Tyler Mayforth

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My First Disc Golf Tournament

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On August 7, 2016

In Athletic Achievements, Sports

This past weekend I competed in my first disc golf tournament, hence the title of the post. I picked up the sport a few years back while living in Texas and continued playing in Georgia and then to New Orleans, where there are a few area courses.

Here are a few takeaways that I had from the tournament held at Lafreniere Park.

  • Playing in a best-shot doubles tournament, as a single, is hard work. The concept of that style is simple: You and a partner both shoot and whatever lie you like better, you use. When you roll solo, you don’t have that option. It’s just one shot. You mess up? Tough luck. Make up for your mistake the next time. And it’s safe to say I made quite a few mistakes out there.
  • I was supposed to have a partner, but those plans fell through. Then I was supposed to have ANOTHER partner, but THOSE plans fell through. I told the organizer I’d play a level up if a single needed a partner in an advanced group, but that wasn’t to be. I was told I could be refunded or compete in the tournament, so I decided to compete since it was a great experience.
  • I finished the first round at a 16-over-par 88 for the 24-hole course. All things considered, that’s not terrible — but I was 25 shots out of first and 13 shots out of the money (top-4 paid). The two groups I played with said I fared well considering the circumstances (solo, first tournament, etc).
  • “Treezus” is real. That’s the God of Trees in disc golf. Treezus giveth (kicks your disc into a favorable spot) and taketh away (swallows discs whole). You must always thank Treezus whether or not you get a favorable result.
  • Dropping out after the first round sucked at first (It was a two-round tournament), but I gave it my all. If I had a playing partner, there is no way I would have tapped out. This time, though, I had enough after 24 holes.

I’m looking forward to the next tournament, whether it be a true singles format or a doubles format where I can find a partner to play with. Until next time, though…

On Texas State Baseball Beating Texas And Why I Still Care

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On May 17, 2016

In Sports, Texas

The streak is over.

Don’t worry, Shocked Undertaker Guy: I don’t want to give you flashbacks. After all, I was in the Superdome with you on that fateful day in 2014 when The Undertaker was pinned in the center of the ring by Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 30. I’d say I was shocked, but not nearly as flabbergasted (Good word, right?) as you were.

The streak to which I am referring is this one…

You read that right. It had been 11 years since Texas State beat Texas in baseball.

I lived in San Marcos, Texas for a little more than six years (December 2007 until July 2014) and never saw the Bobcats upend the Longhorns. It was borderline maniacal how many times Texas State got within centimeters of beating Texas, just to watch a game slip away in the final innings.

https://twitter.com/tylermayforth/status/732759699683057664

Both of those games were one-run losses.

The first was a 6-5 loss in the Horns’ first trip to San Marcos in the history of the series and that was arguably the best team the Bobcats ever fielded with the top of the lineup consisting of Texas State greats Tyler Sibley, Bret Atwood and Paul Goldschmidt. That loss stung Bobcat fans since a few calls by the umpires swung momentum of the game, yet Ty Harrington’s team still had chances to win.

The second came the next year in Austin where first-year pitcher Carson Smith (who is now a member of the Boston Red Sox) started one of his first games in a Texas State uniform. Smith, who admitted after the game to not knowing about the Bobcats’ past struggles against the Longhorns, twirled a gem. The pitcher with a three-quarters delivery struck out eight and held Texas without a run for 6 1/3 innings. The floodgates unfortunately opened when Smith tired and the bullpen couldn’t stem the tide. The Longhorns scored one run in the seventh to make it 2-1 and answered Texas State’s solo run in the eighth with three of their own to make the final score 4-3 and to add another one-run loss to the Bobcats’ tally.

Now some of you are probably wondering why I just typed 340 words about a team I haven’t covered since 2014. That’s ages ago in the sports-writing world and even longer in my career arc (I have since moved twice — from Texas to Athens, Georgia and then again from Georgia to New Orleans, Louisiana where I am currently working for the USTFCCCA).

I guess I can’t get Texas State completely out of my system. When you spend nearly seven years of your life in one location covering one program, you get attached in a way you never thought you would. Not only to the people, but the town. That’s why I had to collect myself as I drove away from San Marcos on Highway 80.

Well done, Bobcats. Enjoy this one. Don’t riot too much on The Square.

Kevin Millwood, No-Hitters And Realizing Time Flies

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On April 27, 2016

In Sports

So I felt my age (30) today.

You know those “Your Memories on Facebook” posts that pop up every now and then to remind you of something you posted X number of years back? Well, one of them showed up on my News Feed today as I did my morning Facebook check.

Seven years ago on this date, I watched Kevin Millwood toss a no-hitter against the San Francisco Giants at Veterans Stadium. The only offense in the 1-0 win came from a solo home run by Ricky Ledee. What a day to spend at the Vet with a good buddy, Nick Gordon.

I should have known I was getting into older territory when I spoke to my coworker about this and he said, “Kevin Millwood? That’s a name you don’t hear every day.” Now my coworker is slightly younger than me and I might know a little more about sports than most, but he’s right: Millwood didn’t have the greatest MLB career (12 years, 169 wins, 4.11 ERA), so why would someone truly remember him?

What really hit home was that I posted that status update on April 27, 2010.

Seeing that I wrote “Seven years ago on this date…” means that on April 27, 2016, it would have been 13 years in the past. Don’t worry, my math checks out. I promise.

I went to The Vet with Nick when we were seniors in high school.

That means that as of this summer, I would have been graduated for 13 years.

Time flies when you’re living, doesn’t it?

Author’s Note: Here’s the box score of the game.

Author’s Note No. 2: I still have the homemade scorecard and ticket framed.

Better With Practice: My Bowling Tale

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On April 1, 2016

In Athletic Achievements, Sports

Bowling has never been my specialty.

Actually, I’m pretty horrendous at it.

A “good” score for me — or a “successful” game — is when I manage to break 110, which doesn’t happen that often. Truthfully, anything above 100 is a cause for celebration. If my score touches 150, it means the spirit of Pete Weber inhabited my body for that game.

Yet when my kickball team decided to join a bowling league through PlayNOLA to keep the good times rolling after kickball ended, I was all for it. After all, it would be with people that are genuinely fun to hang around with and we’re in the same boat.

PlayNOLA held the league at Fulton Alley, a boutique bowling alley in downtown New Orleans. It’s a little pretentious inside and the pins are oddly set on strings, but all in all it was a fun spot to kill a few hours on a Wednesday night.

The league ended this week and “Ebowla” lost in the semifinals. We didn’t even think we’d make the playoffs, so for us to get that far was an accomplishment.

How did I do? Let’s take a look at my scores over the weeks.

Date
Game 1
Game 2
2/17
119
2/24
111
87
3/1
119
3/9
125
117
3/23
98
106
3/30
153
128

All in all, I guess I didn’t bowl too poorly.

  • My average score was 116.3, which sounds about right. If I knocked a few more pins down on March 23, that average would shoot up quite a bit.
  • I broke 120 three times, which should cue a parade.
  • In the quarterfinals of the playoffs, I felt better in a bowling alley and my score (153) could prove that. I didn’t want to leave any open frames and I only think I left one or two, so that’s a positive.

I’ll never be good at bowling, but it’s a fun way to check your ego.

Witnessing The Greatness Of LeBron James

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On December 7, 2015

In Sports

Count me as a believer.

It took me a while, but I saw the light.

LeBron James is THAT dude.

Don’t get me wrong: I always knew LeBron was a special player. If you asked me to name the best player in the NBA right now, I’d waffle between him and Steph Curry before ultimately deciding on LeBron. When all is said and done, LeBron could be one of the greatest players in NBA history — if not the best.

Here’s the thing about great players: They have the ability to take over the game at a moment’s notice and leave you truly to fawn over their talents.

Such a thing happened this past Friday night when the Cleveland Cavaliers visited Smoothie King Center in New Orleans to play the Pelicans. I was in attendance as part of the stat crew (running stats to the owner’s box after transcribing quotes from Cleveland coach David Blatt’s pregame press conference.

Through a little more than three quarters, it appeared as if New Orleans had the game well in-hand. The Pelicans drained 3-pointer after 3-pointer and a one-point deficit at halftime turned into an 13-point advantage early in the fourth quarter.

Then LeBron flipped the switch.

Play
Score
Time
4th Stats
Layup
83-94
6:23
4 pts
Free Throw
84-94
5:44
5 pts
Free Throw
85-94
5:44
6 pts
Layup
87-96
5:01
8 pts
Layup
89-96
4:31
10 pts
Assist on 3
92-96
4:02
10 pts, 1 ast
Layup
94-98
3:01
12 pts, 1 ast
Layup
96-98
2:39
14 pts, 1 ast
Free Throw
97-98
2:39
14 pts, 1 ast
Jumper
99-98
1:47
16 pts, 1 ast
Layup
101-98
1:15
18 pts, 1 ast

Just like that, LeBron dominated and gave his team a three-point lead in a matter of five minutes, eight seconds. By the time the fourth quarter ended, LeBron scored 23 points in that 12-minute span alone. LeBron finished with a game-high 37 points, in addition to eight assists and seven rebounds.

To show the other side of the narrative, LeBron also had a chance to win the game if his jumper fell with 0.09 seconds left. It didn’t. Many have criticized LeBron for his lack of late-game heroics, but he’s made some more often than not.

The Pelicans eventually won the game in overtime 114-108 and let it be known that a team can always beat one individual, but that individual can be fun to watch.

A Rainy Day With The Bayou Bengals

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On October 25, 2015

In Life as a Fan, Sports

Cross another stadium — and sports experience — off the list.

On Saturday I ventured to Baton Rouge, Louisiana — and more importantly, Tiger Stadium — to watch Louisiana State University (or LSU) face Western Kentucky University (WKU). For a half it seemed as if the Hilltoppers were ready to play up to the Tigers, but then the host stepped up and flexed its muscle. LSU eventually won 48-20 and remained undefeated at 7-0, while WKU collected a paycheck and is 5-2.

As always when I write on this blog, the game is secondary to the experience and all of that good stuff. Let’s break it all down, but first you should see a picture I took.

Tiger Stadium

Here is a view of Tiger Stadium from the outside. Those clouds let loose with some rain.

  • Whomever first said “It never rains in Tiger Stadium” is a liar. Well, maybe not since maybe what fell on or heads in volume on Saturday wasn’t rain. “I’ve never felt warmer snow in my life,” one fan sitting next to me said as he adjusted his poncho. You can’t fault him for having a sense of humor. Hurricane Patricia definitely sent her regards to Baton Rouge, though.
  • This was the fifth college football stadium I’ve been to as a fan. Here are the rest in no particular order: Delaware Stadium, Villanova Stadium, Darryl K. Royal Memorial Stadium (Texas) and Kyle Field (Texas A&M). If you count the Georgia Dome (2015 Peach Bowl), then that makes six. Kind of funny that three of the stadiums I’ve been to are among the largest in the nation with Kyle Field and Tiger Stadium coming in at fourth and sixth.
  • As expected, LSU fans were welcoming to a newcomer. I heard good things about them, but they were reinforced Saturday. I wandered around and had my share of white bean jambalaya and Bar-B-Q. Can’t go wrong there.
  • Tiger Stadium was incredibly loud at half capacity. I can only imagine what it was like last week when rival Florida came knocking and lost 35-28.
  • If you want to hear the spectrum of accents, sit in the upper deck of Tiger Stadium. Truly felt as if I was an extra in the movie “The Waterboy.”
  • LSU fans run a gauntlet of emotions in one drive and I’m pretty sure they work themselves through the seven stages of grief, too. Look, it’s just an incomplete pass on first down. And it’s OK if Les Miles chooses to run the ball when it’s pouring down rain. Your team has the best running back in all of college football (Leonard Fournette). He deserves to have the ball. As an aside, if Fournette wins the Heisman Trophy — and it’s looking more and more like he will — it’s pretty cool that I got to see him live. Fournette had a good game Saturday, rushing 26 times for 150 yards and one touchdown.
  • Walmart ponchos do the trick. Spent $5 on my way to the game and it was a very worthy investment. Need one in a pinch? It will do just fine.

There might be more as I reflect more, but if not, there you go. Enjoy another pic.

IMAG0088

Here is a view from outside the stadium as I left to go back to my car.

Getting Ready To Kick(Ball) It In New Orleans

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On October 9, 2015

In Athletic Achievements, Sports

The wait is over.

Prepare yourself, PlayNOLA.

Next week, your fearless blogger (That’s me, in case you don’t know) will hopefully play in his first Adult Kickball League game in New Orleans. I say hopefully, because right now I’m a “free agent.” I’d like to consider myself the LeBron James of Kickball and that hundreds of teams (OK, several of them) are vying for my bazooka-like leg.

I’ve been looking for something to occupy my free time and this could be a perfect thing to do once per week. Plus, it would get my competitive juices flowing again.

So what does this mean for you, my wonderful reader(s)?

Well, I plan on breaking down each of my games from my stat line (probably 0 for 3 with three fly outs based on how my pickup games went) to interactions with my teammates and everywhere in between. Because, why not? It’s something fun to do.

Be on the lookout for this series beginning next Thursday. Games are Wednesdays.

P.S. — Found out I’m on the team called “Free Kicks.” We shall see how it goes.

Who Dat: The Story of My First Saints Game

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On October 5, 2015

In Life as a Fan, New Orleans, Sports

Who Dat!?

Am I doing that right?

Good.

So I went to my first Saints game tonight. It was a religious experience.

Seriously, I saw the Pope. All right, not that pope — but it was one of four or five “Saints Popes,” who are mainstays in the Superdome and sit in the same section.

Whenever I meet someone new, one of their first questions is, “Are you a Saints fan?” I tell them I just moved down here not too long ago, but am not adverse to it.

Overall, I don’t think I could have been to a  better sermon than I did on Sunday.

From start (a Better Than Ezra benefit concert for their charity, in which I got in for free) to finish (Drew Brees’ game-winning 80-yard touchdown pass to C.J. Spiller in overtime), the experience was top-notch. Heck, even our seats — which were at the very top row of the upper deck — allowed us our own private “suite” area (OK. OK. There was a legit metal bar in front of us and a landing behind us, so we could stand).

There were two things that really stood out to me the most Sunday night as I took in the whole experience: Saints fans are unlike any others I’ve been around (and that includes my trip to the CONCACAF Gold Cup in Atlanta) and as much as this topic has been belabored about ad nauseam, New Orleans pulls together in those hours.

An incredible sense of camaraderie surrounded the tailgate and permeated inside the stadium. People of all walks of life love their Saints and just want to see a win. I heard the spirits of New Orleans residents are on high the day following a win and there is just a new aura about the city. So far I hadn’t experienced that, since there were nothing but losses before Sunday night. Then Brees found Spiller on a wheel route and the running back slipped one tackle and was off to the races to pay dirt.

As we filed down the ramps of the Superdome, cheers of “Who Dat” rang through the corridors. Then they got louder as we left the stadium. I couldn’t help but join in as I made my way through the crowd and walked back to my downtown apartment.

Addendums

There was definitely a different energy around the city today. As I walked to work, there were some people saying “Who Dat” to each other. Certain restaurants offered lunchtime specials thanks to the win.

And just to be clear: My No. 1 team is stil the Philadelphia Eagles. I had some great memories watching their games. And while I’m a fan of the Baltimore Ravens because of Joe Flacco (University of Delaware connection), No. 2 team is still up for grabs. Just might be the Saints now.

Memory Lane, Griak Invitational and Facebook Feature Friday

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On October 3, 2015

In Sports, Story Behind the Story

Who could have thought a simple series of Facebook posts for work would send me down memory lane these past two Fridays? Well, I did as soon as I started working on the second part of our “Facebook Feature Friday” series two weeks ago.

For a little background, I made it my mission about one month ago to improve the reach and the number of likes of the Facebook fan page of the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. (USTFCCCA). I had been successful in the past with fan pages dating back to my days at the San Marcos Daily Record with “Texas State Sports,” so I figured why not try my hand at one that has a following already?

My goal of the series is to profile either the biggest or most story-line-driven cross country meet of the weekend for our page. So far they’ve been pretty successful.

The inaugural post was about the St. Olaf Invitational hosted by St. Olaf College.

Simplistically, the narrative for Saturday’s St. Olaf Invitational writes itself.

How could it not?

Host St. Olaf College, ranked No. 2 nationally in Division III, is out for revenge against fourth-ranked UW-Eau Claire. Last year the Blugolds beat the Oles on their home course and knocked them from their vantage point overlooking the DIII landscape. St. Olaf entered last year’s meet ranked No. 1 and UW-Eau Claire was No. 4 — but the win shot the Blugolds into second and dropped the Oles to third.

Read the rest of that post by going here: “So We Meet Again.”

Then the following week I put did some good reporting and dug up a good feature (at least in my eyes) on the Roy Griak Invitational. Here is part of that profile.

One question can often have multiple answers.

That’s because sometimes that question isn’t as straightforward as once thought.

“What makes the Roy Griak Invitational special?”

For those in charge of putting the meet together – like Griak Invitational Executive Director Gary Wilson and Minnesota Director of Men’s Track & Field/Cross Country Steve Plasencia – the answer centers on the help they receive.

“Our volunteers don’t get enough credit,” Wilson said. “We get paid to do these things, but they bust their tails throughout the week to make sure it goes off without a hitch.”

Read the rest by going here: “What Makes the Roy Griak Invitational Special?”

I already had my answer to that question in mind once I asked it out loud. It didn’t take me long at all to answer since it stood out plain as day in big, bold lettering.

That was the meet where I finally felt like a Division I cross country runner.

Don’t get me wrong: Every meet before that had its own gravitas. I mean I was a Division I athlete, something not a lot of people can say. I truly take pride in that. But what stood out the most was the competition I ran against (several future All-Americans) and that our coach wanted us to mix it up with the best in the nation.

Did I race well? Hell no. That course ate me alive. Griak Invitational Meet Director Gary Wilson told me, “Those people who try to fight the course really, really pay for it in the end. If you don’t become ‘one’ with the course, it beats the crap out of you.” I couldn’t help but agree. I finished second on the team, for whatever that’s worth.

This Feature Friday initiative has really helped me understand what cross country meant to me all those years ago. Looking back on it, I ran at the Griak Invitational in 2006 and there was a race that went off today that I competed in 10 years ago.

Wow. I’m getting old.

An Unforgettable Experience at the CONCACAF Gold Cup

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On July 26, 2015

In Life as a Fan, Sports

Bucket List items, by definition, should blow your socks off.

No one says, “I really want to go to  the grocery store before I die.” I mean, if that person was starving to death, sure, but in general they are more along the lines of going sky diving or traveling to an exotic country. It’s a “Bucket List” for a reason.

While I don’t have a Bucket List for my entire life, there are some things I’d love to see when it comes to sporting events. Going to an international soccer match was on that list. Whether it was inside the United States or outside of the borders, it didn’t matter. I just wanted to be in the atmosphere and feel the thrill of it all.

Consider that item crossed off as I went to the semifinals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup in Atlanta last Wednesday. Two matches for the price of one. Can’t beat that.

In an effort to flesh this experience out fully, I’ll break this post into two sections. In the first, I’ll discuss the atmosphere (tailgate, crowd, etc) and the second, the game.

Walking into the Gold Cup

Everything I Could Have Imagined

As soon as we parked and stepped outside the car, we became immersed in a wild, multicultural party outside the Georgia Dome. Everywhere you looked you saw a group of Americans next to Mexicans next to Panamanians and some Jamaicans. Country blended into rap, which blended into Tejano and salsa and steel drums. I probably don’t have to mention the mix of languages, since it’s easy to figure out.

Inside the stadium, the demographic was more pronounced. I’d say 70 percent of the crowd was Mexican, 25 percent was American and the rest were a mixture of Jamaicans and Panamanians. For as boisterous as the American Outlaws say they are, Mexicans fans put them to shame. Even when Mexico trailed Panama late in the second half, the Mexicans were in full voice. The same couldn’t be said for the U.S. contingent as soon as Jamaica scored its first goal off an inexplicably missed header.

Where the Mexican fans lose points, however, is the lack of class it showed most of the game. Either with pointed chants and especially throwing trash on the pitch. It wasn’t every fan in attendance doing these things, but it left a sour impression.

Overall, the atmosphere rocked. It was exactly what I imagined it to be.

So About Those Matches…

Where do I possibly start?

By the time we reached our seats, the United States Men’s National Team was on its heels. A short time later, Jamaica scored on that lousy throw-in and there was no energy left in the Georgia Dome at all from the American side. It was eerily silent.

From talking to the supporters around us, it was evident the USMNT didn’t come out with much emotion or urgency and we saw it with our own eyes. Their attacks were one step behind and Jamaica intercepted each pass over the middle. If there was a back line out there for the USMNT, I didn’t see them. Wait, there was one?

Then there was that beautiful free kick from Jamaica that descended the American faithful deeper into a sense of shock. Just take a look at this goal. Truly unstoppable.

There was a glimmer of hope early in the second half when Michael Bradley scored to bring the USMNT within 2-1. It wasn’t a gorgeous goal, but gave them some life.

From there, however, the USMNT had other chances but couldn’t capitalize. Such was the story of the USMNT against an average goalkeeper in net for Jamaica.

That’s where the night ended, right? I mean nothing notable happened in the second game. The referees were fair and allowed Mexico and Panama to play a clean game.

You could tell the fix was in from early in the first half and it was incredible to watch Panama fight through all of that adversity and come within seconds of the upset.

That’s really all I’ll say about the second match, but here are some videos from it.

Wrapping It Up

All in all, I had a blast. It was an unforgettable experience and I’d do it again in a heartbeat. Maybe next time the United States could win. That would be dandy.

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