It is hard to remember when my Spring Break used to be like this:
When now it is like this:
Yep - that is me in the back, or in the case of the Harry Potter VR thing at Universal - with my eyes wide CLOSED! That is really a shame......but.....
That though is neither here nor there as for the 2nd year in a row, The Commish was AWOL Championship week, out spending Hopski money like.......
errrr, Hopper money that would be - thanks for everyone's patience again this year - ESPECIALLY those owed HOPSKI money!!!
I only received a couple of calls like that though (thank you Tom Wojt - once again a big winner in our annual Big 10 vs Big 12 bet!)!
CONGRATS TO THE 2022 HOPSKI CHAMPION:
UDAMAN from Mike Ching
Mike is a 20 year veteran of the Hopski, previously serving podium time in 2011 when he took home the Silver Medal! Aside from picking the Jayhawks championship, Ron racked up 43 underdog points - which were the difference makers vs the 2nd, 3rd and 4th place entrants. A bulk of those points came from his picking the #11 seed duos of Michigan and Iowa State into the Sweet 16! Mike is the EY OMP in Honolulu, a life-long Broncos fan (and season ticket holder!) and a graduate of Santa Clara. When contacted on the beach in Honolulu, Mike said: "I'll just say that I'm honored to finally be a Hopski champion!! Having gotten close once before.....2nd sucks, so I am very glad the Jayhawks came through!! I think I first joined the Hopski 20 years ago, so this would mean that the Hopski has been in my life for 40% of my years on this earth....longer than I've known my kids. That said, this year also makes my 20 year anniversary with the better half, so glad I've got some coin for the big anniversary gift!!
KUDOS TO THE 2022 HOPSKI RUNNER-UP.....
FAB 5 FINGERS from CHRIS KINKELA
Chris is another Hopski veteran, now reaching the podium for the first time in his 9th year, besting his 7th place finish in 2016! Chris also won the 2016 2nd Chance Dance with the unforgettable Rock "U" Like A Patrick Kane entry. Chris is now killing the Real Estate game, side by side with his wife Silvia, in the Central Florida market. He is a proud Graduate from Central Michigan University- FIRE UP CHIPS, but roots for The Fab Five Finger Slapping Juwan Howard coached Michigan Wolverines in hoops. When he's not watching college hoops, Chris coaches his son's 5/6yr old baseball team and helps as a prop dad for his two daughters' competitive dance team. He's also famous for getting blocked by multiple athletes on twitter, most notably Arkansas Football Coach Sam Pittman.
Rounding out the podium, 3rd Place Goes to......
It's Late, It's Tate, It's Great from Don King!!
No - not THAT one, THIS ONE.......
Don is a Hopski rookie lives in Rocky Hill, CT. When not rooting on UConn hoopsters and the Mets (yes - he is an acknowledged METS FAN!!), he works in IT at an Investment Management Company. For pleasure, he enjoys spending time in the Caribbean (Pic is from Turks and Caicos).
Don has graciously donated his 3rd place Hopski winnings ($325) to the Polish Humanitarian Action Fund for their continued support of Ukrainian refugees - A HUGE THANKS DON!!!
That rounds out the podium and on to the Hopski 2nd Chance Dance Champion....
Mathurin Child Reunion from Peter Pell takes the 2022 Hopski 2nd Chance Dance Trophy with 144 points, edging out Ted Schulz's Always Believe entry (had to give Ted a shout-out as he was SOOOOO CLOSE this year in both the main pool and the 2nd Chance Dance to some Hopski $$$$ after 20+ years!!!!!).
Peter is the defending Best Entry Name winner from 2021 (No Suggs in the Champagne Room!) and the runner-up in the main Hopski Pool in both 2017 and 2019 (by tiebreaker). Thus, Peter is one Hopski Toilet Bowl victory away from covering all possible means of victory in the Hopski (Jack - what can we call that??!!). Peter lives in Long Island (for those of us not familiar with NYC - that would be EAST of NYC he points out!) with his wife and 2 kids and of course a golden retriever. Peter also has asked that 1/2 of his 2nd Chance Dance winnings also be contributed to the Polish Humanitarian Action Fund - AWESOME - THANK PETER!!!!
Speaking of the Best Entry Name.....
The 2022 Best Entry Name goes to
Shooter McGavin's Breakfast from rookie Mark Horgan! I have zero info on Mark - not even sure who intro'd him to the Hopski, but I like the creativity (or atleast his mail-in campaign voters did!!). Mark can now look forward to free entry in the 2023 Hopski!!
Also receiving votes:
Fab 5 Finger Slap & LONGWOOD....not big enough for the moment (Chris Kinkela)
Put on Your Red Shoes and Dance! (Michelle Johnson)
More Beef Than Kanye and Pete (Bill LaFever)
It's Late, It's Tate, It's Great! (Don King)
I Smell Putin Over Here (David Miller)
Bored Hoosier Yacht Club (Matt Powell)
Big Ol Tytys (Peter Pell)
The Hopski would not be complete without a TOILET BOWL CHAMPION...
This year's winner is long-time (20 years + as well!!) Hopski entrant Julie Grundberg and Play-in Game?? Julie managed to clock just 44 points this year, picking at a 38.1% rate, to just edge out former Hopski Champion Mark Conlon's BUILD BrACKet BETTER! Julie was the 2019 Hopski 2nd Chance Dance Champion - so she has to be "smellin'" the Podium in her future - certainly a better smell than her current spot :). Julie is a Hoosier alum that I met in my Chicago days and now she lives in Seattle (I think I have that right!!).
Combining 26 entries with direct donations along with the additional contributions from winnings, that brings the grand total contribution to PAH in support of Ukrainian refugees to $3,768.24!!!
*as a side note, I take no tax benefit from these donations - even the entry fees that I cover for your private donations - just sayin'!! Full transparency here at Hopski HQ!
It is a pleasure to be associated with all of you and please continue to push for support of Ukraine in whatever means you have at your disposal!!!!
One last Poland/Ukraine tidbit - if you have 5 minutes - this article is something that I really enjoyed reading today. A long-time friend, John Lynch wrote and put it out on smerconish.com over the weekend. It is really amazing what Poland as a country and people are doing - makes me really happy (though feeling really too far removed) to be associated with a great country like Poland!!!
Keep well and have a great Hopski Off-season! See you in 2023!!
The Commish
**Hopski history & analytics blog post will be circulated shortly this week after work fully attended!!
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