What a Dogfight!

Sorry, unfortunate choice of title for what went on today between the Saints and the Falcons. But from what I’ve heard and seen, it’s accurate. All that matters is the final score, and the Saints prevailed, 22-16!!

I’ll Take Two Port-of-Call Burgers, and Maybe a Steak To Go

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I will announce here in this public forum that Mr. Mark Johnson, formerly of Atlanta (or thereabouts) owes me one dinner at Port-of-Call, a great little dive on the edge of the French Quarter, next time I make it down to New Orleans. Besides the burgers and steaks, they serve a great 32-ounce mix of rum and fruit juices called Neptune's Monsoon.

Not long after Mark and I became friends, we went to the Saints-Falcons game together, me in my Saints getup, he in his Falcons’. As you can imagine, there was the usual amount of smack-talk. The Saints were not doing well that year, and Mark was very confident that his pathetic little birds would win that game. We had planned on hitting Port of Call after the game, so I challenged him to put his money where his mouth was and thus began our twice-yearly bet. The Saints actually came back and won that game, and it’s been a standing bet ever since. Sometimes I feel bad, though, because the Saints, as blood-boiling as they can be, seem to have the Falcons’ number most of the time.

Mark, if you happen to read this, I’ll be in on November 24th and there for the week, so save up!

Workin’ for the Weekend

I wasn’t able to see the Saints-Falcons game today, nor the Patriots put a buttwhooping on the Dolphins today. This was our opening weekend of concerts, and we were in Worcester on Wednesday, at Sanders Theatre in Harvard on Thursday, at Jordan Hall in the New England Conservatory on Saturday, and today back at Sanders for our matinee. Everyone who showed up loved the concerts, although I think the reason we had so many seats sold but unfilled is because of the Red Sox series. It’s a shame, because the concerts were very good.

So now it’s time to rest for a day or so and then get ready for our next concert series, the weekend before Thanksgiving. This should be another good weekend of concerts; we’re doing the Schubert Unfinished and the Bruckner 5th. The Bruckner is not performed very often, but it is a powerhouse of a piece. Our conductor is really stoked about performing it.

So You Think You Can Dance?

It’s currently the bottom of the 8th in the seventh game of the ALCS and rookie Dustin Pedroia just hit a bases-clearing double to put the Sox ahead of the Indians, 9-2. Cleveland is changing pitchers; they have two outs but are up against the top of the Sox order. After this inning it will fall to the Baton Rouge-born closer, Jonathan Papelbon, to get us to the big dance. Then we’ll all get to see Jonathan dance again.

As I’m typing this, the Sox’ first baseman, Kevin Youkilis, hit a homer off the big Coke bottle over the Green Monster to score himself and Mr. Pedroia, so now the game is 11-2 Sox. Looked to be a nail-biter for most of the game, but with 6 runs scored this inning and 2 last inning, it’s opening up a bit.

It’s funny; when I first moved here I thought Youkilis must suck because the crowd would boo every time he stepped up to bat. Turns out he’s one of the clutch players and they’re yelling “YOOOOUUUUUUK!” A lot of times you can even hear it when they’re on the road, especially when they play somewhere like Baltimore, where not a lot of Orioles fans go to the games. ARE there a lot of Orioles fans? Hmmm.

Geaux Sox!

As I was posting this, bolding the subtitles and posting the links, the Sox got the last out and WON! My advice is to stay tuned, you never know what Papelbon is going to do next.