Monday's Anniversary Meatloaf - Lucky 13 Sushi Gordito

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Back in the summer of 1997 if you had asked me the over/under on years a married man could go before finding out his wife could speak enough Japanese to at least introduce herself in a Tokyo sushi bar, I would've gone with 2...maybe 3.

Me...I went a weekend shy of 13 years. If only I would have taken my bachelor party on the road to Vegas and laid down a benjamin on the over...well, I'd probably have enough to buy the lady dinner tonight. Or a nice pair of CZ earrings. Maybe a screwtop bottle of wine.

But if that's the biggest skeleton to come out of Mrs. Bernie's spacious walk-in closet...well, I'm doing alright. After all, I've outlasted Brad Pitt (twice!!) and a dude named Jesse James. I've got two daughters that are beautiful despite my face for radio and intelligent despite...but I digress.

And perhaps most importantly, my Lucky Lady 13 not only accepts my fervent barking but often drowns me out. She can differentiate between zone and man coverages and understands why gators suck so awfully bad. A loss of yards is never acceptable and I love to hear her scream Hold onto the ball!!! whenever a Dawg crosses the line of scrimmage in search of more yards.

She's from Virginia, but she's both a lover and a fighter. I dig her and for some reason she digs me.

Kekkon kinen-bi omedetō hachimitsu!!


(Happy Anniversary Honey!)

Today's Ingredients

• The BIG news over the weekend was the Caldwell commitment. Carvell tells us Kenarious Gates and Nick Marshall did their part to help. (link includes video of Fox's newest Dawg)
• In addition to the hoops recruiting, Dawg Night brought in some elite athletes, two of which committed. Some great photos by Dean and informative analysis ($$) by Chad. 
• It's hard to tell who (if anyone) leads for Carver RB Isaiah Crowell. And that's a good thing. ($$)
• This'll be good to know for the future Uga...before he travels to places like Oregon...tentatively.
• And since there won't be an Uga at Picture Day, will Russ sit in? I posed the question on the Twitter the other night and the general consensus was yes. He'd have to be right? If anyone knows or has read something more definitive than my Twitter Straw Poll, please comment.
• And how long would Russ' line be that day? Holy kibble and bits!!
• Coach Grantham does not believe in sensations of entitlement. Is he running for office in 2012? Regardless, the Senator's office endorses the shift in philosophy.
• While Mike thinks the Braves can help bridge the six and a half weeks 'til kickoff, Streit's found a big time player in Bubba 'n Earl's countdown.
• This year SEC Media Days will have a livecast. And you can pick up the footage right here all three days on the SEC Digital Network widget in the left hand column. Go ahead, put your feet up.
• The big event in Hoover will be another chance for Vandy's coach to prove he's ready to blow the big whistle; Robbie Caldwell's not content being labeled as interim. And the Vandy Dandies may not have much choice in the way of alternatives.
• Meanwhile, Wesizer tells us Coach Belin is settling in just fine now that his family's in town.
• Looks like lamechicken TE Weslye Saunders may be tar heel'd and feathered too.
• DJ Shockley will attend minicamp...in Omaha.
• Here's a new blog called From Hedges to Hardwood.  I like this post on SEC cocktails.
• Programming note: tomorrow we'll have the David Hale Exit Interview. Be sure to come back 'round here and find out exactly who he thinks that pesky annoying blowhard Anonymous commenter is. Plus we find out if the great Hale will be barking like a Dawg this fall.
• If you are a soon to be dad and want a quick glimpse at your perspective when your child is born, read over Rennie Curran's comments from Saturday's fan festival.
• Just one small bone to pick in closing: I'm not the type of person to fly his car flags every time Prez Adams farts...and I realize the Countdown to Kickoff is a small event in comparison to a Saturday in the fall. But why not pimp your ride a little as you mosey down 316? C'mon people!

Since I take interviews very seriously, I don't want tomorrow's post to be watered down with a lot of drawn out goodbyes and unnecessary histrionics. So I'll use this end of the meatloaf to bid farewell to Hale the Rockstar. He's leaving Athens this week to go to PhilDELFya. My parents took me there when I was a youngster. I remember gathering around the Liberty Bell and some kid ralphed what looked to be cream corn all over and around the historic symbol.

I'd like to draw on that memory as a parallel to how I feel about his decision to leave. But no real ill feelings. In fact, it should be quite the contrary. Hale has set the bar high for his colleagues as well as his successor. 

Yes, like a good comedian Hale has left his readers wanting more. He made blogging about UGA Athletics easier, just as he made being a UGA fan a truly knowledgeable endeavor. Despite the refinement (ahem!) that you experience here daily Reader, it hasn't always been easy. I'm only two years into this gig, but Hale's blog (and more specifically his coverage) has been a vital resource and an essential stop for all things inside Butts-Mehre. 

To be honest, there are days when I just want the news from the sunny side of the hedges. But most days, the truth is what we really need. David Hale always provided the story first and foremost. But as a sports fan himself, he also recognized that Dawg fans wanted more than the daily report and occasional feature. And it is for that reason that I will miss that yankee doodle dandy.

Farewell Hale! You are at liberty to make a run for the border. But you're always welcome at my Festivus table.

You are too Reader. But please pass the mashed taters. I think I've worked up a shokuyoku.

Bernie