There Are Two Colors in My Head

Greetings, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, Running Down a Dream readers of all ages, I'm coming to you live from Parral, Chihuahua.

For those of you who are not familiar with the city that saw the death of Pancho Villa, feel free to read more here courtesy of that fount of all (possibly fallible) knowledge, Wikipedia.
People may love to point out that Parral was a former center of Chihuahua's silver mining industry, but I choose to focus on the fact that it was recently named as one of the "Ten Marvels of Gastronomy in Mexico". At first blush, such a title does not seem favorable towards a gringo like yours truly, but when the honor is based on Parral's famous beef dishes and dulce de leche candy, I think I'll be just fine.

Current Reading
Orthodoxy by G.K. Chesterton

Men With Insight, Men In Granite

Congratulations to Mr. Joseph R. Halbert for correctly naming "Wishlist" by Pearl Jam as the Wednesday Song of the Day. Those of you who are paying close attention will note that Joey merely named the Pearl Jam album, Yield, which contains "Wishlist", but in my book, that's good enough.

Even though I was a week late, I went to see the following film this afternoon and thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed it.

For those who have not yet seen The Dark Knight, I can only add my endorsement to the chorus of other voices praising the movie. For those who don't want to see the film, well, you might just find yourself participating in "the pencil trick", if you know what I mean.

Thoughts on the film? Love it? Hate it? Disappointed? Surprised?

I would love to hear.

I Wish I Was As Fortunate, As Fortunate As Me

Congratulations to Mr. Stephen Olson a/k/a "Richtoria's Secret" for correctly naming "Backstreets" by Bruce Springsteen as the Tuesday Song of the Day. Given that this is Mr. Olson's second victory in the Song of the Day Contest, it would be an apt time to pass along my endorsement of his work over at Richtoria's Secret, which, if you love SEC football and puns utilizing the surname of the Georgia head football coach, you're going to love as well.

With those formalities taken care of, it is now time to place an All Points Bulletin on the interwebs for all readers of this blog who will be in or around the fair city of Abilene, Texas this Saturday. I'm passing through the Key City on my way to Mexico for a medical mission trip next week. As part of some bizarre tradition that I am much too young to influence, we will be dining at that pillar of the Abilene culinary experience known as the Towne (extra "e" for added pretentiousness) Crier Steakhouse.

I would love to have any and/or all of you there to share that meal with me. If you think you might be able to make it, just leave a note in the comments section or drop me an email at Justin_Scott@baylor.edu. After all, what better way to spend a Saturday lunch than a meal at a middle of the road West Texas dining establishment.
Finally, if you think I'm paying for any of you, disabuse yourselves of that notion immediately.

Current Reading
Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace...One School at a Time by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin

Blame It On the Truth That Ran Us Down

Congratulations to Mr. Sameer Mohan and Mr. John Petrelli for correctly naming "Box Full of Letters" by Wilco as the Monday Song of the Day. Longtime Song of the Day contestants may be shocked at my new found benevolence in allowing multiple winners, but as long as the people participate in the contest, I will, as Marie Antoinette might say, "Let them eat cake."

The preferred viewing during the last two weeks in the Scott household has been Le Tour De France, or as people in Texas might say, "That Big Bike Race With All Those Spandex Wearing Dudes". Either way, you know what I'm talking about and that's all that matters right now.

Today, as I watched the cyclists gut through multiple 2000 meter climbs, I thought about the magnitude of Lance Armstrong's achievement in winning 7 consecutive Tours between 1999 and 2005. Due to the unfortunate profusion of doping scandals in cycling's recent past there were always whispers and provocative stories in the press regarding Armstrong's possible doping, but as of now, there is nothing that connects the steely Texan with illegal doping.

With that said, I hope what I'm about to put forth never comes to pass, but if it does, it creates an interesting (at least in my mind) parlor game:

Let's say that in 10 years it is revealed that both Tiger Woods and Lance Armstrong used performance-enhancing drugs in their primes.

Which one is the bigger tragedy*?
*Trust me, I use tragedy in the proper context given that we are only talking about sports after all.

You'll Come Back Again and I'll Still Be Your Friend

Congratulations to Mrs. Ashley Tuggle and Mr. Stephen Olson a.k.a. "Richtoria's Secret" for both naming "The Last Stop" by the Dave Matthews Band as the Sunday Song of the Day.

Also, I'm very glad to announce the mysterious "Know Limit Soldier" as the victor of this week's Caption Contest for his or her (I'm equal opportunity) submission of: "A rare glimpse of a Gator without its jean shorts" in response to the photo of Tim "Urban Meyer's Meal Ticket" Tebow holding a small Caucasian child like a pigskin.

That's the winning formula, folks. Jorts jokes regarding Florida Gators fans equal instant success. For further proof, I simply typed in the innocuous phrase "Gators Fan Jorts" into Google Image Search and the masterpiece above was displayed before my very eyes. It's not the theory of relativity or anything, ladies and gentlemen. Again, thanks to everyone for your entries and please participate next week.

Furthermore, I've heard the cries of the female readers (I assume) of Running Down a Dream, and I'll do what I can to arrange a special appearance by my apparently "hot" cousin at Baylor Law sometime in the next year. No guarantees though, ladies. I think he's dating someone.

Hope That We Can Break It Down, It's Not So Black and White

Congratulations to Mr. Andrew Tuegel for correctly naming "42" Coldplay as the Saturday Song of the Day.

I'm a bit late announcing this exciting piece of news, and hopefully my grandmother will not disown me, but I had to take time to congratulate my cousin, Ryan Andre, for winning (along with teammate Nathanael Kielt of Rutgers) the American Under-23 lightweight (under 160 lbs.) men's rowing pair event.
After winning the U.S. Under-23 championship, Ryan, who rows on the crew at the University of California-San Diego, represented the U.S. at the World U-23 Rowing Championships in Brandenburg, Germany. Although Ryan and Nathanael finished 5th in their first heat at the World Championships, I'm nothing if not incredibly impressed with his dedication and drive at one of the world's most unforgiving sports.
Also, it's official.

I'm never going to be the most famous grandchild.

I'm okay with that.

I think.

You Didn't Get to Heaven But You Made It Close

Congratulations to Mr. John Middleton for correctly naming "Bittersweet Symphony" by The Verve as the Thursday Song of the Day.

If McCain is going to win this election, it will because he can communicate an essential truth — that people in a great and successful nation do not want change for its own sake. But they do realize that it’s only through careful reform that they can preserve what they and their ancestors have so laboriously built.

David Brooks--"The Coming Activist Age" in yesterday's NY Times.

You Know the One That Takes You to the Places Where All the Veins Meet

Congratulations to Mr. Tim Henderson for correctly naming "Suite Judy Blue Eyes" by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young as the Wednesday Song of the Day.

(Referring to Ted Williams) "He radiated, from afar, the hard blue glow of high purpose." John Updike, in an essential piece of reading for everyone (and not simply baseball fans), "Hub Fans Bid Kid Adieu", The New Yorker, 1960.

Sing A Song, Don't Be Long, Thrill Me to the Marrow

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, Running Down a Dream readers of all ages, it is once again time for that much beloved duel of wits known as the Running Down a Dream Caption Contest.

Due to its status as the most famous trophy in the entire sporting landscape*, it is not surprising that the Heisman (Memorial) Trophy is making its second appearance in the Caption Contest, but instead of the 2008 Democratic Candidate for President of the United States doing his own version of the stiff-arm in Mack Brown's office while holding Ricky or Earl's Heisman, this time the Heisman is represented by the current trophy holder, the jump-pass extradonaire himself, the veritable sideburn adorned heartbeat of Gator Nation, Mr. Tim Tebow.
My submission: "Not pictured: The horrific aftermath of Tony Romo's attempt to replicate Tebow's picture."

As always, place your entries in the comments section. Keep it pithy, keep it edgy, and for goodness sake, take no prisoners. The Caption Contest runs through Sunday the 20th.

*An inherently unverifiable statement based on complete conjecture.

You Got So Much to Do and Only So Many Hours In The Day

Congratulations to Ms. Amanda Pierce for correctly naming "Positively 4th Street" by Bob Dylan as the Monday Song of the Day.

Since it has been over a week since my return from Music City USA, the 615, Nashvegas, etc., it is high time that I offered my thoughts on the capitol of the Volunteer State. What I am about to write is not written without a great deal of gravity and hand-wringing, but if it were possible to transfer the good people of the Lone Star State to another location, I just might consider such a mass population transplant to the environs of central Tennessee. While it was difficult to scan the radio dial in search of non-country offerings, I was always going to be won over by a city that integrates old-school stone fences with large lawns.
Without further ado, I present to you, the readership of Running Down a Dream, my 4 favorite things about Nashville. (In no particular order)

1. Pancake Pantry. You have to love any place where people actually show up to breakfast wearing tiaras, which was the chosen attire for one of my fellow diners. I have no doubt that photographic documentation would make the preceding story infinitely more interesting, but you're just going to need to use the old imagination on this one.
2. The Hermitage. Andrew Jackson's palatial spread just northeast of Nashville is a must-visit, if only because you can then impress your fellow citizens with Andrew Jackson-related minutia whenever they pull out a $20 bill. I disclaim any responsibility for negative repercussions resulting from the previous suggestion.
3. Arrington Vineyards. For those of you who always wished that you could drink wine from a vineyard owned by one of those guys who sang "Boot Scootin' Boogie". Not you? Yeah, me neither. Also, the restroom facilities are top-notch.
   
   
4. The guy who brought his own amp to the downtown Nashville fireworks on the 4th and proceeded to play Jimi Hendrix's take on the National Anthem during the entire show. It warrants mentioning that this guy was clad in only an American flag bandanna and American flag shorts. July 4th is that guy's favorite day of the year hands-down.

Much thanks to my hosts and hostess for the weekend: Ms. Amanda Pierce, Mr. Coleman Greer Griffith, and Mr. Harrison Cody Girod.

You Just Want to Be On the Side That's Winning

Roy Hobbs walks among us...

and his name is Josh Hamilton.

I Looked Like Someone I Used to Know

Since I lived less than a mile away from the Veterans Affairs hospital named in his honor for six weeks this summer, I would be doing myself, and the rest of this blog, a disservice if I did not pass along the NY Times story on the amazing life of Dr. Michael E. DeBakey.

"Michael DeBakey, Rebuilder of Hearts, Dies at 99" in yesterday's NY Times.

Without a doubt, my favorite portion of Dr. DeBakey's obituary was this paragraph:

Even in his 90s, Dr. DeBakey arose at 5 a.m. every day, wrote in his study for two hours and then drove, often in a sports car, to the hospital, where he stayed until 6 p.m. After dinner, he usually returned to his library for more reading or writing before retiring after midnight.

I'm not sure if that is exactly what Mr. Keating was attempting to convey in Dead Poets Society when he exhorted his students to "suck the marrow" out of life, but I think it's pretty darn close.

Current Reading

Ted Williams: The Biography of an American Hero by Leigh Montville

We Forgot All the Names That, The Names We Used To Know

As if the world were not bleak enough with the Reverend Jesse Jackson threatening to castrate Barack Obama, the Sports Guy going on a ten-week hiatus, Iran firing off missiles as if it were the wayward teenager at the family 4th of July picnic, and Brett Favre splitting in a not-so-amicable fashion from Green Bay, this picture had to pop up on one of my favorite blogs.

In a moment of feverish reflection (probably an oxymoron), I sought to determine where things became so discombobulated. Was it not enough that this man must carry the scourge of 'N Sync membership around for the rest of his life? What about the fact that he introduced that convenient euphemism "wardrobe malfunction" to the American public? Also, the fact that he once dated the most insane woman this side of Eva Braun cannot be ignored.

As if all that were not enough, the man must torture, I repeat TORTURE, himself by cheering for the English Evil Empire, that malevolent entity known as Manchester United Football Club. Shame on you, Mr. Timberlake. I hope your next album has lower performance numbers than Gigli.

The World Is In Your Hands or It's At Your Throat

Ladies and gentlemen, I take it as my duty to present to you the great and mighty foe of Baylor Bear football.

Am I talking about the entire Big XII? Possibly.

Am I speaking of those football programs that actually remember football relies on a different scoring standard than golf? Again, possibly.

At this moment, though, I am speaking of the (presumptive) Democratic nominee for the President of these United States in the Year of Our Lord 2008, Mr. Barack Obama.

Now, my faithful readers, I can hear your cries of derision. They rise up to me in a raucous chorus of disbelief, but the facts being what they are, the reality of the impending fallout simply cannot be ignored. As documented on that reputable journalistic outlet known as Deadspin.com, Mr. Obama's fabled acceptance speech at (Insert Corporate Name Here) at Mile High will take place on the same evening as Baylor's opening game of the 2008 football season, an August 28th matchup with the Demon Deacons of Wake Forest.

Are you kidding me, Mr. Obama? Did you hear that nickname Wake Forest is packing? DEMON DEACONS? Sure, we're the Bears and all, but DEMON DEACONS? That, my friends, is what nightmares are made of, pure and simple.

For the foregoing reasons, the editorial board of Running Down a Dream hereby requests that Mr. Obama and the entirety of the Democratic National Committee choose to move Mr. Obama's acceptance to the following night, August 29th, so that the Baylor Bears might have a full measure of support in their opening battle of the 2008 Slaughter Fest, scratch that, season against the fearsome spectre of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. Failing that, the editorial board requests that Mr. Obama integrate into his acceptance speech various denigrating remarks directed at the Winston-Salem, North Carolina metropolitan area.

Respectfully Submitted,

The Running Down a Dream Editorial Board

Jealousy Has Got No Use For Me

Congratulations to Ms. Nina Patterson for correctly naming "Down South" by Tom Petty as the Song of the Day for both Sunday and Monday. Also, it's worth noting that Nina knew the song well enough to point out that I added an extra "all" in the title to yesterday's post that is not there in the actual lyrics. The lesson as always, I'm an idiot.

In reaction to today's most startling news, please gather your things and move in an orderly manner to the nearest fall-out shelter: The colossus of all things caffeine, the behemoth of all baristas, the leviathan of lattes, Starbucks, is tightening its collective belt and closing 600 stores nationwide.

In other news, for the next few days I'm headed up to Nashville to visit some friends who currently reside in the 615. Feel free to drop a line in the comment section regarding Nashville landmarks and must-see locations.

Current Reading
A Man in Full by Tom Wolfe