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TeamSPS 2023 Kubb Tournament

Kubb king piece painted blue and white stands upright in grass beside two wooden batons, with office buildings in background

Today we held our 5th Annual TeamSPS Kubb Tournament! This event has now become a real tradition and many of our team look forward to playing Kubb together in early fall every year.

Group of coworkers playing Kubb on a sunny urban green space, one player mid-throw releasing a wooden baton toward wooden blocks on the grass

We had 16 teams of 6 people, with a full registration of 96 players. Plus plenty of folks came down just to watch, hang out with team members, and cheer on the players.

Man in jeans and gray t-shirt throws a wooden baton toward wooden kubbs standing upright on a green urban park lawn, with other players watching in the background.

The great thing about Kubb for a team event is that anyone can play, the game is quick to pick up, and I guarantee you that you are going to meet and talk to the other members of your team. The game is casual, and can be enjoyed by players of any age.

Four men relaxing in blue canvas deck chairs on a grassy park lawn, smiling and holding drinks on a sunny day

Some of our team really get into it. As the Tournament Director Iā€™m responsible for calling matches, making rulings on anything questionable on the field. It is awesome to see the folks that really git into the spirit of Kubb.

Woman in striped shirt throws a wooden baton at wooden block targets on a grass field while others wait their turn holding batons

This year we decided to up our game a bit and got 8 custom Kubb sets with SPS colors on the kings, and the logo etched into it. These amazing sets came from JP’s Backyard Games and he threw in some shirts that I got to hand out to some players as well.

Smiling man in a white Kubb tournament shirt and cap holds a wooden baton and a blue decorative Kubb king trophy on a grass field with office buildings behind him.

It was a great afternoon to Throw Some Wood!

Group of people playing Kubb on a grass lawn outside a modern office building, with wooden blocks arranged on the field and folding chairs in the background.

Just like previous years, we had a POAP for the event!

Round logo for the 5th Annual SPS Kubb Tourney 2023 featuring illustrated wooden kubb pieces styled as Viking warriors with horned helmets, shields, axes, and spears

We played three Round Robin matches in four different groups (results at the end), and from the round robin we placed teams into four different brackets. The winners of each bracket got bragging rights for the year, and an awesome medal!

Bracket 1: Lead the Way

EDI Emperors (W) vs. Kubastank
The Kubb Nubbs vs. Kubbless (W)

EDI Emperors (W) vs. Kubbless

Three smiling men wearing medals stand outdoors holding trophies and wooden kubb batons after a tournament victory.

Bracket 2: Know More to Be More

Kubbcumbers vs. Simply the Best (W)
Kubbiks Rube vs. Kubb Me Up, Scotty (W)

Simply the Best (W) vs. Kubb Me Up, Scotty

Three smiling men outdoors on a paved plaza holding Kubb game pieces and medals, wearing event and company t-shirts.

Bracket 3: Win Today, Win Tomorrow

Ice Kubs (W) vs. Kubb Scouts
Lucky #13 vs. Knock’n Kubb Uff-da-bash! (W)

Ice Kubs vs. Knock’n Kubb Uff-da-bash! (W)

Six smiling people outdoors holding Kubb batons and wooden blocks, wearing medals, with a brick parking garage and Turf Club sign behind them.

Bracket 4: Succeed Together

Kubb on the Cob vs. Kubb Your Enthusiasm (W)
Kubby-doo Where Are You? (W) vs. Kubb 2: Hyperkubb

Kubb Your Enthusiasm vs. Kubby-doo Where Are You? (W)

Four smiling men holding blue prize boxes and wooden Kubb pieces outdoors, three wearing gold medals around their necks.

See: 2023, 2022, 2021, 2019, and 2018 tournaments.

Round Robin Results

Group A

Game 1:
Ice Kubbs (W) vs. Kubbcumbers
Kubb on the Cob vs. EDI Emperors (W)

Game 2:
Kubbcumbers vs. EDI Emperors (W)
Ice Kubbs vs. Kubb on the Cob (W)

Game 3:
EDI Emperors (W) vs. Ice Kubbs
Kubbcumbers (W) vs. Kubb on the Cob

Group B

Game 1:
Simple the Best vs. Kubastank (W)
Kubb Scouts (W) vs. Kubb Your Enthusiasm

Game 2:
Simple the Best (W) vs. Kubb Scouts
Kubastank (W) vs Kubb Your Enthusiasm

Game 3:
Kubb Your Enthusiasm vs. Simple the Best (W)
Kubb Scouts vs. Kubastank (W)

Group C

Game 1:
Lucky #13 (W) vs. Kubby-doo Where Are You?
The Kubb Nubbs (W) vs. Kubbiks Rube

Game 2:
Lucky #13 vs. The Kubb Nubbs (W)
Kubby-doo Where Are You? (W) vs. Kubbiks Rube

Game 3:
Kubbiks Rube (W) vs. Lucky #13
The Kubb Nubbs (W) vs. Kubby-doo Where Are You?

Group D

Game 1:
Kubbless (W) vs. Knock’n Kubb Uff-da-bash!
Kubb 2: Hyperkubb vs. Kubb Me Up, Scotty! (W)

Game 2:
Kubbless (W) vs. Kubb 2: Hyperkubb
Knock’n Kubb Uff-da-bash! (W) vs. Kubb Me Up, Scotty!

Game 3:
Kubb Me Up, Scotty! vs. Kubbless (W)
Kubb 2: Hyperkubb (W) vs. Knock’n Kubb Uff-da-bash!

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I love that the gang at Good Enough is playing with some things that remind me of the early days of the web. They have a thermal printer you can print to from a web page. So, I had to try it out. Barry posted my drawings and I grabbed copies for archival on my site too. šŸ¤©

Now, what to print next!?

Thermal printer receipt showing hand-drawn bubble letters reading Good Stuff Good Enough, sent from jamie at 9/18/2023 8:07 PM Thermal printer receipt showing hand-drawn bubble letter art reading Weekly Thing on Ponder, sent from jamie@ on 9/18/2023 Thermal printer receipt showing 27 tally mark groups totaling 127, sent from jamie@ on 9/18/2023 at 8:16:33 PM Thermal printer receipt showing a handwritten note repeating all work and no play makes signed Jack, dated 9/18/2023
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Thanks to Paul’s Fireplace Wood I’m ready for fall and winter fires! I love that they have the domain firewood.com. šŸ”„

Wood shed packed full of stacked split firewood with two boxes of kindling on the floor in front.
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Minnedemo 39 was awesome! It was great to see so many from our fabulous technology community, and to see the great demos that everyone shared.

Thanks to Caedence, Showcrow, Evergreen, Charles Edge, Request Metrics, and Raise a Hood for presenting!

Two men smiling in front of the Minnedemo venue entrance, one wearing a plaid shirt with a name badge. Crowd of people gathered at a red food truck serving kabobs and omelettes on a city street at dusk Five performers on a theater stage playing instruments in front of a projected music software screen showing Raspberry Beret chords and lyrics.
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We had my step-dad Bruce over for dinner tonight with my his brother, my Uncle Tim. We were trying to recount the last time I had seen Tim and it was at least thirty years ago. The beard is amazing! šŸŽ…

Four people posing outdoors near evergreen trees, including a man in a wheelchair and a large man with a full white beard.
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Look up.

Upward view of a large tree trunk branching into a wide canopy of bright green leaves against a pale sky.
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This Athletic Brewing Waves of Sun is delicious. šŸ»

Athletic Brewing Co Waves of Sun non-alcoholic beer can on a yellow Adirondack chair beside a Yeti cooler, poolside.
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Weekly Thing is back from summer break. I sent issue 261 this morning!

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It is always a bittersweet day when we take the boat in for the fall. This summer was so full of travel, graduation parties, and other celebrations that we only got out on the water twice! We only got it out on June 10, only 98 days!

Pontoon boat approaching a low concrete bridge over calm green water with a No Wake sign on the right bank Calm lake reflecting a dark treeline silhouette under a pale overcast sky Pontoon boat approaching a highway bridge over a calm green river with two semi-truck trailers marked with a bold E logo crossing above. Premier pontoon boat with Suzuki outboard motor docked at a floating dock on calm green water near a marina building.
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Congratulations to all the 2023 Minnesota CIO ORBIE Award winners and nominees! šŸ‘

Seven 2023 Minnesota CIO ORBIE Award winners shown with their names, award categories, and company logos.