(Being a short digression before beginning a holiday that may, with luck, take me to the Saints training camp next week.)
If training camps have barely just opened, it must be time for all the pundits to release their annual preseason power rankings, the journalistic equivalent of a tourist wandering into the projects. And guess what? Training camps have barely just opened. So…
Remember when Peter King had us ranked 24th in 2009? I wonder if Peter remembers. I also remember the video of him after the season, swimming nude through a cesspool while chewing on crow. No, actually, I don’t remember that. Being a sports journalist means never having to say you’re sorry. How come repentance isn’t ever a part of the job description, but having a student driver is? But I digress.
I compiled a list of seven power rankings (excluding Fox Sports, whose website is so fucked up it’s not even worth considering). The rankings for NFC South teams are summarized in the table below:
| Saints | Falcons | Panthers | Bucs | |
| SBNation | 8 | 13 | 18 | 25 |
| CBS (Prisco) | 9 | 7 | 24 | 26 |
| ESPN | 13 | 12 | 21 | 24 |
| WalterFootball.com | 16 | 12 | 13 | 26 |
| BleacherReport | 10 | 8 | 21 | 22 |
| Scout.com | 17 | 7 | 20 | 22 |
| ProFootballTalk | 9 | 12 | 17 | 26 |
| AVERAGE | 11.7 | 10.1 | 19.1 | 24.4 |
If they mean these rankings to be predictive of actual success, that means that only 2 out of 7 are predicting the Saints to win the NFC South. A cumulative ranking of 11.7 puts the Saints in “out of the playoffs” territory. And Prisco, in another article, flatly stated as much.
And that’s glorious news. It means that Joe Vitt, Drew Brees, and all the rest are out there in Metairie this morning singing a rousing chorus of “Somewhere Under The Radar,” while Roger Goodell plots and schemes in his castle and Pete Prisco rallies the flying monkeys. We know how that ended: happily, and at home.
Now. Second item. I want to leave you guys with enough to discuss while I’m out for a week. I’ve noticed that y’all really like to talk about food, beer, and music as much if not more than football. So what the hell, have at it. Consider this an open thread. I’ve been prowling through YouTube recently, rediscovering all sorts of stuff I’d almost forgotten. And also discovering full albums. To hell with singles: let’s add some albums to this jukebox.
This is something I hadn’t listened to since I owned it on vinyl, way back in the 1980s. I don’t know how Jethro Tull escaped being classified as “prog-rock”; is it the jazz bits? They’re certainly as tight as any progressive band that ever existed, and Ian Anderson’s themes, riffs, and changes are masterful throughout. I’d forgotten how damned good this album is.
This one I still own on CD; but when I was a kid in high school this was spinning endlessly on the turntable. I pretty much wore it out. This is, I believe, the high water mark of Yes. And it’s pretty high. (Which I’ve already told Stu, and he doesn’t buy it. You be the judge.) And it’s definitely prog rock.
And this one definitely isn’t prog rock. It’s, um…I don’t know. Brilliant? Is that an adequate description?
And finally, here’s an item I came across recently. I’m not sure what’s going on here. Can anyone explain this?
PhilistineJuly 27, 2012 at 9:21 am
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You forgot to mention the gratuitous displays of female pulchritude. Now that’s the way to start the day!
Aqualung started my love for Jethro Tull. As for Yes, I’ll listen to Close To The Edge before I render judgement; but I wore out my Fragile LP, bought a second one, and nearly wore out that one before buying it in CD form. Good stuff.
PhilistineJuly 27, 2012 at 9:25 am
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Nice Photoshop work, by the way. You should make a collection, including that epic St. Benson’s cover.
BewareofDogJuly 27, 2012 at 9:22 am
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You wanna talk about food at a time like this?!! The friggin’ Hubig’s Pie factory burned down last night, GODDAMN IT!!! I was just recently crying my eyes out in a nostalgia thread with JND on CSC because of places like K&B, McKenzie’s, Frostop Drive-in, Pontchartrain Beach, and many, many, others.
And now, THIS SHIT HAPPENS!!!
AAAUUUUGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!
HimselfJuly 27, 2012 at 12:20 pm
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OH MY GOD! Do I believe what I’m reading?
Hubigs Pies a total loss
PhilistineJuly 27, 2012 at 12:33 pm
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Hopefully, they’ll come back even stronger – and start making the baked pies again; I liked them better. Hell, maybe they’ll take up the slack left by McKenzies’ closure.
Hey, I can dream, can’t I?
metrymanJuly 30, 2012 at 11:50 pm
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Wow, glad I saw this post, I had seen a crawl on MSNBC that a.m…….Hubig Pies…. and got busy and never followed up. I thought maybe they declared bankruptcy, closed the doors or sold it. But man, that place is an institution, hope they rise from the ashes!
Thanks Phil.
Breesus Christ SuperstarJuly 27, 2012 at 12:32 pm
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I suspect Goodell had something to do with it.
BewareofDogJuly 27, 2012 at 2:03 pm
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Damn you, BCS!! This is not the right time for jokes like this.
(But, that shit was funny)
Breesus Christ SuperstarJuly 28, 2012 at 7:09 am
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Sorry, its a defense mechanism. I love hubigs pie as much as the next guy.
Breesus Christ SuperstarJuly 28, 2012 at 7:17 am
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There is a grocery store in Mobile that sells the fried ones. I’m gonna have to go stock up. Doesn’t look like there will be any shipments for a while.
Just Nother DayJuly 27, 2012 at 9:13 pm
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If you look closely
that’s Goodell’s head peeping over the top of the fire truck!
sagehawkjhJuly 27, 2012 at 10:17 am
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Great theme throughout the writing of this entry. Oh, and that last Upton graphic – that may keep me distracted from work for the better part of the day!
GSO Saints FanJuly 27, 2012 at 10:19 am
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Himself, well played, indeed.
I wore out multiple copies of ALL those records on vinyl as a nugget learning what music is. I agree, while “Fragile” is the most popular of the early Yes records, “Close To The Edge” is far superior, and my watermark for that band’s work. Tull is…well, TULL. Glenn Cornick is a monster bassist by the way, very overlooked, IMO.
And Queen. Unbelievable stuff, totally unclassifiable, and always brilliant. Heck, what do you expect with a guitarist that has a doctorate degree in astrophysics, hm? Gonna roll that one in the office right after I finish listening to “Gaucho” by the Dan.
As for Stu Pid and his “musical taste”, just remember he is by profession a coprophagus pettifogger, and therefore believes that excrement is “good food”. He probably drinks Bud Light and thinks it’s “beer” too. Philistine isn’t a philistine, Mr. Pid is.
I think we call can agree your last little movie file is good eye candy….even Mr. Pid might get that one right – but even a stopped clock is right twice a day!
Enjoy the vacation, and I hope you’re able to make it out to camp while you’re HOME.
HimselfJuly 27, 2012 at 12:26 pm
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Yeah, if I can’t go to the Dome, I at least want to see the guys running around in shorts and pretending to play football. Plus maybe get me a “Do Your Job” t-shirt or two.
GSO Saints FanJuly 27, 2012 at 3:37 pm
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Hey, you find those t-shirts, grab a XXL for me, I’ll catch up with you when you get back.
Also, please go by Central Grocery and eat a REAL muffelata for me, will ya? Drink a Barq’s with it, if you would….
…thanks.
Just Nother DayJuly 27, 2012 at 9:18 pm
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Hey, y’all . . .
play the Queen album then look at the Two Dat Dancer.
We’re talking quality entertainment here, my friend!
Breesus Christ SuperstarJuly 28, 2012 at 7:10 am
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Himself, you’re really gonna drop that bombshell on us, then take off. We want more!
HimselfJuly 28, 2012 at 10:29 am
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No, I think you really want less. I can do that, too. (If I want to get sued.)
stujo4July 29, 2012 at 12:10 pm
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Jon Anderson’s gonads have yet to descend.
Show of hands: How many of you will admit you did not know Freddie Mercury was gay? Uh huh… mmm hmmm…. How many still prefer to not think about that? ok… yes…. How many think Brian May’s talent was wasted on this career even more so than Eddie Van Halen’s time with David Lee Roth? Right… very good.
GSO Saints FanJuly 30, 2012 at 12:06 am
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Let’s have a show of hands: how many of us think Mr. Pid should take his Bud Light & his Neil Young 8 tracks and fuck off? Right…very good.
Dude, my cat, who licks her ass as an appetizer before devouring canned offal has more taste in her left dew claw than you have had in your entire life. Your poor taste in music is only surpassed by your complete ignorance on the topic. Now, shut the hell up and go the fuck away before I actually put forth effort in telling you what an annoying, ignorant twit you really are. Moron.
stujo4July 31, 2012 at 10:45 pm
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Stopped reading after “GSO…” I think of you every time I clean the litter box, man. Not really. But thanks for remembering me. Nah, that’s not true either. But you are one ignorant sum bitch. Yep, that one sticks.
FrenchieJuly 30, 2012 at 12:02 pm
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Hey Stu, how have you been? Noticed you don’t come around that much anymore. Hope everything’s alright…
stujo4July 31, 2012 at 10:40 pm
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Oh hell no it’s not all right. I’m afraid of GSO because he’s mean to me.
GSO Saints FanAugust 1, 2012 at 10:28 pm
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No, you fear me because I’m honest, and I actually know what the fuck I’m talking about. Even first rate coprophagus pettifoggers are a bit intimidated by that Mr. Pid, so don’t feel badly. No one expects much from a third rate one such as you.
metrymanJuly 31, 2012 at 12:02 am
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How many will admit they didn’t know Rob Halford was gay?
stujo4July 31, 2012 at 10:40 pm
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BOOM
Me too
Doc BoudinJuly 31, 2012 at 11:09 pm
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WHA!? This guy? No way.
HimselfAugust 1, 2012 at 9:57 am
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How many will admit they’ve never heard of Rob Halford? Show of hands. Hmmmm…well now. I’m used to this.
FriarBobAugust 1, 2012 at 6:19 pm
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I’ll admit it. I haven’t the slightest clue who the hell he/she/it is/was/whatever, and couldn’t care less if you paid me to try.
GSO Saints FanAugust 1, 2012 at 10:34 pm
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Lead singer from Judas Priest. Figured he was….different…when I was still in high school (which for the record was when they were still “relevant”), didn’t care then, don’t now. I mean if I can put up with Mr. Pid, a British metal band’s gay front man is pretty small potatoes.
stujo4August 1, 2012 at 10:47 pm
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I think you thought he was “bitchin’”. And I think you have his hairline.
GSO Saints FanAugust 2, 2012 at 6:45 am
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That’s all you got?
Dude, you were fantasizing it was Rob Halford you were giving swirlies to in the back seat of your boyfriend’s Chevette, instead of the reality of it being your PE teacher, Mr. Jones, who actually did have Rob’s hairline – helping you hang desperately on to that fantasy. If only he hadn’t kept talking about how his wife didn’t understand him while you were doing that, you might have been able to hold on to that fantasy.
Sadly that was you gateway into farm animals, and then necrophilia. I hear your therapy is going well now though, and there is some hope they’ll let you out of the home on a day pass soon. Just remember to stay away from funeral homes and farms if they do, we’d hate for you to have a relapse, and have all your hard work go for naught.
stujo4August 3, 2012 at 11:58 am
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Your breath stinks.
stujo4August 3, 2012 at 11:59 am
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Sorry. I think your breath stinks.
GSO Saints FanAugust 4, 2012 at 3:49 pm
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There’s your first mistake:
“I think”
You’re unqualified for that activity.
stujo4August 5, 2012 at 4:38 pm
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I KNOW you’re ugly.
stujo4August 5, 2012 at 4:39 pm
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And dumb. You a dumb mofo, boy.