Saturday, March 31, 2018

Gheorghasbord: April Madness Edition

Be forewarned, my good Gheorghies. My April is a shitshow of work- and kid-related travel that'll find me scattered across our great nation, from Myrtle Beach (16 hours of driving for eight minutes of cheerleading routines by my daughter) to Minneapolis to Springfield, MA (where I'll be presenting an award to the Springfield Police Department) to Scottsdale, AZ (where I'll be making a presentation to a group of state Attorneys General - Marls and zman, I'll need some lawyer jokes).

As such, I cannot commit to doing my part to maintain our blistering (or, as I prefer to think about it, inevitable age-related settling) pace of one post every two days until we get somewhere near Mother's Day. Just setting expectations.

Even today, after a trip across our fair Commonwealth visiting colleges, all I can muster for you is a few random observations and ephemeral thoughts.

I hope you saw the Walter Mitty story that played out in Chicago two nights ago. The lede from this AP story gives you the Cliff's Notes version: "Scott Foster thought it was going to be just another night. Then the 36-year-old accountant from Oak Park signed a contract, put on his goaltender gear and waited in Chicago's locker room. Then he got into the game."

The Blackhawks lost both of their goalies to injury during their game against the Winnipeg Jets. It's customary for NHL teams to have an emergency third goalie available, but it's exceedingly rare for that break-glass-when-needed dude to see the ice. So rare, in fact, that it had only happened once before, and then only for seconds.

Foster played 14 minutes, and made seven saves while shutting out the Jets. Life is cool, on occasion



Stereotypes exist for a reason. They can be useful shorthand, when they don't lead us to take the easy way out in assessing people. In the case of the two schools we visited with my daughter this week, the typecasting was on point. Our tour guide at William & Mary was a poly-lingual International Relations major who'd spent her Spring Break doing sociology research in the Dominican Republic and participated in Ultimate Frisbee and the Cheese Club. At VCU, the student guide had purple hair and a wicked caffeine habit.

My daughter liked VCU better.

I mentioned in the comments of a thread a few days ago that I'd enjoyed a beer called whitemiata from Richmond's The Veil Brewing Company. What I didn't really get into was the fact that our state capital has developed a killer beer scene. Sure, Stone Brewing gets a ton of pub for locating its East Coast plant on the James River, but breweries like Ardent, Hardywood, Lickinghole Creek, The Veil, Center of the Universe, Three Notch'd, Legend, and a bunch of others are putting out killer product. Vinepair named RVA the #1 Beer Destination in the World for 2018.

My daughter might be on to something.

I had an opportunity to reference the movie PCU earlier this week on Twitter. I relish such opportunities. Someday, when I have the time and inclination (so, likely after I've retired), I'll write a lengthy Gheorghepost on the genius of that film. It's stupid, and generally predictable, but buried in and amongst the filmmakers' obvious hope to be the Animal House for the 90s lies some wisdom. For example, we learned in PCU not to wear the t-shirt of the band we're going to see. That protest for protest's sake is both pointless and poseurish. And, most importantly, that parties serve a valuable social purpose.

73 comments:

Marls said...

So that makes your daughter a Prefrosh?

zman said...

Everyone got lei'd.

rob said...

speaking of things that suck butts, i just completed my taxes. thanks, trump.

rob said...

tried out a new barber shop in my town this afternoon. super nice staff, over-stuffed comfy chairs, free drinks, and frank zappa, faith no more, and whitesnake on the soundtrack. keeper.

Danimal said...

hot foam neck shave with the straight razor I'm assuming? otherwise, fuck them and go somewhere else.

zman said...

Strong feelings about the neck shave.

TR said...

Bleary-eyed, angry and sweaty, Team TR rolled into our Scottsdale hotel. My kids are awful when underslept, and their parents are not much better.

A bit of front-desk haggling, as well s the surrendering of more Starwood points, got us into a nicer portion of the hotel. We walked to our exclusive pool and literally stumbled into David Spase. We told our kids that’s the guy from Benchwarmers (a top 10 movie for them) and they are freaking out. No class

rob said...

of course, danimal. of course.

zman said...

Space or Speace?

Mark said...

I haven’t been to a barber shop in 20 years. A buddy of mine just opened a place that serves drinks and does beards so I may make a trip to support him but I can handle my beard in my own at this point. And I’m really bald so there’s no need to pay someone to use a razor on my head.

Danimal said...

Mark, ask your wife for an Art of Shaving gift cert for your bday or Xmas. And then go have them do the full shave. It’s a once every year or two thing. Get an appt on a sat or sun when you may have a hangover. Or not. Either way, it’s about a 45 min session. Strong to quite strong.

Is T.R. At the Phoenician by chance?

TR said...

TR is indeed there, Danimal. We ordered Domino’s for the kids, who are super-pumped and have never had it b/c we live in NJ and have good options. They think that is as cool as seeing David Spade.

zman said...

Does the full shave include the undercarriage?

As much as I love Stranglehold I think I'm never listening to Ted Nugent's music again.

Mark said...

Fuck Ted Nugent.

I’ll do that Danimal. I love G:TB for many reasons but the recs consistently deliver.

As for more current topics, I’m torn on the s once semifinal. I love the Villanova program but Devonte Graham is probably my favorite player this year in CBB. Hoping for a classic. I guess.

rob said...

totally agreed, mark. i'd usually automatically root against kansas, but graham is so great.

TR said...

Zman and I, in our typical outsider fashion, now hate Villanova b/c every kid in our high school goes there. Or at least I do. I’m projecting on him, but bet he agrees, b/c the alimni in town think it’s an Ivy.

And I’ve been on the record w/ my love for KU this year. Graham was so much fun to watch. And Azubuike is a beast when he gets unleashed. Unfortunately, I don’t see Nova letting that happen.

rob said...

it's also hard to root against jay wright. he's a terrific coach and a class dude. dreamy, too, according to shlara.

TR said...

Yeah, he’s a piece of ass.

But it’s worth noting this has been a tremendous job of coaching by Bill Self this year. The team lost its big one-and-done prospect (Billy Preston) early in the season, and he committed to a 4 guard, 6 player rotation.

zman said...

Yeah all the gushing over Nova/BC/ND in our predominantly Irish Catholic town pushes all
my contrarian/superiority complex/outsider buttons.

zman said...

I had a real estate agent in my living room two days ago talking about Notre Dame like it's Oxford until she asked where zwoman went to school. That shut things down.

rob said...

zman is a soc and a greaser at the same time? mind. blown.

rob said...

she didn't ask where you went to school?

rob said...

on a completely different tip, you gotta see zlatan's first goal as a member of the l.a. galaxy. mark knows. then you gotta read zlatan's post-match quotes. glorious arrogance.

zman said...

She asked zwoman first. Zlatan is a glorious z name. And glorious is zson's favorite new word.

rob said...

here's a sample quote from the zlatan:

"It’s not easy, because I can imagine LAFC now, winning 3-0 and losing 4-3. It’s not easy. But if they had Zlatan it would be the opposite."

he went rickey.

zman said...

As if Dave never said something like that.

rob said...

zlatan is dave with better hair and worse tattoos

Mark said...

I love everything about Zlatan. My father beat the arrogance out of me (to a degree) but I can still appreciate what I could’ve been if I had become an elite athlete.

rob said...

if? you're the most elite gtb athlete, mark? that's not nothing.

rob said...

got a little crazy with the question marks.

Mark said...

That’s not to say that I don’t hold a high opinion of myself athletically. Because I do. I’m old as hell but I’m not done just yet.

Mark said...

Thank you, Rob. Don’t front on Z or Danimal though. Those guys still get after it.

rob said...

danimal is the most elite gtb endurance athlete. z might be the best tennis-playing gheorghie, though i've never actually seen him play. he talks a good game. whitney is the best pass-receiving tight end in our midst. tr is probably the best wrestler, or at least the most iron sheik-like. dave is both strong and fast, but he's not as good at basketball as he wants you to believe he is. the teej tries to pretend he's not athletic, but he's got a high hoops iq (and no motor). marls is sneaky athletic. mr kq is the most accomplished rugger. mrs kq could probably outrun all of us. and i, obviously, am the most competent at the most sports. mile wide, inch deep.

this would seem to call for some sort of summit-based competition.

rob said...

earlier in the week, zlatan took out a full page ad in the los angeles times that read, in its entirety:

dear los angeles.

you're welcome.

zlatan

rob said...

baller

zman said...

What's the basis for Marls's asserted sneaky athleticism? For the record I'm the worst athlete here. I'm good at drinking games, Madden 93, and smack talk. I haven't played tennis in about 9 months so Dave's kids could probably destroy me right now.

rob said...

marls has completed at least one triathlon. that seems sneaky.

Danimal said...

I know nothing about the Zlatan but I did see his goal. Was nice.

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Danimal said...

Thanks Baseball Tee!

zman said...

I forgot about Marls's foray into the world of tri.

Mark said...

Happy Easter, Baseball Tee!

TR said...

Zman - don’t forget your foray into the world of bi.

zman said...

I was ok at the skiing part but the shooting was my downfall.

zman said...

En route to Amelia island. I got our bags to 45 pounds each then zwoman packed another 13 pounds of stuff into one of them. We debated whether the kids need down jackets. Guess which side I was on.

T.J. said...

Hold up. William and Mary has a cheese club?

That's no gouda.

Whitney said...

I’m not into clever puns about cheeses, TeeJay, I just like to Edam.

rob said...

groan. that's hard to grin and camembert.

T.J. said...

Get the fuck burrata here

rob said...

this rhombus won't end until whitney's the last one left, sitting here provolone, making cheesy jokes.

zman said...

Anyone else's boss email them at 2:30 pm on Easter Sunday and give them an assignment due Monday by 10:30? While they're on vacation? Ricatta be kidding me.

Danimal said...

Lame. Just havarti ‘nother beer.

TR said...

Bo Hassler has boobs and no charisma. He would be a good W&M coed.

Danimal said...

Smoked a ham on the BGE today.
Now watching golf out on lanai which received a deep spring cleaning yesterday. Beautiful day here in North Fla, sunny, 70’s, light briez.
Watching tv outside helps me feel less lazy, almost productive even.

Danimal said...

Yeah....he’s gonna be a Tim Herron look alike in 8-9years, but without the cancer sticks and booze a career with a little more longevity. Johnny Miller says “hogs back” more than anyone on our planet.

Danimal said...

Poulter!

mr kq said...

Poults would be dangerous next week.

Adam Eaton is en Feugo! Was hard not to use my 'ol Mark Eaton nickname there.

Danimal said...

Fairly certain Poults has to win to go to the Masters.

Danimal said...

Otherwise he’ll be at home playin wit his wankah.

TR said...

Hostler unlikely to repeat the magic from the bunker, IMO.

TR said...

Autocorrect killing me w/ his name. Poulter hit a lame approach shot.

mr kq said...

Correct Danimal. But he's in now!

Danimal said...

Beau knows asphyxiation.

TR said...

+1, Danimal

Mark said...

If you’re interested in seeing me dressed as the Easter Bunny from my minor league baseball days, my wife is posting them on various social media platforms.

T.J. said...

I’m about to tweet one of them

Mark said...

Looking at that picture reminded me of how much weight I put on during my minor league days. Ballpark food, post game beers 4-5 nights a week and 60 hour work weeks is a bad recipe for one’s health.

rob said...

the ladies' title game is getting interesting. notre dame was down 15 early in the third, but have it within two in the last 40 seconds of the quarter.

T.J. said...

this title game is lit af

Danimal said...

GTFOH!

rob said...

THAT ENDING WAS NUTS!!!

Danimal said...

This Muff, too tough!

Danimal said...

Women’s golf now....I figure one more crazy finish is in store for us am I right?