Here's a silly puppet boxing game you never knew you needed
[embedded content] I have not played a single boxing game outside of Wii Sports this century, but that could be about to change. Summer Game Fest Live brought us the reveal of Felt That: Boxing, which stars puppet pugilists. This project from the appropriately named Sans Strings Studio and Seth Green’s animation company, Stoopid Buddy […]
I have not played a single boxing game outside of Wii Sports this century, but that could be about to change. Summer Game Fest Live brought us the reveal of Felt That: Boxing, which stars puppet pugilists.
This project from the appropriately named Sans Strings Studio and Seth Green’s animation company, Stoopid Buddy Stoodios, is billed as “a comedic, over-the-top boxing game set in a world where the charm of furry puppets collides with the fury of boxing.” The clip is structured like a trailer for an underdog sports movie and it is just delightful.
The snippets of gameplay suggest there will be training minigames that include dodging slices of burnt toast that a trainer hurls at your puppet (who is named Fuzz-E) and, uh, plunging a toilet. According to the description on the YouTube video, the developers are aiming to make the “boxing mechanics are intentionally ridiculous, favoring fun over precision, with [puppet] limbs flailing about with an insane sense of chaos.” Lovely.
This trailer was immediately the most interesting thing during SGF Live up to that point. Felt That: Boxing does not yet have a release window, but you can wishlist it on Steam now, like I just did.
Women’s Bracket – Brasher & Nuss Cement Their Dynasty The defending champions, Taryn Brasher & Kristen Nuss, once again etched their names into Manhattan Beach history, winning their second straight title with a gritty three-set victory over #2 Terese Cannon & Megan Kraft (15–21, 21–18, 15–13). It’s the first women’s repeat since Emily Capers & […]
Women’s Bracket – Brasher & Nuss Cement Their Dynasty
The defending champions, Taryn Brasher & Kristen Nuss, once again etched their names into Manhattan Beach history, winning their second straight title with a gritty three-set victory over #2 Terese Cannon & Megan Kraft (15–21, 21–18, 15–13).
It’s the first women’s repeat since Emily Capers & Brittany Hochevar in 2016–2017, confirming Kloth/Nuss as the defining force of the modern AVP. They entered the weekend having won 32 of their last 35 AVP matches and extended their finals streak to seven straight events.
Their semifinal clash with #19 Kennedy Coakley & Ashley Pater highlighted the magic of Manhattan Beach. The USC duo became just the fifth women’s team seeded 19th or lower to reach an AVP semifinal and captured the crowd’s imagination with a five-match elimination run. But against Brasher/Nuss, their fairy tale ended 23–21, 21–11.
Cannon & Kraft also impressed in their march to the final, knocking out #5 Corinne Quiggle & Teegan Van Gunst in straight sets (21–12, 21–13) and showing they are firmly part of the AVP’s elite.
Key Notes:
TKN are the first women’s team in eight years to win consecutive MBO titles.
Coakley & Pater became the lowest-seeded team (No. 19) to reach the Manhattan semis since 2017.
Cannon & Kraft reached their first Manhattan final together, underscoring their rise.
Men’s Bracket – Budinger & Evans Claim Their Pier Immortality
On the men’s side, the story was one of chalk meeting legacy. For the first time since 2016, the top four seeds all reached the semifinals, setting the stage for blockbuster matchups.
Semifinal Drama:
#4 Trevor Crabb & Phil Dalhausser edged #2 Taylor Crabb & Taylor Sander in a three-set classic (21–17, 13–21, 16–14).
#1 Chase Budinger & Miles Evans rallied past #3 Chaim Schalk & James Shaw (18–21, 21–18, 15–12).
That set up a final pitting Dalhausser, the seven-time Manhattan Beach champion, and Trevor Crabb, a four-time winner, against a duo still searching for their first pier plaques.
The Final: Budinger & Evans rose to the occasion, defeating Crabb & Dalhausser in straight sets (21–19, 21–16). The victory not only secured their first Manhattan Beach title but also ended the Crabb brothers’ dominance — Trevor and Taylor had combined to win each of the last five Manhattan Beach Opens. For Budinger, it marked his first AVP championship with Evans as a team, while Evans celebrated his first career AVP title.
Key Notes:
Budinger & Evans entered the week 1–6 against Crabb/Sander but undefeated against everyone else in the field. They carried that momentum through the semifinals and finals to claim their biggest career win together.
For Crabb & Dalhausser, the loss ends a run in which one of the two had won 8 of the last 10 MBO titles.
Taylor Crabb vs. Trevor Crabb in the semis added another chapter to their family rivalry — their 32nd career meeting. Trevor extended his Manhattan dominance over Taylor to 6–1, though Taylor holds the bragging rights for their 2023 championship clash.
Next Stop – AVP League Championship, Chicago
The Manhattan Beach Open may be the “Granddaddy of Them All” but the 2025 AVP season isn’t done yet. The finale comes August 30–31 with the AVP League Championship in Chicago, Illinois.
The top six teams from both genders will battle in a single-elimination playoff to be crowned AVP League Champion.
Chase Budinger & Miles Evans of the San Diego Smash, seeded fifth after a 4–4 League campaign, will face Hagen Smith & Logan Webber of the LA Launch in the quarterfinals.
On the women’s side, Taryn Brasher & Kristen Nuss of the Austin Aces enter as the top seed and will open their title defense in the semifinals thanks to a first-round bye.
Fans can watch the action on YouTube TV and CBS, or experience it live by securing tickets now at AVP.com.
San Giljan water polo pitch project gets environment authority green light
The Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) has cleared a land reclamation project linked to the redevelopment of the San Giljan Aquatic Sports Club. The project will include a restaurant with outdoor seating, a lido for sunbeds, a swimming pool and additional club facilities. A previous application was withdrawn after ERA objected to the obliteration of […]
The Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) has cleared a land reclamation project linked to the redevelopment of the San Giljan Aquatic Sports Club.
The project will include a restaurant with outdoor seating, a lido for sunbeds, a swimming pool and additional club facilities.
A previous application was withdrawn after ERA objected to the obliteration of seagrass known as Posidonia Oceanica and the significant visual intrusion on the bay.
But clearance was granted after a new application was presented, reducing the land reclamation footprint. This revision reduced the loss of posidonia meadows by 80%.
The land reclamation project will still involve the take-up of 2,230m² of newly reclaimed land to accommodate the new commercial lido, including 197m² of protected Posidonia meadows. Moreover, construction works will still take place adjacent to the protected habitats.
The new bullnose breakwater will also be built on piles rather than caissons, meaning the seagrass beneath will not be completely buried, although remaining patches will still suffer from shading and scouring.
An updated Environmental Impact Assessment written by AIS Environment Ltd , concluded that these changes downgraded the ecological impact from “major significant” to “minor-to-moderate significant”.
However, the impact on views of Balluta Bay remains significant.
During a meeting in July, ERA board members were told that while the changes represented a considerable improvement, residual impacts on posidonia at the margins are still expected.
NGO representative Martin Galea DeGiovanni, who along with board member Charmaine Mangion voted against the project, warned that the development remained substantial compared to the existing situation. He argued that even with the reduction in scale, the project would continue to exert pressure on the fragile seagrass habitat.
Visual impact was another major concern. Photomontages showed that the redesigned platform, with softer edges and a smaller footprint, would reduce visual prominence when viewed from Pjazza Balluta and Xatt is-Sajjieda. Here, the impact was downgraded from “major” to “moderate significant.” But from other viewpoints – including Triq George Borg Olivier, Triq Ċensu Tabone, Triq it-Torri and Ix-Xatt ta’ Spinola – the visual impact remains unchanged, still registering as moderate-to-major.
Moreover, ERA acknowledged that such effects are “unavoidable when involving land reclamation,” particularly in an urbanised setting.
Nonetheless, the directorate recommended approval, noting that ERA’s two main concerns – the scale of seagrass loss and the most significant visual impacts – had been addressed through the latest revisions.
It also stressed that permit conditions would impose mitigation measures, including strict monitoring of the marine environment during construction, containment of dredged material, use of silt curtains, spillage prevention and lighting mitigation.
The board voted in favour of approval, with only Martin Galea DeGiovanni and Charmaine Mangion opposing.
Board Chairman Perit Vincent Cassar emphasised the importance of closely monitoring the posidonia during works, with the developer required to fund an ERA-approved independent monitor.
ERA’s clearance clears a major stumbling block for the approval of the project by the Planning Authority which still has to issue its verdict.
The St Julian’s water polo club is one of Malta’s foremost clubs but lacks modern facilities. The team is the current Premier Division Winter League champion.
San Giljan Water Polo Club redevelopment gets ERA approval
The Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) has approved a revised land reclamation project tied to the redevelopment of the San Giljan Aquatic Sports Club in St Julian’s, MaltaToday reports. The development is set to feature a restaurant with outdoor seating, a lido for sunbeds, a swimming pool, and upgraded club facilities. An […]
The Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) has approved a revised land reclamation project tied to the redevelopment of the San Giljan Aquatic Sports Club in St Julian’s, MaltaToday reports.
The development is set to feature a restaurant with outdoor seating, a lido for sunbeds, a swimming pool, and upgraded club facilities. An earlier application was withdrawn after the ERA objected to the destruction of protected seagrass meadows (Posidonia oceanica) and the project’s heavy visual impact on Balluta Bay.
In the revised plans, the land reclamation footprint was reduced, cutting projected seagrass loss by 80%, the newspaper reports. A redesigned bullnose breakwater will be built on piles instead of caissons, ensuring the seagrass beneath is not entirely buried. However, some shading and scouring impacts are still expected. An updated Environmental Impact Assessment downgraded the ecological impact from “major significant” to “minor-to-moderate significant.”
While the visual impact has been lessened in some viewpoints – particularly from Pjazza Balluta and Xatt is-Sajjieda – it remains moderate-to-major from other vantage points, including Triq George Borg Olivier and Spinola seafront. ERA noted that such visual effects are “unavoidable” in urbanised land reclamation projects.
During July’s board meeting, NGO representative Martin Galea DeGiovanni and member Charmaine Mangion voted against approval, warning that the project still represents substantial development with lasting pressure on fragile marine habitats, MaltaToday reports.
Despite these objections, ERA’s directorate recommended approval, noting improvements in design and mitigation measures. The permit will require independent monitoring of the marine environment, silt curtains to contain dredging, prevention of spillages, and limits on lighting during construction.
The ERA board approved the project, with only two dissenting votes. Chairman Perit Vincent Cassar underlined the importance of strict monitoring of Posidonia throughout the works, which will be funded by the developer.
ERA’s clearance paves the way for the Planning Authority’s final decision.
The San Giljan club, one of Malta’s leading water polo teams and current Premier Division Winter League champions, has long been seeking modernised facilities to match its sporting stature.
The Piedmont High School boys water polo team is looking forward to another successful season despite a change at the top. Longtime coach John Savage is stepping back this year after his child was born in December. Rik Krumins, who has served as an assistant in several previous seasons will take the reins with Savage […]
The Piedmont High School boys water polo team is looking forward to another successful season despite a change at the top. Longtime coach John Savage is stepping back this year after his child was born in December. Rik Krumins, who has served as an assistant in several previous seasons will take the reins with Savage only coming out once or twice per week.
Savage joked that he will be a “consultant” this year.
Krumins is more than familiar with the program. His son Peter was a standout on the North Coast Section Division 2 championship team in 2023. His daughter Esme is a junior on the Piedmont girls team.
“We’re actually really excited about this group,” Rik Krumins said. “We have a few seniors coming back.” Elles Krieckhaus is one of those.
“He has been on varsity for the past four years,” Krumins said. “He’s going to be our key goal scorer. He’ll be playing two-meters and doing a lot of post up on the side as well as leading our counter attack.”
Goalkeeper Luke McAuliffe is a senior entering his third year as a starter. “He has been playing club,” Krumins said. “He gets out of the water pretty high. He’s a very vocal goalie. Controlling the defense, directing where our players are at certain times.”
Luke McAuliffe
Zach Dupree, another senior, will be seeing an increase in playing time. “He’s an up and coming varsity player,” Krumins said. “He’ll be two-meter offense and prob two-meter defense.”
A couple of returning sophomores will also be key players. Krumins called Rylan Patty, “a very aggressive offensive player, he’ll be doing a lot of post up, driving, counter attacking.”
Zach Dupree (2) at the Napa Tournament
Rylan Patty rises out of the water
Krumins said of Henry Stein that he’s a left-hander and “played a lot of minutes last year as a freshman. He really holds down the 4-5 side and the wing.”
Freshman Ben Kappes should make an immediate impact. “He has been playing club for the last three-four years,” Krumins said. “He’ll be coming in with a skill set to contribute to the team on the defensive side and the offensive side.”
Henry Stein looks to pass
Krumins said the team will use a drop defense while splitting the top. The advantage the Highlanders have is rather than just one player to center the offense and counter around, they have several and can push the tempo. Krumins said maturity and growth will need to improve over the course of the season. “Slowing the tempo down and making the right decisions,” he said.
The goals are the same. “Competing for league championships, competing for an NCS title,” Krumins said. “We’re a pretty well-balanced team. We have four, five, six, seven players that can contribute at any one time.”
The team will again play without a home pool as construction continues. Krumins said he has been told completion is about 10 weeks out but isn’t counting on any home matches.
“My goal would be to have an alumni game as the first in the new pool,” he said, targeting November or December.
