Footbacalypse in Dallas?

I came across this article a few weeks ago and after dragging my feet on finishing a post about it, I now read it with a different perspective. The focus was the Paul Quinn College football program folding for financial reasons (a yearly savings of $600k for the school) and transforming the gridiron into a 6,300 square-yard...organic farm. The school even partnered with the Dallas Cowboys to provide 17,500 pounds of food for their concession stands during home games this year.

My immediate thought was, this is pretty cool. The trendy thing in Foodville is local, organic, and the idea of self-sustainability. Everyone likes a success story. Turning lemons into lemonade, or a football field into farmland, whichever you prefer. But when I started to look at the photos, a part of me couldn't ignore an eerie, Walking Dead-esque, feeling with the goal posts, scoreboard and bleachers still standing.

Is the once known "America's Team" showing signs of an apocalyptic collapse? From Owner Jerry Jones's iron-fist'd clubhouse rulings, to NFL's worst defensive squad, and the ups and downs of Tony Romo, Cowboy fans have every right to start building dooms-day shelters and stock up on canned beans and batteries.

Change comes from the top and until Jerry Jones lets go of the day-to-day football operations, the Cowboys are going to continue to be the Cowboys of late. There is no question Mr. Jones is a successful and savvy businessman. He is a pioneer for in-stadium experiences and with having more money than he knows what to do with, he can make pretty much anything happen...like hanging the equivalent of nearly 5,000, 52" plasma TV's (per sideline) from the ceiling of his $1.2 billion stadium. Who can blame him though? He is doing what an owner should do - find ways to get butts in the seats and increase revenue. What he shouldn't be doing his what he is paying the coaching staff to do.

There isn't much to write about regarding the Cowboy's defense...seriously. When you lead the league in; most first downs allowed, most passing first downs allowed, most total yards allowed, and most passing yards allowed, you're on the wrong side of the record books. If the first couple second-half collapses this season weren't bad enough, the recent 36-37 loss to the Packers after leading 26-3 in the third quarter solidifies talks of change. Needless to say, the only group benefiting from the Cowboy's defense is the opposing teams.  

Tony Romo. You either respect his game or you think he is the worst QB ever. Is he the reason for the Cowboys disappearance in December? He gets the blame but that comes with the QB position, not necessarily him. Sure there are a few big-time plays that if Romo successfully completed their season would be different, or some timely interceptions not thrown that would shine brighter light on his career. Look up his stats, his numbers are pretty solid throughout his career, even approaching playoff time. 

It will be interesting to see what happens in Dallas over this upcoming off-season. Are there coaching changes coming? Will Jerry let go of some football decisions making? Will the Cowboys just fold up and turn their stadium into a state-of-the-art eco-dome and feed the US when the zombies takeover? Only time will tell, but let's hope change doesn't come too late for this storied team.

       

  
 

Enjoying the hole-y and little things in life

so happy

Life is ever-changing and moving as fast as it ever has in the history of man. There is much work to be done with little time to do it. Once we learn how to do one thing, it seems the process changes and we have to learn a new way without getting much of the work done in the meantime.

Sometimes it can be overwhelming if we don't slow down and take a break every once in a while. We have to look around us and savor life. There are many little things that get lost in the hustle of everyday life. I'm here to tell you about one of those things, which I enjoyed this morning.

As soon as I got to work this morning, I was busy trying to accomplish many tasks which seemed to stack up faster than I could knock them out. It was quite devastating to my overall morale Then everything changed. My co-worker, who comes in about an hour after me, brought me a simple, white sack filled with joy: three glazed donuts. It's a little thing.

Can Texas pry Nick Saban away from Alabama?

?

Reports are that Mack Brown will step down as head coach of the Texas Longhorns football team by the end of the week, we think. At one point on Tuesday, I got a text alert from ESPN saying Brown was going to resign, then got another alert saying Brown had denied that he was stepping down, and then a last text that said he was going to be out by the end of the week. It does appear at this point, the Longhorns will have a new coach.

With all that talk has come talk that Texas will pursue Alabama head coach Nick Saban to fill the void. Why wouldn't they? He's been the best college football coach in America for a few years now, and is on his way
possibly to going down as the greatest ever.

Would Nick Saban entertain the idea of leaving the powerhouse that he's built at Alabama to rebuild a once-proud Texas program? Justin @jwmillion and I @weltmoney discuss.

Setting up the imaginary 2013 College Football Playoff

After the BCS National Championship game is played on January 6, 2014 between the Florida State Seminoles and the Auburn Tigers, it will mark the end of one era and the beginning of a new era in major college football. Most fans are excited about it, saying a playoff will be a fairer system in determining the National Champion. I can see its merits and understand that it will certainly add to the excitement of the sport, but I don't necessarily agree that it help determine a true champion. Oh well. Nevertheless, the playoff format is set to take place next season, so I thought it would be fun to share how I would think that playoff should look if it was happening this season.

Let me start by saying that every conference should be forced to crown a champion in the same way, whether it be by a conference championship game or by overall regular season record. It matters not to me, but every conference should be the same. It just seems weird that Big 12 teams only played 12 games while pretty much everyone else played 13. I very highly doubt that conferences with a title game would stop doing that, so making every conference have a title game seems the most feasible. Apparently there's some NCAA rule that says there have to be at least 12 teams in a conference in order to host a conference championship game, so either that needs to change or the conferences not in compliance should add some teams and get up to speed.

Chick-fil-A is giving me free food for a good cause

it's a text

Yesterday, I told you about how to get half-price cheeseburgers and extra value from your extra value meal.

Today, I bring you this.

My local Chick-fil-A is giving people the opportunity to help those less fortunate this holiday season by offering a free sandwich in exchange for a canned good or non-perishable food item. That's the definition of a win-win. You can even do it two days in a row starting today and continuing tomorrow. That is clutch.

So if you're in Evansville, Indiana today, stop by the Chick-fil-A in Eastland Mall and bring some canned goods to get a free sandwich. If you're not in Evansville, take a canned good to your local Chick-fil-A just in case. Even if they aren't giving you a free sandwich, you can still eat lunch there and have a side of canned peas too. There's nothing to lose in that situation.

You know you want one

Half-price cheesburgers? Ways to fill your belly without emptying your wallet this week

Do it.

A lot of time and money will be spent this week preparing turkeys, hams, casseroles, and pies. If you are dreading spending all that money or are already tired of cooking and preparing dishes, you are in luck. You can get your fill of lunch or dinner or both a couple times this week while getting the most bang for your buck.

This just seems like fate. We were just discussing the merits of Sonic's cheeseburgers the other day. We uniformly decided that it is certainly one of the most underrated burgers in the country. Do you agree or disagree? You agree.

Turkey Day Roundtable, hashtag #Thanksgiving. America.

What in the hell kind of food and sports blog would this be if we didn't talk about Thanksgiving? It's one of the quintessential holidays that combines food and sports, specifically turkey and football. It doesn't get a whole lot better than that.

Thanksgiving is an American staple. It is America. Nevermind the backstory with the Pilgrims and the Indians and who did what and where. It is a celebration of freedom and utilizing that freedom to its fullest by filling our stomachs to the fullest.

With that in mind, @jwmillion (JM) and myself @weltmoney (JW) have decided to give you a little taste (pun intended) of our thoughts on Thanksgiving. We held a little roundtable and have saved a place at the table for you. Enjoy.

1) Describe your dream turkey.
JM: There is no doubt my dream fowl is deep-fried. Injected with a generous amount of garlic butter and delicately rubbed with my special mix of spices and herbs. I like it fried to the point I get a crunch from the skin but everything else melts in my mouth.

JW: My dream turkey is fulfilling its ultimate purpose, after living a long, meaningful life. It is a deep-fried, cajun turkey surrounded by all of its friends at the Thanksgiving table. It is both firm, but moist and occasionally it is blanketed in a delicious gravy.

Enjoying a little home cooking with pork chops

Everyone enjoys a little home cooking whether that means going over to Grandma's house after church or getting a few friendly calls from an official on your home court.

While I do love a quick, easy fast food meal, I do enjoy "cooking" every once in a while as well. I don't want to mislead anyone though. I'm no gourmet chef, but I know how to follow a recipe as they say. That doesn't guarantee that the meal will turn out like it is supposed to, but I try.

First off, you have to set yourself up for success. When I look for a recipe, I try only to use the simplest, yet most delicious ones. I'm talking the least amount of mixing and stirring and work on my end, while producing a feast worthy of a king, or at least a fat kid like me.

I believe that I have found the ultimate recipe for such a dream, or rather my wife found it on like a million different Pinterest things. This recipe involves a crockpot, pork chops (which I absolutely love), cream of chicken, and dry ranch seasoning. I'm not claiming this to be the most delicious meal ever created, but I've made this about three or four times so far and it's every bit of fantastic. It is a solid go-to whenever my family is looking an easy meal and we don't want fast food.

Here's how the process has evolved since I began preparing this meal:

McRib: Succulent or Scandalous?

What if I told you a sandwich with all the right ingredients to succeed was not what it seemed on the inside?

Along with Monopoly at McDonald's, the return of the McRib has established a storied tradition at the Golden Arch's. As social media's popularity gained, so too did the McRib. There is even a McRib watch on Twitter (@McRibWatch) for it's loyal followers to keep track of sitings and gloat about how good it is. The McRib was living the high life; fame, fortune, perfectly coated in BBQ sauce...until one Tuesday, November morning in 2013...

The McRib made it's way back into the media spot light this week, but it was not because of yet another triumphant return to McDonald's lineup. With a revealing photo surfacing of a frozen, undressed patty, it seems as though the McRib has fallen into the grease trap of social media along with Brett Farve, Tiger Woods and Lamar Odom.



Questions have been swirling around all week about the photo's authenticity. And if it truly is a bunless McRib for all the world to see, what does that mean for the McRib image? Will people start questioning the authenticity of the McRib? Who knows, but like any modern day scandal it doesn't matter whether it's good publicity or bad publicity - it got people passionately talking about the McRib, which is a win for McDonald's in my book.

College basketball is back and I am hungry

That's me...hungry for basketball...

The return of college basketball is a joyous time to me. It is without a doubt my favorite sport to watch and watch I did last night. Shame on you if you missed the action.

The Champion's Classic, which started last night at 7:30 et and capped off ESPN's marathon of college hoops, was one of the greatest regular season events I have ever witnessed in basketball, or any sport for that matter. It pitted four of the five top-ranked teams in the country against each other as #1 Kentucky faced #2 Michigan State and #4 Duke played #5 Kansas. Neither game disappointed as MSU and KU each prevailed in their respective games.

Also on hand was a veritable buffet of basketball talent and I do love a good buffet. There was never a shortage of exciting play. It was like walking into Golden Corral on a Sunday morning where I could keep going back and back for more. It was tremendous.

The top three freshman coming into this year played last night on the same court in Andrew Wiggins (KU), Jabari Parker (Duke), and Julius Randle (UK). In the end they did not disappoint. They all had their struggles, but they all also took turns taking over their games at some point in time.

Wendy's Pretzel Pub Chicken Sandwich Review: Do the chicken dance

Are you looking at my bun?

It's become quite the fad to put sandwiches on pretzel buns. I actually enjoy it. Wendy's has jumped on the bandwagon as well. They've actually got a couple of pretzel bun sandwiches, one with a burger and one with chicken. I decided to choose the Pretzel Pub Chicken Sandwich, since I also got chili with this particular meal.

The official Wendys.com picture and description:
"A lightly breaded chicken breast topped with natural muenster cheese, honey mustard and a warm cheddar sauce all atop a soft pretzel bun."

Starting with the looks of this sandwich, it's actually pretty good-looking compared to most sandwiches you receive from a fast food joint. The bun is a little more smashed than the official picture, but it's not that bad. It's all pretzel-y on top and all the fixings are stacked fairly neatly between the top and bottom bun. We're off to a good start.

Kansas State Women's Baconball Season Opener

You mostly hear about unusual sports promotions throughout minor league baseball, but Kansas State University has one-upped the farm systems with a promotion for their women's basketball season opener against Tennessee State on Friday.

In an article I read on KansasCity.com, 300 pounds of bacon will be handed out to the first 1,000 students who attend. Those lucky students will each receive six slices of bacon as they enter the arena, which should easily be devoured by the time they find their seats.

Odd? Maybe. Productive? Only time will tell...but when was the last time you added bacon to something and regretted it?

Win or lose, Kansas State has given their fans something to squeal about.

McDouble shifts to the McBubble

Say it ain't so

#MarchFatness has witnessed its first controversy. McDouble which had once been considered a virtual lock to make the field has now slipped right down onto the bubble.

With the news that McDonald's is changing the makeup of their former "Dollar Menu" also comes the news that the McDouble will no longer be just $1.00. Where I live it has risen to $1.19, though I have seen some news stories which listed it as high as $1.69.

Whether you like McDonald's or not, there's not denying that the McDouble was perhaps the most clutch performer among value menu items. It was essentially a decent DOUBLE cheeseburger for just a dollar. That's tough to beat. Alas, the economy has struck again and the value of the McDouble decreases just as the money used to buy it.

McDonald's Mighty Wings Review: I believe I can fly

McDonald’s has wings? How did you not know this? Haven’t you seen one of the many commercials with Super Bowl Quarterbacks Joe Flacco and ColinKaepernick? Maybe the thought of wings from McDonald’s was so off-putting that you blocked them from your mind. Well open your mind back up because these wings are liable to surprise you.

I must admit that I brushed off wings from McDonald’s as something I would probably never get, but then again I’m always hungry and always willing. I’m glad that I chose to try them.

Let me preface this review by saying that you must temper your expectations. If you go into this expecting to taste a chicken wing that will match up with your favorite wings from your favorite wing place, then you’re not giving them a fair chance. At the same time, you don’t have to lower your expectations all the way to the floor either because these wings can actually hold their own.

Man hit in face with hot dog is suing Royals. Don't blame the hot dog.

It's a bird. It's a plane. It's a...wiener?

Baseball teams may have to amend their disclaimer advising fans to be on the look out for foul balls or bats that could fly into the stands. Apparently flying food has become an issue as well.

In a story I recently saw on SI.com, a man is currently in a legal battle with Major League Baseball's Kansas City Royals after being hit in the face with a hot dog thrown by the team's mascot back in 2009. John Coomer is that man and according the story he was blasted in the eye with "a 4-ounce, foil-wrapped wiener" which required him to have two surgeries to repair damage done to his eye. He should really be thanking his lucky stars that the hot dog was not fired from one of those t-shirt cannons.

Hardee's: Modern Day Dynasty?

The word "dynasty" is often used to describe the likes of the 1950's New York Yankees, 1960's Boston Celtics, 1970's UCLA Men's Basketball, 1980's Los Angeles Lakers and 1990's Chicago Bulls...but is there a modern day dynasty?

There was the Trinity College Men's Squash team who lost their 13-year, 252 match winning streak in 2012 but let's be honest, that record is almost as exciting as the vegetable. Some people argue the University of Alabama football program is the most recent dynasty with winning three of the last four BCS National Championships. If they run the table and become champions again this year they will have all but solidified their spot on the above mentioned list (and rightfully so), but before the crown is handed to the Crimson Tide I ask if we are fully exploring all possibilites...

Kentucky's James Young scores ridiculous no-look basket...for the other team

James Young did this last night. I just thought you should know. Apparently UK is going to be so good they are spotting the other team points.

Carlos Beltran could not take away this grand slam

Not this kind of grand slam, but close

If you watched last night's World Series Game One, then you saw Carlos Beltran rob Big Papi David Ortiz of a grand slam. You also saw the Red Sox beat the Cardinals. Nice. Just thinking about baseball, the grand slam, and how the weather is getting colder reminds me of how legends are often born in October. I'm here to tell you about one born today; one I shall not soon forget. Sit back and grab a snack as I spin a yarn about one of the most clutch grand slams in recent history.

On The Road Checkdown

With having had a few errands to run during lunch I must shamefully admit my food of choice was not first on my mind. Normally bad things happen when I don't have such priorities pre-planned, but today everything worked out.

As I made my way towards the first stop I began to visualize the restaurants I would pass on the drive. Since I was headed to a side of town I'm usually not at around lunch time, I found myself focusing on creating a big-time-play for my taste buds. Something local? Something international? Something I could take a chance on with the given opportunity? The first two errands did not go as planned, and before I knew it, I was running out of options and out of time. Trying to not get flustered with only a few miles left I had no choice but to checkdown.

Snack Wrap #2 (Wrap #1 and small fry did not stay around long enough for the picture...RIP)

McDonald's was my last option before getting back to the office, and like any checkdown thrown by Peyton Manning, it did the trick. I went with two Grilled Chicken Chipotle BBQ Snack Wraps and a small fry. Nothing sexy, but tasty. My usual go-to Snack Wrap is the honey mustard, but today I was pleasantly surprised with the sweet, yet tangy, chipotle bbq sauce...not to mention perfect timing on my part to get hot, crispy fries. But no doubt, the best part of lunch was after all of the wrappers were crumbled, I reached to get a napkin and found three, still warm, fries in the bottom of the bag. I'm not sure what it is but there is a sense of accomplishment when you find rogue fries to end your meal.

If you're looking for the big-time-play lunch spot McDonald's is probably not the first place that comes to mind. You know the menu, and more than likely you know what you're ordering before you get there...but there is something to be said about their effectiveness.

Ba Da Ba Ba Bah!

Arby's Smokehouse Brisket Review: Meh

I have seen it on commercials for weeks now and I have wanted desperately to try it. Arby's rarely disappoints me. It's usually very solid. Well, today my dream finally came to fruition. After enjoying the sweet thrill of victory as the Bengals (WHO DEY) defeated the Lions with a field goal as time expired, the Arby's Smokehouse Brisket at long last made its way into my belly. It appeared on TV to have all the makings of a great sandwich, promising to be both filling and full of flavor. What did I find?

To really understand a sandwich, you must get to know the sandwich, right? Let's start first with Arby's description, which is pulled straight from their official website: 

It’s slow smoked for 13 long hours. Which proves we’re pretty passionate about brisket. Arby’s Smokehouse Brisket is piled high with slow-smoked beef brisket, topped with smoked Gouda cheese, crispy onions, BBQ sauce and mayo, and served on a toasted, bakery-style bun.

 I must admit, I have no clue if this was really smoked for 13 hours, but the sandwich did indeed have all of the promised toppings, though the construction looked nothing like it's official headshot. Just compare the shots I took with the one below.

I'll give it a pass though because really, what sandwich ever looks like the one on TV or in print? I was a little hesitant about the onion rings and Gouda cheese which crowned the brisket, and nearly requested they be left off, but how could I truly review the sandwich without giving it a chance at full strength. Plus Justin would be uspet if I didn't. For the record, I did make it a meal with curly fries and a refreshing Sierra Mist. They were delicious as usual.

As far as taste goes, it didn't taste bad, but it didn't taste great either. It was just okay. I was disappointed. The bun was certainly good and I did like it. The BBQ sauce was good enough, but I did find having mayo also on the sandwich to be a bit odd. I couldn't really taste it anyways though. The onion rings and Gouda cheese in the end had no noticeable affect on the flavor of the sandwich in my opinion either.

Now to the real meat of the issue and, yes, the pun is certainly intended; the main event on this sandwich is obviously the brisket. As I said, it was okay, but it really had all the makings of a classic Bill Belichick press conference. That is to say it was rather dry and less than satisfying. In the end, I wound up dousing each of the last few bites with Arby's sauce because I did not find the brisket itself to be all that appealing. My wife agreed. She also ordered  two Jr Ham & Cheddar sandwiches and only ate one. I gladly devoured the second one. Score! Also on the bright side, I did have one packet of Arby's sauce left over which I fully intend to use as a condiment on a lunch sandwich to be named later. I'm pretty pumped about that.

Overall, I would say that this sandwich is worth trying just to say you tried it, if you are the type of person who likes to try new things at fast food restaurants. However, if you're in Arby's thinking, "Oh, a quick, tasty brisket sandwich" I'd suggest going elsewhere or at the very least lowering your expectations far below sea level. Just stick with the classic Beef 'n Cheddar or if you want my real recommendation, go with the Angus Three Cheese & Bacon sandwich. It is a solid go-to on the Arby's roster any day of the week.

Final score on the Arby's Smokehouse Brisket: Meh. I'm not inclined to order it again. 

Waking up early on a weekend is not my favorite thing to do but when there is a tee-time waiting for me I manage to never be late. The warm golfing days are coming to a close in Central Kentucky and it took a cold, wet, 8:00am start this morning for me to realize it may be time to put my clubs up for the year. With a mix of bad weather and barely being awake (and a bit hungover), my play was far from stellar. Golf is a game where it only takes one good shot to fall hopelessly in love...but what happens when you don't have "that shot" to keep you eagerly swinging? I grab a Snickers.

The brilliantly layered nougat, caramel and peanuts surrounded by creamy milk chocolate provides the warmth any struggling golfer needs on a brisk, damp morning. Did it lower my score? No. Did it fix my swing? No. Did it satisfy any and all hunger and fix the disappointment after looking at my scorecard? Absolutely. Bottomline, a Snickers is a golfer's best friend on the course...outside of an eraser.

     

i ate this for breakfast. the test post edition.

America. USA USA USA

This is only a test.