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Updated:
06/25/08

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GETTING OUT OF THE HOUSE

5/5/01 - Cinco de Mayo
by Mike Munzenrider

Let it be said that Chad Benson was brimming with excitement for 2 months straight about the prospect of an organized OUT competition. And why shouldn't he have been? Chad won it alright, and he took home a nice junk of change that will go towards a new HD T.V. I guess you want those types of things when you get old. Chad even beat me in the second round. I suppose had I beaten him, it could have been an upset. As dull and Chad Benson oriented the day sounds at this point, it definitely was not all about our boy The B-Show.

Steve was in his element. The ref at work...

Mention must be made of up and coming David Jaimes whose solid flat ground skills beat out the likes of Ben Ragsdale, and Josh Holtan. Young David's skills even almost propelled him past Mankato's finest, Ryan Hansen, in an edge of your seat nail biting 3rd round.

Another young gun who made an impression was Sam Jirele, who, in the first game of the day, "Took OUT Turk", defeating the infamous Todd Brown, much to the delight of the crowd. Sam went on to the 3rd round only to be stopped by the on and only Nate "Junior Mint" Compher.

Contrary to what I was thinking, Mint is skating at what looks like %100, at least in the realm of flat ground. Mint advanced all the way to the final 4, where he put up a strong fight againt Dan Jackson.

As much of the betting public had already guessed, the final round was between Chad and Dan Jackson. In perfect bottom of the ninth fashion, their best 2 out of 3 round came down to game 3, both of them standing with an "OU". From Dan's nollie hardflip primo to rideaway, to Chad hitting a nollie 360 flip that would have surely ended any other game, it was definitely a match to remember.

The Final Four
Junior mint laughs in the face of the ice man - Dan Jackson (left) while B-Show sets his sights on taking out Hansen (right)

Match of the day though, no matter how good Dan and Chad were to watch, must've been John Vang's pairing with Mr. Dane Vaughn. Vang, clearly the favorite, was eliminated by Lttle Dane in a grueling game that had everyone on their feet. Dane was landing tricks that he obviously was surprised about landing, as evidenced by the look on his face. In the end, Dane held on and also chipped away at John, capping it off with a nollie inward heelflip that shut Horatio down.

All in all, I don't think there was anyone in the competition that didn't have a good time. Turkey is all fired up for another similiar event very soon, and I don't think people are going to object to that.

by Mike Munzenrider