Hops and Marty (edit)

EDIT: The campaign was a success! Hops and Marty were inducted into the Barrie Sports Hall of Fame as a part of the class of 2023!

It has come to my attention that two of my favourite humans are the subject of a campaign to earn entry into the Barrie Hall of Fame, an honour that is quite frankly well over due. I have been blessed by the gift of friendship with Paul "Hops" Hopper (left in photo) and Martin "Marty" McCrone (right in photo) for decades, relationships that have morphed and developed throughout our teens, young family lives, and retirements. One rarely meets persons who combine so many exceptional character traits inside a single entity, but for the thousands who have first hand experience, these two fine gentlemen have lived up to the hype, making the world around them brighter, happier, and funner ... I know it's not a word, but I'm using it!

When describing Hops and Marty, it's easy to list the superlatives, accolades, and meritorious accomplishments attributed to their tireless efforts in Simcoe County, but while the unaccustomed may think they're the stuff of Urban Legend, the stark truth is they have earned their "Larger than Life" descriptors. The rare combination of polished people skills, heightened positivism, epic altruism, and thorough competency has attracted smiles, laughter, and appreciation from youth and parents like the irresistible tug of the most powerful electro-magnets. From their over-achieving athletic accomplishments, to their unrivalled educational leadership and guidance, to their tireless celebrations of youth, Marty and Hops have set the bar ridiculously high.

Like so many basketball aficionados, the journey began with a passionate development of skill and aptitude plied enthusiastically during the "athletic years". A young Marty McCrone enjoyed considerable success as a small forward at the secondary and post-secondary levels, and even turned naysayers into fans by returning to the university league in his mid 30's while studying for his Masters of Education. Paul Hopper is slightly younger, but mirrored that secondary and post-secondary success as an elite shooting guard before sharing his athletic twilight with Marty in the Simcoe County Mens' League. Prototypes for star-turned-teacher superheroes, the long-time friends joined forces in both the classroom and extracurriculars, developing renowned basketball programs at multiple high schools in the area. It was this early partnership that gave birth to the phenomenon that became Thunderhoops, a summer basketball shooting camp with a reputation for both entertainment and enlightenment known nation-wide for its success. One would be hard-pressed to find a neighbourhood in Simcoe County without a Thunderhoops grad living in it.

Despite all of their accomplishments, the sparkle that fills people's eyes when they recount their experiences with this Dynamic Duo is the proof in the pudding. There are literally thousands of Hops or Marty stories, everyone re-told with enthusiasm, exhilaration, and excitement, usually percolated with belly laughs and thigh slaps. A common thread throughout all of the stories is their propensity for "squeezing the marrow" out of life, to coin the late Robin Williams. As Barrie icons, Marty and Hops are instantly recognizable by young and old, and throughout their lives, Hops and Marty have been the consummate examples of a Life Lived Well. The highest possible praise to be offered in their favour is the lure of their effervescent personalities is as powerful as the Pied Piper's song. 

Considering the wide-spread profound effect this pair has had on the city of Barrie and surrounding communities, it seems to this old mind that the decision is as simple as 1+1. 

They are first-ballot in IMHO. 

Marty and Paul, thank you for making my world a better place to be.