Why Be Offended By Winning?

I finally got my trophy from the 2011 Tour De BBQ in the mail the other day. I was (to say the least) very excited to receive it. I haven't won an award of any type in years, and sometimes, like a 12 year old, I need validation. I'm not proud of it, but I am honest about it. Thanks to lots of fundraising, emailing, begging, and cajoling, I was indeed the first place fundraiser for the ride this year. Not second, not third, or someone who merely met their goal, but number one.

First Place

Numero Uno

The Top of The Pops, baby.

Do you know why? Because I worked hard to win the contest. I emailed everyone I know, I wrote blog posts that were far too personal in nature; I asked for money, and then I turned around and did it again. For prizes? No, not really. More for the win, just to chalk one up on my wall. I did this; I made the top of the mountain, I beat these other folks. The end result was money raised for charity, sure. But I worked my way to the top, I went above and beyond  to win. You guys read this blog, so you know what I got up to to make #1.

I'm going to post this once more before they take it down.

Top Ten Fundraisers

Tour de BBQ 2011

1. Justin Husman - $1,320.00
2. Steve Tomac - $1,300.00
3. Carrie Helfers - $1,150.00
4. Craig Henwood - $825.00
5. Andrew Warren - $635.00
6. Titus Fehling - $458.00
7. Niki Fehling - $395.00
8. Jonathan Nye - $385.00
9. Stacey Corrado - $270.00
10. Marc Meyer - $262.00

And just so you can confirm that I didn't write that in a different font just to fool you, the list is here. 

So I won, fair and square. 

And when I opened the box, I saw that I was not designated "first place" Individual Fundraiser. 

I was only in the top 5. Like some little league baseball team that doesn't want to hurt anyone's feelings.  


The designation kind of sounds like an oxymoron. "Top Five Individual Fundraiser" 


Am I an individual, or in a group? 

How can I be a top five individual fundraiser - it doesn't make sense.  

Now, I'm certainly ok with them not having my name put on the trophy (though that would have been awesome, now that I think about it), but I don't understand the logic of not having at least 1st through 3rd place designated. That's how it has always been. Top three are rewarded, and Devil take the hindmost. 

Fourth Place doesn't get a trophy. Unless it says, "Hey, good job on not being the absolute worst!"

Every podium has three stands. Not a big box where five people mill around aimlessly. Three. 

The top guy gets girls and champers, and the other two get to be a little jealous, but kind of happy for not being in FIFTH place. Because fifth is even worse than fourth,  and that dude is crying in the showers already, not sharing champagne. 


If you want to give trophies to fourth and fifth, that's fine, but designate them as "top five" finishers. 

"Top 5" is certainly the truth, and I accept that, but I don't think it's the right way to do things.  I'm not the only one who thought this was a little silly, by the way. Everyone in the Plano Cyclist office felt exactly the same way I did, they are just not as eloquent. I heard, "You are going to blog about this, right?"  You bet I am. 

Numbah One! 

So, because I am not the catcher on the Moss Plumbing Pirates, I fixed my trophy.


My attitude is everything, for sure.