This past weekend was so great, that in order to tell you about it, I’m going to break it up into two parts. Blog friend Mandy will appreciate this also as she is wont for something to read while she gets back into being at work, and not on vacation anymore. SaturDAY I went over to my sister’s to borrow her iPod so I could go run. I went for 7 miles in preparation for the HALF MARATHON next week. Everything went fine, and the weather was perfect. It’ll be great if the weather is like that for next Saturday.

After the run, I went and returned my sister’s iPod, and then went to the gas station closest to my house for a couple of bags of ice. My friend Megan has told me ice baths are awesome after a long run. I did try one after the TEN MILE run a couple of weeks ago but had only gotten one bag of ice. One bag didn’t really feel that cold, so Saturday I was getting two. I got out of my car and was checking the big cooler out front to make sure they had bags of ice. I hear “Hey neighbor!” and turn and see this guy who I didn’t recognize. I looked around at his car and it was the white truck that lives at the house around the corner from me. The guy always has Saints stuff out front on Sundays, and he keeps his yard really nice. I always pass and think the house is cool. I shook his hand with vigor going “oh yeah, you live in the house with all the Saints stuff!” He laughed and said “yeah man. You know, you never can tell how tall someone is if all you ever see them in is their car.” He was a little taller than me, but not much. We laughed, and he went inside. I went inside and bought my two bags of ice, and went back outside to grab them out of the cooler. My new neighbor friend was also getting ice, so after I put the bags in my car, I went back and introduced myself. He said his name was Marlon, and I mentioned the Saints stuff again, and he explained how he’s part of a group of 7 houses that rotate Saints parties every Sunday. This weekend it was at his house. So I told him that was cool, and we went our separate ways.

I got home and did the ice bath thing, and I’m not sure even two bags was cold enough. I keep reading about how it’s supposed to hurt by being so cold, so I think maybe I’m not getting the water cold enough. I might try 3 on Saturday after the HALF MARATHON. Anyway, I started watching the Clemson/Miami game and it was great, at first. I was watching and saw Miami score to make it 10-7 with less than a minute to play in the first half. When that happens, you’re always kind of going “you know, it’d be really cool if they returned the kickoff for a TD.” That’s exactly what happened! CJ Spiller returned the kick for a TD and Clemson had the lead with 40 something seconds left. Crazy.

The second half started, and then I started making dinner. I was watching the game in my bedroom, and walking back and forth to the kitchen. I started noticing when I’d be watching the game, something bad would happen. When I’d come back from being out of the room, they’d be showing a replay of a good play for Clemson. This happened 2 or 3 times, so after Kyle Parker threw the INT in the end zone when Clemson was almost assured a FG to tie the game in the 4th quarter, I had had enough. Obviously by me watching the game live, something was happening to the team. I had to stop watching, I couldn’t take it anymore. I left the room and went back to the kitchen, then got on the computer and didn’t keep track of the game. After a while I figured it might be over, so I went to check and saw the game was going into OT. I left the room again and hoped they’d find a way to win in OT. About 5 or 10 minutes later my dad called and says “How about that game???” I told him I had quit watching it, the whole story about me thinking I was bad luck. He told me they won in OT with a TD pass. Awesome. I felt a little validated.

I was able to watch the end of the game more than a few times on ESPN360 before I started watching the LSU/Auburn game. I couldn’t believe it. I had thought Clemson had a shot at winning the game before, but they were so inconsistent I had no idea what would happen. I knew Clemson had the players to matchup with Miami, but had no idea if they’d actually make the plays. I realized also after the game that I’d get to email my friend Nick (from work, who now lives in FL) who went to the U, who had trash talked after Clemson lost to GT. I told him just wait until October 24th and we’ll see. We did see. I emailed him this morning.

I talked to my friend Bill after the game too, and told him about the superstitious activity of the 2nd half. I also told him that I’m glad I ended up not going to the game, because obviously being in the stadium would have been the ultimate jinx and Clemson would have lost 52-7 or something. Being down in Miami for the Clemson game and then the Saints game the next day would have been awesome, but not having anyone to go with and it being expensive made the decision not to go rather easy (and a little sad in retrospect). C’est la vie!