Astrological Analysis

Astrology... I mean, how could people born during the same month ever have similar characteristics? What a crazy idea?!?  No way, right?!?  Well, I'm not here to sell you on if there's value in it.  Actually, I prefer you all think it's a crock. Like most people, feel free to say yes the strengths are accurate, but the weaknesses aren't.

All that said, let's do an analysis on a little PCTI compatibility chart with Scorpio... For those that don't know enough about me... I believe in it so much, I simply won't go on a date with a woman that isn't in my chart.  It's time I put that plan in place with PCTI as well.

Let's begin with the Scorpio's...

Sign: Scorpio.
Symbol: Scorpion.
Element: Water.
PCTI Members: TP and DK.
Famous Scorpios: Hillary Clinton, Katy Perry, Drake, Ryan Reynolds, CM Punk, Jalen Ramsey.
Scorpio Strengths: Resourceful, Passionate, Loyal, Assertive.
Scorpio Weaknesses: Distrusting, Secretive, Violent. Jealous, Manipulative.

Commentary: Anyone that follows signs knows you either love or hate Scorpio's... There's no gray area, just like theirs none with Scorpio people... You always know where you stand with them.  Famous for their "Sting" if you ever betray their trust, or push them to their limit, they will cut you off for life (feel me Smo).  They will always give you every thing they have, and know if you're doing anything with them, you will always get their best.  They also don't care what anyone thinks.  I love being a Scorpio, and wear it like a badge of honor.

Sign: Gemini.
Symbol: Twins.
Element: Air.
PCTI Members: BC and Busy.
Compatibility w/Scorpio: LOW.
Famous Gemini's: Donald Trump, Kanye West, Clint Eastwood, Angelina Jolie.
Gemini Strengths: Quick wit, adaptable, charismatic, smart
Gemini Weaknesses: Being alone, indecision, temper.

Commentary: Ahh yes, the life of the party sign!  Yes, everyone look at me! God I hate this sign.  Whether it's Scotty giving a presentation in front of large groups, or Brent delivering the news, this sign is always out in front showcasing that world class wit.  The only thing stopping this from being out of control accurate is no known temper issue out of Donley.  Gemini's are the "Twins" sign, signaling multiple personalities... Speaking of which, is there anything more well known than The Beast's temper tantrums?  The Beast should no longer be blamed for his PCTI4 snap out on the ref... Chalk that loss up to the stars.  The below should be as no surprise, as both members of this sign are known for their performance.



Sign: Leo.
Symbol: Lion.
Element: Fire.
PCTI Member: Hops.
Compatibility w/Scorpio: Low.
Famous Leo's: Barack Obama, Jennifer Lopez, Jennifer Lawrence, Madonna.
Leo Strengths: Creative, Genuine, Cheerful, Humorous, Talkative, Loyal.
Leo Weaknesses: Impatient, Self-Centered, Sensitive, Lazy.

Commentary:  After leaving the "Borderline Genius Ideas" to take a post as PCTI's "Ideas" guy the king of creativity shows himself well representing the Leo brand.  Leo's are known for being the most popular sign, one that tends to hold high posts in political office, and describes Hops reputation in PCTI.  They also are known for loving a good ego stroke, and equally don't enjoy any negative feedback, or any negative discussion towards them for that matter.  My rivalry with this sign simply comes from being so beloved by people... I prefer the underdog.  Leo's were born with a similar set of life tools to a five tool baseball player.

Sign: Aries.
Symbol: Ram.
Element: Fire.
PCTI Member: Spotlight and Sticky.
Compatibility w/Scorpio: Below Average.
Famous Aries: Kourtney Kardashian, Gaga, Leondardo Da Vinci.
Aries Strengths: Courageous, Determined, Confident, Passionate.
Aries Weaknesses: Impulsive, Short-Tempered, Moody.

Commentary: In all seriousness, if you haven't heard any of some of Spotlight's stories about nation developing, you should.  I applaud the courage and determination to make a difference, and the world needs more of it.  Enough with the nice stuff.   My compatibility with Spotlight will forever be tied to his escapades of "impulsively" getting caught up in a game of beer pong, that apparently was so stimulating that he HAD to play until 5:00 am, and almost missed his flight to Philadelphia for the Royal Rumble... He could barely function the next day, and was in a bad mood because of it.  Fortunately, I have no choice but to chalk that decision up to the stars, and Spot and I have been able to move on because of it.

Then we come to Sticky... Who does all the things in a completely different way than Spot... Anyone that's known him for a while can attest to the fact that the guy has probably kept the majority of his friends alive at some point growing up.  The amount of fights he's been in defending other people is probably quadruple the amount I can remember.  If there's a guy you want defending the Alamo with you, it's Sticky.  On the other hand, there's next to no one who's can get more worked up faster than this man, as seen by any gray area in the itinerary.  It's taken on it's own as a joke, but has stemmed from the fact that it truly drives him crazy.



Sign: Libra.
Symbol: Scales.
PCTI Members: Act.
Compatibility w/Scorpio: Average.
Famous Libras: Will Smith, Hugh Jackman, Snoop.
Libra Strengths: Fair Minded, Gracious, Social, Diplomatic.
Libra Weaknesses: Non-Confrontational, Self-Pity, GRUDGE HOLDER.

Commentary: It's time we stop joking about Act's grudges... Let's chalk it up to the stars.  Libra's are known as the mix of all the signs, a diverse portfolio if you will..  Act can relate to anyone and everyone, as shown as he's beloved by the PCTI brethren.  You can put Act in any situation, and he would have no problem.  There's also not a guy I know who an act of kindness in any capacity goes further with.  You will never find a Libra that doesn't understand things, and I find them incredibly easy to get along with.



Sign: Virgo.
Symbol: Maiden.
PCTI Members: Abe and Smo.
Compatibility w/Scorpio: Average.
Famous Virgo's: Michael Jackson, Keanu Reeves, Mother Theresa.
Virgo Strengths: Loyal, Analytical, Practical, Observant.
Virgo Weaknesses: Critical, Obsessive, Attention.

Commentary: Hampered by being known as the "Perfectionist" of the Zodiac, Virgo's tend to be overly critical of both themselves, and others because of it.  Known as great employees due to their keen attention to detail, it's almost impossible to get anything passed them... They simply don't miss anything.  Sound like Smo?  20+ years with this guy and he doesn't miss a single thing.  Abe on the other hand?  I think his ability to drug himself keeps him a little more even keeled.



Sign: Taurus.
Symbol: Bull.
PCTI Members: Biz and Juicy.
Compatibility w/Scorpio: Boom or Bust.
Famous Taureans: John Cena, Megan Fox, Liberace.
Taurean Strengths: Reliable, Patient, Practical, Devoted, Responsible.
Taurean Weaknesses: Stubborn, Uncompromising.

Commentary: God I hate this sign.  I can't get away from them.  Everywhere I turn, there's another Taurus.  Known for their "sensuality" or, better known for ability to order expensive food, buy expensive clothes, or waste money on nice cars, they pride themselves on having a "Keen Eye for Aesthetics."  Wow, how amazing!  They can spend top dollar and get good stuff!  Let's applaud them!  Their stubbornness is a quality that they wear like a badge of honor, like a sign of toughness.  I hate them.  Please make them go away.  At a dinner recently, Juice walked in, complained about the lighting (the lights immediately dimmed upon his request), then complained about the plates not being up to his standard.  Don't even get me started on Beas.  The other funny thing is they try and offset their expensive taste by trying to claim to be outdoorsy people.  The type of people that go to the mountains, stay at a Ritz, than claim they love nature.  I HATE THEM.  Now go to where you really like to be....



Sign: Capricorn.
Symbol: Sea-Goat.
PCTI Member: Huck.
Compatibility w/Scorpio: Good.
Famous Capricorns: MLK, Ali, Ben Franklin, Isaac Newton.
Capricorn Strengths: They are good at everything.
Capricorn Weaknesses: They know they are good at everything.

Commentary: I'm rattled.



Sign: Cancer.
Symbol: Crab.
PCTI Members: Sabin, Wilson, Smooth.
Compatibility w/Scorpio: Very Good.
Famous Cancers: Elon Musk, Tom Hanks, Sly Stallone.
Cancer Strengths: Tenacious, Imaginative, Loyal, Emotional, Persuasive.
Cancer Weaknesses: Moody, Pessimistic, Suspicious.

Commentary:  I love this sign, and it's no surprise I love all the guys in it.  Deeply intuitive and sentimental, Cancers are known for being challenging to get to know, part of what I love about them.  While the initial PCTI meeting would have people gravitating to the big mouth Gemini's and Leo's (Scotty, BC, Hops), I would have been in the corner getting to know the less loud, much more interesting (and funny) trio of Cancers... I'm starting to realize all charisma actually means, is loud.  I'll ride or die with these guys... And don't sleep on them!



Sign: Pisces.
Symbol: Fish.
PCTI Member: Deuce.
Compatibility w/Scorpio: The Best.
Famous Pisces: Bieber, Einstein, Washington.
Pisces Strengths: Compassionate, Creative, Intuitive, Wise.
Pisces Weaknesses: Overly Trusting, Claiming To Be A Victim, Sad.

Commentary: Should be no surprise Deuce is a Pisces, and a Pisces is most compatible with Scorpio.  His creative ways have kept PCTI in business, and the guy brings a whole new meaning to "intuition."  This doesn't just go for Deuce, but any Pisces I've met are mature and wise beyond their years, and are great people to learn from.  As it relates to weaknesses, I can say from my perspective Deuce doesn't have any.  All hail the most important member of PCTI!

PCTI9 ALL-TOURNAMENT AND MVP

There are a lot of great things about PCTI, but one of the best things about it is the competition that takes place. Not only has this weekend driven us to play hard for one weekend, but it has shaped our life throughout the year in working out to help our team win and for some, to get recognized for our performance. Most of us leave thinking about the plays we could or should have made, or the game that we had bad stats in, but we want to celebrate the great performances on the court that happened in Minny. Before we get to the All-Tournament team, here are the guys that received votes but didn’t make the cut:

MISSED CUT

BW (1)

A little surprising that Ben received one vote, mainly due to the fact that when he receives votes, he is usually dominant offensively. This year he took a lesser role on a team that had a great scorer and balanced scoring across the team. His team needed him to focus on defense and rebounding and he did that. Averaging 7.5 ppg, 6.3 rpg, and 3 apg helped his team over the hump. He also had 4 blocks and 6 steals on the weekend. Is this the momentum he needs heading into X to get back onto the AT team?

Beas (8)

Another player that can be explosive on offense but instead focused more on defense, Beas took the challenge of slowing down Abe. While Abe’s numbers were impressive (per always), he had to work very hard and shot a lower percentage than his lifetime average mainly due to Beas. While he didn’t have the offensive output he would have liked to have, he played great D to help his team win and established himself as the leader of the “Cool Kids”.

ALL-TOURNAMENT

Abe (13)

Abe adds more hardware to his impressive collection. Abe was consistently double teamed (sometimes tripled) and still was able to be a force. He is always asked to be a top scorer and rebounder and he rarely doesn’t deliver. One of the most consistent players in PCTI, he managed to have games of 18 and 10, 26 and 6, and 23 and 7. While he had a game he would like to erase from memory, he will still be considered one of the most dominant players in the tournament.

BC (13)

BC turned in some great performances, many times kept his team in games when they struggled to create offense including clinching game three in OT with his timely 3s. He is very good at creating his own shot and also knocking down shots from deep. He lead (tied w Sabin) all players shooting 50% from 3. He was also tied for the lead in stocks with 11 (3 blocks, 8 steals). BC also had to jump from chasing guards around to banging with bigs down low. One of the most complete players receives another All-Tournament award.

Act (16)

Joe rounds out our AT team after being a great compliment to Kyle. He secured his spot with a big 22 point, 8 rebound effort in the series clinching game. Shooting 44% from 2 and 38% from 3 helped put his team over the top for the weekend. Can Joe build on this momentum and return to MVP form?

MVP

Huckins (17)

I believe this is the first ever unanimous MVP. Coming in highly touted, Huckins did not disappoint. Kyle established himself as post player with an array of moves, the ability to knock down 3s, and a big paint presence. Shooting 59% while getting to the line 36 times helped him average 20.7 points per game. Huckins confirmed in his first year that he will be a force in PCTI for years to come. Now let’s see if he can draft as well as he plays and try and halt DK’s impressive win streak!

Oops

If you guys haven't heard, former PCTI'er Bryan "McFish" McKinney recently welcomed his second child in to the world, a baby girl.

After a few years of no communication with B. Mac, I decided I would check in to tell him congratulations...here's our correspondence.

Biggest Winners and Losers of PCTI9

While it's fresh on my mind, I wanted to pop up a post....

Losers:

3: Shooting %'s: Whether it be the increased intensity on defense, pace of the game, or knowledge of each other's games, the shooting %'s will be back down to PCTI1 levels.

2: T/Re Pad: Although some huge plays from Juice down the stretch, a couple big 3's in key moments from Smooth, and a lot of noise from DTB's mouth, the Pad did not have their best showing.

1: Josh Pitto: The guy took a pounding in Project X interviews.

Winners:

5: Splitwise's PCTI Reputation: After a rough showing in PCTI8, Splitty's app has simplified the payment button, and now is a useful tool with a bright future in PCTI.

4: Rivalries: Somehow, the rivalries not only intensified, but new one's were added to the fold. Between Kyle accusing DTB of "using him," Smooth and Sticky's on and off court saga, and the Nerds vs. Cool Guys... PCTI rivalries are stronger than ever.

3: The Beast Monikor: Although Kyle did everything to showcase he's a beast, The Beast Carney's play on the court showed he was going to protect his nickname like his life depended on it.

2: Bearden/Father Ryan HS: The MVP and entire All-Tournament might be consumed by those two high schools.

1: PCTI: Somehow, it continues to get better... I've heard many say the best yet... Cincy and Arizona were the only two that could compete both on and off the court.  As the friendships continue to grow, and the newcomers continue to add such high value, the future is looking bright!

WE HERE

Some light pregame reading for you all. Got a solid 10 responses to my question. Nice work everyone.

TP:

100% the lake day

Editor's notes - No surprise there. This response came immediately after I posed the question. Not sure anyone is as excited for anything here as TP is for lake day.

DK:

Every year is something different... Whether it be the roster, the city, the games, etc... Tons of differences... However, the one consistent every year, and my favorite part by far is seeing the excitement from everyone everytime someone arrives.  I live for it.

100% agree with this sentiment. Always look forward to our 17 dudes rolling in and taking over local public establishments. 

Ahop:

I am most looking forward to Saturday right after I drain the game winning shot of game 7 and collapsing into your arms from exhaustion and joy! Seriously, I look forward most to spending quality time with everyone in PCTI. This is a brotherhood and whether it's a quick 5 minute convo with Deuce around the grill, a hour long chat with TP about poop and family, or hammered drunk convo with Joe, it is all special.

Smo:

The thing I am looking most forward to is the dinner and blowout that comes the night after all the games have been played.  Obv your boy isn't bringing much to the table on the court, but I really look forward to that night.  Everyone is so dead from all the basketball but manages to rally and brings so much energy that night, and I have no idea where it comes from.  There's always crazy stories the next day.  

Looking forward to seeing you lil bro

Saturday night gon' be LIT.

Sabes:

There could be nothing finer for me than to emerge from this particular PCTI as a winning captain at the conclusion of game 7. To give a warm embrace to my teammates, and to give a consoling handshake to our opponents is all I can ask for.

Two of my favorite quotes may say this better than I ever could:

1) Vince Lombardi - “I firmly believe that any man’s finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all he holds dear, is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle - victorious.”

2) Conan the Barbarian, when asked what is best in life? “To crush your enemies - See them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women.”

Act:

I'm most looking forward to hanging out in the middle of the day on that Friday. That's when everyone is comfortable again and it creates the best atmosphere for guys to feel and act like their best.

Spot:

I’m most excited for all the hugs and to get drunk and Deuce and to not be hurt and you Josh.

Juice:

Sorry for lagging it! This question was so hard, but good, because it’s hard to narrow it down:

Right side of my brain- the hoops. 

Left side of the brain for sure- “The arrival evening”. My favorite part is when guys start trickling in and catching up because it sets the tone for a great weekend. Walking up to cinnci house with a giant crane tractor in the front yard. We get to shop for necessities for the weekend (spotlight bought only candy in Cincinnati) and somehow we never buy enough beer or water. Deuce brings out the camera to work on it and I think that makes everyone excited cause it’s finally here. In San Diego driving in with Smo cruising in the van and calling out every ghetto thing he saw as we approached the Air BNB. Smooth going straight to bed and setting dan off on a tangent. Every year at “the arrival  evening” some small random details stick in my brain for whatever reason and I know that will continue to happen and that’s what I get most excited for. 

Bruiser

Duuuuuude. My bad on the EXTREMELY late response. I thought I had already sent an answer and just saw I haven't. 

The thing I always look forward to most is just seeing all the guys and hanging out. There's always such a comradery at PCTI and I love it. Everyone gets along for the most part and you usually end up hanging out more with someone else than you did the year before. I also love playing ball where everyone gives a shit and not one plays "me" ball for the most part. Can't wait to crack some brews with all the fellas again. Even you pumpkin. 

BC:

The one thing I'm most looking forward to is the quality of the hoops. 

This is far and away the lamest answer possible and I wish I had a way to dress it up. But truth is, every PCTI - even with the off-court stuff seeming to get better every year - it's always a huge boost to get in the games and remember what it's like to actually enjoy playing. Those of us who live where we don't have steady games with non-sucky players forget what it's like to share the court with high quality, conscientious players.

Trained Killers in 6. Suck it

Wednesday Plans courtesy of Brent Carney

Man oh man, it's here!

As promised in a previous post, ol Pun Daddy-Oh has got us covered for tomorrow night's plans.

If everyone arrives on time all parties should be on the ground by 5 pm. Once we're organized at the crib, here's what I'm thinking. My thought is that we keep it pretty close to our lodging on night one. There will be plenty of time to explore the city later in the week, if you so choose.

1. Surly - HEY DANNO IT'S A BREWERY! 10 minutes from the crib on our side of town.

This is MPLS's (MPLS is local slang for the city. I am here to educate you!) original brewery and enormous facility. It has a huge outdoor area that should be good for our group. Downstairs they have a restaurant and on the second floor they do pizza.

We'll see how the night goes but this might be our first and last stop.

https://surlybrewing.com/destination-brewery/

2. The Loring - 5 blocks from our place.

This is the backup plan if eating at Surly seems like not a good idea. Surly's food gets good reviews but if it's too crowded it might be hard to accommodate our group. If we start at Surly it won't be a big deal to relocate back to The Loring, since it's on the way back to our crib.

Menu http://www.loringbarrestaurant.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/loring-menu-1-18.pdf

Yelp https://www.yelp.com/biz/loring-bar-and-restaurant-minneapolis
* Yelp stars aren't great but they closed and re-opened recently. It comes recommended.

3. Kitty Cat Klub - one block from The Loring, 6 blocks from our place

For those of you/us brave enough to keep the night going before we've hit the floor, here's a spot. It looks really chill (I don't love that word but it's the most accurate adjective) and should match the Wednesday night vibe. Don't forget, we don't play until 12:30 on Thursday.

There's a few DJ's spinning Wednesday night but no cover charge.

https://www.kittycatklub.net/

Last order of business: Two days out and we're still searching for a solution to the scorekeeper/scoreboard operator. We've got a lot of calls out but everyone should be prepared that they'll have to take a shift or two at the scoreboard when they're out of the game. If you can think of any other solutions, let us know.

Packing Checklist

See below when packing.  Parentheses have either confirmed as bringing, or need to bring.

• Ball (Sabin and Juice).
• Noise Machine (Hops, Wilson, DTB).
• Air Matty (Orr).
• Sunscreen w/Zinc Oxide (Orr).
• First Aid Kit (Smooth).
• HDMI Chord (Deuce).
• Bob Cousy's (Beer Drinkers).
• Foam Roller (Sabin - Need more).
• Stem Machine (DTB).
• VooDoo Floss (TP).
• Pressure Point Stick (TP).
• Rolling Stick (TP).
• Freeze Sleeves (Juice and DTB).

Grocery Run (Target is half a mile away):

• Watermelon Water (plan on hooking everyone like I did coconut water years ago).
• Citrus.
• Perfect Bars.
• Laundry Detergent.
• Tequila.
• Wine.
• Vodka.

Packing - Jersey's

Knowing that this time next Saturday BC and I will be leading a crusade along Lake Minnetonka, it was easy to take tonight to do some administrative tasks... Like packing.

It's a good thing too, because I stumbled upon both Abe and Sticky's jersey's... Surprisingly, a thorough pack wasn't on Abe's mind after handing out the biggest beat down in history, nor was it Sticky's after his attempt to take down Andre The Giant's drinking record.  

In addition to that, TP didn't bring his jersey last year because he was under the impression we were getting new one's each year, and I'm not sure there's been a year (sans the first when it was brought for him) that Spotlight has remembered his.

Morale of this post... Bring your jersey... If you don't have one, PLEASE TELL ME... I have extra, but you will have to buy it for $68.  The alternative is to not buy it from me and just wear it this year (and I'll save for whichever future player we add), however you will have to buy a new personalized one next year.

Scoring Differential in Closeout Games

Quick post to call out the scoring differential in closeout games... Sans the Kitten Disgrace, the final game in the series typically is a tight one.

Looking forward to a good, hard fought series next week.

Details on Minnesota - Sponsored content by Splitwise "split expenses with friends!"

By this time next week, PCTI IX will be live from our nation's 32nd state, The Land of 10,000 Lakes, beautiful Minnesota.

[Eds note: I didn't realize that it was 10,000 lakes and not 1,000 lakes until I just googled it. That's a lot of lakes. Seems a bit excessive, honestly]

I figured now would be a good time to go over a few details about our upcoming trip that you may have not heard yet.

This is the first PCTI where we're playing at a host city that is site unseen. Granted, nobody lives in San Diego but Actor was able to organize from LA, which made it possible to scout out some things. Also, much overdue salute to Act for bringing last year together. As one of the guys who has helped put some things together this year, I'm reminded that it's not an easy job. Don't get me wrong, it's not that bad but it does take some planning.

So, what's the setup for this year? We're playing at a middle school in the suburbs of Minneapolis. As many of us have learned in the past, renting a basketball gym never seems to be as simple as you'd think. I blindly reached out to several AAU clubs in the area to explain our situation and inquire about gyms. One guy responded and he's proven to be (through email) a very helpful resource. His name is Willie Vang and although I've not met him in person - and might never - I may name my second child after him. But that's more because he has a cool name. Assuming everything next weekend comes together - and there's no reason besides general paranoia/nervousness to think that it won't - we all owe him dearly.

The one part of our usual PCTI setup that I've not been able to figure out is stat keeper/score keeper. Everyone I've talked to has told me there's no service available for stat keeping and one week out, I've yet to come up with a solution. I've talked with Willie about the idea of finding a few of his youth players to come do it for $15 a game but he's been non-committal. I'm hoping to get an answer from him on that by tomorrow. If it's a no from him I'm not above putting something on Facebook or Craigslist (CREEPY!) if need be. If any of you have friend/family connections in Minnesota and can reach out, please let me know. Obviously, the bare minimum is to have someone who can keep the clock and chart fouls. Next step up would be a second person willing to track basic stats. It would be a good job for a young kid, again if anyone has family or friends to tap in to. If worse comes to worse, we're going to have to tap in to the three man benches and have someone sitting out work the clock. Or, the first person that gets injured will have something to do!

We have high school referees booked and I have put Sabin in charge of giving them a good briefing about what we expect. I believe Sabin is also planning to give them a rule sheet. The hope is if we address some of the past issues (refs getting too comfortable as we all get comfortable) from the start we'll see an improvement.

The last detail on the on-court stuff is that we have to move back the first two games on Thursday. The new start time is 12:30, 1:30. There's summer school at Chippewa Middle before that. (Seriously, if your kid is going to summer school in middle school, that cannot be good, right?) Trust me, I know that there's few things more excruciating than waiting around for that first game but somehow 10 am got lost in translation when booking the gym. My tip: DO NOT take Dan up on his offer to go to breakfast at 6 am.

As for the off court stuff, here's what I can think of.

This is the first PCTI where we won't have anyone drive to the location, so we've had to rent a second van. Your boy The Beast has a MINIVAN in his name ready at the airport. Smo will continue to captain the 12 passenger.

Housing should be interesting. A group of us looked at several rental spots and settled on the one that we thought looked the most open/cool and had a good price. It gets great reviews and says it sleeps 16+ so we should be in good shape. With that said, I do expect it's going to be fairly tight for 17 dudes. There's nine beds and considering Smooth will have the big bed packed out with UofM co-eds, there's gonna have to be plenty of sharing everywhere else. Here's a link in case you want to review https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/8876337?bev_ref=&eal_exp=1533195228&eal_sig=ee55e1587e37f318b894b2e63d032e32bbc02541161adf946a5e6e55c05f91b7&eal_uid=0&euid=e2084bed-eaec-ce16-88e0-0919d364d873&photo=&s=&user_id=

The house itself is in "Dinktown" which is the community around the University of Minnesota. From all I've gathered, it's less than 10 minutes from downtown and should have some eating and drinking options nearby. To state the obvious, it's the middle of the summer, so it probably won't be as lively as usual...make of that what you will.

The only other unplanned variable right now is Wednesday night. By taking a quick look at the stick and tapping in to what I can remember from years past, I think everyone will be in town earlier this year than ever before. Due to that, your boy The Beast is gonna get to planning a dinner and drinks setup for Wednesday night. I haven't done it yet as I'm trying to give myself one PCTI-related task per day in order to have a reason to get out of bed each day (today's is this.) You can count on it being good and probably better than anything on Dan's current stick, sans Saturday on the lake which is gonna be lit.

Speaking of which, if you haven't already e-signed the waiver for the boat on Saturday, dig back through your email and get that done. Now's not the time to be prideful, if you deleted the email suck it up and ask Dan The Man to send it to you again.

Last couple things is to look ahead to next year, since it's the ANNIVERSARY EDITION of PCTI. Several of us are already working behind the scenes on a special project to roll out at PCTI 10. At some point, we'll need some help from each of you. We might ask a a favor or two while we're together this year. If we do, please help out and trust us. Also, if you have an idea for where we should go in 2019, be ready to pitch it this week. Personally, I think it's time we finally take Smo up on Chattanooga. Now that he's heading back to Tennessee I think it's destiny. But that's just me.

That's it for me. As always, pack your extra shoe laces and don't eat any cookies that Smo gives you.

Sincerely,

That dude they call The Beast

Boat Draft and Analysis

As you all know, we have rented two boats for Saturday to take down Lake Minnetonka.  Like all things PCTI, when we have to divide things up, what makes more sense than a draft?

One might ask what metrics are used when analyzing a good/bad pick for riding in a boat?  Quite a few, actually.

• Are they fun?
• Skin cancer potential?
• Potential for sea sickness?
• If Captain Jack or Captain Ryan go down, can they assume duties?
• Cooler pack-ability?
• Accessory Provider (Bob Cousy's, solos, etc)?
• Public intox meltdown potential (can they handle their alc)?

Naturally, The Boy and Brent were captains, because we are the two best lake guys in the group.  If you haven't seen us in action, you're in for a treat.  

Dan The Boat 1. Deuce Hite

Beast's Reaction: The Deuce bias is real. I took this as a calculated move to hit me right where it hurts and to show that he's sticking to his big board. 

Boy's Reaction: Finally picking sides and aligning with The Beastie Boys cemented his spot at the top.  Do it all guy who looks good doing it.

The Floating Beast 2. Kyle

We'll have locked horns all week and therefore this is a good chance to 1. show respect to who I expect will be a great warrior 2. put in some time before X. Dress like the job you want, not the job you have. I want to be MVP and if that's the case this could be some valuable time to evaluate a potential top pick. 

Boy's Reaction: Great pick snatching up one of the top guys on my board... Muscles will reflect nicely, and well documented beer drinking capabilities should be in the spotlight.  

Dan The Boat: 3. Beas

Boy's Reaction: Former boat captain double's down on boat versatility, and history on the water will assist in any tricks of the trade questions.  Looks will show well for team pic.

Beast's Reaction: Again, sticking to his big board. Leadership on the water is in his bloodlines. Strong selection at at the top of the draft. 

The Floating Beast: 4 Stickman

Cemented our boat's identity with this one. Manly-men who aren't afraid to drink. Isn't that what anyone should want on the water? 

Boy's Reaction: Tough pill to swallow getting a 5-tool lake guy.  Will most certainly put his drinking skills on display early to show all partying will run through him. Would put his cooler packing skills up against anyone.  Knowing that no one can arouse more passion for an 8-5 performance, one has to wonder if he's an MVP candidate in the hoops, how that might effect this draft?  The desire for 2-on-1 time will overcome the draft.  This team is coming out of the gates looking bulky.  

Dan The Boat 5: Abe 

Beast's Reaction: What's a PCTI draft if Abe's not near the top? 

Boy's Reaction: Quite frankly, this was way too low... Nothing has changed with my affinity with Abe, both on and off the court.  Closet good looking guy.

The Floating Beast 6: Actor

I told Dan before making the pick that I was torn here between Actor or Juice. With Kyle, Bruiser, and Beast already on board I was afraid our group was going to be too business-like in our approach. We needed an entertainer. I trusted my gut and my belief that Juice was going to go through a free fall with Dan similar to what happened with Ben and Sabin in the real draft. So Act is the pick. Also, I'm naming Act our official mouthpiece. He speaks for our boat.  

Boy's Reaction: HUGE pick as the team was starting to get too beefy... I didn't think you would be able to get yourself away from the allure of stacking the roster with all the meat, but this was a brilliant move... And doubling down on it by making him the official mouthpiece.  His makeout streak will be in the spotlight, and one of Saturday's main storyline's.

Dan The Boat 7: BenWilson

Beast's Reaction: Nice value here as music can make or break a day like this and Dan will make sure Ben brings his "noise machine" Dan probably also counting on the foam roller, per usual.

Boy's Reaction: Great music guy and even better bucket hat look. Boat trips are built on accessory's, and no one is better... On a side note, PCTI9 will forever be remembered as "The Resurgence of Ben Wilson."

The Floating Beast 8: Sabin

Simple pick. Three days of PCTI in the books, Sabin's postmortem recaps will be in high demand. I need that on my boat. 

Boy's Reaction: Bad pick... Masterful recapper but sun exposure will be a challenging hurdle to overcome.  

Dan The Boat 9: Spot 

Beast's Reaction: The only reason I let Spot fall this far was a concern that he'll be so chill and relaxed that he won't bring enough to the table to entertain me. 

Boy's Reaction: Social chameleon who can work with any crew, however is surrounded by many of his top mates.  Conversations are only rivaled by Sabin, yet can handle the wear and tear of six hours in the heat.  

The Floating Beast 10: Smo

Dan revealed after the Spot pick that he was trying to put together a boat full of good looking lady killers. With that in mind, I probably could have held off on Smo. Even still, I couldn't risk it. He's a nice bridge guy between our entertainers and our beer slammers. 

Boy's Reaction: Grew up on the river, but who cares?  Between dehydration and alcohol tolerance, he will be a top player for the first two hours, but what happens after that?  

Dan The Boat 11: Smooth

Beast's Reaction: Another draft, another time where Smooth will be seen as "the wild card." You just never know if he's going to be checked in or too tired. 

Boy's Reaction: As much as I hate on him for just about everything, I mean this wholeheartedly... If there's one thing that he's the absolute worst at, on top of his many other significant flaws, it's being on the water.  The guy is not only useless, but becomes a putz on top of it. All that said, we will be celebrating his birthday, and when he's the center of attention, he shows out... You have a good mouthpiece in Actor, but our's is better.  Team Dan The Boat's Official Mouthpiece is SMOOTH!

The Floating Beast 12: Hops

Drinker. Show man. Not afraid to get his hands dirty. Beginning with this pick, I was able to find some nice value at the end of the draft that really fit our culture.

Boy's Reaction: Value pick who's always in the zone and can party on every level.  No type of party doesn't work for him, and no one has been more consistent over the years.  Can drink everything and no potential for getting sick. Will be a nice leader on a squad that is lacking in that department.

Dan The Boat 13: Juice

Beast's Reaction: I was hoping we could pick him up to give us an infusion of youth. Probably got a little greedy thinking he'd fall further than this. But at the end of the day, I won't lose any sleep over missing out on him. 

Boy's Reaction: Well deserved tumble as this guy is a ticking time bomb.  Fake water guy who takes a "live off the land" approach despite sleeping each night in $750 100% green tea silk sheets.  Does not drink water or eat.  Party enthusiast who struggles to contain his excitement when surrounded by PCTI guys. Will try hard to keep up with the heavyweight, and will lead to his demise.  Early call for Least Valuable Partier.

The Floating Beast 14: TP

Far and away the ultimate value pick. The only guy who identifies himself as a #lakelife guy. Going off the board at 14 shows that when Dan and I get together, we subconsciously agree to collude against anybody that can expose us for how pathetic we are. No other reason TP should have dropped out of the top three picks. 

Boy's Reaction: Personally, I don't need someone looking over my shoulder trying to out-knowledge me on the lake. God knows there's no one in this thing with a better lake look (tall, lean, muscular, tan) and backs it up with the necessary motor and drinking acumen.  Good pick, the free fall on my end was due to my own personal insecurities.  

Dan The Boat: Donley

Beast's Reaction: Too pretty for our boat. 

Boy's Reaction: For those that don't know, I officially start dating again Saturday after PCTI games are complete, and it goes for about two months until training starts up... In case you haven't noticed, our boat was built on PCTI's prettiest, in hopes of attracting a love interest for myself.  Busy is currently serving a lifetime sentence in PCTI penitentiary for his antics the last few years (only Sabin has voted in favor of his parole), but in this moment, I'm getting a 5-tool guy (looks, body, drinking, partying, tan). 

EARLY LAKE MVP FRONTRUNNER

Post draft note: Dan and I have been texting about possible boat MVPs. Dan seems to think it's Bruiser's to lose as this is a trip that is right in his wheelhouse. My point back to Dan was that by nature of how I constructed my boat, there's a lot of depth at what he does well. If he was on Dan's boat with all the good looking guys he probably could take the "just punch the clock" approach. I think it's very similar to the guard situation on Dan's team: we've put all the blue collar drinkers on the same boat (and yes, I say that knowing that Deuce isn't on our boat) so we'll see who really stands out. Could be Bruiser but I think it's far from a lock. 

PCTI9 Final Storylines

With nine days to go, there are many storyline's that we will finally learn the answers to.  As with all my posts, it's not edited.

Battle of the Beasts: Kyle vs. Brent

After repackaging himself as a muscular 3-point specialist in PCTI8, Brent has come under fire for his lack of commitment this offseason.  He recently showed up to the tune up game in tip top shape, and is ready to re-claim his nickname.  The problem is Kyle truly is a beast, and looks to be in premier shape heading into PCTI9.

Advantage: Kyle

Mental Instability: Juice vs. The Ladies.

After a decorated offseason with two PCTI regional MVP awards, some whispers that he's the favorite for the PCTI9 MVP, and a dedication to his offseason regimen, in typical Juice fashion, he's let himself go down the stretch.  A recent hot streak with the ladies has his priorities out of whack, is down 12 lbs from his playing weight, and hasn't touched the iron in a month. 

Advantage: The Ladies.

Changing of "The Guard": Act/Beas/Spot/Juice vs. Team First.

For years, Act and Beas have battled for guard supremacy... With Spot close to claiming the spot, he came down with a knee injury and set himself back. Beas and Juice have had highly decorated offseasons, and the favorite (Actor) has battled knee injuries.  All will be on the same team, can they put the team first or will they create an internal competition?  Hops has quietly worked himself into the best shape of his life, and is coming off a great PCTI. Will the internal competition help him work alone to overtake all?

Advantage: Hops.

Abe's Re-Dedication: Abe vs. Women

Much to The Beastie Boys dismay, Abe re-dedicated himself to PCTI, and ended his relationship a few months ago.  History shows other players that do this find themselves putting in significant work on their craft, and yields even more significant results. 

Advantage: Abe.

Deuce's Reputation: Deuce vs. PCTI.

Going into his ninth year, no one has been more beloved and bullet proof from all criticism than the Deuce Man. In a surprising a few weeks back, a video leaked of Deuce training with Kyle, pledging his allegiance to The Beastie Boys and sending some psychological warfare to the opposition.  The days of him playing politics are over, don't expect him to be the king of the hill much longer.

Advantage: PCTI.

Record Supremacy: Brent vs. Danny and Juice vs. TP.

DTB is shooting for his sixth straight win, the last loss being the Kitten Debacle.  Him and Brent will be battling for top overall W-L record in PCTI.  In addition, the only two undefeated players, Juice and TP will be battling for a 3-0 lifetime record, and looking to build off both of their 8-2 overall W-L record.

Advantage: None.

Ben's Resurgence: Ben vs. Sabin.

This combo is oil and water... They don't mix, and Sabin showed his dedication to that by letting Ben fall to the bottom. A guy that averaged 22 ppg and 9.8 rebounds in Denver, 14 ppg and 6 rpg, and 13 ppg and 5 rpg in Cincy spiraled into the final slot.  Some of that might be the girlfriend effect, some might be Sabin's desire to always be the villain.  Wilson repped off three straight win's once detaching from the Sabin system, and Sabin picked up his first win opposing him last year.  Combined, they are 4-2 separated, and 0-4 together.  Sabin is coming off an MVP performance, and Wilson is coming off a defensive LVP performance.  This might be PCTI's top storyline.

Advantage: Sabin.