4 Hard Downs: Championship Weekend, Tight End Weekend and Turning 40

Hosting a birthday party is fun, even when someone gets kicked in the face and tight ends really had a moment.

So, I do a thing that a lot of people think is insane; I listen to one song over and over over over and over again.

Yes, that. I do it when I run. I do it when I cook. I do it when I shower. I know how long the song is so I can time things out and I know it takes X-amount of that song to get things done and if I go over, I am running late. Makes sense to me.

I have to use this method because it makes sure I’m ready for things, like this weekend, my wife’s birthday.

Sometimes it is Charlie Puth. Sometimes it is James Brown. Sometimes it is Redbone. Sometimes it is Jay Z. Sometimes it is Paul Wall. This time it was Marricone, “The Ecstasy of Gold” from the best move of all time, “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.”

Fight me about that, let’s SPOT THE BALL!!!

1st Down: Dinner Party For The Win

This party had everything to celebrate my wife turning 40.

-Wife cried at the video of 30 friends wishing her happy birthday

-86’d Surf and Turf for just the Turf

-Maybe we did have Surf and Turf because of the bacon wrapped scallop

-A kid got kicked in the face and lost a tooth, not my kid, a kid

-I cannot find the tooth and we all think he swallowed it

-Popsicles for all kids because he needed one after losing the tooth

-An amazing dinner with friends (bacon wrapped scallop over an avocado emulsion, french onion soup, strip roast, and the carrot cake we will get to later)

-Two adult slip and falls. One on marbles like a cartoon and one on the mat that I do have to secure to the ceramic tile on our front porch. Not alcohol induced, just slip hazards I navigate daily that I have already fallen on and then I correct my habits. Introduced to new people they are landmines.

-I got caught cheating at the “Hashtag It” game a few times and still lost

-Shout out to Ashley just destroying everyone at the game and their couple synergy in the game was off the charts

So, as you can tell there were drinks, there were kids having fun with the Holy P Trinity: Pizza, Popsicles and Popcorn. And let me tell you, when you’re looking for a baby tooth and 5 kids have just had popcorn in your media room, everything looks like a tooth.

But it is just popcorn mess.

I’m just glad my wife had a good time. Which, I asked her like 10 times to the point of “now you’re being annoying because I already said yes.” I landed the plane but in like Harris Ford style. It wasn’t smooth but I got to the finish line. Most of it was pretty fun and good and we love our friends and everyone who sent in a video, but I did almost ruin it all.

2nd Down: Carrot Cake Was A Hit

I am not going to sit here and pretend like I’m not the mother fucking man when it comes to making carrot cake. I will stand on this business. I am usually self-deprecating but when it comes to my wife’s favorite dessert, I am very proud of being able to make one better than can be bought.

Batter. Baked. Iced.

2c APF

2tsp Baking Soda

1/2tsp Salt

3tsp Cinnamon

2 eggs

2c Sugar

3/4c Vegetable Oil

1c buttermilk

2tsp Vanilla

3c Grated Carrots

I like to put the carrots, buttermilk, vanilla and eggs in a blender or food processor so that they combine well, before you add to the dry ingredients in the mixer. Combine, mix, pour into these awesome new pans my Mom got me, then bake off at 350 for 18 minutes, rotate and finish in 12.

They were a hit.

3rd Down: Championship Weekend

Getting work on drawing a few plays but first and foremost Travis Kelce is an absolute monster. This man has more playoff receptions than Jerry Rice (people keep calling Rice the goat WR and I am like have you never heard of Randy Moss or Calvin Johnson?) which means the Chiefs just keep going to the playoffs.

Shout out to Deon Bush for the interception. I used to work with his wife when we were both in Chicago together and Amina juggling a kid, husband in KC and working for NBC Sports in Boston is a big deal. Big weekend.

I have no clue what the Ravens were thinking. 6 RB carries. In a game. That’s insane. 37 pass attempts for Lamar Jackson. That’s too much. Not because he can’t throw but because if you’re not running the passing effectiveness is limited because there is no other threat outside of a scramble.

Great weekend for tight ends with Kelce, George Kittle on an awesome levels route plus the return of Mark Andrews and Sam LaPorta should have been fed more. Tight End Weekend.

Doing a podcast with DPalm for this afternoon or tomorrow just to talk more about Championship Weekend. Great comedown from the nervous energy of putting on a birthday party.

4th Down: I Don’t Care Who Wins, But Brock Purdy Can Make Me Right

Ben Johnson was my main rooting interest. My wife and her family like the Lions was number two.

Now?

Who cares.

I love Mahomes. I love Brock Purdy and have for awhile:

This is pre-2019 CBF season.

Make me right.

Why?

Because every now and then Michael Felder knows. This kid is a baller. And notice the running in the clip. Clips that I picked for our editors. Same as I knew he was going to run in that Championship Game.

So, let’s go 49ers.

My kid made her first ever shot at basketball, my wife turned 40 and I get a weekend of nothing, so we’re off to a good start.

Cheers!!