December 4, 2006

• Today I was walking to lunch, and I noticed that a new store is going up a couple blocks from my apartment.  It's called "Bingo and More," and, as best I can tell, their main products are bingo cards, bingo chips, bingo stamps, and large bingo boards where the caller can keep track of which number/letter combinations have been already called.  (I couldn't tell you what the "more" is.)  This would be odd enough, but on the next block, there's a store called "Lamps Plus" which is full of really ugly old lamps, advertises lamp repair, and has signs reading "WE SELL BULBS!" prominently displayed on three sides of the building.  Both of these businesses are in stand alone old houses, and I'm convinced that they're really just fronts that a big opium cartel launders its money through.  I mean, they're in Hillcrest, a little ways off the main drag, but they're big stores and I'd imagine rent is pricey.  They would have to sell a lot of lamps and bingo cards to cover expenses, much less be profitable.

  For some reason, I'm not that upset that Michigan isn't getting a rematch with Ohio State.  It would've been cool.  But for whatever reason, I've never cared whether Michigan winds up #1, only if they go to the Rose Bowl.  Maybe that's because despite Michigan's "storied history" (I think they have the most total wins of any Division I-A team), they've never been superb since I've been watching them.  They always seem to squeak by, but never be excellent -- so maybe I've never dared to dream that they could be #1.  (They shared a national championship in 1997 with Nebraska, but maybe it was fortunate they never got a shot to play Nebraska and win it all.) 

  Whatever the reason, I'm kind of happy Michigan is going to the Rose Bowl, and even happier that their opponent there will be USC.  The two college games I remember most from my childhood were the Michigan/USC Rose Bowls in 1989 and 1990.  Michigan won the first but lost the second.  It's funny, because it seems like they played each other more times in the Rose Bowl when I was younger, but a check of the list of each year's results shows only those two games, plus 2004, since I've been alive.

  Even though it was only those two games, they were both memorable.  I remember that droning War Song that USC plays throughout the whole damn game.  I have to admit that I kind of like it.  And I remember that in the 1990 game, Michigan was trailing 17-10, and on a 4th down play they faked a punt and made this awesome throw to pick up the first down.  Michigan was always so vanilla, and the fact they tried such a gutsy play was so shocking that I'll never forget it.  Sadly, they still lost.  But it was a moral victory.

  So Michigan/USC will be fun to watch... I'm considering going actually.  And this year, Michigan might be good enough to win. 

  P.S.  When Tyson links to you, your number of xanga footprints goes through the fucking roof.

  • 1:49 am
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