Man of the Year

No contest.

August 22nd, 1962

Not even funny how bad ass these guys were.

100 MORE DAYS

Sweet 16

First State Playoff win since '96! Next up, undefeated Lamar County. We will not have a shot against Lamar. Then again, we had no shot against LaGrange either...

Projection

Unless things fundamentally change in the next week, Romney will win the popular vote but lose the electoral college.

Battle of the Unbeatens

The Cadets' 2012 campaign hits I-16 this week for a Friday night showdown against #5 Vidalia. What seemed to be a David and Goliath situation mere weeks ago is now looking like a legitimate contest for what could end up being the region title. Yes, it is true, the Cadets really do have a chance to knock off a ranked opponent and, in so doing, return to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution high school football rankings for the first time in a decade and-a-half. 

The last time BC was ranked?  You'd have to go all the way back to October of 1998. The Cadets were #15 (yes, back when the AJC included "teens" in the weekly poll) the night Glynn Academy (our most heated rival at the time) and Antwan Andrews upset a homecoming crowd at Memorial Stadium our sophomore year.

I'm pumped about our chances on Friday and hope everyone can make it.  If I can drive three hours, I don't quite understand how everyone else can't drive just one.  This is by no means the best team BC has ever had, but if the Cadets are able to pull out a W in a territory as hostile and competitive as Vidalia, it will go down as one of the key accomplishments and a benchmark in BC's slow but steady return to greatness under Britt.

Hut one, hut two.

Artsy Fartsy

Simply Stunning

It's Not You; It's Me.

Listen, BC, we need to talk. This is really difficult for me, so I'm just gonna come out and say it. I think we need some space. I just feel like our relationship has gone as far as it is gonna go. Don't get me wrong, I still want to be friends, if that is okay with you. We'll still see each other at games and alumni events, so I hope it won't be awkward. I have really enjoyed these past six years, but it is just time for me to move on. Well, I guess that's all I have to say. See ya around.

The Week Ahead

First off, congratulations to Hank on his engagement over the weekend.  Lots of costs and additional overhead come with decisions like this so obviously Hank knows what he's doing or at least thinks he does.  Changing gears, we've got a lot going on over the next 5 days and I will not allow this blog to die, so here I am, as usual, bringing things back to life while everyone else sits on their ass.

The Republican National Convention.  Clearly Romney's opportunity to effectively bridge the likeability gap by communicating a narrative about who he is personally.  If you look at current economic conditions, there is traditionally no way the incumbent party wins this election. 

Yet both Obama and Romney remain tied at 46% in most polls.  The reason is two-fold  First, people simply don't like Romney.  Second, there are a lot more Hispanic and black voters than there used to be, and they really don't like Romney.  These groups will continue to vote for Obama simply because Obama looks like them and speaks their language and because, let's face it, rich people like Romney are evil and aren't promising to give them free goodies like the Democrats are.  

The solution is for Romney to continue expanding his lead among white voters, particularly independents and Reagan Democrats in states like Ohio, Wisconsin, New Hampshire, Michigan, etc (kiss Nevada and New Mexico, states Bush carried in '04, goodbye).

BC.  The 2012 Cadets open up with Effingham County in Springfield Friday night.  So far as I know Effingham is the only high school that still plays Dixie as their fight song, and that alone is reason enough to make the trip. 

But believe it or not, there is another reason:  BC football is back and we could be looking at the best squad in a decade.  Way too soon to tell so let's not jinx anything but clearly the program is headed in the right direction. 

Effingham has been down the last couple of years; not precisely sure what their outlook is for this season, but clearly we have a chance to beat a large AAAAA team which will help make a statement in the papers, especially after SCPS's loss to Jenkins last Friday.

Georgia.  Who knows, who cares, everyone gets arrested, has dreadlocks, etc.  Don't really care what happens this season unless I have money on it.  

Anyways, later.  

The Perfect Pick

Yankee #%$HOLE!

This confirms my strange suspicion that many Yankees are a bunch of liberal jerks bent on making our world as miserable as possible.

"The government is all powerful and I will prevent our citizens from obtaining more jobs and enjoying deliciousness because I disagree with the fast food owner's personal convictions!

Time To Step It Up

I realize I'm probably not speaking for the majority with this post, but I like Mitt Romney.  He's bright, has proven himself in countless endeavors, understands the economy, and is what many greedy Wall Street Journal Republicans like myself have been waiting for for a long time:  a libertarian capitalist who doesn't really waste time on the social stuff.  Ten times better than McCain and probably better than Bush too.

Having said that I think he's running a shoddy campaign right now.  He's letting the Obama people write the narrative and is reacting to everything.  Playing defense for the next three months simply ain't gonna work when half the electorate is already black, hispanic, or stupid.

The truth is that Bain Capital and firms like it are incredibly productive for our economy.  Creative destruction boosts productivity by buying up inefficient companies, destroying the wasteful jobs there, and replacing them with ones that actually create value.  As callous as it sounds, outsourcing is very good for the economy as well.  It lowers costs and frees up resources at home.  We need a candidate who can articulate these things.  And unlike Bush and McCain, we actually have one this time around.  The trouble is he's been too timid thus far to enunciate these points.

Good VP pics:  Marco Rubio, Chris Christie
Bad VP picks:  Condi Rice and anyone associated with the Bush Administration

Hayek: Relevant Now More Than Ever

The Great Lie

Obamacare stands. The Supreme Court upheld the law not because of the commerce clause, but because it’s being administered as a tax. Justice Roberts pronounced the Courts cannot bar the Federal Government from levying a tax on its citizens. Obama lied to us by saying the healthcare penalty was not a tax, when the Supreme Court now upholds the law soley on the fact that Obamacare is a tax. Not sure why people believed Obama when the penalty itself is collected through Form 1040 by the IRS.

But, there is a problem for Obama. A major part of the success to the implementation of Obama is for Medicaid expenditures funded by the states to increase. The Supreme Court ruled Obama cannot penalize the states for not participating in increased Medicaid spending by denying Medicaid funding from the Federal Government to those states. Many states are unlikely to comply, especially considering their already stretched deficits.

Hopefully this ruling will energize the right wing base enough to repeal the law after the November elections.  

RFI '01

Courtesy of CDT/LTC FBZ '01

Celebrity Look-A-Like

Who does the Michelle O'Bama look like the most? I can't decide.

A Klingon?

A Wookie?

Busy Week

Sunday - Wednesday: Vegas

Friday - Sunday: Wedding in Jacksonville.

Sidenote: first time since 2001 I've missed the G-Day game.

Ring Day

"There are two types of men in this world: B.C. Men and those who wish they were."

Party at "The Field" this afternoon. Ryan is going to shave his head again.

Good List

8 Insulting Ways People Act "Irish" on St. Patrick's Day

Spring Break '12

Ok bros, it's time to find your oversized sunglasses with the neon stems, your zinc oxide sunscreen for your nose and your ironic '80s t-shirt. It's Spring Break 2012! Instead of Destin or PCB, I thought this year, we would call on the port of Savannah. I hear they throw one helluva party for St. Patty's Day. So, prepare to get "River-faced on Sh*t Street." All the ladies at Wet Willie's wil be shakin' their shamrocks, if you know what I mean, bro-dog. WOOF WOOF!

Can I Make Pat Cry?: Returning Soldiers Edition

I asked a lot of our misanthropic friend in my first attempt. Not only is the subject matter and presentation of "Dear Zachary" a rough experience, but it also demanded ninety minutes of his invaluable time. Though his reply could have been constructed just by reading the movie's Wikipedia page, I choose to believe he actually did watch the whole thing. I say that mainly because the last time I talked to him on the phone, he said he doesn't get any channels on his TV and just watches Netflix on his laptop in his warm and inviting and not at all creepy apartment.

Here's an indisputable fact about JPH: he's a Republican who loves America. Though he's always extolled more of the conservative economics of the GOP than any war hawk attitude, I'm sure he's at least kind of a sucker for a good ol' fashioned, rah-rah, G.I. Joe, armed forces lovefest.

I'm putting that to the test today with a three-part compilation of soldiers returning home and doing non-emotionally-charged things such as surprising their kids at school and being immediately recognized and loved on by their dogs. This attempt makes for a more quick and efficient groin kick to Pat's tiny, tiny heart than an hour and a half movie that really puts a strain on his restless leg syndrome. The short length also leaves him more time to put $50 on Southeast Missouri State tonight, and for that maybe he'll be in a more receptive mood.

Spotted: Election Sunday

The SMN seems to be drawn to me and Mike on Election Sunday.

2012 Election

2008 Election

Timmy's Our Man

Timmy's our man.

He'll ably represent the whole Irish clan.

He'll lead the best parade in the land,

As only he can.

We salute Timmy, our man!

At least the Slovaks get it right.

This will undoubtedly be the most elusive and strongest bridge in Europe the Word the Galaxy the Universe.

Sham-Rock You Like a Hurricane

Honor Unit With Distinction

For 27 straight years...

Aldi Right Prices

Look at all the stuff I bought. Now look at the final price. A new grocery store opened up down the street that is cheaper than any other I've been to. This place is called Aldi, and let me tell you about this bastion of capitalism and how they deliver such low prices:

-Everything in the store is Aldi's private brand; no name brands. Time to get over your trust issues with store brand Slim Jims.

-Each item only comes in one size (the most popular). So if you need mayonnaise, you get the one Aldi brand mayo in the one size. No chin-rubbing, aisle-clogging debates over a squirt of Hellman's vs a tube of Duke's that fits into a Super Soaker.

-You pay a quarter to unlock a cart and get your quarter back when you return it. This means there are no carts in the parking lot to ding your 1998 Sebring convertible.

-There are no baggers, and you're expected to bring in your own bags and pack them yourself. When your cashier is done checking you out, you get your ass out of everyone's way and bag your groceries on a table lining the front wall. It reminds me of the hurried frenzy of getting your clothes on in the high school locker room before everyone sees...it.

-They only stay open from 9am to 8pm.

All of these brilliant, detailed choices trickle down to savings for the customer. I can only hope Aldi brings its streetwalker prices to Savannah some day. Also, I don't want to hear it about the "Imitation Cheese" on the receipt.

One Month

Can't believe I beat Snuffy to this.

PLAYOFFS!?!

The 9th-seeded Cadets destroyed #8 seed Camden County Monday night 64-48 to advance the the Region 3-AAAAA Quarterfinals tonight against #1 seed Johnson at 8:30 at the H.V. Jenkins gymnasium. A win will secure a State Playoff berth for the Cadets, who would go down in history as the worst team to ever qualify for the GHSA State Basketball Playoffs. A few weeks ago, the upstart cagers from Benedictine led Johnson at halftime by 4 points, before losing by 25. Crazier things have happened...

Halftime in America

BBR

Invitation only. Time and room number TBD.

7 and Counting

Seven years ago today we started the blog. As you re-read the inaugural post, ask yourself how well we are living up to our charter.

5th Annual Gael Force Run

It was five years ago today, that the idea for the inaugural Gael Force Run was posted by former BMBS member, Joe. Never in our wildest imagination did we expect this event to last five years. We weren't even sure if people would show up for the first race back in 2008. A lot has changed in those five years, but two things remain the same: 1) Hank will win the race and 2) the first round of PBRs will be on Snuffy.

Inaugural Gael Force Run in 2008

Happy February 2nd

Can I Make Pat Cry?

If there's one thing our old friend Pat is known for, it's not for his cuddly nature. That frosty, reptilian demeanor hides little warmth or sympathy; this much I'm sure of after twelve years of knowing him. But just like how you see Darth Vader not immediately dismissing Luke's claims of hidden goodness on Endor, Darth Holland offers up small nuggets of human potential every once in a while.

When I saw Pat's post regarding the BC-Camden game, I saw words that I never thought I'd see the man admit himself: "I cried." There was no sarcasm, no cynicism, and no mockery. He was so emotionally moved that his tear ducts activated and produced physical evidence of...feelings. Now, I'm not ready to believe Pat is on the verge of a face turn, but every good villain has more than one dimension.

I now will begin a series of challenges in order to see if I can make the man cry again. It'll be tough, because any video or movie I present to him will have none of the nostalgic weight that gave the BC video its power. I also have to rely entirely on Pat's word, since no one will be there to see if he indeed held back tears.

And I'm starting big. Going for all the marbles right at the start. Rolling only for Yahtzee. Starting with the essay portion of the test first. And if it doesn't work, I may be SOL. I recently watched a documentary that is infamous for breaking people down, and I can attest to this. I put off watching it for over a year, and having seen it now, I must say the intensity of this movie is unparalleled.

The movie is called Dear Zachary, and my first advice to Pat and to anyone else interested in watching would be to not read a single thing about it. No googling and no reading the description. This is what I had always read people say online, and it really does matter, especially for this challenge. The bare minimum I can offer you is that the filmmaker sets out to make a movie about his childhood friend who was murdered, but that's only the set-up in the first 15 minutes. Here is the link to stream it on Netflix. It has a 94% on Rotten Tomatoes if you need some critical backing in order to watch. It's 90 minutes long, so Pat, don't act like you have anything else to do. Report back to us. We want your tears.

Eleven Dollars Wasted

Don't go see the new "Iron Lady" movie in theaters right now. 70% of the film portrays Thatcher in her current state as a helpless 90 year-old struggling with dementia. This would be no different than putting out a film called "The Champ", complete with badass promotional displays of Muhammad Ali in his 1960's prime, only to have it be a 2-hour portrayal of the former boxer's present-day struggle with Parkinson's. Sorry, no time for scenes from the height of his popularity - you know, the ones that people might care about and that actually made the man famous. Not entertaining and in no way pays tribute to the main character's defining triumphs.

And that's probably the whole point. Why pay tribute to one of the greatest conservative leaders of our time? Far better to portray the right-wing pro- (or is it an-?) taganist at her weakest and hopefully cast aspersions about whether such mental deficiencies existed during her time in power.

I'm a huge Reagan fan but I have to say my favorite politician of all time was Thatcher. More so than any 20th century politician, she cut against the political consensus of the time and fought tooth and nail to revolutionize her nation's economy. All four of her successors, split across both parties, have credited her with positively transforming Britain.

A far better account of Thatcher and her reign can be found in Part 4 of the BBC's History of Modern Britain, which came out a few years back:

2000 BC @ Camden County

The greatest BC victory I've ever witnessed. I cried watching this last night. Says a lot about my social life I guess but I don't really give a damn. I would give anything to go back to this night and relive it.

Thanks to Brooks for continuing to post these.

BC vs. Glynn Academy Senior Year

One of the greatest comebacks in school history after being down 29-7 near the end of the 3rd quarter. A few familiar faces in the student section at 1:07:19.

The St. Patrick's Day Longevity Project of 2012

Every year on St. Patrick's Day you can count on a number of things to occur without fail. It's a huge component of what makes the experience such an event. Each writer and reader of BMBS has their own unique routine and their own traditional checklist. For most of us that includes: Chief claiming he's actually, no really, seriously, going to retire next year; trying to measure the benefit of one last drink before getting in the parade versus the inevitable pressure on your bladder; etc.

One shared element we can all set our watch to is my infamous premature evacuation. You know the drill: you see me at Chippewa holding down a spot tighter than SSL's wallet, drinking some universally despised beer in the hopes no one will ask me for one. This goes on until that magic time of around 5:00 where I disappear, never to be seen for the rest of the day.

Why do I always do this?

-Convenience. I value convenience on all things higher than I probably should. The logistics of transportation on St. Patrick's Day make my brain hurt. When I have a clean set up of arrival and departure like I've had, I weigh it higher than any potential late night fun. When I start getting the dry mouth and the sweepies, having a dedicated ride home is hard to turn down. I'm aware of how pathetic that is, and the good news is that it's easy to change.

-I can't hang physically. The running joke in high school and college was Sleepy Ryan, but at this point biology won't even bother to toss me a shot of temporary pity energy anymore. So even if I cancel my usual 5:00 pick up, I would just be a black hole of fun given my current abilities.

I will never have Slic Ric's superhuman stamina, but I'd like to at least prolong the shenanigans into the night hours. If ever the readers of this blog could use their knowledge and experience for good, it is now.

I can't expect you to offer a solution without the details, so here you go:

-From about 6:00am to 10:00 I drink screwdrivers. I think last year it was something like 4 or 5 smaller sized cups, then 2 big cups after. I walk the whole parade, then start drinking from my beer stash around 12. By the time 5:00 rolls around, I've had about 5 beers.

What should I do, panel of experts? Drink water? Take caffeine pills? 5 Hour Energy (never had it)?

Can you mold me into a man?

2 MORE MONTHS!!!

Bibbidy Bop

Madison police arrest man named Beezow Doo-Doo Zopittybop-Bop-Bop.

MOTY Winner: Danny Britt

BMBS would like to wish everyone a happy and prosperous 2012.  Congrats to Coach Britt and to Gibson for putting up a good fight.