More will be coming, but I suppose I should work a little today.
Recap Thread - 2014 Morgan Cup
- Thread starter
- Admin
- #202
God dammit Hawk. Eff you Eff you Eff you.
I said I wouldnt get emotional this time and now I am sitting here dealing with "allergies".
I said I wouldnt get emotional this time and now I am sitting here dealing with "allergies".
- Thread starter
- Admin
- #203
And now AD keeps the dust in the air. Damn you two.
- Moderator
- #204
Awesome thoughts Donne. You are every bit the perfect fit for a Morgan Cup captain, and I am glad you gave it a run.
Tennessee to Ohio cannot contain us. I cannot wait to tee it up with you again my friend.
Tennessee to Ohio cannot contain us. I cannot wait to tee it up with you again my friend.
Barely getting started is right. That was 1700 words, and I have covered two of my ten outline points. Typical.
So many truly great posts in here. I want everyone to know that I have enjoyed every single recap so far and yes things are getting emotional in my office right now. These recaps are a reminder of why I love THP so freaking much. Thank you, guys.
- Staff
- #208
Donne, you played and approached this like a champion dude. I felt like I was your captain with how proud I was of you for your performance on Sunday. We've talked about it a number of times, but it certainly all came full circle for the two of us this weekend.
- Staff
- #209
Recap #1 - Randomness
I'm kind of at a loss as to how to attack this whole recap thing with the MC, you see, I love to write, I absolutely adore it, but there is just so much that went into this past week before and during that its a bit overwhelming.
I was willing to do anything to get into the MC, absolutely anything. For years I had laid my heart out there hoping to get a chance in the Ultimate Golf Event Period but each time it just wasn't meant to be leaving me in a state of mixed emotions. To see friends and family you are happy, yet you are heartbroken to not be there WITH them in something that represents SO much for a place (THP) that you would do absolutely anything for. So when the PM cam down about Team THP it was a massive relief to be truthful, I had a feeling it was the last one so to be able to be there was one of the happiest moment ever. I'll speak more on what Team THP meant to me later.
I worked relentlessly leading into this, two weeks prior I played 126 holes, which was asinine looking back, but it was all I knew to do. WORK. I viewed it as having an opportunity that I refused to waste, I was NOT going to just coast my way in as we have seen so many do and end up an embarrassment for themselves, their teams, and THP. Those days and those ways are dead, thank God. Instead I leaned on my team and played golf for them, something I have never done, golf became more important than just being my outlet for better and for worse.
I arrived in Charleston Wed to see my brother Ddec there to pic me up, thankfully he was sober so I greeted him with a picture of a giant 35lb tumor my wife had just removed that day, how else do you greet a friend? We made our trek into Myrtle and it really started to sink in that this was all happening and was only going to get bigger. Slowly teammates started to make their way in and it all culminated in us going with us going to LA PLAYA!!!!!! for a party of 22 that quickly turned into 34 or whatever it was. It was hot, it was miserable, the waiter was a clown, Seth had one of the biggest plates I've ever seen, Kevin licked the back of my head, but by gosh it was an insanely fun time with no one as competitors, just family. We got back, retreated to the PandaVilla and just laughed and talked until our Captain Hawk rolled in. Hugs, happiness, and with some relief, some sleep.
Practice rounds were a blast as we actually played with our partners and in the formats we would be playing. Was cool playing the courses for the first time and having Hawk, Mike, Ryan, Dean there at different times to explain what I'm looking at and how I should attack the hole/greens/etc. Literally the most fun I have ever had on a golf course. Good shots, bad shots, dumb shots, they were all there and they were all fun. I actually hit the ball really well that day, it was a giant relief.
Staff Sponsor Day was an absolute dream the next day, not just the gear we had been waiting on, but for me playing as much different stuff as I am fortunate to it was more about watching all of the others and their reactions to it feeling like Christmas in July. I'm blessed to do what i do for THP and it was cool to see others really honestly feel like I do any time I get a PM from Morgan for work. The reps were awesome, the people were awesome, the times had with the videos, chants, help sessions, and all other things that went on were just fun. All the reps were awesome but I'm putting TM Kenn on the spot here, that dude honestly saved it for TM in my opinion, legitimately saved it and in fact changed a lot of peoples (mine) minds about how they were feeling about the company. That is effin cool. We got rained out about 3 holes into out sponsor round but it was still fun, had the horns not blown Doug, Cookie, Erik, and I may have played all day, what a group of dudes.
Just awesome, I'm missing things and omitting some, but I know others will hit them. I'll do the matches next, and then some specific people.
I'm kind of at a loss as to how to attack this whole recap thing with the MC, you see, I love to write, I absolutely adore it, but there is just so much that went into this past week before and during that its a bit overwhelming.
I was willing to do anything to get into the MC, absolutely anything. For years I had laid my heart out there hoping to get a chance in the Ultimate Golf Event Period but each time it just wasn't meant to be leaving me in a state of mixed emotions. To see friends and family you are happy, yet you are heartbroken to not be there WITH them in something that represents SO much for a place (THP) that you would do absolutely anything for. So when the PM cam down about Team THP it was a massive relief to be truthful, I had a feeling it was the last one so to be able to be there was one of the happiest moment ever. I'll speak more on what Team THP meant to me later.
I worked relentlessly leading into this, two weeks prior I played 126 holes, which was asinine looking back, but it was all I knew to do. WORK. I viewed it as having an opportunity that I refused to waste, I was NOT going to just coast my way in as we have seen so many do and end up an embarrassment for themselves, their teams, and THP. Those days and those ways are dead, thank God. Instead I leaned on my team and played golf for them, something I have never done, golf became more important than just being my outlet for better and for worse.
I arrived in Charleston Wed to see my brother Ddec there to pic me up, thankfully he was sober so I greeted him with a picture of a giant 35lb tumor my wife had just removed that day, how else do you greet a friend? We made our trek into Myrtle and it really started to sink in that this was all happening and was only going to get bigger. Slowly teammates started to make their way in and it all culminated in us going with us going to LA PLAYA!!!!!! for a party of 22 that quickly turned into 34 or whatever it was. It was hot, it was miserable, the waiter was a clown, Seth had one of the biggest plates I've ever seen, Kevin licked the back of my head, but by gosh it was an insanely fun time with no one as competitors, just family. We got back, retreated to the PandaVilla and just laughed and talked until our Captain Hawk rolled in. Hugs, happiness, and with some relief, some sleep.
Practice rounds were a blast as we actually played with our partners and in the formats we would be playing. Was cool playing the courses for the first time and having Hawk, Mike, Ryan, Dean there at different times to explain what I'm looking at and how I should attack the hole/greens/etc. Literally the most fun I have ever had on a golf course. Good shots, bad shots, dumb shots, they were all there and they were all fun. I actually hit the ball really well that day, it was a giant relief.
Staff Sponsor Day was an absolute dream the next day, not just the gear we had been waiting on, but for me playing as much different stuff as I am fortunate to it was more about watching all of the others and their reactions to it feeling like Christmas in July. I'm blessed to do what i do for THP and it was cool to see others really honestly feel like I do any time I get a PM from Morgan for work. The reps were awesome, the people were awesome, the times had with the videos, chants, help sessions, and all other things that went on were just fun. All the reps were awesome but I'm putting TM Kenn on the spot here, that dude honestly saved it for TM in my opinion, legitimately saved it and in fact changed a lot of peoples (mine) minds about how they were feeling about the company. That is effin cool. We got rained out about 3 holes into out sponsor round but it was still fun, had the horns not blown Doug, Cookie, Erik, and I may have played all day, what a group of dudes.
Just awesome, I'm missing things and omitting some, but I know others will hit them. I'll do the matches next, and then some specific people.
cpljohnst
Go Jackets! Go Sun Devils
- Joined
- Jun 1, 2011
- Messages
- 15,330
- Reaction score
- 111
- Location
- Villa Rica, Georgia
- Handicap
- 16.0 GHIN
That was an awesome read Donne. Thanks for being so transparent and sharing how you felt after prior MC's. Great stuff.
- Joined
- Sep 11, 2013
- Messages
- 74,780
- Reaction score
- 88,335
- Location
- Ponte Vedra, Florida
- Handicap
- 11.9
The Journey
After making the step to join the THP community I soon learned about an event called the Morgan Cup. As days and nights passed of watching the 2013 coverage I knew that this was an event I would like to be participate in. Fast forward to the contests…once I learned of the format of these contest I had to step back and look at myself as an individual; reserved and soft-spoken. How the heck was I going to put myself out there in hopes of being selected? To be honest I found a side of me that I knew never existed. As contest and contest went by and seeing others selected I kept my hopes up. Then the unexpected happened and I was selected as one of the final two to be sponsored by Bridgestone. I think it took me more than two weeks to finally realize it was real and not some dream or prank being played. Luckily, I was accompanied as the last two by a guy you all know of as, kc720. The two of us bonded and became good friends right from the start. I can’t tell this guy thank you enough for his selflessness!!!
Next came the team selection, and I was excited to be a part of Team Paradise…see the link below on the write up of these 8 guys. On that day I found 7 brothers I never knew I had. I will never forget the journey we shared together. We came together from all walks of life and did it our way. RESERVED! It was a motto we held onto strong. I think I’ve said it 100’s of times I would tee it up with you guys time and time again!
http://www.thehackersparadise.com/f...ys-are-Good!&p=3190805&viewfull=1#post3190805
I knew the journey for me would be a little different and required dedication not only to my team and myself, but my family. Traveling on a weekly basis is a way of life for me. Do I like it, not at all! Knowing that I made a promise to myself of not using the excuse, “I travel to much to practice” and looked at it as a gift. Like my Captain Howzat mentioned, I had to drag my clubs across the country to get my game where it needed to be, come July. I spent early mornings at the range and late nights at the course, sacrificing family time. Thank goodness my wife is my rock and holds our family together without complaint. I can't say thank you enough to her, my son, and my daughter!
I began my transformation through by taking my first lesson in my 25 years of playing golf. The results of that were more mental and had my game in shambles. After talking to several people I ended up not continuing my lessons with my instructor. However I took what I knew and those few tips from others and continued on. I am not going to sugar coat it, there were times I wanted to give up. Times I wanted to email JB and say this wasn’t for me. However every time I would fire up YouTube and watch the coverage, the celebration speech, and knew that the highs and lows were indeed a part of the journey. At the end of the day as I look back I am happy that I did. My game and who I am as a person has been transformed by an event scribbled on the back of an envelope.
As the days leading up to the event seemed to fall off the calendar with increasing speed, my anxiety, anticipation, and excitement for the event peaked to an all-time high. I will never forget being so excited to embark on a 10 hour drive by myself to a town called Pawley’s Island, SC. That drive put a lot of things into perspective about golf, family, and life in general. I am glad I did it by myself because it prepared me for the week ahead…
After making the step to join the THP community I soon learned about an event called the Morgan Cup. As days and nights passed of watching the 2013 coverage I knew that this was an event I would like to be participate in. Fast forward to the contests…once I learned of the format of these contest I had to step back and look at myself as an individual; reserved and soft-spoken. How the heck was I going to put myself out there in hopes of being selected? To be honest I found a side of me that I knew never existed. As contest and contest went by and seeing others selected I kept my hopes up. Then the unexpected happened and I was selected as one of the final two to be sponsored by Bridgestone. I think it took me more than two weeks to finally realize it was real and not some dream or prank being played. Luckily, I was accompanied as the last two by a guy you all know of as, kc720. The two of us bonded and became good friends right from the start. I can’t tell this guy thank you enough for his selflessness!!!
Next came the team selection, and I was excited to be a part of Team Paradise…see the link below on the write up of these 8 guys. On that day I found 7 brothers I never knew I had. I will never forget the journey we shared together. We came together from all walks of life and did it our way. RESERVED! It was a motto we held onto strong. I think I’ve said it 100’s of times I would tee it up with you guys time and time again!
http://www.thehackersparadise.com/f...ys-are-Good!&p=3190805&viewfull=1#post3190805
I knew the journey for me would be a little different and required dedication not only to my team and myself, but my family. Traveling on a weekly basis is a way of life for me. Do I like it, not at all! Knowing that I made a promise to myself of not using the excuse, “I travel to much to practice” and looked at it as a gift. Like my Captain Howzat mentioned, I had to drag my clubs across the country to get my game where it needed to be, come July. I spent early mornings at the range and late nights at the course, sacrificing family time. Thank goodness my wife is my rock and holds our family together without complaint. I can't say thank you enough to her, my son, and my daughter!
I began my transformation through by taking my first lesson in my 25 years of playing golf. The results of that were more mental and had my game in shambles. After talking to several people I ended up not continuing my lessons with my instructor. However I took what I knew and those few tips from others and continued on. I am not going to sugar coat it, there were times I wanted to give up. Times I wanted to email JB and say this wasn’t for me. However every time I would fire up YouTube and watch the coverage, the celebration speech, and knew that the highs and lows were indeed a part of the journey. At the end of the day as I look back I am happy that I did. My game and who I am as a person has been transformed by an event scribbled on the back of an envelope.
As the days leading up to the event seemed to fall off the calendar with increasing speed, my anxiety, anticipation, and excitement for the event peaked to an all-time high. I will never forget being so excited to embark on a 10 hour drive by myself to a town called Pawley’s Island, SC. That drive put a lot of things into perspective about golf, family, and life in general. I am glad I did it by myself because it prepared me for the week ahead…
DevRickus
The Dirty Jerz
I am so happy your wife and daughter came down to experience everything with you. Your wife was awesome and your daughter was so freaking cute. My favorite moment was when your 3 year old flipped off Wardy. Haha I wish I was there to witness that.
arydolphin
GTHC!
Buddy, you don't have to apologize for a thing. I love and respect the hell out of you as well. I still to this day remember what you did at the Outing in 2012 when I was going through a really tough time, and that meant the world to me. Crap, my allergies are kicking in right now too. I'm glad that you got another chance at the MC, and hopefully it was a better experience than 2011 for you.
- Staff
- #216
THPMC Recap – Before I start I want to pass my condolences to Flog for his current situation. I never got the pleasure of sitting down and talking with him, but when I heard the news my heart sank and immediately hoped that you and your family could find the right strength to get through this awful event.
This might get a little long, but I need to give context to why I chose THP to call my golf home and how I had no idea what I was about to experience. My recap is going to be written because I know I will cry as I write this and Texas boys don’t cry. Also before I start I want to thank Josh & Morgan for your vision to create such an epic golf event for amateurs. Thank you for giving me an opportunity to share with you the last one, for giving me a front row seat to some great golf, but more importantly thank you for building THP and having a place I can call home. If you came to me tomorrow and said that you had one more MC in you, but it can’t be done unless I’m a volunteer I would do it in a heartbeat. This event transforms lives & relationships. If being a volunteer meant 40 more guys get to experience this, I’m all in!!
Flashback to May of 2012. I sat there in a hospital bed after suffering a heart attack at age 38. Anyone that knows me knows that I hate hospitals and I hate not being in control. After a couple of unsuccessful attempts to check myself out, I sucked it up and laid there for 7 days. This is when I found THP. I caught up on some of the stuff from the past year and what the MC was about. I lurked for most of 2012 & officially joined in 2013.That year I was crazy busy professionally, but still followed along with all the events & especially the MC. Watching JB get emotional on that balcony solidified it for me. At that moment I decided that I will be in the final MC. When the contests came and went & I wasn’t called I was upset. Not upset at the selections or the process, but upset because I was not going to experience the final MC. So when the opportunity came up to potentially be a volunteer I was not originally going to throw my name in the hat, but one day it hit me. If this is the last MC then it needs to go out in style. If that means all I do is drive a cart around for three days handing out water and cold towels for the guys, then that is exactly what I will do. JB & GG give so much to this place, they deserve to end this with a bang & I knew my hustle and personality would help make sure that is exactly how it turned out. What I didn’t know was that even as a volunteer, my golf life would be changed forever.
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect this weekend. I knew what the MC was, I knew what it meant to JB & GG, but I didn’t know if I would do it justice as a volunteer or give it the proper appreciation that it deserves. Let’s face it I’m fairly new around here and while I’ve been to two events & tee’d it up with THP’ers, the MC is a different beast. I knew guys were here to win. I knew guys would be all business, but what I didn’t know was how much they would let their guards down to interact with everyone there. As a competitor I always went to “that place” in my mind to get ready so I wanted to respect what each of these 40 guys went through to get to this point & try not to be a distraction.
My Wednesday afternoon and Thursday practice rounds were a lot of fun. True Blue and Caledonia were beautiful tracks and I easily saw why THP chose these two for the MC year after year. I played some ok golf, putted very well, but in my head I was scouting. Looking for spots that I felt would capture shots and allow all of those who will see the video later to feel like they were right there. I was able to get to know the other volunteers and I knew we were going to have a blast the next few days. Dan, Tyler & Kevin were members of the #DreamTeam from the first Grandaddy so you better believe I picked their brains on any and everything regarding that event. To see them light up each time they talked about it got me even more excited to try and win my way on the next team. I knew after our round that the next few days were going to be fun, but had no idea how much. (more on that later)
Friday morning standing on that bench inside the True Blue clubhouse with Tyler I could feel the energy. I sent a text to Morgan letting her know I was ready for the green light & when she replied “Release the Kraken” I got chills. Me, Mike G, was about to kick off the last MC. Never in my wildest dreams did I picture that happening. I looked at Tyler and told him they are ready and start filming. As the guys poured out to the driving range I felt the emotions. I was truly happy for all 40 of them & was happy that I was there to see it all.
Friday on the range was a blur. My main concern was getting stuff organized and making sure the guys, their families & sponsors had all that they needed. I also took that time to talk to more of the guys that I had never met & swing some of the gear out on the range. From Wicked Cool Homeless Man’s putter, to Hawks’s new Srixon irons & the new Callaway Apex utility iron I was like a kid in a candy store. Once it got time for the practice rounds, Pete and I hopped into a cart and went out to watch the guys. We drove around as much as we could in between Pete’s calf muscles pushing the cart button to “N” and me trying to figure out why the hell we are not going anywhere. Then the skies opened up and rain just started pouring, but we didn’t care. We snapped some pictures & followed a couple of groups until the horn blew because of lightening in the area. Had a few drinks then went to get ready for the dinner Friday night.
Saturday & Sunday was go time for me. You will get plenty from the guys on match particulars and the video. For the volunteers this is where the rubber meets the road and as volunteers we had to capture as much as we could so that this event could go out with a bang. It was a lot of running up and down fairways, finding the right angles, walking out yardages for approach shots, walking off yardages for putts & providing hole overviews so the people watching the coverage got the complete picture of what these guys were facing. Did I have to do this, no I didn’t. Did I want to, ABSOLUTELY! These guys busted their tails off for months and they deserved the best from me for three days. They deserved to shine & be treated like a tour pro & my job was to make them look the best I could. We caught a hole in one on camera, some touching moments between two competitors that brought me to tears, putts being dropped from various ranges & an up close look on what it’s like to have to dodge a golf ball coming at you from a toed iron shot. Glad I have cat like reflexes &know how to move like Neo in the Matrix. (thanks Dev & Jman for the warning
)
After it was all said and done and we were all standing on that balcony at True Blue it hit me. The MC was done. I gave it my all as a volunteer & I shared a moment with Ken (v.man) that I will cherish forever. The champagne bath was unexpected & thank you Tyler for taking the brunt of it, Until Canadan decided to pour the bottle over my head. I will have more coming when I can properly get the words to thank my fellow volunteers & a few guys that changed my THP life forever.
This might get a little long, but I need to give context to why I chose THP to call my golf home and how I had no idea what I was about to experience. My recap is going to be written because I know I will cry as I write this and Texas boys don’t cry. Also before I start I want to thank Josh & Morgan for your vision to create such an epic golf event for amateurs. Thank you for giving me an opportunity to share with you the last one, for giving me a front row seat to some great golf, but more importantly thank you for building THP and having a place I can call home. If you came to me tomorrow and said that you had one more MC in you, but it can’t be done unless I’m a volunteer I would do it in a heartbeat. This event transforms lives & relationships. If being a volunteer meant 40 more guys get to experience this, I’m all in!!
Flashback to May of 2012. I sat there in a hospital bed after suffering a heart attack at age 38. Anyone that knows me knows that I hate hospitals and I hate not being in control. After a couple of unsuccessful attempts to check myself out, I sucked it up and laid there for 7 days. This is when I found THP. I caught up on some of the stuff from the past year and what the MC was about. I lurked for most of 2012 & officially joined in 2013.That year I was crazy busy professionally, but still followed along with all the events & especially the MC. Watching JB get emotional on that balcony solidified it for me. At that moment I decided that I will be in the final MC. When the contests came and went & I wasn’t called I was upset. Not upset at the selections or the process, but upset because I was not going to experience the final MC. So when the opportunity came up to potentially be a volunteer I was not originally going to throw my name in the hat, but one day it hit me. If this is the last MC then it needs to go out in style. If that means all I do is drive a cart around for three days handing out water and cold towels for the guys, then that is exactly what I will do. JB & GG give so much to this place, they deserve to end this with a bang & I knew my hustle and personality would help make sure that is exactly how it turned out. What I didn’t know was that even as a volunteer, my golf life would be changed forever.
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect this weekend. I knew what the MC was, I knew what it meant to JB & GG, but I didn’t know if I would do it justice as a volunteer or give it the proper appreciation that it deserves. Let’s face it I’m fairly new around here and while I’ve been to two events & tee’d it up with THP’ers, the MC is a different beast. I knew guys were here to win. I knew guys would be all business, but what I didn’t know was how much they would let their guards down to interact with everyone there. As a competitor I always went to “that place” in my mind to get ready so I wanted to respect what each of these 40 guys went through to get to this point & try not to be a distraction.
My Wednesday afternoon and Thursday practice rounds were a lot of fun. True Blue and Caledonia were beautiful tracks and I easily saw why THP chose these two for the MC year after year. I played some ok golf, putted very well, but in my head I was scouting. Looking for spots that I felt would capture shots and allow all of those who will see the video later to feel like they were right there. I was able to get to know the other volunteers and I knew we were going to have a blast the next few days. Dan, Tyler & Kevin were members of the #DreamTeam from the first Grandaddy so you better believe I picked their brains on any and everything regarding that event. To see them light up each time they talked about it got me even more excited to try and win my way on the next team. I knew after our round that the next few days were going to be fun, but had no idea how much. (more on that later)
Friday morning standing on that bench inside the True Blue clubhouse with Tyler I could feel the energy. I sent a text to Morgan letting her know I was ready for the green light & when she replied “Release the Kraken” I got chills. Me, Mike G, was about to kick off the last MC. Never in my wildest dreams did I picture that happening. I looked at Tyler and told him they are ready and start filming. As the guys poured out to the driving range I felt the emotions. I was truly happy for all 40 of them & was happy that I was there to see it all.
Friday on the range was a blur. My main concern was getting stuff organized and making sure the guys, their families & sponsors had all that they needed. I also took that time to talk to more of the guys that I had never met & swing some of the gear out on the range. From Wicked Cool Homeless Man’s putter, to Hawks’s new Srixon irons & the new Callaway Apex utility iron I was like a kid in a candy store. Once it got time for the practice rounds, Pete and I hopped into a cart and went out to watch the guys. We drove around as much as we could in between Pete’s calf muscles pushing the cart button to “N” and me trying to figure out why the hell we are not going anywhere. Then the skies opened up and rain just started pouring, but we didn’t care. We snapped some pictures & followed a couple of groups until the horn blew because of lightening in the area. Had a few drinks then went to get ready for the dinner Friday night.
Saturday & Sunday was go time for me. You will get plenty from the guys on match particulars and the video. For the volunteers this is where the rubber meets the road and as volunteers we had to capture as much as we could so that this event could go out with a bang. It was a lot of running up and down fairways, finding the right angles, walking out yardages for approach shots, walking off yardages for putts & providing hole overviews so the people watching the coverage got the complete picture of what these guys were facing. Did I have to do this, no I didn’t. Did I want to, ABSOLUTELY! These guys busted their tails off for months and they deserved the best from me for three days. They deserved to shine & be treated like a tour pro & my job was to make them look the best I could. We caught a hole in one on camera, some touching moments between two competitors that brought me to tears, putts being dropped from various ranges & an up close look on what it’s like to have to dodge a golf ball coming at you from a toed iron shot. Glad I have cat like reflexes &know how to move like Neo in the Matrix. (thanks Dev & Jman for the warning
) After it was all said and done and we were all standing on that balcony at True Blue it hit me. The MC was done. I gave it my all as a volunteer & I shared a moment with Ken (v.man) that I will cherish forever. The champagne bath was unexpected & thank you Tyler for taking the brunt of it, Until Canadan decided to pour the bottle over my head. I will have more coming when I can properly get the words to thank my fellow volunteers & a few guys that changed my THP life forever.
Last edited:
DevRickus
The Dirty Jerz
THPMC Recap – Before I start I want to pass my condolencesto Flog for his current situation. I never got the pleasure of sitting down andtalking with him, but when I heard the news my heart sank and immediately hoped that youand your family could find the right strength to get through this awful event.
This might get a little long, but I need to give context towhy I chose THP to call my golf home and how I had no idea what I was about toexperience. My recap is going to bewritten because I know I will cry as I write this and Texas boys don’t cry. Alsobefore I start I want to thank Josh & Morgan for your vision to create suchan epic golf event for amateurs. Thank you for giving me an opportunity toshare with you the last one, for giving me a front row seat to some great golf,but more importantly thank you for building THP and having a place I can callhome. If you came to me tomorrow and said that you had one more MC in you, butit can’t be done unless I’m a volunteer I would do it in a heartbeat. Thisevent transforms lives & relationships. If being a volunteer meant 40 moreguys get to experience this, I’m all in!!
Flashback to May of 2012. I sat there in a hospital beadafter suffering a heart attack at age 38. Anyone that knows me knows that I hatehospitals and I hate not being in control. After a couple of unsuccessfulattempts to check myself out, I sucked it up and laid there for 7 days. This iswhen I found THP. I caught up on some of the stuff from the past year and whatthe MC was about. I lurked for most of 2012 & officially joined in 2013.That year I was crazy busy professionally, but still followed along with allthe events & especially the MC. Watching JB get emotional on that balconysolidified it for me. At that moment I decided that I will be in the final MC. Whenthe contests came and went & I wasn’t called I was upset. Not upset at theselections or the process, but upset because I was not going to experience thefinal MC. So when the opportunity came up to potentially be a volunteer I wasnot originally going to throw my name in the hat, but one day it hit me. Ifthis is the last MC then it needs to go out in style. If that means all I do isdrive a cart around for three days handing out water and cold towels for theguys, then that is exactly what I will do. JB & GG give so much to thisplace, they deserve to end this with a bang & I knew my hustle andpersonality would help make sure that is exactly how it turned out. What Ididn’t know was that even as a volunteer, my golf life would be changedforever.
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect this weekend. I knew whatthe MC was, I knew what it meant to JB & GG, but I didn’t know if I woulddo it justice as a volunteer or give it the proper appreciation that itdeserves. Let’s face it I’m fairly new around here and while I’ve been to twoevents & tee’d it up with THP’ers, the MC is a different beast. I knew guyswere here to win. I knew guys would be all business, but what I didn’t know washow much they would let their guards down to interact with everyone there. As acompetitor I always went to “that place” in my mind to get ready so I wanted torespect what each of these 40 guys went through to get to this point & trynot to be a distraction.
My Wednesday afternoon and Thursday practice rounds were alot of fun. True Blue and Caledonia were beautiful tracks and I easily saw why THPchose these two for the MC year after year. I played some ok golf, putted verywell, but in my head I was scouting. Looking for spots that I felt wouldcapture shots and allow all of those who will see the video later to feel likethey were right there. I was able to get to know the other volunteers and Iknew we were going to have a blast the next few days. Dan, Tyler & Kevinwere members of the #DreamTeam from the first Grandaddy so you better believe Ipicked their brains on any and everything regarding that event. To see themlight up each time they talked about it got me even more excited to try and winmy way on the next team. I knew after our round that the next few days were going to be fun, but had no idea how much. (more on that later)
Friday morning standing on that bench inside the True Blueclubhouse with Tyler I could feel the energy. I sent a text to Morgan lettingher know I was ready for the green light & when she replied “Release theKraken” I got chills. Me, Mike G, was about to kick off the last MC. Never inmy wildest dreams did I picture that happening. I looked at Tyler and told himthey are ready and start filming. As the guys poured out to the driving range Ifelt the emotions. I was truly happy for all 40 of them & was happy that Iwas there to see it all.
Friday on the range was a blur. My main concern was gettingstuff organized and making sure the guys, their families & sponsors had allthat they needed. I also took that time to talk to more of the guys that I hadnever met & swing some of the gear out on the range. From Wicked CoolHomeless Man’s putter, to Hawks’s new Srixon irons & the new Callaway Apexutility iron I was like a kid in a candy store. Once it got time for thepractice rounds, Pete and I hopped into a cart and went out to watch the guys. Wedrove around as much as we could in between Pete’s calf muscles pushing the cartbutton to “N” and me trying to figure out why the hell we are not going anywhere. Thenthe skies opened up and rain just started pouring, but we didn’t care. Wesnapped some pictures & followed a couple of groups until the horn blewbecause of lightening in the area. Had a few drinks then went to get ready forthe dinner Friday night.
Saturday & Sunday was go time for me. Youwill get plenty from the guys on match particulars and the video. For thevolunteers this is where the rubber meets the road and as volunteers we had tocapture as much as we could so that this event could go out with a bang. It wasa lot of running up and down fairways, finding the right angles, walking outyardages for approach shots, walking off yardages for putts & providing hole overviews so the people watching the coverage got the complete picture of what these guys were facing. Did I have todo this, no I didn’t. Did I want to, ABSOLUTELY! These guys busted their tailsoff for months and they deserved the best from me for three days. They deservedto shine & be treated like a tour pro & my job was to make them lookthe best I could. We caught a hole in one on camera, some touching momentsbetween two competitors that brought me to tears, putts being dropped fromvarious ranges & an up close look on what it’s like to have to dodge a golfball coming at you from a toed iron shot. Glad I have cat like reflexes &know how to move like Neo in the Matrix. (thanks Dev & Jman for thewarning
After it was all said and done and we were all standing on that balcony at True Blue it hit me. The MC was done. I gave it my all as a volunteer & I shared a moment with Ken (v.man) that I will cherish forever. The champagne bath was unexpected & thank you Tyler for taking the brunt of it, Until Canadan decided to pour the bottle over my head. I will have more coming when I can properly get the words to thank my fellow volunteers & a few guys that changed my THP life forever.
I would move to Texas just so we could be friends. You were so freaking awesome this week dude.
DevRickus
The Dirty Jerz
"Let 'er rip tater chip" I believe that's a Mike G coined phrase and my wife is sick of me saying it already. Too bad for her.
WardF
#TeamDOTCOM Member
I wanted to capture one feeling here that I had this weekend that was too powerful for me to contain my emotion in the moment. It was my first Match of the Morgan cup--my first major event that had any significance. It was two seasoned veterans against two newbies. I was looking at a par 5 and my drive had been perfect final result even though it faded more than I wanted from the tee.
We were up but the match could turn at any point with a momentum swing. I had 185 to the pin and knew that a layup would open the door for the other team. I was sitting there holding a 5 iron that I had never swung an actual golf shot in play with. I was so nervous again and shaking. My partner gave me my swing queue-- "tempo". The shot came off perfect on this forged beast of a club --something I had never felt it was like cutting through butter and the ball flight was just like I had in my preshot visualization and it was heading right were it was aimed. I yelled something at that point YES or BOOM or WOW--I honestly don't remember.
Later I apologized to the 4 some for the outburst and bought them lunch--I felt bad that I had let the outburst slip like that. It is amazing what 7 months of built up pressure and nerves can do to a person in the heat of it. I am so glad the game showed up under pressure, because until that moment I had no idea what would happen when the pressure was overwhelming.
We were up but the match could turn at any point with a momentum swing. I had 185 to the pin and knew that a layup would open the door for the other team. I was sitting there holding a 5 iron that I had never swung an actual golf shot in play with. I was so nervous again and shaking. My partner gave me my swing queue-- "tempo". The shot came off perfect on this forged beast of a club --something I had never felt it was like cutting through butter and the ball flight was just like I had in my preshot visualization and it was heading right were it was aimed. I yelled something at that point YES or BOOM or WOW--I honestly don't remember.
Later I apologized to the 4 some for the outburst and bought them lunch--I felt bad that I had let the outburst slip like that. It is amazing what 7 months of built up pressure and nerves can do to a person in the heat of it. I am so glad the game showed up under pressure, because until that moment I had no idea what would happen when the pressure was overwhelming.
- Joined
- Sep 11, 2013
- Messages
- 74,780
- Reaction score
- 88,335
- Location
- Ponte Vedra, Florida
- Handicap
- 11.9
I need a MikeG I can put in my back pocket. You showed up and I just drained the putts my friend. Thanks again for your selfless outpouring of making us hackers look like rockstars! Long hours and early mornings and not once did I hear a complaint come out! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!!!
THPMC Recap – Before I start I want to pass my condolences to Flog for his current situation. I never got the pleasure of sitting down and talking with him, but when I heard the news my heart sank and immediately hoped that you and your family could find the right strength to get through this awful event.
This might get a little long, but I need to give context to why I chose THP to call my golf home and how I had no idea what I was about to experience. My recap is going to be written because I know I will cry as I write this and Texas boys don’t cry. Also before I start I want to thank Josh & Morgan for your vision to create such an epic golf event for amateurs. Thank you for giving me an opportunity to share with you the last one, for giving me a front row seat to some great golf, but more importantly thank you for building THP and having a place I can call home. If you came to me tomorrow and said that you had one more MC in you, but it can’t be done unless I’m a volunteer I would do it in a heartbeat. This event transforms lives & relationships. If being a volunteer meant 40 more guys get to experience this, I’m all in!!
Flashback to May of 2012. I sat there in a hospital bed after suffering a heart attack at age 38. Anyone that knows me knows that I hate hospitals and I hate not being in control. After a couple of unsuccessful attempts to check myself out, I sucked it up and laid there for 7 days. This is when I found THP. I caught up on some of the stuff from the past year and what the MC was about. I lurked for most of 2012 & officially joined in 2013.That year I was crazy busy professionally, but still followed along with all the events & especially the MC. Watching JB get emotional on that balcony solidified it for me. At that moment I decided that I will be in the final MC. When the contests came and went & I wasn’t called I was upset. Not upset at the selections or the process, but upset because I was not going to experience the final MC. So when the opportunity came up to potentially be a volunteer I was not originally going to throw my name in the hat, but one day it hit me. If this is the last MC then it needs to go out in style. If that means all I do is drive a cart around for three days handing out water and cold towels for the guys, then that is exactly what I will do. JB & GG give so much to this place, they deserve to end this with a bang & I knew my hustle and personality would help make sure that is exactly how it turned out. What I didn’t know was that even as a volunteer, my golf life would be changed forever.
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect this weekend. I knew what the MC was, I knew what it meant to JB & GG, but I didn’t know if I would do it justice as a volunteer or give it the proper appreciation that it deserves. Let’s face it I’m fairly new around here and while I’ve been to two events & tee’d it up with THP’ers, the MC is a different beast. I knew guys were here to win. I knew guys would be all business, but what I didn’t know was how much they would let their guards down to interact with everyone there. As a competitor I always went to “that place” in my mind to get ready so I wanted to respect what each of these 40 guys went through to get to this point & try not to be a distraction.
My Wednesday afternoon and Thursday practice rounds were a lot of fun. True Blue and Caledonia were beautiful tracks and I easily saw why THP chose these two for the MC year after year. I played some ok golf, putted very well, but in my head I was scouting. Looking for spots that I felt would capture shots and allow all of those who will see the video later to feel like they were right there. I was able to get to know the other volunteers and I knew we were going to have a blast the next few days. Dan, Tyler & Kevin were members of the #DreamTeam from the first Grandaddy so you better believe I picked their brains on any and everything regarding that event. To see them light up each time they talked about it got me even more excited to try and win my way on the next team. I knew after our round that the next few days were going to be fun, but had no idea how much. (more on that later)
Friday morning standing on that bench inside the True Blue clubhouse with Tyler I could feel the energy. I sent a text to Morgan letting her know I was ready for the green light & when she replied “Release the Kraken” I got chills. Me, Mike G, was about to kick off the last MC. Never in my wildest dreams did I picture that happening. I looked at Tyler and told him they are ready and start filming. As the guys poured out to the driving range I felt the emotions. I was truly happy for all 40 of them & was happy that I was there to see it all.
Friday on the range was a blur. My main concern was getting stuff organized and making sure the guys, their families & sponsors had all that they needed. I also took that time to talk to more of the guys that I had never met & swing some of the gear out on the range. From Wicked Cool Homeless Man’s putter, to Hawks’s new Srixon irons & the new Callaway Apex utility iron I was like a kid in a candy store. Once it got time for the practice rounds, Pete and I hopped into a cart and went out to watch the guys. We drove around as much as we could in between Pete’s calf muscles pushing the cart button to “N” and me trying to figure out why the hell we are not going anywhere. Then the skies opened up and rain just started pouring, but we didn’t care. We snapped some pictures & followed a couple of groups until the horn blew because of lightening in the area. Had a few drinks then went to get ready for the dinner Friday night.
Saturday & Sunday was go time for me. You will get plenty from the guys on match particulars and the video. For the volunteers this is where the rubber meets the road and as volunteers we had to capture as much as we could so that this event could go out with a bang. It was a lot of running up and down fairways, finding the right angles, walking out yardages for approach shots, walking off yardages for putts & providing hole overviews so the people watching the coverage got the complete picture of what these guys were facing. Did I have to do this, no I didn’t. Did I want to, ABSOLUTELY! These guys busted their tails off for months and they deserved the best from me for three days. They deserved to shine & be treated like a tour pro & my job was to make them look the best I could. We caught a hole in one on camera, some touching moments between two competitors that brought me to tears, putts being dropped from various ranges & an up close look on what it’s like to have to dodge a golf ball coming at you from a toed iron shot. Glad I have cat like reflexes &know how to move like Neo in the Matrix. (thanks Dev & Jman for the warning
After it was all said and done and we were all standing on that balcony at True Blue it hit me. The MC was done. I gave it my all as a volunteer & I shared a moment with Ken (v.man) that I will cherish forever. The champagne bath was unexpected & thank you Tyler for taking the brunt of it, Until Canadan decided to pour the bottle over my head. I will have more coming when I can properly get the words to thank my fellow volunteers & a few guys that changed my THP life forever.
- Joined
- Jul 30, 2011
- Messages
- 6,122
- Reaction score
- 149
- Location
- The good side of the FWD metromess
- Handicap
- Old age
THPMC Recap – Before I start I want to pass my condolences to Flog for his current situation. I never got the pleasure of sitting down and talking with him, but when I heard the news my heart sank and immediately hoped that you and your family could find the right strength to get through this awful event.
This might get a little long, but I need to give context to why I chose THP to call my golf home and how I had no idea what I was about to experience. My recap is going to be written because I know I will cry as I write this and Texas boys don’t cry. Also before I start I want to thank Josh & Morgan for your vision to create such an epic golf event for amateurs. Thank you for giving me an opportunity to share with you the last one, for giving me a front row seat to some great golf, but more importantly thank you for building THP and having a place I can call home. If you came to me tomorrow and said that you had one more MC in you, but it can’t be done unless I’m a volunteer I would do it in a heartbeat. This event transforms lives & relationships. If being a volunteer meant 40 more guys get to experience this, I’m all in!!
Flashback to May of 2012. I sat there in a hospital bed after suffering a heart attack at age 38. Anyone that knows me knows that I hate hospitals and I hate not being in control. After a couple of unsuccessful attempts to check myself out, I sucked it up and laid there for 7 days. This is when I found THP. I caught up on some of the stuff from the past year and what the MC was about. I lurked for most of 2012 & officially joined in 2013.That year I was crazy busy professionally, but still followed along with all the events & especially the MC. Watching JB get emotional on that balcony solidified it for me. At that moment I decided that I will be in the final MC. When the contests came and went & I wasn’t called I was upset. Not upset at the selections or the process, but upset because I was not going to experience the final MC. So when the opportunity came up to potentially be a volunteer I was not originally going to throw my name in the hat, but one day it hit me. If this is the last MC then it needs to go out in style. If that means all I do is drive a cart around for three days handing out water and cold towels for the guys, then that is exactly what I will do. JB & GG give so much to this place, they deserve to end this with a bang & I knew my hustle and personality would help make sure that is exactly how it turned out. What I didn’t know was that even as a volunteer, my golf life would be changed forever.
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect this weekend. I knew what the MC was, I knew what it meant to JB & GG, but I didn’t know if I would do it justice as a volunteer or give it the proper appreciation that it deserves. Let’s face it I’m fairly new around here and while I’ve been to two events & tee’d it up with THP’ers, the MC is a different beast. I knew guys were here to win. I knew guys would be all business, but what I didn’t know was how much they would let their guards down to interact with everyone there. As a competitor I always went to “that place” in my mind to get ready so I wanted to respect what each of these 40 guys went through to get to this point & try not to be a distraction.
My Wednesday afternoon and Thursday practice rounds were a lot of fun. True Blue and Caledonia were beautiful tracks and I easily saw why THP chose these two for the MC year after year. I played some ok golf, putted very well, but in my head I was scouting. Looking for spots that I felt would capture shots and allow all of those who will see the video later to feel like they were right there. I was able to get to know the other volunteers and I knew we were going to have a blast the next few days. Dan, Tyler & Kevin were members of the #DreamTeam from the first Grandaddy so you better believe I picked their brains on any and everything regarding that event. To see them light up each time they talked about it got me even more excited to try and win my way on the next team. I knew after our round that the next few days were going to be fun, but had no idea how much. (more on that later)
Friday morning standing on that bench inside the True Blue clubhouse with Tyler I could feel the energy. I sent a text to Morgan letting her know I was ready for the green light & when she replied “Release the Kraken” I got chills. Me, Mike G, was about to kick off the last MC. Never in my wildest dreams did I picture that happening. I looked at Tyler and told him they are ready and start filming. As the guys poured out to the driving range I felt the emotions. I was truly happy for all 40 of them & was happy that I was there to see it all.
Friday on the range was a blur. My main concern was getting stuff organized and making sure the guys, their families & sponsors had all that they needed. I also took that time to talk to more of the guys that I had never met & swing some of the gear out on the range. From Wicked Cool Homeless Man’s putter, to Hawks’s new Srixon irons & the new Callaway Apex utility iron I was like a kid in a candy store. Once it got time for the practice rounds, Pete and I hopped into a cart and went out to watch the guys. We drove around as much as we could in between Pete’s calf muscles pushing the cart button to “N” and me trying to figure out why the hell we are not going anywhere. Then the skies opened up and rain just started pouring, but we didn’t care. We snapped some pictures & followed a couple of groups until the horn blew because of lightening in the area. Had a few drinks then went to get ready for the dinner Friday night.
Saturday & Sunday was go time for me. You will get plenty from the guys on match particulars and the video. For the volunteers this is where the rubber meets the road and as volunteers we had to capture as much as we could so that this event could go out with a bang. It was a lot of running up and down fairways, finding the right angles, walking out yardages for approach shots, walking off yardages for putts & providing hole overviews so the people watching the coverage got the complete picture of what these guys were facing. Did I have to do this, no I didn’t. Did I want to, ABSOLUTELY! These guys busted their tails off for months and they deserved the best from me for three days. They deserved to shine & be treated like a tour pro & my job was to make them look the best I could. We caught a hole in one on camera, some touching moments between two competitors that brought me to tears, putts being dropped from various ranges & an up close look on what it’s like to have to dodge a golf ball coming at you from a toed iron shot. Glad I have cat like reflexes &know how to move like Neo in the Matrix. (thanks Dev & Jman for the warning
After it was all said and done and we were all standing on that balcony at True Blue it hit me. The MC was done. I gave it my all as a volunteer & I shared a moment with Ken (v.man) that I will cherish forever. The champagne bath was unexpected & thank you Tyler for taking the brunt of it, Until Canadan decided to pour the bottle over my head. I will have more coming when I can properly get the words to thank my fellow volunteers & a few guys that changed my THP life forever.
Nice recap Mike......
- Moderator
- #224
I had originally not planned to post about my fellow captains, figuring I'd take it to PMs, but I like the idea of parading around their awesomeness for everyone to see. While it was never a secret that I wanted a big role in this event, the first four captains selections were bitter sweet. I clicked the threads, saw the names, and with a heavy sigh thought to myself "yes, he just fits that role so perfectly in his own way." It became less about me trying to run a team and more about which of the three guys without teams I could find my way on through a contest.
The call from JB was surreal. He probably knew my answer before he even dialed the number, but it was a challenge I was ready to accept. I wanted to be able to lead the charge of a team and constantly remind them what the Morgan Cup was about from a competitive and active standpoint. It was a special moment for me knowing that he and Morgan had the faith in me to accomplish the goals of captaincy, and I like to think I never let them down.
The captains had group texts during most of the major announcements, and I also had the chance to chat individually with a couple of them, and I know I am a better person for having them in my life over the last year. Let's go Alphabetically by team;
DotCom MWard: Let the record show that while his team amassed the most points this weekend, I still own a 1-0 record in matchplay against him (with his own osh kosh length clubs no less). HAH! In truth, our friendship started long before the Morgan Cup began, and I knew that he would take to .Com like a fireball, forcing (and I mean full on Napoleon rage) them to bring out their best -- And they did. We had our fair share of late night rants and arguments, discussing who would win, how the event would go, and just blowing off the steam of Captaincy pressure. We talked about the right way to do things, and about how we could really drive the individuals on our team to better themselves and embrace an event we both feel so strongly about. I am so glad I could share this event with you my friend (and am glad you weren't whispering in my putting stroke for the second straight year hahahaha!). You earned that trophy.
Hackers Adwillingham: Donne has this reserved demeanor about him that can be a pretty tough read. I'd like to think up until the Atlanta invitational last year, we had a pretty casual friendship, but it's kind of tough to be reserved when it's raining, DevRickus is full on squealing with laughter, I'm trying and failing to hit left handed clubs, and MWard has basically zero pride soaked to the bone in a leprechaun outfit. It was there I got to experience the full depth of Donne's character and while I might not have been myself (tough family news followed me to the event), he was absolutely incredible. You can put the praise on other shoulders all you want my friend, you encompass what it is to be the right kind of captain, and I cannot wait to take in another round with you in the future.
Paradise Howzat: Erik is one of those guys you just want to be friends with. It sounds kind of stupid, but I'd met him a couple times, been to a couple events with him, but really never had a fair chance to chat it up. I think it was right after the last Cup that we both agreed that we needed to hang out in depth, and we finally managed to accomplish that on Wednesday during a practice round -- With wicked cool bearded man no less, his Assistant Captain, and probably everyone's favourite person (I was so excited for AMart to experience Tim as his first Morgan Cup practice round cart mate). Erik seemed to share that same "no way in #$%^& this event ever dies" mentality that I have, and hearing him talk about the event, about things that have shaped THP, and about the future was just a true joy to experience. I cannot wait for our next adventure, we just have to make sure Trisha gets her slushy first.
THP Hawkster: So, to this point, with the exception of shades of RL Hawk in Illinois, I'd like to think we've had a relatively 'professional' friendship as he handles all of my reviews prior to them being published. While I will take a similar approach in the review aspect of our relationship, I feel like I was able to get to know him a bit more personally through this process, and I can genuinely say that Team THP was lucky to have him at the helm. A round with you is something I WILL have in the near future, and I am just grateful that you've taken me under your wing and helped me in the writer position, as well as being my friend. It means more than you know Ryan.
All these guys make me a better person. I'm proud to have shared a position with each of you, and I hope our relationships continue to grow as the years pass. Thanks, guys.
The call from JB was surreal. He probably knew my answer before he even dialed the number, but it was a challenge I was ready to accept. I wanted to be able to lead the charge of a team and constantly remind them what the Morgan Cup was about from a competitive and active standpoint. It was a special moment for me knowing that he and Morgan had the faith in me to accomplish the goals of captaincy, and I like to think I never let them down.
The captains had group texts during most of the major announcements, and I also had the chance to chat individually with a couple of them, and I know I am a better person for having them in my life over the last year. Let's go Alphabetically by team;
DotCom MWard: Let the record show that while his team amassed the most points this weekend, I still own a 1-0 record in matchplay against him (with his own osh kosh length clubs no less). HAH! In truth, our friendship started long before the Morgan Cup began, and I knew that he would take to .Com like a fireball, forcing (and I mean full on Napoleon rage) them to bring out their best -- And they did. We had our fair share of late night rants and arguments, discussing who would win, how the event would go, and just blowing off the steam of Captaincy pressure. We talked about the right way to do things, and about how we could really drive the individuals on our team to better themselves and embrace an event we both feel so strongly about. I am so glad I could share this event with you my friend (and am glad you weren't whispering in my putting stroke for the second straight year hahahaha!). You earned that trophy.
Hackers Adwillingham: Donne has this reserved demeanor about him that can be a pretty tough read. I'd like to think up until the Atlanta invitational last year, we had a pretty casual friendship, but it's kind of tough to be reserved when it's raining, DevRickus is full on squealing with laughter, I'm trying and failing to hit left handed clubs, and MWard has basically zero pride soaked to the bone in a leprechaun outfit. It was there I got to experience the full depth of Donne's character and while I might not have been myself (tough family news followed me to the event), he was absolutely incredible. You can put the praise on other shoulders all you want my friend, you encompass what it is to be the right kind of captain, and I cannot wait to take in another round with you in the future.
Paradise Howzat: Erik is one of those guys you just want to be friends with. It sounds kind of stupid, but I'd met him a couple times, been to a couple events with him, but really never had a fair chance to chat it up. I think it was right after the last Cup that we both agreed that we needed to hang out in depth, and we finally managed to accomplish that on Wednesday during a practice round -- With wicked cool bearded man no less, his Assistant Captain, and probably everyone's favourite person (I was so excited for AMart to experience Tim as his first Morgan Cup practice round cart mate). Erik seemed to share that same "no way in #$%^& this event ever dies" mentality that I have, and hearing him talk about the event, about things that have shaped THP, and about the future was just a true joy to experience. I cannot wait for our next adventure, we just have to make sure Trisha gets her slushy first.
THP Hawkster: So, to this point, with the exception of shades of RL Hawk in Illinois, I'd like to think we've had a relatively 'professional' friendship as he handles all of my reviews prior to them being published. While I will take a similar approach in the review aspect of our relationship, I feel like I was able to get to know him a bit more personally through this process, and I can genuinely say that Team THP was lucky to have him at the helm. A round with you is something I WILL have in the near future, and I am just grateful that you've taken me under your wing and helped me in the writer position, as well as being my friend. It means more than you know Ryan.
All these guys make me a better person. I'm proud to have shared a position with each of you, and I hope our relationships continue to grow as the years pass. Thanks, guys.
- Staff
- #225
A few random thoughts on the Captains that I shared this with.
Canadaniel - I said this on the patio at True Blue, but wow dude. What a captain you were. You took a group of guys that were good and really morped them into something out of this world. WTF did you do to Amart? Can you do it to me? Beyond that though, we'd spent limited time actually together in person and a highlight of the weekend was you joining your other team for a Saturday evening of laughs and memories. That was important for me, you and I think for all of us. I suspect it's not easy being against us and with us at the same time, but in the end - you are with us and we're better off for it.
Wardy - My initial reaction after the draft was that you were the team to beat. At times people didn't exactly agree with me there, but I saw a pretty stout team that I knew would only get better. My exact words were pretty much, "We have to win every match vs Dotcom if we want to win this thing." In the end, I think we grabbed around zero of those matches, so hats off to you. I thought we had your number when you and JB played my boys, but turns out you rallied through that like a champion does. You were a machine! As you were on 16 on Sunday (and had just had your world rocked) I saw a guy that was buzzing with nerves and I thought it was over for you. But it wasn't - you nailed that shot and carried on. Machine or not however, your speech showed that deep inside you there is a human begging to come out and I'm glad you showed that guy to the world.
Erik - You were my secret motivator all throughout this thing in so many ways dude. Seeing you work made me want to work and there were many days that I was about to keel over when I thought, "I bet Erik would keep going." You pushed me to push myself and seeing that we both followed similar paths to this event was special. Turns out, we saw somewhat similar results as well, but eff it dude. We left nothing on the table and there are many things we can take away from this that are worthy consolation. Your leadership skills were evident with not only how your team performed after so much heartbreak (Sunday domination and the Scarnici incidents especially), but in how they represented the great Team Paradise name. Jordan and I talked about your greatness quite a bit on Sunday. Well done dude and you know that you and I will be crossing paths as often as possible in the coming years.
Donne - Oh man Donne. How are we so alike? In ways we are not alike at all, but you see the world in the same way I do in so many ways, and I think that's why we've become the friends that we are. I told you this before, but before you and I teed it up in 2010 I hadn't seen a good golfer play. I know you'll scoff at that, but to see a guy hit the ball and watch it go where he wanted was rather eye opening having just taken up the game before we first met. I also said earlier how proud I was of you on Sunday, and I meant that dude. You were 100% (or more) out of your element in the role you played, but goddamn did you play it well. We talked about the difficulty in meshing such strong personalities into one unit, and the work you put in paid off. What a team you fielded. Great people that approached the event with skill and a great attitude. I admire your thoughtfulness and willingness to ask about my family when we meet, even in the very busy moments.
A sign of good leaders is how the people they lead conduct themselves. The level of sportsmanship, low levels of drama, and comittment to the event was evident everywhere you went this weekend. That's a big reason why my leaders came away so happy and why I'll have nothing but good memories surrounding this thing. And it all started with you guys, so take a moment and pat yourselves on the back.
Canadaniel - I said this on the patio at True Blue, but wow dude. What a captain you were. You took a group of guys that were good and really morped them into something out of this world. WTF did you do to Amart? Can you do it to me? Beyond that though, we'd spent limited time actually together in person and a highlight of the weekend was you joining your other team for a Saturday evening of laughs and memories. That was important for me, you and I think for all of us. I suspect it's not easy being against us and with us at the same time, but in the end - you are with us and we're better off for it.
Wardy - My initial reaction after the draft was that you were the team to beat. At times people didn't exactly agree with me there, but I saw a pretty stout team that I knew would only get better. My exact words were pretty much, "We have to win every match vs Dotcom if we want to win this thing." In the end, I think we grabbed around zero of those matches, so hats off to you. I thought we had your number when you and JB played my boys, but turns out you rallied through that like a champion does. You were a machine! As you were on 16 on Sunday (and had just had your world rocked) I saw a guy that was buzzing with nerves and I thought it was over for you. But it wasn't - you nailed that shot and carried on. Machine or not however, your speech showed that deep inside you there is a human begging to come out and I'm glad you showed that guy to the world.
Erik - You were my secret motivator all throughout this thing in so many ways dude. Seeing you work made me want to work and there were many days that I was about to keel over when I thought, "I bet Erik would keep going." You pushed me to push myself and seeing that we both followed similar paths to this event was special. Turns out, we saw somewhat similar results as well, but eff it dude. We left nothing on the table and there are many things we can take away from this that are worthy consolation. Your leadership skills were evident with not only how your team performed after so much heartbreak (Sunday domination and the Scarnici incidents especially), but in how they represented the great Team Paradise name. Jordan and I talked about your greatness quite a bit on Sunday. Well done dude and you know that you and I will be crossing paths as often as possible in the coming years.
Donne - Oh man Donne. How are we so alike? In ways we are not alike at all, but you see the world in the same way I do in so many ways, and I think that's why we've become the friends that we are. I told you this before, but before you and I teed it up in 2010 I hadn't seen a good golfer play. I know you'll scoff at that, but to see a guy hit the ball and watch it go where he wanted was rather eye opening having just taken up the game before we first met. I also said earlier how proud I was of you on Sunday, and I meant that dude. You were 100% (or more) out of your element in the role you played, but goddamn did you play it well. We talked about the difficulty in meshing such strong personalities into one unit, and the work you put in paid off. What a team you fielded. Great people that approached the event with skill and a great attitude. I admire your thoughtfulness and willingness to ask about my family when we meet, even in the very busy moments.
A sign of good leaders is how the people they lead conduct themselves. The level of sportsmanship, low levels of drama, and comittment to the event was evident everywhere you went this weekend. That's a big reason why my leaders came away so happy and why I'll have nothing but good memories surrounding this thing. And it all started with you guys, so take a moment and pat yourselves on the back.