Much like an eclipse, once a year, the great American legend–Jim Rhodes–calls me with a story.  He lives a pretty quiet life most of the time, but every so often, something fun happens.  Then he knows who to call.  So, last night, Big Jim calls me from Chicago.  He was just leaving the Billy Goat Tavern and Grill.  Knowing Jim, he was there for the grill part.  Me, it would have been for both.  If you don’t know about the Billy Goat Tavern and Grill, it was owned by the guy that had the pet goat that was not allowed in Wrigley Field at a Cubs game.  The goat/tavern owner put a curse on the Cubs that they would not win a world series.  Guess what?  They still haven’t won anything.  The curse lives on and all because a guy wanted to take his pet goat to the game.

     The other claim to fame of the Billy Goat Tavern and Grill is that Saturday Night Live did skits of this place back in the late seventies with John Belushi, Dan Akroyd and Bill Murray performing.  “Cheezborger! Cheezborge! No fries–CHEEPS!”  You know you’ve made it when Belushi, Akroyd and Murray are imitating you.

     There I was.  Stuck at home on a monday night in 20 degree weather.  Well behaved.  And Big Jim calls me up with a story.  If only I could have been there too.  Then, we could have added some events to this story. 

that it is dang cold outside today.  At least the wind isn’t howling like a gut shot comanche.

     Saturday night, I watched the ESPN 30 for 30 special about Bo Jackson.  I have watched several of these programs and they are very well done.  The best one was the Pony Excess about the SMU scandal in the eighties.  This one about Bo Jackson was very well done.  A lot of people don’t remember just how good an athlete Bo was.  I still think he should be in the Hall of Fames.  You couldn’t get more famous than Bo was. 

     He was very well marketed by Nike which generated a pile of cash for Nike and Bo.  I’ve done some other reading on Bo Jackson and he wasn’t just a jock.  He did a very good job of investing his money and owns several successful businesses.  He also finished college.  He hasn’t had any scandals or personal problems.  He just got hurt.

     Of course, watching this makes me feel kind of old.  I guess that I should start getting used to that.  You know why?  I am getting old…and fat and gray headed.  I can’t do anything about the first and I probably won’t do anything about the other two.

     It’s another Saturday morning.  Little bit nippy outside, but it sounds like its going to be a whole lot nippy the next day or two.  Better put 2 or 3 blankets on the wethers.  I would recommend blanketing does as well. 

     I was the only one at home last night, which meant I had to fend for myself.  Therefore, I headed to Gage.  This isn’t the cleanest town in the world, but they have a place called Charlie’s Bar & Grill.  They make a killer good steak there.  You don’t want to be in a hurry if you go there, but the wait is worth it.  Plus, the extended wait is good for beer sales.  After we were done eating, several people at the neighboring table fired up some cigarettes, otherwise I would probably still be there.  I just can’t handle cigarette smoke anymore.  If you ever come look at goats at the Kelln Kompound and you want a steak or burger and have time, we can probably go to Charlie’s.  Just make sure you have a driver to get you home.

     I’ve been plenty busy at work, which is good.  But I have made time to test some of the new toys that we have recently gotten in.  The remote control gator is pretty cool.  Cool enough that Duke has one, which is to say, that I also have one.  I did have our service department come get my tractor and do some work to it before the warranty expires.  They got it done yesterday, so they loaded it up on the semi, as well as the Dragon Lady’s riding lawn mower.  Seeing a riding lawn mower on the back of a semi is always interesting.

     I took off Thursday afternoon and hauled scrap metal to Shattuck.  I am becoming quite knowledgable as to the terms prepared or unprepared steel, grade1 or grade 2 copper, cast aluminum, clean aluminum or dirty aluminum and brass.  Also covered electrical copper and electric motors.  I might have also taken several bags of aluminum cans.  There was even a pop can or two in those bags.  When all the sorting was done, they cut me a check for $585. 

     I also spent time getting estimates on my pickup and trying to get the roof deal finalized.  I’m having to learn about class 3 and class 4 roofs and why they cost more and how a class 4 roof might save some insurance premium.  This kind of crap drives me nuts, which is probably why there were several bags of cans to haul off.

     Is there a more hated thing to write a check for than insurance?  I’m trying to redo insurance on our house, but it’s hard to get a price unless they also get your auto insurance.  But some companies don’t really want me on their insurance as I got a well-publicized driving award a few years back.  Somebody backed into my pickup and messed up a quarter panel, bumper and in turn the tailgate.  I’m trying to decide whether to turn it into insurance or just pay for the repairs.  Why have insurance if you don’t want to use it when it is warranted?  Doesn’t make much sense.

     I have insurance on the house and barns.  Insurance on all of the vehicles.  Insurance on the gator.  Insurance on the tractor.  Health insurance.  Life insurance on all four of us.  Cancer insurance.  I even have a goat insured at this time.  That all adds up to an ass load of money that I send to various insurance companies. 

     I caught the end of one of my favorite movies last night, McClintock!  Like every true American, I am a John Wayne fan and I love a comedy.  That is a goofy movie, but I love it.  I like how so many of the actors in his movies have roles in all of his movies. They might be a drunk in one movie, a cowboy in another and an indian in another.  But what I really like is the leading lady, Maureen O’ Hara.  She was hot.  Those movies are over forty years old and she is still hot even by today’s standards.  And that would have been before things were cut and pasted and fake.  Plus, she could act. 

     Duke has joined a wrestling program in Shattuck, America.  It is ran by a local guy that has kids that wrestle and he coaches the kids–FOR FREE.  It is really a neat deal.  Every Tuesday and Thursday evening, this guy gives his time to teach these kids the sport of wrestling.  A lot of these kids have several years of experience and Duke doesn’t.  But he is learning fast.

     Last night, Shattuck had a dual match with Woodward at the Woodward High School gym.  Duke had his first match.  He even had an intense look on his face.  Victory was his.  He didn’t pin the kid, but he did wallow him all over the mat and won decisively.  He was pumped.  It was fun watching these little kids go at.  Several of the kids were outmatched, but wrestled hard and kept from getting pinned.  He better not get cocky, or he will run into a kid in the near future that will tuck him up so fast and tight that he will get to smell his own crack.

     Dad and my brothers have always enjoyed wrestling–or wrasslin.  Being true OSU fans, we keep up with the wrestling team and try to attend a match or two at Stillwater.  Duke has always enjoyed going and watching.  As I’ve been known to have a story or two, I have several involving wrestling.  There is the time I got pinned in 17 seconds (that guy STUNK bad!!).  There is also the Bulldog Nelson and the Octopus. 

     Not much else new in the goat world today.  Rumour is watching a pen of Dad Gum Bob’s does, waiting for them to come into heat so I will open the gate and let him have at it.  From one male to the other, I hope today is his lucky day.  I’m pretty sure the gate to my pen will stay closed.

     The Champion’s Choice jackpot was this past Saturday.  This was an extremely good show.  Top to bottom, left to right and any other way you want to put it, the quality was stellar in both the wether and doe shows.  There wasn’t a bad goat in the ring.  Some of those classes were brutally tough.  Extremely good quality show and it will only get better next year.  There were some awfully good goats standing 3rd or 4th.  There were premium sale goats that sifted.  That isn’t knocking the judge, that’s how deep the classes were.  Whether you agreed with the judge or not, you could follow what he was doing and he used dang good goats.  Some good ones got beat, but they got beat by good ones.  Remember, if you don’t want to get one beat, don’t show it.

     Speaking of the judge, I always enjoy getting to see Charles and Jo Ellyn Turner.  They are a true livestock family that is involved in all phases of the livestock industry and most importantly, with the kids–their own and others.  If you haven’t met the Turners, you need to. 

     Both OU and OSU got screwed by the bowl selection deal yesterday.  I guess the good thing is both teams will play in Dallas, so it is a short drive for anybody wanting to go.  Northern Illinois in a BCS bowl?  RUSM!!!

     Look for this Champion’s Choice jackpot to continue to grow in numbers and $s. 

     Is it just me or do teachers assign a whole shit load of homework these days?  I’m sure that I would have spit the bit and probably would have been ineligble.  I’m not blaming teachers.  I know that these teachers have to teach towards a state test, but that too, is a bunch of crap.  When a test is designed by politicians and a union such as the OEA, it can’t be a good thing. 

     If you all can’t tell, I am NOT pro-union or pro-government.  They both have their places, but both have abused their powers and therefore, reduced their usefullness. 

     There is a reason that we are seeing more and more successful people that are home-schooled. 

     The Champion’s Choice Jackpot is this Saturday.  This will be a top notch show that is giving away a pile of cash.  If you have a goat from one of the sponsoring breeders, I highly recommend that you attend.  The quality of goats will be way good.  The wether show will be deep in quality.  There was a pile of OYE premium sale wethers that showed at this show last year, including the OYE grand.  The doe show will be wicked good.  There will be numerous already champion does that will be there showing.  Take a look at the Champion’s Choice banner on oklahomashowgoats.com.  If you have a wether or doe from one of those breeders, then get to Norman Saturday morning.   

     f you are a breeder of high quality show goats and are interested in becoming a member, come watch the show and talk to some of us members.  It is money, and time, well spent.

counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.  The Pokes almost pulled that one off Saturday night.  They actually should have won, the defense was just flat wore out.  This was the first time that I thought OSU had comparable talent and coaching as compared to ou.  Considering it was at norman and we had our 3rd string quarterback, that was a heck of a game.  I am not an ou fan at all, but why aren’t they ranked higher?  Their two losses are to #1 Notre Dame and #6 Kansas State.  I wish K State wouldn’t have stuck their own thumbs up their own a$$e$ at Baylor.  A K State/Notre Dame championship would have been fine with me.

     Bob thinks I need to build a bigger parking lot for Sunday afternoon goat workings.  There was a pile of trailers full of goats.  And as a result, I am realizing that I am getting fat and old as I am a bit sore after trimming hooves on several dozen goats.  One or two of them kicked my knuckles into the grinder.  Big fun.