CornholeBlog.com

Cornhole on the Wii

Last week's post gave a humorous take on bringing cornhole into the home, discussing the purchase of a Target Toss Pro: Bags arcade machine for over $5,000.  Well, sometimes we're a little ahead of the curve here at the Cornhole Blog, as evidenced by news released in gaming circles online this past week.  Believe it or not, but Cornhole is coming to the Nintendo Wii.

Software developer N-Space (creators of Geist) is working on Wii version of Target Toss Pro: Bags.  While some gaming bloggers have been a little snide about the concept, I think that it's a perfect title for the Wii.  The natural motion of tossing a cornhole bag fits naturally with the Wiimote, allowing gamers to maintain their real throwing style in a virtual cornhole environment.  Who ever thought there would be a "virtual cornhole environment"? 

The game will most likely be released via WiiWare, the upcoming online platform for downloading games to your Wii.  With DLC (downloadable content) becoming a high priority for all of the next-generation gaming consoles, TTP: Bags should be able to introduce a lot of people to our beloved pastime that may never have had an opportunity to play. 

Keep your eye on this blog for more news on this as it comes in.

It's Either This Or A Ski-Doo

Wondering what to do with that IRS rebate check coming your way?  It's already burning a hole in your pocket, isn't it?  Well, I've got a suggestion. 

Buy an arcade game!

Target Toss Pro: Bags eats up enough of your money at the bar during the winter.  You might as well call up your buddies you're always competing with and have them chip in.  With $600 per rebate check...let's see...carry the 4...ok!  You'll only need to get 8 other friends to throw their whole check into this thing for a total of $5,295! 

Although, come to think of it, that wouldn't really help stimulate the economy.  You'd buy the game (economy +1), then you'd stay in instead of driving to the bar (economy -1), and the bar makes no money without patrons (economy -1) or people depressed about not having much money (economy -1).  Multiply that by the 9 of you guys and there's a huge problem for Uncle Sam! 

You know what, strike that whole idea about buying Bags.  Go out, spend that check on new cornhole boards!  This way, you actually get some exercise playing a real game.  Don't worry - you'll still have plenty left over to blow on non-essentials like milk (and Bags).  Just remember that video games laugh at quarters these days the same way the oil market laughs at your dollar.

Tourney Time!

Live in the Buckeye State?

Think you've got what it takes to be a champion?

The time to put up or shut up is coming.

On August 9th, 2008, The Ohio State Fair will be holding its annual Cornhole Tournament.  It will be a traditional 21 game at the sports center on the Ohio State Fairgrounds.  Fees are $10 per adult team, $5 per junior duo.  Don't wait until the last minute!  After the July 23 deadline, adults will have to pay $25 per team, $10 for juniors. 

If you have any questions, contact Tournament Director Jeff Boyd @ (740)361-5020, (740)943-1312, or email at richwoodspringenfest@yahoo.com.

With a grand prize of $1000, it's well worth competing.  Wouldn't you like to know how you'd stack up against some of the sharpest cornhole players in the region? 

AThe full list of rules and entry details is available as a PDF file HERE.

The Rules

Hello, all! 
I've noticed that  a lot of the visitors to this blog are in search of the actual rules to the great game of cornhole.  Most of us have learned the game from friends who might get a little tipsy and set up the boards wherever they like.  Some of us even have that friend who's an "expert" and "eyeballs" the distance between the boards.  Well, thanks to the good folks at Cornhole.com, we're gonna cover the basics.

The cornhole boards should be spaced 27 feet apart, no ifs ands or buts.  I know the issue of space to accommodate the boards can arise, but if you have the room you should play it right, right?  Right. 

Another concern seems to be deciding when the game is complete.  The first team to score 21 or over wins, simple as that.

Lastly, you are allowed to throw from the "foul line", which is actually at the front of the board you're throwing from.  Honestly, I never even knew that.  I've always thrown from somewhere around the hole, so I know my game is going to get even better with that little piece of info.

For those of you who haven't been completely sure of these rules or have been looking for facts to settle an argument, there you go.  Since the warm days are growing exponentially, we might as well start this year's season off on the right foot.

To view the complete list of rules from Cornhole.com, click HERE for their handy PDF file.

Cornhole Comes Back To Ohio

It's getting warmer in the state of Ohio.  After a pretty rough winter that brought record-setting snowfall in some areas, the birds are chirping, the skies are brighter, and the mercury is rising.  Now if we could only do something about the bothersome rain on the horizon, but I guess you take it however you can get it.

One of the first events bringing cornhole back to the Buckeye state will be held later this month.  On April 26th, the 2nd Annual 64 Team Cornhole Tournament will be held at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio.  As if the fun of competing wasn't enough, there will be some fun in the sun at Pepsi Tailgreat Park (love the name) before the 11am start of the tournament.  The tourney will be held at  Ohio University-Peden Stadium, and the champs get to take home a brand new pair of cornhole boards as the grand prize.  For information, contact John Regas or call 740-597-1397.

Never Saw This Coming

So, I'm having my morning coffee today (actually, this afternoon) and sifting through the daily trash heap of the Internet.  I was about to close out a news site I had open in one of my Firefox tabs when I saw a little link that had me almost doing a spit take with my java. 

Cornhole is now on the shortlist of events that are under consideration for the 2016 Summer Olympics. 

I guess there's been a group in Kentucky that has been pushing for this for some time.  Well, looks like they might be getting their way soon.  The details were a little vague as far as which set of rules would be used, but I'm just elated to hear that the game is being considered to make its debut on the world stage.  How about that?

The argument made by the Kentuck-based Cornhole Coalition was that the IOC has included games such as curling and archery, which according to CC director Don Latham, "use many of the same physical skills as cornhole, especially some of the arm motions, the gauging of distance and whatnot."  I never thought about it before, but Mr. Latham's right. 

Now, I know that some of you are already thinking of jokes.  What's the audience going to look like?  Can you drink beer while you play?  Do you really call a cornholer an Olympian?  I think the key thing to remember is that our sport is getting a chance to shine internationally.  Some people are going to dismiss it, but be sure to have a good sense of humor when they do.  Especially when they say, "April Fools!". 

Gotcha.

Community Service

We all know that cornhole's a pretty lo-fi game.  As the saying goes, it's "analog in a digital world".  Well, that's slowly changing.  Just by reading this blog, you're helping to bring the sport kicking and screaming into the 21st century (that sounds pretty futuristic, huh?).  Now it's time to do a little community-building.  In addition to the blog, you can catch up with us online now at Facebook and Myspace! 

Why more sites to visit?  Because while you'll still be getting your weekly dose of humor and cornhole news here at Cornholeblog.com, the Myspace and Facebook pages will give you opportunity to help create a community where people get to discuss games, techniques, where to buy the best supplies, and keep everyone informed about tournaments, formal and informal.  Got something to share?  Photos you've taken from backyard matches?  The Cornhole.com / Cornholeblog.com Myspace and Facebook pages let you do this with ease.  Some people are Myspace fans and some are Facebook supporters, which is why we've set up both for you.  I prefer Pepsi while others dig Coke.  Go figure.

So get the word out and click on over to one of these new pages and let's get the fun started!

Cornhole Players - God Bless 'Em

Each week, I make the rounds on the Web, looking for some cornhole-related nugget of humor to share with you all.  Some weeks are easier than others.  Someone made a video, there's a movie coming out, maybe a mention in a song.  However, for all of the anecdotal chuckles here and there, it's nice to find insight in a decent conversation about cornhole.  It doesn't matter if your grammar's correct, or even if you can spell.  Just as long as you love the game of cornhole as much as we do. 

So in the spirit of "keeping it real" this week, here are some excerpts from a recent cornhole discussion in an online forum.  No kidding.  The topic: Who Is the Best Cornhole Players in Kentucky?  [note: no spelling errors were harmed in the reprinting of these statements]

"The ford boys are great, and doug darnell from russellsprings, all are great player!! and buck tayler is ok sometimes!! lol !!!"

"Mike Cowen is by far the best cornhole player I have ever seen he puts the perfect spin and arch on it every time I once saw him throw 32 straight cornholes."

"Corey helm and tyler curry beats alot of people i have heard they are really good"

"Russ Little is the best cash game cornholer in Louisville."

There you have it, folks.  Real cornhole talk from real cornhole players.  Salt-of-the-earth types.  I'm not making fun, but it did make me smile.  I can tell you one thing I've learned from this experience.  If I ever bust a flat or turn off a random exit on the highway and find myself in a place where they wager on a good cornhole game, I'm betting the house on Russ Little or Mike Cowen if I hear their names.  Wait - what do I do if they're playing against each other?

Let It Snow

If you haven't heard about all of the snow that hit the great state of Ohio this past week, you were probably buried underneath it.  As the days pass, we all know that the once-lovely and beautiful snow changes, mixing in with the muck and the grime to become that gray stuff you have to waddle through on the way to the car.  As you shovel the inches, fun (in the form of cornhole) seems to be so far away, an idea in another galaxy.

Hang in there.

Not just Ohio, but all of the states in the Union that are actually experiencing Winter.  It's got to get better soon.  In the meantime, instead of spending the weekend afternoons waiting for the onset of cabin fever, why not start brainstorming to come up with ways to enjoy the game even more, once the weather improves?  Here, I'll get you started.

Every winter, we see snowmen dotting lawns in the neighborhood.  Why not give Frosty a break and carve out a proper cornhole set?  If anyone has done this, please send photos.

If they cared, researchers might conduct a study that could possibly say that boxing may slowly be getting replaced by cornhole as one of America's favorite sports you can play without much gear and still have a good time.  So, as boxing slowly succumbs to the unstoppable growth of cornhole, what will happen to the young ladies who announce each round?  You guessed right - Cornhole Ring Girls.  It allows the great tradition of watching bikini-clad young ladies hold a card with a number on it over their heads.  Why should they lose work because we in the cornhole community wouldn't bring them in out of the cold?

They shouldn't. 

Top THAT idea.  I dare you!

This Ain't Your Father's Cornhole

Greetings, all.  Sometimes, it can be a little difficult to find blog-worthy Cornhole news, especially when it's cold in the Midwest.  "Oh, the weather outside is frightful," as the song says.  Apparently, bringing the game out of the cold and into our warm homes has been a priority for the guys over at Buddy Media.  They've designed a Cornhole app for the Facebook users of the world (the tens and tens of millions of you)! 

The interface is pretty clean, the backdrop is a parking lot.  There's a soundtrack loop playing that's reminiscent of when the Rolling Stones thought they were God's gift to honky-tonk music (which is a good thing).  The controls are mouse-based and pretty easy to get a handle on.  We've got the angle of the throw, the wind gauge, and, of course, the John Madden/Tiger Woods Golf-style 3-click power meter.  I just spent the last half hour playing the thing and I'm headed right back to it after I'm done with this post. 

Don't fret, true believers.  March will go out like a lamb and next thing you know, it'll be (outdoor) Cornhole season!  To those that are playing in warmer climes year-round, God bless ya.  You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone (I think that's another song).

Colbert and Cornhole

So the Internet is still having its collective laugh over Stephen Colbert's comments on it during a segment on his Comedy Central show.  According to Wikiality (The Truthiness Encyclopedia), "Cornhole is a game and/or lifestyle choice prevalent in the state of Ohio."  I cannot deny that my first response as an  Ohioan was laughter.  Then I thought that cornhole fans across the U.S. should think twice about giggling - This  is making fun of  all of us, not just those that happen to live in  the Buckeye State!

Maybe someone should come up with a slogan that adds a little legitimacy to our favorite pastime.  Y'know, something that makes people forget the...um...unnecessary connotation attached to the name of the game.  We won't change the name, but we can start our own campaign to take the minds of the non-initiated out of the gutter. 

That's gonna be the homework for this week, folks.  Just drop a comment offering your idea for the next great cornhole tagline.  Remember, we're trying to clean it up, not make it dirtier.  Okay, team!  Let's put the thinking caps on and get busy!

BTW, click HERE and HERE for the links to the hilarious clips from the Colbert Report.  I never said it wasn't funny!

Start the week with a chuckle...(maybe even a laugh)

I bring you greetings from September 2007!  Nah, I haven't found Doc Brown's time-traveling DeLorean (still missing a flux capacitor).  That's just coincidentally when a couple of the links we've got today were born. 

Over at McBrooklyn, a blog dedicated to - you guessed - Brooklyn, NY, we've got photographic proof that cornhole is spreading like wildfire.  Global financial services firm Morgan Stanley's employees were engaged in games of cornhole for hours, some even taking the time to loosen and/or take off their ties!  The article also presents some very questionable information regarding the history of cornhole, dating it back to Bavaria in 1325.  Click HERE to check this out, and be sure to let us know what you think of these claims on the origin of the game.

Our other representative from last September is a nice little blog entry by CNBC's Darren Rovell.  Darren was supposed to be reporting from the NFL Kickoff in Indianapolis and soon found himself taking immense pride in crushing a Coors Light Silver Bullet Gal in a game of cornhole.  So much pride, in fact, that Mr. Rovell included a photo slideshow.  Click HERE for the full entry.

Lights Out

We've all been through it.  You're enjoying a cookout - the company of friends, a nice cold one, and a rousing game of cornhole.  As the festivities continue into the evening, the sun goes down and casts a warm glow over everything.  Unfortunately, this lovely scenario also has its downside - no more light for the cornhole game!  You try to persist for a while, but soon everyone's missing the board and teams start bickering amongst themselves.  The game dwindles into nothing, and you all go find something else (and a lot less fun) to do.

Not anymore. 

Lumipic, a Lexington, Kentucky-based company, has developed a way to play cornhole in the dark.  The Lumipic Lighted Overlays use electroluminescent (EL) technology to provide a bright, even lighting source that fits the standard cornhole board.  They're about as thin as a credit card (isn't everything these days?) and run on AA-size batteries. 

Best of all, you can buy them by clicking HERE! 

Check out the glow-in-the-dark promotional video they've just released online this past month:

It's About Time!

Cornhole players and spectators, the unthinkable has happened.  A feature-length (albeit fictional) motion picture centered around cornhole tournaments will be released this year.  "Cornhole: The Movie" is a comedy written/directed by Tim Clarke and was filmed at a number of locations, including the Cincinnati area. The movie's tag line?  "The Noun, Not The Verb".

According to Cincy's NBC affiliate, Clarke is hoping for a national release of the flick some time this year.

Click HERE to visit the official site of "Cornhole: The Movie" and watch the full-length trailer.  Looks like our little game is starting to get some major attention, folks!

Same Cornhole, New Year

Well, the Cornhole Blog is up and running a little early this year.  I'm sure you've noticed that things came to a halt at the end of last summer, but it's come to our attention that it's always cornhole weather somewhere!  With that in mind, let's take a second to celebrate our favorite pastime with this video from Rhett&Link for "The Cornhole Song" (never mind the competitor's ad at the end).

For those of you who are suffering through Winter, still months away from being able to enjoy a good game of cornhole, the folks at ESPN.com feel your pain.  They've launched a new Cornhole game in their online video arcade, complete with trophies and a leaderboard! Just click on the link below to get started.  Before you know it, the snow will have melted, the grass will be green again, and you'll be tossing the ol' corn bag.  Until then, there's always video games.

CornHole

Grab bean bags and take aim in this  tailgatin' favorite.

4th of July Cornhole Tournament

We had a friendly neighborhood 4th of July tourney with 16 players and 8 teams this past Wednesday. Before we started everybody was saying they wanted me on their team. Maybe because I own a couple of cornhole companies, but they obviously have never seen me play. I was saying to myself "Ahh no you don't, I suck". Needless to say my team came in last place but what can I say...I can sell the game I just can't play it very well.

I hope everybody had a safe and fun 4th of July and keep playing cornhole!!!

jp

Official Launch Of CornholeStore.com

Well its official...we haved launched CornholeStore.com. It has some pretty cool products and features. Check it out and give me your feedback.

jp

Oh MyCornhole Itches

My brother-in-law and I were thinking of some funny t-shirts using the MyCornhole.com name.  For examples:

PLAY WITH MYCORNHOLE.com's bags & boards

FEEL THE DIFFERENCE OF MYCORNHOLE.com's bags & boards

PLEASE LOOK AT MYCORNHOLE.com for the best selection of bags and boards.

If you have any to add please feel free to add them!!!

Awesome Looking Boards

Found these boards online the other day.  I thought the design was pretty cool of course it helps that I am a Cincinnati Reds fan!!!

Online Cornhole Game

I found a few cornhole games that you can play online, here is the list.

1-  Addicting Games

2-  RCade

3-  Christian Moerlein