Wednesday (crawl, call & curse) edition: Wha’ Happened?
Posted on July 23rd, 2008 – 9:21 AMBy Michael Rand
We thought about putting a moratorium on Brett Favre posts, but it’s going to be pretty impossible as long as the NFL is visiting Winter Park regarding the tampering stuff and ESPN is saying Favre wants to play here. Nothing would shock us at this point. Nothing. It also seems as though Favre is still on the brains of you dear readers as well, seeing as how three of you have sent us separate links or messages lately with some Favre thoughts.
*First up is Joker, who reminds us that Favre is on the cover of Madden ‘09. We all know the long history of the cover jinx; we all thought such a thing could be broken this year when they picked a “retired” player for the cover. But it now appears we have irrefutable evidence of a curse — unless you don’t consider a ruined reputation to be a bad thing.
*Next is Newbie, who reminds us of something we saw last week with this e-mail: “In accidentally watching ESPN — my wife was watching it, I swear! — I noticed the bottom line, which used to be just for sports scores, but now has become a place for “breaking” news. The usual headlines are MLB, NFL, NHL, NBA, WNBA, etc … However due to the recent Favre saga, he now has his own little headline title. So, when you’re watching for the pitching match-ups of tonight’s games we now get the added bonus of catching up on all of the Favre news we have only heard 6 times today. Honestly, is this the first time in the history of the world that an athlete changed his mind about retiring? Or are we just blessed to live in the age of 24 hour news networks? We feel your pain, Newbie. We saw the Favre crawl while sitting in a restaurant. It is truly disgusting. End of story.
*And finally, frequent commenter and mob tough guy Victor Lebanon has this take on the Favre vs. Vikings saga over at his corner of the Internet universe.
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OK, some of you also might be wondering how Official RandBall Band “The Hold Steady” played last night at First Avenue. It was pretty much what we expected for a band on tour backing a very freshly released CD. (Yes, it’s been available for a little longer via download, but still). It’s just harder to get into the new songs. Part of a concert experience is familiarity, no doubt. So when there was a string of new stuff, we listened intently but also felt things bogging down a little. That said: Chips Ahoy was money (the video never fails to crack us up), and the first encore — kicked off by Positive Jam — was extremely tight. The (sold out) Ave was packed with punctual, sweaty folks. We wanted them to play one Lifter Puller song, but maybe we should stop living in the past and just move on.
As responsible concert-goers, we took the bus to and from the Avenue. On the way back, we had a nice chat with a fella whose bottom line will be impacted if bus fares are raised. “I’m glad we’re getting these stadiums. Really I am,” he said before talking more about the tough economic times. While it should be noted that transit funding and stadium funding are parts of two different buckets, they are part of one overall philosophy. We will say no more.
Fasola-link! 50 golf courses, 50 states, 50 days. Must be rough.
23 Responses to "Wednesday (crawl, call & curse) edition: Wha’ Happened?"
A proposed anti-waffling compromise: Favre runs for Senate, and Jesse starts as quarterback for the Packers.
Rand - what was up with the concert ending? I lost my sightline for a second, and all of a sudden I saw Finn without his glasses, two other guys on stage holding guitars, and Finn singing a capella while the band stared at him. Confusing.
I propose that we stop talking about Farvay until something actually happens, which prefarbly, nothing will ever happen and he’ll go away forever. Until some team actually has him coming to training camp, can we please not talk about him? Everyone likes to call him an attention-whore but then we give it to him.
Brandon — the two other guys were the former members of Lifter Puller (I think). As for the rest of the chaos, I’m as confused as you are.
It’s just harder to get into the new songs. Part of a concert experience is familiarity, no doubt. So when there was a string of new stuff, we listened intently but also felt things bogging down a little.
A band that defies this logic (which I normally agree with): Rusted Root. Their new stuff (release isn’t until Sept.) was just as danceable and awesome as the old stuff. In fact, the concert may have picked up in energy during new songs. It was totally unexpected.
With the non-stop attention on Favray, I wouldn’t be surprised if the saga ends in a low-speed police chase down Highway 5 ending in a fiery crash outside of the corn maze shaped like Travaris Jackson overthrowing a reciever
From the fasalo-link …
Halfway through their round of golf in Kapolei [Hawaii], [one of the golfers] decided to try a local delicacy — Spam musubi, a slab of fried Spam on top of a small block of rice, tied together with dried seaweed.
“It’s really good,” he said.
… do all Fasalolinks have a hidden MN connection? Have I been missing this all along? I’m debating going back through all of the previous fasalolinks and trying to connect them to MN …
I’m debating going back through all of the previous fasalolinks and trying to connect them to MN …
Can someone say “thesis”?
Also, NO.
That stupid stupid Victor Lebanon wrote a coherent and interesting article that I was almost able to finish reading about a subject that I can’t stand … and then ruined the entire almost-appreciation by referring to the quagmire as “Favre-gate”.
NO. This is not … this is a … this is a [redacted]! I will not let this stand! Do not -gate every single controversy! Or any controversy! Watergate was the NAME OF THE HOTEL. There is no “-gate” here! I already wished this issue to die, but now I declare a pox! A pox on all of your -gates! Aghhhhhhh!
Next year by this time, you’ll be calling me Dr. Fasolamatt.
Muxhut:
I have reservations at the Favregate Hotel. I’ve also previously stayed at the Spygate Hotel.
From the Favregate Hotel website:
“Every room at the Favregate Hotel features wall-to-wall lifesize posters of Brett Favre. For your protection and sanitation, we suggest you bring your own black light.”
Has anyone else noticed that Childress started growing his Playoff beard in the middle of July? He then went down to the training camp goatee which looks about as good on him as it would Marissa Miller. I think Chilly is getting a little cocky and I can’t wait for a 6-10 season to knock him down a notch or three.
Would Madden be the Deep Throat in your analogy?
wall-to-wall lifesize posters of Brett Favre.
The correct nomenclature is “Fatheads of Brett Favre”
I can’t wait for a 6-10 season to knock him down a notch or three.
Unfortunately, this will more likely apply to whoever the Bears coach is.
(See? See what I did there? I pretended like I didn’t know what his name was so that the comment was more dismissive. Yep.)
The only gate is one hitting his ass on the way out.
Can we agree at least to only this photo of Farvay if he comes up in the news? Courtesy of kirschtopia…
Muxhut,
Did I offend you in a former life?
Apologies for Favre-gate. It rolled off the tongue, err, keyboard better than Favre-quagmire.
But I sort of have to agree with you on the “gate”ing of every controversy out there. I committed one of my own pet peeves in doing so.
Dave
The Bears coach(I’ll pretend I don’t know his name) is only on the first notch so he can’t get knocked down more than that 1 notch. Goatee wearing Childress seems to have put himself atleast on notch 5 or 6 which is never a good idea when you haven’t even won a playoff game.
jama:
I was unaware that negative notches were not in play…
I like Favre Kerfuffle. It could be an overblown, nauseatingly unending story concerning a certain slack-jawed, middle-aged football diva OR it could be the biggest dance craze to hit local discotheques since the Electric Slide. But it leaves you wanting to know more. Or not.
In a purported story coming out later today, the Minneapolis StarTribune is reporting Lifter Puller will announce it is coming out of retirement.
The report states the band does not want to play The Uptown Bar. The report also states the Uptown Bar has filed tampering charges against First Avenue, and has obtained phone records showing inappropriate contact between First Avenue, former Lifter Puller leader Craig Finn, and StarTribune reporter/blogger Michael Rand.
A spokesman from First Avenue said the club is unable to comment on the tampering charges.
What about Farvay-herpies? No one wants to see that.
