It will be remembered as a summer chock full of heat, humidity, and blazing sun – a summer that saw the emergence of the Hogan Circuit as the premier sports entertainment package in the Midwest (or last least, the best newsletter). From Memorial Day to Labor Day, the traditional calendar of beach volleyball, headlines broke nearly every weekend as competition grew fierce at Oak International Beach and North Avenue Beach in Chicago, where the Dylan Hogan Memorial Volleyball Circuit reached epic proportions. Witness Greg Lamonica’s rise to stardom. Witness Young Nam’s jump serve winner. Hear Mark Stapp’s trash talk, herein referred to as "dirty filibustering." Experience vertigo as you stare into the sky and await the return of Gunnar Stapp’s latest pass. Watch how gracefully Darryl’s knee buckles after he jumps four inches off the sand. Listen to the roar of the crowd as Dylan Hogan makes a triumphant return. These are the moments of the Hogan Circuit in 2005.

It began before the Memorial Day weekend in late May, when even Jimmy Liao made it to the tour’s opening stop at North Avenue Beach, the mecca of Midwestern beach volleyball. It was one of his few appearances all summer, leading up to his July nuptials to The Sensational Sherri. As with many early season dates, the wind played a factor as players began to regain the sand legs that would carry them throughout the season.

When mid-June rolled around, the Circuit was in full swing at both Oak International Beach and North Avenue. The Man They Call Chino returned to form after rehabbing a shoulder injury in the off-season. Though his golf game beckoned, credit Chino with keeping his name within the Circuit rankings with a fine performance in June. Also making a lone cameo appearance was Joe "The Other" Nam, whose bid for Rookie Bachelor of the Year fell short with only a single Circuit game in ’05.

Greg Lamonica and Darryl Nash, both consistently on the court this summer, played well as the season picked up steam. Lamonica, fresh off the co-ed tour and now making his way with the Hogan crowd, improved by the week and challenged in each and every match. Together with Nash, they represented the Hogan Circuit on Sunday afternoons in June, playing non-sanctioned games north of North Avenue. During one contest, an opponent known only as "Jason" felt utterly defeated by Nash/Lamonica, at one point suggesting that another loss to the duo would be a threat to his manhood. Needless to say, some 21 points later, the knife fell.

Though most often overshadowed by the play of his brother, Gunnar Stapp took matters into his own hands in 2005, and once July got started, so did Gunnar. With passes topping out at 45 feet high, and having signed his autograph on more than two dozen fake bosoms, Stapp elevated his play level and began to accumulate blocks and digs at a fever pace. But he would not fully surpass his brother in competition.

Wagering his very being on the need for a consistent, joyful summer, Mark Stapp would not be disappointed. By late July, Mark had been on the court more than double his 2004 tally, notching game after game and establishing his veteran status on the Circuit. But in late July, after playing two horribly errant co-ed games, Mark looked flustered. He re-emerged later in the month and again in August, at times forming the perennial team of Stapp/Stapp and forging the road to victory.

Also making his only tour stop in July was Ben Killey, a competitor from way up north who subsequently spent too much time at work and too little time on the beach, thus exposing his skewed priorities. He and Darryl did represent the Hogan Circuit in August as a 4-man event at Montrose Beach, picking up a second place finish after losing a third and decisive game by only three points.

July also marked the peak of Young Nam’s season, competing on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. After a sabbatical in ’04, Young returned with his trademark athletic approach and immediately regained his form on the sand. Playing well in round-robin and KOB formats, Young was a force to be reckoned with until he mysteriously disappeared in early August. But his spot on the Circuit was filled quite admirably by one Jack "B As In Boy" Vu, a cagey competitor who first arrived at Oak International Beach and then joined the Circuit north of North Avenue in August and September. With a blistering cross-court jump serve and explosive heat on the spike, Vu made a name for himself in short time, hiking over more familiar names in the rankings.

There was only one thing missing to complete the season, and that ingredient arrived over AVP/Labor Day Weekend. The legendary Circuit namesake Dylan Hogan returned to the beach that made him a household name, competing over two days in tandem with the AVP Chicago Open at North Avenue. His return finally legitimized the Hogan Circuit, and insured that it would live on forever and ever, Amen.