Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Tony Dungy: Record-Setter

Reading one of Tony Dungy’s books – his first one, I think. He is the only player in the modern era to both intercept a pass and throw an interception in the same game. After setting records as a QB at the University of Minnesota, Dungy made the Steel Curtin Defense as an undrafted free agent backup defensive back in 1977. That year he grabbed his first career interception on the road in Houston. Terry Bradshaw broke his wrist in the same game. Then backup Cliff Stout was knocked out of the game on the last play of the third quarter. Dungy had not taken a snap since college, but was thrust in the game at QB as a last resort. Not surprisingly, he fumbled one snap, fumbled a handoff to Rocky Blier, and threw two interceptions – but did complete 3 of 8 passes to his own team, including completions to hall-of-famers Lynn Swann and John Stallworth. The next week Dungy practiced as a QB until it was determined Bradshaw could play with a cast.
 
 
I couldn’t find who earlier players were that had achieved Dungy’s feat, though in 1943 Sammy Baugh intercepted four passes AND threw four TD passes in one game. That year Sammy led the NFL in passing, most interceptions, and punting. Baugh’s NFL record career punting average of 45.1 was not broken until 2000.
 
Not sure when Barney sleeps. When C was out of town this past weekend B stayed downstairs, keeping vigil in the hope she would return. During the summer he will sleep on the tile or wood, and in winter on the sofa or bed. B stayed in the bad all night these last two night after C returned home. He just doesn’t sleep much when he’s in the bed. During the day he will sit on the bed downstairs, looking out the window for squirrels and passersby. When C is gone he’ll sit there watching for her car to drive up. Then he’ll jump off the bed, run out all excited, and bark.
 
I really don’t know yet what I want to be when I grow up. Maybe an usher at Braves games. Or an umpire. Something that starts with a U. I resisted the urge to say something about unicorns.
 
When I was a sophomore at Tech I lived up 85 at Shallowford Road when they were working to expand 85 and the Buford Highway connector. After graduation I started working for Jim Suggs further out 85 just outside 285. That’s when they were working on the 85/285 spaghetti junction. To relieve congestion a vast network of subways would need to be built along several main arteries. That ain’t gonna happen. Even then people don’t want to give up their cars. It’s almost like people don’t mind the congestion. They’re too busy checking their phones and wanting to be seen in their luxury automobiles. They don’t realize no one is looking at them. Nobody stays at home any more. On weekends the traffic is just as bad.
 
TUESDAY: FOUR meetings. Hope they have fun while I’m at the beach. Worked past 7 pm. Made good time driving home. Ceil cooked spaghetti and tossed a salad. M had gone to the grocery and we told him to bring a tomato. We went ahead and ate the salad without tomato. When we finished I took the dishes over to the sink and noticed a tomato sitting on the counter.
 
We hung the heavy new mirror in the renovated downstairs bathroom. There are still a couple of finishing touches on it before we are finished. C was cleaning out stuff in the dining room yesterday. The whole house is full of stuff, but maybe we are slowly moving in the direction of cleaning it out.    

We watched a movie on Hulu: “From Prada to Nada.” Review: the trailer was better than the movie, but C enjoyed it. I read email and hopped on the computer. After the movie ended it was late, but I decided to watch the last episode of 11.22.63, which finished on an up note. Still, the book, though long, was better than the movie. As it ended M came downstairs and watched the trailer. This got him interested, and he was up later watching some of it.
 
Breaking bobblehead trade with bobble czar Bobby Myers: my old Gwinnett “fat Chopper” bank for next month’s AJ Pierzynski zombie bobble. Chopper is rare and a real cutie. It completes Bobby’s set of Gwinnett bobbles. AJ will be the first Braves zombie, a $25.00 special ticket bobble I was going to miss while I was at the beach. I paid three bucks for the Chopper, but I’m not sure if someone got the best end of the deal. In August Gwinnett is giving away a new Chopper bobble. I need to bring a bobble to work for my desk.
 
JUNE 8: Lots of people were all saying such nice things about the late Dr. Mansur. No jury duty today, but I have to call in again tonight. Last night M cooked hot wings, but he grilled some chicken for me. Also salad. C watched Two Weeks’ Notice and I worked on the computer. C has been painting, first the kitchen/den.
 
JUNE 14: Lightning knocked out our internet and cable. I worked until 6:15 and stopped by RaceTrac. C was worn out and hadn’t gone to the grocery, so we wound up at Tijuana Joes at Johnson Ferry and Lower Roswell. She loved her chalupa but my burritos were just ok. Then to Whole Foods. Went to bed at 10 pm.
 
JUNE 15: stopped by Kroger on the way to work, to grab some breakfast cereal. Grocery stores stock everything people need in the back so customers will have to walk past everything else, in the hopes the customers will see something they don’t need, and buy it. As I was walking to the back of the store I noticed a big display for Life cereal 2 for $3.00. It had been at this price for several weeks. When I got to the cereal aisle the price was 2 for $4.00. I bet they upped the price but hadn’t changed all the signs. I bought something else.

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