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.