Sunday, February 21, 2010

Odd Bits - Holy Shit Follow-up and Team USA Edition

Cassie at Sisters from Different Misters has a post up anticipating tonight’s USA/Canada hockey match-up.  I had the following comment:

Before the game, I feel conflicted. I love my country. And I love my Penguins. How can I root against Sid and the Flower? Sid’s carrying the weight of his country on his back. If they fail, he’ll be dogged about it for the rest of his career.

I also remember the Miracle on Ice… live, and not the Disney version. That was a formative memory for me and possibly the most exhilarated I’ve ever been.
I have a feeling that this game will be like this time my brother was at Ohio State and entered a fraternity boxing tournament. (3 one-minute rounds)

My brother and I fought a lot before he went away to school… he was a constant irritant to my friends and I. So I thought it would be perfectly deserving if some other dude whooped his ass and served him a nice slice of humble pie. That’s what I said going down there, anyway.

As it turned out, the frat that was running the event liked to rig the fights in their favor, so they put my brother in the ring with a guy that should have been in a higher weight class. Not that I knew this going in… So I was sitting there with my parents, and all I know was that once the bell rang, all thoughts of humble pie were gone. I wanted my brother to take the other guy’s head off.

(My brother won in a decision. I’d never been so proud of him as I was that night.)

I figure that’s what tomorrow’s game is going to be like. Once I see that USA jersey out there, it won’t matter who the opponent is.  Can’t root against the USA.

So here’s what I want to see:  Sid opens the scoring with 2 quick goals, flying around the ice with a jump in his step.  US claws back with a goal.  Sid answers, giving him a hat trick.  The US goes on a run and pots the next 3, putting them up 4-3 and chasing Brodeur.  Fleury comes in and holds the fort, but the Canadians don’t score again.  USA wins, Sid and Flower play with honor and can hold their heads up high. 

Is that too much to ask for?

Holy Shit Redux
I had so much fun with Friday’s post and I thank everyone who participated and commented.  

One of the issues I always encounter is having too much material for a single post.  While I don’t really have anything else to say about it, I did have some more outside material that I thought would have been overkill in the original post.

This is a segment from one of my all time favorite George Carlin bits.  In it, he logically and carefully boils down the Ten Commandments to the Two Commandments, as only he can.  It’s brilliant.  Have a look:
The other thing I wanted to work in was this video of 50s/60’s musical satirist Tom Lehrer.  The video doesn’t include it usual explanatory introduction so let me handle that.  This song was done in 1965 after the Vatican II council, at which the Church stopped using Latin in the Mass and widened the range of music permissible.  Lehrer felt that if the “really want to sell the product, in this secular age, what they ought to do is to redo the music in popular song form.”  This “modest example” is called, The Vatican Rag.
I love what this guy does with a rhyme.  If you like this song, do look up more of his work on YouTube.  Tom Lehrer was a Harvard Math professor that side-lighted by performing satirical songs in clubs around Boston and eventually the world.  He also wrote music for the children’s show “The Electric Company.”  The guy was way ahead of his time.

12 comments:

Cassie said...

I loved your comment on my post. I haven't responded yet, but here's what I was going to say:

Your brother is the shiznittle. I love it when the underdog wins, especially when those bastards were fixing the fight. From the photo, your brother looks pretty damn scrappy. (Not to mention, the ref's 'stache is top notch.)

I have a feeling tonights game is going to be just as fun as watching game 7 of the Stanley Cup playoffs last year. I love me some USA, but I'm a huge fan of Cros and Fleur-dog. I'm so very, very torn.

bluzdude said...

I just want it to be a good game. And thank you for understanding when I cannibalize my comments from your blog...

I usually write too much, and then think, "damn, I could have used that myself." But it does give me the opportunity to give links to my favorite sites.

My brother is younger than me, but he used to be so good at getting under people's skin. He was pretty much of a twerp when he was younger, but when he went away to college, he started lifting weights and got really ripped. So he was in excellent shape by the time the boxing tournament came along.

College also did a lot for our relationship. He wasn't nearly such a pain, probably having to do with going to such a big school and no longer being King Shit of Turd Mountain in our little town. We've been pretty tight ever since.

Now, it's about time for the puck to drop!

Mary Ann said...

George gets an A for economy and conciseness of idea and language. Weed out the redundant.
Tom is a musical breath of fresh air. 'Ave Maria/Gee it's good to see ya.'
And the greatest commandment of all: "THOU SHALT KEEP THY RELIGION TO THYSELF".

Mary Ann said...

When I think Edward, the "Rocky" music plays in my head. Da tadadah tahdada tadah...

bluzdude said...

Mary Ann:
"Eleven Commandments? Get the fuck outta here!"

Getting rid of the verbal redundancy is a good idea in many more disciplines than this.

Boy, did we party that night after Ed's fight... That was one to remember... if only I could remember anything... I vaguely remember carousing around a party somewhere, maybe at his frat house...

Cassie said...

I noticed your brother was a TKE. My brother in law is one...they're decieveingly scrappy.

bluzdude said...

Ed had very fond memories of being a TKE... Heck he could probably write a very entertaining book, just based on the stories he told me.

In 1984, they actually hosted a lunch with President Reagan, when he was running for re-election. Reagan had been a TKE too, and accepted an invite. Was quite an experience for my brother. Reagan handed the TKE president $35 for beer money, which unfortunately was enough to buy my brother's vote that year. That must be a campaign violation, no? Giving beer money to frat guys? Slam dunk.

Cassie said...

Reagan, my he rest in peace. (still not a wise vote.)

Anonymous said...

You should tell the Edward going thru security story. dad

CrackerLilo said...

Last night's game was awesome. Ryan Miller was absolutely amazing, and I loved seeing our American Penguin Brooks Orpik do well. Sidney Crosby will be just fine should he reach his 23rd birthday without accomplishing all of his professional goals.

Your story about your brother reminds me so much of my kid brother. If fighting was a sport, he'd have been varsity through high school and college. I always kinda hoped someone would actually kick his ass to teach him a lesson about being stupid, but then it would come down to the get down, and suddenly I wouldn't want him to learn a damned thing!

bluzdude said...

Cassie:
Yeah, I was pretty pissed at him for that vote. But he came back to the fold the next year. Never underestimate the significance of free beer money.

Dad:
I have seriously considered telling that story… In fact I’m dying to. But it’s really his story and kind of embarrassing… it’s not my place to make it public.

Telling of how he came, he saw, and he kicked booty is one thing… but that story is something else entirely…

bluzdude said...

Lilo:
Exactly... blood and country are thicker than water.

Hope you didn't bust any stitches yelling at the tv last night!