BLOGLAM

By The Fillerbuster

The Cast 11/09/2018

SETTING:

I wrote a little on Wednesday night.  I finished it up before and in between play during the Steelers game on Thursday.  It has been a busy work week, so not much bandwidth.  I did my best to make it quality, although this edition was sort of distracted and rushed due to back to back travel weekends..  As usual, I find it tough to cut ideas because I have opinions on everything.  Well, I feel the need…the need for speed.

Note:  I have been too busy.  These aren’t my best Evergreen topics nor writing, but it is what it is.  There is always a next time.

Note 2:  I am growing a beard/moustache for Movember.  Before my wife kills me for having facial hair, please donate so I can keep it going.  If I get to $100 in the next week, I will keep it going.  Help my home life and men’s health.   https://mobro.co/markfiller

Let’s turn and burn.

EVERGREEN (topics that don’t fade away):

• It seems so simple right now. We have the recent usual suspects in Clemson and Alabama.  And, if Notre Dame and Michigan win out, these are the four teams for the college football playoff.  Cut and dry.  It won’t be.  We know that.  Something will go sideways.  I have my theories, or maybe that is me hoping OU sneaks in to make my wife and her family…happier.
  • Alabama: Mississippi State and the Citadel.   They get Auburn at home.  That won’t happen.  The SEC Championship is already set and will be Georgia.  That could be a test.  Nah…they run it.
  • Clemson: They get Boston College on the road.  BC should be a tough out, but they have let us down a little this year.  They then get Duke, which could give them a run if for not playing at Clemson.  South Carolina won’t beat them at Clemson.  No one will challenge them in the ACC Championship.  They run the table.
  • Notre Dame: More hope than thinking.  They face FSU without their starting QB.  Who the hell knows what FSU is these days even with their talent, so they win that one.  They face a dangerous Syracuse at home, and they probably will find a way on that one.  I think if this happens, it is at USC in the finale.  And then USC can play FSU to figure out who is the biggest waste of talent this year.  Come on, USC.  Notre Dame doesn’t have a championship game.
  • Michigan: This one is simple.  They will beat Rutgers on the road.  They will beat Indiana at home.  They just need to beat their rival, Ohio State, at their crib.  BIG obstacle, and Ohio State will always get up for that game.  I think Ohio State defends their crib.  No one in the Big 10 West will test them in the Big Ten title game.
  • Summary: Michigan loses, and HOPEFULLY Notre Dame.  OU slides in one of those spots, after Georgia loses another game in the SEC Championship game.  For you people thinking I might include WVU in this mix, OU plays them in the final game of the season and will win.  Then, they might have to play them again…
• College basketball has begun, and it is magical already. KU destroyed a very seasoned Michigan State team, and UK got run out of the gym.    What?  Kentucky got beat badly?  The founder of the one-and-done methodology got beat by THIRTY FOUR by the team who said “OK, you want to play THAT game?”  Duke was scary the other night.  Like Warriors scary…  KU is kind of like the Boston Celtics of the college game, with a mixture of veterans/ transfers and youngsters, and can play pretty position-less basketball aside from the big guy.  Duke is just LOADED.  I know, I know.  One game.  But, they made a statement to the nation the other night. Coach K might be recruiting heavily DURING the season, because almost their entire starting lineup might not be just drafted, but all drafted HIGH/ LOTTERY PICKS.  Wait until they mesh?  Ugghhh, people.  Other teams like UVA, Gonzaga, UNC, Tennessee, and Nevada will definitely hope to catch them on an off day in March, but I hope it is not a season long of unfairness like it looked like the other night.  You should note that Villanova and Michigan get their regular season rematch next Tuesday, and that will also be a very fun game with lots of talent.
• Bryce Harper gets more unlikeable every day it seems. And, we are now in the offseason that will feed his ego enough to not allow him to pass through single doors in the near future.  He already has turned down THREE HUNDRED MILLION from the Nationals.  And, someone else will pay him as much, or more.  It is the way of the world, especially the baseball world.  You have a nice small-town guy in Mike Trout not making the playoffs and outplaying every player in the league, hustling and saying the right things all the time.  Then, you have Harper.  He skips running hard to bases, says dumbs things on the mic, doesn’t even try to be nice on camera, and now he will be the richest player in the league.  I get it.  He IS good.  AND young.  But, it kind of pains me to see that guy get what he has playing the game on the field and off…the wrong way.  Aside from my clown closing line (from him), it is a distant memory when I was a fan of his…as I got to know him a little.
• When I decided on the University of Virginia, I had three juvenile parameters that I judged schools by (there were others, but I won’t lie that these came into play in the decision). I wanted a school in the top ten of three things.  Academics (#1 public school at the time), partying (#5 at the time according to Playboy), and have athletics that were consistently in the top ten nationally (football and basketball were both up there, along with soccer, lacrosse, etc.)  Anyway, as with any major college, football games were a big deal.  At UVA, we dressed up in a sports coat and khaki’s, sometimes grabbed a date (?), drank enough booze to make a large horse or elephant lie down or double the size of a small fish (Wahoo), and then went to the football game and hope we remembered the actual game and didn’t ruin our nice clothes by tumbling down a hill.  Those were great days.  But, those were days NOT in a true epic college football atmosphere.  UVA was just decent at football.  We got beat by Clemson every single year.  The tradition wasn’t exactly strong with being good.  That is where my topic of this hook comes in.  My wife is Oklahoma football through and through.  Heck, her name is the same as the main street in Norman, OK.  I have been to about 6-7 OU games.  Some in Norman, some in Dallas at the Red River Rivalry (not called a Shootout anymore), some in New Orleans at bowl games, some at college football playoff games.  THAT is an epic college football experience.  THAT school does it right.  You people who went to Ohio State, Alabama, Texas, and other schools know what I mean.  The energy is different.  The people are different.  The priorities are different.  The EXPERIENCE just drips…football.  Pure football.  I loved you, UVA, but this weekend I go to Bedlam, the annual meeting between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, and it will be epic, and I can’t wait.  UVA was the best decision I ever made besides my wife, but what it lacked I am getting to experience a little later in life.    See you this weekend, Norman.

WEEK-FISH (current topics of interest in sports):

• I enjoyed every second of Basketball: A Love Story, but it was once again painful listening to the story of Isiah Thomas not making the Dream Team.
• How many gymnastics tournaments ARE there? Or, is Simone Biles winning every single part of the SAME one?  Or different ones back to back?  I can’t keep track.
• Clayton Kershaw SHOULD stay a Dodger and glad he decided to do so. I really need a few players in the league who don’t change teams, win, and you just associate one with the other.  I don’t want Clayton to become the Jim Kelly of pitchers with the same team by losing another World Series, but definitely glad he returned to SoCal.  He IS a Dodger.
• What a weird NBA week. Old-ish guy, Derrick Rose scores 50.  Typically, that is a feel good story of a comeback player we are rooting for.  But, with the charges hanging over him allegedly, he is not exactly a guy you root for emphatically these days.
• We lost Willie McCovey last week and know that we lost a legend. He was a Hall of Famer through and through.  I think one of the most odd/ cool stats I saw this week was this.  Well before Barry Bonds and his intentional walk parade for a couple of years, as of 1978, NO one had been intentionally walked more than 30 times in a season.  In 1979, McCovey was sent to first FORTY times.
• I enjoy reading NBA previews for a lot of reasons. But, one of my favorite hobbies is reading the BACKUPS on teams, and laugh at who failed.  Evan Turner is a backup on a mid-tier team in the West, and I can’t believe the Sixers got him at #2 way back when.
• The Rockets WILL come around. We KNOW this.  But, you have to wonder.  With the slow start, can they rebound to get home court advantage, which they absolutely NEED against the Warriors?  Also, we were wondering about them letting go of a couple of wing players who excelled on defense.  And, then we further wondered with the decision to pick up Melo, who doesn’t really believe in passing and defense.
• I am sure there are lots of other fans in lots of other cities pouring beer on people, but MAN are Boston fans getting caught in high profile situations a lot MORE these days.
• I am glad the Red Sox fan who got stabbed FIVE times after Game 5 is ok, but I guess I am also impressed in an odd way that anyone from L.A. was that passionate about any sport enough to get violent. Except for Lakers fans only DURING the playoffs, they are pretty laid back to the point of apathy.
• He went into the playoffs with a small stigma. Now, stigma is removed, World Series is won, it is a great city overall to be in, and it was a no-brainer for David Price to stay put in Boston.
• This Jimmy Butler thing is BIZARRE. How is anyone going to root for this guy when he finally gets traded?  Between the Kawhi, Bell, and Butler items, we have some high profile people we used to fully like doing some strange things.
• There are fair weather fans, fair weather players, etc. Did ANYONE out there expect to make the 15^th or 20^th game of the NBA season without JR Smith demanding a trade, complaining about something, or just basically going back to who we always knew he was?
• A whole portion of some of our lives was reading Dr. Z. It was a normal weekly item to read his predictions.  Sad to see him leave this Earth.
• Sorry these football hooks are released a few days later than the weekend, but been a busy work week.
• NFL:
  • The Cardinals released Sam Bradford, and now he is on to fool the NEXT team with his constant potential and arm. It is all backwards in a lot of ways.  Sam Bradford keeps getting STARTING QB jobs and failing, yet Colin Kaepernick can’t get a third string job with ANYONE.  Check out the tweet below for the Bradford stats.
  • I admit to watching just parts here and there of the Broncos game. The Rams-Saints game had my mostly full attention.  But, I will say a few things on this.  A) The DT pregame tribute was classy. B) The six point swing/ coaching decision at the end of the first half DID have consequences it turned out with the final score. C) I respect the Broncos for sticking with VJ.  It is Elway giving his selected coach the due time to build this thing (when the HECK is anyone going to be given their FULL contract to see if things pan out).  They are fighting tooth and nail every game pretty much except the odd Jets game, so he HAS their attention. D) I keep waiting for Case Keenum to have that breakout game, and it doesn’t seem to come.  He must just BE a journeyman QB with one good year, because he has had his chances to say the least.  Broncos fans already know the QB’s they passed on in the draft this year, and are suddenly finding names like Justin Herbert and Drew Lock and…learning.
  • After the loving send-off the Broncos gave their beloved DT, did anyone except this type of backlash from BOTH sides? I didn’t.
  • I admit it. I changed my overall game pick, my betting pick, and totally doubted Nick Mullens making his first start for the 49ers.  I went with the coach on that one against a new QB, and that must have backfired because Gruden probably didn’t even see any TAPE on that guy before the matchup.  Props, Nick Mullens.
  • Hue Jackson can blame Baker or whoever he wants for conspiracy theories for why he was fired. I personally think of ALL the firings in the history of man, being fired from the Browns doesn’t need a scapegoat, theory, or explanation by either side.  It is the freaking BROWNS.  They fired two coaches midseason.  The LAST person we are going to blame is Hue Jackson (we might blame Todd Haley, but that is neither here nor there).
  • We are making another Robin Hood, we are rebooting The Nanny, songs are being remade within like 4-5 years now, and now Michael Thomas is already “rebooting” Joe Horn’s cell phone TD celebration. We are out of ideas.  Even if we weren’t out of ideas, I have no idea why tribute TD celebrations are happening.
  • Ben fell on his shoulder. Josh Dobbs came into the game deep in his own territory.  Third down in a crucial part of the game against a rival, deep in their own territory.  He threw a ROCKET into the middle of the field between defenders, and then Ben came back out.  Sure, the brass in Pittsburgh has their reasons for liking the kid more than Landry Jones and others, but you can’t argue with a one play outing that kept the Ravens out of reach.  Amazing entrance and exit.
  • The Miami-NYJ game probably would have been close to unwatchable WITHOUT the bad field, but playing on the same field as the Hurricanes and Blue Devils did the day before was not smart.
  • I get talking about phenoms Mahomes and Mayfield and their epic college showdown, but Magic-Bird rivalries don’t happen very often, and it is a different game at the NFL level. Don’t force a rivalry at me.
  • I can’t figure out if Sunday told me that the Bills ARE that bad or the Bears MIGHT be good? I refuse to admit that yet.
  • The Falcons are showing signs of hitting stride, before losing in the early rounds of the playoffs. Actually, the Steelers dismantling them a few games ago looks pretty impressive right now.
  • The Panthers are already hitting their stride, but face my boys Thursday in Pittsburgh, and that won’t pan out well.
  • The Saints-Rams game almost got out of hand, but then felt like a true heavyweight fight as the second half got going. Seeing them play each other in the NFC Championship would be a fun game to say the least.
  • Look at my last three hooks. Saints, Panthers, Falcons.  They are in the SAME division.  Wow, that is going to be one heck of a divisional race.
  • People who tuned in late to the Seahawks-Chargers game saw a weird, odd, and exciting ending, but Russell threw a really, really bad pick 6 to put them in that situation.
  • The Packers-Patriots game was slightly interesting, but one future HOF’er just has too many weapons to catch him off-guard at home.
  • More on the Pats-Packers. Maybe you have, but I know I personally haven’t seen an ejection with no referee announcement on the mic.  If there was a time I wanted a long drawn out explanation by a talkative ref, that was the time.  That was more of a slap than a punch, and Gilbert should have stayed in the game.
  • One of the most hilarious (and clever) things I have seen this week was Thursday Night Football bringing out the band Steel Panther pregame.   I have seen them live and actually WISH they would have performed.
  • (saw them at Fillmore a year or two ago…fun show…glam rock with hilarious, vulgar lyrics)
  • (thinking about me being slightly sad that I don’t live next to the Fillmore anymore, and can’t walk out the front door and be there in 2 minutes, and Ice Cube is playing tonight there)
  • Amari Cooper scoring the Cowboys first touchdown on Monday night in his first game after the trade was adorable. The Cowboys getting 96 yards from their stud Ezekiel Elliott in the first half and then giving him SIX touches in the second half was perplexing.
  • Maybe it is because I got sad when he left the Steelers, but Bruce Arians says that the only job he would consider right now coming out retirement for would be the Browns. Considering the lack of available, proven, and not too ancient options out there right now, I would jump all over that, Browns brass.
  • Well, sure circumstances happened and it probably had a lot more factors involved, but I was right. I said that Dez would just wait it out and catch a ride with a winning team.  Well, that happened, and the winning team actually needed him as much as he needed them.  But, it kind of sucks.  Dude, gets to miss all of the training camp stuff, the early games warming up, and now can dive in with a 7-1 team on its way to the Super Bowl most likely.  But, good for him.  Good fit for both sides, without a doubt.
  • Slightly confused. When it came out that John Harbaugh will rest his team’s (Ravens) legs and not have them practice during their bye week, are they still like…practicing SOMETHING?  Prepping at least?  Not sure that is totally the answer, but I guess that is why I am on my couch and you are running an NFL team.
  • Le’Veon Bell has until next Tuesday to report. I want your talent back.  I want your athleticism back.  I want your hesitations back.  But, not THAT badly.  You can keep jetskiing, playing hoops at Pittsburgh rec centers, and writing upside down tweets.  But, IF you come back, I need an explanation of WHY you are doing it aside from doing a resume thing for your next team’s contract.  I don’t want an exhibition.  I don’t want you for the wrong reasons.  I need you to come clean…if you don’t mind…of WHY someone besides myself and Pittsburgh residents would EVER root for you.
  • The Steelers-Panthers game should be a good one. Give me 33-21 Steelers (written before the game started, and probably is wrong by game’s end, but I won’t change it).
  • (upon editing, it obviously went even BETTER than I predicted)

• COLLEGE FOOTBALL:
  • The OU-Texas Tech was a shootout through and through. So, it was very confusing to me when:
    • Texas Tech went for it on 4^th down and long down only 8 points with 12 minutes to play. Of course, both teams were scoring-I get that-but TRY to have trust in your defense to a degree.
    • In this shootout, Tech fans were actually LEAVING the stadium down 8 points with 7 minutes remaining. Sad and not sure why…
  • Just to make sure that OU knows it will be losing some really key players next year and to make a run right now, injured RB Rodney Anderson declared for the NFL draft…in the middle of the season.
  • In my eternal guess wrong on the Bama spread game, I of course took LSU and the 14 points in a losing cause. Whoever I take in the Bama games, it is the other team.
  • A very good Utah team lost to ASU, and lost its QB to a collarbone injury. But, the loss wasn’t because of the collarbone.  They were surprisingly down BEFORE that injury.
  • Not sure which was more painful for Nebraska football: whiffing on the opening kickoff, or kicking the ball away down 5 in the 4^th , trusting their defense, and not getting the ball back.
  • I finally start thinking UVA MIGHT be a decent football team, and they go out on a Friday night at home and blow the game against a subpar Pittsburgh team.
  • When Texas makes a lower tier bowl game, they will definitely remember being up on WVU twice by a touchdown late and giving up quick scores both times. Just put everyone back by the goal line and you had a better chance.
  • (and then they went for TWO to seal it…ouch)
  • I felt like A&M and Auburn were perfect matches for each other as both teams play up or down to competition and make sure to try and give the game away at the end.
  • Was it only last year when Louisville-Clemson was a prime time and epic matchup? And this year, although it was ON prime time TV, the 77 points Clemson hung on them was not very prime time or epic.
  • It was fun to THINK we might not have Bama vs. UGA in the SEC Championship, Kentucky.
  • Virginia Tech has lost three straight for the first time since 1995. I remember that year.  I graduated college that year, and suddenly started noticing VA Tech actually BEATING UVA.
• Hey, I got an idea, Floyd Mayweather. Just retire, buddy.  You are one of the best pound for pound fighters EVER.  You went unbeaten in 50 fights.  You did the Conor McGregor thing just to entertain us and yourself.    Thanks.  But, stop pump faking us on Japanese fights, stop talking about Khabib, and just go drive one of your 365 black and white cars for the next year every day (he probably DOES have that many), and give you and us a break.  I love you, man.  But, there is NO need to push the envelope.  You can go out on the top without a doubt.
• I know you pay constant attention to the golf rankings when we are out of Major season, so I got you. I am here for you.  Now, you can get some sleep with this info.  Tiger Woods is officially ahead of the Golden Child of Golf in our generation, Jordan Spieth.  Tiger wants the knife…
• (Golden Child joke…crappy B movie when Eddie Murphy was still funny)
• The Nuggets are very impressive thus far, and have the city a little excited (easy to do when the Broncos are doing what THEY are doing). I personally love the team, and could see them snagging a 3 or 4 spot in the West.  But, I DON’T need to see Jamal Murray jacking up three’s at the buzzer up a bunch when he has 48 points and wants to see the magical 51 by his name instead.  Greedy, immature, and that will get you some bulletin board material when you don’t want it.
• I get that sometimes your reign ends. I get that the brass wants to bring in some youthful energy.  I get change.  But, I am still in the court that when you win THREE Stanley Cup trophies, you can exit the way YOU want to.  Make it less public or something.  Joel Quenneville is a legend.
• Well, I guess when you had Lance, Rajon, JaVale, and Mr. Beasley, you can only go UP in additions from there. I like the Tyson Chandler add for the Lakers.  Veteran shot changing center who does the dirty work, and you just hope he has a good amount of spring left in his legs.
• Very quietly, and without much press, UVA hoops picked up a GREAT player for THIS year’s squad. Braxton Key is a transfer who was supposed to be Hunter’s replacement when he went NBA bound.  Instead, Key got offered a waiver and will play in 2018.  Given Duke’s opening, I will take everyone we can get.
• Pickles, black olives, Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey, and Tim Tebow possibly making the Mets opening roster. What are these things?  Things that make me sick.
• So, after ALL of that hoopla about skipping school and going overseas to play better competition, LaMelo Ball IS going to school again. Enjoy his dad at game, high school in Ohio.  He is a treat.  Love that the experiment has come full circle with a lot of wasted time and no progress.
• Man, Trump. The writers (along with most of the world) don’t like you.  But, then you call out Jim Acosta on camera?  I guess you are really trying to shoot the moon on that item.
• The Warriors got SMOKED at HOME by my dark horse NBA Finals pick, the Milwaukee Bucks.  Yes, the Warriors had injuries, but when you start 4-5 All NBA players, do we ever really feel bad when 1-2 of them are out?  No.

THIS AND THAT (pop culture, Fillerbuster thoughts…):

• For the first time in about 2000 McDonald’s trips (seriously), I ordered something besides the two cheeseburger meal without pickles. I tried the Bacon Smokehouse Burger. Not bad.  When talking fast food burgers, it isn’t the Baconator from Wendy’s, but it isn’t too bad.  But, BACK to the cheeseburger meals moving forward.
• I would like to thank the Broncos for ruining my $2 pays $2405 parlay excitement on Sunday. Parlay excitement doesn’t come often.  I had nailed all games before that, and it got a little exciting, I will admit.  I always throw a $2 once a week on a bunch of games just in case it is MY day.  Anyway, the Broncos ruined my chance at waiting until Monday night and the Cowboys from ruining me.  It would have been awesome.  I could have hedged the Titans to make sure I won a LOT.  Reason #178 I hate the Broncos.
• Although I can name player stats of backups on a lot of teams in the NFL, I just don’t care about losing in fantasy football. It is mere entertainment and I don’t have the upkeep effort to keep my team sharp.  I pick players I LIKE.  Anyway, I got destroyed in both of my leagues.  Last in one league, third to last in the other.
• Luckily, with my teams not being very good, I don’t typically have the problem of starting the WRONG players, as my bench makes sure they are hurt, are on a bye week, or don’t score. No mixed emotions starting players.  No second thoughts.
• Well, The Voice is a compromise show with my wife. I am caught up on The Voice.  And although she is pleasing to the eye, I found my television experience with Mariah Carey as irritating as I figured it would be.  She just comes across as SOOOO pretentious.
• I think I am still rooting for the chick who sang Heart’s Barracuda for the blinds. The show lacks 80’s rockers again.
• I dug the first couple of State Farm commercials with Aaron Rodgers, the State Farm agent, and the sports agent. But, I can now say I am totally over them and want them to go away.
• I get that Domino’s drivers have to drive cars on roads to deliver pizza, but I still find them pitching in money to FIX roads just weird.
• I am confused about how it took so long to release “baked” potato chips. Or, have they been around and just got popular?  It is like my confusion with aioli.  Not really sure how that suddenly became a fad when it seems so simple.
• When I left work early for Beaver Creek and Aspen last week, I found it ironic that the human trashcan/vulture (me) was leaving the premises RIGHT after a potluck occurred within the company, meaning food was EVERYWHERE.
• The movie Battle of the Sexes was a solid movie. It is worth one watch.  And I forgot there was a failed Battle of the Sexes I in real life.  Totally spaced on that.  Anyway, Carell and Stone were great, and I was only surprised that they seemed to focus frequently WAY more on Stone being gay rather than the story of man vs. woman.
• After the movie, we watched a little Whose Line Is It, Anyway? I LOVE that show, and if you missed that boat, you should check it out for great comedic improv.  When you search, the English original OR the Drew Carey reboot both work well.
• I saw an over under for two college teams, and only regret not better more on the over.
• I bet the under on the 79 of the Texas Tech-OU game because that is a lot of points, and actually was entertaining to lose that $20.
• My new thing is moneyline parlays. Forget the points, double up on two guaranteed winners, and win the same amount.
• I am just glad college hoops is back, as that is my specialty in wagers.
• I had a note to tell you how funny the Pete Davidson SNL skit on laughing at people’s faces was, but then he got into trouble for the one, so I guess I can say they were all hilarious except that ONE.
• The dog wig skit was ALSO hilarious on SNL.
• This whole putting commercials on a split screen while still showing the game is brilliant.
• Every 6-12 months, I subconsciously pick a “girl” song to like. It just happens and is very rare.  Well, I guess The Middle is now retired.  Somehow, I seem to dig Halsey “Without Me.”  Maybe it was because she was on The Voice and I had no idea who she was before, but whatever…
• Simple things make me happy. Lines getting longer after I get in line make be beyond happy.  I feel like I beat the system.
• I guess they spotted what looks like an alien probe in our solar system. Here they come, folks.  Someday we will be watching Independence Day in our basements trying to remember how they beat them.
• I despise wasted time. My recent example of wasted time was getting to the gym on Tuesday with JUST enough time to swim and get to work at 630am.  I forgot my goggles.  I couldn’t swim laps.  I just went to work.
• We went to see Bohemian Rhapsody the other night. Solid movie.  Fun movie.  Great music.  Worth seeing.  I give it a B.  I am no movie critic, but what I WILL say is that the dude who played Freddy Mercury MAYBE should be considered for an Oscar.  He was pretty stellar.
• In the previews, Green Book DID look as good as the critics say it will be.
• The Mule (Clint Eastwood) also looked solid.
• I don’t talk much politics in this thing, but will say (not sure if all of these are accurate as I noticed these before the final counts came in):
  • Nice to see that 52% of voters were women
  • Nice to see 100 plus women in the House
  • Nice to see the first Muslim, Native American, and gay governor in some states
  • Welcome to the weed club, Michigan
• I sometimes hate when you feel like you are being watched, but I guess this is one trend I DO like. I like when I am listening to one of my workout recruit songs on YouTube and I forget to put in another song, and YouTube just starts playing me some random bands that sound like the last song.
• Is club soccer played year round?   I feel like Man U or Real Madrid plays like every day.
• Thoughts and prayers to the victims’ families from the CA shooting, and I feel like I am saying ‘thoughts and prayers” about mass shootings WAY too much.
• I am not motivated to finish what I started on Breaking Bad. They are starting work on a movie for it.  Got to be an expert BEFORE that comes out, not a latch on watcher.
• I get wanting to sound “street,” but can’t athletes get bothered themselves when listening to them saying double negatives in interviews. One here and there is kind of cool and hip, but two in one answer is pushing it.

TWEET OF THE WEEK:

(in the actual release)

Amazing…

This guy has lost it…

THE BEST WORKOUT SONG EVER FOR THIS WEEK:

No change in the rankings this week, although changes will be coming when I finish my latest round of research.

#1: Pure Evil by Like A Storm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXKfC_-chEQ

#2:  Feed the Wolf by Breaking Benjamin (now up to #2 all time)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTuNRW8Zens

#3: Black Honey by Thrice

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9GTEsNf_GU

#4: Chronos by Parkway Drive

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dBA2YxbFoE

QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

Nothing new caught my eye, so I will just send over favorite lines from my favorite movies in the meantime.

Something that has guided my sales life…

“Remember, boys, no points for second place.”

LINKS TO SAVE YOU TIME IN LIFE:

BY THE NUMBERS:

767

297

THIS WEEK’S LIST:

I didn’t have time to do a new list this time.  Here is the burger list again for you.  Burgers are great.

• #1: Old Major:  the Double Double does not need ANYTHING on it.  Two tiny burgers that combine for a LARGE experience.  It is one of three burgers that I get sad eating…when it is done.  Don’t you dare put ketchup or mustard on it.  Not needed.  Just ask for the Double Double.  That is all.  I get it with no pickle and get the spicy aioli for my fries dipping.
• #2: Humboldt Fish Farm Wine: It has bacon mixed in, and I admit to making a noise that   other tables looked at me during when I took a bite.
• #3: Justice Snow’s (Aspen):  Cows from a mile down the street, and as soon as you get over the fact that you just drove by their brothers and mothers, you enjoy MAGIC.
• Forget #3. I just was in Aspen.  Justice Snow’s is closed now.  The replacement place is not its equal.  But, since we are on the topic of Aspen, let’s go J-Bar at Hotel Jerome as #3.

THE RIDDLE:

$20 Venmo.

Add up the following jersey numbers and you also get my last golf score.  What is that number?

• Female basketball player I had to guard frequently at UVA
• Favorite player BEFORE I started liking Isiah Thomas
• Steelers player whose book I read about 30 times when I was a kid
• UVA men’s player who pulled the most wicked crossover anyone has ever pulled on me on the court
• Favorite baseball player in MLB ever

You can’t just guess the number (as the golf score gives a hint.  You have to send me the 5 jersey numbers that you are adding.

PICS (ASPEN/ BEAVER CREEK):

Hotel Jerome in Aspen vehicle actually used to drive people around:

Cool alley art I found in Aspen…

So, if you drive to the other smaller mountain opposite Aspen, the billionaires all have houses.  Lindsey and I wanted to A) see the houses and B) see the view they are paying for.  Yeah…pretty stellar.  We all need to be billionaires and have this view.  Or maybe, we can build a small cabin up there is we are just a millionaire.

The White House lunch in Aspen is the best.  I FINALLY tried something different from the legendary french dip.  I got the also legendary chicken sandwich.  It was the best chicken sandwich I have ever had.

View from underneath the hot springs waterfall at Avalanche Ranch in Redstone outside of Carbondale:

The hot springs were just on the other side of this mountain.  This was just a pic I took while driving.

If you are lucky in Aspen, you can find the oasis that is the Ultimate Taxi driven by John Carney in Aspen.

Finally, my new favorite picture of my wife in Aspen…

CLOSING:

That’s it for today.  Hope you enjoyed or are at least more informed.  Remember two things.  First, feed yourself, feed your family, but always, always remember to…feed the wolf.  Second,  if you can’t spot the sucker in your first half hour at the table, then you are the sucker.  Will I blog again?  That is a CLOWN question, bro.

I will be back in CO on Sunday, and will throw another blog out there your way on Tuesday or Wednesday of next week.  Boomer Sooner.  Peace.

And, in case you care about what I threw back in the pond, here you go…

MD coach fired

Ab traffic ticket 100 mph