3rd
Annual Greater Detroit Open - April 27-29, 2007
(Write up not complete)
Jason Papa, proprietor of Madison Park Bowl Bar
& Grill had already created a “buzz” about this
tournament by his press releases in the weeks leading up to the
event. His great job of promoting this tournament led to the participation
of 64 players from eight states and $30,000+ prize money. The states
represented were OK, OR, FL, IN, MI, CA, AK and TX. Because he couldn’t
attend, Mike Koontz, of Journey’s End Bar & Grill in Bourbon,
IN offered to pay the registration fee for the first 10 Indiana
players and that worked out perfectly as there were exactly 10 players
from Indiana!
Ladies ‘R’ Captains Draft
Team Event
With Steve “Coco” Brown in charge of the draft, the
twelve lady captains retired to the back room. For some of the ladies
this was there first ever experience in the draft room and Coco
kept things moving along nicely. When the ladies were asked if they
wanted to bring in their first pick to help, there were two answers..
for some it was a resounding “hell no” and for others
a just as resounding… “hell yes”!
With
the draft complete, the teams were entered into Eddie Brayman’s
software program for shuffleboard, Computer Peas. People could view
the sale as it progressed on the large projection screen TV provided
by Madison Park Bowl Bar & Grill. Each captain was presented
with a tote bag designed by Ann Harrell with eshuffleboard.com on
one side and Madison Park Bowl on the other. Steve Auten did the
sponsor sale and with almost $10,000 up for grabs they were off!
Since the format was 2 out of 3 in both brackets,
teams played late into the night. Of those lucky enough to still
be alive at the end of the evening, they also got to play shuffleboard
at 8:00 in the morning! Mid afternoon Saturday, with only two teams
left and the time fast approaching for the Singles to begin, two
of the least likely fellows on the face of the planet to go for
a “split” reached an agreement. The team of Theresa
Stephens (MI) (Capt), Darrol Nelson (OR), Gene Brown (IN) and Manny
Lane (AK) won the winners bracket and took first place while the
team of Vicki Morgan (Capt) (IN), John McDermott (MI), Cliff Viesel
(TX) and Tom Shultz (MI) took 2nd place.
Michigan, Pioneers, Legends and the New
Generation of Tabletop Shuffleboard
Steve “Coco” Brown called the group to order before
the start of the sponsor sale for the open singles and division
II singles. Betty Parrish presented the PLNG Award of Excellence
to Ann Harrell of eshuffleboard.com. for “your many efforts
and unselfish dedication towards the promotion and continuation
of the sport of tabletop shuffleboard”. Ann, who had been
sitting there (shushing the crowd) with her camera ready to take
a picture of the recipient was practically speechless. She was only
able to say, “My thank you is not making a speech”,
but later recovered her composure enough to exchange handshakes
and hugs all around.
Open
Singles
While several folks that played in the draft event chose to sit
out the singles to rest up for the 3 person bring, there were still
13 strong players in the open singles. With over $10,000 up for
grabs in this event (not including side pot), competition was again
fierce. The format was 2 out of 3 in the winner’s bracket
and one 21 point game in the losers bracket (due to time constraints).
Mr. John McDermott
of the Shuffleboard Federation was on top of his game. The word
awesome applies, not in the valley girl sense, but more along the
lines of “shock and awe”. John out lagged twos with
confidence to defeat both Darrol Nelson (3rd) and to double dip
Bill Melton (2nd) for the open singles crown. John Tischler of Michigan
finished 4th .
Division II Singles (1s, 2s, 3s, 4s)
As with the Open Singles, several people involved in the draft team
event opted out of the Division II singles to rest up for the final
event of the weekend, the 3 Person Add to 4 Team event. There were
still 28 willing participants in the singles. Play began Saturday
afternoon and continued Sunday morning. When the smoke settled,
Jessica Williams, local favorite, double dipped Jeff Cottrell, another
local favorite, to take first place. Dick Smedberg of Florida took
third place and Jim Earl Madary placed fourth. Placing 5th/6th were
Carlos Capote and Doug Queen and 7th/8th were Coco Brown and Tom
Meagher to round out the field.
3
Person Bring Team – Add to 4
Sunday afternoon brought the final event of the weekend, the 3 Person
Add to 4 Team. At first it was thought that there would be only
6-7 teams and one team even left thinking “it wouldn’t
be worth their time”, to play. We ended up with 33 hearty
souls for 11 teams in the bring event and a just over $6,000! Not
to shabby for the last event of the weekend!
The format was changed
from 2 out of 3, to a single game, double elimination so we could
finish before midnight and get everyone on their way and back to
work on Monday. The pick up team of Jim Martin from California and
bracket master Rob Kern and Computer Peas guru, Coco Brown of Michigan
teamed up to take 3rd place. The Summitville, Indiana team from
GI’s Town Tavern, Glen & Jeri Ingram and Gene Brown placed
2nd. Jessica Williams (a 2) and James Sanchez (unrated) carried
Frank Blade through unscathed for the final win of the weekend.
Thank Yous
Many people work hard to make a tournament a success. And this tournament
was a success. The prize money was great, the shuffleboard tables
were wonderful, the food and the comradery could not be beat. Once
again the great team of Coco and Cindy Brown and Rob and Deb Kern
ran the registration desk. Coco and Rob, using Computer Peas, kept
the tournaments on track and the brackets updated in living color.
Jason Papa, going on about 8 hours sleep in 5 days, helped everyone
that asked from hotel rooms to new tires.
See you next
year! Expect more boards (in the bowling center), more money, more
good times and more shuffleboard!!
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1st) Theresa Stevens
Darrol Nelson
Manny Lane
Gene Brown
2nd) Vicki Morgan
John McDermott
Cliff Visel
Tom Schultz
3rd) Jeri Ingram
Roland Metivier
Tom Meagher
Laura Rebecca
Brenda Kane
Bill Melton
John Myles
Leon Black
Ann Harrell
Steve Auten
Lacho Barradas
Mike Cork
Jessica Williams
Frank Blade
Rob Kern
James Sanchez
Kim Stripe
Glen Inram
Jerry Siebert
Tom Williams
Jackie Meagher
Jim Long
Mike O'Dell
James Kumpala
Sandy Blade
Jim Martin
Dennis Bittner
Larry Creakbaum
Betty Parrish
Larry Brown
Chris Lemieux
Travis Taylor
Mary Brown
John Tischler
Bill Kane
Sarah Williams
Peggy Williams
Junior Lopez
Dick Smedberg
Doug Queen
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1st John McDermott
2nd Bill Melton
3rd Darrol Nelson
4th Jon Tischler
Steve Auten
Frank Blade
Alonzo Cottrell
Jim Martin
Junior Lopez
Roland Metivier
Jason Papa
Neil Fetter
Bill Kane
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1st Jessica Williams
2nd Jeff Cottrell (WB)
3rd Dick Smedberg
4th Jim Earl Madary
5th/6th Carlos Capote
5th/6th Doug Queen
7th/8th CoCo Brown
7th/8th Tom Meagher
Obie Pierce
Bob Auten
Sandy Blade
Wayne Atkinson
Tom Schultz
Lacho Baradas
Rob Kern
James Kumpala
Sarah Williams
Rod Redwood
James Sanchez
Travis Taylor
Allen Aulph
Laura Rebecca
Peggy Williams
Ann Harrell
Larry Creakbaum
Don Parkhurst
Tom Williams
Mike Cork
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1st Frank Blade (WB)
Jessica Williams
James Sanchez
2nd Glen Ingram (LB)
Jeri Ingram
Gene Brown
3rd Jim Martin
Steve "Coco" Brown
Rob Kern
Bill Melton
Lacho Baradas
Peggy Williams
Darrol Nelson
Kelly Genez
Harold Garian
John McDermott
Neil Fetter
Laura Rebecca
Jim Long
Manny Lane
Vicki Morgan
Dennis Bittner
Jim Earl Madary
Mike Cork
Dick Smedberg
Chris Lemieux
James Kumpala
Tom Meagher
Mike O'Dell
Jackie Meagher
Sandy Blade
Dan Genez
Doug Queen |