Ned Flanders

Growing up in Rochester, I would live and die with the Red Wings and we usually had some rising stars stay in town for two full seasons. Don Baylor, Bobby Grich, Doug DeCinces, and Al Bumbry, and later Cal Ripken, were favorites and the fans really cared if the team won or lost on a given night. I use to follow the standings daily and developed a love for the Orioles that continues to this day (not so much this year, haha). Moving to the DC area over 30 years ago, going to Orioles and now Nats games, has replaced the minor league experience. Seems when I go back to Rochester, we go to a Wings game and the experience, like others have said, is night and day. Fans give an appreciative clap when the Wings make a good play but I don't sense the same passionate fervor that use to envelop the ballpark...they all seem to be just interested in getting to the next mid-inning promotion or gimmick. Don't get me wrong, there's a certain charm, and favorable price structure, associated with minor league ball, it simply can't compare to The Show.

"Akagi, smashed and sinking..."

Vanilla custard at Abbott's in Rochester, preferably the Charlotte location.

You get a good, clear look at the cheerleaders the closer you are to the field...wait...what?!?

Hope to get to Jeff Lynne in Philly in August; and some possibles at Wolf Trap in Virginia, which is one of the better venues around as you can BYOB and food. Most venues won't let you take in a toothpick.

Hmm...one common denominator with all of these whiffs, except for Rex....

Tom Ruud and Bob Nelson, two high LB picks from Nebraska in 1975...neither panned out. Tom Cousineau of course is on the list, but when we traded him to the Browns, the draft pick we got in return was used to draft Jim Kelly. Perry Tuttle also belongs on the list. Al "This is AC Damn It!" Cowlings is another. And letting Bill Polian go was a huge mistake.

Kelly white Bob Chandler blue Biscuit blue, no NOB Poyer blue Watkins blue

Nope, they had to win @NE the next week and lost, so they had to win at SF in the finale and clinch. A great season could have turned brutally south with a loss at SF. That came about a little earlier I believe, after beating OAK in game four. It was DL Dee Hardison that started that little ditty.

"?Mike-Mayer kickin'...on a Chuck Knox Super Bowl team...?" Ah, WNY Christmas songs of the early 1980s...

But what about your cooler that went missing? That's the type of hi-jinx, tomfoolery, and monkey shines that needs to end.

That's one job where you start at the bottom and stay there...

That '83 team was an enigma, wrapped in a riddle. Got off to a good start, only to drop a bomb at home against the Jets on MNF. They were 7-4 at one point but lost four our of their last five to fall out of playoff contention. All the main parts, save for coach Chuck Knox, remained from the 1980-81 playoff teams, but they just couldn't get over the hump. By the next season, they fell to 2-14 with a similar disaster to follow in 1985. By '86, their savior had arrived and things began to turn upward.

Thank you. I've been harping on this for years and it's the reason I won't get the white throwback. Either Nike, the Bills, or both, are lazy here.

Todd Rundgren here in DC Wednesday night is tempting, although the seats are in the nosebleeds. He played at the Birchmere, a much smaller venue, last year and that seems to be a better place for him. The Warner Theater, where he's at Wednesday night, looks to have about a third of the available tickets sold, if that. I looked at this concert when seats first went on sale and I think the cheapest were $65.

Sheesh, all the owners did.

This was one of the best shows on network television, ever. With Munch moving on to SVU, is his character's run longer than that of Frasier's?

On a related note, Modern Family is now unwatchable. First three seasons were "appointment television" but since then, it's become a train wreck. All of the characters, except for Jay, are boorish cads. I've tried it a couple of times this season and have had to turn it off less than five minutes in. This show can't end fast enough. End of rant.

That thread will live on in TSW lore forever.

Col. Flagg from MASH

Absolutely...no question about it.

Dale Dye has become the modern day Richard Jaeckel...

Yeah, sorta takes the small, independent brewer label away from DB but they continue to make some fine, very drinkable, products. If Mr. Budweiser showed up at my door with an open checkbook, it would be tough to say "no." I know some small brewers have told the big boys to go pack sand, and I respect them for that, but I also can't blame any business for considering an opportunity.

Devil's Backbone, a Virginia brewery, just put out Earned Run Ale in the DC area, a session pale ale that was only available at Nats Park last year. Comes in a pack of 4 16oz cans. Will also inbide soon in some Hennepin, a saision from the fine folks from Ommegang in Cooperstown. Great brewery and a very good ale.

I'm sorry, but MASH went quickly downhill after Frank Burns left. BJ became a jerk, Margaret's hair was perfectly coiffed and making Klinger a featured part of every show grew tiresome. I'll sit and watch any episode, seasons 1-3, but when scanning the channels and see a "newer" MASH, I keep surfing.