Guest Blogger #1 - tony8489

On the first anniversary of What Jeff Thinks, I solicited readers to see if anyone was interested in Guest Blogging. The first reader to take me up on this offer is tony8489. I've known tony8489 since the days of Manz Elementary school in Eau Claire. He's big into politics, current events, sports, etc. He like to stir up and take part in conversation. Always has. However, tony 8489 has not chosen to write about the aforementioned topics. You see, right before Thanksgiving, tony8489 lost one of his best friends (if not his best friend). His friends death was very, very unexpected and he left a wife and five sons behind. Oddly enough, this individual was also a childhood best friend to another reader of this blog (and one of my best friends), Pete. Small world. So, I know two people who are experiencing the grieving process right now.

Were not supposed to lose our best friends in their forties. That is supposed to happen in our 60's, 70's and after, right? And they are not supposed to leave young kids behind. But this has happened, and tony8489 has written about it. Quite eloquently, I might add. He has described this post as a "cautionary tale." Here you go....

Guest Blogger #1 - tony8489:

I will never forget the day I met you. You came over to our college house with another buddy and we hit it off quite well. You were so handsome back then, but I think maybe we all were. So full of life. No receding hairlines, grey hair, or round, protruding bellies. We were so young, and quite soon, it would be off to the races. But not yet. No, we had too much to do. You had said that your long time girlfirend since high school wanted to see other people, and you were not really ok with that. So, to hide your deep sorrow, you partied like it was your last day on earth. You actually set the house record for splitting a 1.75 liter of Canadian Club with another whiskey night soldier. Plus the drinks at the Albatross, plus the after bar party. Toss in the two packs of smokes, and John Belushi had nothing on you. Your partying became legendary, but so did your brooding about your girlfriend. You actually found yourself putting your head in the oven, but that was laughed off as something that you really didn't do, right? Anyway, you got back together with her, because that part of your life was already predetermined, I guess.

College came and went, and you got married right away. No one got married that young, not even back then! Of course, it was not that fantasy life you see in the movies, but reality never is. Reality is like that cold winter slap that hits you when you grab the morning paper. It stings, and you just long to get back inside. But you could not. Too late. The partying never really stopped, however, Nor did the late nights, nor did much else. Remember when you came down to Milwaukee to see me that one year that I lived down there? You got pissed at the wife, and just drove until you got to my door. Remember that pool game we played with the locals? We beat them, and they were waiting for us outside and we had to fight our way home? And then they tried to run you over with their car? Those days out of college were like a music video. So much fun, it was hard to believe they would ever stop.

Zach was born. Your life changed. Everything changed. Most everything. You started to finally settle down. Built the house in Lakeville. Then Mitch. Then Jake. Then the twins! Five boys! Now comes the mansion. You needed it just to hold all the toys. Remember when I switched careers to go into sales? You asked me if I wanted to come over there and build up your business with you. God, did we have fun. Opening up accounts left and right. We shared the same office and grew even closer. We would talk about everything. You were in my wedding, and were one of my brothers. You had the answer for everything. Business issues, family issues, life issues. I leaned on you heavily for advice.

A few years ago some storm cloud gathered. Your circle started to shrink. I could see it, but could not really do anything about it. Kind of like looking at a display on the sidewalk. Separation, but the cold glass ensures you only get so far. And the glass is unbreakable. First you turned your back on your best friend. No one turns their back on their best buddy. That is a clear violation of one of life's concrete rules. Then you turned your back on your parents. Again, something that someone does not do. Your response? "Fuck'em. I don't need them". Really?

The call then comes. You have done it. You had all the answers I was seeking. How do I make it in the business world? How do I handle marriage? How do I handle a screaming kid in the middle of the night? All your answers made perfect sense. But now you are not here. And we all have questions. And you cannot answer them. How are we supposed to find the answers for this? More importantly than me, how about your five children?

Pioneer Press VIP Update

As you may recall, I have been named a St. Paul Pioneer Press VIP. Because of my VIP status, I was informed via postcard that, for an extra 10 cents a day, my paper would be delivered right to my door (rather than right to my door, as it currently is). Well, a few interesting developments have happened since that postcard.

I fully intended to call and complain (bitch) about the added cost for a mythical service that I already am receiving but then I got my next bill for the paper. I noticed that the additional fee was not yet added. So, I decided to wait before calling and see where the paper ends up. The paper has been within a few feet of my porch door every day, but (oddly enough) not as near as the Star Tribune. The Star Tribune is neatly placed snug against my porch door each day. Now, this is not something that I like to admit. Being a St. Paul guy, I want the Pioneer Press to do well. I want it to do better than the Minneapolis-based Star Tribune even though I subscribe to both. You see, I need my Sid along with Soucheray. But, the Strib is also 50 cents a day so it really should be placed on my kitchen table each morning.

A weird thing happened, however, when I found out my Pioneer Press delivery guy also actually works at THE CHECK. By the way, once he heard that he was my delivery guy, the first thing he said was "I'd like to apologize for anything that has happened." I thought that was funny. Anyway, he's a good guy so I decided to ask him about the "VIP thing." His response was interesting. He had never heard of the "service." He didn't know that some people on his route were paying an extra fee for "delivery right to their door" and some were not. No clue.

So my question to you is: what kind of crazy, bunko scam is this? There is no question that I am cancelling the VIP service the first millisecond that I receive the charge on the bill. The delivery guys don't even know about it! I'm a little embarrassed for my beloved St. Paul Pioneer Press, people. This is the paper I have been reading my entire life, even as a lad in Eau Claire for God sakes. Back to the Don Riley days (The Bushers). If you need the extra dime a day, just ask. I'll pay it. But to mask it as some "service" is kind of sad.

This would be like THE CHECK saying, "Hey we'll sell you some nice laser checks but they are more money if you want a background color like blue or green!" Hey, wait a minute.......

What do you think about this "service?" What would you do?

Jeff

Saint Paul - SI's New Hockeytown U.S.A.

In the same issue of Sports Illustrated that named Brettfavre the Sportsman of the Year, a new Hockeytown U.S.A. is named. (Side note to Jase - all kidding aside, Favre is well-deserving of that honor, and should probably be named the NFL MVP). In his article in the latest edition of SI, Hockey writer Micheal Farber goes in search of the true Hockeytown U.S.A. Detroit held the honor previously, and the current contestants came down to Detroit, Philadelphia, Buffalo and St. Paul. The winner, and new Hockeytown U.S.A.?

St. Paul.

Here is what Farber has to say about his choice:

The Wild has sold every ticket to every game since it entered the NHL as an expansion team in 2000, but it has never tried to bigfoot hockey in a city that was home to America's iconic coach, Herb Brooks; the No. 2 U.S.-born career NHL scorer, South St. Paul's Phil Housley; the only cartoonist to draw a Zamboni-driving bird, Charles Schulz; and the leading state high school tournament in the nation. This is the unwritten hockey schedule in the Twin Cities: boys' hockey Tuesday night, girls' hockey Thursday night, the University of Minnesota Friday and Saturday nights. Boys and girls also play on Saturday afternoon. It is no coincidence that the Wild often plays on Wednesday and Sunday. This is a franchise respectful of the game, aware of its niche and almost obsequious in its treatment of fans. Minnesota high school hockey jerseys ring the outer concourse of the arena. Pictures of season-ticket holders appear on game tickets. The Wild even employs a full-time hockey curator to protect and promote the state's hockey heritage.

That's pretty cool considering that the previous franchise, the beloved North Stars, relocated to the hockey hotbed of Texas due to combination of the evil Norm Green and the short-sighted local politicians. Sometimes it takes losing something to realise how valuable it was. This is the case with hockey in the Twin Cities. More from Farber:

Now Minnesotans are buying what the Wild is selling. Season tickets are capped at 16,500; the waiting list is 7,500. There are 32 stations on the team's radio network, extending through the Dakotas, into Iowa and Wisconsin and even Thunder Bay, Ont. NHL hockey again appears entrenched, despite the many other options available.

That is what I like to hear.

Peace from Hockeytown, U.S.A.,

Jeff

The Vikes

A few weeks back, the Vikings played their worst collective game in over 10 years and lost to the Packers 34-0. Adrian Peterson got hurt and looked like he might be lost for the season. The team sat at 3-6 and it looked like they were on their way to a last-place finish. Needless to say, I was a little down on the squad. I'm kind of at a loss to explain what has happened since that time.

Sure, they beat the Oakland Raiders at home which is somewhat expected. Then, however, they proceeded to dismantle the Giants at New York 41-17, and destroy the Lions 42-10 at the Dome. It's not so much the outcome of these games that has surprised me. Here is what has surprised me:

1. Adrian Peterson did not play in 2 of the 3 victories. Antione Winfied did not play in all 3.
2. Tavarius Jackson has not only looked competent, he has looked confident. He can suddenly complete slant passes.
3. They have discovered a pass rush.
4. The play of the linebackers has been outstanding, especially E.J. Henderson.
5. They have consistently converted on 3rd down.
6. They have not only attempted, but converted, multiple trick plays.
7. They have not committed stupid, untimely penalties.
8. The play of the young wide receivers, particularly 21 year-old Sidney Rice. has been great.
9. Most importantly and amazingly, Brad Childress does not seem over matched. The play-calling has been..........good.

OK. Is this the "purple kool-aid" moment of 2007? Have they temporarily crossed over into a parallel universe? Possibly. The Vikes have been known to "tease" their fans at some time each year, before the "other shoe drops." Sure, the Vikes sit at 6-6, and the best that they can hope for is a Wild Card playoff berth. Is it time for the "big let down?"

I believe the upcoming game against lowly San Francisco will tell you more about this team than any other game this season. The Vikings enter a game, on the road, against an opponent that they are expected to beat. The game has playoff implications. If they blow this one and lay an egg against the 49ers, it's time pack it in folks. If the Vikings win this game, however, they will sit at 7-6 and control their own destiny. I can't believe that I just typed those words about the 2007 Minnesota Vikings. My preseason prediction was 4-12.

I must admit that I like what I see from some of the young Vikings. T-Jack, Chad Greenway, Sidney Rice, Aundrae Allison, E.J. Henderson, Cedric Griffin. The one thing that makes this year seem a little different, of course, is Adrian Peterson. He is the Real Deal, and if he stays healthy, there is finally hope for the future.

Has the purple kool-aid, once again, gone to my head? I guess we'll see.


Peace,


Jeff

Sasquatch's Cousin (Kind of a Dork)

As usual, I have been scouring the news for more proof of the existence of The Sasquatch. It turns out that Sasquatch's cousin, the Yeti, has been in the news lately. For you Bigfoot-family virgins out there, the Yeti is a ape-like creature that is said to live in Tibet and Nepal. The Yeti also goes by another name that I am sure that you have heard before - The Abdominal Snowman. This is because the creature exists in the snowy, mountainous regions of the aforementioned countries. By the way, whoever coined the phrase "abdominal" for this creature really picked the right catch-phrase. What else have you ever heard described as "abdominal" other than The Snowman? Well, maybe some Vikings play calling earlier this year, but not much else. But the name has stuck. I looked up the word in the dictionary and it means "odious, loathsome, detestable." Wow, not good. But that makes sense because the Yeti has always got the short-end of the stick when it comes to Sasquatch lore. He's kind of a dork, but more on that later.


The Yeti has been in the news lately because ape-like footprints have been discovered near Mount Everest. Here is the low-down from a story by Gopal Sharma (who else?) for MSNBC.com:

KATMANDU, Nepal - Members of a TV production team investigating the existence of the legendary Yeti in Nepal said Friday that they have found footprints intriguing enough to merit further investigation.

The team of nine producers from "Destination Truth," armed with infrared cameras, spent a week in the icy Khumbu region where Mount Everest is located and found the footprints on the bank of the Manju River at an elevation of 9,350 feet (2,850 meters).

One of the three footprints found on Wednesday is about 1 foot (30 centimeters) long, with an appearance similar to those shown in sketches of the purported apelike creature, the team said.

Of course, you have the "it's a bear crowd," but not according to archaeologist Josh Gates:

"I don't believe it to be a bear. It is something of a mystery for us. This print is so pristine, so good, that I am very intrigued by this," said Gates, flanked by his team members.

That is all fine and good but I must say, and lets not mince words here, nobody really cares about The Yeti. If this was a story about Sasquatch footprints found in, say, Northern California, everyone would be freaking out (no question). But Nepal? Who cares. Who is going to Nepal soon? Nobody. Plus, most Yeti sightings are by freaky, wizard-looking people who live in the mountains. People who live in the mountains are probably crazy, and don't have as much credibility as people who see Bigfoot and live in the woods.

When I think of The Sasquatch, I think of a powerful, 8-foot muscular creature roaming the forest. When I think of the Yeti, visions of a tubby, white Orangutan come to mind, probably hiding in a cave. Actually the Yeti, or Abominable Snowman, does have one famous image. Here it is:

Yes, it's the lovable "bumble" from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. He was mean at first, but then was tamed and actually put the star on the Christmas Tree at the end of the show. Nice. Would The Sasquatch put the star on the Christmas tree? No. He would DESTROY the Christmas tree. Therein lies one of the fundamental differences between the two.

So, I can't get too fired up about the Yeti footprints discovered in the mountains of Nepal. They'll probably lead right to a cowering creature hiding in a cave. I'll keep searching for Sasquatch news.

Peace,

Jeff

Purple Kool-Aid Time?

Wait a minute here. Vikings 42 - Lions 10? That's 3 wins in a row. AP looks healthy. T-Jack actually looks like an NFL (or CFL, at least) Quarterback. Is it time to drink the Purple Kool-Aid?

I will have more to say about this later. Now, The Boy and I are going to attend the Wild game against the hated (and dirty and cheap) Vancouver Canucks. Should be a battle. Matt Cooke sucks.

Peace,

Jeff

UPDATE: We just returned from the X, and the Wild thwarted the hated Canucks 2-1 to take over sole possession of 1st Place in the Norris, uh, Northwest Division. A good time was had by all. By the way this man is my new hero:

His name is Aaron Voros. Once in a great while, a guy is called up from the minors who just can't be sent back. This guy agitates, scraps, camps in front of the net. All good stuff. And he scored the winning goal tonight. Jacques Lemaire loves him. He said in the post-game wrap up that every time Voros scores a goal he responds "like it's the first goal he's ever scored." I like that. He's another good shot from the game tonight. Voros is the guy screaming at the hated Canuck on the ground:
Good times. Have a good night.

Jeff

One Year Later

I hope you are sitting down for this. Today, December 1st, 2007, is the one-year anniversary of What Jeff Thinks. Yes, I know that is amazing. It has been one year of incredible insight, rants, visions, tirades, innuendos, off-base prognostications, inaccuracies, and attempts at humor. There have been 157 total posts, including my first one on December 1, 2006. I am quite proud of some posts, and others are complete crap.

Obviously sports, sports stadiums, The Sasquatch, & tunes have been the major topics that I have written about. As you may recall, this blog was created by my wife because she was tired of listening to my rants about the aforementioned topics (especially, at the time, the Twins stadium). Well, this blog has served me well in the "blowing off steam" department. There have been some great conversations in the comments sections, too. I'd like to thank everyone who has taken the time to read the blog, and those who have added comments. I'd also like to thank the "spell-check feature" on Blogger which has saved me from embarrassment many times. A special thank-you, however, goes out to "the regulars" whose comments have become an integral part of What Jeff Thinks. Some of the comments are better than the actual posts!

I have to admit there have been a few occasions that I have pondered shutting the blog down, but then something happens in the news that "I have to write about." So, here's to Year II of What Jeff Thinks. I'm sure there will be much to write about. The continued building of the Twins stadium, more proof of The Sasquatch (as if more is needed), concert reviews, putting plastic on windows, etc. I'd even allow for "guest posters." If you have something you'd like to rant about, send it to me. I'll post it as a "guest blogger," unless it is much funnier than anything that I have ever written. Then, we'll see.

Anyway, thanks again for Year I.

Peace,

Jeff