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

TCL League Championships - Friday's Events

Open Singles is loaded with exceptional talent here in Texas with several top level players. The past few years Grant Upchurch and Sammy Soto have arguebly been two of the best however each year there are other players vying for a chance to earn the title of State Champion. Grant and Sammy did what they had to do and both made it to the finals with each beating some really strong players. Grant battled his way to the king seat by beating Adrain Jackson, Austin Waskow and Mason Vega. The game against Vega was a good one as Grant outlasted Vega in a back and forth 24 round game that saw Upchurch throwing a 9.63 while Mason treked along at a 9.46 clip. After beating Vega, Grant defeated Nate Gallup and then faced Soto in the winners final. In that game Grant jumped out to a 5-0 lead maintaining said lead until the 15th round as Sammy slid ahead 14-13, however Upchurch went on to score the games final 8 points to get the win. Sammy defeated David Saenz, Zach Faulkner, Luke Anderson and Matt Martinez before losing to Upchurch. Once in the losers bracket Sammy got hot beating Luke Anderson 21-4 throwing a 10.71 ppr. Wowzer! That win put him in the finals and Upchurch just couldn't keep up with the hot throwing Soto. Grant threw well with a 9.72 ppr but Sammy was better at 10.44 in the first game as Sammy won 21-8. After spotting Grant a early 4-0 lead Sammy went on a 21-4 run to force a double dip game to decide the champ! Both players cooled off just a little but 11 straight rounds of throwing 10's Sammy came out on top winning 21-8 to earn a State Title. Luke Anderson finished third, Tye Thompson came in forth with Matt Martinez and Nate Gallup tying for 5th and if I'm correct, I believe this was the best finish for Martinez in a big TCL event. Jobu was playing at a high level all day and made a really nice run.

TCL League Championship - Recap of Thursdays Events.

In Shreveport, LA this past weekend there was a cornhole tournament. A big one. Texas Cornhole League held their League Championship Tournament and everything about this event was big. Being held in the Shreveport Convention Center the facility was plenty big with sets of boards lined up as far as you could see. The crowd even though the overall numbers of entrants may have been down, seemed big, loud and proud, in traditional TCL fashion. There were also big moments and big shots made by many outstanding players throughout the event. Things got ignited Thursday with the Youth Singles event and with a long list of exceptionally talented players the opportunity for some great matches were lined up from the get go! When the dust settled Mason Vega managed to hold off a determined Sammy Soto who had a double dip opportunity by winning the first game of the finals. Vega had earned the King seat by defeating Luke Anderson 21-7. While Mason waited to find out who his opponent would be, several really good players had some outstanding matches. Sammy who lost in the winners bracket to Luke Anderson, defeated Preston Isom in a very exciting game. Isom was down 12-5 before going on a 13 point run to take a 18-12 lead. The next two rounds Soto was able to score back to back 4 spots to retake a 20-18 lead before ending it on the next round to advance. Soto then beat Levi Haddock 21-0, Cayhill Isom 21-7 and Reef Woodson 21-5 to force a rematch with Anderson. In this game Sammy immediately jumped all over Luke taking a early 11-0 lead 2 rounds into the game. Sammy didn't miss another bag making 32 straight to take a 21-0 win putting him in the finals where Vega waited. The first game of the finals was a back and forth 21 round battle that had a few lead changes with Sammy eventually coming out on top forcing a deciding game. The final game was epic and definitely one for the books as these two warriors put on a tremendous exhibition of shot making and consistency. After 2 rounds of washes, Sammy holed all four of his bags for a 12 while Mason just missed a 12 throwing a 10. These two went back and forth trading 12's and 10's for several rounds with neither player being able to get ahead by more than 3 points. In round 15 Soto extended his lead by 5 going ahead 9-4 only to have Mason get 4 the next frame to make it 9-8.Mason got his first lead in round 21 going ahead 13-10. The back and forth scoring continued with both players throwing several 12's and trading lead changes until round 35 where they were tied at 19. Yep I said round 35. Two more rounds went by before Mason was able to get the win outlasting Soto in a draining 37 round battle. At certain points in this game both players were averaging well over a 10 ppr and ended up with Vega shooting a 9.89 and Soto with a 9.76. These guys threw a combined 35 12's making 75% of their shots. It was a awesome display of shot making and shows just how good these two are at putting a bag in the hole. Not many can do what these guys did Thursday. Rounding out the final 5 were Luke Anderson, Reef Woodson and Cayhill Isom. I'd say the future of TCL is in very good hands with all these youngsters coming up in the ranks.

When I think of an athlete being the class of the field I remember Secretariat and the dominate fashion he won the Triple Crown back in 1973. Others that come to mind are Tiger Woods, Serena Williams and Wayne Gretzky. In cornhole here of late we've seen Grant Upchurch and Sammy Soto doing a number on folks the past few years. In the Seniors Division a guy stepped up and put on a show and simply put, was dominate. Scott Beck, the former Police Officer from Marshall, TX went 6-0 defeating Chris Hobbs 21-12 to win his first Seniors State Championship. For the tournament Scott was red hot throwing at a 9.61 clip per round throughout the event and had but 1 close game. That was a 21-20 win against Donnie Greer in which Beck battled from behind most of the game. Taking his first lead in round 14 at 17-16 only to give it right back the next round as Greer made the score 20-17. Scott got 4 points over the next 3 rounds to advance to the winners bracket finals against Keith Ledwig. Beck won that game 21-12 putting him in the king seat while Ledwig had to face Chris Hobbs. Hobbs was on a little bit of a roll after falling to Ledwig in the winners bracket beating Talley Oneal and Donnie Greer to get to Ledwig. Chris was on fire shooting a 9.43 and smashed Ledwig 21-2 in just 7 rounds putting him in the finals against Beck. The first 9 rounds it was all Hobbs as he held what seemed like a comfortable 12-0 lead however over the next 5 rounds Beck was able to tie the score at 12. The onslaught continued for Scott as he went on to score the games last 21 points beating Hobbs 21-12 earning Beck the title. Rounding out the top 5 were Ledwig in third, Greer finished fourth and Jim Abdella came in fifth. 

Another event that was played Thursday was the Women's Singles and let me tell ya, there was some very good players in this field. Denise McEvoy defeated Caitlyn Allshouse to get the win but her road to victory included some tough competition. Her first game was against current TCL Women's Player of the Year Tracie Beeson who is also Denise's Women's Doubles Partner. In a hard fought 18 round game McEvoy came out on top advancing to the next round to face Haley Davidson. Denise was crazy good that game shooting a 10.27 over 11 rounds shutting Haley down 21-5. Denise didn't let up the next game as she shot a 10 ppr beating Autumn Walker 21-0 putting her in the winners bracket final against Christina Espinosa. In a close tense game Espinosa started out with a 8-1 lead after 5 rounds however after 9 rounds her lead was only 10-9 as McEvoy battled back to close the gap. Christina held the lead until round 17 when Denise was able to grab her first lead at 20-17 and went on to secure the comeback victory the next round winning 21-17. In the finals McEvoy faced Caitlyn Allshouse who had a double dip in mind. Caitlyn won the first game 21-14 forcing a do or die game to determine the champ. In a  back and forth 20 round game Denise was able to score the games final 7 points over 3 rounds to complete her mission and give her a hard earned Women's Singles Title. Espinosa and Delaney Pilliod finished 3rd and 4th while Haley Davidson and LeeAnna Saxon tied for 5th.

Women's Doubles was also played Thursday with April Black and Heather Mullins going unbeaten to get the win. To get to the finals Black and Mullins defeated Loralei Barrientes and Celeste Alday 2 games to none in the first round. In the 2nd round April and Heather defeated Kayleigh Logan and Ashley Hawpe in 2 games to advance to round 3. There they beat Misty Goode and Sabra Howell advancing to the winners final against Taylor Rose and Delaney Pilliod. Black and Mullins were able to get the win putting them into the finals where they would meet up against Tracie Beeson and Denise McEvoy. The first game all four ladies were filling it up all shooting right at or better than 9 ppr for the game which ended with Black and Mullins winning a nail biter 21-20. Beeson and McEvoy lost their second round game and had to win several loser bracket games to stay alive but couldn't pull off the double dip as April and Heather won 2 games to earn them the Women's Doubles Title. This game was played in front a pretty good crowd that was nestled in and around the championship courts and created an awesome atmosphere. Rounding out the top 5 were Taylor Rose and Delaney Pilliod in third, Haley Davidson and Christina Espinosa in fourth and tied for fifth were Misty Goode and Sabra Howell along with Stacey Paup and LeeAnna Saxon. TCL always puts on a great event and with all these fireworks being shot off on Thursday, I expected Friday and Saturday's events to continue the trend. They didn't disappoint! 

TCL League Championship - Open Doubles Preview

During the 1988 NBA All Star 3 point Shooting contest several of the games best shooters were assembled and before the event started Larry Bird walked into the dressing room full of the contestants and said "Who's playing for second". He then proceeded to perform the whole competition in his warm up jacket and outlasted Dale Ellis to win his 3rd straight 3 point competition. Needless to say the lore of Larry Legend continued. This Saturday in Shreveport the Texas Cornhole League will be finishing up it's League Championship with Doubles play and the final match to be played will be the highly anticipated Open Doubles. Like almost every Signature Event and League Championship, a lot rides on this event and it is usually the one that draws the largest crowds. The excitement will be electric and loud with upbeat music being played and a buzz filtering around as the games get started. The teams of two will be plenty and the talent will be unmatched at this level as many of the top players in and around Texas as well as a few surrounding states will battle and test their skills against each other. One of the teams is Grant Upchurch and Sammy Soto who are two of the best to have ever thrown bags in TCL. Both have won at high levels and I see them arguably one of the favorites to win it all Saturday. Grant who not only will be going for a three peat in Singles but will also being trying to win his third straight Doubles Title. He has won with Josh Murdock and last year with Justin Fowler and adding a little bit of irony, he and Fowler beat Sammy and Mason Vega last year. Sammy and Grant have won big events across the country and if they are on their games, they will be tough to beat. There are several other duos who are playing this weekend that must be considered as well including Mason Vega and Levi Lechner, Preston and Cayhill Ison and Tye Thompson and Dillon Randle. Vega has been here before and if Levi gets hot maybe Mason will get over the hump to get the title. He lost to Grant and Murdock while teamed up with Ernest Herrera a couple of years ago and lost last year to Upchurch and Fowler. Dude is due! Tye and Dillon are a tough team to deal with also and I can see these guys making a run if they get hot. Chase Lester one of the hottest players here of late is teamed up with Lane McManus and they pose a serious threat as well. Oscar Mairena and Aaron Aspeitia are another pair that are solid on the boards. These guys continue to make their way up the ladder and definitely have the potential to win it all. Ernest Herrera and Kevin Meza along with Fletcher Jonson and Scott Beck are extremely talented players and all are throwing well right now. They have big game experience and will be forces to be reckoned with. Luke Anderson and Rylann Claver are a talented team and have what it takes to be there in the end. Man there are some really good teams that I haven't mentioned yet, glad I don't have to face these guys!! Ty Trevino and Dylan Cernero, Matt Longoria and Anthony Delgado also should will be hard outs along with Alex Ibarra and Noah Alborado. Kale Harrell and Kobey Alley from Oklahoma can be menaces on the boards so don't sleep on these guys or else you'll become a spectator in a hurry! A few other teams that may be need to be mentioned are Jim Abdella and Zeb Smith and Terry Swinney and Matthew Morris. Both of these teams have a lot of talent and are hard to beat. I talked with Jim last night and he informed me that he had played earlier in the week and played on boards that weren't set up at the right distance and his sense of depth was way off. Hopefully he will get that righted and be the usual consistent thrower he typically has been.

I know there are others who I may not mention and I get picked on from time to time but trust me I don't mean any harm. I just kinda go with what I know and what I've seen. I'm not taking any bets however if you ask me who I think will win, well you'll may just have to come up to me in Shreveport and find out! Y'all have fun and enjoy this event.

Throw 'em straight!

TCL League Championship - Open Singles Preview

Growing up in Shreveport I had a lot of great memories, more than I have time to write about at this time. Having a love of sports and competition, I enjoyed being able to attend various sporting events including my little league ball games at the Baptist Ball Park. The smell of french fries, corn dogs and popcorn on a hot summer evening always meant it was game time! In high school, most Friday nights meant I was attending a Woodlawn High football or basketball game. Since both teams were really good, the games were always packed with excitement and big game intensity. Good times y'all. I can remember vividly some great moments I witnessed and as I drive by Independence Stadium I will once again think back to some of those special times. The bands playing, the crowds cheering, the lights and atmosphere will always remind me of a some memorable moments. One in particular was my Senior year our football team was playing a school from Lake Charles and with just a minute or so left in the game, we had just given up a touchdown and found ourselves behind on the scoreboard. On the verge of losing our 4th straight game, things were looking rather dim on our side of the field. As the other team kicked off to us, little did we know things were about to change. Rusty Funk, one of our Senior running backs, fielded the kick at around the 11 yard line. He headed towards the middle of the field and then as the wall formed he veered to his left and stampeded his way past our sideline all the way to the end zone scoring the winning touchdown. Something about winning that game energized our team and we went on a win streak and finished the season tied for the District title. More importantly it assured us a playoff spot and we were able to win a few games losing in the state semi finals to the team that won the state championship the next week. Man, what memories. Just think, in 20 to 30 years someone from this upcoming weekend may be telling a similar story about how they won a big match in Shreveport. Possibly leading them to a state championship! The Friday night lights will be on full display this weekend as Texas Cornhole League will be having their League Championship at the Shreveport Convention Center. Who will reign as the Champ in Open Singles? Will one of the young stars be able to withstand the pressure of winning it all on the big stage. Will someone else step up and surprise people coming out of nowhere to win it all? Will Grant Upchurch win his third straight Singles title? A lot of questions will soon be answered this Friday and I can't wait!

The aforementioned Upchurch typically is considered a favorite at just about any event he is involved in. Dude is just a monster on the boards and has been for several years. No one questions his ability as he has proven time and time again he is capable of hitting a variety of clutch shots. Grant beat Logan Chamberlain in Singles last year and the idea of winning three straight titles has to be one of his goals. I'm not saying he is a lock to win it this year but I ain't betting against him! Sammy Soto is another player who I expect to be in the mix as he always seems to find a way to finish either at the top or right there at it. Sammy more often than not finds the hole with his smooth throw using several types of shots to get the job done. As I scroll down the list of entrants in Open Singles, I can't believe how many talented players are in this event. Man, this division is loaded! The usual contenders include the likes of Chase Lester, Cayhill Isom, Dillon Randle, Ernest Herrera, Fletcher Jonson and Jaun Pantoya. The list continues with Luke Anderson, Mason Vega, Matt Longoria, Matthew Morris, Noah Albarado, Scott Beck and Tye Thompson, just to name a few. Zach Faulkner, Zach Harris and Zeb Smith lead all the guys with names starting with the letter Z who could win it all. Then there are the names of guys like Aaron Aspeitia, David Saenz, Dylan Cernero, Dylan Newland, Jacob Whatley, Lane McManus and Matt Longoria. See, there truly are several that are capable of winning this event and trying to include all is pretty difficult. I haven't even mentioned names of players who aren't the usual TCL guys like Alec Budd, Kale Harrell, Nate Gallup, Austin Waskow and Kobey Alley. Another guy who has been throwing well lately is Kevin Meza as well as Levi Lechner and Oscar Mariena. Might as well include Stuart Foster who has been working hard to get back to his usual level of throwing and is one to keep your eye on. OG players like Jeremy O'Connell, Jeremy and Tracie Beeson, Jim Abdella and Christina Espinosa can make runs and can be problematic on the boards. I didn't mention the Legendary Brandon Gregor because as I wrote this he mentioned a arm injury that he isn't for sure how it will effect his play. Hate to not have him in the mix but I'm certain he will be back soon. There are around 75 players entered in this event and I'd say a large percentage are all able to have some success. It could come down to the pool play and how players are matched up but when the dust is settled and the pictures are being taken, who stands last is anybody's guess. All I know is I can't wait and I will have a front row seat, probably eating some popcorn and washing it down with a cold bottle of coca cola! I look forward to seeing everyone this weekend. Have safe travels and best of luck on the boards!

  

TCL League Championship - Shreveport, LA....Thursday Events Preview Let's Geaux!!

Shreveport, LA, Home of NFL Legends Terry Bradshaw and Joe Ferguson along with NBA great Robert Parrish. Shreveport is also home of the Louisiana Hayride where back in 1954 a young 19 year old Elvis Presley made his Hayride debut singing "That's Alright Mama" to a raucous standing room only crowd. This weekend I'm certain the crowd will be large, loud and enthusiastic as Texas Cornhole League will be hosting their League Championship at the Shreveport Convention Center. This venue has become a favorite for many cornhole enthusiasts as it provides plenty of room for the what seems like a gazillion sets of boards accommodating a hundreds of bag chunking cornhole players. It also is located in close proximity to some casinos for those needing a little gambling fix. The opportunity for some late night club action is available if you choose that option with the infamous Sand Bar. Yea, this place is definitely a hot spot for those who like to stay out late/early and enjoy the night life. Word on the street says the Pizza is pretty tasty however the sources provided may have been under some type of alcohol and/or hallucinogenic influence! I myself haven't made the scene but oh how the stories, pictures and videos have provided evidence of some good times had by plenty! Blackjack, Poker, Slots, dancing, drinking and partying are all expected to be on the list of things to do this weekend but the main attraction will be the action on the cornhole boards! Viewing the list of names entered I can tell you this event will be loaded with star studded talent from top to bottom and there are several players who could walk away late Saturday night with the title of League Champion!

As I write these stories it is always challenging for me to include everyone but I try and go with who I anticipate doing well. There are the usual names that are expected to be fighting it out however there are always others that show up and make deep runs. You really never know for sure who those folks will be until the bags get to flying!

Thursday there will be a few events starting at 4 pm including Youth Singles, Senior Singles and Womens Singles followed at 7 pm with Womens Doubles, a couple of Crew Cup events and a Random Draw tourney.

The Youth Singles event is loaded with players who all are not only capable of winning the Youth event but the Open Singles as well. Sammy Soto is an obvious choice right off the top of my head simply because for the last couple of years he has either won several big events or been close. Tye Thompson, the Cowboy hat wearing, Livestock showing, bag throwing youngster from Farmerville is another player who has had his picture taken a lot at the end of several tournaments. Cayhill Isom from Lampasas has gotten really good really fast within the past year or so and is certainly someone who could be in the mix. Other names most will recognize include Mason Vega, Luke Anderson, and Noah Albarado. All three of these guys can light it up and be a problem to deal with! Someone who hasn't played a lot of TCL events here in Texas is Kobey Alley. Kobey, from Choctaw, OK typically plays in Ok and has been throwing really well here of late. Several others who could be tough outs include Preston Isom, Zane Thompson, Reef Woodson, Adrian Jackson, Klaydon Powell, Ryker Jackson and Ryder Smith. Keep your eyes on all these fellas as this event will be a good one.

Senior Singles...ah, the old guys! When I look at the list of names entered for this event several stand out to me including Scott Beck, Jim Abdella, Donnie Greer and Frank Stockton. Besides Beck, all these guys have been involved with TCL for several years and have always been very good players. Beck who has only been playing for a couple of years has definitely etched his name in the list of contenders as he has made several deep runs in Open Singles and consistently finishes near the top. The ex police officer has been tabbed "Robocop" due to him having moments where he seems robotic when he plays. His laser focus and consistent throw make him one of the favorites in my book! Jim Abdella has made the finals of this event in the past and if he gets hot he could be someone you don't want to matchup against. Same for Frank Stockton and Donnie Greer. Both of these guys have been around a while and are capable of winning this event. There are others who have creeped into the conversation the past year or so including Talley Oneal, Chris Hobbs and Keith Ludwig. All of these guys did well in Irving and can certainly hold their own. A couple of other guys I'd like to mention are Larry Benson and Randy Haltom. Benson from Shreveport hasn't played a lot of TCL events but don't hold that against him. Larry can play and should do well this weekend. Hammer Haltom from the Texarkana area has been playing for a little while and can sling a mean bag. Don't sleep on this fella! 

Womens Singles is always super competitive and I don't see this event being any different. Each year Christina Espinosa has been one of the most consistent players and is always someone most people fear when stepping up to play her. She is a multiple time Womens State Champ and Female Player of the Year so I can see why! The current TCL Female Player of the Year Tracie Beeson is also one of the top players in this event. Tracie has flat out wore folks out this year and should do well this Thursday. Haley Davidson is another one of those players who can put you in the truck in a hurry and is super competitive. Denise McEvoy has had a really good year and can also get on a run and win this event. Don't count out Caitlyn Allshouse either as she will be a difficult matchup as well. Shab Lyles, Misty Goode and LeeAnna Saxon are all capable of doing well also.

In the late session for Thursday, Womens Doubles is the highlighted event with a small but very competitive list of teams. Haley Davidson and Christina Espinosa along with Tracie Beeson and Denise McEvoy look like the favorites as I scan down the list of teams entered. There are always upsets and teams coming out of nowhere to make a surprise run and I kinda have a feeling this event could produce similar results...possibly. Taylor Rose and Delaney Pilliod are coming on as contenders and have the ability to win this event. Stacey Paup and LeeAnna Saxon, Misty Goode and Sabra Howell are two teams full of talent as well. There are a couple of other teams that I will bring up just because I know what they can do. Trish Trejo and Betty Seymour both have lots of experience and if they get hot could be hard to beat. Keep your eye on Ashlee Roehl and Andrea Floyd. These ladies play mostly in the East Texas area and have been throwing well here of late. If they can handle the environment and keep their focus they have some serious potential. Don't count out the West Texas duo Mandi Munoz and Joanna Barrientes. I haven't seen them play much but from what I've seen they both are really good shotmakers and can sho' nuff' bring it!

I will write another article on Open Singles and Doubles later on. Hope y'all enjoy these articles as much as I enjoy writing them!

Throw 'em straight! 

TCL Signature Series IV - Irving Open Doubles

The Main Event. The Headliners. The Big Cheese! We all know that in many sports including cornhole, the levels of competition can vary. You have the beginners, the players who just recently started playing. Those that played at someone's backyard party and survived longer than the other staggering bag chunkers. Those folks got the bug and found a hobby, a sport that doesn't get them winded...unless they didn't get their notification on their phone letting them know they have a game on court 632 somewhere that seems like a galaxy away and had to make a dash like an old Hertz commercial with O J hurdling through several gates of a airport terminal!

You have the Competitive Division where players have figured out how to make more than they miss...sometimes...but can't quite compete with the upper echelon players. They're getting there though, some faster than others.

The Advanced Division is loaded with a large number of players who will beat your brains in at the drop of a hat, or beer or anything else it takes! This group may include a bunch of players who simply don't have the drive to compete with the Open players, or haven't proven to themselves that they feel they belong with the Elite Level monsters. 

Then you have the Open Division players. These folks are different. Open players make a lot of bags and do so with what appear to be little effort. Kind of like they could do it in their sleep. I'm not saying these guys are perfect but they're pretty darn close...some of 'em anyway! A fair description of one of these cats may include someone who throws often...maybe way often...if that even makes sense. They play for hours each day then go play somewhere that evening. Wake up the next day and if they want, do the same thing as the day before. Some are super competitive and are driven to do whatever it takes to be the best. Some are simply blessed with a stupid amount of coordination and can make a bag do amazing things. Top players hone their craft in any sport and the top players in cornhole have put in countless hours developing their game in order to put them in an elite category.

In Open Doubles you sometimes have two top players teamed up and they roll through a tournament like a hot knife through butter. There are teams that have one player who simply is playing at such a high level it may not matter if his partner isn't throwing well for them to win. He just jumps on for the ride and if need be, becomes a coattail rider. Been there! You may have a couple of players who are exceptional players but just don't have the right chemistry. Believe me, being able to jell is important. Being able to trust your partner so much that you never question their decisions and when they miss, you know it wasn't due to the lack of effort. Having the right combination is critical in big events and this Signature in Irving will expose the teams that may or may not have what it takes.

When you go to a concert, typically they have an opening act followed by the headliner. Signature events are the same way. When the finals are set for Saturday night, all eyes will be on the championship boards with hundreds of weary fans, maybe a few that may need some coffee, all of which will be watching the Opens Doubles!

As I scan the list of teams signed up for Open Doubles, initially I look for the top names to see who they're partnered with. I take note of others as I scroll down and man, there are several teams that can win this thing. I see Justin Burton, Jr teamed up with Rylann Claver. Claver has really come on the past several months and can flat out fill it up. These two certainly must be mentioned as a favorite. I noticed Sammy Soto was teamed up with Matt Longoria and that is another combination that will be tough to beat. We all know Sammy, the young phenom who has been one of the best players in Texas and we know what he can do. Matt isn't someone to overlook and has the experience to help carry this duo to the win. Grant Upchurch can win any event he plays in and can never be counted out. His shot making ability and strategical style of play along with his sheer will to win type attitude always makes him a big time threat. His partner is Jaunito Pantoya who along with Brandon Gregor finished second in Mesquite and 9th in Lubbock. Can these two make enough shots to contend? We will see...I like their chances. Jacob Foreman is pairing up with Legend Brandon Gregor and that is scary! If these guys get rolling do not get in their way! Logan Chamberlain and Andruw Villa are teamed up again and will be a tough out. Keep your eyes on some others including Scott Beck and Alex Ibarra, Dillon Randle and Cayhill Isom and Luke Anderson and Caleb Franklin. All of these guys are throwing some mean bean bags lately and if the stars line up right, they could be standing up later in the event with a piece of hardware in their hands! There are a several teams of players that I know but haven't seen them play due to where they play but I know they can play and always have potential to win. Oscar Mairena and Aaron Aspeitia, Charlie Rivera and James Carranco, Easton Franco and Payton Lopez are a few teams that are extremely dangerous. I have to mention Joel Infante and Adrian Jackson because they always seem to be in the mix as well. I see teams like Noah Albarado and Josh Murdock...yep that Josh Murdock and wonder if they have what it takes to compete. Young Tye Thompson is teamed up with Zack Faulkner and those two could do some damage.Another pair that is always competitive is Edgar Cardenas and Johnny Govea. You don't notice what they are doing and the next thing you know, they've won several games and are right there contending. Maybe it is their quiet demeaner but don't let that fool ya, these guys are fierce competitors. There are so many others that I'd like to mention but I just can't fit ‘em all in. Hopefully they will play well and make my next blog!

Good luck to all the teams playing and I'll see y'all in Irving!

Throw 'em straight!

TCL Signature Event 4 Irving Texas

 

Less than 100 years ago Irving, Texas had a population of less than 360 residents. Today there are well over 250 thousand Texans who call Irving home. One of Irving’s most iconic buildings was the former home of the Dallas Cowboys, Texas Stadium. Opening in 1971 and known for its distinctive hole in the roof, this is where legendary Dallas Cowboys Roger Staubach, Tony Dorsett, Drew Pearson, Randy White, Ed jones and Cliff Harris played.

Just few years ago, there may have been a couple hundred players throwing bags competing in a TCL Signature event. Usually those events would’ve been played at the fabled Mule Barn or a nice meeting room at a Marriot hotel. Those events had Texas cornhole brass such as Daniel Vinson, Stuart Foster, Joe Arrington, Eddie Grinderslev, Chad Jacobson and Todd Bridgeman battling against each other. There were others including Chris Paul, Travis Welch who teamed up as The Poachers dominating the boards for a while. As the game started taking off and its popularity began to boom, other names were etched in the great history of TCL including Brandon Gregor, Josh Groce and A.J. Sims.

By 2019 the game had started to outgrow several venues due to the increase in players and places like the Field of Dreams and Tyler Indoor Soccer Center were considered too small. The Denton Convention Center, which was thought to be one of the better venues, also became a victim to the growth of cornhole. Now TCL has to play in massive convention centers like the Shreveport Convention Center which is one of the best places for large events as well as the Irving Convention Center. The first weekend in May, the afore mentioned Irving Convention Center is where the competition will gather as cornhole players from all around will congregate and play for large sums of money!

This is the final Signature Event for the 2022-23 season leading up to the State Tournament in Shreveport. I know it may be hard to imagine but there will be around 1400 players vying for a slice of the $50K payout. That’s crazy considering where the game was just a few years ago when payouts were considerably smaller than that. Nevertheless, you can bet there will be some outstanding players and games to watch as stories will be written, and legends will be declared.

Thursday evening there will be around 50 ladies playing in the Women’s Singles event and there are several very talented ladies who can win this one. Typically you would think that if Christina Espinosa is playing, she is certainly someone who can win any Women’s event and this Signature isn’t any different. Though she hasn’t been as active on the boards, she is still a threat and with her experience she has potential. Other ladies who are looking to add to their legacy include Crystal Infante, Haley Davidson, Denise McEvoy and Tracie Beeson. Infante recently won the Women’s Doubles in Lubbock and has to be a player to watch. Davidson, McEvoy and Beeson all are fully capable of making a run and winning this tourney as well. Other ladies you can’t count out are Trish Trejo, Taylor Rose, Kayleigh Logan and Delany Pilliod. This will be a fun one to watch and I expect the competition to be fierce.

The typical big attraction is the Open Division, and this Signature will have plenty of star power. The obvious favorite has to be Justin Burton, Jr. Burton has won each Signature Singles event this year and has been white hot here of late with some big wins. Burton won the Lubbock Signature which included a epic 33 round win against Sammy Soto. Soto is no stranger to big wins as he has grabbed several podiums the past year and I expect him to contend for this event as well. There are several players in this division who can win and if any of them get hot, look out! Gavin Cano, Grant Upchurch, Jacob Foreman and Brandon Gregor are typically players you would expect to be in the mix however there are some others that are trying to get some hardware. Those players include Cayhill Isom from Lampasas who has been throwing exceptionally well along with Chase Lester and Scott Beck. Isabella Suprenant, Luke Anderson, Juanito Pantoya, Mason Vega, Tye Thompson and Zeb Smith all have tremendous potential as well. There are always players who nobody expects to contend but Signatures always seem to sprout new talent and this one I believe there will be some new names making their name known. Newcomer to Texas Alec Budd is one of those players. Budd has been playing for a while and just recently moved to East Texas and has been lighting it up. Don’t sleep on this guy! There are simply way too many really good players these days and any of them could be a problem. Some of these include Ernest Herrera, Dillon Randle, Fletcher Jonson, Ernest Monarca, Alex Ibarra, Caleb Franklin, Zack Faulkner, Aaron Aspeitia, Andruw Villa, Logan Chamberlain and someone who just recently got back into the swing of things, Anthony Delgado. Man, there is some serious talent out there and it will certainly be a battle. To win this event you will have to mix in a few 13’s and 14’s along with a whole bunch of 12’s to win this one!

I wanted to do this article to see how folks liked it and if I get enough positive response I may try to do another before Irving. Ya’ll enjoy and best of luck.

 

Throw ‘em straight!

 

TCL League Championship Denton, TX

This time of year means the Texas summer is upon us. It's hot y'all,,,really hot. You can get in a car that has been parked outside in the direct sun and find yourself gasping as if you just stuck your head in a hotter than heck oven! You may also feel the effects of some super hot leather seats, if you're one of those folks who has em! The good ol' Texas sun can zap your energy, dull your intelligence, send you to an early grave and really make you sweat...my wife says she doesn't sweat...she glistens! 

This past weekend in Denton, TX, Texas Cornhole League concluded their 11th season with the TCL League Championship and let me tell ya, there were some white hot bags being tossed as this may have been the most exciting State Tournament TCL has ever had. Starting Thursday night with Women's Doubles and ending Saturday night with Open Doubles, this event was packed with amazing players and thrilling games. 

With each Signature event this season, TCL experienced large numbers including having more players than they've ever had at each event to a point where they put a cap on how many players would be able to play. The payouts...oh man, starting with Signature 1 in Bryan/College Station with $20k in payouts and ending the Signature Series Events with $25k in payouts in Irving. The League Championships paid out a robust $35,000 not to mention some side stuff with the always fun Calcutta. This was by far the most impressive season to date for the TCL crew. The TCL brass made adjustments with scoring systems that helped speed up the events. They transitioned the sign up and payment methods to allow more time to get the events started and completed in a reasonable time frame. Other than a glitch or two here and there, things always seemed to go as planned. With the absurd growth in the sport, the amount of effort that went into running these events is staggering. Chad Jacobson, Jason Andrews, J D Thompson were the main guys who coordinated these events but others were there lending a hand including John Henderson, Eddie Adams, Austin Pryor, Jon Rychlik and Ashton Burton. Also all the Regional Directors who spent many hours running events and leagues...I tip my hat to y'all on a job well done.

Oh yea, there was a big event wasn't there! As usual the main event was Open Doubles. I might add that in all the other finals from the other divisions, there were outstanding games and players making great shot after great shot. But Open Doubles...folks, these fellas put on a show! In a super intense and rambunctious setting where loud boisterous cheers seemed to intensify with each big shot, Grant Upchurch and Josh Murdock faced Ernest Herrera and Mason Vega in a epic showdown. This matchup had some interesting story lines including the Dem Boys Cornhole group versus the Cornhole Cartel. It also included 4 players vying for their first State Title. It had a young stud in Mason Vega paired up with one of the more seasoned players in Herrera. I believe both teams were throwing Yetis, much to the satisfaction of one Taylor Stone. Upchurch and Murdock were undefeated going into the finals and had faced Herrera and Vega earlier in the winners bracket semi finals, winning that match in two games. Ernest and Mason battled back beating Matt Longoria and Branden Gregor, Taylor Stone and Noah Albarado and Lonnie Madrid and Joel Infante Jr. to earn another shot at Upchurch and Murdock. Herrera and Vega, behind some tremendous shots by Vega including several crowd pleasing 2 for 1 push shots, were able to win the first 2 games forcing a deciding game 3. A subtle change for this game was the decision to change sides/ends by Upchurch and Murdock. Sometimes this move can help, sometimes it doesn't but this time it worked. Trailing only once in the 3rd game at 1-0, Grant and Josh had fairly comfortable leads only to see them vanquish. They led 7-1 but a 6 spot by Vega tied the game at 7 and then Upchurch worked the lead to 12-7. That lead didn't last long as the gap closed up at 12-11 just a few frames later. Again Upchurch and Murdock pulled ahead making the score 18-11 only to see that lead tighten up at 18-16. Murdock eventually took advantage of a rare bad round by Vega to secure the title winning the deciding game 21-16. This match was amazing to watch with all the momentum swings and thrilling shots by both teams. An absolute superb ending to TCL's 11th season. Other winners include Lonnie Madrid and Joel Infante, Jr. who brought some West Tx heat to finish 3rd while Taylor Stone and Noah Albarado had a strong 4th place finish. 

In the Advanced Tier 1 Doubles, Sammy Soto and Luke Anderson cruised past Austin McCuistion and Gage Seidel for the win while the Advanced Tier 2 winners were Rick Belloso and Jeremy Beeson who got by Michael Howard and Misa Gomez.

Competitive Doubles was won by the hot shooting West Texans Juan Silva and Freddy Rodriguez who went undefeated to win the title. Aaron Palmer and Chase Lester came in 2nd while Dan Hemingway and Andrew Rainey finished 3rd. 

Competitive Doubles Tier 1 was won by Cody Benson and Hanson Murrah who beat Karson Ridgeway and McKaeden Grant. In Tier 2 it was Jake Chavez and Anthony Alvarado, both from Snyder, Tx, beating Zane Bandfield and Jolten Andree to get the championship. All of these Competitive finalists threw extremely well and I look to see them on more podiums in the future! 

Michael Key and Brandon Maynard took home 1st place in Social Doubles defeating Tanner Nelson and Reagen Chastain. Finishing 3rd was James Borque and Alex Garcia.

Winning Social Doubles Tier 1 was Petey Olivas and Ayden Flores who beat Matt Liles and Jeremy Harrelson. Grady Vasquez and Robert Laureles, Jr. came in 3rd. Tier 2 winners were Cody Keesee and Alma Juan who defeated Shab Liles and Joey Arriga. 

The weekends events got going Thursday night with the Women's Doubles leading things off. Christina Espinosa and Veronica Vinson went undefeated beating Desirae Cruz and Trish Trejo in the finals. Denise McEvoy and Cassie Kraemer came in third and Stacy Paup and Chelsie Foster finished 4th.

Friday morning a full slate of events were on tap including Women's Singles, Senior Singles and Youth Singles. All of these Divisions were highly contested with some outstanding throwers in each Division. Isabella Surprenant was able to beat Christina Espinosa to win the Women's Singles crown while Tracie Beeson finished a impressive 3rd. Rounding out the top 5 included Sabra Howell in 4th place while Trish Trejo and Courtni Asebedo tied for 5th. 

Mason Vega won 6 straight games to win the Youth title beating a sharp shooting Noah Albarado. Noah lost his second game and went on to win 5 straight elimination games to get to the finals. Preston Peacock came in 3rd place, Luke Anderson finished 4th and tied for 5th were Aaron Leal and Adrian Jackson. Needless to say, the future looks very bright for these youngsters.

The geriatric Division, the Seniors, was won by Johnny Seymour. Seymour beat Jim Abdella in a exciting finals match which had Abdella winning the first game to force a deciding game. Seymour found his stroke and took advantage of a rare off round by Jim to get the win in the final game. Donnie Greer came in 3rd, Dario Lopez finished 4th and tying for 5th were Kenneth Wright and Dwight Strait. 

Open Singles was absolutely LOADED! Right at 100 players lined up and battled it out and when the dust settled, Grant Upchurch beat Brandon Gregor to get his first Singles State Title. Upchurch played like a man on a mission and he wasn't going to be denied. In the Sweet 16 round he beat Ernest Herrera, a red hot Jeremy Beeson, Ernest Monarca, and slid by a valiant Noah Albarado to get to the king seat. Brandon Gregor lost his very first match of the event and won 9 consecutive games including impressive wins over Joel Infante, Jeremy Beeson, Bobby Fink, Caleb Franklin, Monarca and then gained redemption in beating Albarado to get to the finals. BG flat out put on a show and did what BG does...dude is amazing! In a big time final, Gregor had a 16-8 lead but Upchurch changed his strategy and it seemed to work. Grant dirtied up the board some and hit some big airmails, executed a push shot here and there to get the score even at 16 all. The last round was text book for Upchurch as he threw a blocker, a airmail, a wrap around shot then converted a 2 for 1 push to win a hard earned title. A very exciting game to watch as both of these men threw several big shots. Young Albarado was on point all day and finished 3rd and Ernest Monarca came in 4th. Getting the tie for 5th were Caleb Franklin and Ernest Herrera. Every big event it seems the talent in this division gets deeper and deeper with so many outstanding players emerging. Good stuff folks!

Competitive Singles was full of up and coming players including Juan Silva who defeated Fletcher Johnson to nab the title. Nick Aven and Freddy Rodriguez finished 3rd and 4th respectively. There were several others who threw really well including Weston Evans who finished 5th, Cayle Watson and Cody Herd who tied for 7th. Joel Muniz, Cole Lynch, Samuel Palacios and Dylan Lopez tied for 7th. All of these fellas can flat out play!

Winning Tier 1 was Dylan Newland who defeated Clint Russell. In tier 2, Karson Ridgeway beat Derrick Paul for the win. 

Social Singles was won by Bubba Kirkpatrick from Central Texas who beat Aaron Palmer. Palmer lost his first round match in the sweet 16 round and won 6 straight games to get to the finals. Way to battle champ! Coming in 3rd was Jolten Andree and Joe Sharkey finished 4th.

Mike Smith won Social Tier 1 Singles by outshooting Derrick Paul and in Tier 2 Reagan Chastain was able to defeat Johnny Baker.  

The 11th TCL Season came to a end with some terrific performances on the boards and left many players eager to get back at it. I really feel that this season was one of the best and most competitive seasons TCL has ever had. Like most of you, I'm looking forward to next season but first, TCL will be hosting the Top 60 Event at Lake Possum Kingdom. There will be several first timers who I'm certain are excited for this always entertaining weekend. Congratulations to all the winners from the League Championship Tournament and we hope to see you all soon!

Keep em in play baby! 

Ryder Cup Memories

With the TCL Signature Series #2 behind us, many of us are gearing up for the new year and the next TCL event.  Right smack dab in the middle of our sights is one of the biggest and most suspenseful events you will ever experience, TCL's Ryder Cup. Known as "An event unlike any other", this unique event continues to grow and is the biggest event of the year. What started out as a "our neighborhood is better than yours" type of tourney with a handful of teams, now has become a multiple division event with over 60 teams made up of 10 players. Well, there were over 60 teams last year so who knows how many will be vying for the cup this year but I can assure you it will be memorable.

One of my most memorable Ryder Cups was the one held January 2016 in Mesquite. It was a doozy folks! In this one, there were teams from outside of Texas...I mean really outside of Texas. There were players from Ohio and North Carolina and these squads had some of the best players in the country at the time and they came down here and put on a show. I don't remember what this particular division was called but it had all the top players from Texas on several teams along with those out of state teams. The Open Division was the one I played in with the East Texas team led by Captain Brad Jones. The 5 other teams including Red River, Texas Justice, North Tarrant, Mule Barn and East Dallas. This Division produced one of the most exciting finishes to any Ryder Cup and here is how it went down...well, best to my recollection.

Everything seemed normal as Team Ten concluded with East Dallas and N. Tarrant tied with 4 points each. Followed closely with 3 points were East Texas and Mule Barn. Men's and Women's Singles were next with a March Madness style bracket and this is where things started to heat up. Heath Mills beat Kyle Verner for the win and with both players representing E. Texas, big points were garnered for Capt. Brad Jones and his team. The standings at that point had E. Texas in first with 14.5, E. Dallas in 2nd with 13.5 and N. Tarrant tied for 3rd with the Mule Barn with 10.5. Doubles followed and things were really about to get intense!

I remember it being very close and after me and my partner, Jim Abdella beat the team from E. Dallas, I looked at the scoreboard and at that time we held a small lead. I walked around and started putting numbers together and after looking at the situation, I felt like we had enough points to win the cup. I knew there were only a few games left to be played and the closest team to us, E. Dallas had just one match left. If they won that match they would still be a point or so short so I felt like we were on the verge of winning. All the games were completed and some of us were waiting around for the scores to be completed while some went to their hotel rooms thinking it was all over. Being that it was around 11 pm, some decided to hit the sauce and that may have been a bad thing. I glanced over towards the scorers table and noticed a few people gathered around in what appeared to be a serious discussion. As I peered closer, I realized one of those folks was my Captain, Brad Jones. He wasn't happy about something so I made my way that direction to see if I could find out what was happening. 

I really wasn't sure what all had taken place but as I got close enough I caught glance at the television monitor which showed the standings and to my surprise, the E. Texas team was tied with the team from E. Dallas. Obviously something unusual had occurred and there were several Captains along with the Tournament Directors discussing things. One of the things I heard from them was that there was a tie and a sudden death match was to be played. Eventually it was explained and the fun was just getting started! 

Brad Jones and his E. Texas team was deadlocked with E. Dallas led by Will Davis and both were about to be a part of TCL history! The unique way TCL decided to settle this situation was interesting and ultimately, very exciting. A coin toss decided which Captain would have the first choice to pair players up in a "down and back" round. The team that scored the most points in that down and back would earn a point for their team. The first team to get to 6 would win the Cup! The Captain that won the toss could pick any player from his team to play any player from the other team and after that down and back was completed, the other captain would have their turn to do the same. They would take turns until one team reached 6 points. Jones won the toss and with a huge boisterous crowd lining the outside edges of the court, his first pick was Heath Mills and I don't remember who jones selected to play against Mills but Mills won to give E. Texas a 1-0 lead. Davis went next and whoever he chose for his team won tying the score at 1-1. I believe Jones went with Kyle Verner who lost to give E. Dallas a 2-1 lead. Captain Will Davis went on to win 2 more matches to give them a seemingly insurmountable 4-1 lead. I can't remember who all played the next 2 matches but E. Texas won to draw them closer at 3 points to 4. Up next for E. Texas was Sean Gay who was a good player but I really don't believe any of the standing room only crowd, including Sean would have expected him to hit the shot that he hit. With one bag left and a board cluttered about with several bags all around the hole, Sean had only one option. He had to hit a airmail and drag one of the bags to give him the win. The place had been buzzing but as he let his bag fly it got eerily quite and as the bag seemed to fly in super slow motion...the crowd quickly erupted as he not only hit the airmail but drug 2 bags to give him and his E. Texas team the point! It was freakin' awesome y'all! This tied the score at 4 and there were only 2 players from each team left to battle. I remember Jones getting me and Justin Bennett together to ask us who we would want to play against from E. Dallas and I spoke first saying for him to match me up with Richard Reed. I had some success earlier against Richard in doubles and felt like I could have some success against him in this critical situation. So it was me and Richard Reed stepping to the line and after the first 8 bags had been thrown, Reed was ahead by 1. I don't really remember what the exact situation was completely but with my last bag, and a bag or two in front of the hole, I had to hit a airmail as a boarded bag wouldn't be enough. With little hesitation I threw a bag that had more prayers and hail mary's than you could imagine and bang...it some how went right through the hole to give us the win and a 5-4 lead and a whole lot of momentum! With a rather bleak outlook just a few minutes earlier, no one would've expected things to go the way they had gone. Down 4-1, with a unsuspecting player hitting a crucial airmail drag, a old guy playing way past his bedtime making a game deciding airmail, E. Texas had brought the room to a frenzy! The last matchup was Justin Bennett for E. Texas playing against Randy Husband from E. Dallas. They washed after each player had thrown their 4 bags but Bennett was about to put the nail in the coffin. He made his first bag, Husband's first bag went wide right, Bennett made his 2nd and his third while Husband only was able to make one. Bennett drained his last bag to give E. Texas the win and the cup in what would become one of the most exciting Ryder Cup finishes in TCL history. 

The exhilaration and excitement overshadowed our fatigue as we all began to realize what had just happened. My tank was empty but I had just enough energy left to give my teammates high fives and hugs as we celebrated into to early morning hours. It was a great feeling, the feeling we all play for and even though Will Davis' E. Dallas squad was disappointed, they too were a big part of this moment. It was a big time moment for all of us, one that we all will never forget. Words from a speech I've given come to mind..."Great moments are born from great opportunities". This was a great opportunity and in a few weeks, there will indeed be more great moments available.

This was a Ryder Cup memory that I was fortunate to be a part of and as we gear up for the next Ryder Cup, I hope you all are able to enjoy the moment and if the opportunity becomes yours, fate will be on your side and you're able to create memories and moments like these. 

Have fun and throw 'em straight y'all!