'twas Good

The weekend, I am proud to report, was a success. While 12 hours in a car in a 48 hour span is rather daunting and Boring (with a capital B), we had a great time.

She even got to experience (aka was subjected to) my personal slices of heaven:

1) Turoni's pizza. I only wish we had time to get back for more. Sigh.
2) Kempf's Donut Bank. She got to visit and experience the smell inside the "bank" and eat pieces of doughy, iced goodness (peanuts optional). She gets a kick out of the name "Donut Bank". Withdrawals only from this local delight.
3) Lic's ice cream balls. -I- did not even get the chance to eat these, but on lady-day, the ladies stopped by this locally owned joint.
4) One of my newest slices of heaven: White River Inn. Thank you to the salty-mouthed (and sweet as pie) co-owner, Peggy. Your steak is brilliant. You come armed with beer at all times. And you love my dad and step-mom. I could not ask for more.

Good ole Evansville. Always a fantastic place to visit (and eat). Never a place I want to live again. I love thee from afar.

"My place"

So this may be largely a "guy thing" but I think not. In college the boys and I would travel to each other's home towns for various occasions. When we got there we would take the most direct route to their pizza place. You know, the place in your hometown (or maybe college town) that has THE BEST PIZZA in your world. When you make it back in town, you have to stop there.

Thinking about right now, that place is making you drool. And crave.

I know my place. It's called Turoni's. And I love Turoni's not just for the fantastic pizza, but the memories. When I was little my dad and step-mom would take me there every other week when I visited my dad. We would go on those Fridays for dinner or after Evansville basketball games. Those were the days.

I will see you this weekend Turoni's, and I can't wait for you to meet Her.

So where's your pizza place? I want to know so I can try it someday (maybe). If you don't have a pizza place, you should, but let me know "your place", regardless.

Champions Post #3

A special shout out to my great (better than good, duh) luck charm. Seriously, we start dating and *poof* the Tigers get to the World Series and *poof* the Colts WIN the Superbowl. We are just great luck charms for each other, and that's all there is to say about it. Period.

She did the majority of the cleaning of the house so I could soak in every second of the pre-game shows.

She whipped together some tasty treats for me and our guests.

She EVEN tracked down balloons and signs and blue and white foam fingers supporting the Colts, in this the Buckeye state!

Thanks for a GREAT day honey!

They WON!

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

(48 O's, as promised)

Champions Post #2

Wow. That picture is sweet. And Peyton? I would have forgiven you if you looked right in to the camera, adressed the naysayers and haters, and flipped them off while cackling like an evil genius. Totally understandable.

Here is my mea culpa: I was wrong about you during the Ravens game. You CAN win the big one(s). After that game against the Patriots I had no doubts. Well done my man, well done. Oh, and share some love with the line and Mr. Rhodes. He probably deserved the MVP trophy more than you.

Champions Post #1 (of 100??)

Here were the 5 keys to the game I memorialized in an e-mail to my Indiana homey's. The keys to the game and how I grade what the Colts did:

5) Get to Grossman. If you can sack him or knock him around a little, you are in his head.
-Not so well done early, but in the second half the hits were there and the slippery ball totally screwed with him.
Grade: C (Right outcome, wrong means. I meant sacks.)

4) Tie or win the turnover battle. And no pick 6s.
-Done and done. The rain was terrible and made both teams play worse than they probably would have normally.
Grade: A+ (Chicago = 3 fumbles and 2 picks, Colts 2 fumbles and 1 pick)

3) Stick with the run to keep them off balance. Otherwise the Colts willlook like they did 2 years ago against the Pats with a throw-happy offense.
-PERFECTLY executed men. Good planning
Grade: A+ (113 yards rushing by Rhodes, 77 by Addai [and 66 yards out of the backfield])

2) Contain Hester and minimize big returns. The defense CANNOT hold up and get lucky with those short field situations as they did the last two games. Either boot it through the endzone for a touchback or squib kick. Hester hates ground balls.
-I was almost worried after that opening kickoff. Certainly had a sick feeling in my stomach. Then I remembered OSU/Florida. I'm just sayin...
Grade: B/B+ (WHOSE IDEA WAS IT TO KICK TO HIM ON THE FIRST KICKOFF?!?! HE'S FIRED. Thereafter? A+. Good squibs.)

1) Defense, defense, defense. We have to contain the run as we did NOT do for 16 games but HAVE done for the last 2. If we can keep the run game contained or minimized, see 5) above.
-Done and doner. Only 111 yards total. Compared to the 173 average all season? That is stellar. And I said CONTAIN them, not dominate them. Make Sexy Rexy (a Hoosier... sorry bra) throw and screw up. Well done.
Grade: A+ (Colts know what they were going to do and played it well)

CHAMPS!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

More to come later.

A Colts Prayer (only slightly blasphemous)

Our Papa,
Who art a Colts fan,
Hallowed be thy fame,
Thy CHAMPIONSHIP come,
Thy play be run,
At home as it is in Miami,
Give us this day our Sunday win,
And forgive us our turnovers,
Though we pounce on those who turnover against us,
And lead us not into fourth and long,
But deliver us from da Bears.

Amen and Amen

Divine Divinity

John Madden was in Chicago to announce a football game one weekend when he noticed a special telephone near the Bears' bench. He asked QB Grossman what it was used for and was told it was a hotline to God. John asked if he could use it. Grossman replied, "Sure, but it will cost you $200." John scratched his head, then thought, what the heck, I could use some help picking games.He pulled out his wallet and paid $200. John's picks were perfect that week.

The next week, John was in New England when he noticed that same kind of phone on the Patriots bench. He asked what the telephone was for and Tom Brady told him, "It's a hotline to God. If you want to use it, it will cost you $500." Recalling last week, John pulled out his wallet and made the call.John's picks were perfect again that week.

Last weekend, John was in Indianapolis for the Colts-Patriots AFC Championship game, when he noticed the same kind of telephone by the Colts bench. He asked Peyton Manning , "Is that the hotline to God?" Peyton said, "Yes, and if you want to use it, it will cost you 50 cents." John looked incredulously at Manning and said, "Wait a second, I just paid $200 in Chicago and $500 in New England to use the same phone to God! Why do the Colts only charge 50 cents?" Peyton looked at John and replied, "Because in Indianapolis , it's a local call."

GO COLTS!!

Recycled fun

Everyone has seen this little gem. It originated in Europe at a soccer game, but every team likes to try and claim it as their own. Regardless, it still makes me laugh.

New Flavor, and another Fan fave

Had to change the look of the Blog. At least for the next few days. Then I'll either be back in black, or back in black to mourn.

Time will tell.

And enjoy the newest visual representation of heart's desire.

A Visual Representation of My Sunday Wishes

The picture pretty much explains itself.