Had a hard time sleeping last night. I’m drinking a lot less caffeine these days (soft drinks), so perhaps it was the Diet Coke from Whataburger that I sipped on all afternoon. Not sure when I’ll drink the three 2 liters of mtn dew that I’d bought.
Sac Fly
Ramblings about faith, family, baseball, etc.
Saturday, June 06, 2026
Saturday In The Park
Had a hard time sleeping last night. I’m drinking a lot less caffeine these days (soft drinks), so perhaps it was the Diet Coke from Whataburger that I sipped on all afternoon. Not sure when I’ll drink the three 2 liters of mtn dew that I’d bought.
Friday, June 05, 2026
Billy Lothridge: Super Bowl Champ
My church always draws a big crowd to Wednesday night supper when they serve Bourbon Chicken. Not sure why.
Johnson's Ferry is a great church, but needs to improve in the dry erase marker department.
Sermon topic that I'd like to hear: we know that all dogs go to heaven - but what about cats? Surely not.
Churches across America are being set on fire. Just a few years ago the same thing was happening in Europe, and we all know what's happening in Europe now. Are sleeper cells involved?
Thursday, June 04, 2026
Braves 7 Toronto 3
Haley Hurt went to Tuesday night's game. Braves won 4-3.
Tuesday night was our first men's Bible Study for the summer. Thirteen in attendance, around Reid's fire pit. A nice cool evening. Dennis, Tom, Lee, Tommy, Dan, David, Greg, Jim, Robert, and Brian and his brother. Lots of cookies and other treats.
Wednesday, June 03, 2026
World Cup < Super Bowl < Olympics
How big a deal will the World Cup be in Atlanta? It will be a big bad eight games over 31 days. No back to back games. There will be various ancillary events around town. How does this compare to the Olympics and a Super Bowl?
A Super Bowl is one sold out stadium event that culminates after seven straight days of lead up events, press conferences, fan experiences, concerts, etc. Dang the Falcons or Dawgs will draw two or three sellout crowds over the course of a month. The Braves will have ten sellouts in a month - or more.
The Olympics was 16+ consecutive days, with multiple sold out events being held at the same time all around downtown, all throughout each day. At the Olympic Stadium, Atlanta Stadium, Georgia Dome, Omni, Herndon Stadium, two aquatic venues at Georgia Tech, the Civic Center, Alexander Memorial Coliseum, and the World Congress Center. Plus the Olympic Village at GT and Centennial Olympic Park. And outlying venues at Stone Mountain, Conyers, Atlanta Beach, Athens, Savannah, Lake Lanier, and North Georgia. Cycling in the velodrome in East Point.
The Paris Olympics had 329 medal events across 32 sports and 48 disciplines. The 2026 World Cup will have 104 total matches spread out in 16 cities in the US, Mexico, and Canada.
People are saying 500,000 people are coming to Atlanta for the World Cup. But Atlanta is only hosting 8 games spread out over 30 days. Doing the math, that's 62500 fans at each game are from out of town. Sure the World Cup may be a big deal all around the world, but in the US it will be so spread out that the impact on any one city will be considerably diluted, unlike the Olympics all taking place in one city. The Braves have averaged 500,000 fans per month - for six straight months - without the help of MARTA.
There will be a World Cup FanFest in June and July in Centennial Olympic Park. I signed up for tickets. Interesting hours: from 2 pm - midnight. There will be concerts and food trucks and other vendors.
Which had the greatest impact on MARTA, the city streets, and highways? On the restaurants and hotels and airport? To me it’s a no brainer.
Perhaps FIFA followers are more fanatical than NFL fans or followers of the Olympics, but when it boils down to the impact it has on one city, I still say the World Cup ranks behind the Super Bowl and certainly the Olympics - and maybe even the Braves.
RUBE WADDELL [SABR Bio] was the first American League pitcher to strike out more than 300 batters in a season, with 302 in 1903 for PHA. His total the next year still stands as the record for American League strikeout record by a lefty. He struck out 349 in 1904; Sam McDowell is second with 325 in 1965. Waddell threw the first recorded Immaculate Inning, on 01-Jul-1902, Waddell struck out 3 batters, throwing exactly 9 pitches.
Tuesday, June 02, 2026
Melina's Third Birthday
Sunday: I was still so exhausted that I stayed home from church. Slept late, until Winnie wouldn't let me sleep any more. Tried to relax. Straightened up the house, did some laundry. In the afternoon I drove over to the gym for the sauna and cooldown on the treadmill. After the Braves loss i went outside to mow the lawn. So it will be another 10,000 step day.
Watched an old movie: The Internship, with Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson. I'd thought that parts of the movie had been filmed in Atlanta. Did not realize they made up parts of the GT campus to pose as Google's San Francisco headquarters.
I slept in on Monday morning. Didn't make it to the gym until 11 am. Then I ran down to Lenox Square for a birthday present for Millie. Got home to find that C had brought back another carload of stuff from SC. Not sure where she's going to put it.
Lifted weights at the gym this morning, then sauna and treadmill cooldown. Packaged two more items that sold on Poshmark - a vintage Chicago Bears helmet, and a pair of Nike Air Max Speed Turf sneakers.
Monday, June 01, 2026
June Bobbleheads & Other SGAs
Here's my humble list of bobblehead SGAs and special ticket deals for the month of June, along with other interesting giveaways. Mostly minor league, so let me know what MLB giveaways I've missed.
A busy June 1st week in Braves Country, with at least ten different special events on the calendar. I'm scheduled to make appearances at a couple of them.
Lehigh Valley may be on to the next big craze in stadium giveaways: lint rollers. Finally a game that my wife WANTS me to go to. June 7th.
Not a bobblehead, but on the 9th in Hartford the Yard Goats are serving up the "Anti-Hero Sandwich": a two foot long hot dog surrounded by eleven powdered sugar donuts, on an Italian loaf bun. I would trade you a bobblehead for one, but it probably won't ship well.
For traffic and planning purposes, I've included the World Cup games being played in Atlanta. There's a World Cup fanfest in Centennial Park starting June 12, but you have to preregister for a free ticket. The CDC is warning that this may be a super spreader event, so be sure to stick to baseball games.
6.01 TUE Green Bay dog bowls
6.02 TUE ATL Dave Justice bobble 15000
6.03 WED JAX I got that Dawg in me tshirt 500
6.03 WED Gwinnett 12 noon game
6.03 WED Rome 12 noon game beach towel giveaway
6.03 WED Lehigh Valley Aidan Miller bobble 3000
6.03 WED ATL Drake Baldwin hockey jersey 15000
6.04 THU Lehigh Valley ice cream cap 3000
6.04 THU Peoria stadium seats
6.05 FRI Peoria metal signs
6.05 FRI Rome straw hats
6.06 SAT Hickory cowboy hats 1000
6.06 SAT Augusta Harry Potter House shirt special ticket
6.06 SAT Gwinnett Drake Baldwin ROY bobble 2000
6.06 SAT Fayetteville Margaritaville jersey
6.06 SAT Fredericksburg Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles jerseys
6.06 SAT Asheville home jersey giveaway
6.06 SAT JAX Jacob Berry bobblehead 2000
6.06 SAT Lake Country Garth Brooks ticket raffle
6.06 SAT Chesapeake mascot bobblehead 750
6.06 SAT Cleburne Hawaiian Night giveaway
6.06 SAT Memphis soccer jerseys
6.06 SAT ATL Braves Country 5K t-shirt
6.07 SUN ATL soccer jersey 3000 kids
6.07 SUN Gwinnett Disney Princess brunch & kids t-shirt special ticket
6.07 SUN W Mich Luchador bobble
6.07 SUN COL Dinger mascot bobble 15000
6.07 SUN Lehigh Valley lint rollers 3000 18U
6.07 SUN Lakeshore kids Crocs charms 500 12U
6.07 SUN Richmond tie die terry cloth bucket hats
6.07 SUN Cubs Wrigley Field replicas
6.07 SUN Worcester mascot Clara the Heart bobble
6.07 SUN Fayetteville soccer jersey special ticket
6.08 MON Angels Yusei Kikuchi bobble
6.09 TUE Hartford 2 ft long hotdogs served w/ 11 donuts
6.09 TUE Richmond inaugural season bobble logos
6.09 TUE Vancouver Addison Barger bobble
6.10 WED JAX Marc in the park tshirt 500
6.10 WED Reading George Costanza puffy jacket bobble
6.10 WED Nashville brewmaster shirts 1000
6.11 THU Nashville throwback caps 1000
6.11 THU Springfield free 12 oz Budweiser 21U
6.11 THU Scranton WB plush slippers 1000
6.11 THU Columbus scarf 1000
6.11 THU Mont soccer jerseys
6.11 THU Bham Juneteenth t-shirts 1000
6.11 THU Brooklyn Carson Benge 25 champs jersey 1000
6.12 FRI Lansing Snoopy bobblehead 1000
6.12 FRI San Antonio used car night
6.12 FRI Hudson Valley George Costanza bobblecard
6.12 FRI Springfield Marty Prather Sign Man bobble 2000
6.13 SAT Springfield JJ Wetherholt MVP bobble 2000
6.13 SAT CIN Abbott bobblehead
6.13 SAT Toledo mascot Muddy WWE bobble special ticket
6.13 SAT Brooklyn 2025 replica championship rings 2000
6.13 SAT Columbus "Hawaiian" shirt giveaway 1000
6.13 SAT Washington Wild Things Jimmy Buffet Hawaiian shirts 1000
6.13 SAT Lake Country garden gnomes
6.13 SAT Madison mascot Maynard bobble $19 special ticket
6.13 SAT Nashville Sulphur Dell replica warehouse 1000
6.13 SAT Myrtle Beach Brian Snitker appearance & giveaway 1000
6.13 SAT Lake County Tyler Naquin bobble
6.14 SUN Lake County America 250 jersey
6.14 SUN Mont soccer balls 500
6.14 SUN NYM color your own Mrs Met bobble
6.14 SUN Lake Elsinore bowling shirts
6.14 SUN Brooklyn soccer jerseys 1000
6.14 SUN Toledo Pablo Sanchez bobble & meet & greet
6.15 MON ATL World Cup Spain vs Cabo Verde
6.16 TUE Cubs soccer jerseys
6.16 TUE ATL Acuna new City Connect HR tracker bobble 15000
6.16 TUE ATL SpongeBob jersey shirts special ticket
6.17 WED ATL soccer jerseys 15000
6.17 WED BOS - 3 different John Williams musical bobbles
6.17 WED Portland Payton Tolle bobblehead
6.18 THU Lehigh Valley duffle bags 3000
6.18 THU ATL World Cup TBD vs South Africa
6.18 THU Rochester Plates jerseys 500
6.19 FRI Everett caps
6.19 FRI Stockton Denzel Clarke bobble
6.19 FRI Kane County Scooby Doo bobble
6.19 FRI Madison techno chicken bobble special ticket?
6.19 FRI Augusta bowling shirts 1000
6.19 FRI Cubs 1930s replica jerseys
6.19 FRI MLB East West Juneteenth Classic @ Rickwood Field Bham
6.19 FRI Lexington Hooties jersey auction
6.19 FRI Rochester Tom Alston bobble 1000
6.20 SAT Hickory bucket hats 1000
6.20 SAT Peoria belt buckles
6.20 SAT Hagerstown Hawaiian shirts
6.20 SAT Everett retro bobble
6.20 SAT Asheville alt jade jersey giveaway
6.20 SAT Gwinnett Black Crackers caps 1750
6.20 SAT Rome Nacho Alvarez bobblehead
6.20 SAT Wilmington Daylen Lile bobble
6.20 SAT West Virginia gold & blue sock giveaway
6.20 SAT Quad City Bobby Abreu bobblehead
6.20 SAT Frederick Keyote mascot bobble 1000
6.20 SAT Fayetteville black ops jersey
6.21 SUN Fayetteville Father's Day bucket hat special ticket
6.21 SUN Father's Day
6.21 SUN ATL Braves LED light 3000 kids
6.21 SUN ATL World Cup Spain vs Saudi Arabia
6.21 SUN Rays Pablo Sanchez bobble
6.21 SUN Hickory t-shirts 500
6.21 SUN Augusta driver covers 500 fathers
6.21 SUN Lehigh Valley neckties 1500 men 18U
6.21 SUN Reading golf shirts 3000 men 18U
6.21 SUN Winnipeg bucket hats 500
6.21 SUN Cubs father's day t-shirts
6.21 SUN SEA Andres Munoz & cat Matilda bobble special ticket
6.22 MON ???
6.23 TUE Brooklyn bark in the park cap special ticket
6.23 TUE Bham USA tshirts 1000
6.23 TUE Tri City Claire Hutton bobble
6.23 TUE ARK mascot Otey bobble
6.24 WED Nashville Brice Turang bobble 2000
6.24 WED Eugene $1 car giveaway
6.24 WED ATL World Cup Morocco vs Haiti
6.25 THU Lehigh Valley Margaritaville caps 3000
6.25 THU Lehigh Valley Margaritaville jersey special ticket
6.25 THU Mont Hawaiian shirts 1000 gates open 530
6.25 THU Brooklyn 2001 replica championship rings 1000
6.26 FRI Brooklyn Hawaiian shirts 2000
6.26 FRI Mont wrestling belts 1000
6.26 FRI Tri-City Valley Cats Grateful Dead tshirts $50 special ticket
6.26 FRI Norfolk Dylan Beavers bobble card 2500
6.26 FRI Williamsport Tom Cillo bobble
6.27 FRI Brooklyn friendship bracelets 2000
6.27 FRI Kenosha K-Town Bobbers Tshirt $18 special ticket
6.27 FRI Fayetteville Hispanic Country jersey
6.27 SAT Hickory sugar skull replica jerseys 1000
6.27 SAT Rays Chandler Simpson bobblelegs
6.27 SAT Columbus giveaway 1000
6.27 SAT Bham trucker hats
6.27 SAT Nashville Hawaiian shirts 2000
6.27 SAT Columbus cowboy hats 1000
6.27 SAT ATL World Cup TBD vs Uzbekistan
6.27 SAT Springfield Stan Musial bobble 2000
6.27 SAT Lake County Jose Ramirez bobble
6.28 SUN Lake County CC Sabathia bobblehead
6.28 SUN Columbus peach shirsey 1000
6.28 SUN Brooklyn TMNT jerseys 2000
6.28 SUN South Bend mascot Stu D Baker bobble
6.28 SUN Fredericksburg replica jerseys
6.28 SUN Mystics Kiki Iriafen bobble 1500
6.29 MON SEA Cal Raleigh Funko Pop 10000
6.30 TUE SEA Cal Raleigh Funko POP 10000
6.30 TUE Augusta patriotic jerseys 1000 kids
6.30 TUE W Mich Pacheco bobble
Sunday, May 31, 2026
Hunting My Lime Green Whale
Friday night the Reds wore head to toe black uniforms. Tonight they’re wearing head to toe red. Actually it does look a little old timey, a look you’d expect from the Reds.
Friday I was going here there and everywhere. I missed the gym but stayed on the go. Only 8000 steps and 4 miles, but when I got home at 7:45, I was bushed. I think I realized why: the thin socks I was wearing caused my feet to move around in my shoes.
By the time I went to bed I was in pain. No matter how I laid, there was pain. I almost never take over the counter meds, so the one Advil capsule I took really did the trick. Nevertheless, I didn’t much sleep.
Got up at 630 and walked both Winnie and Goose. Made it to Kennesaw Mountain by 740, and we were off on our hike by 8:15. Went a little further this time. From the top of the mountain we continued on down the other side another quarter mile, a rough rocky steep descent - and then we turned around and climbed right back up to the top, then on down to the parking lot.
Finished at 9:47 am. 2.56 miles with 800 feet of elevation, in 92% humidity. Hiked with Brian, Dan, Jim, and Robert. Used my new trekking poles, which supposedly takes 30 pounds of pressure off my legs.
Drove home, walked the dogs again, and drove up to the gym. Sauna and treadmill cooldown. After lunch I took a nap. More furniture was delivered, so I went upstairs and finished configuring the furniture in the guest bedroom. Carpet, put together the bed, moved in the side tables, then did the same in the master bedroom. Did some laundry. Turned into a 14000+ step 6.7 mile day.