Sizing up the competition

Puppy Bowl VIII preps: Game day analysis for fans and fantasy players

Football’s biggest event of the year is almost upon us. Puppy Bowl VIII airs this Sunday at 3 p.m. ET/PT on Animal Planet. Saying this year’s bowl is going to be huge would be an understatement after last year's incredible final seconds (see the video we posted above).

Of course, the kitty halftime show is back with twenty of the country’s top kitten cheerleaders taking the stage. The Piggy Pep Squad will make their debut along with Meep the bird who will be live tweeting all the action. Plus, most importantly, the nation’s top puppy athletes will be vying for the championship in Animal Planet Stadium.

My money is on Hunter the boxer from Ohio. You can see in his eyes the determination to be a legend.

Animal Planet released the starting line up revealing twenty impressive pups. I’ve studied the line up hard, literally staring at some of these puppies for hours. Fantasy Puppy Bowl nerds get your pencils out; here’s my inside scoop on who’s going to make a splash in Puppy Bowl VIII.

Everyone’s worried about the wild pack from Philadelphia this year. Being called the Philadelphia 4, you have Malie, Lucie, Hollie and Brandy all representing the City of Brotherly Love. The crew of collies, pit bulls and mixes have a very tight friendship. Will this be their downfall? I am worried the four will spend too much time wrestling with each other and not enough time getting the ball to the end zone.

The inspirational story of the year goes to Basin the pug and Jack Russell terrier mix. Although Jack Russells often perform well in sporting events, pugs are not known for their athletic ability. Being last picked in school never got in Basin’s way of chasing his dream. Pugs and Jack Russells everywhere will surely be cheering for him. Look for his uplifting life story in theaters next fall.

Picking a Puppy Bowl MVP is never easy. Last year, proving size doesn’t matter, C.B. took the award home. This year I believe it will be a return to brawn. My money is on Hunter the boxer from Ohio. You can see in his eyes the determination to be a legend. MVP recognition wouldn’t hurt his future political career either.

Maggie MacDonald, the medical director of Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter, thinks one of the Philadelphia 4 will be taking the award home. “I like Hollie's chance for MVP because she is a Border Collie Mix,” Maggie predicts. “Border Collies are the most intelligent breed and I imagine she’s got some tactical skills up her sleeve.”

Sadly this year there will be no Austin athletes competing in the Puppy Bowl. Austin has a strong puppy scene and hopefully we will see one of our athletes competiting in the future. There are plenty of local organizations that support puppies that you can make a donation to. You never know, next year one of their pups could be MVP.

What a racket

New padel club gets Austin familiar with popular Latin American sport

People playing at Padel39

Photo by Juan J Valdes

Padel is not a new sport, but interest in paddleball has shown its potential to take root in Austin.

Considering the runaway success of pickleball in Austin, padel should be going crazy in no time. The sport isn't new; it's been around since 1969. And in fact, pickleball is even four years older. Regardless, a renewed interest has new spots to watch and play popping up left and right, and joining the party is Padel39.

The new padel ball club is now open at 2510 Rutland Dr., near Q2 Stadium and right behind Turnstile Coffee Beer Cocktails and Burgers. It's also near Restart CBD, but hopefully you won't need any pain remedies; people usually say padel ball is easy to pick up.

Even though it's already open, Padel39 is hosting a grand opening on Friday, October 18. From 6-9 pm there will be drinks, snacks, and a padel expo game (starting at 7 pm). "In-house pros" from Padel39 will compete against two professional Mexican players.

Padel39 courts The courts themselves are charming, covered by green turf and surrounded by white, resort-style seating.Photo by Josh Graziadei

Descriptions of the sport invariably take the form of "like [x racquet sport] but with elements of [y and racket sports]." If keeping track of all the differences just feels like too much, picture a solid racket — i.e. not stringed — with holes drilled in it. Padel balls are nearly identical to tennis balls, but smaller and with a lower air pressure; a release explains that this is so it doesn't bounce as high. (It also assures readers that the noise is less annoying than that of a pickleball.)

The most exciting part: there is a net in the center of the court, but the whole thing is encased in glass walls, which are part of the game. Austinites who have spent time in Latin American countries or Spain may already be familiar with the sport, since it's much more popular there. It was invented in Acapulco, Mexico, by Enrique Corcuera, and now Padel39 bears the first two numbers of all Acapulco ZIP Codes.

Co-founder Will Boyce, born in France and educated at the University of Texas, used to play tennis for the school. Now he and his wife, co-founder Naomi Boyce, have grand plans for the new club. The release positions it as "helping [to] redefine the ever-evolving area of North Austin near Q2 Stadium," and the website already hopes to open new locations in "the coming years."

Padel39 co-founders Will and Naomi Boyce Co-founders Will and Naomi Boyce.Photo by Juan J Valdes

So far, though, it's only two weeks in, following a soft opening. Spread across two acres, there's plenty of room to play, plus a sports bar and a lounge for remote work.

Padel39 Memberships start at $89 per month or $890 per year, but players can also rent courts as needed for 90 minutes at $30. More information about the club is available at padel39.com. Guests who would like to stop by the grand opening will need to message @padel.39 on Instagram. The event is limited to 100 people.

sports padel openings

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