MOB Invitational » 2005 Recap

Knock, knock. "Who's there?"

"The Barbuce."

"Oh, you guys again. You'll have to keep it down this year. You are very disruptive to the neighborhood."

"Yeah? Well, your trophy wife can wash down her pills with this bottle of chardonnay we brought over for you. This plate of cookies is for you, big boy. Don't eat them all at once and don't call us if there is a problem."

Just like that it was underway. The 2nd Matthew Owen Bardsley tournament had it all: swimming pools, movie stars, live music, way too many people in way too nice of a house and of course, lots of good love.

The line of people really never stopped coming in the entire weekend. Long lost souls like R.J. "Oops, I spilled my root beer" Irving and the rest of the ping pong all stars energized the intrepid Barbuce regulars. That is the beauty of the whole production. It is not just the same people who come and show excitement and dedication to carrying on the legacy of our friend. The Rubin family was once again incredibly kind and generous as host. The party on Friday night was great. It figures that Koster couldn't pull off getting the band there on time.

Director of Golf, Malcolm Constable took the draft board a little too seriously but in the end, the Barbuce administration produced a level playing field including the likes of "The Hillary Duffers", "In the Papoose", "The Amazings" and "Running with Scissors". The teams were revealed, prizes were raffled off and good times were had by all. 90 per cent of those in attendance didn't sleep.

To those who scheduled a round of golf at Pheasant Ridge that day, we are really sorry. To those companies who sponsored the MOB, we'd like to let you know that your signs looked great and your names were out there on the course and in the golfer goodie bags. If you weren't there but want to imagine what it was like, here it goes:

It was seventy five degrees and not a cloud in the sky. The views over the lakes were dramatic and we knew that we'd been given a glorious day to hold a special event. Hair of the Dog was the theme of the morning and 10:30 tee times quickly became 12 and 12:30. At least half of the players had been on a golf course fewer than twice in their entire lives. This brings us to this year's runner up.

That Bobby's team won again is no surprise. He's pretty good and Cole always seems to fold in premier events when the stakes are high and his reputation is on the line. It all came down to a chip off and "Cold Beers and Pruning Sheers" hit four bad shots…not shots that just weren't playoff quality…BAD shots. All it took was one chip from Kate Polidori to seal it up for "Rolling with the Boobies". Seriously, the people demanded drama, and Parson's and golfing bandits couldn't deliver.

The golf was great and the party was too. The sponsors were generous and we raised a lot of money that will go to great causes. And, that is a wonderful thing and everyone involved should be intensely proud.

After the golf was over and the mood was more subdued, we recounted stories of the day's golf, the night before, a hundred "last nights" and a hundred nights with Matt. We remembered why we were there-not only to find solace in each other over a part of our lives that we lost but also to appreciate and celebrate that which we have now.

Each of you expressed to us kind words of appreciation for the organization and effort that resulted in a successful event. While we value your praise, we are most grateful for your action and involvement. We hope to see you next year.