Ranking the Organizers of Each PCTI-Two Part Series

People can say what they want about Sabin, but having him back has lit a fire under me they I'm having trouble extinguishing.  It feels like 3 years ago where I wake up thinking about it and all I want to do each day is find someone to discuss it with.

I requested someone make a post, but I know that won't happen, so I will do what I do best and entertain myself.

One thing that I've been really looking forward to is Donley finally getting his opportunity to host. You have to give the guy credit... Every year he's taken a beating, but each year continues to propose and hype up Cincy with more confidence than Smo does catching a pass.  It's been well documented that I've always felt smaller cities lend itself better to PCTI than big one's, and above all else the organizer is what will make the weekend standout most.  He knows the city inside and out, is passionate about what it has to offer, is well connected, and most importantly, is very prideful.  Those are the qualities that deliver, and I'm confident it's going to be one of the best yet.

With that said, allow me to pass out some grades to each organizer for PCTI's 1-4, with the following metric system:

• Gym.
• Refs.
• Hotel/Location.
• Stats.
• Restaurants.
• Nightlife.

PCTI 1 & 2: Lexington, KY

Host: The Brat

• Gym: One of the most unique gyms we will ever find, the random, standalone gym in the middle of nowhere was one of The Brat's greatest finds.  It brought a level of privacy that set the tone for years to come.  The only thing keeping it from an A were the dangerous ramps alongside the floor, and the lack of AC that had all of us cramping.
• Grade: B.
• Refs: As with most groups, there were a couple controversial calls, but one very engaged ref kept them from being below average.
• Grade: B.
• Hotel/Location: Year one having a Priceline victory of $100/room at the Hyatt connected to the stadium was a unique experience and gave some walk ability.  Year two trying our same luck did not lend itself nicely as we wound up at a Residence Inn away from everything.
• Grade: B (because of the Hyatt).
• Stats: WL Stats set the tone, but ended up ruining stats for years to come by setting the bar so high.  The duo loved PCTI as much as we did, provided accurate stats, and had them handed out each half and after games.
• Grade: A.
• Restaurants: Years one and two were a beating, and way before we all became friends.  The meals were not a focus, but year one at a local cafe will be forever one of my favorite moments when Abe ordered a beer and said "I can't believe we are doing this.  This is fucking awesome."
• Grade: C.
• Nightlife: In two years I recall two guys going out a total of one night.
• Grade: Incomplete.
• OVERALL: Tasked with having 14 guys he didn't know come in town, BC put together two great performances with a lot of uncertainty.  This grade would have been substantially higher if we knew each other better and gave each other more time to get acclimated, but in spite of that, the first two years were the reason we are still here today.
• Grade: B+.

PCTI 3: Plano, TX

Host: Jeff Sabin

• Gym: It's important to note as we lead into this that we put Sabin in a near impossible situation of organizing a PCTI on Easter Weekend knowing Good Friday and Easter Sunday at two days no one wants to do anything.  As far as a gym goes, Sabin hooked up a quality gym at the largest church I have ever seen.  The floor and rims were good, helping him to shoot the best in PCTI history.  The only negative was the lack of privacy but provided an AC unit to offset that issue.
• Grade: B.
• Refs: Not only did we have the single best ref in PCTI history, but we also had a group of three which helped call the game better, which unfortunately didn't help the Kittens.
• Grade: A.
• Hotel/Location: Despite the fact that I've turned sour on the Shops at Legacy since it's been flooded by traffic and annoying people, there is no question the Marriott in that area provided us a nice combination of pool time and walkability.
• Grade: A.
• Stats: Lacked the love affair with PCTI that WL Stats did, but the group from SMU provided accurate and up to the second stats.
• Grade: A.
• Restaurants: Great breakfast spot and let's never forget the legendary Gordon Biersch shitshow dinner.
• Grade: B.
• Nightlife: There wasn't a lot of late night partying per se, but the group found some women in our earlier years, and who can forget the Actor getting a tugboat by the water.
• Overall: On the heels of the worst gameplay in PCTI history, it's a good thing the rest of the weekend clicked.  The weather was perfect, the location was a can't miss, the photographer provided a nice boost, and the women added to the arsenal was a bonus.
• Overall: A.

PCTI 4: Scottsdale, AZ

Host: Bryan McKinney

• Gym: By far the most visually appealing, and was nice to have the support of their AD who loved what we do.  The appeal dwindled a bit when we had to shift to the smaller court which despite being negatively received, probably saved all of us due to the long series.  For those of you more acclimated to WWE these days, the Bella Twins both went to HS where we played.
• Grade: B.
• Refs: The group of three was helpful but some thought they were too good to be there which hurt the unit.  
• Grade: C.
• Hotel/Location: The hotel was in the perfect location and the time spent at the pool was legendary.  Walking distance along with peddy cabs were just what our legs needed.
• Grade: A.
• Stats: The statkeeper stood no chance and nothing was accurate, making Sabin re-stat the entire thing himself.
• Grade: F.
• Restaurants: We ate at a couple good spots, but there is no sense in discussing anything else.  As the Biz Man calls "Juice Squeeze" was arguably the most important restaurant in PCTI history, and gave us the opportunity to see Ben and Stickman battle it out to see who could be the first person to ever spend $100 on a breakfast with no alcohol.  
• Grade: A.
• Nightlife: Vibrant but we just had nothing left in the tank
• Grade: C.
• Overall: One of the most memorable PCTI's due to the incredibly competitive games, Juice Squeeze, pool, gorgeous gym, and perfect weather will be in the history books.  A couple things (stats and court change) kept this from a top spot.
• Grade: B.