Pictures to catch you up

on the honeymoon, Dana and "Ol' Gassy Poots" the horse. I named him that as this was my vantage point for most of the ride.  Yes, that is a large black lady in a sombrero in the background.

back from the honeymoon; assembling the tv stand. The look speaks for itself.

Dana and our pumpkin, who we never named, but if we did, it would have been

 "Dead Too Soon."  He was in the garbage before Halloween.

In his prime.

Lois and Clark for Halloween.

Me and JP Wilson on gameday.  Actually, it's Mark and Megan's baby, Sam.  The friendliest and happiest kid you could ask to be around.

Us with Dana's dad just hours before Tim Tebow took our smiles for the day.

Our seats.  Taken before kickoff when hope was springing.

Christmas pictures and stories sure to come, Dana?....no?  Oh well.

The sting of defeat and other thoughts

There's a scene in Lonesome Dove where Jake Spoon (a known outlaw) gets tracked down and hung for horse-thievery and murder.  The ones that catch him are his former partners and friends.  As Jake awaits his fate, he says something along the lines of "Well Gus, if it was going to be anyone..."

That is how I want to feel about Alabama's recent loss in the SEC championship game (we committed no horse thievery, nor murder by the way).  If we're going to lose, at least it was to the team that will probably be the national champions, and in a close game.  And at least I admire their quarterback not only as a player, but a person.  (My buddy Mike constantly refers to Tebow as "The Missionary," which is what his nickname should be in my opinion.)  At least...it was Florida, a worthy adversary.

And there's always an underlying feeling, as discussed here before, that this season has been one big pleasant surprise, playing with house money, and anything outside of beating our rivals and turning a few heads was all gravy on top.  

But it is still difficult to look at the game on Saturday and not think, "We had em, and with one or two breaks we win that game!"  Because a shot at the title comes around rarely...unless your Rocky Balboa.

Some assorted thoughts on our game experience:

-If it is possible to feel sorry for a Heisman Trophy winning, national championsip quarterback, I guess part of me does.  This guy is hated by half the sports fandom out there for reasons beyond his control.  He's like Derek Jeter, only worthy of at least half the praise he gets.  He's a machine.  And Urban Meyer is not going to win a national championship after he graduates, watch.  The only way to run that offense at that level is with a Tebow at QB, and there's only one Tebow per generation.

-Javy Arenas, Sam Cassell, Brett Favre, Roy McAvoy.  These are examples of guys who are good because they are so infinitely confident, while being a detriment to the team because they are so infinitely confident.  "What was Javy thinking?" is the question going around Bama fans' conversations.  

Here is the answer:  "I am unstoppable.  I hold the record for return yardage and TDs in Bama history.  If I can just catch the ball, I will score a TD, there is no way anything bad can happen if I get the ball in my hands..."  Results of this type of logic are split between return touchdowns and cataclysmic field position and/or turnovers.

-Julio Jones is the only Bama player in my lifetime to come in and live up to the hype.

-Nick Saban said that he felt like he failed the players after the game...So does that mean he's going to work even harder?  Yeesh.  Good luck, Lane Kiffin.

-Every fan base has them, but until Saturday, I had never come face to face with the Florida installment of the douchebag group of fans.  They were led by a fat guy who forewent celebrating Florida's win so he could yell what losers the Bama players were as they ran off the field dejected and sad.  He also wanted the refs to "Scrape up that lard-butt and finish the game!"  when we had an injured player in the 4th.  We also talked to some really nice ones on the way out who were classy, but this group behind us was on par with the worst I've seen from UT and AU...and for that matter Bama fans.

-That was as intense a game atmosphere as I've ever gotten to attend.  Both sets of fans got really loud for every play and deafening on 3rd downs.  When Bama scored to tie at 17, it was as loud as the Dome has ever been until Florida sacked JP the first time in the 4th.  Great game, great teams, just hope we go back next year.

-Dana grew up a Florida fan, and yet still doesn't know who to cheer for in the national championship game because she feels bad cheering for a team that beat Alabama...my work in converting her is over.  For the record, I've always liked Oklahoma so I will be happy with either outcome.  But it would be nicer to say that Alabama was 10 minutes and one or two plays from beating the national championship team.  And if it had to be anyone...

we met her by the way, Dana can tell you the story.  Take it away, Dana...no? oh well.

A few non-football things for a change

Well, Dana seems to refuse to write on this thing, so I know that her friends that read it are up to speed on my feelings about Bama football.  But they don't know what's been going on with us.  Here's a few of the little things that I find funny or need to tell you about:

-Dana is afraid of a lot of things.  If we're at a ballgame, she thinks about how the stadium is a perfect target for a terrorist.  Luckily Alabama only schedules jet fly-overs like once a year.  She's also afraid of creaks, cracks, dogs, other cars on the road when I'm driving, anytime I jump out from behind a door and yell, big crowds, and parties.

-I'm quite a Scrabble player.  Perhaps I'm rigging the game, but my record is close to 40-1 right now.  How do I rig it you ask?  Well, I wait until Gossip Girl is on, then I tell her I want to spend time together, but I don't care for that show.  Maybe she could watch the show and we'll play a game so I'll have something to do too.  Then she gets all caught up in whatever the bad teeth guy, bad voice girl, or butt-face dude is saying.  By the time I hear "X-O, X-O" my lead is insurmountable!!!!  This works with any of her TV shows, and then I don't feel so bad about either watching sports so much, or the tiny brain in my head.

-We made a Jack-o-lantern for Halloween too early again.  Yep, the little guy wouldn't last longer than a week.  He was so well crafted and scary looking.  By Halloween he was mercifully face down in our trash dumpster.  There were bugs and smells.

-We saw Coldplay in Atlanta.  It was fantastic, and worth the weeknight trip and money for tickets.  Except that now, Dana thinks that Chris Martin is hot.  Don't worry though,she'll come back around...I've been doing a British accent around the house, it's only a matter of time.

-There's a few things that I've brought to Dana that I think have become her favorite things.  Lost, Bama football, The Wire (which we have just begun its final season).  But she has brought something equally valuable to the table for me...Bob Dylan.  I used to think of him as an awesome song-writer whose best songs were done by somebody else.  But the man is a genius, a warrior poet, a challenged vocalist with a broken heart.  When Dana and I were dating, I thought it was cool that she liked Bob, but I wasn't all that into him.  We saw one of his shows together, but I didn't really understand anything he said, he was really old.  But I've enjoyed his stuff this last month or so and will continue. 

-One last thing, I'm predicting Bama 31 - AU 7.  That would bring nice symmetry to this awful period of suckitude.  2001's score will be 2008's I hope.

I'll leave you with a clip from long ago, but one that speaks to the heart.  Til next time, goodbye is too good a word, babe.  So I'll just say fare thee well...

The Road Back

You know, it has been a long and trying few years for Alabama football fans.  the kind of years that make you appreciate the boring brand of football Gene Stallings had us playing when he was here.  It wasn't fancy, or compelling, or even that interesting.  It was just...effective.  It was winning football.  It was beating Vandy 20-10.  

The last few years, there have been many false hopes that Bama was back.  Plenty of times I talked myself into thinking that Alabama could make a run to the SEC championship, or believing we were a top 10 team.  I think about 2005 when we started 9-0, but in the back of my mind, knowing that LSU and Auburn would probably beat us.  That our record was a product of Urban Meyer's 31-3 growing pains, and Fulmer having a down year, alongside some good luck on our part.  Things had to break right for us to have any chance at actually going to a BCS bowl and competing with USC or Oklahoma.  We would have to be lucky.

Well, Coach Saban...you have finally done it.  Yesterday, I gave no thought to which Bama shirt I was wearing.  Today I changed my desktop image from a Celtics picture to the Tide players celebrating the UT spanking.  It's not about the little superstitions anymore (although, I'll probably leave nothing to chance next weekend or for the Iron Bowl).  Today the BCS rankings will put us at number 1, and it is not a fluke.  It's not a product of luck, or Fulmer's down year again, or any "external factors" (a Saban staple at any press conference).  Sure, Texas had to lose.  But Alabama had to win too.  They've been winning.  17-14 against Kentucky.  24-20 against Ole Miss.  29-9 against the hated Volunteers.  It isn't always sexy (rarely is actually).  But it is a revelation!  It is unbelievably exciting for me.  I have thirsted for this type of success, and it's here!

Don't misunderstand.  I'm not declaring us the best in the land, the rest of the season will determine whether or not Alabama is actually #1.  What I'm saying is that I'm celebrating our rightful place in the discussion again.  We belong, and are legitimately talking about a national championship.  LSU could beat us.  Florida could most definitely beat us.  Auburn should not, but I don't want to talk about them.  The point is this:  I never expected this to happen this year.  One year ago, LSU was in this position coming to Tuscaloosa.  We're now the favorite in their place.  This is a classic case of playing with house money.  SEC championship, BCS bowl, national championship...that would all be gravy for me at this point (although I'd be heartbroken if we lost in the way Texas lost last night).  I'm remembering the lean years and just enjoying the conversation right now.  In two years, I won't be doing that.  I'll be expecting to compete every year for a BCS championship.  But for right now, I'll hoist a glass to "the sunny slopes of long ago" under Gene Stallings and his boring dominations have returned under a new regime...a Nicktatorship that will hopefully be in power for a long time.

In honor of Alabama's return to the number 1 ranking, I'll leave you with my favorite video they play on Saturdays at the stadium.

Welcome back, Bama.  I promise not to take you for granted again.

The World Celebrates 27 Years of Dana.

I love my wife very much. So much so, that I will put aside any football updates and analysis on the Tide today, and instead celebrate her. Do I think my words and thoughts are enough to get the point across? Nay...nay indeed. So I've asked a few of Dana's favorites to come along and pay tribute to the wonder that is Dana G. Jackson. Take it away, friends:

Dear Sally, I mean Dana,

I've never had such a loyal viewer and follower in my life. As I've tried to decide between Ben and Noel, you were there every step of the way, most of the time on the re-runs too. Any time my grades have slipped, or I've had trouble with my dad not supporting me, or any of the other ways to pack drama into 42 minutes I've come across, it was your unabashed love and care that got me through. Even my theme song in Season 1 and 2 wasn't enough to chase you away. That kind of friendship doesn't come around very often. You are amazing.  Amazing. Also, thanks for seeing each and every one of my movies. Oh-way-oooohhhh. Oh-way-oh-ohhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Love,

Felicity Porter

Dana,

How are you my dear? Heidi and I know you hate us both. How do we know? Because when we watch the show every Monday night we can here you all the way across the country say, "Uuuuugghhhhhhh!" during our conversations. I'm here to say that even though you run around judging us and hangin out with MY enemies like LC, I still want you to have the best birthday ever. So, I talked with your husband and he told me that what you really want is for me to walk myself into oncoming traffic. Consider it done. Have a happy birthday, sweety. Alright, sweet, now get outta my car.

Love, Spencer Pratt

Dana,

I think the thing to remember about birthdays is that they come every year. You can't get too up or down for just one because that is hard to maintain. Just focus on the one in front of you, Aight! Now when you start looking ahead to other birthdays, that's when you lose your intensity for this one. Once you lose that intensity, it's hard to get it back. I'm happy for you, AIGHT! I may not sound like it, and you may not believe it, but I am! Just focus on this birthday, 27. You only turn 27 ONE TIME in your life, aight. So, remember that to be successful at 50 years old, you have to get there one birthday at a time. Focus on the PROCESS of getting there and then being successful will take care of itself, aight. Now, I gotta get back to breathing life into the state of Alabama.

Love,

Nick Saban

Dana,

I just wanted to let you know that AJ, Meadow and I are ok. We miss seein' you every week night for 2-3 hours, but we undistayand. Birthdays are hard. Especially since what happened to Tony. (Tears, and heavy breathing) To be honest, I just don't know if we'll be ok. But enough with the singing sad so-wongs, we love you honey. I just hope you were-n't "born under a bad sign with a boom boom in your eyes," whatever the ---- that means.  Have fun on your special day and try to stop thinking so much about my family's last dinner together. Just try to focus on the good times.

Love,

Carmela Soprano

Since you are an honarary Commodore, I just wanted to give you a call on your birthday...

YEEP, YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP! COMMODORES! YEP!

Happy Birthday,

The Commodore

Girl, you got to strut your birthday out like this: (Swoosh, pose, and then snap). Mmmph, girl, you fine!!! Happy Birthday, girl.

Love,

Tyra

Dana,

I don't have much to say because I can't deliver lines with any emotion or feeling at all. But I do want to tell you that you are a Stone Fox!  Your husband thinks so too.

Love,

Josh Hartnett

Well I hope I the right friends of yours. If not, maybe they'll comment to you.   Next year, I'll use a Lost character or two. 

I love you SO much and am glad you were born 27 years ago. Thanks for being my wife! Happy Birthday!  See you soon.

Love,

Kent

Scattered Thoughts

Here's some things to marinate on during the greatest sports weekend in recent memory:

Even as Dana and I work our way through the last season of the Sopranos (and neither of us have seen it before), I still prefer The Wire.  I know the thought here would be to say, "He's just trying to be different and elitist..."  It's not.  We just finished Season 1 of the latter and it is freaking brilliant.  This is coming from a mafia junkie whose favorite movie is The Godfather and wishes he could be a captain in one of the Five boroughs...fuhgeddaboutit.  But The Wire is as good as anything I've ever watched on TV.

I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop with Alabama football.  I've fully expected them to go into the Georgia game undefeated (at least after I watched Terrence Cody eat Clemson's children), and now that we're here...I'm fighting "the feelings."  You know the ones...where you let yourself get carried away thinking you have a shot to topple an obviously superior opponent in an impossible situation.  Then when reality sets back in, it hurts extra bad.  I've become an expert at managing my feelings for the Tide but here comes Nick Saban with his olive-oil skin and perfect verbiage of what it takes to be a champion.  Aw screw it, Bama by 10 between the hedges!!!

While we're here, the last time Alabama beat Arkansas so soundly at Fayetteville was 2002, when we also beat the crap out of UT and LSU on the road (the LSU team was coached by Saban).  

Of course, we then lost our coach in the middle of the night after he phoned it in against Auburn and began the golden age of suckiosity here in T-town.

Ok, I'll stop.

I can't decide what made me happiest yesterday, Bama taking Arkansas to domination station, or watching Phil Fulmer trying to eat his hat on the sidelines as the Vols were kicking the ball around inside the 5-yard line.  It's the age old question:

Do I hate UT more than I love Alabama?

I kinda wish I'd gotten to see a game before they tore down Yankee Stadium.  I guess they want to erase any memories of this year that they have.

The new Pacino and DeNiro movie was more than disappointing.  Perfect storm of high expectations because of their names fighting against two 60-year-old guys rolling around on the floor and pretending to still be tough guys.  I'll take that 5 minutes in Heat over that entire 2 hours.  They should have just made an Italian version of Grumpy Old Men instead.

The Ryder Cup is awesome...I wish they held it on a weekend when I wasn't so pre-occupied with college football.  Booooooo!!!!!

10 years of Lebowski this year.  And there is some great stuff about it at Rolling Stone. 

I read the Buscemi interview and he said that there was some people who suggested that Donnie was just Walter's imaginary friend.  And it almost works out except for my favorite exchange in the movie:  

Donnie - Your phone's ringin, Dude.

The Dude - Thank you, Donnie.

Other than that, no one but Walter acknowledges him throughout the whole movie.

So many layers...

I'll catch you later on down the trail, until then, Take 'er easy, Dude...I know that you will.  

-KJ

So it begins...

Welcome back after a long lay-off.  For those of you looking for a post from Dana these last months, rest assured her husband was right there with you.  But I shall not sit silently by as the Crimson Tide takes the field and destroys the first of hopefully 3 orange-clad teams this year.

Things that have happened since the last post that I should mention before we get back to football:

-Dana and I have entered into marriage with much fanfare (Dana will post about it sometime next year)

-Dana moved into the house (she should also post about this because it was what she called "something that would happen on Felicity).  

-My cousin and I built a shelter for my dogs (pictures, maybe soon?)

-We got a new 40-inch LCD High Def TV.  It is sexy.

Ok, now.  I had wanted to watch the DVR of the game, but of course it didn't get it.  It was probably my fault.  So, I don't have the benefit of going back to hear Kirk Herbstreit breakdown why we kicked their butts so thoroughly.  But we did have the benefit of sitting 20 rows up on the 40-yd line (just another in the long line of lucky circumstances that get Dana and I to the best tickets available, usually free).  

We dominated, and not in a braggy "we're never losing, we're the best!" kinda way.  We were a manly team and they were not.  I think any SEC team in the top half of the conference would have done that to them, I'm just glad it was us on ABC at the Dome in front of the nation.  We looked like a Saban team.  Mark Ingram looks like a Saban running back - not fancy, just solid and tough.  Terrence Cody looks like Glenn Dorsey out there - always in the backfield disrupting and scaring the bejeezus out of the opposing QB.  Our defense was so solid that it only allowed Thunder and Lightning 17 yards on the game.  ON THE GAME!

What does all this mean?  I feel better about taking a win off the Hawgs in 3 weeks and going into Georgia undefeated.  I've said that UGA wouldn't kill us no matter what, and I still think they should beat us.  But I'll put it this way:  they are not going to overlook us now, good or bad.  As a Bama fan, in the short term it is nice to sneak up on teams.  But "the process" is about becoming a top-tier team.  Southern Cal, Oklahoma, Florida, Ohio St (weak sauce) never sneak up on anyone to beat them, they just line up and beat them.  That is what we did on Saturday.  Nothing fancy about it.  No gimmicks.  We may get back to Atlanta, and that would be awesome, but right now it's just fun to turn some heads and be taken seriously for at least a couple of weeks.

Posts to come from Dana:

-the wedding

-moving in

-the MARTA fiasco after the game

Epilogue: the plant is not looking good, and the yard guy ran over it the other day because he didn't know it was a planted bush.  I can't really blame him, it looked terrible.  

We'll see you again soon, as soon as Dana's typing fingers heal.  Until then, here's to you and yours.

the plant

Before Dana left her job, she did such good work that one of the aristocrats gave her a plant, a hydrangea bush in a little plastic container. She left it here at the house and every morning when I was leaving for work, I would look at this pitiful, drooping mess and feel bad about the neglect. I wondered how it must feel when all it wanted was a little water and attention. Keep in mind that I am the same guy who used to howl laughing at my friend, Martin when he planted his "boys" out in front of the house and I would drive past and see him watering them. "What a fruit-cake!" I would yell out the window at him. But just like broccoli, morning coffee, and using my new tv tray, caring for this plant was just another step in the long road to adulthood. I began to water it. Every morning I would shower the little guy with the nectar of life and every afternoon he would reward my diligence by pointing his leaves a little further skyward. The once blue blooms have now turned brown and died from the heat, but the plant is doing alright. I took it out of the container and planted it in the front yard right by the hose a couple of weeks ago and it hasn't died. It even looks healthy, a little.

Now What?

Ok, when I read other people's blogs, this seems really easy and fun. Writing something myself however--much different! Probably in the meantime the only people reading this will be me and Kent (at least until I gain some confidence in the actual content), so whatever. In case you don't already know, Kent and I are getting married in July. We got engaged in December, so the engagement hasn't been too long. Time is moving really fast now and it feels both like the day will never get here, or that it might as well be tomorrow. Either way, we can't wait! We live in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and after we're married we'll live in a teeny little house that might be too small, but seems just right for the two of us. We're hoping that our first year of marriage doesn't end up like this: