Thursday, May 17, 2007

The Night of Nights.....

On an evening in early March, while wearing suits and sitting at a sports bar at Melbourne’s Crown Casino. Pauly and I found ourselves discussing a recent lack of player enthusiasm towards the PCG. Both in full agreement on our problem, we brainstormed some ideas that could rejuvenate it’s spirit. It took no more than a few more drinks and some very ambitious, not to mention successful bets on the roulette table to make our idle bar chat PCG gospel.

Our concept was simple, the PCG needed something to rekindle it’s spirit, so we’d put the PCG’s spirit itself up for grabs, by holding a full-house season long PCG event.

The next night we ran our ideas past the committee, and after some debate a basic structure was nutted out:
Upon conclusion of every 4 way Quadrangular series held whereby the 4 full voting PCG members all participated in. Each member would sit down post series, and by private scripture record their 3, 2 & 1 votes with written justification. Votes are to be awarded on how each member performed in that series based against the ‘unwritten’ PCG code of ethics. All the votes would then be folded and sealed not to be seen again until the night of the vote.

After precise wording this concept was then put to vote, the PCG’s first ever full member vote (Pauly’s ‘Hall of Fame’ induction was never voted upon). The result was 4 to 0 in favour and thus the PCG “Night of Nights” was born!

As the season ending night approached, series were played with increasing intensity, no man wanting to drop a potential vote. Speculation began spreading too, vote tampering, ballot stacking, general integrity…. everything and one was being brought into question.

When the night finally arrived, 8 fully voted series had been held making up a total of 192 votes. Simon Beasly was paying me and Cashman as equal favourites for the title at odds of 2/1, and by the midway mark of the voting we were 2 and 1 respectively. But as the rounds wore on, our form faded and by the last round we were both out of the running. In the end it came down to the last vote of the evening with Pauly getting the 3 and taking it over Coyley 51 to 48.

With no speech prepared Pauly was in shock, compounded further when celebrity guest Russell Gilbert showed up for the presentation. But none the less he was a fitting winner, grasping the PCG Ashes with pride as he posed for post ceremony fan photos.

Upon review all committee members proclaimed the Dalton Bar “Night of Nights” a huge success, with Russ’ entertaining finale the cherry on top. If by chance the PCG lasts another year consideration has already raised to invite him back.


Regards,

Tim B.
PCG Committee Member

Presentation
(It is a bit out of sync, due to Pauly's instantanya running low on juice)





Night of Night's Tally Sheet


Cashman's votes.....

For every vote cast the player had to justify the vote with a comment, and early on one trend became clear, Cashman nearly always managed to squeeze himself into his own votes.

Round 1
P. Cashman - 3 votes
Won the final what more can you say.

Round 2
P. Cashman - 2 votes
Unlucky, bowled the best spell of bowling ever

Round 3
P. Cashman - 1 vote
There abouts but not good enough.

Round 4
P. Cashman - 2 votes
What lost it for me was the 2 chicken pies at 5AM

Round 7
P. Cashman - 2 votes
Unlucky not to score one of the best hundreds ever seen at the PCG

I would have put up some of the comments from Pauly and Coyley, except they didn't vote for themselves as much, plus they can't spell or punctuate. Though things of note were that Pauly loved to sign off everything as "The PCG Hall of famer", an accreditation he just decided to assume one night. And Coyley loved stating bookie Simon Beasly's odds whenever an outsider got up for the win.

It was also great to see Boonie getting some votes, all in attendance toasting with skol whenever he got one.

Offical PCG Statistics (9/05/07)


Batting


Bowling


Performance


Series Winners