Life long friends

I started attending school in the mid 60's first as a kindergarten student at Forest Hills Elementary off of Francias Drive in south Shreveport. Just before the first grade, my family moved not far from the State Fairgrounds meaning I would be going to a new school. I attended Judson Elementary in the first and second grades however things changed the summer before the third grade. In 1964 the US Supreme Court outlawed discrimination based on race, including schools. It didn't impact me for a couple of years but eventually this would be the reason me and my sister would start going to Jewella Elementary at the start of my 3rd grade school year. I really had no idea what was going on across the country, all I knew is the walk to school was a little further and my classmates were different. It was basically the same except I don't really remember that I knew any of my new classmates. One major difference was for the first time that I could remember, I saw a black person. Being that this school was largely an all-black school, I saw a lot of them. Really didn't make me any difference, I paid attention in class and played with whoever wanted to play at recess. Before long, my family moved across town to an area known as Cedar Grove which seemed nice to me...at that time. This meant more changes including a new school, a new walk to school and meeting new friends. This school would be where I met many friends that I would go on to attend middle school and then high school together. Atkins Elementary on St. Vincents Ave. was to me a huge brick building with a massive playground. I remember playing basketball, tether ball and kick ball during recess, often watching trains slowly ease by on the nearby train tracks not too far from the playground. This is where I met Greg Frazier. We had the same homeroom class taught by Mrs. Harrell who I remember being pleasant yet firm. Gosh writing this takes me back to some fun times. I remember Greg's dad would usually pick Greg up from school being that he lived farther away than I did however, many times Greg would walk home. His route home would go right by my house and as we became better friends, he would stop and hang out for a while. We would play football or baseball or something as we both enjoyed competing at just about anything. Within the next year or so as we became closer friends, he invited me to a mid-week revival service at his church. That church, Calvary Baptist, was located on the Northwest corner of St. Vincents Ave and W. 74th St, right across from Atkins Elementary. One of the few things I remember from that service is before we went into the auditorium, all the youth were assembled in another room and some guy, and his buddy were speaking to us. I vividly recall what this guy looked like and eventually found out his name. THE Terry Bradshaw. Terry was a local football legend at Woodlawn High School and at that time was leading the Bulldogs of La. Tech down I20 in nearby Ruston. I eventually joined the church and that is where many of my youth sports memories were developed. Greg convinced me to play on my first ever organized baseball team with the church playing at the Baptist Ball Park...ohhh the memories. We played together for a few years along with many other youngsters including Bill and Bob Martin, Lloyd and Jay Stilley, Lee Hooker, Lester Cochran and James Bozeman to name a few off the top of my head.  When we got in to middle school, things changed a little. Greg would attend Calvary Baptist Academy while I would go to Linwood Jr. High. We still saw each other at church and when we had ball games, but we were meeting new friends also. One guy I met at Linwood was the one and only Kevin Guerrero. Kevin lived just a few streets south of me and even though we hadn't been friends before middle school, things would change soon. Kevin had played youth football and little league baseball with the Cedar Grove team, locally known as The Grovites! From time to time either in the fall when football was being played, or during the spring and summer months during baseball season, I could sometimes hear the cheers from games being played at the legendary Roberts Youth Park which was just a few blocks away. Kevin, I believe was a pitcher on the Cedar Grove team which I'm pretty sure was coached by Haywood Williamson, who lived just four houses down from me. His son, Chuck Williamson was a lefty and played first base, but his best skill was his ability to make contact with the ball. Chuck and I became very good friends and were always out in his front yard throwing something around! Eventually Kevin would start playing with me and Greg on the Calvary Baptist ball team starting a bond between the three of us. At Woodlawn High School we still hung out but not quite as much. All of us were a part of the Knight football team with Kevin being a Quarterback and Greg being an Offensive Lineman. Being a bit too small to play, I was a manager on the team which allowed me to be close to the game and still be able to hang with my friends. Our high school years were some of our best times as we were fortunate to be a part of a school rich in tradition and athletic success. Summers involved playing ball together and doing typical teenage stuff until August football practice started. We would all be at the school for football practice which was at about the same time the cheerleaders, pep squad, Red Line and the band would be practicing. While we would be on the field, we could often hear the sounds of the band or the music from the other groups doing their thing. Most of what we would hear was some whistle blowing mixed in with some of your usual yells from the coaches...good times! Once school started, we would see each other either in classes we shared or at lunch and then the Fridays during football season...oh man those were the best. Game days included cheerleaders passing out spirit ribbons, pep rallies, just an overall excitement and spirit throughout the school anticipating the game later that night. As I look back, those years went by so fast but so many wonderful memories were created that were so special. After graduation Kevin and Greg would go off to college, but we still kept in touch though church and softball. Softball yall! The 80's especially during the spring and summer months the three of us would hang out even more either doing some water skiing out at Cross Lake or playing softball. There weren't many weekends that the three of were not together out at Cargill softball complex playing for various teams. Kevin and Greg would play for some really good teams while I usually played when and where I could. That sometimes would mean being a pinch runner for their team coach by Cliff Vandiver...whatever I needed to do to be close to my boys! As the decade went on, life started happening as we all would start establishing our careers and settling down. In 1989 I moved to Dallas while Greg and Kevin got married. I eventually moved back temporarily before a random phone call would lead to me moving across the country to Minnesota. Needless to say, I wasn't able to hang with Greg and Kevin, but we still kept in touch. In the late 90's I moved to Texas settling in East Texas which would allow us to keep in touch and see each other frequently. By now, all of us had families and were pretty busy with our own lives and what all that would entail. As our kids got older and life slowed down just enough, we were able to reconnect and even recently we see each other more often. Greg has been awesome trying to organize little reunions including some of the guys we grew up with either from church or Woodlawn. Being able to see guys like Jimmy Blackwell, Clay Sandifur, Andy Holley and Jimmy Bardwell has been pretty special. Greg also has put together reunions of softball players we all played with back in the day which has been pretty cool seeing some of the guys we used to play against every weekend back in the 80's. Recently Greg has put together a Woodlawn football reunion that he puts on at Calvary that has brought many former Knights back together. When I tell people stories of Duke and Chavo, it warms my heart to know I've chosen two of the best friends a guy could ever have. A lifetime full of memories and great times have been shared with these two guys and I'm so thankful my family moved when I was in the third grade. I talk with both of them frequently, Greg just about every week and Kevin pretty often as well. This past spring I spent a lot of time over in Shreveport following Greg with his Calvary softball team. Being the principal of Calvary Academy, Kevin would be at a lot of the games allowing me to see him as well. I recently rode to Sulphur with Kevin to watch Gregs team win their 5th straight state softball championship, and it was just like old times. Life is good as we are all busy doing our own things with our families, but I imagine there won't be many days or weeks that we don't dial each other up for a quick chat. Over 55 years of being friends is a pretty big deal to me, thanks Greg and Kevin, I love y'all!

Tater Race - Where it all may have started.

As a 6-year-old 1st grader, I hadn't yet been exposed to the world of competitive sports. I vaguely remember swinging a skinny yellow wiffle ball bat as my dad enjoyed throwing balls by me. I'm certain I swung and missed many, but I also know I figured out how to hit his curve as I can remember the shocked look on his face as I hit one that whizzed right by him. Good times. Something that was popular in elementary school was "Field Day". It may very well still be a thing, but my grade school days are way behind me. Our teacher or someone, entered us in various events including some type of foot race, a pull up contest and a long jump. There were other events as well but this day, one specific event is one I will always remember.

My teacher corralled me and lined me up along with I dunno, maybe 10-15 other kids and gave us all a spoon...and a potato. Soon instructions were explained, and we were ready to race. The idea of this race was to run about 20 or 30 yards to the finish line holding a potato in a spoon. As we took off from the starting line, I noticed I was out in front as several racers were dropping their potatoes. Not me, I figured out if I ran smooth trying to run on my toes, I didn't "bounce" as much and was able to keep my potato secure, all the way to the finish line. I won rather easily and soon a teacher grabbed me and pulled me over out of the way and handed me a blue 1st place ribbon...the most sought-after ribbon! I pranced around the rest of the day proudly showing off my accomplishment. Looking back, that may have been my first recollection of me competing, hence creating my competitive nature. Little did I know where that day would lead me.

TCL Signature Series Shreveport - Elite Doubles

For those who have attended a TCL Signature event, you walk away with a variety of experiences. First timers may be in awe of the size of the event with usually well over 100 courts set up, not to mention having more than 1000 plus players, many times closer to 1500. All trying to play well enough to reach the podium, take home a nice piece of woodwork usually created by the Knabes, and pocket some of the $50,000 in payouts. The players who have played in several of these tournaments will all say it's a grind and a battle just dealing with the mental stress it may bring on. Not to mention the fatigue of being on your feet for hours upon hours putting most players on the couch on Sunday recovering from a bad case of cornhole coma! The most experienced players know. They just know. They know going into it there will be challenges dealing with board conditions, bag choices and the demand of throwing several hundred if not over a thousand bags over the 3-day event. For the Elite Division, TCL brings nothing but the best to this type of event. In years past, maybe many years past, you might be in a game where your opponent may be a bit outmatched, and you get a fairly easy win. Not these days. Not this event. The Elite Division in TCL is an absolute gauntlet where each game can be fiercely competitive. The first Signature event of TCL's 15th season took place recently at a venue many players call their favorite. The Shreveport Convention Center with a Hilton hotel attached and within walking distance to restaurants, Casinos and the popular Sand Bar providing everything needed to put on a highly entertaining event, and TCL again did not disappoint.

The main event showcasing the top players is Elite Doubles. This division has several Pros along with top tier players from all across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, New Mexico and Louisiana. Before the event, I scrolled down the list of teams registered to see which teams I thought may have a chance to win and I really couldn't come to any conclusions. There are simply way too many awesome players, several that I don't get a chance to see play. Saturday things got started early in Elite Doubles with Pool play in the morning session and based on how teams finished, you could see who was playing well and who was on the struggle bus. Fletcher Jonson and newcomer William Cobb earned the top seed and a first-round bye in bracket play. Chase Lester and Levi Haddock, two outstanding young players from Northeast Texas, were seeded number 2. As the bracket play progressed, a couple of upsets along the way occurred including 18th seed Bryce Forbes and Tye Thompson taking down 2 seed Lester and Haddock...in 2 games. TCL plays best of 3 in the winner's side, so Forbes and Thompson didn't mess around. Another potential favorite lost their first match as Terry Swiney and Matthew Morris took down Justin Burton, Jr and Rylann Claver in 2 games. Skipping ahead to the winner's semi-finals, Oscar Maierena and Victor Alday matched up against Madden Franco and Luke Anderson with Franco and Anderson taking the match in 3 games to get to the finals of the winner's bracket. The other semi-final had Grant Upchurch and Cayhill Isom defeating Forbes and Thompson in 3 games. This would set up a winner's bracket final between Upchurch and Isom against Anderson and Franco with Grant and Cayhill winning in 2 games. The last two rounds of the deciding game for Madden and Anderson were fatal as Isom collected a 5-point round and Upchurch securing the win with a 9 piece against Franco. That put Upchurch and Isom in the finals, but Anderson and Madden weren't done yet. To get back to the finals they would have to beat Victor Alday and Oscar Mairena...again! This game was well played with Alday and Madden basically going bag for bag shooting 10+ ppr's. Luke got the better of Oscar scoring 17 of the 21 points helping them advance to the finals.

Elite Doubles is typically the final match played and always has a large and rowdy crowd on hand watching and cheering on their favorite teams. For newer players, this environment can be very unsettling and can wreak havoc of their nerves. The veteran players who are accustomed to the main boards, seem to handle it better. Watching this final I didn't see any player being bothered by the atmosphere as all four players were laser focused for this match. The first game saw a lot of back-and-forth scoring with the scored being tied at 11 after round 14. The next two rounds Upchurch and Isom would collect 6 more points to increase their lead to 17-11. In exciting fashion, Anderson and Franco scored 3 straight 4-point rounds to win game one 21-17.  Even more fireworks in game two as Upchurch and Isom opened up a huge 19-4 lead after 19 rounds. In an incredible comeback, Luke and Madden scored the next 17 points to pull off the massive win. The championship deciding third game had Upchurch and Isom leading 17-6 only to have Franco and Anderson come back and take a 18-17 lead. That lead didn't last long as Upchurch would eventually put them away with the 21-18 victory. This matchup was a great example of shot making and perseverance by both teams as they overcame many obstacles and deficits. Hats off to these guys as they gave everyone an awesome show. Congratulations to Grant Upchurch and Cayhill Isom on their win.

TCL's next Signature Series event will be played the first week of December in Mesquite Texas and as always you can expect another great event. Grab your partners, break in those new bags and get your throws tuned up as we will see you there in a couple of months!

Till next time, Y'all throw 'em straight! 

14th Court Session, Docket 001001 Case 323245

"All Rise, the 177th Court with the Honorable Judge W.I. Zard is now in session". "Y'all may be seated. Good morning, we are here today to argue the case of The Narrative of Young Players vs Older Players and who has any type of advantage based on age, employment status, family responsibilities and such". "I will allow opening statements for both stating their position, then providing evidence, hopefully accurate evidence, followed by closing statements. In conclusion, you, the jury can decide for yourselves if either may have any type of advantage based on the evidence provided. Keep in mind that this case is not to cause any division between the parties instead it may be to help each delegation understand the position of the other."

Sorry y'all, I am far from a judge and certainly have no idea how courts operate. I thought it would make for a fun start to a discussion that is indeed something that has been talked about in certain cornhole circles. Some believe that it may be difficult for older players who have 8-5 jobs, families and responsibilities to compete with the teenage or early 20-year-olds due to them not having jobs, children or much responsibility outside of throwing bags. I will be using information that I have gathered through conversations as well as my own experiences and observations. I promise we won't have any low-speed chases, bloody gloves and certainly no predetermined verdicts! This is all for fun and hopefully a read you all will enjoy.

"Attorney for the Youth, you may make your opening statements." "Ahem, thank you your Honor, Folks let's try and paint a picture of a typical day for someone who may be in school, or perhaps not employed. We all know the stress that can be involved for these kids as they maneuver thru a day full of sitting in classrooms listening to some blue haired teacher discussing proper pronunciations and comma placements. Learning fragments and the difference between and a neutron and a proton, maybe they are confused as to why they can't get A x B to equal C. Figuring out if they want to eat in the cafeteria or scamper over to Chick Fil A for lunch, all the while pondering a clever way to get Susie Clinkstone's attention. Some may spend the last hour or so of the day in a practice session for a sport they may play before heading home to do homework or work on projects. Others may have chores they must complete each day before anything else is attempted. Then, if they wish, can spend time throwing bags for a bit before they go play in a local switch or event nearby. When they get home some may get online and play video games until they fall asleep, making the getting up early part of their day more challenging. Those that are out of school with no job can get up when they want and do whatever they want. Some throw bags, for hours it seems until they have darn near mastered the craft. Pretty nice gig if you can get it! Kids these days may seem like they have no worries at all but that may not always be the case. Peer pressure can be tough to deal with and kids can be brutal towards each other. Going to school and having to face mental challenges and sometimes bullies isn't pleasant and sometimes the effects can be hidden. As much as it seems that kids may have an advantage because they have no job or responsibilities, they too can have tough days and feel the pressure of dealing with things unknown to most. Let's not even mention physical appearances, bad hair days or not having the shirt you wanted to wear because it wasn't clean. All in all, kids have it pretty good however they still have things going on in their lives that may wear on them and having the ability to throw bags for hours each day isn't all it's cracked up to be...or is it. Thank you, your Honor".

"Adult attorney you may step forward". "Thank you, sir. Folks I will explain to you something similar to what an adult may have on their plate each day and in most cases, you will see a comparison to what you may encounter on a daily basis. Adults with jobs, kids, mortgages and other bills, have a large number of things they may deal with. Let's start with getting up in the morning. Not only do they have themselves to get ready for work, but they sometimes may also have to get little Timmy dressed, fed and off to daycare or school before they even think of a sip of coffee, or brain food as some may call it. They must navigate safely through rush hour avoiding school zones and other adults who are driving as if they're late for work. They may have to venture out on Highway 80 near Forney...need I say more. Once they arrive to work, they are met with 642 emails on their computer, all requesting something that needed to be done yesterday. They get through the morning escaping various meetings, or not, and skedaddle their way to lunch with a couple of co-workers who can't decide where they want to eat. Back to work and finally they are done with work, for the moment, and they hurry home just in time to pick up Timmy from ball practice. Dinner, oh man, what are we going to eat, Timmy is starving! Throw in a frozen pizza while on the phone with the roof guy who says he will be there in 15 minutes to look at you roof that was damaged in the recent hailstorm. You avoided the other 8 calls as they appeared to be spam, or an in law wanting something...who knows! After dinner you help Timmy with homework...I don't remember having to write book reports like this...wowser! Why am I doing it while Timmy is twisting his phone sideways looking at tik toks? If you play cornhole, or try, maybe you have a league night or just want to spend an hour or so practicing, this is your chance. You go outside and set up boards and start throwing only to have Timmy run outside saying he forgot a science project that was due the next day...ugh, the absolute worst! On top of these type of days, you may have to spend an hour or so shopping for groceries, getting online to pay bills. Doing various other things around the house like cleaning, mowing, repairing things that may need to be repaired, sewn or bandaged! I realize there are many parents or older folks who may appear to have things way more organized than this but certainly you get what I'm putting down...right? The older more mature cornhole player has experienced things in life that may have helped them prepare better, help them handle situations better thus giving them some sort of advantage. Unless you are one of the lucky ones who have it all together, you know the challenges we are facing each day. Thank you, your honor".

I hope you all got a laugh with the previous paragraphs as I did my best to give you some idea what each may go through on a daily basis. Now I would like to give you some evidence I have gathered just for this story. I went and looked at the results for the Signature events for this year and jotted down the finishers for each. What I found was clear and it really isn't close. If you look at who won Singles and Doubles in the Open Division, there is one person over the age of 30 who has won either event. Johnny Govea won Doubles with Logan Chamberlain in Shreveport at Signature Series 1. Now there have been several who placed in the Top 10 including Brandon Gregor who played with Klaydon Powell and finished 3rd in Shreveport. That same event Fletcher Jonson finished tied for 7th in Singles while tied for 17th were Brandon Gregor, Scott Beck, Ernest Hererra and Donnie Greer. Signature Series 2 in Irving had Johnny Govea and Logan finishing in 2nd, Fletcher and Ernest Monarca coming in 4th. Mason Terry tied for 5th with his partner Caleb Franklin while Jake Whatley and Brandon Marinez tied for 9th. Signature 3 in Mesquite had Govea and Josh Heilman in 5th, Kyle Francis and Fletcher tied for 7th, Brandon Gregor and Cowboy Kevin Meza tied for 9th. Kyle also finished tied for 9th in Open Singles. In Elite Singles Jake Whatley finished tied for 5th and Hererra tied for 9th. Lubbock Signature Series had Grant Upchurch and Oscar Mariena finishing tied for 7th and in Elite Singles Blake Holly came in tied for 13th. Waco had Derek and Bryson Goode coming in 3rd, Matthew Morris and Josh Murdock tied for 9th and Jake Whatley and Dillon Randle also tied for 9th. All of these finishes are respectable with something definite being displayed. Signature 1 Singles went Hayden Morris, Kobey Alley and Logan Chamberlain. Irving had Sammy Soto, Justin Burton, and Grant with Doubles being won by Kale Harrell and Chase Lester over Logan and Johnny. Sig 3 in Mesquite it was Justin Burton, Alex Ibarra and Caleb Franklin. Doubles were led by Burton and Payton Lopez, Cannon Hatcher and John Miller(over 30) and Grant with Brendon Bennett. Lubbock Sig Sammy, Burton, and Tye Thompson won Elite Singles and in Doubles it was Sammy and Kale over Tye and Tanner.  Waco had Levi Haddock, Kale Harrell and Chase Lester in Elite Singles and in Doubles Cannon and Tanner Gibson beat Tye and Blaine Frerichs.

Only one Champion over the age of 25. Every event was won by someone under the age of 25 and except for a couple of cases, it really wasn't close. Sure, the older player can compete and finish near the top, but they just can't quite get to win. Many older players do very well and on any given day can beat any player regardless of age but these facts that I just listed show us that the younger players are either simply better, or somehow some way, have a distinct advantage. What that advantage may be, who knows. Do they have more time to practice? Do they have more stamina? Have they simply perfected more shots?

In closing, these are the facts, young players have dominated the podiums this year and as valiant as they're efforts have been, the older players just haven't been able to crack the code. I wrote this to share different points of view and your comments are welcome. This is pretty much opinion related with some facts to provide some backing. I myself have played sports for over 50 years and once, believe it or not, was a young, hungry and feisty competitor. I played many sports in my day having more success than not and I have been able to compete with the best in cornhole but not against the younger players. My best years were in 2019 and 2020 and that is about the time the younger players began their climb to the top. Don't fret, this old guy recently found a few ounces of gas in his tank and may be making a little stab at competing again soon! 

Hope y'all enjoyed this story and look forward to more soon including some player spotlights that I will be putting together soon!

Take it easy and throw em straight!

Shreveport September 2023 Signature Series

It's Shreveport time! Y'all ready for some Cajun food? BeauxJax across the river has the Loaded Crawfish MacNCheese and Red Beans and Rice and they are delicious! Herby-K's is a legendary place known for its' famous "Shrimp Buster" and has been around since 1936 serving up their award winning gumbo and fresh shucked oysters as well as the coldest beer in town. For those getting there early Thursday, Herby-K's has Happy Hour from 4:30-7:30 with $1 Fresh Oysters and $2 Chargrilled Oysters. The Noble Savage (shout out Shilpan Patel) is another great option for some great food along with the Blind Tiger. Have the urge to shake your groove thang? Consider a late night/early morning at the infamous Sand Bar. Got a itch to play some blackjack, craps or maybe play some slots? Several casinos are near the host hotels. How about throwing some bags with hundreds of your closest friends? This weekend TCL will be hosting the first Signature Series Event of the 2023-24 Season at the Convention Center in Downtown Shreveport, LA. If you're feeling a little deja vu, I get it, we all were here a few months ago for the TCL Conference Championships as this venue has become one of the best for these type of events. Its big enough to handle all the boards and allows plenty of walking around room as well as being within walking distance to several casinos, restaurants and bars. What else do we need! Let's Geaux!!

Bags will start flying Thursday evening with some Switcholio events and a "B" Doubles Dual State event that may be fun to watch. Also on tap will be a Women's Singles event that should be exciting as there will be several top tier ladies in this field. Some of the ladies who are registered include reigning TCL Women's Player of the Year Tracie Beeson, Crystal Infante, Haley Davidson and Denise McEvoy. Caitlyn Allshouse, Delaney Pillod have serious potential to win this event as well. A couple of names some may not have heard of include Lauri Engleman and Tracey Chamberlain. Lauri can flat out throw a bag and can't be slept on. Chamberlain...hmmm...that name may sound familiar. Yep, she is Logan's mom and a few years ago I was lucky enough to team up with her in a blind draw and let me tell ya, Logan gets his ability honestly! The lady who wins this event will have earned it as all of these ladies will be tough to beat.

Friday is for Singles and as usual, a lot of big time players are in this field. TCL Player of the Year Sammy Soto along with Justin Burton, Jr for starters.....sheesh need I say more! As of press time there are around 90 players signed up and of those 90, they're all good. As I scroll down the list of names I'm astounded at the talent TCL has these days. Seems like everyone is good and they all have a large arsenal of shots they can and will use to their advantage. With all the talented players and with just about everyone on the list being really good, it's difficult to try and include everyone on this list. Back in the day I could get away with mentioning a handful of names but not any more. I'll do the best I can and if I don't include your name, just go "Prime Time" on me at the next Signature Event and make it "Personal". I once had a guy ask me why I didn't write about him...I told him it would be easier for me to include you if you were getting your picture taken with a handful of paper and hardware at the end of the event  as opposed to a can of adult beverage! Haven't had him say anything to me about that any more...lol. Any who, other names that could win include guys like Logan Chamberlain, Cayhill Isom, Chase Lester and Grant Upchurch. There are several players that I haven't been able to see on the boards much lately but they seem be getting their pictures taken a lot. Those include guys like Cannon Hatcher, Fletcher Jonson, Scott Beck, Dylan Cernero and Jacob Whatley. All these guys can fill it up.Then there are the likes of Q Cohee, Reef Woodsen and Tye Thompson...shoot there are simply way too many really good players. Just this week Kevin Meza took down a Singles event beating Cody Brooks in a pretty strong field. Who is gonna to be the last player standing? We will find out soon enough!

Open Doubles has around 55 teams registered and all of them are good. With the way Kevin Meza threw Tuesday night, he and Mason Vega look like they will be a tough team to beat. Logan Chamberlain is teamed up with Johnny Govea who just welcomed a new baby this week! Hope he was able to get some rest! Johnny has played a lot of events with Edgar Cardenas but this weekend Edgar is partnered up with Justin Burton, Jr which is another super stout team. Sammy Soto is playing with the Silent Assassin Kale Harrell from Oklahoma and boy that team is scary looking! Multiple time State Champ Grant Upchurch is teamed up with veteran Matt Longoria and this could be a team to watch. Brandon Gregor seems to have gotten over his arm injury and is teaming up with the young upstart Klaydon "K Money" Powell. Speaking of young studs, Cayhill Isom is playing with Scott "Robocop" Beck and from the Tyler area Fletcher Jonson and Jacob Whatley are pairing up. Some teams to watch out for are a hot throwing Cody Brooks teaming up with Denise McEvoy and Luke Anderson matching up with Kobey Alley. Don't sleep on several teams including Chase Lester and Hayden Morris, Blake Holly and Dylan Cernero, Freddy Rodriguez and Flo Zamora and Tracie Beeson and Ernest Herrera as all of these players can sling a bag pretty darn good! As always there are a few teams who get hot and seem to come out of nowhere and there are also upsets. Open Doubles has the potential for major fireworks, you won't want to miss this event!

I look forward to seeing everyone and hopefully everyone has safe travels.

Laissez les bon temps rouler baby!!

Ryder Cup 2023

The Ryder Cup. TCL's unique event often described as "An event like none other" is upon us. For those who haven't experienced it, it is one of the most exciting yet stressful events most will ever play in. So much going on with Singles, Doubles and Team 8 all providing points for each team and the outcome of each event having so much on the line. It almost seems like every single bag is important and every game matters more than usual.  

Eight players on a team all vying for wins acquiring points for their team. Sounds easy right? The comaraderie and support for each other is at its highest peak for this event as you will see players cheering on their teammates with loud outbursts as players make or sometimes miss shots. The pressure of trying to get wins for your team can sometimes wear on players, some handling it better than others. The Team 8 event seems to be the most pressure filled as each player only throws one bag per round and with every player from both teams watching, that can be overwhelming. You don't want to be the player who throws the bag 26 feet 11 inches! 

Ryder Cup typically brings in a large number of players and has always been held in the middle of the TCL season however this year the TCL Season is starting off with it. I've seen it grow from just a few hundred players to well over 1500 players. Having been able to win it a couple of times this event has provided me with some very special memories. In my days of playing various sports, the championship teams I played on seem to be the ones that are cherished the most. I think back to the games played and the plays or shots that help provide the contributions to help those teams win. My first Ryder Cup win was one that may have put me on the map with TCL as I got lucky and hit a critical airmail for a win. The reason I'm writing this is to tell what I did just before the Ryder Cup the following year.

 I had given the same speech a few weeks prior to the Ryder Cup during a four man tourney in Tyler and even though we kinda laughed, I think it may have been effective. Along with my teammates Heath Mills, Kyle Verner and Shane Flesher, we gathered up outside the Tyler Indoor Soccer Center before the games began and I rattled off a speech that I'd like to say was the reason we won that event. In reality it may have been that Kyle, Shane and Heath were beasts back in the day and we just had a good day! A few weeks later at the Ryder Cup playing for East Texas and Captain Brad Jones, for some reason I felt the need to give the speech before the games started. In retrospect the speech may not have helped us much but for a few moments our team was fired up. We would've ran through a wall! It didn't take long for that fire to become a flicker as we were beat up pretty good on the boards, but the speech...man it was a good one! I'm going to share it for you and you all can take it however you want. You can enjoy the short read, you can allow it to fuel your energy to help you and your team do your best this weekend. Or you can simply let it take you back and reminisce and think back on recollections from good times you may have experienced. Enjoy!

For giggles, try to picture some short old gray headed guy with a fierce intense scowl staring at you with a piercing glare and a sprited conviction...growling these words....

Great moments are born from Great opportunities. And thats what we have here today folks. Thats what we've earned here today.... One game.... If we played most of these people ten times, they might win 9. But not this game...not today.... Today we hang with them. Today we throw with them and we shut them down because we can!! Today WE are the greatest cornhole players in the state of Texas. You all were born to be cornhole players, every one of you and you were meant to be here today! This is YOUR time. Their time is DONE, its over! I'm sick and tired of hearing about how great every other team is. Screw 'em. This is OUR time, now go out there and TAKE it!! 

Learning how to compete

As far back as I can remember, and yes that is a ways back, I always enjoyed a challenge. Not sure why, maybe just to have something on the line or maybe trying to see if I could have some success at something. From a very young age I remember playing checkers with my mom and I never was able to beat her. I don't think I really understood strategy at that point but I quickly learned. Sometimes you learn more from losing than winning and she beat me a bunch so I either I was going to get pretty smart or I would find something else to play! Finding something else to play didn't require me looking far as the kids in my neighborhood would play pickup games of baseball, basketball or football. I can't remember my age but I was under 8 years old when I remember my dad throwing a wiffle ball to me as I swung a bat that seemed to be the width of a clothes hanger...just kidding. You all have seen those narrow yellow wiffle ball bats that came with a ball and the challenge was to see just how big a curve you could throw. Those balls moved! I was able to hit some here and there and that is my first memory of falling in love with sports. In the second grade during "field days", I won the potato race outrunning several classmates while holding a spoon with a gigantic tater on it. I suppose I had decent balance or coordination or maybe both as I didn't drop my tater like the others allowing me to win fairly easily. In the third grade my family moved across town to where I would meet a guy who would become a lifelong friend. Gregory Lee "Duke" Frazier was the first guy I met at Atkins Elementary and our friendship remains close even today, some 54 years later. Greg lived several blocks from me and often he would either walk or ride his bike by my house and many times we would walk to school together or I would ride on the handle bars of his bicycle. With no helmet. On those cold winter days it didn't take me long to figure out he put me on the handle bars to serve as a wind break for him. Dude was wise beyond his years at a early age! Greg and I would play kickball or basketball at recess and many days he would come to my house after school and we would play baseball or football in my back yard. We didn't care, we both loved competing and a few years later we both would make the 6th grade basketball team. I rarely played mainly because I wasn't very good but also because we had several really good players including Jimmy Blackwell who in the 6th grade was already a really tall kid. Like 6 foot 3 or 4 in the 6th grade and could flat out play. We also had a guy named Keith Grant who would play on our high school state runner up team. We won the city championship and I was awarded my very first trophy! I was so proud even though I can honestly say I didn't do a single thing to help with any of our wins! But I was on the team, we were city champs and I had a trophy! Little things folks, little things!

Before the basketball heroics, or lack thereof, Greg got me involved with our church's little league baseball team. I believe it was the summer after the 4th grade and playing organized baseball for the first time was very new to me. Previously all I knew was throwing with someone and playing in the backyard. This was the real thing with 9 players on both teams and everyone had a specific positions and stuff! Our coach was Mr. Jim Burson...a mountain of a man who during practices would take some swings and hit balls on top of our school. Those hits seemed like bombs and we all were wide eyed as we watched those balls soar. Several years later I drove by that school and saw the practice field and backstop where he would be batting and it really wasn't that far, but it sure seemed like a mile to us back in the day! I vaguely remember the first season but some things about where we played will never go away. The Baptist ball park was the place to be during the early summer as the multiple field complex, if you want to call it that, had a variety of leagues from little league, to middle and high school aged teams as well as men's and women's softball games being played. Anyone who played there will instantly be taken back to the dusty parking lot, the sounds of balls being hit, cheers from supporters and the smell. Oh who could ever forget the aroma of French fries and corndogs from the concession stands. We always looked forward to the after game dash to grab a "suicide" to help quinch our thirst. Good times y'all.

If I remember right, in our second season we had a pretty good team led by our star pitcher Greg and man could he really chunk it! There were others that I remember including Bill Martin, Lee Hooker and Lester Cochran to name a few. I remember several players and teams we played against and this particular season one of the teams we played against was Grace Baptist Church. Their pitcher was a big dude named Jody Blackwell, no relation to aforementioned Jimmy even though they lived down the street from each other. Big Ol' Jody was intimidating as he would have this huge swaying windup along with a nasty looking snarl as if he was about to throw a 96 mile an hour heater right at ya. He mustered all this effort into a scary looking windup leading to a fairly average at best fastball. Very hittable if he threw it down the middle but that is where the intimidation may have originated. If you were on deck and saw one of his pitches go over the umpires head or behind the hitter, you were usually too scared to even think about getting into the batters box, much less swing your bat! In a playoff game we faced Jody and his team and it would be a game I will always remember, almost as if I was there yesterday. A play happened that I call one my favorite plays of my ball playing career mainly because of my age and the impact it may have had on the final score of the game. I was playing first base, probably because I may have been one of the few players Mr. Burson trusted to catch balls either hit or thrown to me. Greg was throwing pretty hard that night and with 1 out and a runner on second base, Stan Paul Davis was batting. I don't know why but usually late in games you protect the lines to help eliminate extra base hits down the lines but I moved to my right a step or two away from the first base line right before Greg threw the pitch. Stan Paul swung and smacked a line drive to my right about head high and I can't explain why but I dove and extended my glove across my body, completely laid out parallel from the ground and snagged the ball for the out! I don't even remember landing but I knew I had the ball in my glove! The instant I hit the ground Bill Martin who was playing second base yelled for me to throw it to him as the runner who was on second, a guy named Howard McGraw, had taken off at the crack of the bat on his way to third and would have easily scored. While on my knees, I threw the ball to Bill who touch the base for the inning ending out. A loud cheer greeted us as we headed to our third base dugout but before I got there the coach for Grace, Johnny Blackwell stopped me. He knelt down to my level and as he put his hand on my shoulder he told me that was one of the finest plays he had ever seen. As he patted me on the bottom and I scampered towards my fellow teammates and was greeted by high fives and smiles as well as one from my mother who was proudly clapping for her son and his team. Man what great memories. 

I am hoping to write more stories like this sharing some of my life's most enjoyable sports moments and I hope you all will find them interesting and amusing. I appreciate you all taking the time to read my blog and look forward to hearing your feedback.

Thanks,

Johnny