Happy Thanksgiving!

I would like to wish each and everyone of you a very Happy and Safe Thanksgiving Holiday!

Always be thankful,
Mike

Remembering all of our military hero's!.........Letting our light shine on families in need!

Remembering all of our American Hero’s who have worn our nation’s uniform and served our country honorably. Thank you so very much!

For six years I had the wonderful opportunity serving on the Board of Directors of the Family Resource Center. I witnessed first hand all the amazing things accomplished by the dedicated and caring individuals of this organization. Join me tonight is celebrating their service to those in need! If you are in need of tickets and you want to make a difference call Lynda Dukes Franey(712-830-2189). I hope to see you there tonight. Thanks for all of your support!

Make it a great day!
Mike

Sinnard and Franey team win 2010 Chili Open!

With the colors of the leaves beautifying the landscape of the Carroll Country Club the stage was set for a victorious Sunday! Two men and two women teed off the #10 tee creating a quest of perfection. It was a four person best shot and after four tee shots the foursome found themselves hitting their second shot from the bunker just North of the tenth green. As Steve Sinnard stated "we have no best shot". After an opening par the foursome went 15 under par over the next 17 holes to capture an one shot victory! The shot of the day was awarded to Lynda Dukes Franey as she holed a 90 yard shot out on #16 for eagle. It was truly a team effort.

Dukes Franey was awarded the longest drive on #7 beating out Jim Macke!

Macke Motors are Men's League Champions........Congrats to Spanky and Kim...The farmer and dog last in Fall League

It has been awhile since I have pounded the keys of my keyboard but it feels great to be back in the chair again. Lots of things to catch up on so here I go!

Last night in fall league the scheduled and anticipated match up was to be the farmer Papa Joe Pick and the Junkyard Dog Steve "Cuda" Quandt taking on Steve Sinnard and Mike Franey. Merriam-Webster defines fear as "to be afraid of"but the fall league definition is to not show up and send two boys to do a man's job! That's right Papa Joe and Cuda did not show up and sent Car Wash Todd and Produce Tom Duff to the 2nd tee in what turn out to be a huge mistake. The consequences were fitting as the farmer and the dog finished dead last in their fall league division. Have a safe harvest Papa Joe! Look for a full report of fall league next week.

Like a Chevrolet Corvette passing a Dodge Caravan Macke Motors topped Hawkeye Commodity Brokers to win the 2010 Men's League Championship. Even a night of rain that postponed the championship match couldn't cool the high powered engines of the motors. Congrats to the Champions!

Welcome Brennan Lane Vollstedt!

Congratulations to Spanky and Kim on their new arrival. Another beloved Hawkeye fan to add to the Vollstedt clan!

Oh yes there was that game where those people from Ames traveled East to historic Kinnick Stadium! It was a glorious day under the warming sun an exclamation point was applied to the sentence and reminding everyone that this is the Hawkeye State! A great time was had by all and this reporter was on hand to cover the days activities.

It will be ok Joe!

John loves having his picture taken!

The girls enjoying the day!

Well we have covered a lot today on this report so that is going to be a wrap! Turn on your televisions, hug your radios and cheer on the Iowa Hawkeyes at 2:36 this Saturday as they put a beat down on the Michigan Wolverines! For a great look at Michigan fans click here: Got to love Michigan fans! Have a great week!

As always this Bud's for you and ON IOWA

Mike Franey

Mother Nature wins and Annie knew it was going to rain!

Car Wash Todd Pettitt, Digger Dave Nelson, Wade Wilkie and Joel Flug are ready!

Captain Todd Bierl, Loren Boyce, Sean O'Leary and Flying Bob Raue are ready to go!

Randy Bierl for birdie as Flying Bob and Monument Man look on!

Wade Wilkie marks a great tee shot on 4. Yes he did make the birdie putt.

The famous Pettitt swing!

Bud Light team sponsor Bud One Jim Auen scalds one out of the bunker!

Mother Nature dumps postponing the championship match!

Championship Night: Macke Motors vs. Hawkeye Commodity Brokers

It's show time tonight at the Carroll Country Club! Macke Motors will take on Hawkeye Commodity Brokers. The match ups are as follows:

Wade Wilkie vs. Joel Flug

Sean O'Leary vs. Flying Bob Raue

Captain Randy Bierl vs. Loren Boyce

Digger Dave Nelson vs. Car wash Todd Pettitt

Hawkeye Commodity Brokers are led by 2010 Golfer of the Year Monument Man Loren Boyce!

2010 Golfer of the Year front runner Car wash Todd Pettitt will lead Macke Motors into battle tonight. The race for golfer of the year is very close so tonight will decide the winner.

Hawkeye Commodity Brokers lead the online poll 28 to 19. Macke Motors out scored the brokers 671 to 660 for the year. Your Bud Light team beat Hawkeye Commodity Brokers and lost to Macke Motors.

Some predictions for tonight in percentages of points:

Papa Joe Pick predicts 59 to 41 Hawkeye Commodity Brokers

Grandpa Uncle Bruce Pettitt predicts 67 to 33 Hawkeye Commodity Brokers

2008 Bud Light Golfer of the Year Mike Schulz predicts 60 to 40 Hawkeye Commodity Brokers

2009 Bud Light Golfer of the Year Steve Sinnard predicts 60 to 40 Hawkeye Commodity Brokers

Head Bar Keeper Jason Scranton predicts 55 to 45 Hawkeye Commodity Brokers

Loren Boyce predicts 55 to 45 Hawkeye Commodity Brokers

Car Wash Todd Pettitt predicts 75 to 25 Macke Motors

Mike Franey predicts 52 to 48 Macke Motors

Mike Franey's miniature dachshund Annie predicts a rain out and Your Bud Light Team wins by default!

Good luck to both teams! Play fair and hard.

Fairways and greens to all!

Mike Franey

Aaron Ahrendson wins 2010 Bill Franey Open by one!

Aaron Ahrendson of Manning shot a 27 hole total of even par 105 which included a final nine 33 to win the 5th Annual Bill Franey Open at the Raccoon Valley Golf Course in Jefferson on Sunday by one stroke over Scott Quandt of Carroll. Quandt had an eagle putt on the 72nd hole to tie. Quandt has finished in 2nd place four out of the last five years. Ahrendson also won the Carroll City Championship and the Carroll Country Club Championship this summer. Former Carroll Country Club Professional Joe Ward led after 18 holes only to finish two shots behind in 3rd. Carroll Country Club Assistant Professional Paul Tigges finished in 4th. Two time champion Craig Mertz finished in a tie for 10th with Troy Auen and 2007 champion Mike Eckerman finished in a tie for 8th with Steve “Cuda” Quandt.

The Raccoon Valley Golf Course suffered damage this summer on much of the course but the greens were in traditional superb condition collecting many compliments from the players.

The tournament named after Bill Franey, father of Mike Franey of Carroll who passed away in May of 2006 attracted 40 Carroll area golfers in the 65 player field. The tournament was formerly known as the Al Hoy Memorial where Bill Franey served as the tournament director for 25 years. In 2006 the Board of Directors of the golf course renamed the tournament the Bill Franey Open. Proceeds from the tournament support a scholarship given annually to a student training to be an electric lineman at Northwest Community College in Sheldon. Franey was a lineman for the Midland Power Coop in Jefferson for 31 years and served as line superintendent for another 10 years.

All golfers played 18 holes then the low 16 players qualified for a final championship nine. Aaron Ahrendson won the final nine medalist honors with a 2 under par 33.

Other Carroll golfers in the championship flight included 1997 Carroll City Champion Terry “Wong” Olson 110, 1976 Carroll Muncipal Golf Course Club Champion Bruce Pettitt 115, Adam Pick 115, Joe Pick 111, Pat “Spanky” Vollstedt 115, Kevin Vollstedt, formerly from Manning 115 and Tom Duff 118.

Collin Hackett won in the first flight with a 78. Others in the first flight were former Carroll resident John Dukes 78, Lonny Lehrkamp 78, Andy Bernholtz 78, John Barrada 80, Tom Burns 80, Steve Auen 81, Tom Dentlinger 81. Mike Kelly was 3rd in the 2nd flight with an 81. Other scores in the 2nd flight were Dave Nelson 82, Carroll Country Club Head Pro Nick Schon 82, Sean O’Leary 83, Kevin Forke 83, Mike Franey 84, Mike Schulz 84. Tim Gute won the 3rd flight with an 84, Brian Sibenaller was 2nd with an 85, and Dr. Aaron Pick was 3rd with a 86. Others in the 3rd flight were Jim White 87, John Weber 90, Jon Hoffert 91, Mike McDermott 92, Jason Scranton 92 and Scott Tjaden 94. Scores from the 4th flight Ed Vanderheiden 102, Jake Ball 105, and Carroll Country Club Clubhouse Manager Ray Wampler 118.

The Championship Flight!

Other action shots.................

The Farmer and the Junkyard Dog!

2007 Bill Franey Open Champion Mike Eckerman

Troy Auen watching one go in as Tom Duff holds the pin!

Two time champion Craig Mertz wonders where this one is going.

It's a tradition Aaron!

The 2010 Champion is all smiles with the Bill Franey Open Girls.

Lynda Dukes Franey, Sheri Mertz, Kim Hackett, Shirley Franey, Rachel Fransen, Kristy McDermott and Jacque Masching!

Shirley Franey and Jane Rowland did a great job checking in all of the players. To the right is Jan Whitver who plays a gigantic role handling all of the scoring for the tournament.

That is a wrap for the 2010 Bill Franey Open! Thanks to all of the players, volunteers and fans. See you next year at the Raccoon Valley Golf Course on Sunday, August 28, 2011.

Respectfully submitted by Tournament Director Mike Franey!

Happy 44th Birthday Bud Two and Happy 40th birthday Bud Three!

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Back a few years for the Auen brothers!

They must have just come home from the Bud Open!

Taking time to pose at Han's graduation!



Happy birthday my friends! As always "This Bud's For You" and Go Hawks!

The championship match is set: Macke Motors vs. Hawkeye Commodity Brokers

A beautiful night on the fairways and greens of the Carroll Country Club set the stage for next weeks championship match. Macke Motors crushed Frank Comito's Stiff Sticks 45 to 27 to cruise to their second straight championship match in as many years. The Sticks paved the way playing one man short. The motors were rocked last year in the championship match 48 to 24 by Your Bud Light team. Car wash Todd Pettitt and Flying Bob Raue were the big winners for the motors. Raue won for the second straight week. The motors are going to squared off against Hawkeye Commodity Brokers who pounded Utilicomm 41 to 31. Papa Joe and the Soggy Subs helped the brokers by beating the Sharp Funeral Home 42 to 30. Pat "Spanky" Vollstedt was the MVP with a 14 to 4 win over Dr. Dave Nystrom. Papa Joe Pick shot a career round with a two under 32. Pick shared low gross with Kyler Ludwig, shared low net with Flying Bob Raue and the subs were low net team. Monument Man Loren Boyce continued his stellar play with a big win. Digger Dave Nelson the only loser for the brokers. Team sources state that Nelson was suffering from 25th anniversary exhaustion. The caskets and the subs finish second in their divisions.

The trash talking started as the two teams posed for a championship picture by the fireplace at the Carroll Country Club. This report will have a preview of the match along with player comments, match ups and predictions next Monday. Make sure to cast your vote in the poll on this blog!

Your Bud Light team ended the final week of the season with a win over Windstar. Captain Mike Franey the MVP with a 13 to 5 win over Jair Mayhall. Franey shot a one under par 36. Low score for team was 2009 Bud Light Golfer of the Year Steve Sinnard who fired a four under par 33 and beat Bobby Muhlbauer 11 to 7. 2008 Bud Light Golfer of the Year Mike Schulz beat Tiger Tom Simons to earn breakfast pizza on the boss for the Ed Feld Equipment Company. Bud Three Steve "Hans" Auen was drilled by Ron "Bubba" Badding 13 to 5. Auen may be benched for the first two weeks of next year after that performance. Sinnard was awarded four golf balls for his efforts. Low gross, shared low net with Gary Stark and Jay Westerkamp, longest putt and Your Bud Light team shared low net team with Commercial Savings Bank. Your Bud Light team finished in 7th place and looks to reload for next year.



Other action from the final night of regular league saw Carroll County State Bank beat Larry's Automotive 37 to 35. Tomato John Gradoville the MVP.

Linde Equipment beat Templeton Rye 37 to 35.

The Carroll Cycle Center pounded Kasperbauer Cleaners 44 to 26 and finish the year in 5th. Happy Birthday wishes from yesterday go out to Captain Terry Ruchti who missed last nights action as he is in New York City.

Pizza Ranch beat Miller Lite. Fred Dolezal the only winner for the lite beers.

In the battle of the banks Commercial Savings Bank beat Templeton Savings Bank 37 to 35. Tony Pietig the MVP for Templeton.

Badding Construction layed it on the La-z-boys 43 to 29. Gary Stark with a big win over Sam Wilkie. Bud One Jim Auen beat Nick Badding in a battle of CADC board executives.

Carroll Glass took care of Byron's Boyz 40 to 32 and Volquartsen Custom beat par.



In memory of.......this publisher got his start in Carroll in the early 90's as a sales associate for Orv Bierl Realty and Insurance. I have fond memories of Orv and his lovely wife Marion. Orv passed away Monday, August 23, 2010 at the Carroll Health Center. Frank Sinatra introduced the Manhattan to the world but Orv introduced it to the Carroll area. Thanks for the memories Orv and thank you for giving me my start in Carroll, Iowa.

That is a wrap for week 18. Look for extensive coverage of the playoffs in upcoming blog posts.


Mark your calendars for Progress Celebration this Saturday night at the Depot Plaza!

Championship Captain

Mike Franey

Happy 25th Anniversary Nelson's.......Brokers and Caskets to do battle.........Macke looks to hang on!

Congratulations to Dave and Gina Nelson on their 25th anniversary today!



Week 18 will decide next week's championship match in both of the divisions. Sharp Funeral Home has been perched atop the Zach Johnson division most of the year but find themselves tied with Hawkeye Commodity Brokers for the final week of normal league. The caskets have a tough match with Papa Joe and the Soggy Subs who still have a glimmer of hope to top Macke Motors in the Phil Mickelson division. The Brokers have a date with Chad Kanne and Utilicomm who beat YOUR Bud Light team last week 38 to 34. League leading Macke Motors try to preserve their 14 point lead against Frank Comito and the Stiff Sticks. Good luck to all and look at this report tomorrow for pictures of the winners!



Your Bud Light team will try to move up a couple of slots tonight and most importantly ahead of arch rival Carroll Cycle Center. Bud Light will tee it up against Windstar. Making the call to the 3rd or 4th tee will be 2010 Bud Light Golfer of the Year front runner Mike Franey, 2009 Bud Light Golfer of the Year Steve Sinnard, 2008 Bud Light Golfer of the Year Mike Schulz and Bud Three Steve Auen. Long time subscriber, top local amateur, highly successful and more veteran golfer Craig Mertz and Bud Two Troy Auen have been benched for the remainder of the year and contract negotiations will begin October 1.



Carroll County State Bank will play Larry's Automotive.



Bud One and the La-z-boys will play Badding Construction.



The guns of Volquarsten Custom will play par.



Carroll Cycle Center will play a hot Kasperbauer Cleaners. A one drink bounty will be paid to all the members of the cleaners for a win tonight over the cycles.



Pizza Ranch takes on Fred Dolezal and Miller Lite.



Byron's Boys play Andy Reiman's Carroll Glass team.



Templeton Rye take on Ron Juergen's and Linde Equipment.



Templeton Savings Bank plays Commercial Savings Bank.



Elin's 9-irons are coming off their largest victory in team history and are taking dead aim at Chico Kanne's oil jobbers.



2010 Bill Franey Open - Sunday, August 29th
The star studded field is close to being set for the 2010 edition of the Bill Franey Open Golf Tournament which will be contested at the Raccoon Valley Golf Course just south of Jefferson next Sunday August 29th. The field will include two time and defending champion Craig Mertz and 2007 champion Mike "Jewels" Eckerman. 2008 champion Wade Pettitt has opted out of this year's tournament to play out of state. Other notables include Papa Joe Pick, Two time Papa Joe Classic Champion Dave Nelson, Mt Carmel's Scott Quandt, Manning Iowa natives Kevin and Pat "Spanky" Vollstedt, Carroll Country Club Head Pro Nick Schon and the one and only John Dukes! The complete list of players will be published later this week.

Anyone interested in playing contact tournament director Mike Franey.

Good luck to all teams tonight! Look forward full coverage of all the action tomorrow.

Championship Captain

Mike Franey