At The Masters

{all spoken very quietly}

Frank: Well, if you are just joining us, we are wheel-side at the Master’s Pottery Tournament. The leaderboard shows Aerni up by a 24” pulled handle, but in the last four pots Bauman has been closing the gap.

Bauman has taken the wheel.

Roger: It looks as though Bauman has chosen his belt driven Pacifica Glyde Torque wheel with, of all things, heavily grogged stoneware. A mistake?

Frank: I don't know, Bauman has had some struggles of late with high-speed pot fly-offs. I had the chance to talk to him before the tournament started. He believes wheel speed and clay placticity may have cost him both the British Open and the US Open. Maybe the grogged stoneware is an extreme measure but, you know, Turner has been using a toothy clay ever since his PPA (Professional Potter’s Association) win last month.

Roger: I think there’s a downward angle toward the judge's side of the stage. I wonder if Bauman will play that angle for a break, and go for extra height before expanding the size? Sometimes the impression of early pot height maintains that illusion in the finished pot.

{Bauman throws his pot}

{the crowd lets out a collective "oooooh"}

Frank: Well, it looked like Aerni left a door open for Bauman on that last round, but I wonder if the judges will score this performance high enough? The pot’s got size, but little else.

Roger: Yeah, tough break for Bauman. Looks like he tried to play it safe and impress with size instead of expanding and going for greater shape and proportion.

Frank: Well, in today's game you just can't leave that proportion at home. You gotta have game.