Turf's smartest editor

No hyperbole here -- I'm about to answer the question... who is the turf industry's smartest editor?

Sit down, because you may be surprised.

 That person is... SETH JONES.

Wait, wait. I know what you're saying. I know Seth. He may know a lot about comic books and Kansas basketball... but 'smartest editor?'

But I tell you -- I have it in writing. Here's what happened:

Yesterday, I represented Golf Course Management magazine in Phoenix Environmental Care's "Head of the Grass" quiz. PEC invited all the turf magazines to send a representative, and they would declare the "smartest editor in the turf industry." (You can take the 4-question quiz by clicking here.)

Well, guess who got a perfect score on his test? That's right, GCM represented. I walked away with a nice certificate declaring me the smartest editor in the turf biz.

Fast forward to today. BASFis hosting what they're calling Turf Jeopardy! Once again, Hollister throws me under the bus and tells me I'm the Jeopardy guy (you might remember me writing about these two events here, where I talked about three things I saw that could go horribly, horribly wrong at the GIS... turns out, all three things went wonderfully, wonderfully well!)

The competitors: Larry Aylward (Golfdom), John Walsh (Golf Course Industry) and myself (GCM, natch). It was like a real Jeopardy game... complete with a host, the buzzers and the big screen. We even had to phrase our answers in the form of a question (Who is Alan Shepard?)

All three editors had questions geared for them. For Larry, they were M.A.S.H. questions. For me, KU Jayhawk questions. For John Walsh... well, I'm not sure what questions were geared for him, to be honest... John claimed his buzzer didn't work, let's just say that.

I took an early lead, then Larry Aylward caught fire. He was kicking our butts for a while... it was looking bad. Then, it was comeback time for me. The Alan Shepard answer (A: He hit the longest drive ever, a one-handed shot off the surface of the moon.) may have been a game winner for me. I took a late lead and held on, managing to edge Larry.

Final scores? I had $5,600, Larry had $4,200 and John... almost got back into the black numbers. (Pictured, the three competitors, along with Toni Bucci, business manager, BASF Professional Turf & Ornamentals.)

But all three of us did win big: BASF generously donated $1,000 to each person's charity of choice. For me, that charity was the John Wake Laugh Olympics. For Larry, that was the Cleveland Soup Kitchen. I can't remember what Walsh's charity was.

So, two-for-two. Two contests, two wins. There's a technical term I'm looking for, a term that only the industry's smartest editor would use... what is that term? Oh, yeah: BOO-YEAH!!!!

Thanks to Phoenix Environmental Care and to BASF for having a good time with us turf editors. And a huge thank you to BASF for cutting that check to the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, KC Chapter. I was just floored when they told me they'd do that.

What a rush!

Comments

[Thomas Lervik Jr.]

Hey, big congrats on your wins and the donation for the J-Lo, always nice when your hard work and smarts pays off. Tell Hollister that he's got to do it next year to see if he compares to your cerebral talents!

[Damon]

SJ,

Great job and congratulations!!!!!

DD

[Damon]

SJ,

Great job and congratulations!!!!!

DD

[Ken Moum]

Back to back wins for GCSAA, first it was me blowing away (literally) the bubble gum competition last year, and now Jonesy manages another win.

I've got to admit that beating those guys in Jeopardy is a much more significant achievement.

Ken

[Toml]

Congrats o.n the award Seth. No surprises here

[Tom Mentzer]

Congratulations, Seth. For years I've "gone to lunch" on the fact I once won eight straight games of Trivia Pursuit. I am humbled.

[Seth Jones]

Thanks guys! I know the BASF guys videotaped the game, so maybe someday I'll be able to post the YouTube clip so you can see all the questions we missed. The one that really drove me crazy: How does Ty Webb measure himself against his competition? Answer (or question): What is height?

Another one that drove me crazy was when Larry had control of the board when he hit the Daily Double. It was an easy KU question! Luckily, Larry bet conservatively on that one or else he would have put me away.