It’s snowing in OKC. We’ve got about 5″ and are expecting more through tonight and continuing through the week. My wife laughed at me when I bought the electric snow thrower a couple of years ago. Ten minutes to clear the driveway. Who’s laughing now, hmm?
The chili is simmering on the stove, and we’ll be gathering at my sister’s house to watch the Broncos beat the Seahawks tonight. In the mean time, I’m playing Star Wars: The Old Republic with some old friends, and looking forward to the new Star Wars Attack Squadrons game. Those people at Sports Illustrated don’t know anything about football, obviously. They will have better weather for the game than we will. I wonder what the odds are on Chris Christie going to the big game? I think he’ll show because he has to pretend that this whole thing is a big nothingburger. I also think the odds are a hell of a lot better for a Denver victory tonight than for him to survive this series of scandals with anything approximating a future in politics.
Open Thread.
raven
Been to Trader Joe’s and Sam’s and found I don’t have a bell pepper for the roux so I gotta go out again! Duck gumbo here we come!
Corner Stone
My nethers!! They be a’ tingling!!
Mnemosyne
Debating which yarn store’s Super Bowl sale(s) I’m going to hit before I settle in to watch the Puppy Bowl and Kitten Bowl.
Now that it’s been brought to my attention that Richard Sherman is a hometown boy with a Stanford degree, I’m probably hoping that the Seahawks win.
Poopyman
Obamajam! It’s what’s for breakfast!
Actually, breakfast is done here and it’s nearly noon. I got stuff to do.
Later!
MikeJ
About to do the Times xword, then a quick 5 miler in the neighborhood park, then home to consider wing preparations.
Villago Delenda Est
Sarge, I hate to break this to you, but horse meat is on the menu for those post game parties.
Gex
Just had a nice 30 minute walk with my pup in -7˚, thanks to my new snowpants.
I just encountered the dumbest thing I have ever heard of. My aunt was just diagnosed with colon cancer. They caught it early and she is having surgery Tuesday to remove it. My great grandma and a great aunt died of colon cancer. But according to my mom, my uncles won’t get colonoscopies because “It’s an outie, not an innie.”
It’s so stupid, the mindless, self-sabotaging juvenile behavior.
jeffreyw
Beef and barley with onions becoming soup in a pot atop the stove. Pondering addition of a box of wild and long grain rice. Bread working in the machine, set for dough cycle so I can bake a couple of baguettes later. Downloaded a bunch of SF from the 2013 Locus Recommended Reading List. I have a backlog on the e-reader that shames me.
AdamK
So this “Super Bowl” thing involves a game of some sort?
PaulW
I’m working on Lie’Brar’Ean on Dromuud Kaas in the Shadowlands server (I think that’s the one).
Yatsuno
NOMZ! Doing a brisket and stuffs.
The fam (plus maybe my old “friend”) are gathering here. There will be much screaming and rejoicing.
You really are so cute sometimes.
Actually I’d be a liar if I said I wasn’t nervous. Broncs cannot open lanes for Marshawn. Otherwise the Seahawks will run all over youse guys.
PaulW
@AdamK:
Yes. See how many car ads you can sit through before going mad MAD I TELL YOU MAAAADDDDDDDDD
Schlemizel
Have not given any thought to dinner yet, that’ll come later. Will be spending a couple of hours at the end of the driveway lowering the huge piles built up from clearing the street side. Currently the hills are so high I can’t see traffic when pulling out so leaving is a bit of an adventure.
Probably will avoid the CTE Bowl later tonight unless the missus decides she need to watch parts to talk about at work on Monday.
c u n d gulag
Hi!
My name is c u n d gulag, and I’m a sportsaholic.
It all started when I was a kid.
Though I was born here, I didn’t speak English when I went to Kindergarten – and back then, the quickest way you could prove your new-found American-ness, was to show your appreciation of American sports.
My first love was Mickey Mantle.
I got home from school one day in the fall of ’64, just in time to see Mantle hit his moonshot off of knuckleballing Barney Schultz.
And so, my gateway sports drug was Baseball.
Then, came the ’68 Olympics.
And then, the great Knicks, in their championship run.
And then, the terrible and hapless NY Giants – and the good, but equally hapless NY Rangers.
And to make amends for loving the hapless Giants, I also fell in love with the equally hapless Miami Dolphins – a team whose Quarterback was the Head Coach’s son. Except the Dolphins became un-hapless in a hurry! YAY!!!
And then came my love for Joe Frazier.
And later, Ali.
And let’s not talk about Monday Night Football. Or the Sunday night sports shows.
And then my Yankees became relevant again! YAY!!!
Today is the first day of my attempt at recovering from being a sportsaholic.
I won’t be watching the Stupid Bowl tonight.
Not for a second.
Instead, I’ll be reading a great book by Margaret Atwood – the final book in her futuristic dystopian trilogy, which started with “Oryx and Crake.”
What’s driving me away from sports?
Well, first off, I’m not working, so I don’t need to watch games in order to not seem like I’m some Commie geek when coworkers talk about the game the night before.
Second, most championship games are on at night, and I usually go to bed at around 9:30.
Could I stay up for the Super Bowl?
Yes, since it’ll end around 10.
But, I’m not a gambler – and I don’t have a dog in this fight, or a hamster in this wheel.
I don’t care who wins. If Peyton wins, I’ll be happy for him.
If the Seahawks win, I’ll be happy for them.
The Giants had a disastrous season – as did my Dolphins. So I don’t care about this game.
Third, Football games are now unwatchable!
There’s an endless stream of commercials after almost every single damn play!
Sure, some will be clever ads tonight – but I can see them for the rest of the year, since they’ll be on during EVERY single sporting event, and every other TV program, from now, until the NEXT Stupid Bowl.
Watching a Football game is like watching dancers who have commercials every few dance steps – 1,2,3, COMMERCIALS, kick! COMMERCIALS, 1, 2, 3, COMMERCIALS, kick! COMMERCIALS, 1, 2, HOLD, 2, 3, COMMERCIALS, kick!!! COMMERCIALS, 1, 2, 3, FIRST DOWN, COMMERCIALS, 1, 2, replay, COMMERCIALS, decision, 3, COMMERCIALS, kick, COMMERCIALS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I used to watch every championship game, back in the 70’s and 80’s.
Every game, to the bitter end – no matter how late the games ended, no matter the sport.
Then, I fell asleep in the 9th inning of the 7th game of a tied World Series game, and discovered that it didn’t bother me.
I could watch ESPN in the morning, and go to work that day sounding like I’d seen the whole game.
REVELATION!!!!!!!!!!!
Since then, when games are on – and on in the daytime, not at night – I either read a newspaper or, lately, a blog, with the game on the TV, in the background.
If anything happens and I miss it – it’ll be replayed in a few seconds.
There’s no “immediacy” left in games – where, if you turn your head, you might miss something you’ve never seen before, and will never see again.
Now, it’ll be replayed in a few seconds – and then replayed for days, weeks, months, on ESPN, and every other sports segment on TV.
So, while I’ll still have the Yankee and Giants games on if they’re in the daytime, I’ll still be reading blogs – since we can’t afford newspapers anymore (and, btw, THEY’VE gone down the toilet, too, over the years!) – with the games on in the background.
So, to all of you, I wish you a Happy Stupid Bowl Night!!!
Eat, drink (but don’t drive!), and be merry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’ll be reading a novel.
And tomorrow, when I wake up, I can tune to ESPN and be clued in on what I missed.
And what’s really sad is, I won’t miss missing the game.
PaulW
Super Bowl Drinking Game:
1) Every time an announcer talks about Peyton’s legacy, take a drink
2) Every time an announcer mentions Seattle’s rabid fanbase (12th Man), take a drink
3) Every time an announcer promotes a prime-time TV show, take a drink
4) Every time an announcer ignores the play on the field to ramble about something unrelated to either the teams actually playing, take two drinks
5) Every Pick 6 or a fumble return for a touchdown regardless of team, take two drinks
6) Every blocked FG kick, take two drinks
7) If there’s a successful onside kick, kiss the prettiest boy or girl nearest to you and take two drinks
8) If there’s a successful kickoff return for a touchdown, kiss every prettiest boy and girl nearest to you and take two drinks
9) If there’s a snow flurry and the stadium seats empty out, shout at the TV “COWARDS” and take a drink
10) If there’s three feet of snow and play can’t continue, drink the whole bottle
scav
@AdamK: So rumor would have it. Rather like the little piece of grit that gives rise to the lusterous commercial pearl. It inspires a lot of solid cooking, must not forget that either.
Corner Stone
@PaulW: Sweet Baby Jeebus! Your first 3 rules are not a drinking game but a death wish.
evap
Ran to the Lincoln Memorial and back this morning (about 10 miles) and am now heading out for Thai food. Will ignore the Super Bowl — we don’t have a tv anyway — maybe try to find the commercials online tomorrow. Chili and wings sound good, though.
Beautiful weather today for this time of year, just noticed we are supposed to get snow tomorrow. I hope they are wrong!!!
kdaug
Pulled pork BBQ on hour 7 in the crockpot. These will be epic sammies.
And this (again). Because it’s awesome.
Corner Stone
Planning to make King Ranch Chicken which will then be spooned onto chips and turned into nachos under the broiler.
Trust me, fantastic King Ranch Chicken Nachos.
Corner Stone
@evap:
Did you hoist your hands high in triumph and hum a little theme song?
Da da da, Da Da…Da da da da da…DA DA!!
Corner Stone
Freakin West BY GOD Virginia just can’t catch a break these days.
hitchhiker
Here in Seattle it’s SUNNY again, and yeah there’s a game on the television this afternoon. Can’t say I care that much either way who wins, but we’re having company anyway . . . and that’s been the best part of this whole championship thing.
Lots of people have a reason to hang out — something that usually only happens at holidays when there’s way too much to do. This is like a holiday out of nowhere! I’m making West African peanut/chicken/sweet potato soup. NOMNOMNOM.
So, yay for the game, and I hope nobody gets hurt.
Villago Delenda Est
@Corner Stone:
Number 3, all by itself, guarantees you’ll be in an alcohol induced coma on the first play after kickoff. This is, of course, on Fox.
Villago Delenda Est
@hitchhiker:
On the playing field.
I’m routing for lots of injuries in the announcers’ booth.
Forked Tongue
11) Every time a player takes a blow to the head that will substantially diminish his quality of life, take a small sip, swirl it in your mouth, and empty it into a spit cup. You don’t want to get too trashed.
jeffreyw
@kdaug: I like pickled peppers with my crockpot pork sammies
raven
Gee let’s see how many whiny fucks we can get to make brilliant, never heard, comments about twht THEY won’t watch the superbowl. Who gives a rats ass? Downton Abbey will be on soon.
Corner Stone
Holy shit but Melissa McCarthy may be the funniest person on the planet! *
*Not counting Louis CK
gbear
This is actually a good Sunday to go to Ikea.
pamelabrown53
@jeffreyw: I love beef barley soup. Soup to me is comfort food. Was wondering if you could direct me to your favorite recipe for beef/barley soup because I’ve been wanting to make it for some time.
gbear
@hitchhiker:
Did George Orr have an effective dream?
imonlylurking
I have a first world problem. I’m making munchies for my roommate’s ‘Ironic Superbowl Party’ and I just realized that I had planned to make two kinds of pumpkin muffins. (One has almond flour and we have a friend coming who can’t eat almonds.) Hence the plan to make two, but Ive since realized that we may have people coming that don’t like pumpkins. So I grabbed the cookbooks and found a recipe for flourless gingerbread-and I want to put blueberries and chocolate chips in it.
So here’s the dilemma-is blueberry chocolate chip gingerbread the best idea ever or total overkill?
Certified Mutant Enemy
Super Bowl: Are you ready?
Bruuuuce
According to local newsradio. Christie is heading to the game, free. The stadium is built on state-owned land, so the Gov’s office has the use of a box. Governor Cuomo of NY, however, paid for his tickets (the NFL offered him a pair, but state law said he couldn’t accept them as gifts, so he reimbursed the $2K cost).
Shame Christie doesn’t have to sit out in the open, where the fans get to give him feedback.
Certified Mutant Enemy
I hear there’s some sort of foot the ball contest today.
scav
@imonlylurking:
At an Ironic Superbowl Party, I think somehow think foodstuffs made by putting as many ingredients (especially superfoods, if at all possible) into a bowl all at once should be mandatory.
Yatsuno
@imonlylurking: Chocolate is okay, but I’d dip or drizzle it on the cookies. The blueberries would clash too much with the spiciness I would think.
Betty Cracker
Hoping for a great game since I’m not invested in / don’t have a burning hatred for either team. I’m leaning toward the Broncos because Manning is an SEC guy and the Broncos have more Gators on the roster. Also, ex-Buc Michael Bennett made a good career move when he left Tampa for Seattle, but he abandoned his boxer puppy at a kennel and never came back for it, so he’s likely a dickhead loser.
Got a couple of slabs of babybacks on the smoker, plus slaw and ranch beans. It’s a gorgeous day here — 79 and mostly sunny.
scav
@Yatsuno: The combination certainly has a medieval vibe that might startle some and intrigue others.
Aimai
@Gex: ive just been sent a notice from my doctor that its time for my periodic colonoscopy. It came under the very unfortunate heading “RECALL” as though my colon, being defective but under warrantee, needed to go back to the factory.
gbear
@Bruuuuce:
Yea, but you know that his image is going to show up on the big screens if he gets anywhere near the window of his private box. It’ll be fun to hear the crowd reaction when that happens.
donnah
We’re not doing the Superbowl thing here, but I’ve been making meals in advance for the week today and my house is filled with a delightful but confusing aromatic mix of chili, spaghetti sauce, baked garlic chicken, and original Scottish shortbread.
dogwood
Got chili, yellow split pea soup, and jalapeño cornbread going on here. Go Seahawks.
rikyrah
Um, you live in Oklahoma.
So, what good is it for you to have used the snowblower at home, when I’m guessing the streets are unpassable?
Gex
@Aimai: Ha! I’ve been on frequent recall for early signs of cervical cancer. Never read “recall” that way, but now I will!
rikyrah
@c u n d gulag:
I feel ya.
I was a sportsaholic until my mother passed away.
Since then, my sports fanatacism has waned.
raven
Two years ago our wonderful friends (she’s Colombian) showed up a week early for the game. They just showed up for today’s game and I realized I didn’t put a time on the the FB invite figuring everyone would remember that the game is late!
raven
@Betty Cracker: Knowshon and Bailey! Woof!
lol chikinburd
The Kitten Bowl (currently airing on Hallmark Channel) is really showing up recent Puppy Bowls right now, not only innovating with the addition of goalposts but by keeping its focus simple, and not cutting away every forty-five seconds to a dumb sight gag involving some entirely different species. The Zen-like minimalism of the original Puppy Bowl seems a lifetime away now.
PurpleGirl
@kdaug: Yay, it’s awesome. I luv that PSA. Just love it. The animals are adorable, the hoomins are so enthusiastic to be there with the animals, the song is very up. Luv it.
jeffreyw
@pamelabrown53: Well, you could browse around at this link.
MomSense
@imonlylurking:
If I pair anything with gingerbread, I go with lemon or vanilla. Gingerbread hot out of the oven with warm lemon or vanilla glaze on the top is delicious.
Davis X. Machina
Electric blowers were toys when they first came out, but not any more.
I live in Maine, and have a short driveway. I have an electric blower and if you’re patient, and make more than one pass, and if necessary go out mid-blow to move the first 7″-8″, it’s handled three winters, and 12-16″ accumulations, including plow-back that’s knee-deep. I wouldn’t want do do 100′ of driveway, but for 30′ x two cars wide, it works just fine.
monkeyfister
I was hoping for a big weather event for the Superbowl. I think the weather should always be the third team on the field, as it was before the invasion of the domes removed the excitement from the game.
Soonergrunt
@rikyrah: I, unlike many of my neighbors, know how to drive in the snow. Also, OKC and Moore are actually fairly accomplished at clearing snow. If you can get out of your neighborhood to a main street, you’ll do OK.
raven
I went to Denver
Late last fall
I went to do my job
Yeah I didn’t break any law
We worked a hippie place
Like many in our land
They couldn’t bust the place
And so they got the band
‘Cause the police in Denver
No, they don’t want none of them long hairs hanging around
And that’s the reason why
They want to tear Canned Heat’s reputation down
raven
dupe
pamelabrown53
@jeffreyw: Thank you so much for replying, jeffrey. I’ll be clicking on the link as soon as I push post. Again, thank you.
Cassidy
@raven: I saw a cartoon the other day about it being the time of year when people try to outdo the others about not knowing anything about football and being surprised the biggest sporting event in the US is happening. It was funny. My delivery might be off.
imonlylurking
@scav: Hm. So you are saying that I should go medieval on their asses.
Glocksman
@PaulW:
You forgot:
11) Have roommate/neighbor call ambulance to take you to the ER for alcohol poisoning.
On the bright side, they’ll give you Ativan to deal with the shakes.
some guy
@Betty Cracker:
Percy Harvin can win this one for the Seahawks!
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@raven: I still remember it was autumn and the moon was shinin’
Our 60 Cadillac was roarin’ through Nebraska whinin’
Doin’ 120 man the fields was bendin’ over
Headin’ out for the mountains knowin’ we was traveling further
All our fires were blazing and the spinnin’ wheels were turnin’ turnin’
Had my girl beside me brother.
Brother she was burnin’ burnin’
Up walked a Baptist preachin’ southern funky school teacher
She had a line on somethin’ heavy but we couldn’t reach her
We told her that we needed somethin’ that would get us goin’
She pulled out all she had and laid it on the counter showin’
All I had to do was lay my money down and pick it up
The cops came dustin’ in and then we lit out in our pickup truck go
Get out of Denver better go go
Get out of Denver better go
Get out of Denver better go go
Get out of Denver cause you look just like a commie
And you might just be a member better
Better Get out of Denver
Better Get out of Denver
scav
@imonlylurking: Hadn’t thought of it as such, but, yes, apparently so. well.
bemused
@Gex:
Wow, that’s the most creative and stupid man excuse to avoid doctors and medical procedures which terrify them that I have ever heard.
Mnemosyne
@lol chikinburd:
Still waiting for the start times here on the West Coast. :-(
Gene108
@gbear:
I’d love to hear a Cowboys suck chant from the locals, as Christie is self professed Cowboys fan.
Why is a Jersey boy a Cowboys fan?
What I learned is in the 1970’s the Eagles and Giants sucked, while the Cowboys were “America’s Team”, so lot of folks in Jersey jumped on the front runner bandwagon.
I think this should call into question Christie’s character and this was known prior to the November election.
Betty Cracker
@some guy: That’s true: Harvin is an amazing player when he’s healthy, and they say he is.
Betty Cracker
@Gene108: I didn’t know that about Christie. For shame!
some guy
@Betty Cracker:
watched the A&M roundball game yesterday. Billy D’s team could go All.The.Way. this year. March will be mad around here.
Glocksman
@Gene108:
I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt based on my own history as a Steelers fan.
As a lifetime resident of Evansville Indiana, I should have been a Miami Dolphins* fan and then a Colts fan after they moved to Indy.
I *am* a Colts fan, but that’s always been secondary to the Steelers.
My ‘reasoning’ for being a Steelers fan at the age of 7 had everything to do with the cool uniforms and their smash-mouth style of play and nothing to do with any ties to Pittsburgh or Pennsylvania.
Maybe CC just liked the Cowboy uniforms or logo.
*Back in the 1970’s you couldn’t swing a dead cat without hitting at least one person wearing a Dolphins jacket or tshirt.
pamelabrown53
@Betty Cracker: Hi Betty, Didn’t try to find the comment to which you responded. Anyway, I kind of like the contrast between Christie under siege in a government box and the New York governor paying 2k to attend.
Wonder if Keith Olbermann will use this dig. I swear there is no difference between sports and political pundits which terrifies me.
Doug Alder
we’ll be gathering at my sister’s house to watch the Seahawks beat the Broncos tonight.
– there I fixed it for you LOL
Betty Cracker
@pamelabrown53: I read somewhere that NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio is watching at home like a regular human being. Good for him!
Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again)
@Betty Cracker:
I’ve seen the big plays and whatnot, but he’s never impressed me as being all that great. Call me a partisan if you will, but I think Randall Cobb, whose role is very similar to Harvin’s, is a much better version.
Suzanne
I have decided that I like Richard Sherman, and so I am rooting for Seattle.
I am making the one recipe that was passed down from my grandmother that is good. She made this cream cheese dip that is totally devoid of anything redeeming for your body. It is delicious. Served with the ripple potato chips from Trader Joe’s.
We are also having wings and a veggie platter. And chocolate chip hummus.
Cermet
Denver win? Ha!!
A team with a really good defence with a very good QB will beat a team with a really great (greatest?) QB and just a better than average defence 5.073 out of every ten times … .
As a Ravens fan I would like Manning to win because he is just the greatest but I’m rooting for the Sea-hawks (Birds gotta stick together.).
greenergood
Not a Super Bowl fanatic, but stoked to find out that the Red Hot Chilli Pipers http://www.redhotchillipipers.co.uk/ are in the half-time entertainment – smokin’ bagpipes and drums and one of the Chillis is from my adopted local town, Helensburgh, on the W coast of Scotland
Roger Moore
@Doug Alder:
No, they’re going to be gathering to watch the Broncos beat the Seahawks. Whether they get that or the other way around is an open question.
Cermet
@raven: Sams!! That is fucking Walmart owned! Go to Costco where they treat employee’s like humans! Sam’s club is only to line the family pigs that own walmart!
PurpleGirl
@Betty Cracker: Yeah, watching at home in Brooklyn. I like they are still very much Brooklyn oriented when it comes to family stuff.
Higgs Boson's Mate
I am going to cheer for the (Who’s playing?) game long. The (Who’s playing?) are overdue for a big win. This game should settle the question of (Insert question) for good. Go…!
Yatsuno
@Betty Cracker: I just wish he wasn’t made of glass. When he’s healthy he can make himself an amazing target, and the Broncos only have a middle of the road defence. Get the feeling there will be lots of Skittles thrown today.
WaterGirl
Unless the Bears are playing, I don’t usually care who wins a football game.
But after the Richard Sherman brouhaha, I ended up reading a lot about Sherman, and I really like what I read. So I’m rooting for the Seahawks, of course.
Bruuuuce
@gbear: This might be a clue. (tl;dr: “Gov. Chris Christie booed by Times Square crowd at Super Bowl event”)
Violet
I don’t really care who wins. I’ve got ties to both cities, so that’s kind of a split decision for me. The Peyton Manning comeback story is kind of nice, but I also like Richard Sherman and the Seahawks winning would be a big FU to all the people afraid of the Scary Black Guy.
I guess I don’t really care who wins. I hope for a good game and some unexpected drama. Chris Christie getting booed, a freak snowstorm, a bunch of VIPs getting searched and being all “We’re VIPs! Don’t you know who we are!” to the 99%ers doing the searching and that getting caught on video, maybe another electrical outage, a fire in a locker room (no one hurt, but DRAMA!), 1%er limos get caught in traffic on a bridge and they don’t make the kickoff. Something fun besides the game to watch.
Betty Cracker
@Yatsuno: Harvin’s health was always iffy when he was in college too. Not just direct game injuries; he had migraines and other problems crop up. But when he’s on, he’s on.
PS: Why would anyone throw Skittles? I’m missing a meme…
Mnemosyne
KITTEN BOWL! And then I’ll watch the Puppy Bowl afterwards. Not sure I’m in love with the commentators, but the kittens are freakin’ adorable and doing lots of kitten things.
raven
@Cermet: Yea, well, as soon as they put one within 50 miles I will.
opiejeanne
@Bruuuuce: pretty sure Washington’s governor Jay Inslee paid for his seats.
opiejeanne
@imonlylurking: Needs SKITTLES!
Bruuuuce
@opiejeanne: Wouldn’t surprise me (nor if Colorado’s Governor Hickenlooper paid for his). The only reason Christie gets to go free is that the state owns the actual land the stadium’s built on. Not a bad deal for a parcel of swamp.
raven
@opiejeanne: My bride bought a ton of them and separated them into blue, green and orange!
opiejeanne
@Betty Cracker: I hope we get one quarter out of him today.
raven
WTF, O’Rielly all up in the Prez’s face on the pregame!