Some mad scientist out there is constructing super-cool models of hot-rods, race cars and customized cruisers out of tin cans.

At first I was impressed, and the more I looked, the more blown-away I got.  Incredible details and craftsmanship.  As my brother (who sent me these shots) put it, this guy must be in prison because nobody has that kind of time.  I’d love to have one of these sitting on my desk.

My first time to Charleston, and I found it to be a visual feast.  So Southern and classic, you from certain vantage points, almost European.  I’m heading back this month, maybe we’ll have nicer weather.

Notre Dame has fired Charlie Weis.  I never liked Weis, and he turned me off of Notre Dame football for the last five years.  I’m glad that’s over with.  GO IRISH!

Stanford 45, Notre Dame 38. What a fun game to watch, and very likely Charlie Weis’ last at Notre Dame. Yep folks, it looks like my least favorite coach in college football has finally come to the end of the road.

Notre Dame vs. Stanford was back and forth and very exciting. Two distinctly different offenses that were both extremely effective against two defenseless defenses. From the first play (Notre Dame fumble recovered by Stanford) to the last play (Stanford blocks the Notre Dame Hail Mary pass in end zone), just fun college football. Kudos to both teams for keeping the action coming, Fighting to the last second, and for never letting the competition degrade to uncontrolled violence.

So let’s start with the good, shall we…

• Stanford ended its seven-game losing streak against Notre Dame with this win.  Nice work Cardinal.

• Stanford’s Toby Gerhard is a running back’s running back. Power, balance, vision, and 100% never-stop. Gerhard rushed for 205 hard-fought yards and three TDs against the Irish. He even threw a 18-yard touchdown pass. Watching this offense with this running backs brings back the great running offenses of my youth.  I hope he wins the Heisman too, I love to see it go to a great running back.

• Good stats for both teams, but Stanford’s offense controlled the ground game and also controlled the clock. The penalties could have hurt them, but the converted seven 3rd Downs to keep those drives alive.

• How about Golden Tate! That guy is amazing. With 201 yards receiving and three TDs, he really was golden.  He’s Jimmy Clausen’s favorite target and the every defenses worst fear.

And now the bad (or at least, bad for some)…

• Notre Dame ends the 2009 season 6-6. In five years, Coach Weis has lost to Michigan State three times, Navy twice, Syracuse once, USC five times, Boston College twice, Michigan three times and Air Force once. He has zero wins against teams ranked in the Top 20 at the end of the season. Hardly a return to glory or “schematic advantage” for Notre Dame.

• Coach Weis refused all interview requests including the traditional walk to the locker-room at half-time. He even declined to take part in the post-game press conference. He is, of course, avoiding answering the inevitable questions about his job at Notre Dame. So, after 62 games coaching the Fighting Irish, Coach Weis sneaks out the side door without a peep. Five years ago, he was making proclamations and bold statements. Now, not so much.
• Coach Weis’ recruiting trip on the west coast has been cancelled and he flew back to South Bend with the team so that he will be available to meet with the Athletic Director. Yikes. How is “you don’t need to do any recruiting right now” ever a good sign?
• Coach Weis has lost at least six games each of the last three years which is the longest such streak in ND history. His winning percentage is about 57%, but in the last three seasons he is 16-21 leaving him with a 43% winning percentage. Ouch. Well, way to get in to the books with that one Coach!

• Suddenly, this book seems very, very funny. I hope they didn’t print too many.

• Rumors are flying that Jimmy Clausen (nice shiner from a sucker-punch leaving a bar) and Golden Tate will forego their senior year in South Bend to head to the NFL. Without the magic that these two guys bring to the Irish offense, the challenge for whoever is coaching at Notre Dame will be markedly greater.  Way to leave it better worse than you found it.

Well, I simply can’t wait to see who coaches ND in 2010. Their kicking names around in the media, but I don’t think they know yet. I’m thinking of buying a Fighting Irish sweatshirt to celebrate the end of the Weis era and a return to being a fan.  I’m really pretty excited about it.

Some fun Weis-era photos to end this post with…

Oh, and a little trivia… Do you know who handed Coach Weis his first loss at Notre Dame back in 2005?  That’s right, The Michigan State University Spartans.  I believe MSU has the most wins at Notre Dame, outside of Notre Dame.

Happy Thanksgiving. I’ve got some great food to eat, some football to watch and in general, some serious relaxing and to do. That’s what holidays are all about, right?

But tomorrow, the day after Thanksgiving, is not very holiday-like. Black Friday. It sounds so sinister and evil. Or maybe the day the stock-market crashed or the Hindenburg fell in flames. Nope, just the craziest shopping day of the year. I typically don’t partake in Black Friday madness, but I will take this time to begin putting together a wish list of Christmas goodies that I am dreaming of. Here is what has my attention this year (in no particular order)…

1. Navy Blue V-neck Sweater - I can’t believe I don’t have one as it’s a staple. I retired two of them last year, and this year I have none. I’m not too particular nor do I have a specific brand in mind. Just a nice, no-suprises, classic v-neck in dark blue please. Some exmples:

J Crew lambswool v-neck, $59.00:

L.L. Bean Lambswood v-neck, $59.00:

Lands’ End Drifter Cotton v-neck, $35.00:

2. V-Neck Sweater, not Navy Blue – I wouldn’t mind another v-neck in charcoal gray, heather gray, yellow or possibly even red.

3. Blue striped button-down oxford – Again, just clean, simple and classic for this shirt. A shirt that gets better and better with age.  My last striped oxford-cloth button-down was a Polo, and it lasted a good long time.  It washed nicely and always looked casual and comfortable without looking sloppy.  I blew out one of the elbows after five or six years, and still I continued to wear it under sweaters.  But with moving, I had to make some hard decisions, and keeping a blown-out shirt just didn’t make the cut.  So I’m back in the market.  Here are some nice options:

Polo Classic-fit Striped Oxford, $79.50:

L.L. Bean Wrinkle-Resistant University Stripe Classic Oxford, $34.50:

Brooks Brothers Traditional Fit Original Polo Button-Down Oxford, $79.50:

4. Penny Loafers – Preferably black, but I can roll with brown or oxblood as long as they’re dark (I already have some light brown loafers). The more classic the better. Here’s what I mean:

Bass Weejuns Goodwick, black, $129.00:

L.L. Bean Classic Penny Loafer, $99.00:

And The Ultimate… Alden Shell Cordovan Handsewn Mocasin, $546.00:

5. Cole Haan Hayden Penny – An odd combination of boat shoe and penny loafer, but I dig it.  These are listed on sale on colehaan.com between $79 and $99, depending on color.  I like the brown:

6. Pocket Knife – I like to carry a pocket knife for utility purposes such as opening packages, cutting loose threads, tightening sunglasses screws, etc. Basic with only one or two blades, and slim so it doesn’t feel bulky in your pocket. I had a nice Soligen knife that I picked up in Germany, but airport security confiscated it in the days before they would mail things to you. Before the Soligen knife, I had a nice Old Timer that served me well for maybe ten years.  A really good knife.  Not as deluxe as the Soligen, but it reminded me of being a Cub Scout, spending summers with my cousins on Lake Erie in Canada, and in general, it just like an old friend.

Uncle Henry Roadie, $11.97 (at knivesplus.com)

Schrade Old Timer, $11.95 (at knifecenter.com)

Buck Solo, $17 (at buckknives.com)

Case Small Pen Knife, $27.95 (at knifecenter.com)

7. Delmonico’s Steak Sauce – I received a bottle in 2008, for my birthday I think (thank you S.) and this stuff is a killer. I’m not a big steak sauce guy in general, but when I bring a lunch to work and drizzle a bit of this over the left-over Filet Mignon or New York Strip, it is amazing. And on potatoes or saute’d mushrooms and onions, delishamundo.  $5.95 (at delmonicosny.com).

8. J. Crew Woven Boxers - I have not tried them all, but I’ve tried a bunch, and the J. Crew boxers do exactly what I want boxers to do: Be comfortable and last a long time.  Last year at Christmas, you could get some patterns as cheap as $6.  Right now, they are two for $25.  Oh yes J. Crew, let’s dance.  Let’s see who blinks first.  You wanna go, let’s go!

9. Brooks Brothers Traditional Fit Non-Iron Dress Shirt – These shirts rule.  They look perfect right out of the dryer as long as you hang them promptly.  And they keep on looking great all day long.  They do not last forever, which is the only issue.  But for work or dressing up, they look fantastic and no trips to the cleaners.  For 2010, I’m sitting pretty on solids (thanks Mr. & Mrs. P.), so maybe…

Navy Windowpane, Green Tattersail, Blue Pic-n-Pic Gingham:

Well, that’s it for today.  Maybe I’ll come up with a few more things I’m dreaming of for Christmas, like some good socks, or a Rolex Submariner, MacIntosh tube power-amps (yes, plural as they are mono), 1961 Lincoln Continental convertible, 1967 Corvette Sting-Ray coupe, vintage Magnatone M10A guitar amplifier, etc.  I “need” it!

A crazy roller-coaster of a year for these guys:

I hoped for better than 6-6, I must admit. But after the 1-3 start, I was justifiably concerned. Here’s my one-sentence-per-game re-cap of the 2009 Spartan football season..

Pre-Season – A bunch of freshman, two quarterbacks, a slew of running backs, and all of them unproven.

Montana State -A great opener, but not much of a look at how Sparty will do against real competition. (1-0)

Central Michigan – A three point loss, and when I tell people the Central is actually good, it just sounds like I’m making excuses. (1-1)

Notre Dame – The second game that MSU gave the opponent a second chance results in a second loss. (1-2)

This one really hurt. If you read my posts, than you know I’m a long-time ND fan. But, and it’s a very large but, I can not stand Charlie Weis. As the Irish’s Head Coach, he’s the worst. And I really, really wanted to beat up on old Chuck one more time before he gets fired (I’m praying). The over-hyped Irish got the job done this year, unfortunately. On a side note, do you remember back in 2005 when ND lost to MSU and Charlie Weis declared that they would not lose to Michigan State on his watch. He’s 2-3 against the Spartans.  So much for the “decided schematic advantage”.

Wisconsin – The Badgers converted three of four turn-overs in to points, and the win. (1-3)

Michigan – The undefeated and ranked Wolverines fall to the Spartans in OT, and maybe this season isn’t so bad after all. (2-3)

A note here regarding MSU vs. UM: first consecutive wins by MSU in my lifetime. The Wolverines season falls apart after losing to the Spartans. We didn’t hear too much of the “little brother” jive this year either. Michigan will be back, you can bet on that, so let’s enjoy it while it lasts. And the Paul Bunyan Trophy is probably getting pretty comfortable in East Lansing.

Illinois – The Spartans rolled the troubled Illini handlily, and we were back to even.  (3-3)

Northwestern – The 4-2 Wildcats were tough in the first half, but the second half belonged to Sparty. (4-3)

So, at this point, the three game losing streak was offset by a three game winning streak against Big Ten schools, and the Spartans seem to be a much better team than their record would suggest.  November is not always the kindest month for MSU football squads, but I feel like that era is over.  I said that MSU would at least go 6-6, but quite possibly 7-5 with wins over Minnesota, Western and Purdue.

Iowa – A heartbreaker of a loss against undefeated / ranked Iowa on the very last play of the game, and we’re back to even again. (4-4)

Minnesota – As close as a one-point game in the fourth quarter, the also 4-4 Golphers held off the Spartan come-back to win it. (4-5)

Western Michigan – Everyone plays in this cake-walk against the Broncos, and we’re back to even for the third time. (5-5)

Purdue – With bowl eligibility on the line for both schools, the Spartans rally and win by a FG in the final minutes. (6-5)

Penn State – The ranked lions ruled the third quarter with 28 unanswered points, and the Spartans are back to even for the fourth time. (6-6)

With the regular season over, I must say that I’m disappointed, but optimistic. The Spartans lost some games that they could have / should have won. It’s not hard to imagine wins against Central, ND and Iowa and Michigan State would be 9-3 and this post would have a very different story to tell.

What we know is that the MSU is a young squad with some real talent. Even though we lose the awesome Blair White, uber-dependable Brett Swenson and agro Danny Fortner next season, we’ll see Kirk Cousins, Keith Nichol, B.J. Cunningham, Keshawn Martin, Larry Caper, Chris L. Rucker, and of course, Coach Mark Dantonio all coming back in 2010. And Coach Dantonio is reported as having an exceptional recruiting year, so more greatness to come. Oh, and let’s not forget Sparty.  As long as he lays off roids in the off-season, he’ll be back mascotting his tail off next year.

It was the Spartans of Michigan State over the Purdue Boilermakers 40-37 in West Lafayette this Saturday.  Go Green!

This one was important for both teams. MSU needed one win from their last two games to become bowl eligible, and Purdue needed to win both of it’s final two games to achieve the same. Beyond the pressure of the post season, these are two good clubs that match-up very well and both are seemingly better than their records indicate.

What a way to start the game… On the first play of the game, Purdue fumbles and MSU’s Chris L. Rucker recovers and runs it in for a TD. Granted, we only had that lead for about four minutes, but it was a great way to start the day.

In the third quarter, Brett Swenson kicks not one, but two 52-year field goals. Wow.

Watching the game, Purdue really controlled the ball. TOP was 40-minutes for Purdue versus 20-minutes for MSU. Purdue had 28 first downs 12 for MSU. Purdue converted 14-22 third downs compared to 2-10 for MSU.  Even total offensive yards: Purdue had 524 compared to 362 for MSU. But in the end, the Spartans made the big plays and took home the win.

The Spartans are 6-5 overall, and 4-3 in the Big Ten.  Penn State next week in East Lansing for the Land Grant Trophy.

A good day for MSU, but not so much for Michigan or Notre Dame.

Wisconsin dominated UofM Saturday winning 45-24.  Granted, the Badgers are ranked #20 overall and are #4 in the Big Ten, but to lose by three TDs must be quite a blow to the Wolverines.  Ouch.  Michigan is 5-6 overall and 1-6 in the Big Ten.  They will have to beat #11 Ohio State next week to become bowl eligible, but that’s likely to happen.  But then again, the UofM-OSU game is an emotionally-charged rivalry game, so anything can happen.  RichRod could use the win, that’s for sure.  His club is setting records though, like losing six straight Big Ten games for the first time since 1958-1959.

Pitt took the fight out of the Fighting Irish with a 27-22 win. Again, Pitt is a very good team ranked #12 overall and #2 in the Big East. The fact that Charlie Weis can’t seem to beat ranked teams meant this was going to be an uphill battle. And it was. And they didn’t quite make it to the top of the hill. The chatter about Coach Weis getting sacked after this season continues to grow, and with good reason: He can’t get it done. Charlie’s stats are no better than the previous two ND coaches, both of whom were fired. He started strong with the previous regime’s players, but has failed spark greatness with his own recruits. Even with amazing players like Golden Tate and Jimmy Clausen. But you know what?  My gut says ND gives him one more season. I certainly hope not, but I’m thinking they throw him one more year. Just enough rope, I hope.

The L.L. Bean Maine Hunting Shoe.  Welcome to the last pair of boots you will ever need.

When Leon Leonwood Bean created the Maine Hunting Shoe, he may have had a week like we just had.  The rain started Tuesday and didn’t let up until a few breaks on Friday.  It rained constantly from Tuesday through Thursday.  I dug out my trusty Bean Boots and my feet stays warm and dry even after twice daily dog walks on- and off-road.

I believe this is my second pair of these iconic boots.  My first pair got me through my years in East Lansing.  Parking at MSU is challenging to say the least, so I typically walked to class.  The Fall, Winter and Spring in Michigan can be a wet, cold and tough on footwear.  I wore my Bean bluchers, suede bucks, Sebago loafers and Vans as much as possible, but it seemed like the Main Hunting Shoes were called it to action for months at a time.  And I walked hundreds of miles in them.  I wore the heal down to a memory and the chain-link tread pattern was only visible around the edges.  And when I packed up my room after graduation, I think my boots never made it in to a box.  I hope I gave them a proper salute and heartfelt thank you for their service.  I should have bronzed them.

I think it was the winter of 1990/1991 that I bought the pair you see here.  They have gotten some action, but certainly much less than the original pair.  They’ve shoveled and snow-blowed drives and walks, they’ve been bird hunting, they’ve been on wet, dark dog-walks… they’ve been great.

This pair has the Thinsulate lining which is thin and barely noticeable.  I’m not sure that it’s make a huge difference, but they are a bit warmer than my first pair which had no real insulation to speak of.  Also, these are the 10-inch tall style.  I like the 10-inchers better I think, just because the proportions look better, although the 12-inchers look pretty sweet.

In college, it was pretty typical for me to roughly tuck my chinos or jeans in to the boots to keep my pant legs dry as I hoofed it to class.  I would half lace the boots so that the tops were open and looked casual – not laced tight and military.  These days, I wear them under my pants in a more subtle, shoe-like fashion.  I kind of like the tucked-in look, but I think I’ll wait until we get a some snow for that approach.

For being almost 20 years old, these Bean Boots are not even fully broken-in yet.  And I think they might last me for another 20 years now that I live in the South.  But if I ever do wear these out, they still make the 10-inch Main Hunting Shoe.  It’s $100, which is about what they were 20 years ago (probably $89).  And it clearly says that they are still made in Maine.  They look a little different, but not much.  I bet they are warm and dry just lime my #1 and #2 pair.  They may even be more comfortable with more modern insoles and a legit arch support.

If you haven’t got a pair, I suggest you get yourself some.  Start breaking them in now and they should be perfect in 2035 or so.  But not to worry if they ever let you down, they are guaranteed forever.

What a crazy season it has been.  MSU is 1-3 at the end of week four, and  now at week ten: 5-5.  For the fourth time, back to even.

The Spartans dominated Western Michigan University on Sunday with a final score of 49-14.  I didn’t get to see the game, but watching the scroll during other games, I could tell this one was going to be a clear victory.  And the Spartans really needed it.  And, they need one more.  It takes six wins to be bowl eligible, and leaves the next two weeks with match-ups against Purdue and Penn State.  The 4-6 Purdue is of course more likely to fall, but they did beat Ohio State, Illinois and Michigan making them 3-3 in the Big Ten; the same as the Spartans.  It should be a heck of a game.  Noon on ESPN if your interested.

I’m not even looking ahead to Penn State and the Land Grant Trophy yet.  The Lions are tough, but a huge loss to the Buckeyes last week knocked them down to #18 in the rankings.  JoePa and his boys take on the Hoosiers this Saturday in Happy Valley.

Wow, has Michigan fallen.  A 4-0 start only to be 5-5 at the end of week ten.  and 1-5 in the Big Ten.  The 38-36 loss to Purdue really hurt the Wolverines who’s only Big Ten win came against Indiana.  Indiana shares the bottom spot in the Big Ten with, yep, Michigan.  Thank God for Delaware State (who?) to break up the five game losing streak for the “victors”.  They are the winningest team in college football history, but there is a very good chance that their season will be 5-7 and over come week 12 following contests against #20 Wisconsin and #11 Ohio State.  I will say this: Anything can happen in the grudge match against OSU.  That is an emotionally charged game and don’t be surprised if UofM plays like a real Michigan team.  And RichRod… on the hot seat for sure if Michigan doesn’t play a post-season game for the second year in a row.

And last but not least, Notre Dame.  An unprecedented second in-a-row home loss to Navy.  Navy looked awesome.  Strong defense and a old-school running game carried the day for the Midshipmen.  And the Irish just looked flat.  Clausen continues to be excellent, but his injuries and fatigue seems to adding up and he is much more susceptible to sacks and mistakes.  Golden Tate is truly amazing.  He wasn’t really there in the first half, but he was awesome in the second half.  The bottom line is that the offense couldn’t get it done in the red zone, and the defense gave up over 400 yards.  With six win, the Domers will go to a bowl, but their BCS aspirations are up in smoke.  I predict a 7-5 Irish at the end of the regular season.  As for Charlie Weis; if my prediction is right then it could very well be the end of the road for Chuck.  If they finish 9-3 (won’t happen), then maybe he gets a pass.  Coach Weis started strong, but in the 2007, 2008 and 2009, he’s 10-15,  he’s 0-6 versus ranked opponents and the PPG has dropped 10 points.  In the last three years, ND is 3-16 against teams with winning records.  That isn’t returning Notre Dame to glory.  Maybe 2009 will be the end of the road.

Man, what a heart-breaker.  There is nothing that knocks the wind out of you like losing on the very last play of the game.

I didn’t watch the game because it wasn’t televised, and I didn’t feel like going to a bar to be the only guy who wants to watch Michigan State.  But I kept tabs on it and even listed to the final 3:00 on streaming radio.  For 55 minutes, it was a fairly boring game.  A battle of field goals, and not much else.  3-3 at the half, and 6-6 MSU after the third.  And then at just under 3:00 to go, Iowa kicks one to tie it up at six all.  State marches 60 yards in six plays and scores the first TD of the game making it 13-6 MSU.  And it only took 1:19 for that drive.  If only it had taken 1:21.  Iowa takes seven plays to find themselves on the MSU seven yard line; first and goal.  Three downs and three incomplete passes later (one of them actually picked off, but offensive holding is called and negates the interception), it’s forth and seven with :02 on the clock.  Props to Iowa.  Stanzi to McNutt for six points and it’s all over in East Lansing.  Dang!

MSU is back to even at 4-4 overall, and fourth in conference at 3-2 behind Iowa, Ohio State and Penn State; all ranked.  Iowa leads the Big Ten at 8-0 and is now ranked #4.  Oh, and this is the first-ever 8-0 start for Iowa.  I like Iowa, and I hope they have a great second half of the season representing the Big Ten.

What’s next for Sparty?  The Golden Gophers in Minnesota under the lights.  Better bring the long-johns for that one.  Minnesota is also 4-4, but 2-3 in conference after a 38-7 loss to Ohio State on Saturday.  I’m hoping MSU can take Minnesota, Western Michigan and Purdue so that they are 7-4 when they take on Penn State at home to end the season.

On a side note, I’ve decided to be a better man in regards to my attitude towards Michigan and Notre Dame.  No, I’m not suddenly a Wolverine fan or pulling for Charlie Weis, but I am going to take a higher road.  No more name-calling.  No more angry commentary.  UofM is a rival, but also a school and a football program that deserves my respect.  Michigan has lost three of its last four games including the 35-10 route by Penn State on Saturday, but they are still 5-3 overall.  And in regards to Notre Dame, well, I’ve always like ND.  I just don’t care for their current coach.  And I still don’t.  But I’m not going to call him names and make fun of his physique any longer.  The Irish are 5-2 and the Clausen-to-Tate offense is becoming legendary for fourth quarter comebacks.  They’re back in the rankings and except for Pitt, their schedule is not too challenging.  Good luck to both of these teams.  I’m not rooting for them, but I’m not hating on them either.  I already feel like a better man.

Maybe I’m reliving my college days?  Maybe I’m simply getting back to timeless style and proven quality?  Who cares, I guess.  Yesterday I received a box in the mail from L.L. Bean.  I had ordered a pair of the Bean Blucher Mocs, and they had arrived.  I had a pair of these classic shoes back in my MSU days.  Along with a pair of Ray Ban Aviators, crumpled chinos and an untucked worn blue oxford hanging out from a reverse-weave Champion Michigan State sweatshirt, it was part of my standard gear circa 1988.

When I think back, I only really wore the following shoes all though college:  Sperry Top-Siders, Bean Blucher Mocs, Dirty Bucks (brand?), Sebago Oxblood Penny Loafers and White Leather Tretorns.  Oh, and a pair of Bean 10″ Maine Hunting Boots when it was especially wet or snowy.  Pretty preppy of me in retrospect.  And I would wear / still wear all of these same types of shoes today.

So, back to my mocs.  The good first: They fit very well.  They feel great on.  They look basically the same.  The cost was cheap at under $70 with free shipping (found a coupon code online).  The bad: They changed the sole.  It looks basically the same when you have the shoes on, but the color seems different and the pebble tread (which was completed worn away on my old pair leaving them smooth to the point of being glossy – very slippery when wet) is replaced with “channel grooves” much like the Sperry sole.

Overall, I’m very pleased.  They really, really need to get broken in.  This wasn’t a problem back in my MSU days when I’d walk miles and miles every single day of the year in sun, rain and snow.  Also, I would guess the color of my original pair was much darker from gallons and gallons of keg Busch being spilled on them at fraternity parties every week.  I may have even had a “shoe beer” at one point, but I’m not clear on that point.

So, I’m pleased with them.  The little lady doesn’t seem to like them though.  She asked my yesterday how many pairs of shoes did I really need?  Well, “need”… probably not many.  But since when are we operating on a “need” basis?  Point taken though.  I just need one great pair of Penny Loafers and I’ll be good for a little while.  And maybe some saddles…

My team, the Spartans of Michigan State University, played Northwestern today. It was a noon game on ESPN2, and I watched it on the TV out on the screened-in porch. We had cable installed out there just for this reason. Why outside? Well, I like to enjoy a good cigar during the game and I don’t smoke cigars inside of the house.  So today was nearly a perfect day…

MSU beat Northwestern 24-14. It was an all-second half game for the Spartans. Besides the opening drive, which was impressive but resulted in no points, the Spartans were flat offensively in the first half. I don’t know what Coach Dantonio told the boys at the half, but they came out swinging in the third quarter. Blair White was awesome. 24 unanswered points! I really enjoyed it. My dogs even seemed to enjoy it. MSU is now 4-3 overall, and 3-1 in the Big Ten – they’re tied for second with Ohio State while undefeated Iowa iS 3-0 in first. Our boys in green will play the Hawkeyes in East Lansing next week, and it is the first night game of the season for the Spartans.

Side note, I don’t believe Spartan Stadium has lights. It didn’t when I was there. In 1987, we played USC for the home opener in Spartan Stadium at night and they brought in trucks with lights attached to cherry-picker contraptions. It was cool being at Spartan Stadium at night. We beat the Trojans that night in late August, and then we beat them again at the Rose Bowl in January.

Jimmy Clausen is talented, no question, but he looks like a serial killer. And have you noticed that he spits all of the time. Not just spitting out some Gatorade or water, but non-stop spitting. I just makes him look even more psycho, really. I thought they taught those boys some good catholic manners at that school. And honestly, Golden Tate is awesome.

But it didn’t matter as the Trojans beat the Irish 34-27. Notre Dame put up one hell of a fourth quarter rally which made for an exciting finish, but they just couldn’t pull it out. Even with two huge USC penalties for automatic first-downs and crucial yardage. It just wasn’t meant to be. That’s eight-in-a-row for USC versus ND. Charlie just can’t beat Southern Cal. But don’t cry for the Big Chuck, he 4-2 and his remaining schedule is pretty easy. I think ND could even go 10-2, which will keep Charlie at ND for another year. Bummer. But good call, Charlie, on the longer jacket – it hides the front-butt pretty well.

Lastly, and unfortunately, the University of Michigan Wolverines won today. They played Delaware State (who?) in the Big House, and won 63-6. But who the hell is Delaware State and why is Michigan playing them now? The loss to Michigan represents a two-game streak after last weeks loss to the powerhouse Bethune-Cookman (who?). Whatever. Michigan get’s back to playing college football next week as they take on Penn State in Ann Arbor. Michigan is 5-2 overall, 1-2 in the Big Ten.

Oh, and how the hell did Purdue beat OSU today? These things happen.

Well, the Michigan State Spartan football team is back to even.  The losses to Central Michigan and Notre Dame were awful.  Both could have been avoided, but that’s football.  And injuries are starting to become an issue with Winston out for the season and Nichol questionable.

There are some things to feel pretty good about though…

• First off, two weeks ago we were 1-3.  Now, after week six is in the books, we’re 3-3.  That’s an upgrade from “abysmal” to “mediocre”.  Again, not great, but an improvement.  And this is a building year.
• We’ve got bowl potential.  Any post-season game would make me very happy.
• We beat the University of Michigan Wolverines.  Any year we beat Michigan is a good year in my book.  And, we beat them two years in a row for the first time in my lifetime (or at least since the year I was born).  MSU beat Michigan in 1965, 1966 and 1967 – that was the last time we had back-to-back victories over the self-proclaimed “victors”.  Now, back-to-back-to-back wins…
• We’re currently fifth (ahead of Michigan) in the Big1o standings.  That may change, but we’re 2-1 in conference.
• Coach Dantonio continues to demonstrate solid coaching and leadership, and he’s signed a long-term contract, so he’ll be steering the Spartan ship for many years to come.

I think MSU should handle Northwestern, Purdue and Western Michigan.  Iowa and Penn State will be very tough games.  Minnesota, I’m kind of 50/50 on that one.  So, based on this thinking, we can hope to be 6-6 or better.  Of course, who really knows.  The Spartans are fully capable of beating a much better team, and also capable of losing to a much worse team.  My prediction at the end of week 6: 7-5.

Go Green!!!

Do you know what this is?

It is synchronized bike riding, ya’ll.

Who knew such a thing existed (outside of an SNL writer’s head)?

I didn’t. But it seems to be real. Real enough to have held the 2009 Junior Championships this past May.

And the thing is…It’s kinda damned imressive.

For real.

Seems harder than a balance beam. Or rhythmic gymnastics. Or Spectating. (Still a sport, right?)

1979.  2000.  2009. 

These are the tree years that Michigan State’s basketball squad has found themselves in the NCAA Championship game. 

In 1979, led by Magic Johnson, the Spartans won over Larry Bird’s Indiana State team.

In 2000, it was Mateen Cleaves (and his fellow Flint-stones) winning over the University of Florida. 

And now, 2009.  At Ford Field in Detroit.  The MSU Spartans will take on the University of North Carolina Tar Heels for all the marbles.

I’m really proud of the Spartans for stepping up and beating Louisville AND Connecticut.  Louisville was a #1 seed, and is ranked #1 overall.  What a huge win that was.  And UConn was also a #1 seed, and ranked #5 in the AP list.  I honestly think if we can beat Louisville and Connecticut, we can beat anyone.  We do have a few things working in our favor…

• Ford Field.  Yep, that’s 70,000+ fans shouting “GO GREEN.  GO WHITE.”  This is a huge venue, and that fact that it is in Detroit, only a 75 mile drive from East Lansing, is a huge perk.  UNC has many, many fans all across the nation, but tonight in Motown, the Spartans are at home.
• Michigan.  Michigan is beat up.  As a state, they aren’t really doing so well.  Nation-leading unemployment.  Kwame Kilpatrick in jail.  The Big Three being bailed out.  And it’s still snowing up there too!   I believe the Spartans aren’t just playing for Michigan State University, I believe they are playing for the great state of Michigan.  Emotionally, this is a big deal.
• Defense.  The Heels make their bacon with speed.  They sprint on offense which allows them to get in to position before the defense is set.  And they know how to make shots.  But MSU has shown how tough they are on defense, just ask Kansas, Louisville or UConn.  They either need to slow UNC down, or sprint right along with the boys from Chapel Hill.  And on the other side of the Defense coin, the Tar Heels defense is somewhat uninspired.  MSU will get the shots it wants; they just have to make them.  They need at least one player to be hot outside the three-point line.

Honestly, UNC is the better team.  Look at the entire season, and it’s impossible to deny.  Of course, the same could have been said for UConn, and surely was true for Louisville.  The Spartans need to do what they have done this entire tournament:  They have to want it more.  They must be so focused on winning that it’s inevitable.  They must visualize that Sport Illustrated cover like it’s already on the printing presses.  The home court advantage is fuel, but the fire needs to be an absolute need to win.

It’s not just for dog-lovers anymore.

Or ferrets.

Or ducks.

Yes. Now you can walk your goldfish!

Hopefully there will not be an uptick in goldfish parks.

I hate mash ups.

This is the only one I feel like adding. It’s Radiohead, okay….and  DAVE BRUBECK !

Cool Enough.

We’re a little late to the party but a gallup poll tells us (on Darwin’s Birthday) 4 in 10 Americans believe in evolutions.

Is that too high or too low?

Check it out, there are pretty graphics.

And surprisingly, a strong correlation to education and religiosity.

“Alright, Everybody turn around if you’re  not gay.”

They got more people than Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy would have predicted with this simple trick.

I just realized that my dog is an awesome impressionist. Like Rich Little in his prime, circa 1988, still doing a bang-up aping of Nixon.

Right now Dog Dash can do like 2 different slamdunk, knock it out of the park impressions.

1.  He can contort his body in such a way that he looks exactly  like a dead puppy. And…

2.  He does an outstanding Marlon Brando (from the Godfather) impression when he puts an ice cube in his mouth sideways .

And, I almost forgot, #3. - Dash can turn in a very solid Drowned Rat after his bath.

PS – He also does a great Nicholson and Christopher Walken – but I mean, c’mon…everybody can do those. They don’t even count.

Check back later, we’re trying to teach him an Edward G. Robinson. We’ll see how he takes to it.

Warren G. Harding

(March 1921 – August 1923)

First Off: A Prize to Anyone who knows what the G stands for without looking it up!!!

• Wobbly Warren
• Prsident Hardly
• Ran on the Slogan: A Return to Normalcy (A word Harding made up for his campaign – which obvs. peeved HL Mencken (see quote below)).
• His mother called him ‘Winnie’ (Gotta Admit: Not too butch)

THE TRIVIAL:

• Generally and consistently ranked by scholars as one of the worst presidents of all time.
• Harding played poker at least twice a week, once gambling away a set of presidential china dating back to Benjamin Harrison. His cabinet was often referred to as the Poker Cabinet because they all played poker together.
• Many incorrectly claim that Harding coined the term ‘bloviating’ but it was recorded in print prior to Harding’s birth.
• Both of Harding’s parents were doctors.
• First President to have a golf course named after him.
• First newspaper publisher to be elected president.
• First President to travel to Canada (He stopped over on the way to Alaska. Also; He was the first president to visit Alaska).
• Warren G  has the distinction of having the largest feet of any president with a size 14.
• And PS – the G stands for Gamaliel.

And finally, we leave you with a quote from H. L. Mencken:

He writes the worst English that I have ever encountered. It reminds me of a string of wet sponges; it reminds me of tattered washing on the line; it reminds me of stale bean soup, of college yells, of dogs barking idiotically through endless nights. It is so bad that a sort of grandeur creeps into it. It drags itself out of the dark abysm of pish, and crawls insanely up the topmost pinnacle of posh. It is rumble and bumble. It is flap and doodle. It is balder and dash

The most awesome collection of pictures of food that may turn you off your lunch at the aptly named This Is Why You’re Fat (.com).

Ladies and Gentlemen…Please Allow me to Introduce to you…

THE HAMDOG!

That’s Right – - A hotdog, snugly nestled inside a hamburger that is then lovingly deep-fried and then generously topped with chili, chese, onions and a couple of servings of fries. All of this is served up in a giant hoagie roll and at last, a fried egg is added to round out the meal.

(Courtesy Mulligans Bar, Decatur GA.)

Most are seriously disgusting but there were a few that made me think, ‘I’d try that if it were within arms’ length.’ Like the doughnut with fresh crumbled bacon or the deep fried coca-cola (make it a Diet and I’m prolly the newest convert).

I’ve never owned a Gibson amp, but I see them around and always think they are interesting.  Then a GA-20 showed up on eBay and it caught my eye for a couple of reasons:

1.       The GA-20 is very much like a Fender tweed Deluxe.  Both have two 6V6 power tubes (maybe my favorite power tubes), simple controls (volume, tone) and compact cabinet with a single speaker.

2.       This GA-20 was really cheap at $225.  It was cheap because it had been recovered in smooth, black vinyl and has a non-original, non-vintage 12” speaker.

3.       Maybe it would be a good project to either restore back to original condition, or mod into a killer little amp.

So I bought it.  With shipping, just under $250 invested.  Here is what it looked like when I got it:

After kicking it around for a while and doing some research, I decided my GA-20 should be restored to its past glory, and not modded or messed with anymore.  I found Rob at Buffalo Amplifiers and decided he was the guy for the job.  I drove the amp to Plano so that I could meet Rob face-to-face and hand over my little Gibby.  Rob is rare find; he is not only super passionate and knowledgeable about Gibson amps, but he also a fully versed in terms of electronics and engineering.

Here is what we decided to do:

1.       Strip the cab of the Fender-style handle and corners, and what appears to be automotive interior vinyl, like what you would find on a bench seat in a 70’s Malibu.  Then sand and fill the cab so that it is smooth and even.  Apply period-correct black and burnt orange two-tone covering.  Make new period-correct baffle board and back panel.  Rob also makes his own reproduction Gibson logos based on a mold from an actual GA-20 logo.  He will make one for my amp and apply it.  Here are some work-in-progress pics of the cabinet:

2.       The chassis was in great shape, but the electronics… not so much.  Rob will scratch-build a new circuit board and point-to-point wire it with the correct GA-20 circuit.  A new Gibson clone transformer will be installed as well.  Any tubes that need replacing will be replaced.  (Note that the tone pot was dated to 1957, so our estimation of it being a 1958 is probably right on the money.)  Here are some work-in-progress shots of the new circuit board:

3.       Replace the speaker with either a vintage Jensen or a new Weber, depending on which one sounds the best (Rob’s discretion).

It should only be another week or two and the amp will be done.  I’m really excited about it.  The GA-20 has a reputation of being a ripping little guitar amp with about 12-watts of pure Gibson tone.  It is also considered an excellent harp amp.  I’ll post an update once the amp is completed.  Also, check out Rob’s website.  he does killer restorations, but he also builds his own line of amps inspired by Gibson amps of ’50’s, but they are not clones.  But they surely are cool.

We’ve visited to topic of  ’Bacon: Is There Ever Too Much‘ before but now I believe we can safely agree that yes, there quite possibly could be a way to put one toe over the line.

Case in Point: The Bacon Explosion.

Yeah, so? It looks relatively harmless and delicious. Tell Me more.

Sure. No problem.

It’s simple really; you weave 2 pounds of bacon together. Layer in a pound of sausage and another pound of bacon in the center. Roll and grill.*

Et viola.

PS. If you feel a need to try this, then you may be one of the few that truly has earned this:

*Just a tip. – You might want to call the EMT before you light the grill.  You’ll thank me later.

I know some people out there who dig the stop motion. And this vid is a cute reminder of how creative you can be on the cheap.

I can hear some of you starting to grow your own mustaches right now.

Viva la revalution!

NickNames

• The Schoolmaster in Politics
• The Professor
• The Phrasemaker
• Coiner of Weasal Words

Trivia

• Wilson didn’t learn his letters until he was 9, didn’t learn to read until he was 13. So, Good News, Illiterate tweens! You too can grow up to be president of Princeton and the good ole US of A. But…you  probably won’t.
• Though they never met, Sigmund Freud wrote a treatise on Wilson that claimed he likened himself to Jesus Christ.
• Wilson was married when he was in office to Edith Bolling Galt Wilson. Is it just me or do her middle and maiden names sound like they should be hyphenated and used as a nickname like “Machine Gun” Kelly?
• An avid golfer, Wilson used a black ball when he played in the snow.
• Woody Guthrie is named after him (Woodrow Wilson Guthrie).
• Election results were broadcast for the first time by WWJ in Detroit, MI. (What, did they not have hologram results with Wolf Blitzer back then?)
• After suffering a massive stroke that left him partially paralyzed and nearly blind, his wife ran a “Petticoat Government” She was also referred to as the Iron Queen, the Presidentress and the Regent. Generally considered the most powerful First Lady there ever was.
• Woodrow Wilson had a pet sheep named “Old Ike” that would chew tobacco and graze on the South Lawn.
• Second president to address Congress (the first was Washington).
• His vice president Marshall was the one to utter the famous bon mot, “What this country needs is a good five cent cigar.” Here-Here.

I recently worked a deal that netted me a tweed Fender Bandmaster.  The model designation for this amp is 5E7, which is the classic narrow panel 3×10 bandmaster produced form 1955 to 1960.  These are cool amps.  The three ten-inch speakers is interesting, and sounds punchy.  Of course it is all tube with 5881 power tubes and three pre-amp tubes.  And it is all point-to-point wired by hand – no printed circuit board or el-cheapo components.  The ideas is to get as close to how Leo Fender was doing it back in the 50s as possible.

 But there is one complaint, albeit a minor one.  The tweed just doesn’t look right.  I love the look of old tweed amps that have darkened over the years and show some battle scars.  New tweed seems to be unfinished, and is way to pale and, well, new.  But I am not a fan of “relic-ing” newer gear to make it look old; that misses the point.  Road scars and wear-and-tear are supposed to be from use.  They are testament to fulfilling the original promise of being able to make music, have a band, rehearse and hopefully play shows.  If you do all of this and your guitar and amp do not eventually show some signs of wear, maybe you’re being a little to protective.

But I will say that a little yellow tint in the clear coat on a Telecasters neck does have a nice vintage glow.  And lacquered tweed mellowed to a rich amber just looks and feels a whole lot better than the raw tweed cloth all fuzzy with anemic newness.  I don’t understand why Fender doesn’t lacquer all of it’s tweed amps the way they did in the ’50s?  It is functional as it seals the tweed and makes it more resistant to stains and snags.  Of course, the lacquer can scratch and chip too, but it makes the tweed come alive.  It just feels better when it is finished.

I took my Bandmaster completely apart.  There was a Fender bumper sticker inside the amp, which I removed.  The sticker was covering the initials of the original builder.  I probably would have signed it in a more inconspicuous location, but what’s done is done.  Removing everything was pretty easy.  The back panels come off.  Then remove the chassis.  Than the leather handle, the baffle board, and finally, the glides on the bottom.  About thirty minutes.  Of course, I was being careful because…

EVEN UNPLUGGED, GUITAR AMPLIFIERS CARRY VOLTAGE THAT CAN KILL YOU.

I am very careful to not touching anything inside of the amp.  I take the time to be careful and cautious.

Becuase I don’t have a sprayer or any experience with lacquer, I did a little research to see if there was an easier way.  And there is.  I used Polyurethane.  The poly I selected is tinted in a color Min-wax calls “Honey Pine”.  Using a high quality brush, I applied three coats over the course of two days.  It came out great.  Here is the cabinet and back panels drying in the December Texas sun.

A few tips…

• Use a little fine steel wool between the second and third coat to help smooth the finish a bit.  And use a high-quality brush.  Cheap brushes suck.  Just buy a good quality brush (Purdy is good) and clean it when you are done.  I have been using the same paint brushes for years.
• Once you remove the glides, lightly screw-in four dry wall screws to act as stilts during the finshing.  This wil allow the amp to sit off the ground wheen drying so that you can finish the entire cabinet instead of working in sections.  And always start with the bottom.
• You can also use pushpins on the backside of the two back panels to keep thme up off the bench while you apply the finish and allow it to dry.
• I taped off the exposed wood on the inside, and it worked fine.  But this is up to you.  It might look good to just coat the entire cab inside and out?
• Let it cure for a few days before you reassemble.  you could put it together after a few hours when it feels dry to the touch, but I wouldn’t.  I give a few days becuase I find that if you don’t, things will stick together.  The back panels will want to stick to the cabinet which won’t be fun down the road.  Be patient.

That’s it.  Simple, fun, and well worth it.  I think my amp looks way better.  It’s not “relic’d”, but it does have a more vintage vibe that matches the vintage design and circuit.  Here are a few shots with it reassembled and ready to rock and roll…

Which tv newsman seems a little too genetically linked to a tv pitchman?

Are they related? One and the same?

Only his hairdresser knows for sure.

Sometimes when I’m rubbing puppy’s belly, I like to coo in her ears and tell her that she’s the cutest pup in the whole land.
But I also use that opportunity to remind her that she should really develop some extra tricks and/or skills because pretty soon, she’s gonna grow up and she won’t be as cute anymore.

People will no longer clamor over her at the Target. Walking down the street will no longer cause cars to slow down and make every other human stop to give her the undiluted adulation. She will have to prostitute herself on the street. Perform a few tricks just to get some of the attention she had once taken for granted.

It’s a tough world out there (some would say ‘Dog eat dog’). And you can’t get by on your looks forever.

The glory days of youth are fleeting.

The world is cruel to the aged.

I read an ad on Craigslist for a vintage Ludwig drum kit that need some work.  The photos posted were small and blurry, so it was a pretty tough to see what was actually being offered.  Even though the images were poor, I could tell there was a chrome snare drum, and it looked to be a Ludwig Supraphonic.  I’ve always wanted one of these drums, and I figured maybe I could get the whole kit pretty cheaply.  I went to the seller’s apartment after work to have a look, and decided the whole kit was not really something I wanted (it was mismatched and the insides of the shells had been painted black).  But the snare turned out to be a 1970 (date stamp visible inside) Ludwig Super Sensitive in decent shape.

The Supraphonicand the Super Sensitive are basically the same drum, but with different snare mechanisms.  The Supraphonicuses a simple single pull throw-off with a passive butt-end on the other side.  The Super Sensitive uses a much more complicated parallel mechanism that pulls the strainer evenly from both sides.  There is a connecting rod that travels through the drum so that one lever can operate bother strainers in unison.  With this design, the snare wires (or strainer) are actually longer than the 14-inch drum head allowing only snare wires to contact the resonant head.  The longer snares, even pull from both sides and super-fine adjustment are designed to make the snares more sensitive, thus the name.  The downside is that the mechanism is a bit finicky and because of its large size protruding out from the sides of the drum, it is susceptible to damage.

Although I was after a Supraphonic, the Super Sensitive is actually a bonus in my book.  My brother had one of these snares (a 6.5-inch with brass shell that had originally been a Black Beauty) and I always thought it was interesting, and sounded great.  Mine is 5-inch, which should be a little snappier at the expense of some volume, but that is fine with me.  I may still get a Supraphonic someday, if the right deal presents itself.

The seller said the snare needed work because it didn’t sound very good.  First thing I noticed was he had the snare wires on the outside of the openings on the lower hoop.  Keep in mind that the openings are there for the snare wires to pass through, and this is very basic info, so I knew I was not dealing with an aficionado.  I offered him $125 and I had my snare drum in the back seat of my car minutes later.

Here is how it looked when I got it home:

Not too bad really.  Dirty and out of adjustment in every possible way, but most everything was there.  The guards that protect the Super Sensitive parallel snare mechanism were missing, and several snare wires had snapped (probably from having to go over the lower hoop instead of through it).  And one of the tension bolts on the snare mechanism is a bit bent, which is potentially the worst issue.

Once the weekend arrived and I had some spare time, I disassembled the drum and closely inspected all of the parts.  It is pretty common to get some kind of unforeseen surprise such as some part or parts being non-original or damaged.  Not the case here; my quick first inspection at the seller’s apartment had been pretty accurate.

There were a few parts I needed which I ordered online.  The great thing about these drums is new replacement parts are readily available.  I ordered the missing snare guards, and also a new strainer.  I opted for the PureSound wires designed specifically for the Super Sensitive instead of the Ludwig strainer, mainly because I have been really happy with PureSound wires on my other snares.  I’m sure the Ludwig wires are just fine, but I’m on a roll with PureSound.

Once the drum was apart, I cleaned, polished and lubricated all of the parts.  The shell is made of Ludalloy, which is some Ludwig version of Aluminum.  These shells sound great, but are plagued by chrome flaking off which has something to do with a reaction between the aluminum and chrome.  It doesn’t affect the sound, but it does diminish the appearance.  Luckily, my drum isn’t suffering from flaking as much as many drums I have seen.  Once polished, it is not even too noticeable unless you are really looking for it.  The hoops have some rush that wouldn’t polish out.  I decided to stick with them though, just to keep the drum original.  The only issue I’m concern about is the bent bolt on one of the throw-offs.  It’s press-fit, so I can remove it to replace it, and I can’t really torque on it too much because of the way it is installed in the mechanism.  I’m hoping I can make adjustments with the throw-off so that it won’t be an issue once in tuning.

Next I reassembled the drum and installed new heads going with my standard set-up:  REMO Ambassador Hazy on the snare side and a REMO Powerstroke3 (coated with dot) on the batter side.  Seating and tuning the heads was quick and easy, which means the drum is in-round and the bearing edges are good.

Take a look at the finished product:

After installing the new PureSound strainer, I fiddled with the throw-off for quite a little while.  This snare has so many adjustments, that it can really try you patience, especially in comparison to the simple and bullet-proof Supraphonic.  But it wasn’t really that tough; but new to me which meant I was learning as I went.  I had the same experience with a Rogers Dyna-Sonic, which is also uber-adjustable, but in both cases, the end result was well worth it.  The drum is really super-sensitive and offers a variety of tones and sounds.  You can crank it and get a really tight crack that still articulates well in terms of ghost notes and accents.  Or you can loosen it up a bit and get closer to the classic John Bonham sound.  I’m going with something a bit in the middle for now.

I’m excited to try this drum out with my band and see how it stands up in live performance.  We also have some studio time coming up in a few weeks, so it might even get some recording time.  In the end, I think Ludwig really cracked the code in terms of creating great-sounding snare drums.