Lou Pickney's Online Commentary
A Surreal Weekend
Sunday
January 12, 2003
"Do you know how hard it is to get fired from Smoothie King?"
-Kristin, on the phone last night
"I'd say it's infinitely true..."
-Bic Runga "Sway"
"Got me a pilot, she's going my way
If she's got wings, if she's got wings..."
-Widespread Panic "Airplane"
For a three day weekend, it's been tame by early Tampa days standards. Yet, at the same time, it could pan out to be the most memorable of them all. More so than the "so good it's hard to tell and be believed" J-Lo weekend. Or Guavaween
2001 or
2002. Or the
Gasparilla weekends of 2002. Or if not more memorable, at least a weekend with the potential for more long-term impact.
Thursday morning, fresh on the start of the weekend, my friend Scott Massey and I played a pair of
NCAA 2003 college football games. He whipped me solid with Florida State at Penn State. I felt embarrassed; I haven't been beaten that bad in a football game in a long, LONG time. Luckily I had the chance to restore my rep by rolling over Scott in the rematch as Tennessee scorching Michigan at the Big House (setting the new record for most points in a game). It's to be remembered, right up there with the "Alvis Whitted two punts returned for TD's" game as the Jags at the Bucs in
Madden 2002.
Of course, the most memorable thing about that morning was the phone conversation I had (where Scott patiently waited before pounding me into the ground with the Seminoles). If things work out the way I hope they will, and that's looking like a good possibility at this point, then I could be on the cusp of heading the syndication efforts of a major radio show just waiting to break through big-time on the national level. And you have no idea how happy I am about that.
Last night was memorable in a totally different way. It was me and Riley over at Market on 7th after the Falcons/Eagles game. I told him about the radio possibilities, about how happy I was about the Titans' win over the Steelers, etc. Anyway, fast-forward to the end of the night. Riley decided to head out, and not 15 seconds later I had this beautiful blonde girl named Nicole tapping me on the shoulder asking about the drinks available there.
For some reason, Market on 7th is good luck for me. Maybe it's the people who come through. Maybe it's the atmosphere. Maybe it's me playing the
Counting Crows on the jukebox. Maybe it's the ability to conduct an actual real conversation without shouting. I don't know. But it was magic.
I got Nicole's number, just like all the other girls. But there was a definite spark there, something special. I normally would refrain from putting this on the website, but you've got to understand the dynamic this added to the weekend. A whole new dimension. It really put it over the top. And this element can't be glossed over. I love Tampa.
Did I mention how happy I was that the Titans won? To the Pittsburgh Steelers fans out there: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Tough luck. The Titans in the AFC Championship, possibly hosting it if the Jets win? Ahhh yeah. All I have to say is: J-E-T-S Jets Jets Jets. If New York wins at Oakland on Sunday, then the AFC Championship game is in Nashville. Imagine that. And my parents have tickets to the game already. Good times. And, even if the Jets were to beat the Titans, it would mean Chad Pennington from Marshall in the Super Bowl. Seems like a win either way (of course, I want the Titans to win if I get a choice...)
The amazing thing is that the Titans looked so bad in their loss to the Redskins in October. But since then, they've been on a roll. Go figure. Their defense against Washington looked as bad as I've ever seen in an NFL game... but they've sure turned it around.
The present time is fine, but the near future looks great. And I can deal with that. Go Bucs... and go New York at Oakland. J-E-T-S Jets Jets Jets.
| 
