And NFL football, too. In honor of yesterday's real opening day, some kickass rock and roll from post-punk legend Bob Mould, who ripped through a 20-song set at the 9:30 Club Saturday night that has my ears still ringing. Mould played all of Sugar's 1992 record, Copper Blue, before taking a break to talk to the crowd. Then the band proceeded to play off of Mould's new record, Silver Age, which features 'The Descent', a return to Mould's power pop roots:
The band closed with Husker Du's 'Could You Be the One', an apt ode to my new football rooting experiment.
Capped off the evening with a chili half smoke from Ben's Chili Bowl, so my intestines were well prepared to make things uncomfortable for my neighbors at our Saints/Skins viewing party.
Happy Football.
The confluence of RG3's arrival and rob's departure from Redskins nation marked the high water mark of the last 21 years. Thanks rob!
ReplyDeletehow did the first day of saints fandom treat you, tiny? did you invest enough in your new team to even feel shitty when they lost to the skins?
ReplyDeletehappy 4th birthday, Large Hadron Collider
ReplyDeleteinteresting question, teej. i would describe my feelings during the game as mild annoyance. had no problem not caring about the skins, but working on developing a real affinity for the saints. i think it'll take time.
ReplyDeletebut skins fans have a lot to be excited about - that offensive gameplan was terrific, and rg3's poise is evident. like an old girlfriend with whom i had an amicable breakup, i wish you well. but don't call me a 2:00 am looking for some nookie. especially you, geoff.
Skins fans need to temper this enthusiasm, but given the last two decades of QB impotence, I guess it's understandable the reaction to yesterday's performance. There is film on RGIII now, and not every defense will have corpses like Roman Harper covering Washington wide outs, but all told, impressive. I am curious if Geoff, Mayhugh, Whit would still be happy with 8-8, or if yesterday's stellar debut has them dreaming of 10-6 or better and a playoff run.
ReplyDeleteMind you, I root for a team that starts Mark Sanchez, and after yesterday, I'm thinking SB or Bust.
It's not good for the Nats.
ReplyDeleteVery true, Jerome.
ReplyDeletethe who?
ReplyDeleterob, when do you replace the Red Sox with, say, the A's?
ReplyDeletethat ain't happening, as much as i cringe at this shitshow of a season. in fact, clarence and i recently discussed the possibility of resurrecting misery loves company. stay tuned.
ReplyDeleteThis seems like a good time to get on Craig for picking f'ing Queensland over New South Wales in State of Origin even though we were in New South Wales for 6 weeks and Queensland for 3 days. Total bullshit. And Queensland wins every year. What a dick. Fucking bullshit.
ReplyDeleteI would be thrilled with 8-8. But, I'm guessing if you surveyed the DC Skins fans, avg prediction right now would be 11-5 or better.
ReplyDeleteI think next week will be a back to earth week for RG3. Skins have a bad history against the Rams and I think they lose next week.
I was out at open houses when the game was on (and probably didn't get home until halfway through the 4th quarter) and somehow managed to avoid hearing/seeing a score update all day. That's hard these days - turned the smart phones off, had the tv set to a non-sports channel when I turned it on to get to the DVR, and yelled at my fiance's brother at the same time he was opening the front door while I was still watching so he would not say anything about the results.
ReplyDeleteWatching the game, I really couldn't quite get over my excitement that they were winning a game AND consistently moving the ball/scoring. They looked competent, prepared, and well coached (until maybe the last 5 minutes of the game, anyway). But I'd say my excitement was confined to a micro level - I was excited they were winning/looking good in ONE specific game and I wasn't applying what I was seeing to a bigger picture. Nor do I care to now/yet. Like the players, I plan to take these one game at a time.
I also don't think RGIII will start more than 10 games this season. Contrary to the radio waves (who seem to think one impressive offensive performance negates all question marks), I still think the offensive line is shoddy in pass protection. Combine that with the scheme (assuming it stays basically static) and his scrambling style, I just don't see how he could possibly get through a season without even some minor dings that put him out a week or two at a time.
see, those are the tempered replies of smart, rational Skins fans...the rest of the Redskin Universe is way more off their rockers because of one game
ReplyDeleteI've decided that most people are neither smart nor rational, which explains the stupid irrationality found across every fanbase of every team of every kind.
ReplyDeleteI'm watching hours of tapes of focus groups with Ohio voters all day today. Universal suffrage is overrated.
ReplyDeleteYou didn't build that focus group Geoff.
ReplyDeleteNope. How would they have gotten there without roads, bridges, entitlements, etc.
ReplyDeleteSo far no less than two people thought the Todd Akin rape comment was actually made by Mitt Romney.
Mitt Romney is a Baptist?
ReplyDeleteI'm picturing Mayhugh at open houses.
ReplyDeleteThis den would make a great play room for our cat.
ReplyDeleteWe have three cats, Jerry. I'll show you pictures some time. It's no mustaches and mopeds...
ReplyDeleteAnyone with more than one cat is eccentric.
ReplyDeleteDid Mayhugh name the three cats after:
ReplyDelete- the Fun Bunch
- the Three Stooges
- the Musketeers
- Columbus' ships
i did not name the cats but if I had the option to rename them, I would name them Maverick, Goose and Sundown.
ReplyDeleteAndy Murray already won more sets today than all of his previous grand slam finals. Some astute guy said he could win this thing a few matches ago.
ReplyDeleteKiss of death.
ReplyDeletewas just about to ask if you had jinxed anyone recently.
ReplyDeletei became the co-owner of 2 cats when i allowed my then steady and current wife to brings hers along. i guess that woul make me hard up.
i have two cats, both with red sox-related names
ReplyDeleteWe have two cats. Mine is named after Nina Simone. My wife got hers because mine is so cool and named it after culinary garnish.
ReplyDeleteDjokavic with a touch shot for the first time ever!
ReplyDeleteAnd a net game?
ReplyDeleteOne of ours is Sheffield....a stray found in Chicago on Sheffield near Wrigley. the other is Samson. Not sure why.
ReplyDeleteMurray might be coming re-glued.
ReplyDelete"fuck you and your slice!" says Murray.
ReplyDeletePapa djOkavic is going to bum rush the umpire.
ReplyDeleteMurray is stupid shookat the net. Clueless.
ReplyDeletezman is the Bud Collins of G:TB
ReplyDeleteFifth set.
ReplyDeleteI wish heineken's beer was as good as its ads.
ReplyDeleteTeedge is the Mary carrillo.
ReplyDeleteshe's useful as an analyst, no? I, on the other hand, have yet to even turn to this match
ReplyDeleteTeedge is the OJ Simpson.
ReplyDeleteMurray's backhand is his better side but he's swinging it very tentatively. Either he's hurt or he's uptight.
ReplyDeleteJuice, much better
ReplyDeleteWow. Maybe that's the plan? Hit zero pace and make djokavic hit out?
ReplyDeletethe Rocky 3 move? he's trying to tire Clubber Djokovic out?
ReplyDeleteI NOW WHAT I'M DOING
Do they have replacement refs in tennis too? Lots of late calls.
ReplyDeleteWho is worse at his job: Murray's barber or his orthodontist?
ReplyDeletetrick question, as Brits do not have orthodontists
ReplyDeleteYou need to turn on CBS.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen anyone come to net this much in years. Or this many slice backhand. Weirdly old school, maybe due to wind.
ReplyDeleteJames bond is in the house.
ReplyDeleteI am watching this tennis now...
ReplyDeleteWow. Murray up two breaks. I wish they would cut away to a pub in Scotland.
ReplyDeleteSean Connery got your attention.
ReplyDeleteNovak looks like he has Nolegs left
ReplyDeleteBananas.
ReplyDeleteMurray is going to choke this one away, isn't he?
ReplyDeleteJust got on an 18-seater from Denver to North Platte Nebraska. Wings reincarnated. Pilots donning shoes for crews, knock off Ray Bans and black dockers. Pleated.
ReplyDeleteWill QE2 run out and knight him in Flushing or does Murray have to go back to merry olde for the ceremony?
ReplyDeleteTuuurrible linesmen.
ReplyDeleteIt's been like that all match.
ReplyDeleteGod save the queen.
ReplyDeletecongrats, British dude. now back to Ravens/Bengals
ReplyDeleteShe ain't no human being.
ReplyDeletethis game sucks...can those two guys play a few more sets?
ReplyDeleteMissed all the Murray match playing pickup basketball. Glad he won though. I will now go another 34 years before I root for a British guy.
ReplyDeleteWe have one cat. And two pit bulls. I don't really claim the cat. I just tolerate it. The pit bulls are really cool though.
Lost in all this is the rhombus of rob's cats, Everett and Offerman.
ReplyDeleteValentin and valentine? Renteria and Ramiro?
ReplyDeleteWho's gonna do the hard research here and figure out what the fuck is going on with Gruden's receding hairline?
ReplyDeleteBerman time!
ReplyDeleteBerman is re-balding.
ReplyDeletethis is why we need an intern, important research projects such as the Gruden hairline
ReplyDeleteHave we incorporated Gheorghemerica yet?
ReplyDeletenope. one of the lawyer fellas needs to do that for us.
ReplyDeleteI think gruden relies on a carefully curated selection of hair cut, placement, and spackle.
ReplyDeleteWho Is worse at his job: Murray's orthodontist or Norv's dermatologist?
ReplyDeleteNorv's dermatologist is melty-face guy from Raiders
ReplyDeleteWhere would we incorporate? Delaware? Romania?
ReplyDeletegreat book rec - Lawless - Matt Bondurant
ReplyDeleteOf all the name changes on the Gheorghe roster, none puzzles me more than TJ becoming G:TB. Is he speaking for all of us? Is he the Everygheorghe? I don't like it.
ReplyDeletei had to create another google account for all my sb nation stuff...settle down, beavis. no one is stealing your voice
ReplyDeleteWhile we're on the topic of book recommendations, you should really spend some time with Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. She wrote Seabiscuit. Unbelievable WWII POW story.
ReplyDeleteCan we get Norv a looser shirt?
ReplyDeleteYeah, I think he's migrated into an XL.
ReplyDeleteThe Raiders are a sham. McFadden is their whole team.
Very somber here at 250 Greenwich and its environs.
ReplyDeleteThe 9/11 vibe is very subdued in NY (outside of downtown). This is a good thing for me. The local papers aren't as focused on it.
ReplyDeleteTwo coincidences - 9/11/01 was a Tuesday, like today. And it was a brilliantly blue sky, like today.
Somber is as it should be. We may take life less seriously here, but on a date forever marred by horrifically murderous acts against not just this country but this circle of friends, it can get pretty serious and pretty sad.
ReplyDeleteIt's also a day for conversations with my kids. The unfortunate ones about when bad things happen to good people, but also the ones about my goofy old friend Lud, who laid waste to metaphorical expression while always being the one to give you the shirt off a duck's back, and my goofy old friend Scoop, who kept alive my waning interest in the Dead when I was in college. Such a long, long time to be gone and a short time to be there.
i've spent the morning working on a proposal for the fbi, a group with whom i spent a ton of time post 9/11. a tad surreal here. the similarity in the color of the sky is not a little noteworthy.
ReplyDelete