Up early yesterday, I decided to start the day by taking advantage of my WWE Network subscription. I went to “The Vault” and watched a January 7, 1983 World Class Championship Wrestling show. The main event was a six-man elimination match: “Freebird” Terry Gordy, Andre the Giant, Kerry Von Erich, King Kong Bundy, Bugsy McGraw, and Wild Bill Irwin. Now that’s some good TV! You’re probably thinking “Andre surely won” but he didn’t. He stepped over the top rope to chase after Gordy’s second, “Freebird” Michael Hayes, thereby eliminating himself. It had been a 5-man elimination match, but Kerry Von Erich requested that Gordy be added. Two weeks before, Gordy had slammed a steel cage door into Kerry’s head, costing him the world heavyweight championship, and Kerry wanted revenge. Kerry lasted about 20 seconds before being the first man eliminated. Gordy won the match after kicking King Kong Bundy over the top rope. So, thanks to Kerry’s request, Gordy got a $5000 payday. Kerry was pretty damn stupid.
I got to Bardog at 11 as usual, taking a seat next to my “DAWG” John D at Panda’s bar. I noticed that the downstairs was not roped off as usual. A few minutes later, executive chef John Haley came over and explained why. “From now on, downstairs is open for brunch on Saturday and Sunday,” he told me. “Brooke will be bartending, and the sound will be on for games.” That’s a good move. Bardog has been so popular for brunch that they have had to turn many people away because no seats were available upstairs. Also, the downstairs is nonsmoking, which will appeal to a lot of people (unfortunately my friends are almost all smokers so I’ll never get them down there). Brunch hours at Bardog are 11 to 3.
As I sipped my first PBR, I thought how glad I am that I didn’t give up PBR for Lent, mainly because I don’t observe Lent. However, I thought of a comment a friend of mine made about Lent last week. A decision to give up something for Lent used to be a private matter between you and God. These days, it’s a public matter between you, God, and Facebook.
About 1:45 I tabbed out at Panda’s bar and walked to Beale Street for the 2:00 St. Pat’s parade. I found some of my friends from the Squeal Street BBQ team in front of the Tap Room, and decided that was a perfectly fine spot to watch the parade. I ended up with 12 strands of beads, a little below my usual performance but I didn’t chase after beads as much as I have in past years. One red strand was extra-long and I made it into a headband. Beads and candy were not the only things being thrown. One of the Boll Weevils threw a cabbage, knocking a 32 ounce beer out of a parade watcher’s hand.
After the parade, I went over to the Saucer for a beer. Foursquare showed several of my friends checked in next door at the Silly Goose, so I bounced over there. Remember Valerie, who wore a tube top to the Stumbling Santa pub crawl when it was 27 outside, leading me to proclaim her the greatest person in the entire history of the human race? Well, no tube top yesterday but she was at the Goose.
I had seen a photo on Valerie’s Instagram Monday night that I wanted to ask her about. It was a pic of the Undertaker standing in the middle of the ring when WWE Monday Night Raw was in town last week. She said yes, she took that photo, and she went on to discuss Brock Lesnar’s chances against the Undertaker at Wrestlemania, and whether Alexander Rusev and his advisor Lana are going to be the next big thing in the WWE. Let’s see here. Wears tube tops? Check. Can intelligently discuss current trends in pro wrestling? Check. MARRIAGE MATERIAL
After a stop at the Blind Bear, I decided it was time for a “halftime” nap. I came home about 5, ate, got in bed and set the alarm for 7:30. But you know what I forgot to do? Turn the alarm on. I woke up at 12:27, looked outside and saw rain, and said “screw it” and went back to bed. So I had half a St. Patrick’s Saturday. Today I will do better.
If you drive down Riverside Drive today, you may notice a couple of trees knocked over. One of my Facebook friends explained why. A guy in a new black Corvette was doing controlled fishtails down Riverside in the rain. Well, “controlled” up until where the one where he lost control, spun out, and hit the trees, totaling his new car in the process. I bet insurance companies just love people like him.
Congratulations to the Louisville Cardinals, who won the inaugural American Athletic Conference tournament yesterday here in Memphis. Today is Selection Sunday and I hope my prediction of the Memphis Tigers getting an 8 or 9 seed in a bracket with Wichita State as the 1 comes true. As for my Arkansas Razorbacks, they were safely in after sweeping Kentucky, but then completely fell apart in bad losses to Alabama and South Carolina. Hello NIT.
Heading out to watch the Florida-Kentucky and then Duke-Virginia games, then Selection Sunday. I may take a night off from poker tonight (Blind Bear, 6:30, free to play, $50 gift card to the winner) because I have enough points to comfortably cruise to the league final table. Watching Calipari throw a tantrum is one of my favorite things to do, so go Gators!