ROH still rules

To quote the Emerson Drive song, I should be sleeping. I have accumulated eight hours of sleep over two days and will need plenty more for this upcoming week, which is looking very busy right now. Thankfully, my jobs do not require me to speak very much...

Now it's Thursday and I finally have the energy to finish this. I guess two pulled pork sandwiches and some banana pudding can do that. First of all, Saturday. I woke up at 4 AM and dropped Mom off in Rosemont. Unfortunately, the gym does not open until 7 AM so home I went. After paying some bills and running a few early chores (including purchasing a second Greg Norman shirt in as many days), I hit the gym around 11. 45 minutes on the elliptical always feels pretty good. I headed home for a few minutes to watch the Mets-Braves. Little did I know, it would be another win in this Amazin' home streak where the Mets won 9 of 10!

I left home around 3 PM. I wagered between eating at Cheeseburger in Paradise and Fuddrucker's, but I went with CIP for something different. Game 5 of the Blackhawks-Red Wings was on TV so I watched it after I settled onto the stool at the bar. I went with several Arnold Palmers and for food, I picked sliders and a Cuban. The sliders were really good, nice and thick with mustard, pickle, and onion, just the way I like it. The guy at the bar hyped the Cuban up pretty good. I went with it just to see. I thought the bread was OK (finding real Cuban bread is tough, but this is what makes the best sandwich). Now on the menu it said mustard, mayo. So I asked for no mayo. turns out it's a mustard-mayo mix that they use. So whoever wrote the menu was not telling the whole truth. The bar guy gave me some regular yellow mustard which made it a little better, but certainly not great. The crisp sweet potato chips with S&P made the meal a bit better though. CIP is a fine place, but the Cuban is not worth $10.

After the Blackhawks tied the game with 10 seconds left and that thug Hossa won it in OT, I'd seen enough and I walked out to my car. From Downers Grove, I headed for the Frontier Fieldhouse, 25 minutes south on 294 in Chicago Ridge. I got in around 5:45 and Q and Chris were standing at the front of the line. We got in around 6:30 and I brought 5 DVD's for $60. I decided not to see Jim Cornette, I'd met him already and I didn't need to get into a God debate at that point.

No Bobby Cruise, but there was a Bobby Dempsey battle royal, highlighting the pre-show. Rasche Brown beat Sami Callahan and the DCFC literally destroyed the Bravado Bros, who will soon be working security again. As for my picks:

Tyler Black vs. Chris Hero
Pick: Tyler Black 1/1

Come As You Are Street Fight
Colt Cabana & El Generico vs. Steve Corino & Kevin Steen
Pick: Colt Cabana and El Generico 2/2

(1) Roderick Strong vs. (4) Davey Richards
Pick: Roderick Strong (Draw) 2/3

The Briscoe Brothers vs. Austin Aries & Kenny King
Pick: Briscoes 3/4

ROH World TV Champion Eddie Edwards vs. The Metal Master
Pick: Eddie Edwards 4/5

Petey Williams vs. Rhett Titus
Pick: Petey Williams 4/6

Josh Raymond & Christian Able with Truth Martini vs. Erick Stevens & Shawn Daivari with Prince Nana
Pick: Erick Stevens & Daivari 5/7

The show was just amazing, one of the best in Chicago since GTGM. Roderick-Davey was a 20-minute hard-hitting classic. Black-Hero was really good. The street fight was legendary. I knew it was going to be good when the ring announcer warned us to grab our belongings and keep them close. They all brawled into the crowd right by us and then back into the ring.

The after-party was awesome. After our traditional double-decker pizza, Q sang Smooth and I did Friends in Low Places (3rd verse included) with Q. I dedicated to my ex, who got married the next day. The Briscoes, Pearce, Roderick, and Kenny King joined in and I got at least 30-40 people singing along. And halfway through, Mark Briscoe took my mike, but I knew better than to try to get it back from him. Sweet Home Chicago was the best ever with 15 people singing up front, including Dwayne and Q. I was right in front of them screaming every word. My voice would not recover fully until Tuesday night. The only good thing about my voice being so strained and fatigued is I could do a great Bob Dylan impression.

Nana and Pearce were great to me, as always. Eddie Edwards (from Boston) put the jerk-act on, but it was just friendly ribbing back and forth. I think. Christian Able was a complete dick to me. I took a good photo of him performing some song and wanted to show it to him. I tapped him on the shoulder several times, but he was talking to different women all night and would not even turn to look at me. So I say screw him, I will be booing him hard if he comes back.

Shame Jerome missed this.

Long Saturday, ROH tonight

So I have the house to myself for the next week. I woke up at 4:45 AM and will not be going to sleep until 3AM Sunday morning. You would think this would be reminiscient of my college days.

Right now, it's 9 AM. Between car insurance and my monthly maintenance (which in the summer just means lawn mowing and flowers that deer will eat by June), I just spent $650. I'm heading up to Huntley in a few to the Greg Norman outlet. I think I could use a new golf shirt.

After that, I'll head to the gym for a while and then head back home for a little bit of the Mets-Braves game. I plan on leaving home around 3 or so. Not sure where I will grab lunch, but I plan on stopping around Yorktown. Maybe Cheeseburger in Paradise, I haven't been there in a long time.

And then Ring of Honor. This looks like a pretty solid show.

ROH World Title Match
Tyler Black defends vs. Chris Hero
Pick: Tyler

Come-As-You-Are Street Fight
Colt Cabana & El Generico vs. Steve Corino & Kevin Steen
Pick: Colt Cabana and El Generico

Pick 6 Challenge Match
(1) Roderick Strong vs. (4) Davey Richards
Pick: Roderick Strong

The Briscoe Brothers vs. Austin Aries & Kenny King
Pick: Briscoes

ROH World TV Champion Eddie Edwards vs. The Metal Master
Pick: Eddie Edwards

Petey Williams vs. Rhett Titus
Pick: Petey Williams

Josh Raymond & Christian Able with Truth Martini vs. Erick Stevens & Shawn Daivari with Prince Nana
Pick: Erick Stevens & Daivari

I'm so tired of being alone, so tired of on my own... It will be fun...

In light of Sunday

I`ll pretend I`m free from sorrow
Make believe that wrong is right
Your wedding day will be tomorrow
But There`ll Be No Teardrops Tonight.

Why, oh why, should you de-sert me
Are you doing this for spite?
If you only want to hurt me
Then There`ll Be No Teardrops Tonight.

I`ll believe that you still love me
When you wear your veil of white
But you think that you`re above me
So There`ll Be No Teardrops Tonight.

Shame, oh shame for what you`re doing
Other arms will hold you tight
You don`t care whose life you ruin
But There`ll Be No Teardrops Tonight.

Thank you Hank

Disgraced

Have the New York Rangers gotten off the plane yet?

After winning 8 of their last 9 games and then winning one of the greatest hockey games I have ever seen at home against the Phucking Phlyers on Friday night, the Rangers had a win and in opportunity in Philadelphia. One game, the winner makes the playoffs and the loser goes home.

And Jody Shelley score four minutes in and I am going crazy. I know it's a long way from over. But the asshole fans in that building are quiet. And that dead, fat piece of lard Kate Smith is crying. From then on, I thought only Henrik Lundqvist and the 4th line of Prust Shelley, and Anisimov showed up. The Phucking Phlyers outshot the Rangers 17-4 in the first period. Seventeen to four! That is atrocious!

Second period. Two minutes of even play. Then Aaron Voros (enough of him!) gets suckered into a fight with Ian Laperriere. Philly gets all the momentum back. By the grace of the King, it stays 1-0. Nothing else to say.

And after PA Parenteau (who has no redeeming value aside from the shootout), takes his second penalty midway through the third period, Matt Carle, standing all alone in front of the net, beats a sprawled Lundqvist. Had no chance.

The Rangers somehow survive to get to overtime. Both teams traded good scoring chances in the extra period, but both goalies held their ground, and the 8th seed of the NHL Eastern Conference would come down to a shootout.

Erik Christiansen gets stopped and Parenteau scored. Claude Giroux makes it 2-1 and the season comes down to Olli Jokinen. Olli freakin' Jokinen. One of the biggest floaters in the history of this team. No Marian Gaborik. No Brandon Dubinsky. No Vinny Prospal, who also stunk by the way. Jokinen, who came over in March and will be gone along with his 5 million dollars next month. He does not get a shot off. And those motherphuckers in Philly make the playoffs. The Rangers are left to scratch themselves and reserve tee times.

This was a terrible season. In a year with the Eastern Conference this mediocre and one of the three best goalies in the world and a newcomer who scored 43 goals, it is disastrous that they missed the playoffs.

Sather will not go anywhere. Tortorella will not go anywhere. I'll have an offseason plan later. Right now, I'm sure the powers at be will settle for corporate suits buying tickets and more mediocrity on the ice, which is exactly what we Rangers fans have seen for 5 years now. The 8 years before that were downright embarrassing.

How long will 1994 be the only thing we have to be proud of?

The heat is here

1) And it's hottest in my cubicle at the office. As of 11 AM today, I now have a new boss and four schools to work instead of three. Time to learn to set a steady, consistent pace.

2) The BBQ pulled pork sandwich at Honky Tonk BBQ has become one of my favorite sandwiches in the word. Toasted ciabatta filled with chunks of pork and some extra BBQ rub sprinkled on top. I preferred the tomato vinegar sauce to the Carolina mustard sauce and it complemented the pork perfectly. Throw in a side of beans and a cornbread muffin and I was stuffed. Drank my first Konig Pilsner, which is a lighter tasting, refreshing German beer. Had my second right afterwards. And I like the atmosphere of the place. A lot of old wood, so it feels like a classic saloon. Live music, a lot of 1920's Old West art on the walls. In the middle of a pre-dominantly Hispanic neighborhood of Pilsen, this place really stands out. I will definitely return, when I'm in the hood anyway.

3) Wrestlemania was a fun night with the guys. The card on the whole was decent, but Shawn Michaels and the Undertaker made it very good. I can say I am fortunate to have watched Shawn for 22 years and I wish him all the best with whatever he does now.

4) Four fantasy baseball teams. I picked 1, 2, 3 , and 5. So I wound up drafting a lot of the same players for multiple teams. I guess that means this season will be really good or really bad.

5) I believe I can sniff out a cigarette from two miles away.

6) The great season of Easter has arrived. Checked out the Good Friday service at Willow, will go back on Saturday afternoon, and then probably over to Wheaton Bible on Sunday. I really prefer a traditional service for Christmas and Easter.

7) Since they lost what I felt was a killer game to Boston two weeks ago, the Rangers have picked up 9 points in 10 games. they are just two points out of the playoffs after demolishing Tampa Bay 5-0 in Florida tonight. If they beat the Panthers on Saturday, this will get very exciting. Five games left to play...

8) On April 1, a friend of mine wrote this on his Facebook account: "Happy Atheist's Day." It was April Fool's Day. Maybe not the nicest thing to say, but certainly creative. Not like I expect to hear a whole lot of well wishes from atheists about Easter anyway.

9) Trying to get into jazz music. Got a couple of Miles Davis CD's from the library. I like what I hear, but really, I'm just trying to appreciate one song from the next. Because without words, a lot of jazz does sound similar to me. Sounds great though, so I guess that's good.

10) Ring of Honor debuts in Charlotte, NC Saturday night. I am really excited to watch this show, I just wish it wasn't beginning at the same time as the Rangers. My picks:

ROH World Title Match – Triple Threat Rules
Tyler Black vs. Austin Aries vs. Roderick Strong

ROH World Tag Team Title Match
Jay & Mark Briscoe defend vs. The Kings of Wrestling with Shane Hagadorn

Pick 6 Series Match
(5) Kenny King vs. Davey Richards

Grudge Tag Team Match
Kevin Steen & Steve Corino vs. El Generico & Colt Cabana

Lucha Super Estrella
Blue Demon, Jr. & Misterioso vs. Super Parka & Solar

Lucha Estrella
Cassandro el Exotico vs. Magno

Butcher’s Rules
Necro Butcher vs. Erick Stevens with Prince Nana

Song pick: "I Want My Rib Back" Keith Whitley