It was nothing, then it was EVERYTHING!!! We Have A Champion!!!!

With a few minutes left in the final game, it was still a 3 horse race in the Hopski and then once 133 points was surpassed, it was a 2 horse race that went back and forth with finally Ryan Fazio outlasting Kyle Becker (who fell to 11th place - the highest finish from a non-Virginia picking entry!!).  Ultimately - this became the 1st Hopski in 21 years to go to the tiebreaker to decide a Champion and it was I LEFT MY HEART IN UMBC FROM RYAN FAZIO

 I LEFT MY HEART IN UMBC FROM RYAN FAZIO

THE 2019 HOPSKI INTERNATIONAL MARCH MADNESS POOL CHAMPION!!!

Since last year's 3rd place finish, Ryan trekked to The Great Wall of China in order to gain wisdom and insight into the Hopski and it certainly paid off with this year's championship!!!!  Ryan is a 29 year old commodities trader in NYC ("livin' the life").  His Dad (Michael - with a strong 12th place finish this year) and I met on my greatest sports weekend ever in Indy at the 2000 Final Four (sponsored by Arthur Andersen - oh my - R Petty driving school at Indy 500, 3 on 3 tournament that I shot the lights out to win, great seats for the games, chats with John Wooden, etc..........)

Dad Michael Fazio is just there to the right (left in the picture) of Bobby Cremens.  I am then next to Lou Dobbs (ugh - pathetic in the stock car as well!!!).

Back to Ryan.....  "My dad, who is old friends with "The Commish," introduced me to the Hopski many moons ago and we have bonded over the Tourney ever since. Though a die-hard baseball fan and Yankees devotee, I think that March Madness is the best single sporting event in the world--and that the Hopski makes it even better every year. After getting shut out for many years and placing third last year - THIS YEAR'S CHAMPIONSHIP FEELS WELL EARNED AND ALL THE SWEETER FOR IT!!!"

Peter Pell - dominating the Hopski this year through the Elite 8 with 3 entries in the top five and one time with all 3 money spots - falls to second place by virtue of the tiebreaker.  I would have put money on the <134 points going into the final (the Vegas line was 118 btw!) - so a shocker that Peter lost while Virginia won!  Not all is lost though as 2nd place is a great effort, though a few more of those (Peter finished 2nd in 2017) will evoke some Buffalo Bill / Minnesota Viking comparisons!!

  

Peter is a Richmond alum (obviously pays more timely than roommate and fellow alum Mark Iantosca) and lives outside of NYC with his wife and 2 kids (4 and 6).  He's an investment advisor in and plays lots of racquet sports, hockey and golf.  Never played team basketball (did anyone at Richmond do so??), but always been a fan.  Here he is last month surviving first career roller coaster... space mountain.  Little did he know it was merely preparing him for the Hopski Championship roller coaster that he took tonight!!

Taking the 3rd spot (and also evoking Minnesota/Buffalo close but no cigar comparisons after runners-up spots in 2012 and 2009) is Boy Try This from Jack Bell!!  Jack was too distraught over a 1 point loss to contact / respond to the Commish with a recent picture - but The Commish has ample photos of Mr. Bell.........

This one could be from any number of our 13 Oktoberfests together - but I believe it is 2001!!!  Jack still wears that mustard mock turtleneck today (was hoping for a current photo of it!!).  Jack is very active with Nourish Now , a greater Washington DC area getting excess foods to those who need it!!!  Aside from that - he is also now an official sommelier - but still returns to the home of those taste buds in Munich every September for The Fest (what - 28 years now??!!).  Great entry this year Jack - a Hopski Championship still awaits!!

A big shout-out as well to the 2nd Chance Dance Champion - After All These Years I Still Hate Duke - from Julie Grundberg - here seen back in what - 1994? - getting seduced by a cajun at JazzFest!!

Oh my - in an upset (my favorite was Oh, It's Like Salad - mainly because it made me laugh and I just have no idea as to why) - Row, Row, Row Your Boat Into USC, from Sky Kenney has won the Best Entry Name Contest and gets free entry into the 2020 Hopski!!!

I look forward already to the 2020 Hopski Pool (same website, same blog and hopefully a "freed Hopski"!!!) as it is always a great way to get in touch with so many of you!!!

Click here for the Final Pool Standings  

All the best,

Mark