Rockhammer Wins Appeal to Claim National Championship

AMARILLO-Following a review of video footage from the inside of a police cruiser, Philip Rockhammer was awarded the NASP National Championship Trophy last night.
      On Saturday Rockhammer was in the heat of battle against archrival Tony Patterson, when the Flagstaff Police Department broke up the event and sent fans scattering. Patterson and Rockhammer continued to stare at each other as they were arrested and hauled away.
      Speculation was rampant in the Pro Staredown community concerning who was winning at the time of the arrest. The Patterson and Rockhammer camps filed separate appeals with the Commissioner's Office of the NASP.
      "We took the facts into consideration and studied many accounts of exactly what transpired at the time of the arrest. We heard conflicting reports, and there was much rumor and hearsay," Commissioner Ernie Armstrong said.
      Last night Armstrong called Rockhammer and Patterson to notify them of his final decision. "According to NASP rules, a match can never be determined final until a competitor blinks. Therefore, the match continued even as the competitors were handcuffed and hauled into a police car. The period following the Nationals was very chaotic, but after the dust settled, I was made aware of a camera that had captured footage from inside the police car. Thirty-four seconds into the car ride Patterson blinked."
      This marks the first time in the history of organized Pro Staredown that an athlete other than Patterson has been crowned National Champion.
      "It's a dream come true, really. I'm just a kid from Sacramento who stayed focused and worked hard, and now it's all come together. I can't wait till next year. I want to thank Billy, Cousin Donnie, and of course Crissy for believing in me. I love you, baby."
      "We have had a tremendous amount of interest from sponsors. My phone is ringing off the hook," said Rockhammer's agent, Cousin Donnie. There was no comment from Patterson on the news of his first career loss.