After stumbling out into the streets last night, walking among the zombies, and seeing grown men fighting off tears, I recalled a really good article I had read about Philadelphia sports fans a few years before. In fact I had read it just a few months before I moved here. For some reason, it stuck with me, and I went back and reread it for the first time this morning.

Now that regular season football is meaningless, at least we get our Sundays back. Perhaps you’ve been putting off cleaning the garage, or seeing that matinee at the local theatre, or even taking that trip to the art museum (name your price on Sundays!). Well now’s the time to start living again, no longer a slave to the TV on Sundays! Who’s with me, huh? Who’s with…?

F*** it. Anybody know where I can get some hemlock?

Where should you go tonight to watch the Eagles thoroughly dismantle the Cowboys and move to within one game of the Giants (Hey NY, about that Minnesota loss yesterday: Hahahahahahahahahaha!! No wait, sorry. I’ll stop. I’ll st…hahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!)? East of Broad, the answer is pretty simple. O’Neals wins the “Best place to watch the game” every single freaking year. They have great food and drink specials (Tonight: $2 Micros and 1/2 price apps) and that sweet ass flat screen above the bar. But west of Broad, the answer is not quite so simple. The Fox and the Hound? Please. That has to be the worst sports bar ever. EVER!!!! Watching the game at F & H, the most un-Philly place in this city besides Olive Garden, is like watching it at Wal-Mart. Once, when a really great game was on, Trivia Art asked the server if they could turn down the COUNTRY MUSIC that was blaring over the loudspeakers and turn up the volume on the game. He was told, “Corporate says that we have to keep the music on.” Corporate says? To take a line from Scent of a Woman, “I should take a flamethrower to this place!” But there is a new sports bar in town that I tried over the weekend, and came away quite impressed.

Continue reading “Where to Watch the Game?” →

Winter is a lot more fun with pets around. Here are a couple that might catch your fancy from the Philly SPCA:
This beautiful Golden Retriever (above), Emma, was
brought to the shelter last week when the owners gave her up after receiving many complaints on how they kept her. She was locked up outside, found emaciated with noshelter, no food, and no water. She was quite shy and untrusting upon arrival, until I won her over with my affection, love and tasty treats! Scheduled to make visits with Pals for Life, and bring smiles to the elderly, she will be looking for a permanent place to call home upon her return.

Meet Bella, a 2 1/2 year old spayed female who has been from place to place throughtout the shelter and off site adoption centers since early June! She’s spunky, loves to be petted and loves to walk on a leash. Currently residing in our Senior Room (where she can roam freely) she has already been tested for FELV/FIV, which were negative. She prefers to be the only Queen in the home, but she will love all the attention you are willing to give to her.

I have to admit, I was highly skeptical when heading to see Comedysportz on Saturday night to be a “celebrity” judge. While good improv is funny, bad improv is among the most painful experiences a human can endure. But these guys are freaking good. Real good. Like “Who’s Line Is It Anyway?” good. Extremely quick-witted and sharp, they keep the crowd involved throughout the performance. I had a blast. What’s even better, I’m gonna be giving away tickets to see these guys all week at quizzo. (No, that was not a b.s. preface so you would come out for free tickets. This is something I really think you are going to like.) I’ll also be givin g away tickets to see Front 242 this week.

Trust me on this one. Just read it, if you haven’t already done so. Here’s an article by the authors about why the crack trade has quieted down (or at least why we’re no longer hearing about it). In the book, they explain why the violent crime rate has fallen so dramatically, why sumo wrestlers cheat, and how Superman destroyed the KKK. Refreshingly non-political look at a number of highly politically charged topics.

Well, the first question of Quizzo Bowl II has Been answered, as over 90% of the people who voted in the poll think that Nate Wiley and the Crowd Pleasers should be brought back for Quizzo Bowl II. Now the next question: Where should we hold it? Yes, things went well at World Cafe Live, and they went even better at Beat the Champs, as we fixed all the problems we had at QBI. It’s a beautiful facility. But like the Super Bowl, should we hold this somewhere else each year? I have spoken with the Trocadero about possibly doing it there. A strange idea I had: How about the huge, gawky Chinese restaurant in South Philly? I went there for Dim Sum one time and saw that they have a stage and a ton of room to fit a lot of people. They serve booze, and it could be really goofy and fun. What do you guys think? Please leave comments below as to what you think of these spots or send me an email to johnny@johnnygoodtimes.com, and if you have any other spots that you think would be ideal, PLEASE let me know about them.

I just did some catching up on the 100 point club and added a bunch of teams. If your team scored 100 and won and is not up there, please let me know. I will certainly post it. Also, I just posted round two from Beat the Champs in the online quizzes section for all you knuckleheads who missed a great show in August. It’s a Philadelphia True/False.

I was alerted at the Rendezvous last night that Action News was going to be running some sort of exclusive action story about the town of Centralia. “What could have happenend in Centralia?” I wondered. A thousand questions ran through my mind. Did a house fall into the coal mine? Had they gotten the fire under control? Were the residents seceeding from the Union? Did I spell seceeding right? No, the story reported that the town is exceptionally dangerous.

Tom Rathbun/Department Of Environmental Protection: “What it’s burning is the coal that’s holding up the surface. And so, the ground can collapse suddenly, with no warning. And so people who are walking around up there are putting themselves in great danger.”

I was one of the brave, hardy souls who put my life in danger just a few months ago. But Johnny Goodtimes will stop at nothing to get the story and bring it to you people. Nothing, not even a dangerous walk over a ground that could collapse suddenly, bringing me to my fiery, fiery death.