And the 2024 Hopski Champion is....... Lord Voldemort

 

Congratulations to In Hube We Trust from Mark Iantosca, this year's Hopski International March Madness Pool Champion!!!  In Hube We Trust was one of a near record 47 entries (at 33%, 4th highest rate in 25 years) picking the champion correctly and earning 30 points from the Championship Game.  In Hube We Trust had a great first round this year, picking 25 of 32 games (yes - accuracy STILL has its rewards in the Hopski!)

When reached at his Connecticut castle, the Dark Lord had this to say regarding his championship (not fact checked btw):

The Hopski is the leading and one truly global NCAA March Madness pool - filled with an eclectic group of successful business leaders, entrepreneurs, politicians and bitter University of Indiana alumni.  The Hopski is also great fun and really well organized in terms of updates and money collection.  A shout out to the Commissioner for the professionalism/time commitment and the at times entertaining commentary. 

To win the Hopski and to win it convincingly has been a goal ever since I first crossed paths with the Commissioner on the black top in Warsaw, Poland in 2000.  Yes, I did find the unprecedented & controversial attempt to remove my entry two days before the Final Four disappointing, but in the end it only served to galvanize my UConn brethren, leading my entry to victory! 

It became personal with me!

(Commish insert: I find it ironic that someone who is a ridiculously massive Lebron lover as the GOAT would request an MJ meme inserted here!)

Beating, or in this case, ‘ass whipping,’ the Commissioner and my little brothers in anything is always a tremendous pleasure - much like this Vince Carter dunk! 

The Iantosca Family will be going to Disneyland next week to celebrate the Hopski Championship! 

In Summary - and to surmise from UConn Coach Dan Hurley post-Championship game:  “Now you’re thinking in your brain, as I’m looking at the locker room (my wife and daughter), about the chance to do it two times, like a dynasty in modern times. Can I replicate Hopski legend State Senator Ryan Fazio’s achievement in ‘21-22. I mean, that’s what I’m thinking about.”

Thank you Mark Iantosca for leading a great pool this year!!!  What can I say aside from no doubt I should have suspended the guy and ensure a lesson learned!!

Speaking of GOATS - we note really had a Hopski discussion about this, but certainly this year's 2nd Place winner, Noferi's Irresistible from Mark Noferi can make a case.  The Marvelous Mr. Nofe took 2nd in both the Main Pool and the 2nd Chance Dance this year (losing on a tiebreaker) to go along with Hopski Main Pool championships in 2008 and 2018!  Aside from the ridiculous back to back Championships of Ryan Fazio (I'm Gonna Hurley), dare I say there may not be many arguments to the contrary provided Iantosca is not asked for his opinion!  The Nofe is fully recovered from a 2018 health scare and here is a Squat Shot of him pulling 300lbs in preparation for this year's Hopski!!

Finally, climbing the Hopski podium for the 1st time is Babylon Chop Shop from Long Islander Tom Wojt!  Here's a photo of Tom as joined the Long Island Correctional Facility recently (no - this is actually a professional pick of Tom - but first thing I thought when I saw it was "man - this guy is going to shiv me!") 

(I like this pic of Tom and his family that was nabbed off of Facebook better!)

Congrats as well to the Hopski 2nd Chance Dance Champion this year - Tosca1 #2 from David Iantosca, younger brother of Lord Voldemart!!  David finished in a tie for the win with The Nofe - but won the tiebreaker with a 148 total points guess vs Nofe's 152.  That random number everyone picks out at the end entering their picks DOES ACTUALLY MATTER!!!  Dave was quite happy with the victory, which along with his main pool's 2016 Championship allows him to retain the title of "GOAT of Iantosca's in the Hopski".  Dave also highlighted in our post-tournament interview that his is a Richmond spider grad, living in Chicago with his young family and runs sales for an organic dairy company.  He also holds the title for most wins of all Iantosca family members in their 2on2 basketball family basketball battles.  Here's Dave with his two daughters!!

At the other end of the Hopski spectrum, we have a Toilet Bowl Winner this year......

Niparoo 10 and Amy Kenney of San Francisco took the low score award for 2024 with 46 points.  After wrapping up the Toilet Bowl this year during the Elite 8, Amy seemed to enter seclusion as the Commissioner's Office staff could not reach her for comment - thus the below is pulled from LinkedIn.  Certainly though Amy shall emerge from seclusion next year as she received FREE ENTRY into the 2025 Hopski (presuming there is one - which is highly likely!).

Show me the money$$$

KUDO'S to the entirety of the Hopski Entrants this year as your participation raised $1,670 USD for the Polish Humanitarian Fund!!

This year's payouts for the Hopski are as follows:

Venmo and Paypal options for all except 1st place - and in respect of that Mr. Iantosca........ 

THE CHECK IS IN THE MAIL!!!!!

CHAMPIONSHIP MONDAY (& what should be a tear filled night for Boiler Pete!)

Indeed Championship Monday is upon us.......

UCONN VS FURDUE

And the good news is that both Kentucky (end of Calipari Era) and Purdue (end of season) can put their eclipse shades to use tonight and cover up their TEARS!!!!!

SO......  GO HUSKIES!!!!

On the other hand, that is basically rooting for this guy 

Lord Voldemart (He Who Must Not Be Named - being Mark Iantosca - requested lest we tarnish his image).

Back to the Hopski....

The Hopski Championship Comes Down to This:

In the blue UConn corner, none other than In Hube We Trust (Lord Voldemort, the primary antagonist in the Hopski Pool series of 20 years), sitting in the catbird seat with a UCONN victory.  Lord V took control of the Hopski by picking a Pool Leading 3 of the Final Four, missing out only on Alabama and gaining 7 BIG Dawg points from the NC State pick over Duke, moving him to the top of the picked UCONN group.  Joining the Dark Lord on the podium if the Huskies pull it off tonight will be Noferi's Irresistible (Mark Noferi, a 2 time Hopski Pool Champion (2008 & 2018), DC resident and will soon be featured in one of those before and after ads for a healthy lifestyle) and Babylon Chop Shop (Tom Wojt, another of the ex-Warsaw hoops crew, set to finish 2nd and 3rd respectively.  This is Tom's 24th Hopski and with a total of 42 entries - this could be his first podium finish - with his previous best being 8th (out of 30) in 1999.  Oddly - he has finished 78th 4 times!  Tom need the $ from this year as he has lost our annual Big 12 vs Big 10 bet (shockingly) at $25 per win and $50 per head to head match up!!

And just because I originally wrote this up thinking Emotional Damage! (Grant Quasha would finish 2nd if UConn wins (sorry - only a 4th place finish in reality but liked the write up and thus, sharing anyway), a 15 year Hopski vet referred to the Hopski by the Dark Lord when they worked together at Voldemort's Castle (also cannot refer to JP Morgan Chase and don't get me started on the repercussions if I even think of the unthinkable and try to drop a Dimon reference).  Grant lives in NYC with a full scale family of 4 + a dog.  The Emotional Damage entry name is homage to the meme of the guy slamming his shoe - pretty cool after I researched it but lacking hoops / March Madness tie-in!! 

On the other hand, should hell freeze over and the Boilers win tonight, none other than Shut Up and Drive (Melissa Rawlings, my youngest sister, Indy resident and Maui snowbird) will happily take the top spot and 3rd historical Top Ten finish (Matt Powell - seriously??  23 years and not a single top 10!!).  Melissa picked a pool-high 14 of the Sweet 16 this year to lead the "Purdue Pickers" into the Final.  In Hube We Trust (Lord Voldemort) and Baylor Boiler (Glen Gregory, former Warsaw expat and now living in Mexico with his bike and guitar) are set to tie for the Silver Medal if Purdue wins.  Coincidentally in its first year of existence, the tiebreaker change implemented in the offseason this year by the Hopski Committee whereby the earliest payment of entry will come into play and favor Baylor Boiler.  Thanks for the prompt payment Glen - even from Mexico - going the extra mile for the Hopski is always appreciated!

The Hopski 2nd Chance Dance Sweet 16 Pool is coming down to not 2 but 3 contenders for the title!!!  Skibidi Toiler Bowler (Dave Putts, longtime friend and entrepreneur living in Warsaw).  Whilst Duke and Illinois left him hanging in terms of an alumnus, he did not let his heart rule his Sweet 16 2nd Chance picks and will take the 2nd Chance Dance title if Purdue wins.  If UCONN wins though, we will hae a tie at the top between Addicted to Nofe (Mark Noferi) and Tosca1 #2 (David Iantosca, Lord Voldemart's younger and uncorrupted broker, the one most of us refer to as the "Good Iantosca"..... we say the same about you too Scott, and Angelo, and basically the entire clan except for The One.  As the Good Iantosca paid his entry fee in a timely fashion, along with NOFE, the 2nd tiebreaker of total points predicted in the championship game will settle the 2nd Chance Dance - with the Good Iantosca at 148 and Nofe at 152.

SOME HOPSKI STATS!

Generally a pretty average hopski in terms of average correct picks and Dawg points.  With 47 entries having picked UCONN to win, we do have a chance at the 3rd highest number of picked champions, whereas a Boiler win would put this year's pool below average.

FULL HOPSKI LEADERBOARD STANDINGS

LASTLY - LET ME BE CLEAR - REGARDLESS OF TONIGHT, 

PURDUE WILL STILL SUCK!!

(JUST 4X MORE THAN INDIANA INSTEAD OF 5!)