connoisseur series500

Hey Greg, I went Friday evening and couldn't make it for the Saturday show. They were terrific as usual. I think the guys felt good and played extra hard for the second and third sets. As I've mentioned before, I believe that Organissimo plays their own tunes particularly well. They've refined them quite a bit since they recorded their cd. I think their tune, "Jimmy Smith Goes to Washington" will endure. They played (and I'm going by memory here), "Clap Yo Hands," "Lifewish" "Jimmy Smith Goes to Washington," "Tenderly," "Lee-Ann," a Jimmy Smith tune from Caddy Shack (forgot the name), "Mellow Mood," "Got my Mojo Working," a tune by Ray Charles (forgot the title.), "Dem New York dues," and some other tunes I cannot recall at the moment. Would really love to hook up with you, Greg, on one of their next dates. They're due at the Firefly on Feb. 6th, I believe. I still have to check the link on their website. Let me know of your possible availability. Paul

Thanks for your gracious sentiments, Jim. If the Pats lose to the Colts then I will have to share your consololation and declare that they were the second best team in football. If the Colts lose, then they will be the second best team in football. That's the way it works; and second seems so far away from first. It's a shame: there were some great football clubs this season. A few breaks here and there and several teams could go all the way. Don't worry about salary cap issues too much. Sometimes your team improves when you have to let go expensive people. Perhaps Noj's team could use some similar housecleaning. Right now, my team is still in it, but the opposition is as tough as it gets. I think we will win, but I'm not 100% confident. The Colts are a formidable team.

That was a fumble, and I know football way too well to have anyone tell me differently. Rules my foot. Sure Oakland could have won anyway--only a defense without "nuts" doesn't win when you cheat them out of a turnover in the waning moments of the fourth quarter. Great playoff games so far even though I hate every team that is playing. Manning could do no wrong yesterday, I was impressed. He has finally become the QB he was expected to be. The rules say it was a tuck but even if it wasn't, it was simply payback for that shitty roughing the passer call that robbed the 1976 Patriots of their right to move on in the playoffs. The karma with Oakland is now balanced. Later, Kevin Thanks for pointing that out Kevin. As I said before, doubtful calls even out in the end. There is no football subject more useless and frustrating to discuss than "bad calls." Sorry you don't like any of the teams left, Noj. The West Coast teams all sucked this year, and I assume those are the teams you like.

Hehe. He always looks and sounds that way. He praises the opposing team to the hilt and overstresses the extent of next week's challenge. He is a master of keeping the team focused on one game at a time. I read and listen to his press conferences several times a week on the Patriots' website. He's a brilliant guy. Not exactly engaging, but probably the greatest football coach in the game today.

Seems funny doesn't it, Mark? When I was getting into the NFL in junior high, I liked the NEw England Patriots. We were living in New Jersey at the time, and I should have liked the Philadelphia Eagles. I've been a fan ever since. By the time, we moved to Ohio, I already had my favorite team. Problem is that I didn't live here as a kid. Thank God! I do have a genuine sympathy for the Detroit Lions, but it doesn't go beyond that. We get the Browns and Lions games on TV.

Pardon me DEEP, but I've got to direct something towards myself: DUH!! I guess I thought you had written it. Anyway, no matter.

I don't think anyone is overlooking them, least of all the Pats. If the Pats beat them then we can probably call the Colts the second best team in football. They are definitely scary. Let's see what the cold does to their offense. Will it slow them down at all? We've had a lot of historical success against them. They used to be in the same division two years ago. The teams know each other quite well. Manning is really breaking out. Looks real good.

Oh, I'm staying away from this discussion. Great quarterbacks all have their own style. Favre has his and other great quarterbacks have theirs. The greatest quarterback I ever saw was Joe Montana. He managed the game beautifully and would be the opposite of the freewheeling Brett Favre. Brett Favre is a great quarterback. Tom Brady is still just developing into a great quarterback; but I like what I see so far. He needs more than three good seasons before he can be called great. I've always rated Favre highly, although he can be awfully bad. I also maintain that it is near impossible to prepare against a player like Favre. He is so unpredictable. Sure helps to have Ahman Green as well. Favre is far from the quarterback that he used to be. I think Ahman Green has helped him to extend his career a little. Chris, may I suggest you sit this next Super Bowl out? We're likely to see two "boring" teams in Philly and NE. Man, they both play well as a team and are not loaded with superstars. Poor you!

Petty, petty,, petty, Chris. Rules are rules. Everything was within the rules. Oakland could still have won that game if they had any nuts. I also subscribe to the theory that all questionable calls even out in the end. BTW, we can now see the downside of the Brett Favre freelancing, dangerous style as he just threw a horrible interception which might cost them the game, and cheat me of a 4-0 weekend. Thanks!

Good point.

I warn you though, Chris, that if the Pats go all the way, there will be a ton of Belichick imitators and suddenly everyone will endeavor to play Pat-style football. If they do win then it will be their second triumph in three years. People will realize that there's some kind of football revolution coming out of the Boston area.

I think the DEEP ONE only wants his punctuation corrected, Patty. No need to make any substantive changes. DEEP has his own style as you mentioned.

"How come her's hang out there like cow bells?"

That's okay, Chris. Everyone's different. I found the Indy-KC game a real snoozer. Very little drama to me. No friggin defence whatsoever. What a bore. Vick is exciting to watch. Can't argue that. So is Favre, but I'm an AFC guy. I like defence and big hits and great coaching. I found that New England game yesterday to be very intense. I loved it!

Conn ( A Linguist), I belive you misunderstood this sentence. The reference is to a "still" as in a distillery. We've changed it to "distillery" even though the meaning is different. A "still" is illegal as opposed to a distillery. If you missed it then the average reader will miss it so "distillery" it is. Thanks. DEEP My bad, DEEP. So sorry. My head is still in football right now. Cancel my suggestion. Patty: How about taking point next time???

Well, I'm glad the games are at home. My ticker won't be able to take it if these games get any harder than they already are.

Sorry DEEP, I kinda forgot I was supposed to look over your bio there--what with all the football and stuff on. I don't know how to split up paragraph baloons to quote in the same thread, so you'll have to locate the specific areas yourself. A few grammatical suggestions: "metaphoric; still, but few are they" "shades of gray. (Basic training indeed!)" Keep punctuation inside parentheses: ex. (shitholes,) "weaselike" should be either one word (check spelling) or put it this way: "weasel-like" I would probably replace "impel" with "compel" but am too lazy to check the dictionary. (second to last paragraph)

I need the Colts and Packers to win in order to be 4-0! Total opposite! Agree on Martz. I've been suspicious about Mr. Martz' stewardship of that talent-laden team. He should have a better record than he has; and he doesn't play Marshall Faulk enough. Giving up all that time at the end of the game was really lame. Hmm, I see that the Colts have just scored. Looking good....

Super Bowl won't be at home. Hey man, we earned homefield advantage. We all knew the rules going in. 14-2 ought to earn you something.

You know that this is going to elicit a response from me... If you find good defence and good teamplay boring then you find it boring. I would say that you probably don't know too much about football. Defence wins championships, not long bombs. Games are made interesting by drama. You can be a high scoring team or a low scoring team. It really doesn't matter as long as the games are close and and tight. I see the Pats marching all the way. Might want to sit out the rest of the playoffs.

Man, two great games today. Carolina played with heart and I had predicted they would win in my office pool. (No money involved; it's for fun.) Pats win in a tough, tough game. McNair played with great heart. He's a true warrior and a gentleman. I loved seeing him comfort Drew Bennett at the end, who had made some close catches on the sideline. I believe that Charlie Weiss (NE offensive coordinator) called a crappy game as usual. Antoine Smith would have two straight great runs then he would call the stupid pass play to a receiver on the line of scrimmage. Titans were all over it. He called that crappy play four times in two straight offensive series. Result: good runs by Antoine Smith wiped out as Pats are forced to punt. Damn, that guy drives me nuts! Fisher called a great game, I think. They would use the salt and pepper running attack: run George for a couple of plays then come back with the speedier Brown. Very effective play calling. We should have had Faulk run a few plays after Antoine. Brady is such a great quarterback. He's got nerves of steel and brilliantly manages the game. He's our everything on offense. Tennessee threw on Tyrone Poole's side of the field all evening. Didn't want to test Ty Law after that key interception he made on them early in the season. Poole did not have one of his best games. Seymour did not have one of his best games either. Our pass coverage looked the worst it had been in a long time. Where was our pass rush? Only in the end, were we able to really pressure McNair into quick passes. Tough, tough game by two tough teams. We win and move on. Tennessee has nothing to feel bad about. I do believe the Pats will march to the Super Bowl. They'll play better next game for sure. Sorry Jim.

Give me a sec, DEEP. I got to take care o' some crap today, then I'll put my grammar glasses on for you, okay? Hang on there brother.

How do you spell A-S-S-H-O-L-E? In fact, the HOF should fix a sign outside: "No Pete Rose allowed!" He sees nothing morally wrong with what he's done and actually blames others for being unsympathetic and cold. I agree with his teammate Joe Morgan who feels Pete has shown no remorse whatsoever. Kudos to Morgan for having the courage to be honest.

I must have played "Lee-Ann" about a hundred times today. You guys have to add it to the Tribute cd.

Connaisseur, the grin was worth it. Excellent idea to push the song into the Organissimo band's repertoire! Will be looking for their interpretation They did a great job on it, Brownie. Saw them last night in Ann Arbor. Joe came out with a long guitar solo which was nice. Martino's role was comparatively modest on the Groove HOlmes disc. It's a Teddy Edwards tune, but I always thought the sax got in the way of the pretty organ groove. It was really nice to hear it played without a sax. Sorry Teddy. It is your song!