Coolest thing that's happended to me lately

[moose]

Gang -
I just received my Tiger Woods 2002 game for playstation 2, which I won on the radio a while back. This was before I joined this great site, but since many of you are ESPN junkies, i thought you might like this story.

what follows is an email i sent out to family and friends (ie, anyone that would appreciate the story) that day. [note: "christine" in this email is my girlfriend. dont know why i just put her in quotes, she's real ]

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I think this is a semi-exhaustive list of those that would appreciate this story:

I'm messing around on espn.com, trying to waste time instead of doing homework. i click personalities, and meant to click on "peter gammons" but accidentally hit "Dan Patrick". I notice on his page that today's guest on his radio show is Tiger Woods. I clicked on the Real Audio link and listened for a while to Dan's interview w/ tiger.

When Tiger signs off, Dan says that after the commercial they'll give away a few copies of Tiger's new video game (Tiger Woods: 2002).

At this point I should fill you in on the impending irony: This morning, Christine was watching the Today show and saw Tiger on the show playing and demonstrating the game. She knew I had wanted it, so today she called and ordered it for me. Hooray.

So anyway, Dan explains that he will give away a copy to each of the first people to correctly answer 3 trivia questions, one for the first email and one for the first call. He asks the following questions:

1. What tournament and year gave Tiger his first top-10 finish on tour?
2. In 2000, Tiger Woods had 9 PGA tour victories - Who was the last player on tour to have 8?
3. Tiger entered this season as the all-time winnings leader on tour. Who *entered* the season second on that list?

Dan then gave out the number and the email address. Being the tool I am, I knew the first two answers for sure (Quad Cities Classic in 1996, Johnny Miller [in 1974] ). As to the third, I figured it had to be either Phil Mickelson or Davis Love III. Something in my head said that since Davis has more victories, it had to be DL3.

I email off my answer.

When you listen online, they have no commercials, so every commercial break is an interminable span of dead air. Finally, Dan comes back on. He reminds everyone of the contest, and says, "Well, many have tried and failed at these questions, but we already have an email winner, Toby Stern at the University of Pennsylvania."

I go ape, call dad, and then keep listening. Later, they have the phone winner come on the air and tell the answers (I was right, 1974). Dan congratulates him and adds "another congrats to Toby Stern at the University of Pennsylvania".

10 minutes later, a guy from the show calls to take my address. I ask the "big question": Is it TW2002 for Playstation 2 (which I want) or for the computer (which I don't want - but I'd take). He says he thinks it's Playstation, but not positive.
Not that it matters - I couldn't cancel Christine's order anyway (No, Dan, I'd return the extra, not give it to you).

Anyway, that was my cool thing of the month.

-TS

PS - After I won, I hopped onto Pgatour.com to check how close it was on the money list question. Currently, Phil leads Davis by $500k - but Phil won on tour this year. Coming into the year, DL3 led by less than $160k.
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POSTSCRIPT: so after pestering them and feeling guilty about it, i finally got the game today. it's awesome, but it came at the worst possible time - finals! can i hold off until finals are over?

Also, i have since come to realize that hearing dan patrick say my name will be the highlight of my life. ***

*** the only espn voice i'd rather have is rich eisen imitating the sportscenter announcer
*****the real voice i'd most like to hear say my name would be Bob Shephard

[hmrsf]

Congrat!

Let's hope 2 for 2 on Netshrine winners on the contest line!

I entered a radio contest for 2 tickets to Yankee staduim, hotel stay and limo ride to and back from NY. I will find out Friday. (insert smiley with fingers crossed.)

[Slippery Pedro]

Toby - congrats. That's one helluva story.

Best I ever did was win a bumper sticker in the early 1980's for stumping Bill Mazer of the (then local) Channel Five 10 PM News sports report!

[Duque]

Very cool.

Good thing Dibble didn't say your name...he probably woulda mispronounced it.

[spitball]

That's a great story man. I'm a huge Dan and Dibs fan.I actually think "Ron" is funny sometimes.

I met Willie Dixon . That was way cool for me.
And I think I won 50 bucks on a scratcher. Not as exciting as you guys . But hey, I'm a simple guy.

[moose]

to me the true irony is that i *NEVER* listen to espn radio, but from that accidental click + tiger, i happened to be listening...

[Craig S.]

That is a cool story. There's nothing like hearing a "sports celebrity" point you out as the winner.

Good job on Davis Love III. I figured it was between him and Phil, but I don't know which way I would have gone on that one.

Enoy that game!

[KCBOOMER]

Helluva deal!