63rd edition of My Random Thoughts: Sports, TV, music, food, life.....
Things that popped into my head this week.....
I find it exciting to start a new year with a fresh, clean, empty desk calendar. I've made my yearly trip to Staples. Bring on 2024!
We had lunch at Harry Caray's restaurant after Peyton flew into O'Hare last weekend. There are several locations under the name of the legendary Cubs Hall of Fame broadcaster. Thought: Why wasn't an Old Left Handers restaurant/sports bar ever tried over the years?
My grandma used to have us bang pots and pans out the patio door at midnight on New Year's Eve to bring good luck. She also fixed sauerkraut. Yuck.
Something simple I miss: Reading an actual printed edition of a newspaper in the morning.
Zac Taylor's team was non competitive from the opening kickoff in the biggest game of the season, vs a rival. That's inexcusable.
If the Reds go into the season with this roster I would be uncomfortable with the amount of 'hope' required for the starting rotation.
Season 2 of Reacher is out on Amazon Prime! Big Alan Ritchson fan. Big Serinda Swan fan (Graceland).
What if I'd told you eight years ago the 2023 Cincinnati Team of Year, Coach of Year, Executive of Year and Player of Year would all came from a Major League Soccer team called FC Cincinnati?
My dad once rented a hotel room overlooking Times Square and we watched the ball drop on New Year's Eve. Very cool.
Song I cranked up in my car this week: Lawyers in Love, Jackson Browne, 1983.
The Bengals are 0-5 in the AFC North. Joe Burrow was compromised in the first two games, injured in the third, and has missed the last two. The Bengals won the AFC North the previous two years.
We were in the Chicago/Elgin/O'Hare area for less than 24 hours and paid $16 for 12 toll stops.
I say this every time I watch a rerun of Friday Night Lights: The relatability/connection to characters is greater than any other TV show I've watched. Such tremendous character development by director/producer/writer Peter Berg.
That Michigan sign stealing story sure came and went. Not a peep. In forever. Despite that team being in the CFB playoffs.
I enjoyed an Italian beef sandwich with peppers and a side cup of gravy from Portillo's for the first time in probably a decade. I believe it was in fact heaven sent.
Remember the ABC Afterschool Special? I remember Lance Kerwin, Kristy McNichol and Ike Eisenmann appearing in many of them.
Lou Anarumo didn't suddenly become a bad coach and forget what he's doing this season.
Casey and Peyton negotiated a 10:20AM Christmas wakeup to open presents. We got to the presents around 11:05AM.
Thank you for reading these, following my show and social media, and supporting me and my family in 2023. It means a great deal.
Words to live by from musician Andy Frasco: Take the wins in life. We take a lot of L's. Take the wins when you get 'em. Enjoy 'em.
Don't worry about things you don't care about