“If that hat would have been $25 instead of the $16 it was, I wouldn’t have bought it,” chuckled the born and raised Long Beach native, and a member of the CSULB 49er Hall of Fame.

Laughs were spread all around as Goydos worked his trademark charm, but the overall mood amongst the fans and boosters was one of pure pride.  Goydos made national headlines and brought priceless attention to Long Beach State with his proud display that weekend, so much so that he now hears “Go Dirtbags!” chants from fans behind the ropes. 

“I think they just like to say ‘Dirtbags,’” he joked, but most believe Goydos’ impact is more profound than that.  Rotondo was willing to bet on it, ponying up a $4,000 winning bid in a charity auction for the hat, which Goydos presented to him during yesterday’s conference.

“This is not something that we wanted to have in somebody’s insurance office,” Rotondo said of his bid, and plans to display the “LB” hat on his heavily-decorated walls.  It will cement Goydos’ performance as one of Long Beach State’s proudest moments, even though he would lead through the weekend only to lose a playoff hole to Sergio Garcia on the final day.

“I didn’t think finishing second would be this big a deal,” Goydos said.  In actuality, it probably never would have been a very big deal in itself, but the pride gained from Goydos’ stubborn school pride – he turned down several lucrative sponsorship offers and continued wearing his store-bought cap – and charming humility brought national acclaim to the CSULB athletic program.

“I don’t do this so my hat sponsor is financially lucrative,” he said, sporting a newer and surely more valuable black hat with “HERTZ” stamped on its side.  But there again was that “LB,” prominently displayed on the front of Goydos’ hat, where it will remain through the rest of the season, reminding both he and his fans where his allegiances lie.

“The hardest thing to figure out is finding a way to thank everyone, especially those who were rooting me on that weekend,” he said. 

Next up, Goydos will attempt to carry his momentum into the CVS Charity Classic in Vermont, then the Buick Open before qualifying for the British Open.  All the attention and recently hectic schedule have left the former 49er admittedly tired, but not tired enough to mire his enthusiasm for future opportunities.  While excited for the future, he’ll always be able to look back at that magical weekend, and explains why turning away corporate sponsored hats to keep his LB hat was an easy decision.

“What I’m going to remember is playing in the [Players Championship] event, not what hat I wore – although this hat has gotten bigger than I ever imagined,” he said.  “My relationship with Long Beach State is more than just going to school there.  It’s been in my blood since I can remember.”

After fielding questions and running out of ways to say thank you, Goydos reached for the shrunken, stained hat and placed it on the head of its new owner, handing over something that everyone in Long Beach can be proud of and remember.

Legends owner Gene Rotondo, Paul Goydos and CSULB President F. King Alexander