Well, It Finally Happened

Yeah, so I haven't been around. What of it?

You can look back all throughout this blog and you'll find next to nothing about my romantic life.

Mostly because I'd be making it all up.

I've never been what you'd call "successful" with women. I think the root of it is an unusual apathy toward the whole thing during high school, where I was never really concerned with the fact that I didn't have a girlfriend at any point. To this day, I don't know why, and I feel like I never really caught up.

And the older you get, the harder it is just to meet single people. Couple that with my screwy work schedule and I just don't get the opportunities I'd like.

So naturally my mom's been getting concerned, because biologically, they've failed unless and until I reproduce. (I actually read this somewhere once that that's why parents make a big deal out of having grandchildren. Their job isn't done until you do.) She actually hadn't mentioned anything about it the last few times we'd talked, though.

I think deep in my heart, I knew this day would come, but I never really expected it.

I got an email from her on Sunday. One of the doctors she works with has an assistant who he thinks I might want to meet. This is all on my mom, though, because she's told everyone she works with that her 32-year-old son is single.

Yep... the other shoe just dropped. I now officially have one of 'those' mothers.

I Have GOT To Get Out Of This Business, Part VI

Courier-Journal blogger ejected from NCAA baseball super-regional

A Courier-Journal sports reporter had his media credential revoked and was ordered to leave the press box during the NCAA baseball super-regional yesterday because of what the NCAA alleged was a violation of its policies prohibiting live Internet updates from its championship events. Gene McArtor, a representative of the NCAA baseball committee, approached C-J staffer Brian Bennett at the University of Louisville's Jim Patterson Stadium in the bottom of the fifth inning in the U of L-Oklahoma State game. McArtor told him that blogging from an NCAA championship event "is against NCAA policies. We're revoking the credential and need to ask you to leave the stadium."

Courier-Journal executive editor Bennie L. Ivory challenged the NCAA's action last night and said the newspaper would consider an official response.

"It's clearly a First Amendment issue," Ivory said. "This is part of the evolution of how we present the news to our readers. It's what we did during the Orange Bowl. It's what we did during the NCAA basketball tournament. It's what we do."

U of L circulated a memo on the issue from Jeramy Michiaels, the NCAA's manager of broadcasting, before Friday's first super-regional game. It said blogs are considered a "live representation of the game" and that any blog containing action photos or game reports would be prohibited.

"In essence, no blog entries are permitted between the first pitch and the final out of each game," the memo said.

Bennett had filed Internet reports from U of L's NCAA Tournament games at the Columbia (Mo.) Regional and did so from the first two games of the super-regional.

He was told before yesterday's game by U of L assistant sports information director Sean Moth that he was violating NCAA policy by filing periodic reports for The Courier-Journal's Web site, courier-journal.com.

After consulting with his editors, Bennett filed a report at 4:12 p.m. after the top of the first inning and added 15 more reports before he was asked to leave. U of L won 20-2 to advance to the College World Series in Omaha, Neb.

"It's a real question that we're being deprived of our right to report within the First Amendment from a public facility," said Jon L. Fleischaker, the newspaper's attorney.

"Once a player hits a home run, that's a fact. It's on TV. Everybody sees it. (The NCAA) can't copyright that fact. The blog wasn't a simulcast or a recreation of the game. It was an analysis."

During the middle of yesterday's game, Courier-Journal representatives were told by two members of the U of L athletic staff that if the school did not revoke Bennett's credential it would jeopardize the school's chances of hosting another NCAA baseball event.

"If that's true, that's nothing short of extortion and thuggery," Ivory said. "We will be talking to our attorneys (today) to see where we go from here."

Said U of L athletic director Tom Jurich: "As an NCAA institution, we must abide by all NCAA rules, including those in hosting NCAA events. Our staff sought an amicable solution to this situation from many angles.

"It's unfortunate that it led to the actions that were taken. This is not an issue that should mar the most fantastic day for college baseball in this state."

McArtor said he did not "think it serves any purpose" to answer questions and declined further comment.

U of L's associate athletic director for media relations, Kenny Klein, referred questions to Michiaels, who did not return a telephone call yesterday.

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Yeah, it's high time the NCAA moved into the 21st century. Or at the very least, the 20th.

Best line so far comes from Deadspin poo-bah Will Leitch: "The First Amendment vs. the NCAA. The battle we've all been waiting for."

Here's more.

Doomsday Scenarios

I'm not sure what ours is at work, but a few days ago we almost reached it when our servers were down for almost four hours (at least), giving us two hours to do what we usually do in, say, five or so. We got the paper out - we actually had a closer call about four years ago, when a globe-crossing virus got into our system and crippled our old network.

It underscored two things: how reliant we are on computers these days, especially in our business, and that we really didn't know what would happen if we were unable to produce a paper. At least when I was working in Trenton we may have had the option of going down the street to the Times. I'm not even sure about this.

But this got me thinking...

The Democrats in 2008: Hillary winning the nomination. I think there are enough people who don't like her and won't vote for her that she's the most beatable Democrat out there.

The BCS: No undefeated teams. (I'm shocked this hasn't already happened, honestly.)

The Boston Celtics: Just happened.

New Jersey Is Burning

Apparently Maxim thinks it's 2004.

Granted, I'm sure we'd all be okay with it if it was...


Ah, memories.

*sigh*

(Also, how does only one Olsen twin make the list? What's going on up there?)

Out and Back: Roy Rogers

Yes, really.

Surely you thought this once-sprawling franchise had been eradicated except for a few random outposts in rest stops on toll roads. That is, if you've thought about it at all. (I'm willing to accept the fact that you likely haven't.) And for a long time that was true - when Marriott sold the chain to Hardee's parent company, many Roy Rogers were converted to Hardee's, which basically meant reducing chicken to jobber status. But it turns out that the restaurant is making something of a comeback.

(Route 9 North, Pine Beach, N.J.)

This particular location was one of the survivors from the 1990 sell-off, though there's a decent chance the building's been renovated. I first stumbled upon it nine years ago when I was still working in Trenton, covering a Little League softball team in the state championship in nearby Beachwood. I happened to be back up in the area again recently and saw that it was still there, prompting today's trip.

It's been exactly that long since I've even eaten at a Roy Rogers. They still have the Fixin's Bar, where you can roll over with your burger and make it look presentable with lettuce, onions, tomatoes and pickles. I topped my bland-looking bacon cheeseburger with lettuce, onions, pickles and ketchup. The white onions threw me, as I've become accustomed to using red onions when I make burgers at home.

But let's be honest: Nobody ever went to Roy Rogers for the burgers. This is why you went:


Original Roast Beef, yo. Note the foil wrapping straight out of the environmentally-unfriendly 80's. At least they're not still using styrofoam. Mine got injured during packing (I still don't quite understand why they put it underneath the chicken box):


That's what it really looks like. Well, except for the blur. I am glad to note that it retained some juiciness even after a 45-minute drive.

Now, the appeal of Roy's for me as a kid was always that you could get burgers and fried chicken at the same place:


Dark meat is the default for the two-piece combo; white meat costs a little extra. Drumstick on the left, thigh up top. I don't remember the biscuits being about the same shape as foccacia bread, though. Must be a recent development.

Tasting the chicken reminded me that Roy's has always had a different "bite" to it for me than KFC's has. I can't quite explain what it is, though. It's not a spice thing, it's not really noticeably crispier than KFC's Extra Crispy (in fact, it's maybe a little less so). If you were to ask me which is better, I'd say it depended on my mood at the time. I do think it's somewhat ironic that from my hazy childhood fast food memories, Roy's was more likely to have chicken ready when you walked in than the chicken-only KFC, which can be a crapshoot depending on location whether you'll be waiting in there for three minutes or 15.

FYI, there are no Hardee's located in New Jersey. I think we know who won that battle.

Non-Indigenous Wildlife

Or: Yeah, Here Come The Rooster

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Battle over crowing neighbors divides condominium residents
By SHAWN HARDIE
Published: Sunday, April 15, 2007

GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP — A rooster crowing at the crack of dawn is not the most welcome sound in any town not known for its agricultural output.

Imagine, then, how the residents of one condominium development feel when they hear a rooster crow at 3 a.m.

The birds are common in the Smithville section of Galloway Township, especially at the Hunting Run Condominiums off Quail Hill Boulevard. Their presence has created a divide between the residents: some appreciate the colorful birds being around; some could do without the noise, while others want them gone.

"I love them. That's one of the things I liked when buying this condo," resident Rosalie Eby said. "What a great feature, seeing these wild animals stroll."

"They're (really) annoying," said Joseph Schrum, 19. “They cock-a-doodle-doo all the time."

"We hated them, now we love them," Brian Skroski said. He and his wife, Brenda, have lived in Hunting Run since 1982, and in those early days, there weren't any roosters, he said. Over the years, as they began to multiply in number, Skroski became increasingly annoyed at the roosters, especially with their crowing, which starts before sunrise.

"Those suckers would (crow) at three or four in the morning. I was gonna go out and kill them and eat them," said Skroski, a limousine driver. "Now I want to protect them."

The roosters may need that protection. Eby says some residents have set traps for the roosters, and that one of her neighbors shot at one once.

"I'm concerned that one of them is going to hurt them. One neighbor said they would poison them," Eby said. "They're beautiful ... they're good for environment."

Although Schrum said he finds the roosters annoying, it isn't to the point that he would bother them. Other residents have said at community meetings that they've had enough of the roosters and, if push came to shove, would take matters into their own hands.

Interestingly enough, no one at Hunting Run who commented about their distaste for the birds would give their names, fearing reprisal from neighbors. One man grumbled about what he would do "if he ever got his hands on one of those critters." Meanwhile, an elderly woman said she hates the birds because they dig up the mulch and leave droppings in front of her home.

Community Realty Management, which operates Hunting Run, is trying to address the issue, according to executive property manager Gail Rivell. Rivell has contacted bird rescue organizations to come and take the birds, but there have been no takers.

"This is not a farm," Rivell said. "I'm trying to find someone to rescue them sand give them a home, but it's not easy."

In the meantime, the roosters can take solace that not everyone is out to get them. Tiffany Nixon likes the birds because they bring a sense of “nostalgia" to the area. She also doesn't mind the 3 a.m. crow calls because she sleeps right through it, she says. Meanwhile, Schrum's mother, Theresa, says she was “outraged" that people would try to harm the roosters.

"I think they're cool. We live in Smithville, you gotta deal with them," said Theresa. "We live in the Pinelands.... what do you expect?"

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This is right up the road from me. Those little bastards make quite a racket.

Also, technically, this isn't the Pinelands.

OSN

- Stupid Florida. I was done in all of my pools by the time Saturday ended.

- I wonder if Afflalo said "I hope we're teammates next year" when Brewer hugged him after owning him for the second year in a row.

- Really impressed with Brewer, by the way.

- Luther didn't always sing "One Shining Moment", right? It was James Ingram for a long time, wasn't it?

- Take this to the bank: Donovan's not going anywhere.