Saturday, October 22, 2022

Football Counter-Programming 2022: Week 8


I'm going to busy most all of today with a trip across Ohio and back for a marching band competition.

So I'm keeping today's FC-P short.

Here is a video from last night's halftime performance of the Play Ball! 2022 competition show. The only things that are missing from this are a. the competition (baseball) uniforms and b. the audio samples. (And the absence of the samples hurts the narrative of the show a bit. But hopefully it will all be there today.)


No matter what YOU are doing today, make sure it isn't football-related. (And yes, I will be in a football stadium, but there will be no football happening in it.)

Until next week!

Saturday, October 15, 2022

Football Counter-Programming 2022: Week 7

It's good news for me today (Saturday) because The Ohio State Buckeyes are not playing today. So I don't have to work as hard (in this part of the world) to football counter-programming.

Rather I have to work hard to get in my apple-picking, pumpkin patching, leaf piling, corn mazing, or whatever else (covered bridging?) that constitutes Autumnal Bliss in this Instagram world. (Fun fact reader, I'm doing none of those things today. In part because all of Ohio is doing so as a result of the aforementioned tOSU lack of game.)

But I'm still sort of taking the day off by reducing my word count. (Really, I am. Despite that last paragraph.)

Instead of my words, I'll leave you with this video of an excellent concert that I attended on Tuesday. Grace's first concert band performance at Ohio Wesleyan. 


Yes, it is long, but it is absolutely 50 minutes well spent. 

And besides, you shouldn't be watching football anyway.

 Valdres (1904) by Johannes Hanssen

"A Letter to Herman Melville" by Karen Poremski, OWU Emeritus Professor of English

Of Sailors and Whales (1989) by Francis McBeth

    I. Ishmael

    II. Queequeg

    III. Father Mapple

    IV. Ahab

    V. The White Whale

Blues for A Killed Kat (1987) by Jack End

Schwanda, The BagPiper (1928) by Jaromir Weinberger

    I. Polka

    II. Fugue

Saturday, October 08, 2022

Football Counter-Programming 2022: Week 6

I finally had some Di Carlo's Ohio Valley style pizza this week. And it was pretty good. Not mind-blowing or anything. But much more enjoyable than I thought it was going to be.

Don't know what I'm talking about? This (admittedly a bit out-of-date) article can help you.

What is my favorite type of pizza? I grew up eating Pizza Hut, so I still tend to gravitate to the supreme-style pizzas that are heavy on the toppings, with a mixture of pepperoni, sausage, and vegetables. If I am paring down my meat topping choices to only one, I definitely always lean toward sausage as the dominant flavor.

Am I a thick or thin crust guy? I'm easy. I like both. And I won't say no to Chicago-style deep dish but it is not my preferred variety. I like New York style, but I'm not going to fight anybody about it either. Mostly I like that NY-style comes in an extra large box and it connects to my media-fueled memories of pizza consumption on TV and in movies.

Columbus-style tavern cut pizza is good and I like it. It did take me some time to get used to it however.

In general, hey . . . I like pizza. No matter what. It's a great food that is endlessly adjustable. But it always tastes good to me.

And that's about it (at least for now).

Did I distract you from watching football today?

Or did your brain's connections between football and pizza cause an undesired impulse to make you watch inevitably?

Or does the image of sad pizza forever and always turn you off from ever watching college football again?

Until next week . . . try a new pizza topping that you've never tried before. Because it is more likely that you will try something new an unexpected in the pizza world than it is likely that your alma mater is going to win big against their inter conference rivals.

Sunday, October 02, 2022

Football Counter-Programming 2022: Week 5



Sorry that I didn't get a post prepared for yesterday. It was definitely a necessity to try and distract you from college football yesterday, as conference play began. (Or so I read. I can confidently tell you with al truthfulness that I did not watch college football yesterday. One--because I only watch streaming services now and none of them offer sports. And two--because I was busy all day with a marching band competition. Which is the ultimate way to distract yourself from football of all types and all skill levels.)

Butso . . . yeah . . . yesterday was all about marching band and coordinating the event (or more accurately being available to those who were doing a lot more than me and making sure that I was helpful) and hosting and then serving the crowds and then setting up for the North performance and then breaking it all down and going home.

But I talk about marching band probably too much on this channel when I write, so, to be honest, I don't have lots more to say. I can tell you that I am tired and that my back hurts. And I just want to take the afternoon to rest and try to relax and recover.

Sorry I don't have lots of ammunition to serve as a distraction. But if I've learned one thing over the years . . . you can't truly distract Americans from football. Especially if you are trying to do it on a Sunday.

So, go ahead, I guess. Enjoy your football today. 

But don't think I am admitting defeat.

I'm recovering my energy and I'll be ready to fight tooth and nail next Saturday prevent you from watching football. So enjoy it while you can.