I'm out! The Claw is no longer welcome in my house. Details to follow. F*** this day and these jackasses.

Haa! My table just broke. I got moved next to Claw!

322 in todays $560 6-handed in WSOP Chicago. 252 left. Have 31k. Started with 12k.

What a day! Soldier Field with my wife, my sister and Karen for a sweet Seahawks victory!!!

Vanessa arrives, and Monkey is now S-C-R-E-W-E-D!!!

The gauntlet has been lowered. And its been lowered by this little chick pictured above. Yep, she finallly arrived today, and did her GoDaddy.com commercial or promo or whatever, then boogied over to the stadium for our game. We were playing a good team, so I knew I wouldn't get to play much. So it became a fun little night of goofing around with 'Nessa on the bench while also supporting my new buddies...and some of my old buddies.

We got out to an early lead...things were looking good...but then the wheels fell off. Lotsa walks. And lots of hard hit balls later, and it was 10-3. Yikes. But that also meant Senor Monkey had a realistic shot at playing. After all, we start the playoff round tomorrow, so might as well rest our 'good' players for that, right? Stick the Monkey in there.

SO...the moment arrived. Coach Rick decided to put me in at 2nd base. Really? Second base? Well...okay. And on the first of my three innings, a grounder was hit between 1st and 2nd...and I made a diving attempt at it, just missing, and once again blowing up my knee. Yeah...its about three times the size of my right knee as I lay here...but I'll live, no big deal. Vanessa looked at it and says "Monkey, are you one of those guys who just ignores injury? That looks terrrible!" Ahhh...it looks a lot worse than it is.

Then....it happened. The BET! Which, yes....is captured on videotape and is currently uploading here...hoping it makes it. I was feeling especially confident tonight. Had a good round of swings in the cage pre-game with Chad. Have been making good contact all week. Was wearing my new glasses and really seeing well. And I historically hit well at night. So I told Vanessa I was going to get a hit for her. Promised it.

"If I get a chance to play in this game Vanessa...I will, I repeat...WILL, get a hit just for you!"

So...my chance arrived. If I DID get a hit, she was going to have to wear my 'MONKEY' Pokerstars jersey to the 1st day of the WSOP next summer. And if I did NOT get a hit? A little worse. I would be forced to wear a dress...with "Vanessa Rousso's #1 Fan/Stalker". Yes. I agreed to this.

First pitch...outside fastball. I swing, I miss. Second pitch...I swing, I pull the ball, hard grounder...down the 3rd base line....FOUL BALL! Dammit. Third pitch...high, and outside, ball one. Fourth pitch...fastball, chest high....I swing....I MISS! Ohhhhh noooooooooooooooo!!!!! I took it like a good sport. If this video ever loads you can watch for yourself. Another blonde moment for Vanessa, even thought she isn't a 'real' blonde...she was completely convinced that no matter which direction she turns the camera, that it will always be playing in the UPRIGHT position. Well...she was wrong. So...enjoy watching this action sideways.

So..yeah, assuming (or hoping?) Jack Effel takes me off the Physically Unable to Perform (P.U.P.) list next summer, and my Monkey ass is allowed to walk into the Rio...plunk down $10,000 hard won dollars, and play in the world's biggest poker tourney...you will see me stroll in looking fabulous, decked out in a dress, with the afformentioned title posted on the back. I can't promise that I will be looking fierce...but I will give it a full effort. I also plan to burn about 50 c.d.'s to hand out to people when they approach me with the inevitable WTF request.

"Yeah...um...just watch this. Gotta g0! [as I hand them a disk]"

Not sure who left the message on here about Matt Hillis...but I took another excellent video featuring Matt, and he is hilarious. He is also a helluva ballplayer. I would post the video but it is extremely long...and thus, too big to upload.

Our next loss will be our last, and this will be over. But we had some pitchers fly in today who, after warming them up in the bullpen during the game...have me feeling like something special might just happen tomorrow...and we could find ourselves in the Championship game Saturday morning. I hope so, that would be a lot of fun. And my plane leaves for Chicago at 3:30pm...so it would be perfect. Even if I never play another inning on this trip, it was worth it. It was great to see a lot of these guys again. And a nice little wake up call physically...and more motivation to get myself back in good shape, and maybe even find a team to play on next season.

As for the comments from the person about the new layout...and the font. Here's the problem, the font in the text is the same font as that in the title that you see on the monkey logo on top...and that color for that is perfect. I don't know...I aim to please y'all...so I will tinker with it some more. What do you all think of the new picture of the 3 monkeys? Better than the monkey and the other animals assembled around the poker table from before?

Part of me wants to play a couple SNG's in my favorite online poker room before I fall asleep, however, I took a pain killer and then a flexoril, the muscle relaxer that also makes you very sleepy. So I might be out any second. I know its working cuz the throbbing in my knee has stopped.

Okay...big day tomorrow. And in 14h37m I find out if I won my eBay bidding war for the 4 tickets for the Seahawks/Bears game that I am bidding on for me, my lovely wife...and my sister and her friend that are coming down from Milwaukee. I tradionally run very bad in these bidding wars...so I fully expect to lead an army of about 15 of you to Soldier Field on game day, where we will find some 'street brokers' to provide us with an entertaining experience!

And don't forget....at 10pm'ish, I will be coming to check out the Horseshoe in Hammond with Squirrel and Kai Landry...and we will be taking whoever wants to join us down to Rush Street for a hardcore night of Chicago partying to kick off MonkToberFest! And of course...if you're coming to the football game in the morning...even better!

the Desert Scorpion Monkey

Day 5 in Phoenix

I get a Facebook message from dealer Tony Dick...saying 'I went 5 hours heads up with T.I.' today. Then I'm watching CNN and see that T.I. supposedly talked some joker off a rooftop in Atlanta. Um....Tony?


In case you didn't notice, I changed my entire website appearance. No I didn't really mean to. I was kind of experimenting, trying to 'grow' my web building abilities. Then I irretrievably altered it to how it looks now, but I actually kind of dig it.


Whats up with the lack of comments folks? I mean...nothing! For over two weeks. Almost depressing. Then again, after a record setting 7,998 hits last month (old record was 6,215) I am on pace for a very sub-par 3500-4000 hits this month. Suppose when there isn't any poker being played, the interest level just isnt there as much. Understandable.


So they dragged these dudes out of that hole in Chile finally, eh? And they were fighting over who got to stay down there the longest? Guessing their were a few guys down there who weren't all that excited to get back to the surface. Like, maybe the guy who was married, and had a mistress...and it was the mistress who showed up for the reunion. Can you say awkward!!?? Suffice to say, if this happens in the US, all of those miners become celebrities and probably get a reality show out of it. In Chile? Probably just go back to work on Monday. Sucks.

I see my web partners posted a Full Tilt spot that John Dolan and Racener (that freak) did. Um...John, you know I think you are a great guy...and I WILL BE rooting like hell for you to win this Main Event, buddy...but honestly, do you think they could have POSSIBLY done anything to make you look MORE like a deer in the headlights? Jeezuz. If you feel like hooking up with me before you go back for that large event in a month...and getting a little tutelage in the 'Final Table how to look funny and cool and marketable' department...you have my phone number and Facebook info. I'm here to help pal. [I know for a fact that my wife is reading this right now and rolling her eyes!]

John Racener appears to be the first November Niner to have a product endorsement hit the air. Fein Energy shot. CLICK HERE to see it. I don't know John all that well, though he is friendly with a bunch of guys I am friends with...and used to date some waitress we all met at Sapphire last summer, who also got a bit role in 'The Hangover;' she was the chick walking on the sidewalk who dude got on the cop's intercom and told she was hot. Remember? When they were driving around in the stolen police car? Anyway...John comes off a little monotone in this bit, and you would never know he is reading off of a script. (monkey sarcasm there) But I'm not hatin, he got PAID right!???

Vanessa shows up here today. Guess she has to do some kind of GoDaddy.com appearance. Chad tried like hell to talk to our catcher's wife on the phone yesterday, trying to talk her into letting Terry Loe stay with the team for the rest of the week, and the playoffs...instead of going home for some function. Then...after finding out that her mother is a big poker player..offered her AND her mother a free trip to Vanessa's Boot Camp. Yes, I have that on videotape. No I am not posting it here. Mainly because Chad's efforts were unsuccessful. Our catcher left this morning.

Here is a team photo. I am in the back row...wearing #12.

If any of you are interested to check out all the 'going's on's' of this team...the history, how we got together, some of the players on the team...and a trailer of the movie that our coach Rick Cohen made last year...you can click here to check it out..... FADED GLORY.

After yesterday's lackluster performance in a game that started at 8am...that I was waken up for at 6am by my roommate, who has the early morning habits of a damn psychopathic caveman...we improved our record to 3-1, and have clinched a playoff spot. Big deal, 8 out of 10 teams make the playoffs. We play again tonight, at 7:30pm, in a very nice stadium. I now have 4 at bats. A pop out to 3rd. A fly out to center. A long fly out to lefft, that came 20 feet or so from leaving the park...and a bases loaded walk. I have not struck out. This was goal #1. The other goal was not embarrassing my family.

I have yet to work on my fall/winter tan. That will happen today. I ran an entire lap around the field yesterday prior to entering the game. I almost had a heart attack. Wow. I am a joke. And after all that cardio at home before I left?

Me and 4 teammates went to see 'The Social Network' last night. Had I not taken a pill before we went, I might not have dozed off during the movie. But in fairness to my level of alertness, had the movie been a 'thriller' think I would have stayed alert the whole time. It was a somewhat riveting movie, interesting...but pretty boring. Too much technical jargon, and the lead character was like an A.D.D. patient on crack. Justin Timberlake, and his character...were excellent.

After the movie there was a standup comedy act in my room with Chad, Matt Hillis, Rick Cohen, my roommate Jon, and this nutjob Justin from Detroit. Yes, I taped it. The new video camera is getting a very nice workout on this trip. Then Jon constructed me a salad here in the room. Yes...the team has taken to calling him 'Cutting Board' because he travels with cutting board and knife and fills the refridgerator with all kinds of items to make salads. (and it hurts his feelings when my Facebook status updates don't include mention of his salad presentations at 2am)

My favorite candidate for Democratic (Elaine Bennis aka Christine O'Donnell) office was at it again...this time in a debate against Chris Coons on CNN, and again...she gave us all a reason to ask ourselves and anyone else who will listen..."Who the hell is this lady, and who is she trying to kid?"

Went across the street and got a massage yesterday for 1.5 hours. No, you idiots, there was no happy ending. It only cost me $70...and it left me feeling wonderful.

My wife booked her flight, and Kai and I finally booked a hotel in Chicago...well, somewhere NEAR Chicago. It is called the DAYS INN BRIDGEVIEW...click the thing to see where it is and what it cost...in case you feel like being Kai and I's neighbor!

We won't be paying too much, and I suspect, we won't be recieving too much. But at least the logistics of the trip have been worked out. And Kai took care of securing us a car. So...here's the deal...I get into Chicago at 9pm Saturday night. The plan is to go to Rush Street, do some drinking/partying...check out the scene, get in about 3am, 'catch up' with my lovely wife....wake up around 10am...and go to Soldier Field for the Bears/Seahawks game at noon! Anyone that feels like joining us for this experience is invited to join us. If you don't have my phone number (which might suggest we aren't that good of friends...you can email me at ThePokerMonkey@aol.com) It would be nice if you KNOW for a FACT that I like you...at least a little bit.

I decided to play online poker the last few days...and as would be expected, I am running like shit. Two nights ago, I played 5 SNG's...cashed light in one...and BUBBLED (5th paying 4 spots) 3 times. The next night, I played in 6...and bubbled THREE of them. Then last night...playing in 5, I had the chip lead in FOUR of them...and was already in the money in the other...when I lost my connection...it took me 25 minutes to get it back...and finally when I did was only in two...one with 2 BB's, the other with a decent stack still, and won that one for $100. Decided to play one more, a $50 sng with 9 players. Paying three. Where did I finish? You nailed it. 4th! And that was a wrap.

Almost got a full night of sleep. Even told the roomate..."Dude, there is no game until 7pm tomorrow, I swear to god, if you wake me up again at 6am...I am going to get out of bed, pick up a bat, hit you in both knees...then as you fall to the floor I am going to pull down my pants and deficate on you. Then go back to bed." Well lucky me, he didn't pull his 'wake up act' until 8:20am...which I guess was okay. I felt I needed to blog anyway, and get my pools caught up. Last week's bloodbath in the NFL meant a LOT of people have been needing to get revived for this last week of rebuys. The prize pool in both my Survivor Pools ($25 version and $100 version) are now getting fairly substantial.

I miss my dogs. The other night...when my wife's Dad, who is visiting us from Florence (Alabama, not Italy...which is where my backer is right now) was coming in late from a poker session somewhere, my dogs, locked in the room with Squirrel, went berserk! Jasper, who always sleeps in my vacated spot when I am away, and always is positioned between my wife and the door....immediately positioned himself standing over her and started growling and barking like she had never heard him do before...when he heard the front door opening. She never felt so protected, but was also nervous that her Dad would erroneously open the bedroom door. It could have gotten really ugly.

"God help whoever decides to break into our house and hurt me! I swear, they will have to kill Jasper and Mollie to get to me." That's my good dogs! It's good to know they have my back while I'm outa town.

'Its MYYYYY money, and I wannnnnt it now!!!!" How much do I hate that commercial? You have no idea. Almost as much as the lead in to all these new Geico commercials with the guy and his slicked back hair...."is Ed Too Tall Jones....too tall?" (with that stupid eyebrow arched) Every time I see this dumbass commercial with these people yelling out their window about wanting their money, I harken back to my fledgling acting career...recalling commercial shoots, when you have to do take after take of a scene. How annoying would that commercial have been to shoot?

"Okay, that was pretty good...but it just wasn't that convincing. Take two...this time with a little more emphasis on MY MONEY!!!! Ya feel me? Annnnnnddddd action!!!" If I were the camera man on that shoot, I would very likely have ended up walking off the set.

Okay and while we are it...we have our new 'Free Credit Score' morons. They had a contest for what? A year? To select the new singers to replace the old annoying singers. And these are the clowns they came up with it?

Some guy in Ireland had a website he created called http://www.ihateryanair.com/ and was posting on it pretty regularly...until the UK ordered him to take it down. Got me to thinking about doing something like that to honor my love for Delta Airlines. I hate Delta Airlines. If anyone walks up to me and tells me "Hey Monkey...thought I should let you know that I work for Delta...." you are probably going to get punched in the face, maybe even kicked in the nuts.

I am really enjoying my new glasses. Being able to see well is awesome.

On CNN right now there is a National Political Correspondent who's name is Jessica Yellin. And guess what? She is not soft-spoken...not at all, in fact, its almost as if she is yelling. Hmmmm....appro-po?

Hey would anyone like to join me for a trip down on the Texas-Mexico border for some jet skiing? Seems like a good time.

Is that enough for today you Monkey Blog Addicts? Can I go out to the pool and work on my tan now? Okay...I will take that as a yes.

Monkey

Day 1 in Phoenix ends in Victory!

Today was different. And by different I mean I played ZERO poker. And it was a good thing. It was truly refreshing to get away from poker and all of the wonderful people who make up that game that has paid my bills for the last 6 years...to get together with a bunch of guys who have nothing in common (well almost nothing) with me except the love for baseball, and a tremendous competitive spirit.

I am laying in bed right now with a swollen knee, caused from my slide into 2nd to break up a double play, and an ankle that was stepped on by the guy running down the first base line after he grounded into a double play, and then 'accidentally' spiked me, breaking my shoe in half and cutting my ankle. Don't take it the wrong way...he didn't mean to...I think he swerved too far into my lane for only one reason...he was trying like hell to hustle his 40+year ass down the line to avoid the DP. These things just happen. But now I need to get up extra early and ride with Chad over to Big 5 and get a new pair of spikes.

We started the day with a round of BP (batting practice for you couch potatoes) with Chad Brown and my roomie Jonny Abondanza. I didn't exactly light up the cage...but I wasn't as bad as I expected. But it just felt great to swing the wood for the first time in three years.

I went to the game with NO expectations to play. We have a really, really talented bunch of guys out here playing in this tournament. I just decided to come with a really good attitude and just be here to enjoy the comraderie of being with 'the guys' and if I got a chance to get into a couple games...hey, great! Well...we faced a team that had a pretty lousy pitcher, and we got a decent lead early...and our coach got me into the game for a couple of at bats and three innings at 1st base. I had a deep pop out to center and then walked in a run in my last at bat. We won the game 10-0. It was a blast...and we have some cool dudes on the team...a few that I played with on our original team back in 1990....and a bunch of others I'd never met before.

We play a game every day, sometimes two...for a full week...and these guys are all super fired up to win the championship...which is a National Championship...so its a pretty big deal. I think this will be a great week. We all met for dinner in the hotel's restaraunt tonight...and had some great chat. Chad and I ended up closing the place. Got a chance to talk about his deal, and Vanessa's, with Pokerstars. Found out some very interesting stuff I never knew. I've been friends with Chad for 20 years...but never felt comfortable asking him about anything dealing with money deals. In fact...I never like talking to people about what they make...but for some reason, we got on the subject, and I was just really surprised.

So now...I am driven to win a bunch of tourneys and get a deal with Pokerstars. Or Full Tilt. Or....well, anyone who wants to give me a deal like they have. Wow!

We had a guy on our team today who during a slide, broke his pinky finger. I mean...BROKE it....as in COMPOUND FRACTURE! Took off his batting glove and it was bleeding! Does he freak out? Panic? Leave for the hospital? Um....no, he asked someone for some tape...taped it up...and STAYED IN THE GAME!!! Wowwwww.....this guy is my new hero! I could NOT believe this guys balls! So how was I going to whine about my swollen knee or my new spike mark on my ankle!??? Answer? I'm not! It would have been like Vince Vaughn's character in "Couples Retreat" crying about his shark bite! So..uh, yeahhhhh....I'm good!

I spent some time tonight reading some of the other guys' blogs on this site, something I don't do nearly enough. Tonight I focused mainly on
THE BAT and his ramblings. Wow! Dude is pretty funny. I have to say, I really enjoyed it. No idea who he is...as he comes off as Mr. Anonymous...and now I have to know. So I will be badgering Wild Bill and/or Gene about it later.

I still haven't locked up lodging for me and my 'associates' in Chicago, but I have some inside dealings that should come to a head tomorrow and result in accomodations being finalized, hopefully by tomorrow night or Tuesday.

The maids forgot to visit our room here at the Best Western at Dobson Ranch today. I hate that. And the A/C doesnt work worth a shit. Really hate that! Thank god there isn't any humidity here. Everything on the west coast closes early...so it always feels like its a lot later than it is. I'm so used to going to bed late...like 2 or 3am...and when I'm out west, I just always go to sleep earlier. Pretty sure that is a good thing.

Okay I'm done here.

Monk

I have arrived in Phoenix

Okay...MESA!

Spent all week runnin around knocking out my 'to do' list...which always makes me feel very good. Worked out a couple times, met Kai there one of the times. Squirrel's Dad came down from Florence to stay with us for awhile.

Today was travel day. And college gameday. And it was a bad day for both Squirrel and myself. I admit, I was nervous about Bama traveling to South Carolina. And I had a bad feeling about my Huskies at home against ASU. And on both accounts, I had reason for concern. We both lost. If my Dawgs arent careful they will lose all chances to make a bowl game this year.

Alabama, on the other hand, was only helped by LSU luckboxing their way into another ridiculous last second miracle act against Florida. Having crushed the Gators last week...Florida beating LSU would have really hurt Bama's chances at a National Title. But now...with LSU undefeated...and a game coming up in three weeks against them...as long as Bama takes care of everyone else...LSU could put them back in the Top 5...and if Auburn stays winless, a win at home against them would put them right back into title consideration...so all is not lost. And as the old cliche goes, "It might have been a 'good' loss for Bama." The time to lose if you HAVE to lose is sometime before Week 6 of the season. So...lets see what happens. But all these smack talking LSU fans better back up and recognize that they aren't this juggernaut that their delusional minds have convinced themselves that they are. NOVEMBER 6th!

So...I went to the airport...and had a great experience at GPT for a change. Maybe because I flew American Airlines. The kid at the ticketing counter didn't charge me for my overweight bag...then, when they wouldn't let me take my baseball bag through security because of the bats in my bag...I had to take that bag back down...and when it should have cost me another $100 for that one...he classified it as a 'walking assistance device' and charged me zilch! Nice! I tipped him $20.

Then I get to the gate, and there he is again! Working the gate! How funny. He gets me an emergency exit row. Sweet! Both out of GPT and out of Dallas on the connecting flight! So I board the plane. And as I am getting comfortable, and we start to pull away, I look out my window...and there he is...AGAIN! This time with the orange sticks in his hand directing the plane out of the gate. Wow! It was like that guy on 'In Living Color' (I know, you younger readers might not get this reference) who had like 8 jobs! I got his attention through my window, and we both shared a laugh. It was pretty funny, you have to admit.

Well both legs of my flight were fantastic. And my bags arrived at the baggage claim in a very timely fashion. Nice! And...my baseball teammates were there to pick me up on time as well.

Got to the hotel, unpacked, and got all my baseball uniform stuff. Then Chad Brown showed up and we all hung out in my room and talked about old times for awhile, talked a little poker...not too much...and got ready for this week. We start out with a game, first thing tomorrow...at 3pm. Chad is gonna pick up me and my roomie, Jonny Abondanza in the morning and take us to a batting cage. Hope to God I find some of the old magic! I don't expect to play much on this trip...as most of these guys are involved in leagues full time still, and I haven't played since I lived over in Pensacola three years ago. But its all good. I really just came to see the guys again, and if I get to play a little, cool! We are playing on fields that the MLB teams use for spring training...so that will be pretty neat. For years I always wanted to do a fantasy camp in January or February...its cool to workout on MLB fields. I'm pretty excited.

Its 2am here and I'm wide awake...which is kind of pissing me off!

I think this might have been one of my boringest blogs ever....sorry.

Monk

Great Weekend in Tuscaloosa!!!

When you draw up your idea of a perfect weekend, it resembles something like the one I just experienced. But before I go into detail, I have to back up a little because some interesting things happened before that.

All week I told myself I was going to go work out 3 or 4 times, since I have this Over-40 baseball tourney coming up in Phoenix next week. How many times did I go? Zero. I rule!!!

But I did do an awfully nice job of bringing Christmas to Sept/Oct for Squirrel and I. Got a new laptop with as much memory and processor speed as is humanly possible. Gave Squirrel my current computer...which is still in great shape. Got her a new digital camera, got myself a new video camera. Got her a Canon picture printer. Replaced our office chair with a newer, more comfortable one. Got us new pillows and comforter. Bought her a bunch of new clothes. Bought myself a bunch of new clothes. Basically went nuts. And I found out something incredible...when you suddenly introduce a nice chunk of money back into your life, and then go treat yourself to a bunch of 'stuff' you have been wanting, your mood has this amazing habit of improving. Weird huh?

Squirrel being Squirrel, she didn't think it was a good idea for me to dole out $275 a ticket to take her to see her favorite football team play Florida. She is very good about not squandering money. But I refused to hear her out. We don't have enough 'good times' together anymore...and we WERE going.

On the day before we left, I got online and bought into the first $36/180 I've ever played, and low and behold, got heads up with a guy for a $1780 win. I lost...but the $1200 2nd place money, coupled with a few cashes in SNG's...meant our trip to Tuscaloosa was more than paid for.

I went to the Mall to return some things...and had an odd experience. Our mall in Biloxi is pretty depressing. The stores inside of it are bizarre. It says a lot about the people who live in our community. And those kiosks that sit in the middle of the mall? The people who work in those things just made me really, really like my own life. You could just tell they were miserable. Looking into the stores and sensing the mood of those people...same deal. They get up everyday, get there by 9 or 10....to make probably $8-$10 an hour...get NO business, have to stand around...which...I don't know about you people...but to me there is nothing worse than standing still in one spot for long periods of time. OMG...makes me wanna die.

Then...as I am sitting in the food court eating my Panda Express...I spot a group of young black boys. Four of them. One acting 'normal', one acting like a 'bad ass', one wearing a shirt that says "I WEEL KEEL YOU" that I found interesting, and one who thought he was the next great thing in rap. Then...to the left of me, are 4 while girls. 2 of them VERY over weight. The other two slightly over weight. One of them was almost attractive...and she was the one who was talking as if she were from the Bronx. Arms flailing, 'Ya know wat ai mean?' 'I'm just sayin, no no no....whatevvvvva.' On and on...to the point I was just scratching my head. She finally got the attention of the boys. And now it became like a bad version of The Dating Game.

Please tell me the inital stages of flirtation weren't this painful and awkward and socially reprehensible when I was that age. Well, it did get funnier. The boys finally 'skated' and left the girls there alone...and suddenly, this same girl transformed back into a white girl from a suburban upbringing. Hmmm. Fascinating.

*********************************************************************

Gabe and Claudia decided to join us in Tuscaloosa for the ball game. I found them two tickets...with us. We were staying with BJ McBrayer...and he has a good buddy who is also a ticket broker, so we were definitely hooked up. I offered to let them drive if they wanted to...Gabe just bought an H3...and I figured it would have a lot more room than my 4 runner. I was wrong. Very wrong. And Gabe is the slowest driver in the history of the combustible engine. And he refused to let anyone else drive. Gabe is going to make a great old person. Hell, he is already half way there.

We did finally make it there around 3pm. Hung out at BJ's new house for awhile...which is really nice. He has a huge backyard, with a pool. I was really wishing we had brought the 'kids' with us...they would have loved it! We grilled some steaks...which were awesome...and then left for the game.

Wow, I hadn't been to Tuscaloosa since 1992, when I went with my girlfriend from NYC...who incidentally ended up marrying my good buddy and ex-bar owner partner. (good memories there!) It has changed a LOT. We wandered into the Quad...a large area where people set up their tailgating functions. Holy Cow. I mean...it was just the total college football experience. So much electricity. Of course, I was also made to feel 'my age' as there were kids running around...who were actually college students, and was struggling to convince myself that these kids were old enough to vote and some of them drink.

Then there was the challenge not to get busted checking out the college hotties that were inevitable. And they were everywhere. One or several would walk by and Gabe would nudge me, or shoot me a glance...'yeah yeah...I saw her.' Damnnnnnnnnn. Yeah, it got pretty annoying. But...I have NO REGRETS about who I was with. These girls...these little girls, half of them are snots I'm sure, half of them will balloon into fatties, NONE of them could sit down and have a conversation with me that makes ONE OUNCE of sense, or contains anything interesting (to me, anyway)...then I look over at my Squirrel in her Bama sweatshirt...and at 36 realize, I landed me a '10!' Nope, no regrets at all!!! My wife is a total hottie!

Pictured here are me and Squirrel with her brother Scott and his wife Bridget before the game. They live up the road near Huntsville.






Then we enter the stadium. Wow! I just figured out how to use my video camera...and I took a pretty cool movie of the three of them walking through the tunnel and into the stadium, and should post it on here...but I'm in a hurry, we are going to get me some glasses...so maybe I will add it later. (okay, I have installed the software, and am now reading the manual...expect to see a video here shortly!!!)







Long story short on the game. We had awesome seats. Lower level, 12 rows up from the field, on the 20 yard line. And the game was perfect. Alabama just played out of their minds. When they needed a big play, they got it. Their defense is so athletic. The stadium is just incredible. My one beef is that there is NO space at all in between seats. You are forced to turn your body at an angle when standing. But I suppose that is how they manage to get 100,000 fans into that place. Man, you think Mal Moore is loving their decision to go after Nick Saban and pay him what they paid him? Bama is back to being a football dynasty.

After the game we went to a place called Brown's Corner. We met Squirrel's brother and wife...and a bunch of their friends there. It was nice. I ended up buying everyone's drinks when I found out how incredibly cheap they were. For 14 drinks the bartender tells me $34. What???? Wow! Hey, might as well pick this one up! BJ joined us later...and we ended up closing the joint...drinking lots of shots, dancing a bit...and mixing and mingling with fans from both schools. We actually met some really nice people from Florida, who were taking the loss with a lot of class. Of course I had to introduce them to the Red Snapper! And since the bartender, Ann...was only on her 3rd week of bartending, I had to teach her how to make the perfect Red Snapper! It was a really fun night!

When we were leaving the stadium after the game...we walked down a street with tents lined up one after the other full of Bama stuff for sale. I saw a jersey, the good kind...authentic...that was Mark Ingram's #22....and was autographed by him. $200! Wow! The jersey alone is worth about $120. And how much will that jersey be worth? Heismann Trophy winner last year? Certain NFL player! Well, Cheryl thought it was too much, and as we were walking away the guy says "I'll sell it to ya for $150." Pfffft, you kidding?!!! SOLD! And it fits me! But I might end up giving it to our Bama-loving nephew...her brother Scott's kid, for Christmas. I don't know though...I might get attached to it!!! It is pretty sweet!

Well, a game experience couldn't get much better, and I would love to get back up there, maybe for the Nov 26th Auburn season finale. That is sure to be a huge game too.

*********************************************************************

While Bama was beating the crap out of Florida...my Washington Huskies were putting the finishing touches on a 2nd consecutive upset of the USC Trojans, this time in Los Angeles! I was ecstatic! What a perfect day of football. And after we got thrashed by Nebraska, and taken all the wind out of the Jake Locker is God talkers....I was pretty much resigned to another losing season. But now this gives us some momentum...but still, our schedule is so brutal. I would be so happy with a 6-win season and a bowl berth somewhere. Something to build on.

I was really hoping that my Seahawks could keep it going on Sunday...by knocking off the Rams...who we had beaten 8 times in a row, and open up a big gap in the NFC West. But I never felt very good about the game...just had a feeling we were going to suck it up. And we did. We never scored a TD. Rams 20-3. Gross. And we just looked awful. BJ has the Sunday Ticket package on Direct TV so I got to watch all the early games. Then I swam 7 laps in his pool...which nearly made me pass out. Him and I threw the baseball around for about 15 minutes til both of our shoulders ached....then it was time to hit the road.

Yeah...another painstaking journey of watching Gabe play with his phone while driving 55-65 the entire way home. I've never loved the idea of a roadtrip in my own car with the wife as much as I did this weekend! Next time...gas prices be damned...we are taking TWO cars!!!!

******************************************************************

My taxes are FINALLY done! And I owe more than I thought I would. Dammit. But at least its done.

Went to the doctor yesterday for my checkups related to my cholesterol medication and my Celexa meds. Gave them some blood and find out today I guess if I'm okay.

Today I go to get some glasses. My eyes have gotten awful.

At 2pm I go to the dentist to get some work done that I've been putting off for a few years.

Oh wow...its the 5th and just realized I haven't paid my monthly bills yet.

On Saturday, I fly outa here. Off to Phoenix for a week to play baseball and hang out with a bunch of guys I played with 20 years ago in NYC. It should be a really fun week.

After that I shoot over to Chicago. For the WSOP event in Hammond, which YEAH...is in Indiana...but the state line runs through East Chicago...so, its more or less Chicago. It just so happens that the Bears take on my Seahawks the day after I get there...so the plan is to try and go to that game. And Squirrel is wanting to come up to see Chicago, and go to the game with me. Seems like a pretty reasonable request.

Kai Landry is checking in on a two-week rental of a house up there...which would be a great experience. I can think of 5 or 6 people I would like to offer a room to if that happens, and 4 of them have already said they are in if we make it happen. That would be sweet!

I checked out the structures for the Chicago event last night...and I have to say, they look phenomenal. I just hope nothing changes by the time we get there. Because right now...with those structures, I really like my chances to make at least one final table while I'm there.

I really just want to make it my goal to go into each remaining trip this year and come home with a profit...whether it be $1,000 or $100,000. I just want to avoid going backwards. I won't be doing anything different in the way I manage my bankroll. Like buying into larger events than we aren't accustomed to buying into. They have a $1500 Main Event up there...followed by a $10,000 'regional' Main Event....and while I would buy into the $1500...I will NOT buy into the 10k directly. I will only play it if I satellite in, or perhaps get staked by someone for a decent share. My backer and I have both agreed we aren't going to deviate from our fairly successful plan of 3 years now. And frankly, I've done pretty well at satelliting into Main Events the last two years...so I haven't had to sit out a lot of them.

Okay....I fear this is dragging on a little too much. And it is time to go run some errands. I plan on grinding a lot of online poker this week...for no other reason than I just feel like going for a decent score before heading to Arizona.

MONKEY

Big Weekend Coming....

I have fallen into a disturbing pattern. Sleep until my dogs wake me up to feed them (and throw him the ball!)...sometimes go back to sleep, but more times than not, sit at my desk processing all the pool payments, and updating them on the website, which...if you've never run pools, qualifies as a full time job almost.

Then Squirrel finally gets up, gets ready for work...and leaves. And instead of getting this list of errands done that have been staring me in the face now for 4 days, I find myself taking a 'nap' that usually ends around 10pm. Great. So now I am up at 10pm wide awake.

This is usually where I dial up a session online. Why? Because I like chaos and to be punished by people I can't stand. So I usually end up breaking even right about the time Squirrel comes home from work. I quickly sign off...listen to her talk about how much she hates working in nickel slots (who wouldn't?) then read myself to sleep with my latest Vince Flynn novel. Then I wake up and do it all over again.

Yikes. Where is the working out I promised myself? Well, I better find it, because I have just been talked into taking 'The Trip!' The one where I will catch up with the guys I played baseball with up in NYC almost 20 years ago. Chad Brown is the one you all know. Then there are others...who you may or may not have seen on TV. I've remained in touch with a few of them. This little trip to Phoenix Oct 9-16th will be for, officially, an Over-40 baseball tourney pitting some very good teams. I have a very small chance of actually playing. Which I am fine with. I am not in good shape. This much will not be denied. But I will get a uniform, and get to work out in an MLB park...and for that, I am psyched. I will attempt to find a batting cage around here somewhere, so as not to TOTALLY shame myself. It will be a good time, I'm sure. I had some wonderful memories of time spent with those guys, and I miss the comraderie that comes from doing things together as a team. I just hope I don't kill myself!

This weekend, there is a certain game coming up in Tuscaloosa. As you may know, my wife is a diehard Alabama fan. As is the rest of her family. Well, I have a good buddy, BJ McBrayer, who lives up there and had invited us to come up one weekend back in August. Well, this seems like the only weekend where I will be available to make this trip, so I got after it, found us two tickets (for what Super Bowl tickets used to cost...whoa!) and set things up with BJ. So when Squirrel gets off work Friday night...we will catch a few hours of sleep then make the 4.5 hr drive to Tuscaloosa for the ESPN 7pm game against the hated Gators. She is really excited...and frankly, I am too. I love the atmosphere of college football. And her brother and sister-in-law will be there, as well as, I'm sure...a lot of other people she knows. Should be a fantastic weekend.

As if that wasnt enough...in digging around, I discovered that on the day I arrive in Chicago (Oct 16th) for the Hammond WSOP event...a certain football team that I pull for will also be arriving in the Windy City for a clash with the hometown Bears. Thats right...my Seattle Seahawks...who just happen to be sitting in 1st place (yeah yeah, I know...quite precariously and in a weak-ass division) right now...and could be 3-1 coming into Chicago if they can handle St.Louis on the road this week. They then get a bye week to get healthy before taking on the 1st place Bears. Well, there is no way I am missing that game. So I guess I will be missing the Sunday tourney in Hammond. I've already gotten interest on attending the game from 'The Duke' and Kai Landry has already self-invited...which is always a welcome addition. My sister, up in Milwaukee is making noise about coming down as well, and since its her birthday, I offered to treat her. Well, now the Squirrel is not wanting to be left out...so we may have us another big football get together up there too.

However it shakes out...October is shaping up to be a month of lots of fun...and needless to say, I will be spending some of that September loot I won. Maybe a bit more than I would like...but hey, life is short, and once in awhile you need to enjoy the rare spoils that come with this business. So I hope at the end of October we are all able to sit back and reflect on a great month...like I am currently doing about September!

Okay its 1pm..and I swear to GOD...I am leaving this house and running these errands...right NOW! And dragging myself to the gym today.

Monkey