Chattanooga

As Mark mentioned, Trashmasters was this weekend. Unlike the East Coasters, I didn't run into a single flake of snow, yet my return flight was delayed by a mechanical problem, so I was delayed 5 hours in getting home, eventually flying through Charlotte on USAir.



The tournament was fun, with only a couple of dud packs. I can hold my head high losing to the Barker/Burger/Kidder/Peskin combo. It should be noted that Craig has swept 2003, winning titles at six events. It's a dominance that'll be curtailed only by the number of events he chooses to participate in. He's always been good, but he's now in an age window where he remembers more old-school trash than the younger players on the circuit, but is still just a few years out of school and is more easily in touch with younger, more current stuff. And as a high school teacher, he's going to be surrounded by youth culture and will continue to pick it up. I think he/his team will be the favorites for a while now. Not unbeatable, but doing so will take a lot of work.



My K-Tel Hell streak is secure: I believe I'm the only player to have qualified for the finals in each of the event's eight years. My record once in the finals is abysmal, however; I think I've claimed less than 20 of a total 1000 points available since 1997. Go Me!