Lob it or Toss it!

Published: 15 Feb 2005 - 08:55 by rippa rit

Updated: 26 Sep 2008 - 09:55

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The English language expressions sure trick us. They say toss a coin, so I can see it looking like lobbing a coin. They say toss your opponent, so I can see a bull throwing his rider high in the air. My Dad would say toss that stuff out it's haddit, so things would fly into the air. They say don't argue the toss, so I visualise another encounter. Want a tossed salad for lunch, so I see lettuce getting thrown up and down. Seriously, the word "toss" is a squash term, meaning "toss it over their head". The word lob seems to be a tennis term for hitting the ball high in the air. Then, we say I'll lob in to see you sometime. That sure is different! So, what am I getting at? When I hear either of these words lob, toss or float it means "get the ball high overhead to land in the court deep". A great shot, whatever the game happens to be.

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From raystrach - 17 Feb 2005 - 00:50

it seems slavi that every one has their own squash language. local terminology for the same thing. the important thing is that squashgame.info stays consistent. that is why we decided that we would use toss from the front and lob from the back court.

any way you look at it - it must go high, and i mean high. the pakistani greats, jahingir and jansher were masters at it - incredible control in impossible situations which made them so hard to beat or should i say "hard to toss"

From rippa rit - 16 Feb 2005 - 09:06

Slavi - I don't think what we say will alter anything that already exists, and I am comfortable with that. Just think, to say a "toss serve" sounds ridiculous to me, but that is what I am used to. My main concern is that all members understand the "squash speak" and not confuse them. Ray may have something to add on this debate so I will put it over to him.

From drop-shot - 15 Feb 2005 - 23:19

True, tennis was here first :-) So let's give them entire respect they deserve. But, being younger brother we might come with our own language, nope?

From rippa rit - 15 Feb 2005 - 22:23

Slavi - Good to talk - I see what you are saying, but remember squash has not been around as long as tennis has, and most of our early champions were also top tennis players in their heyday, and transferred their skills across, and also transferred some of the terms/language too,hence the confusion for exclusively squash players. In fact top tennis players in our part of the world used squash to increase fitness/speed and volleying exercise, and also to sharpen their reflexes. Besides, 30 years ago, these players squeezed into top National teams competitions walking over our dedicated squashies.

From drop-shot - 15 Feb 2005 - 21:59

Rita,
pretty smart debate... In my opinion we should keep 'Squash' terms here and leave the tennis ones to the other guys. Well, in all earnest, i always thought that 'toss' refers to the hit fropm the front part of the court, while 'lob' explains the stroke from the back court. Great shot remains the grat shot, but we should agree on the semantics ;-) and i vote for 'toss'! And I truly love the backhand toss, when i am close to the frontwall and the opponent expects me to drop ... then the ball flies high and tight ... to die in the back court nick... luckily ... such a brilliant shot ... toss ... not lob.

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Lob it or Toss it!

Lob it or Toss it!

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