Here comes ACUP 13!

Are you scared yet??

June 22-25

Who woulda thunk that Ye Olde Athletic Cup would be alive and well for a thirteenth rendition?  Yet here we are, ready for more G-rated entertainment than Walt Disney could ever imagine.  Last year’s competition was rife with lackluster performances and contributed only to the “wrong” kind of ACUP records.  The bowling and hoops conditions were indeed "wanting," but there will be no such excuses this year as the Cup makes a return trip to Happy Valley, where there are excellent facilities for all events.  Well, time to get to it – let’s take a look into Chad’s crystal ball…

 

Derek, defending champ from ’05:

This old man has been spending his spare time working on finishing his basement and cruising the countryside on his Intruder.   As of this writing, he’s logged 27 lackluster holes of golf, and no time on any other events.  Though the winner last year, he was battling tennis elbow and was atrocious in both bowling and hoops, yet oddly dominant in golf and tennis.  Somehow I don’t see that behavior in the mix this year, but rather a return to hoops prowess and a strong tennis game, but it won’t be enough for the 3-peat.

 

Tom, runner-up in ’05:

A little bird told a friend of mine that ‘ol Tommy Boy has been hitting the links and the lanes quite heavily, and he should be well-prepared for both of those events.  With a little hoops practice, he could corner the lion’s share of points before day 3.  His golf game was off last year, which enabled Derek (the cripple) to “steal” the Cup.  I have a feeling that golf points will be the single determining factor this year.  I’m penciling in “Tom Leahy” as the favorite for ACUP XIII.

 

Kevin, 3rd place in ’05:

“The Enigma” will again keep the competition in suspense.  He plays perhaps the most consistent golf from year to year, despite limited play.  His tennis game is always strong, and last year was a breakthrough for him in hoops.  Most erratic is his bowling game, which has yet to match his PA State Tournament levels.  Could he, would he, contend for the Cup?  Should he, could he, PRACTICE before this year’s meeting???

 

Paul, "Anchorman" in ’05:

Paul is making an effort to be a bit more prepared this year, but has a very cramped summer schedule.  I put a lot of blame for last year’s weak performance on his inability to practice, but this year he has just a tad more leeway.  He’s been golfing and I suspect he will gingerly test the lanes (and his wrist), as he was just a few pins shy of taking the bowling trophy last year.  Will he be ready?  Only he and his hairdresser know for sure…

 

Chad’s Expert Odds

(as of 5-1-06)