It is the beginning of my return home from one of the most entertaining business trips of my life. All is finally over for the King of Cornhole at the ACO US Nationals for another season and we have successfully completed our mission: we have crowned a new king. Join me for a recap of the greatest moment in sports history... Well, okay, that's a little strong. But the contest was certainly filled with all the drama that you see in other sports. And after all, it is Las Vegas!

Notes From the Field, January 2010: Long Live the King

Dateline: The Orleans Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada; We have finally arrived: the city of sin/lights/neon... Vegas has too many nicknames to count. And after the events of the last three days, we can give it one more; the home of the king.

No, I am not talking about Elvis or Michael Jackson. This king was given a coronation  at the Orleans Casino at the 2009 ACO King of Cornhole at the US Nationals. The end of the 2009 season for our favorite sport had all the drama and swagger of any major league competition. The moments of greatness were too many to count. Suffice to say, we were all amazed and amused. Here's a look at three of the biggest moments in "The Show:"

The Marathon Award: Steve Vanderver has been playing this game for many years. The # 2 seed is one of the most tenacious players ever, a master at blocking and canceling his opponent's shots at every opportunity. Looking for an opportunity to catch up? Good luck. Through attrition, Steve delivers a steady stream of points and blocks that wear down his opponent almost every time. So what do you suppose would happen if you combined his energy as an irresistible force with a person who is the proverbial immovable object? Enter #18 seed Dave Sutton.

While in the 3rd bracket of the contest, the two began their match. Most people in the room took little notice. For good reason: the US Nationals floor was filled with several other games and one of the special social events had picked up a lot of interest in another room.  When getting ready to set up for the next round and they had not yet turned in the results of their match. The normal round of cornhole in a tourney was progressing to a finish in 15 minutes (if someone is really getting hammered) to a long match progressing to 45 minutes. Imagine playing that long; at that point, most amateurs are probably ready to quit and go get another beer. As I wandered over to the match with a fresh round, and saw their score on the tree read 11-12... wait, how long had they been playing? Turns out, the clock had run past an hour.

Frame after frame, throw after throw, the Steve and Dave had been throwing and canceling each others points. An occasional point would be had by one, then answered by the other. A larger crowd began to gather as the two intensified their play. The look of concentration on both of their faces was a study in intensity. When the hammer shot finally fell, it was Vanderver who finished the match. The time? Nearly 90 minutes! An exciting display of endurance that was sure to be talked about for a long time. It also earned Steve a new nickname: "The Iron Man."

The Muhammad Ali Award: The lineups for the Final 4, were a Who's Who of Cornhole, and another pressure cooker of a game was about to be played out. Randy Atha, the #4 seed, was nearing a finish against the unflappable #1 seed Matt Guy. A serious round of leader swapping began to encourage the crowd to cheer. The scores nearing a win for Guy, Matt sunk his first cornhole, followed by Atha. After a second clean shot by Matt, Atha pulled out a loaded gun of an attack: Atha started talking a little trash. He then lofted a uncharacteristically high arched shot. Immediately after it left his hand, Atha turned and walked away from the board, smiling. The bag slammed into the hole at airmail speed. The "call your shot" display sent the crowd roaring!

But the fun didn't stop with one bag: In identical fashion, the Amazing RandyRandy pulled off the same shot a second time, then a third time, again walking away, knowing there was no question the bag was heading straight for the hole. Four airmails, three without needing to look at the drop! There was no doubt, for that moment, Randy Atha owned the game, and the crowd.

In the end, it was not enough to shake up Matt. In the next board, Atha would close out the game with a loss, but not before demonstrating the dramatic difference between amateur "social" play and the professional experience. Randy Atha's swaggering style was reminiscent of Muhammad Ali. He gets a nod as one of the more memorable moments in this tournament.

The Crowning Achievement: Finally, when you plan a competition of any kind, you hope that the final match is a competitive battle that comes down to the last point. The payoff in this round had all the earmarks of exactly that: after whittling away 62 other players, the championship was a match that everyone knew was a can't miss show: Matt “The Champ” Guy, #1 seed from Alexandria, KY was facing off against #2 seed, the newly nicknamed Steve “The Iron Man” Vanderver from Tri-state neighboring Norwood, OH. These two competitors regularly meet on Monday at home in Milford. The two have also been here before, playing to the wire in countless tournaments over the years. With a great intro by Matt Gray, firing up the crowd with all the style of a Las Vegas boxing match, the crowd dropped their cheers and the room went silent into the first game.

It was the match up of the day. Not just because it was the final round, not just because it was fun to see the end of the match. Anyone who has seen these two compete understands fully why we are here.

And the two best ranked players in the tournament did not disappoint: Matt and Steve traded out a lead over the course of two games. After two games, the two both had a game in their pocket and everyone settled in for what would promise to be the best game yet. Indeed it was.

Matt pushed an early lead in the game. After some cancels and stumbles, everyone began to see that Steve, even after the earlier marathon match, was not going to roll over. Steve fought back to pick up a few points. Another stumble and Matt was out in front for the next few rounds, but with a diminishing lead.

Indeed it was not over yet: Pushing the envelope with some well placed shots, Steve closed and took over the lead for the first time at 15 to 14, then pushed his lead to 17. It might be that the game was decided right there. But anyone who has seen these guys play, knew better.

If anyone has ever seen Matt Guy play, you know how dangerous he is in a pressure cooker game. Earlier in the day, when #34 seed Anthony Hodgkinson was ahead by several points and making it look like an upset might be in the making, Matt slowed down, and took more time between his shots and dropping the bags exactly where he needed them. Hodgkinson went down in the next several boards. It is a very common happening with Guy, demonstrating a superb “grace under fire” attitude.

And so here we were again: In great match ups in the future, many will remember the way this one played out. The next few rounds were a classic “come from behind” face off. Matt passed Steve to reach 18, then twenty and a decisive last shot that send Matt looking to double check his vision. Matt finished off Steve for the win.

Long live the king. Appropriate Las Vegas style followed, with a formal coronation of the King with crown and cape and a promise for King Guy to rule with a fair hand. The partying started immediately.

An hour after the contest ended, the room still held many contestants participating in the last of several challenges and some free play. Amongst them, standing not too far from the crowd, a friendly and much less serious conversation was being had by the two competitors who drew this tournament to a close. Guy, now back in his street clothes, was laughing and chatting with Vanderver. It was this snapshot of the two that struck me as the most significant, and telling, of this whole show. Because after all the bragging, after the seeding and hard line competitive play, these two players were going to return home and begin playing again, readying for the next match. Steve, points to Matt for his win, but no less to you for demonstrating professionalism at its finest. I don't know too many people who could be sharing a drink with their opponent so soon after such a match. Way to go Iron Man!

And long live the king! If there is a face on this game, Matt, most in the know would arguably say it is yours! Of the many competitions you have won, you should be most proud of this one. The King of Cornhole is as always, gracious and humble. And oh yeah, the King delivers.

Congratulations to all who made this the greatest tournament to date: The King of Cornhole show was definitely a Vegas style game that showed off the professional face of this sport. I am happy to report that the best of the best have indeed been found. At least, until the next match. Because if you are at all familiar with any sport in any field, you know that the players often change. Get out there and start pitching boys and girls, you may one day be the one wearing the crown. Maybe against Guy, maybe against Vanderver. Whoever it is, there's only one way to find out: Get in the game. The King's field of battle is open. Maybe we will...

...see you on the field.

Closing note: It has been my distinct pleasure and honor to be named “The Voice of Cornhole” for this year's competition. A lot of fun was had by all in this past week, and a lot of new friends are now in my address book. This sport is changing and growing and it was fun to be a part of this. If the opportunity arises for you next year, make the trip to this event. While everyone in Vegas had different opinions of the great games, nearly everyone I spoke to agreed on one thing: The King of Cornhole and the ACO US Nationals is THE tournament to see all the best players on parade. Everyone had a great, safe time.

Thanks to everyone who made this tournament what it was. A special thanks to Matt, Keith and Ken, my partners in crime on video for making me look so good. I wish everyone I spoke to about the game a safe trip home and look forward to seeing you in the future.

Sincerely,

Gregory  Williams
“The Voice of Cornhole”