Saturday Headers

Evidently some people in the Richmond suburbs don't think too much of protecting their wireless signals. So I'm sneaking in another post. Also hope to have a Monday Margarita shaken in a couple days, but will have to wait and see how the Wi-Fi goes down in the Outer Banks...

So far, it's really tough living like Exhile. I'm not half the blawgger he is as it has become quite evident I'm not cut out for any posting north of Lake Hartwell. But I can give ya some quick links of interest.

• When Rex says rock the vote, you better rock it hard Dawg fans.
• Senator is not only pissed over some lists, but makes a reference to my all-time favorite movie. Inconceivable!
• Macon's Tyler Estep has a good piece on the Dawg fullbacks.
• TotalUGA has some info on next Saturday's Countdown to kickoff.
• Mackie questions the manhood of of Coach Gundy. I guess when Gundy asked to be written about, Ol' Pantsless obliges.
• Cousin Walter explores one of my favorite topics...Slurban gettin' the hell out!
• Daugman has an update on USA basketball...and Mr. Tompkins.
• And lastly, those of you who suffer through Atlanta gridlock have no doubt experienced road rage quite often. I contend it's much less hazardous to your handicap than fairway rage.

Guess that guy won't be in my foursome next week...or anytime soon for that matter. Good or somewhere south of it...make it a weekend Reader.

No Birdies for Bernie...

...but plenty of in-laws.

Just a quick post in between tee times. I'm in desperate search of a birdie after getting six chances yesterday. They eluded my scorecard as if the flat blade was warped.

• @alanashley is the winner of the second episode of Thursdays are Trivial. Just for recognizing Telegraph Road by Dire Straits, he takes home a sweet VA is for Lovers bumper sticker and some homemade butter from Williamsburg. Spread it thick Alan! There's more where that came from.
• H/T to @amymengel for some extra knowledge on the tune. And three demerits for @BPMackie for guessing Air Supply.
• A sneak peek at next week's category: Libations on Location. Sounds like cash values have doubled.
• Check the blog roll to the right for updated posts from other, more dedicated writers. But since this post is Twitter heavy, here's one I like from Stuff of Legend.

And, you know what I've been missing...??

I'm sure you have too.

Playing for Pruitt

Saw this on ESPN last night. Noticed the Georgia G on the camo-visor right away of course. Inspirational video from Frankie Gay, the father of a slain soldier who had planned to play in the World Series of Poker.

I wish for you pocket Aces throughout Mr. Gay. God bless!

Tuesday Headers

Some Dawg bites to add to your bowl this afternoon:

• Kickoff for the WLOCP is now official.
• Tompkins is kicking some international butt.
• Today's biggest headline from @MikeInValdosta via Chevy Chase: Jacko's still dead.
• PWD has some football headlines. In the comments section though, some bad news. Fair warning.
• In the Senator's office, the BCS debate rages on. Mike weighs in here.
• As news broke of Frank Ros being honored with the Bill Hartman award, Exhile wondered who had won it the past five years. I'll try to research it and add it as an update later.
• While Hale sleeps one off, he has a couple video blogs up: Israel Troupe Joe Cox
• And in the wake of Andy Roddick's near perfect performance during the Wimbledon fortnight, Dan Magill looks back on what might have been for Diaz's netters.

• 
  

Monday's Meatloaf - Road Rage on Peachtree

My legs are so sore, it's a good thing I don't use them to type. But I'm glad I was as far back from Ethiopia's Tadese Tola as possible. That dude really wanted the fourth place finish on the Fourth; willing to elbow Kenyan Boaz Cheboiywo in order to get it.

Sure...I got a couple chicken wings from an old lady at the third water station and was tripped by a pre-teen racer dead set on a blast from a Buckhead denizen's hose. But that all comes with the territory when you're seeded with the 9's.

It's a free-for-all back there with Howard's Heroes. Some other thoughts:

• Reading from the pre-race instruction booklet..."walkers and slower runners stay to the right". Hmmmm...that would be convenient, seeing as I left my steering wheel in the car!! If you're a South Carolina graduate and couldn't read the instructions...well, bless your heart.
• To all you spin doctors who were out on the sidewalks pumping out your hip and your hop at ridiculous decibels...no thanks sir. I only remove the ear buds for live music. Big H/T to Strato Geezer, Lawmen and the other bands for smokin' the frets old school.
• Big shout-out to St. Phillip's for the HolyWater. As refreshing as a foot bath from Jesus himself!
• I'm not sure what FurBus is, but seeing grown and very hairy men run around in banana hammocks is enough to make me run a little faster. Thanks!
• Darren the Intern...the playlist you created was perfect. Every song provided the right pace for my Nike's to follow. It's that type of attention to detail that will take you far in this company son.
• Thanks to Heath and Coca-Cola for the sponsorship. I had no problem yelling PEPSI SUCKS!! at the top of my lungs every half-mile. And I promise not to drink a Mountain Dew for at least another week.
• For those servicemen and women I didn't thank personally Saturday, your dedication is our inspiration. Thank you!
• And at the finish line, why not meet tired, thirsty runners with bottled water that has been cozy with some ICE...and not just sitting on a truck for three days and then baking in the sun for three hours?

Just sayin...

Ladies and Gentlemen...your ingredients:

• Roughing the Kicker has a great post in the wake of an epic Wimbledon battle. Rex is right, as a fan it's a joy to see the raw emotion come out when the championship trophy goes from within grasp to tightly clutched. Then he weighs in on the Sam Keller case. I knew Jacko had done some skin lightening...not sure how I feel about a former Dawg kicker doing that though...??
• Lock the liquor cabinet and hide the beer, MikeInValdosta is failing laptop sobriety tests now over at Dawg Bloggin Under the Influence. He's also waging war on the color orange.
• Since Mike mentioned Charley Trippi (what...you didn't read it? I don't create these links for improved cardio health you know?), head on over to Bubba n' Earl's where they're at 62.
• Over at Hey Jenny Slater, Doug was celebrating the Fourth bikini style.....that shouldn't dissuade you from following the link. It's not a picture of him...
• If you woke up yesterday tired of fireworks, but hungry for some interesting questions related to the upcoming season...our distinguished Senator had ya covered.

Gonna be some lighter than normal posting this week. Tryna work a little before we head up to InLawVille. I guess I'll get a first hand taste of what it's like to be Exhile for a while. Gonna try to get a mid-week discussion topic post up. And of course, there will be this week's episode of Thursdays are Trivial...the event that is sweeping the nation, but ignoring the garage.

Remember you'll need to be an @BernieDawg follower on Twitter to play. If you're an evolutionary reject struggling in the techno world, I provided a BDB version of Twitter for HillBillies this weekend.

If it can bring Bernie a little closer to an AJC columnist, it can't be all bad. Give it a whirl. Then you better get to researching. This week...the training wheels are off.

Mix em up well Reader. Let them get to know each other and then bake at 400 for just under an hour. But beware of psychotic Ethiopians throwin' elbows at the lunch table.

Bernie

Twitter Made Twerrific

A few days ago the debut of Thursdays are Trivial sponsored by BDB swept the nation. The question was HOT, the response was enough to fry servers across America...and the prizes were legendary. But as always, Bernie has his pulse on his readership. Some of you are still afraid to take the reins of Twitter and ride off into the Twittersphere.

I feel ya. I once was reluctant to embrace Facebook. I was even more reluctant to put my arms around something called Twitter. But I've grown into quite the Twit. If you're not signed up yet, but are mildly interested...read on. You could learn from my mistakes.

If FB is about social networking on a wide scale, Twitter is about quick interactions. Interactions that could grow if needed, but brief and to the point.

Let's start with some definitions:

1. Tweet - an update you send out that anyone who is following you can see; pretty much the same as a FB status update, but limited to 140 characters...choose carefully and learn to abbreviate when necessary.
2. ReTweet - an update that someone has decided to forward, usually because they like it and think it relevant enough for their own followers to read...or it just contained a picture or cool update that the person wants to stake a claim to. Symbiosis meets social networking.
3. Follower - someone who has decided you are cool enough that they would like to check out your updates on a regular basis. When your first person follows you, don't get all David Koresh up in here...keep it real. More I wanna know more...and less Branch Davidian Kool-Aid.
4. UnFollow - kind of like getting dumped before prom, but with a lot more ambiguity.
5. Following - the people you choose to include in the updates you view; any update your following posts, you can see. I call it the Al Gore Magic of the internets!
6. Tag - a word or phrase preceded by a # is a tag that denotes a specific topic; if I tag the word Dawgs in a Tweet, it can be pulled up in a search or listed under Trending Topics; it also shows your Following topics you tend to Tweet about.
7. DMs - direct messages between you and one other person in your following; no one else can see this message unless you work in a cubicle in the center of an office floor.

Hey look everybody! Frank's flirting online with some chick named @BerthasBarcoLounger...

There's a lot more, but that's prolly enuf for now. Jus get used 2 short'n yur sentces so they fit...

Lastly, some tips to make Twitter mo' better:

• The best way to make Twitter useful to you is to be careful who you follow. Just because you are being followed by someone, doesn't mean you have to follow them back. When you receive a notice that someone is following you, check their followers and their updates. If you don't make it past the first handful....don't bother reciprocating.
• Beware of Spammers...especially chicks who want you to join some subscription site to view their pics. Twitter does a fair job of "suspending" these vixens, but learn from @BPMackie's mistake...they just want your clicks...not your raw sex appeal.
• If you like it after a week, download a Twitter crackpipe. I was mildly amused by twitter for a couple months...until I was advised to use TweetDeck. It truly is like Twitter on methamphetamines. Organizes Tweets into groups (like Dawgs, Media, ...Vixens..??) and has quick buttons to shrink tweets to under 140, shrink links, and add pics or tags.
• There are a number of these crackpipes. If you have a smartphone, many are available as apps there as well. Ask somone who uses the same phone/service as you and go from there.
• Be careful adding celebs, athletes to your following. Some are imposters living the good life vicariously through Twitter. No...@BernieDawg does not consider himself a celeb....yet. Afterall, not everyone can have @champbailey following them.

Just Sayin'...

Whether you're using it to network or just to occupy a few minutes of your time each day, Twitter can fit the bill. I don't always have nice things to say about @MarkBradleyAJC, but on Saturday he found a really useful way to implement Twitter into an old form of communication.

Simple. Easy. Quick.

Twitter.

God Bless the USA

Hey Reader. Darren the Intern here. Bernie's out taking a casual jog along Peachtree before he spends some quality time with the family and the grill. As he was lacing up his kicks, he asked me to post a couple gems.

First, PapaBernie shares a video by Uncle Jay, who explains the news in his usual unique form.

And this one from AllProDad is sure to remind you of not just the sacrifices our servicemen and women make each day, but also the hardships endured by the families left behind. I'm quite sure a Jonas Brothers concert can't make up for over a year of missing your dad, but I bet Hannah Myers was smiling the whole time.

Welcome Home Master Sgt. Joseph Myers

It's a great country Reader. Now go out and eat your weight in grilled meat and set off some fireworks before you fall into a grill-induced stupor.

H A P P Y F O U R T H of J U L Y ! ! !

Jefferson Once Stumbled Down the Tracks...

...but he was a big machine in red, white and blue.

Before the Great Hale left on his next vacation (hey!...before he left he had worked a full 2.5 days) he gave us a look at Rantavious Wooten's

progress this summer. As I've said before, this is the guy I'm most anxious to see out of the '09 class.

I was especially glad to hear Michael Moore's evaluation of Wooten's route running. His frame's not gonna help him separate from defenders, so he'll have to count on sharp, crisp routes to create space. Says Moore:

Wooten's going to be a playmaker....He's fast, he's quick, he can catch the ball. He runs some of the best routes out here already as a young guy.

But it's the idea of this Dawg in the backfield that has me intrigued. I think it was PWD who once described him as "a street legal Percy Harvin." His quickness and versatility will create

problems aplenty.

If you haven't seen his moves, I'll give you another opportunity HERE to click. And my guess is the next time you see him will be on the field this fall...in red and black.

Friday Feedbag

• Big shout-out to Nama for greasing the palms of the BDB Finance department. First beer in StillH2O is on me...hope they have NattyIce.
• He might type sans pants, but he also hit a milestone before BDB. Mackie blew out some candles in a style all his own...
• Been a LOT of recruiting news lately...this week was the commitment of Ken Malcome of SW Dekalb. I like the perspective Stuff of Legend takes with this guy. Very realistic and cuts through the fluff...
• Senator Blutarsky takes on Sen. Orrin Hatch. One's right on point and one's preoccupied with spoon feeding delegates and having his name on print. If you can't tell the difference...well, this blawg's not for you. (If that's not enough to make you click over, Dog in Fla chimes in....)
• Rex Robinson looks back reminiscently at "the tracks."
• Countdown Watch: Streit keeps it short and sweet with #66, but hits the nail on the head. For today's count, check the blog roll to the right. And if you've never digested The Story of The Purloined Pig, do yourself a favor.

By one o'clock yesterday the excitement was at a fever-pitch. You could cut the tension with a chainsaw. Thursdays are Trivial debuted and turned the twittersphere on its ear.

The question was typed...er...tweeted and the gauntlet was thrown down. At first he was afraid, he was petrified...but @BPMackie consulted the database in his well sauced brain and successfully transmitted the scores and years from both contests between Georgia and Michigan.

And that is why he is here right now with a mostly empty, slightly rusted wheelbarrow, ready to claim 200 lbs of homemade fireworks as his fabulous prize*. If you live next to this guy you may wanna make sure you're out of town this weekend.

@AlanAshley chimed in to add that both contests were in Ann Arbor due to the fact that carpetbaggers were not allowed to cross the Mason Dixon line until 1972. He takes away a Bic ball point pen used to write the Declaration of Independence. I stole it from Jefferson a few years back when he had too much tailgate before the AwwBarn game.

Have a great Fourth Reader! If your boss didn't give you the extra day, tell him I said you're good, and I am no one to be truffled with. Or something like that.

Bernie

*fabulous prizes are fabulous in the eyes of the beholder, or in this case the blawgger. BDB not responsible for any bodily harm or property damages incurred during the enjoyment of said prizes.

Wolverines in Crosshairs...??

Biggest thing out there left over from yesterday is the rumor of a possible trip to Ann Arbor to open 2010. If you missed out yesterday, you can catch up right here. Meecheegan opens the 2010 campaign with some brand new luxury boxes. They are looking for a big opponent to help cut the ribbon.

I would categorize this as a rumor with two left feet right now. But it is definitely intriguing given the dead period for news right now. And as you can see from that Wolverine flavored blog link'd above, there are a number of Dawg fans chiming in who are intrigued as well.

FYI - - the tentative 2010 schedule (h/t SicEmDawgs) has us opening at home against the Ragin' Cajuns. We have two spots to put the open date and the 12th opponent. Of the 11 games slated, only five are home including NONE during September if you take away Louisiana. October 2nd is the scheduled trip to beautiful Boulder.

Macon Telegraph's own David Hale has graced us with a defensive end feature. Rod Battle is tired of battling injuries and ready to battle opposing tackles. GATA!! Hale also lets us know that Teresa Edwards has been named to the US Olympic HOF.

Before we leave the d-end position though, over at TotalUGA- - Log Dawg brings a recruiting nugget from the Chattanooga area. Could CMR snatch a prospect from kidglove'd fingers of KiffyBaby?

Lastly, a new weekly feature. Are you a Twitterer? Are you following @BernieDawg? Do you love fabulous prizes and vacation getaways*? If so, tweet in each week for Thursday is Trivial. One question per Thursday, tweeted at varying times, answer must appear as a reply to avoid nasty twitter disputes...like the one between @BernieDawg and @AlanAshley this week to see who could get @ChampBailey to follow them first.

Still not convinced to join twitter? Don't blame ya. Come back here Sunday for my personal strategies to make Twitter usable. You can learn from my mistakes and gain an upper hand on Dawggy style'd tweets.

*fabulous prizes and getaways is creative license, at least until a few advertising deals come through

Smells Like PRE-Teen Spirit

Eric Berry is an All-SEC safety for the voWels and was a star recruit out of Creekside High in Fairburn, GA. Although he was heavily sought after by CMR and any other big-time program with a heartbeat, Eric chose to go where his dad went.

Good Ol' Rocky Flop!

The Mighty Fred texts in that Eric's brother has committed to play tackle football in Knutsville.

"Yes, I committed to Tennessee," Evan said. "It's the only college I know right now and it seems the best for me. My dad went there and my brother is there now. I know I can do the same things there. I have a real friendly relationship with the coaches there. I know I don't know them too well, but I know I will have plenty of time to get to know them."

Evan Berry will also start eighth grade later this summer.

You read that right. In an effort to relate more to kids his own mental age, KiffyBaby is reaching into middle schools...where chicks dig the way you rock the Members Only and the cheeseburger tastes like rubber. He's still working on his times tables, but word is Laney is quite the star in 4th period PE (although records confirm he's been sent early to the locker room several times for "cutting corners" in four-square.)

Now to be fair, the story is being disputed, mostly by the dad. It seems the Rivals reporter went a bit too far, even promoted the kid to high school without the authority to do so. And given the fact that Evan (and twin brother Elliot) are not able to be offered a scholarship to commit to until they have registered with the NCAA Clearinghouse (usually during the junior year...of high school), it may stand to reason that the brand spanking new HillBilly coach has kept his distance from the pre-teen phenoms...

Then again, this is the guy who creates his own rules then claims to have a master plan. Evan is obviously SOLD! on the direction the overall'd program is heading under Layla's husband. And by the time the kid is actually able to commit, their defensive coordinator will almost be old enough to be the featured centenarian on the back of one of Willard Scott's Smucker's jars.

The younger Berry meanwhile is said to be down to two choices: it's either the navy blue JanSport backpack or the stylish brown messenger bag.

He still has over a month to decide...