Race 4: Talladega

/ Trixie / Leave a comment

Wow…that’s really all I can say about Talladega.

Congratualations to my driver Tony Stewart for picking up his first win of 2008, his first win in #20 Home Depot Toyota (and yes I know it was Subway), and his first win at Talladega. Of course there is always a little controversy that surrounds Smoke. I have tried to keep a perspective about the whole yellow line thing because I guess I am a rules girl. NASCAR explained to the drivers on Sunday morning the rule about the yellow line. You can’t go below it…period. If a driver goes below the yellow line then they will suffer the consequences. And in this race fan’s opinion that’s what exactly happened on Sunday. I really don’t feel like debating the whole did Stewart push the #01 down below the yellow line. Regan Smith was there and he advanced his position. And in my eyes and NASCAR that was a big no-no. It was the green-white checker and Tony was leading. Tony was going to do everything in his power to win on Sunday. Tony was going to protect the bottom to prevent the others from getting a run. We have seen it time and time again at other tracks. Drivers do what they need to do to get the victory. That’s racing.

I have to say Carl Edwards went from “wow, what a great move” to “WTF just happened” in the matter of a 7 days. I know about 20 laps left at Talladega is when everyone turns it up a notch and Sunday was no exception. Carl basically took out two of his Roush teammates along with a few others including Dale Jr who was having a typical Talladega run. I have to say Carl did apologize causing the big one. Of course, with Carl and Greg involved in this crash, it helped out Jimmie. He left Talladega still with the points lead.

It was strange some teams were having tire issues. I don’t see Talladega as a track that will give the teams fits about tires. But as we all know tires have a mind of there own. They weren’t just getting cut, but exploding. Just ask Dale Jr., or Brian Vickers, or Denny Hamlin. In fact, he was taken to a local hospital after his crash at Talladega. When you slam into going that fast, even with all the safety measures in place, you are going to feel it.

Now that Talladega is out of the way, we can look to the remaining races. Next up Lowes, or as the race commentators say, Jimmie’s House. Oh and by the way, it’s on Saturday night! I love Saturday night racing.

Well, I am still recovering from my trip to Chicago. I have to say I had a wonderful time, but I don’t think I could live there. Too big of a city for me. However, I was able to experience ESPN Zone and all that it entails. I love ESPN Zone! I mean come on, you have a tv at any angle. While there my fellow co-worker and I were able to eat with Jeff Daniels. That’s right star of Dumb and Dumber was eating dinner at ESPN Zone with us. Ok…maybe he was three tables away, but we were there and he was there and we were eating dinner. So, in my world, we had dinner together. Of course I didn’t get a way with from the place without purchasing a few souvenirs. My favorite…a coffee mug with the following on it…”Yes, I am a woman, I know the game, I watch ESPN”. How can I not purchase this mug?

And we were able to get a bird’s eye view of Chicagoland Speedway.

I was able to see Kansas Speedway, but did have the forethought to pull out the camera.

Sorry for interrupting the race post with my Chicago highlights, but it was a great trip and has refocused me with regards to my job as an advisor. In fact we will be making a few moves in the office and I will be able to get back to what I love–working with students. I work with students now, but not as many as I would like. This new change hopefully will get me out of that professional funk I have been in lately. And with that here are a couple highlights of my trip….

  • Chicago style pizza…yum
  • Magnificent Mile…lots of walking
  • Navy Pier…lots of water, ships, and Navy men
  • Bubba Gump Shrimp Company….great food and atmosphere as well as a cute waiter named Tony! (waiter in the middle…the one behind us wanted to join in the fun and hoped into the picture)

Home

/ Trixie / Leave a comment

I am home back in Texas.

Had a great time in Chicago.

Ate lots of good food, had lots of laughs and had dinner with a famous actor.

More details later.

Christmas Cards

/ Trixie / 1 Comment

One last post before I leave for Chicago…

I received something very interesting in the mail yesterday.  I received samples of Christmas cards and an order form.  I have to say they weren’t bad cards and I kind of liked them all, with ONE exception…they were from the University of Texas.  That’s right, an alum from Texas Tech University who holds two degrees from this fine institution, received an information and samples on the latest UT Christmas cards.  Now, I am really thinking about ordering a box of each with a little modifications…tell me what you think.

Since I have a color copier/scanner at home, I will probably copy them, put them in the pre-paid envelope, and send them BACK to whence they came.  Do you think they would get the picture?

Race 3: Kansas

/ Trixie / 1 Comment

Splash of gas and four tires…

  • Congrautions to Jimmy Johnson. Watch out, he’s making his move.  Will he threepeat?
  • That was some gutsy move by Carl in the last lap of the race. If he could have controlled it, I think he would have beaten Jimmie.
  • Way to go Biffle. Nice 3rd place finish. So far that is 2 wins and a Top 5 over the first three races. It does suck the other two guys contending are right up there with you.
  • Kyle Busch–yikes! I guess the NASCAR gods are striking back!
  • Mucho kudos to Jeff Gordon. He told the ESPN prerace folks he was feeling the worse he had ever felt before race in his career. He finished 4th. Not bad I must say.
  • I hate to say it, I am getting close to resigning to the fact Tony will not be a factor in the Chase
  • I see Paul Menard is leaving DEI and headed to Yates Racing. Good luck with that!
  • A.J. Allmendinger is out at Red Bull and raced his last race for them at Kansas. Mike Skinner and Scott Speed will share duties in the #84 the rest of the season. Speed will most likely be the driver of the #84 next year.
  • I can’t really say anyone is completely out of it yet, I mean it is Talladega on Sunday.  One big one and you can take out half the field.  So pull the belts tight and hang on, it’s going to be a bumpy ride!

4th Down and inches to go…

  • Cowboys lost to the Redskins.  The Redskins beat the Cowboys.  Cowboys only rushed for 11 times the entire game.  Are you freakin’ kiddin’ me?  No wonder we didn’t win.
  • TO is at it again.  I knew it was only going to be a matter of time before he voiced his concerns about not getting the ball.  Whatever TO.  You weren’t the only one not getting the ball on Sunday. 
  • I am currently particiapting in a contest where you pick the winner of the NFL games every week.  It really sucked this weekend.  I mean come on, Cleveland vs Cincinnati.  You might as well have flipped a coin on that one.  Of course, I picked Cinncinnati. 
  • Texas Tech is currently sitting 7th in the AP poll and 8th in the USA Today Poll.  Not bad.  Of course there were a couple of upsets this weekend to help them climb to that spot.  The only bad thing it was a bye week for us.  We open Big 12 Conference play this weekend against Kansas State at Manhattan.  I hope we go in and show the pollsters we earned that ranking.  Wreck ‘Em Tech!!!!
  • OSU beat USC, however that was Oregon State not Ohio State that did the deed.  ‘Bama took it to Georgia (41-30); Ole Miss beat #4 Florida (31-30); and unranked Michigan over #9 Wisconsin (27-25).
  • Oklahoma is currently #1 in both the AP and USA Today polls.  The Red Raiders play the Sooners November 22 in Norman.   I am sure One Lugnut Short is in Sooner heaven right now.

One final note from The Park…I will be traveling to Chicago tomorrw for a conference.  I am looking forward to getting away for a few days.  I won’t have my computer with me during my litte jaunt to the Windy City, So this looks to be the last post for the week.  Have a great week!

When does the train leave from the station

/ Trixie / Leave a comment

When does the train leave from the station?  Someone please tell me so that I can get on the damn thing.  I just want to escape…well not really escape I just want to leave and never come back.  Today is NOT…I repeat NOT a good day and it’s still early.  I am hoping things will get better for me.

I will do what I ususally do when I am at the breaking point…listen to lots and lots of music.  This seems to calm the frayed nerves and lately they have been quite frayed and raw.  I feel as if I am in this giantic ocean on a little tiny raft, the sharks are circling and there is no land in sight.  But like I always do I somehow paddling through the abyss with my trusty ipod. 

I would like to say a belated congrautlations to a wonderufl friend of mine who I consider more of a brother (I am an only child).  He took that big plunge over Labor Day weekend and said “I do” to a wonderful person.  I can’t even begin to tell you what he has meant to my life and it killed me not to be there, but he knews why I couldn’t be there to share his moment in the sun.   I have always felt who ever snagged him would be getting one fo the most incredible person I know.  So I wish M&M much you thorughout their new life together.  Both Postman and I love you both.  So in honor of Mr. M. I give you our song….

Barlight (Charlie Robinson)

Well when I was young my momma read me
Nursery rhymes beside my bed.
And though they sounded mighty fine,
They made no sense to me.
But now that I am all grown up,
It seems my life has changed as such.
So I went out and made me up
A nursery Rhyme for me.

It goes bar light, bar bright.
First bar that I see tonight.
I wish I may I wish I might,
Find someone to hold me tight.
Hey diddle diddle, a man with a fiddle,
And the girls sing along with the tunes.
Just one more dance til you turn out the lights,
And you can shut down this saloon.

Well I never understood how a big old gal,
Could raise no kids in a shoe.
And any old Jack goes jumping a candle,
Needs to find something better to do.
And rub a dub dub, three men in a tub,
Sure sounds kind of funny to me.
So I made up a honky tonk nursery rhyme,
and it’s the only one I’ll sing.

It goes bar light, bar bright.
First bar that I see tonight.
I wish I may I wish I might,
Find someone to hold me tight.
Hey diddle diddle, a man with a fiddle,
And the girls sing along with the tunes.
Just one more dance til you turn out the lights,
And you can shut down this saloon.

Well I never understood how a big old gal,
Could raise no kids in a shoe.
And any old Jack goes jumping a candle,
Needs to find something better to do.
And rub a dub dub, three men in a tub,
Sure sounds kind of funny to me.
So I made up a honky tonk nursery rhyme,
and it’s the only one I’ll sing.

It goes bar light, bar bright,
First bar that I see tonight.
I wish I may I wish I might,
Find someone to hold me tight.
Hey diddle diddle, a man with a fiddle,
And the girls sing along with the tunes.
Just one more dance til you turn out the lights,
And you can shut down this saloon.

I said just one more dance til you turn out the lights,
And you can shut down this saloon.

Race 2: Dover

/ Trixie / 3 Comments

That’s two in a row for The Biff. So far my darkhorse has been kicking some NASCAR tail. I have to say I enjoyed the last part of the race with Carl, Matt and Greg battling for the win. That was some of the best racing I have seen in a long time. And I thought Mark Martin was going to be part of the fray as well. I am glad Greg Biffle won. I have always liked him as a driver. Well, what does this week have in store for The Biff? Let’s look…

  • 2007 Kansas winner-he won this race on fumes and a little bit of controversy, but he won nonetheless.
  • He has 1 win, 3 Top 5s, and 3 top 10s with an average finishing spot of 11.
  • In 2005, the year he finished only second to Tony Stewart in the final standings, he came away with a 2nd place finish at Kansas.
  • Over the last 6 races, he has 2 wins, 4 tops 5s, and 4 top 10s.  The only driver who has done better over the last 6 races…Carl Edwards
  • Tied with Jimmie Johnson for 2nd and only 10 points behind teammate Carl Edwards.

If you had to pick someone to win at Kansas, Greg Biffle would be a safe bet.  I am still going to stand behind him to give both Carl and Jimmie a run for their money. 

Looks like the one driver who looked to win it all isn’t going to unless, he pulls it out of his arse.  Before Louden Kyle Busch was one of the three favorites to run away with the championship, but not everyhting looks good on paper.  Yes he has won 8 races this year, but sometimes being the best in the regular season doesn’t always preclude you to being the best during the playoffs.  All one has to do is look at the New England Patriots last year.  Perfect until the Super Bowl where they suffered their only loss of the 2007 season.  Kyle went from 1st to 12 in two races with a 34th place at Louden and Sunday’s 43rd place finish.  I don’t know if he can muster that good of a run over the next 8 races to make his way up to the top spot.  He would have to light it up and pray those ahead of him crash and burn.  It just doesn’t look good.  He is going to have leap over several drivers who are having some of their best runs over the last 6 races.  If Kyle is resigned to the fact that he is not going to win the championship, all the other drivers better watch out.  I mean when you have nothing to lose…

I was lucky enough yesterday to help one of my fellow NASCAR fans.  It was rather nice to visit with someone who gets it.  I don’t always have that around me especially in the workplace.  Even though he is a Junior fan (fyi–I am not a big Junior fan), I will still continue to help him.  After helping him figure out hsi plan to graduation in a year or so, we sat and talked NASCAR for about 15 minutes.  it was great. I was telling one of my co-workers (who is not into NASCAR), the NASCAR family accepts everyone.  We don’t care who you cheer for, we just want you to cheer. 

Non-NASCAR notes from this past weekend…

  • Miami opened it up on New England.  I thought it was a typo on my phone when I was reading all the scores, but it wasn’t.  Can I just say I did my little happy dance on Sunday.
  • Dallas kicked some Packer butt on Sunday night.  The Boys have opened up the season 3-0.  But they did this last year, looked good at the beginning and then fizzled out.  Let’s hope we can keeping kicking some butt all the way to the Super Bowl
  • What’s up with Indy?  Ugh…
  • My Red Raiders just went to town on UMASS…56-14.  We are 4-0 heading in our Big 12 opener with Kansas on October 4.  I won’t get to watch my Red Raiders.  I will be on a plane heading back from Chicago, but you can catch them on ABC that day, beginning at 2:00 pm
  • Goodbye Yankee Stadium and thanks for the memories.  I don’t consider myself a Yankees fan, but I hate to see a historical landmark such as Yankee Stadium fade off into the sunset. 
  • Will the Cubs go all the way to the World Series?  Let me put it this way…I went to a conference in Indianopolis back in October 2006…who went on to win the Superbowl that year?  That would be the Colts.  Where am I headed next weekend for a conference?…Chicago.  You can draw your own conclusions.

I hope everyone has a great week..one more note, my thoughts and prayers go out to some good friends of mine who suffered a loss.  Hang in there guys and remember, Postman and I love ya!