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Congratulations East Palestine Bulldogs….

This is Mike writing and I would like to congratulate the East Palestine Men’s Basketball team on their victory last night which secured them the ITCL Championship.  The Bulldogs held off league rival Columbiana at home in front of a packed house.  This is extra special to me not only because it’s my Alma Mater, but because my dad, Jerry McGee joined Tom Bingham’s staff this year as an Assistant Coach. 

My parents live about a pitching wedge from the High School and my dad has hardly missed a game or practice since he retired from golf five years ago.  They have referred to him as “Coach” for a while, but they finally convinced him to make it official this season and to sit on the bench with the team.  I admire and respect the passion he has for the Bulldogs and sports in general!  

Well done guys!!

Here Comes Some More Fun Stuff

1. February's list of answers is up and available for inquiring minds. Have you ever wondered who pays for that nifty jet Annika flies in? Want to know what Terry's up to? How about how to get on the mailing list for Annika's wine which launches in May? Check out the answers to those questions and more here.

2. Annika now has a website up which highlights her new fragrance. And if you forget the url, you can always find it on the blog's right sidebar under "ANNIKA Business Ventures".

UPDATE:  There's been quite a bit of interest in Annika's private label wine launch in May so we thought we'd bring that to the forefront.  For more information, you can reach Emily Putnam at 925.456.2034 or via email at:  emily.putman@wentevineyards.com

Reunited at the top…..

Greetings from Lake Tahoe. This is Mike and my beautiful bride and I are back at Northstar and having a blast.  The weather has been warm, but there is still enough snow for us to enjoy the slopes.  The mountain is buzzing with excitement because the “Dew Tour” has been competing on the mountain this weekend.  This event is the last in a series of three competitions and the athletes are competing for a $1.5 Million purse.  The action is televised live on NBC today. 

Terry Mac and his wife Mary joined us for the weekend, which was a lot of fun.  They are both good skiers….especially Mary as she grew up in Aspen!  I told Annika that she and Terry have reunited back at the top….though this time it is on top of a mountain.  They just left for the airport and Annika and I are heading to Old Greenwood to work out.

Have a great day!

Here's some photos from Tahoe (there's three at the end of the slideshow from Red Mountain/Rossland)

For All The Swedish Speakers In The Audience

Here is a nice write up from Bro Balsta GK (my home club in Sweden). Unfortunately it’s in Swedish, but for you bloggers that understand…check it out.

SVINGNYTT

Next Stop...

Hello again.

The next stop on our honeymoon has brought us to Red Mountain, Rossland, BC Canada. This is one of the oldest ski mountains in northern America. The first skiers pioneered the mountain around 1890’s and lifts were put in about 50 years later. Lodging consisted of small, rustic antique log homes spread out on the mountain sides and despite government control they still belong to the original families. Together with an average of - 400 inches of snow each year, “Red” is known for its powder. However, so far it’s been a slow year so we are sticking to the groomed runs…

Another reason for our visit is that this is where I am designing a golf course with Thomas McBroom. We are in the permit process and we are striving to make this one of the “first green courses” in the world to maintain its ecological and natural feel. The course site is quite rugged and has a lot of changes in elevation, which will make the course fun to play. Once this course is finished, Red Mountain will be able to service mountain enthusiasts with amenities for every season.

We just finished a few morning runs with one of the owners Howard Katkow and his staff. It was a perfect way to start the day while getting the local flavor and traditions. Now we are cozily relaxing in our mountainside condo with the fire going.

Happy belated Valentine’s Day to you all.

Here's some photos from our Vancouver/Whistler trip

On Cloud 59...

Hello.  Our honeymoon has now taken us to Whistler, Canada, the host venue for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. What an amazing place!

The mountains are huge and the spectacular views are the best that I have ever seen. Whistler village is really charming and has a lot to offer with regards to restaurants and shops. It is snowing this morning and we are heading down for breakfast. There are so many fun activities available here.....skiing, snow boarding, snow shoeing, snow mobile tours, zip lining and ice skating.

The day is long, so we might try them all…..but we will start on the slopes.

(Tip - click on the image to see the full picture)

And Now....More Pictures From Annika's Wedding

Greetings from Lake Tahoe! Our honeymoon has started and we're enjoying our time here in the snow. Below are a few wedding photos we wanted to share with you.

Witness The ANNIKA Celebration!

Family, friends, sponsors and celebrities gathered at Ginn Reunion Resort outside of Orlando, Fla. for, the ANNIKA Celebration, a three-day event celebrating Annika’s illustrious career.

The event kicked off on Sunday with a Super Bowl party at Reunion Resort.  On Monday, Annika hosted a golf clinic at the ANNIKA Academy with LPGA elite Natalie Gulbis, Paula Creamer and Lorena Ochoa.  The morning clinic was followed by pro-am competition with LPGA players, sponsors, friends and celebrities including Stone Phillips, Darius Rucker, Ming Tsai and Dan Hicks.

The ANNIKA Celebration dinner on Monday evening, emceed by NBC Sports Commentator Dan Hicks, gave Annika’s friends and partners a chance to honor the greatest female golfer of our generation. During the evening, Annika and Chef Ming Tsai led a cooking demonstration, LPGA Commissioner Carolyn Bivens presented Annika with a three-dimensional retrospective piece of art of her career, The Golf Channel showed a highlight video of her career and guests were treated to a private concert by Darius Rucker.

On Tuesday, the ladies tee off on the Independence course in a two-team competition pairing Annika and Paula vs. Lorena and Natalie.  The team of Lorena and Natalie won by one stroke.
Sponsors of the event included, Callaway, Chevron, Ginn Reunion Resort, Gogie Girl, Kraft, Lexus, LPGA, Nixon Peabody, Oakley, Safeway, Samsung, Stanford Financial, The Trump Organization, USGA and the World Golf Foundation.

Proceeds from the weekend will benefit the ANNIKA Foundation.  The Foundation’s mission is to provide inspiration to children in need through critical financial, physical, and emotional support;  help aspiring junior golfers follow their dreams through scholarships, education, and new playing opportunities; and promote sports and physical fitness programs that teach children how to live a healthy, active lifestyle.

Highlights from the three-day event will be televised on March 31st from 9-11 p.m. on The Golf Channel.