The Polo Report
By Steve Crowder
The clock is ticking down to 3 O’clock Pacific Time … then it will be time for the 2010 America Cup finals which will be a game of two times the youth, but not the youngest of our time. Without much doubt, the greatest player of our day, Mr. CAMBIASO and Lucchese will compete against 2 of the best players of the 90’s and part of the last decade the Gracida’s and Piocho Ranch. Piocho may or may not have a Patron in the saddle today as Mr. Barrack is suffering from a torn rotor cuff and a broken hand, but he is also a very tough man so we shall see. It should be fun to watch. Four years ago, both Gracida’s (Memo and Carlos) were rated 10-goals, so they could not play here together unless they had 0-goal rated players. Now as they reach the 1/2 century mark and they are rated 7 and 8, they are definitely capable of carrying it well. They have a very able young man named Matias Zavaleta working with them and if they have the boss man, they will be lined up to battle. However, they do face the Zenyatta of Polo, I say this as just yesterday she won her 18th race in a row undefeated in her lifetime. Adolfo Cambiaso (AC) was 10 goals long before any other player usually reaches that level at the young age of 16 (which was around 1991). He continued to improve over the years and for the last decade has won close to 90 % of the major tournaments he has played in. What makes AC interesting, is that in his mid 30’s he is very likely still getting better I think. I believe he has won the last 6 major cups in the world which would make him similar to Zenyatta in that he continues a string of wins, back to back. The consecutive wins started back in the finals of the Argentine Open last year when it was thought by most of us the new generation was taking over. I guess AC just needed a challenge.
Here in Santa Barbara, Adolfo Cambiaso will have 2 players working for him, each rated 5-goals, Andres Weisz and Jason Crowder, my son. They have been well playing very well and the Patron of the team John Muse has been outstanding in his help on the field. So buckle up as time will tell, but do not give up as the Pacific Coast Open starts one week from today and everybody has a chance as of now. Be there and just maybe the sun will shine. Either way it will be hot on the field.
See ya @ the finals.