The Bad Week

Here's Dick's report on what he calls "The Bad Week"!

First off, the Nuvi died. No luck so far getting a response from the company we bought an extended warranty from. We printed out a few nearby and up at Northport. We tried 9 and had 4 DNF's. Our worst outings ever. Maybe we should take up golf.
On the health front, I was out Tues. while Nancy took in a flick with a girl friend. The workout in the gym had gone fine and the hike to the cache was fine but on the way home I got dizzy. It was like I was drunk. Got home about 3 and I couldn't walk a straight line. Nancy wanted to take me to the ER, I wanted to wait and see. She called and got me an appointment for Wed morning. She drove me to the Dr. I was still unsteady. Everything checked out and the diagnosis was dehydration. It's like they don't consider decaf a fluid.
Any way, we went out to breakfast and I guzzled H2O. I did feel better. We then took our usual TC cruise through town and the marina. We were pulling back through, northbound in the right turn/through lane at the traffic light for the parkway, third car in line behind a HUGE white SUV.
Then, the jerk in the SUV decided the guy in front wasn't moving fast enough so he BACKED UP intending to pull into the left lane and pass. We were about 5 feet back of him. Before I could hit the horn or drop into reverse, he smashed into us. The front GO BLUE plate was smashed as were parts of the bumper. He gets out wearing his Spartan cap and looks at the front end and says, "Doesn't look like any significant damage". Nancy checks to see if maybe someone has painted a target on the grill.
So we file a police report, contact the insurance company and head off to the collision shop for an estimate. Now I think it's kinda neat when we walk into the restaurant and the gal says "Nice to see you again", and automatically brings me my decaf and tell us about her kids, but when you walk into the collision shop and the guy behind the counter turns and calls to the estimator in back, "Hey Tim, Mr Steiger's here again!" that's just nuts!
Oh well, will our luck continue through the weekend and Connecticut? As you can see on her blog, I had to talk hard to get Nancy to go. I think what got her to give an OK was the thought of me on the road alone and having a dizzy spell.
Oh well, my mom's favorite line was "This too shall pass".

Are You Ready For Some (Gulp) Football?

This football season will be a rough one. I can't find anything to like.

I'm not happy with this coach. I don't understand his attitude, his program, his performance, or his expectations. I know what I expect from the Michigan football program, and this isn't it.

The NCAA problems are troubling.

The newly changed stadium has outrageously elitist new seating.

Stadium policies are restrictive and oppressive.

It's alarming that the Alumni Association is still trying to peddle tickets at this late date. Tickets for the Bowling Green game, OK, but Illinois and Wisconsin?? They can't even find buyers for Big Ten (or 11 or 12) games? I don't know whether to cry or throw up.


One week from Saturday we'll be driving down to Ann Arbor for the opening game of the Michigan football season That day will also see the dedication of the new, improved stadium, which I now call The Bigger House. . Dick talked me into it - I really don't want to go. I'm trying to look at it as an historic event. The game will be against....who?...Connecticut? Are you sure? Oh well.

Here are examples the the obscenely outrageous new seating prices:
If you want a ticket for a "club seat" (I'm wondering what club that is):

DONATION REQUIREMENTS

• Donation requirements for indoor and outdoor club seats are scaled relative to the seat's proximity to mid-field.
• Indoor club seats require an annual contribution of $4,000 per seat, plus the cost of a football season ticket (and parking, if requested and available).
• Outdoor club seats require an annual contribution of $3,000 per seat (Zone 1), $2,250 per seat (Zone 2) or $1,500 per seat (Zone 3) plus the cost of a season ticket (and parking, if requested and available).

If all you want is an outdoor chairback seat, it's $2000 per seat plus the ticket price and parking.

You can have an indoor suite for $85.000 annually (every year!). If you're not interested in having the best location, the prices go way down - from $75,000 to $55,000 annually. ANNUALLY! And Hey! That price includes sixteen tickets and 4 parking passes - what a bargain.

I don't know whether to cry or throw up.

Dad was at the original stadium dedication in 1927 while he was a student. He graduated in 1930, and bought season tickets for the first time in 1948. Mom and Dad bought tickets for the whole family, so I went to my first game in 1948. When the students cheered, I thought they were saying "Let's don't boo!" I was twelve. Things were more idyllic then. Everything was much simpler - you parked on a residential street, walked to the stadium, sat on a bleacher seat, and watched Michigan win.

We still have our regular seats in the End Zone (whew). They didn't mess around with the end zone at all, so at least in that way we're lucky.

It shouldn't be too hard to sneak a paper bag into the stadium, so that when things get too horrible, I can put it over my head. And if worse comes to worse, it can be a barf bag.

I'll color it maize and blue.