Random road notes and this week’s picks

A thousand miles from home in a dumpy hotel bar, but it’s been a fun trip. Crossed the GW Bridge on Tuesday. The Caddy had a full tank and new shoes. The day was sunny. On the seat next to me were a loaded i-Pod, a bottle of water, an E-Z Pass, a Captain Beefheart CD, two pair of sunglasses, and a box of Montecristo White Toro Grandes, courtesy of my old mates at Time (gracias amigos!). Ready for a road trip.

The Captain was a farewell gift from Hankster. He and Doc and I had an herbal cocktail in the Village a few days earlier. I’d planned to listen to it on the way out of town, but contemplating the NJ Turnpike to a Capt. Beefheart soundtrack was just too frightening, so I held off on the CD for a while.

First stop – Arlington, Virginia and dinner with Birdman and KGWhit (whom I’d not met before). We went to “Ray’s the Steaks” (get it?) – corny name but great food. We talked mostly politics and had a fine time, although I also had a triple double beverage evening (see-throughs, red wine and Remy) which made for a late start the next morning.

Hauled down I-95 until I hit North Carolina, then turned onto US 17. It was beautiful for quite a while but civilization eventually took over. Love the back roads but some parts of the country only deserve to be seen from an interstate highway.

Stopped in Wilmington, NC and met up with my Bro – the other db. Had dinner with him and the GM of the local Cadillac dealer. (Told him my Caddy joke, which he of course, loved.) Talked cars. (Did you know more cars were sold in China than the US last year?) Had an awesome meal at a local joint – Hieronymus Seafood. Fabulous oysters, the best scallops ever eaten and ridiculously cheap. That’s one of the great things about leaving NY – everything seems cheap.

Got up early and emailed Fenway for a restaurant suggestion in Charleston. She sent me to Harmony Grill. What a find. Sesame crusted catfish. Fried cheese grits. Unbelievable cornbread. Chocolate pudding, and an unpretentious little chardonnay. Fired up a Monty and walked around south of Broad and along the Battery on a sunny afternoon. What a fantastic city!

Popped in the Captain and put the pedal to the metal in order to make up some time through lower SC. It was the perfect combo. The Captain is trippin’. (Other road trip music: Murphy’s Saloon podcasts, Roseanne Cash, Ray Davies, The Insomniacs, and Watermelon Slim – all good to great!)

A couple more hours on 95 and it got real dark fast, and the big trucks own the road. Got off in Brunswick, GA and found a Comfort Inn that will never be mistaken for a Ritz Carlton (I do miss one or two things about working). Tomorrow: Florida.

The playoffs: Well, I was 2-2 last week, which is good enough to be Secretary of Homeland Security. I’m getting my picks for this weekend in early so all you second-guessers can stick your necks out this round.

Dallas over Minnesota by 7. The ‘Pokes are hot and the ‘Vikes are not.

Jets over San Diego by 3. I’m picking with my heart over my head on this one. The “same old Jets” will show up eventually, but not this weekend.

New Orleans will beat Arizona by one. The over/under on this one is 137. Jack Tatum is coming out of retirement to play d-back for NO.

The “Battle of Baltimore” is the one I really want to be right about. I’ll be happy to be 1-3 if Indy can take this one by 10, leaving Ray Lewis humiliated, prostrate, and crying like a little girl at the gun.

RIP Teddy Pendergast. Whatever you thought of isco, Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes were awesome.

Football & movies

Here are my playoff picks, which I’m posting just as the Jets and Bengals kickoff. Let’s start with that one: the Jets will gain 735 yards rushing and win by 10. Chad Ochocinco will score the only Bengals TD, after which he will strip nude and pantomime having rough sex with Commissioner Goodell.

Eagles defeat the Cowboys by 3 because everyone knows you can’t beat the same team three times in one season. Post game, Jerry Jones burns down his new stadium and Donovan McNabb leaves his wife for Jessica Simpson, making the ‘Pokes 0 for 3 on the day.

Tomorrow: the Pats over Baltimore by 17. Ray Lewis has no tackles and no sacks after pulling a hammy during his pre-game psych-up, coo-coo dance. The guy he murdered is still dead however, so it is only fair.

Arizona v. Green Bay? Who cares? I’m tempted to go with Green Bay because Brett Favre doesn’t play there anymore, but I’ll go with Arizona by 7 because they’ve got Beanie Wells, and Kurt Warner used to have that awesome mullet.

The Browns will be the prohibitive favorites to win the Super Bowl after the 2012 season, but apparently the world ends on December 21, 2012, before the playoffs begin. Just my luck.

Movies: I haven’t seen it yet, but everyone (AY, Buzzard, Hankster) loves “Crazy Heart” for great acting and great music. I can’t wait to see that one. AY sees every movie. She recommends “Avatar,” as do I, but you have to see the 3-D version as it is “total eye candy” with a very simple story (read David Brooks’ sorta-review last week). AY, my wife, 2,543,768 other women and I liked “It’s Complicated.” It is kind of a chick-flick, but Baldwin, Streep and Steve Martin are all great, Santa Barbra is beautiful, and it has a good script. AY, Buzzard and I all give “Sherlock Holmes” a limp thumbs up. It was more action flick than I was expecting, but Guy Ritchie’s vision of 19th century London looks so cool it’s worth seeing for that alone; plus Robert Downey, and Jude Law as Watson, are great together. I’d have liked it 50% more if they’d left 30 minutes on the cutting room floor. Buzzard liked another movie, the name of which I forgot, and AY says “Nine” is “just plain awful.”

I’m off for a road trip to Florida on Tuesday. I’ll be taking my time, hoping to see a little of America off the Interste. TTY later.

Dear Commissioner Goodell:

Commissioner Roger Goodell

National Football League

280 Park Avenue

New York, NY 10017

Dear Commissioner Goodell:

I've had a belly-full of bad behavior by professional athletes, and I have no special love for Michael Vick nor any team for which he played. Furthermore, I think what he did to his dogs was despicable.

Never-the-less, I’m writing to urge you not to impose any additional penalties on him that would impede his ability to earn a living in his chosen profession. Mr. Vick has been punished by the proper authorities, and by any reasonable standard, punished harshly. The NFL has no moral authority to punish him further.

If, as suggested in this week's Sports Illustrated, you plan to make your decision based on whether or not he feels "deep remorse" for his deeds, I also request that you send me six numbers between 1 and 56 that I can play in next week’s Mega Millions drawing, as I could sure use your insight; my kid's birthdays just aren't bringing home the bacon. PETA's Ms. Newkirk, who wants to subject Vick to a brain scan to see if he is "capable of remorse," places her faith in neuroscience, but I’ll take good old-fashioned ESP any day.

Sometimes the best PR play is to just do the right thing. Let him play.

Go Browns.

Sincerely

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