3/17/2005 10:39:00 AM by Rob

Happy Green Beer to ya's all...

The Irish don't celebrate St. Patrick's day there, at least not like we do here, as an excuse to get spit-shining drunk. They don't need a saint's day to conduct what they consider to be 'business as usual'.

Actually, I kid. Ireland is doing pretty well for itself, lately. Not West Texas 1980 great, not Sheik of Yerbouti great, but pretty well. How do I know this? I dunno, I've had some relatives who've been there lately. God bless all the Irish today!

Is Kelly Clarkson Irish? I doubt it...for an American Idol, she sure has a lot of big hits out there lately. I watched the very first one on the very first season, picked her out as the prettiest, decided I didn't care for the show at all, and was not in the least bit surprised when she won. I've always had an unhealthy fascination for this young girl and her smokin' booty.

Chuck, this one's for you. Like I look at underweight girls all the time.

Anyway, today's a great day, and not because a bunch of mopes are probably gonna plead the fifth before Congress today. They really should have granted them immunity, if they wanted a snowball's chance in hell of hearing something juicy. Now, there's gonna be nothing. The biggest much-ado-about-nothing since Geraldo Rivera knocked down Al Capone's old speakeasy, or since the last Super Bowl halftime show...

No, today is the day that Bruce Weber's Fighting Illini takes their first step towards putting us on the College Basketball Map forever! During my long commute in today, I mentally tried to match up this team to the 1989 Flying Illini. Sure, Kendall Gill and Nick Anderson create big-time matchup problems for the smallish Dee Brown and Deron Williams, but James Augustine rules the boards, the shooting of the guard trio makes up for their height disadvantage, and Lowell Hamilton freaks out trying to guard Nick Smith and Jack Ingram off of the bench.

Today's Illini by nine.

Finally, tonight's the night I traditionally run my copy of "The Quiet Man", sit down for some corned beef and cabbage, swill beer, and by the time Sean Thornton gets done pummelling Will Red Danneher, the Illini will be tipping off in Indy.

Good times, y'all.

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