Hillary's Server: Please Delete This Mail and Kent Holding: The 2015 Hopski Champion!!!!
It was certainly a roller coaster ride for Kent this year and certainly so in the Championship game against Duke, faced with a winner take all or nothing duel with Joey Brackets (Joey Wagoner, 4th place finisher in this year's Hopski that was set to take the title had Wisconsin won the final). Kent is enjoying Legoland in the above photo, taken last weekend in Denmark and not the place to go to watch the NCAA tournament by the way!! Kent is an American now living in Warsaw and he has risen to the top of the Hopski with just his 5th career entry and first since a 139th out of 142 finish in 2007!! His previous best finish was 26th back in 2004 - so he even garners his first top 10 finish this year to boot! When reached in Warsaw, Kent gave credit to not having watched a single game this year as being the key to his success (though I am guessing his sons had to have had some input into this stellar set of picks). Hillary's Server submitted an excellent set of brackets this year, with a pool leading 78% pick % and missing only in the East where Kent had Louisville into the Final Four and Virginia stopping Michigan State. Kent considers the Hopski and specifically the entry names as the highlight of any basketball season. Kent added that his family unanimously voted "John Calipari Center for Kids Who Can't Read Good" (from New Yorker and misguided Yankees fan Ryan Fazio) as their favorite entry name this year.
2nd place goes to The Greg Anthony Escort Service from Ron South, missing out on the top spot by 11 points. Greg Anthony's Escorts were neck and neck with Hillary's Server heading into the final weekend, but Ron had Kentucky picked over Wisconsin and his confidence in Calipari ultimately left him with the silver medal this year. Here's Ron with his son and some 6'6 shooting guard from Illinois:
The third and final spot on the 2015 Hopski podium was taken by Adam Morrison Has Two Rings from James Keeley. This is James' 2nd Hopski and the BCU alum now living in Chicago did not disappoint! I believe James in the one in the green plaid………
I would be remiss if I did not send out some condolences to the 4th place finishing entry of Joey Brackets and Joey Wagoner. I can only imagine how crushing it was to watch the Hopski Title slip away in the last 10 minutes of last night's game. It is a tough loss for the young son of my college roommate Jeff, but certainly Joey has a bright Hopski future and he does at least have his 1st top 10 Hopski finish!!! Joey is shown here on vacation in FL, dreaming of the Hopski Title that never was……
Duke It Out and David Joffe, as a Hopski rookie no less, managed to garner the coveted 2015 Toilet Bowl last place title. I guess if you are going to enter and loss, you may as well lose big, eh David?? One might question the value of the advice he received from seasoned Hopski participant Jack Bell (69th place Not Dope!), as it was Jack that brought David into the Hopski this year as they both work with Washington DC charity Nourish Now, a charity taking excess untouched food from restaurants, caterers, groceries and the like and getting that food to folks that need it. A great idea and certainly worth adding to your list of charities to support or get involved! See you in 2016 David (free entry!).
The Hopski 2nd Chance Dance was won by Rock "U" Like Patrick Kane (Chris Kinkela of Sunrise, FL), shown here celebrating his victory:
On that charitable note, I want to add a big thank-you here for the numerous Hopski participants that last year supported Great Lakes Outreach and my ride in the Tour du Burundi. Hopski entrants accounted for $4,445 USD of my $26,340 total raised from friends and colleagues. Burundi still needs attention and prayers as it is a country still at the bottom of the world in nutrition, health and GDP per capita. More so, elections loom in the coming months and violent unrest there is a real possibility.
I have recently joined GLO's UK Board of Trustees and hope to return to Burundi in May 2016 for the next Tour!! So…..if any of you are so inclined as to join me on a wonderful trip. deserving fundraiser and attempt a very physically tough cycling tour of a beautiful country, let me know!!! Even if you do not want to cycle with me, please continue to consider Great Lakes Outreach in your charitable giving plans!!
This brings us to this year's BEST ENTRY NAME WINNER!!!!
CONGRATULATIONS RYAN FAZIO and John Calipari's Center for Kids Who Can't Read Good!!! Certainly an entry name worthy of the title, working in hoops and cleverness. Honorable mention goes to Fried Calipari from Joe Seib, for gathering the 2nd most votes. Ryan gets free entry into next year's Hopski!
Lastly, a few comments on the game last night.
Watching it this morning I sat there in perpetual amazement at how Wisconsin was not able to pull away and just dominate the game, especially after getting Duke's 2 top players into early (and late) foul trouble. Coach K was masterful in managing this game, most impressive to me was his quick TO at the 4 minute mark immediately after Jones hit a 3 to give them a 1 point lead. They were winded and taking that TO before Wisconsin could inbound I think was brilliant, just brilliant!
As great as my thoughts were about Coach K, this game completely reminded me of the 1991 Indiana vs Duke game in that the 2nd half officiating was very questionably in favor of the Dukies. Now, in 1991 Indiana had Valentine (a known Knight hater) on the court. Last night though, man oh man, Duke seemed to get about 6 or 7 let's say "50/50" calls in the 2nd half, most notably the "and 1s" when they came from 9 down to even. Wisconsin on the season (and throughout the last number of years) just does not often foul and then to have 15 fouls just in the 2nd half was a bit grinding for me to watch. Further, the officials refusing to look at the replay on the Jones "and 1" with about 8 minutes to go, when he jumped into the Wisconsin player with his elbow to his face on the shot…..I do not get it. Last moan - how the heck can the officials not see that Duke indeed touched the ball last on the call with 2 minutes to go is beyond me! They took 2 minutes to review the play and clearly his index finger moved backwards as a result of hitting the ball. Yet….Duke ball. Argh!!!!! Luckily though, I was not the author of the Joey Brackets entry!!!
The 17th Hopski is in the books!!! See you next year (I hesitantly state) - same websites - so BOOKMARK them now!!
