HELP WANTED: Investors (Well.....there IS a Smithfield, Virginia, too.)

Even though NOBODY in the Commonwealth has a clue about fixin' BBQ.....

I need a couple of people with some $$$ to invest, and they'd rather get better return on their money than, say, 2.67% or something....

It's REAL simple. We need to open Virginia's first Smithfield Chicken & BBQ location.

There aren't many choices for BBQ in the Richmond area, in my opinion. The leader of the pack is Bill's Barbeque. When you ask most people, "What's the first word that comes to your mind when you hear BBQ?" in Richmond, Bill's will be the one.

But, well, in a word.....Bill's BBQ is soggy. There's no real "texture". Do I expect my sandwich bun like "toasted"? Heck, no. But I do expect it to still have shape and flavor, rather than it be taken over by soggy BBQ.

Kudos to Bill's on one thing, though.....they have limeade. We'd have to do something about that on our menu.

Smithfield could come into Richmond and meteorically rise to popularity. Spacious eat-in facilities, employees who bring you your food and come refill your sweet iced tea (oh, and no one in Virginia makes sweet tea like Smithfield, either!). Very clean, family-friendly, fairly-priced (in other words, scratch Arby's from your choices; they're simply too pricey now.)

Start with one location....I have ideas as to location (which I won't divulge here), and watch the revolution begin.

SMITHFIELD CHICKEN & BBQ.....I BEG OF YOU....PLEASE COME TO RICHMOND!!!!!!

P.S.---I didn't even start to talk about their chicken. That's another page and a half. And the fries? Shoestrings that no one can touch (sorry, McDonalds), and the finisher----HUSH PUPPIES---the BEST in the world. I ate 'em cold driving home last night. I ate 'em cold at 6am Sunday morning when I woke up to go to men's room.

You'll eat 'em 24/7, too.

Now, back to the investor search.....:)

I am truly honored.....

You Are Most Like Ronald Reagan

People tend to think you're a god - or that you almost ruined the country. But even if people do disagree with you, they still fall victim to your charms!

What Modern US President Are You Most Like?

Birthdays, church, NASCAR, Hams, and rain.....

In a nutshell, there's our Sunday in New Bern, NC, as we count down until the time we must depart to get the family home for their Monday of school and job (and my day of sleep!!! And I think I'll work on this blog, too.)

It was good to be in church today!!! We were at Uncle Frank's church, where he has been filling in as "interim minister" during their ministerial search. He did a fantastic job as he threw down the gauntlet of confession to God from Daniel in Daniel 9. Good stuff!

Then, an overflow Golden Corral lost our business (just no room!) and we went to Ham's. First time at a Ham's, and I enjoyed very much. Good food, good service, and Mountain Dew. That's all I need. Pictures and pictures of the family to celebrate Papa's 75th and Rachel's 10th birthdays. I especially enjoyed taking photos of Rachel eating just as the fork hit the mouth. :)

Now, lots of rain falling (but no storms!!!) as we prepare to go. An all-too-quick but very enjoyable visit to Witham Nation South.

Now I can listen again to an awesome radio station going home (100.7 The River) out of Raleigh (a Clear Channel station!).....why can't we have a station this good back home???

All Things Witham---On The Road For The First Time EVER!!!

Welcome to my first blog post outside of Virginia!!

We're live tonight in New Bern, North Carolina, as we traveled here earlier this evening to celebrate two milestone birthdays!

On Monday, our wonderful daughter, Rachel, turns the big 10!! I'm still trying to figure out where in the world those ten years disappeared to!!!!

Then, the person she shares that birthday with, her Papa (my Dad), turns the big 75! So, at the risk of letting a big day go by, we came down to celebrate both birthdays tomorrow, since we have to be back home at this time tomorrow night so the kids can get to school Monday.

I, on the other hand, had at least some foresight and am taking Monday off to snooze. :)

There is a chance of some storms tomorrow PM, so I'm hoping they will either not develop or we can dodge the bullet.

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Quick, few, end-of-week musings:

1) Lots and lots on my mind right now, about things happening, things that may happen, things that may not. I'm very happy that, in spite of all that rambling through my mind at warp speed, I still made the trip here to NC. But, let it be said, next week could turn out to be extremely pivotal. Plus, my jury duty "on-call period" will be done soon, and that will make me happy, no matter what other emotions come my way.

2) NC State.....will they ever be able to recruit with UNC and Duke at their side door? They used to......hopefully Sidney Lowe can, because Lord knows we need some players. The poor guys there now, when you run only seven players, you run out of steam. I don't look forward to seeing their "March legs". They'll probably be tired. I hope at least an NIT bid, so the guys, and the coach, can play some March tournament basketball. All experience is a positive right now.

3) The Taco Bell gutted by fire next to work last Thanksgiving has been open a few weeks now. No word as to whether they plan to add rats as their latest attraction, a la NYC.

Good night from North Carolina!! Happy birthday Papa and Rachel! February 26, 1932 and February 26, 1997. :)

A few "24" thoughts....

....I don't know, but the last few minutes of the show this week confused me. Jack's dad didn't plan on killing him all along, just to apprehend him to start this magical mystery tour with the first stop checking on President Logan?

Personally, I don't think Phillip can kill Jack. He loves him too much.

Next week, the bomb goes off on Assad; Palmer survives (because, remember, he's in on it all!!)

Morris. There's really not much more they can do with his character if you think about it. And, honestly, the sooner he leaves the better.

When's the dark-haired chick at CTU going to do anything more than say four to seven lines a week?

Why do I get the feeling that Lennox will get just desserts on these assassination lovers before it's all over?

Oh, and now, let's get Marilyn and Josh back to CTU where they can stay comfortably during the rest of the day; no longer a pawn of dad-in-law or grandpop, with really not much else to do. Until of course, she tells Jack he's the dad. That'll be about hour 21.

So, that is all for now. :)

An observation after this particular Sunday......

.....I really, really, really, really, really, really, really miss the National Football League.

And once my favorite event, The NCAA Tournament ends, I hit bottom.

And begin to count the days until the first training camp opens, and visions of fantasy football magazines dance in my head.

Hang on like-minded, we'll make it to late July!!!!

Some thoughts about JetBlue and I-78......

1) JetBlue's decision this weekend to cancel a bunch of flights (including here in Richmond) to, I guess, regroup after their problems with the weather, cancelled flights, and the PR nightmare of New York City a few days ago, leaves me bewildered. Why try to "fix" a problem by inconveniencing MORE people with more cancellations?

2) But, I DO know these thoughts without a doubt. Regarding the transportation nightmares resulting from the huge snow/ice storm in the Northeast......

----I have tremendous amounts of sorrow for all the stranded travelers on I-78 in Pennsylvania, who are stuck, totally stuck in miles and miles of traffic, for up to 24 hours. Issues such as food and especially warmth become life-threatening issues. That must have been a nightmare for all drivers and passengers involved.

----With the exception of children, I have NO sympathy for the people I saw interviewed the other night on TV who had to "endure" waits of up to 11 hours on a JetBlue airplane. Was JetBlue apparently completely clueless and negligent to their customers? ABSOLUTELY.

BUT.....BUT......if I am stuck somewhere, I would MUCH rather it be in an airplane safely on the tarmac on the ground as opposed to, say, I-78 in Pennsylvania. Some people interviewed made it sound like the airplane became a war zone and they were furious at the horrific experience they had just lived through.

I'm sorry....no sympathy. If I were there, would I be disappointed and frustrated? Yes. Mad that JetBlue apparently never provided passengers information updates? Yes.

Act on television as if you just survived some sort of military battle?? Forget it.

If the maturity portion of my brain was working in conjunction with my reality portion, I would realize I was inside, warm, and inconvenienced by lack of food, bathroom facilities and patience, but I COULD BE IN MUCH, MUCH MORE DESPERATE STRAITS.

Had I been one of the passengers who went on TV and acted so "in the moment emotional" about my day, then went home or to a hotel and see the I-78 story on the air.......

.....I would have found myself relatively embarrassed. The people that went through hell were in cold cars in the middle of an "asphalt-nowhere", thinking they might not get out of what started as "just as a traffic jam" alive, not in JetBlue airplanes.

Sorry-----this has just eaten at me since I saw it on TV. There is desperate, and then there is "desperate".

I pray no one who reads this will end up in something like an "I-78 experience".

And when I want to get mad during an airplane delay, someone remind me my kids used to cry alot, too.

Me??? Rascal Flatts??? In the same building?? Within feet of each other??

Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction!!

Rascal Flatts and Rob Witham in the SAME building.

Only a beautiful almost ten-year old freckled-face daughter could pull this one off. And what's even better, she never knew she was doing it!!

Here's the story, which has been a big secret for about four to six weeks.

--Daddy finds out Rascal Flatts, his daughter's favorite group, was coming to the new arena in Charlottesville. Dad was able to get two tickets for the show to be his present to Rachel for her 10th birthday. One catch.....let's NOT tell Rachel...make it a surprise.

--I get the tickets, and cannot believe the location. I hoped to be "in the building"; you know, Section 309....that's cool by me! What do the tickets say? "Floor. Row E." "Is this as good as I think it is?", I ask myself.

--So, the day comes, I call Rachel at work on speakerphone late in the day to inform her that her and Dad were going on a date. Her reaction......"what??" We meet at home around 530 and hit the road. Traffic was heavy all the way to C-Ville.

--Then the worst part of the night begins. I take the 3rd exit like the directions say, but the flashing sign on the road said take the second exit for parking. At this arena, you either pay lots and park close, or park for free and hoof it. 15 minutes worth of walkin'. Most nights, that's actually good exercise. Last night, with temps falling thru the 20's and Rachel having NO idea what was going on....she ended up cold and confused.

So, I take the third...wait in a long line of cars, then find what I thought was the right street based on the map....and was right. Went into an area of the University to park.....full; side parking lot...full---Rachel and I drive around for ten minutes, and SHE saved the day. We pass a building and she says, "Dad, you can park in there, I see stairs. And cars." I go around, get back to the other side of the building, enter the deck and the first parking place is open. I gladly take it.

--Of course, I'm in shorts. I'm always in shorts. Funny, the whole walk, my legs weren't really cold; it was the top half of me that was freezing! Okay, back to the really important part....

--I've taken Rachel up the interstate on a one hour, fifteen minute road trip and she knows nothing about what's at the end of the potential rainbow. We approach the building, she later said she saw how big it was and thought it must be some kind of show, but with no marquee or sign to announce to surprise, I take out the tickets just as we walk into the building.

"Rachel, tell me what it says on the tickets."

Rachel, who always reacts emotionally on a two-hour delay, looked, said nothing, then quietly said, "Rascal Flatts." Let the shock begin.

Then we have very nice UVA people (DID I JUST SAY THAT??) help ya find your seats.

The seats. Yeah, the seats that put you TEN FEET from the front walkway of the stage.

After a gaggle of teenage girls swooped in front of us to try to have their hand touched by the opening act, I told Rachel just before the main event, "...you better get up and stand at the end of that railing, or you'll never see the show."

So, she staked her claim to a slab of concrete, and proceeded to never sit down. Two solid hours of Rachel mesmerized by what was unfolding in front of her, fifteen chances to be "psuedo-crushed" by aforementioned group of teens, surviving one lady's "super-scream" just behind us, who I told Rachel after the show should join the military and become a drill sargeant, and having Rascal Flatts come up to eight to ten feet away from her.

(Rachel, by the way, never held her hand out to be touched. She got her maturity from her Dad.) :) :)

REVIEW:

1) The show? Well done; the stage was tremendously put together with a huge tall rectangle screen in the back middle showing some of their videos during their performances. The top is semi-circled with "little monitors" on them in checkboard fashion. Not overdone. I appreciated that. Sparks in the opening song; serious confetti at the end (before the encore). The best technical aspect of the night was when the threesome all came to within ten feet of Rachel, there was a hydraulic machine up high, they connected cables to the end of the stage, it rose high and carried them over the heads of the floor seating onto a small stage on the other end of the floor. The back upper and lower levels went nuts as they "brought the show closer" to them.

2) The group? They put on a pretty good show; quite entertaining for a general music fan like me, and apparently more like a worship experience based on the emotional reaction of many girls around me. Rachel later admitted to screaming twice and smiling alot. See, all I saw of her was the back of her head! She wouldn't look stoic alot when turning around to see me, and I asked her if she was smiling. She said yes. I told her I wanted to make sure the group didn't look down and think you weren't having fun!!

3) The music? Thank God they are musicians, and not just studio singers. The lead guy only sang, but another guy (Jay) really impressed me with acoustic and electric guitar work, a drums duet he had with the stage band's drummer that was nuts, then a virtuoso performance on the piano. When I see a group member sing, interact with the crowd, have fun, and show that much musical dexterity, I see worth in the cost of a ticket.

4) The final score? I enjoyed the show, I bounced up and down out of my chair taking pictures for my girl when good opportunities arose (and there were many) while holding her coat, and I enjoyed the people-watching.

Am I now a "Rascal Flatts fan"? No. Can I listen to their CD now in the van without thinking "yech!"? Yeah. Because that means Rachel's in the van, too, and I'll apparently use Rascal Flatts to any and all lengths to surprise my girl. :)

Like I said to some people yesterday and today:

"She's had me around her finger for ten years now, at least once I should be able to string her along!"

Happy Birthday, Rachel!

And, to Dee, the lady who put us in the seats that made my girl's surprise dream come true, I will kiss your feet when I see you. Thank you. :)

4th Post of the Day: See Gilmore Girls last night?

Our CW station pre-empted the Gilmore Girls for a college basketball game, which normally would meet with my approval.

But, in this case, my wife does have me interested in the show, and last night was supposed to be a pivotal episode concerning Lorelai and her true feelings about the "loves" of her life.

CW doesn't replay their shows online, so the question is:

Anyone see Gilmore Girls last night? If you did, what happened? Click "comments" and please clue me in so I can, again, be my wife's hero.

At least for ten minutes.

GSN------I can't believe you did this to me!!!!!!

So, I have my TV on in the office for an hour, tuned to GSN for Password Plus and $100,000 Pyramid.

If I could pick one game show to have been on, it would have been Pyramid, without a doubt. The whole purpose of the game, especially the winners' circle, is tremendous. I'd put my headphones on and listen so the girls wouldn't be tortured.

So, $100,000 Pyramid is in their $100,000 Tournament, consisting of the three players who had won in the winners' circle in the quickest time over the past several months. The first of those three to win in the winners' circle this time gets $100K, and the tourney is over.

As of a week ago Friday, they had played 10 shows with two games each....and no one had made it to the top of the Pyramid yet.

So, Monday at 11:30, when I should see another two chances for someone to win it all, what does GSN do???

THEY REPLACE THE SHOW WITH "THE WEAKEST LINK"!!!!!!!!!

WHAT??!!??????

So, I don't know who eventually won the money. Yeah, I know it's a mid to late 80s show and I could surf online and find out, but THAT'S NOT THE POINT. You also cannot watch the drama of someone winning it all online either.

Why not schedule things so that the winning episode could have aired on that Friday, so that on Monday, people like me wouldn't have gotten VERY UPSET to see the program change.

There. I feel better. And I still love the ladies of Playmania. :)

The end of cereal.......

...okay, it's over. You cannot make me take back the following statement:

Almost all of my favorite cereals don't taste good/right/like they used to.....anymore....at all.

It started with General Mills deciding that the "whole grain" train was the right, healthy way to go. They may be right about that, but Lucky Charms don't taste the same, neither do other GM cereals, except for Cheerios.

Well, let's go to Post and one of my all-time favorites, Honey Comb. The last two boxes bought, tasted yecch. Weeks ago, a box of Waffle Crisp yielding a disgusting surprise......

Dear God, Cap'n Crunch didn't do this, too, did he? The last box was, ugh.

So.....I'm putting all my hopes and dreams and cereal future on three small characters.....

Snap, Crackle, and Pop.

Happy Valentines Day.......

......I guess.

Just kidding. Valentine's Day, though, has never been a big day in the Witham Nation, since our wedding anniversary was two weeks ago.

Bonnie spent her V-Day getting her first portal treatment for the Lapband. I got to see it and watch on X-Ray. Very fascinating. And, in a moment of poignacy, and some embarassment, the nurse couldn't get my "flak-jacket" keeping me safe from the radiation, to snap to in the front with the same type of snap that is on bicycle helmets. So, I held both sides....and thought of the irony.

Maybe I need to do something 'bout that. It's the only part of my body that is "fat". Kill the tummy, return to regular programming. It would help my heart, my apnea, my overall health, and, heck, maybe a few more things. :)

So, as wifey makes hard-earned progress, yours truly gets a reality check. Happy Valentines Day.

Lyrics.....

.....off and on I'll quote some cool, some quirky, and some poignant lyrics of various songs that I've encountered.

NOW, before you call me what I AM NOT....the song where I find these lyrics does NOT advocate the return of the "South". It's the anthem of Southern Rock. Having said that, let it be known that I absolutely love this line from "The South's Gonna Do It Again" from the Charlie Daniels Band....

"Elvin Bishop's sittin' on a bail of hay; he ain't good lookin' but he sure can play."

Now, if you're Elvin, how do you take that? I guess it depends upon what's more important to one's manhood....looks or the ability to rip a guitar to shreds. :)

"24" and more......

....what a nasty, nasty father Phillip Bauer is.

Chloe is guilty because of Morris' stint with the terrorists.
Jack is guilty thinking he killed Graem.
Phillip is a nasty, nasty father.

Meanwhile, do they try to kill Palmer and kill Assad instead? Or both?

The first hour was non-stop; I'm surprised the second hour is turning into a "tweener" episode.
The end will probably be different......

Hey, and Chloe has a pretty good right slap!

Good Lord, didn't take long for Phillip to use leverage via his grandson. Nasty, nasty......

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On other quick notes before the big ending in ten minutes.....

--Saturday was strange. Real strange. I actually couldn't sleep. (What??!??) Even taking my correct medication, I was awake, and awake, and awake. So, I took Rachel to her, dare I say, "boyfriend's" birthday party? It was at an inside go-kart racing place. I really didn't think Rachel was going to get on a go-kart and drive, but she did! I was so proud of her! They did two seven-minute "shifts", and she improved her best lap time from 1:02 in the first shift, to :45.5 in the second. Heck, she'd probably beat me!!

--Sunday, I, ah, caught up on the sleep. I slept. Like, all day slept. And that's the end of that day.

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I didn't watch the Grammys.

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So, I don't know whether giving the Dixie Chicks an award was for musical excellence or as a political statement to slap George W. Bush.

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Okay----tonight's "can't believe" moment on "24" is....Morris gets a drill in the shoulder one hour, and is back to work the next?? Yeah, right.

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I have officially lost track of how many shows my wife watches on TV. Let me see here.....

--"24"
--Heroes (online since it's on against "24")
--CSI: Miami
--NCIS (online since it's on against Gilmore Girls)
--Gilmore Girls
--The Unit
--Bones
--Lost
--Ugly Betty
--Grey's Anatomy
--CSI (online since it's on against Greys)
--Men in Trees
--Monk
--Psych
--Numb3rs (online since it's on against Psych)
--Desperate Housewives
--Brothers and Sisters (she's trying to catch up on this show's first season online)

Me? I watch "24" and "Gilmore Girls". And that's all.

OH! And I watch my wife watch TV....forgot about that!

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Well, I didn't see the end of the 2pm hour coming either. So next week, Jack learns the truth about pop (he's a nasty, nasty father), which means he and Marilyn will inevitably join forces (but probably not trust each other) and, well, you know......

.....still won't stop Jack and Chloe. One day, friends. One day.

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In closing.....

The Orioles lose Kris Benson for the season. Sorry he's hurt, but he would be no help. We were 67-95 last year, right?

The Giants say goodbye to Arrington, Pettigout, and Emmons. The new GM better shake that place up; they need it. Bad.

And, NBC wins the Tiki Barber sweepstakes. Where's he going to fit in on Sunday night? They already have three gabbers and Bob Costas, and they'd never put him in the booth with Al and John. Sterling? Bus? Cris? Is one of them gone? Definitely not Cris. And the "Today Show"? What the heck is he going to do there? Do you think they'll let Tiki do news stories (like Fox News had him fill in on their morning show and did NOT limit him to sports stuff)? I doubt it, but I hope so.

Oh, and does anyone know who's replacing Bryant Gumbel on NFL Network next year?

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BREAKING........Chargers fire Schottenheimer. Goes 14-2, loses first round home game in playoffs.....again.......is this it for Marty? Or is there a team willing to give him one more chance to get to the playoffs.....and win?

Sadness in the Orioles' family, again....twice....

After losing Pat Dobson to leukemia in November, the Oriole family loses two more members in the span of just a few days.....

Steve Barber: The first 20-game winner in the modern Oriole era, and played for the 1966 World Series Champs, died at 67.

Hank Bauer: Best known as a key member of the 1950's Yankee dynasty, I can forgive him for the pinstripes because he managed the Orioles to their first World Series title in 1966.

They join Pat Kelly, Dave McNally, Chuck Thompson, Curt Blefary, Mark Belanger, Nellie Briles, Moe Drabowsky, and Elrod Hendricks in Oriole history.

And to Steve, and to Hank, a big thanks!

"24" from Monday night, or, catching up this week, part one

Let's do the best we can four days removed from the latest hour.

--Didn't see the Morris "is the expert" storyline revealing....I was NOT paying attention there. "Why was my brother in Valencia?"---why didn't I realize that line was key?? Well, this is just taking us one step closer to the eventual Jack/Chloe hook-up I've been begging for....it just makes sense!!

--The dark-haired assistant to Buchanan....is she going to say "yes, sir" and walk around all day? No, that "sign in under my passcode" deal will return to haunt someone.

--Kudos to Karen for hanging up on the Mister. Gee, I could relate. Happens to me all the time. :)

--SWEET swerve by Prez Lil' Palmer, taking Lennox's suggestions and sneezing on them. And......ooohhh....we have a vice-president with his own agenda. Didn't that happen last year for about 90 minutes?

--Now, to the Bauer family.

"They're wacky and they're goofy, Graem liked to hear ka-boomy, now all in the same room-y, the Bauer Family!" (insert finger snaps here)

Jack's conversation with Dad in the back of the van early on.....didn't believe the Dad. Something just wasn't genuine. I didn't spend the rest of the hour predicting his eventual "badness", but I didn't become shocked when it happened.

Now, how? Another story. Dad: "You've been a great son". Been, eh? That's a clue.

Now, as someone pointed out to me this week, Dad's calling for EMT's, blaming CTU (obviously to dig deep into Jack's heart and psyche).....but, how 'bout some fingerprints on the IV thingy? Maybe Graem will get revenge by revealing the damning evidence against Dad to Nina Myers as she returns from the dead in the 7pm hour. Huh??

Some of the best acting ever on "24" was shown in the room where Graem and Jack, and later Graem and Dad, had their showdowns. Jack simultaneously hugging his brother trying to get the information, not wanting to shoot him up closer to death, but, then turning on a dime and screaming "Four CC's!!!!" because the truth....well, the truth was the important thing.

These scenes are the payoff to my hope to discover the Jack Bauer under the Jack Bauer hero personna. Cannot wait for the eventual "father/son" showdown.

Next week......

Two Big Hours of "24"!!! The hours taking place are between 1pm and 3pm.

BEST LINE: "We are NOT THE SAME!!!"---Jack Bauer to his brother after Graem confessed arranging the whole Palmer/Tony/Michelle disaster, trying to bait Jack out and blame him.

Super Bowl Commercials

My top four:

4) Bud Light: "Rock, Paper, Scissors"

3) Bud Light: "Auctioneer"

2) T-Mobile: "Wade and Barkley"

1) CBS Late Show promo---Letterman and Oprah cozy on the couch. Hilarious, in less than ten seconds.

Now, the road to Super Bowl XLII is underway!!!

Super Bowl XLI

Well, that didn't take long.

Just as my bro warned me during our pre-game chat on my way home from the station, watch out for Devin Hester.

7-0, Bears.

Peyton better calm the offense down (false starts) and get into a rhythm.

COMMERCIAL: Bud Light takes the lead with "Rock, Paper, Scissors".

They talked about rain all afternoon on the Super Bowl Today, and with 11 minutes left, 1st quarter, it's a comin' down.

BTW: Kudos to CBS, who actually made a four-hour pregame show not seem like four hours. Great segments on Walter Payton and Brian Piccolo, the kidney donation of a former teammate in Dallas, and Katie Couric's report on Hines Ward.

SPEAKING OF KATIE COURIC: I can already hear the media blogosphere.....

"Look at her hairdo! Chet Huntley is rolling over in his grave, Cronkite is rolling over in his recliner."

GIVE ME A BREAK! But that's another story for another time.....

Manning eludes pressure, sends it downfield, Reggie Wayne is WIDE OPEN...touchdown! But, here we go again, the point after is botched! 7-6, early on.

COMMERCIALS: Fed Ex does the same thing as last year, only not cavemen, it's astronauts. The comet saved the spot from being really lame.

Bud Light and the auctioneer. EXCELLENT spot. It takes over #1, with their other spot 2nd.

FUMBLE!!!!!!!!!!-----Well, well....how the momentum swings! Colts get the ball. WAIT! Colts return the favor. Addai never had it---Alex Brown was all over him.

THOMAS JONES!!!!!!!-----one carry, 52 yards from the Big Stone Gap native, who, a year ago, was considered on his way out of Chicago, as they looked to Cedric Benson for the future. The city likes him now.

Grossman to Muhammed. Touchdown, Bears. Around three Colts to boot. 14-6, da Bears.

COMMERCIAL: Snickers....let's see. Gross, funny with the chest hair part, and the gay community is gonna scream. Chevrolet....good spot.

YIKES!!! DAVE & OPRAH!!!! Better than any commercial so far.

Game action-----in the pouring rain. The more it rains, the closer the Vince Lombardi Trophy moves to the Bear sidelines. Peyton looks really shaky. Like the pass to Wayne was the exception and not the rule.

FUMBLE!!!!!! The Colts are back in Bear territory. What a shot with the helmet!!

But it doesn't help. Three and out, try now to pin the Bears back deep. (Remember the coffin corner?? No one does that anymore.) 1:46 to go. And they do. First down at the four.

Anyone smell a Super Bowl record for fumbles???

Whoa. Tait down. Benson down. Inhale moment for Chicago. John St. Clair is in for Tait, as another UVA grad makes an appearance (see Greta? I actually would mention them!). Thomas Jones being the other, of course.....

There's not been a wilder opening quarter of a Super Bowl, that's for sure. Nine seconds left, back to the Colts.

GREAT LINE: Phil Simms....commenting on stars of a new CBS series being in the stands for the game...in the rain....."If it were a hit show, they'd be in a suite."

First Quarter Ends: Chicago 14, Indy 6.

COMMERCIAL: Wonder if there's an opening at GoDaddy.com in marketing? Shhh, don't tell wifey!!

We need to take Joseph Addai seriously. 7 rushes, 38 yards so far on the vaunted Bear "D".
He leads them to a field goal, and it's 14-9.

COMMERCIAL: Well, ain't that a kick in the head!! Excellent Bud spot with the dog winning the heart of the ladies' float.

QUESTION?:---How far away from the Grammys will you be next Sunday night? :)

Game is settling down now. Nice stop on 3rd down by Sanders. Chicago to punt, 9 1/2 to go until we ignore Prince. It's just pouring. Are they really coming back to Miami for another one?

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Nantz and Simms; they're great!

Simms: You're looking at your computer and saying 'oh, the rain should be gone in about 20 minutes....'"

Nantz: I forgot to tell you I failed meteorology class.
Simms: You? Fail? You'd give the teacher an apple to change the grade!

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Colts are settled down now, even in the rain. Remember when the Bears played the Eagles in the Fog Bowl many years ago? The cameras are beginning to take a wettin'.

TOUCHDOWN! Rhodes bulls his way on three carries to take the lead for the first time. 16-14, and yes, Peyton, it's too early to go for two.

COMMERCIAL: A medical spot has never quite looked that way. But I've already forgotten their website. The spot didn't work. I remember the characters, but not the sponsor.

At 7:44PM, the Colts take over again after a Bear three and out. As wild as quarter one was, the second quarter is about as "normal" as it can be in a South Florida rain.

Addai again, this time a nice reception and jive. Two minute warning.

COMMERCIAL: "Connectile Dysfunction". Pretty good one, Sprint.

BIG turnover.....Colts could have taken a five or nine point lead, but FUMBLE!!! Bears can try a two-minute drill.

No, they won't. Grossman FUMBLE!! Back to Indy. Urhacler, a BIG stop to force a field goal attempt. Vinatieri MISSED. He's human! He's human in a Super Bowl! Wow!!

HALFTIME: Indy 16, Chicago 14.

First trip in the blogosphere...remember I said Katie Couric would take ANOTHER beating? Check this out. Message to blogger: It's Hines Ward. He plays at Heinz Field. Just a little football note.

Now time to avoid the halftime show AGAIN THIS YEAR!!

Other channels......

SPEED CHANNEL: Monster Trucks
ESPN: Figure Skating
ESPN2: World's Strongest Man
FOX: X-2, X-Men United
QVC: My sweetheart, Lisa Robertson!!!!!

and I have to give a shout out to my daughter's favorite:

ANIMAL PLANET: Puppy Bowl 3

UPDATE: Here's Lisa's bio page.

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Second half is ready. Missed Prince singing. Mission accomplished.

Do the Colts have it in hand if they score a TD on the opening drive and take six or seven minutes off the clock?

Here's a thought: first team to finish building their ark wins.

I'm telling you----Addai is a factor tonight. GREAT job by the O-line to get him the hole. He's my MVP pick at the moment.

Look at the clock, folks....we're already under eight minutes to go.

SIMMS: "And Jim, it's not stopped raining." (see earlier in blog the Nantz/Simms diatribe). These guys are equal to Gumbel/Simms, behind Summerall/Madden. I LOVE Dick Enberg, but he never had that four-star analyst with him. That's certainly not his fault.

That was the ugliest 24 yard field goal I've seen in awhile.

COMMERCIAL: "Meet The Robinsons"...opens March 30 and looks very promising.

Also...Coke's spots are all different. There seems to be no marketing scheme, like Bud Light. When Bud Light shows five spots in a Super Bowl, there is at least a little congruency. The Sheryl Crow/Revlon spot is pretty good. If for no other reason, you can look at Sheryl Crow.

Bears FINALLY have the ball and seem aggressive. They are SO lucky to be only five points down. Oops! Finally a sack by the weather, assisted by McFarland. Oh, dear, Grossman is looking like the mid-season Grossman. You've GOT TO BE ABLE to successfully snap the ball.

Boring commercials give me a chance to teach wifey what a "two-possession game" is. The Colts better make this a "two-possession game", or Chicago is gonna bite them...in spite of Grossman.

Dang, Rhodes is making his claim for MVP. The three big runs to the second TD, and now ripping off 36 yards. How about eight more and a facemask?

Did you see anyone say or write in the past two weeks that the key to the game would be:

"THE COLTS RUNNING GAME"????

Good Lord.....third and goal at the ten. They MUST get in the end zone this time. Another field goal is a BIG victory for the Bears. Run on third down, and almost gets Rhodes in!

But, alas, ANOTHER field goal. It's good and they hit the kicker. Running into the kicker doesn't provide an automatic first down, though, after seeing the replay, I'd like to know the ref's definition of "roughing the kicker". Maybe he's looking for blood or something.

COMMERCIAL: EXCELLENT spot for T-Mobile! "I'm sorry, is that your Dad??" Barkley gets dissed!!!!

So far:

1) Bud Light "Auctioneer"
2) T-Mobile "Wade and Barkley"
3) Bud Light "Rock, Paper, Scissors".

.....Colts with a STUPID penalty, and the Bears set up in great field position. Rex and company better do something with it.

Offensive Plays: Indy 63, Chicago 23 Wow.

Chicago's answer to Addai/Rhodes is Jones, now the workhorse with Benson out. Colts almost got to Grossman (sure knocked him down)....the only way to keep Rex from being completely rattled is to run the ball. Hey, good job by Grossman to elude several Colts.

FG attempt for the Bears this time. 44 yards...weather doesn't matter, and it's 22-17. Bears now need a three and out from their defense!!!

Harrison....challenge. He CAUGHT THE BALL. With possession, he's dragging both feet. Should be overturned. Great camera work by CBS. No doubt about that one.

Big third down now, especially if they get a first down. And they do, thanks to Wayne. That challenge could be big before it's all over.

End of three: Colts 22, Bears 17.

Colts' plan now: Move the chains, move the chains, eat the clock, eat the clock. But NOT a false start. 2nd and 13. Bears finally get some pressure on Manning and Harrison limps off.

13:38 to go, back to the Bears. The first holding penalty of the night.

Mooooooushin Muhammed with a great catch and run, and Bears are back in business.

NO THEY ARE NOT----INTERCEPTED! TOUCHDOWN COLTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, there's your Grossman moment.

BUT WAIT-----it's challenge time again. Remember, irrefutable evidence is needed to overturn the turnover (sorry, that just kinda came out....)

Another GREAT camera moment for CBS, and Nantz is right, they could have gone down to the field and check the divot where the cleat came down.

Colts....29-17. No one has come back from more than ten points to win a Super Bowl. Either the Bears make history, or they're history.

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THOUGHT: Is this the lamest year for Super Bowl commercials or what??

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Just went to NFL.com and voted for Joseph Addai as MVP.

Hey, look, another interception! Bob Sanders in the house----but there's a flag. GREAT article on Sanders in the Richmond paper yesterday. Too bad I CANNOT FIND IT at their site.

Bears back with the ball with 7:20 to go. Jones goes to 100 yards rushing, but probably too little, too late.

Hmmmm....I'm beginning to think Rhodes could be MVP. How about BOTH as co-MVPs??

Time for the NFL commercial contest winner......2:01 to play. Hey, it was very good!!! I rank it at #4.

And the final two minutes dwindle away.....

SO:

1) Tony Dungy becomes the third person to win a Super Bowl as a player and a coach. He's the first African-American to win it. Much maligned after Tampa Bay fired him, Indy immediately went for him and tonight, it's payoff for the entire organization.

2) Peyton Manning is NOT this generation's Dan Marino.

3) They won with DEFENSE and a RUNNING GAME. 50 years from now, history will look back on this team and say: What??!!?? They won??!!?? But they didn't play Colts football.

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And finally.....on a personal note, here's the real reason I rooted for the Colts tonight.

My best friend at church growing up was a big Colts fan. He went thru the ups and downs of Bert Jones, playoff disappointments, the middle of the night move, Ron Meyer coaching, Mike Pagel at quarterback.......and saw Peyton and company mature into a Super Bowl contender.

Tonight, a shout up to heaven, where Mike looks down and sees his Colts finally win the big one.

Congratulations, Mike. This one's for you. :)

And thus ends another work week....various, random thoughts.....

....before I go crash and burn in the bed (hopefully not all day tomorrow!!)

--The groundhog didn't see his shadow. Early spring, eh? Means Virginia will have experienced about a four-week winter (and that's being generous) if the varmit is right. Why do we get so excited over a groundhog? How did groundhogs get a day for themselves on the calendar??

How about Pickle Day? Hamburger Day? Necktie Day? Coffee Day? Oh, I've got one! Mountain Dew Day!!!!

--Bill Murray was priceless again on Letterman last night. Dave's first ever late night guest on both his NBC and CBS shows, appeared to help Dave celebrate 25 years in late night (Late Night with David Letterman premiered on NBC on February 1, 1982). Murray snakes through Dave to get to Les Moonves, the king of CBS, to snatch some tickets for Sunday's game. Murray is a big Bears fan.

--I'm so frustrated about time lately. Start work early, leave late, come home, go to bed not long afterwards.....that's life right now. Yet, I'm afraid there are friends that think I'm avoiding them or have chosen to forget about them because I'm having trouble finding 15 minutes to compose an email. When it comes to emailing someone, if we don't do it like, on a daily or weekly basis, I like to take some time to put it together. This weekend, my number one goal is to get at least two of these projects finally in my rear view mirror. In my current "life circle" (work, home, work, home, work...you get the idea) there are not alot of true "friends". I need to keep the ones I have!!

--Mary Cheney, the vice-president's daughter, who happens to be a lesbian, is having a baby. Let's see, we can:

A) criticize her decision and begin a moral attack with holier-than-thou platitudes...
B) realize the baby is created in God's image, God loves him/her and has a plan for that baby. Rejoice in the birth! Whether you agree with the lifestyle or not, celebrate the continuation of life.

Because by celebrating life, rather than trying to "scare people to death", we'll find more people truly interested in a relationship with Jesus.....

God is a God of wrath....and a God of love. And I don't think it's coincidental that the first song many of us learned was....

"Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so...."

As opposed to a declaration of the wrath of God.

Everyone yearns for love. Let's love them as Christ would and let the Holy Spirit open their hearts to the love only He can give.

PS------GO COLTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Analysts downgrade 2007 Winning Numbers outlook....

.....analysts are revising their yearly forecast on the winning numbers that appear monthly on this blog. Last year's composite total of 62 was seen by experts as an "off-year" and not typical of past historical performance. Thus, they believed economic conditions would lead to an increase.

January did not give their forecasts any added credibility, though, it is only one month.

JANUARY WINNING NUMBERS: 6, 7, 21, 28

Indicators are being researched and there appears to be a redoubled effort underway to seriously investigate "interest rates" and the effect they may have as the year continues to unfold.