Hell Has Frozen Over

As I listened to the weather reports about the impending gloom and doom heading our way, I expected nothing but a flirtation with this snow coming our way. So, yesterday afternoon, as I headed to my favorite bakery for its "Snow Day Special" (soup, rolls and pie!! yummy) and the flakes were coming down, I was pleased, but wasn't expecting a snow day. That's not how my district rolls. Suck it in, figure it out, get those kids on the bus - coats and wind chill or not. And if the superintendent does call it, he usually does so at about 5AM - worthless in my opinion.

However, there has been a miracle here in the South. I am home this fine day because of snow AND Alabama is the National Champion!! Roll Tide- we mess with Texas.

Even though hell has frozen over, it's going to be a good day.

Walking In a Winter Wonderland

My word, people. I live in the deep South for a good many reasons, but this past week this was a deep freeze. It was colder than a brass monkey's... well, you get the idea. It was winter coat weather, people.

PrepGirl had to cheer Friday night - second round of the playoffs. The outcome of the game determined our Thanksgiving plans. A win meant we had to stay home because the boys would be playing the Friday after Thanksgiving. A loss meant we were free to travel, if you consider free to leave after cheering a basketball game Tuesday night and then we HAD to be home for the Holly Ball Sunday night.

Well, the boys won. Not just any kind of win, mind you, but a travel 80 miles north to an undefeated team and beat the crap out of them in 20 degree weather win. PrepGirl had on so many layers, she could have gone on the Ididerot. Now, mind you, they weren't just any layers, they were uniform layers - the only thing we had to buy were longjohns. The school has winter uniforms to wear over the regular uniforms. She had uniform mittens and headbands to keep her ears warm. She had a regulation turtleneck. She had to wear her regular uniform, but I don't even know why. She said that the only part of herself that was really cold was her ankles because the longjohns didn't go far enough and her socks didn't go high enough. Bummer. Because people, it was cold.

Next Friday, they have to go almost all the way to Florida. I'm not sure why the other team isn't coming here. I'm not sure they are going to have to worry about being cold.

One of the girls on the squad has sisters who are making their debut the Friday after Thanksgiving. The Coach told the girls that they wouldn't letter if they didn't complete the season. I believe I have an e-mail that says she owns them until the season is over. I haven't made any plans, believe you me. But when you plan a debutante ball, you certainly don't think that there is going to be a football ame you have to worry about.

So, for the first time in I can't tell you how many years, I am staying home for Thanksgiving and cooking dinner here. My children don't know what to make of it. And frankly, I am a little off kilter, too.

Are You Ready For Some FOOTBALL???

I would live blog the game, but I am always afraid to do anything when the Redskins and Cowboys are involved. I am a big jinx. I shall quietly watch. No boat rocking.

Now, on the homefront, we don't know what to do about Thanksgiving because Prep is still cheering football. The boys in blue won their first playoff game on Friday night; if they win this Friday night, they will have to play the day after Thanksgiving. That puts a huge cramp in my travel plans, especially since LB has to be in court ALL DAY the Tuesday before, Prep has to cheer a basketball game and BrownBear has swim team practice, too. WTH? Who schedules all this crap the Tuesday before Thanksgiving break? Once the bell rings, the day is over, right? It could be worse, however. I have a friend whose daughter is playing Varsity basketball and she has a game scheduled for Christmas Eve. Christmas Eve, people. Nobody cares about basketball on Christmas Eve.

(8:35 Touchdown - Redskins!!!)

Rock and roll, people. Only five more school days until I'm cut loose from this crew. Hallelujah.

Forty Two

Because really, when it comes right down to it, could one have a Super Bowl ring and not the other?

Snow Day, Part 2

This is what cancelled churches across the metropolitan area. Churches, people. Now, maybe it was the black ice, but, by golly, they cancelled church. IHOP and Waffle House? Open. Target? Open. I understand that Methodists and Baptists need an occasional snow day; but, people, some of the Catholic churches called it. The Catholics!!! I didn't think Catholics called it for anything. I remember as a child Mass in Latin, nuns in full habit and fish on Friday; never in the rule book did it state 'we'll close for snow days in the south.' I mean, didn't they have mass in Green Bay?

Whatever. I'll take a snow day in any form. I mean, really. I just got ready for the day. And I think that I'll be going to bed shortly. Well, maybe after that Green Bay game. After all, I really want to see what cold looks like.

Nike, Michael Vick and Arthur Blank

I can't believe I am wasting "ink" on this subject, but I feel like, since I live in this town, I need to weigh in.

I am pretty much a due process kind of girl - spent the last week with the Constitution, remember? - and everyone is entitled to the innocent until proven guilty idea. However, Michael Vick and his posse are just a bunch of thugs and Nike pulling their endorsement contracts with him is not the same as denying him due process. After his outrageous behavior in the Miami airport a while back, AirTran pulled their endorsement contracts, and no one gave it a second thought.

I have read a very thoughtful sports article in our local paper which concludes that Arthur Blank has a duty to dump Vick.

Personally, I would have dumpped the jerk years ago. He is a chump; he flips off the fans and he really isn't a team leader or a role model. I don't go to the games - how could I when I grew up with Sonny Jurgenson and Joe Theissmann? - and I would never take my own daughters to watch him.

Perhaps Arthur Blank needs to know that.

The writer goes on to wonder what would happen if it had been a regular teacher who had been handed a two inch thick federal indictment - federal, boys and girls- we'd be looking under rocks trying to figure out where that person went. She wouldn't be in a classroom come opening day, I guarantee. He goes on to wonder what would Arthur Blank be doing if it was one of his Home Depot hammer salesmen who got caught in this mess. I doubt he'd still be peddling Mr. Blank's hammers.


Here is another delicious tidbit. Michael Vick claims he just owned the property in Virginia. He says he was never there and he didn't know what was going on. Well, wake up, Mike; I have friends who live in Surry County, Virginia, who run into you and see you all over town all the time. Perhaps this genius had better get another defense, because if this is the best he can do, he really does need to spend some in a federal penitentiary.


So, it comes down to money. And, really, I am tired of money being the bottom line. There isn't any honor anymore. So, Nike, you and Arthur Blank really need to listen up.

It is time for me to do some back to school shopping and both girls need new shoes - they won't be Nikes if Mike is still under contract, 'kay? Just as long as we are all clear. I love my Nike running shoes and I love Niketown, but I am going to be severing my own contract with you if you can't show enough moral courage to take an endorsement contract away from a thug like Mike. I understand the bottom line is money, but do you honestly think that I buy Nikes because of Michael Vick?

And, Arthur, the fun of football died for me in this town years ago. Michael Vick is just another thug who believes he is above all rules and law. Someone should have reined him in years ago. Perhaps just a good spanking would have been enough, but he and his brother, Marcus, have always been treated like prima donnas.

Aren't there any football players out there who deserve an endorsement contract? Someone who isn't raping women, killing other people, fighting dogs? Good, hardworking people like Brian Piccolo and Gayle Sayers and Doug Williams? My word, what would George Halas do? What would Vince Lombardi do? What would Tom Landry do? What would George Allen do?

They would have never allowed him to play in the first place and, if he had started, they would have never allowed his behavior to disrupt the team and the fans the way Michael Vick's has. Do you know how many people could care LESS about the Atlanta Falcons? Do you think that holds true in Dallas, Washington, or Chicago?

So, Arthur, you and Nike just do it. Do what is best for the common good. Think of it as a lesson in civics. Ask your attorneys.