FIRE!

A great weekend up in north Georgia. After watching UGA@Tenn, Caleb cooked steak & chicken tacos. Anna fixed margaritas.

We were too tired to play board games again, so we sat around and watched Washington@OregonState. We all slept well.

Sunday morning Will baked a breakfast casserole, with eggs, cheese, crossiants, and sausage. Very good. Then we packed up and drove to nearby downtown Blue Ridge.

One block of the downtown had burned to the ground in Saturday’s fire. We had the three dogs, who enjoyed the attention from other shoppers. After walking around we ate at a nearby Zaxbys. I had the southwest salad.

Drove home. A sunny day in the mountains. Stopped in downtown Elijay to get C some coffee. After unpacking I did some laundry, raked some leaves, and washed Ceil’s car – filthy from the trip. Watched some NFL, and Peyton Manning’s tribute to John Madden. Ceil fixed spaghetti. Went to bed early.

Sore from the weekend, but I ran at the gym this morning. Hopefully it will be a quiet week at work, but I have a lot of catching up to do.

The amazing coincidences between Abraham Lincoln and JFK. Not listed…Lincoln was born in a log cabin. Kennedy once split Log Cabin syrup in his father’s Lincoln.

Ways to be the most interesting person at a party – though your goal should be to be the second most interesting person at the party. 

TRIS SPEAKER   [SABR Bio] was the manager of the Indians for their first pennant and first WS championship, in 1920. So dominant is his record for career outfield assists that the player who is second on that list (also a 1^st-ballot Hall of Famer) would have had to increase his output by 63% just to tie for first. Speaker’s OF assists = 448, towering over Ty Cobb’s already impressive 275. Speaker’s fielding glove was known as the place “where triples go to die”. Speaker also holds career records for double plays & unassisted double plays (6) by an OF. The quote has been said of many fleet ball hawks, but old timers and baseball researchers agree that there has never been another like Speaker.

Good Old Rocky Top

Vols were flying high in the first quarter. They won the first 15 seconds of the game. Escorted by Peyton, Dolly sang Rocky Top. Life was good.

Then Georgia got the ball. And outscored Tennessee 38-3 the rest of the way.

For those saying Georgia hasn't played anyone, let me submit into evidence...

Clemson beat UNC. Not sure Drake Maye nor Caleb Williams are worthy of being the NFL's number one overall pick. 

Tech held off a late Syracuse surge to become bowl eligible, at 6-5 for the year. Overjoyed Tech fans exclaimed "Give Key a raise" despite losing to Bowling Green. I'm already reading predictions of a GT win over UGA. As if.

More photos from the weekend.

Into The Woods

This morning Will cooked the fixins for breakfast tacos: scrambled eggs, bacon, hash browns, black beans, cheese, and spicy sausage.

Then we all went on a six mile hike through the woods.

The three dogs went with us.

MC and Millie stayed back in downtown Blue Ridge. She witnessed a huge fire that devastated a good portion of the old downtown area. Check your local news. 

We met up with Matthew, and retired back to the cabin to watch football.

Ate cheeses and crackers and dips. Later Caleb fixed steak and chicken tacos. We were too tired to play board games, as we had the night before.

The Braves cut 5 more pitchers. That brings the total to at least 8 or 9 no longer with the team, all in the last few days.

1200 Chattanooga @ Bama

0330 UGA@Tenn

0330 UNC@Clemson

0800 Syracuse @ GT

0800 Georgia State @ LSU

Cherry Log

Friday: after breakfast Will and I hopped in the hot tub. 

Later we went to an apple orchard store, the to downtown Blue Ridge to walk around. Saw a cool Atlanta Crackers cap, and other things.

Stopped C by the grocery. Kids are napping and we're relaxing out on the porch, overlooking the mountains.

A&C made it in time for a late dinner: salmon.

Thursday: left work at 530, the first of my team to leave. Ate a cheeseburger before I left. Left the house just after 7 pm. West to 575 then north past those outlets, through Elijay to Cherry Log. Up a winding mountain road that sometimes was unpaved. Sat with W&MC a bit before bed.

Everyone slept past 7 am this morning. Will and I drove to WalMart for some groceries. He cooked breakfast: scrambled eggs, bacon, pancakes. A beautiful view.                    

Braves trade Soroka, Lopez, Shuster, and two minor leaguers for Aaron Bummer. Braves get the 2025 all star game. I hope to volunteer.

Sourdough Bagels

Ceil’s homemade sourdough bagels, made from her starter. 

Crazy day. Lots not going right. In a meeting from 92-1130. Burgers for lunch. More craziness in the afternoon. What used to take 5 minutes now takes one or two hours. One step forward, two steps back. Seems like every single thing hits a snag. So complicated. Old system was so much simpler, but then again it didn’t count every little bean.

Spent an hour on the witness stand this morning on one case. Got called back to answer the same questions (by different people).

Looks like W&MC are already in Cherry Log, GA. Near a popular local attraction. Look it up!

TY COBB  [SABR Bio] was the next American League batter to win a Triple Crown after Nap Lajoie did it in 1901. Cobb led the AL in RBI four times & in batting avg. 12 X, including 9 a row, but he only led the league in HR once. In 1909 his 9 HR were enough to top the leader board, and when added to his 107 RBI and .377 BA, he won his only triple  crown. He retired from the majors for fear of dropping below .300. Cobb worried his average wouldn’t stay above .300. He knew he was slowing down after 24 years. He needn’t have worried. He hit .323 in his final season. He hit at least one home run every year for 24 consecutive seasons, in every year of his MLB career from 1905-1928. His record was tied by Rickey Henderson, who added a 25th.

Birth Pangs?

Right now 19 different volcanoes around the world are all erupting at the same time. Probablay just a coincidence and not God expressing His displeasure with a world rejecting Him, right?

https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://endtimeheadlines.org/2023/11/birth-pangs-nineteen-volcanoes-have-erupted-at-the-same-time/__;!!AE29DT8V!XEOvwTJFpll4JIzjVHYuCRVC08YcgwO75jTOoXVW0P3-kLSr6zSQdTAkmZhpTHB_agCiS9DA9tjlv05Q9RY$ 

I usually don’t try to guess the answer to the baseball trivia questions emailed to all SABR members every day, but yesterday I happened to be staring at my in box when the email came in. I read the question and knew the answer, so I replied back immediately. Larry Doby. I was the first correct answer, so I got my name mentioned to everyone the emails go out to. I sent them a photo I’d taken of my and the Larry Doby statue in Camden SC.

That average MPH always frustrates me because it averages in stop lights and such. I would normally love such features that I now have on my car – but it’s so hard for me to read them. I usually drive without my glasses, so my peripheral vision will be better. What I look at is MPG. Nice to be averaging 33-34 MPG on city streets. On the highway I can get 40 MPG.

The older I get the more I hate to drive. Crazy fast drivers scare me to death. I don’t take the fastest route, but instead the safest route, the route with the least traffic, like the route I took last night to Houstons. Would’ve taken that route home, but it would’ve meant two tough left hand turns on a busy street. Also I loved driving my zippy little old Corolla, that I wasn’t worried about crashing. The newer lower longer sedan I drive now seems like more of a target for other cars.

So much stuff going on at work. Training meetings. Lots to get to. I hope to take off Friday for our family trip to North Georgia. I will work late tonight and hope to get off at five tomorrow, and drive up to the cabin Thursday night.

Last night I left work shortly after 5 pm. 285 west was packed so I took surface streets to Houstons: Johnson Ferry to Riverside, which merged into Mt Vernon, which turned into Northside. Then right on West Paces to Houstons. C had salmon and my burger might’ve been better than usual.

Ran three miles at the gym this morning, each faster than the previous.

Today’s catered lunch: be turkey with macaroni & cheese and other sides, what we usually get for our annual Christmas luncheon. Ceil’s school is having their Thanksgiving feast today as well, so she may bring home leftovers.

ERNIE BANKS [SABR Bio] was the first post-World War-II player to hit three triples in a nine-inning game during his MVP season. On 11-Jun-1966, Banks tripled in the 4th, 5th, and 9th innings, each time off a different pitcher (Bob Bruce, Gary Kroll, & Aurelio Monteagudo), each time driving in Ron Santo. That was the season of his lowest home run total in any year during the 16 full seasons of his 19-year career in the majors. He had 15 HR in 1966. He exceeded that total three more seasons before retiring. Banks was signed by Cool Papa Bell to play for the Kansas City Monarchs 1950-53, which was by then an independent team. Most of the previous Black franchises/leagues had effectively ceased operating after about 1950.

Football Picks

My three games:

Miami will win by more than one point.

UGA will win by more than 10-1/2

Notre Dame will not win by more than 24-1/2

Other games:

I’ll probably be wrong, but LSU will not win by more than 31.

Georgia Tech will not win by more than 6-1/2. They might lose.

Virginia Tech will not win by more than 3. NC State could win.

Clemson should, but they won’t win by more than 6-1/2. They’ll probably lose.

Auburn will not beat New Mexico by more than 31.

Duke will beat UVA by more than 4

Mississippi State will not beat Southern Miss by more than 13-1/2

Kentucky will not beat SC by more than 6. Gamecocks could win.

Missouri will beat Florida by more than 11.

Jimmy Johns for lunch. This morning for lunch I lifted weights at the gym. Last week the Y got in all new weight machines. I think they’re harder to use. I think I got a harder workout.

Players who received at least four intentional bases-on-balls in a single game. https://stathead.com/tiny/XsqAF

Player  Date             Pitchers Team Mgr

Baker.28-Sep-1943(2).Davis, Webber.BRO.Durocher

Bonds.23-Apr-2004.Gagne Dreifort Perez Mota LAD.Tracey

...........01-May-2004.Pavano, Benitez. FLA.McKeon

...........12-Jun-2004(2).Parish Bedard DeJean.BAL.Mazzilli

...........22-Sep-2004.Micelli Oswalt Gallo HOU.Williams

Dawson.22-May-1990.Browning Scudder Birtsas CIN.Piniella

Heath.14-Jul-1941.Wilson, Potter.BOS.Cronin

Klu.07-Sep-1951..Rush, Leonard.CHC.Cavarretta

Maris.22-May-1962.Morgan Spring Duren Chance LAA.Rigney

Ramírez.05-Jun-2001.Anderson Borkowki Nitkowski DET.Garner

Templeton.04-Jul-1985.Candelaria Tunnell Reusche; PIT.Tanner

More Football

Bama has one loss, UGA none. Should Bama beat UGA, will both advance to the playoff? Same situation in the Big10, as undefeateds Michigan and Ohio State face each other before season’s end. All four can’t make the playoff (most probably). Will more than two of the four make it?

Before the game all the experts were saying Ole Miss might upset UGA. Then after UGA blew them out, those same experts were saying Ole Miss was no good, that UGA has a weak schedule and doesn’t play anyone. Never that UGA might just be a good team.

This weekend Braves beat writer Dave O’Brien defended the Braves starting pitching staff, in many reply tweets to complaining fans. Wish you could read his thread. Try this link and scroll down.

Lots of similar chatter about the Falcons. Head coach is supposed to be smart, but many in the media find him arrogant. Every week so many people get disappointed all over again by the Falcons. Hey this has pretty much been going on for the past 55+ years. Man I am over it. If they win, great. At this point I am neith surprised nor disappointed when they lose.

It did take a great play by Kyler Murray on the last game winning drive to secure the win. Then the Cards tripped all over themselves to not score a TD, instead waiting until 2 seconds remained (and 4th down) to send in their veteran kicker to win it. My question: what if there had been a bad snap? A bad hold? The Falcons wudda won.

Currently listening to actor Patrick Stewart’s autobiography “Making It So” which includes his role as Captain Picard in Star Trek The Next Generation. Over 18 hours. Interesting, but sometimes I wonder why I bother reading about actors. I always want to know what they think about God. As a boy Stewart sang in the church choir and acted in plays in churches. His beloved mother did so as well. I’m only a third of the way in, so we’ll see what he has to say. He is humble, and admits mistakes he made along the way. Doesn’t seem to take himself too seriously.

Saturday night Goose didn’t yelp, and I got a decent night’s sleep. Only had to get up once in the middle of the night. She loves to play in the leaves.

Woke at 5:28, showered, and headed to the golf course. Hit 3 or 4 balls on almost every shot. Most weren’t good, but I made some progress. Some highlights…

1. Found both my tee shots. One in the right rough, but one had gone long and straight.  Two decent approach shots: one to the left fringe, the mulligan just short of the green. “Bogey”.

2. Flubs off tee. Three chips all rolled off the back of the green. “Bogey”.

3. Decent 8 iron off the tee, to the front fringe. Had to settle for a “bogey”.

4. Tee shot pulled left, then two flubs, then a 6 iron onto the green. Hit several putts but another “bogey” at best.

5. Two flubs then a decent 6 iron off tee. Several not so great chips. More better chips, and several putts. “Double” at best.

6. Couldn’t see where my hybrids were going. Not sure they felt great. But 3 of 4 went far and straight. A couple more fairway flubs. Hit one good approach to the back fringe. Two putt. “Bogey” at best.

7. Hit one great drive that hugged the left side of the fairway, almost all the way up the hill. Also another decent drive, and two more not as great. Hit several 5 irons: one flub but one decent. Hit four approach shots: one right, one long, and two decent but short. Two good long lag putts. “Bogey”.

8. Okay drive off tee. Two decent wedges, both to the fringe. Hit several lag putts – one stopped an inch from the hole. “Par”.

9. Two flubs off the tee, but one decent 3 wood. It’s the only hole I hit the 3 wood on, pretty much just for the practice. Three chips: one to the back fringe, one far right, and one short. Three putt. “Double”.

Finished at 8:30. Stopped by Wendys on the way to work.

Watched the Falcons and Peytons Places yesterday. Finished my regular fun on my laptop early. Deleted spam emails. Went to bed early.

Ran three miles this morning. Need to get back in the gym every morning again. Facetimed with Shivvy.

Economists from Harvard, Princeton, the University of Chicago and the U.S. Treasury concluded in a recent report the 2017 corporate tax reform worked as advertised. At the time those same economists had said they wouldn’t work.

Dawgs Win, Jackets Lose

Good Clemson showed up this week, much to the chagrin of Georgia Tech. Earlier this week I had checked the GT QB's stats. He had been climbing up the Total QB Ranking, but man he had thrown a bunch of interceptions (14). He threw three in the second half Saturday. Still, he is the straw that makes the Jackets go. The gas that stirs their drink.

Clemson loves to throw the football. Klubnick threw his third TD pass, and spent the next 5 minutes celebrating. Then on his next pass attempt he threw an interception. When he was interviewed after the game, a little kid behind him stole the show.

I got home from work in time to watch the second half, but by then the outcome was decided. Take away Clemson's pick six, and the score was 35-21.

Of all the solid color uniforms uglying up the football landscape, Clemson's purple jerseys and pants is the best look out there. Just the right shade of purple, with just the right amount of stripes and trim. Much better than all black or Ohio State's grey-out. Even Buckeye Herbstreit was hating on those. 

Between GT and UGA I did some laundry, finished work in the garage, and raked leaves in the dark. Homemade vegetable beef soup for supper, with a grilled cheese sandwich made with homemade sourdough bread.

As usual, Penn State lost another big game. Michigan didn't throw a pass in the second half, and that's all the experts can talk about.

Oklahoma State lost 45-3 to UCF. Illinois upset Maryland with a last second field goal. LSU QB Daniels had his Heisman moment, throwing for 300+ and running for 200+ in the Bayou Bengals win over Florida. He leads the nation in TQBR. Experts act like a Heisman winner has to come from a playoff contender, which is hogwash. He has my vote. Sorry, Brock. 

Miami tackled the FSU QB in the end zone, but even after a review the refs didn't call it a safety. Even the ref in with the announcers thought it was a bad call. Noles held on to win 27-20.

Missouri blew out Tennessee, so the SEC Championship Game is set. Bama clinched the West by beating Kentucky, and UGA wins the East.

Anna and Caleb were at the UGA game. Got there good and early. Why we had Goose. Wonder what Goose's pronouns are. Can't wait to hear what they'll name their kids.

Ole Miss moved the ball early, but so did the Dawgs. Wunderkind Brock Bowers is back, taking took up where he left off. Opened up the UGA offense all the more. Caught a TD pass and a few others, ran a sweep, blocked, and was used as a decoy - all to great success.

Carson Beck has climbed to 7th in the country in TQBR, ahead of Bama's Milroe, USC's Williams, Ole Miss' Dart, FSU's Travis, the great Drake Maye, Ewers of Texas, and the ageless Sam Hartman, among others. Skinny as a freshman, Kendall Milton has bulked up. Starting to look like Todd Gurley. 

A decisive win over a ranked opponent, but many say the loss exposes Ole Miss as a second rate team. All UGA can do is win the games they play. Next up: Tennesse.