She's a lady...whoa, whoa, whoa...she's a lady...

Well she's all you'd ever want, she's the kind they'd like to flaunt and take to dinner...
Well she always knows her place, she's got style, she's got grace, she's a winner...

That's right folks, Greg's favorite crooning Welshman has "collected a knighthood" from Queen Elizabeth II for his services to music (and the leisure suit industry) meaning he will now be known as Sir Tom Jones, joining music legends Elton John, Mick Jagger and Paul McCartney in picking up the completely unnecessary but ego-inflating title of "Sir".

The Knight speaks: "It was lovely to see the Queen again. I love seeing the Queen and I have always been a royalist. She is lovely and she still is lovely. She has got a great smile and her whole face lights up when she smiles." If I didn't know any better I'd think Sir Tom was smitten with the old bird.

What's next Pussycat? Same old same old...the 65-year-old Jones will continue to sweat profusely through late 70's fabrics and belt out hits while women of all ages throw their panties at him.
*****
Kudos to the author(s) of this page, be it Slater, GB or the gang at Wizznutz. It easily beat back the competition to win the GTB Link of the Week. Best...Wikipedia page...Ever. "Dagger!"
*****
Are we supposed to be impressed by South Carolina Coach Dave Odom and his back-t0-back NIT titles (3 in 6 years...he won the title at Wake in 2000) or do we pummel him for having underachieving teams that somehow gel after they get left out of the Big Dance year after year?
*****
Sad news coming out of Baltimore today. Media whore and all-around class act Anna Benson apparently wants a divorce from her mediocre pitcher/husband Kris. Benson, leader of her local MENSA chapter, claims the seven year marriage is "irretrievably broken." Anyone wanna place bets on what Oriole she beds first?
*****
With the Final Four fast approaching, and his subsequent return to The Springfield Retirement Castle, we must move quickly to bash Billy Packer. Today we present Reason #7,285 to hate that SOB:

"I have no reason to apologize any more than the committee should say, 'We're really sorry, we really screwed up on our No. 1 picks. None of them made it to the Final Four,''' Packer said. "My opinion is based on whatever knowledge I have acquired over the years. I have a right to my opinion, and if it doesn't agree with people, that just has to be what it is.''

What a dick.
*****
If anyone is looking for me the next few days, I'll be in Reno chasing down tranny prostitutes with Deputy Garcia and riding shotgun with Lieutenant Dangle. Should be tons 'o fun.

Congratulations, Gheorghe Mason

Gheorghe: The Blog would like to salute a group of Gheorghes in green and gold who have capitvated a nation of hoops fans with their exciting, high-profile display of pure Gheorgheness. In weathering Jim Nantz's sound and Billy Packer's fury, surviving GMU & Jim Larranaga's integrity-soaked suspension of Tony Skinn in the opening round, and marching through basketball powerhouses like they were light beers on a July afternoon, Gheorghe Mason has enabled countless serious sports enthusiasts to revel in glee like five-year-olds at recess. Coach Larranaga seems to be leading his squad by drawing from this site's mission statement on a daily basis. How the experts here missed the obvious correlation between "George Mason" and its Romanian counterpart, "Gheorghe Muresan," is beyond me. But it doesn't really matter. This is the fun stuff.

During Dick Vitale's spazzy frolic amid spot-on superlative and silly hyperbole (and why not -- he foolishly continues to pick favorites in every round, so he surely must be the most stunned), he proclaimed that Lamar Butler -- and his four starting teammates -- will be a household name now. Not sure if that's true, but it sparked a trivia question in me.

Are there any other Final Four players in NCAA history (or even any college hoopsters) besides Lamar Butler whose first and last names are schools that made it to the Sweet 16 at least once?

Jayson Stark es muy divertido

When it comes to baseball, I like Jayson Stark. He's a good interview. He knows his stuff. He writes pretty good columns for ESPN, especially given his .com peers on that same site (are they still letting Joe Morgan use his Crayons and scribble pad?). However, Jayson might've wanted to take this one back...

In an espn.com column about Cuba's loss to Japan in the World Baseball Championship game Monday, Stark wrote that Cuban manager Higinio Velez "spent the first inning managing like his raft was on fire, and it didn't work out too caliente.'' Hmmm, that might be a problem - where were his editors on this one? Stark has since apologized, and in defense of Jayson, Velez did use three pitchers in the first inning, but that's more Tony LaRussa than "Cuban refugee on a raft".

You don't know when to keep your mouth shut, do you, Saxxy Boy?

Maybe it's just me, but the state of Florida always seems to have stupid shit happening...

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- The state Corrections Department put a former minor league baseball player on the payroll in a no-show job so that he could help prison guards win a softball tournament, investigators say.

The ringer, Mark Guerra, 34, agreed to repay $1,400 and complete 50 hours of community service, state Attorney General Charlie Crist said Wednesday.

Guerra was charged with accepting paychecks for work never done at a prison library. Investigators said he accepted the money to play on the winning team in a tournament held last May by Corrections Secretary Jim Crosby.

Crosby was fired by Gov. Jeb Bush last month.

"It is disturbing that a state agency would place so much importance on a team sport that it would stoop to committing crimes," Crist said.

Apparently, Corrections Secretary Jim Crosby "hired" Guerra to "work" in the prison library after Brooks Hatlen was paroled. Guess it didn't really work out for either guy.

I did a little digging on Mr. Guerra. He was drafted by the Mets in the 40th Round in 1994, making him the 1,100th pick overall (1 spot ahead of David Robinson...no not that David Robinson). He played in the minor league for 10 years and NEVER HAD A HIT. The guy was a pitcher, 59-67 W-L record with a career ERA of 3.69. If you were going to bring in a softball ringer, don't you think a hitter might've been a better option? This seems to be piss poor recruitment by Commissioner Crosby if you ask me.

Well, Mr. Burns had done it,

The power plant had won it,

With Roger Clemens clucking all the while.

Mike Scoscia's tragic illness made us smile,

While Wade Boggs lay unconscious on the barroom tile.

We're talking softball,

From Maine to San Diego.

We're talking softball,

Mattingly and Canseco.

Ken Griffey's grotesquely swollen jaw,

Steve Sax and his run-in with the law,

We're talking Ho-mer,Ozzie, and the Straw!

What is your favorite colour?

Blue!

Alfonso Ribeiro Is Cooler

A few thoughts on the Soriano story, a matter worthy of a separate post.

1. In a perfect world, Bowden could fall back on the "he's a professional being paid $10M, he should act like it," but just ask Steve Spurrier how that stance worked out for him. Everyone saw this trade pretty much working out exactly like it has so far.

2. That Brad Wilkerson went in the deal is doubly damning. A clubhouse guy, team player, and versatile fielder goes away and a selfish, me-first, guy who can't field at any position comes in. This team ran completely on heart and the fans' exuberance last year -- without Frank Robinson, the inaugural year vibe, and a lot of no-name overachievers playing as a TEAM, this club wins fewer than 70 games. Well, at least they still have Frank. For now.

3. Tim Kurkjian was hilarious talking about this. He basically called out both Bowden and Soriano. A few that stuck with me: "we knew it was a stuuupid trade"; "a terrrrible second baseman, by the way"; "incredulous at the chilidsh behavior". He went on to other topics, calling the Reds' rotation "indescriiiibably bad" and the current Red Sox' outfield defense as "interesting".

4. It will please me greatly if Soriano refuses to play again today and goes on the DQ list (where he won't get that overpriced salary), but that would require his ignorance to supersede his selfishness. They're neck-and-neck, but greed usually prevails.

5. What do you think Soriano is most afraid of in his contract year: playing left-field where his lack of fielding skills will be on display; playing in RFK, where his inflated stats from The ballpark will shrink, perhaps substantially; hitting in a lineup that has little to no protection for a free-swinging, low OBP guy that was extremely well-fortified in Texas; playing on a team that needs a leader with character when his recent actions have indicated a complete void of the stuff? He doesn't just want out of LF, he wants out of DC. But though stride after stride has been made since the days of Curt Flood and Marvin Miller, there is still a minor stipulation that indicates that a player must play for the team that owns his contract. Tough times for players, indeed.

6. Jose Vidro should say, "You know what, Nats? I'll be the bigger man and step aside and let Soriano play 2B. Just trade me to the Mets for Jorge Julio and I will defuse this situation that way."

7. Somewhere, Billy Packer sighs in relief at not being the Dick of the Week any more.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

"You've done grand, laddie! Now ya know what ya have ta do! Burn the house down! Burn 'em all!"

Don't cha wish your bracketologists were hot like us?

It's the big day kids, and in case you need any last minute bracket advice, I managed to pull the GTB contributors away from their everyday grind long enough to provide you the loyal reader with some "expert" picks (and since I'm lazy and running out of time today, these are the actual emails I was sent)...

Whitney:
4: Duke, UConn, Kansas, BC

• I'd love to pick Carolina just to get rob fired up on a rant, but their path is too tough. If they can get by George Mason, UConn will get them.
• I actually think UConn over Duke will happen, but it's much more fun to say Kansas over BC, 75-69
• WVU to the round of 16, maybe 8
• Aztecs over Hoosiers - Mike Davis's lame duck status provided a few wins after they relaxed a little. Now it will turn to a poisonous malaise in that locker room
• Best part about the 2006 tourney - working from home (Editor's Note: What an ass)

rob:
My sheet of integrity via ESPN.com has the following: Texas, Pittsburgh, Connecticut, Boston College, with Texas beating UConn, 86-81, in the final.

• I'll have you note that I generally go a bit unorthodox in that bracket, because with so many entries, the only real chance to win is to make a reach and hope it pays off. In other words, I really don't think Pittsburgh is a great bet to get to Indy, even though they are certainly capable, and that's a weak-ass bracket.
• From the upset perspective, I think Marquette will bounce both UCLA and Gonzaga, and I think Georgetown gets to the Elite 8. And if you sense a Big East bias, well, you're not as dumb as you look.

Dennis:
Duke Gonzaga UConn Villanova

• Duke over Villanova in Championship
• Can't miss upset(s): 1st round - Utah State over Washington
• Later Round - West Virginia over Texas and Witchita State over Tennessee in Round 2

TJ:
I'll have my picks up by noon I promise, but in the meantime, you should check out the tourney preview work done over at Deadspin...I especially like the guy who contributed these University of Albany nuggets...

Final Four: Texas, UCLA, UConn, Villanova

• Texas over UCLA
• Villanova over UConn
• Villanova is your National Champ, 71-69 over the Longhorns
• Look out for San Diego State, Utah State and UW-Milwaukee (I've got all 3 in the Sweet 16 in fact)

Billy Packer...

Giant Douche

or

Turd Sandwich?

Donuts...Is there anything they can't do?

God bless the Gateway Grizzlies of the Frontier League. Apparently, each year the Grizzlies introduce a new novelty concession item prior to the start of the season, and really, they've outdone themselves this time. Their 2006 creation:

The Donut Burger

That's right kids, it's a hamburger topped with cheddar cheese and two slices of bacon...all between "buns" of Krispy Kreme donuts. Like manna from heaven. How quickly can I get to Sauget, IL?

A little break from the norm

And in a way, a little blast from the past. The next time you see a parent going nuts at a youth baseball or basketball game, riding the officials, riding other 10 year olds (no, not in the Gary Glitter way), just think, it could be worse. Much worse. That parent could've been this donkey:

BORDEAUX, France - A man accused of drugging his children's tennis opponents, leading to one player's accidental death, described being gripped by panic and anguish as his desire to see his son and daughter succeed spun out of control.

This guy makes Richard Williams look good. At what point in time does drugging your kids tennis opponents sound like a good idea? Who's giving this guy advice, Jim Jones? And not to harp too much on this, but the guy's fucking French, what the hell does he care about winning?

The best line in the article has to be the wife's response to all this. She said she had no idea her husband had gone off the deep end, but if she did, "...it would have been suitcases or the psychiatrist."

I'm pretty sure those exact two options have been bouncing around Larry Brown's head for 4 months now.

Kirby Puckett, Rest in Peace

Kirby Puckett died today. Here's to a guy who simply made the people around him happier, leading by example with what we like to call gheorghe de vivre.

Kirby Puckett, a Gheorghe Hall of Famer.

Ba na na na... Hey! Ba na na...

VUNG TAU, Vietnam, March 3 -- A court convicted former British rocker Gary Glitter of obscene acts with two Vietnamese girls and sentenced him to three years in prison. A melee erupted Friday when Glitter shouted, "I'm innocent."

Ba na na na... Hey! Ba na na...

Reporters and onlookers, allowed into the courthouse in southern Ba Ria-Vung province to hear the verdict after the closed, two-day trial, pressed toward Glitter as police fended them off and escorted him out of the building.

Ba na na na... Hey! Ba na na...

"I haven't done anything. I'm innocent. It's a conspiracy," Glitter shouted.

Chakachaka chakachaka chaka...
(fans scream here: "Go local sports franchise" for their team)

Repeat forever (that is what the lyrics actually say..."Repeat forever"...and you thought they were playing Yanni in hell)

Greatest Night Ever?

I submit YES (I know Rob will agree)...Never before have sports entertainment and C-rate pro hoops mixed in such a spectacular fashion (this is going to be even better than that night Swint and I saw the GLOW girls pummel the Mystics). What the hell is this over-caffeinated fool talking about? Check it out...

On March 5, 2006, the Maryland Nighthawks will be hosting a game against the Harlem Strong Dogs at their home arena at Montgomery College in Rockville, MD. John Rambo and other wrestlers from the NWL/HOUSE of PAIN will serve as "ceremonial security guards" at the March 5th game, and the Nighthawks will distribute NWL/HOUSE of PAIN information.

Hmm, not very interesting, unless you're a huge NWL fan (Jerry?). Hold on, here's the super scintillating sensational part...

BREAKING NEWS: The Nighthawks have announced today that former Washington Wizards 7”7 Center Gheorghe Muresan will be suiting up for the Nighthawks for this Sunday’s March 5 6PM home game.
That's right folks, "FINALLY......THE GHEORGHE.....HAS RETURNED.....TO ROCKVILLE!!!"

[All credit is due to lammie informant "fish" whose true identity will remain a secret because he's alot older than me and I'm not sure I've ever even met him]

To Dream...the Impossible Dream: Part Deux

Rob did an excellent job yesterday detailing the sad sad state of our alma mater and their (lowly) place in the CAA Conference Tournament, and with Championship Week set to kick off tonight (more on that below), I thought it wise to take a peek at three teams I'm pulling for in the "win or go home" one bid conferences. As great as it is to watch the Big East or ACC Conference tourneys, it's these one bid leagues that put the Madness in March Madness. Not to get too Dickie V on you, but these kids have played their hearts out all season with one goal - Make The Dance. It could have been a terrible year up to this point, but it doesn't matter. It all comes down to one week in March where, all cliches aside, anything can happen (see Lamar in 2000, coached by former Siena great Mike Deane, starting the Southland Conference tourney at 11-15 and running the table to get in). The excitement and emotion of an America East or Big South or MAAC Tournament Final is palpable, and you can't help but get sucked into these games. God damn it I'm fired up...let's get on with this show...

Big South
Birmingham Southern Panthers 19-8, 12-4
RPI 140 (taken from Ken Pomeroy's superb college hoops website)
Yes, the Horizon and Ohio Valley also begin tournamant play tonight, but I'll be following the Big South and 2nd place finisher Birmingham Southern, not just because they happen to be the FFMD's alma mater, but because this team's rise to the top of the Big South is simply amazing. Birmingham Southern only became a Division 1 team last year (and in Year 1 won 20 ballgames, which is impressive, but were of course not eligible for the tourney in their first year in D1). In Year 2 they're already primed to topple perennial Big South champ Winthrop and storm into the NCAAs. The Big South (like the Horizon and Ohio Valley and a few others) plays the early round conference games on campus, creating a truly frenzied environment and rewarding the upper-echelon teams in the conference for season long excellence. A fantastic approach to rev up the madness if you ask me. Look for Winthrop and Birmingham Southern to meet in the Big South Final Sunday...and look for the Panthers (um, can I get an explanation on that nickname?) to avenge two earlier loses to Winthrop and continue their surprising D1 start by making the Dance, behind the solid play of 6'9" big man Thomas Viglianco...

America East
Albany Great Danes
18-10, 13-3
RPI 135
Speaking of schools making the jump to D1, Albany (formerly SUNY Albany and home to the worst college campus you'll ever see) just earned it's first-ever #1 seed in the America East Tournament, formerly OWNED by those lovable hippies of Vermont. No more Coppenrath, no more Catamounts dominance. The Great Danes (the merchandise sells surprisingly well, trust me) are 0-4 in the tournament since their jump to Division 1 four years ago, but they were the top team in the conference (they led the league in scoring at 68 ppg), and earned a first round bye. The will face the winner of Stony Brook/UMBC in a quarterfinal game Friday. What amazes me about this team is that after being a D3 powerhouse for many years under legendary coach Doc Sauers, Albany played the '99-'00 and '00-'01 seasons as an independent before jumping to the America East in '01-'02 and asbolutely sucked along the way. Local rival Siena (more on them in a moment), not to be confused with Duke or Kentucky, would pound them into submission yearly. Now Albany is a legit program with a very real chance of making the NCAA tournament in just their fourth year in D1 (though they did lose to Siena again this year). It's confusing to even type that. Kudos to Coach Will Brown and the Wilson brothers (no relation), Jamar and Brent. Check these two guys out, and just have a chuckle (have a chuckle too at the parents of Levi Levine for ruining his childhood). It's too bad former 5-7 JuCo transfer Earv "I'll be right back" Opong from Brooklyn is gone...he would've really liked this run...

MAAC
Siena Saints
15-12, 10-8
RPI 118
Absolutely, no doubt, my favorite local team to root for. Ever since their 1989 upset of 3 seed Stanford, Siena gets a little pub nationally come tournament time (that was the first time in school history they had made the Dance). You might remember that Stanford team for having amphibious star Todd Lichti...but you also might remember that Siena team as the measles team and the team with no nickname (some idiots thought the nickname Indians was offensive...I'll tell you what, there are a ton of fine Native Americans hanging out at the Latham Circle Mall daily, and they had no beef). Siena of course lost their 2nd round game to Minnesota and the masked madman Wille Burton, but that's neither here nor there. The problem this year for Siena is that Iona and Manhattan are the cream of the crop in the MAAC, and it will take a little luck and some inspired play to pull off this tournament upset. What the Saints do have going for them...The MAAC tournament will once again be played in the cozy confines of Knickerbocker (I refuse to call it Pepsi) Arena, where, believe it or not, Siena can pack in a rambunctious crowd for these games. The fun starts in Sm-Albany Friday night...

The Madness is about to begin...and if there's one thing we do know, 16 days from now just about anything can happen:

To Dream...the Impossible Dream

Tens of travel agents across the Eastern Seaboard sit on pins and needles this week, hoping against hope that the William and Mary Tribe reverses 300+ years of postseason basketball futility and runs the table at the 2006 Aeropostale Colonial Athletic Association Men's Basketball Tournament. Alumni like me and the assembled idiots that haunt this blog have pledged to travel to any godforsaken NCAA Tournament first-round venue should our beloved (bemusing?) Green and Gold hark upon the gale of the postseason promised land. Boise, Spokane, Gary, wherever - we're there...but only if a story more improbable than the Miracle on Ice is spun this weekend.

The 11th seeded Tribe take on 6th seed VCU in the CAA Tourney opener - the same VCU Rams that bludgeoned our heroes, 77-59, just yesterday and swept the season series. W&M finished another season in sadly typical fashion, carving out an 8-19 record, 3-15 in the surprisingly tough CAA. Only a sweep of doormat James Madison saved the season from utter ignominy - 2005-06 was merely moderately ignominious.

Friday offers the basketball-viewing public the salmon of Capistrano-like recurrence of the W&M playoff debacle. W&M is 6-23 all-time in CAA tournament play, but 4 of those wins came between 1983-88 (the Tribe's never won more than 1 game in the conference tourney). Since '88, the Green and Gold has authored a sparkling 2-17 tournament resume, which includes a win last year. Don't expect much to change on Friday in Richmond, despite the hopes of Tribe Nation - all 6 of us.

You'd be forgiven if you overlooked the CAA this year, but the nation's toughest mid-major conference has 4 teams currently in the top 49 in the much-hyped RPI rankings. George Mason (RPI #15), UNC-Wilmington (22), Hofstra (28), and Old Dominion (49) are all legitimately capable of reaching the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament. Numerous pundits have disclaimed at length about Mason's likelihood of receiving an NCAA at-large bid should they fail to win the CAA Tournament, but I'm here to tell you that the Hofstra Pride have already punched their ticket too, going 4-1 against teams in the RPI Top 50 and in the midst of the NCAA's 2nd longest home winning streak (20 games, behind only Gonzaga's 36). As stunning as this is to type, if someone other than Hofstra or Mason wins the tournament this weekend, I think the CAA will get 3 teams in the Big Dance - something that's never happened. And it'll be legitimate.

Now back to your regularly scheduled Food Network broadcast.

A GTB First

On this drab and dreary Wednesday, GTB is happy to present not only the first post from a non-GTB contributor (great timing because I've got nothing today), but the first food-focused post ever (I think, I'm in no way going to check through the "archives"). Without further ado, GTB presents...

Sonny's BBQ Review (take a wild guess what part of the country "Sonny" is from) ...
If you ever find yourself traveling through the mid-south, and have a hankering for some good pork let my taste buds be your guide...

Rendezvous
Memphis, TN
Featured often on cable television travel and food shows, the Rendezvous is one of Memphis’ and America’s most famous rib joints. What is the Rendezvous’ secret? Really there is no secret. They prepare their ribs in the true Memphis style: dry as a bone. The ribs are covered in a dry rub placed lovingly in a charcoal smoker. The atmosphere of Rendezvous is fantastic. As long as you’re not with a very large group, you’ll be seated quickly. The service is impeccable. You’ll likely be served by an old black man, probably a lot like the one your grandfather used to go fishing with on Saturdays. Rumor has it that most of these gentlemen have been working there for decades and make more money than you do, but I digress. Rendezvous is famous for its ribs not its waiters. The ribs can range anywhere from delicious to tough. Sometimes the ribs are kept at the bottom of the smoker for a little too long and get tougher than boot leather. The beans are of the cold variety, and the cole slaw isn’t quite up to snuff. If you’re in Memphis, you have to stop by the ‘Vous if for no other reason than to say you’ve had BBQ in a Memphis alley, but you’ll find a much better plate elsewhere in town.

Pig Pit Barbecue
Arkadelphia, AR
This is one of several places that you will have never heard of as of my writing this, but if you ever stop there you’ll be glad that you did. The Pig Pit is a no frills, no faults joint. Before you venture there I suggest you take up smoking, and not just a cigarette or two a day, I’m talking about two pack-a-day; cancer cranking; teeth yellowing smoking… you’ll need to be able to handle lots of this kind of smoking when you walk through the door of the Pig Pit. Once you’ve passed through the smoky force field and find your way to the tables (the ones that advertise local businesses on the table tops) you’ll be prepared for some of the finest BBQ sandwiches in southwest Arkansas. The waitress is that pseudo-hot, slutty girl you went to college with. You know the one, she was always banging the skater guy that lived down the hall from you in the dorm. Yeah, her… they kept you awake all night at least once a week. Now she’s taking your drink order, and maybe just maybe she has that look in her eye when she asks you if you want hot or mild sauce on your que. Once again you’re reminded why sluts are hot… because they are sluts. Anyway, the chopped pork sandwich is good here: very large and very juicy. The beans are decent, and the cole slaw is a nice compliment to this better than average sandwich. The sweet tea is to die for, and served in an environment smacking Styrofoam cup. You’ll get out for less than $10 no matter what you order. Hey, and when you stop by tell the waitress that Sonny, that lived down the hall from “Chaz”, says hello.

Sims Barbecue
Little Rock, AR
How much do you like barbecue? Do you like it in the way that you might order ribs at the Chili’s in suburbia, or do you like barbecue so much that you will swim the river, crawl naked through a briar patch before going down a razor blade lined water slide into water that has so much Morton’s salt pored in, it makes McDonald’s french fries look bland? If you like barbecue this much Sims in Little Rock is for you. It’s located right off Main Street in southern Little Rock, now this probably isn’t a big deal to you unless you remember that old HBO special “Gang Bangin’ in Little Rock,” which was basically filmed in the Sims parking lot. All the 40’s that they poured out for their homies in “Bangin’,” were bought with their chopped pork sandwich from Sims. Why? Because 40’s are all they have to drink there besides rancid tap water. At Sims they use a vinegar based sauce which is an interesting choice for a joint in the mid south where if you use sauce at all it’s typically molasses based. The meat is chopped rather than pulled, but it is very moist and delicious. Sims is a can’t miss for a those looking to experiment with different tastes in southern barbecue. But for heaven’s sake don’t go after dark.

Neely’s Interstate Barbecue
Memphis, TN
This is the place where professionals go to eat, and when I say professionals I don’t mean guys who wear suits, work in tall buildings, and spend hours upon hours in airports. (However, you can eat with Jim Neely if you’re ever in the Memphis Airport) When I say professionals I mean the guys who have smokers on trailers who travel around all spring and summer to different towns to barbecue in competition. Furthermore Neely’s offers the widest menu of any of the aforementioned restaurants. They barbecue spaghetti, hot dogs, sausage, pork butts, ribs, hell they could probably barbecue old man Neely’s leather boots and they would taste great. Neely’s is truly the BBQ palace of the Mid South. If you ever make it to Memphis, make sure you stop by.

Whole Hog Café
Little Rock, AR
Ah, the Whole Hog, quite possibly Arkansas’ finest BBQ establishment. It’s owned and operated by a group known as the “League of Southern Gentlemen.” How do I know this? Because in 2002 The League won best ribs at the World Championship BBQ cookoff at Memphis in May, The Super Bowl and Daytona 500 of the BBQ world. Come for the ribs, stay for the sauce. The Hog offers 6 different types of sauce featuring 4 different styles of BBQ conveniently placed at each table. You can sample the Carolina Mustard Sauce, the Brown Vinegar Sauce, or the more standard area Molasses Sauce. Furthermore, some of Arkansas’s elite frequent the hog for lunch. From Rockefellers to Rockettes most everyone in Arkansas agrees that Whole Hog serves some of Little Rock’s finest.

Can we at least go back to "Senators" then?

In what should come as a surprise to no one, MLB and the Washington Nationals have run into yet another problem with their DC franchise. Is it the lack of an owner? Nah, they'll hammer that out by 2010. Is it the ongoing stadium drama, starring Councilman for Life Marion "Crack" Barry (seen at the right "campaigning")? Nope, they'll just play on the Mall if they have to. The newest dilemma for the Nats?

They can't be the Nationals anymore. OK, correction, they can be the Nationals, but they just can't sell any merchandise with that name on it. As those Guinness guys say, "Brilliant". Once again MLB has pressed the big red button.

A Cincinnati company named Bygone Sports was granted a trademark last week on the name Washington Nationals. Hmmm, will that be a problem MLB? Bygone applied for the trademark in 2002, and it's not like MLB wasn't aware of this. MLB's executive VP John McHale Jr.'s response to this news:

"We believe we own the name and the rights."

OK, that's good. And why does he believe that? Because Bygone and MLB apparently had an oral agreement in place. Let me just get this straight - You are (finally) bringing a franchise back to DC, a process that could be termed arduous at best, and you couldn't manage to draft an actual document to secure the proposed name of the franchise? I mean, how mind-numbingly stupid are these people?

[Thanks to BenMaller.com for the heads up.]

"Hello! l'm Curt Gowdy...

along with Jim Palmer, Tim McCarver, Dick Vitale, Mel Allen, Dick Enberg and Dr. Joyce Brothers..."
Curt Gowdy (July 31, 1919 - February 20, 2006)
GTB would like to take a moment to honor a broadcasting legend, Mr. Curt Gowdy, who died today at the age of 86 from leukemia. In addition to anchoring the greatest announcing booth in movie history, Gowdy is famous for being the "voice of the Red Sox" and the "broadcaster of everything". Gowdy worked for all three of the major networks in his career, and his resume includes 13 World Series, 16 baseball All-Star Games, 9 Super Bowls, 14 Rose Bowls, 8 Olympics and 24 Final Fours. He won every broadcasting award there is to win, and the Basketball Hall of Fame even created the Curt Gowdy Award in his honor, given annually to outstanding basketball writers and broadcasters. Here's hoping The Cowboy is calling a game right now...

Happy Presidents' Day

"You crossed the line. People trusted you and they died. You gotta' go down."