Eye Black - Why Do Athletes Wear It - Eyeblack Reasons

Eye black, or eyeblack, is pretty cool looking, if you ask me. My question, though, is why athletes - football players, baseball, etc. - even wear it. Is the threat of glare so great that they need it? Or is it really just a cool thing to put on ... a little like a ritual getting ready for a contest.

Eye black - Paul Hornung wore it, and it looked cool.

I read that a friend of mine had to wash several towels because her daughter, who is in fifth grade, got eye black all over them. She's a catcher and a helluva ballplayer. Anyway, when I was a kid, the backs on our little league football team got to wear eye black, but us linemen were denied.

Now, of course, they have stickers instead of the actual eye black, and the stickers of course have logos and other things on them.

Eye black stickers - Reggie Bush's said "619"

According to ESPN's Paul Lucas, Washington fullback Andy Farkas started wearing eye black in 1942. Lucas also cited some studies saying it doesn't work, or work that well ...

Eye black pioneer Andy Farkas

Hot Doug's has No. 3 hot dog in U.S. ... but No. 2 in Chicago!!

Hot Doug's Foie Gras and Sauternes Duck Sausage was ranked the No. 3 "hot dog" in the country by "The Daily Meal" website. No. 1? 1: Fat Johnnie’s Famous Red Hots, Chicago: Mighty Dog. Doug will not be happy to hear this! Which sorta delights me, in a perverse way. Especially since we ALL know the No. 1 sausage on the Hot Doug's menu is the bratwurst. ...

For the Fat Johnnies, they say "some Chicagoans might even do a double-take at" ... no kiddin'. Fat Johnnies is at 7232 S Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60686.

Superdawg (No. 6), Gene and Jude's (No. 18), and Wiener’s Circle (No. 27) made the list. Also, Blue Ash Chili in Cincinnati made the list at 21. Never been there. They mentioned Skyline Chili in the blog. I will say, I adore Skyline coneys, but ... I think the Skyline hot dog in the Coney doesn't have enough hot dog flavor. ... If they would make that better, I'd be in. But I may have to try Blue Ash.

Hot Doug's and blues bars don't have anything to do with each other. ... This just made me laugh.

Here's the list:

#35: Gray’s Papaya, New York City: New York-Style
#34: Bob's Drive Inn, Le Mars, Iowa: Bob Dog
#33: Good Dog, Houston: Ol’ Zapata Dog
#32: Memphis Taproom Beer Garden, Philadelphia: The Polser
#31: Gus's, Birmingham, Ala.: Greek Dog
#30: Simone’s Hot Dog Stand, Lewiston, Maine: Red Snapper
#29: Coney I-Lander, Tulsa, Okla.: Coney
#28: Nathan’s Famous, Coney Island, N.Y.: Mustard and Sauerkraut
#27: Wiener’s Circle, Chicago: Double Chardog
#26: Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles: Dodger Dog with Mustard, Ketchup, Onions, and Relish
#25: Martinsville Speedway, Ridgeway, Va.: Chili Dog
#24: Coney Island Lunch, Scranton, Pa.: Texas Wiener
#23: Clare & Carl's, Plattsburgh, N.Y.: Michigan Hot Dog
#22: Boston Super Dog, Roxbury, Mass.: Loaded
#21: Blue Ash Chili, Cincinnati: Cheese Coney
#20: Shake Shack, Multiple Locations: Shack-cago Dog
#19: El Guero Canelo, Tucson, Ariz.: Sonoran Dog
#18: Gene and Jude’s, Chicago: Hot Dog with Fries
#17: Bark Hot Dogs, Brooklyn, N.Y.: Bacon Cheddar Dog
#16: Pink’s, Los Angeles: Three Dog Night
#15: Walter's, Mamaroneck, N.Y.: With Homemade Mustard
#14: J. S. Pulliam Barbecue, Winston-Salem, N.C.: Chili Slaw Dog
#13: Senate Restaurant, Cincinnati: Croque Madame
#12: Ben’s Chili Bowl, Washington, D.C.: The Half-Smoke
#11: Lafayette Coney Island, Detroit: Coney
#10: Dew Drop Inn, Mobile, Ala.: Dew Drop Dog
#9: Flo's, Camp Neddick, Maine: Hot Dog with Mayo, Celery Salt, Relish
#8: Katz’s Deli, New York City: Mustard and Sauerkraut
#7: Rawley’s Drive-In, Fairfield, Conn.: "The Works"
#6: Superdawg, Chicago: Superdawg
#5: Olneyville N.Y. System, North Providence, R.I.: NY System Dog
#4: Schaller’s Drive-In, Rochester, N.Y.: Meat Sauce, Mustard, Onions
#3: Hot Doug’s, Chicago: Foie Gras and Sauternes Duck Sausage
#2: Rutt’s Hut, Clifton, N.J.: The Ripper with Relish
#1: Fat Johnnie’s Famous Red Hots, Chicago: Mighty Dog

Johnny Cash has been everywhere - with Lynn Anderson

Lynn Anderson did a great job with the Aussie song "I've Been Everywhere." Johnny had Lynn on the "Johnny Cash Show" and they had a nice duet. Love this song ... ASN!!

I hear that motor wagon gettin' ready to ride.

Bill Doggett - Honkey Tonk - Birthday on Feb. 16

Bill Doggett

Jim Brown, All American Birthday

Jim Brown was born on Feb. 17, 1936. He went on to become an above-average athlete and someone who was unwilling to let his amazing athletic career define him. Here is a shot of Jim Brown in the 1957 Cotton Bowl as a member of Syracuse Orangemen. According to OrangeHoops dot com, Brown was "A victim of racial attitudes of the times, Brown came to Syracuse in the fall of 1953 without a scholarship in hand and was the only black player on the freshman football team."

Why was he on Orange Hoops? He was a Syracuse basketball player, as well.

OK. He didn't start for the Orange. Why? From Orange Hoops:

He played basketball his sophomore and junior years at Syracuse, averaging 13.1 points per game. He was a ferocious rebounder, and the best athlete on the floor. He would scored 33 points against Sampson Air Force Base his sophomore season, in a game he did not even start. Brown would not return for his senior season however, because he was not permitted to be a starter. An unwritten rule at Syracuse prohibited the team starting three black athletes in basketball, and Syracuse had Vinnie Cohen and Manny Breland also on the team. Cohen believed Syracuse would have won the national title in basketball in 1957 if Brown had played with them; as it was, they lost in the elite eight.

He went on to have a pretty good NFL career. Here is his worse season, 1962:

Rourth in rushing attempts - 230

Jim Taylor led NFL - 272

Fourth in rushing yards - 996

Jim Taylor - 1474

third in rushing TDs - 13

Jim Taylor 19

Ninth in yards per attempt 4.3

Amos Marsh 5.6 led NFL

Jim Taylor 5.4

Fourth in yards rushing per game - 71.1

Jim Taylor - 105.3

(prorated to 16 games, Brown would gain 1137 yards)

Second in Overall TDs - 18

Taylor 19

Seventh in All-purpose yards - 1513

Timmy Brown led NFL - 2306

Taylor sixth - 1580

Valentine's Day 2013 - Hank Williams, everybody

A Hallmark holiday, indeed. Hank had it right. And, hey, the song bought him and the boys quite a few beans and biscuits. Cold Cold Heart.

Uncle pk Announces for Illinois Lieutenant Governor

Paul Kelly (Uncle pk … pau1ke11y.blogspot.com) formally announced today that he is throwing his Reds Cubs/White Sox cap into the ring to be named by Governor Pat Quinn as the newest Illinois Lt. Governor, replacing Sheila Simon. “I urge Gov. Quinn to do what’s best for me by naming me as Lt. Governor of the great state of Illinois,” Uncle pk said. “I can’t play the banjo, but I sure do like banjo music. And the salary of the Lt. Governor will help ensure that I am able to bring certainty to my budget.”

My "campaign" slogan Paul Kelly for Illinois Lt. Governor 2013 - Remember ... It Could Be Worse.