Terry Tate

You and "someone else" may want to recognize that none of the institutions you've listed are controlled by conservatives.

My favorite football story is not one in which I was a player, or a great game I witnessed. When I hear the phrase "football story" I immediately get a vision of being chased down by the Ventura Community College football team. I had just graduated HS and moved to Ojai, California, which is halfway between Ventura and Santa Barbara, off the coast up into the foothills. I was 18, and along with a friend of mine who was also not of legal age to drink, went in search of someplace to party. We had heard of big happenings at a local residence, and we drove his car over there to find scores of other young folks who had done the same, and as a result the party had now spilled out into the front yard. We had been there just long enough to greet a couple friends, when a Big Dude storms out of the house and reads us the riot act - this is a private party for the Ventura CC football team, I think they had won their championship or maybe it was just an end of season fling, but the point was, if the cops found a bunch of minors there, they'd bust up their party. Well, he's right, so we've got to decide where we're taking our gathering. Apparently, we weren't doing this fast enough, as Big dude gives my friend a pretty hard shove off, and my friend goes at him with everything he's got. (Editor's note: at the time, my friend and I are both about 5'9", 135lbs soaking wet. Big Dude is at least 6'3'', and has 100lbs or more on us). It took about 30 furious seconds for me and a couple other people to separate one Big Dude not looking any the worse for wear, and one slightly bloodied, torn-shirt wearing friend. Still talking smack, but I've corralled him and am heading him back down the street to get in the car. We're almost to the car, and I notice a increase in the amount of noise coming from behind us, more yelling of some sort. Looking back on it, it was probably warning shouts from onlookers. Because as I stopped and turned while my friend walked on, I saw a sight that will be burned into my memory as long as I live. The Ventura CC football team was running down the middle of the street, heading right for us. I've played enough football to know what kickoff coverage looks like at ground level, and my friends, It looked just like a kickoff coverage. With my friend, now a few steps beyond me, apparently playing the role of returner. Big Dude is leading the way, and he's about three steps away from flying past me to lay into my friend. No time to think about it - the kickoff coverage formation triggered an automatic response, and I took two steps and straight armed his closest shoulder as he passed. It was kind of pretty, the way his body twisted and his feet left the ground. I cringed as I watched him slide across the asphalt - that's gotta hurt. My admiration of my work and reminder of the rest of the team came as I was lifted up and slammed over a hood of someone's car. Oh yeah, the other guys. There were now two of them holding me down on the car hood, with fists raised over me. One shaved head, not one neck between the two. Just as quickly, both look up, and one runs off - the other looks back down and I say "Hey, I just want to get the F out of here". Much to my suprise, he takes off too - neither of them threw a punch. At this point, I stand up and see there are at least six different fights going on in the middle of the street, none of which include me or my friend, who is standing a few feet away. We jump in the car, turn around and head out of there - as a trail of 3-4 police cars with the lights on head in the opposite direction. So if you were with the VCC football team back around 80/81, I'm sorry I screwed up your party - but you shouldn't get drunk before you play special teams.

Pinky: Gee, Brain. What are we going to do tonight? The Brain: The same thing we do every night, Pinky. Try to take over the world. I'll predict the same thing I predict every year. 16-0 and a Super Bowl Championship. (One is a genius, the other insane.)

Let her stay. Deport her attorneys.

"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's approval ratings have plummeted to Gray Davis levels, " Sounds like wishful thinking. IIRC, Gray Davis' approval rating was in the low 20%'s.

Wifes/Moms are funny like that. While my wife can appreciate the music I listen to (mostly blues/rock), her first true music love is disco/pop. In a totally Saturday Night Fever, ABBA, Donna Summer kind of way. Makes for a pretty strange music collection at our house. BTW, I looked on ebay - lots of 8-track players.

It's 1977, and a young AD is ready to go out trick-or-treating dressed as Gene Simmons, with the face-paint, high heeled boots, electric guitar and a wig covering his mullet. The neighbors all agree that kid ain't right. You know you're getting old when the music you're naming here was also available on 8-track when it was released.

I hear more about Air America on this board than any media outlet. Including the programming itself, which I've never listened to. Oh, I did see the HBO documentary, though. I thought it was funny, but not in any way that would be appreciated by its' supporters.

Well done.

My mind doesn't allow for such nonsense, but that perfectly sums up where my heart lies - every year. Of course, my heart would have me out buying lottery tickets before each drawing, too.

I saw Blue Oyster Cult at War Memorial Auditorium for $8.00.

Focus - Hocus Pocus. You can't go wrong with great guitar riffs, yodeling and blood curdling screams.

Well, if you're going to have imaginary girlfriends, might as well pretend they're really "hot". Sorry, it was just begging for that. Please don't tell your Mom. OK, I'll stop now. I think the stereotypes are funny because I'm a science-fiction fan, computer geek, and some of the best laughs I have are at my own expense.

As an actual parent, I can speak from experience in saying that I've disciplined my children in public, and no one called the cops or attempted to intervene in any way. But if I see someone administering a beating on a child, I may kick their @$$ myself, depending upon the circumstances.

You got that right. The other side of it is my children also get rewarded for reports of good behavior, even though they understand that it is a non-negotiable expectation of mine. I'd be happy to have your kids in my kids' classes anytime.

Whatever TD does today, it'll be a suprise to me. Picture a dog you fool into thinking you actually threw the ball. On the upside, the dog's still pretty happy about playing, and so am I. Hope everyone has a great day. I'll check back later tonight to see who melted down, and who is predicting a championship.

That's priceless.

Best wishes, TH. That sentiment does not extend to whatever team you end up on.

I'd put the Tivo on pause, and start drinking Jack Daniels straight out of the bottle. I'll take it back off pause when the bottle's empty.

Speaking as a former servicemember, FU too. People who do not support the war, but support the troops - next time you find yourself in an argument about your integrity on those two stances, you can thank the idiots who make retarded statements like the one above for enforcing the stereotype.

I can do this. I'm going to need the following: A few white candles A Bowl made of Pottery, Wood or Stone Roundtrip plane ticket Orlando-Buffalo-Orlando Rental car Soil from the site Case of beer - chilled 2 incence sticks 1 Dozen chicken wings - medium Large Pepperoni Pizza A roll of paper towels Carton of cigs I think I can take it from there.

BTW, June 1980 - June 1983 Major / Lt Col Peter Pace was Commanding Officer, Marine Corps Recruiting Station, Buffalo, N. Y. From a June 4, 2002 DoD press briefing: Pace: From the president to the secretary to -- so that, what I'm trying to get to, is the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the vice chairman are not in that chain of command. And we are here to give our best military advice. And we listen to the data that comes in from the commanders in the field and we digest that based on our experience, and we make our recommendations to the secretary and he takes that and puts that into his body of knowledge and makes his own decision of what's going to happen. Q: And your recommendation was? Pace: Great -- it was a great recommendation. (Laughter.)

Cool! Detroit, rock city! Road trip! But if you see a teenage girl walking along the side of the highway, don't pick her up. I mean, they, they, they make scary movies that start out like that.

Sounds like you have it under control. Hope the seller is cool-headed also. Best of luck.

Well, I was going to help my brother drop a new engine in a truck he just bought, but we'll be going to a memorial service instead. Wouldn't have watched the draft anyway. Don't know squat about college players; I plan on checking in here afterwards to see what people who do know them think.