October 2008 Archives

I like the way the NBA doesn't move their regular starting times around to accommodate TV like the NFL and MLB does, even if it's inconvenient for the visiting team's viewing fans. Well, they don't do it as much. The game between the New Orleans Hornets and Phoenix Suns in Phoenix got underway at about 9:45PM New Orleans time last night. I'm a Hornets fan and that's a late night for most working people like me to be able to watch that game in its entirety but moving it forward for us would have made the game inconvenient for the working ticket holders and fans of the Suns. I like that they have consideration for the fan who buys a ticket and intends to go to the game. It is already convenient to stay home. The league and the teams don't need to make it even more convenient to do so. I think the published starting time should be absolute. If anyone should be inconvenienced, it should be the people who didn't spend money on tickets, not the ones who did.

Speaking of the Hornets, it is truly a joy for a casual fan like me to watch Chris Paul play. You never know what he's going to do.

Quote of the Day

Wondering if you're really a Democrat? Here's a quick way to find out: Given everything the Democratic party has going for it this year--the overwhelming financial advantage, the legions of new voters, George W. Bush--do you believe the Obama campaign could still somehow, in the final moments, find a way to blow it and lose this election?

If you answered yes, you're a Democrat.

Tucker Carlson

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "Fortunately, Coach Byron Scott understands the modern player and has forced his franchise face to rest throughout training camp. The former Laker should go one step further and cut Paul's minutes from 37 (his 2007-08 average) to around 35 per night. This would keep him fresh for the playoffs."

Congratulations to the World Series Champions

Philadelphia Phillies

The suspended game added drama to a series that was truly lacking it. This series was almost identical to the Cardinals/Tigers series in 2006. The younger, probably more talented Rays were thoroughly outplayed by an inspired Phillies team much like the young and talented Tigers were outplayed by the Cards. It's not terribly surprising that the Phillies won but the ease with which they did it is. That 2006 Tigers team has fallen apart since their World Series. Hope that doesn't happen to the Rays because it was surely nice to hear sportscasters talking about someone other than Yankees and Red Sox in that division.

Some pictures from my blog friends:

Right out of a film noir. Gaslight maybe?

If fast food doesn't bust your waistline, it will surely bust your budget.

Some face on Stella.

Sammy the Wonder Dog is an old pro at her chosen profession.

I love the one of features of this Brother HL-1440 laser printer.

Miles and miles of corn. Reminds me of our yearly summer trips through Iowa on our way to Minneapolis.

A garden space I like.

Quote of the Day

The teams arrived four to five hours before the game, as usual, and took their normal batting practice. Then they "started'' the game the same as they always had, except the home team was at-bat, the visiting team was in the field, the relievers were already warming up in the bullpen and the scoreboard said it was the bottom of the sixth inning.

Jim Caple, ESPN.com

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "We are about to witness baseball history tonight when Game 5 is resumed. A suspended game in the World Series has never happened. We will start a game without a National Anthem, first ball ceremony, introduction of starting lineups, etc. Very bizarre."

Phones are starting to ring incessantly here at CrabAppleLane mainly at supper time. Radio and television commercials are even worse. Loud, loud, loud. All politics all the time. Most of the callers hide their identity from caller ID and some of them even hide their phone number. Some of them hang up as soon as the answering machine picks up and some of them spew their recorded message one machine to another. Six more days of this, I'm afraid. They're exempt from the National Do Not Call Registry but not from the CrabAppleLane Do Not Bother Registry.

About today's QOTD: What would you do with something like that?

Quote of the Day

Kyodo says the luxury car features 300,000 pieces of Swarovski crystal.

USA Today

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "The poll is simple. I have chosen ten of the more high profile remakes of seventies classics that have been released in the past decade for the poll. Simply pick your favorites and ignore the ones you can't stand. I think a few of these are really solid films in their own right, while some are okay, and some are just plain garbage so the results should be interesting."

With temps expected to drop into the 30s overnight, we tried something new last night in an effort to reduce our high propane bills. Our new wood pellet stove is thermostatically controlled so it comes on and goes off by itself. The old one had to be turned on and off manually. I turned the two heaters off to see if the stove would keep the house warm enough overnight by itself. There was a little chill in the house this morning but turning the stove up knocked it out. I think we'll be doing this all winter.

Speaking of chilly, hope my new friend is OK this morning. She'll have fresh nectar if she is.

About the QOTD: I agree with Selig just like I agreed with Bowie Kuhn when he did it during the Cardinals/Brewers series. Rain-shortened games should never be part of a World Series. That said, the game should have been suspended long before it was. And, for those rules sticklers who need exact written wording for every possible contingency, please find another sport to watch.

Quote of the Day

I have to use my judgment. The game would have been in a rain delay until weather conditions allowed us to continue. And that might have been 24 hours or 48 hours or who knows?

Bud Selig, Major League Baseball Commissioner

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "Frankly, this is a black eye for baseball, and especially for Selig, who has once again proved incompetent as leader of this organization. The game should've been stopped before the sixth. Throw out the rulebook. This is the World Series. And it's ridiculous -- absolutely freakin' ridiculous that this whole charade took place so late."

CrabAppleLane buff-bellied hummingbird - October 27, 2008

Heard the chatter as soon as I got home. It's the same hummingbird that's been hanging around since yesterday. I had about an hour's worth of daylight but I was going to have to use the flash because the feeder is on the eastern side of the house and the sun was on the western side. It's supposed to be cold tonight and I hope this little girl will be OK. She'll probably move on tomorrow. I believe Kem was right yesterday. I think she's a rufous hummingbird and she's gorgeous.

I'm sure the Saints-Chargers game yesterday in London was a lot more fun for the locals than last year's Giants-Dolphins game. Two good offensive teams provided a shootout. There was no defense defence to be found. Saints head coach Sean Payton blamed the lack of defense defence on the footing and on the bad field. Anyone with eyes blamed it on the bad players and bad coaching. Neither team could get to the passer and neither team could cover anyone downfield. Both teams are still in the playoff picture but they'll need to improve considerably over the second half of the season.

A comment by Mike S at the London Times:

Great game and great atmosphere. The Saints will always be in my heart from now on.

Thanks for visiting London.

And a tip of the cap to jolly old England for embracing the teams, the traveling fans, and the game. Damn good job, mates.

Quote of the Day

It was enough of a home game for the Saints, that the sound of "Deuuuuuuuce" accompanied every touch by McAllister.

Chris Jenkins, San Diego Union Tribune

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "On the way here we were told on good authority that a flat near Kensington Palace, close to Harrods department store, sold for $150 million pounds. That's an apartment, not a castle. Can NFL players afford to live here?"

I'm sure NFL players could find a place to live in London. I doubt everyone there spends £150 million on living arrangements. -Rob

We watched Casino Royale last night. We borrowed it from our local public library at my friend Lana's suggestion and we will undoubtedly foray into that area again. They've got a considerable collection. This Bond rewinds back to the beginning. Delightful. The formula has changed a little. There are still dinner jackets, beautiful girls, and exotic locations but the predictability is gone. I'm OK with that. The action is breathtaking (There is a foot chase like nothing I have ever seen) but there are breathers in between and you see a side of Bond not seen before. The end is the set up for the next installment, Quantum of Solace, and Casino Royale with Daniel Craig as Bond is one of the best I've seen in this franchise. Hell yeah, I'm in.

I'm loving the British coverage of today's Saints-Chargers game in London. There's not much of it but what is out there is refreshing. This from Martin Johnson of the BBC:

I was trying to explain how the positions equate to our sport. As a game, generally it's all about territory. It's about control of the ball, scoring points, deception. In some ways it's very different. In some ways you can see the similarities.

Not sure if last week's Saints game was a harbinger of things to come but I'm not feeling good about today's game. The news about Deuce broke my heart. "Say it aint so, Joe" comes to mind. Good Luck, Deuce.

One from the CrabAppleLane backyard.

Unknown CrabAppleLane hummingbird - October 26, 2008

Hadn't seen any hummingbirds in a week so I had neglected the feeders for a couple of days. Was quite surprised and delighted to see this little fellow flitting and flying around. Not sure what kind it is. All I captured clearly was that bright orange bill and you can see the orange tinge to his fanned-out tail. His chatter is less squeaky than the ruby-throats and he's quite a bit more skittish. Hope to have a better one of him as the day goes on but I'm off to watch the Saints right now.

Quote of the Day

I'm sorry. That last hand ... nearly killed me.

James Bond, Casino Royale

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "Both teams are hoping for some good Karma since New York played there last year and then went on the claim the Super Bowl Championship title. Foe those Americans who are traveling across the sea to support their teams are in for a treat. Besides great football, there is so much more to do."

After vacillating for the better part of the morning, Patsy and I decided to pay our respects to our parents today. Got a late start, had a late, great lunch at Deanie's in Bucktown, stopped by Dad's for the 5th anniversary, then headed to Patsy's parents site in Metairie (I had never been there), and then back to Covington to catch the library before they closed. It was a long, hectic afternoon.

Dad - It's been five years

The in-laws - October 25, 2008 - Patsy's parents died a couple of months apart in 1962. I never met them. There was a freshly-dug grave next to them and some mud had gotten on the markers.

World War II Infantryman - The dates struck me - Inauguration Day to Christmas Day

Garden of Memories - Metairie, LA - October 25, 2008

Quote of the Day

Roland searched the continent
For the man who'd done him in
He found him in Mombassa
In a barroom drinking gin
Roland aimed his Thompson gun
He didn't say a word
But he blew Van Owen's body
From there to Johannesburg

Warren Zevon, Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "How is it, that we don't have a single club on Main Street that acknowledges just how cool we are?"

Something I didn't think I'd see just a few months ago: There's a gas station next door to my workplace and we watch the prices change. Lately, they've been changing twice a day. Prices are going down. $2.54 when I left yesterday. Gas was still well over $3 here just two weeks ago. Amazing.

Not sure what to make of the BOTD by Steven D Levitt of the N.Y.Times. He wants higher gas prices to reduce traffic congestion. Alrighty then. I really like this snippet of intellectual prowess, though:

Traffic jams are a direct consequence of too many cars on the road. If you took some cars away, the remaining drivers could get places much faster.

Those are some smart people at the New York Times.

Driving is freedom and I'm not sure what good will come of making it unaffordable. If there is a case to be made for doing so, Levitt didn't make it.

Quote of the Day

If this game is another mud bath with bad weather I am burning my DVD of "Spice World" and you can't stop me.

Matthew Berry, ESPN.com

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "My view is that, rather than bemoaning the high price of gas, we should be celebrating it. And, if any presidential candidate should come out in favor of a $1 per gallon tax on gas, vote for that candidate."

Apologies to Warren Zevon.

If the NFL was hoping to make a bigger splash this season in the UK after last year's dud by pitting the Saints versus the Chargers at Wembley Stadium Sunday, they're not getting much help from the BBC or London Times. The BBC online coverage is a little better, probably because they're telecasting the game, but neither seems to be providing the saturation the NFL craves. Too bad. I was looking forward to more coverage like this from the BBC's Martin Gough:

My favourite play sees them line up with four receivers clustered close to the offensive line, making it look like they will pass short or run to the corners. Instead Brees often takes advantage of defenders creeping up to launch a deep strike, with Devery Henderson the most likely recipient.

That's one of my favourite plays, too, Martin.

Quote of the Day

We should tell him right now to stick his paradigm up his infrastructure.

James Gill, Times-Picayune Columnist

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "But while the Chargers obviously want to do their best to spoil his Sunday at Wembley Stadium, many of Brees' former teammates will be happy to see him again."

Kem's post about "real guitar players" reminded me of something my dad once said to me. Dad went to high school with famous clarinet player, Pete Fountain. Fountain is a New Orleans institution and was a regular performer at Saints pregame and halftime shows at Old Tulane Stadium. We were talking about that one time and I asked Dad if he played clarinet in high school, too. We were just talking about Pete Fountain. Dad said he "played at it". I don't think I was even in high school then and didn't get the humor in that context like I do now. Here nor there: A few years later, I went to high school with Fountain's sons. It's Mom and Dad's 53rd anniversary today.

Happy Anniversary, Mom & Dad.

Quote of the Day

This is awful news, just awful. Any other player but Reggie - he's basically the reason I'm going!

Comment at BBC Online

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "After last year's cracking match, the NFL decided that London was the perfect place to hold yet more official season games, so they've invited two of the most exciting American football teams to our shores. The San Diego Chargers and the New Orleans Saints both have reputations for playing impressive attacking football so with Saints vs Chargers London tickets you'll be able to see some of the very best NFL action right here in the capital."

Dying to see Quantum of Solace mainly because of the first trailer released for the film but I think I need to see Daniel Craig's Casino Royale first. Since it's playing only on a pay station I don't get, looks like a rare trip to the video store is in order. Looks like Craig is continuing in the vein of Timothy Dalton and Pierce Brosnan ... breathing life back into the franchise that Roger Moore almost killed. I like bigger-than-life adventure films best but a good spy thriller is a close second. Bond, except for the Moore years, has been pretty reliable in that regard for almost my whole life.

The Saints are in London this week for a "home" game with the Chargers. I'm thinking there won't be much of a home field advantage. After watching a little bit of the Pats' pummeling of the Broncos last night one week after they laid an egg in San Diego and watching Carolina do the same to the Saints over the weekend one week after they laid an egg in Tampa, I'm thinking that anyone that can find some consistency this season might find themselves in the Super Bowl.

One from lunch yesterday:

Bogue Falaya Wayside Park - October 20, 2008

About today's QOTD: It's from Philadelphia Phillies Manager Charlie Manuel's recently deceased mother, June, on Charlie becoming manager of the Phillies. R.I.P., Mrs Manuel.

Quote of the Day

That's all well and fine. But somebody's got to take this trash out.

June Manuel

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "It's a team you don't play very often. The preparation from that standpoint, you have to zero in on them. It'll be a fun week, and hopefully it ends on a high note on Sunday."

Congratulations to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on their great series win over the defending champ Red Sox. When they blew that big lead in Game 5, I thought sure the Red Sox had them. Bring on the Phillies for the World Series that the network didn't want.

More on today's QOTD from the article:

This is the second time Winslow was diagnosed with staph, and it's at least the sixth known case with the Browns in the past several years.

Cleveland Browns: "We think Cleveland is the place for you. Come visit our facilities."
Hot free agent: "Ugh, no thanks"

According to the early ratings, SNL was a winner Saturday night. Not sure what Sarah Palin gained by showing up. She showed she was a good sport but I don't see how that helps the ticket.

Quote of the Day

They didn't even want me going to the Cleveland Browns' facility because they didn't want me to get re-infected. Something is wrong up there. It needs to be fixed.

Kellen Winslow, Cleveland Browns

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "Tight end Kellen Winslow was back with the Browns on Thursday, but as far as what the illness was that landed him in the Cleveland Clinic for three days, it's not being talked about."

Very discouraged by the play of the Saints today. They are way too self-destructive. It's been the Achilles heel of the team under Sean Payton since he got here.

We ran out of ibuprofen (Advil) at home and I'd been using naproxen sodium (Aleve) in its place. We replaced the ibu today and after taking some about an hour ago, I guarantee that I will go find an all night drugstore if we run out again. Ibuprofen dulls the pain and reduces the inflammation. Naproxen sodium does neither.

One from the CrabAppleLane backyard at sundown. Bad light couldn't keep those little purple flowers from standing out.

Quote of the Day

Darling
Give me your kiss
Come and take my hand
I am
The nothing man

Bruce Springsteen, The Nothing Man

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "Popular TV personality Sarah Palin pageant-walked onto last night's Saturday Night Live to watch Tina Fey impersonate her during a press conference and (I can't believe I'm about to type this) "raise the roof" during a "Weekend Update" rap that blatantly made fun of her."

It's a magnificent autumn weekend here at CrabAppleLane. We skipped the Washington Parish Free Fair this year for the first time in many years. My knees are just not up to the walking this weekend. I plan to get out on the bike today, though. I also plan to get on the ladder to clean out and repair the bluebird house. Tried to remove it from its pole for the purpose of cleaning it during our preparation for Hurricane Gustav but the front door came off in my hand and the nest was infested with ants. I've left the door off and it's been open to the elements since.

One from lunch yesterday. I love rye grass.

Bogue Falaya Wayside Park - October 17, 2008

Blogrolling recently combined with Twitter and that, for me, was all I needed to get rid of it. It has always caused problems here. If their server was overloaded, it would cause the pages here to load slowly or incompletely. If their URL was blocked by a web nanny, it would cause the pages here to load slowly or incompletely. I had moved most of my regular blog stops to a permanent place on the page anyway. Good riddance.

One of my photos was included in the Schmap guide below. Not sure who uses Schmap or who will actually see it but being published is cool so there's that.

Quote of the Day

A simple rule dictates my buying: Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful.

Warren Buffett

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "It has always been a pet peeve of mine that the topic of poverty and homelessness doesn't get much airtime until right around the holidays. It seems that once Halloween has come and gone, the season of guilt begins; a time in which the public is bombarded with images, stories, etc., and are guilted into donating to the less fortunate. Of course, once December 26th comes along, we get back to the rest of our lives and the poor, homeless and less fortunate are soon forgotten."

Man, how times have changed. When Dad had an option to buy a Super Bowl IV ticket in 1970 as a season ticket holder of the host city's team, the price was $15. He bought it but I honestly don't know what he was going to do with it. It was only one ticket. He didn't know who was going to be in the game but he was CERTAIN it wasn't going to be the Saints. We ended up with 3 more FREE tickets on the day of the game and Mom, my sister, and I got to go, too. We got those free tickets even though the game was blacked out locally because it wasn't sold out. They're going for $1000/ea this year and that's only face value. If the Cowboys, Giants, Jets, or Saints are in it, they will go for considerably more.

Again, how times have changed. There was a time you could turn off a Red Sox baseball game or get a head start out of the stadium and say good night to them. A good many of their fans left the game last night to beat the traffic thinking the game and the season was over. The Rays still have the upper hand but they've got a fight on their hands now. Love the QOTD. How many get that reference?

Quote of the Day

The Red Sox, who had looked flat, outmanned and almost bereft of energy, had just chopped their way out of the coffin, Uma Thurman-style.

Jerry Crasnick, ESPN.com

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "Click on my Twitter (heh, that sounds kinky), and follow the conversation."

Gettysburg National Military Park was in trouble two years ago. Reading this George Will column this morning was good news for me. I still haven't visited Gettysburg. It is still something I'd like to cross off my list one day. I expect I'll be considerably more in awe than the ignorant visitors Will describes in today's QOTD.

Quote of the Day

Ours would be a better nation if boys and girls of all regions, and particularly the many high school and even college graduates who cannot place the Civil War in the correct half-century, could be moved, as large numbers of Americans used to be, by the names of Gettysburg battlefield sites, such as Devil's Den, the Peach Orchard, the Wheatfield, Culp's Hill and Little Round Top, instead of being like the visitor here who said it is amazing that so many great battles, such as Antietam and Chickamauga and Shiloh, occurred on Park Service land; and another visitor who doubted that the fighting here really was fierce because there are no bullet marks on the monuments.

George Will, Washington Post

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "The famous 377 foot cylindrical painting of the "Battle of Gettysburg" that was created in 1884 will have a new home. The Gettysburg cyclorama has been undergoing restoration for the past 5 years and was unveiled in September 2008. I remember seeing it for the first time on a 7th grade fieldtrip. I thought it was such a cool concept of painting in the round and couldn't fathom how the artist had been able to plan it. It was like the Sistine Chapel to me!"

Fish Fear Me is exploring "cooking for one". I heat with the microwave, stovetop, oven, or grill. I add milk to a bowl of cereal. I can follow a recipe if it's not too complicated. Very rarely do I do anything I would consider cooking. If I hadn't married such a great and willing cook, I probably would have starved. I would surely be thinner. I'd like to blame it on the fact that I never had the bachelor experience but I'm afraid laziness has a lot to do with it, too.

Quote of the Day

So here's a toast with one last pour
To last forever and a minute more
May fortune sing to you her song
To live and love way past long

Sonny Landreth, Way Past Long

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "Inflation ahead. Duh, right? The Federal Reserve is no longer interested in creating credit by the billions. That was so six months ago. Hundreds of billions lost its flavor last month. Now nothing will satisfy the beast except trillions. The US can't use another trillion?"

Details? For reading material, print a percentage of their email and let them read only that. I'd think a fraction would keep them busy for 99 years or so. I know. Cruel and unusual.

Clean Rice. I love it. Can you imagine Americans embracing anything like that? I can't.

It bears repeating here. I said it a couple of weeks ago in the CrabAppleLane Forum after the 49er game. With all due respect to Romo/McNabb/Manning, Drew Brees is the best QB in the NFC and maybe in all the NFL at the moment. Nothing has changed since then. He's lights out. He's completing 71% of his passes and he throws a lot of them. Usually, a ridiculously high completion percentage indicates a lot of dinks and dunks. Not the case. He throws long, medium, and short. He throws to anyone that has the same color jersey as him and it doesn't matter if they signed a guy yesterday off of someone else's practice squad. If he's on the field and eligible, he'll get thrown to if he's open. He's doing it with no running game to speak of, two of his best receivers injured, and quite a few of the 29% incomplete should have been caught.

Quote of the Day

Nothing could be aesthetically less pleasing but it will be a great relief to everyone when we see that flat field illuminated by that internal lamp.

Art Whipple, NASA

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "Scott Fowler: Panthers' weekly goal should be at least 17 points,"

Don't believe 17 will be enough this week. -Rob

Surprising game yesterday in the SuperDome. The Saints were coming off of a short week and a tough loss and the Raiders were coming in off of a bye week with a new coach and renewed energy. It didn't look like it. Glad it's over and glad the Saints won but that was the Raiders. Carolina, a much more important game, is coming up. After a tough division game in Carolina next week, the Saints fly to London for a "home" game with the Chargers. I think the NFL needs to reconsider the scheduling of these Trans-Atlantic games. The Saints and Chargers both have tough road games this week and then have to fly to London and try to practice for another tough game against each other while also trying to be good NFL ambassadors. It may be good for the NFL but it's not fair to the teams.

Quote of the Day

You ever notice how Al Davis and Satan are never photographed together?

thisoneguy, USA Today commentor

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "As bad as the Panthers did play, they're still in the division lead."

I'm not a breakfast person. There was a time when breakfast for me consisted of cigarettes and black coffee. I'll eat breakfast maybe twice a month, usually because I want to take some ibuprofen but I don't want to take it on an empty stomach. Today was different because my wife makes a killer "egg in a nest", always has, and she offered to make it for me. I'm not sure if that's the proper name for it but it's what she's always called it and I don't think I've ever turned it down in our 27 years together. Basically, you cut a hole in a piece of bread, put it in a pan with some butter, drop an egg in the hole, and fry it. Fry the cutout, too. You MUST use real butter. In the movie, V for Vendetta, V makes it for Evey. That was my breakfast this morning. Yes, life is good.

I offer one from the CrabAppleLane yard on this overcast Sunday afternoon. They're tung nuts. As UFO once said, "You can look but please don't touch". Whatever comes in contact with them will have a brown stain and will smell like furniture polish for about a week.

CrabAppleLane Tung Nuts - October 12, 2008

Quote of the Day

His arms and legs aren't falling off or anything like that.

Romeo Crennel, Cleveland Browns Head Coach

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "Dont plan on winning till AL Davis is dead."

Ernie Davis, the subject of The Express, is just a little bit beyond my memory reach. The first two football games I remember going to were in 1964, when I was 7. Davis played at Syracuse 1959-1961 and died in 1963. I understand the sometime need for "artistic license" when telling a story and some of the details changed for the movie are so trivial that no one will be bothered by them. By the same token, why'd they bother? For instance, changing Elmira Free Academy to Elmira High School. I haven't seen the film and don't know how often it's mentioned but it only adds three syllables. Would that have made the film too long? Also, why change the real life detail that is every bit as compelling as the fictional detail? He overcame his stuttering problem by reading sports books and school books aloud but the film makers decided he should overcome it by reading the Bible aloud.

Speaking of those 1964 games I saw, they were the oldest and fiercest rivalries in Louisiana at the time and they are both just fragments in my memory. According to Wikipedia, LSU played Tulane on November 21, 1964 in old Tulane Stadium. Dad took me to it. I don't remember anything about the game except the score (Tigers won 13-3), the green and white pom poms the Tulane fans waved, and that LSU wore their purple and gold jerseys. The Tigers prefer their white jerseys, even at home, because LSU fans think the purple jerseys are bad luck. The home team gets to choose what jerseys they'll wear and Tulane hadn't won a game in the series in a long time so I suppose they were trying to bother LSU. It didn't work. LSU's opponent today, Florida, has made the Tigers wear the purple jerseys in Gainesville in the past although I don't know why. They've gotten the better of the series for most of the years I've followed it since the Steve Spurrier QB days.

The other 1964 game was a high school game between Jesuit and Warren Easton, Dad's Alma Mater, at old City Park Stadium. The Warren Easton Eagles also wear purple and gold. I remember nothing about this game except the score, 20-19 Eagles, and a Jesuit player running all alone for a touchdown but I don't remember the play that got him all alone. This game was probably played before the LSU-Tulane game that year and is probably the first one I ever attended but I can't confirm it ... and I really don't want to. They're both precious memories.

Quote of the Day

We have to get seven when we're down there, we can't come away with threes.

Les Miles, LSU Head Coach

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "Everyone probably remembers that certain teacher from high school -- the one who was young, cool and bursting with new ideas. The one who wanted to make a difference and did."

This is largely as I predicted except that the silly party won.

Monty Python

While the gloves are coming off in the presidential race, Louisiana's senate race is entering the silly phase. John Kennedy's campaign commercials state that he's for McCain and Mary Landrieu votes with Obama 81% of the time. She counters with she voted to protect the flag and voted to keep "under God" in the pledge of allegiance. There will be a debate between the two next week, I think, but my mind is already made up on this race.

Quote of the Day

I did not dream that we would get in a situation where we had all the structure in place and literally have an incident that casts lightly with him publicly or with the league that would involve the very people that you're doing the structure with.

Jerry Jones, Dallas Cowboys

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "I say, "Eff off, Ludwig.""

About today's QOTD: A little fantasy football understanding is essential. The Wikipedia definition works fine for this purpose. This past weekend, my team was playing Team Hyde, run by my good friend and CrabAppleLane Blog contributor, Hyde. His team has had nothing but bad luck and was looking for its first win of the season. Our starting lineups ended up in a tie. We have a tiebreaker rule in our league that states reserve points decide the winner if the starters are tied. Going into Monday night's game between the Saints and Vikings, he had a 5 point lead with his reserves. He had Robert Meachem and Pierre Thomas of the Saints and I had Chester Taylor and Visanthe Shiancoe of the Vikings. Meachem and Thomas have been contributing a little bit of production to their fantasy owners but somewhat inconsistently. Taylor and Shiancoe have been consistently unproductive for me. Although it was only 5 points and I wasn't in a totally hopeless situation, Hyde's lead still looked very safe. Then, in the second quarter, on third down inside the 10yd line and Hyde now nursing a 6 point lead, the Vikings hand the ball off to Chester Taylor on a running play. He pulls up and tosses a touchdown pass to Visanthe Shiancoe. I got 6 points for Shiancoe's touchdown and 3 points for Chester Taylor's touchdown pass. None of our players did anything after that and I eked out a 3 point win on the reserves tiebreaker. The chances of those two Viking players being on the same fantasy football team in New Orleans AND on their bench AND combining for that play to win a game are so close to zero that it's not worth talking about. My luckiest win ever. My friend, Dave, is responsible for me having both of those guys. Thanks, Dave. Sorry, Hyde.

Quote of the Day

Taylor TO Shiancoe??? WTF????

Hyde, Ya Boys Fantasy Football League

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "I guess it will be a little like going on the road in the SEC. All those stadiums get loud, LSU probably the loudest and definitely the most wild."

Watched a few minutes of the debate last night and all I could think was this: I wonder if BreatheRight offers an election version. One that closes your nose rather than opens it. I take some responsibility for this. I don't think I've ever been more apathetic to my choices than I have been this year. Zero good candidates to vote for. Two great candidates to vote against. They have 27 days to sway me. If they call me at night, though, they'll have to sway my answering machine.

Quote of the Day

Still, they're going home without a ring, and for the Cubs (97-64 in the regular season), that makes 100 consecutive years of falling short.

Jorge L. Ortiz, USA TODAY

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "After an hour of driving and 87kms we arrived at Ayr. We had driven past many fields laden with Sugar Cane and also a few small trains loaded with the burnt and cut canes along the way."

The photos look like they could have been taken in south Louisiana. -Rob

Wild game last night. One of the things Sean Payton has been emphasizing since the Redskins game is the Saints inability to finish. They still need to work on that but I'm much more concerned with their inability to take care of the ball. That has been the biggest problem since Payton got here. Also worried about injuries. Lost a couple of more players last night and need to lose one this week. I think they need to bring in another kicker. Short week and no time to dwell on what might have been. The circus Oakland Raiders are coming to town.

On the bright side and quite unexpectedly, I won both of my fantasy football games this week. Taylor to Shiancoe may not sound like Montana to Rice but it got the job done for me last night in one game and who'd have thunk the Viking defense and special teams would outperform Adrian Peterson by a wide margin in the other?

Quote of the Day

The disappointing thing is our turnovers and our penalties and that starts with us. That starts with me. I've got to do a better job, same thing with our coaching staff. There are a lot of positive things, but they're overshadowed by the mistakes we made. Our defense, our yards on offense, and two great punt returns by Reggie Bush are overshadowed by that.

Sean Payton, New Orleans Saints

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "Louisiana State University Chancellor Mike Martin today announced that LSU will sell or outsource all educational operations in order to focus exclusively on football."

Tough one tonight in the Superdome. I don't expect the Vikings to be as generous with the Saints as they were with the Colts, Titans, and Packers, their three losses. The Vikings play old NFL football; defense and the running game. The Saints have not fared well against those kinds of teams in the Payton era. Drew Brees is playing QB better than anyone in the NFL at the moment and that, alone, gives the Saints a chance. That's the only thing for Saints fans to like in this game. Just hope Drew can keep it up. Oh yeah, just one more thing:

Quote of the Day

Now you tell me I gotta pull for Saints. Oh great!

Hyde, Ya Boys Fantasy Football League

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "Well one word explains the outcome of this game turnovers. Tennessee 1 Minnesota 4. It is almost impossible to win any game with that amount of turnovers."

No LSU game yesterday, yardwork done. By the way, congratulations to the Vanderbilt Commodores on their 5-0 start and on a great win over Auburn yesterday.

No Saints game today, not sure what to do this afternoon. Have some ideas, though. I'll get on the bike for a 10-15 mile ride after lunch but then maybe find something else to do for the rest of the afternoon.

Speaking of something else to do for the rest of the afternoon, I offer one from the backyard today.

Lazy afternoon - October 5, 2008Today is the first time I've put the CrabAppleLane hammock up since before Hurricane Katrina. I've never used the two trees it's attached to now before and I promptly sank to the ground the first time I set it up. After a few adjustments, that's been corrected and I'll hover about 18 inches above ground. The trees are too far apart to get any higher and I'm OK with that. The morning sun shining on it now will be gone by the time I get on it.

Quote of the Day

You can't blame a thief for stealing wallets
That's just what they do
You can't blame Mary for stealing hearts
When you taste her barbecue

Old Crow Medicine Show, Mary's Kitchen

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "I got my first introduction to Old Crow Medicine Show two years ago at Bonnaroo, when a friend of a friend adamantly insisted that I check out their live show. I did, and left impressed."

About today's QOTD: The days of the lovable losers are over and not just in Chicago. There are a few reasons for that. Owners are always wanting to raise ticket prices and asking taxpayers to build new stadiums (Correct or not, I just can't type stadia). Fans want something in return. Add to that our kindred spirits in Boston, with the recent dazzling success of the Red Sox, Celtics, and Patriots, and in Tampa, with the Super Bowl winning Buccaneers, have broken through and out of their lovable losing ways. Fans in Chicago, Cleveland, New Orleans, Milwaukee, Houston, San Diego, Seattle, and a few other places want in. I'm a Saints fan, win or lose, but I want to live to see a championship in New Orleans. I was at their first game and, now, 40 years later, still nothing ...

Quote of the Day

These are passionate, yet impatient and increasingly bitter, fans who desperately want a payoff for their decades of devotion.

Jim Caple, ESPN.com

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "Monday night, facing the New Orleans Saints, the Vikings have another golden opportunity to beat an opponent that they should be very capable of beating."

Got nothing today.

One from lunch yesterday:

Bogue Falaya Wayside Park - October 1, 2008

Quote of the Day

No it wasn't the weather that sank me and you
It was a bad fix of politics, greed and fools
That levee of lies couldn't hold back the truth
We're in deep but not out of reach
Throw me somethin', mister.

Sonny Landreth, Blue Tarp Blues

Blog of the day via Fish Fear Me is here.

Quote from said blog: "I finally went to the doctor about my insomnia and was dutifully informed that the causes for it were either physical or psychological. Thanks, doc. And here I was thinking the problem could have been geometrical or historical."

It Comes in Pints? calls it quits. Sad day.

When it comes to prison time, Senator, you really can't count on the "friends" you extorted accepted free gifts from, can you?

Does anyone else find it odd that Al Davis needed to send a letter to his head coach, Lane Kiffin, via Federal Express? They don't work in the same building? They can't meet face to face? I know nothing about Lane Kiffin except to say that he is better off today than he was yesterday, with or without pay, but I'd be very surprised if the Raiders weren't forced to honor his contract. The Saints used to be the most embarrassing franchise in the NFL. The Raiders have them beat by a mile now.

Quote of the Day

I don't know what he was doing, but he got me to fire him

Al Davis, Oakland Raiders

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "The final blow likely came Sunday, as the Raiders were up big against the Chargers, only to again blow a double digit fourth quarter lead in a 28-18 loss in the Black Hole. Of course Davis being Davis, he is saying that the firing was "made for cause", meaning they will likely try not to pay Kiffin for the remainder of his contract."