Instagram Ladies of Local Weather Part 6, Jackson Mahomes Rides A Bull & Jerome Bettis Living The Undergrad Life
I'm officially back to my multi-screen home setup and Screencaps should improve
I apologize if Screencaps seemed a little off while I was in Florida visiting my father for AFC Championship weekend. Working on a tiny 13" laptop screen SUCKS...I'll just go ahead and say it. There's something about being at home with the three-screen setup required to pump out the hottest column on the market that guys (and ladies!) actually want to read in the morning to get the day started.
General observations from the road:
• Who are the maniacs paying the $14.99 retail price for ESPN the Magazine at airport newsstands?
• I'm fairly confident I've never used the stewardess call button. I don't know why that popped into my head Monday, but it did.
• Full disclosure: I flew Spirit. I know, I know...I've been on record saying it would never happen again, but I have to say, those rock-hard seats were tolerable for 2 1/2 hours, but I don't want to make a habit of it.
• I hope the college kid who bolted to row 28 with intentions of pushing his way off the plane got home five minutes early to play video games with his bros.
• Florida really is packed. I thought it was an overreaction from the locals. It's not.
• I'd like to know who's going to buy all the houses going up in SW Florida when the white hairs start dying off in droves.
• Hopefully the homebuilder conglomerates will leave a few trailer parks for those of us who want to do Florida on the cheap when we hit retirement age. I don't want to live in a condo building. Give me the trailer life!
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Now, let's get down to football business. The Bengals really are in the Super Bowl, and the email inbox lit up on Monday. The Conference Championship hangover seems to be over for Screencaps emailers.
Let's start with Steelers fan Bob R., who writes:
As a long-time Steelers fan (60 years), I'm depressed about our prospects for at least the next ten years, however, I am excited for the Bengals making the Super Bowl. You've got to root for the AFC North, which has been a historically tough division over the years (well, except for the Browns!). If Joe can stay healthy, you have a dynasty on your hands.
As a six-year-old fan in the early 60's, things were pretty bleak. Then in 1969 they hired Chuck Noll, and drafted some guy named Joe Greene. Over the next five years they drafted a few other working-class guys, and somehow nine of those guys ended up in the Hall of Fame, not to mention their coach.
I was fortunate to see them make it to and win the Super Bowl when I was 18. I watched the game with my fraternity brothers in a boardinghouse in Jay Peak, Vermont, during our annual ski trip. There were about ten of us, and I was the only pledge and only one of two Steelers fans, so I caught a lot of grief from the rest of the crew. We actually brought a keg into the boardinghouse and watched the game on a 19 inch fuzzy black and white TV (the nearest TV station was about 65 miles away). One of the best days of my life, and yes we finished the keg before crashing. We were all pretty hurting the next day trying to ski.
So enjoy the day, because you will remember it for the rest of your life.
Stay warm while attacking that snowstorm. It's going to be 60 degrees tomorrow here in East Tennessee.
• Mike J. in Westland, MI writes:
My favorite so far.
Congrats on the big win. Awesome story of hanging with your Dad for the weekend. Maybe someday I'll get there with the Lions (doubt it).
• Screencaps reader Aleth R. had a great time with his family at the AFC Championship Game. A message to Aleth's kids: Never forget this moment. It might take 33 years before you'll see it. Trust me, write down everything you can remember about Sunday. Wish I did as a kid in 1989.
• My favorite joke of the week. RIP Harambe. We'll never forget the sweet prince and what they did to you:
• Britt from VA writes:
Joe, congrats to you and your Dad for an awesome weekend and a WINNER! Wow, what a comeback. The whole team and coaches get huge credit for that, but I’ll go back to Joey B. A reminder: Bama grad here, and a huge Bama fan (AND, Steeler fan). Love that dude, though.
As I watched him finish his comeback, was trying to determine what historically great QB he reminded me of (Montana was the first name that came to mind). It all came together for me during his interview with Tracy Wolfson (SEC fan here, entirely sweet on her) – maybe no one. I coached for years (hoops) and have read all about body language, and, as an aside, was taught to be humble. Joey B has the most confident (yes, even cocky) body language I think I’ve ever seen…..while also being humble in his words.
His interview with Tracy encapsulated exactly that. There is no wonder all of those grown men followed him along this HUGE journey (they played their part, but someone has to be THE DUDE). His combination of body language and humble just screams “follow me, you are DAMN RIGHT we’re gonna be okay.”
Good on’ya, mate (said a boy from TN). Enjoy.
P.S. Speaking of Tracy Wolfson, how about a week of “the best sideline ladies” in Screencaps!
P.P.S. I’d like to also see a week of “hey, here’s a good deal for something that is underpriced!” All of us folks are looking for a good deal. Here is my submission (my daughter’s dude swears by them).
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Thanks to Britt for a great idea with "Hey, here’s a good deal for something that is underpriced!” but I feel like we need a shorter tagline for this. Deals and steals is old and needs a refresher. Someone create a modern tagline for "Hey, here’s a good deal for something that is underpriced!” and we'll run with it.
By the way, I opened that link and those shoes really are well priced. I always wondered where the ESPN guys get their shoes. I'm talking the Robert Kraft shoes where it looks like Bob's going to go for a five-mile walk, but he's really being fancy and going to the Super Bowl look.
No way I'm paying these prices for Bob Kraft shoes, especially when Britt put me on a company that will sell them for $40.
• Laura L. in Indy writes:
Congratulations on your Bengals winning on Sunday! What an effort. I could swear I heard the roar all the way to Indianapolis.
In reference to the big snow headed our way, my son and his family live in Boston and they had their hands full with the storm last weekend. Both cars were buried in snow but my son was able to dig them out in about three hours so my daughter-in-law could get to work. No snow blower-only a shovel. They don't mess around in New England. When it comes to snow, they are used to doing hard things!
Best of luck in two weeks. And God bless you for being such a great son. I'm sure your dad was delighted to be able to share that win with you!
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Thank you for sending these photos, Laura. I think someone was paying attention when a Screencaps reader asked for others to send in snow removal photos. And by the way, Laura's yet another Indianapolis reader.
Top areas for Screencaps readers:
• Speaking of Indy, Craig V. writes:
Big time congrats to you and especially your dad on the Bengals making the Super Bowl. Yesterday I kept having flashbacks to when my dad told me, “you just gotta believe!” during the Colts’ Super Bowl run. I kept refreshing twitter to see what you would have to say about it. You with your dad in tears is about as wholesome as it gets. In 2007, my mom was in the ICU when all of this was going down. So I know what it’s got to be like to have this run to take your mind off of the realties of life, and I could not be happier for you guys. As I told my aunt from Cincinnati before the Raiders game, 2021-2022 is the year of LGB; Let’s Go Brandon and Let’s Go Bengals.
Down here in Indy, we are prepping for Snowmageddon 2022 as well. With all of these debates around beans or no beans in chili (personally, I love beans in mine, but I digress), I was curious what other ‘Caps readers to do prep for storms such as this. My wife keeps asking me if she needs to go back to the store a third or a fourth time. It seems excessive. We have a fresh rick of firewood and enough stuff to get us through the week. Would love the thoughts from the good folks of the screencaps community.
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Great question: What are your big snowstorm preparation techniques? First of all, here's what's on the way starting Wednesday morning in my neck of the woods.
• As someone who lives in town and works at home, I don't really care how much snow we get. Let it snow so the snow fanatics can get it out of their system and the melt can fill up the golf course retaining ponds.
I'm just here for the hysteria and the people buying $300 worth of food for two days. Folks, we have modern snow removal equipment. This isn't 1978. Around these parts, the Blizzard of 1978 still has people shook, but they've been paying taxes that have been wasted and have paid for snowplows and salt.
The smart people have a stockpile of wood and a snowblower. You sit in the house, watch TV, scroll through Facebook to see people wondering if they have enough bread and then two days later things are back to normal.
I'm thinking about doing Crockpot chicken and noodles over mashed potatoes. That should be just the rocket fuel I need to go back out into the elements to keep the driveway open with nowhere to go.
• Speaking of Bob Kraft, Eric G. writes:
Congrats to you and all Bengals fans. I am closer to your dad's age (65) but 17+ years ago I was closer to where you are now but was in tears too as a Red Sox fan winning it all. I was at games 4 & 5 against the Yankees, the most surrealistic sports experience I've ever had. Enjoy the ride.
Paraphrasing Bob Kraft 20 years ago, We Are All Bengals!
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And with that, it's time for me to get a full day of work back in the system. Thank you to those who are sending story ideas. I have approximately five things lined up for today and Clay hasn't even texted me yet.
It's going to be a big day and then a big snowstorm. Let's roll.
Email: joekinsey@gmail.com