Monthly Archives: December 2015

December 31, 2015 – That Last Day of 2015 – The Hours are Slip Sliding Away

December 31, 2015 – That Last Day of 2015 – The Hours are Slip Sliding Away

And the sunset slowly sets on another year.

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Photo by me. College Station, Texas 11.10.15

The Aggies were outscored and time ran out in the Music City Bowl. In spite of all the sour notes from Nashville, I am still proud of them as always.

I do have a question and a comment for the A&M coaching staff. I was wondering, like the entire Aggie nation, did you not watch any footage of the quarterback running to his left? I mean, he only ran it at least once in about every series. I actually kinda caught on to it about the third time and I do make enormous incomes as all of you do. And that change of cadence count at the line of scrimmage? Nice job, Louisville. I think that falls into the “Outcoached” file for A&M.

But let’s climb into the press box.

Andre Ware – we know where you attended college. (University of Houston, during the Southwest Conference days) Tom Hart, who are you?

Since both of you so subjectively offered your unwanted opinion on every topic from the broadcast booth, I wanted to share my opinion of both of you. I could wax and wane about your lack of objectivity when you only made positive comments toward The Cardinals. I could opine ad nausea as both of you did offering your personal and unwanted opinions regarding players, coaches, referees, the Fourth of July and the British royal family and the Kardashians having a cook out together that day. OK – I was just making up that last part.

I could go on and on about your commentary. However, let me just sum it up in two words – YOU SUCK! I did not think any two could be worse that Brent Mushburger and Old Florida quarterback, or the two idiots on CBS.

This just in from Aggieland – “I feel my hynie heating up.” Kevin Sumlin.

May the coming year bring peace, health, and happiness to all. Maybe it also bring several quarterbacks and at least a new offensive coordinator to College Station. And ROLL TIDE!

Happy New Year!

Wednesday, December 30, 2-15 – An Attack of Bureaucracy, Bears and Tigers and On My T-Shirt Soapbox

Wednesday, December 30, 2-15 – An Attack of Bureaucracy, Bears and Tigers and On My T-Shirt Soapbox

But first – Who needs a quarterback when you can just run the football? Congratulations to Baylor and their record setting college football bowl game for most rushing yards. Run, Johnny, Run. Speaking of running and rushing, how about that Leonard Fournette? Geaux Tigers!

Texas Tech, the red shoes were working for you. They looked good on TV. Too bad you could not click your red shoes together three times and say “There’s no place like Lubbock.” You still have one of the best looking coaches and next year you will have a defense. Meanwhile, tie that quarterback down. He is a good one.

As I said, I had an attack of bureaucracy the other day when reading a Facebook post and decided to make up some rules to alleviate the attack.

The great, Kris Kristofferson sings the theme song of all bureaucracies “When you waste your time a talking to the people who don’t listen, who do you think’s gonna care?” Nevertheless, like all recovering bureaucrats, I am still going to respond. I told you I had an attack of bureaucracy, but I did not call together a committee or focus group. It is just my brain, as usual.

The individual’s post was the person’s reflection on college student athletes and their inability to articulate during an interview. The individual went on to say “perhaps the athletes should be required to take an English course to learn to speak.” I just happen to know the individual is a T-shirt wearer only and never attended college.

Here’s What I’m Thinking – There is a distinct difference between the individual who only wears the T-shirt of their favorite college or university and one who attended and earned it. We see the sacrifices from the inside not the outside. Unless one actually put in the sacrifices necessary to earn that T-shirt, one has a completely different perspective. This includes spouses’ and parents’ sacrifices so their husbands, wives, children and grandchildren could attend college and earn that T-shirt. An even better proof of sacrifice is the sheepskin with the funny looking letters written on it for the Baccalaurean Degrees (or other designated degrees) Sidebar: when is the last time you used “Baccalaurean” in a sentence? See what going to college can do?

Here are some thing for you to think about, FB Poster, before you criticize a student athlete and their skill sets.

Rule 1 – NEVER criticize the student-athlete. This is a young person who is performing in a classroom setting that just happens to have millions of people watching.

Rule 2 – Do not make judgements based on a single interview of an individual player.

Rule 3 – Be in the moment. Think back to when you were 18-to 21 years old. How articulate were you when a national reporter shoved a microphone in your face? Especially after the adrenaline rush of a football game you have just played. One just might be a paleontology major with a 3.0+ GPA who really does not like to speak in public.

Rule 4 – Ensure you have the correct course of study. Student athletes are required to take public speaking courses. Not English courses. They are not going to write a book or a poem or diagram a sentence. They not only take courses in public speaking, they are required to take seminars in professional dress and professional dining etiquette. This is not to mention job interviewing skills.

Rule 5 – One may criticize and/or critique the coaching staff, the refereeing squad and the so-called “professional” commentators. Most of these people should be criticized, critiqued and even fired for their lack of speaking skills and use of proper grammar and their inability to articulate. They are paid to be “professional.” The student athlete is not. He or she is just trying to do what they love and be the best at it.

I am so glad FB Poster loves college football and supports their team, but please think about this – the players may be 10 feet tall, weigh 400 pounds, or can out run the wind, but inside they are still kids.

Now, I am going to put on my T-Shirt for tonight’s Music City Bowl. Gig ‘Em, Aggies!

BTHO Louisville

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Myles Garrett – Paleontology Major at Texas A&M with 3.0+ GPA. Oh yes, he is a pretty good defensive end too.

Sully's Boots

Coins for good luck at Sully’s Boots.

 

Tuesday, December 29, 2015 – The Days of 2015 Dwindle –Some Baby Boomer Songs for Looking Back

Tuesday, December 29, 2015 – The Days of 2015 Dwindle –Some Baby Boomer Songs for Looking Back

We are “Talking ‘Bout My Generation.” The Who. Google it.

“When I was seventeen, it was a very good year …” Really? Name one seventeen year who thinks she or he is having a very good year. But hearing Frank Sinatra sing the opening line still takes your breath away.

Ahh – For all my dear and wonderful friends with love and sweet memories. Sing along.

Those Were the Days by Mary Hopkin

Once upon a time there was a tavern Where we used to raise a glass or two Remember how we laughed away the hours, And dreamed of all the great things we would do…

Those were the days my friend We thought they’d never end We’d sing and dance forever and a day We’d live the life we choose We’d fight and never lose For we were young and sure to have our way. La la la la…

Then the busy years went rushing by us We lost our starry notions on the way If by chance I’d see you in the tavern We’d smile at one another and we’d say

Those were the days my friend We thought they’d never end We’d sing and dance forever and a day We’d live the life we choose We’d fight and never lose For we were young and sure to have our way.

Just tonight I stood before the tavern Nothing seemed the way it used to be In the glass I saw a strange reflection Was that lonely woman really me?

Through the door there came familiar laughter I saw your face and heard you call my name Oh my friend we’re older but no wiser For in our hearts the dreams are still the same

Those were the days my friend We thought they’d never end We’d sing and dance forever and a day We’d live the life we choose We’d fight and never lose For we were young and sure to have our way. La la la la… Those were the days, oh yes those were the days.

To hell with the lyrics. THESE are the days, my friend. We are older and whole lot wiser. And WE DID IT! We did do great things. We are still doing great things. We lived the lives we chose; we did not lose, we are still fighting for our causes, we are still singing and dancing; and we are certainly sure to have our way now!

Boomers! “Come Together, right now, over me!” Screaming then.

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Monday, December 28, 2015 – It Is the Last Week of 2015 – The Third Quarter of College Football Bowl Games

Monday, December 28, 2015 – It Is the Last Week of 2015 – The Third Quarter of College Football Bowl Games

It is the last week of the year 2015. It will be a week filled with more college football games. However, some of these games should be quite good and two of them will be quite exciting – we hope.

One must check last week’s Here’s What I’m Thinking for your handy dandy bowl games, times, teams and station the game will be played prior to New Year’s Eve. A quick review of the only ones I care about are: Bowl Game # 23 on Dec 29 – Baylor; Bear with Foot

Bowl Game # 25 – LSU ; Mike the Tiger and Tortilla Tech Tech (800x600)

Dec 30 Bowl # 28 – The Fighting Texas Aggies – BTHO Louisville.

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I did not keep up with the previous college football games played so I only have a couple of awards based on the two games I only saw end.

Bowl # 15 – Miami wins the “We left Miami for this Weather?” Award. The Hyundai Sun Bowl in El Paso was played in blizzard conditions causing the camera people to be unable to find the football. Best part of that game – seeing the winning coach from Washington State, Mike Leach, get slammed by two Gatorade buckets – one of Gatorade; the other of ice in the blizzard.

Bowl # 17 – The New Era Pinstripe Bowl – Indiana, you win The Too High, Not Reviewable, You Got Screwed Award. This is presented when the referees said no good to the potential tying field goal in OT. This allowed Duke to win its first football bowl game since 1961. I told you these teams played basketball.

Fast forward to Thursday, December 31 – New Year’s Eve.

# 30 Chick-fil A Peach Bowl – the University of Houston and Florida State sans starting quarterback, starting at noon on ESPN. I learned years ago from my LSU cousins – Never pull for a team from Florida.

Then at 4:00 – Here we go – This is what we have been waiting for. Invented by Larry Culpepper, it is The College Football Playoffs.

The # 31st Bowl Game is game one of The College Football Playoff Semifinal. The Capital One Orange Bowl finds ranked at # 4 The University of Oklahoma Sooners, representing the Big 12 Conference, versus the # 1 the Clemson Tigers, representing the Atlantic Coast Conference at 4:00 on ESPN. Good luck, Sooners. And good luck to your future quarterback Kyler Murray. Seriously, I do wish him well. He is fast, but he also looks like he is one hit away from a body cast.

Following this game is Bowl Game # 32 and game two of The College Football Playoff Semifinal. At 8:00 PM on ESPN from Arlington, Texas comes The Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. The first land grant school in history, the # 3 ranked Michigan State Spartans will drown as the # 2 Crimson Tide from Alabama rolls over them like a category 5 Gulf Coast hurricane that comes rolling in during the middle of the night. Sorry. Got a bit carried away and lost my objectivity.

Jan 1 – It’s a brand new year. 2016!!! However we are pretty much back to football teams that no one cares about unless you went to school there.

# 33 – The Outback Bowl from Tampa at noon on ESPN2 we find Northwestern and Tennessee. I think I will go have a steak at Outback.

#34 is The Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl between Michigan and Florida – also sans quarterback and sans any cheering for the Gators.

#35 is The BattleFrog Fiesta Bowl. The BattleFrog Fiesta? Shouldn’t TCU be playing in this? This sounds like some kind of amphibian frolicking party in the punch bowl. Anyway it is Notre Dame and The Ohio State University at 1:00 PM on ESPN.

# 36 The Granddaddy of the Bowl Games is the Rose Bowl between the Smarty Pants of Stanford and Iowa at 5:00 on ESPN. I love a parade. Going to Pasadena to the Rose Bowl Parade is a bucket list item.

# 37 – Bowl game # 37 is the bowl game that offers the most fun regardless of who wins. Gniece # 1’s alma mater, the Oklahoma State Cowboys plus Pistol Pete and the Ole Miss Rebels in the Suga Bowl in Nawlins. These teams kick off at 8:30 on ESPN. Go Pokes! I shall have a toddy or two. Pistol Pete

Jan 2 – The further away the games move from New Years, the less anyone cares about the games.

# 38 – The TaxSlayer Bowl between The ugly, yet traditional uniforms of Penn State and The University of Georgia is at noon on ESPN.

# 39 – The AutoZone Liberty Bowl with Kansas State and Arkansas from Memphis at 3:20 on ESPN.

# 40 – The Valero Alamo Bowl finds Oregon and TCU – Ducks and Frogs – playing at 6:45 on ESPN.

# 41 – The Motel 6 Cactus Bowl between West Virginia and Arizona State at 10:15 PM on ESPN. I hope they leave the light on for next year. You were expecting another network?

And then there was one. The college football bowl games are over, except for one. – The fourth and final quarter of the college football season.

On January 11, 2016 The National Champion of Division I College Football will be crowned. The game will kick off at 8:30 on ESPN. I am hoping two team both dressed in shades of red and white making it hard to distinguish the teams.

ROLL TIDE!

Schedule courtesy of ESPN and The Associated Press. That means I found it on the Internet.

 

Wednesday, December 23, 2015 – Festooned

Wednesday, December 23, 2015 – Festooned

I am off to start my Christmas celebrations with family, friends and loved ones.

So there will be no Here’s What I’m Thinking until Monday, December 28. So until then here are some holiday photos of me festooned. It means to adorn with; or as with festoons or decorations.

Here I am – rock and a round the Christmas tree.

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Here I am festooned doing Jingle Bell Rock.

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May your holidays be filled with peace and love.

Ya’ll come back now, ya hear?

Tuesday, December 22, 2015 – The Winner of the 2015 National College Football Championship is “Texas A&M University!” Steve Harvey announced today.

Tuesday, December 22, 2015 – The Winner of the 2015 National College Football Championship is “Texas A&M University!” Steve Harvey announced today.

Mr. M. C.? How could you make such a blunder and announce the wrong contestant as the winner in the beauty pageant? OK – “It’s a scholarship pageant.” So Here’s What I’m Thinking…

Remember the final scenes of Miss Congeniality when Gracie Lee Hart is on stage and crowns are being ripped off, Miss Rhode Island is in tears, and floral bouquets are being used as weapons? How many would like to have seen that take place as the final scenes of the Miss Universe Pageant the other night when Steve Harvey announced Miss Columbia as winner instead of First Runner-up to Miss Philippines?

Better yet. How many would like to see Suzanne Sugarbaker as Miss Columbia? I would like to see Miss Philippines trying to get the crown off of her head.

And finally, if it had been Suzanne Sugarbaker who was really first runner up, image the ass chewing Julia Sugarbaker would give Steve Harvey.

Ya’ll have a good day now. Go out there and promote world peace. And remember we are all Queen of Something! So wear your crowns proudly.

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Leslie Gore-Tex – Rodeo Queen and a Real Queen. From the Sweet Potato Queen Parade 2015, Jackson, MS.

Monday, December 20, 2015 – The Second Quarter of the Forty College Football Bowl Games.

Monday, December 20, 2015 – The Second Quarter of the Forty College Football Bowl Games.

“A horse!” A horse! My kingdom for a horse!” from Shakespeare’s Richard III, Act 5, Scene 4, lines 7-10.

Texas version. “A quarterback! A quarterback. My team for a quarterback!” From Texas’ Coach V, Teams 5 (schools), Scene 5, (Bowls and Championships), players 10+

The five teams Baylor, Texas A&M, Dallas Cowboys, Houston Texans, and the Celina Bobcats (3A high school state championship lost the quarterback to a broken wrist on the first series played. Celina lost the game too.)

And now the Second Quarter of The Ridiculous Number of College Football Bowl Games that no one really cares about.

December 23

Bowl Number 11 – The GoDaddy Bowl begins at 8:00 PM on ESPN between Georgia Southern and Bowling Green. Go Daddy. This name offers so many directions. Let’s just say Go Daddy and leave the rest to TV commercials and social workers.

December 24 – Christmas Eve

Bowl 12 is The Popeye’s’ Bahamas Bowl that kicks off at noon on ESPN between Middle Tennessee and Western Michigan. I am not certain if the name of this bowl refers to the chicken franchise or the cartoon sailor. Who cares about the teams? One is in the Bahamas.

Bowl 13 is the Hawaii Bowl at 8:00 PM between San Diego State and Cincinnati on ESPN. Same criteria for Hawaii as Bahamas – who cares who is playing? Get me a drink with an umbrella in it.

December 26

Bowl 14 finds us in St. Petersburg to watch Connecticut and Marshall on our monopolistic favorite ESPN at 11: 00 AM. I would love to be in St. Pete again but only with J and R again.

Bowl 15 finds The Hyundai Sun Bowl between Miami and Washington State at 2:00 PM on CBS. Look you can change the channel to CBS.

Bowl 16 – is The I am so Bored Bowl. No wait. It is the Zaxby’s Heart of Dallas Bowl between Washington and Southern Mississippi on ESPN. The Zaxby’s Heart of Dallas? Are you kidding me? Back to The I am so Bored Bowl. Anyway it is at 2:00.

Bowl 17 – The New Era Pinstripe Bowl between Indiana and Duke. I thought these schools played basketball.   Coming to you live from the Bronx and Yankee Stadium on ABC at 3:30. Wait – there is a football bowl game, named after a clothing pattern, played between two traditional basketball schools in a baseball stadium. I am so confused.

Bowl 18 – Give me a break. Really. There is a bowl game called The Camping World Independence Bowl? Guess there is. It is on ESPN at 5:45 between Tulsa and Virginia Tech. Does one have to camp out in the parking lot?

Bowl 19 is the Foster Farms Bowl. Is there a bowl game for Adopted Farms? This 9:15 kickoff on ESPN is between UCLA and Nebraska. Note: Nebraska has a losing record. Not to mention Nebraska fans wear giant yellow, phallic symbols of corn on their heads.

December 28

Bowl 20 is the Northrop Grumman Military Bowl at 2:30 on ESPN between Pittsburg and Navy. This one might be worth watching. Go Navy.

Bowl 21 is the Quick Lane Bowl – as opposed to the Slow Lane Bowl? This game is between Central Michigan and Minnesota at five o’clock on ESPN2.

December 29

Bowl 22 is Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl played between California and Air Force on ESPN at 2:00. Doesn’t Lockheed Martin make air craft?

Bowl 23 – In The Russell Athletic Bowl coming to us live from Florida at 5:30 on ESPN our teams are North Carolina and Baylor. Does Baylor get to wear one of its 10 variations of NIKE uniforms or is that a conflict of interest?

Baylor Band

Bowl 24 is The NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl between Nevada and Colorado State at 7:30 on Campus Insiders. Campus Insiders? That is what the schedule says. I think the ESPN people have been puffing in Colorado.

Bowl 25 is the AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl at 9:00 between LSU and Texas Tech on ESPN. Goodie this is between a team I love and a team I do not love.

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December 30 – OMG – there are five more of these contests before we ever get to the next group.

Bowl 26 is The Birmingham Bowl at noon on ESPN between Auburn and Memphis. I wonder if Uncle Will Muschamp’s head will explode during this game prior to him becoming a Game Cock – which just adds more adjectives to describe Coach Articulate.

Bowl 27 is the Belk Bowl at 3:30 on ESPN (who else?) between North Carolina State and Mississippi State. What is the Belk Bowl?

Bowl 28 – The Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl. OK I must watch because this game is the Fighting Texas Aggies and Louisville. Mercy – talk about The 12th Man in action. We just might get to see somebody called out of the stands to suit up for this one. This bowl could be named so many things. How about “The We Mortgaged Kyle Field Renovations through Franklin American Bowl?” How about “The Ernest Hemmingway – A Farewell to Arms Bowl?” Oh hell, let’s just call it the Mucinex Bowl and expectorate and cough and Gig ‘Em Aggies. BTHO Louisville.

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BTHO

BTHO Louisville

Bowl 29 – The Holiday Bowl between USC and Wisconsin in San Diego offers a vacation to the Badgers at 10:30 on ESPN and sleep for me.

And that takes us to December 31 – New Year’s Eve when finally there will be some teams and games worth watching.

Our winners of this round are:

ABC – 2

CBS – 1

ESPN2 – 1

ESPN – 15

Corporate/Military Sponsors – 19

Nike – TBD

Adidas – TBD

Under Armor – Maybe one team

Russell Athletic – Maybe

Campus Insiders – Who? What?

Saturday, December 19, 2015 – HOOK ‘EM HORNS! (For Today Only)

Saturday, December 19, 2015 – HOOK ‘EM HORNS! (For Today Only)

THE University of Texas at Austin, women’s volleyball team plays Nebraska this afternoon for The 2015 NCAA National Championship.

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Photo by Martha

Let’s go ladies. Light that tower burnt orange.

And before we leave the orange …

LET’S GO BEARKATS. Sam Houston State University plays # 1 Jacksonville State in the semi-finals of Division I FBS.

Friday, December 18, 2015 – Your Guide to the 42 College Football Bowl Games and Who Wins.

Friday, December 18, 2015 – Your Guide to the 42 College Football Bowl Games and Who Wins.

But first – Kyle Field is NOT transferring from Texas A&M. At least the last I heard it was not.

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Tomorrow is kickoff to the forty-two college football bowl games. Forty –two College Football Games! Can you believe it? That is 80 teams and 80 bands, playing in bowl games that no one has ever heard of and playing teams no one cares about unless you or your child happened to attend. They are playing in college venues smaller than most Texas high school stadiums. Stadia? Several teams actually have losing records. These games are like a certificate of participation.

But to help you plan your holiday schedule for the ridiculous number of bowl games, here are the first ten. Note: The closer the games are to New Year’s Eve, the better the bowl game.

Beginning on December 19 – the first ten games fall into the Who Cares Category?

Bowl 1 – begins on ABC at noon with Alcorn State and North Carolina A&T in the Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl. What exactly are we celebrating?

Bowl 2 – Opposite the Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl at noon is the Cure Bowl on CBSSN between San Jose State and Georgia State. What exactly are we going to cure?

Bowl 3 – the Gildan New Mexico Bowl between Arizona and New Mexico on ESPN at 2:00. What is a Gildan?

Bowl 4 – the Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl at 3:30 on ABC might be fun. It is billed as The Holy Bowl because it is between the BYU Mormons; I mean Cougars and Utah  – aka Not Mormons. What a waste – Mormons in Las Vegas!

Bowl 5 – The Raycom Media Camelia Bow between Ohio and Appalachian State on ESPN at 5:30. We have a bowl named after a battery? This should be electrifying.

Bowl 6 – the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl finds Arkansas State and Louisiana Tech at 9:00 PM on ESPN. What exactly do the R+L Carriers carry? Oh well, one is New Orleans so who cares.

December 21

Bowl 7 – On ESPN at 2:30 we find the Miami Beach Bowl between Western Kentucky and South Florida. This could be called The Kentucky Hillbillies visit South Beach.

December 22

Bowl 8 – The Famous Potato Bowl – not to be confused with the not so famous Potato Bowl between Akron and Utah State on ESPN at 3:30. Oh no, the game is played on that blue field of Boise State. It tends to give me a seizure should I try to watch.

Bowl 9 – The Marmot Boca Raton Bowl at 7:00 on ESPN between Toledo and Temple. Marmot? Winter teams seeking time in Jimmy Buffet Land.

December 23

Bowl 10 – The San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl on ESPN at 4:30 Boise State takes on Northern Illinois. A bowl sponsored by a credit union?

So who wins the first 10 bowl games?

ABC – 2

CBSSN – 1

ESPN – 7

Nike – to be determined

Adidas – to be determined

Under Armor – to be determined.

Monday’s Here’s What I’m Thinking will guide you through the next ten (10) unnecessary bowl games. It begins with the GoDaddy Bowl.

Thursday, December 17, 2015 – I Must Take a Powder and Take to My Bed

 

Thursday, December 17, 2015 – I Must Take a Powder and Take to My Bed

Yesterday’s news from Aggieland is enough to send all Aggies into WTF is Going On Land. Kyler Murray announces he is leaving too! Coach Sumlin sent him home to think about it, but that probably means he is getting his luggage to move on.  As the Aggies say “Highway 6 runs both ways.”

And if you think that is bad. I received an email yesterday saying “there will be no desserts at the Coach Gary Blair’s women’s basketball luncheon today.”

Pre Season All SEC pick, Texas A&M women’s basketball player – Courtney Walker? Can you throw a football like you can pass a basketball?

Where are my salts?

Oh yes, Happy Birthday, DeeWee.

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