"The Belt"- 2009 Memphis Tournament

This will be the official thread to discuss the April 18th-19th footbag net tourney to be held in Memphis, TN this year.

I have attended two of these bad boys in a row and I can truthfully report it to be one of my favorites of the season. The play is very competitive. There are lots of lower and mid-level players, which makes this event a good one to "test out your skills." However, more high-level players have been attending each year, and this year, Walt expects it's highest pro-level turn out with between 7 and 10 top-30 players. That means that this event has the potential to be a tier 2 tournament, for which you can get lots of good IFPA ranking points. The accomodations and hospitality have always been top notch, and of course the tourney organizers are great people to hang out with.

From Chaos, it seems like the following players will DEFINITELY attend:
- PT
- Jeremy
- Jack
- Tuan

From Chaos, it seems like the following players MAY attend:
-Eric Wulff
-John Leys

From Chaos, I do not know about these players:
-Jake DeClercq
-Josh DeClercq
-Patrick Keehan
-Patrick Schrickel
-Jon Araquistain
-Brad Williams

Other gossip I have heard:
-Chris Seibert will attend (ticket purchased)
-Steve Dusablon also attending (ticket purchased)
-CLCK will be well represented by at least 2 teams
- Yves will likely be there
- Hoping to get a larger Montreal presence
- Mike McCarthy typically shows up.
-Elliot Johns thinks he is on the fast-track to success in our sport. He wishes to be referred to as an up and coming player . . . you'll have to earn that title buddy!
-Manu attended last year, may wish to defend his titles in singles and doubles

Add your input about this event here. Oh yeah, last year this event was hyped as the BBQ Pork Rib (Ben/Walt) vs. BBQ Chicken (Jer/manu) Grudge Match, which was won by Jer and Manu. Stay tuned to see whether there will be any hype this year for . . . THE BELT!

Did I ear belt? I am in!
Seriously, we where so well treated last year, how can we not go again?

I say we up the ante and if Ben & Walt can beat or PT and I or Jer & Jack, we will eat BBQ vegetables!

Alert CHAOS members, the best deals I have found thus far, after 2 hrs of searching, is approx 255.00 from SFO to MEM. I don't think it will get much better than this.

The main drag is that the departing flight FROM Memphis back to CA leaves at 6:30 pm. I can't seem to find anything leaving later than that. That gets us back to SFO at 1130pm. Let me know if you're interesed in purchasing tickets when I do.

Hell yeayeah. I tried to upload the pic, but here's the link to the belts I ordered. http://store.titleboxing.com/platinum-title-belt-cltb-3.html
If you think you got what it takes then the belt is yours till next year. There is gunna be an awesome turnout and is likely to be the second biggest tournament in the States (#1 in 2010! ). Multiple former and current world champions are attending again. We have some great sponsors and look forward to hittin up Beal street for some Memphis style partyin'. So I wanna see Patti, Eric, Pat and all those other fuckers here too! I suggest u guys gettin here Thursday night or early friday for some pick-up games friday afternoon. With this big of a turnout we will be pretty busy in those two days!

If it didnt go "oink" at one time, ITS NOT BBQ!

One day, I'm gonna win this "The Belt" and come back to Memphis. Before every match I will demand we get introduced with our theme song then my partner and I will defend our "The Belts" with new uniforms...

After much indecision, I pulled rank and changed the tournament name to " The Mud Island Belt" It needed some adjectives. Mud Island is the venue even though last year the river had it six feet under water!

I normally wear a 32", but go ahead and order the 33"--I'll probably wear it at the BBQ too.

Seriously!

Man-who Bouchard? Isn't he retired now? Oh wait . . . that's from singles.

LOL; what an event this is going to be. There's going to be a flood
of 1st time attendees at this year's event. I hope Memphis is ready to accomodate so many players.

If you've been waiting for a deal, now's the time!

Oakland to Memphis & back (with stops in Phoenix), Travelocity:

$184.18 + $58.71 fees ====== $242.89

My flight info:

Fri, Apr 17, 2009 -
US Airways Flight 2835 - Depart: 04:15 PM, Oakland, CA (OAK)
US Airways Flight 2946 - Arrive: 11:47 PM, Memphis, TN (MEM)

Mon, Apr 20, 2009
US Airways Flight 2827 - Depart: 02:36 PM, Memphis, TN (MEM)
US Airways Flight 623 - Arrive: 06:58 PM, Oakland, CA (OAK)

Just bought my tickets!

Arriving THURS in Mem at 11:47PM
Departing MON to OAK at 7:35AM

236.00 at US Airways!

Well, CHAOS reigns supreme again, as at least one CHAOS member was on the championship-winning team: PT Lovern. His partner, a Chaos Extra, Manu Bouchard, also took home a belt. Patrick Schrickel, of CHAOS, and his partner Kenny Shultz took the "silver" so to speaqk, for which no belt was awarded. Third place went to Jack and Jeremy, who defied all odds and beat their arch nemeses Chris Seibert and Steve Dusablon.

For a while there the entire net community was questioning whether Net really was meant to be played outdoors. God, along with a plastic tarp, provided us with the answer: yes.


I think I speak for everyone when I say that we all came home a few pounds heavier and happier than when we left, and that we will all be back again next year. Memphis hospitality rocks!

I had a great time in Memphis! It was awesome to meet and kick with all of you. Sorry we had to leave so abruptly.