“Exhibition” comes from the latin Exhibitvs, made up from the roots “Ex Hibit Vs.”, which roughly translates as “Not ready, versus.” I looked it up. Make no mistake, today’s competitors are well-prepared.
A few are veterans of the top ranks of Layer Tennis. Others are new to the sport, but no less skilled. Others aren't really that great, but they live somewhere exotic and let us crash on their floors a lot back in the 90s. In any case, all these titans of imagery are ready to go, it is I, your commentator, The Ref, who is not ready.
I've been told I commentated on a match last season. I've read it, and it's not bad, but I don't remember writing a word of it. A Layer Tennis match is a grueling experience for all involved. While today's match will allow ten participants fifteen minutes to prepare their one shot at glory, a normal match features only two competitors, who each must prepare five volleys, in 15-minute creative bursts alternating with 15-minute panic attacks.
The commentator, on the other hand, must not only familiarize him/herself with both participants, but also reply to all ten volleys Immediately as they're posted. That's ten 3-ish-minute bursts of creativity, 1 minute of spell checking, and 11 minutes of panic attacks, plus research, translating latin, and making stuff up. This time, on top of all that, I've got ten people's dirty laundry to search through to find their most embarassing stories.
But you know what? I'm not complaining. I'm glad to be here in the commentator's chair, just to have my buttocks occupying the same physical space as some of the literary geniuses that came before me. It feels great to kick off a new season of Layer Tennis. Today we'll meet twelve outstanding designers. Today there's no trophy, no standings, no wagering. Today we're all winners.
Today's live "Layer by Layer" commentary is by Bryan Bedell of Coudal Partners.
Thanks to Adobe and to all the artists, commentators and fans that made Friday afternoons so deliciously unproductive during the season. If you haven't checked it out yet, take a peek at our Season Retrospective video. There is a lot cooking for the Fall and, as usual, Season Ticket holders will get the news first.
Shaun Inman is the LT Season 2 Champ!
The winner will be decided by your votes. To vote for a player simply post a Twitter message that includes #LYT and your favorite's name with the "hash" sign in front of it. So, #LYT plus #inman or #hubacek for the early match.
You know how at the end of the NCAA basketball tourney CBS airs a retrospective montage? Yeah, it's sorta like that, only with better music.
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