Merry Christmas!

Seems hard to believe this is our fourth Christmas without Brian.  It is amazing how life goes on.  How we are all busy, moving from point A to B and yet we always want more time.  We want more time to do the things we really want to do.  To spend more time with our family.  To say the things we want – and are supposed to say to our loved ones.  We want the experiences that you think back during tough times and say; “yeah, that was a great day.”  It has been my opinion  almost all these great memories are associated with family.  Sure, we may have a good day at work, but does anyone really want to think about completing another “TPS Report” on your deathbed?

As Brian has always said; “family is everything.”  We look forward to spending the Christmas season with our family.  Sure everyone likes presents (especially the kids).  But, we all really enjoy the  shared experiences – the laughter, the unbelievable amounts of food my Mom prepares, and seeing how we all react to the many turns in our lives.  This is what I am the most sorrowful about.  That Brian cannot physically be with us.  To congratulate Justin & Jenny on their engagement.  To make Joanna puke again by drinking some noxious soda pop.  To see how beautiful Patrick and Caroline are.  To be with us period.  However, I feel like he knows.  That he helps us.  That Brian is doing everything he can to be apart of our lives.  We (especially me) are probably too obtuse to see his help occur in real time.  But, I have the cool comfort of knowing that he is – and will be – with us. 

Sometimes our closest friends help us more than they know.   Russ Newsom is a dear friend of the McCormick family.  I met him while he was a student at Xavier.  He went on to work in the West Wing of George W. Bush’s White House, graduated from Chicago Law School and now works as a lawyer for a prestigious Cincinnati law firm.  Russ is destined for great things.  The McCormick family treat Russ like he is one of own and frequently attend Xavier basketball games with him.  Brian was especially fond of him.  Recently, Russ unexpectedly sent us a large, beautiful photo of a tip off at the Cintas Center featuring past XU basketball standouts Derrick Brown, Stanley Burrell, BJ Raymond and Josh Duncan.  It is really cool and for some reason Susan will not let me hang it in our bedroom!   Susan and I were very excited and called Russ to thank him.  He said  “You have done more for me than you I can do for you.  I love you guys.”  After we hung up, Susan said “didn’t he sound exactly like Brian?  Didn’t you feel like Brian was talking directly to us? Wouldn’t he say those exact words?”  What is amazing, is Russ DID sound like Brian. His cadence, inflection and joyous speech pattern was extremely similar to our Brian.   This conversation made Susan and I smile.

I don’t know how (or if) Brian somehow pulled this conversation via Russ off, but I like to think he did.  I like thinking he is always with us even if we can’t see him.  I like thinking he is my “super” guardian angel that can pull a rabbit out of the hat for me and our family when we really need it.  I like him knowing how much we miss him, how much he is loved and how we look forward to being with him on the other side some day.  In my mind, these small signs are his way of communicating back to us, indicating he is with us and saying “I love you guys.” 

We can’t bring him back.  Yet, we will always have our memories, stories and love for Brian.  Our shared experiences will always be with us and discussed – because few people outside of those who knew Brian would actually believed they occurred!  They did.  For that, we are grateful.    

And yes, Brian, I will watch “The Christmas Story,” eat duck dip and say “Armand Assante” for you tonight! 

Merry Christmas to all and may 2012 exceed your expectations!

"Your brother must have been a special kind of person to make such a huge impact on the lives of so many people."

Dear Mr. Matthew McCormick:

I would like to say I am sorry for the loss of your brother. My name is ______ _____. This fall was my first semester at Xavier University. My parents are 250 miles away in northern Ohio. They are going through some serious medical conditions right now, which have caused financial hardships. With the help of your brother’s scholarship (given by Mr. Schiess), I will be able to continue my education at Xavier. Your brother must have been a special kind of person to make such a huge impact on the lives of so many people.  Just recently, I lost a few close family friends and relatives. I know it is hard and is not something you get over easily. I want to thank you, again, for keeping your brother’s memory alive at Xavier.  I will be forever grateful.

Thankfully,

Name withheld

Dear Mr. McCormick:

Because of your contribution and donation towards my schooling, I was able to stay enrolled at Xavier this semester. You are a great person for what you have done and I wanted to send a big THANK YOU your way.

Happy holidays!

Name withheld

** Brian certainly was a "special kind of person" and he did, indeed, make a big impact on almost everyone he met. Again, this is not "my" fund, nor are the contributions solely from me. They are also from Brian's family, friends, relatives, and the extended Xavier Nation. I just made the blog and post your thank you notes so we can all remember him and share a smile. Finally, this fund was always Brian's idea. We are proud that he has helped 60 Xavier students stay in school. Amazing! Thanks, Matt **

"Having experiences like these and receiving such a great education would not be possible without the generosity of people like you."

Mr. McCormick:

Hello, my name is ____ ____ and I am a current Junior at Xavier University. I am from Cincinnati and am studying Business. I have met so many great people and have really enjoyed getting involved on campus. Some of the things I enjoy to do include being on the board of __________, playing intramural sports and being a part of student government. Having experiences like these and receiving such a great education would not be possible without the generosity of people like you. I can never thank you enough for the help you have extended to me.

Thanks again,

Name withheld

**  You are welcome.  Remember, it is not just the McCormick's (or me) who are generous. **

XU student gets to buy books thanks to Brian

Mr. McCormick:

I wanted to personally thank you for setting up the fund that allow me to buy books this semester. Mr. Schiess gave me money from this fund to help me continue here at Xavier. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your kindness.

Sincerely,

Name Withheld

16 year ago today

Susan and I got married 16 years ago. What a great day. From what I understand, our best man Brian and his “idiot friends” also had an amazing reception and after party as well. I remember Mark Libs being asked what happened. He would say “do you want the long or the short version?” Needless to say, the night involved Halloween costumes, limos, the US Secret Service, terrorizing the Dayton Marriott and Charlie P___ being locked out of his hotel room (not wearing any pants). Oh, by the way, Brian had mono, felt like crap and looked completely grey the entire day. He, of course, still partied like a rock star. Both he and my mom always said it “was the best wedding ever.” I will always be proud to tell anyone he was my best man.  Miss you Brian.

3 1/2 years

We lost Brian three and a half years ago today.  It still doesn’t seem real or fair.  Our lives have changed, yet Brian is still not with us.  I think about him almost constantly.  Wishing he could be with us watching Patrick play football or Caroline play soccer.  Though I cannot see him, I feel that he is aware of what is going on in our lives and trying to help all of us. 

I remember us laughing at stupid stuff, hilarious antics/posts on the Xavier basketball boards or just laughing in general.  Brian said one phrase that makes Susan and me still laugh out loud.  I don’t know how he came up with it, but only Brian could use it effectively.  Once I was giving him some guff.  Brian looked at me, paused and then said in a matter of fact way “quit sweating my flava.”  (Justin:  “flava” equals “flavor.”)   I laughed out loud at his remark and then Brian did too.  My guess is he heard that phrase a while back and waited weeks for the most appropriate time to use it. 

That is what I always come back to with Brian.  He loved to laugh and have fun.  He had a great laugh too.  That is what I am thinking about today because God knows Brian did (and told us) 1,000 things that made us all laugh out loud with – and at – Brian. 

Smile today and don’t sweat anyone’s flava!

A Christmas Story

This past weekend I visited a friend staying in Cleveland and fulfilled a long-time wish. Not knowing many activities on a Sunday in Cleveland beyond watching the Browns, or going to the Great Lake Brewery that is closed on Sundays, we decided to head to A Christmas Story house.

As anyone who remotely knew Brian can tell you, the Christmas Story played a prominent role in holiday activities. While going on the tour we went through the kitchen and people were taking pictures of themselves mimicking the activities from the movie. I got my picture taken holding the Red Rider BB gun and fondling the leg lamp.


Then I saw the kitchen sink and immediately thought of Randy crying underneath it believing that Ralphie would be killed by his Dad when he got home because Ralphie was caught swearing while beating the crap out of Scott Farkus. I was presssured by my friend and girlfriend to reenact Randy underneath the sink but I resisted because I'm technically an adult and I didn't feel like demeaning myself. Then my girlfriend said to me "What would Brian do?" After that I knew I had no choice.


Love and miss you Brian.

Two more Xavier students get helped by Brian

Mr. Matthew McCormick:

My name is _____ _____ and I am a senior at Xavier University.

I met with Adrian Schiess this afternoon, and after discussing my severe financial situation, we determined that the Office of Student Success and Retention would be able to add an additional $1,000 to help offset the costs of my tuition this year.

My undergraduate career has been an intensely challenging emotional, physical, and financial journey. And because of your grace and the existence of your fund, I have a better chance of being able to afford my senior year. With two other siblings in college, my father's finances have been stretched completely thin, and I am grateful to your vision and mission for allowing me to continue my educational journey.

So I wanted to sincerely thank you on behalf of myself and my father, and I can assure you that I will do my best to keep you abreast on my graduation plans.

Best,

Name withheld

Matthew:

Funds from the McCormick family have greatly enabled me to continue with my education at Xavier University. Receive my sincere appreciation for the contribution through Mr. Schiess.

Sincerely,

Name withheld

A great teacher to be gets some help from Brian!

Mr. McCormick:

Hello, my names is _____ _______ and I am a Senior at Xavier University. I wanted to take a moment to thank you for your generosity. Your donation has allowed me to register for my final semester to student teach and complete my Middle Childhood Education degree. I couldn’t be more humbled and appreciative that you would do that for me. I cannot wait to be able to send you an update in December and I wish the best of success to you!

Thank you,

Name withheld

Go X!

** I am positive you will be a great teacher.   Brian would ask you to not give out too many detentions! **

Great Quote That Perfectly Describes Brian

Brian's mom and I were sitting in a tavern in Door County last week and I saw a great sign in that bar that was perfect for Brian.

It read:
"You can call a good friend and he will bail you out of jail, but a true friend will be sitting beside you and saying "DAMN THAT WAS FUN!"

I hope that Matt, Craig, Gary, Drew, Justin and all of Brian's buddies see this post and smile in agreement.

Miss you buddy.

Dad

Brian and Chad Johnson

As many of you know, Brian lived next door to Bengals’ wide receiver Chad Johnson (aka Ocho Cinco). It appears tonight that Ocho Cinco will be traded to the New England Patriots. Brian thought it was pretty cool to live next to a NFL star. He made it a point to never ask him for tickets and tried to treat him like a regular neighbor. Of course, this neighbor had six cars – including a Lamborghini convertible that he would often leave outside, in the rain with the top down.

Brain would always love to tell me stories about his interactions with Chad and some of the crazy events that would occur. Once, a young 20-ish woman (in a short skirt) knocked on his door around 8 AM, Saturday morning. Brian had a tough night and was sporting the “Bri-fro.” She kept pounding on the door. He finally opened it with a demure “what the f____ do you want?” She meekly asked “are you Chad Johnson?” Brian said “Do I look like Chad Johnson?” and slammed the door. At the time, he did not think it was funny. Later, both he and Chad thought it was hilarious.

One time, Brian did ask Chad for a favor. It was before a Xavier basketball game on a Saturday morning. Brian called me and said “you have 15 minutes to get everyone over here to have your picture taken with Chad.” Considering Patrick loves Chad, we got in the car and Susan actually sped to get there.

Chad was more than gracious. He talked to us, took numerous pictures and signed stuff. Patrick thought it was “really cool.” As you can see from the picture, all the McCormick’s enjoyed it. I think Chad did too. Later, Brian was getting the pictures autographed. Chad looked at the photo and said “hey, who’s that? She’s looks cute.” In a surprised voice, Brian said: “Um, Chad…she’s my sister-in-law and those are her two kids and that’s my brother.” Chad was not embarrassed at all and said a line worthy of a NFL Pro Bowler: “Damn, she looks goooood.  But, not as good as me!”

I am certain Brian would be sad to see Ocho Cinco go to New England. We all know he would be instantly scheming to get sideline tickets at Foxboro for him and all his buddies. Good luck Chad, we will miss you and hope you keep looking “good.”

Congratulations to Drew & Stacy Gunnoe!

Our cousin Drew got married a few weeks ago to Stacy at the Grand Canyon. They then kayaked 280 miles through the canyon and by all accounts had a ball.

All of the McCormick’s (and of course the Gunnoe’s) wish we could have been at the wedding. I could not help but think about Brian and how he would have reacted. I believe his conversation with Drew would have gone something like this:

Brian: “Drew, did you have a good wedding?”

Drew: “Brian, it was awesome! The Grand Canyon is beautiful. We kayaked 10 hours a day, saw some great sights, you would not believe…”

Brian: “Yeah, yeah, yeah, wish I could have been there and all that stuff. Umm…when and where is the party?

Drew: “What?”

Brian: “When is the party?”

Drew: “Um...well I am close to finishing my Ph.D and I think my parents will have a graduation party in Knoxville. Maybe we could combine the parties…”

Brian: “BS. Look we have a lot of ground to make up since I did not make the bachelor party. So, I am picking up Justin as we speak. (to Justin: ‘GET IN THE CAR NERD!’) We are meeting Little Gary at the airport and will be at your place around 8. Oh yeah, bring your sunglasses.” CLICK. (Brian would always hang up on you. But, there would be hell to pay if you did it to him!)

Brian loved his cousins end enjoyed rampaging through Knoxville (and New Orleans) with them. Brian did not say these words. However, anyone who knew him can hear him having this exact conversation with Drew.

None of your family could actually be with you on your wedding day Drew.  I know Brian was.

NNEEERRRDDDSSSS!

After seeing my eldest brother's Facebook profile picture (left), it reminded me of Brian's love for great 80's movies, especially Revenge of the Nerds.

(I believe we might have already discussed his love of all things Revenge of the Nerds, but I think it deserves another post.)

Anyone that spent a night out with Brian can confirm that a large portion of his vocabulary consisted of quotes from 80's movies like Sixteen Candles and Revenge of the Nerds.

At random situations he would blurt out a quote from Long Duck Dong like"No more yankie my wankie. The Donger need food." or "What's happening hot stuff" in his best Asian accent. Totally random but completely hilarious at the time.

His favorite quote from Revenge of the Nerds had to be "Smell this one, Nerd" and he would fit it into any conversation. Pretty amazing, I know. Now this might seem a little uncouth, but he usually did not have an accompanying "gastrointestinal incident" that could make the situation wholly unpleasant. He just enjoyed saying it. A lot.

I also remember him calling me "Nerd" most of my life and he would use it as his standard greeting, and yell it Ogre-style, even at family gatherings. Sort of like this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3njjD41f48

As I get older, I constantly strain to remember Brian and the sometimes outrageous things he would do and say. So when I saw Ogre's picture today, I thought of Brian and laughed.

I hope that in the future I can continue to remember, to laugh, to call his nephew and niece "Nerds," and say to his family and friends "Smell this one, Nerd." Just like Brian did.

Love and Miss you, Brian.

"Helping others in honor of your brother’s memory"

Dear Mr. McCormick:

I am writing this to thank you for all you have done. My name is ____ ______ and I am a first year at Xavier University. My family has been having financial issues lately and I feared I would not be able to continue going here. It is thanks to the money you have donated that I have a chance here. Thank you so very much.

Mr. Schiess informed me of the tragedy that happened to your family and I am truly sorry for your loss. However, I admire you for wanting to keep going and helping others in honor of your brother’s memory. You are a great man.

Sincerely,

Name withheld

** You are most welcome.  Though we have donated funds, a large amount of Brian's memorial fund comes from the generous donations of his friends, family and the Xavier Nation.  I do not feel I am a "great man" - however, I do appreciate the compliment!  The McCormicks' are just trying to implement Brian's dream to help XU student's in financial distress.  None of us are "great".  Though, Brian's idea is.  That is why we are "helping others in honor of your brother's memory" and that is why you are still at Xavier. Best wishes, MM ** 

Hugs from Brian

Today is Brian’s third anniversary. It still does not seem real or fair. I keep feeling that “this was not supposed to happen” and fully expect Brian to walk through our door while talking to someone on his cell phone. I think of missed meals, family occasions, Xavier games and holidays and wonder how Brian would react? I think of him watching Patrick and Caroline grow and miss watching Brian trying to corrupt them as much as possible. (Patrick said “Uncle Brian always let me do anything I wanted!")

I keep wondering “what if?” Yet, I know those thoughts will not bring him back. I do have a strong belief that Brian is with us in many ways – most we probably are not even aware of. Yet, there have been too many things that have happened since he has left that are more than just a coincidence. It gives me a great deal of comfort that he is with us somehow. It keeps him alive!

All of the McCormick’s are passionate about keeping Brian’s memorial fund alive. We have (and will continue to hold) several fund raisers for this fund. Brian always wanted a “foundation” that would help keep needy Xavier kids in school regardless of their academic standing. As we all know, Brian attended and somehow graduated from XU. (It has been scientifically proven that he rarely “stood” during his four year tenure/vacation at Xavier.) He always wanted to set up this fund “once he won the lotto”. Well, Brian, you might not have won the lotto. But, your fund has – and will – done at lot of good. To date, your family and friends have:

• Raised over $40.5 thousand dollars

• Donated $28 thousand

• Kept 45 kids at Xavier

Brian, you already have an incredible legacy. These 45 students, and the next 45 students and the 45 after them, will only increase it! That is winning the lotto! Can you imagine the good that will be generated from “Brian’s kids?” It will be marvelous to watch.

My dad gave me the photo of Brian hugging me a few months ago. He called it a “keeper” as it was on April 21, 2001. That is the day my son Patrick was born. It was a truly glorious day for the McCormick family as Brian gave his “patented McCormick head nod” in celebration of his nephew’s birth. (I cannot believe he will be 10 years old in a matter of days.) What I can believe and none of you are surprised to see our Brian hugging it out with his cell phone firmly in his hand!

Both Patrick and Caroline discuss how they miss Brian. We asked them what they miss the most. Patrick said “I miss Uncle Brian’s hugs. He was the best hugger.” What a way to be remembered by!

Some day – hopefully many, many years away I will see my brother again. I fully expect one of Brian’s best hugs ever at that time. It is what I imagine Heaven will be like. It will be glorious. Until then, I will have to make do with his unforgettable memory and the absolute knowledge of his love for me, his family and friends.

Smile today. Think of his life. Laugh at something only Brian could pull off. Know that Brian is with you and hugging you to.

Love and miss you Brian!

Just like Brian, this XU student "came to Xavier refusing to become part of the background".

Dear McCormick Family:

My name is ______ ______ and I am a current freshmen here at Xavier University. I want to graciously thank you for your contribution to the office of the Student Success and Retention. Your contribution has helped me better afford my education here at Xavier. I am currently seeking a degree in Organizational Communications with a minor in Sociology. I also participate in a lot of activities here on campus. I also have a job with Xavier, participate in the Gospel Choir and many service organizations on campus.  I came to Xavier refusing to become part of the background and I do believe I have succefully fulfilled that goal thus far. So, as you can see, not being able to attend Xavier anymore would be a devastation to me. That is why your contribution means that much more to me. I also believe that all too often people are unable to do what they aspire to do because of a lack of finances. So, when I can across someone who is willing to prevent that – I can do nothing but say thank you with the utmost gratitude.

Sincerely,

Name witheld

New York - Flashback

I was in New York City for business this last week and upon return to La Guardia airport by cab I had a flashback to Brian and I going the same route next to the water and over the bridge to the airport during our weekend trip to NYC and it made me smile. I sat there thinking to myself that I could just as easily have cried, but Brian wouldn't have wanted it that way. Brian was the absolute best friend anyone could have and when I think back to our 15 years of friendship I'm truly thankful for the genuine impact he had on my life and for that I smile.

Brian’s birthday, a building implosion and bear hugs

Brian would be 36 today.

Can anyone picture Brian with graying hair? You know he would complain about it and talk about how he “will have to talk to his toupee maker” about getting an upgrade.

Three years ago I called Brian and suggest we go to Xavier’s campus and watch them blow up the Zumbiel plant. It would be the day after his birth day (3/22/08). He asked what time.  I told him “Saturday at 8”. He said “AM or PM?”  I informed him it was in the morning. He quickly said “no” and hung up as per Brian’s habit (it was OK if he did it – but there would be Hell to pay if you did!)  He called me a little bit later and said “yeah, let’s do it.  How many times do you get to see a building blow up?”

Being the good Dad that I am, I took Patrick and Caroline to witness this historic occasion. Patrick at the time was six and Caroline was two. We met Brian around 7:50 AM and got ready for the show. As you can tell from the you tube clip below, it was pretty cool (look for me in my yellow jacket around 1:10 mark and Brian briefly in his brown jacket at 1:24):

Zumbiel Plant Implosion

The "booms" were fantastic and all four of us kids loved it. Patrick and Caroline asked us to “do it again Dad!”  We then decided to go to the “Sugar & Spice” restaurant for breakfast. We all had a great meal and he hummed throughout the meal.  Brian thoroughly enjoyed spending time with his nephew, niece, and brother.  He even “peasant stocked” me (paid for the bill) when I took Caroline to the bathroom.  Brian said this was “one of his best birthday’s ever!” He kept saying “how cool it was to watch the building blow up” (it actually imploded Brian!) and how he loved spending time with his “favorite” niece and nephew. Brian talked at length about having Patrick spend the night. Patrick was very excited because “Uncle Brian will let me play video games and do whatever I want!”

As we left, Brian kept saying “this is a great day” and "what a great birthday".  He was in good shape as he drove off in his Nissan Pathfinder blaring his crappy rap music on his stereo.

I choose to think of Brian’s birthday as a “great day”. Sure, I wish he was here. However, I want to think about how Brian lived. I love thinking about him and wondering how he would react to Patrick and Caroline, Xavier basketball and a host of other topics. I will always remember him saying good-bye that day by giving one of his famous bear hugs to my kids in the Sugar & Spice parking lot. Both my kids say “Uncle Brian gave the best bear hugs.” He did indeed because that is how he lived. My kids will always know Brian loves them. They will also always associate bear hugs and blowing up buildings to my brother! You and I know Brian is quite pleased with these associations!

Love and miss you Brian!

PS. XU could have used a little help last Friday against Marquette!

"Truly made an impact" indeed!

Mr. McCormick:

My name is __________ _________, a senior at Xavier University. I would personally like to thank you for your brother’s scholarship that is for students in need. Through your brother’s scholarship fund it has truly made an impact on my account balance.

Thank you and God bless,

Name Withheld

** There is no doubt Brian has - and is still - "making an impact" on people's lives!  MM **

Short, but sweet

Dear McCormick Family:

 

The Brian McCormick fund has saved me. I am a Bachelor of Fine Arts major with a 3.3 GPA. Your fund allowed me to continue my education here at Xavier. Thank you so much.

Best regards,

Name withheld

THANKS!

I, and all the McCormick’s would to like thank everyone for help making the third annual “have a drink with Brian and 300 of his closest friends” a rousing success. Thanks to your generosity, we were able to raise close to $3,000! (Plus, more checks are coming in via mail.) These funds go directly to needy Xavier students who have no other funds available to stay in our beloved school. Just think, you actually helped keep kids in school through your drinking abilities. You know, Pablo is proud of you!

A special thanks to BJ and the entire Dana’s crew for their unbelievable help. They went over and above anyone’s expectations and God knows they do not need anymore hassles on one of their busiest days of the year. Thank you BJ. We really are grateful for your thoughtfulness and for putting up with Brian for all those years! (Special kudos for bringing back “Pablo’s cheesy tater tots”).

Brian Hicks at Xavier deserves a round of applause for his continued help with the cool XU gear we auctioned off. Again, your continued kindness is amazing.

It was great seeing our family, friends, Brian’s buddies and of course, everyone from the board. It was truly a grand event. We drank a ton of beer, raised a lot of dough and – as according to prophecy – Xavier beat UD once again.

As Master of Reality so eloquently posted on xavierhoops.com: “there was no person, nor is there now no family that has a greater disdain for anything Cryer.” Truer words have never been posted. Somewhere, Brian is smiling and wiping cheesy tater tot stuff off his mouth!

God love you all and see you next year!

The McCormick’s

PS. Here’s what the magic stamp said for those of you who wanted to know –

“Pablo says: No Watermelons!”

Announcing the THIRD annual “Have a drink with Brian (Pablo) & 300 of his closest friends”

Last year was a rousing success. UD was rightfully humbled once again and we raised over $2,100 for Brian's memorial fund that kept many Xavier students in school. Plus, a massive amount of beer was consumed by all.

Pablo’s “feelings” towards UD have been well documented and will be dissected by historian’s/religious scholars for years to come. We thought it would be great to honor Brian by toasting him on this night of nights and drinking a beer or two (or eight) at Dana’s right before the XU/UD game on January 15th. The cost is $10 (plus $1 per beer after that) and you get a cup that magically replenishes itself with beer!

PLUS, BJ WILL HAVE SHOT SPECIALS (notice the plural) for anyone who gets the magical “no watermelons” stamp!

All proceeds will go to “The Brian McCormick Memorial Fund” at Xavier. This fund helps keep financially strapped XU students in school regardless of their academic record. Brian always wanted to start a fund like this. Through your generosity, over 35 students are still in school/graduated thanks to Brian - and we this is only just the beginning! Think of all the good things and how the world will benefit from these future Xavier graduates!

We will soon list some cool Xavier items/gear for auction on E-bay. All will have a buy it now price and make great gifts to those XU fanatics you love, or for the one you love most (you!)

Join us. You know Brian would be (and will be) there! I guarantee it will be a blast and no watermelons will be allowed on the premises!

When: Saturday, January 15th, 2011

Where: Dana Gardens. 1832 Dana Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45207, 513.631.BEER.

Time: 5:30 – 7:30 PM. Cups are still good after the game!

What: A night of fun, laughter, and beer before XU defeats UD once again. Honoring Pablo and benefiting "The Brian McCormick Memorial Fund" at Xavier University.

Cost: $10 bucks (or more) gets you the commemorative collector's edition cup that will only increase in value. (Antique Road show recently appraised the 2009 cup at over $11.23!) $1 for each beer thereafter, plus shot specials.

Contact Matt McCormick mmccormick@bahl-gaynor.comat for more information or if you can’t make the party and want a cup/donate.

Special thanks to Brian Hicks at Xavier, Chris Gogul for the facebook invite, and BJ (and everyone at Dana's) for all of their help!

Thanks and God Bless.