1st
Annual Circle Three Birdies
The year
2011 has been an amazing one for Vermont Disc Golf and Circle Three
has been proud to bring you continuing coverage of the happenings.
Just like Tracy Jordan's highly sought after EGOT, the Birdies hope
to represent all that is good and proper in the world of Vermont Disc
Golf.
The best
part is, you decide the winners. So, without further ado, the 1st
Annual Birdies Nominations. Also, you should know that the
nominations are made in no particular order. There isn't a front
runner or a favorite or any bias from me. I listed them, changed the
order, and changed it again just to add some randomness to the whole
situation.
2011
Most Improved Disc Golfer
You
know, we've seen some really amazing disc golf in 2011. From
Pinnacle to the Finals, there have been some amazing tournament aces,
come from behind wins, and examples of complete domination. Now's
your chance to pick the Most Improved Disc Golfer of 2011. There are
probably lots of worthy candidates, but the Circle Three Blog has
come up with some nominees.
The
nominees for 2011 Most Improved Disc Golfer are:
*Jon
Moorer: Last year wasn't
something to write home about for Jon Moorer. He did win the 2010
R4B, but it wasn't a GMPS event. Other than that one, he recorded
tournament points in the 50 to 60 range. And that was all in AM 2.
This year he's been at or near the top of AM 1 all season. The guy
who no one really knew last year came on strong this year. He
finished second in AM 1 this season and was the only person with a
chance to catch Rang Duce at the end of the season. Going from the
middle of AM 2 to the top of AM 1 definitely gets you nominated for
Most Improved.
*Matty
O.: You should know that this
guy thinks he gets no respect in disc golf. Maybe its because his
game is a little boring and he thinks no one fears him during
tournament days. But, have you seen the distance Matt added to his
game in 2011? Wow, it's a serious improvement. Last year his
putting and approach carried him, this year his distance has made him
into a real contender. He's nominated for this category because of
his strong jump from AM 2 to AM 1.
*Seth
McQuade: Seth's always been a
super nice guy who not only likes to play disc golf but is also
really committed to practicing his skills. His schedule allows him
plenty of time to work on improvements. Last year he was a part of
the AM 2 crowd but didn't make too many waves. This year he started
in AM 2, despite the mass exodus. He won the first 2 tournaments of
the year and then made the scary, scary mid season move to AM 1.
Even being 2 tournaments behind he still finished in 4th
place in AM 1. Guts and skills like that get someone nominated for
Most Improved.
*Ira
Divoll: Ira started played disc
golf competitively in 2010. When he started he wanted to play in the
Rec division, but his friends convinced him to play in AM 2. He did
it reluctantly and played in 5 tournaments with a high score of 44.4.
Then, he played at Maple Hill one day and showed the promise of his
future. This year he's a serious AM 2 competitor (plus, the nicest
guy you'll meet). He finished in 4th
place for the season and has his first win under his belt, a play-off
at Wrightsville.
2011
Biggest Disappointment
Just
like in the real world, some disc golfers exceed their expectations
and others fall flat on their faces. Let's decide together who fell
the hardest.
The
nominees for 2011 Biggest Disappointment are:
*Justin
Kaulius: Where to begin with
this guy? He finished the 2010 season as the AM 2 champ. Throughout
the 2010 campaign he was prodded to move up to AM 1. When he finally
made the move in 2011, people had high expectations. He is the
“People's Champ” after all. However, 2011 didn't bring for
Justin what he expected. His highest tournament score this year was
a whopping 64.7 and he's got other jaw-droppers of 17.7 and15.8. I
think the reason for his nomination is pretty clear.
*Emmett
Cosgrove: A few weeks ago, you
would have laughed me off if I suggested Emmett would be a nominee
for this year's Biggest Disappointment. He rolled the rest of the
field during the Money Games and was in the top 3 of the Pro point
series race for most of the season. But then he had to move and took
off almost immediately. How disappointing is that?
*Mike
Habets: Well, most of you know
Mike. And most of you know his story. I'm not going to get into the
details here. It's disappointing though, isnt' it? Don't get me
wrong, Mike has handled things well recently. He's given back to the
community and made some amends. You understand the nomination
though.
*Andy
Powell: Andy won the AM 2
division, which should be viewed as a real accomplishment. However,
he must have missed the memo that all of his old division from 2010
was moving up to AM 1. Instead of going along, he decided to stay
back in AM 2 and beat up all the remaining players. So, while Andy
Powell and his legions of NEFA-land fans are celebrating his success,
I'm saying we should go in the opposite direction. Staying in AM 2
was a big disappointment.
2011
Biggest Bagger
Listen
in on conversation with our club members at a tournament and the most
often heard word (other than Bachnein) is probably “Bagger.”
People love to throw it around in all sorts of ways, usually as a
putdown. Even for a guy like me, it often becomes a bit too much.
But, there are some real baggers out there. So, once and for all,
let's figure out who bagged it the most this year.
The
nominees for 2011 Biggest Bagger are:
*Murray
Junod: This guy was such a
bagger that he was given the name Sissy Pants on the forum. I mean,
there's a lot of smack talk that happens on the forum, but this was
an organized effort from the Powers That Be to make a name change for
a registered user. It's unheard of. On the other hand, people liked
to call Murray a bagger because he won three events in AM 2. The
crazy part is that he didn't even win the division.
*Andy
Powell: And Murray Junod
didn't win the division because Andy Powell is a bagger. I mean,
like all the others, Andy is just a nominee, so decide for
yourselves, but I've made it clear that Andy's done his fair share of
bagging. I know you think I pick on Andy, but I like Andy and I
think he's a really good guy. In the winter, I love going to
Sugarbush and getting the “Powell Park,” but this guy gets
nominated because he's done some bagging.
*James
Sweat: He's
gotten a lot of positive publicity on this blog and he really
deserves what he's gotten. An article that featured him remains the
most trafficked article on this website. He's the Best Amateur Disc
Golfer in the State of Vermont, for Christ's sake. But, he was at
the top of the division last year and he was the winner of the
division this year. Ian Thurston has a set, he moved up, but James
didn't. Jim Conroy also should have moved up, but he kind of sucked
this year, so we won't worry about it. But James was good, and that
probably makes him a bagger.
*Mike
Habets: You probably think I'm
picking on Mike too, don't you? He's had a rough year, it's true.
To be honest, he and I have never even been formally introduced, so I
feel bad bringing his name up again, but I can't deny it. He gets
nominated because he won at Killington in AM 1 and had a good enough
score to win Pro that day. He also won Burke View and would have
finished tied for 2nd
in Pro. Mark my words, this kid is good and will be a real contender
in Pro for a long time, but you probably understand why he's
nominated for the Bagger Award.
2011
Biggest Story
This
year was a pretty big one for disc golf in the Green Mountain State.
I had a blast, on a personal level, despite my poor performance. I'm
sure most of you had an enjoyable experience. Only one story can be
the Biggest Story of the Year, so help decide which one it is.
The
nominees for 2011 Biggest Story are:
*The
Rise of Bachnein: I'm not
sponsored by these guys, but you'd probably find that hard to
believe. I have a ton of respect for both Taylor and James, having
taken a small idea discussed over a round of disc golf and turning it
into an actual company. Along the way they've sponsored a Fundraiser
Doubles Tournament at Waterbury, outfitted most of you in choice
gear, and donated to various tournaments and events. 2011 was
certainly the year of Bachnein and the future looks rosy for this
little start-up.
*The
Legend of Rang Duce: So, he's
probably nominated in more categories than any one else, but its been
that kind of year for James Sweat. He won AM 1 in a hotly contested
division, so that's one reason why he's considered for the Story of
the Year. He's also a crucial part of the Bachnein empire, so he's
technically been nominated in this category twice. Additionally, he
helped us get baskets and half of the tee pads that we needed.
(Plus, he's kind of a bagger, so he's in that category also.) But,
James has had an amazing year. If you agree, simply pick him for
Biggest Story and let him know how much you appreciate his 2011
campaign.
*Young
Bucks: Chris Young has had a
great 2011. You remember that he's the first person outside of
Montgomery to have an Open Title. I said he would get hot and fall
off, but he proved me wrong on that one. Instead he won at
Killington, The Lincoln Peak Open, and at Burke View. He held off
the likes of Emmett Cosgrove and Dave Frothinghman. He won the
division fair and square. He's cashed in some Money Games, as he did
last year. This guy is no joke. Oh, and he's unquestionably The
Best Disc Golfer in Burlington. You can see why Young Bucks could be
the Biggest Story of 2011.
*Money
Game Emmett: Money Game Emmett
played the kind of disc golf you always wanted to play. He hit long,
straight drives, he turned over that Roc, and he made big, big putts.
In tournaments this year, it seemed like Emmett couldn't necessarily
put two good rounds together this year, but he was electric during
the Money Games. If you didn't witness one of his performances this
year, you might not see something like this again in Vermont any time
soon. In 2011, Emmett just couldn't lose during the Money Games.
That kind of dominance could easily be the Biggest Story of the Year.
2011
Biggest Contributor
I'm
not going to lie to you, Chris Young sort of ruined this category for
me. I planned to have this award long before he came up with
Volunteer of the Year. I mean, his award is a great idea and I hope
it goes on to become a main stay for the GMDGC, but he did steal my
thunder. I mean, couldn't it have been the Circle Three Volunteer of
the Year Award? I'll have to petition for that next year. In the
mean time, vote for Dave Frothy or vote for someone else. It's up to
you.
The
nominees for 2011 Biggest Contributor are:
*Dave
Frothingham:
He does everything for this club. He's been the President for as
long as I've been around. He is the tournament direction for nearly
every tournament we play. He and Anne run Triples. He's the Hardest
Working Man in Disc Golf, period. He was also just awarded the
Volunteer of the Year Award, which you may or may not have known
about. I think he makes for a good candidate.
*Rang
Duce: Now
officially the Most Nominated Man in All of Disc Golf. What hasn't
he done in disc golf this year? He outfitted you in the dopest gear
you could have hoped for. He organized the Rang Duce Doubles
tournament in order to get some baskets in at Waterbury. He founded
Bachnein, which brought you the Twin Falls Point Series and lots of
Funny Money. He helped us get some Fly18 pads in at Center Chains.
This guy is quite a big contributor and in 2011 he really shined.
*Matty
O.:
This guy might not get enough respect in the world of disc golf.
Who else do you know that started a disc golf course on his own
property so he could win a bet? Who else hosts a summer-long disc
golf point series extravaganza? Who else does it on about five well
organized acres right outside of Burlington? Who else has a family
willing to host the entire GMDGC community throughout the season? My
god, this man is quickly becoming a legend in the world of Vermont
Disc Golf. It's easy to see why Matty O. is a nominee in this
category.
*Al
Rosa: In
his off-time he's a Thunder Chicken, but when he comes to our
community he's a really, really hard worker. Al's the guy who does
all the work you don't necessarily know about. He's been
instrumental at Wrightsville. He has a bench that he built at
Calais. If you have a work day, he's guaranteed to be there. He'll
probably also bring his kids, who inevitably will work harder than
you do. He directed a tournament this year. He's constantly helping
out at Waterbury. Al's a really, really nice guy and he'd do
anything to help out if you needed it. He's a very worthy candidate
for Biggest Contributor.
So,
there you have it, the 2011 Birdie Award Nomination. Follow the
Survey Monkey link and vote before Saturday, October 22, 2011.
When
you follow the link, you'll also be able to write in your favorite
for the 2012 Pro Open Points Series Favorite, our final category.
