Nashville, TN

I need to know so I’m gonna do a quick poll:

Best barbecue in Nashville?

I have a few in mind, and have a new partial-fav. But as always, I want to hear from you.

Call me co-dependent.

So, I flipped over to 106.7 the Fan earlier this week, expecting to hear the familiar voice of Bob Bell….

Only to find he was no longer there.

Apparently the station has made a chance in the afternoon drive-time sports call-in team. And there appears to be a new host and a new show heading to the Nashville air waves next week.

Should be interesting to see if this new show can make a dent in the ratings giant that is George Plaster.

If the new show promises to not do the “little brother” whining for Vandy that Plaster does, they will have a big fan in yours truly.

Nooo…not those kinds of hot spots.

Today we feature the internet-kind.

Over the last few months, several local blogs have come to my attention. A lot of them are like mine - about….Nashville. Others are blogs about blogs by people in Nashville. I bet you’re wondering why I’m pointing you to them - I mean, they ARE the competition! Well, yes…and no. You see, here in Nashville, we’re all about that southern hospitality thang. And true southern hospitality is born of embracing community by lifting one another up.

So in that spirit, hop on over to some of these sites, and let ‘em teach you a thing or two About Nashville.

The Godfather of Nashville meta-blogs
The Newby, but Goody
Tennessee BlogIdol
The Suave Blog. It’s just, you know, cool like that
Movin’ on up…to the Eastside
Feed for blog

Enjoy!

The voting for which Springfield gets the premiere of The Simpsons Movie ended last night.

The results will be announced at 1 p.m. today CST.

Can’t do anything now but cross our fingers that we won….

At last, football season is getting closer. One sure sign is that single-game Titans tickets go on sale this Saturday at 10 a.m. CST.

Listed here are the home games for the Titans.

Pre-season:

Saturday, August 11th against the Washington Redskins, 7:00 p.m.

Thursday, August 30th against the Green Bay Packers, 7:00 p.m.

Regular season:

Sunday, September 16th against the Indianapolis Colts, 12 Noon

Sunday, October 7th against the Atlanta Falcons, 12 Noon

Sunday, October 28th against the Oakland Raiders, 12 Noon

Sunday, November 4th against the Carolina Panthers, 12 Noon

Sunday, November 11th against the Jacksonville Jaguars, 12 Noon

Sunday, December 2nd against the Houston Texans, 12 Noon

Sunday, December 9th against the San Diego Chargers, 12 Noon

Sunday, December 23rd against the New York Jets, 3:15 p.m.

Of course, the start time of games could change if the Titans are doing well and TV decides to switch them to a late afternoon game. Or later in the sesaon, they could be featured on the Sunday Night Game on NBC as part of the flexible scheduling package. (Which they should have been last year with the last game of the year vs the Patriots that had huge playoff implications, instead of some lame game that might have been Brett Favre’s last becuase we all knew he wasn’t retiring but yet they decided to show it anyway! Wow…could I run-on sentence anymore?)

You can buy tickets at LP Field’s box-office, at Kroger locations, at any TicketMaster location or on-line at Ticketmaster.com.

If you’re a smoker and you have something to say about the new tax hike, say it here. But only after I say what I have to say about it. It is my site after all.

I’m not a smoker, and I despise being around others when they’re smoking. I feel it is an infringement on my right to breathe. So naturally, anything that is designed to hinder the sale of cigarettes is fine by me. I’m not naive enough, however, to believe that this recent tax increase is going to keep any one of you from cutting back like you should. I’m not exactly convinced that anything would do that, unfortunately. There’s too much politics involved. Too many of the wrong backs being scratched by the wrong hands. Not too mention the complete and unending lack of consumer self-worth that perpetuates the flames of industry, supply/demand, and government. These three form the trifecta of the vicious circle known as Consumerism.

For example, in an article recently published by the Chattanooga Times Free Press, Senator Kurita - a democrat from Clarksville AND a registered nurse proposed two versions of our now in-tact bill, one of which would increase the tax by $1, resulting in $386.6 million additional dollars per year that would go towards HEALTH CARE. I’m sorry. Does anyone else see a problem there? Like I previously stated, none of us really believes that a tax hike is going to prevent anyone from reducing their spending on cigarettes. Cigarettes are a DRUG. People are addicted to them. They will do whatever it takes to continue buying them, regardless of the financial burden. So basically, lawmakers are saying, “Sure, go ahead and buy all you want. We’ll just use the extra tax to pay for your lung transplant.”

I believe Sally Struthers has a commercial spot about this. I think it goes something like this:

Do you want to smoke more cigarettes? Sure! We all do! Hi, I’m Sally Struthers, and I’m here to tell you how you can smoke more AND get the healthcare you’re going to need because of your nasty habit! For .42 cents a pack, your loving lawmakers will set aside your tax dollars to fund your hospital bills after you lose your lungs to Marlboro. Isn’t that great?! Don’t even THINK about crossing that Kentucky line to buy your cancer with less tax! This offer is only good on smokes bought in Tennessee.

Senator Kurita also went on to say, “You know, a cigarette tax is something that’s going to stop children from smoking.” Don’t even get me started on the reasons children do and do not smoke. Let’s just say it has more to do with what they see their parents doing or not doing, and NOT how much tax is tacked on to the pack. Kids don’t think about tax. They don’t even know it’s there. And they, like their smoking role-models, are going to buy and smoke cigs no matter what the tax rate is. As long as mom is handing over a $20 so Junior can run to the store and buy her a carton, Junior is not going to care if the tobacco tax is higher this year than last.

Don’t worry, the madness gets better. Richard Floyd a REPUBLICAN from Chattanooga, actually defended the democrat’s proposal saying this, “If it keeps one person from smoking, it will save us goodness knows how much money in health care”.

I actually have no response to this. Other than, that’s just plain stupid.

Ok, ok. I promised you could say your peace. Please be aware, though, that I am going to charge you .42 per comment to fund my trip to Utopia - a place where cigarettes, politics, and morons do not exist.

As of last night, I expect to be a first-time home owner by October!

There is a TON of new construction on the southside of Nolensville Road between Old Hickory Blvd and Franklin. Their calling it “Cane Ridge”, but if we’re all going to be honest with ourselves, it’s still Antioch. Hopefully though, with all the new developments, this will change the face and reputation of Antioch.

I am very excited about my investment, but still kind of freaking out. I mean, unless you have a gazillion dollars, who DOESN’T freak out over the word ‘mortgage’.

I’m becoming such an adult. Oy-veh.

I have to admit, I am pretty stoked about this news.

Ms. Cheap’s column in yesterday’s Tennesseean revealed the great news that McKay’s Used Books will be opening a store in Nashville later this year.

For those of you unfamiliar with McKay’s, they are a superb used book store that has locations in Knoxville and Chattanooga. McKay’s sells used books, CDs and movies as well as offering trade credit.

I’ve missed McKay’s a lot since I moved away from Knoxville and am ecstatic they are coming to Nashville.

Another Fourth of July come and gone. I didn’t do anything big this year - no cookouts, no traveling, no major family get-togethers. It was just like a bonus Saturday, two days before Saturday. I made M&M pancakes - my specialty, and then laid out at the pool with a friend. Then I took my roommate by a townhouse I am considering buying. I did some light shopping which I decided to call pre-major-life-decision-(buying a house and signing my life away)-shopping. After that happens, I doubt I’ll be doing much ‘dropping by the mall to pick up those $60 shoes I’ve had my eye on.’ But I’m excited about it.

After church, my friends and I walked down one of the Brentwood biking trails that leads to Crockett Park. Crockett Park always gives a pretty decent fireworks show on the Fourth. It’s a nice alternative to fighting the crowds downtown, though I bet the downtown firecrackers are a bit more spectacular. These were very nice though, and I as I sat and watched them go off above me, my mind drifted from thoughts on war and freedom, to my grandfather who fought in WWII, to my dad who served in the air force, and then on to some random thought about life and how blessed I am to be sitting there enjoying this beautiful light show.

And then bugs started biting me and sweat started dripping, and the grass and allergens got into my sinuses, and thus the magic was over.

Part of the marathon of great Titans games from the past yesterday included the Titans appearance in the Super Bowl from 2000.

For those of you who don’t recall (and if you don’t shame on you!), this is the game that ended with Kevin Dyson tackled one yard short of a potential game-tying touchdown and the clock running out.

This morning, the crew on 104.5 the Zone asked an interesting question about that game. So, if you could make a DVD alternate ending for the game, what would you do? Obviously, the Titans score but then what–do you go for the tie and try to win in overtime? Or do you go for the win by going for a two-point conversion?

I will say this–it’s fortuante for the Rams the Titans didn’t score. We’d have tied the game and won in overtime. The Rams were out of gas and the Titans had taken over the game. Sure it was too little, but that’s not the point of this exercise in speculative history.

So, leave your comments and suggestions of how you’d like to have seen the game play out. (Unless you’re a Rams’ fan….cause you got the result you wanted!)

So, to celebrate the 4th of July, 104.5 The Zone has been re-running some great games in Titans’ history.

Today I heard bits and pieces of the playoff game in Baltimore a few years ago, the huge game in New York against the Giants when Steve McNair willed us to win and this year’s game against Indy. The day was capped off with a repeat of the greatest moment in Titans’ history and one of the top three great moments in sports history….the Music City Miracle.

Interestingly, I got into my car just in time to hear the last ten or so minutes of the game. I’ve heard the Mike Keith call of the play itself, but hearing the events leading up to it and hearing Pat say we needed a miracle of some kind to win the game seconds before it happened….it was hard not to be a little bit excited. Then, the famous call and then the discussion of it afterward as we waited for the review.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again–Mike Keith is the best play by play guy in the NFL. He’s a definite homer, but that’s exactly what you want in the guy calling the game. He is all for the Titans and to hear his voice go from resignation at the Bills going down and scoring to the sheer delight and euphoria when the Titans pulled off the greatest play in NFL history is a joy to hear.

I have to admit, I still got a little choked up hearing it…a bit misty-eyed at the play.

I can only hope in the years to come that Vince Young and the Titans will give us all some more plays that are just as memorable–not only for my generation of Titans fans but also for the new generations of Titans fans.

And the re-broadcasts of these games did one more thing–made me miss football that much more.

Seriously, can we just skip to late August and get a REAL sport rolling, please?

How do you describe to someone how or why you love Nashville?

I was talking with a girl I just met who moved here from Arizona just a couple of weeks ago. She loved her previous town and said she really wants to love Nashville, but she’s not sure yet why she should.

I understand these things take time. A city usually has to grow on you. Like a long-time friend, it will have it’s flaws, but you will love them despite their flaws because you know their heart and you have built a history with them.

I tried offering to her some of Nashville’s finer cultural points as reasons she will love this city. But honestly, if felt so shallow. There are so many reasons to love this place, and yet I couldn’t really word it in a meaningful way.

What would you have said?

I know it’s mid-summer and there’s not a lot going on sporting wise, but seriously can we stop devoting every minute of every sport show to the will they stay or will they go question surrounding the Preds?

Don’t get me wrong here–I want the Preds to say. I think losing our NHL franchise would be a major blow for Nashville. Not just for the sports fan but for the business and commerce side of keeping our fair city going.

But it seems to me that every station in town is quick to jump on the gloom and doom bandwagon at every possible story or rumor that comes out. And then they wonder why these potential buyers won’t come on the show and talk. I’d be afraid to come on the airwaves for fear of the bashing I’d take from the hosts or even the callers.

I understand the passionate hockey fans are upset–and they have a right to be. I also think the team is being dismantled in an attempt to make the push to save them ineffective. But what do I know. I’m more of a football fan. That said if the Titans suddenly started cutting all their name players, I’d be more than a bit concerned.

It almost makes me wish Pac-Man would do something stupid so we can hear about him instead of the constant gloom and doom hockey stuff that is on the air waves all the time.

Well, except when WNSR lets on the idiot caller, the Wizard (aka Gator Jay). Talk about a hateful, rude creep who deserves to be banned from the airwaves. He’s one of the many reasons I despise the Florida Gators and their fans. He’s rude, crude and his comments are just insulting to everyone who doesn’t like Florida.

I admit. I’m a tiny bit obsessed with my city.

Sometimes, I’ll be driving down I-65, and I’ll get a little giddy. Not because of where I’m going. Just because of where I am.

Is that weird to anyone? Does this happen to anyone else?

Maybe I’ll start a club. City-Stalkers Anonymous. Or a hotline. 1-800-HRT-NASH.

Is it possible for a city to get a restraining order against a person? Would it be a bit like deportation? Hmm…

If you didn’t or couldn’t live in Nashville, where would you most want to go and why?

I’d kind of like to hit Charleston, myself.

…but not in that domestic-dispute-Cops kind of way…

Happy Fourth!

Can somebody please explain to me why people develop allergies in Tennessee?? What is it?

I am miserable today. I know it’s gonna be a bad allergy day when it starts first thing in the morning. I sneeze so much I am barely able to make it to work on time. Claritin used to be my drug of choice, and now it seems it does little or nothing for me.

Any suggestions? I am dyin’ out here!!!

Yours Truly,
Emily the Red-Nosed Nashvillian