To honor Canada, this instrumental version of "O Canada":
AND NOW....to honor America, international recording super-star... Christina Aguilera:
And now, onto the Tournament....
1) Kristen Dutra vs. 16) The Great Morgan Bridges
Portland Women's Region
I cannot think of anything critical to say about Kristen, and I reckon that I would be hard pressed to find someone who could: Kristen is genuinely one of the sweeter people that I know; incredibly kind and caring...so long as you don't be rude to her or cause bad traffic that gets her stuck on the bridge during rush hour. Her and I go way back to the college days at the U, and always enjoyed her gifted singing, as well as creativity. While I do not understand her fanfare of the English customs and their monarchy, I don't harass too much because they are things that make her happy and so, why would I go out of my way to disrupt that happiness? Kristen has always been incredibly kind and thoughtful towards me -- as evidenced by her near-perennial appearance in the "Most Benevolent" category of the Ryan Awards -- and, I reckon, if other folks had their own awards, that she would get a fair amount of attention in those, as well.
The Great Morgan Bridges and I also go back to the collegiate days, and, being in the same graduating class, I had more classes with her along the way. I've always liked Morgan's work-ethic, good-nature, and sense of humor, and it's been unfortunate that the past few times she has been in Portland that I hadn't known about it until it was too late; because I'd hang out with her, for sure. I haven't heard from the Great Morgan Bridges in awhile, either, but Spaz must be fond of her as that is she made it off the bubble and into the 2014 Tournament of Champions. However, Kristen has this match-up locked up and advances to the Thrilled 32 next week.
3) Ember White vs. 14) Deanna Wells
World Women's Region
This is an interesting match-up because, on the one hand, you have Ember -- who is sort of like the Wonder Woman of the volleyball court -- and then, on the other, you have Deanna -- who is also a Wonder Woman of sorts, and even uses the imagery to support that comparison. So, this should be a good one.
I met Ember last year, I believe, playing volleyball and she has a wicked serve that registered, I believe, a solid 8 or so consecutive aces. Off the court, Ember is also a lot of fun to be around and was one of the few folks that decided to spend New Year's Eve with me, Maui, and Eric (after the Knisters left)...which was cool of her. Otherwise, it would have likely just been me, Maui, and Eric for the night...and I would have went home at 12:15am; not having played beer pong in the Sky Lounge, and been disappointed by the lack of fireworks (I swear, I thought Portland did a fireworks show for New Year's...but maybe they took this year off?). So, one could say -- quite accurately -- that Ember saved New Year's...THUS, her Wonder Woman/super heroine status! (Tying it all together now). If the saying is true, that the people that we associate with reflect the sort of person that we are, then Ember must be awesome, because she surrounds herself with and is supported by some really great people. I haven't known Ember all that long but I'll vouch for her awesomeness.
I used to work with Deanna, and she's one of the many collegiate athletes that went professional in something other than sports, and that could be one aspect of her Wonder Woman status. The other parts -- and the larger contributing parts, I'd say -- being her work with kids, her commitment to making the world a better place (one life at a time), and her regular posting of inspiration messages, oh, and her strength and perseverance, as a person. Being Wonder Woman is a lot of work, and a lot of expectations, but I always admired Deanna's ability to maintain positivity and happiness (in my observation). Tack on the fact that she is into art and drawing (a zombie apocalypse scene being the only of her work that I have seen, but I can dig it), AND she's a big fan of some of my favorite childhood shows -- Darkwing Duck (which I now, forever, associate with her, as I recall a story she told me once about her being particularly fond of Darkwing Duck due to the DW initials), DuckTales, TALE SPIN!! Remember those classics??? Ohhh, to grow up in the late '80s/'90s. While I don't know Deanna all that well, either (just from work conversations and her regular appearance on my Timeline/News Feed), I am confident that she is the type of woman that is not going to let things hold her down or prevent her from accomplishing what she sets her mind to, or in what she invests her heart; and those character traits are some that I deeply admire and wholly respect.
Unfortunately, Deanna didn't seem to put her mind to winning the 2014 May Mayhem Tournament of Champions, haha, whereas Ember has been quite active in the trash-talking (which I like -- I'm a trash-talker...prolific, in fact, according to some... what can I say? I dig it), and so, despite Denna being an ideal Dark Horse, force-to-be-reckoned-with, in a few of the mock brackets that I made last week (yes, I do mock brackets in advance...), it'll be Ember charging forth into the Thrilled 32!
6) Glenn Herboth vs. 11) John Studzic Dudzic
World Men's Region
One of the quieter match-ups in this opening round is that of Glenn vs. Studzic; the #6 seed vs. the #11 seed. I've known both of these guys for a few years and they're both upstanding and fun to be around.
I know Glenn through John, primarily, and over the past few years, have partied with him, played volleyball, gone to the coast, to Sauvie's, had dozens of cook-outs and house parties; and he's a guy that can be depended upon to come through for things. Glenn is a hard-working guy, who believes in doing the job the right way, and is also very connected with those in his life. All of which are attributes of his that I respect.
Similarly, Studzic I have known for a few years now, as well, and he's always been a good guy to be around and a good friend to have. He recently became a licensed massage therapist which I know was something that he had been working on for awhile. Despite being focused and reliable, he's also pretty easy-going, chill, and just a good guy to know. Whether it's having beers and hanging out, or watching crappy movies about a killer gingerbread man voiced by Gary Busey. I don't get to see him as much as I once did but we'll get to see more from him next week as he advances to the Thrilled 32!
2) The Great One Ian Mouser vs. 15) Sam Hendrick
World Men's Region
On the surface, this match-up may not look too interesting: the #2 seeded Great One Ian Mouser -- a Ryan Award LEGEND, first-ballot Hall of Famer, world-traveled musician, recording artist, non-profit founder/director (My Voice Music) -- up against the #15 seeded Sam Hendrick, who -- to most -- may just be a name... and a very generic name, at that, but, I assure you, that you would be mistaken. Well...I guess his name is rather generic, but never mind that. The Great One and Sam actually share quite a few overlaps:
The Great One, is an accomplished, recorded, world-traveled musician.... Sam had a band in high school -- they were pretty good, from what I recall. The Great One has had his music featured on MTV in the past.... Sam works for MTV in the present. The Great One hails from the small-town environment (I think) of Southern Oregon, but has settled in the city of Portland.... Sam, like me, hails from Albuquerque (which is really a giant suburb, in my opinion), but has settled in the mega city of NYC. Both are well traveled and musically-inclined ...that may be the extent of the similarities. So, I assure you, that this is no lay-up for the Great One.
I reckon that, due to the Great One's (and My Voice Music's) presence in a lot of the things that I do -- past Tournaments, the Ryan Awards, etc. -- that most of you know a bit about the Great One; so, to practice some brevity: he is one of the greater guys that I know because of what he has done with his gift of music. He, certainly, could have kept up the touring gig, maybe carved a nice life out for himself, and do what musicians do, but, instead, he has been dedicated a lot of himself to helping kids in need. Prior to My Voice Music, he had worked with kids using music as a form of therapy; giving kids with troubles at home, in school, in life, a more constructive and positive avenue to express their feelings, instead of choosing detrimental or harmful options that otherwise would have presented themselves. I'm a firm believer in what My Voice Music stands for and the mission that they embrace, and, in turn, I'm also a firm believer and supporter in the Great One Ian Mouser, because, I believe, that its mission reflects that of his own; not just in words or concept, but in practice.
Now, I don't believe that I have seen Sam since high school graduation -- due to the tradition of lining up in alphabetical order by surname, you can imagine that I was always pretty close in line to Sam, haha -- however, through the magic that is the Facebook, he makes guest appearances on my Timeline/News Feed every so often. Usually, they are related to pictures he is posting or tagged in from a variety of MTV-related events or festivals. But, every so often, there are pictures from his series of wall-mounted hand-dryers that you find in public bathrooms. I haven't investigated the origin of the series -- is it some sort of social commentary? A brand of humor that I'm unaware of? Something that New Yorkers do that I've never heard of? Maybe he just likes taking pictures of wall-mounted hand-dryers? -- but it's nice change of pace from the usual contents on my Timeline/News Feed.........wait...News Feed is the one that I see, right? Timeline is specific to me...so on my News Feed; ignore the slash ................. which, nowadays, is mostly just babies and the occasional wedding... oh, and the Blazers -- either when they win a big game or get humiliated in San Antonio. In short: I fancy the wall-mounted hand-dryer series to most other things on my News Feed, and, for that, I thank him.
There haven't been a lot of shake-ups in this opening round yet, so let's get one here: Sam advances to the Thrilled 32! BOOM! and shaka laka.
Speaking of My Voice Music, this seems like as good a time as any to take a quick commercial break:
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| My Voice Music engages youth in music to promote self-esteem, social skills, and emotional expression. |
And now, let's get back to the Tournament....
5) Melissa Newcombe vs. 12) Tara Arnold
Portland Women's Region
I have known both Melissa and Tara in more of an associative manner, since college. By that, I mean, we had mutual friends and so we knew each other through them but I don't recall really hanging out with either of them in a social capacity. Regardless, if this Tournament's diverse participants show nothing else, they show that I am friends with folks near and far, and of varying degrees of longevity and familiarity.
I have always admired Melissa's compassion and creativity. Even though I don't know her all that well, she always has been kind and very friendly and welcoming from my interactions with her. It has only been in the last year or so that I've gotten to see the magic she does in the kitchen, though, through her custom cakes. More on that later, I assure you. It is not so much the cakes themselves that are awe-inspiring, though, it is the fact that she does them in her free time, but you would never guess it. Whether it is someone's wedding day, or birthday, or graduation, or any other special event, she makes it an equally memorable part of the that event. That attention, effort, and consideration to wanting to make something amazing, beautiful, and delicious in order to further accent a special moment in someone's life is an incredibly thoughtful and admirable trait about her. I dig it.
Tara is also a very giving person, in nature, and committed to doing great things. As the former Mrs. Oregon (which I did not know such pageantry existed), she piloted the Movin' It With Mrs. Oregon campaign that focused on increasing childhood activity, promoting exercise and healthier lifestyle habits.... or so I believe. I sure hope that I'm not screwing that up..... Aside from her initiatives as Mrs. Oregon, she is also a nurse -- and, again, UP nurses are the best of the best -- and a genuinely friendly and kind person. It was unfortunate to have heard that she wasn't able to get help, from the convenience store guys (or, inconvenience store guys, perhaps) on that one rainy morning. Not just because she was in noticeable distress and in need of help, but because of how much of herself she has given to supporting her community, I would have hoped that she would have received more of the same. Regardless, she persevered and gained a learning experience from the ordeal.
And while Melissa isn't continuing forth into the Thrilled 32 round of the 2014 Tournament, it may give her some time to make some more AMAZING cakes.
7) Jessica Hicks vs. 10) Cadence Powers
World Women's Region
Jessica is probably one of my favorite Canadians that I have never actually met; meanwhile Cadence is one of my favorite people that I seldom see or communicate with. I reckon, that I am the lone common ground between these two women.
This is a quieter match-up due to the aforementioned loose soil upon which my relationships with both exist. I have known Jessica now for....quite a long while; I forget the year count off hand, BUT it I met her during the Napster days -- yeaaah...good ol' Napster. AND when it comes to online music exchanges, it's never a bad idea to deal with Canadians: for the most part, they are trustworthy and they have good taste in music, as entertainment is one of their chief exports, after all. All kidding aside, Jess and I go way back to when I was just a kid in Albuquerque, downloading free music online; and was the catalyst (or one of the catalysts) that took my small campus news magazine (the famed 2A Times) to international status, as she was a primary subscriber. The Times eventually would go on to be read on over a half-dozen different countries, and on four continents before it expired, and Jess was, most certainly, a supportive person in that growth. She puts up with a lot of my harassment and over-the-top American favoritism, even though I'm sure that she knows that most of it is to irritate her -- and I'm just really good at irritating, I suppose. Perhaps her and Aneel will come to Mardi Gras next year, because that would be sweet. Lord knows that I'm not going to Nunavut to visit; I'll go hang out in a meat locker if I want to be cold and bored on a vacation. (That was the last Canadian joke for this passage, I promise.)
Meanwhile, I've known Cadence for a few years now and while my social interactions with her are few and far between -- usually just overlaps at various My Voice Music benefits/events... or that one stretch of time when I kept randomly seeing her on the opposing MAX train... that was random, for sure -- but what makes her great, and what I like most about her, is her compassion and desire to help those in need. Whether it be kids in a residential setting, or working with foster kids, or even going abroad to Latin America in order to help villages/towns there. None of what she does (that I see) is easy work, there are a variety of challenges abound, but she never has seemed to let these challenges get to her. In that respect, I think she's incredibly strong, sharp, and focused. It is one thing to endure life challenges and succeed, but it is a whole different thing to be able to endure and succeed while not appearing challenged or burdened; and that has always impressed me about Cadence is that she is able to take command of a situation and keep things cool. In my limited social interactions, she's also quite pleasant to be around and so I have no complaints.
However, Jessica will likely complain because I'm going to advance Cadence to the Thrilled 32 instead of her. She may stop talking to me for awhile -- she was already upset that Aneel was a top-seed in the World Men's Region -- but it would not be the first time that has happened, and it probably will not be the last.
8) Eric Benedetti vs. 9) Micah Rolfe
Portland Men's Region
The #8 seed vs. #9 seed match-ups are always a toss up. Micah clinched his spot in the 2014 Tournament for being one of the first folks to "like" the Tournament's announcement on Facebook. In a world where interest is not often expressed, I made note of the "like" and reckoned that it warranted placement in the Tournament. Meanwhile, Eric found his way into the Tournament by virtue of I see him quite regularly -- from summer shenanigans, kickball/sloshball, the 49ers' season, Winnerhawks games (aka Portland Winterhawks), and he was one of the few that hung out with me for New Year's; I've seen him somewhat regularly over the past year and so he warranted a spot in the Tournament.
For both of them to make spots should not be overlooked or downplayed. The Portland bracket is STACKED. Through the course of seeding the Tournament this year, I came to the realization that, when it comes to guys, probably 90% of my friends are from the U...probably 4% are high school that I haven't seen since high school, another 3% are current or former co-workers, and the rest is just "Other". So, yeah, an incredibly competitive region yields the best of the best.
The best things that I can say about Micah is that he shows up when he says he's going to (reliable and dependable), he's there for the people in his life, and he always makes things interesting. I'll never accuse him of being boring, that's for sure. Similarly, Eric is dependable, and comes through when needed, and is generally a good guy to know. Always up for drinks and good times, parties, and outings of the like, which is likely why I see him as regularly as I do. They both keep good company, as well, and that speaks volumes to the type of people that they are themselves. I'll be advancing Eric in this match-up because we need more red and gold represented in this Tournament -- plus, I dig the trash-talking. "Likes" may secure a roster spot, but trash-talking is what gets you into the game. #GoNiners
And now, the Round 1 : Day 3 "Marquee Match-Up", presented by "Melissa's Cake Gallery & Custom Cakes"! Bringing quality, beautiful, and delicious edible masterpieces to special events (or just-because events) for... an unknown amount of years.
Seriously, she is a wizard! I personally had some of the Sponge Bob cake (below) - and I almost regretted having it, in fact. As an artist myself, I felt bad about ruining such an aesthetically-pleasing work of art. Especially, since I had been Brew Cycling the whole morning. But it was worth it. I almost regretted it.
Work like these is why Melissa's Cake Gallery & Custom Cakes is the Official Cake-Maker of Ryan Henley. I have not yet needed a custom cake, but, I assure you, if I did, I would look no further than Melissa. As far as I am concerned -- from what I have seen in life and on the Internet -- she is the best of the best. Be sure to check her out for all of your custom-cake needs. I am pretty sure that there is nothing that she cannot do. I swear she has a wand or fairies or something supernatural going on; pans cleaning themselves, brooms sweeping autonomously. It's probably why she resists my brilliant YouTube channel idea -- it'd expose her wizardry to the world.
4) Dana Troy vs. 13) Justus del Mundo "The Ambassador"
Portland Men's Region
Dana and Justus are two pretty cool guys that I know, albeit, I see Dana far more often -- do to him being here in Portland (for the time being) while Justus continues on his goodwill mission around the globe on behalf of these United States of America.
There's really no better person for the task, though. I reckon that, if Justus were to continue traveling around the globe indefinitely, he could probably quell all sorts of anti-American sentiments around the world. He is super chill, decent, friendly, very welcoming, and accepting, but also proud -- what more could you want from an unofficial ambassador?? The first time that I remember meeting Justus was in a Fine Arts class at the U -- he and uh....*thinking*....Kat Forshee were sitting behind me in that class, and I don't remember what initiated the conversation but we started talking in the class; that was the first time that I met Justus and Kat. It's only a notable story simply because I have very little interest in meeting new people, haha, which is why I would not be a very good ambassador.
Meanwhile, I've known Dana now for almost as long as Justus but -- due to proximity, common social circles, and similar sport allegiances -- I know Dana much better. Things that make Dana a great guy to know is that you can count on him to come through when he says he's going to do something, he's a passionate guy for the things and people in his life, and he's very welcoming and inviting. Sure, he has meltdowns over things that I pay little mind to -- i.e. why the Internet stream isn't HD quality; why sports leagues haven't used the streaming ability of the Internet yet, forcing fans to buy cable or go to bars -- but those are hilarious. I'm a fan. I'll miss them when he moves to Seattle in a few months.
And although his time in Portland may be coming to an end in a little bit, he has secured at least one more week of action in the 2014 May Mayhem Tournament of Champions, as I advance him to the Thrilled 32!
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That will do it for Round 1 : Day 3 of the 2014 May Mayhem Tournament of Champions! Tomorrow's matches will conclude the first round and then, over the weekend, you can expect a posting of the Round 2 "Thrilled 32" schedule.
-Ryan.
Tournament Commissioner
May Mayhem Tournament of Champions
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