Thursday Night Mowing League 2024: Week 7 -- We Have A Texas Rising Star
Commissioner's report: Week 7
I've been at this game long enough to know top-level mowing talent when I see it. Ty Kuhn, or Coach Kuhn at Lampasas ISD in hotter than hell Lampasas, Texas, is one of those special talents like Colt Bradford and Coach Holmgreen.
These guys can handle a mic. They understand how to hold a post-mow press conference. They learn one-liners at an early age in hotter than hell remote parts of Texas where one-liners are born. They have even formed what seems to be a shirtless football coaches who mow society.
Best of all, these guys love to compete. It might be May/June (tomorrow) and this is typically the time when these guys try to decompress before fall camp, but that doesn't stop the Shirtless Texas High School Football Coaches (STHSFC) from competing over mowing.
They're intense. All they know is hard-work. Guys like Coach Kuhn understand that they have a duty to pass down these traits to the youth. It's inspirational what these coaches give back to the mowing community.
Is it hot at your house? Are you dreading mowing? Channel your inner Coach Kuhn and Colt Bradford. Be like Coach Holmgreen and all these other guys who are pretty much mowing on the surface of the sun which is sometimes turned into the Amazon Forest when torrential rains roll through.
Today, we salute Coach Kuhn for getting after it.
I got the driver's side tire rod tightened and back on the playing surface
Last week, I had a problem. I blew out a tire rod and the pit crew believed it had solved the problem. Wrong.
The tire rod blew out last night about 10 minutes into the mow. Would a lock nut solve the issue? No. The Toro wheel mount doesn't allow room for a lock nut.
Solution: Socket wrench, as much force as I could muster to tighten it as much as possible and pray to the mowing gods that it would hold.
Conclusion: It worked. The Briggs & Stratton-powered 15-year-old Toro is back to running like a champ. I'm convinced this mower will not die. I'm not even great keeping up on maintenance. This basic residential mower is a beast.
Condition of the lawn and garden: It's hard to tell this morning based on the shadows and the kids trampling the turf, but the yard is looking spectacular. I have it at U.S. Open length and maintaining at 3 ½ inches. The rough at the 2023 U.S. Open was 3 ½ to 4 inches thick. I'm no expert, but that's where I like a yard. Sure, it looks long by Wednesday, but on Friday morning it looks amazing.
If you guys are on Facebook, the community is growing over there and we have some storylines building there to keep you busy through the week
Week 7 TNML National Rankings
How do you move right up the ladder in the Thursday Night Mowing League national rankings? You survive a stay in the hospital and then go out and put on performance after performance during the first full month of the season.
That's what Homebrew Bill did in May and it's to be commended. On May 1, Bill tweeted from his hospital bed that he wasn't going to allow a bad case of strep take him out this season.
That week, he went out and mowed his heart out. Then he bought the TNML Polo of the Summer. And he kept mowing.
Meanwhile, 2023 National Champion T.J. Bollmer took a week off and needed Mrs. 2Cuts to come off the bench to keep their Thursday streak alive.
Near-death experience vs. taking a week off? I sided this week with near-death experience.
It's great to have Homebrew Bill back to full strength. By the way, if you are into trading beer, Bill's your guy.
He's one of the good ones in this league. Connect with Bill.
BUY! BUY! BUY!
Listen, buy your father what he really wants for Father's Day, which is on June 16. I'm told all sizes of the Polo of the Summer are in-stock and ready to go out. Get your orders in NOW!
Don't wait until the last minute and pray it gets there in time. BUY NOW, sit back, pour a margarita and know that your father is about to get the polo all his buddies will be talking about.
MOWING REPORTS FROM AROUND THE UNITED STATES
- TNML legend Sean C. in Granger, IN checks in:
Conditions were ripe for a great Thursday mow. As you’re aware, the Spring hasn’t been as friendly to us upper Midwesterners on Thursdays so far. But this was 2 weeks in a row. If we can get one in next week, as the great Lou Brown from Major League said "….that’s called a winning streak…."
Also, congrats on getting Screencaps Jr up to Comerica Park. A great park to see his first game. The only downside, many other parks will be a disappointment in comparison. But you’re close enough to PNC, which is another great park. They’ve done wonders with Downtown Detroit over the last few years. You can actually stay downtown and hang out for a while after games…..at night!
As irony would have it, you got to see the MLB debut of Tigers pitcher Kieder Montero in game 2 going up against Mr Oliva Dunn. You may say "who’s Kieder Montero?" He was one of the guys who signed my TNML hat down in Lakeland this Spring. So it’s only appropriate that the TNML Commissioner got to see his MLB debut live. Nothing is random.
- Benny in Yukon, OK shares:
Good evening Joe!!! Hope all is well.
Week 7 of League night was in jeopardy of being rained out. Thankfully, the rain stopped and enough sun came out to dry the grass, so it was business as usual!
RECAP:
-A humid 80 degrees
-Light winds
-Partly cloudy skies
-Top country hits playlist (personal compilation) courtesy of Apple Watch and Raycon earbuds provided the soundtrack.
-Alternate jersey tonight (gray Layin' Stripes)
-Summer Shandy post mow beverage(s).
--The #31 Leinenkugel Ego mower put in some work for the fast growing Bermuda, but finished strong. The Bermuda is growing strong, choking out most of the weeds I've been battling this season. Stripes continue to be a work in progress.
Garden SITREP:
-The new butterfly bushes planted this spring have finally taken off and are thriving.
-New Gardenia bush bloomed quick, but now seems to be struggling. Will need some TLC.
Week 8 look ahead:
-Next week the crew chief will have to survey field and weather conditions and determine if the deck needs to raise to 5.
Hope everyone has a successful Week 7. Keep the blades sharp and the beer cold!
- Indy Daryl stays hot with his mowing game:
6 for 6!! What a way to start the season. Meeting up with an old boss and the book club tonight to discuss The Killer Angels by Michael Shara, which I must say is one of the better books I have ever read. All that to say it was a late afternoon mow for me today! Good luck to all and I hope you don’t get rained out.
- Dan in Wichita, KS writes in:
Great Thursday night to complete the mowing before the weekend. Friday morning is booked to help my son and others finish the 4-day Andale (KS) Basketball Camp for over 100 campers (2nd Gr to 8th Gr) and then head to Louisburg (KS) to watch my 4-year old granddaughter dance recital on Saturday.
Do others follow the "CDL" code when mowing? I keep track and change mowing direction each week when I mow with "CDL" --- "Cross" the yard, next week "Diagonal", and the following week "Long". Keeps the stripes in effect and helps with maintaining a quality neighborhood lawn.
- Mark checks in:
Stripes are in thanks to the trusty Toro. Wanted to share a shot of the garden. Corn, potatoes, peas, squash, lima beans, onion, and carrots all coming in.
