The Chaperone (Ep. 601)

Jerry lands a date with Miss Rhode Island, but needs a chaperone to replace hers. He ends up getting Kramer to be the chaperone for their date, but he ends up taking control and becoming her coach for the Miss America pageant. Later Jerry accidently kills Miss Rhode Island's doves for her magic act the night before the pageant and her routine is ruined.

George convinces the Yankees to go with cotton uniforms over their polyester uniforms. It all goes well the first night, but the second night the uniforms are shrunken up and they can play well. Elaine lands a job with Mr. Pitt being his personal assistant.

Interesting quote: "I was almost Mr. Coffee. They felt I was a little too relaxed." - Jerry

Grade: C (Not so good start to the sixth season)

The Opposite (Ep. 522)

George is tired of his life and decides that if all the decisions he's made in life are wrong then he'll do the opposite. It immediately works and things start looking up for him after his girlfriend lands him a job with the New York Yankees. On the other hand, Elaine losses her boyfriend, apartment, and job in a very short timespan. Jerry learns that he is Even Steven after he always breaks even and one friend is always up while the other is down. Kramer goes on Regis and Kathy Lee for his book tour, but then loses his book deal after Pendant goes under.

Interesting quote: "Hi, my name is George, I have no job, and I live with my parents." - George

Grade: A (Excellent)

The Hamptons (Ep. 521)

The group goes to the Hamptons to see their friends' new baby and to spend the weekend. Jerry's girlfriend, Rachel gets to come and George brings his girlfriend, who he has not slept with yet. When they get there, his girlfriend begins to sunbath naked, but George isn't there to see it. He then gets upset when Kramer reveals that they all saw her topless. Later, Rachel sees George naked after he comes out of the pool in a "shrunken state" and she laughs. She ends up telling George's girlfriend and she leaves because of it.

Kramer finds a lobster trap and treats everyone to fresh lobsters, except for Rachel who is Jewish. He ends up getting in trouble because it was a commercial lobster trap. George puts lobster in eggs as revenge on Rachel and she eats it unknowingly. Elaine is flattered by a complement by the baby's doctor, but then he gives the same complement to the baby, which everyone thinks is ugly.

Interesting quote:
"Hey, Jerry, rub some lotion on my back." - Kramer
"Who are you, Mrs. Robinson?"- Jerry
"C'mon, and I'll rub some on you."- Kramer
"That's not sweetening the deal." - Jerry

Grade A- (Yo Yo Ma!)

The Raincoats, Parts 1 & 2 (Ep. 519 & 520)

Jerry hasn't been with his girlfriend, Rachel, in 3 weeks when his parents come into town for 3 days before going to Paris. He's going crazy and ends up making out with her in the middle of Schindler's List and is spotted by Newman, who tells both of their parents. Rachel lives with her parents and her dad, who is strict Jewish, forbids them from seeing each other. Elaine's boyfriend, Aaron, is a close talker and also befriends the Seinfelds during their time in NYC.

George gets talked into doing a big brother program. He tells the leader of the big brother program that he has to go to Paris on business and talks the Seinfelds into mailing postcards as him. However, he finds out that Joey's (the big brother kid) estranged father lives in Paris and they are trying to reunite him.

Kramer goes into business with Morty selling his old beltless trenchcoats, but they are delayed coming from Florida. By the time they get there, the guy who was going to buy them has a problem with moths and ends up not buying them. Since the trenchcoats come late, the Seinfelds cancel their trip and George ends up taking Joey to Paris using their tickets instead.

Interesting quote:
"Maybe this will become a cool thing... Living with your parents." - George
"Yeah, and then maybe baldness will catch on. Things will all be turning your way." - Jerry

Grade: B+

The Fire (Ep. 518)

Jerry gets heckled by Kramer's girlfriend, Toby, at a show that he's being reviewed for and he does a bad job, consequently getting a bad review.  To get back at her, he goes down to her work, which happens to be Elaine's as well, and heckles her.  This causes her to run out of the office and injure herself, losing her pinky toe.  Kramer later finds the toe and boards a bus to take it to the hospital.  In the process he fights off a mugger and drives the bus to the hospital.

George is dating a girl with a kid and during the kid's birthday party a fire breaks out in the kitchen and in his haste he shoves kids and the elderly aside to get out of the apartment.  Toby ends up coming back to work and getting a promotion over Elaine because of her accident.  Jerry convinces the reviewer to give him another chance, but it's ruined also when George panics at the sight of a prop gun.

Interesting quote:

"How do you live with yourself?" - Fireman

"It's not easy." - George

Grade: B (Kramer's story of driving the bus makes this one good)

The Wife (Ep. 517)

Jerry pretends to be married to his girlfriend, Meryl (Courtney Cox), so that they can both get a 25% discount at the dry cleaners and he begins to enjoy being married.  George gets caught peeing in the shower at the Health Club by a guy that Elaine is attracted to.  Elaine keeps getting what she thinks are signals that he likes her, but as it turns out, he likes another girl at the Club.  Kramer's can't get any sleep because he gave Jerry his comforter to take to the dry cleaners.  He goes to get a tan to impress his girlfriend's family, who is black, but he falls asleep in the tanning bed and gets burned.  Jerry ends up "cheating" on his "wife" to give the 25% discount to someone else.

Interesting quote: "I thought you said you were bringing a white boy home! I don't see a white boy! I see a damn fool!" - Kramer's girlfriend's dad

Grade: C+ (Interesting to see a young Courtney Cox, but not really that good of an episode)

The Tide is Rising

So I haven't been this excited about Alabama football since 1999 when we went 10-3 (should have been 11-2, but we had one fluke loss to La Tech).  This is also the most talented team I think we've had since 1992 when we won the National Championship.  Now, I'm not suggesting that Alabama will win the Championship this year, that 1992 team had a lot of help and I don't think the competition was as tough either.

I am super pumped about the possibilities of this season and the upcoming game.  This is easily our biggest game since we were 9-0 going into play LSU in 2004.

Roll Tide!!  Crush them DAWGS!!

Divorce

It's such an ugly word and it really does give me shivers every time I hear it.  I don't actually know that many people who have gotten divorces, but just yesterday I found out about someone that I sort of know who is getting divorced.  I don't know the girl, I only know the guy, and I have no idea whatsoever the reasons for this, but it breaks my heart to hear this.  I just want to know, what happened?  Where did they go wrong?  How did they get to this point?

I guess the best thing I can pull out of it, is that I have a wonderful marriage to a wonderful girl.  It's never been perfect, but it's been good the entire time we've been together (which will officially be 5 years as of October 13th).  I could not ask for a better person to spend my life with and I pray that I always know that.  Today, take some time to remember the one you love and thank them for loving you back and thank God for bringing this person to you.

The Stand-In (Ep. 516)

Jerry is asked to stop in to visit a friend to try to make him laugh and cheer him up, but is under too much pressure and can't follow through.  George is going to break up with his girlfriend, Daphne, but she tells him that a mutual friend of theirs told her that George would break up with her.  This makes him mad, and so he stays with her just to prove the guy wrong.  

Kramer and Mickey are standing-in for actors on a soap opera and Mickey is worried because the kid he is standing in for keeps growing.  Kramer suggests he get lifts and this gets him ostracized from the Little People's community.  Elaine dates a friend of Jerry's who pulls "it" out in the car.  Jerry goes back in for another shot at cheering the guy up but makes him laugh a little too hard this time.

Interesting fact: First spotting of Mickey in Seinfeld

Interesting quote: "He took 'IT' out" - Elaine

Grade: B (Decent, Mickey and Kramer together is so great!)

The Pie (Ep. 515)

Jerry's new girlfriend, Audrey, refuses to eat any of his apple pie without any explaination as to why.  This drives Jerry crazy specifically after he finds that she does like apple pie and especially apple pie from Monks.  Elaine finds a mannequin that looks exactly like her.  Jerry goes to Audrey's dad's restaurant Poppie's, but is mortified when Poppie doesn't wash his hands after using the bathroom.  Afterwards, Jerry refuses to eat the food that Poppie has specially prepared for them, much in the same way that Audrey refused the pie.

Elaine returns to the store to find the mannequin that looks like her posed in a provocative manner.  This makes her mad and when the manager won't take it down she steals it.  Later, when Jerry goes back in the restaurant to explain to Audrey, her dad is being taken away by the Sanitation Police.

Interesting quote: "Poppie is a little sloppy." - Jerry

Grade: B- (Funny, but I've seen better)

Larry Munson

This an official "Just So You Know That I Care" post.  Sad news today, out of Athens, GA where the legendary voice of Bulldogs football, Larry Munson has retired, effective immediately.  He truly was a great voice of college football and he will be missed by many.

He probably just didn't want to call the game on Saturday in which Georgia looks to get embarassed by Alabama.  (Sorry about that, I just had to get that in)

The Dinner Party (Ep. 514)

The group is going to a dinner party and so they need to stop and get something to bring. Jerry and Elaine are going to the bakery to pick up a chocolate babka and George and Kramer are picking up a bottle of wine. At the bakery, the people in front of Jerry and Elaine get the last chocolate babka, so they decide to get a cinnamon one instead and a black & white cookie for Jerry. The cinnamon babka has a hair on it and the cookie makes Jerry throw up (ending his 14 year non-throw up streak).

George and Kramer pick a bottle of wine, but the store can't break a $100 so they go across the street to another store to get change. They buy the wine, but by then someone has double parked in front of them and they can't get out. They go back in the store to stay warm and George accidently knocks over some wine bottles with his puffy Gore-tex coat and has to give the store owner his coat to pay for it.

Interesting quote: "I love the black and white cookie. Two races of flavor living side by side in harmony." - Jerry

Grade: B (the puffy coat was probably the best thing about this episode)

The Marine Biologist (Ep. 513)

Jerry bumps into Diane, an old college friend of his and George's, and when she asks about George he tells her that he's a Marine Biologist, much to George's displeasure. Kramer has 600 golfballs and decides to go out to the beach and hit a few. Elaine has a meeting with famous Russian author Yuri Testikof, but makes him mad when her electronic organizer won't stop beeping. In his frustration he tosses it out the window hitting a woman in the head.

The woman finds Jerry's number in the organizer and calls him to find out who's it is. He and Elaine get a plan to record Mr. Testikof confessing to tossing the organizer out the window, but this backfires when the tape recorder starts making a noise and Testikof throws this out the window too. George is at the beach with Diane and there is a group of people surrounding a beached whale. At her persistance he agrees to help the whale, so he does. As it turns out, there was a golfball lodged in it's blowhole...the lone good shot that Kramer had.

Interesting quote: "He's working on lowering the cholesterol level in whales. All that blubber. It's quite unhealthy. It's the largest mammal on Earth, but as George says, "They don't have to be.'" - Jerry

Grade: A+ (probably my favorite of all-time)

The Stall (Ep. 512)

--I want to start off by making an apology for not mention Derek "DB" Bailey in my previous post. It was an oversight on my part and it will never happen again.--

Elaine has a confrontation with a woman in the bathroom who won't give her a square of toilet paper and she vows to get back at the person if she ever figures out who it is. She is also dating a good looking guy with little intelligence named Tony. George apparently has a little bit of a crush on Tony as well and agrees to go rock climbing with him and Kramer agrees to come too. While there, they have an accident and Tony falls, ruining his good looking face, and the only reason Elaine was really with him.

Kramer is calling a phone sex number for laughs and believes that Jerry's girlfriend is actually Erica, a girl he's been talking to on the phone. He sets up a meeting with her at Monks and Jerry's girlfriend swears she is not this Erica, that she works in paper. Meanwhile, Elaine recognizes her voice as the woman from the bathroom and races ahead of her and removes all of the toilet paper and won't share a square with her. Later, after she comes out of the bathroom she tells Jerry not to call her again and then leans down to Kramer and in a sexy voice tells him not to either.

Interesting quote: "Elaine, he's a male bimbo. He's a mimbo." - Jerry

Grade: B+ (Some good laughs)

The Conversion (Ep. 511)

George converts to Latvian Orthodox in order to stay with a girlfriend who is also Latvian Orthodox.  Jerry is alarmed by a strange tube of fungal cream in his girlfriend's medicine cabinet and consults Elaine's boyfriend, a podiatrist, to find out what it is.  Later, the tube ends up in Elaine's medicine cabinet and her boyfriend stumbles upon it and is, like Jerry, turned off.  It turns out that the cream was just for Jerry's girlfriend's cat.  Kramer discovers he has "kavorka" (the lure of the animal) and women can't resist him.

Interesting fact: The first mention of Kramer's kavorka.

Interesting quote: "Jerry, I'm telling ya', I have this power.  And I have no control over it." - Kramer

Grade: B (Kramer's kavorka and Frank's absurdness saves the day)

The Cigar Store Indian (ep. 510)

Jerry upsets Elaine and to make up for it decides to get her a Cigar Store Indian that he likes.  When he goes to drop it off he ends up offended her friend Wynona who is Native American and Jerry likes.  George meets a girl at an antique store and takes her back to his parents house while they are out of town and has sex with her on his parents bed.  They find out about it when they return and find a condom wrapper on the bed and so they ground George.  Elaine borrows a TV Guide from the Costanza's apartment and loses it.  This upsets Frank because he is a collector of TV Guides.  Jerry eventually goes out with Wynona, but doesn't feel comfortable because he's always worried of offended her and he eventually does by calling her an "Indian giver."

Interesting quote: "Let's bury the hatchet, we smokem peace pipe." - Jerry

Grade: A (one of my all-time favorites)

The Masseuse (Ep. 509)

Jerry is dating Jodi, a masseuse, but can't get her to give him a massage.  George is back dating Karen from The Mango episode and things are going great except for the fact that he's obsessing over the fact that Jodi doesn't like him.  This eventually brings an end to their relationship, again.  Elaine is dating a guy by the name of Joel Rifkin, who shares his name with a serial killer at the time.  She constantly gets made fun of, but he doesn't see it as being that big of a deal until he is paged while at the NY Giants game.

Interesting fact: Elaine suggests to Joel that he change his name to avoid being associated with a serial killer.  One of the names she suggests is OJ.  Less than one year later was when OJ Simpson was arrested for murdering his ex-wife and her boyfriend.

Interesting quote:

"How many times do I have to go out with her before I get a massage?" - Jerry

"Jerry, she gives massages all day.  She doesn't want to give them on dates." - Elaine

"Yeah, I know.  She just wants to have sex." - Jerry

Grade: B (One of the best in a while, but still just okay)

The Barber (Ep. 508)

Jerry wants to leave his barber Enzo because he gives bad haircuts, but doesn't want to hurt his feelings.  So, he tries to sneak Enzo's cousin Gino into his apartment to cut his hair, but Enzo catches them.  George goes for an interview and it's going great, but the interviewer gets interupted and never tells George whether he got the job or not.  George not wanting to look like he didn't understand, decides to go into the job anyway.  The boss is gone on vacation so George just sits in his office for an entire week not doing anything.

Interesting quote: "That Johnny Depp, he a-make me cry!" - Enzo, in reference to Johnny Depp's performance as Edward Scissorhands

Grade: C- (it's interesting to me that Season 5 was the first season that Seinfeld was on top of the TV ratings, but it's my least favorite)

Ichiro

If you don't know who or what Ichiro is, then don't bother reading any further.  If you do know who he is, then prepared to be more impressed by him than you already are.  Last night, Ichiro went 3-3 (that's 3 hits in 3 at bats) to get his 200th hit of the season.  In doing so he joined Wee Willie Keeler (if you don't know who he is, it's alright) as the only players to get 200+ hits in 8 consecutive seasons.  Mr. Keeler did his back in 94-01...1901 that is.  What's more impressive is that Ichiro has only played in 8 seasons altogether.

He now has 1792 hits in his Major League career tying him with Ernie Lombardi at 353rd on the all-time hits list.  That's not really all that impressive, except for the fact that Ernie Lombardi played 17 seasons!  Ichiro likely won't catch Pete Rose or Ty Cobb because he didn't start playing in the Majors until he was 27, but he really should be considered up there with the two.  Ty Cobb had 1453 hits between ages 27 and 34, Pete Rose had 1648, Ichiro Suzuki had 1792!!  That is astounding.  These are just numbers, if you ever cut on the television and the Seattle Mariners are playing, please watch Ichiro.  He plays so gracefully and with so much energy, it really is a joy to watch.

Minor League Hijinx

Go here to check out a very funny video of a skydiver bringing the game ball to the South Georgia Peanuts baseball game.

Facts about Morocco: Part III

Morocco is an Islamic nation for the most part, it is the official religion of the government.  However, they are technically a religiously free nation.  I say technically because while they allow Christianity, Judaism, and Catholicism to be practicised, it is not allowed to be practicised by Moroccans.  Meaning, a Moroccan should practice Islam or nothing else and if not they will go to jail, but a foreigner is free to practice whatever religion they want.  It's not good, but it's significantly better than most Muslim nations.

There's a pretty interesting story behind how we found out about Christianity in Morocco.  Kimberly wrote the IPHC and the Assembly of God to find out if they had any missionaries and/or churches in Morocco.  Not too much later, she got a phone call from the guy with the PH church who heads missionary work for all of Africa...pretty cool!  Another cool thing was the fact that he went to Emmanuel College and knows my dad.  Emmanuel College may be indescribably small, but we are making our mark!  He told her that many of the missionaries will go to Morocco and work other jobs while planting house churches and trying to slowly reach the locals.  It's difficult, but progress is being made.

Bella

I just saw this really amazing movie last night.  I don't want to tell too much about it because it will give away too much of the movie, but it's a very beautiful story of redemption and forgiveness and I highly recommend it.

10,000 years will give you such a crick in the neck!

So, I've got this pretty irritating pain in my neck that doesn't seem to go away.  It's like my neck just catches every so often and I can't move it to one side.  Most of the time it goes away within a matter of minutes, but twice now in the last week it's lasted for an extended period of time.  If anybody knows of any way to get it to go away without going to the doctor, I would love to know.

The Non-Fat Yogurt (Ep. 507)

The group loves the non-fat frozen yogurt at a new shop in town, but begin to worry it's not as healthy as claimed when they start gaining weight.  While at the shop, George spots his childhood nemesis Lloyd Braun who is working for current mayor David Dinkins.  Lloyd spots Elaine and is attracted to her and eventually takes her on a date, but breaks up with her after realizing she's got some extra weight.

Jerry and Elaine get a sample of the yogurt tested at a lab and discover that it does in fact have fat in it.  This causes a controversy in the city and after mayoral candidate Rudy Guiliani has a higher than normal cholesterol results, Jerry calls their office to inform them of the issue.  Guiliani's stand against the yogurt store along with a bad suggestion by Elaine to Mayor Dinkins, gets Guiliani elected as New York City mayor.

Interesting fact: Had Dinkins been reelected in NYC, the character Jackie Childs may not have existed as actor Phillip Morris was set to play Dinkins' advisor on the show.

Interesting quote: "One of my campaign themes would be that everybody should wear nametags to make the city friendlier." - Elaine's campaign idea that Lloyd Braun gave to Mayor Dinkins

Grade: D (This was about as good as non-fat frozen yogurt)

Defensive gem?

Saturday night Auburn battled it out with Mississippi State in a 3-2 victory...in football.  Yes, you read that right, that was a football score, not a baseball score.  Many would lead you to believe that this was one of those tough SEC defensive struggles, but I find that to be a load of baloney.  I love the SEC, it is a major defensive conference, but this was nothing, but a bad game of football.

Now, it does appear that Auburn played good defense on Mississippi St. since the Rebels were unable to score on offense and were 0-14 on 3rd down conversions.  Auburn on offense was a different story.  They racked up 300+ yards of offense, 154 passing yards, but amazingly when it came to crunch time couldn't do anything.  They were 3-16 on 3rd down and had 94 yards on penalties...94 yards!  In fact, the lone score they gave up to Miss St. was a holding in the end zone for a safety.

Are we to believe that Mississippi St. went from giving up 32 points to Louisiana Tech and Southeast Louisiana to being able to hold a top 10 team to 3 points in one week?  The all-intelligent voters at the AP apparently think highly of Mississippi St. because Auburn only dropped one spot in the polls this week.  Yet, another reason to completely ignore the polls for the first month of the season.

Cultural War

I read a great post by Donald Miller about Culture Wars.  Very interesting and I suggest everyone read it.

The Lip Reader (Ep. 506)

Jerry and George are at the US Open and Jerry is attracted to the lineswoman and wants to ask her out. He approaches her and thinks she is ignoring her, but finds out she is deaf instead. George indulges himself in an ice cream sundae and lands himself on television. He later believes this is the reason for him being dumped by his girlfriend. Elaine instead of having to talk to the driver of the company car fleet pretends she is deaf, but he finds out and is offended.

While out to dinner with Jerry and his new girlfriend, George gets the idea to have her come to a party with them to read his ex-girlfriend's lips to find out why she broke up with him. She agrees, but at the party she mistranslates "we could sweep together" for "we could sleep together" and it causes George to confront and make a fool of himself. Kramer aspires to be a ball-"boy" at the US Open and lands the job. Sadly, it's short lived when he goes after a ball and collides with Monica Seles.

Interesting quote: "You wanna be a ball-man, go ahead: Break the ball barrier." - Jerry

Grade: B (There are moments that are very funny and others that are not so much)

The Bris (Ep. 505)

Friends of Jerry and Elaine have a baby and name them godparents. This means that they are responsible for the Bris. Elaine has to find a mohel to do the circumcision and Jerry has to hold the baby during the process. George is ranting and raving about a parking space he got right in front of the building. Unfortunately, this all comes to an end when a patient commits suicide and lands right on top of his car. Kramer thinks he sees a half pig, half man in a hospital room and seeks to find out what's going on.

George tries to get the hospital to pay for the damages, but no luck. Elaine finds a mohel, but when he shows up (late) he's a little on edge yelling at everyone. Kramer tries to prevent the ceremony from happening because he thinks it's barbaric. He does the proceedure, but in the process slices Jerry's finger. Jerry said it was because he was shaking and the mohel says it was because Jerry flinched. Kramer finds the "pig-man" and takes off out of the hospital with him, but he's no pig-man. He turns out to be a con-man who instead steals George's car.

Interesting quote: "George, if the pig-man had a car he would give you a ride." - Kramer
"How do you know? What if the pig-man had a two seater?" - George
"George, be realistic." - Kramer

Grade: B+ (The pig-man and "Shaky the Mohel" in one episode)

The Sniffing Accountant (Ep. 504)

Jerry starts getting worried that his accountant is into drugs because he continually sniffs while around him, but doesn't have a cold. Elaine is dating a guy who hit on her by feeling the material of her dress. George is still looking for a job and his dad books him an interview to be a bra salesman.

Jerry, Kramer, and Newman set out to discover if Barry, the accountant, really is doing drugs. They come to the conclusion that he is and write a letter to him asking for their money back. As Newman goes to mail the letter, they discover that he was probably sniffing because of a sweater that Jerry was wearing and then gave to Kramer and he was wearing. Fortunately, Newman gets attacked and drops the letter, not mailing it off. Later, they find out that Barry is filing for Chapter 11 and that if they would have sent the letter off they would have gotten their money back.

Elaine later breaks up with her boyfriend, Jake, because he didn't put an exclaimation point at the end of a message about her friend having her baby. George nails the interview for the job, but then feels the material of a woman waiting for the elevator. She is very turned off by this and unfortunately she's the owner's daughter and George gets fired before he starts.

Interesting quote: "You know about the different cup sizes? You got the A, the B, the C, and the D. That's the biggest." - Frank Costanza

Grade: C- (Not really one of the best efforts)

The Puffy Shirt (Ep. 503)

Kramer is dating a girl who is a low talker. Unfortunately, nobody wants to tell her this and instead just pretends they can hear her. This backfires when Jerry and Elaine are out to eat with her and Kramer. She is a clothing designer and apparently while Kramer is gone to the bathroom she asks Jerry if he would wear her new design during his appearance on the Today Show. He unknowingly agrees and is surprised when Kramer informs him of him of the new popularity of the Puffy Shirt all because Jerry is going to wear it on the Today Show.

George is having to move back in with his parents against his better judgement. While out to dinner with them he gets depressed and walks away from the table. During this time, he bumps into a lady who is an agent for hand models. She claims that George has the most perfect hands she has ever seen and immediately books him for some hand modeling gigs. George is excited over his newfound fame and the possibility of getting back out of his parents house.

Kramer tries to tell Jerry that he is going to be the leader of the pirate look, but that's really a good selling point. Elaine begs him not to wear it since it's kind of flashy and he's making an appearance in support of Goodwill. He decides to wear it and is humiliated and voices his embarassment to Kramer's girlfriend. She gets furious and when George starts making fun of it, she attacks him. He ends up falling into a hot iron and burning his hands, essentially ending his hand modeling career.

Interesting fact: It's the first of the group's name calling for people...the low-talker.

Interesting quote: "But I don't want to be a pirate." - Jerry

Grade: B+ (The Puffy Shirt is good television)

The Durham Bulls

The Durham Bulls are my one physical connection to baseball here in Durham.  I can go see them anytime I want, unlike my Atlanta Braves (not that I'd want to see them right now) or Boston Red Sox.  Since becoming a Triple-A team back in 1998 they have not disappointed me...last night they were very close to doing that.

Last night, Kim and I went to what could possibly be the last Durham Bulls game I ever attend; this is a very sad realization to me.  Durham has had a minor league baseball team off and on since the early part of the last century, but the current Durham team returned to the city in 1980.  This was just a couple of years before I came into the world and they have been a part of my life ever since.  

Growing up, my dad would take me to games at the tiny Durham Athletic Park to see a team that wasn't very good, but the experience was great.  In later years, I got to see such players as Ron Gant, Chipper and Andruw Jones, Ryan Klesko, John Rocker, Kevin Millwood, and Wonderful Monds.  When they became a triple-A team I joined the club as a batboy for 2 years and got to see things first hand.  Now, as a married man I've been able to introduce Kim (who admittedly doesn't like baseball) to the Durham Bulls.  It's been a great experience, I feel like a part of the team.

Anyway, last night the Bulls were playing game 3 of a 5 game series against the Scranton-Wilkes Barre Yankees for the Governor's Cup.  The Bulls lost the first two games, blowing a lead in the 9th of the first one and giving up a run in the bottom of the 13th in the other to lose 1-0.  Last night, after leading most of the night, they gave up a run in the top of the 8th to tie the game 2-2 and I was getting worried.  They were playing sloppy and swinging big (and missing) when up to bat.  But in the bottom of the 9th with a man on first, Nathan Haynes lined a double off the centerfield wall bringing home the winning run.  It was a joyous night for the Durham Bulls, because they stayed alive and get to play at least one more game this year.

Lets Go Bulls!  Get us that Championship!

Remembering 9/11

It's that awful day again where everyone brings up what is easily one of the most painful memories in my lifetime.  I usually don't talk about it.  It's not that I try to forget, or that I don't care, but I don't really like remembering the event.  It's very disturbing.  However, I read a blog by my friend Bob today and he specifically asked "where you were when it happened and how did you feel."

Where I was is an easy question to answer, the second is a good bit harder.  I remember I was in school and I had an 8 o'clock class that morning.  It was a Tuesday so this class got out at 9:15 or 9:20, I don't remember.  I remember walking into my dorm lobby and seeing a handful of people sitting in the lobby watching TV.  This struck me as odd because people aren't normally watching TV at 9 in the morning in college, but I didn't notice much else.  I got on my computer and a friend informed me via IM what had just happened.  I immediately went back out to the lobby and watched the news for probably the next 2 or 3 hours straight.

I think I had lots of emotions running through me that day and the days after.  Confusing over why someone would do something like this.  Fear over what else they could do.  Grief for the families and people in NYC who were dealing with it face-to-face.  Pride in the nation that I lived in.  It's one of the few times that I can say that I truely had pride in the current version of the US, for the way that everyone pulled together in the days after.  It was a special thing that I will never forget.  I felt like in those few days we were a great nation.

I want to pray for the families that are still grieving over losses suffered that day and that they can forgive the people who did this and move on.  I want to pray for our government that they will do all they can to prevent something this tragic from ever happening again.  Lastly, I want to pray for the people who organized this attack and any attacks like it, that they'll realize that they don't have to do things like this.  That it causes pain and suffering that nobody should ever have to deal with, that they are punishing innocent people.

Things I won't miss...

Since I did a post about things I'll miss, I thought it was only right to do a post about things that I'm pretty sure I won't miss about my current life.

1. Bills (the money ones, not the ones in Buffalo)
   
2. A "9-5"
3. Television
4. Non-stop talk of politics
5. Ultra-consumerist culture that we live in
6. Traffic
7. Cars (not the same as traffic as this involves dealing with my own car)
8. Buying gasoline

Like I said in the other, I'm sure there are many other items that could be put on here, but I wanted to keep it brief.

Things I'll miss...

I've been thinking lately about what stuff I'll really miss when I'm gone to the Peace Corp for 27 months.  It could potentially be a very long list.  I'm going to try to list some of them now.  Really though it's just a list of things I think I'll miss, because you never know, I might not miss them.

1. Family
2. Friends (I already miss some friends who don't live near me)
3. Baseball
4. Chick-fil-A (those who know me well, know I can't go too long without this)
5. Duke basketball
6. My church (It took me so long to finally find a church I felt I belonged to and really connected to, now I have and I have to leave)

I could probably legitimately list each of these twice because I'll miss them so much. Also, I could probably go into more detail about the things I'll miss, but I don't want to think about it too much, especially not so far in advance.

The Glasses (Ep. 502)

Kramer gets Jerry a discount on an air conditioning unit to please his new girlfriend Amy, who likes the air condition. George gets his glasses "stolen" from the health club, and Kramer says his friend can get him a discount on those as well. When they go down to the store, a man's dog bites Elaine on the leg and George thinks that he sees Jerry's cousin Jeffrey kissing Amy. Also, because he's not wearing glasses ends up selecting a pair of women's frames. He later solves this issue by switching frames with a blind man he meets outside of the health club.

Elaine goes to the hospital, but because of a misunderstanding doesn't get a shot for rabies. She then begins to suspect that she's got rabies and wants to find the guy who's dog bit her. The guy happens to be walking by Jerry's apartment and her and Jerry spot him and go down to meet him. Unfortunately, the air conditioning unit is not in good and falls, landing on the guy's dog. Jerry ends up having to pay for the dog's vet bill when George inadvertantly tells the guy Jerry's address.

Interesting quote:
"That's it? I don't need a shot?" - Elaine
"Not shot. Dog bite." - Doctor
"No, I know I wasn't shot. Do I need a shot?" - Elaine
"Not shot. Dog bite. Woof-woof, not bang-bang." - Doctor

Grade: C- (Ehhh, not much to say)

The Mango (Ep. 501)

George is having issues pleasing his new girlfriend Karen in bed and begins to worry that he's inadequate in some way. This is only compounded when Elaine informs the guys that women fake all the time and guys don't know. Jerry thinks this is silly, but then Elaine tells him that she faked every time when they were going out. This is a deathblow to Jerry's ego and he keeps begging Elaine for another shot, but she's not going for it.

Kramer buys some bad fruit and then tries to return it, but gets banned from Joe's fruit stand instead. He inlists Jerry to go buy his fruit, but Joe figures it out and bans Jerry too. George eventually goes to the store and gets the fruit. Kramer gives him some mango to try and he loves it. Not only that, but he starts getting "sensations" down below. This prompts him to go straight to see his girlfriend Karen. She obviously is very pleased, but he assumes she is faking and this upsets her, so she breaks up with him. Elaine finally gives Jerry another shot, but it doesn't go so well.

Interesting fact: George's girlfriend Karen is played by Lisa Edelstein who plays Dr. Cuddy in House.

Interesting quote: "You know I've faked it. Well, you know if I've had enough and I just want some sleep." - Kramer

Grade: B (Funny parts, but just okay overall)

The Pilot, Part 1 & 2 (Ep. 423 & 424)

Jerry and George begin working with NBC to cast actors for The Jerry Show. Kramer insists that he's good enough to play himself on the show and shows up for the auditions. Very shortly in though, he realizes he has to go to the bathroom and dashes out. The guy who lands the role of Kramer bothers George because he alledgedly stole a box of raisins from the audition room, but won't admit to it. The girl who plays Elaine is obsessed with Jerry and wants to become Elaine so as to better play the character. Kramer tries to instruct the guy playing him on how to be Kramer. George is afraid that God won't let him be successful and notices a white spot on his lip that he believes is cancer. Russell Dalrymple is obsessed with Elaine, but she won't be with him because his life is television and she doesn't like television.

Kramer had trouble finding a bathroom and has now missed his window of opportunity and is afraid he's going to have to use the Big E. "Crazy" Joe Davola jumps out of the crowd at Jerry during the taping of the show and yells out "sic siemper tyranus." Russell is a no show for the taping because he's joined Greenpeace to try to impress Elaine. George finds out that he doesn't have cancer. Later, while the group sits to watch the first episode, Jerry gets a call from Rita Kierson. She tells him that she is the new President of NBC since Russell has disappeared and she doesn't like his show and pulls the plug.

Interesting fact: The guy who plays Kramer in The Jerry Show actually originally auditioned for the part of Kramer for Seinfeld.

Interesting quote: "This is George Costanza, I'm calling for my test results. Negative? Oh, my God! Why? Why? Why? What? Negative's good?!?" - George

Grade: B (Good, I really don't have much else to say about it)

Duke Football!

Went to the game on Saturday as I said earlier. It was pretty fun and a decent game.

• Coach Cutcliff is trying to create an atmosphere and generate buzz within the city. Last week the school gave tickets to all the Duke University staff. He figures if he can get 30,000 people to show up to watch them when they're not so good, that they'll be more than glad to show up when they are good.
• Duke lost, but they played much better than any other time I've seen them in the last decade or so. I like the running game, and the passing game is sure to get better as the season progresses.
• Duke may lose many games this year, but I don't think they'll be a pushover, especially in the All Crappy Conference.

Here are some pictures from the game, and just for reference, that first one really was taken at a Duke football game, and in the 4th quarter, not the 1st.

The Smelly Car (Ep 422)

Jerry and Elaine get in Jerry's car after it's dropped off by the valet at the restaraunt only to realize it reeks of BO. This however, is not normal BO, it's much more powerful. Elaine's boyfriend, Carl, lies to cut their date short because she stinks so much from being in the car. Jerry gets the car cleaned but no luck, Elaine gets a professional shampooing, but no luck. He eventually tries to sell the car, but the salesman won't take it either. Finally, he just leaves the car to be stolen by someone, but even the theif is disgusted by the smell.

Kramer and George go to the video store and bump into Susan and her girlfriend Mona. George is kind of turned on by Susan being with a woman, but then worries that he drove her to lesbianism because he was the last guy she was with. Mona apparently is kind of turned on by Kramer being Kramer and ends up falling in love with him, even though she's never been with a man.

Interesting fact: Elaine's boyfriend, Carl (Nick Bakay), was the voice of Salem the Cat in Sabrina the Teenage Witch.

Interesting qutoe: "I drive them to lesbianism, and he [Kramer] brings them back." - George

Grade: B (We're starting the see the signs of Kramer's Kavorka)

The Junior Mint (Ep. 421)

Jerry is dating a girl, but can't remember her name. All he knows is that her name reminds with a part of the female anatomy. Elaine goes to the hospital to see a former boyfriend, Roy, who is having surgery done. She didn't like him but feels obligated to see him. When she gets there she is shocked because he has lost a good deal of weight and is attracted to him again. Kramer gets invited to sit in on the surgery and convinces Jerry to join him. During the surgery he is eating Junior Mints and offers one to Jerry which he defiantly refuses and the Junior Mint ends up landing in the body during the surgery.

After the surgery he is not doing so well and the doctor is unsure whether he's going to make it. George receives $1900 from a savings account he had as a kid and had forgotten about. He is trying to figure out a way to spend it when Elaine tells him about Roy's art and he's intrigued. He thinks it would be a great investment in case he doesn't make it through after his surgery. He buys the art and very shortly after, Roy recovers. He tells George that buying his art gave him the will to live.

Jerry's girlfriend eventually figures out that Jerry doesn't know her name and walks out. As soon as she leaves he remembers her name...Dolores.

Interesting fact: Dolores wasn't the original name they had picked out (it was Chloris), but they had asked the studio audience to guess her name and that was named. They liked that one better so they went with it.

Interesting quote: "Alright, alright, just let me finish my coffee. Then we'll go watch them slice this fat bastard up." - Jerry

Grade: A (Very disturbing, very good!)

The Handicap Spot (Ep. 420)

The group has to get a gift for The Drake's engagement party so they decided to go to the mall before the party and chip in to get something big. They drive George's dad's car because everyone else's car is unavailable. When they get to the mall they realize there aren't any parking spaces, so Kramer convinces George to park in a handicap space. When they get out there is a mob of people around the car waiting for George. They find out that a handicap girl had to park in a normal space and her wheelchair gave out while going up a hill and she injured herself. The group hides out somewhere nearby, but when they come back, the mob has destroyed the car.

Kramer goes to see the girl and falls in love with her and convinces George that they need to get her a wheelchair. They get her a used wheelchair for the cheapest price possible. The Drake and his fiancee break up and the group wants the big screen TV they got for them back. The Drake gives his fiancee all of the gifts from the party and she donates them to charity.

Later, George's dad is arrested, for parking his car in a handicap space, in the middle of a meeting that was presenting him with a community service award. Since George doesn't have a job to pay for the damages having to do with the car, he makes George his butler. He got this idea, because this is the script for Jerry and George's pilot to NBC. The handicapped girl crashes again because the wheelchair Kramer and George bought was defective. George's dad tells him to go pick up the big screen TV that The Drake's former fiancee is giving to the community organization and to give it to this handicapped girl. Him and Kramer pick it up, but the group returns it instead.

Interesting fact: George's dad makes his first appearance, but Jerry Stiller was not originally George's dad. They later went back and had Jerry Stiller do the scenes for syndication.

Interesting quote: "She's got everything I've ever wanted in a woman. Well, except for the walking." - Kramer

Grade: B (Solidly funny episode and Jerry Stiller's first appearance is great!)

More thoughts...

• It might seem as though I'm plowing through my Seinfeld project, but I've got 118 days left in the year and 121 more episodes left to watch.
• It's also not very fun having to critic a show that I love so much, because I'm starting to find flaws.
• I downloaded the new Phil Wickham cd last night and listened to half of it on the ride home...I love it.
• We're going to the Duke/Northwestern game Saturday. Duke is going for their first two game winning streak since...we'll they don't track that far back. It is their first chance to lock up a 2 win season since 2004-05 when they beat The Citadel and Clemson.
• The guy who coaches the University of South Carolina, is that the same guy who coached the "Fun N' Gun" Florida Gators and Duke Blue Devils back in the 80s and 90s? It sure doesn't look like it.
• I'm reading The Year of Living Biblically by AJ Jacobs. It's a very interesting read, you should give it a shot.

The Implants (Ep. 419)

Jerry is dating Sidra, a beautiful woman he met at the Health Club and things are going great until Elaine tells him that her breasts are fake. He has to know if they are real or not, so he gets Elaine to find out. She sees Sidra in the sauna and declares without a doubt that they are fake. Jerry breaks up with her because he can be with someone with a fake personality, but fake breasts are a no go. Later, she sees Sidra in the sauna again and trips and accidently uses her breasts to break her fall. This causes her to declare to Jerry that they are definitely real. Jerry gets back with Sidra, but unfortunately Elaine stops by while they are together and she believes Elaine fell on her on purpose.

George is dating a girl who he can't get to first base with because she always sits on his right and he can't "go" right because he's right handed. About the time he is finally making a move, she gets a call that her aunt has passed away. George is encouraged by Jerry and Kramer to go to the funeral, but he doesn't want to pay that kind of money for a flight. Kramer suggests a bereavement fare, but George discovers he needs a copy of the death certificate to get it. While at the funeral he has actually convinced her dad to give him a copy (through lying of course), but then gets in a fight with her brother Timmy over double dipping a chip. He doesn't get the certificate and therefore, neither the discount.

Kramer believes he sees Salman Rushdie at the Health Club too and when he introduces himself to him, finds out the guy's name is Sal Bass. He's a writer too and believes that it really is him, just using a fake name.

Interesting fact: Not really a fact, but Timmy reminds me of David Luper when he's arguing with George over double dipping the chip.

Interesting quote: "And by the way. They're real and they're spectacular!" - Sidra

Grade: B (Pretty funny episode, more interesting that it features both Teri Hatcher and Megan Mullaly as Jerry and George's girlfriends respectively)

The Old Man (Ep. 418)

Elaine volunteers to work with an organization aiding the elderly and it intrigues George who decides he has no purpose in life. Jerry is not interesting, but gets talked into by Elaine who said if anyone needs to do this it's him. Basically what they are doing is just spending time with an elderly person to brighten their day. Jerry gets a crabby old man who doesn't want him around. Elaine gets a lady with a goiter the size of a football and it's very distracting to her. George gets a man who has an optimistic outlook on life, but after hearing George be pesimistic he ditches him.

While at the guy's apartment Jerry does notice that he's throwing out a ton of old records and asks if Kramer and Newman can have them. He says yes, but when they come to pick them up the old man gets irritated with them and starts fighting with Newman. In the process he loses his dentures and they go flying across the room, landing in the sink. George thinking he's cutting on the light, cuts on the garbage disposal instead, destroying the dentures. They all run out to get a cab to take the man to the dentist, but lose the man in the process. A massive search doesn't turn the guy up and his son gets mad with Jerry for losing him and also taking his old record collection.

Interesting quote: "Because the mail never stops. It just keeps coming and coming and coming. Never a letup. It's relentless!" - Newman on why mailmen go postal

Grade: C- (A couple of funny moments, but very un-Seinfeld like)

Thoughts...

• I've been doing the budget for the past month just to see what it was like. It's been going well until now. I was pleased because we got all the bills payed off, now it starts all over again. It's such a brutal cycle.
• I remembered a great memory from college the other day that only a few people know about. Jace do you remember Brian's light up frisbee that got broken in the lobby of King St. A?
• I'm dreading learning a different language for the Peace Corp. Why you say? I've seen and spoken so much Spanish in my life, I now have a tendency to pronounce all foreign words with a Spanish accent. Darn immigration!
• I've got issues with PETA. I know that sounds like an obvious statement, but it's more to do with their "scare" tactics having to do with vegan/vegetarianism. I do not however have issues with being vegetarian.
• I'm dreading the upcoming TV season because I don't want to get hooked on a show and then have to leave in the middle. Lost doesn't start til January, but One Tree Hill (yes, we still watch it) and The Office get going soon.

The Shoes (Ep. 417)

Kramer sees Gina Cunningham on the street and completely snubs her when she spots him. She dated Jerry for a shortwhile, but refused to give him a kiss goodnight after 3 dates, so Jerry ended it. This makes her furious and she approaches Jerry to tell him. While telling Jerry she notices Elaine's Botticelli shoes and comments on how she likes them.

Jerry and George are putting the finishing touches on their script for the pilot and just have to go see Russell Dalrymple to find out what he thinks. The go to his house, but he is very sick and has a hard time talking to them. While they are there, his 15 year old daughter comes home and George notices her very ample cleavage. He gets caught in a stare by Russell and he is not amused. Very shortly later, Russell nixes the pilot without explaination. Jerry and George assume it is because of George's stare and set out to explain that he couldn't help it.

They enlist the help of Gina who works in the kitchen at a restaraunt that he frequents and also is dating Kramer. They want her to let them know when Russell comes in and she wants Elaine's shoes. They go down to talk to him, but are not getting anywhere, when Elaine enters. She starts flaunting her cleavage in front of him with little reaction and until she finally gets his attention. He is immediately transfixed and asks her out on a date. The pilot is back on!

Interesting fact: We do finally find out that George's parents are still together, but still no sight of his dad.

Interesting quote: "I understand women." - Kramer

Grade: B (Interesting episode)

The Outing (Ep. 416)

Jerry is waiting at the coffee shop to meet with a girl from the NYU newspaper to do an interview. While waiting, Elaine notices that the girl in the booth behind Jerry is eavesdropping on their conversation. This prompts her to blurt out, "So what if you're a homosexual, why don't you two just come out already?" in reference to Jerry and George. It turns out the girl eavesdropping is the girl from NYU. She thinks Jerry and George are gay and George's actions at Jerry's apartment don't do anything to make her think otherwise.

She writes the article and it is picked up by the AP as well and pretty soon everyone they know finds out. Jerry's parents call from Florida and George's mom is so shocked that she falls off the toilet and hurts her back again. George meanwhile looks at it as a positive because he can finally get out of his relationship with his girlfriend that he doesn't like. She doesn't buy it though and he swears that Jerry will back him up. They go busting into Jerry's apartment only to find him on his couch making out with the girl from NYU. He had finally convinced her that he really wasn't gay, but George's stunt creeps her out and she leaves. He finally resorts to telling his girlfriend that's a porno actor, but she is turned on by this as well.

Interesting fact: First mention of George's porn actor alter-ego "Buck Naked."

Interesting quote: "Not that there's anything wrong with that."

Grade: A- (A very funny and once again well done episode)

The Movie (Ep. 415)

Jerry is meeting Elaine, George, and Kramer at the movie theater after a gig so that they can see Checkmate. George gets in the wrong line at the movie theater and all the tickets are sold before they realize. They leave Kramer at the theater and go to the Twin theater to get tickets there. Jerry shows up, but Kramer has stepped across the street to get a Papaya King hot dog. George and Elaine get tickets and go in to save seats, but George goes to run down to the other theater to give Kramer the other two tickets.

Jerry not being able to find anyone gets talked into going to see Rochelle, Rochelle with a fellow comedian he doesn't like very much. George realizing he's missed the entire group goes back to the Twin theater. When they won't let him in again without his stub, he gives them Kramer's ticket. Then he can't find Elaine in the theater and ends up walking out of the emergency exit. He then has to use Jerry's ticket to get back in again. This time he goes to see Rochelle, Rochelle. Elaine leaves to get a snack and Kramer comes in and sits in her seat. When she goes back in the theater she realizes her seat is taken and goes to see Rochelle, Rochelle as well. George, Jerry, and Elaine realize they are all in the movie theater together and decide to leave since the movie is so terrible. Kramer is just finishing Checkmate as they walk out.

Interesting quote: "A young woman's strange, erotic journey from Milan to Minsk. It's a story about life and love and becoming a woman...it's Rochelle, Rochelle."

Grade: B- (Tries for the genius of The Chinese Restaurant but falls short)

Pray for: Sri Lanka

President: Mahinda Rajapakse

Capital: Colombo

Population: 21 million

Religions: 70% Buddhist, 8% Islam, 7% Hindu, 6% Christian

Issue: Just like many other countries, it is war that plagues this one. For the past 25 years or so, the government has been at war with the Tamils, the ethnic minority group in the country. An estimated 70,000 people have been killed in the fighting. The Tamils were mistreated and largely ignored in the country by the ruling party and majority ethnic group and therefore decided to lash out at the government. The government not wanting to give up their power has fought back. Both are wrong and the fighting is hurting the entire country of Sri Lanka. Pray that the two groups will somehow realize there is a better way to go about this.

The Visa (Ep. 414)

George starts dating a lawyer who thinks he's really funny. Since he doesn't want her to think his friends are funny, he makes them act "un-funny" so he'll seem funnier. Jerry gets Babu a job at the cafe and an apartment in his building to which Babu is eternally grateful. Kramer is attending a Yankees fantasy camp down in Florida and starts a brawl on the field and gets the camp shut down when he punches Mickey Mantle.

Jerry while gone on some comedy appearances gets Elaine to pick up his mail since Kramer is out of town. He doesn't get it from her until almost a week later and finds a letter for Babu from Immigration that accidently got in Jerry's mailbox. He discovers, as Babu is being hauled away, that it's Babu's Visa renewal application that he had been waiting on. Jerry and Elaine find out that the woman George is dating is the cousin of Ping, the Chinese restaraunt delivery boy who is suing Elaine. She likes Jerry and Elaine though and gets Ping to drop the suit. Jerry asks her to help out Babu and she says she will.

Later, she tells George that she likes Jerry because he's dark and mysterious (because George told him to act this way). George realizing his losing his advantage tells her the truth. This only makes her mad at all of them and causes her to not help Babu and to tell Ping to continue with the suit and double the damages. Babu ends up getting deported to Pakistan and vows to saves his Rupees and get revenge on Jerry.

Interesting fact: Brian Georges, who plays Babu, was initially excited about coming back on the show and thought he would be a recurring character since he was working and living near Jerry. He was very disappointed when he found out he was being deported.

Interesting quote: "Kramer's at a fantasy camp? His whole life is a fantasy camp? People should pay $2000 to live like him." - George

Grade: A (Very funny episode)

The Weekend in College Football

#9Clemson vs. #24Alabama - Alabama

ECU vs. #17Va Tech - ECU

#25Pitt vs. Bowling Green - Bowling Green

Just wanted to say how proud I was of myself for picking these 3 "upsets" this weekend. I put upsets in parentheses because technically they were upsets. The Alabama and ECU victories weren't surprising to me and the Bowling Green victory was only mildly surprising. I didn't pick the biggest upset of the weekend, which was Tennessee losing to UCLA.

Interesting story of the weekend was at the Duke game. At about 6:20 a parachuter landed on the field with the game ball, but nobody at the game knew anything about the parachuter. After looking into the matter a bit, they discovered the parachuter was supposed to land in Chapel Hill at the UNC game, which started at 6. I guess they didn't wait for the game ball.

Speaking of Duke, they looked solid in routing James Madison 31-7. I know some people are going to say that JMU is just a Div. 1-AA team (or FCS if you will), but just to let you know they got shut out at home by Richmond just two years ago. This was an impressive victory. Alabama looked mighty impressive as well. And either they are much better than expected or Clemson really is that bad. The scary thing (in a good way) is Alabama's passing game didn't really look all that great, solid but not spectacular, and their running back that ran for 96 yards was just a true freshman. Also, Alabama's defense that wasn't supposed to be all that good held Clemson's dynamic running duo to 20 yards.