It just kind of happened. It can't be explained, and I'm not sure I really want to. But, in the midst of unveiling the F'd Up Tournament last year, it gained traction. It gained steam. And, it gained fans - passionate ones.
Three fans, Jeff Schaffer, Jake Young and Brian Boesch stood out more than others for various reasons. They gave input. They spread their enthusiasm to others. They were, in lieu of a better term, the best groupies a band could ask for.
And now, they are competing for entry into this mystical tournament. They are competing for a chance to face Barack Obama, Gus Johnson and maybe even yours truly. We could have had a play-in game, and maybe we should have. But, since this group is known for their creativity and humor, we thought it might be more fitting if they wrote an essay.
Their writing was directed to explain to the world why in fact they should win the Enthusiasm Spot. The second, and maybe just as important part of their essay, was who is the one person who should NOT get in. Their responses are below.
Tomorrow Kevin and I are recording our selection show. It's scheduled to be an hour long, so buckle in. We are planning on using UStream to broadcast the F'd Up Tournament LIVE, so be on the look out for that as well.
Enjoy ... I know I sure did.
BRIAN BOESCH
Ever since I was a young Browns fan with gettin’ away from the recess supervisors speed, I enjoyed simulating things. I was the kid who would simulate Madden franchises. I was livid for a week after my Madden 2004 Franchise pulled a 2007 Patriots TWO straight years. I would draw brackets in notes during class and secretly flip a coin to see who would win that year’s World Series, Super Bowl, or NBA Finals. Heck, during freshman year, my buddy and I put together the entire March Madness into his Xbox and simulated it for hours and hours. (Nothing like seeing 16-seeds make it to the Final Four).Well, the F’d Up Tournament is a chance to see people, events, sayings, and even performances go at it. And to actually be a part of it would be unbelievable. There certainly is a lot of risk involved. What if I battle DA 2/17 Win…and lose? That would be terrible. But, I could also beat the Steelers. Or the New York Yankees. What would a victory over the Most Interesting Man in the World do for me and my “game”? I can only dream right now. Yet, that is what is possible with this tournament.
The F’d Up Tournament is more than just a tournament. It’s an arena of opportunity. It’s a chance to do things you can’t do in real life. And it would be an honor to be a part of it.
What’s great about the F’d Up Tournament is that it is so versatile. I made one pick a week during the ATS season using the method, and it panned out pretty well. And it can also allow me to pick between two people highly respected in the F’d Up World. Jeff and Jake are both worthy adversaries, so to figure out who shouldn’t be in…let’s roll the dice.
Jake rolls first in this battle. Remember, the loser is the one who I say should NOT be in the F’d Up Tournament. Jeff takes the lead 9-3. After two, Jeff is up 19-12. Wow, Jeff is playing with a sense of urgency. Double 6’s followed by a 5. It’s 36-17 through 3. Jake finally wins a round by one, so it’s 41-23. At halftime, it’s 47-26, Jeff. This one could get ugly. Sevens for both sides in round 6, so it’s 54-33. The final four rolls: 9-7 Jake, 11-8 Jeff, 7-7 tie, and 8-4 Jeff. It was an easy win for Jeff, 87-61. So, Jake, you are out. Sorry man, but that’s the F’d Up way of life.
I hope that I can be a part of the F’d Up Tournament. It truly would be an honor. Thanks for your time.
JEFF SCHAFFER
Since I first followed a FaceBook link to the King of Arguments’ blog and discovered the F’d Up Tournament, I was hooked. I couldn’t help but dig deeper into the blog archive and read as much as possible about this event that melded sports, pop-culture, personal locations and experiences, and some things that were completely foreign to me. After one of the committee members explained the tournament’s origin and its rules, I wanted to be involved.First and foremost, I wanted to be in the tournament. Obviously my friends who created it will always be in the field, but so were some other people I know.. After studying the list of automatic bids and the Mainstay Bracket field, I knew none of those were my ticket into this year’s tourney. Being nominated for the enthusiasm spot was just the chance I’d been waiting for.
Second, after I learned of the change that would take place for this version of the tourney (die rolls rather than coin flips), I instantly tried to think of ways that the game formats could be altered so that seeding was reflected in how the games played out. I don’t know if I actually helped, since official format hasn’t been announced yet, but I was at least thinking and trying to help the committee.
I also tried to contribute to the tournament by submitting my own ideas for at-large candidates, offering some of my own perspective on, essentially, the entire world. While I made several suggestions for the already-crowded at-large field, three ideas I originated did crack the field: Bryant University basketball, Marian Hossa and Team Self-Esteem. One could argue that because Team Self-Esteem made it I’m already in, but you could also say that, without my enthusiasm for the tournament, that’s one less 5-8 seed in the field. I’ll choose the latter.
Finally, aside from simply wanting to be in the tournament, I want the chance to give something back to a group and an idea that has already given me a lot. During the lull of summer, I didn’t have a whole lot going for me, other than sending out the occasional random resume. Then came my discover of the F’d Up Tournament, which not only provided hours (not an exaggeration) of entertainment, but directly led to the creation of my own blog. After all the F’d Up Tourney has given me, I only hope that I can win this spot and provide it with some great moments for itself.
The most difficult part about this essay was to talk about which candidate for the enthusiasm spot doesn’t deserve to make it, because I not only know both my opponents, but have tremendous respect for them. I prefer to talk more about why I should win the spot rather than why someone else shouldn’t…it’s just how I am. Because of this, I decided to choose a quantifiable statistic to help me make this decision: Brian shouldn’t get the spot because he’s the youngest…experience counts.
JAKE YOUNG
I hadn't heard of the F'd Up Tournament until I was browsing Luke's blog earlier in 2009 and saw the preliminary rounds taking place. Needless to say, I was intrigued. Games of chance that take up your free time? Sounds exactly like something I would do and something my girlfriend would just never understand. Perfect! So, I kept watching, kept commenting and kept silently cheering my favorites. There was George Costanza, someone who has to be there, the gaining popularity Gus Johnson, our committee, Luke, Kevin and Barnes and so many more, including a recent personal favorite, Ronald Pittman.I watched the rounds progress and silently cheered for those I wanted to win. I purposefully wouldn't scroll down far enough to see the winner until I got to that moment. It filled a nice chunk of time in my jobless, internship filled summer away from home in Cincinnati. So, the F'd Up Tourney became something more to me than just you guys rolling dice over and over. It became June and July Madness, and I was very appreciative.
I think it's pretty clear at this point that I would very much like to have my own place in this tournament, especially after my “Hot N Cold” ATS season. But, that's not what I'm going to say. Right now, the tournament has 3 teams to fill one slot. We can't have a physical play-in game, so we're writing essays to make our case. Well, this is a little different play-in experience, and a little different tournament, so I'm going to suggest a little different decision for how to fill our final slot.
For the final participant, I'd like to see all three of us in the slot, and here's why. I'm devoted. I have been here since the beginning, keeping track, cheering for teams and considering things I could suggest to add in. Boesch is the constant. Always reliable for hilarious comments, and his boob always seems to be there when I'm at the bar and need one to grab that won't get me in trouble with the Mrs. And then there's Schaf. Self-deprecating, passing all the credit, but really the best of the best, getting it done like Greg Jennings, making the big play but without the diva attitude.
So, I apologize for not giving you exactly what you were looking for, but these guys are just as deserving as I am, and there's no way I'm going to say they don't. Put me in, but give them the same opportunity. We're all tight, WOUB Past, Present and Future, and I would be proud to share a line with them in the tournament. And if not, Go Patrick Chewing (or Bryant Basketball...what else do they have going for them?)
_____________________________________________________________
I cannot thank Schaf, Brian and Jake for their contribution to this tournament. No matter what the final decision will be, all three have made their impact on the F'd Up Tournament. It wouldn't be the same without them.
Look out for the Selection Show tomorrow, and then the F'd Up Tournament itself. Should be fun.
Until next time, "read it, roll it, hole it."
No comments:
Post a Comment