A Coke By Any Other Name?

It seems the American knack for speech laziness is rubbing off on the Germans. I was shopping in Meijer last night picking up a few things for the week (and NOT because of the storm) and remembered I wanted to pick up some soda. I stopped and looked back and forth, looking at the hanging signs above each aisle. I saw sports drinks, beer, tea and coffee, but no soda, pop, soda pop, soft drinks, carbonated beverages or anything of the like. Then I saw it....Coke. The aisle containing ALL sodas was labeled "COKE. "

I understand this happens . People often call generic items a brand name (Kleenex, Aspirin, Xerox etc.), but to see it used as store signage I think is bizarre.

Please discuss.

Valking in a Vinter Vonderland

Here is a picture of our house from the outside. A little bit of snow adds to the mood. We have lights around the railing of our back deck as well, but some punk cut one of the strands. I'll try to post some pictures of the inside decorations soon.

Good Season Ends with a Thud

(I said "losers, not "lugers!)

We won our first two games of the playoffs to reach the championship game, but that's where the dream season ended. I won't give a lot of details because I'm tired and I want to go to bed, so here is the gist.

In game one we were down three runs in the bottom of the 7th. I led off the inning with a base hit to left center. I made it over to third and with bases loaded, Scott it a walk off grand slam.

In game two we played even for awhile, but eventually we pulled a way for a solid win.

The championship game opened up with the longest inning we've had in a long time. The team we played scored 16 runs in the top of the 1st inning. Back to back home runs (and nearly a third) combined with errors put us in a huge hole. We scored 1 in the bottom of the 1st. We lost 23-5 to a team we did beat this year. Bottom line is they had the ball really well and we didn't.

I feel like I played really well offensively and defensively this year. I'm looking forward to the next softball season, whenever that may be.

Ok, I'm exhausted. Good night.

Softball Follow-up

I forgot to mention out team is probably leading the league in double plays this season. If my calculations are correct, we have turned nine double plays and one triple play this season. It helps to have a 6' 4" shortstop with a good glove. We have made our share of errors this year, but I feel we have the best defense by far.

Softball Playoffs

We will try and fit in the playoffs all in one night, Thursday, October 28th. We play the winner of game 1 at 7:30. If we win, will will play again at 8:30. The championship game is at 9:30 if we make it that far. Three wins in one night...we can do it.

Softball Regular Season Ends

We swept a doubleheader last night to end our regular season 7-0. The playoffs start next week, but I'm still waiting on the schedule.
I pitched all seven games this season and delivered my fair share of offense. Last night's games were a struggle early on, but we finally got our bats going.
The first game we were down 6-2 in the bottom of the 6th and then scored 12. We held them to 3-up, 3-down in the 7th to win.

The second game was frustrating due to errors and hitting the ball right at the other team, however we played good enough defense late and scored a few timely runs. We were down 9-8 going into the bottom of the 6th and scored one run to tie it 9-9. We held them scoreless in the top of the 7th and won a gapper to right center to end the game 10-9.

I took a line drive off the hand in the last inning of the last game, now my right index finger feels like its going to pop. It's all blue and green, but should hopefully be better in time for next weeks playoffs.

Election

I was going to write a long rant about the election and our crop of candidates, but I thought I may offend friends or family if I posted what I really wanted to say...so I 'll just say this:

I have never disliked two candidates platforms more than I dislike Jack Conway's and Rand Paul's. I stop short of disliking them personally, because I don't know them, but that is merely a technicality. I won't even mention the candidates favored around the country...blech!

Does spitting in the ballot bubble count as filling it in?

Metal Detecting Excursion

This post is directed at Mark and Dad. It has been a long time since I've been out metal detecting. With the weather fianlly turning cooler, and hopefully with some rain on the way to soften the ground, I would like to get out and hunt. I don't have any recommendations for locations, but would like to plan a trip somewhere. Let me know what you think and if you have any ideas.

The "Softball" Bats

The last two games of our regular softball season is Thursday night at 6:30 & 7:30. We will then enter the playoffs. We are currently 5-0 and will hopefully be able to eek out the last two. I will put my pitching record on the line as well and then hopefully will be able to pull off a "Halladay" like performance in the playoffs.

Or For Those Visual Learners...Poetry in Motion

Please forgive the commercial.

"Bat's Softball Goes 5-0 as Tabler Pitches Back to Back Gems"

The Bats softball team swept a double header last night to extend their record to an unbeaten 5-0. The first game we slowly extended the lead each inning with timely hitting. Three double plays also helped.

My offense was decent, but not great. I hit the ball solid, but only went 1-3 in the first game and 2-4 in the second. A good diving snag on a line drive by the shortstop in the second game cost me a hit.

My defense was the best part of my game tonight (yes...I was pitching). I turned one double play on a well hit grounder back up the middle and I beat the runner twice while covering on plays at first base. The first time, our first baseman flipped the ball to me and I had to dive for the bag to beat the guy. It was a good chance for me to get dirty.
I was thrown out at the plate coming from second in the last game, but everyone saw I was safe. The guys glove was on the back side of the plate as I slid in. The umpire even laughed and shrugged saying "the throw beat you," but I could tell he knew he missed it.

Buckle B Gets a Grip

Up through July, I had not shot a round of golf out of the 70's all year. However, my last five rounds of golf have been in the mid-80's. I know I won't get a lot of sympathy, but shut up...this is my blog.

I felt helpless trying to figure out what was going on and it has been disappointing because I have played some very nice courses lately. I have never been a model of consistency when it comes to my golf game. Sometimes I can hit a shot few golfers can pull off and other times it looks like I've never played the game before.

I dislike driving ranges. The only time I appreciate them is to hit a few balls before a round or if I am in desperate need to find a swing thought or make a change. My recent play sent me to the range and, surprisingly, it was a success.

I won't tell you this will change my game forever...I'm sure I'll be working on something else before the end of the year. But for now, I feel confident with my ball striking again and that feels good. This is what I did.

I rotated my right hand about an 1-1/2" towards the top of the club at address. That's it. My right hand was getting too far underneath which made it hard to strike the ball crisply and with the compression I needed for distance and control. By moving my right hand slightly, I can now feel the club between my right thumb and forefinger. Now, instead of my right palm facing the sky at impact, it is facing down and towards the target.

Basically, I went from this:

To this:

Roy McAvoy may be able to explain it better than I can

Ryder Cup

The U.S. gave a good effort in the singles matches, but came up a little short and lost the cup 14-1/2 to 13-1/2. The rookies played better than I expected. The one rookie I thought would do well didn't play so well all week; Matt Kuchar struggled.

Tiger Woods also played better than I thought he would winning several points along with Steve Stricker.
Anyway, the picture below is a neat shot from a duffed Tiger Woods pitch shot. The ball actually hit the camera. I love the overall expression of the crowd...especially the guy on the right with the cigar. Nice!

Oops...Almost Forgot

I neglected to give my prediction for this weekends Ryder Cup:

Europe 17
USA 11

Ryder Cup

The Ryder Cup, starting Friday in Wales, has snuck up on me. I knew it was coming, but it took so long I think I forgot about it. The 2008 Ryder Cup at Valhalla was one of the most entertaining experiences of my life (I got to see Boo "combatibate" after all!). That team combined with the atmosphere at Valhalla had everything going for it.

With this team, I feel the opposite. Playing in Wales against a hostile crowd just throws more sand on already buried lie.

• The United States has one player on its team with a winning record in the Ryder Cup: Hunter Mahan is 2-0-3.


• Five guys have never played a match: Ricky Fowler, Dustin Johnson, Matt Kuchar, Jeff Overton and Bubba Watson.
  
• The teams combined record is 35-51-20.
  
• Our best player, Tiger Woods, shot his worst round of his pro career just a few weeks ago...and his record at the Cup isn't stellar either: 10-13-2. This combined with currently revamping his swing (again) does not lead me to think he will suddenly return to form.

Bright Spots on the 2010 U.S. Ryder Cup Team:

• Hunter Mahan is steady in his last two appearances and has been playing well again this year. He's a steady player with experience and should be good at getting them points, even if they are halves.


• Jim Furyk is coming off a win in the Tour Championship. This doesn't really mean anything other than we know his game hasn't left him. If he can keep from making the one or two bad swings around he has been prone to do, I think he will be solid.


• Bubba Watson and Phil Mickelson may be a good pairing, especially in alternate shot. Two lefties that love being aggressive could lead to blow out wins or licking there wounds in the clubhouse waiting for the rest of the groups to play the back nine.
• I like Matt Kuchar. He seems like a solid, steady player with an iron stomach and I think he will be a star "Ryder Cupper" for years to come.

Doubts:

• I'm not sure about Corey Pavin as a Captain. Nobody knows until everything plays out. He has made some decisions and comments that make we wonder.


• Will having Tiger Woods back on the team actually hurt? I was hoping Pavin would select him for the team and I'll still think it's the right decision no matter what. I can't justify not selecting the world's number one ranked player as a captain's pick.


• Does this kid (Rickie Fowler) look like he could beat anyone on Europe's team?

Besides looking like a backup dancer at a Justin Beiber concert, the only guy it appears he could contend with is this guy:

But it won't happen. Ian Poulter would win no problem.

I always look forward to the Ryder Cup and it's nice that it will be on early in the morning. I have two years to earn enough points to be on the 2012 team back here in the states. Wish me luck!

Rivals

While driving to work this morning, I listened to 790WKRD. The discussion was about the St. X/Trinity game and the hosts had Billy Reed on as a guest. I know Billy Reed has been reporting sports in Kentucky for a long time, but I never paid much attention to him. All I really remember is the "I Beat Billy" t-shirts Dad and Kevin had when I was little.
I came to the conclusion (after listening to him for only a few minutes...maybe it's not fair) that he is an idiot.
He stated he didn't understand the rivalry between St. X and Trinity. His argument was they are so much alike, if the names were removed no one would be able to tell the difference. He went on to say he can understand a West Coast team being a rival with a East Coast team. He also stated rivals should be two different types of teams that "don't like the way the other team does things."
Billy...let me introduce you to the definition of the word rival (I highlighted the definitions that apply to this conversation):
ri·val
n.
1. One who attempts to equal or surpass another, or who pursues the same object as another; a competitor.
2. One that equals or almost equals another in a particular respect.
3. Obsolete A companion or an associate in a particular duty.
v.
1. To attempt to equal or surpass.
2. To be the equal of; match.
v.intr.
To be a competitor or rival; compete.
[Latin rvlis, one using the same stream as another, a rival, from rvus, stream; see rei- in Indo-European roots.]
Synonyms: rival, compete, vie.
rival [ˈraɪvəl]
n
1.
a. a person, organization, team, etc., that competes with another for the same object or in the same field
b. (as modifier) rival suitors a rival company
2. a person or thing that is considered the equal of another.
vb -vals, -valling, -valled US, -vals -valing, -valed (tr)
1. to be the equal or near equal of an empire that rivalled Rome
2. to try to equal or surpass; compete with in rivalry
[from Latin rīvalis, literally: one who shares the same brook, from rīvus a brook]
hc_dict()
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003

Another Catch-Up (Ketchup? Catsup?) Post

Hi...don't I know you from somewhere? I know it's been awhile, but I feel sure we have met before. Brian's my name. You may have seen me out on the "internets" at a place called Buckle B.
That's where you are now. Welcome back!

• I went to my first UK football game of the season Saturday. I went with Julie, Jeff and Dala. We met Jeff's dad and cousins in the lot for a bit a pre-game tailgating. On the menu was tenderloin sandwiches and baked beans. I also ate my weight in cashews, peanuts, kettle corn, chocolate covered pretzels and cookie cake (blue and white of course).
• I will be in Evansville this coming weekend for a wedding. We will leave Friday and be there for the rehearsal dinner. The wedding is Saturday afternoon and we should be headed back Sunday morning. Don't worry, I will record the UK/Florida game...I know that is everyone's primary concern. And if I see that "cute little bald headed boy," I'll let you know.
• I will be going in for an ultrsound on my heart Monday the 27th. I had a physical last week and all the blood work came back great, but the doctor saw a slight anomaly in the EKG. He just wants it checked out...he didn't seem too concerned, so I'm not either. I think it was because the nurse had to hold the electrodes on because of my hairy legs.
• The next day I am getting a tooth bonded. I apparently had a crack and didn't even know it. They also discovered I had the world's smallest tooth growing behind it. It looks like the white tip of a piece of candy corn. How my last dentist and oral surgeon from a few years ago never noticed this makes me wonder.
• Our softball team is 3-0 on the season. I pitched the last game and we won 10-7. The other team was very slow getting on the field and coming to bat, so we only played 5 innings. I had a single up the middle and a sac fly to deep right center to score a run. I scored once and had an RBI.
  

Speaking of Flip Books

This is an outtake from the movie Hot Fuzz.

Funny T-Shirt

Burning the Qu'ran

I'm sure everyone (who reads my blog anyway) has heard on September 11th, a congregation in Florida is going to burn several copies of the Qu'ran. This story has received more attention that it deserves, but here is my take on it.
I feel confident in stating the pastor and his congregation is probably full of backward idiots and my gut feeling is they would burn any book as long as it wasn't their Bible. However, I have no issue with burning the Qu'ran, besides being pointless, and here is why.

1. The fear is the act of burning the Qu'ran will put the U.S. Military in danger and be used as a recruiting tool for Al-Qaeda and other terrorist organizations. Really? I've heard they are having a hard time finding recruits and the military has been getting thank you cards the last nine years.


2. I don't have a problem with burning the Qu'ran for the same reason I don't mind someone burning the Bible or any other book, religious or not. It's simply paper and ink; a symbol of the religion. Burning a book does not destroy the ideas contained within it. It's a symbolic disagreement of a symbolic book. I'm not a fan of symbolism (Who?! Who will not wear the ribbon?!) and letting a book guide your life is dumb...and so is the thought that burning it really matter (unless you need to to stay warm of course).

Here is what will happen: The Qu'rans will burn and we will see protests on the news for a week and then we will never hear about it again.

Now if you'll excuse me, I want to go draw a cartoon flip book of the prophet Muhammed on the bottom corners of my Qu'ran.

Softball Season Begins (For Me Anyway)

We opened our softball season last night with a double header. We played at 8:30 and 9:30 and won both. The first game was a route from the beginning. We went up 15-0 in the first two innings and won 19-3. The second game was close the first two innings while our bats fell asleep and we made some sloppy plays on defense. Then we scored 12 in a two out rally in the 4th inning and won the game 18-9.
I pitched 3 innings each game. The first game I pitched a shutout and the second game I only gave up three runs (I'm sure it was my arm and not the defense behind me). I made a few plays at the mound and only walked one guy who was looking for a walk when he came up because he struck out his first at bat.
I sat a couple of innings to let other guys play as well as played first a few innings.
The first game I went 1-3 at the plate. A single up the middle, a pop fly to shallow left-center and a line drive to first base while trying to score guys from second and third.
The second game was a little better, but not great. A fly out to left and bloop single over second and a solid line drive single to left-center.

Here is my schedule for the remainder of the year:
Thursday, September 16th @ 8:30 on Field #1 (JCC)
Thursday, October 7th (doubleheader) @ 7:30 & 8:30
Thursday, October 14th (doubleheader) @ 6:30 & 7:30
The single elimination tourney starts Thursday, October 21st

Start the Football Season Off Right

With the UK/UofL game coming up Saturday to kick-off the 2010 season, I want to make sure the Wildcats warm-up properly. Here is a little video from Kige Ramsey to make sure our Cats stay healthy and loose throughout the year.

"Oh golly, I'm hot today."

Golfer's swing sparks 12-acre blaze
Associated Press
IRVINE, Calif. -- Forget "Fore!"
"Fire!" was the cry of the day for a golfer whose off-target swing sparked a 12-acre blaze in Southern California.
The golfer at the Shady Canyon Golf Course in Irvine landed a shot in the rough Saturday. On his next swing, his club snagged a rock, causing a spark that lit the rough ablaze and eventually attracted 150 firefighters to the scene.
Fire officials say the fire burned through the rough, into vegetation next to the course and over two dry, brushy hillsides.
No charges were filed against the golfer, whose name was withheld.

Congratulations to the Bakers

Jen and Chip Baker had a healthy baby boy this afternoon. Julie and I are eating a quick dinner then headed to the hospital. The baby's name is Jason Vorheez Baker (sp?) JUST KIDDING!!!!!!!!

The Three Sweetest Letters in the Alphabet...DVR

I have enjoyed this baseball season even though I haven't watched much baseball at all. Having St. Louis and Cincinnati duke it out for first place in the NL Central has been fun to follow. Last night, St. Louis opened up a three game series with Cincinnati in the Queen City. The first game was on ESPN. I was hoping to watch it but knew I would not be able to see much until the end. Then I remembered those three sweet little letters from the Roman alphabet; DVR. The game was half over when I started recording, but at least I was able to watch the last four innings. The last two games will be on Fox Sports South, so I will plan ahead and record. DVR is an abbreviation for "never having to plan your life around a show or game while being able to fast forward through commercials.

Ceiling Fan

And no I don't mean I really like ceilings...

A few months ago I replaced a dryer outlet after the ground wire came undone and melted the entire outlet. I am happy to say the dryer is still working like a charm.
Yesterday I tackled replacing a ceiling fan in the guest bedroom. We bought a nice white one on sale at Lowe's to replace the gold colored wood laminant fan Julie has hated since she moved in (If anyone is in to tacky ceiling fans, we'd be willing to get rid of it for a very cheap price!). The directions for installation noted it would take about 120 minutes from start to finish. I always add an extra hour on to anything, especially if I have never done it before. With several interruptions throughout the afternoon, my best guess is it took about 150 minutes of actual work. As of now the lights and fan are working, so I am 2 for 2 on this type of project.

We hope to have family over for a cookout in the Fall once the weather cools down. We still have some interior painting and landscape work to do, but we are getting there.

New Study from the University of Minnesota

No surprises here, but it is still interesting.
http://atheism.about.com/od/atheistbigotryprejudice/a/AtheitsHated.htm

Speedy Nine Holes at Nevel Meade

(I took a page out of Pop's playbook and "Googled" speed golf. I didn't wear jeans, but the rest of the attire is all me don't you think?)

I played nine holes at Nevel Meade last night after work. They sent me out on the back nine due to the men's playing the front. I hopped in a cart and headed out to the empty back nine. I didn't feel extremely confident, but was glad I had an open course and solitude to play and practice.
I played the front nine a week ago with guys from the Bats and played awful. I ended up shooting a 42 or 43. It's easy to forget those types of rounds. My play from 100 yards and in hurt me the most. I had just come off vacation and I didn't feel my concentration was where it needed to be. I blame the jet lag.
Last night I played the back nine in an hour flat (according to the cart GPS). I shot a tidy 34 with seven pars and a birdie on 16 and 18. I lipped out a birdie on the par 5 14th and lipped an eagle on 18. I like where my game is and how I'm striking the ball. I made some fundamental changes to my setup, grip and right elbow position at the beginning of the season and it has helped tremendously this year. I hope it continues, but nothing in this game is a sure thing.

FORE ya'll!

A Few California Pictures

These are just a few pictures from my camera. We have both of our pictures in an album that we look forward to showing everyone.

California Pictures (The House)

Next Stop California

As I'm sure everyone knows by now, we will be headed to Newport Beach on Saturday for a full week of relaxation. Julie's parents have been kind enough to let us use their house and vehicles while we are out there, thus making it a relatively inexpensive vacation.

The weather looks perfect with highs forecast in the low 70's with plenty of sunshine for the entire week. I am bringing shorts and sweatshirts, so hopefully I'll have enough room in the suitcase. I don't plan on swimming much, but I'm bringing trunks along as well.

Our friend Marilyn will be on the same flight going out Saturday by pure coincidence. She hopes to meet us one night for dinner, although she will be headed to Burbank. She is going with a friend of hers to hopefully spend a little time in the Hollywood area (and apparently see Leonardo DiCaprio at the "Inception" premier).

I have spent the work week creating a to-do list for my staff to keep them busy next week (though I'm sure other stuff will pop up to keep them from working on the list). I have also tried to keep up with paperwork because I know I'll have a huge stack when I get back.

I may post via mobile uploads while their, but I will have plenty of pictures and stories when I get back.

A Busy, but Fun, Stretch

It has been busy for Julie and I the past week or so and it looks like it will stay busy for the month of July. A big chunk of the month will be spent in southern California, so I'm not complaining.

• Work has been a madhouse with the day camps and pools being filled beyond capacity. This combined with major management changes has put everyone to the test. It beats working the long hours at the stadium, but it has been stressful.
• I have just about finished staining the deck. I need to buy a pint of stain/sealer at Lowe's today to finish touching up a few spots, but the deck looks a hundred times better. With the sanding, cleaning and painting, it took me a total of about 12-14 hours...not counting the 10 minutes I have left to touch up. I wanted to have the deck finished before our cookout with friends on Saturday. It will be a good test run for when we have family over.
• It seems everyone has a birthday in July. We are going to Outback tonight for our friend Natalie's birthday (which is today), then we will be celebrating Mark, Kevin and Julie's birthdays at Mom and Dad's on Monday. On July 9th, a few of us will be going out for Julie's birthday dinner (Julie's birthday is July 14th). I am sure she'll get a birthday celebration while on vacation, too. Geez, talk about a birthday season!
• Friday night we will be attending Night Racing at Churchill Downs. We are trying to score a few free box tickets. I think we may have a few, but it looks like we will be buying a couple more tonight in advance.
• I will finally get out and play golf again Sunday morning at Seneca with Dad, Uncle Mark and one TBA (Kevin, if you read this, let me know if you can play...I left you a voicemail). I haven't played Seneca for awhile because I'm still bitter about the changes they made to holes #1 & #10. However, the course looks in good shape and I always enjoy playing golf with my Dad and Uncle.
• Blues Traveler is giving a free concert at Fourth Street on Saturday, July 17th at 8pm, but our flight doesn't get in until 11:30. If I wasn't coming home from a marvelous vacation, I would be more upset about missing it.
• The Saturday after we get back from vacation, a group of us will be attending Hullabalou at Churchill Downs. I can't say I'm real excited about going. The headliner is Kenny Chesney and I can't name one song he sings. All I know is that it's "redneck noise" and it's not really my cup of tea. I am, however, looking forward to seeing Gov't Mule and a few other bands.
• The last weekend in July, my best friend Sparks and I are looking for a weekend trip. We thought about golf and a beach, but neither of us will be wanting to spend a lot of money. We may just take a trip to Cincy and catch a couple of Reds games. If so, I will try to get some free tickets. We may end up taking a day trip to Chicago in August to catch a Cubs game. Southwest offers cheap round trips, so we'll see where that goes.

A Disappointing Round of Golf

I played Nevel Meade again last evening. My score of 35-39 =74 would lead you to believe I'd be happy with it, but I'm not.
I played the Par 3's +3 (1 par, 3 bogeys)
I played the Par 5's +2 (1 birdie, 3 bogeys)
I played the Par 4's -3. (3 birdies, 7 pars)
I played the last 6 holes 4 over par.

I was fairly happy with the front nine except for the bogey on the par 3, #5th and on the par 5, #7th. I hate having a 6 on my scorecard, especially when it comes from a mental mistake on one bad shot around the green.

I opened the back nine with a birdie and a couple of pars, then the wheels fell off and I had to hitch a ride on the bogey train. I bogeyed four of the last six holes, including two par 5's. Maybe the heat got to me, but I still feel I have a sub-70 round in me soon.

_____________________________________________________________

Additional Note: I wonder if I've ever played another round of golf without taking a 5 on any hole. That's tough to do...all I have to do is bogey a par 4 or par a par 5

Northern California Golf Association Auction

The Northern California Golf Association (NCGA) is auctioning off the scoring sheets from the U.S. Open. They have several golfers with starting bids ranging from $20-$200. Right now I have a bid on Lucas Glover's (who started at a minimum of $25) and Tiger Woods (who started with a minimum of $200). My max bid on Glover's is $50 and I put $202.50 down on Tiger's. I believe I was the first person to bid on them, so that's neat. I am sure The prices will go way beyond what I'm willing to pay, but I will keep an eye on the lesser know n players to see if I can nab one for under $50. It would be an extremely unique item to add to my collection.
____________________________________________________________________
Late note:
(I've already been out bid on Tiger's, but I still have the only bid on Glover's)

More on the U.S. Open

I have a gut feeling this will be one of the best U.S. Opens in recent memory. Pebble Beach is one of the prettiest courses in the world and great to watch on TV. The U.S. Open is also the most difficult setup of any other tournament. Thick rough, narrow fairways and small greens allow for memorable shots and infamous collapses. Most U.S. Opens are also extremely hot. The course usually gets baked and by Friday the greens treat golf balls like a horse's tail treats flies. This year will be different. The course may still be very firm, but Pebble Beach is unlike most Open venues. The temperatures will be in the upper 50's and most likely the sun will only be seen in the late afternoon once it finally burns through the fog and mist.

The U.S. Open at Pebble Beach is not know for one hit wonders winning their first and only major (the exception is Tom Kite in 1992, but he was not really a surprise to win a major). The other Pebble Beach U.S. Open winners: Jack Nicklaus (1972), Tom Watson (1982) and Tiger Woods (2000).

This brings me back to my earlier post's prediction of this year's champion being a past major winner, or like a Tom Kite, expected to win one. So, I'll take these five golfers and you can take the field:

1. Tiger Woods
2. Phil Mickelson
3. Jim Furyk
4. Padraig Harrington
5. Lee Westwood

World Cup & U.S. Open

Like Kevin, I have tried to give the World Cup a chance. I watched a large portion of the U.S vs. England match as well as Italy vs. Japan. I have caught bits of other games as well, but I don't get it either. The highest scoring game I have seen is 2-0, or 1-1. It seems like there is only 2-3 legitimate shots on goal (is that a hockey term?)per game.


The U.S. Open starts Thursday and I'm excited. I know some of you think golf is equally boring. The difference is that in golf, every stroke counts. Plus, the Open is being played at Pebble Beach this year, one of the prettiest courses in the world. It will be another busy weekend, but I'm sure I'll find time to watch. Plus, my DVR will be set just in case. I don't have any crazy prediction, but I do think the victor will be a former major winner and not a first timer. I'll be pulling for the local guys, but I would love to see a big group around the lead on Sunday as everyone falls apart.

Sheldon Gets Leonard Nimoy DNA

No Snowmen During the Round, But I Saw One After

I started my round at Nevel Meade with a limp by bogeying the first two holes. I steadied things through the majority of the round, then went a little crazy towards the end. Here is how my round played out: bogey, bogey, par, par, par, par, par, par, par, par, par, par, par, birdie, birdie, double bogey, double bogey, eagle.

For those of you keeping score at home, that's a 75. Not bad for my first round in over a month. I noticed I have picked up a little yardage since I've been working out, too...almost a full club, or 10 yards. I'll keep on working at it, but I also need to concentrate on flexibility.
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After the round I went to Moe's to grab dinner. As I was ordering, I noticed a guy and his wife walk in. The guy looked extremely familiar and it only took me about ten seconds to remember his name. It was this guy:









Or in his action figure form:

I know most of you probably have no idea who this is, but I watched Al Snow on WWF about 10 years ago. Plus, how often do you bump into a guy who has his own action figure?

For more on Al Snow: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Snow

or his wife, Cynthia Lynch: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cynthia_Lynch

Round...ummmmm...5 of the year?

I am playing golf at Nevel Meade tonight with a few guys from Slugger Field, Randy, Tony and Neil. This works out really well because not only is it cheap golf, but it is now pretty close to home. We always have fun and there are usually plenty of insults hurled around as we attempt to one up each other in gamesmanship. I haven't played since the scramble on May 8th, but I always seem to play well at Nevel Meade. I'm sure it will be cart path only due to the rain, but maybe that will keep the course open and we can get around faster.

This is a picture of Randy on Nevel Meade's #6 a couple of weeks ago. That is a rat snake they found stretched across the tee box.

Superman vs. Muhammad Ali

I have always enjoyed superhero movies and cartoons, but never really got into the collecting and reading of comic books or superhero collectibles. However, I do enjoy browsing through comics at stores and enjoy looking at all the posters, t-shirts, action figures and various other collectibles. After hearing Mark talk about reading the graphic novel Watchmen (I thoroughly enjoyed the movie), I picked up a cheap copy at Half-Price Books. It has been a fun read so far and I will probably read more graphic novels in the future. I have been looking online trying to find recommendations for various other comics I might enjoy and were to begin. Obviously picking up a Superman issue #1 is a little out of my price range, but I did find a scanned copy online that I have enjoyed reading when I get a little down time. While searching, I came across this issue, Superman vs. Muhammad Ali. I started thinking it would be awesome to a get a copy of this and have it signed by Ali, framed and put on display. Then I figured it would be tough to come by and expensive if I ever did come across it ( I will do some research and see if any copies are available online and how much they are selling for. Plus, getting Ali's autograph would be another obstacle). Then I found out this comic is being reprinted this Fall by Action Comics. Now if I could also get Superman's autograph on it, that would be worth something!


(*The bottom asks you to pick out the celebrities in the crowd. People like Lucille Ball, Cher, Sonny Bono, Jimmy Carter, The Jackson Five, Johnny Carson, Phylis Diller, etc.)

Guatemalan Trip Fundraising Scramble

I played in a scramble Saturday morning at Shawnee with my friends Jeff, Nate and Nate's sister Emily. While I was definitely the A-player, everyone pitched in and we shot -7. I am happy with that score looking at our group. There were nine teams and we tied for first, but lost in a scorecard playoff. I also won closest to the pin on hole #4. I was the first person to hit the green and I didn't think it would hold.
For the second place finish we each got a trophy (I will take a picture later and post it) and a dozen golf balls. For the closest to the pin, I received another dozen golf balls.
It was fun and hopefully whomever is going to Guatemala will have a safe trip.

Iceland Volcano

I am beyond fascinated with the volcanic eruption in Iceland. Apparently the ash plume has now crossed Russia and the northern Pacific and is now entering western North America. This afternoon the plume had dropped from 50,000 feet to 15,000. However, the late news tonight is the eruption is strengthening again. The impact on the economy and air travel is crazy, but I am extremely curious to see the area around the volcano after the eruption subsides.
I would love to get a bottle of the ash to add to my collection. So if any of you know any volcanic ash dealers, give them my number.

Ten Things That I've "Had it Up to Here" With

1. Sarcastic comments regarding global warming. As in "heh heh, 12 inches of snow in March, so much for global warming." I don't care what your views are or what you think is fact or not, the same worn out lines for the past decade are getting tiresome.


2. American Idol. It's not the show (because I've never watched it), it's the constant updates on the radio and newscasts as well as being made to feel I should know every contestant and winner. Hey "Idol," just die already!


3. Breaking News Alerts. I used to stop what I was doing when I saw breaking news flash up on the screen, but now it seems every mindless fluff piece is breaking news. "This just in, breaking across the wires now, 'American Idol 'updates are coming up next."



4. "Creation Science" or "Intelligent Design." It's not a science. There is no other side in the scientific community, just a few disagreements with the mechanism of evolution. Don't give me this balance bull crap. If this was the case, they would also go after other disciplines like physics, chemistry, geology, astronomy and all their related scientific theories.


5. People who name their kids with the same first letter. Nothing personal, I just find it annoying and very unoriginal...and I have close friends (and a girlfriend) that come from families that do this, but I had to let it out.



6. Bed Bath and Beyond coupons in the mail. Ok, we get it. I get 20% off on my next purchase, but do I really need three coupons a week in my mailbox. How many beds, baths and beyonds do you think I have anyway?


7. Dick Vital, Bill Rafftery, Tim McCarver, Chris Berman, Bill O'Reilly, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, Mark Levin, Laura Ingraham (and many many more I'm sure). Blah!


8. No water in restaurants: Most restaurants used to bring you water when you sat down, but now you have to ask for it in most places. Jeez, you'd think with global warming we'd have plenty of water to go around Mr. Al Gore! (See #1)


9. Discovery, TLC and The History Channel. These used to be my three favorite channels. But now unless I want to watch stuff explode, follow a family of dwarfs or watch cryptozoologists track el Chupacabra in the Central American rainforest's it all pretty much sucks.


10. Cigarette Butts. Whether they are flicked out of car windows and bounce off my car, piled up on the median at the stop light or laying on the green at the golf course, I've had it. I have had to resist the urge on several occasions to get out of my car at a stop light when I see someone drop a butt and flick it back into their car. I rank this right up there with dump trucks that have the sign posted on the back "Not responsible for falling gravel."

Straws and Nuts

I eat fast food (especially McDonald's) more often than I should and try to keep my trips infrequent. However, I have noticed a few odd wasteful habits McDonald's has when it comes to the drive through. About once a month I will stop and get a sundae from the drive through. Every time they ask me if I would like nuts with the sundae. I always say "no thank you." However, they always give them to me. I usually tell them to keep them, however, if I happen to get something else, they put them in the bag and I end up throwing them away. Why ask if you are going to give them to me anyway? And why is it when I order sauce for my nuggets, they always forget that?
Another waste is the straw I get in my bag even when I don't order a drink. Sometimes they give me two. If all I order is a cheeseburger, why do I need a straw? Is it so I can use it to by-pass a clogged blood vessel?
While on the subject of fast food, I am a big fan of Chic-Fil-A. The food is good and the service is better than any fast food place out there (even better than White Castle). However, it's almost too good and the service too polite. It seems almost "cultish." But as long as they're not asking me to hitch a ride in the spaceship behind the comet, I'm finewith it.

The Dumb One

Looking at my older brothers and their endless creativity through art, writing and general wittiness, I have come to the realization (and I am sure I am the last one to come to this conclusion) that I am the dumb one.

"Is that your oldest son?"
"Yes, that's Mark. He is an amazing artist, not to mention extremely bright and uncommonly funny. We are so very proud of him! Here is some of his work"
"And this one? Who is he?"
"That's Kevin. He is a very witty and creative writer. Not only that,
but is very well educated and informed. It's hard to pull one over on him."
"And who might this be? Your youngest?"
"Yeah, that's Brian. He likes to hit a ball with a crooked stick and chase
after it. Then find it and hit it again. He's special."

Indianapolis/Butler University

Julie and I attended her old college roommate's wedding Saturday in Indianapolis. It was a nice weekend and I had a chance to meet some of her old college friends. Everyone was friendly and full of frivolity (Maybe that's because everyone took advantage of the cocktail hour and open bar during the reception. Hopefully, everyone took advantage of the shuttle service back to the hotel as well). The dance floor was packed up until midnight at the Ritz Charles. The food was excellent and the stories were plentiful.

Sunday morning we had breakfast in the hotel (compliments of the wedding) and then drove down to Butler's campus so Julie could show me around. It is not a huge campus, but it is spread out enough not to feel claustrophobic. Most of the buildings are made of stone, however some look like they are made of huge slabs of concrete, with high windowless walls. They reminded me of the castle in "Shrek." I saw Julie's old house just off campus (you can see Hinkle Fieldhouse towering overhead), then saw her dorm building and finally her sorority house (the picture of her with the rock is out in front of that house).The houses surrounding the campus are old mansions, the type you would see around an Ivy League School. The fraternity and sorority houses on campus are by far the nicest I've seen, but like ant campus, you can always tell the sorority houses from the fraternity houses simply by the number of beer cans, over turned chairs, sofas and over flowing garbage cans in front of the fraternity houses.

Our last stop was the campus store where we did a little shopping. I bought a navy blue Butler hooded sweatshirt and a t-shirt with the basketball team's 2010 resume on the back.

It was a beautiful day to walk around campus and can definitely see why she loved it so much.

One the way back to Louisville, we stopped in Edinburgh at the outlet malls. I didn't get much, but I think I will probably go back in the not so distant future the next time I need to buy a few items.

(The stone house above is the Kappa fraternity house, not Julie's sorority).