Hola Keano

Greetings, friend

I've been absent from this space for quite some time, but today's news seems to be an appropriate occasion to post. When we last looked, Robbie Keane was on his way to the scouse and leaving Spurs in an unexpected pickle. Everyone knew Berbatov was gone, but Robbie's departure was something of a shock.

Robbie Keane's £5 million, 6-month loan to Liverpool is over

Well, Rafa Benitez couldn't or wouldn't use Keane in his schemes (there are rumors of this being a power play with Liverpool's Yank owners), and now Robbie is making his way down Tottenham High Road once more.

I have mixed feelings about this. Robbie is a quality player, and Spurs need quality right now. They are locked in a relegation dogfight and can use his goals, but he has some work to do to get back in the good graces of the Spurs faithful. I hope it works out well - if he helps Spurs avoid the drop and take out United at Wembley in the Carling Cup final, much will be forgiven.

Sayonara Keano

Greetings, friend

Today the nasty rumors have come to pass. Robbie Keane, one of Tottenham's finest, has been grudgingly sold to the wankers of Merseyside for £19m (possibly £20.3m with incentives). The K-Man has posted some thoughts on the deal, and I have to concur with his sentiments. However, in my opinion, there are two things separating Robbie from Sol:

1. Robbie didn't go to Arsenal (though this moves Liverpool up the chain of hated clubs. Without much thought, this list now looks something like 1-Arsenal, 2-Draw[Chelsea & Liverpool], 3-ManUre)
   
2. Robbie didn't go for free - Bringing in up to £20.3m six years after paying something like £7m represents a tidy profit.

Regarding the sale proceeds, it is interesting to speculate on who Juande plans to bring on board. The most enticing, yet far-fetched, rumor is David Villa from Valencia. I can't see this happening and suppose that his agent's recent comments were really directed at Real Madrid using Spurs as pawns. More likely is the prospect of bringing in another Euro 2008 starlet, Andrei Arshavin, possibly his Russian comrade Roman Pavlyuchenko, and/or Blackburn's David Bentley.

Still, quite a lot depends on the Berbatov situation. The notion of a Berba-Villa front line is mouthwatering, but nothing more than a fantasy. In any event, I trust Juande to sort out the striker situation. The midfield is really shaping up nicely and it would be a shame if Spurs can't take advantage of that service.

As the English would say, I'm absolutely gutted about Keano. He was easily my favorite Spur and I thought he was a lifer. I couldn't claim Berba as an absolute favorite as I've always expected him to be a short-timer. It is for this reason I never sprung for a #9 kit. And to think I nearly bought a # 10 kit instead...

I'll miss you Robbie, but I hope Liverpool end up with an early exit from the Champion's League and an empty silverware cabinet this year.

flitch updates

Greetings, friend

We have returned from a successful journey to Great Dunmow. Proper post to follow...

Bring on the Flitch! (Updated 7/8/2008)

Greetings, friend

As Robert Goodner has astutely pointed out on my Facebook wall, I have been neglecting this blog for quite a while now. It is true that twitter and facebook have dominated the part of my life allocated to wasting time on the internet. I am sure this space will continue to suffer neglect, but I have a bit of time this morning and it's time for a flitch update.

Court is in Session

This coming Thursday, the Charlottesville and Nashville delegations of the Albemarle County Light Ale Research Collective will board an aeroplane bound for the human zoo, London, Heathrow. Upon arrival on Friday we will take the tube to MB's stop (Blackhorse Road) and will then pick up our minivan in Tottenham, mere block from White Hart Lane. After I convince Robbie Keane and Dimitar Berbatov to snub Liverpool and Manchester United, respectively, we will hit the road to Great Dunmow. We will be staying in Dunmow for 3 nights at the hilariously named B&B, the Puttocks Farm.

hehe, Puttocks.

Saturday morning will be the main event... The 2008 Flitch Trials

The Basics
The Flitch Trials occur every 4 years. The tradition dates back to at least the 1400's and there is a reference to the flitch in the prologue to the Wife of Bath's tale in Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales. Married couples are "tried" before a jury of bachelors and spinsters with the goal of proving their love for one another as set out in the Flitch Oath.

The Flitch Oath

YOU DO SWEAR BY CUSTOM OF CONFESSION

THAT YOU NE'ER MADE NUPTUAL TRANSGRESSION

NOR SINCE YOU WERE MARRIED MAN AND WIFE

BY HOUSEHOLD BRAWLS OR CONTENTIOUS STRIFE

OR OTHERWISE IN BED OR AT BOARD

OFFENDED EACH OTHER IN DEED OR IN WORD

OR IN A TWELVE MONTHS TIME AND A DAY

REPENTED NOT IN THOUGHT IN ANY WAY

OR SINCE THE CHURCH CLERK SAID AMEN

WISH'T YOURSELVES UNMARRIED AGAIN

BUT CONTINUE TRUE AND DESIRE

AS WHEN YOU JOINED HANDS IN HOLY QUIRE.

Should a couple be judged worthy, they are presented with a flitch of bacon and paraded around town on a chair hoisted by eight men. A flitch of bacon, incidentally, is a side of salt-cured pork. mmm.... Should a couple be unsuccessful, they are awarded a small gammon and must parade behind the empty chair in a sort-of "walk of shame".

A total of 5 couples are tried, and their are 5 flitches to be won. Thus, couples are not competing against one another, but rather directly for a flitch. Couples to be tried are appointed counsel and the flitch has a barrister as well.

The Flitch Makes its way to Court

The Update
The applications have been submitted, the interviews with the flitch committee have been conducted, and choices have been made...

N and I are the official "reserve" couple meaning that if any of the 5 official couples are not present, or are otherwise unfit to be tried, we will be on the hot seat driving for the bacon.

The better news is that our great friends Erin and Jeff have been selected as one of the 5 couples. The bacon is near, and the banter is virtually guaranteed.

Stay tuned for updates, and check out Mark's preview...

• Preview Post #1: The Quest for the Flitch
• Preview Post #2: Flitch Update
  

And of course, stay tuned on MB's main blog:
http://mburtonphoto.com/photography-blog


Press Releases
Dunmow Gears Up for the Flitch
Dummow Broadcast & Reporter - Flitch Coverage

That is all

Flitch Update

Greetings, friend

While we still await word from the Flitch selection committee, we do have the official Flitch Blog published courtesy of MB.

Stop by and follow the action as it happens, or more likely, after a significant delay.

At present, you can see read a synopsis of the event, a complete (read: incomplete) history, and some information on the USA's only Flitch hopefuls for 2008...

http://www.mburtonphoto.com/photography-blog

Bonn-anza

Bonn-Bonn, coming soon...

Forgot to mention in my other quick updates...

GO CAPS!

Woot!

Woot!

Zack Attack!

The French Laundry

Greetings, friend

I'll write up a quick ditty on our experience in wine country sometime in the nearish future. For now though, I'll just post in this scan of our menu from The French Laundry - a fantastic dining experience that put the cherry on top of our vacation ice cream.

A few quick notes

Greetings, friend

A few random things on my mind...

• Congrats to the Kansas Jayhawks for winning the NCAA basketball championship this year. It was the best final game I can recall in recent memory (save for 2002 for obvious reasons). The frantic, nervy finish to the second half was exhilarating, especially the 3 that Mario "Superintendent" Chalmers hit to send the game to OT.
• Thanks to the Colonel for informing me just now that our kickball team name has been changed to the "Zack Attack". My favorite band.
• Our flitch application was received by the Flitch Trials committee and we now await word on whether or not we've made the short list of couples to be "tried". Can you smell the bacon?
  
• I am full of Mexican food right now.
  
• The Orioles are 6-1. LOL! ROTFL! TTC! Now that I've posted this, you can expect 25 straight losses. Hopefully not. This has been the most pleasant surprise of April.
  
• I almost think I dislike Chelsea more than I dislike Arsenal. Jury is still out on that one.
• Cristiano Ronaldo is absolutely ridiculous. Simply amazing to watch, even for a Spurs supporter.
• I should have eaten fewer chips at lunch.

See you!