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Tip of the Week – Nullify Opponent’s Biggest Threat – Butterfly Online

October 6, 2025

What does your opponent do that most threatens you? it’s important to find this out as early in a match as possible – or, ideally, before the match begins. That’s why it’s important to scout out opponents, either by watching them live or on video, or asking others about them.

Once you know what their strengths are, it’s very simple: How can you nullify it? Because if you can’t, you’ve already lost.

To use a simple example, suppose a player is really good at serving backspin and then looping any long push. He’s unstoppable!!! Unless . . . you don’t give him that long push that he likes to loop. And at most levels, most players often just push serves back, over and over, even if the opponent is effective at attacking them.

Instead, figure out early on how to stop his strength. In this case, you have a number of options – and it’s always mind-boggling how so many players either don’t think of these things, or – more often – don’t think of them at the table, and only after the match figure it out. So, how would you stop this? If the serve is even slightly long, then loop it. (If you can’t, learn to.) If it’s short, then you have all sorts of possibilities. Flip. Push short. Push long but very quick off the bounce and fast and at a wide angle. Push long but super heavy or with varying spin at wide angles. Perhaps discuss it with other players or coaches, and they may have suggestions. Find what works!

If you can’t do what it takes to stop the opponent’s strength, then it’s up to you develop what’s needed to do so . . . for next time. Go to it!

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Baseball

Cubs quash Padres’ threat in 9th to clinch NL Wild Card Series

CHICAGO — Pete Crow-Armstrong hit an RBI single off a shaky Yu Darvish, and the Chicago Cubs shut down Fernando Tatis Jr. and the San Diego Padres for a clinching 3-1 victory in Game 3 of their NL Wild Card Series on Thursday.

Backed by a raucous crowd of 40,895 at Wrigley Field, Chicago used its stellar defense to advance in the postseason for the first time since 2017. Michael Busch hit a solo homer, and Jameson Taillon pitched four shutout innings before manager Craig Counsell used five relievers to close it out.

“This group’s battle-tested,” Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson said. “This group can grind it out. This group never backs down from and shies away from anything. This is such an amazing thing to be a part of.”

After Brad Keller faltered in the ninth — allowing Jackson Merrill’s leadoff homer and hitting two batters with pitches — Andrew Kittredge earned the save by retiring Jake Cronenworth on a bouncer to third and Freddy Fermin on a fly ball to center field.

Next up for Chicago is a matchup with the NL Central champion Brewers in a compelling division series, beginning with Game 1 on Saturday in Milwaukee.

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Counsell managed the Brewers for nine years before he was hired by the Cubs in November 2023, and he has been lustily booed in Milwaukee ever since he departed.

“It’s going to be a great atmosphere,” Counsell said. “It’s Cubs-Brewers. That’s going to be as good as it gets. It’s always a great atmosphere when the two teams play each other.”

It was another painful ending for San Diego after it made the postseason for the fourth time in six years but fell short of a pennant again. The Padres forced a decisive Game 3 with a 3-0 victory on Wednesday, but their biggest stars flopped in the series finale.

“There’s a lot of hurt guys in that clubhouse, but we left it all out on the field, and there’s no regrets on anybody’s part,” manager Mike Shildt said. “Just disappointed.”

Tatis went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts, including a fly ball to right that stranded runners on second and third in the fifth. Machado, who hit a two-run homer in Game 2, bounced to shortstop Swanson for the final out of the eighth, leaving a runner at third.

“It’s not fun at all. We definitely missed an opportunity,” Tatis said.

Darvish also struggled against his former team. The Japanese right-hander was pulled after the first four Cubs batters reached in the second inning, capped by the first of Crow-Armstrong’s three hits.

Jeremiah Estrada came in and issued a bases-loaded walk to Swanson, handing the Cubs a 2-0 lead. Estrada limited the damage by striking out Matt Shaw before Busch bounced into an inning-ending double play.

Taillon allowed two hits and struck out four. Caleb Thielbar got two outs before Daniel Palencia wiggled out of a fifth-inning jam while earning his second win of the series. Drew Pomeranz managed the seventh before Keller worked the eighth.

The Cubs supported their bullpen with another solid day in the field. Swanson made a slick play on Luis Arraez’s leadoff grounder in the sixth, and then turned an inning-ending double play following a walk to Machado.

Crow-Armstrong, who went 0-for-6 with five strikeouts in the first two games, robbed Machado of a hit with a sliding catch in center in the first.

“It’s just the next step for us,” Busch said. “You set out a goal before each and every year to do stuff like this, and you celebrate it, and it’s been fun to celebrate and continue to celebrate it tonight, but there’s a lot of work ahead.”

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Dominik Mysterio Is Not Out Of Danger With Re-Emerged Threat on WWE RAW

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Dominik Mysterio defeated Rusev to retain his Intercontinental Championship on WWE RAW. In typical Dom fashion, the distracted referee did not see the low blow to the challenger.

Later, Byron Saxton interviewed Mysterio about his match and what’s next for him. That was interrupted by Penta, whose rant ended in him wanting a shot at the IC Title.

Penta and Dominik Mysterio have had quite a few run-ins ever since the former’s WWE debut earlier this year. Mysterio won the title at WrestleMania 41, where he competed in a fatal four-way match featuring Bron Breakker, Penta, and fellow Judgment Day member Finn Balor.

The Tension Among Dominik Mysterio and Judgment Day Reaches New Heights Every Week on WWE RAW

When Balor and Mysterio were pitted against each other with the Intercontinental Championship on the line, many anticipated the end of The Judgment Day. However, the two seemingly moved on from it. Dom eventually won the title. Meanwhile, Finn Balor and JD McDonagh took over the tag team division to win the respective championships.

At Worlds Collide this month, Mysterio became a double champion and defeated El Hijo del Vikingo. The WWE Star now holds the AAA Mega Championship along with the IC Title. The Judgment Day were not too pleased about El Grande Americano’s involvement in assisting his win, which was evident from their expressions. Despite their hesitation, the WWE RAW group celebrated his victory.

A few weeks ago, when Dominik Mysterio found himself in a situation with Rusev’s challenge for his title, he approached The Judgment Day. They immediately pointed out El Grande Americano’s involvement in his recent wins. This led to a singles match between McDonagh and Rusev, which the IC Champion avoided to break up.

This week on RAW, Finn Balor and JD McDonagh accompanied the RAW star for his title match but later exited the arena. With Mysterio’s antics taking it a bit too far every week, it’s only a matter of time before The Judgment Day snaps, disbanding the group for good.

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