Pitt Season Begins Tonight

The college football season officially begins tonight when the University of Pittsburgh travels to Salt Lake City to face the University of Utah. The entire University of Pittsburgh really isn't traveling to Utah (how would you move the Cathedral of Learning?), but the football team, marching band and other students, staff and alumni will go west. Anyway, I've been on record stating that I despise the Division I college football system (get a 16-team playoff!); however, the atmosphere of college football games are unmatched, and I enjoy watching the games especially the Pitt Panthers.

Therefore, in honor of the season-opener, I give you Darrelle Revis' incredible punt return in the 2006 Backyard Brawl between Pitt and West Virginia.

TMI Wednesday: An Ultrasound Story

Although TMI Thursdays are a thing of the past, I figure that this story about my health may qualify as too much information.

A few weeks ago, I had some discomfort on my right side. I thought that I may have had an appendicitis, but I figured that I would have been in significantly more pain if that was the case. A week later the discomfort continued, so I went to the doctor. While the doctor confirmed that it wasn’t an appendicitis, he directed me to get an ultrasound. Since you (hopefully) care about my well-being, I thought I would share the results (with some commentary).

Sonographic examination of the abdomen was performed. (Yeah it was.)

The gallbladder is normal in size and position. (That’s what she said. Seriously, the ultrasound was conducted by a woman.)

There are multiple polypoid lesions along the gallbladder wall with the largest lesion measuring 4 mm in size. (Wait, what? That's not funny!)



Previous report described echogenic foci measuring 1 to 2 mm along the gallbladder wall. (They’re just making up words here.)

There are no gallstones. (Woo hoo!)

Gallbladder wall thickness is normal. (Can I use the "that’s what she said" joke again?)

No pericholecystic abnormality is noted. (Pericholecystic has to have been a spelling bee word.)

The intrahepatic bile ducts and the visualized common bile duct are within normal limits in size. Common bile duct measures 3 mm at portal hepatis. (I don’t like seeing any version of the word hepatic or hepatis in a medical report.)

Liver size, configuration, and echogenicity are normal. No focal liver lesion is identified. (No focal liver lesion but what about bifocals?)

The spleen is unremarkable. (Excuse me! The spleen was just resting during the ultrasound. You should see it roll over or fetch a ball. Now that is a remarkable spleen.)

The pancreas is partially obscured but as imaged appears normal. (I have a shy pancreas.)

There is no ascites. (Apparently, ascites is excess fluid in the space between the tissues lining the abdomen and abdominal organs. You learn something everyday at Sean’s Ramblings!)

The kidneys are within normal limits in size and appear unobstructed. Right kidney measures 10.7 cm, and the left kidney measures 10.5 cm. (Is the fact that I’m right-handed related to the fact that my right kidney is larger than my left kidney?)

Conclusion: Small polypoid lesions along the gallbladder wall measuring up to 4 mm. Consider follow-up.


Long-time readers will likely not remember that I had high cholesterol when I started this blog. I had an ultrasound then that showed that I had a fatty liver and one polyp on my gallbladder. The fact that there are multiple polyps 6 years later was a little bit of a concern, but they are small. Plus, my liver is no longer fatty. I guess that means I should start drinking heavily.

So the deal is that I’m fine, but I need to get another ultrasound in a year. In addition, the discomfort is gone.

Trivia Tuesday

If it's Tuesday, there must be trivia! Your challenge is to name the war that the book and/or movie listed below is based upon (based on?). Please note that none of the wars repeat. Good luck!

1. All Quiet on the Western Front

2. The Green Berets

3. For Whom the Bell Tolls

4. The Last of the Mohicans

5. War and Peace

6. Johnny Tremain

7. A Tale of Two Cities

8. Cold Mountain

9. Captain Corelli's Mandolin

10. Jarhead

As always, please leave your answers in the comments section below and do not search the internet for answers. This quiz is courtesy of the fine folks at Stump Trivia.

In addition, don't forget that entries for the 2010-2011 Ted Marshall Open TV Death Pool are due tonight at 11:59 PM Eastern time. The choices seem much tougher this year as there are no obvious picks like Lost or 'Til Death. Even the new Jim Belushi show, Defenders, looks pretty good, unlike the awful According to Jim. You can use the internet to help you with this one.

Found In My Basement: Chess Trophy

Of all of my hundreds, I mean, several trophies, I am most proud of this one. This is the 1st place trophy from the 16th Annual Library Chess Tournament (1989) held at the Squirrel Hill branch of the Carnegie Library. I went to a new school for third grade where I didn't know many of my classmates. However, I became friends with the other male students pretty quickly (I think the girls had cooties) as we bonded playing football during recess. Once the weather got colder, recess was spent indoors. Looking for something to do, one of my new classmates, David Z., taught us how to play chess. For the entire winter and on rainy days in the spring, we played chess. Fast-forward to two years later (5th grade). David Z. and I were the top two players at the library chess tournament and played a match to determine the winner. In the case, I proved victorious as the student defeated the teacher. This allowed me to advance to the chess tournament of all of the Western Pennsylvania Carnegie Library winners where I fared pretty well. I switched to a different school in 6th grade and David soon moved out of state. Near the end of high school, I saw that he made the USA Today's All-Academic High School list and that he was going to Harvard. I have no idea where he is today, so I may need to use the power of the internet to search. Click here for more about the Found in My Basement series.

Terrible Towel Wedding

Jimmy and Eryn Bradley recently got married in California. Even though I have no idea who these people are, I'm happy for them, so congratulations! I'm also happy that they shared their wedding video (and a brief story) on the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.



I have two questions about people in the video.

1. Does the guy on the left side of the screen at the 1:47 mark not know how to wave a Terrible Towel or is he refusing to wave the towel because he's not a Steelers fan?

2. The person at 2:52 scares me a little. Plus, how does he have a beer BEFORE the reception? Did he bring his own beer?

Friday Links

It's one of the last Fridays of summer. If you have to be in front of a computer, you might as well enjoy some of the best of the internet.

Congrats to PSAMP on his one year anniversary of the Great Moments In Unlicensed Pittsburgh Sports Merch series! Check out some truly great T-shirts to honor this achievement. [PSAMP]

Dan writes about why he prefers real books to iBooks. I concur. [DanNation]

I interviewed Tim Gleason (aka maryrose) about his book From Black To Gold and then he interviewed Jerry Olsavsky, former Steelers LB and now the Defensive Quality Control Coach. Does that mean that I interviewed Jerry Olsavsky? [Behind the Steel Curtain]

A few facts you may not have known about the British invasion of Washington during the War of 1812 [DCist]

Jason predicts the Steelers opening day roster. [Jason Christ Superstar]

Sports Illustrated lists NFL's greatest players by numbers. [SI]

Join a college football pick'em group [RizzoSports Blog]

30 Books Everyone Should Read Before 30. I've read 6. [The Best Article Every Day]

Finally, this is courtesy of Sportsocracy

Worst Song Ever Nominee

It’s been almost exactly three years since I asked whether "I Did Yo Boyfriend" by Melody was the worst song ever. I think the conclusion was yes. However, I am proud to present a challenger to the title, "Take It Off" by Ke$ha.



That last sentence really isn’t fair to Melody or Ke$ha since I Did Yo Boyfriend truly is in its own category. With that written, Ke$ha earns a nomination solely because of the song’s chorus. The chorus is based on the tune of “There’s a place in France where the naked women dance. There’s a hole in the wall where the men can see it all.” Seriously. Who thought that was a good idea?

I realize that I’m taking a risk here by criticizing one of the hottest young artists in Ke$ha. I fully expect some angry (likely anonymous) comments from Ke$ha fans. In full disclosure, I think her first song "Tik Tok" is amazing. Well, amazing may be too strong of a word, but it is extremely catchy and has some of the most quotable lines from any song over the past few years. (Like you haven’t said “Wake up in the morning feeling like P Diddy.”) Unfortunately, Take It Off doesn’t come close to Tik Tok.

I really wonder what Ke$ha does from here. She’s a party girl and that’s what she sings about. That’s nice for a few songs and maybe even an album, but you can’t make a career out of that, can you?

Florida Politics: Death Wish

I spent the past week in Florida (more on this later), so I learned a lot about the candidates running for Governor and Senator for yesterday's primary elections. However, that's not the point of this post. Did you know that the Commissioner of Florida's Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is Charles Bronson? Bronson's name is on a sticker located on every gas station pump in the state.

So I did a little more research and discovered that the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner is an elected position. Obviously. If you had a choice of voting for Charles Bronson or someone else with a generic name like Eric Copeland, of course you're going to select Bronson. What name recognition!



I just wonder who could ever defeat Bronson. Clint Eastwood, John Wayne, and Jack Nicholson would all be strong opponents. Maybe Scott Baio?

Trivia Tuesday

Welcome to another edition of Trivia Tuesday. There are only seven questions today because, well, I could only come up with seven questions.

1. Of players born in Pennsylvania, who has the the most major league baseball hits? (This does not include any Negro league hits.)

2. What is the best Eddie Money song?

3. Name the four American states that have consecutive Ns in its names. (You have 1 minute to answer this question.)

4. What would you consider to be the song of summer 2010?

5. Who would you rank as the top five fantasy football players for this season (meaning who do you think should be the top five draft picks)?

6. What language is the most prevalent for US state mottos?

7. Who sings this lyric: "While everybody else is getting out of bed I'm usually getting in it. I'm not in it to win it."

As always, please leave your answers in the comments section below and do not use the internet for assistance. Good luck!

Found In My Basement: Bill Buckner

While the entire Boston Red Sox nation hated Bill Buckner for many years, I always liked him. This is the reason why:



My grandfather got my brother and I autographed glossy pictures of Bill Buckner from his days as a Chicago Cub. I have no idea how or why my grandfather got these pictures, but I always thought it was cool, probably because all of the gold chains on Buckner's bat.

By the way, it seems like Boston fans finally forgave Buckner. Bill Simmons wrote a great article about him as part of ESPN Magazine.


Click here for more about the Found in My Basement series.

Found In My Basement: Jim Rooker

Now that's a scary title for a post! Jim Rooker was a major league pitcher from 1968-1980 with his final eight seasons on the Pittsburgh Pirates where he helped the team win the 1979 World Series. Rooker finished his career with a 103-109 record and transitioned into the Pittsburgh Pirates broadcast booth. Rooker's most famous moment occurred in 1989 when he stated after the Pirates took a 10-0 lead in the top of the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies that "if we lose this game, I'll walk home." Naturally, the Pirates lost and Rooker did walk from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh for charity.

Several years earlier, though, he visited Churchill Elementary School. Actually, I don't remember if he visited my elementary school, but somehow, I have this autograph addressed to me and my classmates.



(To Churchill 1st Graders. Best Wishes "The Rook")

I love the moustache and chest hair look. Plus, did Rooker really refer to himself as The Rook?


Click here for more about the Found in My Basement series.

Found In My Basement: Soccer Trophy

My athletic career peaked at the age of nine. What is sad is that I realized this only a few years later. During the end of junior high school and certainly by the beginning of high school, my teammates and opponents on the soccer field were all bigger, stronger and faster than me. However, I’m reliving the past in this Found in My Basement series, so let’s go back to Fall 1984 where my team, the Burgundy Panthers, was the CAYSA Under-10 Champions.



It’s amazing to me that while I can’t remember what I had for dinner last night, there are parts of that season that I remember vividly. I played goalie during the first half of games and generally switched between midfield and forward during the second half. We had a very balanced team with multiple goal-scorers and a solid defense. While I was mediocre as a goalie, my best friend Mitch was the Tim Howard of the league when replacing me in the second half.

In week eight of the ten-game season, we were in second place facing our rival who happened to be in first place. The remaining games for both of us were against teams in the bottom of the standings, so we knew that this game was essentially for the championship.

In a brilliant coaching move, our coach (my dad) decided to start me in the field instead of in goal. Part-way through the first half, I got the ball near the top of the penalty box and took a low shot inside the left post by the diving keeper. That goal turned out to be the only one of the game as Mitch kept our opponents scoreless in the second half. We finished the season 8-1-1, and as you can see by the impressive trophy, earned the CAYSA U-10 Championship!

Here are your World Champion Burgundy Panthers:



Click here for more about the Found in My Basement series.

Trivia Tuesday

Your challenge this week is to identify answers that begin and end with the letter "O." For example, what state’s college football team regularly defeats the University Michigan? While there are multiple answers to this question, we’re looking for this (Ohio):



1. Nabisco developed this ‘sandwich cookie’ in 1912.

2. An herb from the Lamiaceae family often used in Turkish, Greek, Spanish, and Italian cooking.

3. A musical composition, usually based on sacred texts, such as Handel’s “Messiah,” that uses orchestra, choir and soloists.

4. The first name of Springfield Elementary School bus driver Mr. Mann.

5. A 1,336-mile-long river that runs mostly through Venezuela.

6. Florida’s third-largest city after Miami and Tampa.

7. Its third-largest city is Mississauga. The top two have NHL teams.

8. In 1925, this northern European capital changed its name from Kristiania back to its original name.

9. A Greek anise-flavored spirit.

10. The Bengals’ Chad Johnson had his surname changed to this, his jersey number in poor Spanish.

As always, please leave your answers in the comments section below and do not search the internet for answers. This quiz is courtesy of the fine folks at Stump Trivia.


Photo (by Jay Hansen of The OSU Alumni Association) of Ohio State's four living Heisman Trophy winners (l-r) Hop Cassady, Archie Griffin, Eddie George, and Troy Smith performing O-H-I-O at the Columbus Sports Commission's "Morning Sports Report" program on Tuesday, June 22, at the Greater Columbus Convention Center.

Found In My Basement

I am proud to introduce a new feature at Sean’s Ramblings. All this week (with the exception of tomorrow for Trivia Tuesday), I am sharing items found in my basement. I realize that this title could be a bit disturbing, so let me explain. My parents recently moved from my childhood home, so I inherited many items from my younger days. I thought I would share some of these items here.

The first items are autographed pictures of former Pittsburgh Pirates John Smiley, Jim Gott and Bill Madlock.



For some reason, I have what looks to be a photocopied picture of Junior Ortiz as well. Since there’s no autograph on the Junior Ortiz picture, I feel comfortable cutting part of his face out of the post. Anyway, if you can’t read the writing, John Smiley wrote “To Sean Best Wishes” while Jim Gott wrote “Sean Best Wishes.” There may be a theme to their messages. Bill Madlock just signed his name.

I wish that I had a great story about meeting these Pirates, but I don’t remember meeting them at all. I feel like I probably got these autographs from Smiley and Gott at some Giant Eagle grocery store appearance.

Tune in on Wednesday for the next edition of "Found In My Basement." Oh, you would be correct if you thought that this is a bit of a rip-off of PSAMP’s Great Moments In Unlicensed Pittsburgh Sports Merchandise.

Breaking News: Pittsburgh Steelers Remain Super Bowl XL Champs

Earlier this week, NFL referee Bill Leavy, who worked Super Bowl XL between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks, stated that he “kicked two calls in the fourth quarter and I impacted the game.” Based on Leavy’s announcement, I’m sure that the NFL is now going to declare the Seahawks the actual winner of Super Bowl XL. Start planning the victory parade through the Pike Place Fish Market!

Not so fast though. Mike Pereira was the NFL's Vice President of Officiating from 2004-09 and disagrees with Leavy’s assertion. According to Pereira, yes, Leavy made an incorrect call when he flagged Seattle QB Matt Hasselbeck for a low block. But the hold should have been called. So I guess that the Vince Lombardi trophy isn’t moving from Pittsburgh after all. Besides, did that 15-yard penalty for a low block really cost Seattle the title in a game where the Seahawks lost by 11?



I think the bigger issue here is why after nearly four and a half years is this still a topic of conversation. The referees didn’t cost Seattle the Super Bowl; the Seahawks cost Seattle the Super Bowl. The Seahawks were unable to stop the Steelers from making three big plays, converted only 5 of 17 third downs (while Pittsburgh was 8 of 15), dropped several passes, missed two field goals, and couldn’t pin the Steelers inside the 10 yard line in the punting game. Sure, it’s easy for former Seattle coach Mike Holmgren to want to deflect any criticism from himself. Blame the refs and don’t notice that my team and I (meaning Holmgren) did a terrible job managing the clock.

While I’m happy that Leavy feels like a weight is off of his shoulders, I think it’s time for everyone to move on and enjoy the upcoming football season, while the Steelers and all of its fans should continue to celebrate their fifth of six Super Bowl championships.

This post was originally posted on BlogCritics.

In addition, Christmas Ape at D.C. Steeler Nation and Bob Smizik of the Post-Gazette have more about Leavy's apology and Super Bowl XL.

Tom Petty Tickets Wanted (Ain't Too Proud to Beg)

So Tom Petty is coming to The Lube (also called Jiffy Lube Live and formerly Nissan Pavillon) in Northern Virginia this weekend. I would like to go, but I am cheap. Let me rephrase that. I am cheap when it comes to buying concert tickets. I have no problem paying $40 for a ticket, but I have a big problem paying an additional $12.50 per ticket for the Ticketmaster convenience fee. How is this convenient for anyone other than Ticketmaster?* Anyway, I've had no success finding tickets on Craigslist yet and besides my previous experience getting tickets from there was quite odd.

Therefore, I thought I would try out the power of the blog. Does anyone living in the DC area have tickets they would like to sell for a reasonable (unlike Ticketmaster) price? I'm looking for two seats in the 300 level or two lawn seats. If so, please leave a comment or contact me at seanramblings at yahoo[dot]com.


* I know that I've written about this before, but I don't feel like looking in the archives for this information since I'm pretty sure it involved a post about Spice Girls tickets.

Interview with Tim Gleason, Author of From Black to Gold

You may not know the name Tim Gleason, but if you’re a Steelers fan, you know the tremendous blog Behind the Steel Curtain and one of the site’s contributors, maryrose. Well, I’m about to reveal a major secret here: maryrose is Tim Gleason.

Well, this may not be a secret. Anyway, Tim recently released his book From Black to Gold, a historical perspective of the Pittsburgh Steelers as seen through the eyes of a die-hard season ticket holder. While I haven’t read the book yet, Tim shared some of the book’s chapters including:

• That first season in 1933 when the team could not play on Sundays due to Pennsylvania Blue Laws
• The whacky winter of 1941 when Art Rooney sold the team and then traded cities to get it back again
• Great stories of the burning Steelers-Browns rivalry
• The Immaculate Reception and how Instant Replay was born on that play
• How Rocky Bleier fought back
• The Terrible Towel – How it began, what it means and those it helps
• How Frank Sinatra joined Steeler Nation



Tim was nice enough to take some questions from me about the book.

First of all, tell us about the book.

In 1970, the American Football League merged into the National Football League to form a single 26-team entity. Since that merger 40 years ago, the Pittsburgh Steelers have been the most successful and consistent franchise in the NFL. The Steelers have won six Super Bowl Championships, more than any other team. They have compiled winning seasons in 30 of those 40 years, again, more than anyone else. Their overall .609 winning percentage (394-253-2) is also king-of-the-hill. The Steelers have boasted 64 players on the NFL's All Pro Teams, more than any other franchise. In addition to unparalleled success, the Steelers have shown remarkable consistency throughout the past 40 years. Never have they won fewer than five games, a claim that no other team can make, and only twice did they win just five games.

However, pro football did not begin in 1970, though some in Steeler Nation might like to think so. The NFL began in 1920, with the Steelers coming on board in 1933. In the 37 years that Pittsburgh played pro football before the merger, life was not so good. The Steelers were riddled with calamity, tragedy and, for the most part, failure. Regardless, we fans who were around before the merger were still in love with the team unconditionally. While part of me envies younger Steelers' fans who know of nothing but success, a bigger part is grateful that I experienced the growing pains. From Black to Gold is an account of both the growing pains and the glory.

How were you able to put all 75+ years of Pittsburgh Steelers history in one book? It seems like this could be an entire encyclopedia set!

I just focused on the great story lines. I wanted the book to be easy to read. That was important to me. I wanted people to really like reading the book as opposed to being a lengthy chore. It is still 260 pages in order to get in all the great stories and vignettes, but it is really an easy read.

How long did it take you to write the book?

About a year and a half all told. I took my time and enjoyed the research.

It’s hard to miss "Foreward by Art Rooney Jr." on the front cover. How were you able to get him for the book’s foreward?

One of his assistants read stories that I wrote and showed them to Mr. Rooney, who really liked them. Mr. Rooney sent me an autographed copy of his book Ruanaidh. When I wrote to thank him, I asked him if he would write the foreword if I continued writing. I sent him an outline just for kicks. Then I was in a grocery store when my phone rang. It was Mr. Rooney! I was shocked. He said he would be happy to write the foreword. That was all the motivation I needed. I am a no-name, so getting his name on the cover was very important to the book's success.



Do you have a favorite personal Steeler memory?

Yes, when I was a college student and I worked the Super Bowl in January 1979. It is a chapter in the book so I won't say too much now. I also have a great memory of going to my first Steelers' game in 1968, which is also in the book. Both of those memories have neat stories behind them.

What is it like being a Steelers fan in the Browns/Steelers border territory of Youngstown?

It is really intense. Half the town is Hatfields and half McCoys. It really jacks up when both teams are good, but that doesn't seem to happen too often. There is a lot of hate. The team that is down at whatever moment hates the most. I really enjoyed writing that chapter. The players themselves will tell you how much hate there is.



Care to share any predictions for the 2010 Steelers season?

I think 9-7 is reasonable, but then again, the Steelers always do best when they are under the radar. They are considered third right now in the Division, which means they might win it going away! I hope.

The book is not available in stores but can be purchased at www.fromblacktogold.com. Thanks Tim!

Trivia Tuesday: Name That Tune

Welcome to a "Name That Tune" edition of Trivia Tuesday. Your challenge this week is to name the song title and artist based on the lyrics of the ten songs listed below. You may begin...now!

1. Some people call me Maurice
'Cause I speak of the pompatus of love

2. All aboard. HaHaHaHaHaHaHa (I may be off on the number of Ha's.)

3. We're undeniable
Fine, fresh, fierce
We got it on lock
(I actually thought this line was fine, fresh beers, we got it unlocked.)
West coast represent
Now put your hands up

4. That I dug my key into the side of his
Pretty little souped up four wheel drive
Carved my name into his leather seat
I took a Louisville slugger to both head lights
Slashed a hole in all four tires

5. And the greatest of teachers won't hesitate
to leave you there, by yourself, chained to fate

6. But try to understand
Try to understand
Try try try to understand

7. I-I-I-I-I-I need I need you.
I-I-I-I-I need I need you.

8. He drinks a Whiskey drink, he drinks a Vodka drink
He drinks a Lager drink, he drinks a Cider drink

9. Toora Loora Toora Loo-Rye-Aye
(name of person) I'll hum this tune forever.

10. Listen it don't make no difference to me baby
Everybody's had to fight to be free

As always please leave your answers in the comments section below and do not use the internet to search for answers. Good luck!

Random Questions of the Day

What do you do with a drunken sailor? Does this answer change depending on the time of day (ex. in the afternoon or earl-lie in the morning)?

Russ Grimm was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame on Saturday. As you can see below, Grimm's Hall of Fame bust includes his mustache. Does that mean that Grimm can't shave the mustache or grow a full beard? If he does decide to shave the 'stache, will the NFL redo the bust?



Photo by John Mcdonnell-The Washington Post

Congratulations Dick LeBeau!

I'm not sure that I've ever been this excited for someone to be enshrined into a Hall of Fame. After playing 14 seasons with the Detroit Lions accumulating 62 interceptions, third all-time among pure cornerbacks (think about how amazing that statistic is considering that passing is a much bigger part of the game than it was during LeBeau's playing days), and working as an NFL coach for over 35 years, including an extremely impressive run as the Steelers' Defensive Coordinator, LeBeau entering the NFL Hall of Fame is well-deserved.



Take a look at this historic day from around the country:

This is LeBeau's Hall of Fame speech. I wish that NFL.com would let me embed the video. [NFL.com]

Bengals' coach Marvin Lewis admires LeBeau [Cincinnati Enquirer]

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; the Detroit Free Press; the Columbus Dispatch; and ESPN (the AFC North Blog) have more.

Plus, here are a few Tweets from members of the Pittsburgh Steelers:









OK, the last one doesn't have anything to do with Coach LeBeau, but I like Timmons' insights.

Photo by Peter Diana/Post-Gazette

My First Steelers Training Camp Post

Occasionally, I consider myself as the writer of a Pittsburgh sports blog. Based on my posts the last few months, this is certainly not the case. So with that written, here are a few things about the Steelers (and other stuff).

Join Tec and Cotter for their annual trip to Latrobe for Steelers training camp. If you aren’t able to catch up with them on their Facebook page, just look for two guys wearing Steelers jerseys. That shouldn’t be a problem.

Of course, if you plan on attending training camp this weekend, Saturday is not the day to go as the entire team is traveling to Canton, Ohio for Dick LeBeau’s Hall of Fame induction. [USA Today h/t Behind the Steel Curtain]

Dick LeBeau was also a pretty good football player at Ohio State and Detroit. [Columbus Dispatch]

Steelers N’ At provides a guide to purchasing your next Steelers jersey. I’m fine with my Louis Lipps jersey, thank you. [Steelers N' At]

A relationship ended because someone didn’t want to deal with the long distance between Reston and DC. Perhaps they’ll get back together when Metro’s Silver Line is complete. To my knowledge, this has nothing to do with the Steelers. [Restonian]

Rating Metro Rider Attractiveness

For bloggers out there, have you ever had an idea for a post that you knew wasn’t very good, but you decided to write it anyway? Well, this is one of those times for me. After years of research, I’ve decided to rank the attractiveness of Metro riders proportionally by the Metro stations I frequent the most.

1. Ballston
2. Clarendon
3. Court House
4. Vienna
5. Virginia Square
6. West Falls Church
7. East Falls Church
8. Dunn Loring-Merrifield



I feel like trying to provide an explanation of these rankings will get me into even more trouble. However, the common thread of the top three is that they have a higher percentage of younger riders (meaning people in their 20s) than other stations. So before digging myself into more of a hole, I’ll let you help me. For Metro riders, do you agree with these rankings? Obviously, I’m most familiar with these Virginia stations, so are there are other stations that I’m missing? Basically, what Metro station has the most attractive riders?

Not Sure What To Write

I'm not sure that I feel comfortable writing this post. There is nothing funny about an attempted rape. Fortunately, the woman featured in the news video below from WAFF in Northern Alabama was not harmed. Plus, according to her brother, Antoine Dodson, the suspect left behind some evidence.



To my knowledge, Antoine Dodson is a real person and not an actor. He certainly is passionate. So passionate that someone made a song for Mr. Dodson.



The piano part seems unnecessary.

Trivia Tuesday

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls. For the first time in nearly a month, I am proud to present a "real" Trivia Tuesday where the questions come from someone other than me or Sporcle. Your challenge this week is to name the front man (or woman) given the listed backup bands. For example, "The News" would be Huey Lewis (Mike Tomlin would also be an acceptable answer).

1. The Bad Seeds

2. The E Street Band

3. The Blackhearts

4. The Attractions

5. The Crickets

6. The Funky Bunch

7. The Miracles

8. The Mothers of Invention

9. The Pips

10. The Flecktones

As always, please do not use the internet to search for answers. Please leave your answers in the comments section below. Good luck!

This quiz is courtesy of Stump Trivia.

Notes From Tucson

I spent the past few days in Tucson, Arizona, so I thought I would share my thoughts about the trip.

- Everyone said that even though Tucson would be hot, it would be a dry heat. Well, there was actually some humidity since it is Monsoon season. There's also a southern Arizona city named Dragoon, so yes, there was a monsoon in Dragoon.

- Why do flight attendants feel the need to announce that flights are very full? Is there really a difference between a full flight and a very full flight? If every seat is taken, it is a full flight. In my opinion, the only way it would be a very full flight is if they seated passengers in the bathroom or the aisle.

- I visited Old Tucson Studios where countless Westerns such as The Outlaw Josey Wales, Gunfight at the OK Corral, Rio Bravo, McClintock!, Tombstone, and The Three Amigos were filmed. Nearly every Hollywood legend including Clint Eastwood, James Stewart, John Wayne, Dean Martin, Angie Dickinson and Kirk Douglas worked there.



However, the tour guide did not mention one very special project filmed at Old Tucson Studios. A two-part episode of Webster where "the Papadapolises visit Lizard Flatz, Arizona and encounter Dusty, a man with interesting stories, a ranch, and Moonhunter, a horse that seems to be a legend, but ends up a reality after saving Webster from a rattlesnake. Moonhunter gets caught by some greedy no-gooders, and Webster almost gets killed. George wants to live on the ranch, Webster wants to save Moonhunter and set him free, but after all the excitement, they decide to head back to Chicago." I don't remember this episode.

- According to a billboard on I-10, John McCain is "Fighting for a Secure Border." There was no footage of the Senator standing in Nogales actually fighting.

- There were several roads with separate speed limits for the day and the night. How is this enforced? Is night considered the exact sunset time, when there are three stars in the sky, or some other method?

- There is a giant "A" on a Tucson mountain for the University of Arizona. Which came first, Arizona's A or BYU's Y on a Provo mountain?

- Sadly, I did not eat at In-N-Out, Waffle House or Little Caesars, three restaurants that don't seem to be anywhere near Washington DC.

- I read and heard that there are between 900,000 and 1 million residents of Tucson. There are definitely 1 million cacti (cactuses?), but I have no idea where all of these people are. Maybe they're all away for the summer or are hiding in fear of fighting John McCain.

Five Guys vs. In-N-Out

We've already considered one of the great debates of human history here at Sean's Ramblings, Wawa vs. Sheetz. Today, we need to solve another:

Five Guys



vs. In-N-Out



I'm not sure whether or not we can truly determine if one is better than the other, but that's where you come in. Please share your thoughts in the comment section.

Police Seize 115 Pounds of Marijuana

Now that's a headline! Fairfax County, Virginia police seized approximately 115 pounds of marijuana during a highway interdiction operation last week. (I have no idea what interdiction means.) Two officers stopped an 18-wheeler for an equipment violation (always check your brake lights), and an investigation revealed the marijuana in the truck’s attached trailer.

Alexis Javier Paz, 38 and Felix V. Rodriguez, 45, both of Miami, were charged with transporting controlled substances into Virginia and possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute.

Who knew that former Dallas Cowboy Nate Newton changed his to Felix V. Rodriguez?



Now how are you going to play pool with all of the marijuana on the table?

More about this story is available on the Fairfax County website. Click here to relive the Nate Newton experience.

Two Movie Questions (Trivia Tuesday)

Welcome to a very special Trivia Tuesday where we try to learn more about you and your movie-watching history.

1. What is the worst movie you ever saw in the theater?

This question came up among my friends last night. While Johnny Mnemonic was mentioned at least once going around the table, for me, The Wizard is the worst movie I ever saw on the big screen.



According to IMDB, this is the plot: "a boy and his two friends run away from home and hitch cross country to compete in the ultimate video game championship." I remember it as a 90-minute to 2 hour Nintendo commercial starring Fred Savage that I had to pay for. I wonder if there were people that saw this film thinking that they were going to see the Ozzie Smith story!

2. What was the first R-rated movie you saw?



I saw Zapped! starring the wonderful combination of Scott Baio & Willie Aames when we had a free preview of HBO that somehow managed to last several years. I really wish that Baio and Aames would be in a movie together again. Couldn't they have had these two have a cameo in Hot Tub Time Machine? Anyway, Zapped! is about "a teenager science-nerd [who] gains telekinetic powers." Although I haven't seen this movie in many, many years, this teenager used this power to remove shirts and bras off of attractive women. A magical movie for an adolescent!

OK, your turn.

Jersey Shore Cast Available For Adoption

I'll admit it; I don't watch Jersey Shore. For the most part, I've stopped watching MTV entirely. Call me when they put a new version of Remote Control on the air. Anyway, even though I don't watch Jersey Shore, my pop culture sensibilities require that I know about the show. With the new season about to begin, allow me to present some of the cast members courtesy of Fairfax County Animal Services.

J-WOW:



PAULY-D:



SNOO-KITTY (get it for Snookie):



All of these cats and many others are available for adoption at the Fairfax County Animal Shelter.

I hope that The Situation was already adopted since that would be a great name for a cat.

Pittsburgh Sports Jobs

In another attempt to use this blog for good instead of evil (I’m contemplating an evil post for next week), I thought I would share some job opportunities with some Pittsburgh area sports teams.

Inside Sales Representative – Pittsburgh Pirates

This sales position is entry level and focused on selling ticket plans and group tickets. Two words are all that you need to make a sale: Pedro Alvarez!

HD Radio Internship (Fall 2010) – Pittsburgh Penguins

This is an unpaid internship for a college junior or senior who will be responsible for helping to create the on-air production of a 24/7 Penguins Radio Station. Although it doesn’t say this on the job description, you will likely work with, or at least meet, Mike Lange. If you get this internship after learning about it from me, please get Lange to say “Buy Sean and drink and get his cat Ziggy one too.”

Sponsorship Account Executive – Washington Wild Things
This individual is responsible for generating leads and closing advertising and sponsorship agreements. I suggest getting some type of sponsorship involving Tone Loc, so that he can perform Wild Thing at every Wild Things game.

The Steelers also have some jobs on their website. Did you know that seat attendants are union positions? Now you know.

Hollywood Casino Excursion

Charles Town Races & Slots recently changed its name to Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races. The good news is that this name was prompted by the addition of table games. The bad news is that the Charles Town Races & Slots song appears to have been retired. (Unfortunately, I can’t find this extremely catchy jingle anywhere online.)

We drove to Charles Town, West Virginia on Sunday to check out the new-and-improved casino. Before I get into the casino itself, can I mention the brilliance of West Virginia? You think I’m going to make a joke here, but I’m not. Every car in the parking lot had Virginia and Maryland license plates. I also saw a handful of DC plates and even one from Florida, but I don’t think I saw one West Virginia car. (The employee lot was probably elsewhere.) The Mountain State and the casino itself must make millions and millions of dollars annually from out-of-state residents.



So we entered the casino and found tables for blackjack, Pai Gow, roulette, three card poker, craps and more. This made me happy! As I approached each table though, I was shocked by the minimum bets requirements. $25 for roulette and Pai Gow! $50 for blackjack! Although that was too rich for me, the high minimums didn’t seem to impact others as the tables were packed.

Maybe the high minimums were due to the fact that I visited the casino over the weekend. Nope. A friend visited the casino on Monday and gave me this report:

‎10:00 AM - BlackJack: 2 $25 tables full & 4 $50 tables full. At 11:40, they were going to open 2 other $25 tables @ noon. So, we waited, but then the pit boss came & changed it to $50 just before they opened it. B.S.!!! So, we played a few slot machines & called it a day. Plus, they were doing very loud construction in the same room. Brilliant!

Hollywood Casino doesn’t need to have $5 or $10 minimums. Unlike Las Vegas or Atlantic City where you can walk to the next casino, Hollywood Casino is the destination. If you live in the DC area, you’re driving 60-90 minutes to West Virginia to gamble. There’s no competition and nowhere else to go once you arrive. Well, there is a Sheetz next to the casino, but you can’t gamble there (or can you?). There is a pending vote to open a slots casino in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, but that’s still months if not years away. Plus, no table games. Maybe you can drive to Dover (has anyone been there), but if you want to take a day trip for table games, Hollywood Casino is your only option.

In case you’re wondering, I lost $6 on the final horse race of the day and $10 on slots and that was it.

Charlie Batch Haunts My Dreams

I had a dream last night/this morning that I was on a school bus with members of the Pittsburgh Steelers. At some point, there was a radio announcement that QB Ben Roethlisberger would miss the entire season. This was not due to an injury but because he wanted to sort things out and get himself together. While this may not be realistic in real life, this seemed to make sense in my dream.

Anyway, there was certainly shock and surprise among the people on the bus. While people started talking to their neighbors about this development, I started a conversation with someone at the back of the bus even though I was a few rows up. I basically yelled to this person that the Steelers would be okay. I stated that I was confident in Dennis Dixon's abilities and that I was excited to see him play. I also yelled that Byron Leftwich is a solid QB. However, I concluded that Charlie Batch was D-U-N, done. There was only one problem: Charlie Batch was on the bus. I don't think he heard me, but I immediately felt bad about this. Charlie Batch has had a nice career, is a perfect QB to play a few games if needed, and has done great things in the community.

I questioned the person sitting across the aisle from me whether he thought Batch heard what I said. This person was a member of the Steelers, but I don't know who he was. For the sake of this post, let's say that it was William Gay, just so that I can write that I had a gay dream (not that there's anything wrong with that). He said that I needed to apologize to Batch, but that's where the dream ended. I don't remember anything else or even if there was more.

So let's analyze this dream shall we. Either I haven't written enough about the Steelers the past few months, or I'm ready for the football season! I'm going with the latter since I read Matthew's Berry fantasy football article on ESPN.com yesterday and also received an e-mail from a friend trying to finalize plans for the Steelers-Dolphins game. Are there other possibilities that wouldn't insult Charlie Batch?

Trivia Tuesday

Hello there. Today, I'm happy to present the magic of Sporcle. This truly may be one of the greatest sites on the internet.

Quiz #1 - Name the U.S. cities that have broken top 10 since the beginning of the census in 1790

I scored a 24 out of 31 U.S. cities.

Quiz #2 - Name the last 200-yard rusher for the NFL franchises listed.

Although I'm not in the football mindset yet, I think 26 out of 31 is pretty good.

Bonus quiz - Name the 100 Greatest Pop Songs of all time according to Rolling Stone (list from 2000).

This is a bonus since the quiz lasts for 15 minutes. I scored a 50 out of 100 which gets me in the 91st percentile. I also disagree with many songs on the list.

Your turn. Click on the links to take the Sporcle quizzes and share your results in the comments section. Good luck!

New Referrals

In looking through my archives, I realized that I haven’t done this in almost a year. For your reading pleasure, here are real searches, generally from Google or Yahoo, that real people used to find and visit Sean’s Ramblings:

Estelle Getty growth hormone
She probably got this just before filming Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot from Sylvester Stallone.



Doogie Howser Wanda licks ear
Now why did this show up as a search option. Oh yeah.

benny distefano married; benny distefano married to; benny distefano married?; benny distefano marries; benny distefano was he ever married?
These were five different searches. Someone (or five people) certainly care about the former Pittsburgh Pirate’s social life.

Hartsfield dildos
I haven’t been at the Atlanta airport lately, so this must be a new store that opened recently.

Freddie Prinze Jr torn rotator cuff
He was such a good pitcher in Summer Catch, so maybe this injury is why he never made the majors.



olay olay olay song opera
They have to use vuvuzelas as the instruments, right?

olimpian lilu gymnast
Not only is LiLu hopefully going to be the first MTV TJ (vote for her here), she could also be an Olympian gymnast.

Chukky Okobi speedo
The former Steelers’ offensive lineman retired a few years ago, so maybe he now has his own Speedo swimsuit line.

Who knows a guy named Sean?
I do! I do!

Sean On Fashion: Theatre Edition

When I was younger, I remember men wearing coats and ties and women wearing fancy dresses to attend plays or musicals. With the high price of theatre tickets, folks wanted to get dressed up for a nice night out of dinner and a show. While I understand that times have changed and people are more casual about dress, I still expect a certain level of attire to see a show. For example, while I would never wear jeans to a show, I’ve come to expect that other people will.

So last night, I saw Avenue Q at DC’s Lansburgh Theatre. While I don’t attend plays or musicals as often as I like, I witnessed something I’ve never seen in a theatre: someone wearing bike shorts!



The horror! There is only one place where bike shorts are appropriate. On a bicycle!


Click here to see previous Sean On Fashion posts.

Swan Dive

I love these Old Spice commercials. Here's the latest:

Links and Videos

Time for a little housekeeping. Here are some amazing posts and videos from the past few days (or weeks):

Do you see that icon on the top right of this page? That's the LiLu for MTV TJ logo. Well, it's time for you not only to look at the icon but also to vote. There's more information at Live It, Love It (where you can see the challenges) and you can vote for LiLu on Facebook. (I still don't understand why you vote on Facebook for a Twitter contest.) I highly recommend checking out LiLu's 2nd challenge to support animal shelters.

Pittsburgh Pirates' Neil Walker lives with his parents. [Wall Street Journal h/t Bucs Dugout]

Ginny met both Mario Lemieux AND Jerome Bettis. [That's Church]

Although the contest is over, TheStarterWife created an amazing Football Foodie World Cup. [Black and Gold Tchotchkes]

We finally hear from the dentist who refused to support Trident. [Carbolic Smoke Ball]

I posted my first book review for A Safe Haven: Harry S. Truman and The Founding of Israel. [Blogcritics]

Now for the videos. I'm not sure how I missed this, but what if Ron Hextall wasn't crazy?



Finally, I wasn't able to embed the video but check out Jewel going undercover to sing karaoke. Naturally, she sings Jewel songs. [Funny Or Die]

Trivia Tuesday: Random Edition

It's time for a very random edition of Trivia Tuesday. Good luck!

1. Who won the 2006 World Cup?

2. Name the Pittsburgh Steelers' primary kick-off returner.

3. Name the song title and artist(s) based on this lyric: "Is that your ass or your momma half reindeer?"

4. For people who know DC, I'm going to Gallery Place/Chinatown to see Avenue Q. Where should I go for dinner before the show?

5. What is the best George Michael song? (There is a specific answer(s) to this question.)

6. Name the two countries that start with the letter A but don't end with the letter A.

7. Who was the host of Rock & Roll Jeopardy on VH1?

8. Name all five locations of Bravo's Real Housewives.

9. With eight medals, who is the most decorated American Winter Olympic athlete of all time?

10. What US university has the most billionaire alumni?

As always, please leae your answers in the comments section below and do not use the internet to find answers. Good luck!

What Happened to Erica Blasberg?

It has been over two months since the untimely death of my favorite LPGA golfer, Erica Blasberg. I’m not a coroner and I’m not going to play one on this blog, but why has it taken so long to determine how or why Blasberg died?



CBS News seemed to have some information.

Police may be a step closer to finding the cause in the mysterious death of 25-year-old pro golfer Erica Blasberg. Newly released search warrants reveal that just four days after her death on May 9, investigators raided the medical offices and home of Dr. Thomas Hess. "Early Show" National Correspondent Hattie Kauffman reported sources close to the investigation say Hess talked to Blasberg the night before her death. The next day, he visited her home, and was the one to call 911.

Oh, did I mention that this article was published on June 2nd? That’s nearly six weeks ago! There hadn’t been any additional information about the police investigation until July 2nd (one month later!!) when Mel Blasberg, Erica’s father, told RadarOnline.com that "it sounds like we'll hear something next week about the findings, whatever they are." Mr. Blasberg also stated that his daughter wasn’t suffering from any health problems. "From time to time she had some sleeping issues and anxiety issues, but nothing she was treated for. She wasn't under care for any of this...25 year-olds just don't die...I believe the investigation will show that Erica should not have died."

Once again, two months seems like a long time to determine a cause of death, especially of a public figure. Sure, Erica Blasberg didn’t have the celebrity status of an A-list Hollywood actor, but I’m surprised that there hasn’t been any media follow-up or coverage particularly since her death was covered by all of the major sports and non-sports networks.

Yuengling Is Dangerous

In preparation for a July 4th BBQ, we went to Harris Teeter to buy a case of beer. I should have known that not going to Wegmans would be a mistake. Anyway, we brought the case of Yuengling to the register, and that’s where the story gets interesting. The cashier picked up the case of beer to scan it, but she wouldn’t let go. Um, even though I hadn’t paid for it yet, I thought to myself, don’t take my beer, cashier!*

However, she wasn’t actually taking the beer. Somehow, she got her hand stuck in the cardboard box handle. She panicked and yelled for a colleague to come over. He arrived, assessed the situation, saw the fear and rage in the cashier’s eyes, and raced back to customer service to get a pair of scissors. He may have even run carrying a pair of scissors during his quick return to the register. That is even more unsafe than picking up a case of beer by the handle!

So Harris Teeter guy prepared to cut her hand out like he was using the “Jaws of Life.” Unfortunately, he was about to cut where the cashier’s fingers were located. She quickly stopped him to make sure the cut took place on the side away from her fingers. At this point, the manager came over and announced to the cashier that she (meaning the cashier) would do anything to get out of work in a jokingly, but probably some truth-in-the-joke way. Finally, the original Harris Teeter guy made the cut and the cashier was free. I believe that this was on the same level of Baby Jessica’s rescue from the well.

The cashier, apparently in pain from getting her fingers pinched, could not go on with our transaction. Did I mention that we didn’t have a full shopping cart? All we bought was one case of beer. The manager apologized to us and offered to get us a new case of beer with the handle completely intact. Not a free case of beer, just a difference case of Yuengling. We declined this offer because, honestly, we just wanted to pay, get the heck out of there and laugh safely away from the cashier.

It was truly an odd experience. I originally thought we were on some type of Candid Camera, but soon realized that the cashier was actually stuck. It was difficult to remain supportive yet attempt not to laugh at the absurdity of the situation. You’ll be glad to know that after I paid for the beer, I successfully carried the beer to the car and BBQ. Oh this is the beer. Pretty scary, huh?





* The “Don’t Take My Beer, Cashier” phrase should be on a T-shirt. Get Fresh Designs should be on this immediately!

AT&T Rethinks Possible and Impacts Presidential History

I hate this AT&T commercial. It has nothing to do with the story or the product. My problem with the commercial is the first line, "Ladies and gentlemen...the 57th President of the United States."



The assumption is that the man and woman meet in the present day and their son becomes President sometime in the future. Now, let's take a look at American history, shall we?

Barack Obama is currently serving as the 44th American President. The commercial shows the inauguration of the 57th president, so if we go back 13 presidents before Obama, we have Herbert Hoover who started his term in 1929. That's a difference of 81 years. Granted, there was the 12 years FDR was in office, so let's go back 13 presidents before Hoover. That would be our 18th President, Ulysses S. Grant who started his term in 1869, or 60 years prior to Hoover.

Now, let's assume that the man and woman in the AT&T commercial are in their early 20s. I guess we also need to assume that they consumed the future president on the same day they met (possibly on the train!). If we go by the Grant-Hoover timeframe, the parents in the AT&T commercial would be in their early 80s during the inauguration. They don't quite look like they're in their early 80s, do they? Now, maybe they had plastic surgery, but I can't see AT&T promoting two individuals that need to get plastic surgery in the future. Perhaps, AT&T believes that there will several presidential deaths over the next few generations as well as many one-term presidents. If this happens, take a look at where AT&T puts its money. Look very carefully at campaign contributions.

Plus, shouldn't there be flying cars by the time the 57th President takes office? AT&T couldn't show one flying car or at least a Hoverboar at the inauguration?

Washington Nationals Want You To Vote For Texas Rangers Player

I'm confused. (Yes, that doesn't take much.) I received an e-mail from the Washington Nationals today encouraging me to vote for Ryan Zimmerman (makes sense) and Michael Young of the Texas Rangers (huh?) for the 2010 All-Star game.



According to the e-mail, "Last is certainly not least in the 2010 All-Star Game Final Vote Sponsored by Sprint. Vote often for the LAST players on the ballot, Ryan Zimmerman and Michael Young. Save the best for last and help Ryan and Michael get to the All-Star Game!"

Again, I'm confused. Apparently, we're not voting for our own team's players, we're now voting based on who is in your homeroom!

Perhaps the Nationals want you to vote for Michael Young since the Rangers originated in Washington as the Washington Senators. Granted, the Senators moved to Texas after the 1972 season, which is before Young was born, so that seems like a stretch.

Regardless, I think I'll pass on voting for either and wait until baseball puts Andrew McCutchen or Stephen Strasburg on the ballot.

Trivia Tuesday: Name That Van

Happy Tuesday everyone! I hope that you had a nice holiday weekend. We’re back to a “regular” Trivia Tuesday this week, so enjoy. Your challenge is to identify the people who have “Van” in their name.

1. The eighth Vice President of the United States.

2. 1999 MTV Movie Award winner for “Best Breakthrough Male Performance” and lead actor in Dawson’s Creek.

3. Parody actor best known for his work on “Eight is Enough.”

4. Three-time Emmy winner for Outstanding Lead Comedy Actor and actor in Diagnosis Murder.

5. Full pen name of advice columnist Pauline Phillips.

6. Artist of “The Starry Night.”

7. 18-1 lifetime Belgian martial arts competitor slated to return to fighting later this year.

8. Designer whose company patented a self-folding collar in 1919.

9. Pittsburgh Pirate outfielder from 1987 to 1994.

10. Guitar great who divorced his actress wife Valerie in 2007.

As always, please do not use the internet to search for answers. Please leave your answers in the comments section below. Good luck!

This quiz is courtesy of Stump Trivia.

Happy July 4th

From Sean, Ziggy and everyone here at Sean's Ramblings (that would be me and occasionally Ziggy), have a Happy Independence Day!

NFL 101 Workshop for Women

The Jacksonville Jaguars have a really good offer. For only $30, you can attend a NFL 101 Workshop for Women course (assuming that you are a woman) and get a ticket to a Jags game as well as several other gifts.



I feel like there is a Jeff Reed joke that can be made here.

Personally, I'd want to go to the Maggiano's location. I would hope that the $30 also goes towards Maggiano's food.

More information about the Workshop for Women event is available on the PRI Productions website. PRI Productions also has all of your Bar/Bat Mitzvah needs!

You Would Even Say It Glows

While working as a soccer referee on Wednesday night, there was an ice cream truck in the parking lot. After running around on a warm, summer day, there's nothing like a refreshing treat from the ice cream truck. Plus, the familiar music of the ice cream truck takes you back to when you were a kid.

Last night, instead of the regular music, the ice cream truck played Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Sure, Rudolph was played by the ice-cream truck chimes, and not the Gene Autry version, but the tune was indistinguishable. I need a verdict here. Does the Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer song increase your desire for ice cream?