The Weekly Meat

Tournament of Human Vices - 2010 Bracket

Some very difficult first-round matchups this year.

Click the thumbnail for a full-size, printable bracket. Have at it, people!

Running the Table

Every so often, a confluence of three major events occurs in my life. Sometimes I can see these trifectas coming, sometimes I can't.

In the spring of 2004, the Philadelphia Flyers (over which, longtime readers will recognize, I'm a bit fanatical) went deep into the hockey playoffs and had a good shot to win the Stanley Cup (a feat they haven't accomplished since I was 9); superhorse and Philly native Smarty Jones had a legitimate shot at winning the Triple Crown; and my wife and I were trying our damndest to get pregnant. Not a one happened.

A few months later, John Kerry was vying for the White House, while my local if not lifetime obsession, the Red Sox were vying for their first World Series in 86 years, and still, my wife and I were trying our damndest to stay pregnant. At least one of those three turned out well.

The latest confluence, I could see on the horizon for the past month now, and (somewhat shockingly and for maybe the first time in history) this time the deals have all gone down in my favor.

Within the span of a week, my hometown Philadelphia Phillies won the World Series, Barack Obama won the election, and I was not one of the hundreds of employees at my workplace to be laid off.

Three major deals. And it would be a lie to say I haven't toyed with their order of priority many times during the weeks leading up to their occurrence. It was possibly the biggest throwdown of my life. Or, as my brother emailed in regard to the Phillies and Obama victories, "It overstates nothing to say that we've witnessed two of the most exciting moments in our lives within the last 7 days." And he wasn't even in danger of being laid off.

I know full well, as we all should by now, that past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results, but damn, I don't generally run the table like this. I mean, in addition to the election of Obama, all state races and ballot initiatives even went the way I voted.

Now, of course, because fate is too often a cruel wench, I find myself wondering if there is a fourth unforeseen shoe waiting to drop. As anyone familiar with the parimutuel windows knows, it's painfully possible to hit the trifecta but miss out on the superfecta. Because typically, when the hits just keep on coming, I'm being beaten down and feeling pimped by life, not lifted up.

Which is why the latest trifecta success seems to be almost a referendum on how I see myself. I mean, as a guy from a city of underdogs as also-rans, can I allow that not only do "bad things happen to good people" but that sometimes good things actually happen too. And when they do, can it possibly be without adverse consequences (possible longer term presidential missteps notwithstanding)?

Who knows? Funny though how a phrase like "run the table" creeps into my thinking — as if I ran the table. Yes, I've been a Phils fan for a long time, went to a game while in Philly this year; yes, I donated to Obama's campaign, advocated his candidacy on this blog, and proudly voted for him Tuesday; yes, I do my job well and try to make myself invaluable to the team at work. Clearly, though, these scenarios that affect me hugely — emotionally, economically, spiritually, professionally — are being played out by those far above my pay grade.

But still. It's been a hell of a week.

Guilty Pleasures

*Excuse the short post, but I've been cranking away on a bevy of longer ones, to begin next week, and feeling entitled.

With spring finally hitting like Manny in an option year, I've been thinking about guilty pleasures. Sure, I go in for comfort food, good wine, melancholy movies, the sort of sex during which I'm not required to do much — but when I force myself to pin down my ultimate guilty pleasure, I keep it simple.

It's this: drinking beer in the shower.

Might not sound like much, but boy, I tell you, after an exhausting hockey skate or a day of fixing up this old house — when I'm thirsty, weary, and aching — there is really just nothing I want to do more than to stand in a hot shower drinking a cold beer.

Call me what you will, but give it a shot and see if I'm wrong. I'm telling you, you get that old-school McDLT-like difference in temperature going with the internal and external refreshment, and it's really outstanding.

So, what's your ultimate guilty pleasure? Respond in comments, please.

Just This

Congratulations to the 2007 World Champion Red Sox! For those who beat the "Rocks," we salute you!