First Downs and First Dogs

I hope you all had pleasant weekends and were able to gather with friends and food for the Puppy Bowl and the Beyonce Concert with special guest, Football.  I'll admit to only really knowing the team preference of one of our readers in this game, but his dedication to his team had me rooting for them from home... So I was sad to see the 49ers fall under the Unkindness of Ravens.  (Seriously, that is what a group of ravens is called.  Look it up.)  The game certainly wasn't without its twists and turns.  Viewers at my home argued that the blackout came as a result of Jim Harbaugh resorting to the strategy he has when he's losing against his brother in Madden: Pull the plug.  But for the sake of that one reader, I won't dwell on the football game here.

Instead, let's turn to the Puppy Bowl.  Remember how I had my money on Eli?  Well, scoring one touch down, Eli was one of the final contenders considered for the title of MVP(uppy).  He ultimately lost out to the love mi hermano, Marta.  While Marta's bold play in the face of puppies twice her size (has anyone tested for steroids) certainly helped seal her victory, it couldn't have helped Eli's case that in the entire two hour broadcast he was the only puppy to poop on the field... I sure know how to pick 'em.

In other dog news, we turn today to the sad passing of Barney Bush, First Dog during the presidency of George W. Bush.  Barney, a Scottish Terrier, passed away last Friday at age 12.  While sad, this news also opens the question of why a Scottish dog held such a prominent American office.  And this trend has only continued into the Obama administration, with the title passing to Bo, a Portuguese Water Dog.  Perhaps it was part of an effort to assure Americans of his loyalties that Bo Obama received visiting Dognitaries from Furuguay at the end of January.  Glad to see the First Dog keeping a close eye on the Tailiban presence in Arfghanistan.  Fighting terrierism is important to all nations, and certainly earns Bo the honor of Good Boy!

Live your life "as a model for others."  It's the 100th anniversary of Rosa Parks' birth.

Bowling for Super

Following yesterday's 30 Rock series finale (which heavily featured The Rural Juror among other fan favorite jokes, leaving me extremely pleased), TV viewers across the country are now preparing for another finale: The Super Bowl.  And what a finale it will be!  West Coast vs East Coast!  Red vs Purple!  Prospector vs Poe-bird! 

Okay, yeah, I admit I don't really know much about the teams going into the battle.  Or even their respective cities.  I know that San Francisco's Humphry Slocombe has some of the best ice cream flavors I've ever had.  And the beer at the Brewer's Art in Baltimore is phenomenal.  But beyond that, my knowledge and allegiances to either team are virtually nil. 

For me, it's like watching a late episode of a CSI-type drama I've never seen before.  Having seen many episodes of CSI-type dramas before, I know how things work and can follow along.  I know the rules of game, the terms, how things are going to play out.  I can figure out who plays what role after a few minutes of watching.  But you know that part of a crime procedural series that ties things together across episodes?  A few minutes scattered throughout each episode showing how these two don't get along, these two have sexual tension, this one is battling alcoholism, this one is a bit of a loose cannon, and it turns out the killer was put up to it by a villain whose been manipulating things behind the scenes all season?  Yeah, I don't get any of that.  So all the sideline stories, the stats and odds, the player names and backgrounds?  I'm at a loss there.  That's the episode to episode glue that holds things together, and while there's sure to be a lot of it, I'm hoping I can get a "Previously, on Football" recap before hand to give me a sense of it all.  But even still, I'll be able to follow the game.

But at least I'll be on the same page as everyone else prior to the Super Bowl, when I tune in to see all the new faces of the Puppy Bowl!  And what incredibly adorable new faces they are.  Now, I'm not entirely sure how winners are selected, or if winners are selected, or if it's more of a suburban rec-soccer league "Everyone's a winner" attitude, but looking through this roster of puppies, I've picked a few favorites.  This crop of contestants seems pretty heavy in the "A" names, and right off the bat there are some absolutely adorable pups -- Althea and Aurora, specifically.  Blitz looks a bit spastic, Fitz looks terrified, and Masquerade is rocking the John Cusack heterochromiathing.  Shadow and Tuck are holding their own toward the end of the alphabet... But after reviewing all of them, my money is on Eli, the German shepherd / pit bull mix to take it all.  That's assuming he gets support from the hedgehog cheerleaders, and a good amount of rest during the kitten halftime show.

Enjoy the Bowls this weekend.  For those with a vested interest in the game, may the odds be ever in your favor.  For those who are just there for the snacks... May the wings be ever in your flavor.