CAA_Beat
Active member
Ok, I have done a few contest entries this week that required a lot of thought, this is one that just requires me talking about THP. How easy is that?
Entry:
I've only been a member here since July, had never even heard of the site before that, and I spend a lot of time on the web. Some of you here know I was a long time member of the other big site, for many years and had never really thought or felt the need to look for another site. Although I had grown a little weary of the general vibe of that site.
Then one day, I saw Chad reference something about this called The Morgan Cup on Twitter. So of course, I clicked on the @Hackersparadise Twitter link and saw the profile which led me to the site...#Boom, my internet life changed overnight.
When I logged on to the site, I of course went to the Morgan Cup thread, since that's what got my attention on Twitter. Then I read more. The thing that struck me as a first time visitor, was that it seemed like all 18,000 members (at that time) were literally close personal friends. Seriously, they were talking about recent rounds together, each other’s families, jobs...etc.
The second thing that struck me was the unbelievable positive attitude of the entire site. I could not find one thread that was filled with hate or ranting on something, (I later found the Rant thread...ha). This could not be, I said to myself, after all, I was online and none of you could hear me. There has to be a thread that is controversial or has people yelling at each other.
So naturally I searched Tiger Woods, there has to be some good hate going on there back and forth right. The thread was/is over 5 years old I believe and I can't tell you how many pages. I read the first 10, which were pretty much the day of his incident. Again, not one hate-filled post.
I skimmed--I know JB, I have since learned that's frowned upon here
--a hundred or so pages ahead at a time, still not negativity or hate, unbelievable!!
So, I found myself following The Morgan Cup thread like many others. I was at a disadvantage as I didnt' know any of the participants, their personalities, backgrounds etc. Yet, I couldn't wait to see the video coverage of it. Again, I was glued to it, and still did not know anybody really. The closing night dinner remarks by JB had my room very dusty, as I've come to learn to say. Freddie’s comment about "This isn't an internet site, not for these guys. This is a family"...blew me away and I had Goosebumps. Sorry Freddie, if I got a word or two wrong, but I think that was the gist of it. That is now how I feel about this family.
I have still yet to meet any member in person, with the exception of a few local Maryland guys that I "recruited" to the site. However, that will change for sure in June at the SeeMore event, then two weeks later at the OC Invitational. I hope it also changes at either TheKing or TheMorgan Cup itself.
i want to part of the Morgan Cup so badly, just like everyone else. I almost feel I need to go as a volunteer my first year and let some of the other longer-term member experience it. I know that isn't the official thought by any means at all.
Would I enjoy the 14-club sponsorship and be proud to wear any one of those logos, absolutely I would. But if you told me we were going to play with a bunch of clubs found in a local garage sale, I'd still say sign me up. What I really want to be part of is the camaraderie, the fellowship, the team spirit. I want to feel the nerves as I stand over a 4-foot putt knowing our match is on the line and my partner is standing by helplessly watching. I want to feel the excitement of standing by the 18th green watching as the final group of my team comes up the fairway with the cup in balance, and cheer my teammates on with all the energy I have left. I want to feel the utter joy or heartbreak of the post cup hugs and celebrations.
Most of all, I want to be able to listen to Josh and Morgan talk about another cup and what it has meant to them, and to be able to hug them afterward and thank them for establishing this wonderful site.
Morgan Cup and other events aside, the most joy from this site comes from the day-to-day interactions with my new family. I love laughing at Nate’s vines; I love the passion all the staffers have for making this site what it is and taking it to new levels. They care about it, and we probably have no idea how much time and energy they put into this place.
I love how positive so many people are here and i'm going to miss way too many names, but i have to mention..Dawg Daddy, War Eagle, MikeDean, Tequila4Kapp, Icy Shanks, Coers, TyJohnston, TexasHacker, Dev, Cookie,Hawk, JMan, TheCrest, CplJohn, (Barry, I can never get your screen name right and it's not that difficult) MWard, of course MichiganSlice, as just a few who have either reached out to me or make everyday a joy for me to escape the real world pressures.
I've probably gone on long enough, but I hope I have conveyed how much this site has affected me in just the past 6 months. I can't imagine what the years ahead hold.
Entry:
I've only been a member here since July, had never even heard of the site before that, and I spend a lot of time on the web. Some of you here know I was a long time member of the other big site, for many years and had never really thought or felt the need to look for another site. Although I had grown a little weary of the general vibe of that site.
Then one day, I saw Chad reference something about this called The Morgan Cup on Twitter. So of course, I clicked on the @Hackersparadise Twitter link and saw the profile which led me to the site...#Boom, my internet life changed overnight.
When I logged on to the site, I of course went to the Morgan Cup thread, since that's what got my attention on Twitter. Then I read more. The thing that struck me as a first time visitor, was that it seemed like all 18,000 members (at that time) were literally close personal friends. Seriously, they were talking about recent rounds together, each other’s families, jobs...etc.
The second thing that struck me was the unbelievable positive attitude of the entire site. I could not find one thread that was filled with hate or ranting on something, (I later found the Rant thread...ha). This could not be, I said to myself, after all, I was online and none of you could hear me. There has to be a thread that is controversial or has people yelling at each other.
So naturally I searched Tiger Woods, there has to be some good hate going on there back and forth right. The thread was/is over 5 years old I believe and I can't tell you how many pages. I read the first 10, which were pretty much the day of his incident. Again, not one hate-filled post.
I skimmed--I know JB, I have since learned that's frowned upon here
--a hundred or so pages ahead at a time, still not negativity or hate, unbelievable!!So, I found myself following The Morgan Cup thread like many others. I was at a disadvantage as I didnt' know any of the participants, their personalities, backgrounds etc. Yet, I couldn't wait to see the video coverage of it. Again, I was glued to it, and still did not know anybody really. The closing night dinner remarks by JB had my room very dusty, as I've come to learn to say. Freddie’s comment about "This isn't an internet site, not for these guys. This is a family"...blew me away and I had Goosebumps. Sorry Freddie, if I got a word or two wrong, but I think that was the gist of it. That is now how I feel about this family.
I have still yet to meet any member in person, with the exception of a few local Maryland guys that I "recruited" to the site. However, that will change for sure in June at the SeeMore event, then two weeks later at the OC Invitational. I hope it also changes at either TheKing or TheMorgan Cup itself.
i want to part of the Morgan Cup so badly, just like everyone else. I almost feel I need to go as a volunteer my first year and let some of the other longer-term member experience it. I know that isn't the official thought by any means at all.
Would I enjoy the 14-club sponsorship and be proud to wear any one of those logos, absolutely I would. But if you told me we were going to play with a bunch of clubs found in a local garage sale, I'd still say sign me up. What I really want to be part of is the camaraderie, the fellowship, the team spirit. I want to feel the nerves as I stand over a 4-foot putt knowing our match is on the line and my partner is standing by helplessly watching. I want to feel the excitement of standing by the 18th green watching as the final group of my team comes up the fairway with the cup in balance, and cheer my teammates on with all the energy I have left. I want to feel the utter joy or heartbreak of the post cup hugs and celebrations.
Most of all, I want to be able to listen to Josh and Morgan talk about another cup and what it has meant to them, and to be able to hug them afterward and thank them for establishing this wonderful site.
Morgan Cup and other events aside, the most joy from this site comes from the day-to-day interactions with my new family. I love laughing at Nate’s vines; I love the passion all the staffers have for making this site what it is and taking it to new levels. They care about it, and we probably have no idea how much time and energy they put into this place.
I love how positive so many people are here and i'm going to miss way too many names, but i have to mention..Dawg Daddy, War Eagle, MikeDean, Tequila4Kapp, Icy Shanks, Coers, TyJohnston, TexasHacker, Dev, Cookie,Hawk, JMan, TheCrest, CplJohn, (Barry, I can never get your screen name right and it's not that difficult) MWard, of course MichiganSlice, as just a few who have either reached out to me or make everyday a joy for me to escape the real world pressures.
I've probably gone on long enough, but I hope I have conveyed how much this site has affected me in just the past 6 months. I can't imagine what the years ahead hold.
