#midwest gaming classic 2023

[phoenixwarriors5]

Midwest Gaming Classic 2023

[shootingstarrae]

January - April, 2023

- Went to the Yetee Station in Aurora, Illinois for my birthday

- Started therapy after years of saying I should

- Finally moved from a 1 bedroom apartment to a 2 bedroom apartment

-Played A Space for the Unbound

- Saw White Reaper live

- Drove to Milwaukee for the Midwest Gaming Classic

- Finally got to play Coffee Talk Episode 2

Favorite albums:

This is Why by Paramore

So Much (For) Stardust by Fall Out Boy

[concerthopperblog]

10 Standout Roots and Americana Albums of 2023 So Far

“Best Of” lists have always been polarizing. Some people enjoy the roundup and some hate them for their reductive qualities. I personally love them because they give me a chance to catch up on some albums I missed during the year (or half-year as is the case here). The one thing I don't care for is the “best” label, at least for my list. Concerthopper's album review section is mostly a one-man operation on the Americana side and, being one person with two ears, I can't possibly listen to every album that comes my way, and some might have made a “best” list if I had. Instead, what you find below is a list of favorite Americana and roots albums of the year so far. Your list may differ and I look forward to your choices in the comments. Where we reviewed the album, I've linked it. Where we didn't, I've linked a Youtube video of one of my favorite album cuts.

10. Iris DeMent- Workin' on a World A new Iris DeMent album is an infrequent thing and to be celebrated anytime there is one. On Workin' on a World, she takes on the hate and divisiveness our political system has delivered of late and faces it with a mixture of defiance (“Warriors of Love”) and healing (“Workin' on a World”). Simply put, it's DeMent at her best and, at her best, she's as good as it gets. 9. Ben Folds- What Matters Most In his finest solo release to date, Ben Folds pens songs that are essentially short fiction, story songs that run the gamut from political dissatisfaction (“Wait There's More”) to a humorous encounter with a lady with too much stamina and some weird fetishes (“Exhausting Lover”) to a middle school crush who became a hate-filled meme sharer in adulthood (“Kristine From the 7th Grade”) with equal parts earnestness and humor. 8. Margo Price- Strays Margo Price always delivers and Strays is her best studio album since Midwest Farmer's Daughter. With some help from Sharon Van Etten and Sierra Ferrell she delivers an album that is equal parts classic country, America, and straight ahead driving rock and roll. It's a fun album, even when Price is offering raw autobiographical material (“Been to the Mountain”). 7. Dom Flemons- Traveling Wildfire Dom Flemons is roots music's most dedicated historian. He began (alongside Rhiannon Giddens and Justin Robinson) his work of unearthing the almost forgotten history of black string band music with Carolina Chocolate Drops and has continued to do so with his solo records for Smithsonian Folkways. But Traveling Wildfire also shows off Flemons' love of traditional country, from the ambling waltz of “Slow Dance With You” to the Marty Robbins-esque western story song “It's Cold Inside” alongside his historical remembrances like “Nobody Wrote It Down.” 6. Joy Oladokun- Proof of Life While Proof of Life is Joy Oladokun's third album, it's her true coming out party, an album so good that it brought her a larger audience, and a well deserved one. From the slow burn of “Pride” to the hip-hop enhanced soul of “Revolution,” there's something for everyone on this album. The breadth of influences on this album is evident from her guests, ranging from Chris Stapleton to Manchester Orchestra to Maxo Kream to Noah Kahan. 5. The War & Treaty- Lover's Game I'll admit to being concerned when The War & Treaty signed a major label contract last year. Would the duo that so fiercely defended their place in Americana when they burst onto the scene become watered down by the mainstream? I needn't have. Lover's Game is another satisfying album of country-soul. There's a bit more emphasis on the country side this go around, but that only serves to give them the vibe of Ray Charles' forays into country music and that's not bad company to be in. 4. Parker Millsap- Wilderness Within You Parker Millsap has never been an artist afraid to experiment with new sounds, but on Wilderness Within You, using technological gadgets not usually found in roots music while condemning the technology that separates us even when we're feet apart. On the album, Millsap dabbles in New Wave (“So Far Apart”) and Krautrock (“Half a World Away”) while never leaving his core roots sound on songs like “Greetings and Thanks” and “Front Porchin.” 3. Doolin'- Circus Boy There's nothing that draws me like artists who embrace the strange. So when I ran across Doolin', a band billing themselves as “France's Best Celtic Supergroup,” I knew I had to give it a listen. I'm glad I did. Recorded in two sessions bookending the pandemic, the first in America and the second in France, the album finds Doolin' stretching beyond the bounds of their traditional Celtic sound into earnest folk-pop (“The Darkest Way”), Americana (“Circus Boy”), and even calypso with a cover of Harry Belafonte's “Man Smart, Woman Smarter.” Doolin' was the discovery of 2023 for me and a band I immediately went out and picked up the back catalog from. 2. Cinder Well- Cadence While it's not the #1 album of the year so far, it's a near thing. No album bowled me over like Cadence in the first half of 2023. I was familiar with Amelia Baker's “doom folk” project from her excellent previous album No Summer, but nothing prepared me for the dark explorations of the “thin places” in our reality where magic, not always positive, happens. Songs like “Two Heads, Grey Mare” and “Gone the Holding” practically drip with the Old Ways of Baker's home on Ireland's coast. 1. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit- Weathervanes Six albums into his Southeastern Records output I've pretty much just slotted Jason Isbell into the #1 slot unheard and I will until he proves to me that he doesn't deserve it. Weathervanes is another success, an album unafraid to tackle tough topics like racism (“Cast Iron Skillet”), school shootings (“Save the World”), and addiction (“King of Oklahoma”) without ever sounding preachy. As always, his band The 400 Unit proves that they're the next generation Heartbreakers, ably weaving instrumental greatness into Isbell's lyrics, notably on his Sadler Vaden guitar-driven tribute to Justin Townes Earle, “When We Were Close.”

[thaoworra]

I’ll be presenting at LITERARY BRIDGES, on May 7, 2023 starting at 2:00 PM at Next Chapter Booksellers, located at 38 S. Snelling Avenue, St. Paul.

“Well April snowstorms bring May?…” says Stan Kusunoki, co-host/curator of the Literary Bridges reading series. “…May poets, of course! This month’s roster promises a wide-ranging, yet interconnected group of writers. It will be fun to chase all the threads of connection—in other words, a classic Literary Bridges!”

The roster includes: Claire Wahmanholm is the author of Wilder (Milkweed Editions 2018), Redmouth (Tinderbox Editions 2019), and most recently, Meltwater (Milkweed Editions 2023). Her work has most recently appeared in, or is forthcoming from, Cream City Review, TriQuarterly, Sierra, Ninth Letter, Blackbird, Washington Square Review, Copper Nickel, and Beloit Poetry Journal. She was a 2020-2021 McKnight Writing Fellow, and her poem, “Glacier,” won the 2022 Montreal International Poetry Prize.

Lynette Reini-Grandell is the author of Wild Things: A Trans Glam Punk Rock Love Story, (Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2023) and the poetry collections Wild Verge (Holy Cow! Press, 2018); Approaching the Gate (Holy Cow! Press, 2014), winner of the 2015 Northeastern Minnesota book award for poetry. She teaches English and creative writing at Normandale Community College and the Loft and has received support for her work from the Finlandia Foundation and the Minnesota State Arts Board. A multidisciplinary collaborator, she performs at spoken word venues with the Bosso Poetry Company and the jazz collective, Sonoglyph, and her poetry is part of a permanent installation at the Carlton Arms Art Hotel in Manhattan. She lives in Minneapolis on the ancestral homeland of the Dakota people. Bryan Thao Worra presents internationally on science fiction poetry and the Southeast Asian diaspora. He has presented at the Singapore Writers Festival, the Smithsonian Asian American Literature Festival, the Library of Congress, the League of Minnesota Poets, Poets House, Kearny Street Workshop, the 2012 London Summer Games, and more. His newest collection is American Laodyssey (2023) from Sahtu Press as his community marks 50 years since the end of CIA Secret War in Laos.

Marion Gómez is a poet and teaching artist based in Minneapolis. She has been awarded grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board and the Loft Literary Center. Her work has appeared in La Bloga, Mizna, Waterstone Review, Saint Paul Almanac among others. She is a member of the Latinx spoken word collective Palabristas.

Moheb Soliman is an interdisciplinary poet from Egypt and the Midwest who’s presented work at literary, art, and public spaces in the US, Canada, and abroad with support from the Joyce Foundation, Banff Centre, Minnesota State Arts Board, and diverse other institutions. He has degrees from The New School for Social Research and University of Toronto and lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he was Program Director for the Arab American lit and film organization Mizna before receiving a multi-year Tulsa Artist Fellowship and this year a Milkweed Editions fellowship. His debut poetry collection HOMES (Coffee House Press, 2021), explores nature, modernity, identity, belonging, and sublimity through the site of the Great Lakes bioregion / borderland. Moheb has been a finalist for the Minnesota Book Awards, Heartland Booksellers Award, and others, and was showcased in Ecotone’s annual indie press shortlist and the Poets & Writers annual 10 debut poets feature. See more of his work at www.mohebsoliman.info.

[retr0rob]

🕹️ Midwest Gaming Classic 2023 Mini Haul and Quick Room Tour 🕹️

[coghive]

Tauren Wells Releases New Versions Of “Joy In The Morning”

Ten-time GRAMMY nominee Tauren Wells releases new versions of his hit song “Joy In The Morning.” Wells recently announced his upcoming Spring 2023 headlining “Joy In The Morning Tour,” in support of his recent album by the same name. Kicking off the 19-city tour on January 26th, 2023, the national run will hit cities across the Southeast, Eastern Seaboard, New England, Midwest, Southwest and West Coast. Released in 2022, Joy In The Morning is Wells’ third solo album and first for Capitol Records/CCMG. He celebrated its release with appearances at the GRAMMY Museum in Los Angeles, “Fox & Friends” and “Good Morning America.” Most recently, Wells delivered the national anthem at the Detroit Lions’ 83rd annual Thanksgiving Day Classic game against the Buffalo Bills. He also welcomed the holiday season with the release of his single “Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays,” a reimagination of the much-loved *NSYNC classic. Joy In The Morning - Tauren Wells https://open.spotify.com/album/170FUziX94zYLzcV7arINC?si=t9ic9WygTqaVW0hvQLQjmw Read the full article

[smallcollegebasketball]

The Reede Barn, Aberdeen, SD

Let’s start off 2023 with by providing information about the Reede Barn in Aberdeen, SD.  

I knew OF Gus Reede over the last couple of years, as he plays for Northern State.  I met Gus last February (2022) when I travelled to Aberdeen to watch two games during their “I Hate Winter” games.  Gus got hurt during the first game, so after film session, Gus and I stood on the balcony, just talking.  I was blown away with Gus!  

Gus Reede is what’s right with college basketball.  He’s passionate about his school, his team and his teammates.  He grew up in Aberdeen, and he grew up on Northern State University basketball.  His grandfather’s name is on the locker room and the video board.  His parents are big supporters of Northern State basketball.  Gus is an absolute basketball junkies, and his work ethic is incredible......and his improvement as a player has been remarkable, yet not overly surprising when you account for the tremendous work ethic and passion.

While Gus was a tremendously accomplish high school player (he was a 3-time all-conference pick, 3-time all-area selection, and 2-time second all-state honoree), he was coming into a talented, highly regarded (nationally) NCAA Division II program.   Here’s the article from the time when Gus committed to Northern State:  https://eu.aberdeennews.com/story/sports/2017/08/08/roncallis-gus-reede-chooses-northern-state/44732931/

He redshirted his freshman season.  As a redshirt freshman the following season, he scored 22 points.....for the season.  As a redshirt sophomore, he scored a total of 57 points for the season, averaging 2.9 points per game......and he continued to work and work and work......and then, during the 2021-22 season, he was given more of an opportunity, and started 31 games for the Wolves.  He scored 320 points, averaging 10.3 points per game.  This season, he’s starting and averaging 11.5 points, while shooting 50% fg, 47% 3-pt. fg & 85% ft.  This includes a game against TX A&M Kingsville where Gus knocked down 8 3′s and had 31 points.  

Gus just has such tremendous passion for the Northern State Wolves, and he just wants to help his team win so bad.....Since he arrived on campus at Northern State, the Wolves have gone 26-7 (redshirt year), 26-6, 19-2, 20-12....and are now 10-3 thus far this season.

With the “Covid Year”, Gus technically has another year of eligibility next year.

................ 

Gus is the oldest of Nathan & Jackie Reede’s four children, and the family grew up in Aberdeen.  Nathan’s Dad, Neil Reede, owned and operated Upper Plains Contracting, headquartered in Aberdeen.  That business carries on the family name today as Reede Construction.  Neil loved Northern State, and Northern State basketball.  

Nathan Reede now runs Reede Construction, and under his leadership, the company has exploded.  

As Nathan & Jackie’s children drew up, indoor practice facilities in the upper midwest were scarce.  Nathan wanted his children - who really liked basketball - to have a place to practice, and he realized that he had some extra space in his shop......so he made the decision to build an indoor facility, now known as the Reede Barn.  When the decision was made, however, Nathan decided to do it right.....and the facility is awesome!  It’s unique and special, and today has taken on a life of its own.  

Here’s a great article on the story of the Reede Barn: https://aberdeenmag.com/2018/04/barn-burner-basketball/ 

The Reede Barn has their own 

Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/www.upci.biz/  

Twitter account: @TheReedeBarn  

.....and Instagram account: the_reede_barn

While I was in Aberdeen for the Inaugural Small College Basketball Champions Classic, I went to visit the Reede Barn myself, and spent time with Gus and his Dad, Nathan.  They were kind enough to spend a good deal of time with me, showing me around and tell me stories.  Below are a few photos that I took, and there is even more to this awesome facility.

For basketball junkies, this is just a wonderful facility, now filled with stories and memories.  

...............

I’ve truly enjoyed getting to know Gus Reede.  What a highly impressive person.  I was blown away when I first met Gus, and I’m blown away today.  He loves his family, Northern State basketball, his teammates and his school.  

[sponeprisand-blog]

2019 Fall Atlantic Coast Showcase MASN TBS BossCast Live TNT Schedule

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    A Professional Sports Event Management Company since 2000. Lacrosse Tournaments & College Recruiting Showcases. We invite and welcome your teams to enjoy one of our team tournaments or college recruiting showcases. 2019 Fall Atlantic Coast Showcase in High Point, NC from 11/9/2019 - 11/10/2019 I got it For all Red Flag Tournaments all entry gates and merchandise kiosks are now cashless. All purchases can be made by Visa, Mastercard, American Express or Discover. MLB Proposal Would Eliminate 42 Minor League Teams. 2019 PGBA Central Texas Fall State Championship. 2019 Fall Atlantic Coast Showcase Skillshow Videos Offer. Maximize & lengthen your showcase experience by getting a professionally produced video & using it long after the event! All players will be filmed at this PG showcase by Skillshow. As an event attendee, you will receive video clips on.

2019 fall atlantic coast showcase cinema. 2019 Fall Atlantic Coast Showcase Contact I got it For all Red Flag Tournaments all entry gates and merchandise kiosks are now cashless. All purchases can be made by Visa, Mastercard, American Express or Discover. Fall 2019. 2019 Fall Schedule Delaware Mid Atlantic Fall Classic (Wilmington) October 26, 27. New Jersey. East Coast Nationals. Recent Tournament Champions. Follow us on Twitter. Follow US. Our Partners.

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2019 California Prospect Showcase. All uncommitted 2020-2023 players on the teams playing in the Team Invitational on Sunday are strongly encouraged to participate in the East Coast Fall Recruiting Showcase the day before on Saturday. Get more out of your weekend in Washington, DC and play two days in front of college coaches. 2019 Fall Atlantic Coast Showcase Skillshow Video Offer.

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11 2 PA • 2019 Fall Measurables & Evaluation Showcase Keystone State. TX Unsigned Senior Showcase: Quick Hits 10/31/2019 A quick look at some of the standouts. Flames and Pirates by Aaron Fitt of D1Baseball during his travels around the Mid-Atlantic this fall. View All News. News; Players. Atlantic Coast Softball. 2019 University of Houston Cougars Fall Baseball Showcase, Houston, TX » The inaugural Fall Atlantic Coast Showcase will be held November 9-10 at BB&T Point Stadium in High Point, North Carolina. Top talent from the 2020-2024 classes from the Carolina's, Virginia, Maryland, Georgia and beyond are expected to show their skills under the watchful eyes of the Perfect Game scouts.

Chillwave turns 10 years old today. Chillwave is curiously well-known among indieheads as a term but also somewhat misunderstood, maligned, and neglected. In the wake of this anniversary I began writing about its origins, its run from 2009-2011 and its subsequent influence on indie electronic music and indie music overall since. Part of this plan was to highlight the big four - not three - artists key to its sound: Washed Out, Toro Y Moi, Neon Indian and Memory Tapes. In particular I wante.

2019 Fall Atlantic Coast Showcase What to bring I got it For all Red Flag Tournaments all entry gates and merchandise kiosks are now cashless. All purchases can be made by Visa, Mastercard, American Express or Discover. 2019 fall atlantic coast showcase season.

Fall Premier Showcase - SincSports

*Information updates here within 10 minutes of results posting to * Bold. indicates events occuring today. All times Pacific. [Last week's results/discussion] athletics_scheduleresults_for_week_of_november. Football * Date/Time. Team/Opponent. Details. Fri, Nov 23, 5:30 PM,Football at Washington State, W 28-15* ➡[Box. ➡[Recap] goh.

2019 fall atlantic coast showcase events. Your Weekend Event Rundown: Over 110 Big Events at Virginia Tech, Blacksburg and throughout the New River Valley. 2019 PGBA 16U LA Fall Championships. By J.J. Cooper on October 18, 2019 The Professional Baseball Agreement (PBA) between Major League Baseball and minor league teams expires at the end of the 2020 season. But if a new MLB proposal were to become reality, more than three dozen cities with affiliated minor league teams will lose those teams a year from now and thousands of minor league players will be out of work as well. The MLB proposal is just one idea at the start of what will likely be a lengthy negotiation, but the two s.

2019 PGBA Fall Nationals

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2019 PGBA 16U Nac Attack Fall Classic

[rebelbasecardpod]

Show notes for Episode 121: Mark Mulcaster of Fantha Tracks

In addition to being on some of the Fantha Tracks Podcasts, Mark Mulcaster wears a few other hats, including his duties as  Commander of the UK Rebel Legion’s Elstree Base as well as being in the 501st UK Garrison and the UK Vok Chi clan of the Mando Mercs. He’s also an avid Bass player who may or may not show up at a gig with a Star Wars T-shirt. Mark was incredibly generous to give up some of his time and give a great overview of how these cosplay groups among other things, work with folks to get their outfits in shape, his collection and his role on Making Tracks, co-hosting with friend of the show Mark Newbold who has been on the show a few times and I think snuck him into the Celebration one here a few months back.

His Bio from Fantha Tracks:

‘Mark has been a fan of the saga since the early 1990s after rediscovering the original trilogy on VHS and dived right into the first Grand Admiral Thrawn Trilogy, he has been an avid Star Wars reader ever since. He’s been a member of the Star Wars costuming community since 2007 when he joined the Rebel Legion’s Elstree Base, the Base he now runs as Base Commanding Officer as well as also being a member of both the 501st UK Garrison and the Mandalorian Mercs Vok Chi clan here in the UK.’

Mark Mulcaster

@mmulcaster Instagram & Facebook

@rebellegionUK

www.fanthtracks.com

Card Release Schedule (Subject to change):

2/16/22 2022 Topps SW Signature Series

4/8/22- Masterwork 2021 (Slipped from March)

5/4 Classic Wrapper covers Blake Jamison, Brittney Palmer

6/1 Kenobi Online Sets (1,2 same time, weekly)

6/8/2022 Bounty Hunters (Slipped from April) (169), 24 packs/box 8/pack - Blasters trending 34 -

6/24 Topps Star Wars Chrome Sapphire Edition (Online Only) (199 Orig) 8/box 4/pack

7/29 Star Wars Finest (Slipped from Spring) (299) 12/box 5/pack

8/31(9/30?) Topps Chrome Star Wars Mandalorian Beskar Edition (149) 18 packs/box 4 cards/pack

9/28 Chrome Black (179) 1 card per pack, 4 per box

11/23 Book of Boba Fett (129) 7/box, 8/pack  Blaster avail

No mention yet of Masterwork 2022 or Chrome Galaxy in the calendar

2023 Convention Schedule

1/7 S.T.E.A.M. into Star Wars: Washington Comm. HS, Wash. IL

3/31-4/2 C2/E2 Chicago: McCormick Place, Chicago

3/31-4/2 Midwest Gaming Classic: Milwaukee, WI

4/7-10 Star Wars Celebration Europe: London Excel Centre

5/26-28 - ICCC: Nashville, TN

TBA: Chicago Non-sport Card Show

6/3 Joliet Star Wars Day: Joliet Public Library, Joliet, IL 

7/26-30 The National Sports Collectors Convention, Rosemont, IL 

8/10-8/13 Fan Expo Chicago, Rosemont, IL 

TBA: Chicago Non-Sport Card Show (Fall)

[tcxastough]

//So I think I’ve discussed it before but never really in depth about what Dolly does after retirement. I’ve got three possible endings with one of them ruling out as an au. Because I like playing games with multiple outcomes for endings, I did that with femgie as well, a Good, a neutral, and a bad ending. Haven’t fully fleshed out any of them because I don’t really see a need to or I can’t really think of anything. Might make more endings depending on ships.

The good ending is after retiring from TFI, Dolly moves out somewhere in the midwest, remarries, becomes a university professor and eventually starts one of the most prestegious tech universities in North America. She dies at the ripe old age of 93 in 2023.

The neutral ending is, after retirement, she continues mercenary work, but less field work and more into illegal weapons and tech development for spies, thugs, and mercenaries. Her underground operation allows her to fund her own personal research, and she eventually develops cybernetic limbs and internal organs that allow the user to extend their life and slow down aging tremendously. She dies at the age of 134, when she becomes diagnosed with Alzheimers and, not wanting to succumb to dementia, takes herself out on her own terms.

The bad ending is an AU, since it triggers if the Classics kill off Miss Pauling and her team. Dolly develops an alternative Australium substance to power the life extending machine that requires pouring a vast amount of human Australian blood into the concoction. Due to nearly a century of abuse and being held prisoner, she finally snaps and impales herself through the neck on a piece of factory equipment.

[mitchbeck]

CANTLON'S CORNER: HOCKEY NEWS AND NOTES VOLUME 9

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings HARTFORD, CT - The news cycle is overflowing with COVID-19-related stories and the sports world, and hockey in-particular is no exception. AHL AWARDS With the 2019-020 season now officially canceled the parade of end of season awards begins. Former Quinnipiac Bobcat (ECACHL), Sam Anas, a fourth-year pro who finished the season with 20 goals and 50 assists for a league-best 70 points while skating in all 63 games for the Iowa Wild, won the AHL John B. Sollenberger Trophy. Anas 26, represented Iowa at the 2020 AHL All-Star Classic in Ontario, CA and is Iowa’s franchise leader in career assists (125) and points (197). He ranks second in goals (72) and games played (259). He was signed as a free agent by the Minnesota Wild on April 15, 2016. In the trophy announcement, Anas has a teammate's company. Gerald Mayhew led the AHL with 39 goals and totaled 61 points in just 49 games with Iowa this season. He wins the Willie Marshall Award for the most goals scored in the season. That award honors the AHL's all-time leading scorer in goals, assists, total points, and games played. In his third pro campaign since coming out of Ferris State University (WCHA), Mayhew made his NHL debut in 2019-20 where he notched two goals in 13 games with Minnesota. He skated in the 2020 AHL All-Star Classic and appeared in 209 career AHL contests – all with Iowa – where he scored a franchise-record 88 goals as well as 72 assists (160 points). Mayhew signed his first NHL contract with Minnesota on May 10, 2019, after playing two seasons on an AHL deal. The AHL awarded Troy Grosenick and Connor Ingram of the Milwaukee Admirals as the recipients of the Harry “Hap” Holmes Memorial Award for the 2019-20 season. Since 1972, the award has been presented to the goaltender(s) with at least 25 games played on the team which allows the fewest goals per game in the regular season. The Admirals allowed an average of 2.24 goals per game in 2019-20 while posting a league-best record of 41-14-5-3 (90 points, .714). Milwaukee finished with the fewest goals against in the AHL for the first time in the franchise’s 19 seasons in the league. Grosenick, who won the Aldege “Baz” Bastien Memorial Award as the AHL’s outstanding goaltender back in 2016-17, made 33 appearances for the Admirals this season. Grosenick is a seventh-year pro and went 20-9-3 with a 2.29 goals-against average, a .920 save percentage, and two shutouts. A Milwaukee native, Grosenick was also named the recipient of the AHL’s Yanick Dupre Memorial Award for his outstanding community work in 2019-20. Ingram was 21-5-5 in 33 games for Milwaukee during the 2019-20 season and ranked third in the AHL in both goals-against average (1.92) and save percentage (.933) while also posting two shutouts. A third-year pro, Ingram was honored with his second consecutive selection to the AHL All-Star Classic this year and started his pro career in Syracuse eight appearances. In other AHL news, The Hershey Bears and Washington Capitals agreed to extend their very solid affiliation relationship to the 2023-24 season. The two teams have been together since 2005. Since then the Bears have made the AHL playoffs 12 times in 15 years and are won three Calder Cup titles in five appearances. CONNECTICUT’S NEWEST JUNIOR TEAM The new hockey hotbed in the Nutmeg State is Danbury. Earlier in the week, Danbury saw its newest addition to the Hat Tricks family and the fourth team of its portfolio playing out of the Danbury Ice Arena. The Tier II North American Hockey League (NAHL) announced Tuesday, the relocation of the Wilkes Barre/Scranton Knights. They will be renamed the Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks for the upcoming 2020-21 season. "We are looking forward to having NAHL hockey right here in town, which brings the highest level of junior hockey to the area. The addition of this team aligns with our vision of turning the Danbury Arena into a premier hockey destination.  We can't wait to drop the puck. We know our fans are going to love this team and the energy it brings,” Herm Sorcher, Partner of DP 110, the ownership group of the Danbury Arena, said. Bill McCreary, the head coach for the FPHL Hat Tricks team last season has been named the first GM/Head coach for the Jr. Hat Tricks. McCreary is an NAHL grad. He played for the Texas Tornado where he collected 45 goals and 71 assists in 98 career games. He was named to the NAHL All-Rookie team and an NAHL First Team All-Star during the 2002-03 season. “The arrival of the NAHL is an exciting moment for not only hockey in Danbury but the entire state of Connecticut. The North American Hockey League has been instrumental in developing players into NCAA student-athletes and we are honored to continue that tradition,” McCreary said. “We are extremely excited to be able to build a culture that embodies the spirit of the NAHL while focusing on developing our players into future NCAA and professional athletes. It’s our commitment to not only helping our players achieve their goals but to also build a ‘family’ that competes for a Robertson Cup year-in and year-out." McCreary is a nine-year (2006-15) minor league hockey veteran as both a player and coach with a playing resume that includes time spent with the Trenton Titans (ECHL), Huntsville Havoc (SPHL), New Mexico Scorpions (CHL) and the New Jersey Outlaws (FHL). He was part of championship teams in both Hunstville (2010) and New Jersey (2012), where he served a dual role as player-coach. Collegiately, McCreary played for Providence College (Hockey East) and Curry College (MA) (ECAC-NE). The other Danbury teams include the NA3HL Danbury Colonials and a youth team. The building is also home to a fifth team, the NWHL's Connecticut Whale. The Knights franchise has been a member of the NAHL since the 2015-16 season. The Knights enjoyed its’ most successful season to date in 2018. They reached 30 wins in the regular season, earning 66 points in the standings to clinch a playoff berth for the third consecutive season. The team not only made the playoffs but also won its’ first playoff series, where they dispatched the New Jersey Titans in a best-of-five series that went the distance. The following round, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton swept the Philadelphia Rebels, thus clinching the 2018 NAHL East Division earning the opportunity to compete for the NAHL Robertson Cup Championship. The Junior Hat Tricks will play in the seven-team NAHL East Division with the New Jersey (Middletown) Titans, Johnstown (PA) Tomahawks, Jamestown (NY) Rebels, Maryland (Odenton, MD) Black Bears, Northeast (Attleboro, MA) Generals, and the Maine (Lewiston) Nordiques. Danbury participated in their first NAHL hockey business as part of the league's Supplemental Draft where they took Andrew Mancini from Canterbury Prep School Saints (New Milford) with the 13th selection and then with their second pick 40th overall drafted Cole Vallese (Salisbury Prep) who is a Providence College (HE) commit for 2021-22. Other names of note include the 19th overall pick, Cam Knuble, the son of former New York Ranger, Mike Knuble, who was taken by the Shreveport (LA) Mudbugs, He was also taken in the USHL Draft 2016 by the Des Moines Buccaneers in the 6th round 82nd overall. The 34th selection was Cooper Swift (West Hartford/Choate Prep), who was taken by the Maine Nordiques. He played four games with Langley (BCHL) and most of the season with New Jersey (NCDC). Jack Ring (Guilford) went 71st overall to the Fairbanks (AK) Ice Dogs. He played for New Hampton (NH) School last season. The NAHL also announced the rebranding of two teams for next season. The first is the St. Cloud (MN) Blizzard who moved from Brookings, MN last year and will now be known as the St. Cloud Norsemen playing in the NAHL Central Division The second is the Topeka (KS) Pilots who become the Kansas City Scouts in the fall. That named was used after the NHL team of the mid-1970s for two years (1974-1976) before the franchise was moved to Colorado to become the Rockies who eventually became the New Jersey Devils. The NAHL is a 26 team league with Danbury as its second foray into the Northeast has primarily been located in the US Midwest and Southwest. The league has teams in Odessa, TX, Shreveport, LA, Amarillo, TX , Springfield, MO, Chippewa Falls, WI, West Minot, ND, and two teams in Alaska, the Fairbanks Ice Dogs and the Kenai River Brown Bears in Soldotna. A 27th team will be coming in 2021-22 in the Wichita Falls (TX) Warriors. TRANSACTIONS Ex-Hartford Wolf Pack, Oscar Lindberg, leaves EV Zug (Switzerland-LNA) and heads to Dynamo Moscow (Russia-KHL). Markus Granlund, who split the year between Bakersfield and Edmonton, departs for Salvat Yulaev (Russia-KHL) becoming the 15th AHL player to sign overseas for next season. 12 of 31 teams have seen a player sign in Europe. UCONN gets another commit from Russia for the fall making him a critical flip from a powerful Hockey East opponent. Artem Shlaine, who has dual citizenship (US/Russia) comes out of the highly-respected Shattuck St. Mary’s Sabres program in Faribault, MN. He was originally a BU commit last May but was scheduled to go for the 2021-22 season for the Terriers, but he has selected the Huskies and will be on campus in the fall. He also had offers from Boston College and Ohio State. Shlaine is 6’1 and 175lbs. He is a left-handed shooting center who resides in Florida. His family moved from Moscow where he scored 60 points in 44 games this past season. Here in the states this season, in 46 games, Shlaine had 26 goals and 52 assists (78 points). Last season, for SSM he posted 90 points in 56 games played including 34 goals and 56 assists while wearing the number 13 jersey. In six games with Muskegon (USHL) this season, he had two goals and three points. Last month, Shlaine was drafted in the third round (56th overall) in the OHL Priority Draft by the Owen Sound Attack. A sixth-round (93rd overall) draft pick in 2018 of USHL Sioux Falls, he suited up for the Stampede in two playoff games last season. In the Central Scouting Bureau (CSB) final list, he joins three other Huskies who are eligible to be drafted he was in the 94th spot, with a pair of sophomore defenseman, Yan Kuznetsov was rated the highest of the four at 36th, Jacob Flynn was 112th and incoming freshmen East Haven’s Nick Capone at 126th. USA Hockey announced on Wednesday that Ted Donato (Harvard-ECACHL), Kris Mayotte (Michigan-Big 10) and Steve Miller (Ohio State - Big 10) will serve as assistant coaches. Theresa Feaster (Providence) will be video coach for the 2021 U.S. National Junior Team scheduled to compete in the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship that's presently scheduled for December 26, 2020, to January 5, 2021, in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta. The group will assist head coach Nate Leaman (Providence), who was named to the position in March. Nick Halloran Colorado College (NCHC) has turned pro and signed a deal with Ontario (AHL). Three more Division III players have signed deals in Europe. College players turning pro in North America now stand at 95, including Division III and Europe a total of 154 have done so and 24 underclassmen have left early. Hockey East leads with 22 signings, Big 10 has 20, NCHC with 18, WCHA has 13, ECACHL has 12, and the AHA has nine. 26 college players have signed in Europe the latest is Parker Tuomie who heads back home to play for Eisbaren Berlin (Germany-DEL). Read the full article

[shootingstarrae]

Midwest Gaming Classic

Saturday, April 1st - Sunday, April 2nd 2023

[junker-town]

The PGA Championship’s coming back to Valhalla & Louisville in 2024, per report

Exactly a decade after Rory’s finish in the dark, one of the PGA’s most reliably dramatic venues is back in the fold -- this time in May.

With the Kentucky Derby slated for the first weekend of the month, May’s kind of a big month in Louisville. Looks like those horses-for-courses might have to share the stage for another type come a few years down the road.

Per a report from longtime WLKY sports reporter Fred Cowgill, the PGA Championship is set to return to Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky in 2024 pending a Thursday announcement from the governing body.

PGA Championship to Valhalla 2024. Official at newser at Valhalla Thursday. Per sources.

— Fred Cowgill WLKY (@FredCowgillWLKY) November 10, 2017

That would mean the course’s return to the major rota exactly 10 years after its last appearance — a wild & memorable finish at the 2014 PGA that had Rory McIlroy teeing off to beat darkness on the 72nd hole while a just-trailing Phil Mickelson stood below in the fairway. They didn’t really beat darkness, Rory won, and it’s still perhaps the most surreal finish of any big-time sporting event I’ve ever witnessed in person. Words can’t do it justice, so here, watch for yourself.

This is big (or, heck, at least notable) for a couple of reasons.

The PGA & USGA reveal future venues quite often, and we rarely seem to stop to notice when we’re outside the major season. This one’s still nothing massive — Valhalla’s a proven venue that draws big crowds and supplies classic moments like Tiger vs. Bob May in 2000, Boo Weekley galloping down the fairway at the 2008 Ryder Cup, and Rory’s win in the dark. But, it perhaps does tip the hand about the PGA’s thought process behind the schedule change from August to May -- and something many northern and Midwestern golf fans feared that might not be coming to fruition.

Perhaps one of the biggest hurdles for the schedule change that saw the PGA Championship move to May? Uh, climatological patterns and agronomy. Without going full greenskeeper, it’s not exactly easy to get a golf course ready for major championship play by early May in the Midwest or Northeast — the area most of the recent PGA Championship’s venues reside. Some courses, like Oak Hill Country Club in the Rochester, New York, area in 2023, were already set to host when the change was made. It was a fair concern to wonder if the PGA would start to opt for more events in California or southern locations, which tends to be oversaturated with golf events compared to the areas the PGA had traditionally served.

That’s evidently not going to be a problem.

Oh, and another reason to look forward to 2024? Here’s a readymade storyline for you.

If we’re looking into the future, the 2024 PGA Championship would come a handful of days after the 30th birthday of current champion and reigning PGA Tour Player of the Year Justin Thomas. And, yes, probably as you’ve heard before — Thomas is a Louisville native who grew up just down the road from Valhalla. In a city so passionate about sports but not exactly overgrown with golf stars, this would be a home game by the likes we don’t often see in pro golf. It’ll be fun as hell.

If he keeps up his current pace, he might just get to celebrate his turn into the third decade of life at home -- while trying to run down another major title in his own backyard.

[junker-town]

The PGA Championship’s coming back to Valhalla & Louisville in 2024, per report

Exactly a decade after Rory’s finish in the dark, one of the PGA’s most reliably dramatic venues is back in the fold -- this time in May.

With the Kentucky Derby slated for the first weekend of the month, May’s kind of a big month in Louisville. Looks like those horses-for-courses might have to share the stage for another type come a few years down the road.

Per a report from longtime WLKY sports reporter Fred Cowgill, the PGA of America’s set to return to Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky in 2024 pending a Thursday announcement from the governing body.

PGA Championship to Valhalla 2024. Official at newser at Valhalla Thursday. Per sources.

— Fred Cowgill WLKY (@FredCowgillWLKY) November 10, 2017

Such an announcement would course’s return to the major rota exactly 10 years after it’s last appearance — a wild & memorable finish at the 2014 PGA that had Rory McIlroy teeing off to beat darkness on the 72nd hole while a just-trailing Phil Mickleson stood below in the fairway. They didn’t really beat darkness, Rory won, and it’s still perhaps the most surreal finish of any big-time sporting event I’ve ever witnessed in person. Words can’t do it justice, so here, watch for yourself.

This is big (or, heck, at least notable) for a couple of reasons.

The PGA & USGA reveal future venues quite often, and we rarely seem to stop to notice when we’re outside the major season. This one’s still nothing massive — Valhalla’s a proven venue that draws big crowds and supplies classic moments like Tiger vs. Bob May in 2000, Boo Weekley galloping down the fairway at the 2008 Ryder Cup, and Rory’s win in the dark. But, it perhaps does tip the hand about the PGA’s thought process behind the schedule change from August to May -- and something many northern & midwestern golf fans feared that might not be coming to fruition.

Perhaps one of the biggest hurdles for the schedule change that saw the PGA Championship move to May? Uh, climatological patterns and agronomy. Without going full greenskeeper, it’s not exactly easy to get a golf course ready for major championship play by early May in the Midwest or Northeast — the area most of the recent PGA Championship’s venues reside. Some courses, like Oak Hill in the Rochester area in 2023, were already set to host when the change was made. It was a fair concern to wonder if the PGA would start to opt for more events in California or southern locations, which tends to be oversaturated with golf events compared to the areas the PGA had traditionally served.

That’s evidently not going to be a problem.

Oh, and another reason to look forward to 2024? Here’s a readymade storyline for you.

If we’re looking into the future, the 2024 PGA Championship would come a handful of days after the 30th birthday of current champion & reigning PGA Tour Player of the Year Justin Thomas. And, yes, probably as you’ve heard before — Thomas is a Louisville native and grew up just down the road from Valhalla. In a city so passionate about sports but not exactly overgrown with golf stars, this would be a home game by the likes we don’t often see in pro golf. It’ll be fun as hell.

If he keeps up his current pace, he might just get to celebrate his turn into the third decade of life at home -- while trying to run down another major title in his own backyard.

[junker-town]

The PGA Championship’s coming back to Valhalla & Louisville in 2024, per report

You’re in luck, Louisville. Exactly a decade after Rory’s finish in the dark, one of the PGA’s most reliably dramatic venues is back in the fold -- this time in May.

With the Kentucky Derby slated for the first weekend of the month, May’s kind of a big month in Louisville. Looks like those horses-for-courses might have to share the stage for another type come a few years down the road.

Per a report from longtime WLKY sports reporter Fred Cowgill, the PGA of America’s set to return to Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky in 2024 pending a Thursday announcement from the governing body.

PGA Championship to Valhalla 2024. Official at newser at Valhalla Thursday. Per sources.

— Fred Cowgill WLKY (@FredCowgillWLKY) November 10, 2017

Such an announcement would course’s return to the major rota exactly 10 years after it’s last appearance — a wild & memorable finish at the 2014 PGA that had Rory McIlroy teeing off to beat darkness on the 72nd hole while a just-trailing Phil Mickleson stood below in the fairway. They didn’t really beat darkness, Rory won, and it’s still perhaps the most surreal finish of any big-time sporting event I’ve ever witnessed in person. Words can’t do it justice, so here, watch for yourself.

This is big (or, heck, at least notable) for a couple of reasons.

The PGA & USGA reveal future venues quite often, and we rarely seem to stop to notice when we’re outside the major season. This one’s still nothing massive — Valhalla’s a proven venue that draws big crowds and supplies classic moments like Tiger vs. Bob May in 2000, Boo Weekley galloping down the fairway at the 2008 Ryder Cup, and Rory’s win in the dark. But, it perhaps does tip the hand about the PGA’s thought process behind the schedule change from August to May -- and something many northern & midwestern golf fans feared that might not be coming to fruition.

Perhaps one of the biggest hurdles for the schedule change that saw the PGA Championship move to May? Uh, climatological patterns and agronomy. Without going full greenskeeper, it’s not exactly easy to get a golf course ready for major championship play by early May in the Midwest or Northeast — the area most of the recent PGA Championship’s venues reside. Some courses, like Oak Hill in the Rochester area in 2023, were already set to host when the change was made. It was a fair concern to wonder if the PGA would start to opt for more events in California or southern locations, which tends to be oversaturated with golf events compared to the areas the PGA had traditionally served.

That’s evidently not going to be a problem.

Oh, and another reason to look forward to 2024? Here’s a readymade storyline for you.

If we’re looking into the future, the 2024 PGA Championship would come a handful of days after the 30th birthday of current champion & reigning PGA Tour Player of the Year Justin Thomas. And, yes, probably as you’ve heard before — Thomas is a Louisville native and grew up just down the road from Valhalla. In a city so passionate about sports but not exactly overgrown with golf stars, this would be a home game by the likes we don’t often see in pro golf. It’ll be fun as hell.

If he keeps up his current pace, he might just get to celebrate his turn into the third decade of life at home -- while trying to run down another major title in his own backyard.