"The Dookie"

         It all started more than a decade ago in a fog of malted hops and hazy smoke.  One friend attempted to ridicule another by pointing out the size of his gold chain.  I believe the statement was “Damn, that’s a big dookie gold chain.”  Then the retort came, “Damn, that’s a bright white visor dookie.”  And the rest is history.  We’ve used many different surnames to the dookie title over the years (some retired classics include Baby Huey-Dookie, Skyscraping-Dookie, and Brokey-Dookie), and still to this day no one has any clue as to what it actually means.  The dookie names might change, but for one weekend a year, we’re those kids again.

          In 1999, eight friends got together and, trying to hold on to their youth, created a drinking tournament.  We chose “sports” that required little actual physical activity,  instead we chose activities that highlighted our athletic skills (ones that, while performing, allow for the ability to consume tremendous quantities of alcohol).  The winners of this tournament both receive trophies for being the "Conquerors" of "The Dookie". A matched set of pewter mugs depicting "The Dookie" logo's and the "Conqueror's" names engraved on them.

          Back then, we had no idea that it would turn out to be the institution that it has become today.  With only three events, including darts, golf and euchre. We weren’t even sure if it would continue to the following year. It didn’t just continue, it GREW. 

The following year 2000, "The Dookie" truly took on a life of its’ own.  Two more teams were added to bring the total number of competitors ("Dookie's") to twelve.  The biggest addition came in the form of a “cookout” day, which brought along with it, both croquet and horseshoes. This is where it first lived up to the moniker “Dookie Weekend.”

2001 brought the final structural changes.  Once again two more teams were added, taking the total number of "Dookie’s"  to 16.  A nice round number to make it easy for brackets, and a manageable number to coordinate completing the events.  Bowling a 6th event, was added to the line-up, which gave the tournament a nice balance of indoor and outdoor events. 

The "Dookie Weekend's"  most competitive year came in 2002 when only 16 points separated first and last place.  The top four places were only three points apart!  We kept the same number of competitors and events, but switched up the order in which we did them. 

Once again, we tweaked the order of events for 2003, and switched to house balls in bowling.  Other than that, nothing much has changed.  We’ve kept the same events, line-up and number of competitors ever since.  The current format is fair, challenging and fun, all at the same time.  Depending on who your partner is, everyone has a shot at getting their name engraved on “the mugs.”  Of course, some people have a better shot than others. 

The most dominating of Dookie’s is Dan "Stumpy-Dookie" Bieter.  From 2002 to 2004, Dan executed the first dookie three-peat, with three different partners.  Along with his title in 2000, that gave him four in a five year span!  Alas, 2005 brought Dan some company in the annals of championships though.  Marshal "Visor-Dookie" McKallip won his second title in a row and his third overall in 2004.  So, Dan is hoping for Marshall to lose in 2006 to keep his title lead.  The only other multiple winner is Ryan "Eiffel-Dookie" O’Toole, who has won in 1999 and 2001.