• Recruit more players!  We’re at 96 right now, but I hope to get to 120.
• Measure courts at the Old Orchard.  Dad and I will paint white dots where ladders will be placed on game day.
• Finish outlines and notes for the preview videos.  Osters and I will be shooting sometime next week.  (It’s not too late to send us your questions.)
• Finalize rankings.  The Top 16, seeds for the other four groups and complete brackets will be officially determined on Sunday, July 25.
• String together a few more new Monkeyball ropes (see pic at right) to be used at both MB6 and the doubles event at MIS.
• Order beer and pizzas.  This is one of the most important to-dos.
• Prepare game day registration lists and t-shirt orders.
• Find time to practice.  Usually doesn’t happen in these last few weeks.

There’s still plenty of room left if you want to play.  Let me know ASAP if you want in.

Looking forward to August 7,
Andy
andy@playmonkeyball.com

Jason Salmon, #2 in the world, looked sharp all day going 4-0 to win Bracket A.  He didn’t drop a game until his semi-final matchup with #7 Sean Dameron.  He overcame that loss, as he stomped Sean the next game 15-0 to secure his spot in the finals. #16 Scott Salmon played well going 3-1 and securing the #2 seed into the afternoon.  Newcomer Michele O’Brien proved to be too strong for Scott today, as she took him out in a 3 game quarterfinal battle. #5 Kevin Singleton lost his first match of the day to newcomer, Jason Gulledge.  He took the 4th seed out of Bracket B by winning his next four matches in the loser’s bracket before Michele beat him to secure the 3rd seed.  Michele eventually lost in the semifinals getting beat by Todd Bragan.
Todd was on fire all day!!  (I can vouch for that because he threw a 12 monkeys on the first rack as he monkey-stomped me 15-0 to win Bracket B!)  Todd took out Joey Whitehurst in a 3-game battle in the quarterfinals & Michele O’Brien in the semis,  before he lost to Jason Salmon in the finals.  Todd took home the silver Monkeyballs and already has his eyes set on MB7!!

Joey Whitehurst has only played in one other tournament, but today he looked like a seasoned veteran.  He started off with a win and then lost to #16 Scott Salmon.  Joey blamed everyone and everything but himself, and it worked for him.  He put up four straight victories on his way to locking up the #4 seed in Bracket A.  He’s already started work on his own set of MB ladders, so he’ll be a force in future tournaments.
Jeremy Long started off his tourney with a loss…but he turned it around quickly and won 6 in a row to secure a #3 seed into the afternoon.  He played Sean Dameron in a rain-soaked battle of MB5 proportions.  #7 Sean won that battle,  then lost in the semis to eventual winner, Jason Salmon.  (who by the way also threw a 12 monkeys on me!)

Michele O’Brien and Sean Dameron played a one game match for the bronze Monkeyballs.  Michele really wanted the bronze, but came up just short and Sean took home 3rd place. Congrats to Jason Salmon on the win!  In addition to taking home the golden Monkeyballs, he also won a 2-night beach trip to the Gulf, courtesy of Kaiser Realty.

We all had lots of fun!  Many thanks to Buffalo Wild Wings Trussville for hosting!  Thanks to Jeff Tyler for providing the live music in the afternoon, Jeff Otwell for providing the music that night, Bob’s Collectibles for donating the silent auction memorabilia, Budweiser for the beer, and thanks to all the Monkeyballers who came out to play!  A lot of good will be done by Tony and Nancy Kurre of the Bright House Foundation with the $$ raised!!!

Winner: Jason Salmon
Runner-Up: Todd Bragan
# of Players: 36

Bracket/Results (PDF)

Located in the New Holland Fan Plaza at MIS, The NTL will bring fans a laid back tailgating environment to socialize with fellow fans while competing for cash and race-related prizes in a combination of Cornhole and Monkey Ball (similar to Ladder Golf) tournaments.

Also located inside The NTL footprint is the Budweiser Port-A-Party, offering a hometown bar atmosphere with televisions, barstool seating and Budweiser products for purchase.

The NTL will host a total of seven tournaments over three days, including six Cornhole tournaments and – for the first time – an official NTL-sanctioned Monkey Ball tournament.

The highlight of the MIS event is the Saturday evening Cornhole tournament under the lights.  Scheduled for 9:30 pm, the tournament will keep the party rocking in the New Holland Fan Plaza following the Saving Abel concert.

The single-elimination tournaments are open to anyone age 21 or over with a paid $10 team entry fee.  One dollar of each individual $5 entry fee will be donated to MIS Cares, the charitable arm of Michigan International Speedway.  Each tournament holds 32 teams of two, and sign ups are on a first come, first serve basis.  Players can compete in multiple tournaments, but winning teams will be split up for all remaining tournaments.

For more information, including tournament schedules and pre-registration, please visit www.TheNTL.com.

“MIS is shaping up to be a huge event for us,” said Todd Hirschfeld, founder of The National Tailgating League.  “With MIS being so focused on camping and enhancing the fan experience, it was a natural fit for us to put MIS on our 2010 NASCAR Tour.

“We’ve seen all those Cornhole boards set up throughout the campgrounds and parking lots at MIS, and the fans here are talented, there’s no doubt.  Now we’re challenging you to come out to The NTL and show us what you’ve got!”

Camping at MIS has been a long-time tradition, spanning more than 40 years.  With nearly 9,000 campsites, MIS is the largest registered campground in the state of Michigan.  Combine that with the fact that MIS is home to the largest, single-day paid admission sporting event in the state, and the track offers the perfect location for the NTL’s first stop in the “Great Lake State”.

About Michigan International Speedway: Nestled in the lush Irish Hills of Southeastern Michigan, Michigan International Speedway is the Great Escape, a venerable NASCAR national park where fans can get away and enjoy the very best in racing and camaraderie.  It’s the love of racing and the thrill of a great time for race fans and drivers alike.

Sprint Cup Series tickets for the CARFAX 400 on August 15 are as low as $25.  Visit MISpeedway.com or call the MIS ticket hotline at 800-354-1010 today to take advantage of great pricing for 2010 events at MIS.

You can also visit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MISpeedway or Tweet with us @MISpeedway.

About The National Tailgating League: The National Tailgating League (The NTL) was established in 2009 to provide an “event before the event” where sports fans can participate and compete in cornhole, ladder golf and washer toss. All participants compete for cash and race related prizes. Presenting sponsor of The NTL, Budweiser, has been on board since inception providing a destination for pre- and post-event tailgating. The NTL will host events in 10 different NASCAR markets in 2010, doubling its presence from 2009.

The NTL continues to find innovative ways to incorporate everyone’s tailgating interests by adding other events such as a BBQ ribs demonstration and contest, crowning King of the Grill. Future aspirations also include a college football tour. Even if fans are not interested in the tailgating games, the competition is fierce and fun to watch from the Budweiser Porta Party…always serving cold Budweiser and broadcasting pre-race TV and sports of interest.

For event information or to find the latest news, merchandise and tailgate cooking tips visit www.TheNTL.com and join us at www.facebook.com/thentl.

Andy Frushour won this event on his home court, but no one really cared (should wives be openly rooting against husbands?).  We did care, though, that Jo Kidle dropped a 12-Monkeys on Keith Hagen, even though Hagen ultimately won the match to make the semifinals.  We did care that Hagen brought a second pop-up canopy for shade in the sweltering heat and for protection during the 15-minute rain delay.  We did care that Andy Kidle improved on his last place finish two weeks ago at the DBP Drunktathlon, finishing second to the commish.  We did care that Becky Frushour volunteered to be our 8th player; without her sacrificing herself, we would not have had an official event.  And finally, we did care that Abby and Kate had a Lemonade & Cookie Stand — please patronize these young entrepreneurs at MB6.

Champion: Andy Frushour
Runner-Up: Andy Kidle
# of Players: 8

Bracket/Results (PDF)

Champion: Sean Dameron
Runner-Up: Missy Dameron
# of Players: 19

Brackets/Results (PDF)

SUMMARY

ONE MONTH UNTIL THE 2010 WORLDCHAMPIONSHIPS
More than 80 ballers have already registered for Worlds on Aug. 7, and many, many more have told me they plan to register.  I only have room for 144 players, so if you want to play tell me now so I can reserve your spot – and pass this message onto your friends, too.  Registration is $10.  If you have a PayPal account, you can send directly to me at afrushour@gmail.com (THIS IS PREFERRED). Or, if your want to pay by credit card I can email you an invoice via PayPal.  Cash or check is also fine, please note my new address: 108 Windy Rush Ln, DeWitt, MI, 48820.

Also let me know if you want the official MB6 t-shirt.  This official logo will be printed on a green t-shirt.  Shirts are $10 if pre-ordered by July 9.  We typically order about 120 shirts, and any extras will be available for $15 at the tournament.

More Worlds info: http://playmonkeyball.com/upcoming-events/8710-mb6-dimondale-mi/
Recaps of previous World Championships: http://playmonkeyball.com/world-championships/

DOUBLES AT MICHIGAN INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
Plan on heading down to Michigan International Speedway for the August NASCAR event and, more importantly,  Doubles Monkeyball on the big stage.  We’re partnering with the National Tailgating League for this one-of-a-kind event.  32 teams, single-elimination, and lots of drunken fans.  Should be fun.

The tournament starts at noon on Aug. 14. Entry fee is $10 per team, and you can register on the NTL website. The NTL will be providing prizes (including cash to the winners).  Courts will be set up at the Budweiser-sponsored NTL area in the MIS Fan Zone. The Fan Zone is outside the track, right behind the grandstand.  The Nationwide race starts at 2:00, so we should have TONS of foot traffic walking by during our tournament. There is free parking and free trams that drop you off at the free Fan Zone.  Give yourself plenty of time, though — there is always traffic leading into the MIS area, and thousands of people will be trying to get to our area at the same time.

As always contact me at anytime with questions.  I’d love to hear from you.  And in the meantime, don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter.

Andy Frushour
Monkeyball Commissioner
PlayMonkeyball.com

We had several rookies today, and Brody, Gidge, and their kids made up almost a third of the field.  (I think Brody is secretly trying to groom his kids to be pro Monkeyballers.)  Ben Cornelius and Scott Herron, two MB tourney rookies, started the day off with a shoot-out.  They were filling up the ladders like it was the Worlds Finals!  Baylor, Jon Thomas, and Cade Black (ranging in age from 8 to 11) also played in their first MB tourney today.  They didn’t win a game today, but I saw lots of smiles and fun being had!  They will be taking care of business on the MB playing field in the near future.  Michael Glaze played his first MB tourney today, and proved to be a natural.  He took out Adam Vines in their first match-up, but Adam would have revenge later.  Adam knocked out Michael after storming through the loser’s bracket, just barely missing the afternoon session.

Brandon Cain, another MB rookie, was the first to put a rope in the phone lines, but since he is about 7 feet tall, it didn’t take much for him to retrieve it quickly.  Tom & Elaine Dameron played a marathon match, with Tom eventually winning.  Elaine was vocal today, but was eventually taken out by laid-back Brad Morgan.  Brad had a good showing today, before being knocked out by Kevin Tavakoli.  Kevin, who’s always entertaining, didn’t disappoint in putting smiles on the faces of those that he beat today.  Currently he is #239 in the World Rankings, but he was hot today and just barely missed a trip to the finals.  He took #8 Sean Dameron to the brink of elimination.  Blake Labrato, lost to rookie Jay Coshow in his first match, but put up 3 straight victories in the loser’s bracket before being ousted by Brad Morgan.  (One of Blake’s 3 wins was a revenge match against Jay!)

Sean Dameron and Kevin Singleton each won their first three matches to snag the top seeds in the afternoon Final Four session.  Kevin, tied for #5 in the World Rankings, beat #41 Brody Black 15-4, 15-11 to reach the finals.  As mentioned above, #239 Tavakoli put up a big fight and topped #8 Sean in the first match 15-13.  Sean won the second match 15-0, setting up a brutal third match for a trip to the finals.  Sean took the early lead, but Kevin stormed back eventually losing 15-12.

The finals saw #5 Singleton versus #8 Dameron.  Singleton prevailed and was crowned the champ, winning 15-8 & 15-10.

Champion: Kevin Singleton
Runner-Up: Sean Dameron
# of Players: 18

Bracket/Results (PDF)

The tournament was just one event in the weekend-long DBP Drunktathlon.  Alex Seyferth led after day one’s events (Individual Flip Cup, Beach Sand Shot, Frisbee Distance Toss, Wii Bowling and Sporcle Trivia), and he was randomly placed in the relatively weak bottom half of the bracket.  The top half was full of world-ranked talent with #1 Andy Frushour facing #7 Dan Kidle and #9 Casey Frushour pitted against #14 Andy Kidle.  The winner of DBP event #6 would certainly earn his 100 Drunktatlon points.

Andy Frushour emerged from the Group of Death (a soccer reference since Event #7 was gambling on the USA-Ghana World Cup match later that afternoon) to face Matt Young in the winners bracket final.  Although world #42 Young was a virtual no-show at the 2009 World Championships, the kid’s got game.  I mean, who can forget the Frushour-Young match at MB4?  Young took a 9-0 lead in the qualifying round before Frushour reeled off 15 straight on his way to a runner-up finish.  But on this day at Sandhill, Matt Young outscored Frushour in a high-scoring 15-11 match to reach the championship.

Meanwhile, the losers bracket was full of interesting story lines.  Andy Kidle was eliminated after two losses to two top-ten players.  To make matters worse, he finished tied for last with Arvind Gowda who spent the day throwing Monkeyballs overhand.  This kind of toss will most certainly never catch on at the World Championships.  Alex Seyferth and his American flag swimsuit started his Drunktatlon Day Two downward spiral after dropping two of three games, his lone win over Gowda.  After a four-hour car ride from the family camp archery fields, Pete Wahl was greeted at Sandhill with two immediate rounds of Individual Flip Cup and two quick MB losses (he, too, though, beat Arvind).   Casey Frushour survived the Group of Death long enough to finish fourth, and Dan Kidle finished third with two losses to Andy Frushour.

Dating back to last August, Andy Frushour finished third at Worlds, second on Labor Day, and entered the Sandhill event winning five straight tournaments.  But this time, he’d have to win back-to-back matches against Matt Young to continue his winning streak.  Game one was a quick W for the world’s top-ranked player, so it came down to the pivotal if necessary game.  Matt Young took all the drama out of the finale, laying a quick 15-6 beat down on the commissioner to take the title.

Young’s victory, coupled with solid performances in Beach Sand Shot 2 and Wits & Wagers (although not as solid in Beach Bocce and Beer Pong Derby) vaulted him in to a second place Drunktatlon finish.  Casey Frushour surged past a crestfallen Alex Seyferth to take the bronze by only 5 points, while the guest of honor proved to be an expert drinker/leisure sport athlete and took home the prized gold medal.  (Also of note: Best Man Andy Kidle took home the well-earned last place “I SUCK at Sports and Drinking” pink medal.)

See you all on July 17.  Dan says you’re all invited to the reception.  No need to RSVP, just show up.  No gifts necessary.

Champion: Matt Young
Runner-up: Andy Frushour
# of Players: 8

Bracket/Results (PDF)

“The rain has stopped at Carp National, so a 10-person tourney is underway. 3 top-ranked Frushours and the champ at MB1 are here.” Some family and friends were gathered at Carp National (host of MB2) for a Memorial Day party.  What better way to enjoy the day than playing some sanctioned Monkeyball?  After the storm rolled through it was time to play.  Among the tournament’s top-ranked headliners were Andy, Casey and Joe Frushour, and the champ from MB1, Jim Blair

“@andyfrushour in the championship on Memorial Day. Jim Blair, Gary Lane, Joe Frushour and @caseyshead still alive in the losers bracket.” Andy Frushour’s game was on in the winner’s bracket as he beat three straight Blair family members (one game took just two racks).  After losing his opening match of the tournament, Joe Frushour rolled through the losers bracket, winning five straight (the last two were 15-0) to meet Andy in the finals.

“@andyfrushour weathers an 11-point opening rack from Joe Frushour in the championship match, and takes the Memorial Day title 15-8.” Indeed, Carp dropped 11 with his opening four tosses, but the world’s top-ranked player answered with two 3s to finish the rack.  Many more high-point racks followed, but Andy Frushour pulled away for the championship.

Champion: Andy Frushour
Runner-Up: Joe Frushour
# of Players: 10

Bracket/Results (PDF)

Eventual winner (and first-time tournament winner) Jeremy Foco was the organizer of the event and was really pleased with the caliber of play, even though there were 4 tournament newbies (Mark Jennings, Kendra Denyes, Bethany Hultquist, and Mike Gracik).  Mike played especially well in his first outing and his two losses came from tournament winner Jeremy Foco, and runner-up Joel Wayner.

Some other highlights were Andy Dressler having to eat a hamburger patty with only sweet relish on top of it because of a dare from his brother-in-law (he hates sweet relish), Mark Jennings getting the “most sunburned” award, and Joel Wayner (#386 WR) defeating Andy Dressler (#23 WR) in the loser bracket championship.

It was a great day for a surprise party and for Monkeyball at the Ashbrook Birthday Surprise Monkeyball tournament!

Champion: Jeremy Foco
Runner-up: Joel Wayner
# of Particpants: 11

Bracket/Results (PDF)