Around the Horn, brought to you by the Birthday Boy

  • Happy Birthday, Big Love!
  • The now infamous Tim Furlong 4:20 story from last week has ripped to pieces by about every blogger in the area, and with good reason: it’s William Randolph Hearst style scare tactics just in time for sweeps week were a shameless attempt to scare parents into watching their newscast. Then the sheer nievete of the piece took it from ridiculous to sublime. Long story short, Philebrity just did an interview with Furlong. He seems kind of embarrassed by the whole thing.
  • Speaking of William Randolph Hearst, did he shoot some dude for hooking up with his girl on this date in 1924, then cover it up? This is a great conspiracy. Check it out.
  • I don’t think that those “Wawa is leaving downtown Philly to concentrate on the suburbs” rumors that recently left me in a corner crying myself to sleep are true. I called Wawa this morning, and the receptionist said she hadn’t heard anything about it. Then she tried to transfer me to someone else, but accidentally hung up on me. I didn’t call back. I just didn’t have the energy.

Chip Chantry presents some new Ron Paul fun facts

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  • Ron Paul wants to end the war on drugs. His first step will to hang a “Mission Accomplished” banner over 125th Street in New York City.
  • Ron Paul plays a weekly squash game with Ving Rhames.
  • Ron Paul is commited to border security. He plans to build a 20-foot wall along the Mexican border AND one along the Mason Dixon line.
  • Ron Paul went to a year of nursing school in Utica, New York, where he was roomates with radio DJ Rick Dees.
  • Ron Paul likes the cut of your jib, sailor.

PREVIOUSLY: Chip Unveils 5 Ron Paul Fun Facts.

Quizzo News and Notes

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A couple of quick notes about quizzo before I post the top scores:

  • It was great to see the Axis of Evil Knieval, the Satan’s Minion, and Chill Rob A from MAGMA out this week. Hope to get you guys back in the mix on the reg, and still would love to see Haggis, the Goats, and the S*** Hawks back out again soon, among others.
  • Still working on a venue for city vs. city challenge and Quizzo Bowl IV. If anybody has an idea for a venue for City vs. City, let me know. In talks with World Cafe Live for QB IV, and am hoping we can make it happen. As I said before, I’ve got a musical act lined up that is going to BLOW YOUR FREAKING DOORS.
  • Quizzo is cancelled next Thursday, obviously, but we are on for Tuesday and Wednesday. Tuesday will be another bounty bowl for the Kingdom. Raising the stakes to $25 (in addition to $40 gift certificate) to any team that beats the SK.
  • Sofa Kingdom missed a perfect round by one point last night. The only thing they missed: “Who is returning to Trading Spaces?” They put Paige Wilson, and it’s Paige Davis. Oh, and happy birthday to Nate of the Kingdom.

What is “Digg It”?

You’ll see above the stories now a little thing that says “Digg It”. How it works is as follows: You see a story you like, you hit Digg It, and link the story to them. When they see interesting story that has a few diggs, they post it on their very popular website. Yes, you do have to sign up for it, but it takes like 30 seconds and it’s free and they won’t nag you with a bunch of junk mail.* And that way, on those remarkably rare occasions when I post something interesting, you can recommend it to other people to read.

*Every person who signs up for it will get a free high five from yours truly!

Even After Win, Cataldi Beats Dead Horse

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The great Mike Schmidt once said, “Philadelphia is the only city where you can experience the thrill of victory and the agony of reading about it the next day.” So is the case today, as WIP loudmouth, Metro scribe, and McNabb basher Angelo Cataldi spews vitriol at Donovan again in his column. Nevermind that McNabb is the greatest quarterback in this team’s history, nevermind that he’s trying to come back from a career threatening injury, and nevermind that he LED THE TEAM TO A FREAKING WIN. Nope, none of that matters when you work for WIP. All that’s important is that you keep the assault on your own players going when the going gets tough.

In the column, the statement McNabb made last week that he’s not the whole reason that the Eagles are so bad (which was an obvious and fairly benign statement if you ask me) is seen as “throwing his teammates under the bus”. I love how WIP wants to have it both ways. They complain that Andy Reid only speaks in platitudes, then when Donovan actually speaks his mind, they launch an all out assault against him and say that he’s a terrible leader. But of course. Because any old terrible leader could lead a team with receivers named Thrash and Pinkston to three consecutive championship games, and terrible leaders are often 5 time Pro Bowlers.

Of course, the fans that call into WIP are just as absurd. Philadelphia always claims that it loves guys who gut it out, win or lose. So when McNabb came back early from such a serious injury, despite the fact that he could have easily taken a few more months to recuperate, did Philadelphia Eagle fans embrace him with open arms, appreciative of the fact that he wanted to play so badly that he was willing to risk his career by coming back early from a devastating injury? Hell no. They just screamed and hollered about how we shouldn’t have let Jeff Garcia go. Which raises the question: Do Philadelphia sports fans only appreciate gutsy though ultimately flawed performances from fictional white boxers, and not from actual black quarterbacks?