It's your pal, "The Theorem". I meant to touch base with you before you posted your blog this week with my own theory on the Urban Meyer hooplah to see if you wanted to run with it for the blog. As usual, I'm a step too late, even though you were two days late yourself. That's about right.
Anyway, here's my angle on the Urban thing. As you know I am not a Florida fan or really a fan of any college team, so I am fairly unbaised. Although I have expressed (before the loss to Alabama) that the Gators & the Tebow love was getting really annoying. So perhaps that helped me craft this somewhat more skeptical view (at least it could be seen that way in the eyes of Gator fans).
I think Urban is fine. Or maybe he's not. But that part doesn't matter. He was never planning on calling it quits though - and that's the point. In fact, the whole thing was a PR move. See, Urban was certain that the Gators would be in the Championship game all year. Maybe even since last year. Moreover, he has become addicted to hearing about Florida on ESPN and every news radio show constatntly. All that talk, all that hype, has built a brand for Florida - and Meyer. And it continues to and he fully expected that talk and hype to continue into January by being in the Championship game. He planned on using that free publicity to secure his recruits and to start the train of new recruits for future years. That was the master plan.
But uh oh... something happened to that plan. His team didn't show up to the SEC Championship game against Alabama and got stomped in Atlanta in early December. After the initial ESPN and talk radio shock, there has literally been radio silence on the Gators in the national TV & Radio media. No front page newspaper or SI covers. In fact, the whole plan when to shite! Even worse, Alabama & Texas (let's face it, probably two of the Gators biggest recruiting rivals) are in the Championship game and not Florida.
What's a coach to do???
Queue up the PR team. We need to make sure Florida stays in the news. Let's see, coach, you checked into the hospital after the SEC Championship game, right? Perfect - announce you are hanging it up for health reasons. But not yet. Do it right before Bowl and Championship week. Over the holidays, while all the families are watching games together. The story will EXPLODE. Then, before you even give the presser, announce how wonderful U of F is and how 'spirited' the players are and how you just can't leave this place, so you'll take a 'leave of absence' but return to coaching the team maybe even as soon as this fall.
This bombshell will rock college football. People will start talking only about Florida. During every bowl game. At every halftie show. As the lead to every Sportscenter. And right when it matters most for recruits.
And guess who nobody is talking about? Alabama & Texas - the teams in the Championship game. Amazing.
Now what to do abou this pesky 'Leach' fellow...??? Reply to this
12/31/2009 4:39 PM
The SportDork wrote:
First, I just want to let you know that you have won some type of prize for the longest comment ever posted on SportDork.com. I don't know what the prize is yet, but once I have it figured out, I'll let you know.
And second, I think your theory makes perfect sense - if the point of the whole exercise was to lose recruits:
9/29/2009 10:31 PM
Maria wrote:
That was hilarious. I am crying I am laughing so hard. I love the recaps of the conversations! Reply to this
9/3/2009 10:29 AMMelody Unger wrote:
SportDork, SportDork, SportDork -Anyone over 40 (way over,such as myself) knows that you lie on your back after drinking too much. That way,when you wake up from the booze coma, if you can see up you can get up, in theory anyway. Mel Reply to this
8/18/2009 10:28 PM
Blackmon wrote:
File this under: "knew this was coming" Having spent 28 hrs in the Clayton County jail, I think I'm qualified to say two years in Leavenworth is SERIOUS punishment for anything short of murder, rape or attempting to do either of the two previously mentioned things. Mike is still a moron and will likely F up but we have to let him F up or try not to. BTW, what's the deal with having to put in a security code to leave one of these dumb comments? Is that really necessary? Keep up the killer social commentary SportsDork! Reply to this
8/18/2009 2:30 PM
The SportDork wrote:
Ah, Mr. Marbury. He never ceases to disappoint. Hey - I'm not under contract with an NBA team right now. Does that mean it's ok for me to fire up the bong too?
8/5/2009 2:33 PM
The Captain wrote:
Shocked. Don't understand half of what you talk about (I think only Americans understand US-centric sport, but sport is sport so I'll read it), but it's good to see you back. Reply to this
8/5/2009 8:46 PM
The SportDork wrote:
Great to hear that SportDork.com continues to reach across the Atlantic. We just had an Irish Pub open down the street that has pledged to show every EPL match this year, so maybe I'll be able to work in a few comments about the original 'football.' Reply to this
8/4/2009 10:44 AM
TOM wrote:
What a sad but compelling recount of a long passage of time in the desert!
As you structure your plans moving forward, may I suggest that if you plan on replacing those storied clothing articles that you wear the replacement article UNDER the veteran piece for as many events/games that you and your coaching staff determine necessary before you make the permanent switch. Just a thought. Reply to this
8/4/2009 12:49 PM
The SportDork wrote:
Nice try, but I'm on to you. You're just hoping for a picture of me passed out in the hundred degree Gainesville heat with two shirts on. Reply to this
6/4/2008 8:00 AM
Tom wrote:
Alex; Don't worry. After 5 years of retirement I have finally discovered that Tuesday is just a concept. So your flexibility remains intact. No apologies necessary. Keep up the good work. Tom Reply to this
6/24/2008 5:18 PM
The SportDork wrote:
If you don't mind, I'm going to start using that one around the office, particularly when I'm about to miss a deadline. As in, "I don't know what you're so upset about Stan. I know I said I'd have it to you by Thursday, but let's face it - isn't Thursday just a concept?" I think it's gonna be a big hit. And for providing such inspiration, you have earned Comment Of The Week Honors!!!
5/20/2008 12:49 PM
Blackmon wrote:
I thought you picked the bike because gas is now at UK price levels and your Caddy gets 4 miles to the gallon. Seriously though, your firm gives you the Tent / Bike option because they know after 10 yrs there you want to sell all your worldly goods and bike / camp / smoke J's across the country the rest of your life. Well that, or take a sabatical on your wife's dime for a year! Reply to this
5/27/2008 10:42 AM
The SportDork wrote:
I was thinking about riding it into work on my first day back.
For your insights (and because you submitted the only comment last week), you get Comment Of The Week Honors!! Reply to this
It was worth the wait and lord knows you were due, but that was really funny. So funny indeed I may have to inquire if Mrs. SD penned that bit of funny. Reply to this
5/4/2008 11:21 AM
The SportDork wrote:
Flattery will get you everywhere. Say hello to Comment Of The Week honors!!
4/8/2008 3:03 PM
Kelly Terrian wrote:
SportDork - Congrats on you and Mrs. SportDork being back stateside!!! And as always thank you so much for the Tuesday pick me upper from the hum drums of Real Estate. It's amazing how fascinating you can make college basketball what is next? I do truly believe that I should send all of these sports related emails to say espn the guys on PTO don't have a prayer up against you. You are truly a great commentator, educator, story teller and you should have your own show...hum let's see...Sports According to THE Sportdork. Let me work on this while I get your transcripts ready to mail. And oh yeah did you get Ronen to sign a waiver? I smell a lawsuit. Take care tell Mrs. SportDork hello from Mel & Kel fondly referred to as the Unger Team. And as always I wait with great anticipation for next weeks column. Kelly Reply to this
4/21/2008 4:07 PM
The SportDork wrote:
How could we not be happy to be back when we get this kind of love from The SportDork Nation? Any positive comparison to ESPN's Pardon the Interruption automatically earns you Comment Of The Week honors!!! Congratulations. You should feel very proud to be a repeat winner.
Ronen has no case. What we have is a very clear case of assumption of risk. He knew by living in our house that he ran the risk of ending up on the pages of SportDork.com, and more importantly, he's a sucker for celebrity. Reply to this
when the Sportdork trash talks a team or player, they will inevitably succeed (see Manning, Eli). now, you've gone radio silent, which of course means that KU is done. ah well, c'est la vie.... Reply to this
4/8/2008 9:17 AM
The SportDork wrote:
Thank you for understanding the full strength of my powers. I believe it was said in Field of Dreams: "If The SportDork picks them to lose, they will win, and if he picks them to win, they will lose." My trash talking of Kansas in the first March Madness entry was so strong that even when I failed to mention them in last week's entry, the trash talk from the previous week carried over, propelling them to victory. It also was part of a strategy that applied to the entire tournament, not just that weekend. The result? A KU National Championship. (You may also remember that during the football season, I mistakenly referred to Kentucky as KU instead of UK. I believe that slight to the Jayhawks also helped put them over the top.)
You are clearly a wise man for recognizing my prognosticating prowess, and therefore you deserve this week's Comment Of The Week Honors!!
Rock 'em, Sock 'em, Jayhawk 'em (or whatever it is they say). Reply to this
Tell your pale, frosted tip twin to mix in a salad when he gets back state side. Reply to this
4/1/2008 7:36 AM
The SportDork wrote:
First, stop looking at my feet. It's making me uncomfortable.
Second, I beat you to it. I have already started mixing in whipped cream from a can (see today's entry) as part of my low-carb regimen. I can feel the six-pack (and heart disease)coming on.
Based solely on your ability to creep me out by the amount of attention you have paid to my physical appearance, you have earned Comment Of The Weekhonors! Reply to this
2/26/2008 10:35 PM
r mac wrote:
hi sportdork, love it as always, but football's ovuh.
barely a mention of college basketball in your blog yet? duke back. carolina loaded. KU set to lose in the 2nd round again! in-state 1 vs. 2 that's not on tobacco road! k-state has the country's best player?! feel-good story w/calipari. kelvin sampson is the stupidest human on the planet. so many things for a sportdork to explore. yet....
could your lack of interest reveal a not-so-subtle bias? or, to put it another way, is there a fair-weatherality to your recent waning interest in cbb? (after all, billy donovan is the mascot of sportdork, but ....)
3/4/2008 4:24 AM
The SportDork wrote:
Believe it or not, I always go into hibernation until mid-march when it comes to college basketball. Wake me when the Tourney starts.
I do love Tennessee's Bruce Pearl, though. Totally nuts. Here he is engaged in some inappropriate touching with ESPN's Erin Andrews during halftime of the Memphis game that you alluded to:
Say hello to Comment Of The Week honors!! Reply to this
2/16/2008 6:27 AMMelody Unger wrote:
Amen and amen Alex! This country is in big trouble- students gunned down at our universities, death and destruction in Iraq, an economic crisis unlike anything we have seen in 2 decades and all our elected officials can do is waste time and our money on crap like this. Perhaps it is because they are incapable of solving any of the real problems that face our nation. Melody Reply to this
2/19/2008 9:36 AM
The SportDork wrote:
You raise a very interesting point - one that I failed to consider in my entry. Maybe all of the interest by Congress in steroids in baseball and whether an NFL team taped another team has more to do with Congress trying to pick all of the "low-hanging fruit" and make some headway on trivial issues, since they know they're not capable of solving any of the bigger issues. Regardless of the reason, you are to be commended for providing such a thought-provoking comment to the SportDork Nation, and for your efforts, you have earned "Comment Of The Week" honors!!! Congratulations.
2/5/2008 12:29 AM
MAC wrote:
I thought you should know that when you get back to Atlanta the "Regular Guys" will be back on morning radio (assuming they don't get fired before your return). Here's a link to an article in the AJC:
2/5/2008 6:42 AM
The SportDork wrote:
You sir, are a good man for keeping me up to speed with such important news. You just made my day. I'm streaming their broadcast on my laptop right now. I've never had a greater appreciation for the global economy. The Regular Guys in England. My mornings in Atlanta will once again be bearable. It was painful to listen to the hacks that were on the air in their absence. Van Halen AND The Regular Guys back together. All is right in the world.
For bringing me such joy on a Tuesday morning, you have earned Comment Of The Week honors!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Reply to this
1/18/2008 10:14 AM
Blackmon wrote:
Can you really say with a straight face you wouldn't have gone to Mexico with Jessica when you were 27 no matter what was going to occur the following weekend? How quickly we forget the indiscretions of our youth. Be honest, you might have gone with her crazy, surgically enhanced sister if there were body shots of Patron involved. Cut the boy some slack! Next thing you'll post is that you wouldn't have slept with Bridgett M without protection or dated Giselle during the season. Pah-lease. Reply to this
1/22/2008 10:00 AM
The SportDork wrote:
I absolutely would have gone to Mexico with Jessica (or her sister - take your pick) and slept with both Bridgett AND Giselle both during the season AND without protection when I was 27 - no matter what was going to occur the following weekend. Trust me - my memory of the indiscretions of my youth is very clear. But you're missing one critical distinction between myself and Tony Romo and Tom Brady (and I'm not talking about the fact that I'm better looking than those other two guys). I'm not an NFL quarterback, and wasn't when I was 27. I was just some out-of-shape grad student re-living his undergraduate years by spending another four years at UF partying, sleeping, playing golf, and occasionally studying - which I would imagine are all reasons why I wasn't an NFL quarterback (well, that and a complete lack of ability, but that goes without saying).
I did a lot of stupid sh*t when I was 27, but no one was paying me millions of dollars to lead a team to a Super Bowl. I went to JazzFest the weekend between law school finals, and it probably didn't help my G.P.A. much, but millions of people weren't counting on me to bring home an A in Criminal Law, so when I got a C, it didn't affect too many people's lives.
Call me crazy, but I don't think it's too much to ask for the starting QB of the Dallas Cowboys to hold off squeezing the hooters in a foreign country for a few weeks - you know, while they try and get to The Super Bowl. No doubt - I wouldn't have waited, but that's one of the many reasons why I wasn't the starting quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys when I was 27.
Having said all that, based on the level of outrage and indignation you expressed at my critical assessment of Mr. Romo's choice of weekend activities, you have earned "Comment Of The Week" honors!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Reply to this
1/28/2008 3:36 PM
Blackmon wrote:
Thanks for the Comment of the Week honor! I love the subtle admission that you lack the genetics to be an NFL QB. The fact it was buried in partying, sleeping and playing golf as reasons is precious. I think Mr. Farve did his fair share of those things EVEN IN THE NFL! Oh, those genetics, $10 million a year and a chance to go to the Superbowl really don't make a boy make decisions beyond his years. I do agree though that the competitive drive to get to the NFL SHOULD be some kind of indicator of your priorities (football being #1, 2 and 3). Ps. How cool would it have been if getting a good grade in Criminal Law actually did result in millions of dollars or lots of strangers getting happy? Would you have still gone to Jazzfest? Reply to this
1/29/2008 6:02 AM
The SportDork wrote:
You may be on to something with the Criminal Law thing. If I had gotten an A, and done the same in a bunch of other classes that I didn't get A's in, I probably would have interviewed with a bunch of prestigious law firms and landed a job with one of them - possibly practicing Criminal Law. I could have become a renowned criminal trial attorney and made millions while making hoards of taxpayers happy by putting away a bunch of criminals. So, in that respect, there were millions of dollars at stake and millions of people relying on me when I chose to go to JazzFest instead of study for finals. Huh. I never thought of it like that. You know what? I still would have gone to JazzFest. It was awesome.
If you think you were happy about getting Comment Of The Week honors last week, get ready for a double dose of celebration. For posing a thought-provoking query to The SportDork, as well as mocking my genetic makeup, your comment has been selected asThe Comment Of The Week!! Congratulations on back-to-back honors. Now the question becomes - can you make it a three-peat? Reply to this
1/16/2008 1:24 AM
riley wrote:
why are you carrying a messenger bag in the Louvre? it's like a cross b/t a purse and a giant fanny pack. also, you've switched shoulders in the pics like you're carrying a heavy load in the bag, and need to alternate shoulders. what's in there besides Mrs. Sportdork's makeup, camera and phone? i worry about you. the leather jacket and leather sneakers don't help. i think i prefer the gator tee and gator crocs. just doesn't seem right. Reply to this
1/22/2008 10:10 AM
The SportDork wrote:
It's the Euro-fication of The SportDork. If you can't tell from looking at the picture that I'm an American, then I have succeeded.
Don't you worry about what's in my stylish messenger bag. Just know that I'm like MacGyver - ready for anything. I will say this - have you seen the size of Mrs. SportDork's sunglasses? You'd be switching shoulders too.
You may worry about me, but I worry about how closely you examine the blog pictures. I think I feel violated. On the other hand, your attention to detail should be rewarded. You are a dedicated reader, and you deserve recognition. If only there was a way to acknowledge your contribution to The SportDork Nation. Wait - I've got it! It's the second Comment Of The Week for this week!! Reply to this
1/15/2008 9:30 AM
Kelly Terrian wrote:
Alex - As usual you never let your readers down. I thoroughly enjoyed all of the college football critiques and the pro commentary is just as great. My only worry is that when you get state side all of this will come to a screeching halt and then what will I do??? My Tuesday mornings will never be the same. It may require theraphy, perhaps some rehab. This is a terrible thing you have started. It is even worse that I am sitting here sweating it that it may all come crashing down around me. How will I survive. Now on a more cheery note...Your picks for the week are right on and I hope that we see Brett Farve and the Pack sack Tom Brady and the rest of the Patriots. Even though my team is an AFC team unlike College ball I just can't wrap my head around rooting for New England. Anyways happy play offs to you and I hope you and Shannon are both doing well. Kelly Reply to this
1/22/2008 10:37 AM
The SportDork wrote: Flattery will get you everywhere with The SportDork. Addiction is the goal, and we are very goal-oriented here at SD Headquarters. That's why yours is the third Comment Of The Week for this week! It's a new record.
Allow me to put to rest any concerns you have about SportDork.com coming to an end when we land back in the U.S. You can go get that celebratory bottle of champagne out of the fridge and pop the cork on that bad boy, because there are no plans to cease operations at SportDork Headquarters in 2008. That's right - you heard it here first. SportDork.com will continue to bring you a strange combination of sports and odd personal photos, in a way that only we can, throughout 2008. Now go drink irresponsibly.
Regarding the Super Bowl, I think today's entry makes it pretty clear where I stand on the matchup. Enjoy. Reply to this
1/1/2008 5:10 PM
C88k Nalley wrote:
I would have prefered a "Gone Fish'in" sign over that effort. When you emerge from your head cold you will agree. Go Noles! Reply to this
1/9/2008 11:57 AM
The SportDork wrote:
Based solely on your complete Northeastern butchering of the phrase "Gone Fish'n", you are this week's Comment Of The Week Winner. Even with a head cold, I got a kick out of that one. Congratulations. Reply to this
12/26/2007 8:40 AM
Jealous Workaholic wrote:
Happy Belated Christmas Sportdork. The Jealous Workaholic actually took Monday off and enjoyed a nice long weekend. Considering that the Jealous Workaholic has no life but lives through other I thought I would share two amusing stories from the Heisman Trophy Presentation. My bro-in-law (gator '92) was in attendance with a college buddy. My first inquiry was whether he met Danny Wuerffel. He indicated that he was introduced and began a conversation but moved on quickly. I asked what he meant and he explained that the conversation jsut wasn't that interesting. I found the vision of my bro-in-law turning his back mid-conversation on the former Heisman winner to engage a more interesting celebrity rather comical. The second story involved Kurt Herbstreit. They had a long involved conversation with Kurt discussing all aspects of college football. After about 1/2 hour Kurt told them he appreciated talking with knowledgable fans as most of the attendees at events like the Heisman are just wealthy businessmen with little true interest in college football. At this point Kurt's wife walks up and joins the conversation. My bro-in-law described her has ridiculous hot. His friend then informed Kurt that Kurt was on his wife's top five list. As Kurt, my bro-in-law and his friend all had a good laugh Kurt's wife looked confused. My bro-in-law described the rules of the top five list to her and at that point Kurt's wife seemed a bit annoyed of the friend's wife's attraction to Kurt. Sensing her unease my bro-in-law told her that if it made her feel better that after meeting her she was now on his top five. While this earned laughs from Kurt she was not amused. They also got to hang out with Tony Dorsett for a while. My boy lives a charmed life. Oh, they couldn't get near to Tebow but he said that he didn't appear surprised to win.
1/1/2008 8:51 AM
The SportDork wrote:
There's not much I can add to that comment, other than any time you share a story that includes Kirk Herbstreit, his wife and a top five list, you automatically earn Comment of the Week honors!!!!
Thanks for providing The SportDork Nation with cutting-edge, behind the scenes news. That's definitely not a story you're going to read on ESPN.com.
12/18/2007 4:08 PM
C88k Nalley wrote:
Between the sports information. Witty and insightful and original and self deprecating commentary. Gratuitous breast shot of Jess Simpson. This week's entry was nearly pulitzer material. Keep up the good work! Reply to this
12/25/2007 7:20 AM
The SportDork wrote:
Looks like somebody caught the holiday spirit! You may want to take back your positive feedback after you read today's entry, however -I know how you feel about a 90% dork and 10% sport ratio. Reply to this
12/16/2007 12:41 AM
Sean wrote:
say, I note that only teams who do NOT make it into a BCS game belly ache about the BCS. What is Florida in this year, the App State bowl?
Nice title defense by the way. You'd think a team with somebody as accomplished, graceful & potent as Tebow would at least be able to win half a freaking conference, much less defend their title.
First, let me say that I am impressed that you found time in your busy entrepreneurship lifestyle to take time out of your day and submit a comment to SportDork.com.That's commitment.I doubt Bobby Petrino would have done the same if he'd been in your position (see today's entry).However, effort's not everything.Logic and reasoning also count for something here at SportDork.com, and your entry went one for three.(We like to see logic and reasoning in the comments - it compensates for the absence of those characteristics in the entries themselves.)
We all know it's tough to be really good, but it's also tough to be really bad.I'm into rewarding extremes, which is why your comment has been selected as the Co-Comment Of The Week!!!! (My sister talked about 'staches.There's was no denying her the honor as well.)
Now let's get to the comments that put you in the "winner's" circle:
You are to be commended for your ability to throw stones while your team, USC, which I heard in September was the greatest team in the history of the universe, couldn't even pull it together enough to make Les Miles eat his pre-season words by making it to the "title" game against LSU.
"say, I note that only teams who do NOT make it into a BCS game belly ache about the BCS."
I would imagine that's because typically, people who benefit from a faulty system aren't the first in line to bitch about the system. How many times have you seen a team that benefited from a bad call on the field complain to the refs that it was a bad call? I'm no psychologist, but I think it's some kind of human nature thing.I don't remember G-Dub complaining about vote counting procedures after he beat Gore, do you?
"What is Florida in this year, the laceName w:st="on">ApplaceName> laceType w:st="on">StatelaceType> bowl?"
I like that.What are they calling yours - the "We lost to Stanford, but the Pac-10 is so weak we still managed to make it to the Rose Bowl" Bowl?
"Nice title defense by the way. You'd think a team with somebody as accomplished, graceful & potent as Tebow would at least be able to win half a freaking conference, much less defend their title."
Have you been talking to my Dad?He's spent the entire year bemoaning the lack of talent around Tebow.By the way, you've made the same mistake I did - assuming there is some relationship between winning half your conference and getting to a BCS bowl.Just ask Missouri and Tennessee how important winning half your conference is.
"Oh well, maybe next year. "
You too.I just hope we aren't ranked #1 in the pre-season and hailed as the greatest college team to ever set foot on a football field and then we go out and lose to Ole Miss. : )
12/15/2007 5:32 PM
Jules wrote:
Go Tewbowtastic!! Woo hoo!! By the way, I think you need to make January the new "Movember." C'mon, just do it....grow a stache. Your readers want to see it. Reply to this
Tebowtastic!! I like it. I haven't used that one yet. You know what? When you introduce a new Tebowism and you give me an excuse to post more 'stache pictures, you win Co-Comment Of The Week honors!! I would have given it to you outright, but Sean got belligerent and had to be recognized for it.
Just can't let the 'staches go, can you? Well, I can't either!!! Here is a handy chart that I found that will help you identify your next 'stache:
Did you know that The World Beard and Moustache Championships will return to U.S. soil on May 23, 2009? Here is a link to the website: http://www.worldbeardchampionships.com/ There are a lot of great 'staches on the site. Here is one to whet your appetite:
This guy won second place in the Freestyle Goatee category (I'm not kidding) in 2003. He's one of the "always dominant Germans," according to the website. Maybe it's our German heritage that attracts us to the 'stache. You won't believe this, but the 2007 competition was hosted in Brighton, England in September. That means I was less than an hour from The World Beard and Moustache Championships, and I didn't even know it. I'm devastated. I may never be that close again.
this exact scenario happened last year, when Arkansas lost the SEC champ game and LSU went to the Sugar Bowl.
the Sugar chooses the SEC's next best team; UT simply isn't. not even Vols fans would argue this (I work with many). Last year's 2: clearly LSU. this year: clearly UGa. your dad said the same thing you did(I guess you all talked about it), but sending 4-loss UT over the "hottest team in the country, baby!!" would be stupid. it doesn't even come close to hitting my BCS-is-a-failure radar. the REAL failure is the fact that the Sugar bowl matchup isn't UGa - Oklahoma.
the Mizzou - KU decision is wrong.
don't worry. once Stafford graduates, Florida will be back in the BCS conversation.....
You are to be commended for your ability to refer to Georgia as "clearly" the SEC's next best team without intending your comment to be humorous.I am particularly impressed that in determining that Georgia was "clearly" the SEC's next best team, you were able to ignore the fact that a) Georgia didn't even make it to the SEC Championship Game and b) the reason they didn't make it was in large part because they got crushed 35 - 14 by Tennessee, the team that won the SEC's Eastern Division.But I am not nearly as impressed by those feats as I am by the fact that you established a new SportDork.com record with three comments in one week, which earns you this week's Comment Of The Week!!!!
You are also to be commended for attempting to break my zen-like state with respect to the BCS.You almost drew me back in.I had a long-winded diatribe all ready to go, and then I caught myself and returned to my happy place.In case you're wondering, that's a mental image of Tim Tebow and me taking a long walk on the beach.
Ok - I can't help myself.The Arkansas-LSU situation last year was not, as you claim, the "exact" scenario as this year with UT and UGA.Yes, LSU went to the Sugar Bowl even though Arkansas won the SEC West and lost in the SEC Championship Game.However, LSU actually beat Arkansas (at Arkansas) on the last weekend of the regular season, so the team that went to the Sugar Bowl - LSU - beat the team from the SEC West that went to the conference championship game.That makes it a little different and a little stickier than the UT-UGA situation this year, since Georgia didn't beat (or come close to beating) Tennessee.
11/20/2007 8:59 AM
The SportDork wrote:
Can you feel the pressure? It's the pressure that comes with greatness. In this case, that is the greatness of not only having your first submitted comment named as the Comment Of The Week, but also having your second comment named as The Comment Of The Week!!!! You now find yourself in the midst of a perfect season, my friend, just like the Patriots. Two submitted comments, two Comments Of The Week. Congratulations. You have set the bar high. You deserve much turkey. Reply to this
11/13/2007 9:55 AM
The SportDork wrote:
Greetings!!! Due to a technical glitch, this week's Comment Of The Week is not displaying in the Comment Of The Week section of the sidebar. I have no idea why. It can, however, be found in the "Recent Comments" section of the sidebar under "The SportDork on It's The Most Greatest!!! (Tales From Stonehenge, Part I), 11/13/2007" link. Reply to this
10/30/2007 10:13 AM
Kelly Terrian wrote:
Hello there Alex - Kelly Terrian here Office Manager to the greatest real estate agent in Georgia, Melody Unger. I just wanted to let you know that as I sat seven rows up in Jacksonville Municipal Stadium (on the Georgia side) my heart actually broke for you. Although it was a tough great well played game by both teams and I was wildly excited for Georgia it was hard not to think of you!!! Melody and I both enjoy immensely reading your blogs each week. I love your college football acounts they are terrific!!! I am however sort of sad that you won't be attending the Vandy Florida game or your reunion as I think your fellow law school alum would be very envious of your current situation. How many guys get to fulfill their dreams of writing such an inovative account of all things sports while enjoying the English country side, ale and bangers and mashed and on top of all of that have a website with the viewership you enjoy called Sportdork.com. You go Alex you are truly the bomb. Anyways thanks again for the blog you don't know how much we look forward to reading it. Go Gators!! Go Dawgs!!Kelly Reply to this
11/6/2007 6:22 AM
The SportDork wrote:
You have put me in a difficult position. As a Georgia fan, you would typically be prohibited from garnering Comment Of The Week status, regardless of the quality of your comment. But you have expressed sympathy or empathy (or maybe both - I can't remember the distinction) for me as a die-hard Gator fan AND incorporated use of the term "the bomb" AND thrown out a "Go Gators!", which are all compelling factors working in your favor. Combine that with the sheer volume of text in your comment, most of which heaps praise on SportDork.com (a tactic that always scores points with the judges) AND the fact that you are a critical member of The Unger Team, the greatest real estate team in Georgia, and there's just no denying you your rightful place in SportDork.com history - Congratulations on your selection as the fourth SportDork.com Comment Of The Week!!!!
Very exciting to hear that I have captured the hearts and minds of the Atlanta Residential Real Estate Community. Ok - maybe just you guys - but who else is there????
I'm smelling a cross-promotional opportunity here - maybe I swap out Billy D's picture on the header of SportDork.com with Melody's in exchange for you guys promoting my url. That would increase your exposure by at least twenty people and mine by twenty thousand. Sounds like a win-win to me - or for me. Whatever. It's a minor distinction. I'll have my people call your people. Reply to this
10/30/2007 6:42 AM
The SportDork wrote:
I highly recommend clicking on the link provided above. Much like last week's Comment Of The Week winner, this comment has it all. Outstanding, diligent research, as well as incredibly topical subject matter that includes both White Strips and Florida.
There is little more I can add to the genius of your comment, other than - Congratulations!!! Your comment has been selected as this week's Co-Comment Of The Week!!! We would have loved to have given it to you outright, but another reader heaped such praise on SportDork.com that we had to give him a piece of the title as well. Reply to this
10/26/2007 12:18 PM
Jealous Workaholic wrote:
yawnnnn. What about GA/UF? Is it even mentioned in the War and Peace like entry above? Reply to this
10/30/2007 6:37 AM
The SportDork wrote:
What about GA/UF??!!! Did you not read the riveting expose on the principles of the Gator hedge bet, which included an entire section on my plans for the GA/UF game? As one of my loyal readers, I'm counting on you to at least read the entry before expressing outrage at the fact that it didn't include something that it actually did include!
Having said that, I can't thank you enough for the comparison to War and Peace. I checked out a couple of reviews, and here's what I found from Library Journal:
"The complexities of character and plot are sometimes enigmatic, and names are often exhausting to recollect, but the genius of this book is everlasting. The impressive dialog sparkles with humor and wit, and the vivid scenes of battle are riveting. An entire universe is created by one of the foremost thinkers of the 19th century, and Davidson's exquisite narration heightens the perfection of this novel, regarded as one of the greatest in literature. Highly recommended for all collections."
I was truly amazed at the applicability of this review to both War and Peace and SportDork.com. Complexities of character and plot that are sometimes enigmatic, impressive dialog that sparkles with humor and wit, vivid scenes of battle (mine are college football related, but it still works), and exquisite narration? Uncanny parallels!!! For some time now, I have believed that, much like War and Peace, the genius of SportDork.com is everlasting and that it is highly recommended for all collections, but to have one of my readers confirm it means the world to me.
In fact, I am so moved by your comment that I have decided it is worthy of Co-Comment Of The Week status!!!! We've never had a tie for the Comment Of The Week, but this week it was just too close to call. The praise you have bestowed on SportDork.com shot your entry to the top, while the diligent research conducted by our other commenter was enough to put his entry in the winner's circle as well. Congratulations. You deserve it. Reply to this
10/22/2007 11:19 PM
MAC wrote:
I could not resist commenting on the Woking Crematorium. I must admit that I was at first fascinated by the apparent need to distinguish the working crematoriums from the broken ones. I then proceeded to google the word 'woking' and amuse myself by trying to determine which search results were misspelled. Three quick examples are 'Woking Ladies' (correct), 'Live Woking Robot' (misspelled), and my personal favorite 'Hard woking housekeeper needed!!!'. I also found myself wondering how many woks it would take to cremate a human corpse. Perhaps it would just be one giant wok. In hopes of being able to submit a humorous visual aid I decided to search images for 'wok' and it was there amid various pictures of woks and wok related items that I found the Holy Grail of my Woking quest. It is a lovely photo of a bare chested female torso holding a piece of paper simply stating "I love Brighton Wok". If you are as amazed as I was by this woman's passion for Asian cookware, don't be. It seems she is actually passionate about a movie more specifically titled "The Legend of Ganja Boxing - Brighton Wok". Reply to this
10/23/2007 5:06 AM
The SportDork wrote:
OK, people. You want your comment to be selected as The Comment Of The Week? You want your prose gloriously displayed in the bright lights of the link in the sidebar of SportDork.com that will, upon being clicked, take readers to your comment? Then read and learn, my friends.
Delightful word play that I never even considered, a disturbing reference to using cooking utensils to dispose of human remains, a description of a partially nude woman promoting an English film that features kung fu, ninjas, and ganja, all tied together with a significant volume of internet research?
Hello!!! I stand in awe of the genius that is SportDork.com's third, and dare I say best, Comment Of The Week!!!!
10/10/2007 4:16 PM
Matt B wrote:
I am amazed that you found the upside down wheelbarrow "very clever", but there was no mention of the leather suitcase that was being used to weight down the chicken net? Reply to this
10/12/2007 4:10 AM
The SportDork wrote: What's up, Eagle Eye!!! I had a feeling someone might point that out. First, let's get the other readers caught up. Here is the picture you are referring to:
I'll be honest with you - at first glance I wasn't so sure that was a suitcase, so I let it go. I couldn't believe it could be. But after your comment, I started to question whether I had dismissed it prematurely. I went to the sideline, just like they do in the NFL, stood under one of those black curtains and reviewed the picture once again to see if I had failed to give this potential gem its proper due. Here is a close-up of the item in question:
I am happy to announce that, after further review, this item has been deemed to be, in fact, a leather suitcase, and it is apparently being used to hold down the chicken net. I can see the handle, and I think I can make out the line where the top and bottom of the suitcase meet, so that's good enough for me. The call on the field has been reversed. I still can't fathom why someone would be using a leather suitcase to hold down a chicken net, but I can't argue that it looks like it's there to hold the net down. It must have a brick in it. Good stuff.
More importantly, based on the impressive attention to detail that you have shown to the pages of SportDork.com, your comment has been selected as our second Comment Of The Week and has been added to the Comment Showcase!!! I just hope you weren't studying the picture of my feet from a couple weeks ago that closely.
Congratulations. You should be very proud of your accomplishment. (Not to take anything away from it, but it certainly didn't hurt that I've been looking for an excuse to get that picture of my gut out of the Comment Showcase.)
Congratulations!! Your not-so-subtle sarcasm regarding my weight has earned you Comment Of The Week honors!!
I can only assume that your inquiry is directly related to the circled area in the following picture from the "Anybody Got An Extra Bathing Suit? (The Ibiza Chronicles, Part III)" entry:
I'm not sure how this happened, but I can assure you that this picture is a gross misrepresentation of my current physical condition. I swear - I'm not pregnant. It's amazing how lighting and camera angle can distort an image. In my defense, I have been exercising regularly and have lost about ten pounds since moving to England. Actually, now that I'm thinking about it, I guess all this picture proves is that I must have been really fat when we got here.
Hey SportDork,
It's your pal, "The Theorem". I meant to touch base with you before you posted your blog this week with my own theory on the Urban Meyer hooplah to see if you wanted to run with it for the blog. As usual, I'm a step too late, even though you were two days late yourself. That's about right.
Anyway, here's my angle on the Urban thing. As you know I am not a Florida fan or really a fan of any college team, so I am fairly unbaised. Although I have expressed (before the loss to Alabama) that the Gators & the Tebow love was getting really annoying. So perhaps that helped me craft this somewhat more skeptical view (at least it could be seen that way in the eyes of Gator fans).
I think Urban is fine. Or maybe he's not. But that part doesn't matter. He was never planning on calling it quits though - and that's the point. In fact, the whole thing was a PR move. See, Urban was certain that the Gators would be in the Championship game all year. Maybe even since last year. Moreover, he has become addicted to hearing about Florida on ESPN and every news radio show constatntly. All that talk, all that hype, has built a brand for Florida - and Meyer. And it continues to and he fully expected that talk and hype to continue into January by being in the Championship game. He planned on using that free publicity to secure his recruits and to start the train of new recruits for future years. That was the master plan.
But uh oh... something happened to that plan. His team didn't show up to the SEC Championship game against Alabama and got stomped in Atlanta in early December. After the initial ESPN and talk radio shock, there has literally been radio silence on the Gators in the national TV & Radio media. No front page newspaper or SI covers. In fact, the whole plan when to shite! Even worse, Alabama & Texas (let's face it, probably two of the Gators biggest recruiting rivals) are in the Championship game and not Florida.
What's a coach to do???
Queue up the PR team. We need to make sure Florida stays in the news. Let's see, coach, you checked into the hospital after the SEC Championship game, right? Perfect - announce you are hanging it up for health reasons. But not yet. Do it right before Bowl and Championship week. Over the holidays, while all the families are watching games together. The story will EXPLODE. Then, before you even give the presser, announce how wonderful U of F is and how 'spirited' the players are and how you just can't leave this place, so you'll take a 'leave of absence' but return to coaching the team maybe even as soon as this fall.
This bombshell will rock college football. People will start talking only about Florida. During every bowl game. At every halftie show. As the lead to every Sportscenter. And right when it matters most for recruits.
And guess who nobody is talking about? Alabama & Texas - the teams in the Championship game. Amazing.
Now what to do abou this pesky 'Leach' fellow...???
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First, I just want to let you know that you have won some type of prize for the longest comment ever posted on SportDork.com. I don't know what the prize is yet, but once I have it figured out, I'll let you know.
And second, I think your theory makes perfect sense - if the point of the whole exercise was to lose recruits:
http://www.fannation.com/si_blogs/from_scrimmage/posts/91801-fallout-from-meyer-drama-hits-florida-gators-recruiting
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i'm not this bad
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4Piuuqqs10
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Brandon! You must have read my mind! Stay strong, big guy.
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That was hilarious. I am crying I am laughing so hard. I love the recaps of the conversations!
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SportDork, SportDork, SportDork -Anyone over 40 (way over,such as myself) knows that you lie on your back after drinking too much. That way,when you wake up from the booze coma, if you can see up you can get up, in theory anyway. Mel
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I could have used those words of wisdom last week!!!!
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File this under: "knew this was coming"
Having spent 28 hrs in the Clayton County jail, I think I'm qualified to say two years in Leavenworth is SERIOUS punishment for anything short of murder, rape or attempting to do either of the two previously mentioned things. Mike is still a moron and will likely F up but we have to let him F up or try not to. BTW, what's the deal with having to put in a security code to leave one of these dumb comments? Is that really necessary? Keep up the killer social commentary SportsDork!
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the sportdork simply must see this link:
http://blogs.nypost.com/sports/backpage/archives/2009/08/stuff_for_a_sun_11.html
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Ah, Mr. Marbury. He never ceases to disappoint. Hey - I'm not under contract with an NBA team right now. Does that mean it's ok for me to fire up the bong too?
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Shocked.
Don't understand half of what you talk about (I think only Americans understand US-centric sport, but sport is sport so I'll read it), but it's good to see you back.
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Great to hear that SportDork.com continues to reach across the Atlantic. We just had an Irish Pub open down the street that has pledged to show every EPL match this year, so maybe I'll be able to work in a few comments about the original 'football.'
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What a sad but compelling recount of a long passage of time in the desert!
As you structure your plans moving forward, may I suggest that if you plan on replacing those storied clothing articles that you wear the replacement article UNDER the veteran piece for as many events/games that you and your coaching staff determine necessary before you make the permanent switch. Just a thought.
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Nice try, but I'm on to you. You're just hoping for a picture of me passed out in the hundred degree Gainesville heat with two shirts on.
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Alex;
Don't worry. After 5 years of retirement I have finally discovered that Tuesday is just a concept. So your flexibility remains intact. No apologies necessary. Keep up the good work.
Tom
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If you don't mind, I'm going to start using that one around the office, particularly when I'm about to miss a deadline. As in, "I don't know what you're so upset about Stan. I know I said I'd have it to you by Thursday, but let's face it - isn't Thursday just a concept?"
I think it's gonna be a big hit. And for providing such inspiration, you have earned Comment Of The Week Honors!!!
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I thought you picked the bike because gas is now at UK price levels and your Caddy gets 4 miles to the gallon. Seriously though, your firm gives you the Tent / Bike option because they know after 10 yrs there you want to sell all your worldly goods and bike / camp / smoke J's across the country the rest of your life. Well that, or take a sabatical on your wife's dime for a year!
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I was thinking about riding it into work on my first day back.
For your insights (and because you submitted the only comment last week), you get Comment Of The Week Honors!!
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SD,
It was worth the wait and lord knows you were due, but that was really funny. So funny indeed I may have to inquire if Mrs. SD penned that bit of funny.
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Flattery will get you everywhere. Say hello to Comment Of The Week honors!!
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SportDork - Congrats on you and Mrs. SportDork being back stateside!!! And as always thank you so much for the Tuesday pick me upper from the hum drums of Real Estate. It's amazing how fascinating you can make college basketball what is next? I do truly believe that I should send all of these sports related emails to say espn the guys on PTO don't have a prayer up against you. You are truly a great commentator, educator, story teller and you should have your own show...hum let's see...Sports According to THE Sportdork. Let me work on this while I get your transcripts ready to mail. And oh yeah did you get Ronen to sign a waiver? I smell a lawsuit. Take care tell Mrs. SportDork hello from Mel & Kel fondly referred to as the Unger Team. And as always I wait with great anticipation for next weeks column. Kelly
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How could we not be happy to be back when we get this kind of love from The SportDork Nation? Any positive comparison to ESPN's Pardon the Interruption automatically earns you Comment Of The Week honors!!!
Congratulations. You should feel very proud to be a repeat winner.
Ronen has no case. What we have is a very clear case of assumption of risk. He knew by living in our house that he ran the risk of ending up on the pages of SportDork.com, and more importantly, he's a sucker for celebrity.
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hmmmm. no mention of KU.
when the Sportdork trash talks a team or player, they will inevitably succeed (see Manning, Eli). now, you've gone radio silent, which of course means that KU is done. ah well, c'est la vie....
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Thank you for understanding the full strength of my powers. I believe it was said in Field of Dreams: "If The SportDork picks them to lose, they will win, and if he picks them to win, they will lose." My trash talking of Kansas in the first March Madness entry was so strong that even when I failed to mention them in last week's entry, the trash talk from the previous week carried over, propelling them to victory. It also was part of a strategy that applied to the entire tournament, not just that weekend. The result? A KU National Championship.
(You may also remember that during the football season, I mistakenly referred to Kentucky as KU instead of UK. I believe that slight to the Jayhawks also helped put them over the top.)
You are clearly a wise man for recognizing my prognosticating prowess, and therefore you deserve this week's Comment Of The Week Honors!!
Rock 'em, Sock 'em, Jayhawk 'em (or whatever it is they say).
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2 items:
Always wear socks even in the dark.
Tell your pale, frosted tip twin to mix in a salad when he gets back state side.
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First, stop looking at my feet. It's making me uncomfortable.
Second, I beat you to it. I have already started mixing in whipped cream from a can (see today's entry) as part of my low-carb regimen. I can feel the six-pack (and heart disease)coming on.
Based solely on your ability to creep me out by the amount of attention you have paid to my physical appearance, you have earned Comment Of The Week honors!
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Bwah!
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Any time a reader gets me to consult the Urban Dictionary to try and figure out what their comment means (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=bwah), they automatically earn Comment Of The Week honors. Congratulations!!
By the way - it is also an acronym for Bikers With A Heart (http://acronyms.thefreedictionary.com/BWAH), although I don't think that's what you were going for.
Thanks for keeping the SportDork hip.
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hi sportdork,
love it as always, but football's ovuh.
barely a mention of college basketball in your blog yet? duke back. carolina loaded. KU set to lose in the 2nd round again! in-state 1 vs. 2 that's not on tobacco road! k-state has the country's best player?! feel-good story w/calipari. kelvin sampson is the stupidest human on the planet. so many things for a sportdork to explore. yet....
could your lack of interest reveal a not-so-subtle bias? or, to put it another way, is there a fair-weatherality to your recent waning interest in cbb? (after all, billy donovan is the mascot of sportdork, but ....)
hmmmm, seems like a true Gator fan all right!
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Believe it or not, I always go into hibernation until mid-march when it comes to college basketball. Wake me when the Tourney starts.
I do love Tennessee's Bruce Pearl, though. Totally nuts. Here he is engaged in some inappropriate touching with ESPN's Erin Andrews during halftime of the Memphis game that you alluded to:
http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/02/24/bruce-pearl-mauls-erin-andrews/
Say hello to Comment Of The Week honors!!
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Amen and amen Alex! This country is in big trouble- students gunned down at our universities, death and destruction in Iraq, an economic crisis unlike anything we have seen in 2 decades and all our elected officials can do is waste time and our money on crap like this. Perhaps it is because they are incapable of solving any of the real problems that face our nation. Melody
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You raise a very interesting point - one that I failed to consider in my entry. Maybe all of the interest by Congress in steroids in baseball and whether an NFL team taped another team has more to do with Congress trying to pick all of the "low-hanging fruit" and make some headway on trivial issues, since they know they're not capable of solving any of the bigger issues. Regardless of the reason, you are to be commended for providing such a thought-provoking comment to the SportDork Nation, and for your efforts, you have earned "Comment Of The Week" honors!!!
Congratulations.
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I thought you should know that when you get back to Atlanta the "Regular Guys" will be back on morning radio (assuming they don't get fired before your return). Here's a link to an article in the AJC:
www.ajc.com/living/content/printedition/2008/01/29/regularguys0129.html
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You sir, are a good man for keeping me up to speed with such important news. You just made my day.
I'm streaming their broadcast on my laptop right now. I've never had a greater appreciation for the global economy. The Regular Guys in England.
My mornings in Atlanta will once again be bearable. It was painful to listen to the hacks that were on the air in their absence.
Van Halen AND The Regular Guys back together. All is right in the world.
For bringing me such joy on a Tuesday morning, you have earned Comment Of The Week honors!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Can you really say with a straight face you wouldn't have gone to Mexico with Jessica when you were 27 no matter what was going to occur the following weekend? How quickly we forget the indiscretions of our youth. Be honest, you might have gone with her crazy, surgically enhanced sister if there were body shots of Patron involved. Cut the boy some slack! Next thing you'll post is that you wouldn't have slept with Bridgett M without protection or dated Giselle during the season. Pah-lease.
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I absolutely would have gone to Mexico with Jessica (or her sister - take your pick) and slept with both Bridgett AND Giselle both during the season AND without protection when I was 27 - no matter what was going to occur the following weekend. Trust me - my memory of the indiscretions of my youth is very clear. But you're missing one critical distinction between myself and Tony Romo and Tom Brady (and I'm not talking about the fact that I'm better looking than those other two guys). I'm not an NFL quarterback, and wasn't when I was 27. I was just some out-of-shape grad student re-living his undergraduate years by spending another four years at UF partying, sleeping, playing golf, and occasionally studying - which I would imagine are all reasons why I wasn't an NFL quarterback (well, that and a complete lack of ability, but that goes without saying).
I did a lot of stupid sh*t when I was 27, but no one was paying me millions of dollars to lead a team to a Super Bowl. I went to JazzFest the weekend between law school finals, and it probably didn't help my G.P.A. much, but millions of people weren't counting on me to bring home an A in Criminal Law, so when I got a C, it didn't affect too many people's lives.
Call me crazy, but I don't think it's too much to ask for the starting QB of the Dallas Cowboys to hold off squeezing the hooters in a foreign country for a few weeks - you know, while they try and get to The Super Bowl. No doubt - I wouldn't have waited, but that's one of the many reasons why I wasn't the starting quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys when I was 27.
Having said all that, based on the level of outrage and indignation you expressed at my critical assessment of Mr. Romo's choice of weekend activities, you have earned "Comment Of The Week" honors!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Thanks for the Comment of the Week honor! I love the subtle admission that you lack the genetics to be an NFL QB. The fact it was buried in partying, sleeping and playing golf as reasons is precious. I think Mr. Farve did his fair share of those things EVEN IN THE NFL! Oh, those genetics, $10 million a year and a chance to go to the Superbowl really don't make a boy make decisions beyond his years. I do agree though that the competitive drive to get to the NFL SHOULD be some kind of indicator of your priorities (football being #1, 2 and 3). Ps. How cool would it have been if getting a good grade in Criminal Law actually did result in millions of dollars or lots of strangers getting happy? Would you have still gone to Jazzfest?
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You may be on to something with the Criminal Law thing. If I had gotten an A, and done the same in a bunch of other classes that I didn't get A's in, I probably would have interviewed with a bunch of prestigious law firms and landed a job with one of them - possibly practicing Criminal Law. I could have become a renowned criminal trial attorney and made millions while making hoards of taxpayers happy by putting away a bunch of criminals. So, in that respect, there were millions of dollars at stake and millions of people relying on me when I chose to go to JazzFest instead of study for finals. Huh. I never thought of it like that. You know what? I still would have gone to JazzFest. It was awesome.
If you think you were happy about getting Comment Of The Week honors last week, get ready for a double dose of celebration. For posing a thought-provoking query to The SportDork, as well as mocking my genetic makeup, your comment has been selected as The Comment Of The Week!! Congratulations on back-to-back honors. Now the question becomes - can you make it a three-peat?
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why are you carrying a messenger bag in the Louvre? it's like a cross b/t a purse and a giant fanny pack. also, you've switched shoulders in the pics like you're carrying a heavy load in the bag, and need to alternate shoulders. what's in there besides Mrs. Sportdork's makeup, camera and phone? i worry about you. the leather jacket and leather sneakers don't help. i think i prefer the gator tee and gator crocs. just doesn't seem right.
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It's the Euro-fication of The SportDork. If you can't tell from looking at the picture that I'm an American, then I have succeeded.
Don't you worry about what's in my stylish messenger bag. Just know that I'm like MacGyver - ready for anything. I will say this - have you seen the size of Mrs. SportDork's sunglasses? You'd be switching shoulders too.
You may worry about me, but I worry about how closely you examine the blog pictures. I think I feel violated. On the other hand, your attention to detail should be rewarded. You are a dedicated reader, and you deserve recognition. If only there was a way to acknowledge your contribution to The SportDork Nation. Wait - I've got it! It's the second Comment Of The Week for this week!!
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Alex - As usual you never let your readers down. I thoroughly enjoyed all of the college football critiques and the pro commentary is just as great. My only worry is that when you get state side all of this will come to a screeching halt and then what will I do??? My Tuesday mornings will never be the same. It may require theraphy, perhaps some rehab. This is a terrible thing you have started. It is even worse that I am sitting here sweating it that it may all come crashing down around me. How will I survive. Now on a more cheery note...Your picks for the week are right on and I hope that we see Brett Farve and the Pack sack Tom Brady and the rest of the Patriots. Even though my team is an AFC team unlike College ball I just can't wrap my head around rooting for New England. Anyways happy play offs to you and I hope you and Shannon are both doing well. Kelly
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Flattery will get you everywhere with The SportDork. Addiction is the goal, and we are very goal-oriented here at SD Headquarters. That's why yours is the third Comment Of The Week for this week! It's a new record.
Allow me to put to rest any concerns you have about SportDork.com coming to an end when we land back in the U.S. You can go get that celebratory bottle of champagne out of the fridge and pop the cork on that bad boy, because there are no plans to cease operations at SportDork Headquarters in 2008. That's right - you heard it here first. SportDork.com will continue to bring you a strange combination of sports and odd personal photos, in a way that only we can, throughout 2008. Now go drink irresponsibly.
Regarding the Super Bowl, I think today's entry makes it pretty clear where I stand on the matchup. Enjoy.
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I would have prefered a "Gone Fish'in" sign over that effort. When you emerge from your head cold you will agree. Go Noles!
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Based solely on your complete Northeastern butchering of the phrase "Gone Fish'n", you are this week's Comment Of The Week Winner. Even with a head cold, I got a kick out of that one. Congratulations.
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Happy Belated Christmas Sportdork. The Jealous Workaholic actually took Monday off and enjoyed a nice long weekend. Considering that the Jealous Workaholic has no life but lives through other I thought I would share two amusing stories from the Heisman Trophy Presentation. My bro-in-law (gator '92) was in attendance with a college buddy. My first inquiry was whether he met Danny Wuerffel. He indicated that he was introduced and began a conversation but moved on quickly. I asked what he meant and he explained that the conversation jsut wasn't that interesting. I found the vision of my bro-in-law turning his back mid-conversation on the former Heisman winner to engage a more interesting celebrity rather comical.
The second story involved Kurt Herbstreit. They had a long involved conversation with Kurt discussing all aspects of college football. After about 1/2 hour Kurt told them he appreciated talking with knowledgable fans as most of the attendees at events like the Heisman are just wealthy businessmen with little true interest in college football. At this point Kurt's wife walks up and joins the conversation. My bro-in-law described her has ridiculous hot. His friend then informed Kurt that Kurt was on his wife's top five list. As Kurt, my bro-in-law and his friend all had a good laugh Kurt's wife looked confused. My bro-in-law described the rules of the top five list to her and at that point Kurt's wife seemed a bit annoyed of the friend's wife's attraction to Kurt. Sensing her unease my bro-in-law told her that if it made her feel better that after meeting her she was now on his top five. While this earned laughs from Kurt she was not amused.
They also got to hang out with Tony Dorsett for a while. My boy lives a charmed life.
Oh, they couldn't get near to Tebow but he said that he didn't appear surprised to win.
Have a great New Year.
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There's not much I can add to that comment, other than any time you share a story that includes Kirk Herbstreit, his wife and a top five list, you automatically earn Comment of the Week honors!!!!
Thanks for providing The SportDork Nation with cutting-edge, behind the scenes news. That's definitely not a story you're going to read on ESPN.com.
Merry New Year!!!
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Between the sports information.
Witty and insightful and original and self deprecating commentary.
Gratuitous breast shot of Jess Simpson.
This week's entry was nearly pulitzer material.
Keep up the good work!
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Looks like somebody caught the holiday spirit!
You may want to take back your positive feedback after you read today's entry, however -I know how you feel about a 90% dork and 10% sport ratio.
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say, I note that only teams who do NOT make it into a BCS game belly ache about the BCS. What is Florida in this year, the App State bowl?
Nice title defense by the way. You'd think a team with somebody as accomplished, graceful & potent as Tebow would at least be able to win half a freaking conference, much less defend their title.
Oh well, maybe next year.
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First, let me say that I am impressed that you found time in your busy entrepreneurship lifestyle to take time out of your day and submit a comment to SportDork.com. That's commitment. I doubt Bobby Petrino would have done the same if he'd been in your position (see today's entry). However, effort's not everything. Logic and reasoning also count for something here at SportDork.com, and your entry went one for three. (We like to see logic and reasoning in the comments - it compensates for the absence of those characteristics in the entries themselves.)
We all know it's tough to be really good, but it's also tough to be really bad. I'm into rewarding extremes, which is why your comment has been selected as the Co-Comment Of The Week!!!! (My sister talked about 'staches. There's was no denying her the honor as well.)
Now let's get to the comments that put you in the "winner's" circle:
You are to be commended for your ability to throw stones while your team, USC, which I heard in September was the greatest team in the history of the universe, couldn't even pull it together enough to make Les Miles eat his pre-season words by making it to the "title" game against LSU.
"say, I note that only teams who do NOT make it into a BCS game belly ache about the BCS."
I would imagine that's because typically, people who benefit from a faulty system aren't the first in line to bitch about the system. How many times have you seen a team that benefited from a bad call on the field complain to the refs that it was a bad call? I'm no psychologist, but I think it's some kind of human nature thing. I don't remember G-Dub complaining about vote counting procedures after he beat Gore, do you?
"What isFlorida in this year, the
I like that. What are they calling yours - the "We lost to Stanford, but the Pac-10 is so weak we still managed to make it to the Rose Bowl" Bowl?
"Nice title defense by the way. You'd think a team with somebody as accomplished, graceful & potent as Tebow would at least be able to win half a freaking conference, much less defend their title."
Have you been talking to my Dad? He's spent the entire year bemoaning the lack of talent around Tebow. By the way, you've made the same mistake I did - assuming there is some relationship between winning half your conference and getting to a BCS bowl. Just askMissouri and Tennessee
"Oh well, maybe next year.
"
You too. I just hope we aren't ranked #1 in the pre-season and hailed as the greatest college team to ever set foot on a football field and then we go out and lose to Ole Miss. : )
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Go Tewbowtastic!! Woo hoo!! By the way, I think you need to make January the new "Movember." C'mon, just do it....grow a stache. Your readers want to see it.
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Tebowtastic!! I like it. I haven't used that one yet. You know what? When you introduce a new Tebowism and you give me an excuse to post more 'stache pictures, you win Co-Comment Of The Week honors!! I would have given it to you outright, but Sean got belligerent and had to be recognized for it.
Just can't let the 'staches go, can you? Well, I can't either!!! Here is a handy chart that I found that will help you identify your next 'stache:
Did you know that The World Beard and Moustache Championships will return to U.S. soil on May 23, 2009? Here is a link to the website: http://www.worldbeardchampionships.com/
There are a lot of great 'staches on the site. Here is one to whet your appetite:
This guy won second place in the Freestyle Goatee category (I'm not kidding) in 2003. He's one of the "always dominant Germans," according to the website. Maybe it's our German heritage that attracts us to the 'stache.
You won't believe this, but the 2007 competition was hosted in Brighton, England in September. That means I was less than an hour from The World Beard and Moustache Championships, and I didn't even know it. I'm devastated. I may never be that close again.
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re: UT got hosed
this exact scenario happened last year, when Arkansas lost the SEC champ game and LSU went to the Sugar Bowl.
the Sugar chooses the SEC's next best team; UT simply isn't. not even Vols fans would argue this (I work with many). Last year's 2: clearly LSU. this year: clearly UGa. your dad said the same thing you did(I guess you all talked about it), but sending 4-loss UT over the "hottest team in the country, baby!!" would be stupid. it doesn't even come close to hitting my BCS-is-a-failure radar. the REAL failure is the fact that the Sugar bowl matchup isn't UGa - Oklahoma.
the Mizzou - KU decision is wrong.
don't worry. once Stafford graduates, Florida will be back in the BCS conversation.....
wow--3 comments. must be a slow day.
xxoo,
R
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You are to be commended for your ability to refer toGeorgia
You are also to be commended for attempting to break my zen-like state with respect to the BCS. You almost drew me back in. I had a long-winded diatribe all ready to go, and then I caught myself and returned to my happy place. In case you're wondering, that's a mental image of Tim Tebow and me taking a long walk on the beach.
Ok - I can't help myself. The Arkansas-LSU situation last year was not, as you claim, the "exact" scenario as this year with UT and UGA. Yes, LSU went to the Sugar Bowl even though
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your brother-in-law and sister sure do like the "thumbs up"!
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I can't believe I didn't make that connection. Here are the pics again:
For your powers of observation, your comment has been selected as The Comment Of The Week!!!! Congratulations. Keep up the good work.
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I saw these articles in today's paper and felt obligated to submit the links. The first article mentions the U.K. Roundabout Appreciation Society and references "National Lampoon's European Vacation." The second article should have been titled "England gets SportDork, Atlanta gets roundabouts."
www.ajc.com/metro/content/printedition/2007/11/18/roundside1118.html
AND
www.ajc.com/metro/content/printedition/2007/11/18/roundabout1118.html
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Can you feel the pressure? It's the pressure that comes with greatness. In this case, that is the greatness of not only having your first submitted comment named as the Comment Of The Week, but also having your second comment named as The Comment Of The Week!!!! You now find yourself in the midst of a perfect season, my friend, just like the Patriots. Two submitted comments, two Comments Of The Week. Congratulations. You have set the bar high. You deserve much turkey.
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Greetings!!! Due to a technical glitch, this week's Comment Of The Week is not displaying in the Comment Of The Week section of the sidebar. I have no idea why. It can, however, be found in the "Recent Comments" section of the sidebar under "The SportDork on It's The Most Greatest!!! (Tales From Stonehenge, Part I), 11/13/2007" link.
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Hello there Alex - Kelly Terrian here Office Manager to the greatest real estate agent in Georgia, Melody Unger. I just wanted to let you know that as I sat seven rows up in Jacksonville Municipal Stadium (on the Georgia side) my heart actually broke for you. Although it was a tough great well played game by both teams and I was wildly excited for Georgia it was hard not to think of you!!! Melody and I both enjoy immensely reading your blogs each week. I love your college football acounts they are terrific!!! I am however sort of sad that you won't be attending the Vandy Florida game or your reunion as I think your fellow law school alum would be very envious of your current situation. How many guys get to fulfill their dreams of writing such an inovative account of all things sports while enjoying the English country side, ale and bangers and mashed and on top of all of that have a website with the viewership you enjoy called Sportdork.com. You go Alex you are truly the bomb. Anyways thanks again for the blog you don't know how much we look forward to reading it. Go Gators!! Go Dawgs!!Kelly
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You have put me in a difficult position. As a Georgia fan, you would typically be prohibited from garnering Comment Of The Week status, regardless of the quality of your comment. But you have expressed sympathy or empathy (or maybe both - I can't remember the distinction) for me as a die-hard Gator fan AND incorporated use of the term "the bomb" AND thrown out a "Go Gators!", which are all compelling factors working in your favor. Combine that with the sheer volume of text in your comment, most of which heaps praise on SportDork.com (a tactic that always scores points with the judges) AND the fact that you are a critical member of The Unger Team, the greatest real estate team in Georgia, and there's just no denying you your rightful place in SportDork.com history - Congratulations on your selection as the fourth SportDork.com Comment Of The Week!!!!
Very exciting to hear that I have captured the hearts and minds of the Atlanta Residential Real Estate Community. Ok - maybe just you guys - but who else is there????
I'm smelling a cross-promotional opportunity here - maybe I swap out Billy D's picture on the header of SportDork.com with Melody's in exchange for you guys promoting my url. That would increase your exposure by at least twenty people and mine by twenty thousand. Sounds like a win-win to me - or for me. Whatever. It's a minor distinction. I'll have my people call your people.
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you'll love it! plus, it's FL!
http://www.wftv.com/news/14431203/detail.html
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I highly recommend clicking on the link provided above. Much like last week's Comment Of The Week winner, this comment has it all. Outstanding, diligent research, as well as incredibly topical subject matter that includes both White Strips and Florida.
There is little more I can add to the genius of your comment, other than - Congratulations!!! Your comment has been selected as this week's Co-Comment Of The Week !!! We would have loved to have given it to you outright, but another reader heaped such praise on SportDork.com that we had to give him a piece of the title as well.
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yawnnnn. What about GA/UF? Is it even mentioned in the War and Peace like entry above?
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What about GA/UF??!!! Did you not read the riveting expose on the principles of the Gator hedge bet, which included an entire section on my plans for the GA/UF game? As one of my loyal readers, I'm counting on you to at least read the entry before expressing outrage at the fact that it didn't include something that it actually did include!
Having said that, I can't thank you enough for the comparison to War and Peace. I checked out a couple of reviews, and here's what I found from Library Journal:
"The complexities of character and plot are sometimes enigmatic, and names are often exhausting to recollect, but the genius of this book is everlasting. The impressive dialog sparkles with humor and wit, and the vivid scenes of battle are riveting. An entire universe is created by one of the foremost thinkers of the 19th century, and Davidson's exquisite narration heightens the perfection of this novel, regarded as one of the greatest in literature. Highly recommended for all collections."
I was truly amazed at the applicability of this review to both War and Peace and SportDork.com. Complexities of character and plot that are sometimes enigmatic, impressive dialog that sparkles with humor and wit, vivid scenes of battle (mine are college football related, but it still works), and exquisite narration? Uncanny parallels!!! For some time now, I have believed that, much like War and Peace, the genius of SportDork.com is everlasting and that it is highly recommended for all collections, but to have one of my readers confirm it means the world to me.
In fact, I am so moved by your comment that I have decided it is worthy of Co-Comment Of The Week status!!!! We've never had a tie for the Comment Of The Week, but this week it was just too close to call. The praise you have bestowed on SportDork.com shot your entry to the top, while the diligent research conducted by our other commenter was enough to put his entry in the winner's circle as well. Congratulations. You deserve it.
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I could not resist commenting on the Woking Crematorium. I must admit that I was at first fascinated by the apparent need to distinguish the working crematoriums from the broken ones. I then proceeded to google the word 'woking' and amuse myself by trying to determine which search results were misspelled. Three quick examples are 'Woking Ladies' (correct), 'Live Woking Robot' (misspelled), and my personal favorite 'Hard woking housekeeper needed!!!'.
I also found myself wondering how many woks it would take to cremate a human corpse. Perhaps it would just be one giant wok. In hopes of being able to submit a humorous visual aid I decided to search images for 'wok' and it was there amid various pictures of woks and wok related items that I found the Holy Grail of my Woking quest. It is a lovely photo of a bare chested female torso holding a piece of paper simply stating "I love Brighton Wok". If you are as amazed as I was by this woman's passion for Asian cookware, don't be. It seems she is actually passionate about a movie more specifically titled "The Legend of Ganja Boxing - Brighton Wok".
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OK, people. You want your comment to be selected as The Comment Of The Week? You want your prose gloriously displayed in the bright lights of the link in the sidebar of SportDork.com that will, upon being clicked, take readers to your comment? Then read and learn, my friends.
Delightful word play that I never even considered, a disturbing reference to using cooking utensils to dispose of human remains, a description of a partially nude woman promoting an English film that features kung fu, ninjas, and ganja, all tied together with a significant volume of internet research?
Hello!!! I stand in awe of the genius that is SportDork.com's third, and dare I say best, Comment Of The Week!!!!
Here is a link to the soon-to-be-released film that you referenced: http://www.brighton-wok.com/ I have already reserved my tickets.
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I am amazed that you found the upside down wheelbarrow "very clever", but there was no mention of the leather suitcase that was being used to weight down the chicken net?
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What's up, Eagle Eye!!! I had a feeling someone might point that out. First, let's get the other readers caught up. Here is the picture you are referring to:
I'll be honest with you - at first glance I wasn't so sure that was a suitcase, so I let it go. I couldn't believe it could be. But after your comment, I started to question whether I had dismissed it prematurely. I went to the sideline, just like they do in the NFL, stood under one of those black curtains and reviewed the picture once again to see if I had failed to give this potential gem its proper due. Here is a close-up of the item in question:
I am happy to announce that, after further review, this item has been deemed to be, in fact, a leather suitcase, and it is apparently being used to hold down the chicken net. I can see the handle, and I think I can make out the line where the top and bottom of the suitcase meet, so that's good enough for me. The call on the field has been reversed. I still can't fathom why someone would be using a leather suitcase to hold down a chicken net, but I can't argue that it looks like it's there to hold the net down. It must have a brick in it. Good stuff.
More importantly, based on the impressive attention to detail that you have shown to the pages of SportDork.com, your comment has been selected as our second Comment Of The Week and has been added to the Comment Showcase!!! I just hope you weren't studying the picture of my feet from a couple weeks ago that closely.
Congratulations. You should be very proud of your accomplishment. (Not to take anything away from it, but it certainly didn't hurt that I've been looking for an excuse to get that picture of my gut out of the Comment Showcase.)
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how is the english diet going, skinny?
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Congratulations!! Your not-so-subtle sarcasm regarding my weight has earned you Comment Of The Week honors!!
I can only assume that your inquiry is directly related to the circled area in the following picture from the "Anybody Got An Extra Bathing Suit? (The Ibiza Chronicles, Part III)" entry:
I'm not sure how this happened, but I can assure you that this picture is a gross misrepresentation of my current physical condition. I swear - I'm not pregnant. It's amazing how lighting and camera angle can distort an image. In my defense, I have been exercising regularly and have lost about ten pounds since moving to England. Actually, now that I'm thinking about it, I guess all this picture proves is that I must have been really fat when we got here.
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