AAAARRRGGGGGHHHHHH!

I haven't done this properly lately.  For those that look forward to it, I apologize.  And if you don't care, why are you reading?

As I pause for a moment of reflection, I find myself thinking that it would be easy to be bitter.  It would be easy to be angry.  But when I reflect on the last year of my life, I realize that I have truly been blessed.

I have strengthened relationships with people that I never knew cared.  I have strengthened relationships with people I let slip away.  I have drawn a line between the people I can count on and the people I can't.  And I have found that almost every person I loved loves me too.  Thanks.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have spent much of the last month with the Birmingham Barons.  The South Division First-Half Champs.  The bearers of a seven-game winning streak.  The bearers of the best record in all of baseball (on any level).  I have forged many new friendships and have had the pleasure of working with a lot of great people.  I have seen Gordon Beckham, Brian Omogrosso and Aaron Poreda called up to Chicago.  I have seen Brandon Allen called up to Charlotte.  I have seen Tyler Flowers inherit Beckham's "The Outfield" walk-up music.  And I have seen this team keep winning.  It has been an amazing experience to be a small part of it, however small it may be.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------




I suppose this was the week it all began.  I worked day and night at the SEC Tournament at Regions Park.  And there are war stories to be told - but a lot of fun that was had.  Here, Birmingham-Southern forward/Barons intern Laura Kneiss and I are hanging out between games, bored and posing.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------




We went into the stands, at some point, and saw the greatest mullet.  Ever.  At this point, I don't even remember what game this was.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



I told the Hoover Police Department that it had been a week-long dream to have a picture of myself on their segway.  They obliged.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There are a lot of other photos from the SEC Tourney week on the Facebook.  If you are my friend, check them out there.  My awesome new extension is www.facebook.com/blakeme.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I also had the pleasure of scratching ANOTHER off the Bucket List and attending my first Rickwood Classic.




I'm on a ROOF!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------




This was the shot from hanging out behind the scoreboard.  Pretty sweet.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------




Another shot from behind the scoreboard.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Again, there are PLENTY more shots from the Rickwood game on my Facebook.  But it's been ages since I blogged and I know some people access this thing directly from www.dandbradio.com

Others may prefer to type the direct link.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

That's a little bit of ME you've missed the last month.  I got a new turntable.  It's really sweet.  I decided that John Locke lives behind me.  I took a Wonderlic test and had an incredibly high score on it.  I split a box of baseball cards with the rest of the Barons staff after work tonight (I pulled the Braves, Nats and Dodgers draw...didn't work out very well - Rosie wins in the end).  I love the new Tonight Show.  I have decided that I am the only person willing to give Fallon a chance (and enjoying it in the process).  I have seen the Hangover twice (and I plan on taking dad to see it Sunday).  I have had a few interesting career options fling themselves at me, but almost everything keeps pointing me in one direction (NOTE: readers at www.dandbradio.com will be happy to find which one it is?). 

I've done a terrible job of updating the blog lately.  But then, May and June have been wild months for me.  I don't have time to give this the attention I would like, but I wanted to let anyone know (who cares) that I will try to give you a nice little write-up soon.  Maybe tomorrow.  Or Sunday.  I dunno.

Yeah, Coldplay at the Verizon Wireless Music Center in Pelham on Monday night.  I was skeptical.  I mean, because of a joke in The 40-Year-Old Virgin, this band has become a punchline.  I remember the first time I heard Parachutes.  I thought it was pretty terrific.  A Rush of Blood to the Head?  Also good.  I always liked the band, but I was...I suppose...a sidewalk fan. 



But this show - it was an all-timer.  I have seen a lot of concerts.  A LOT of concerts.  I have seen almost any band you can imagine.  But this concert was among the best performances I have ever seen from a modern rock band.  I've seen R.E.M. twice.  I've seen Pearl Jam twice.  I've seen U2 twice.  I've seen the Foo Fighters three times.  I've seen Weezer, the Smashing Pumpkins, Rage Against the Machine.  And somewhere among those acts was the show I saw tonight.  You know how I know I'm gay?  This show was amazing.



It was funny - they came out and rolled through a bevy of hits.  "In My Place," "Yellow..."  they were all in the first five songs or so.  But they continued to pull them out.  They continued to entertain.  For almost two hours.  And as I looked at my friend and said, "You know, they only have...what...like four records?"  they still managed to churn out hits.  It was remarkable.  Even more remarkable?  These guys are one of the biggest bands in the world, at the height of their popularity, and they were playing Pelham tonight.

At one point, they fashioned a mini-stage ten yards from us and played a few tunes.  I remembered that my camera has a video function and gave it a shot.  Since it panned out, it may be trouble for the blogosphere for years to come...



Okay, a leftover picture or two from the TV on the Radio show from last Wednesday.  Spin magazine names "Dear Science" the best record of 2008, and "Viva La Vida" the ninth.  I saw the bands responsible for both in a week.

From a couple of weeks back, me and Paul F. Tompkins at BottleTree.  He's the dude from VH1's "Best Week Ever."  Solid show - I think I've already written a little about it, but I just got the photo a few days ago, so I thought I'd throw it in.



My friend Rhianna and I at the 311 set at Crawfish Boil on Friday.



Nick Hexum rocking your face off during the 311 set.  I'm still debating about making the show at the Wharf next weekend.  I guess it all depends on the Swine Flu and its' impact on high school athletics.



I took this from the VIP riser during the All-American Rejects set, and I found it a bit ironic.  I mean, wasn't one of the AAR videos set at a carnival with a ferris wheel in the backdrop?  Anyway, nice night, nice lineup.  If only City Stages could follow the Schaeffer lead.  Just let Red Mountain Entertainment book your festival.  I'm not sure if you've noticed...they're pretty good at it. 



Tyson Ritter of the All-American Rejects starts climbing on stuff.  You know, despite the fact that the guy came out wearing only a vest, they were solid.  They had the best sound of any modern rock band in a festival setting that I have seen since The Killers performed at City Stages a few years back.  The sound was almost studio quality.  He brought a girl on stage to dance with at one point, and I'm pretty sure she looked underage...but then...this guy is big in that demo.  I also forgot about two of their hits, "It Ends Tonight" and "Gives You Hell."  Good band.  I'm still pretty uncomfortable about the vest, though.

At the end of the weekend, I had seen LL Cool J, Jason Mraz, 311 and the All-American Rejects.  I was a bit disappointed with LL.  I mean, no "Mama Said Knock You Out" and no "Doin' It."  A lot of fun, nonetheless.



Another call-back - this shot was from the Avett Brothers set at Sloss Furnaces last week.  Terrific band.  Joey coined the term "emo-country" that night.  I tend to agree. 



Speaking of Joey, expect this shot from that night to be his new default picture.  If only I had a picture of the extra moustachey lady we spoke to that night at the Garage who believed my name was Steve Guttenberg.  She asked me my name, and I said, "Steve Guttenberg."  She replied, "Like the printing press?"  And I said, "No, like the guy from Short Circuit."  Weird night.




This was from the Sons of Roswell show at BottleTree last week.  Great group of guys, and I have faith, these guys are going somewhere.  A good friend of mine, Zach Gooch, is on keys.  The sound is, well, the bastard child of Led Zeppelin and the White Stripes.  And it was conceived in Muscle Shoals.  I actually hung out with the guys backstage for a bit and listened to one of the older gentlemen with them tell stories of traveling the country with Jason Isbell.  The good people of the Magic City are missing something really special brewing in the land of the Swampers.  I couldn't be more proud to call it home.



There's Zach, in the back on keys.  He's had an amazing 12 months or so.  The guy leaves Florence for Nashville.  Ends up playing on some big stages with some great musicians.  Even shares the stage, on multiple occassions, with Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit.  Not he has latched on with Sons of Roswell, and speaking from experience in seeing a LOT of local acts, has likely hit the home run he's been looking for.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A belayed review if I may:  I wanted Parks and Recreation to be awesome.  I wanted, like, the girl from the Pawnee, Indiana department to have a saucy affair with the old, married, father of three from the department twenty minutes down the road.  I wanted hijinks a-plenty. 

I don't know what I wanted.  But I was underwhelmed.  It's not that good.  And I was relieved to see that, in this week's TV Guide, my friend Matt Rousch agrees.  It's only a six episode run, so maybe they will show me something before season's end, but I'm not going to hold my breath.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To those concerned (Hi, mom!), I have a couple of nice opportunities on the job front that may pan out this week.  I really like the potential of one, but I will have to investigate it a little further.  So, if you believe in that sort of thing, say a prayer for me and hope, with me, that this thing will soon come to a close and I can return to a sense of normalcy.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

And as ONE final nugget, I will sneak in - I am pretty sure I checked another off the bucket list this week.  I actually sat, with Greg in Pelham, in the Wal-Mart break room and smoked a cigarette.  I mean, that ranks up there with doing lines with Keith Richards and drinking scotch with Ron White, doesn't it?  Had I actually made a physical copy of my bucket list before, I doubt that would have been on it, but in hindsight, it was a pretty awesome moment.  And don't think for a moment it was lost on me.  Awesome guy.  You could have lined up every D&B caller, no name tags, and given me a hundred guesses.  I doubt I'd have ever chosen the right guy.  But he is a terrific person, and I'm honored to have met him.

Call it scratching one off the bucket list.  Last Sunday, I was fortunate enough to take my 82-year-old grandfather to his first game at Turner Field.  Braves beat the hapless Nationals 8-5.  Jair Jurrjens got the win.  Pop Clyde's boy Chipper started off pretty sluggish, including one of the nastiest errors I've seen in a while by a pro, but he knocked in two on the way to the win.  It took a lot of driving, but it was one of those moments you'll never forget.  I've wanted to take him over for a long time, and it was worth every minute. 
--------------------------------------------------------------------
A week goes by...slowly.
--------------------------------------------------------------------

I suppose I cashed in today, though.  I got up early and headed down to Auburn with former intern Hoke and his old man.  Great day, great weather and a great turnout.  45,000 showed up (this isn't a capacity shot) to support Coach Chizik and the progress he has made. 
While people want to mock it, the scoring system made perfect sense.  I mean, it was unit on unit...not some sort of division of teams.  I get it.  And depth is an issue, so it made that all the easier. 
But what did I gain from the glorified scrimmage?  One simple thing - Neil Caudle is the starting quarterback at Auburn.  Right now.  I'm not opposed to Tyrik Rollison coming in and starting as a true freshman.  But Caudle is so far ahead of Burns it's just stupid.  Burns can't throw the ball.  He couldn't two years ago, or last year...or now.  The quarterback "race" is the only thing that looked clear today.  The rest was a lot of base defense that was not agressive...a lot of injured players sitting....and a lot of Gene Chizik changing shirts.  Dude wore orange in the first half and blue in the second.  At least it wasn't Cyclone yellow.  Some columnist from Mobile may have questioned his loyalty.

So after I returned from the Plains and finished work, I hit up BottleTree for the Living Things/Electric Six show.  Above, is the Living Things.  Great band.  I had not heard a lot of their stuff, but they put on a terrific show.   And they had distractions.

That's right.  A guy in a bunny suit was there.  There was also a midget.  Literally, a midget.  I was standing in front of her at one point and didn't realize it.  My friend pointed it out.  But, what are you supposed to do?  I can't help that I'm the tallest guy in the bar and you are two feet tall.  You should probably, like, join Netflix. 

Electric Six....terrific show.  I don't have a ton of interesting things to say here.  I got their vinyl...and I think that's one of the most terrific ideas going on in music right now...buy the vinyl, download the digital for free.  Anyhow, check 'em out.  It's way too late, I've been awake far too long and I may be driving to Mobile tomorrow.
 

Given current circumstances, I no longer feel a need to play the following topics as "politically correct."  So indulge me.  If you don't care, tough, because the following is nothing more than absolute truth.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Today, I got this e-mail in the Built-By-U Inbox:

Guys,

Who would have ever guessed that your college football flashback today would be pro-Auburn?!

It still amazes me how you guys don't see how many more pro-Auburn flashbacks your pro-Auburn producer airs than pro-Alabama flashbacks.

I know this sounds like mindless fan complaining that couldn't possibly be true, but I've been listening to your show a long time and what I am saying is absolutely true.

Rick

Bham

Oh my dear God, I don't even know where to start with it.  It is the most asinine, baseless complaint I got in over four years of working with Dunaway and Brown. 
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I'll begin with the alleged "bias."  If you have, in fact, been listening to our show as long as you claim, you will know that none of us have the first bitter bone in our bodies toward the rival school on the other side of the state (whichever side that may be).  We are fans, and we are fortunate to live one of the greatest rivalries in sports. 

Now, as for our "roles" on the show?  I am an Auburn University graduate.  I am proud of my alma mater.  I root for the athletic teams that it fields, but I don't treat a game like it is symbolic of my stature in the world and I don't let a game affect how I feel.  When Auburn has needed to be defended, I have done it.  When Alabama needs to be defended, Jim has done it.  But neither of us are afraid to joke about stereotypes often associated with our fan bases.  It's just part of the rivalry and what makes it fun.

But as far as some sort of agenda?  Listen, I do (or did) this for a living.  Often fans blur that line.  When it becomes your job, you look at it a little differently.  Frankly, you become jaded, and it sometimes affects the mindless enjoyment and escapism that makes fall Saturdays so much fun, for you. 

I'll put it this way - Do you think an OB/GYN goes home and brags about everything he saw at work?  Or do you think he goes home, has a drink, and turns his television onto something that has nothing to do with work?  Do you think he's flipping on Discovery Channel or American Idol?  An escape.  For him.  The thing listeners often forget is that our job is your escape.  And while we do have fun doing it, it is something that carries a certain level of professionalism when you enter the doors of the office.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now, as far as this age-old debate goes about "Well, ya'll play more Allbarn cuts than ya'll do Alabama cuts..."  - here, folks, is the cold, hard truth.  Accept it, or don't.  I don't care anymore.

Alabama doesn't have a catalog of memorable radio calls.  I love Eli Gold.  Worked with the man for a year in radio.  I'm told that John Forney was one of the best all-time, and I have no basis on which to argue. 

But do me a solid, would you?  Name me the most famous FINISH in Alabama history.  Not the best game, the best season, the most important - name the best FINISH in Alabama history.

Now...name me the best radio call.  THE most memorabe radio call.

From the outside looking in, I would argue that the answer to both is the Paul Kennedy/Doug Layton call of the 1985 Van Tiffin kick in the Iron Bowl.
The greatest radio call in Alabama history didn't come from either man most associated with the play-by-play responsibities.  Now...how do you remember that moment?

Do you remember simply as "Van Tiffin?"  Or do you remember it as the, "It's Good.  It's Good.  It's Good.  It's Good" play?  Do you remember it as "The Kick" or do you remember it as "...And the state of Alabama is Crimson?"

That's the first thing Alabama fans will never understand about the love Auburn fans have for Jim Fyffe or that Georgia fans have for Larry Munson.  In Auburn - in Georgia - plays, games...entire seasons are defined by the way Jim Fyffe and Larry Munson called it.  "Tillman! Tillman! Tillman!" or "Nix floats one up for Sanders" - "Run Lindsay Run" or "Look at the Sugar Falling out of the Sky!"  These are words that freeze some of the most memorable moments in these programs' histories in time.  Even Rod Bramblett has had his share of such moments - "Put this in your BCS pipe and smoke it" and "Go crazy, Cadillac!  Go Crazy!" 

Name me that sort of moment in Alabama history.

I dare you.

You can't.  And the reason is simple - Alabama fans don't remember seasons for the great come-from-behind victories or the miracle upsets.  Alabama fans remember seasons for the championships they were competing for in it.  The play-by-play call is something where Auburn has just been better.  Deal with it.  There aren't many things football related in which Auburn's history is superior.  In fact, this may be the only one. 

What Alabama fans don't understand?  You don't have these moments because you were always playing as the favorite.  You were dominating.  You were winning 21 SEC Championships and 17, 12, 7, or 6 National Championships (depending on whose math you use). 

Another exercise for you?  Think of last season's most memorable game. 

I suppose you can make an argument for the LSU game.  If you do, let me remind you that it was a game won on a quarterback sneak.  Do you hear a lot of great quarterback sneak radio calls?

I would argue that last season's most memorable game was the Clemson game.  Based on the expectations coming in versus what was delivered.  And this game is the prime example of what I'm talking about - it was an upset.  It was also a total beat down.  Absolute domination.  And while that makes for a very memorable game and memorable moment, it doesn't exactly lead to a lot of "Tillman! Tillman! Tillman!" or "Run Lindsay, Run!" type of calls.

It's business as usual.  So do you want a ton of great radio calls or do you want the national titles?

While you are sitting around pining over days gone by - days with Wallace Wade and Frank Thomas, days with Bear Bryant and Gene Stallings - Auburn fans and Georgia fans are debating on what their favorite radio calls were.  Which do you want?  Or can you finally come to terms with the fact that, sometimes it seems like there are more "Allbarn" calls because there just aren't a lot of great Alabama calls.  THERE AREN'T.

I'll swap the radio calls with you for the national titles if you like.  Otherwise, deal with it.

And brace yourself, because if you are complaining about this after day one of the Flashback, you've got a lot more Fyffe and Munson to deal with. 

 

I've been busy.
So, yeah...I'm sorry that I haven't offered up my uninteresting opinion on things you may (or may not) care about for quite some time.  I've been working almost every night with my good friends Jeff Sentell and Paul Beaudry at the Birmingham News.  The Birmingham-Southern baseball team has been home every weekend, and I've picked up Birmingham-Southern men's and women's lacrosse. 
It's all been fun, and it's kept me occupied.  But because of it all, I don't have too much to say.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
I caught up on Lost last night.  I was four episodes behind, and I'm not sure those four really mattered.  We get it.  It's all about time travel.  Now that the mystery has been unlocked, everything else seems to be moving in slow motion.  I recorded every episode of Breaking Bad, and I look forward to seeing if it's everything I hear.
And I wonder, aloud, to no one in particular:  Will the new can't miss Amy Poehler comedy Parks and Recreation be sexually accurate?  I'm just sayin.'
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Last week, I caught local act Sworn Enemies opening for comedian Paul F. Tompkins at the Bottle Tree.  Solid set from both acts, though the comedian in the middle was miserable.  I also managed to get over to Sloss Furnaces in time to stand in the parking lot and catch a new look Better Than Ezra perform their last four songs.  They've added audience cowbell, which I am supposing took the place of audience participation on This Time of Year.  They actually went all the way, with a brief cover of Don't Fear The Reaper.  Also a solid cover of Breakdown by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers mixed in.  And I saw In the Blood, the lead track from the first record.  They threw a Van Halen riff in there, and it pains me that I can't name the song.  Rockin' nonetheless.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
I have several other shows on the horizon, between the News, baseball and lacrosse.  I'll catch the Avett Brothers, Crawfish Boil, 3 Doors Down/Staind, and perhaps, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit again.  But the big one?  I'm thinking about sucking it up and heading to Bonnaroo.  It's on the Bucket List, and two of the headliners have always been on the Bucket List.  Yeah, for the Beastie Boys and Bruce Springsteen, I may just have to drink $7 beers among the unwashed masses.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Clearly a lot is going on in my life.  But for now, I'll keep it simple - a lot of good people have helped me.  A lot of people whom I never had any idea how good my relationship was with have brought me opportunites and opened new doors that I never could have imagined.  And I am certain that everything happens for a reason.  It's limbo right now, but the hope of what can come tomorrow excites me. 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wow.  This has all been sort of heavy.  Okay, how about I leave with an observation.  Observational humor, if you will.  Have you heard this spot about life insurance running on 690?  Has anyone else noticed the part where the guy says something about, "...you'll get your money, even if you don't die!"  Umm...really?  Is that the life insurance policy for the Highlander?  Because, I'm pretty sure there's a book somewhere that says you are going to die.  Or a doctor, if you don't believe in that sort of thing.  So, if you collect cash for not dying, who does this benefit?  The Highlander?  There can be only one!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Godspeed.  Take care of yourselves and each other.  Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars.  Help control the pet population - have your pets spayed or neutered.  Two and two.

Thanks, Alabama!  Tonight came the official word that Alabama had hired VCU's Anthony Grant as the successor to Mark Gottfried.  Grant is a great coach.  He has proven he can win.  He has a great bio, having worked under Billy Donnovan.  Billy Donnovan worked under Rick Pitino.  And Rick Pitino is sort of like Pilate in Kentucky. 
I'm just saying.  Thank you, Alabama, for not hiring Mike Anderson.  Mike Anderson, as a rival, scared the bejesus out of me.  Anthony Grant does not.  Mike Anderson is proven.  Anthony Grant is not. 
I heard a guy on the show today mention that, "you are a product of your coaching tree," or something like that.  Really?  Isn't Mark Gottfried in the John Wooden coaching tree?  I'm just saying.
On the surface, Anthony Grant is a great hire.  He'll win the press conference.  But as a rival?  I couldn't be happier that Grant is in Tuscaloosa instead of Mike Anderson.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fast and Furious.  Really.  Do I have to wax poetic about this masterpiece?  Vin Diesel was out of money.  Paul Walker was too.  And rather than just create a sequel to the 21st century's hillbilly cinematic magnet, they tried to  just reinvent the whole series.  So...they are remaking a film made, like, 10 years ago?  Really?  Neat. 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
I don't know that I have a lot of other interesting things to say.  Birmingham Southern beat Oglethorpe tonight.  But the 8th inning was painful.  An hour.  And because of it, I missed most of the Better Than Ezra concert at Sloss.  I went over after we finally wrapped, and they wouldn't even let me in because it was so late.  I did catch  a cover of "Breakdown," and a nice rendition of "In The Blood" with some cowbell and some "Don't Fear the Reaper" mixed in.  It's like, the eighth or ninth time I've seen the band.  Great band.  I'm just mad I couldn't see the whole set.  Maybe it will all be worth it when we win the conference (even though we aren't eligibile) and make up our own rings. I'd look good with a faux SCAC championship ring.

Oh.  My.  God.  The things I want to say and can't - the feelings I want to share and am forced to keep bottled inside.  It's been an interesting couple of weeks to say the least.  And all I can share, right now, is that I love you.  I love the people that have been there for me and the people who continue to help me through.  If I've learned anything, it's that I have amazing friends.  I've learned that in five years of entertaining the Birmingham market, I've made some amazing friends in high places and those people will go to the ends of the earth to help me out.  With everything.  Soon, I hope, I'll be able to write about the whole thing.  But for now, I just want you to know that I love you too.  As I sit here, watching Japan beat US in the WBC, it's 4:00 a.m., my Yunegling is almost finished.  I'm introspective.  I'm contemplative.  I'm sad.
But I'm excited about a tomorrow I don't understand.  Everything happens for a reason.  And getting to here has been difficult, but making it to there is exciting.  At the end of the day, I just want those who think it was my fault to know that it wasn't.  And now, I know that.  With 100% certainty, I know that.  It's just hard not to shout it from mountaintops.  I suppose I will hold it for now.  And I'll go to Findley's and have a Chicken Italian tomorrow before I head back to Birmingham.  I'ma get that thing with honey mustard on the bar.  It'll be sweet.
-----------------------------------------------------------
I haven't written in a while.  So, I'm sure you Barners are wanting my thoughts on the Auburn NIT/got screwed for the NCAA situation.  Here's a brief summary:
Auburn got screwed, but are making the most of a bad situation.  In the round of eight, this team can make a little noise on Tuesday by beating Baylor and advancing to Madison Square Garden.  I drove  by the new arena today for the first time since it really began to rise.  Basketball future is bright on the Plains, I only hope Coach Lebo is here to reap the benefits. 
Also, I'd like to say...Birmingham Southern LAX is terrific.  I've never seen lacrosse.  But I did some PA over there last week.  While I still don't completely understand the game, I had a great time.  Our baseball team, well, we're killing.  This squad of freshmen and sophmores is plowing through competition.  You only have two more home weekends to catch.  Next weekend, we have some conference play against Oglethorpe.  Come out.  You won't regret it. 

The standard Alabama Theatre shot.  Last night, I saw Ryan Adams and the Cardinals perform one of their last shows before the hiatus begins right here in the land of steel.  Solid performance, though the beer lines forced me to miss the "Wonderwall" cover and "Sweet Carolina."  Nonethless, solid show.

The thing about Ryan Adams shows?  He's never really going to blow you away live.  It's really all about drinking a nice beer and being a sad bastard.  But last night was the best I've seen him live.  I saw him at City Stages a few years back, and it was very average.  Last night was solid.

As we walked in, Joey wanted me to check out this awesome Alabama star, whose name graces our city's sidewalk for his contributions to awesomeness.  Make of it what you will.

The fratastic guy beside me recommended I turn my flash off for optimal photo taking.  I got this solid shot from our seats, located just two rows from nosebleeed nowhere.

You know...I don't remember the name of the act, I just remember my friend Brian Less is a part of it.  After the Ryan Adams show, I walked with a good friend of mine down to the Metro Bar and Grill to have a few drinks.  When we arrived, I found that Brian has a new band and they are still rockin.  Brian was in Little Memphis Blues Orchestra (which, he says, is on hiatus), which was fronted by Taylor Hicks.  I still remember Brian chillin with me in the control room, with this little unknown dude named Taylor, telling me which tracks from the record to play on the air.  Brian is a brilliant, Jewish musician.  I specify that he's Jewish because, as the guy walked in the bar between breaks last night, I remember shouting, "Brian Less!  The Legend!," to which he replied, "I'm just a short Jewish guy that plays keyboard."
Brian's a terrific musician, and singer.  I promise, if this guy attaches his name to something, check it out.  As soon as I remember the name of his new band, I'll let you know.  But check it out.  Wherever it is.  The guy is solid.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Today was a MASSIVE day for my alma mater in basketball.  It  beat LSU on the men's court, and it advanced to the Women's Finals on the girls' court.  I can't imagine how the tourney committee can leave out a 10-6 SEC team.  The win over LSU, ranked eleventh, was likely the biggest this program has seen since I was a 19-year-old sophomore.  It's nice to be excited about basketball in March again.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Another marathon day at Striplin - three games...one day.  And, incidentally, the game we didn't play in was the longest.  I'm tired of the Greenvilles and Capitals of the world taking up my entire day with four hour snoozefests.  What I am excited about?  The Panthers ripping through non-conference competition.  This team is 10-3 headed into play with Sewannee this week.  I really think if they were eligible, they could be competing for the SCAC title, just two years after not having a team.  I'm proud to be a small part of this club. 
--------------------------------------------------------------
The new Isbell record is brilliant.  If you buy it now from his site, you get a free copy of the cd with the vinyl.  "Seven Mile Island" is about the Shoals site we all know, and the last half of the record is born and bred in the Shoals.  It's soul, man.  "Sunstroke" is my favorite tune, but there are many more that make me love the man even more.  On April 24th, he's playing the Strutting Duck in Auburn.  I suggest you make plans for you A-Day week after party, now.

I awoke this morning to find a blizzard outside my window.

But when I learned that the Birmingham Southern game had, expectedly, been cancelled, I got back in bed and enjoyed a rare day off.  When I again awoke, none of it was there.  It was really bizarre.  It was like I had some sort of weird snow dream.  Glad I took the time to take a picture.

Thursday, I went to Bartow for the UAB/Memphis game.  It can't be said enough how great it is to see an atmosphere like that for basketball.  It's not something anyone in this state is accustomed to in basketball.  And for about 37 minutes, it looked like the Blazers may pull the thing off.

This was almost a half hour before tip-off.  We were sitting in the Memphis section, where Tiger fans were wearing bizarre blue lights on their head and they were all 55-years-old.  The gold rush was beginning below, as the rich people arrived to find free t-shirts on their seats.

Tip-time.  The national spotlight, a packed house.  It makes this Auburn alumnus, who hasn't seen this sort of crowd in a decade, a little bit jealous.

My free UAB doo-rag, presented by Verizon Wireless, and Hoke...trying to do some sort of Memphis gang sign or something.  Hoke's a Memphis fan.  Claims he grew up there, but I'm still saying he's just a bandwagon jumper.

The Memphis fans celebrate before exiting peacefully.  I was shocked, but no one was hurt.  I mean, the picture painted by the Commercial-Appeal was pretty grim...nonetheless, these folks made it home okay.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The U2 record that will be on your local shelves Tuesday is terrific.  I sort of paint it as the lost record that should have been released between Achtung Baby and Pop.  It's a little more raw than their more recent stuff. 
----------------------------------------------------------------------
When I was back home a couple of weeks ago, my dad swore to me that I needed to check out this new record from Seal.  Yeah, that Seal.  So I says to him, I says, "Sure, burn me a copy...maybe I'll check it out."  So he does, and today, as I was again, on my home, I popped it in.  Solid.  Solid.  Solid.  I know, right?  I can't believe I'm saying it either.  It's an album full of covers.  Covers of soul standards.  Sam Cooke, James Brown, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes.  It's fantastic.  I'm not sure what the name of the record even is, but I highly recommend it.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Birmingham Southern baseball is on fire.  8-2 to start this season - from a team that didn't exist two years ago.  Still ineligible to win the SCAC, I'm betting they could this season if it weren't for a "probationary period" caused by the move from DI to DIII.  I did bear witness to the longest game I think I have ever seen yesterday, and it wasn't the Panthers playing human rain delay.  Wabash and Huntington met in the middle of a three-game day that kept me at the ballpark for around 12 hours.  The "Little Giants" (yeah, Wabash Little Giants...awesome, ain't it) and the Hawks played for more than four hours.  4:10 to be exact.  No rain delays.  No extra innings.  No TV.  Four hours and ten minutes.  The third inning alone (which ended with 3 combines runs being scored) must have lasted an hour.  It was painful.  But Southern adds two more wins to its' non-conference resume with just one more non-conference weekend remaining.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Auburn basketball has a chance to ensure it will finish above .500 for the first time in the Lebo era.  And wouldn't you know, Alabama is the team standing in the way.  Alabama is playing better basketball, but Auburn is playing great basketball right now.  I'd still be blown away if 10-6 in the league doesn't get them in.  If it doesn't, people aren't paying attention to the way this team is playing at season's end.

Wow.  Almost 20,000 hits on this blog.  I mean, I know it's not Kevin Smith's MySpace blog or anything, but it's still sorta cool.  I've been trying to post the pictures from the Crue show for a few days, but either work or a faulty computer have kept me from it.  Let's pray this thing holds up long enough for me to finish it this time.

I think this was during Hinder's "Lips of an Angel."  Or something.  I dunno.  Anyway, lots of lighters and smoky haze.

Yeah, Hinder.  I actually enjoyed their set.  And I properly predicted that "Lips of an Angel" would be the next-to-last song.  Not the last.  I've been to a lot of concerts.

There's Tommy Lee, corrupting the mind of some eight-year-old kid. But, I suppose at this point if the kid's parent's weren't offended by the hardcore porn showing on the giant screens on either side of the stage, then getting this close to Hepatitis wasn't going to faze them either.  Besides, he got it from needles, right?

Here's Tommy playing the piano part to "Home Sweet Home" during the encore.  I had a great time.  Jim sent the better part of Monday complaining about how the band sounded.  Apparently, Jim misread the ticket and thought he was going to see the Alabama Symphony Orchestra and not Motley Crue.  It's long been a complaint of BJCC shows - the acoustics.  And skeptics of the theory will point to the Eagles and Robert Plant/Allison Krauss shows as examples of the acoustics in that building working.  And they are right.  BUT, those shows are a little more high brow.  This was an 80's band, singing "Dr. Feelgood" while you drank a Miller Lite and sang along.  It wasn't supposed to sound crsytal clear, you were just supposed to have fun.  And I did. 
----------------------------------------------------------------
I just picked up the new Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit vinyl from his site, and right now, if you buy the vinyl, they throw in the cd for free  Pretty sweet deal you should check out if you are into vinyl.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Still trying to figure out if I'm going to get to see Ryan Adams next week.  I hate to miss it.  It could be one of his last shows for a while.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
It does look like I'll make the UAB/Memphis game tomorrow night at Bartow.  I hope to have pictures on that up here soon.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Oh...and dude...can we let the Andre Smith thing go?  Does it even matter?  As Jim said, the people who were once saying he'd go first overall were likely overrating him, and the people now saying he'll fall to the late first round are underrating him.  He'll go 10-15ish, and he'll have a solid career.  But at the end of the day...WHO CARES?  If he squandered his money, it's HIS money!  It's like people getting irate over Charles Barkley gambling.  It's HIS money!  I don't care what the man does with it.  If you want to be angry at Charles for the DUI, it's justifed.  He put other lives in danger.  But when it doesn't affect anyone buy him, why do you care?  It's just silly, and it's silly that people have worked themselves up so much over the NFL Combine. 
-------------------------------------------------------
Auburn's basketball team just may make the tournament.  I never thought I'd be able to say that again.  But if they beat Alabama and Mississippi State, and can find a way to beat LSU, they can't be denied.  You can't keep a 10-6 SEC out.  If they beat Alabama and Mississippi State and finish 9-7 in the league, I think some work in the conference tourney can still sneak them in.  It isn't over yet for this team, and it's nice to look forward to game this late in the season.  I had forgotten that feeling.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Got an advance copy of the new U2 record today.  I'll try to write some thoughts on it when I post the pics from the UAB/Memphis game.

What an absolutely amazing night in Florence, Alabama.  You know, I'd love to wax poetic about how terrific Auburn's third consecutive SEC win was, or how I really believe they may be able to make a run at .500.  But on Saturday night, more than 700 people gathered at the historic Shoals Theatre for a rock concert.  Isbell was even surprised.  It's just something that my old hometown doesn't have much of.  To think, a town so rich in music history has little live events of this magnitude (outside of Handy Fest), is amazing.  And as much as I enjoyed Jason at Workplay on Thursday, it just wasn't the same as the Saturday show.

For more than two hours, Jason ripped through almost every original tune he hasever written, as well as a handful of Drive-By Truckers tunes, including "Decoration Day" and "God Damn Lonely Night."  He played "Hand Grenades and Hurricanes" and "Dress Blues," both of which  I am fairly certain he didn't play on Thursday.  And I'm pretty sure I got chills when Jason pointed out that the widow of "Dress Blues" subject, Matthew Conley, was in the room with us as he played the song for the Greenhill victim of the Iraq war.

So I went to Thursday's show with my cousin Casey.  She claims Jason had a huge crush on her in high school, while she was at Brooks and he was at Rogers. I still doubt her.  Interesting story, nonetheless, kid.
Also, she says he was a huge geek.  This guy?  No way.

I was also surprised to see how organized the people at Shoals Theatre had everything.  No knock on them, I'm just saying, when you aren't accustomed to hosting such big events, I fully expected them to be a little overwhelmed.  But they weren't, and the were even serving, which I was also surprised to see.

At the Thursday show at Workplay, one of my very good friends from back home, Zach Gooch, actually sat in with Jason's band, the 400 Unit, during a few songs.  He was there with the opening act, Sons of Roswell, playing keys.  Then the guy pulls out the trumpet to play some of the Isbell songs on the new record.

Here Zach is on keys for Sons of Roswell at Workplay on Thursday.  Sons of Roswell really surprised me.  Not that I had low expectations, I just didn't expect quite what I got.  It was almost this Zeppelin, Skynyrd, White Stripes hybrid.  Can't really explain it. But Chris Adler at Live 100.5 is putting together a bill for Bottle Tree later this month, and Roswell will headline.  I highly recommend it.

Here was Roswell during the set at Workplay.

And Jason at the Workplay show.  If anyone has a torrent on either set, let me know.
It was a terrific weekend.  I met a lot of really cool people and saw the potential of everything Florence can be and never manages to realize. 
As for sports?  Disappointing Daytona 500, haven't watched my DVR'ed NBA All-Star Saturday night (which I LOVE...more later), and I was really proud of Auburn turning another corner.  We'll see how it shakes out in the final six games, and I will offer more sports commentary later.

February 7th and we're opening baseball season?  Yes.  At Striplin Field today, we opened baseball season.  And though the sound system wasn't quite ready to open, everyone else was.  It was a beautiful day for baseball and, as I say every year, I couldn't be happier to have a small part in the Birmingham Southern organization.

The guys played terrific for eight innings, but gave up seven in the ninth to fall 9-2.  Frankly, I blame the bad sound system.  How are you supposed to win a game without a national anthem or a seventh inning stretch?  Oh, Fred Sington, we never knew how much we'd miss you.  But these guys were NAIA, so, I mean, they had scholarships.  Our guys don't have that! 

Terrific crowd for a February baseball first pitch.  If Striplin holds 1,000, there were 700 there.  I look forward to the last half of the series tomorrow and to the improvement this team will certainly show.  Last year ended on a high note, and all of those kids are back in this young program.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Has Auburn basketball turned a corner?  I'm not even going to say that.  But it was a terrific victory for the Tigers.  The officiating down the stretch was terrible.  What was the jump ball call all about?  And Vot was clearly fouled on the game winner.  But they pulled one off that they shouldn't have.  Now, they will certainly lose some they shouldn't.  But if the former can outweigh the latter, maybe they can get to eight and have a chance to get in the tourney.  Again, I'm not even asking you to get to the second round.  Just make the damn thing.  Auburn hasn't played a game on St. Patrick's Day when I could legally drink.  It's sad. 
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I saw Hightide Blues at Workplay on Thursday.  Great band.  Out of Auburn.  The record is terrific.  They played a set that lasted in the neighborhood of two hours, and even did a Stones cover.  You Can't Always Get What You Want.  That takes ball, man.  I had a couple of beers with the guys and told them Atlantic City should go into their surprise cover list.  We'll see.
Thursday, my man Jason Isbell comes back to Workplay.  I'll be there with bells on, as I love the guy.  And opening?  Sons of Roswell, straight out of Florence, Alabama.  My man Zach Gooch will rock the keys for Roswell.  If things work out right, I'll be at the Muscle Shoals Music Hall on Saturday for the same two bands.  Zach may even sit in with the 400 Unit.  And Jason may come to the studio on Thursday.  Rock on.
 

I got booted on Friday.  Really stunk.  I ran into Charlemagne to skim the new vinyl that had arrived (picked up a Joe Tex record...nice find).  When I get back to my car, in a spot I park every time I am down there, some security dude has put a boot on my car.  And he's still standing there.  So I have to pay the guy $25 to get it off.  It was the biggest waste of time, energy and money I think I have ever seen.  Then I worked a lot.  I spent most of Friday and Saturday at the News.  I did get to see a terrific effort from the men's basketball team on Saturday.  I really think Auburn fans' patience on Jeff Lebo is beginning to pay off.  And I think Auburn benefits from its' position in recruiting.  Lebo can continue bringing in great college players.  And once that big inside presence arrives, they will stay.  One-and-done guys aren't coming to Auburn.  Big man + New arena + Lebo's coaching = a tournament. And that's all that Auburn fans really want right now.

So after Saturday?  After a great Auburn game and more work?



Literally the devil himself.  Satan.  He crawled into my lap again while I was at Thor's.  Just look into his eyes.  Scary, huh?  Yeah, if the devil can purr around me, it's impressive.



I wanted to carry a camera to the women' game so that I could have photographic evidence of what Beard Eaves Memorial Coliseum looks like when it's packed.  But that's not all I got...



Photographic evidence that there are seats behind the curtain.  Years ago, in an effort to "fix" the issue of not being able to fill the Coliseum, a giant curtain (both literal and metaphorical) was draped over one end of the court.  I'm amost certain it was pulled for the men's gam against Florida two years ago, when the Gators brought Joakim Noah and Al Horford in and were ranked #1.  I know I had to sit behind a banner, so it must have been pulled.  And there are people sitting behind banners in this photo.  As our former intern, Justin Hokanson, pointed out to me in a text - This is proof that if you win basketball games in Auburn, people will come.  Midweek is another story, but Saturday's will be full.  Guaranteed.

And I think this Saturday's win at Bud Walton Arena was a step in the right direction, but I digress.



Yeah.  That happened.



Somewhere in there, in the brown pantsuit, is Nell Fortner (aka "The Rabbit Jay Jacobs Pulled out of His Hat" aka "Jay's 'lil Miracle"). 



Here are some of the girls celebrating thier victory with the band and fans.



The students.  Wow.  The students, en masse, at a women's game.
A friend of Thor's, when told he was going to the women's game, told him, "Man, times are hard, huh?"

But it was a great trip, and it was a great atmosphere.  It's a bandwagon you need to get on soon.  This team will be a number one seed.  The only real obstacles foreseeable are Georgia and Vanderbilt.  The toughest part is getting mentally prepared to play Georgia on Thursday.  It's not just about beating Pat Summitt and the Lady Vols.  It's about playing in front of 12,067 people and turning around to play in front of 12.  It's going to be a huge fall to reality.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Rock Band is awesome.

- I really like the new Tom Cavanaugh series "Trust Me" on TNT.  Also starring Eric McCormick, it looks very promising, But because one of the most underrated television actors around has touched it, I'm not going to get excited.  Everything Tom touches gets cancelled.

- Everything about the rise and fall of Mark Gottfried reminds me of Tommy Tuberville's time at Auburn.  And I know, that though they won't admit it now, there is a level of mixed emotion on this day.  The man had some great moments while in Tuscaloosa, and to dismiss that and cheer about his departure is a sham.  Unless I give Alabama fans too much credit, I think there is a part of all of them that feels like most Auburn fans did on Tommy's dismissal - you're excited about the possibility of a brighter future for a program that had become stagnant, but you're thankful for some of the great things he did while he was there. Maybe I'm wrong.  If I am, I'm surprised that I really had no idea how people really felt.  But I'm excited for our friend Phillip Pearson, who has an opportunity, probably not to get this job, but a head gig, nonetheless.  Good luck to him.