Let's us just do us a rerun...

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I spent a good part of the afternoon playing roundball out in the driveway with #4 son.

I am sure that I will suffer tomorrow because of it, but it's all cool...

We had a great time.  

I thought I would do better than I did, even though it has been a WAY long time since I shot hoops.

I suck.

Just sayin'...

Anyway, the afternoon event lead to a long discussion between me, and #4 son about the greatest basketball player that ever lived, Mr. Pete Maravich.

So, we spent a lot of time after dinner looking at The YouTube videos of "The Pistol."

Finally, I remembered that I had actually posted about His Greatness in the past.

So...RERUN IT IS!

From an ex-Louisianian buddy of mine who now lives in Mobile, AL.

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Dear friends,

If you wore your LSU shirts on Monday, and your Saints shirts on Saturday, PLEASE wear your Obama shirts on election day.

A Coworker stops me today and asks...

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Coworker:  Hey Andy, did you hear that the whole LSU Tiger football team is still locked up in their hotel rooms?


Me:  No!  What...Les doesn't want 'em talking to the press?


Coworker:  No, somebody painted a 50 yard-line down the hallway, and nobody can figure out how to cross it.


Me:  Got me!

We high-fived.  Gotta laugh to keep from cryin'...

Y'all might have heard this already...but there is a ball game on television tonight.

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Hey y'all! 


Okay, so I just made the VERY WORST VIDEO IN THE HISTORY OF iPHONES, OR V-LOGGING!


Maybe the worst in the history of The YouTube!!!




But, what the heck?

Okay, it's halftime, and we're down 10-7 to the miserable Red Clay Dawgz...

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I think I made a big mistake by not posting my "lucky chicken hat pitcher."

That should do it.


I'm sticking with my perdiction of a 36-10 win, now that I've brokened the jinx.

Where we at, and what we got??? (Week #12)

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(Editorial note:  I started writing this post at about 4 pm Friday, but got called away by real life.  I just now finished it off at 6:45 am on Saturday.  I hate it when that happens.)

Where we at?  Well, we are finally at a "stopping place."


Naw, that's not true.  We are actually at a place where I just decided to stop.


There is so much junk that needs doing around here.  I swear...stuff needs painted, weeds need eating, bulbs need digging, a 700 lb.bathtub & ONE Chevy S-10 pickup truck needs hauling away, and I really, really, really need a bath...


But, I just decided to stop (I WILL get a bath a bit later, though).


Truth is, there are no MAJOR home repairs that need doing right now.  I think I may have casually mentioned that I got the kitchen floor in fine shape, and the hallway bathroom back up and running after putting it all off as long as I could, and staying happily married.  So, we really are kinda' at a stopping point.


The rest of the junk will be there when I go back to my "single-minded-gotta-get-it-did-male-self."  It'll come back around.  Always does.


My weekend is screwed up, too.  I now have as regular "days off," Friday, and Saturday.  But...there is this new guy at work...a guy that I really like a lot.  He had a fabulous opportunity to do something on Saturday.  I mean, it is REALLY fabulous...kind of a once in a lifetime chance.  But, he was scheduled to work on Saturday, and had to find "somebody" that was off on Saturday to swap shifts with him.


Me.


He asked me, and I said "yes."  I'm a sucker for such things.  So, I've got to go in to work Saturday afternoon, and then turn around and be back at work on Sunday morning.


I'm a sucker for such things.


But, I really don't mind so much.  It is a once in a lifetime opportunity for the man.  It's very similar to an opportunity that I once had, but passed on.  I've got very few regrets in life.


So, what we got?


Tonight, we've got the #2 ranked Okie State 'boys at Iowa State.  The Pokies are ripe for a loss.  Iowa State will bring down this notion that Oklahoma State deserves to play for the National Title against an SEC team.  It will be close, but Iowa State will win.   The Cowboys will probably lose to OU, too.


Write this down.  Stick it on your 'frigerator door.  OSU will not end up in the BS-BCS championship game.  It will be LSU & 'Bama.


Speaking of my beloved Tigers...I'll admit, it's been a challenge to get excited about our games the past few days.  I mean, after you beat the second best team in the land, and are forced to endure Homecoming against Western Kentucky, and a Conference game against The Klan tomorrow (the worst team in my memory as an SEC watcher).  Well...it's just kinda blah blah blah...


But, I've done my best.


I even tried to pump up Tucker!  Y'all know Tucker.  Tucker is my great nephew that The Mrs. keeps care of (at no charge for 4 or 5 days a week...but I don't care, because he is the sweetest little cat of all the dozens of chirrens we've had around our joint for lo these three plus decades of havin' chirrens around here).  I've shown y'all pictures of him before.


He is without a doubt the worlds biggest LSU fan (under one years of age).

It was REALLY easy to get him excited about the games against Oregon, MS State, and 'Bama.  But, Tucker kinda balked on me when it came to Flarda & Auburn (because they suck), but he chested up and did his best.

He's a trooper.


But, I could get no such goodness while trying to get him revved up about our game against The Klan tomorrow.

The boy went to sleep with his chin on his foot (I wish I could still do that), with his T-shirt wrapped up like he's in a straight jacket, or something!


I tried.  Trust me, I did.  But, it's The Klan...the worst football team in the history of the SEC that we're facing tomorrow.


Tucker don't waste his energy.


Obviously.


It will be LSU 50 - Klan 6.


In other games of importance, there will be only one surprise.  Mississippi State will beat Arkansas at The Sty in Little Rock.  This one will be close, too...maybe go in to overtime.  But, the Dogs will prevail in an upset (if you can call it that).


I think Oregon, OU, Clemson, Boysees, and the other top ranked teams will prevail...even though The Ducks are likely to have trouble with their rubbers.


It's gonna be a couple of years before Tucker can do this.  But, at early an age as humanly possible, I'm gonnna learn him the fight song.





Look, y'all have a great weekend, huh?  I'm gonna be really pounding it, so don't worry about me if I'm not hanging out with y'all much.  It don't mean that I don't love y'all.


Because, I do.

An afterthought or three...

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1)  So, it seems that I was WAY wrong in calling an upset by Texas Tech over the Okie Pokies.  I have never called three upsets without at least one of them coming to pass.  This means that either Luck runs out, or the Boysies go down.

I'm thinking that I'm gonna hit 2 out of 3...which ain't bad. 

Just ask Rick Perry.

B)  I forgot to mention that it is "Homecoming" in Baton Rouge, and my beloved Tigers play Western Kentucky in Death Valley.  Dangit!!!  It's Homecoming!  We shoulda' scheduled somebody easy like The Klan, or The Hawgz...

Or The Ducks, or Cardinal (whatever the heck that is), or maybe even a real easy team from Flarda  (take your pick), or ANY team from Texas.

Crud.

But, I think we'll win, anyway.

3)  Dangit!  I can't remember the third thing I was gonna tell y'all as an "afterthought."  I knew it before I sat down to type it out.  It had something to do with something that was REALLY important that y'all really needed to know about.  

Hmmm...

Crud.

Now I know how Rick Perry felt the other night. 

"Why Andy, you have been uncharacteristically silent on the National Championship game tomorrow between LSU and Alabama!"

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Indeed I have.  And, thanks for bringing it up!


Truth is, I've had so much on my mind, and on my plate, that I haven't much cared to blog about what might turn out to be the best College Football Game of this century (to this point).


I'm like, "Meh...it's just a football game...somebody's gonna win...somebody's gonna lose...and others can load up the hype cannon better."


Meh...it's just a football game.


Which, LSU will win.


But, to take a stab at it:  

In recent memory (at least in MY memory) there has not been a matchup between two better college football TEAMS (TEAMS being the operative consonants and vowels).  

Seriously, from top to bottom...offense...defense...special teams...speed...toughness...on-field discipline, etc., I can't remember two teams facing each other that had it more "together."


It should be a gem.


Trying to put my passion for LSU aside, and look at this game objectively, I find that it IS possible.  I have misunderstimated my beloved Tigers every game this season.  I'd predict a 20 point win, and it would be 40.  I'd predict a tough 7 pointer that turned out to be 30.


We're just good.


And, so are they.


Alabama Corch, St. Nick Saban, will go down in history as a builder of programs, and a builder of men.  I've always been a Saban fan...even when he left LSU for a cup of coffee with the Dolphins, and resurfaced to rebuild the once great Tide program...which he has certainly done (and, in spades).

Now, many LSU fans have resorted to Saban-bashing...trash-talking, etc.  Here at Andy's Place we do not stoop to such things.

Where we at, and what we got??? (Week #6)

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Well, we are finally AT a stopping place!


To quote Mark Twain, "Life is just one damn thing after the next."


It all started on Wednesday night.  #4 son was taking a bath, and when he went to shut the hot water off, it just kept running.  Now, this is nothing new.  The faucet in the hall bathroom is notorious for wearing out washers and seats...so much so that I keep a supply on hand.  So, after he got finished I went in there to change the hot water side seat, and replaced the washer (they did not look bad at all...so I'm figuring I've got trouble).  


As I start to screw the valve back in, it goes in about two turns and then seizes up.  A twist with a wrench...and it falls back out.  This continues for about 7 tries...it's late...the water to the house stays shut off for the night.  Next afternoon, I discover that the faucet (1948 model) is corroded through where the seat screws in, and even if I could get a valve back in there, hot water will continue to run.  

So, I'm screwed.


After calling my good buddy Two Dogs (yeah, I know he doesn't post anymore, but it's still polite to link), it is determined that I should try to replace the faucet from the back.  The entire tub/shower is tiled...and the tile extends on around the backside of the tub into an alcove with a dressing mirror & cabinet.

I really did not want to rip the cabinet out, but with luck, I could avoid that.


So, early Friday am, I begin to tear in to it.  I figured I'd better start up there behind the shower outlet, seeing as I vaguely remembered having some problem with it in the past...this would be a good time to take a look.  (Turns out that it was just fine).  But, I started by cutting out a piece of sheet rock.  And, what do I find behind the sheet rock?

Wood.  Yep.  Wood.

I reckon The Mrs. can hang a picture over it.

Sometimes I would like to strangle the guy that built this house, but he's probably already dead, and it wouldn't be nearly as much fun.

A hole saw, and jigsaw take care of the wood, and I discover I'm good at the shower outlet.  Now, comes the busting out of the tile behind the faucet.

Fortunately, this is gonna give me access to get the old faucet out without ripping out my cabinet (it has a nice tiled counter that I am WAY glad I didn't have to rip out.  So, we're doing good.  I figure I can just duct tape a piece of cardboard over that, and color it yellow!  This is gonna be WAY easy.


I remove the old faucet, and head to Lowe's.  There's where the problem starts.  It seems that in 1948, some tub/shower faucet deals were 11 1/2" wide (like mine), and EVERYTHING available now is 8".  Yep!  EVERYTHING!  I ended up going to three hardware stores, two plumbing supply places, and the liquor store.


My only option is to buy an 8" fixture.  My problem is that the holes are already set in the tile for my wider faucet.  Only one option...

Yep!  Had to tear out a section of tile on the front side.

Crud...


I had torn out the master bathroom tile several years ago (just the shower...not all of it).  So, I knew what it was.  This stuff is about 7 feet thick concrete reinforced with wire.  I was as careful as I could be, but as you smash out one tile, the concrete gives, and the tile next to it starts to crack.  


All in all, I felt pretty good about only destroying 18 tiles.  It coulda' been worse.


Anyway, by about 1900 HRS on Friday, we were to this point.

And, that is where we shall stay for a while.  Water back on to the house...faucet installed, though not really all that usable...an enormous mess cleaned up...a re-tiling job in the future (probably distant future)...and THE GAAAMZZZ....


What we got?

There are only 3 games that interest me today.


Well, early we got the OU v. Texas annual clash in Dallas.  This is being built up as a game with National Championship implications, but I really don't see it that way.  


It is becoming more and more evident to me that the winner of the SEC West will be the BSCS National Champ.  It will be either Corch St. Nick's Crimson Tide, or my beloved LSU Tigers.  Regardless, Texas can certainly put a hickie on OU if they come up big.  And, I look for the 'Horns to come up big.


OU is likely to stumble early on in this game.  I look for them to fall behind, and stay behind most of the game.  Yes, I do believe they will win, but it will not be impressive.  I'm thinking OU 27 - Texas 26.

Mid-afternoon, we gots my beloved Tigers hosting the miserable 'Gators of Flarda.  I don't know if their starting QB will be available to play or not.  I have not kept up, because it does not matter.  This will be a blow-out in favor of my Tigers.  As likely as we are to really play poorly in the daylight at Tiger Stadium, I am marking this one as a "W" right now.  LSU 40 - Flarda 14.

Then tonight, the Hawgz take on Auburn in Fayetteville.  This should be a VERY entertaining game between two very good football teams.  Look for lots of scoring...poor defense...and a disappointed home crowd.


Auburn 38 - Hawgz 36


Well, that's it!


It's time for another Advil, and to get my football watchin' gear together.


Y'all enjoy the games!

Last night in Baton Rouge...

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I talked to a friend at work today who told me that his nephew had been down at Tiger Stadium for the LSU/Northwestern State University laugher last night. But, screw the ball game...I mean, we only scored 9 more points against the miserable Demons than we did against the miserable Ducks last week.

Anyway, he told me that his nephew said he'd never heard Tiger Stadium so quiet.  I mean, it was like you could hear a pin drop in Death Valley.  He told me about this deal that The Tiger Band did.


It's a memorial tribute to the victims of 9/11/01.  And, most especially a tribute to one of our LSU grads, Navy Lt. Michael Scott Lemana, who died that day at The Pentagon.  His family joined the band on the field as they performed.  

A Gooble Search turned up this bit of tribute from the Louisiana State Senate in 2005, too.

 

I wish I'd have known Lt. Lemana.  I bet he was aces up... 

Hey y'all! Look at what Dr. Jill dun sont me!!!

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Hey y'all!  Hugs, kisses, yada yada yada...


A couple of days ago (another) package landed at Andy's Place (via US Postal Service) from our good friend, and regular contributor, Dr. Jill.


Now, if you've been hanging out around here for long, you understand that a package from Dr. Jill is always an adventure.  Always.


Well, enclosed was a very nice card.  It said,

Hi Pam & Andy!

Hope all is well.  Here is just a little sumthin' to get you ready for football season."

Then, on the opposite fold of the card was written,

GO VOLS!

And then way, way down in little teeny tiny writing was this:

Go Tigers!
hee hee

So, what was in the package?  Well, I'm glad y'all asked.


This here is the first thing I pulled out.

 

Ain't that something?!?!?! 

I mean, it's a Vol Crimmus Tree Ornament!


Wow!  I'mma put that on the next tree I haul into the house!  Of course, we haven't dragged a scotch pine, or erected a metal one up in the house in about 20 years.  But...the NEXT TIME I put a tree up in the house, that baby is ON IT!  I reckon I'll have to come up with another use for it.


I'm studying on that right now.


But then, the goody got gooder.  Lookit!

This here is a writing pen that is made like an LSU Tiger Cheerleader! Oh man...this is just so way past good that I'm almost typeless.  You may notice that there are a couple of little thumb-switches on the back.  Those are WAY cool!  They actually bring the pen to life.  I mean, my own personal LSU Cheerleader pen starts actually leading cheers!  Really.


I've been following along with her for several hours now, and I'll swear, I'm iz revved up!


Listen!

Go to hell 'Bama...

GO TO HELL!!!!

Go to hell Ole Miss...

GO TO HELL!!!!

Go to hell Tennessee Flarda...

GO TO HELL!!!!

I swear...this is the bestest gift I've gotten since Roses sent me my LSU Purple & Gold Chicken Hat! (BTW...I've got BIG plans for that chicken hat come September...trust me. I mean...TRUST ME)!

Anyway, I've been cheering along for several hours now, and it's just so dang fun that I kinda' lost track of time, and The Mrs. kinda got a little concerned about all the racket.  So, I had to lay her down for a while. 

I love her.
 
Thanks, Dr. Jill!

I think I'm gonna name her Moogie.


With most all of y'all suffering through Underarm-ageddon, I hope that we all can agree that September needs to get her more quicker than usual.


But, I looked at the calendar a little while ago, and friggin' August still stands in the way.


Crud.

Boudreaux joke of the year!

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Our good friend, and Razorhawg fan, Moogie sends this along.

The year is 2016 and the United States has just elected the first woman, a Louisiana State University graduate, as President of the United States, Susan Boudreaux.

A few days after the election the president-elect calls her father and says, 'So, Dad, I assume you will be coming to my inauguration?'

'I don't think so. It's a 30 hour drive, your mother isn't as young as she used to be, and my arthritis is acting up again.'

'Don't worry about it Dad, I'll send Air Force One to pick you up and take you home. And a limousine will pick you up at your door.'

'I don't know. Everybody will be so fancy. What would your mother wear?'

Oh Dad, replies Susan, 'I'll make sure she has a wonderful gown custom-made by the best designer in New York.

'Honey,' Dad complains, 'you know I can't eat those rich foods you and your friends like to eat.'

The President-to-be responds, 'Don't worry Dad. The entire affair is going to be handled by the best caterer in New York, I'll ensure your meals are salt free Dad, I really want you to come.'

So Dad reluctantly agrees and on January 20, 2017, Susan Boudreaux is being sworn in as President of the United States.

In the front row sits the new President's Dad and Mom. Dad, noticing the senator sitting next to him leans over and whispers, 'You see that woman over there with her hand on the Bible, becoming President of the United States?

The Senator whispers back, 'Yes I do.'

Dad says proudly, 'Her brother played football at LSU.' 

Pregame...

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Jim MADE me do it!

Shame on him...

Just in case you don't read EDSBS...

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Cam Newton stars in "Unstoppable."

Quarterback Controversy...

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If you're not an LSU Tiger fan, you may not know that there is a QB controversy in Red Stick.  While Jordan Jefferson has been the official starting QB, Jarrett Lee has played well, and many fans believe that he should be the number one guy.

This caller slipped past the screener on the Les Miles radio show...

Courtesy of Jim.

More News out of Baton Rouge...

Turns out Mike the Tiger is really “Michelle the Tiger”

From LSUNEWS.NET:

The LSU faithful were shocked this morning when they found hidden under “Mike the Tiger”, cuddled under the stone ledge in the back of the habitat three new baby Bengal Tigers. Mike spent several weeks with a specialized tiger veterinarian last fall in Montana trying to address some psychological and weight gain problems Mike seemed to be having. He spent time with other tigers to try to address his social problems. It turns out, Mike was really all along a female tiger, and apparently Mike and the other cats apparently went unsupervised for some time, and nature took over. The baby Bengals are being cared for by Mike, now referred to as “Michelle”. Plans are being made to have a sex change operation performed on “Michelle” to get Mike back……….

The report continues to say “we thought Mike was just putting on weight, with his lack of activity brought on by the colder than normal winter, but no one figured this.

Boise ain't got nothin' on LSU!!!

Tiger Stadium To Feature Purple Field Turf In '10!

h/t Opinionated Catholic

"It's now time to expand the traditions that surround our football program," LSU head coach Les Miles said. "LSU is going to take the lead in what we think will become the wave of the future and that's field turf in the colors of your school."