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Duct Tape Trebuchet – MythBusters Final Season, Final Fling

March 27, 2016, 3:32 pm
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The MythBusters made a duct tape trebuchet for their final episode that aired March 6, 2016 on the Science Channel. The Science Channel will now be the new home for all their reruns.  The myth was confirmed: the massive duct tape trebuchet did hold together and work without the use of any nuts, bolts, pins, screws, or any fasteners other than the "miracle material" duct tape.

They made a very large trebuchet. It was the largest duct tape build in the show's 14 year history. They used 2,600 lbs. of pine board, 78 rolls of duct tape, and had a 750 lb. engine block as their counterweight. The first test fire of a watermelon went 171 feet. They then used their weapon of war to destroy an inflatable shark waterslide with a flaming Molotov cocktail. And with this final fling the MythBusters signed off.

Duct tape was the focus of 25 stories, including five with duct tape boats. In all duct tape myths were confirmed 21 times during the show's long run. They ended up using over 5000 rolls of duct tape (about 83 miles). This final build should certainly give all builders some ideas about the versatility of duct tape.

MythBusters adjust their duct tape trebuchet

Duct tape trebuchet

Adam Savage makes small model of trebuchet
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YouTube:
MythBusters - Duct Tape Trebuchet

MythResults.com:
MythBusters Episode 248: Duct Tape: The Return --
Premier Date: March 6, 2016

This was the last new episode of MythBusters to ever air. It premiered one day after the Grande Finale to promote the Science Channel as the future home of MythBusters reruns.

It is possible to build a fully-functional trebuchet held together only by duct tape.

CONFIRMED

Adam built a small-scale model trebuchet using wooden beams and duct tape and fine-tuned its design. Jamie developed construction methods designed to withstand the significant forces involved and incorporated them into his own model.

At a large field, they began assembly; the full-scale trebuchet used 78 rolls of tape, 2,600 pounds (1,200 kg) of construction lumber, and a 750-pound (340-kg) automobile engine block as the counterweight. A test shot with a watermelon as the projectile achieved a range of 171 feet (52 m) and the structure remained intact. To simulate using their trebuchet in combat, they launched a Molotov cocktail to a distance of over 100 feet (30 m), and then launched another to ignite a giant inflatable shark set up at that same distance.
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Have trebuchet, will travel?

June 2, 2016, 6:47 pm
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Please contact Eileen Cody, if you have a trebuchet and can help her out on August 15th in Dannemora, NY, which is 15 miles (21 minutes) west of Plattsburg, NY. Thanks.

Dear Dave,

I have an unusual request.  I am looking for someone who has a catapult or trebuchet that would be willing to come to our final summer reading session and demonstrate for the kids.  I think this would be hugely popular and wonderful for the kids to see. Please let me know if you can help.  The date would be August 15, 2016 at 11:30 am.  I appreciate any help you can give me.

Thanks again,
Eileen

Eileen Cody, Director Dannemora Free Library, 40 Emmons St., Dannemora, NY 12929, tel: 518-492-7005, email: dannemorafreelibrary@yahoo.com
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Trebuchet Summer Round-up

August 6, 2016, 3:38 pm
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Hi Hurlers,

There are now only 50 days until the 8th Annual Vermont Pumpkin Cuckin' Festival on Sept. 25th, 2016.

Time to get down to business and get your machines dialed in. In the meantime here are some hurling items that caught out eye:

There is an interesting article discussing trebuchets at Slate.com from Quora. It does have one error when it states:
Trebuchets, because they don’t recoil in the same way as catapults, can be put on wheels. In fact, doing so is advantageous for their accuracy, as I understand it, because of the way it lets the whole machine absorb some of the forces involved. 
A trebuchet on wheels loses distance in its throws. The wheels rob the full transfer of energy from the counter-weight to the throwing arm. A trebuchet should be anchored to the ground to be most efficient. There is no real debate about that. Wheels would probably make it easier to line up a trebuchet, but taking time and adjusting a grounded trebuchet will make it just as accurate, plus it will have more distance, than a wheeled version.

Roman catapult
Roman catapult

Slate.com:
What Are the Tactical Advantages of a Trebuchet Over a Catapult --
A trebuchet is a device for attacking fortifications. Roughly speaking, a trebuchet has a few advantages over a catapult. First, it can handle heavier projectiles. A catapult’s maximum weight tops out at about 180 pounds; trebuchets top out at about 350. Second, compared with a torsion engine, it’s a fairly robust machine. Lastly, for a given weight of stone, the trebuchet has a longer range. The big ones there, of course, are the maximum projectile weight and range. When your objective is to smash stone fortifications, being able to throw bigger stones from farther away is certainly a desirable trait...
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This Game of Thrones trebuchet looks good, but it has several problems as Scott Manning points out.

Scott Manning / Historian On the Warpath:
3 Problems with This Game of Thrones Trebuchet --
Yes, I’m critiquing the plausibility of this trebuchet while ignoring the dragons.

The “Battle of the Bastards” episode from Game of Thrones introduced a new twist on the trebuchet, utilizing gravity but defying physics and logic.

It was in the background of the siege of Meereen. Blink and you’ll miss it.

Like a trebuchet, the machine utilizes gravity to propel an object toward a target. However, there are some major problems with this machine.

1.) The counterweight just isn’t enough

Instead of a traditional counterweight, there is a mini-rollercoaster that sends the entire arm down before flinging it forward. This is an adoption of a modern design affectionately named Merlin (thanks to Son_of_mogh for pointing this out)...
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How about a quick history lesson with some art thrown in (pun intended)?

GroovyHistorian ‏ / Twitter:
#Medieval traction trebuchet (also called a perrier) next to a staff slinger #history amazing !!

traction trebuchet (also called a perrier)

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They are getting their big boy treb ready in upstate New York.

Eagle News:
Boris undergoing repairs. The trebuchet at Our Farm needed to have its throwing arm replaced after it cracked.
Boris undergoing repairs. The trebuchet at Our Farm needed to have its throwing arm replaced after it cracked. Courtesy Our Farm.

Boris the trebuchet got a “heart transplant” recently at the Golub family’s Our Farm on Peth Road in Cazenovia/Manlius — and now the 10-year-old pumpkin launching machine is ready to keep on chucking fruit for a long time to come...
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See you in September.
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Trebuchet Rules Clarification

August 26, 2016, 2:31 pm
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This is a clarification of how trebuchets are measured for classification in the different weight divisions: lightweight, middleweight, and heavyweight. See the official rules for specifications.

The height of the trebuchet is the difference between the top and bottom.

The top is the highest point reached by the arm (including the finger) or the counterweight (CW) during firing. The bottom is the lowest point of the arm or counterweight during firing.

For a King Arthur trebuchet two measurements are made when the trebuchet is at rest; the highest point of the finger and the lowest point of the counterweight. Two measurements are made when the treb is loaded; the highest point of the counterweight and the lowest point of the finger. See figures 1 and 2.

King Arthur trebuchet two measurements are made when the trebuchet is at rest;

King Arthur trebuchet two measurements are made when the trebuchet is loaded


The top is the highest of all four points and the bottom is the lowest of all four points.

See figures 3 and 4 for a floating point trebuchet measurements.

Floating Arm trebuchet two measurements are made when the trebuchet is at rest

Floating Arm trebuchet two measurements are made when the trebuchet is loaded

If you have any questions please contact the event organizer, Dave Jordan.
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Stoweflake Resort and Spa to Host 8th Annual “Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival”

September 3, 2016, 12:05 pm
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Just three weeks to go.Here is the press release for our 8th Annual Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' (VTPC) Festival, on Sunday, September 25th, 2016.

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Stoweflake Resort and Spa to Host 8th Annual “Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival”
Proceeds of Sept. 25th, 2016 Event to Benefit the Lamoille Restorative Center
Stowe, Vermont, Aug. 11, 2016– It is again time to get your pumpkin chuckin' trebuchet (gravity powered catapult) ready for the 8th Annual Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' (VTPC) Festival.  Mark your calendar for Sunday, September 25th, 2016 at the Stoweflake Resort and Spa in Stowe, Vermont.  The VTPC Festival is a fun, family event sponsored by the Stoweflake Resort and Spa and other local sponsors.  The event benefits the Lamoille Restorative Center, which has a thirty-seven year history addressing unlawful behaviors, supporting victims of crime, and promoting healthy families and communities within the Lamoille Valley Region of Vermont.  The event gives kids and adults a chance to build something with their hands and compete; a cross between a shot put contest and a Soap Box Derby.

 The Festival runs from 11am to 4pm, and features three rounds of competitive pumpkin chuckin' at 12:30pm, 1:30pm and 2:30pm, with awards shortly after the last round.  No dogs or outside food or beverage are allowed at the event.  Admission to the Festival is $5 for ages 5 and over, free for 4 and under.  Parking is $5 per car.  Food, beer and wine will be sold by Stoweflake.   Chili will also be available via a chili cookoff.

The Festival is a one-day event where Do-It-Yourself mechanical wizards of all ages attempt to launch pumpkins as far as possible with their trebuchets, a type of medieval siege weapon.  The event has grown in size every year with roughly 2000 spectators last year.  Last year twenty-six teams from Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York competed in four different categories at the VTPC Festival.
Along with the pumpkin chuckin’ contest comes music, a chili cook-off, and great food; all creating an enjoyable fall day.  Music for this year's festival will be provided by two bands; House Dunn, John and Jenn, which will be performing periodically from 11am to 4pm.
The festival has four categories of competition:  Lightweight, Middleweight Junior, Middleweight Open and Heavyweight.  Each category has height and weight limits to level the playing field.  
Dave Jordan, enthusiastic founder (and competitor) of the festival says: "This is a fun competition modeled after the Soap Box Derby.  The four categories each have their own mini-tournament and the four winners get a trophy, and $50 cash. The four winning teams then compete for the Grand Prize of Best Design.  The Grand prize is awarded to the team that throws the farthest after adjusting for their trebuchet's height.  The Grand prize winner gets an extra $50 cash and first choice of the prizes provided by local sponsors.”

It costs $5 to enter the competition (or to spectate). For the specifications, rules, and entry information please visit the festival's website (http://vtpumpkinchuckin.blogspot.com/) for details.

 Chili Cook-off: For $5 the public can get a sample of each competitor's concoction and vote for first, second and third place.  First place gets $100, second get $50 and third gets $25.  To compete, bring 2 gallons of chili to the event. Competitors receive free admission to the Festival, free exposure for their chili, and a chance of winning prize money.  To register or questions, contact Dave Jordan (below).

INFO visit the festival's website at vtpumpkinchuckin.blogspot.com or contact the festival organizer Dave Jordan, Email:Djordan@GMAVT.net,

To volunteer to help at the 8th VTPC, please contact Dave Jordan.
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Countdown to 8th Annual Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival

September 20, 2016, 7:10 am
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Countdown to 8th Annual Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival
Hi Pumpkin People,

Less than 5 days before the 8th annual Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin Festival held at the Stoweflake in Stowe, VT on Sunday Sept. 25th. Still time to make a trebuchet or make 2 gallons of chili to compete in the Chili Cook Off. Last year we had 26 trebuchet teams and 4 chili competitors. Grand prize for best trebuchet design is $100, the winner of each division gets $50. Check out the rules for height and weight limitations.

For the Chili Cook Off, we give $100 for 1st, $50 for 2nd and $25 for 3rd; the crowd votes for the best chili. Did I mention we only had 4 chili competitors last year?! Come on down people, just mix up 2 gallons of your best chili and compete! We provide free admission, a tent, electricity and chairs.

Last year was only the 2nd year that a heavyweight trebuchet won the competition with 509 feet. Every other year the Grand Prize has been won by the Middleweight Open Division. This year should be very tight; the 3 time champion is still in England, two previous winners are competing and we expect more teams than ever. We’ve seen the designs evolve from the simple 1000 year old design, to King Arthur, to Floating Arm, to Merlin, to something I call “The Stick” which fires by basically falling over. I can’t wait to see what shows up this year. Nick Helms is building a torsion catapult to “throw for show” and inspire others to make unique catapults.

House Dunn @housedunnmusic
There will be two bands, House Dunn and Jen and John playing throughout the festival starting at 11am. Stoweflake Resort will be selling beer, wine and great food. We’ll have face-painting, and balloon animals. The event is run rain or shine, feel free to bring chairs, blankets, canopies, umbrellas. No dogs or outside food please.

This year we are adding a Volleyball Challenge where teams of six can challenge the best doubles team in Vermont; Jon Halfcarhalftruck and Dalton Whitman. $5 per team to play, if you beat them you get your money back.

Here is the schedule of main events:

  • 11am competitors set up
  • 12:15: Welcome/introduction speech
  • 12:30 First round of firing, chili cook off, volleyball challenge, face-painting, balloon animals
  • 1:30 Second round
  • 2:30 Third round
  • 3:30 Prizes awarded

Hope to see you there!

Dave Jordan
Event Organizer

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Thank you Pumpkin Chuckin' Fans

September 29, 2016, 12:21 pm
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Hi Pumpkin People,

Thank you to all of you for making the 8th Annual Vermont Pumpkin Festival a smashing success,

We' re still tying up loose ends and dealing with our day jobs, but we will have the final results posted ASAP.

We are also trying to finalize the accounting so so we can report how much money was made for the charity. But in the meantime, we would like to make a request to have team "Max Distance" contact Dave Jordan (603-630-4800, email: DJordan@gmavt.net).

Steven McCann, is the captain of team “Max Distance”. They won 2nd place in the Middleweight Junior Division, but did not collect their trophy and prize. The first place team could not use the canoe trip for two so they gave it to Max Distance, if they want it.

If Dave can get their address, he will mail the trophy and prize to them.

Thanks again everyone.
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The Final Results and Report for the 8th Annual Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival on Sept. 25th, 2016

September 29, 2016, 2:52 pm
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We had a gorgeous, sunny, sometimes windy day at the Stoweflake Resort and Spa for the Eighth Annual Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival with 18 teams competing in the chuck, 7 teams in the Chili Cook Off, 43 volunteers and over 1200 spectators enjoying the chuckin, chili, beer, wine, homemade pies, two bands, face-painting, balloon animals, games and volleyball.  Over $8000 was raised for the Lamoille Restorative Center (Hyde Park) whose 23 staff and volunteers did an amazing job helping with the festival.  LRC is doing great work and it was a pleasure to work with them.


Apparent Story of the festival: Father and son sweep?

It seems like the story of the festival was Dave Jordan (that's me, the organizer) after seven years of failing miserably to fire his trouble prone trebuchet, finally getting off one good throw.  And an awesome throw it was, especially considering how low I had set people's expectations.  The five pound payload went a record 693 feet (got credit for 689 because of a small weight penalty) and won the overall Best Design Grand Prize.

Don, Chris and Ann Jordan (Dave Jordan's father from Palmyra, NY, and aunt and uncle from FL) formed Team Jordan who had two pity-inspiring throws in the 1st and 2nd round; and then miraculously threw 285 feet (scaled up to 489) on their last chuck.  They were surprised by the last throw and even more surprised to find they had won the highly competitive Middleweight Open Division.


Real Story:  Nine year old girl and her dad

Emmerson Stapleton repeated her utter domination of the Lightweight Division with her innovative tripod collapsing trebuchet throwing an incredible 200 feet, which when scaled to Heavyweight would throw 590 feet!  (More on “scaling” below).  She would have been the first female and the first Lightweight to win the Best Design Grand Prize in the history of the eight year festival... if I hadn't had a very lucky, wind assisted, “throw of my life”.  Jonathon Stapleton, Emmerson's dad, brought a similar design trebuchet to the Heavyweight Division, but the design seems to be tricky to scale up to that weight.  Nonetheless, he threw a very respectable 475 feet, and once he tweaks it he may be a real contender next year.

End of an era:  No more awesome Weapons of Medieval Destruction

I first met Nick Helms, builder of Weapons of Medieval Destruction, in 2010 at the second festival when he showed up in chain mail with his huge over-height, overweight trebuchet.  The next year, in the pouring rain, his whipper design threw 519 feet (adjusted due to penalties to 354).  He knew his machine was way over-height and overweight, but didn't care about the penalty, or competing, he just wanted to inspire other people to build cool throwing machines.  He is retiring his whipper and vows to return in 2017 with a torsion catapult.

Trophy and cash winners in the trebuchet contest:

Lightweight Division (age 10 and under, trebuchet limited to 20 lbs. and 41”)
  • 1st place trophy plus $50 cash: Emmerson Stapleton, (Destroyer)
  • 2nd place trophy: Teresa (TPS Chuckers 2)
  • 3rd place trophy: Gustav (Whipper Snapper)


Middleweight Junior Division (age 17 and under, trebuchet limited to 100 lbs. and 70”)
  • 1st place trophy plus $50 cash:  Pack 607, Tom Knight (Elastic X)
  • 2nd place trophy: Steven McCann (Max Distance)


Middleweight Open Division: (any age, trebuchet limited to 100 lbs. and 70”)
  • 1st place trophy plus $50 cash: Don Jordan (Team Jordan)
  • 2nd place trophy: Ed Chamberlin (Ooh-raw)
  • 3rd place trophy: Ray Chamberlin (Queen Christine III)


Heavyweight Division: (any age, trebuchet limited to 500 lbs. and 120”)

  • 1st place trophy plus $50 cash: Dave Jordan (Bad Boomer)
  • 2nd place trophy: Chris McGrody (Hammer of the Gourds)
  • 3rd place trophy: Jonathan Stapleton (The Stick)


Grand Prize Best Design trophy plus $50 cash: Dave Jordan (Bad Boomer)


Scaling, height, weight limitations and penalties:

I often get asked why the scaling, height and weight limitations and penalties are so complicated.  The answer is, they need to be that complicated to make it fair for all competitors.  If a trebuchet design is made twice as tall, it will throw twice as far.  This allows us to directly compare the design of a lightweight, middleweight and heavyweight by scaling up the smaller trebuchets so they compete on equal footing with the heavyweights.  By comparing their relative heights, the magic number is roughly 2.9 for the lightweight and 1.7 for the middleweights.  For example, Emmerson actually threw 200 feet, but because her trebucheet is a lightweight, it is scaled up to 590 feet.  This is how we select the Best Design Grand Prize.  The four winners of each division are scaled up to Heavyweight size.  The Lightweight winner is scaled up by 2.9, both Middlweight winners are scaled up by 1.71 and the Heavyweight winner is not scaled.  The best “scaled” distance wins the Grand Prize.  So far it has gone to the Heavyweights 3 times and to the Middlweight Open 5 times. 

A trebuchet must be powered only by gravity, so by limiting the height and weight, we ensure each competitor starts with the same amount of energy.  If they choose to make their frame very light, they can use more weight in the counterweight, at the risk of breaking something.  It takes more energy to throw a heavier pumpkin, so the pumpkins must be at, or over, the specified weight to be legal.

If a trebuchet is over-height or over-weight, we don't kick them out of the festival; we allow them to compete with a penalty roughly proportional to how much they are out of spec.  The penalty isn't really so much a penalty as a proportional offset to correct for the weight or height advantage beyond the “legal” limits. 

The following summary of each division will show the adjusted distance, after scaling up including any penalty.  If you want the actual distance, just divide by the appropriate scaling.

Summary of all competitors (all distances adjusted and scaled up to Heavyweight)

Lightweight Division: (scaling 2.9268)
  • 1st place: Emmerson Stapleton (Destroyer), 590 feet
  • 2nd place: Teresa (TPS Chuckers 2), 209 feet
  • 3rd place: Gustav (Whippersnapper) 137 feet
  • 4th place: Owen, (Tomato Tosser), 104 feet
  • 5th place: Teresa (TPS Chuckers 1), 92 feet
  • 6th place: Will Johnson, 80 feet


Middleweight Junior Division: (scaling 1.7142)
  • 1st place: Pack 607, Tom Knight, (Elastic X)
  • 2nd place: Steven McCann, (Max Distance), 93 feet


Middleweight Open Division: (scaling 1.7142)
  • 1st place: Don Jordan (Team Jordan), 489 feet
  • 2nd place: Ed Chamberlin (Ooh-rah), 422 feet
  • 3rd place: Ray Chamberlin (Queen Christine III), 393 feet
  • 4th place: Bill Wooden (Green Monster), 352 feet
  • 5th place: Ryan Brown (Redneck Wreckers), 281 feet
  • 6th place: Bob Olesen, (Wheel of Fortune), 235 feet


Heavyweight Division: (no scaling)
  • 1st place: Dave Jordan (Bad Boomer), 689 feet
  • 2nd place: Chris McGrody (Hammer of the Gourds), 483 feet
  • 3rd place: Jonathan Stapleton, (The Stick), 475 feet
  • 4th place: Nick Helms, Weapons of Medieval Destruction, 265 feet


Chili Cook Off champions:

The chili cook off was a great success with seven competitors and running out of chili before the end of the festival.  Thanks for Keith Thompson for stepping in and running the show.  Here are the winners:
  • First place trophy and $100 cash: Ken Wasserman (Make Chili Great Again)
  • 2nd place trophy and $50 cash: Al Spitzer
  • 3rd place trophy and $25 cash: (Smokers of the Lost Pork)

Thanks to our main sponsor, Stoweflake Mountain Resort and Spa for letting us use their beautiful field for free, as well as all the other sponsors: Stowe Country Club, The Alchemist, Concept 2, Community National Bank, Laraway Youth and Family Services, Smugglers Notch, Stackpole and French, Hoagies, Clear Water Filtration, BlueCross BlueShield of Vermont, Donald P. Blake, Jr. Inc., H.A. Manosh, Union Bank, Aubuchon Hardware, The MSI Group, Stowe Soaring, Stowe UPS, Stowe Motel, McCain Consulting, Umiak Outfitters, Trattoria La Festa, Thompson's Flour Shop, PP&D.

Special thanks to Duffy and Dan McLaughlin for setup and take down, to John Prittie to helping repair my trebuchet and help Team Jordan fire their winning throw, To Bruce Wallace and his family for being the Master of Ceremonies and helping for the last 7 years, to Mike Gladu, Nick Pizzutti and Alyssa for recording keeping and calculating the winners, to Gunner McCain for quick, cheery distance readings, to Mike Dunn for excellent sound system and House Dunn and Jen and John for great music, to Bob Gross and Russell Baum for helping out with safety and setup for the last 8 years, to Jon Halfcarhalftruck and Aaron Fourier for running the volleyball challenge, even though nobody challenged them, the volleyball court was busy all day.

We look forward to our next festival, the 9th Annual Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' Festial on Sept. 24th, 2017 at the Stoweflake Resort.

Dave Jordan
Festival organizer
161 Henway Road
Morrisville, VT  05661

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Winning Trebuchet, Bad Boomer, courtesy Eliza Larson (@WCAX_Eliza):



Eliza Larson / WCAX:
Pumpkin Chuckers descend on Stowe for annual event --
If you're looking for a new spectator sport, try Pumpkin Chucking. That's what hundreds of people did Sunday in Stowe. 
Wood, metal, or rope -- whatever it takes to chuck a pumpkin the farthest.
"It's not really about the pumpkins. I don't really have a grudge against pumpkins," said Dave Jordan, who started the Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' festival eight years ago...
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Caleigh Cross / StoweToday.com:
Pumpkin Chuckin’ Festival: good, messy fun --
These days, the Pumpkin Chuckin’ Festival is good fun for the whole family, even those who aren’t chuckin’. A grand prize is given for best design, which could give nods to helping hands — and add another $50 and first choice of prizes provided by local sponsors to the winning haul. The event also features a volleyball competition, balloon animals, face painting, wine and beer tents, live music and a chili cook-off, a free competition that invites master chili chefs across the county to clash over crock pots for the chance to win a cash prize...

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Status Report: World Championship Punkin Chunkin

March 21, 2017, 3:50 am
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The big boy Punkin Chunkin event in Delaware is at a crossroads following the tragic accident at their World Championship Punkin Chunkin (WCPC) in Bridgeville, Delaware, on Sunday, November 6th, 2016.

The latest news is that the competition has lost its broadcast deal with the Science Channel. That announcement was made in mid-February. But, the WCPC president, Frank Payton, did say that the 2017 Punkin Chunkin will still be held November 3rd - 5th at Wheatley Fields near Bridgeville, Delaware. Now, they just need to find some new partners/sponsors to help support the event.

Punkin Chunkin President Frank Payton holds press conference
WCPC President Frank Payton holds press conference
Feb, 13, 2016 / Newsworks.com:
Delaware Punkin Chunkin loses broadcast deal with Science Channel --
... Punkin Chunkin president Frank Payton says the Science Channel will not return to Delaware for the 2017 event. "With them withdrawing from the event, a major portion of the funding that we need to operate has left with them," Payton said. "We are in the market to establish new mutually beneficial partnerships for 2017."

Payton said the group already has a commitment from a farmer to host the event at Wheatley Farms near Bridgeville on Nov. 3-5, but they need more support to make it happen. "If you wish to see the Chunk continue, we need your support now more than ever," Payton said in a plea for help...
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Here's the link to the WCPC Facebook video of the full press conference.

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The details about the aftermath of the WCPC accident were not widely reported. Here is what happened.

During the last few hours of the WCPC competition, when the air cannons were completing their final round of firing, shortly before 2:40 pm, the "Pumpkin Reaper" air cannon blew a large metal trap door, about the size of a car door, off of it's air tank during their 3rd and final shot. The metal door flew about 30 to 40 feet high in the air and landed on two people, a 39-year-old women and a 56-year-old man. The most seriously injured was the women, Suzanne Dakessain, a video producer for the Science Channel. The heavy metal plate had hit her on the head. Ms. Dakessian was stabilized at Nanticoke Memorial Hospital and then flown to Christiana Hospital. She needed emergency surgery to remove part of her skull in order to relieve brain swelling and save her life. The male victim was also taken to Nanticoke Memorial Hospital. He received treatment for non-life-threatening injuries.

Suzanne Dakessian in the hospital after the Punkin Chunkin explosion
Suzanne Dakessian needed emergency surgery after the Punkin Chunkin accident

"There's a piece of bone missing from my head right now," Dakessian said. "I look in the mirror and see these purple raccoon eyes. Before this accident, my life was easy. My biggest concern was getting to work on time. Now, I struggle putting on a jacket. I struggle zipping a zipper. I struggle opening a sugar packet. Right now everything is very unpredictable but I'm just trying to stay hopeful."
As of late November, Ms. Dakessian was blind in one eye and she could not move one of her hands. She still required more surgery and she was transferring to New Jersey to take rehab.

Best wishes to Suzanne Dakessian for her speedy recovery.
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Pieces of ironically named "Pumpkin Reaper" are blown off the air cannon

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Suzanne Dakessian before accident9
Suzanne Dakessian before accident
Lisa Rose / Nov. 28, 2016 / CNN:
Injured 'Punkin Chunkin' producer disappointed show is off, faces long recovery --
Suzanne Dakessian's memory of the explosion is hazy. She ran as a large metal plate flew toward where she and other TV crew members were standing.

For a split second, she turned to see where the debris might land. That's when the plate struck her head.

I tried to run and I didn't make it," Dakessian said.

The 39-year-old New York television producer nearly died this month on a clear blue Sunday in a Delaware soybean field, where she was chronicling the 2016 World Championship Punkin Chunkin for the Science Channel...

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Although the final results were not formally published by WCPC, news reports from the event said that on the last day of the 2016 World Championship Punkin Chunkin competition the trebuchet, Colossal Thunder, from the Northeast Technology Center in Afton, Oklahoma, had won. This machine was built by high school welding students, who had won the youth trebuchet championship in 2013. This time they took home the adult championship, with a throw of 2,625 feet on the final day. Good job out of you OK folks.

Colossal Thunder - 2016 Adult Trebuchet Champions

Also, the New Hampshire air cannon, American Chunker, had fired a pumpkin 4,305.92 feet on Day 2 of the event. So it was apparently leading that competition, when the event was cancelled on Sunday following the accident. Good job out of American Chunker; Brian Labrie and his team did it again.

The American Chunker website has a bunch of nice pictures that were taken at the 2016 WTPC in Bridgeville, Delaware, including this last one:

Punkin Chunkin Warning Sign - activities are inherently dangerous

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Links:
DelmarvaNow.com:
DelawareOnline:
2 hurt, 1 critically, after Punkin Chunkin explosion --

Lisa Rose / November 21, 2016 / CNN:
At Punkin Chunkin smashing pumpkins is a celebration of America --

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More chunks:

There are now only 186 days until the Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival on Sunday, September 23, 2017. Do you know where your pumpkins are?

BTW, the Jay Community Recreational Centre in Jay, VT would like to have a trebuchet or catapult demonstrate their pumpkin chuckin' prowess at their Fall event, which will be held on Saturday, October 7th, 2017, two weeks after our VTPC. If you are interested please contact:

Sally Rivard, Chair
Jay Community Recreational Centre
285 North Jay Road
Jay, VT 05859
tel: 802-318-1206
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Final Results 2016 – World Championship Punkin Chunkin

May 13, 2017, 9:56 am
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Moonshiner, Tim Smith, with a few fans at the Punkin Chunk
Moonshiner, Tim Smith, with a few fans at the Punkin Chunk

The final results for the 2016 World Championship Punkin Chunkin were recently posted on their website. Because the accident happened during the final 3rd round of the Adult Air Cannon competition, and that chunk round was not completed, none of the chunks from that round were counted in the final results.

PunkinChunkin.com:
2016 Results -- here are list some of the notable results...

Adult Air Cannons

Machine NameChunk 1Chunk 2
1stAmerican Chunker Inc3338.824305.82
2ndBig 10 Inchpie3866.58
3rdPlease Release Me3257.273864.48

Adult Trebuchet

Machine NameChunk 1Chunk 2Chunk 3
1stColossal Thunder2214.59pie2625.87
2ndYankee Seige II1860.152603.631643.53
3rdPunkin Hammerpie2509.441591.15

Youth Trebuchet

Machine NameChunk 1Chunk 2Chunk 3
1stStomach Virus-1171.55-
2ndTroop Six Shooter II333.57415.22-
3rdHarbuz133.09179.75205.6

10 and Under Trebuchet

Machine NameChunk 1Chunk 2Chunk 3
1stPumpkin Pirates434.22466.64550.43
2ndPop Pops Machine325.15499.16230.46
3rdSuper Ray Trebuchet97.89219.53227.7

Adult Human Power

Machine NameChunk 1Chunk 2Chunk 3
1stShooda Noed Beter2343.422287.841870.2
2ndChunkster1432.671580.851676.42
3rdGenes Machinebackfire991.021434.95

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History lesson

The Colossal Thunder trebuchet team from Oklahoma have the current world record for a trebuchet, but with an asterisk. Their record throw of 3,288.6* feet in the Adult Trebuchet division was recorded in October, 2015 at the WCPC sanctioned punkin chunk in Aurora, Colorado, Punkin Chunkin Colorado, which is held at an elevation above 5,000 feet. Therefore two records are listed, with Yankee Siege II holding the closer to sea level record of 2835.81 feet for an Adult Trebuchet.

Colossal Thunder Trebuchet team at 2015 Colorado Punkin Chunkin
Colossal Thunder trebuchet team at 2015 Colorado Punkin Chunkin

related:
Mark Antonation / October 12, 2015 / Westword.com :
Colorado Punkin Chunkin Squashes Hopes in Delaware Raises Readers Ire

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WCPC pics:

Looking down the barrel of an air cannon at Punkin Chunkin
Looking down the barrel of an air cannon at Punkin Chunkin

Aerial view of 2016 Punkin Chunk
Aerial view of 2016 Punkin Chunk

Punkin Chunkin  pictures via PunkinChunkin Facebook page
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3rd Annual Extreme Chunkin Event – Loudon, NH, October 14-15, 2017

June 30, 2017, 3:18 pm
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Brian Labrie, captain of the current WCPCA Champion and World Record Holder (air cannon), Team American Chunker, sent us an invitation to his big New England event: ExtremeChunkin. It will be held on October 14-15, 2017, at the Louden, New Hampshire Speedway. Last year they had four trebuchets competing in that division. Team Yankee Siege II won the trebuchet division last year with a throw of 2608.44 feet. Anyone with an interest in the sport of pumpkin chunkin should head over to Loudon, NH, in October to either watch or compete.

2016 Extreme Chunkin - pumpkin hurling results
2016 Extreme Chunkin Results
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Hi Dave,

I hope all is well with you and your chunkin group. The Extreme Chunkin crew would like to invite you again to the 3rd annual punkin chunkin event in Loudon, NH. If you have any teams that you think may want to make the journey we would like to formally invite them! Hope you can make it!

Best,

Brian

www.extremechunkin.com
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Thanks Brian,

Happy chunkin.


ExtremeChunkin 2017

Team American Chunker
Team American Chunker
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People's Choice Chili Cook-off Contest Info

August 12, 2017, 11:22 am
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For the fourth year in a row, the Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin’ Festival is proud to offer a People’s Choice Chili Cook-off Contest during the festival. This year the chili contest/VTPC Festival is at Stoweflake Mountain Resort on Sunday, September 24th, 2017. Last year we had seven competitors and ran out of chili before the end of the festival. Keith Thompson, owner of Thompson’s flour shop in Morrisville, has graciously agreed to return to organize the competition for us. Help us keep this fun tradition going!


Information, Rules and Registration


Rules & Registration- (updated 8/11/17)

  • Entry fee is $10.00 (includes chef’s entry fee to festival). Pre-registration is preferred.
  • Each competitor must supply 2 gallons of chili to be judged.
  • Tents and electricity will be provided. It is recommended that competitors bring extension cords.
  • Event will go on- rain or shine, Sunday, Sept. 24, 2017.
  • Some seating is provided for samplers. Bring your own, if desired.
  • Competitors will be ready to start serving their chili at 12:15pm. Please plan accordingly.
  • Samplers, bowls, napkins and spoons will be provided.
  • Contact Heidi Dwyer via email to register or to ask questions: hdwyer@lrcvt.org


Please provide the following information to register for the contest:
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Name:

Team name (optional):

Email address:

Telephone number:

Chili Recipe Name and Description:

Ingredients (optional):


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Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' in 27 Days, Shelburne Museum Mini-Pumpkin Chuckin' in 62 Days

August 28, 2017, 9:40 am
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Hey, all you Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' fans the 9th Annual Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival is now less than 4 weeks away. Sunday, September 24 is coming up fast. Hope all of you are having a great summer. All systems are go and we are all getting excited to see who has their trebuchets dialed in for maximum pumpkin chuckin' performance this year.

Don't forget we have a Chili Cook-off contest and great music also going on, to round out a great fall Sunday afternoon in Vermont. The weather has been great the last several years and we're counting on it again. Stay strong Houston.

We also want to the word out about the Shelburne Museum in Shelburne, Vermont hosting their very first Mini Pumpkin Chuckin' competition at the end of October. Sounds like a great event and for our younger competitors, in the lightweight division, another fantastic opportunity to compete on a small scale. Adults and teams of up to eight can also compete at their 20 lb. trebuchet weight limit.

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Shelburne Museum’s First Annual Mini Pumpkin Chuckin' at Haunted Happenings

Shelburne Museum's First Annual Mini Pumpkin Chuckin'

What’s a Mini Pumpkin Chuckin'? It’s where brilliant minds put their collective brains together in order to launch pumpkins through the air via a trebuchet (a type of catapult used to launch projectiles – like pumpkins)! On Sunday, October 29, during Shelburne Museum’s annual Haunted Happenings Family Day we will be hosting our first ever Mini Pumpkin Chuckin', with demonstrations at 10:30 am and 12:30 pm.

Shelburne Museum invites young and old, experienced chuckers and novices alike, to get creative and show the town what happens when science meet squash. This whimsical competition is open to teams of up to 8 individuals. Everyone is encouraged to participate – civic organizations, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, 4H’ers, local school groups, neighbors or families – and show off their engineering skills. There are two divisions: Junior for participants under the age of 17 and Adult. Each division is limited to 5 teams so early registration is encouraged!

All participants will gain free entry to other Haunted Happenings events. Accompanying family/guests need to purchase tickets. Tickets are $7 and can be purchased the day of Haunted Happenings at Shelburne Museum. Details here.

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Also, don't forget the Jay Community Recreational Centre in Jay, VT would like to have a trebuchet or catapult demonstrate their pumpkin chuckin' prowess at their Fall event, which will be held on Saturday, October 7th, 2017, two weeks after our VTPC. If you are interested please contact: Sally Rivard, Jay Community Recreational Centre, tel: 802-318-1206.

Finally, we noticed that the big boy Delaware Punkin Chunkin event (WCPC) looks like it is not happening this year. Sad. So stay small, stay local and chunk your pumpkins, squash, and fresh fruit in Vermont.
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Press Release: 9th Annual Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin’ Festival

September 1, 2017, 1:04 pm
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Person: Heidi Dwyer
Company Name: Lamoille Restorative Center, Hyde Park, Vermont
Phone: 802-888-5871
Fax: 802-888-5400
Website: lrcvt.org

9th Annual Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin’ Festival
Stoweflake Resort & Spa to Host 2017 Festival
Proceeds of September 24th event to benefit Lamoille Restorative Center

Stowe, Vermont, Aug. 11, 2017 – This year marks 9 years of the Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin’ (VTPC) Festival. This festival celebrates the sport of “chuckin’” pumpkins, for distance, using a do-it-yourself constructed trebuchet or gravity-powered catapult. Festival founder, Dave Jordan, describes the event as a cross between a Soap Box Derby (amateur building/engineering) and a shot put contest (throwing for distance). The event is a great opportunity for kids of all ages to build something with their hands and engage in some family friendly competition. Records have been broken every year; last year's winner threw 689 feet!
The VTPC Festival is one-day event and has grown every year. This event is sponsored by the Stoweflake Resort and Spa and many other local sponsors.  The event benefits the Lamoille Restorative Center, which has a thirty-seven year history addressing unlawful behaviors, supporting victims of crime, and promoting healthy families and communities within the Lamoille Valley Region of Vermont. 
Mark your calendar for Sunday, September 24th, 2017. The Festival runs from 11am to 4pm and features three rounds of competitive pumpkin chuckin’ at 12:30pm, 1:30pm and 2:30pm with awards shortly after the last round. No dogs or outside food or beverage are allowed at the event. Admission to the Festival is $10.00 and parking is free. Food, beer and wine will be sold by Stoweflake.
Along with the pumpkin chuckin’ contest there will be music, a chili cook-off, and kids activities; all creating an enjoyable fall day.  Music for this year's festival will be provided by two bands; House Dunn, John and Jen, which will be performing from 11am to 4pm.
INFO: Specifications, rules, and entry information can be found on the festival's website at vtpumpkinchuckin.blogspot.comor contact the festival organizer Dave Jordan, Djordan@GMAVT.net. Additional festival information can be found at lrcvt.org or by contacting Heidi Dwyer at: hdwyer@lrcvt.org.
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#LiveFromVermont - It's Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin'

September 18, 2017, 8:38 am
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Who doesn't love Tom Hanks? His David S. Pumpkins character from SNL will apparently be making a reappearance according to a recent tweet from Hanks. You can't go wrong with a Pumpkin Song opening.

Tom Hanks - twitter

Prancing around in a pumpkin suit seems like a dream job. Maybe we'll get our own Dave Pumpkins to ditch the Viking helmet and go with a pumpkin suit.

David S. Pumpkins
Pumpkins Rule

Our very own home grown Vermont pumpkins will soon be doing their own performance this coming Sunday, Sept. 24, 2017, at the Stoweflake Mountain Resort, in Stowe, Vermont. Come on out and see our Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival. We have music, food, and fun ($10 admission, free for 4 and under). And it all goes to support a great cause, the Lamoille Restorative Center, in Hyde Park, Vermont, which promotes healthy families and communities within the Lamoille Valley Region of Vermont.

Hit us up on Twitter or our Facebook page if you have #AnyQuestions.
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Join us for the 9th Annual Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival

September 22, 2017, 6:45 pm
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Flying Pumpkins in Stowe

September 25, 2017, 8:45 am
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Thanks everyone for another great Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival yesterday at Stoweflake. We will be posting the final results with a summary of the competition shortly.

In the mean time, here was a nice story with some video from yesterday's festival:

Pumpkins Flying Through Stowe

Haley Bouley / mychamplainvalley.com:
Pumpkins Flying Through Stowe - 9th Annual Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin'
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Results of 9th Annual Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival (Sept. 24, 2017)

October 2, 2017, 8:46 am
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We had a heatwave at the Stoweflake Resort and Spa for the Ninth Annual Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin Festival with 11 teams competing in the chuck, 1 throw for show, 5 teams in the Chili Cook-Off, 43 volunteers and over 1300 spectators enjoying the chuckin', chili, beer, wine, food, raffles, two bands, face-painting, balloon animals, games and volleyball. Over $5,000 was raised for the Lamoille Restorative Center (Hyde Park) whose staff and volunteers did an amazing job running the festival. LRC is doing great work and it was a pleasure to work with them.

Moosilauke Hurlers sweep the event!

The Chamberlain brothers from New Hampshire have been coming to the festival for six years, arriving early with their trailer of two trebuchets in the middleweight open division. This year Ray Chamberlain won the Middleweight Open division *and* overall Best Design by throwing 326 feet. His brother Ed was slightly behind at 276 feet and way ahead of the rest of the field.

Results of the trebuchet contest:

Lightweight Division (age 10 and under, trebuchet limited to 20 lbs. and 41”)
  • 1st place trophy plus $50 cash: Steven Mccann from VT (Max D.23)
  • 2nd place trophy: Theresa Tipper from VT (Elephant)
  • 3rd place trophy: Owen Christman from VT (Extreme Pie Face Two)
  • 4th place: Barclay Johnson from VT (Wheland Sword)
  • 5th place: Theresa Tipper from VT (Kitty),

Middleweight Junior Division (age 17 and under, trebuchet limited to 100 lbs. and 70”)
  • 1st place trophy plus $50 cash: Keiser Nesbitt from VT (Elastic X)

Middleweight Open Division: (any age, trebuchet limited to 100 lbs. and 70”)
  • 1st place trophy plus $50 cash: Ray Chamberlain from NH (Moosilauke Hurlers)
  • 2nd place trophy: Ed Chamberlin from NH (Ooh-Rah)
  • 3rd place trophy: John Christman from VT (Extreme Pie Face)
  • 4th place: Nick Helms from VT (Weapons of Medieval Destruction),/li>

Heavyweight Division: (any age, trebuchet limited to 500 lbs. and 120”)
  • 1st place trophy plus $50 cash: Troop 271

Grand Prize Best Design trophy plus $50 cash: Ray Chamberlain (Moosilauke Hurlers)

Scaling, height, weight limitations and penalties:

I often get asked why the scaling, height and weight limitations and penalties are so complicated. The answer is, they need to be that complicated to make it fair for all competitors. If a trebuchet design is made twice as tall, it will throw twice as far. This allows us to directly compare the design of a lightweight, middleweight and heavyweight by scaling up the smaller trebuchets so they compete on equal footing with the heavyweights. By comparing their relative heights, the magic number is roughly 2.9 for the lightweight and 1.7 for the middleweights. This is how we select the Best Design Grand Prize. The four winners of each division are scaled up to Heavyweight size. The Lightweight winner is scaled up by 2.9, both Middlweight winners are scaled up by 1.71 and the Heavyweight winner is not scaled. The best “scaled” distance wins the Grand Prize. In nine years, it has gone to the Heavyweights 3 times and to the Middlweight Open 6 times.

A trebuchet must be powered only by gravity, so by limiting the height and weight, we ensure each competitor starts with the same amount of energy. If they choose to make their frame very light, they can use more weight in the counterweight, at the risk of breaking something. It takes more energy to throw a heavier pumpkin, so the pumpkins must be at, or over, the specified weight to be legal.

If a trebuchet is over-height or over-weight, we don't kick them out of the festival; we allow them to compete with a penalty roughly proportional to how much they are out of spec. The penalty isn't really so much a penalty as a proportional offset to correct for the weight or height advantage beyond the “legal” limits.

The following summary of each division will show the adjusted distance, after scaling up including any penalty. If you want the actual distance, just divide by the appropriate scaling.

Summary of all competitors (all distances adjusted and scaled up to Heavyweight)

Lightweight Division: (scaling 2.9268)
  • 1st place: Steven Mccann, 276 feet
  • 2nd place: Theresa Tipper, 228 feet
  • 3rd place: Owen Christman, 218 feet
  • 4th place: Barclay Johnson, 185 feet
  • 5th place: Theresa Tipper, 172 feet

Middleweight Junior Division: (scaling 1.7142)
  • 1st place: Keiser Nesbitt, 282 feet

Middleweight Open Division: (scaling 1.7142
  • 1st place: Ray Chamberlain, 509 feet
  • 2nd place: Ed Chamberlin, 456 feet
  • 3rd place: John Christman, 330 feet
  • 4th place: Nick Helms, 63 feet

Heavyweight Division: (no scaling)
  • 1st place: Troop 271, 83 feet

Throw for show:
  • Dave Jordan, 185 feet

Chili Cook-Off champions:

The chili cook-off was a great success with three competitors and running out of chili before the end of the festival. Thanks for Keith Thompson running the show. In the feel-good hit of the festival, all of the winners donated their cash prize back to the Lamoille Restorative Center, in Hyde Park, Vermont. Here are the winners:
  • 1st place certificate and $100 cash: Keith Thompson (Thompson's Flour Shop)
  • 2nd place certificate and $50 cash: Bobbi Blanchard-Lewis (LRC)
  • 3rd place certificate and $25 cash: Jennifer Isabell (El Toro)

A big thank you to all our chili cook-off competitors.

A special thanks to our main sponsor, Stoweflake Mountain Resort and Spa for letting us use their beautiful field for free, as well as all the other sponsors:

  • North Country Federal Credit Union
  • Alpine Snowguards
  • The Alchemist
  • H.A. Manosh
  • Community National Bank
  • Smugglers Notch Resort
  • Stowe Country Club
  • Stowe Beverage
  • Union Bank
  • People's United Bank
  • MSI
  • El Toro
  • Thompson's Flour Shop
  • Laraway Youth and Family Services
  • The UPS Store - Stowe
  • Donald Blake Jr, Inc.
  • Ideltyme
  • Power Play Sports
  • Turtle Fur
  • Elmore Lakeview Farmstead
  • Stowe Motel
  • Stowe Soaring
  • PP&D

Special thanks to Bruce Wallace and his family for being the Master of Ceremonies and helping for the last 7 years, to Nick Pizzutti and Alyssa Gagne for registration and calculating the winners, to Gunner McCain for quick, cheery distance readings, to Mike Dunn for excellent sound system and House Dunn and John Smyth for great music, to Bob Gross and Russell Baum for helping out with safety and setup for the last 9 years.

We look forward to the next festival, Sept. 30th, 2018 at the Stoweflake.

Dave Jordan
Festival organizer
161 Henway Road
Morrisville, VT 05661
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New Era Begins with Dan Quinn Introduced as NY Rangers Head Coach

June 10, 2018, 12:03 pm
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Dan Quinn introduced as new NY Rangers Head Coach
Dan Quinn holding the 2015 Beanpot Trophy
The MSG televised the NY Rangers Head Coach Press Conference Thursday afternoon and it was  of course all sunshine and rainbows regarding Dan Quinn as the new coach. Quinn, 51 years old, was with the Boston University Terriers for five years before accepting the Rangers job. At BU Quinn replaced the legendary Jack Parker in 2013, and he had a 105-68-21 record, which included four trips to the NCAA tournament and a national title game appearance in 2015. His BU team lost to Providence in that NCAA title game. Surprisingly Quinn's BU team won just one Beanpot Trophy (2015) in his five seasons. And his team lost in the Beanpot finals the last three years (2016-18). The Beanpot tournament (BU, BC, Harvard, and Northeastern) is a big deal in the Boston area and one win in five years is not very good. Other than that he does have an impressive coaching resume.

Coaching career (Head Coach unless noted)
1994–1996Northeastern (assistant)
1996–2002Nebraska–Omaha (assistant)
1999–2000Team USA (assistant)
2002–2004Team USA U17
2003Team USA U18 (assistant)
2004–2009Boston University (assistant)
2009–2012Lake Erie Monsters
2012Team USA (assistant)
2012–2013Colorado Avalanche (assistant)
2013–2018Boston University
2016Team USA (assistant)

The Rangers going for a rebuilding college coach instead of an NHL retread is considered by most observers to be a smart move given the type of players the Rangers are stockpiling. The Rangers have 13 players from the college game competing for a Blueshirt job: Kevin Shattenkirk (who was coached by Quinn at B.U.), Chris Kreider (B.C.), Kevin Hayes (B.C.), Brady Skjei (Minnesota), Jimmy Vesey (Harvard), Neal Pionk (UMD), Brendan Smith (Wisconsin), Rob O’Gara (Yale), John Gilmour (Providence), Steven Kampfer (Michigan), Boo Nieves (Michigan), Vinni Lettieri (Minnesota); and Ryan Lindgren (Minnesota).

Quinn reportedly signed a 5 year deal for $12 million ($2.4M per year), which was bumped up from a 4 year $8 million initial package, in order to pry him out of Boston University.

All of the commentary from MSG's Steve Valiquette regarding Quinn's coaching prowess was of course very positive. Quinn played as a defenseman, and he brings a defense first mentality, which apparently means that we should not expect to see Rangers defensemen dropping to one knee and screening the goaltender. When asked, Quinn said he still expects Lundqvist to be the Rangers goalie. Quinn said in reply to a Stan Fischler question, that his favorite hockey team while growing up in Cranston, RI, was the Boston Bruins and that Ray Bork, the Bruins Hall of Fame defenseman, was his favorite player. The Rangers were his second "favorite" team.

The Rangers have a busy schedule coming up and Quinn will quickly go to work, getting his assistants lined up, and then getting a roster put together with Jeff Gorton and Chris Drury.

Quinn's mission will be to develop young players and win at the same time. We wish him all the best.

Key dates coming up:

NHL Combine: June 1-2
NHL Draft: June 22-23
Prospects Camp: June 25
NHL Free Agency: July 1
New Era Begins with Dan Quinn Introduced as NY Rangers Head Coach
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Marco Polo - Great Balls of Fire

March 18, 2015, 3:57 am
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"Worlds will collide," that is the tag line for the Netflix dramatic series Marco Polo. The show follows Marco Polo's early years in the court of Kublai Khan, the Khagan of the Mongolian Empire and the founder of the Yuan dynasty, which lasted from 1271-1368. The show premiered on Netflix on December 12, 2014.

Here's an impressive looking clip of a trebuchet in action for the show:
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