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!!
