Assistant Captain Caitlin Henry    A+

Caitlin didn't quite clear the bar she set last year with the UC's, but she did take one for the team by trying to keep team Wes out as late as possible on Friday. She earned her A by taking pictures, updating Josh, singing happy birthday to Tom, and staying upright on the bar stool Friday night. (The plus is for the artwork she found Saturday morning)

Assistant to the Assistant Captain Gabriel A++

The kid drove his mom around in the cart, picked up stray golf balls, loved that the last match was Tom vs. Jerry, and he's a big SpongeBob fan. Maybe in a few years we can get some clubs in his hands and pull off a win.

Dave had his ups and downs over the weekend but still managed to secure a hard fought for point and a half for his team. Dave mentioned that this year was his swan song but we hope he can find it in him to come back because we need someone who can beat Mark Lloyd.

Ed Evans   B+

Ed had an up and down day on Saturday. He helped take down a tough Closinski /Cupp team in the morning, but when we paired the teams by height in the afternoon, he and Ken Caldwell couldn't get it going. He redeemed himself on Sunday though by regaining his composure, tuning out Jeff Gifford, and earning a win.

JR Purrington    A+

You couldn't ask for more than what JR produced. Whether he was playing with himself or had a partner JR managed to come up with a win. Definitely an MVP level performance.

Robert Taylor    C

Tayls stepped up big for team Josh by moving to the A pool and got out of the gate strong in round one. It was trouble from there. Tayls lost a letter grade when, as the biggest guy on our team, couldn't beat a girl in the singles. The letter grade was later restored when I remembered that he is bigger than me and had a bum knee after a freak wheelbarrow accident on Saturday night.

Paul Katchmar    D

Paul's struggles continued, and unfortunately the winless streak is still active. He earned half a point with Dave Fay in best ball, and played solid golf Sunday but, ran into a buzz saw named Eric Maya in his singles match.

Tom M Peters    A

Tom put together a very solid weekend. He pulled off two points for the team on Saturday, and was one of a few bright spots during round two. The only blemish on a near perfect birthday weekend for Tom was the dagger stuck in the team's heart by Jerry taking a full point, and the cup, for team Wes by making that f****** putt on the last hole.

Tom W Peters    C

Tom got off to a solid start both days but had trouble keeping it going into the afternoon. Tom played decent golf but ran into a solid rookie performance by Dennis Bird on Sunday. As always he helped keep the spirits up and the mood light all weekend for the team and pulled in a point for his efforts.

Jeff Potter    D-

The Colonel had a pretty rough weekend. It seemed like every time I talked to Jeff he was telling me how well everyone else was playing. He only managed to score half a point for the team, but did manage to win $100 for Wayne Cacciatori when he ordered a draft for breakfast on Saturday. (See Mike Smith) We'll just chalk this one up as bad luck and hope for better next year.

John Domagal    C

John got off to a great start with Tom Peters getting the team its first point and helping to set the tone for the morning matches. He ran into trouble after that when his captain paired him up against Wayne Cacciatori in alternate shot and Pete Fitsik in singles, and they were both on fire.

Ken Caldwell    C+

Ken's on course strategy occasionally left me a little confused, but his enthusiasm and confidence more than made up for it. Saturday was tough he and Graz struggled early in best ball, and it continued into the afternoon with Ed. Ken redeemed himself when he promised a win on Sunday, and delivered, taking down a tough John Haberer.

Ed Graziano    B+

Although Ed repeatedly claimed to be hung like a tic-tac, he showed what a set he had with a huge comeback to halve his match with Artigiani after being down two with three to play. Ed got off to a rocky start Saturday, but he settled in during round two and overall gave a very solid rookie performance.

Mike Smith    A

The terminator...the hammer...Rusty Trombone, whatever you want to call him, he brings it every time. He carried Jeff Potter for a half point during the best ball match, teamed up with Tom Peters for a win in Alternate shot, and took apart Johnny P in the singles. (All while wearing a women's size small shirt and no bra) He managed another loss free weekend on the course; however he lost a bet with Wayne that he could keep Jeff from drinking during their best ball match Saturday.

Captain Jake's Weekend Summary

What a weekend! We have to start with Team Josh collectively tipping our hats to Jerry. That was a hell of a putt, with everything on the line. If we had to lose I'm glad it was because someone stepped up and hit a solid pressure shot, and we didn't lie down and give it away. Congratulations are in order for Team Wes as a whole as well. It was a solid effort all around and a hard fought win. If I could have scripted the weekend (with the exception of the ending) it would have pretty much turned out the same. Close matches, the points going back and forth, (mostly) decent weather, and solid golf being played all over the course.

Also, I would like to thank Team Josh for playing hard all weekend. The only place the team came unglued was during alternate shot. I set those matches up, so that falls squarely on my shoulders. Everyone gave it their all and that's all we can ask for.

Records, Trends, and Streaks in Cupp Cup History

Most Consecutive Wins - 7 (Mike Smith '08 - '10 and Jerry Closinski '08 - '10).  Mike Smith's run came to an end in the 2010 Cupp Cup with a loss in the alternate shot with Dave Fay. Jerry's streak ended in the first session of the 2011 Cup when he and partner Lauren Cupp were roughed up 4 & 3 by Ed Evans and JR Purrington.

Most Consecutive Losses - 5 (Ken Caldwell '10 - '11).  Mercifully, Kenny's streak of five losses in a row came to a halt in the singles matches of the 2011 Cup.  Ken took down John Haberer, 2 & 1, late on Sunday afternoon as the Cup was very much up for grabs. 

Most Career Individual Points - 10.5 (Mike Smith '08 - '11).  Mike Smith has ten and one half points in twelve career matches.  His record is an astounding 10-1-1 for his four year career.  His only loss was in the nine hole alternate shot format which is understandable as anything can happen.  Hot on his tail, however, is two time reigning MVP Jerry Closinski with 9.5 points.  This should be a fun race to watch over the next handful of years.

Most Consecutive Matches Without a Win - 9 (Paul Katchmar '09 - '11).  Sadly, this ugly streak of three winless years is still active.  However, Paul does have three ties out of these matches to earn a point and one half over the span.  Let's hope this steak ends in the first session of 2012 - or else we won't allow Paul to wear a necktie to the Friday night social anymore.

Largest Beat Down (Team) - 5 & 4 in a 9 hole match (Eric Maya and Denny Parry over John Pollex and Mark Lloyd in '10).  Yes, the perfect match.  Every hole was won.  Even more interesting is that Pollex and Lloyd were hands down favorites in this match.  Oops.

Largest Beat Down (Singles) - 8 & 7 (Ken Caldwell over Ron Artigiani in '09 and Jerry Closinski over Denny Parry in '10).  Ken Caldwell beat Ron Artigiani by this score in the rain drenched 2009 Cupp Cup while Jerry Closinski was also shaking hands with victim Denny Parry on the eleventh green in the 2010 version.

Biggest Comeback (Singles) - Artigiani over Caldwell '10.   In case Ron hasn't cornered you at Legend's to tell you every shot, he was down four holes with five to play.  And then the magic began.  Ron won #15, #16 with a birdie, #17, and then capped it off with a thrilling par on #18 to put an exclamation point on the biggest comeback in Cupp Cup history.  In addition, the win tasted even sweeter after the thumping he took from Kenny the year before.

Overall Team Point Totals (through four years)

TEAM WES - 45 points

TEAM JOSH - 43 points

Cupp Cup MVPs

2008 - Mike Smith

2009 - Ken Caldwell

2010 - Jerry Closinski

2011 - Jerry Closinski

All-Time Cupp Cup Perfect Individual Performances

BLUE - Team Josh        RED - Team Wes

Mike Smith (2008 - loss)

Mike Smith (2009 - win)

Ken Caldwell (2009 - win)

Nick Calicchia (2009 - win)

Jerry Closinski (2009 - loss)

Jerry Closinski (2010 - win)

Ron Artigiani (2010 - win)

JR Purrington (2011 - loss)

All-Time Cupp Cup Individual Point Shutouts

BLUE - Team Josh        RED - Team Wes

Jeff Gifford (2009 - loss)

Paul Katchmar (2009 - win)

Ken Caldwell (2010 - loss)

2010 Cupp Cup Review

Team Wes, led by match MVP Jerry Closinski, took the Cup back as they rolled to a 14.5 to 9.5 point victory.   This year's matches were won in the afternoon session of Day One.  Team Wes separated itself with a 4.5 point to 1.5 point alternate shot session.  In addition, the mystique of Mike Smith also vanished during these fateful three hours as the Terminator suffered his first defeat in eight matches.  By the end of Day One, Team Wes led 7.5 to 4.5.

Day Two and the singles matches began with an early Team Josh charge.  At one point late in the day, Team Josh led in six of the first seven matches.  If those matches held, Team Josh would have surged into the lead by the score of to 10.5 to 8.5.  However, the first two matches of the day (Matches #13 and #14) quickly changed course and became a microcosm of the 2010 Cupp Cup.  Jeff Gifford willed his way to a half a point with a miraculous birdie on 18 and Ron Artigiani (in case you haven't heard) won the last five holes to win a full point over Ken Caldwell.  This completely changed the momentum of the day and Team Wes then cruised to victory.

This Cupp Cup also saw the overall team point totals swing in Team Wes's favor.  Through three years and sixty-four total points, Team Wes has earned 32.5 points to Josh's 31.5.

View of the Weekend from Captain Wes's Seat

After a very impressive and inspiring showing by Team Wes at the Friday night social, the morning session of Saturday saw us in a dog fight, tied at three points apiece.  I was happy to see us grab a win in Match #6.  This was a match of titanic proportions, with JClo and Lloyd of Team Wes taking on the horses of Fay and Peters.  This match lived up to its billing as it featured chip-ins, birdies galore, and overall stellar play.  If not for this big win for Team Wes, we would have been down 4 to 2 instead of tied at 3.  I know from experience that Johnny P's Sloppy Joes taste much better when we are tied instead of down two points.  Who knows how the 2010 matches would have turned out if we felt we had to come from behind after Session One?

In Session Two, we handed Team Josh a swift ass kicking as we jumped out to a 7.5 to 4.5 advantage going into Sunday.  A perfect moment that represented this 4.5 to 1.5 point afternoon session occurred on hole #6.  The team of winless Jeff Gifford and Cupp Cup rookie Robert Taylor were looking to do the unthinkable and take down the Team Josh Dream Team of Smith and Fay.   Gifford and Taylor found themselves up three with four to play on the sixth tee.  Both teams struck wayward drives that found them in tree trouble on the left side.  Fay played first from the bushes and could not advance it more than fifty yards.  It looked like the best score Fay and Smith could make was a five.  Gifford, who was hitting their second shot from a spot closer to #5 fairway than #6, chose not to chip out to the middle of the fairway (up three with four to go, this was the obvious play).  Instead, he decided to take it blindly over a grove of 120 foot tall trees to the near island green.  The shot ricocheted off of not one, but two, tree tops before somehow dropping fifteen feet from the tucked flag!  The match was over.

Day Two started off a bit ominously.  Six of the first seven matches were either hotly contested at best or were Team Josh strong holds for most of the day.  If there were scoreboards around the golf course midway through the singles matches, one would have seen a lot of blue flags on the board.  Thankfully, Giff and Arti clawed back in the final moments to grab a crucial point and a half in the first two matches of the day.  J Clo was then next to post although he was in the last group.  This tends to happen when one needs only eleven holes.  At this point we had ten points to their five and life was good again.  We never looked back. 

It was a hard fought victory and Team Wes tips its collective hat to Josh's team.  We look forward to another battle in 360 days.

Left: Team Wes Assistant Captain Nancy Roberts working on breakfast.  How many bites do you think she needed?

Right: Captain Wes sneaking up on groups to give some helpful advice.

View of the Weekend from Captain Josh's Seat

It was a difficult weekend for Team Josh. We only held our own during Friday night’s social festivities. As Friday night pushed toward Saturday morning, perhaps it was foreshadowing that Team Wes persevered and pressed onwards with the likes of Jeff Gifford’s miserable yet fervent dance moves behind the bar set to angry rap music. Assistant Captain, Nancy Roberts’ social efforts were also unmatched by any representative of Team Josh.

Saturday started uneventfully enough with a kissing-your-sister-like 3-3 tally through session one’s best ball play. Session two was a slaughter. Although Match #7 was a Team Josh slap around as Maya/Parry crushed Lloyd/Pollex, it went downhill fast, as our squad only mustered the one win and a tie out of the six matches. The less than stellar Saturday PM performance left a hole that proved too deep to extricate from and the hole would only grow deeper. Locks on day one were hardly iron clad. They were locks made out of angel haired pasta. Favorites such as Lloyd/Pollex and Fay/Smith were easily dismissed in alternate shot by teams with inferior team handicaps. It was a bizzaro day - one that left me attempting to front load for Sunday.

Sunday looked promising from the onset, with matches #13, #14, and #15 looking solid midway through the inward half. Divine intervention on a Gifford drive on #18, and a meltdown of Chernobylic proportions by Mr. Caldwell spoiled the early charge. Giff’s stellar 28 footer on #18 left a statue of myself standing beside an equally stunned Paul Katchmar.  Jeff’s quick decision making skills proved as important as his rock rolling abilities as he dismissed Ronnie A’s read and went with Wes’s evaluation of the contour of the putting surface.  Although Artigiani played admirably coming in, Kenny needed to score just two bogeys or better on holes 14, 15, or 17 to win match #14. In fact, a par at the 155 yard 14^th would have closed out the match 5 and 4.

The rest of Sunday was essentially a chalk filled afternoon. The lower handicapped player did no worse than halve the remaining matches. If there was one match that symbolized the fate of the 2010 Cupp Cup, it was match #9 on Day One - JClo and Artie nipping the powerful contingent of team Peters in alternate shot.  JClo played steady at times and utterly brilliant at others. Artie was a booby trap all weekend. Coming off a multiple month lay off with a back injury, Artie was an assumed liability to Team Wes. Parry has set the odds of Artie winning all three of his matches at 1.37 million to one. Parry was also seen buying dozens of Powerball NYS Lottery tickets Monday morning. Weather forecast for RCC this week is cloudy with a chance of flying swine.

Congrats, Team Wes. You are all a bunch of lucky Lloyds (all who read this should know what Lloyd is synonymous with).

Team Josh

Back Row - Assistant Captain Maite Cupp, Jeff Potter, Assistant Captain Jake Smith, Ken Caldwell, Tom W. Peters, Denny Parry, Mike Smith, Captain Josh Cupp, Paul Katchmar, Dave Fay

Front Row - Gene Gehman, Edible Evans, Eric Maya, Assistant Captain Caitlin Henry, JR Purrington, Tom M. Peters

Team Wes

Back Row - Assistant Captain Bob Pawlak, Pete Fitsik, 210 MVP Jerry Closinski, John Pollex, Jim Sutton, Dave French, Lauren Steates, Captain Wes Cupp, Robert Taylor

Front Row - Ron Artigiani, Mark Powonsky, a very happy Jeff Gifford, Assistant Captain Nancy Roberts, John Haberer, Mark Lloyd

2010 Session One - Eighteen Hole Best Ball Matches

WES 3 points, JOSH 3 points

Match #1 - J. Pollex & R. Artigiani vs. E. Maya & K. Caldwell.  Pollex & Artigiani, 3 & 2.

Match #2 - M. Powonsky & J. Gifford vs. E. Evans & JR Purrington.  Evans & Purrington, 5 & 4.

Match #3 - D. French & J. Haberer vs. G. Gehman & J. Potter.  Gehman & Potter, 4 & 3.

Match #4 - P. Fitsik & L. Steates vs. D. Parry & P. Katchmar.  Fitsik & Steates, 3 & 2.

Match #5 - R. Taylor & J. Sutton vs. T.W. Peters & M. Smith.  Peters & Smith, 1 up.

Match #6 - M. Lloyd & J. Closinski vs. D. Fay & T.M. Peters.  Lloyd & Closinski, 2 & 1.

2010 Session Two - Nine Hole Alternate Shot Matches

WES 4.5 points, JOSH 1.5 points

Match #7 - L. Steates & J. Haberer vs. E. Evans & K. Caldwell.  Steates & Haberer, 3 & 1.

Match #8 - J. Pollex & M. Lloyd vs. E. Maya & D. Parry.  Maya & Parry, 5 & 4.

Match #9 - J. Closinski & R. Artigiani vs. T.M. Peters & T.W. Peters.  Closinski & Artigiani, 1 up.

Match #10 - M. Powonsky & J. Sutton vs P. Katchmar & G. Gehman.  Halved.

Match #11 - P. Fitsik & D. French vs. JR Purrington & J. Potter.  Fitsik & French, 3 & 2.

Match #12 - J. Gifford & R. Taylor vs. D. Fay & M. Smith.  Gifford & Taylor, 4 & 3.

2010 Session Three - Eighteen Hole Singles Matches

WES 7 points, JOSH 5 points

Match #13 - Gifford v. Katchmar.  Halved.

Match #14 - Artigiani v. Caldwell.  Artigiani, 1 up.

Match #15 - Steates v. Evans.  Evans, 3 & 2.

Match #16 - French v. Maya.  French, 5 & 4.

Match #17 - Lloyd v. T.M. Peters.  Peters, 2 up.

Match #18 - Haberer v. Smith.  Smith, 4 & 3.

Match #19 -Fitsik v. Fay.  Fay, 4 & 3.

Match #20 - Pollex v. T.W. Peters.  Pollex, 3 & 2.

Match #21 - Powonsky v. Purrington.  Powonsky, 3 & 2.

Match #22 - Sutton v. Gehman.  Halved.

Match #23 - Closinski v. Parry.  Closinski, 8 & 7.

Match #24 - Taylor v. Potter.  Taylor, 4 & 3.

TEAM WES WINS THE 2010 CUPP CUP, 14.5 points to 9.5.

2010 Cupp Cup Individual Statistics

TEAM WES - 14.5 points

Jerry Closinski - 3-0-0, 3 points

Ron Artigiani - 3-0-0, 3 points

Pete Fitsik - 2-1-0, 2 points

Robert Taylor - 2-1-0, 2 points

Lauren Steates - 2-1-0, 2 points

John Pollex - 2-1-0, 2 points

Dave French - 2-1-0, 2 points

Mark Powonsky - 1-1-1, 1.5 points

Jeff Gifford - 1-1-1, 1.5 points

Mark Lloyd - 1-2-0, 1 point

Jim Sutton - 0-1-2, 1 point

John Haberer - 1-2-0, 1 point

TEAM JOSH - 9.5 points

Mike Smith - 2-1-0, 2 points

Gene Gehman - 1-0-2, 2 points

Ed Evans -  2-1-0, 2 points

JR Purrington - 1-2-0, 1 point

Tom M. Peters - 1-2-0, 1 point

Tom W. Peters - 1-2-0, 1 point

Dave Fay - 1-2-0, 1 point

Eric Maya - 1-2-0, 1 point

Jeff Potter - 1-2-0, 1 point

Paul Katchmar - 0-1-2, 1 point

Dennis Parry - 1-2-0, 1 point

Ken Caldwell - 0-3-0, 0 points

2010 Individual Letter Grades

Match Official Sammy No Clubs    A

Sammy No Clubs was simply amazing this week.  He kept the champagne cold, the trophy in one piece, and his buddy Chris from being hit by any stray golf balls.  Unfortunately, Sammy Not the Cat couldn't make the Friday Social.  Apparently, he has some sort of a life (unlike the rest of us).  To this end, we have five cases of red wine that we ordered for the evening that was not consumed.  This is the only reason he didn't get an "A+".  Now you have something to shoot for next year, Sam!

Team Wes (graded by Captain Wes)

 Assistant Captain Bob Pawlak    A++

Let's see... he brought mudslides, sent great texts of match updates, wore a tie to Friday night's social, gave pep talks Saturday night until 1:00 a.m. in the morning, and kept Nancy from passing out the whole weekend.  Amazing job, Bobby!

Assistant to the Assistant Captain Nancy Roberts    A

Nancy performed admirably all weekend.  She didn't disappoint on the social end by being the last to leave the bars Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights.  The only thing keeping her from an "A+" is that one of her strategies backfired.  By keeping birthday boy and Team Josh member Tom M. Peters out at the bars late on Saturday, she thought for sure he would tank in his singles match the next morning with our Mark Lloyd.  However, Tom fought his way to a 2 up victory.  It was a hell of an effort though, Nancy!

Jerry Closinski    A+

Jerry had a great week in the Cupp Cup.  Anytime you beat Peters and Fay in a best ball match, win ANYTHING (golf match, horse race, etc.) with Ron Artigiani, and win your singles match by the tune of 8 & 7, you ARE THE MAN!  Jerry is riding a seven match win streak right now going into next year's Cupp Cup.

Ron Artigiani    A-

How does a man who comes back after a two month injury layoff, wins all three matches, and completes the biggest comeback in Cupp Cup history only get an A- and not an A++?  The dramatic fist pump and Chris Bosh like yell after an anti-climatic eighteenth hole on Sunday was too over the top for me (however, I should expect it from a Yankees fan).  That being said, Ronnie's determination to come back from injury for the sole purpose of the Cupp Cup matches far overshadows this momentary lapse in judgment.  Ronnie's love for the Cupp Cup is strong and his Captain hopes he can stay healthy for the 2011 version.

Pete Fitsik    B

Fitsy is a great competitor and a wonderful teammate.  His positive thinking and contagious attitude is why he has never lost a team match in Cupp Cup history (5-0-1 career).  Sadly, however, he struggled this year in the singles match with Dave Fay.  Pete reportedly had Dave down three through five holes but then lost seven of the next eight holes (the one hole they tied was with double bogey 7s).  A sudden 4 & 3 defeat to Mr. Fay in the "Battle of the Age Shooters" will leave Pete looking for revenge next year.

Robert Taylor    B

A nice, quiet debut for Tayls in the Cupp Cup.  Tayls flew under the radar this week mostly due to other teammates' loud mouths (see Gifford, Jeff).  Tayls got off to a rocky start in his first match but ended the weekend with two wins including a solid thumping of Jeff Potter on Sunday.  It looks like after he got used to the Cupp Cup stage he settled in nicely.

Lauren Steates    B+

Lauren, now with a full-time job in addition to her RFA Volleyball coaching duties, had little time to prepare her game for this weekend's event.  Her dramatic chip-in to seal the victory in Match #4 on the sixteenth hole got her off to a great start.  She went on to team up with Haberer in the afternoon session to take her second point of the matches.  However, her singles match with Eddie Evans didn't go as well.  A disastrous start and a couple of ill-timed three putts kept her from completing the sweep of the weekend and giving Jerry a run for MVP honors.   

John Pollex    B

Johnny P secured two points for Team Wes in three matches.  A streaky player by nature, JP either dazzled you with some brilliant shots or made you gasp for air as his captain with some not so great efforts (such as when he topped his THIRD shot on the first hole into the creek on Sunday).  JP did get throttled in the alternate shot with Mark Lloyd on Saturday but he did bounce back to take care of business in the singles match on Sunday. 

Dave French    B+

Dave's cries of "Get in the F*!king Hole!" were heard approximately every seven minutes on the golf course this weekend.   I LOVE that!  His two best, you ask?  On hole #1 on Sunday, Frenchy yelled as his ball just left the clubface, "Get throught the F*!king Trees!  Now, get in the F*!king Hole!"  He also impressed everyone with his depth perception skills on hole #5 on Saturday.  He yelled for his ball to get in the hole with his second shot only to see it drop twenty yards short of the green (okay, okay, I was yelling too).

In addition to his strong enthusiasm, Frenchy had a rather solid week.  After a hiccup with Haberer in his first match, Frenchy gave a beat down to the team of Purrington and Potter on Saturday afternoon (4 & 3) and Eric Maya on Sunday (5 & 4) - even though Frenchy says he should have ended the Maya match on #13.

Mark Powonsky    B -

Spank is arguably the best player on either team with pressure on and I love that about him as his captain.  However, he laid an egg in his first match (he and Giff got slapped around 5 & 4) and also dropped anchor in his second match.  He and Sutton in the alternate shot three putted #7, bogeyed #8, and bogeyed #9 from the 100 yard marker to gift wrap a half of a point for Team Josh.  His win in the singles over JR salvaged the weekend.

Jeff Gifford    A++ Friday Night / B- Golf

Giff rocked the house once again at the Friday night social.  Between his dance moves and singing efforts, Giff was the social evening's MVP yet again.  In his second year on Team Wes, Giff finally broke through with a point and a half after getting shut out in 2009.  Giff also owns the two most memorable shots in the 2010 Cupp Cup.  The first was his match clinching trick shot on #6 in his alternate shot win with Tayls.  The second was his heroic 28 foot birdie putt on #18 to salvage a half with Paul Katchmar.  Between those two shots, however, were quite a few squirrelly swings.

Mark Lloyd    C+

Our three-time and reigning club champion had his heart set on a great weekend.  Everything was going according to plan as he and Jerry teamed up to win the big boy match in Session One against Peters and Fay.  However, the weekend was very forgettable after that.  He suffered a whitewashing in the alternate shot by Parry and Maya and then for a second consecutive year he lost to Tom Peters in the singles on Sunday. 

Jim Sutton    B -

Although Jim's record shows that he was the only Team Wes member who was winless this year (0-1-2), Sutton did battle valiantly all weekend.  Two of his matches ended in ties and his only loss was a one down heartbreaker in Session One.  In other words, Jimmy was a hole or two away from going 3-0 just as easily as he finished 0-1-2.  Of the forty-three shots I saw him hit, all forty-three were perfect.  Maybe I should have spent more time with his group!   

John Haberer    C

John never really got his golf game going this week.  His lone win was on the back of his partner Lauren Steates in the alternate shot.  However, his grade was bumped up a letter after his back to back social efforts on both Friday and Saturday nights.  Team Wes really appreciates team bonding.  Captain Wes is confident that the experience gained from John's first Cupp Cup will pay off next year.

Team Josh (graded by Captain Josh)

J. David Fay    B+

Dave played exceedingly well during his best ball match.  A lukewarm partner coupled with the formidable foe of JClo and Lloyd were too much to overcome. A fair performance with Mike Smith in alternate shot and a strong showing in singles netted Fay a high grade.

Edible Evans    B+

Ed’s lopsided win in match #2 set the tone for his fine play over the weekend.  His systematic win over Miss Steates in singles was part of the frontloading plan.  His loss in the alternate shot was not entirely his doing.  His partner was less than stellar by his own admission.

Tom M. Peters    C-

Tom struggled all weekend. He played spotty golf in Saturday matches and his saving grace came in a singles win over Lloyd in a match that featured few highlights. A fine player, Tom just looked like he wasn’t firing on all cylinders.

JR Purrington    C

JR played reasonably well in his 1^st Cupp Cup. Taking his first match with Edible got his uniform dirty quickly.  Things went south quickly as JR lost his last two matches.  Spanky and JR have the potential to become rivals, JR just needs a little more seasoning and tourney experience.

Dennis Parry    C-

Although it was great to see Pairs at the bar longer than the time it takes to accept a draft of his choice from Fitsy at the turn during his DeMatteo’s matches, he did place a bet in his singles match with JClo for 3 a side. Enough said.

Paul Katchmar    C

Katch picked up a point overall for the squad via two halves. A woeful start in best ball gave way to a halve in the PM Saturday alternate shot.  An unfortunate, yet gritty halve vs. Gifford in the singles had Katch labeled a water treader for the weekend.

Eric Maya    D

#188 was disappointing in his debut in Pool B. Despite sporting the season’s lowest stroke average of all Pool B’ers, Eric only opportunistically scored a point with Parry in the massacre of Lloyd/Pollex. His singles effort vs. Frenchy was entirely forgettable. TMZ is said to possess footage of an intoxicated Captain Josh trying to trade Eric to Wes late Friday night. Grainy video shot on a cell phone features Josh saying, “Just f#$king take him, Wes, you dick!”

Gene Gehman     B

Geno tried his little heart out all weekend, and netted his squad two hard fought points. Geno seemingly lacked confidence the majority of the weekend as he was seen booing his shots almost before they left the clubface. As always, Geno was a pleasure to have on the team.

Mike Smith     B+

The terminator remains the toughest out of the Cupp Cup with an 8-1 overall record. However, the one loss may have been the toughest for Team Josh to handle in session 2, as he and highly favored Fay were routed by Gifford/Taylor 4 and 3 in the telling alternate shot fiasco. Mike is appreciated by his Captain for his willingness to accept responsibility for his poor shots and his short memory in forgetting them.

Kenny Caldwell    D-

A stark contrast from the 2009 Cupp Cup MVP effort, Kenny was his own worst enemy. Though his struggles were not due to lack of intensity or effort, Kenny needs to concede eventually that his course management and mental approach to the game are not nearly as iron clad as he would like to believe. With the length and ability to be an A Pooler, Kenny must re-diagnose his true weaknesses.

Jeff Potter    C

Jeff’s golf was reasonable. Injuries have plagued Mr. Potter  in recent months, however, there is still better than 14 handicap ability there and it is the Colonel’s duty to find it ASAP. The 19^th hole and Friday nights during the Cupp Cup are currently Jeff’s strongest contributions.

Tom W. Peters    C

Tom was done wrong by the flatstick all weekend as he misfired repeatedly from close range. Teaming up with his son in alternate shot did not prove as fruitful as his captain imagined. Though slightly outclassed in the singles, there was no magic to be found. A few slight adjustments in Tom’s setup and alignment would prevent him from being asked as frequently if Tom M. is adopted.

Assistant Captain Caitlin Henry    A-

(31 UCs, 2 shots JD, 1 stolen Mudslide)

The tally says it all. A prodigious effort Friday evening (see also Saturday evening) got Caitlin’s rookie debut off to a great start.  Caitlin was present for ALL matches and contributed heart felt encouragement. Only minimal points were lost for not dressing more scantily as to distract Team Wes members.  Not a bazoom was viewed all weekend.

Assistant Captain Jake Smith    A

(team photographer, general all around nice guy)

Jake was a rock for Team Josh all weekend. He was a frequent text updater, although the texts constantly seemed to be bad news. Jake never got too high nor too low amidst the inconsistent play. If this captain would have to conjecture, I would say this taste of Cupp Cup action might land Jake on the squad next year as a contestant.  He would be a welcome addition as we need to find someone that can beat Artigiani.

Assistant Captain Maite Cupp    A

(contestant in reserve, till watcher)

It killed Maite to not be able to compete this year. Last year’s bitter defeat at the hands of JClo have haunted her dreams for 12 months. Maite took care of all inside ops over the weekend to free up Captain Josh so that he could go forth and witness the action on the battlefield. Maite will be back for sure in ’11.

Captain Josh Cupp     F

(2 Cosmopolitans, 3 Shirley Temples, unheeded advice giver)

It is tough to score yourself with a reasonable grade when your team lays an egg for two straight days. All I can say is wait for next year. Artie’s exuberant celebration on #18 will not be forgotten any time soon.

2009 Cupp Cup Review

Weather stole most of the headlines this weekend as rain fell hard on Sunday and threatened the finish of the 2nd annual Cupp Cup.  But, the rained slowed just enough for Team Josh to break through and take their first Cupp Cup title, fourteen points to ten. If it wasn't for Kenneth Caldwell's speedy dispatching of Ronald Artigiani in their singles match, perhaps play on the greens would have been impossible as Kenny utilized his degree from Squeegee University and kept conditions just north of playable. 

Photo Above: Team Josh is happy, drunk, and $100 per man (sorry, per person) richer.  By the way, you can use this photo to adjust your computer monitor's color settings.  Eric's jacket is supposed to look hot pink.  After all, it is his favorite color.

Day One

Day One began quietly as the morning matches went without any major upset.  Friday night blowhard, Jeff Gifford, saw his best chance at securing anything resembling a point disappear as his golf ball leaped into the bushes through the fairway on #18 as Gifford/Pollex lost a pivotal foursome match to "Slasher" Smith/Potter.  Eventual unblemished Team Joshers, Calicchia/Caldwell began their Cupp Cup domination by handling French/Artigiani 3&2 in the morning best ball.  A bright spot for Team Wes was an absolute ass handing issued by Powonsky (Spank)/Fitsik in "Match Three" with the score of 5&4. 

The afternoon matches looked like a jump ball on paper and it played out that way as the six points were split in half, 3-3.  The alternate shot format provided some exciting and frightening golf.  Dempsey/French, for example, took a win on the par three second hole scoring a triple bogey six.  Another highlight from the afternoon was the heart stopping finish of the Pollex/Powonsky v. Peters/Smith match.  Mike Smith's career perfect record in the Cupp Cup was in severe jeopardy as the match made it to the last hole (#9).  However, with a gallery of twenty watching, Mike made a frictionless left to right downhill slider from thirty feet to emphatically end the match.  The shocked duo of John Pollex and Mark Powonsky just starred in disbelief as the putt slammed into the back of the hole (Pete Fitsik was seen fumbling for his ball scoop just in case the hole did not get in the way of the firmly struck putt).  Mike Smith had done it again.

Day Two

As the morning of Day Two arrived both the captains and the players knew they were in for a wet day.  Heavy rains had fallen overnight and the singles matches began play in a light rain that eventually turned into a downpour.  After a few hours of play, the action was suspended due to unplayable conditions.  The course could simply not take any additional water.  After two hours of hamburgers and booze, play resumed under only slightly better conditions.  Captains Wes and Josh desperately wanted this Cupp Cup to play out and were fighting rain and darkness in order to do so.

The deciding match of the day turned out to be Dave Fay versus Eamon Dempsey.  Fay, who was all square with the 2009 Club Champion through thirteen when play was halted, knew he was in a pivotal match.  His point or lack thereof had a great chance of deciding which team won the Cup.  A quick bogey on fourteen when play resumed put him one down with four holes left.  However, Dave would not let the demons of last year's Cupp Cup playoff reappear as he stepped up his game and won the next three holes, including a spectacular five wood that set up a birdie on the par three sixteenth.  Fay's comeback win gave Team Josh a crucial point and all of the momentum.  They would never look back.

Sunday Evening Thoughts

As the squeegee and the champagne were finally laid to rest on Sunday evening, both captains took a moment to reflect on the 2009 matches to see what went right and what certainly did not.  The statistics screamed that the 2009 Cupp Cup was decided in Pool B.  Team Josh's Pool B division was a perfect 3-0 in the best ball and a solid 4-2 in their singles matches.  This five point difference was too much to overcome for Team Wes's Pool A.  This is something Captain Wes says he will address for the 2010 matches.  "Pool B was terrible for us all weekend," stated the disheartened captain.  "Half of their Pool B went undefeated.  What in the hell were we doing?  Make no mistake, this is the area we need to improve for the 2010 matches and we will do just that."

Now, some lowlights.  Paul Katchmar and Jeff Gifford are both in the Cupp Cup record books for being the first two to ever be shut out during a Cupp Cup event.  Both put up goose eggs over the weekend.  Ouch.

Also setting a new Cupp Cup record was Ken Caldwell as he thumped Ron Artigiani 8 & 7 in his singles match on Sunday.  Ken beat up on Ron so quickly that Ronnie got a rain check for a nine hole cart!  After all, they were shaking hands on #11 green.  Something tells me this record for the shortest match in Cupp Cup history will stand for a very long time.

Lauren Steates, the victim of a rare Eric Maya beat down, was seen looking for the 100 yard marker on #16 during her singles match.  Rumor has it she stormed down to the maintenance shop demanding an answer from the superintendent as to why this par three does not have one.

Left Photo Above: Team Wes member Jerry Closinski was seen with a glove in his pocket during the Friday Night Social.  That's embarrassing!  On a side note, let's hope those mysterious hands pointing in the photo are targeting the glove. Is that a sweet Seiko?

Right Photo Above: It is bad luck to leave any champagne in the cup, so Team Josh member Dave Fay does his part to ward off the demons whilst Ed Evans talks about the bar fight he won after the final round of the 1985 Vermont Open.  Put that photo in "The O," Dave!

Left Photo Above: Team Josh member Gene Gehman makes his case that it just might be easier to win the Cupp Cup than drink from it.

Right Photo Above: Paul Katchmar doesn't let his 0-3 record get him down as he takes a healthy rip from the Cup. In background Ken Caldwell could be heard saying, "Stop! It's MY turn. Don't hog it all!"

TEAM JOSH (table and chairs not included) - Back row: Dave Fay, Jeff Potter, Mike Smith, Tom Peters, Ken Caldwell, Eric Maya, Paul Katchmar

Front row: Gene Gehman, Maite Cupp, Captain Josh Cupp, John Domagal, Ed Evans

Invisible: Nick Calicchia

TEAM WES - Back row: John Pollex, Mark Lloyd, Ron Artigiani, Dave French (with the chest hair bow tie), Mark Powonsky (Spank), Pete Fitsik

Front row: Lauren Steates, Jerry Closinski, Captain Wes Cupp, Eamon Dempsey, Jeff Gifford

Invisible: Nick Facciolo, Jim Sutton, Assistant Captain Bob Pawlak

2009 Session One - Eighteen Hole Best Ball Matches

WES 2.5 points, JOSH 3.5 points

Match #1 - Closinski & Steates vs. Peters & Katchmar.  Closinski & Steates, 2 & 1.

Match #2 - Dempsey & Lloyd vs. Cupp & Fay.  Halved.

Match #3 - Powonsky & Fitsik vs. Evans & Maya.  Powonsky & Fitsik, 5 & 4.

Match #4 - Pollex & Gifford vs. Smith & Potter.  Smith & Potter, 1 up.

Match #5 - French & Artigiani vs. Calicchia & Caldwell.  Calicchia & Caldwell, 3 & 2.

Match #6 - Nick Facciolo & Jim Sutton vs. Domagal & Gehman.  Domagal & Gehman, 3 & 2.

2009 Session Two - Nine Hole Alternate Shot Matches

WES 3 points, JOSH 3 points

Match #7 - Steates & Gifford vs. Cupp & Calicchia.  Cupp & Calicchia, 2 & 1.

Match #8 - Dempsey & French vs. Evans & Caldwell.  Evans & Caldwell, 2 & 1.

Match #9 - Lloyd & Facciolo vs. Fay & Potter.  Lloyd & Facciolo, 2 up.

Match #10 - Fitsik & Artigiani vs. Maya & Domagal.  Fitsik & Artigiani, 2 & 1.

Match #11 - Powonsky & Pollex vs. Peters & Smith.  Peters & Smith, 2 up.

Match #12 - Closinski & Sutton vs. Katchmar & Gehman.  Closinski & Sutton, 1 up.

2009 Session Three - Eighteen Hole Singles Matches

WES 4.5 points, JOSH 7.5 points

Match #13 - Closinski v. Cupp.  Closinski, 1 up.

Match #14 - French v. Potter.  French, 2 &1.

Match #15 - Dempsey v. Fay.  Fay, 2 & 1.

Match #16 - Facciolo v. Domagal.  Domagal, 5 & 4.

Match #17 - Powonsky v. Katchmar.  Powonsky, 1 up.

Match #18 - Artigiani v. Caldwell.  Caldwell, 8 & 7.

Match #19 - Lloyd v. Peters.  Peters, 4 & 2.

Match #20 - Gifford v. Calicchia.  Calicchia, 3 & 2.

Match #21 - Fitsik v. Evans.  Halved.

Match #22 - Smith v. Sutton.  Smith, 2 & 1.

Match #23 - Steates v. Maya.  Maya, 4 & 3.

Match #24 - Pollex v. Gehman.  Pollex, 2 & 1.

TEAM JOSH WINS THE 2009 CUPP CUP, 14 points to 10.

2009 Cupp Cup Individual Statistics

TEAM WES - 10 points

Jerry Closinski - 3-0-0, 3 points

Pete Fitsik - 2-0-1, 2.5 points

Mark Powonsky - 2-1-0, 2 points

Mark Lloyd - 1-1-1, 1.5 points

John Pollex - 1-2-0, 1 point

Dave French - 1-2-0, 1 point

Ron Artigiani - 1-2-0, 1 point

Lauren Steates - 1-2-0, 1 point

Nick Facciolo - 1-2-0, 1 point

Jim Sutton - 1-2-0, 1 point

Eamon Dempsey - 0-2-1, 0.5 point

Jeff Gifford - 0-3-0, 0 points

TEAM JOSH - 14 points

Mike Smith - 3-0-0, 3 points

Nick Calicchia - 3-0-0, 3 points

Ken Caldwell - 3-0-0, 3 points

Tom Peters - 2-1-0, 2 points

John Domagal - 2-1-0, 2 points

Ed Evans -  1-1-1, 1.5 points

Maite Cupp - 1-1-1, 1.5 points

Dave Fay - 1-1-1, 1.5 points

Eric Maya - 1-2-0, 1 point

Jeff Potter - 1-2-0, 1 point

Gene Gehman - 1-2-0, 1 point

Paul Katchmar - 0-3-0, 0 points

2009 Cupp Cup Individual Letter Grades

TEAM JOSH

Captain Josh    B+

Perhaps Josh's best move of the event was encouraging Ted Cupp to rest the pinched nerve in his neck suffered while dancing in the streets of Valladolid, Spain while celebrating the improbable marriage of his middle son to an attractive, intelligent, and talented Spanish woman only weeks before the event.  After convincing Ted to take a pass on the '09 Cupp Cup, Josh quickly phoned Nick Calicchia...a move that eventually translated into three full points.  In another stroke of pseudo-genius, Josh recruited Judy Smith and Patti Gehman to cook a stellar breakfast on Saturday AM, which got Team Josh off to a running start.  Note: Ms. Steates was photographed being denied a hot breakfast by Smith/Gehman, then photographed again leaving the kitchen with a pop-tart, half an Eggo waffle, and a black eye.

Tom Peters     B+

Tom's rock solid play from '08 spilled over into this year's event as his 2-1-0 record went a long was in securing Team Josh's first ever win.  His only blemish came in Saturday's opening best ball round when paired with an unwitting Paul Katchmar.  Tom's '09 Cupp Cup highlight was, undoubtedly, dismissing friend Mark Lloyd 4 & 2 in Sunday in a match that was even closer than the score might indicate.

Ed Evans    B-

An '09 captain's pick, Ed performed admirably.  Playing poorly going into the event, Ed took his lumps in a 5 &4 drumming in the opening match paired with Eric Maya.  After teaming nicely with the unbeatable Kenny Caldwell in alternate shot, Ed earned his stripes by halving his match with the seasoned veteran, Pete Fitsik (see also Kenny Roger's "The Gambler"). 

Maite Cupp   B

Maite, another captain's pick, finished with a very pedestrian looking 1-1-1 record.  The record might be a tad misleading as she took on the likes of Steates, 2009 RCC Club Champ Eamon Dempsey, Mark Lloyd and the 2008 All-Everything, Jerry Closinski, who put up an eerily quiet 3-0 effort.  The always ultra competitive Maite was seen kicking 33rd alternate Morgan Bishop's beloved dog, Kieta, after her singles defeat on Sunday.  Josh, an uber-competitive soul himself, upon witnessing the inappropriate abuse of the hapless canine, merely critiqued her technique.

John Dave Fay   B+

The tragic figure from the '08 Cupp Cup fought back with a vengeance in '09, putting together another 1-1-1 record.  After halving his morning match on Saturday with Maite, Fay was handed a loss in alternate shot with Jeff Potter.  While waiting out the lengthy rain delay on Sunday, Dave's new wooden hip and metal plate in his head both began acting up on him.  Instead of complaining Dave simply reversed the fortunes of his match with Eamon Dempsey and secured a very important point that perhaps proved a crushing blow to Team Wes and thwarted any chance of a late Sunday afternoon comeback.

Paul Katchmar    D+

Another newcomer to the Cupp Cup mix, Paul seemed quite often a deer in headlights.  Unable to get much going for the first two and a half matches, Paul did give the formidable Spank all he could handle in the singles match.  Spank took a commanding lead into the rain delay, up five with six to play.  Watching Spank consume eleven Budweiser drafts in an hour and forty-seven minutes, Paul plotted behind his club soda and nearly executed the biggest comeback in modern golf history, falling on #18 to an amazing bunker shot by a propped up Spanky (propping up courtesy of Artigiani Propping Unlimited). 

Eric Maya   C+

Eric, forever known as #188, had a sleepy '09 Cupp Cup until his dismantling of Ms. Steates in the singles.  It is rumored that Lauren had to show Maya where the blue tee boxes were on several holes, as he normally plays the reds in the Coalyard's League and the occasional noon balloon.  A relative disappointment through the Saturday matches, Maya's point in the singles match was a welcome surprise to Captain Josh, who stated the win was about as likely as "Eric not wearing a hot pink wind jacket in the team celebration photo."

 

Ken Caldwell   A++

Kenneth was a horse all week.  Showing up promptly for all practice sessions, Kenny was ready to get everything he could out of his rookie Cupp Cup experience.  A sexy 3-0 record coupled with sporting amazing fashion glasses at the Friday night social had Team Josh members wondering what else Kenny could do for his team.  Then the rains came.  Mr. Caldwell quickly volunteered to help squeegee greens for the singles matches (Caldwell's availability to squeegee courtesy of ARTIchoked.com). 

Mike Smith    A+

The undefeated one, Mike, is everything a captain could hope for.  He hits fairways, peppers flags, and holes putts.  The intimidation factor might be creeping in for his opponents as Sutton was overheard asking for an I.V. bag full of morphine before his singles match Sunday morning.  Kids, if you want to grow up to be the model Cupp Cup golfer, study the mental make-up and sturdy golf game of one Mr. Michael Smith.

Nick Calicchia   A

Nick, a relative last moment replacement for an injured Ted Cupp, played with a confident swagger that was later identified to be simply a product of a squatting injury suffered at the 1989 World Weightlifting Championships in Prague.  Facing the likes of Artigiani and Gifford twice, critics could say Nick's record 3-0 record was slightly inflated, but Captain Josh enjoyed marking Nick's name in brown marker on the board all weekend long.

John Domagal   B+

Mr. Domagal was a welcomed addition to Team Josh.  A more than adequate 2-1-0 tally helped push his squad toward fame and fortune.  Nick Facciolo was happy to see the Cupp Cup finish as John not only took a point from him in the four ball, but Nick was lambasted 5 & 4 at JD's hands in singles.  John's blood red tie Friday night may well have struck fear in the hearts of Team Wes before the competition began (see team photo).

Gene Gehman   C+

Gene's original grade was a C-, but upon writing this review I remembered how good Patti's homefries were Saturday morning.  Vivalldi's Four Seasons' tranquil melodies couldn't get Geno going as his record sank to 1-2-0.  Perhaps Gene's thoughts were elsewhere with hunting season rapidly approaching.  There are several conspiracy theories that Geno hit several tee shots in the woods simply to study deer prints.

Jeff Potter   C-

A measly 1-2-0 record didn't prohibit Mr. Potter from drinking the lion's share of bubbly at the awards ceremony.  Said Mike Smith of his partner, Jeff, in their first round best ball match, "Jeff was great, he drove the cart well and only stepped in my line twice...it was a solid performance."  Like Paul Katchmar, Jeff will know better in years to come exactly the kind of intestinal fortitude it takes to be successful in the pressure cooker that is the Cupp Cup.
 

TEAM WES

Captain Wes   C

This was a tough weekend for Wes.  While Josh's captain's picks performed better than average (11-8-1), Wes's picks for the event put up a stinky 6-10-2 record - and that includes Fitsik's 2-0-1.  In addition, his inability to talk Gifford into faking an injury over the weekend just might have been the clincher for the loss.

Assistant Captain Bob Pawlak    A

How could Bobby not get an "A?"  He was out during the pouring rain on Sunday and he brought mudslides!  Forget about Jerry Closinski and his three points, Bobby was this week's Team MVP.  Bobby, if you really want an "A+" next year, bring two bottles!

Jerry Closinski     A-

Jerry was the first ever to post a perfect record for the week for Team Wes in Cupp Cup history.  So why the "A-" and not the "A?"  This had to be done because Jerry loved misusing the phrase "tall cotton" all week.  Being in tall cotton is a good thing... it means you are wealthy and life is easy pickings you fool!

Mark Lloyd   B-

Mark fought valiantly all weekend, grabbing a point and a half for his team.  His Sunday singles loss to buddy Tom Peters, however, has got to leave him frustrated and wanting revenge in 2010.  Watch out, Tom, the Mark Lloyd train is coming and he ain't afraid to run anyone over!

Pete Fitsik   A

Pete came ready to play both days for Team Wes.  His back and forth battle with Ed Evans on Sunday could have been legendary if the Cupp Cup had not been clinched as they walked to the eighteenth tee.  This anti-climatic ending to such a great match was a bit unfair, but let it be known that Pete was fighting to the very end for his team.  As a side note, Pete was again the only player in the Cupp Cup to carry a ball scoop in his bag.  He is eyeing a three-peat in 2010. 

Eamon Dempsey   D

After a solid rookie performance in '08, Eamon struggled this weekend and never quite got it going as he only secured a half point in three matches.  Everyone, including his captain, was expecting greatness from Eamon as all felt his recent club championship triumph would be the catalyst to confident and great golf in the Cupp Cup.  Sadly, the wheels came off a bit after the rain delay on Sunday, and his matched slipped away for a frustrating end to the weekend.

Lauren Steates   C+

Lauren's 2009 record of 1-2-0 is a bit misleading.  First, she was partnered with Jeff Gifford during the alternate shot.  Tiger couldn't even had saved that point.  Then, on Sunday, she ran into the unlikely buzz saw of Eric Maya who put up a brilliant performance that I am sure we will all hear about, shot by shot, for months to come (make sure not to stand next to him at the bar during the holiday party in December).  On the positive side, Lauren's best ball win with Jerry Closinski has given Captain Wes confidence to pair them together again in the 2010 Cupp Cup.

Mark Powonsky   B

Spanky took two points for the team in his rookie effort.  Known around the globe as a grinder and a mudder, Wes felt great about Spanky's chances for success when he saw the weather forecast earlier in the week.  Spank tried his best to piss away his point with Katchmar in the singles, but an amazing and underappreciated bunker shot on eighteen saved his full point (and one full letter grade).

John Pollex   C+

Like Lauren, being paired with Gifford in the best ball was a bit of a handicap.   This being said, JP never played up to his potential all weekend, as even his win over Gene Gehman in the singles wasn't exactly because of great golf on JP's part.  Maybe it was too many samples of Fonda's Sweeties candies?  On a positive note, JP was seen sharing a headphone bud with Gene during their match.  It was a great symbol of sportsmanship for the Cupp Cup.

Ron Artigiani   D- (golf)   /   A+ (chili)

Ronnie had a tough sophomore season in the Cupp Cup.  His well publicized thumping in the singles was a tough ending on Sunday.  We still love Ronnie even though he got pummeled.  So, here's a bright spot for Ronnie's weekend... his chili for the Friday night social was very well received by both teams.

Dave French   C-

Not much was expected of Frenchy this weekend as no one had seen him in a month leading up to the event.  Buried underneath sheet rock and 2x4s all month, DeMatteo's actually had a betting line on whether Frenchy would whiff on the first tee on Saturday morning.  Well, he did make contact, but it was a foul tip.  Frenchy did play better on Sunday as he took down Jeff Potter, 2&1.  Both he and Jerry, paired together in the first group, took both matches to briefly give Team Wes a one point advantage on Sunday.  Unfortunately, their teammates swallowed the bit and Team Josh cruised to victory.

Jeff Gifford   F

Sorry, Jeff, but all that talk leading up to the event and the three loses during the week is a great recipe for the big "F."  Maybe Jeff's large helping of humble pie will inspire him to produce more and talk less next time around.  It is always a bad sign when your air drums for "In the Air Tonight" during Friday night's social event is your weekend highlight.

Jim Sutton   C+

Jim was a bit of a wildcard pick for Captain Wes.  Wes knew Jimmy had some game, but did not know how enthused he would be to play in this pressure cooker.  Jim's first show of brilliance was his point-clinching putt on #9 green in Saturday afternoon's best ball.  A scary looking forty footer down the hill required an amazing touch and Jimmy produced, nestling the ball to within inches of the cup.  Then, on Sunday, Sutton was in tough as he drew Mike Smith in the singles.  Smith was such a heavy favorite that DeMatteo's never opened up betting on this match.  However, Sutton grinded it out through the rain and took Mike Smith all the way to #17 green.  Jimmy didn't grab a point, but he sure made a good impression with his captain.

Nick Facciolo   C-

One of the six Team Wes players with a 1-2-0 record, Nick had a tough time getting past John Domagal this week.  Johnny D. beat him on Saturday morning in the best ball and also on Sunday in the singles.  Speaking of this singles match, the car wreck on fourteen that ended it has to leave a bad taste in Nick's mouth.  Down four with five holes to play, Nick was just off of the green on the fourteenth while his opponent, Johnny D, had stuck it six feet from the pin when play was suspended.  After the two hour rain delay, Nick returned only to have a slash attack around fourteen green, conceding the hole, and the match, before Johnny D ever had to hit another shot.  So, for all you Cupp Cup trivia buffs out there, add John Domagal to the Ken Caldwell and Ron Artigiani list of players who were done playing before the rain delay.

2008 Cupp Cup Review

The 2008 Cupp Cup was one for the ages.  As if it were scripted, the entire weekend came down to the final hole of the last two singles matches.  Team Josh needed two full points out of the final two matches to force sudden death.  However, his players, Don Cieslewitz and Mike Smith, were both even going into the final hole.  BOTH players needed to win the last hole - and they did just that.  Finishing on the number one handicap hole, #6, both Don and Mike made clutch par saving putts as their opponents made bogey - forcing bonus golf. 

It wasn't without controversy, however. 

Mike Smith's opponent, Lauren Steates, hit a nearly perfect seven iron into the final green, only to see it spin back fifteen feet off of the front edge of the green.  Needing to make par to halve the match and therefore win the Cupp Cup for Team Wes, Lauren watched her ball continue to trickle towards the hazard guarding the front of the green, only to stop on TOP of the cement wall that divides the green from the hazard.  "Wallgate" was born.  As the ball was suspended on top of the wall, all sixteen players anxiously awaited the ruling from the captains.  Both captains agreed that the leading edge of the wall was the defining line of the hazard and that Lauren's ball was therefore inside the hazard, granting her no relief from the wall.  Much to Lauren's credit, she admirably putted the ball off of the wall without grievance, attempting what would have been the best and most dramatic up and down in the eighty year history of the club.  Her shot off of the wall got her to eight feet.  However, the golf gods seemed set on sending this one to a playoff as her valiant effort for the par save just missed.

The playoff was a sudden death format with each captain picking three players to represent his team.  One player would be responsible for the drive, one player would then play the ball until it reached the putting surface, and the final player would be the putter.  Captain Wes chose Mark Lloyd to hit the tee shots, Jerry Closinski for the middle leg, and Pete Fitsik to take care of the ball on the green.  Josh chose Dave Fay for the tee ball, Tom Peters for the middle, and Ted Cupp for putting.  The teams would play holes #1 and #9 until a winning team emerged.

As usual, the playoff came down to pressure putting.  Ted needed to make a fifteen foot bender for bogey to force Pete Fitsik and Team Wes to make a tricky little three footer for the victory.  Again, the golf gods were into the dramatic this day as Teddy rolled in his fifteen footer, sending the crowd into a frenzy!  However, Pete Fitsik, long regarded as the best pressure putter at the club, calmly knocked in his three footer.  Team Wes had finally captured the Cupp Cup!

Team Wes celebrates!  Champagne, the Cup, and lots of smiles...

TEAM JOSH (left photo) - Back row: Tom Peters, Eric Maya, Ted Cupp, Captain Josh Cupp.  Front row: Dave Fay, Mike Smith, Jim Sgroi.  Invisible: Don Cieslewitz and Ross Maracchion.

TEAM WES (right photo) - Back row: Jerry Closinski, Mark Lloyd, Pete Fitsik, John Pollex, Lauren Steates, Ron Artigiani.  Front row: Dave French, Captain Wes Cupp, Eamon Dempsey.  Invisible: Assistant Captain Bob Pawlak, Assistant Captain and 32nd Alternate Morgan Bishop.

Session One - Best Ball Matches

WES 1 point, JOSH 3 points

Match #1 - Closinski & Fitsik vs. Peters & Maracchion.  Halved.

Match #2 - Dempsey & Lloyd vs. Fay & Maya.  Fay & Maya, 2 &1.

Match #3 - Steates & Pollex vs. Cupp & Sgroi.  Halved.

Match #4 - French & Artigiani vs. Smith & Cieslewitz.  Smith & Cieslewitz, 1 up.

Session Two - Alternate Shot Matches

WES 3 points, JOSH 1 point

Match #5 - Fitsik & Pollex vs. Maracchion & Cupp.  Fitsik & Pollex, 1 up.

Match #6 - Closinski & Steates vs. Peters & Smith.  Peters & Smith, 2 & 1.

Match #7 - Dempsey & French vs. Fay & Sgroi.  Dempsey & French, 4 & 3.

Match #8 - Lloyd & Artigiani vs. Maya & Cieslewitz.  Lloyd & Artigiani, 1 up.

Session Three - Singles Matches

WES 4 points, JOSH 4 points

Match #9 - Dempsey v. Maya.  Dempsey, 5 & 4.

Match #10 - Fitsik v. Peters.  Peters, 2 &1.

Match #11 - Closinski v. Fay.  Closinski, 3 & 2.

Match #12 - Lloyd v. Maracchion.  Lloyd, 2 & 1.

Match #13 - French v. Sgroi.  Halved.

Match #14 - Pollex v. Cupp.  Halved.

Match #15 - Steates v. Smith.  Smith, 1 up.

Match #16 - Artigiani v. Cieslewitz.  Cieslewitz, 1 up.

Session Four - Sudden Death Playoff

Team Wes wins the Cup with a par on hole #1.

TEAM WES WINS THE 2008 CUPP CUP.

2008 Cupp Cup Individual Statistics

TEAM WES

Eamon Dempsey - 2-1-0, 2 points

Mark Lloyd - 2-1-0, 2 points

John Pollex - 1-0-2, 2 points

Jerry Closinski - 1-1-1, 1.5 points

Pete Fitsik - 1-1-1, 1.5 points

Dave French - 1-1-1, 1.5 points

Ron Artigiani - 1-2-0, 1 point

Lauren Steates - 0-2-1, 0.5 point

TEAM JOSH

Mike Smith - 3-0-0, 3 points

Tom Peters - 2-0-1, 2.5 points

Don Cieslewitz - 2-1-0, 2 points

Dave Fay - 1-2-0, 1 point

Eric Maya - 1-2-0, 1 point

Ted Cupp - 0-1-2, 1 point

Jim Sgroi - 0-1-2, 1 point

Ross Maracchion - 0-2-1, 0.5 point

2008 Cupp Cup Individual Letter Grades

TEAM JOSH

Captain Josh    F
It is obvious though a reasonable motivator and course management specialist, that Captain Josh lost this one in the draft with brother Wes. Members of Team Josh, that chose to remain anonymous, inquired with RCC officials about the likelihood of potentially petitioning for Kitty Cupp’s services to lead their team next fall.  If Captain Josh were a movie, he’s score two thumbs down.
 

Tom Peters    A
Tom’s only slight blemish was a halve in his first match in the best ball.  However, in said match, he did drain a sharply breaking 12 footer on the final hole for the tie.  Tom’s presence on the golf course rooting his teammates on after his 2 and 1 dispatching of Pete Fitsik was greatly appreciated during singles matches.  Mr. Peters has a lot of tremendous golf ahead of him.  Let it be known that Mr. Peters will be an irrefutable force to be reckoned with in 2009.
 

John David Fay    C-
Dave started out strong with a win paired with #188 in the best ball.  A whitewashing in the alternate shot left a bad taste in Dave’s mouth and he never quite got his mojo back as he fell to Jclo in the singles.  Like a place kicker that misses an important field goal in the 3^rd quarter, it was imperative that Dave regroup as his services would be required again.  After a fateful reshuffling with Tom Peters that landed Mr. Fay driving duties for the sudden death playoff, a well struck drive finished in Davey Jones’ locker on the left side of #1 fairway.  Dave’s disappointment was clearly evident but let it be known that Team Josh would not have wanted anyone else standing on #1 tee primed for battle in that playoff.  I’m certain Dave has next year’s Cup Cupp marked on his calendar - ready to extract sweet revenge.
 

Eric Maya (#188)    C
Perhaps slightly in over his head, #188 fought gallantly all weekend.  One of the better performers during Friday night’s social gathering, Eric’s talent spilled over to the best ball match where he accumulated his only point for his team.  A tough loss in alternate shot coupled with the lack of consumption of alcohol proved too much to overcome in his Maya’s 5 and 4 dismantling at the hands of young Eamon Dempsey.  Maya is said to have checked the RCC website 163 times in recent days to see if a 3^rd pool of 8-12 handicappers has been created for next year.  Eric was quoted on Friday night as saying, “Who the hell can I beat in Pool A?”
 

Ross Maracchion    C-
Ross’ Cupp Cup career got off to an auspicious start as a prior engagement prohibited him from bonding with fellow teammates at Friday night‘s social.  A halve in Saturday’s best ball would prove to be the zenith of Ross’ weekend.  A nagging chronic back injury and a reported case of Montezuma’s Revenge, a souvenir from his recent trip to Mexico, hampered his efforts on Sunday.
 
Mike Smith    A
The man with a common name played with an uncommon combination of grit and determination all weekend long.  The only human on either team to garner a perfect three points, Mike saw the final hole in nearly every match earning him the nickname “The Closer.”  Mike’s tremendous play together with his presence off the course made him a bona fide Team Josh MVP candidate.
 

Ted Cupp    B
The “putt heard ‘round the #1 green complex” netted Mr. Ballgame an entire one letter jump in his final grade.  All calls to his agent remain unreturned when asked about the rumor that his playoff putt ricocheted off an extremely large ball mark and into the hole.  Teddy did little to disprove the theory that he hails from West Virginia as he “kissed his sister” twice over the weekend to acquire his only point for Team Josh via two ties.  Ted’s presence was enjoyed by both teams alike as some had heard reports that he had drowned in a tank of Pinot Noir while performing his duties as Director of Quality Control at Thirsty Owl Wine Company in Ovid, NY.
 

James Sgroi    C-
James seemed a bit of a deer in headlights at times on the golf course during the weekend.  Captain Josh made several attempts to bolster his confidence on Sunday and it finally proved fruitful as Mr. Sgroi mounted a massive final four hole comeback that reminded many of Justin Leonard’s memorable performance at the Country Club in the 1999 Ryder Cup. It would serve Jim well to note that when he puts his purse away and files his doubts under “T” for trash, he makes a worthy opponent for anyone in either pool.
 

Don Cieslewitz    B
Handcuffed by an undisclosed social phobia, the “fishman” sat at home Friday night and played solitaire instead of partaking in delectable libations and good times. On the course, Mr. Cieslewitz proved a wily veteran.  Don willed himself to two victories despite having to constantly ward off chants of “FISH THIS!!” from Team Wes.  The oldest team member of Team Josh at 119 years of age, Don handled the 27 hole final day with the youthful vigor of a 90 year old.
 

TEAM WES

Assistant Captain Bob Pawlak   A-

Bob Pawlak was masterful in his first year of action in the Cupp Cup.  The only thing keeping Bob away from an "A+" was that he forgot to bring mudslides on BOTH Saturday and Sunday... rookie mistake.

Assistant Captain Morgan Bishop   D

Not only was Morgan one of Team Wes's Assistant Captains, he was also the 32nd alternate.  Thankfully, Captain Wes did not have to make the call for Morgan to suit up.  In fact, rumor has it that Wes sent limos to all of his players on both days just to make sure this didn't happen.  Morgan did a nice job in his first year as Assistant Captain and probably deserved an "A" on just performance alone.  However, Morgan's dog, Keita, peed on the carpet in the clubhouse, sending his grade plummeting all the way to a "D."

Jerry Closinski   B 

Jerry entered the Cupp Cup hot off of arguably the best year ever seen in Rome Amateur golf.  Jerry won his first Rome City Amateur title, the Member-Member for the third time in four years, three-peated his Club Championship title, and even won the L.T. Shoot-out a week before the Cup.  Needless to say, expectations were high for J Clo.  Jerry struggled in team play, grabbing only a half point in two matches including a loss in Captain Wes's dream combo of J Clo and Lauren.  He did turn it around in the singles as he handled Dave Fay, 3 & 2.  This Cupp Cup performance seems very similar to Tiger Woods' Ryder Cup experiences - a struggle in team play yet dominant in singles.  The one difference, however, is the J Clo was one of the most vocal supporters of his team after his singles play - willing his teammates to success down the stretch.  In addition, his iron into #1 green during the playoff was very crucial and shouldn't be forgotten.

Eamon Dempsey   A-

Eamon was the ace up the sleeve for Captain Wes.  After struggling in the first match, Eamon turned it on Sunday, winning both of the most lopsided matches of the weekend.  He and Dave French won 4 & 3 in the alternate shot in a nine hole match and then Eamon dismantled Eric Maya on the back nine in the singles match, winning 5 & 4.  This strong showing when the pressure was on was key to Team Wes's victory.

Mark Lloyd   A-

Mark took home two points for Team Wes with solid play over the weekend.  If not for the buzz saw that was Dave Fay in Mark's first match on Saturday, he could have grabbed a perfect three points for his captain.  Wes can only hope for more of the same in the 2009 matches. 

Pete Fitsik   B+
Although he statistically had a very average week (one win, one loss, and one tie), Pete provided an extra boost to his team's moral by wearing khaki pants in lieu of his trademark jeans to Friday night's social.  It cost him $25 to rent them for the evening, but it was well worth it.  Pete's only loss came to Tom Peters in the singles matches.  Pete fought valiantly and took Peters to #17 green.  In addition, Pete's pressure filled two putt in the playoff didn't show up in the box scores, but it did secure the cup for Team Wes.

Dave French   B-

Another Team Wes member who finished 1-1-1 for the weekend, Dave showed a lot of heart and "team first" mentality.   Dave and Eamon's thrashing of Fay and Sgroi in the Alternate Shot matches was the point that turned the matches ultimately in Team Wes's favor.  Remember, before that point was won, Team Josh had jumped out to a 3-1 lead.  Dave and Eamon's victory proved to both teams that this Cupp Cup was not going to be a runaway.  With all of this being said, Frenchy's back nine stumble in the singles matches would have become the story of the weekend if Team Josh had won the playoff.

Lauren Steates   C

Although Lauren only secured one half point for the team, she was a few good breaks away from a three point weekend.  Bad Break #1: Two of her three matches pitted her against "The Closer," Mike Smith.  Bad Break #2: The infamous "Wallgate" ruling.  Bad Break #3: Riding with Ron Artigiani for eighteen straight holes without earplugs, Bad Break #4: Being engaged to Wes (this has to mess up your head a little bit while you are trying to make three footers).

John Pollex  B+

Johnny P. earned two big points over the weekend.  His comeback in his singles match with Teddy (down two with two to play) to earn a half point was the difference in the entire Cupp Cup.  Had he not made par from the bushes on his final hole (#4), he would have lost his match and Team Josh would have been celebrating.

Ron Artigiani   C 

The mastermind behind the personalized ties for Friday evening, no one was more excited about the Cupp Cup than Ron.  He proved to be a great teammate throughout the event, as shown in the photo below.  Unfortunately, his golf performance didn't rise to the occasion as he only mustered up one point in three matches.

Left Photo: Jim Sgroi with his 117 pound singles opponent, Dave French.

Right Photo: Pete Fitsik makes the winning putt for Team Wes in the inaugural Cupp Cup.  Ron Artigiani approves!

Left Photo: Eamon Dempsey lets the bubbly fly as Captain Wes was so hungry that he decided to eat the tops of the trees.

Right Photo: Don't tell our superintendent, Roger, about this!

h o m e