Our Bean Bag Tourney went over real well...here are some hits and misses:
1. All 32 teams showed up. However, we had to cover for a team and a half (so three people) the morning of the tourney. That wasn't fun, which kind of buzzkilled the first hour or so of the event for me.
2. I ordered a big check for picture purposes (1st, 2nd & 3rd place of the tourney and then the money we raised towards our fundraising cause)...everyone LOVED this...it's also re-usable so it'll be a staple at our event.
3. The tap for the keg was missing a seal, thus it was pumping out all foam. Had to ride with someone to the liquor store to exchange for one that works around noon (two hours into our event). Not cool liquor store.
4. Too many all guy teams (with teams bailing left and right leading up to the tourney, my hand was forced to go this route). I was really rooting for a co-ed team to make a deep run and finish in the top three. My wife and I made a deep run but we had a really good draw off the bat.
5. The food went over real well...Panini Creations is bomb. Probably coud've ordered a couple extra boxes to tie people over for another hour or so.
6. Two kegs for 32 co-ed teams would've been perfect. Two kegs for 16 co-ed teams and 16 all guy teams is not nearly enough.
7. We had big brackets posted on the garage that were updated with every game ending. This was underrated, but people were hovering around the brackets as they were being filled out.
8. We had a cup holder for everyone playing at every single board. That was probably the second most popular item besides the big check.
9. We had one scoreboard on all four courts. Even with drunkenness prevalent, there were no grudges/complaints/arguments over scoring.
10. I was too drunk to operate the camera to take photos of the 1st and 2nd place finishers. I apparently switched the camera to video mode, instead of picture mode. Sorry...no facebook cameos for the top two finishers in the tourney.
11. People were complimenting us left and right about the great idea and told us we should do this more often. I loved that they liked it...but, there is no way we're doing this more than once a year. There's a reason I picked the month of March to host this event. The weather is getting warmer and people are itching to get outside. You don't have to compete against softball tournaments or weddings or people going up north to the cabin etc. The hardest part of the tourney was getting a firm "yes" from people...and this was in March. Can you imagine getting people committed to a tourney during the summer? Good luck...you can borrow our boards if you want and host your own damn tourney. Plus, everything that I love in sports only happens once a year. Why ruin that?
12. We raised $234.73 for a buddy's mom that is a breast cancer survivor and partaking in the Susan G. Komen 3 Day Walk this year. Rumor has it (from Sid Hartman's close personal friend) that she will be doing the walk next year as well. We need to smash that number next year.
SBG
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Friday, March 26, 2010
1st Annual Bean Bag Tourney
In honor of March simply being the best month of the year (seriously though: March Madness, Spring begins, St. Patrick's Day, receiving Girl Scout Cookies, Major League Baseball teams report to camp, etc) my wife and I decided to host our own little annual event starting this year (Saturday March 27th). We are hosting a 32 team (partners) double elimination bean bag toss tourney in our backyard. We have four courts set up, which results in 7-8 straight hours of non-stop excitement of bags being tossed back and forth. Gus Johnson is kicking himself right now that he is being subjected to NCAA men's basketball coverage over the weekend.
I'll give a recap of the event's highs and lows in my next entry...
SBG
I'll give a recap of the event's highs and lows in my next entry...
SBG
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
We're Dancin'!
After an amazing run in the Big Ten Tourney...Team Tubby has found itself in the Big Dance for the second consecutive year. They walloped Penn State. They escaped Michigan State. And, finally put a big whooping on Purdue to essentially clinch their spot in the field of 65. The Ohio State game was close until the 12 minute mark in the second half...then we collapsed...4 games in 4 nights with every game (except for Michigan State) starting earlier than the day before...we were bound to falter, eventually. This is my excuse and I'm sticking to it. Other thoughts and random observations from the tourney and teams:
* Someone's facebook status claimed Evan Turner looks like an 'Avatar'. My wife also chimed in that he speaks like he's deaf. I loved both.
* How about Bostick coming out of nowhere and getting major minutes in all the must win games? This is why I love Tubby. Bostick was in the doghouse all of last year because he didn't play defense. He got suspended right away this year and was buried in the bench. But, the kid to his credit stuck with it and is always the first one off the bench to congratulate his teammates when a time out is called on the floor. I don't mind his game either, in fact I think he brings an offensive spark off the bench...which the Gophers need (because Cobbs and Williams won't bring anything perimeter wise, or just plain offense for that matter). Maybe I'm giving Tubby too much credit, and it was more of an act of desperation than anything...either way though...it worked.
* Westbrook's antics in the late stages of the Michigan State team had me furious. He converts a difficult three point play in overtime. To put us up by seven or eight. He then bullrushes the screening of Raymar Morgan to put him at the line for two free throws/double bonus (luckily he misses them both). Then instead of passing the ball, Westbrook dribbles into a double team (because he wants to rack up his point total at the free throw line) and loses the ball which results into a quick two points for Michigan State. We still escape with a win, but doesn't this sequence sum up his career. He makes a great play for three points and virtually gives up four (even though they missed the two automatic free throws) by just simply being selfish.
* Let's give Colton Iverson some more clock. We win ugly. Our biggest wins this year (Butler, Michigan State, Purdue) have been when Colton is playing extensively. His offensive game is coming around a little bit...but he brings more intangibles than anything. How about when Draymond Green when out of his way to make sure he threw an elbow in Colton's direction while rolling around on the floor? Now we didn't get the benefit of the call, but at the same time Draymond Green's head is elsewhere if he's thinking about cheap shots over actually making a play. I like what Colton brings to the game...and not many teams (even the good ones) can match his size and toughness.
* Devoe Joseph single-handedly helped us pull out a win against Michigan State. If he doesn't drill down those two threes in overtime...we would be talking about another Gopher collapse down the stretch and landed right in the NIT field...which would've catapulted Illinois into the Big Dance instead of the Gophers.
* Purdue looked terrible (in both games by the way). I know they don't have Hummel anymore, but they didn't even show up and the Conseco Fieldhouse is in their backyard. Even with all this said, I still think they sneak into the Sweet Sixteen somehow. People undervalue defense in the tourney and I think Purdue is pretty stout, they just have to find some ways to score on the offensive end.
SBG
* Someone's facebook status claimed Evan Turner looks like an 'Avatar'. My wife also chimed in that he speaks like he's deaf. I loved both.
* How about Bostick coming out of nowhere and getting major minutes in all the must win games? This is why I love Tubby. Bostick was in the doghouse all of last year because he didn't play defense. He got suspended right away this year and was buried in the bench. But, the kid to his credit stuck with it and is always the first one off the bench to congratulate his teammates when a time out is called on the floor. I don't mind his game either, in fact I think he brings an offensive spark off the bench...which the Gophers need (because Cobbs and Williams won't bring anything perimeter wise, or just plain offense for that matter). Maybe I'm giving Tubby too much credit, and it was more of an act of desperation than anything...either way though...it worked.
* Westbrook's antics in the late stages of the Michigan State team had me furious. He converts a difficult three point play in overtime. To put us up by seven or eight. He then bullrushes the screening of Raymar Morgan to put him at the line for two free throws/double bonus (luckily he misses them both). Then instead of passing the ball, Westbrook dribbles into a double team (because he wants to rack up his point total at the free throw line) and loses the ball which results into a quick two points for Michigan State. We still escape with a win, but doesn't this sequence sum up his career. He makes a great play for three points and virtually gives up four (even though they missed the two automatic free throws) by just simply being selfish.
* Let's give Colton Iverson some more clock. We win ugly. Our biggest wins this year (Butler, Michigan State, Purdue) have been when Colton is playing extensively. His offensive game is coming around a little bit...but he brings more intangibles than anything. How about when Draymond Green when out of his way to make sure he threw an elbow in Colton's direction while rolling around on the floor? Now we didn't get the benefit of the call, but at the same time Draymond Green's head is elsewhere if he's thinking about cheap shots over actually making a play. I like what Colton brings to the game...and not many teams (even the good ones) can match his size and toughness.
* Devoe Joseph single-handedly helped us pull out a win against Michigan State. If he doesn't drill down those two threes in overtime...we would be talking about another Gopher collapse down the stretch and landed right in the NIT field...which would've catapulted Illinois into the Big Dance instead of the Gophers.
* Purdue looked terrible (in both games by the way). I know they don't have Hummel anymore, but they didn't even show up and the Conseco Fieldhouse is in their backyard. Even with all this said, I still think they sneak into the Sweet Sixteen somehow. People undervalue defense in the tourney and I think Purdue is pretty stout, they just have to find some ways to score on the offensive end.
SBG
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Big Ten Basketball Tourney
A Puncher's Chance:
This is the Gophers last chance to make an impression for an at-large bid for the NCAA tourney. Some say they have to win the whole thing to get in...I, on the other hand think they could sneak in if they just win their first two games against Penn State and Michigan State. However, there would have to be a lot of help outside of our games to move ahead of the 4-5 other bubble teams in our way. For example: just within our tourney (not the gazillion other tourneys going on) we can't afford any upsets with the top four seeds. Illinois getting spanked by Wisconsin could move us into the fifth best team in the conference...at least in the committee's eyes since we hold the head to head tiebreaker, we have similar resumes and Illini's collapse to close out the year. Obviously, there are a lot of other things that have to happen as well...but, two more wins gets us to 20 (plus one would be against a quality opponent) and we have Tubby Smith as our coach. Never underestimate the power of having a big time coach when you're a team on the "bubble" when it comes down to Selection Sunday.
Identity Crisis:
Can we officially change our conference name to the Big 11? Or Big Midwest? I'm tired of the being associated with the Big Ten when we have eleven teams in our conference. It's cute that you can frame the number 11 in the Big Ten emblem, but come on you're just insulting our intelligence. Big East doesn't have to worry about numbers in their conference identity. The Big 12...used to be called the Big 8...they only changed the name to the properly reflect how many schools were affiliated with the new conference. Why are we so difficult? Or another solution besides renaming the conference...let's just kick Penn State to the curb so we're back at the number 10, for real...have they really added that much value to our conference (we're over a decade into it) other than shoving the corpse that is Joe Paterno out to the football sidelines on some Saturday afternoons.
Indy...??:
Why is Indianapolis hosting this basketball event every year (besides the first year or two when it was in Chicago)? The basketball tourney was sold to us that the hosting city would rotate amongst all the great cities we have in Big Ten country. Detroit can host a Final Four (just within the last year), but is not good enough to host the Big Ten tourney? We have Chicago, Detroit, Minneapolis...and if we wanted to push it some more, I suppose you could include Milwaukee and Cleveland on that list (although, these are more of a stretch). I just don't understand the infatuation with Indianapolis as the venue of choice. Especially, when Indy is already hosting two big annual events year round...Indy 500 and the NFL scouting combine. Give Detroit and other cities capable of hosting a bone here and there.
SBG
This is the Gophers last chance to make an impression for an at-large bid for the NCAA tourney. Some say they have to win the whole thing to get in...I, on the other hand think they could sneak in if they just win their first two games against Penn State and Michigan State. However, there would have to be a lot of help outside of our games to move ahead of the 4-5 other bubble teams in our way. For example: just within our tourney (not the gazillion other tourneys going on) we can't afford any upsets with the top four seeds. Illinois getting spanked by Wisconsin could move us into the fifth best team in the conference...at least in the committee's eyes since we hold the head to head tiebreaker, we have similar resumes and Illini's collapse to close out the year. Obviously, there are a lot of other things that have to happen as well...but, two more wins gets us to 20 (plus one would be against a quality opponent) and we have Tubby Smith as our coach. Never underestimate the power of having a big time coach when you're a team on the "bubble" when it comes down to Selection Sunday.
Identity Crisis:
Can we officially change our conference name to the Big 11? Or Big Midwest? I'm tired of the being associated with the Big Ten when we have eleven teams in our conference. It's cute that you can frame the number 11 in the Big Ten emblem, but come on you're just insulting our intelligence. Big East doesn't have to worry about numbers in their conference identity. The Big 12...used to be called the Big 8...they only changed the name to the properly reflect how many schools were affiliated with the new conference. Why are we so difficult? Or another solution besides renaming the conference...let's just kick Penn State to the curb so we're back at the number 10, for real...have they really added that much value to our conference (we're over a decade into it) other than shoving the corpse that is Joe Paterno out to the football sidelines on some Saturday afternoons.
Indy...??:
Why is Indianapolis hosting this basketball event every year (besides the first year or two when it was in Chicago)? The basketball tourney was sold to us that the hosting city would rotate amongst all the great cities we have in Big Ten country. Detroit can host a Final Four (just within the last year), but is not good enough to host the Big Ten tourney? We have Chicago, Detroit, Minneapolis...and if we wanted to push it some more, I suppose you could include Milwaukee and Cleveland on that list (although, these are more of a stretch). I just don't understand the infatuation with Indianapolis as the venue of choice. Especially, when Indy is already hosting two big annual events year round...Indy 500 and the NFL scouting combine. Give Detroit and other cities capable of hosting a bone here and there.
SBG
Friday, March 5, 2010
Random Ranting...
* Puff pieces done on players (specifically baseball players during Spring Training) makes me want to vomit. There should be a maximum of puff pieces you can publish during a week (blog or paper)...like one a week, and that's a stretch. It's cool that Delmon Young lost 20 pounds, but come back to me when he's hitting .250 and barely playing and let me know how that weight loss deal is going.
* You know why I hate the Winer Olympics...? It's not a collection of the best athletes all over the world...it's the collection of good athletes that have access and resources to these limited facilities all over the world where they can train. Also, the whole world is not represented in the Winter Olympics (it's a competition of five or so countries based on the sheer numbers they send over compared to the rest of the countries). The 5 Olympic rings should be condensed to 2 or 2 1/2 during the Winter Games.
* Trade Al Jefferson. He's garbage...his lone quality is his low post game from the 1st quarter through the 3rd quarter. We thought Kevin Garnett had a complex in the 4th quarter, wait til you see Al choking on bunnies two feet from the hoop. He just picked up a DUI, he doesn't play defense, doesn't rebound, argues with teammates during the game (because he's not getting enough touches) and the coach doesn't even have faith to play him in crunch time situations...I say get rid of him and I don't even care what we get back in return.
* NFL Free Agency...so the most competitively balanced league that can have worst to first/first to worst teams happen in back to back years is going to punish the teams that did well the previous year by not allowing them to pursue any free agents unless they lose one of their own to another team in this "uncapped year"...?? We lost Chestor Taylor...so now we can pursue a free agent? The NFL is successful because...it's simple. Quit confusing us and give us back the good ol' days of Daniel Snyder and the Redskins overspending on free agent flops.
* Brett Favre was on Jay Leno's show last night...I want him back. I don't have a full out crush on him like my mom does...but, I might be getting there.
* How does Ralph Sampson III's hook shots go in? First off, he doesn't get very good/deep position on the block. Then as he slowly winds into form...he'll suddenly be fading away so it's actually an eight to ten foot hook shot with no arc. I must say I thoroughly enjoy watching this...because I haven't seen a hook shot been routinely attempted since Shawn Bradley was playing college ball at BYU.
SBG
* You know why I hate the Winer Olympics...? It's not a collection of the best athletes all over the world...it's the collection of good athletes that have access and resources to these limited facilities all over the world where they can train. Also, the whole world is not represented in the Winter Olympics (it's a competition of five or so countries based on the sheer numbers they send over compared to the rest of the countries). The 5 Olympic rings should be condensed to 2 or 2 1/2 during the Winter Games.
* Trade Al Jefferson. He's garbage...his lone quality is his low post game from the 1st quarter through the 3rd quarter. We thought Kevin Garnett had a complex in the 4th quarter, wait til you see Al choking on bunnies two feet from the hoop. He just picked up a DUI, he doesn't play defense, doesn't rebound, argues with teammates during the game (because he's not getting enough touches) and the coach doesn't even have faith to play him in crunch time situations...I say get rid of him and I don't even care what we get back in return.
* NFL Free Agency...so the most competitively balanced league that can have worst to first/first to worst teams happen in back to back years is going to punish the teams that did well the previous year by not allowing them to pursue any free agents unless they lose one of their own to another team in this "uncapped year"...?? We lost Chestor Taylor...so now we can pursue a free agent? The NFL is successful because...it's simple. Quit confusing us and give us back the good ol' days of Daniel Snyder and the Redskins overspending on free agent flops.
* Brett Favre was on Jay Leno's show last night...I want him back. I don't have a full out crush on him like my mom does...but, I might be getting there.
* How does Ralph Sampson III's hook shots go in? First off, he doesn't get very good/deep position on the block. Then as he slowly winds into form...he'll suddenly be fading away so it's actually an eight to ten foot hook shot with no arc. I must say I thoroughly enjoy watching this...because I haven't seen a hook shot been routinely attempted since Shawn Bradley was playing college ball at BYU.
SBG
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