to Beijing was on almost every player's mind.
Bricklin was one of 24 players competing in Thursday's qualifier round hoping to earn one of the final two spots available in the remaining 12-player field.
The official trials started Friday and the top four finishers in the men's and women's division will move on to the North American Trials in April in Vancouver, British Columbia. Team USA competes with Canada for the final Olympic spots.
There are three North American spots for both men and women available for the Olympics. All three men's positions will be decided in Vancouver while only one more spot is open for the women. USA's top-ranked women Jun Gao and Chen Wang are in the top 20 world rankings and earned an automatic spot in China.
"The average guy really can't make the Olympics," said eliminated qualifier Wally Green. "You can be average to try out, but making it is pretty different."
The winners were Razvan Cretu, who lives in the Philadelphia area, and Tahl Leibovitz. Both players entered with ratings over 2,400, two of the stronger numbers in the field. Bricklin's was 1,348.
