The Polo Report
By Steve Crowder
Pacific Coast Open, held at Santa Barbara Polo Club, is the biggest tournament in the west and it should be a very tough day to rock and roll. In the 10 a.m. game they get a fresh field. iIt will be a flat-out battle with all kinds of recent history as even the opponents in the 2009 are finals right here in Santa Barbara. ERG and the Boys from Scott Woods Houston area are in town. They play against the Farmers from Grant’s Farm out of the San Ynez Valley, who are the defending champs. You have it all here in Santa Barbara … glamor, polo, big names and for sure … tough polo.
Here is a rundown on this mix …
Grant’s Farm:
Cachi Garcia is young, tough and has the sexiest mom in polo. He is quick and daring all the time. Cachi was set down last year and replaced. He is here to show it was not him and he has them here.
Sugar Erskine is the ultimate warrior, everyday andevery year. He has won the last two Opens with different team combos. With the exception of a few years ago, he is all ways there on the trophy stand. He fears no one and he knows no danger. Speed is his constant companion, no mater what he is doing … even golf becomes fast. Is this a three-peat?
Jeff Blake was born to play polo or any other sport. He would have been a champ at table tennis. Jeff is tough as leather and as smart as anybody you know. He is never afraid to let it happen.
Andy Busch was born to win, as his daddy did, and he may whine, but he is not going to back down from anything. Andy will be there when the chips are down and he will never back off. I am sure he does not want to wait 10 years for the next one.
ERG: They lost to Grant’s Farm in the finals of the 2009 PCO last year.
Scott Woods -Speed would be a simple definition, but he has become quite clever as well. There is no doubt that Scott likes to win and if not, to have a very good time. Polo is money and Scott wants to enjoy his money.
Santi Torres was forced to play polo or pick tomatoes and he chose polo. He is probably the best young player in America, if they could get over born in California. Show me another better 4 from anywhere.
Paco De Narvaez is a leader without a purpose, but one heck of a polo player. Hee has all the tools to be one of the best and he is, but he has this idea that anyone should know what he is thinking. Well, the problem is he is 9-goals and they are not, so if he listens to others they will be impossible to beat.
Beto Donovan – Tough is a simple word, but simply put, he is going to make it happen. All of his shots will be hard and they will seldom take him out.
@ 12 NOON It is either going to be fun or a very long day!
Lucchese Takes on Zacara : It could be a game?
Zacara:
Lyndon Lea is the best patron prospect in 20 years. He could and would be next Peter Brant, but the trouble is he likes to work and that is good for polo. He does work for his polo which may be a slow process, but on the bubble as some say. It is a moment away.
Hillario Ulloa Is like speed and a bullet, but quicker as he can change directions. Maybe his biggest problem is too many days with Cambiaso. He needs to know there is only ONE, the rest of the time it is your JOB.
Jeff Hall is the quarterback of Zacara. He has the idea, but is not as clever as he thinks. He has no imagination, he is great with ball and steady on defense, but he still lacks the sugar to make it happen. He won the PCO last year, so he knows what he needs to do.
Carlos Gracida, Jr. has the name and he has the drive. Now he needs the time to grow his game and to prove his mettle. The desire is there, but it is often tough being a 10-goaler’s son … I am sure .
Lucchese: They have been unstoppable thus far. Will this change? Hard to say as it is polo and you know anything is possible, so you have to watch it.
John Muse Is the patron of the team and he has became a very disciplined player. John has bought some excellent horses from Scott Devon, which advanced him quickly. They say horses are 70 % of your game.
Jason Crowder Is living a dream, playing with best player in the world and having fun. Jason is playing very well himself. He is proving, like Santi Torres, that they can play POLO out west. They are showing that the West Coast horses do run.
Andres Weisz is assolid as a post, he can and will foul, but he is quite accurate with his shots. Andres is still quick enough to move it down the field fast as if he knows who is behind him. You better be moving fast or get over.
Adolfo Cambiaso is the best polo player on the planet these days. If he is 10-goals who else is?
There is Magic in his stick, in his horses and in his mind. Like Fedder, Nadal, Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan, he is simply the best in polo. Yes, somedays these athletes will get beat, but they do not come to the field thinking that very often.
Come on up. The games are early as the Semis are on the fields first, so they get best they can at this stage of the season. It’s a 10 a.m. start time .
See ya.