Inside Ryan's Head

tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68321662703014554452012-01-30T10:07:40.563-06:00Inside Ryan's HeadThere’s just too much stuff in my head. So I’ll store some of it here and maybe someone else will actually enjoy it.Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.comBlogger7491100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-60868553639254328672010-12-31T11:00:00.229-06:002010-12-31T12:21:01.545-06:00Drink of the Day: Drunken Holly

Now it can be told. This is a drink that I created as a tribute to someone very special. For all my interest in cocktails, I've never been creative enough to invent many of my own. I have no formal bar training, and I pretty much stick to recipes offered up by others, at least until I get comfortable enough with one that I try making some variations. But I do know what I like, and I know good

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-78638323718563576942010-12-10T05:00:00.059-06:002010-12-10T05:00:02.639-06:00Cue the Whitesnake, because here I go again

In the blink of an eye, the day is here for Surgery No. 2. And not a moment too soon. The need for this one -- a total replacement of my left hip, for the first time -- has become stunningly obvious over the last few weeks. As my right hip has gotten stronger, more flexible and completely pain-free since it was "revised" two and a half months ago, the limitations of the left hip has become

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-1114413767462929112010-11-22T07:00:00.132-06:002010-11-22T08:39:07.878-06:00The half-way point, more or less

I've hit a huge milestone in my recovery: As of Friday, I am declared well from a right hip revision, freed of restrictions and cleared to go back to work. I do so today, after 59 days away from the office. This is all to the good. I am so grateful and appreciative for where I am. And yet, it feels like a big pause in my overall journey. Let me explain. I saw Dr. Badass on Friday, eight weeks

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-53459066225787062482010-10-28T17:55:00.000-05:002010-10-28T17:55:00.513-05:00And the big date is...

Looks like the "recovery beard" will be with us a bit longer than originally planned. Drumroll please... Dec. 10. That's when my second surgery will be, barring an unexpected sudden opening in my surgeon's schedule. At first blush, this is disappointing. All along, I had hoped to roll right from surgery No. 1 (the revision of my right hip replacement) into No. 2 (a total replacement of the

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-77554123231721201062010-10-10T11:00:00.021-05:002010-10-10T11:00:00.404-05:00Sure, challenge your physical therapist, that's a good idea

It only stands to reason that if I got paired up with Dr. Bad Ass for this surgery, I also stumbled upon a physical therapist who is determined to rock my world. And in truth, it's exactly what I was hoping for. Everyone jokes that PT actually stands for pain and torture. My experience has been a little different. While there's no question I'm sore, the muscle work has actually felt good. I

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-22757527173891292982010-10-09T18:00:00.108-05:002010-10-09T18:00:00.433-05:00The two-week update, and life at home

My surgery was two weeks ago yesterday, and it would be impossible to overstate how much things have improved since then. Each day, I gain a little bit more mobility and flexibility, and with that, a small measure of independence. Why is that important? The initial surgery comes with a significant amount of restrictions on how you move and what you do, designed to prevent the fragile joint

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-41272758882179375162010-09-30T07:00:00.006-05:002010-09-30T09:55:43.561-05:00What the surgeon said (confidently, of course), and the hospital stay

You might expect, say, a lab coat or a stethoscope or even long pants when your surgeon comes to see you in the hospital. But those would be lesser surgeons, those who have to communicate to you that they are serious about their craft. And my guy does not. Because he is, as he would probably be the first to tell you, a 100% Grade A American Medical Bad Ass. In my experience, all surgeons are

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-36681616249411370212010-09-24T10:30:00.026-05:002010-09-24T10:30:00.754-05:00Time to go where I need to be

The preparations are done. I've had my "breakfast" -- my two blood pressure medications with "just enough water to swallow them," as the surgeon's assistant meticulously instructed. We leave for the hospital in an hour or so. A big box of books sits in my bedroom for my return, carefully selected. Of course, it's more than I could possibly read, even in six weeks, but it'll be nice to move from

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-91521281636937018972010-09-22T07:00:00.004-05:002010-09-22T10:28:02.433-05:00There's somethin' happenin' here, what it is IS exactly clear

The first WTF moment came at about 5:25 in the morning, as I was leaving my house to go to the gym and swim, and I suddenly thought: "I'm going to miss this. Wonder how long it will be before I can get back in the pool?" The second WTF moment came when I stopped in the grocery store and I inventoried the contents of my basket: chicken breasts (boneless, skinless, of course), whole wheat bread, a

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-82025540428748248752010-09-20T11:00:00.000-05:002010-09-20T11:00:00.667-05:00Drink of the Day: The Old-Fashioned, considered in an old-fashioned way

The Old-Fashioned was one of the first drinks I did for the original Drink of the Day -- now more than two years ago. I long wanted to return to it and try it much more in-depth. That required a lot of drinking...um, research, which took a while. But here we go.The Old-Fashioned, as directed by the Playboy Bartending Guide that has been my drinking bible, consists of bitters, sugar, water and

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-91646547623405786202010-09-17T10:40:00.001-05:002010-09-17T10:44:27.965-05:00If I gotta limp along for a while (OK, a while longer), I'm gonna do it in style

So a week from right now, I'll be getting ready to go in for surgery. To be specific, I'll be trying to figure out how to go another five or six hours without a sip of coffee or water until I feel the sweet release of anesthesia.An aside: I was shocked to find that this surgery would be scheduled at 3 p.m. on a Friday afternoon. Just goes to show -- surgeons are a different breed than the rest of

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-72834290500019033082010-09-12T07:00:00.002-05:002010-09-12T09:00:52.692-05:00When freedom means honesty, especially with yourself

Let's talk about the liberation of being sick. Or rather, the liberation of admitting you're sick.First, that word "sick" isn't quite the right one. When I think of someone being sick, I think cancer, heart disease, something that is acute and life-threatening. My condition is not that. It ain't great, but I want to keep things in perspective enough to understand that I am blessed to live in a

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-5628291189306079732010-09-09T21:10:00.000-05:002010-09-09T21:13:41.207-05:00"Yeah, I know, it's great." "No, it's bad." "It's bad. lt's terrible. Whatever you want. Just keep giving me these eggs."*

So the second opinion is complete. Now, there's only the decision: Which surgeon?I saw surgeon No. 3 -- you'll remember him as the unintentional comedian from last week's post -- again yesterday. He went over the results of the bone scan and CT scan, and the upshot is that it confirmed the diagnosis and the treatment plan. But first, he had to play a little game of good surgeon-bad surgeon. By

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-55696623107711355422010-09-03T07:00:00.007-05:002010-09-03T10:34:05.650-05:00The second opinion (and the greatest line ever uttered by a surgeon)

If you had to think of something you never want to hear an orthopedic surgeon say upon looking at an x-ray of your hip, what would it be?Ooh, I've got one! How about:"You're WALKING on that?"But that was the reaction I got this week when I sought out a second opinion about what to do about these hips of mine. That, along with the rest of the visit, left no doubt: I'm headed for two surgeries. The

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-38338667740452208512010-08-26T21:34:00.005-05:002010-09-02T23:32:17.747-05:00I’ve always been hip, but now I’ll be double hip

So what are you doing with the rest of your year? Me, I’m having two hip replacements.A quick primer for those who don’t know: When I was 12, I was struck with some kind of immune system disorder, and after 3 months of sickness, it was diagnosed as systemic arthritis. We got that under control, and then when I was almost 17, my right hip got really bad really fast. So they replaced that with an

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-81130937748192713812010-08-17T19:00:00.004-05:002010-08-17T19:11:12.727-05:00"All my friends say I'll make it all right/I'll recover and start a new life/But that'll be so hard to do/Cause livin' ain't worth livin' without you"

I make a drink and I think of you, because you bought the glasses.I get ready for work and I think of you, because you bought the cologne I spray on.I play music and I think of you, because I hear songs you loved and songs you hated, songs that made me think of you in good times and songs that make me think of you now.I read a story about someone whose iPhone alarm won't stop ringing, and I think

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-16534075041406976492010-07-29T17:23:00.002-05:002010-07-29T17:37:32.373-05:00A Steelryan book review: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

I don't generally succumb to hype when it comes to books, and there may not be any bigger hype-fest going right now than the odd spectacle of Stieg Larsson's Millennium trilogy. And I'm not a huge fan of mysteries, either. So this one normally wouldn't have hit my radar.But there's got to be something good about a series of books that can draw millions of American readers despite being set in a

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-9022662210853801182010-07-29T17:07:00.002-05:002010-07-29T17:17:18.796-05:00"Nice catch, Hayes. Don't ever f*ckin' do it again."

Those were among the immortal words of Lou Brown, the manager in the all-time classic Major League, easily one of my favorite films of all time. I bring them to you because, sadly, the actor who uttered them, James Gammon, is no longer with us. (I'm a little late on this, thanks to vacation, but odds are it slipped under the radar anyway.)Brown, as portrayed by Gammon, was a brilliant mixture of

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-60944934359759383702010-07-12T17:00:00.002-05:002010-07-12T17:00:00.109-05:00Stuff You Should Read, 7/12/10 edition

I freakin' love Jimmy Buffett.Go, Hef, go! Save the empire!

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-57157972775715964952010-07-11T20:58:00.003-05:002010-07-11T22:01:18.770-05:00Good one, Rangers, you really had me going there for a minute

Man, those Texas Rangers really went all out to pull a prank.First, they compiled one of the best records in baseball over the first half, in spite of their bankruptcy woes. But they knew, I suppose, that their fans had been burned enough by flashes of promise that they had to go a little further to keep us going. So they went out and got probably the best available pitcher in baseball, Cliff Lee

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-72447332234326006732010-07-09T19:00:00.006-05:002010-07-09T19:00:02.871-05:00Stuff You Should Read: 7/9/10 edition

A fellow traveler in the cocktail-a-day experiment. I thought maybe I should sue, but honestly, the drinking and the planning will be punishment enough. Don't kid yourself, Politico: The John Kerry curse continues.Fun with Bloody Marys.I was impressed with just one Tar Ball shot, but as usual, everything is bigger and better in Texas.

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-83089520984192412322010-07-08T19:00:00.002-05:002010-07-08T19:02:03.990-05:00Stuff You Should Read: 7/8/10 edition

Light list: I actually had to work today. But...Jack Shafer absolutely destroys a ridiculous NYTimes story about contact lenses. Hey Jack: Please write next about how terrible newspapers are at writing about risk. Wish I'd thought of this: The Lindsay Lohan cocktail: A Red-Headed Slut with a splash of Coke.Finally, don't miss Chip Brown's Twitter feed for contributions on things folks would

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-68217267722080627292010-07-08T11:00:00.002-05:002010-07-08T11:00:00.387-05:00Drink of the Day: Manhattans, again, he said dryly

When most people think of Manhattans, they think of a drink combining whiskey and sweet vermouth, as I explored in great detail yesterday. But I was surprised to find that they can be made with dry vermouth, too, so I figured as an addendum to yesterday's post, I'd run down my (thankfully much shorter) experimentation with that. I didn't try nearly as many variations, switching up the key

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-19122643280289391662010-07-07T19:00:00.005-05:002010-07-08T13:18:11.991-05:00Stuff You Should Read: 7/7/10 edition

Let's try something new, in hopes of keeping this blogging thing going. Since I'm at a computer all damn day, the least I can do is pass along the more interesting tidbits I read all day. Here goes:Can Tony La Russa bring the Cards back from a devastating loss?Screw the economics, screw the politics, this needs to happen. Because I want to go to Cuba, and I'm too much of a chicken to do it

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-56538510342924399592010-07-07T11:00:00.006-05:002010-07-07T11:00:00.690-05:00Drink of the Day: Combinations of brown liquid and red vermouth

It's been a while since I blogged about cocktails -- four and a half months. You probably even thought I'd given it up. (Not that you thought I'd given up drinking. Y'all know better.) But I've used the break wisely, working my way through a bunch of recipes and variations, and it's time to share the results with you. As you know, I am more or less a devotee of classic cocktails, so I wanted to

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-71982136592045200342010-07-06T20:44:00.004-05:002010-07-07T07:29:42.440-05:00A Steelryan book review: The greatness of Christopher Buckley

If you like politics, you owe it to yourself to read "No Way To Treat A First Lady." But if you don't, and you like to laugh, you'll like it anyway.The author, Christopher Buckley is, of course, the son of the late conservative icon William F. Buckley. The younger Buckley's writing is consistently hilarious; even if you've never read it, you got at least a glimpse of it if you ever saw the film

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-70028730928898201602010-06-14T19:03:00.004-05:002010-06-14T19:09:32.211-05:00Another crack in the crumbling wall of objectivity

Maybe I'm just old-fashioned, but I'm simply stunned at the ease with which a White House reporter can leap back and forth from working for an environmental group and covering the president. And not just any reporter -- Ed Chen is president of the White House Correspondents' Association. He represents that group, which is supposed to be strictly nonpartisan. Maybe Helen Thomas was in the right

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-21070345480120077422010-06-14T16:28:00.002-05:002010-06-14T16:29:03.306-05:00When congressmen attack

The arrogance. The gall. This guy should resign immediately, and then be prosecuted for assault.

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-65952814422909002612010-06-06T19:57:00.006-05:002010-06-07T11:36:26.564-05:00Surely there's a seat in a bingo hall with Helen Thomas' name on it

Nobody wants to be the one to tap an old lady on the shoulder and tell her to leave. But it is far, far past time that the White House Correspondents Association did just that with Helen Thomas. Her latest outburst is showing people what those of us who have observed closely and been willing to be honest about it have long known: She's bitter, and far, far too opinionated to occupy a front-row

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-64078472286294390732010-06-03T12:50:00.005-05:002010-06-03T15:18:59.429-05:00An imperfect response to an imperfect situation

I'm genuinely torn about whether Bud Selig should right the egregious wrong done to Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga. (If you have no idea what I'm talking about, watch this.)On the one hand, the call was clearly wrong, everyone involved admits it, and because it was at the end of the game, there's no question that Galarraga would have had the perfect game had the call been right. It's an

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-44987295597254769912010-04-29T15:26:00.003-05:002010-04-29T15:28:41.055-05:00Immigration is ... wait, is that Shakira?

I don't really have an opinion on the substance of the Arizona immigration law. Well, I do, but I won't share it, since I have to direct coverage of the issue in Texas.But I will say this: If it means getting Shakira to come to Texas, I call upon Gov. Rick Perry to call a special session of the Legislature and get this law passed. Today.

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-69234019662409230162010-04-25T00:07:00.002-05:002010-04-25T11:43:40.902-05:00Deep thoughts from Billy Bob's on a Sat. night

Robert Earl Keen just taught me that "You Can't Always Get What You Want" is a song about serenity. And by sharing it, I just blew your mind.

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-72740613176896114282010-04-20T21:25:00.005-05:002010-04-20T22:33:03.430-05:00Time for a very important update on a substantive issue

It's been nearly two years since I casually observed that CNN had made major strides forward in hotness. Since, things in the world of TV hotness have gotten more complicated.First, there are developments at CNN itself -- and no, I don't mean the fact that it's still on the air, but even that is somewhat surprising. No, apparently, regrettably, Brianna Keilar has decided that to be taken

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-83928076843798044462010-04-20T17:01:00.003-05:002010-04-20T17:08:27.956-05:00Obama, Bush and golf

Well, well, well. Which president is the golfing fool?Suffice it to say, if the numbers were revered -- or in a better analogy, if George W. Bush had eclipsed the golf outings of his predecessor's ENTIRE TERM in little more than a year -- there would have been extensive pieces on the network newscasts. (Although, to be fair, for all I know, there were. Who the hell watches those anymore?) We

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-75240781908240915962010-04-16T19:12:00.003-05:002010-04-16T19:29:26.624-05:00Seriously, people. Twitter. Now. Do it!

If Inside Ryan's Head is a big ol' buffet of me, my Twitter feed is like the tapas version: Small delights, delivered at a leisurely pace, over hours and hours. Go there. Follow me. There's a button now on the right. What more can I do to make this easier for you?

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-92156065861301728322010-04-15T16:44:00.003-05:002010-04-15T16:47:42.628-05:00Cheer up, guys, you still get to look at co-eds all day

Pity the poor college professors: They're getting a historically low bump in pay.As a guy whose pay is actually LESS today than it was about three years ago -- and that's not even counting the loss of 401(k) match, cell phone stipend, paid parking at work -- you'll forgive me if I don't weep for these pampered bastards.The news does bump into one of my favorite topics, though: Where is the money

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-52172400086999362852010-04-15T11:41:00.001-05:002010-04-15T11:43:25.038-05:00For my return to blogging, some random geniusness

If this doesn't entertain you, you are dead inside:(Hat tip: Mark Davis.)

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-83792888227047699572010-02-24T11:00:00.000-06:002010-02-24T11:00:05.828-06:00A drinking experience: Cognac and brandy tasting

Sigel's, which is a local chain of liquor stores, is a drinker's friend. At various locations, they host tastings of different products or categories of spirits. It's a fantastic experience that lets you try spirits before you waste money on something you don't like and to sample things you otherwise wouldn't be able to afford. The vendors, no fools they, do it up right. Dozens of products are

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-60711917233417432362010-02-22T11:00:00.007-06:002010-02-22T11:00:00.471-06:00Drink of the Day: Hot Drinks!

This has been a winter unlike any I've ever seen in Texas. It's been colder, more often and for longer, than any winter we've suffered. We even had an epic (for us) snowstorm, and we're expecting even more this week. (To my scoffing Yankee friends: Imagine if you had more than a week or so of 100+ temperatures. Yeah, that's what I thought.)What to do in cold weather? Make a hot drink! The old

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-21500954602809696522010-02-21T20:16:00.004-06:002010-02-21T20:25:22.255-06:00Is it terrorism? Well, yeah, but that's besides the point

Oh, the hand-wringing over whether or not the pathetic Joe Stack committed an act of terrorism by crashing his plane into a building that housed the very Internal Revenue Service that he blamed for so many of his ills. Was his intent to terrorize? Was he making a political statement? Was there a conspiracy behind his action? Does there have to be?These are all meritorious questions. However, to

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-7016668677635581012010-02-10T11:37:00.003-06:002010-02-10T11:39:58.305-06:00Oh, fine, why the hell not?

I think I'm the last human to do so, but I've started tweeting. On Twitter. If you've heard my frequent mockery of Twitter, feel free to mock back. I deserve it. But after that, follow @steelryan. (Or, twitter.com/steelryan for the uninitiated.)What will be there? Links to stuff I've read that I have something to say about, but not so much for a full blog post. Witty observations. (Well,

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-84207964688318133492010-02-07T15:11:00.003-06:002010-02-07T15:32:51.974-06:00My Super Bowl pick, not that I really care about it

Here's a contradiction for you: I am very excited to watch Super Bowl 44. And I really don't care who wins.Like anyone else, I'm caught up in the Saints story. And I like Drew Brees. I like the way they play on offense, and I like that their defense, while leaky, makes big plays.But I don't dislike the Colts. I like the organization's approach to the game. And I look at Peyton Manning like I do

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-64529814654765066542010-01-26T14:13:00.004-06:002010-01-26T21:51:22.066-06:00An explanation for all this late-night angst

Michelle Cottle is a wicked smart writer. And today, she answers a question that had been nagging my brain but that I was too lazy to tackle myself: Why, in the late-night saga, has there been so much anti-Jay Leno rage? It's worth reading the whole piece, but she boils it down to a pretty good essence: Jay isn't "cool" enough for some people. I always thought the fault here lies with NBC. They

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-44115705947179336402010-01-25T11:00:00.004-06:002010-01-25T11:00:04.076-06:00Drink of the Day: Gravy cocktails

Now I know what you're thinking: He's lost it. He's adrift without the dependable structure of a drink each day. But hear me out.This all started when, over the holidays, Megan and I were discussing the merits of gravy, specifically brown gravy. I'm not a huge fan. I like a little gravy on my turkey, but I can live without it. Megan, on the other hand, was professing her love for the stuff, and

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-73317011381034782692010-01-23T16:20:00.002-06:002010-01-23T16:26:39.926-06:00There's something about Krauthammer

No one has managed to frame the reaction and fallout from the Massachusetts Senate race like Charles Krauthammer. Read the whole thing, as they say, but here are the juiciest bits:After Coakley's defeat, Obama pretended that the real cause was a generalized anger and frustration "not just because of what's happened in the last year or two years, but what's happened over the last eight years."

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-75360044557141471282010-01-23T15:48:00.003-06:002010-01-23T15:54:51.127-06:00When Zakaria is outsmarting Obama, the prez is in trouble

I'm not the biggest fan of Fareed Zakaria's columns; I think they are often bland and predictable. But in this week's offering, he has an exceptionally good observation:Over the past six months—which have correlated with his dramatic drop in the polls—Obama has behaved less like a president and more like a prime minister. He has not outlined a broad vision for the country. He has not embraced the

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-79551572128617941192010-01-10T09:32:00.004-06:002010-01-10T09:44:03.911-06:00On the origin of the species

Scientists announced today they had discovered evidence that a species thought to be extinct appears to be making a comeback.The species, Cowboysfanicus fairweatherae, has not been seen in large numbers since at least 1996. Researchers credit the reappearance of fairweatherae partly to the creation last year of a large habitat preserve in Arlington. The project was controversial for both the

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-406333943361831542010-01-10T09:27:00.006-06:002010-01-10T09:31:54.965-06:00Last word (I hope) on football pain

Last week, as I was fully absorbing the blow of the Steelers' suckage, I came across this banner ad on a Web site I was reading for work:Funny guys. Real f'in funny.

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-77119075419515588222010-01-09T11:58:00.000-06:002010-01-09T11:58:00.902-06:00There's no real reason you should read this post

Given my track record on preseason picks, that is. But what the hell, it won't cost me anything (I already took care of that), so here's my playoff picks. I'm going on one guiding principle: the hot-team rule.WILDCARD ROUNDJets over BengalsEagles over CowboysPatriots over RavensPackers over CardinalsAs previously mentioned, the Bengals have got to be the worst playoff team ever. The Packers are

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-65691655878657150672010-01-09T11:04:00.002-06:002010-01-09T11:11:42.604-06:00Seriously, the football thing is a wreck

On top of all the misery surrounding my teams, I was taunted by the football pools I'm in. Consider:I was a mere three games, out of what, 256 NFL games played in a season -- out of first place in the big picks pool I play in for money. Will about 50 participants, that's not bad. But of course, it's just my luck this year to get that close and not win any money. And for that matter, how do you do

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-17155465567829602362010-01-09T10:13:00.002-06:002010-01-09T10:27:12.740-06:00Oh football, why do you mock me?

Only now can I bring myself to write about the miserable end to the football season.First, TCU. That one hurt the most. After the years of scratching and clawing to get a spot on the big stage, they went out and played their worst game in at least two years. It wasn't so much that they lost. Of course I wanted them to win, and frankly, I expected them to beat Boise State like a drum. It was the

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-78801659299664189462010-01-08T13:49:00.002-06:002010-01-08T14:00:48.452-06:00Silly USA Today, there's no such thing

As a former headline writer, I know the craft is difficult. You have to get a lot of concepts into a few short words, enough to tell people what the story below is about and, if possible, hit the nuances So I sympathize with the guy who handled this USA Today story. I really do. But when he came up with "BCS football fans get taste of Alabama politics," he violated the first rule of journalism:

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-42010111093138250562010-01-04T21:22:00.002-06:002010-01-08T14:01:12.744-06:00Keep talkin', guys, you're making the case for us

Watch this ad. If the arrogance of the BCS doesn't offend you, you don't have a soul.

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-70512092067608558332009-12-07T23:32:00.004-06:002009-12-07T23:36:29.452-06:00Coda (not the Led Zeppelin album)

One final note on my crap-tastic sports weekend: I'm in this NFL pool where you pick all the games and top two pickers of the week win cash. I got my picks in about 10 minutes late, so I wasn't eligible for the weekly prizes, and my pick in the first game (Thursday night) didn't count.If I'd been on time, I'd have won the week -- $200. At least my picks count against the final record, so I'm not

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-23147417578792715122009-12-07T00:05:00.003-06:002010-01-08T14:01:37.076-06:00But don't take my word for it...

If my rant about the TCU-Boise matchup didn't convince you, here's a real sportswriter using the ultimate tool of persuasion: An Animal House reference.I'm reminded of the opening scene of Animal House, when Kent Dorfman and Larry Kroger knocked on the door of Omega Theta Pi during rush. After being quickly paraded around and given a glimpse of all the beautiful people, they're summarily banished

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-87321571205939454842009-12-06T19:23:00.003-06:002010-01-08T14:02:13.489-06:00TCU vs. Boise State? Beyond an insult

TCU vs. Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl? What a crock. I'm usually not a conspiracy theorist, but anyone who believes this is the result of anything other than the big conferences not wanting another undefeated team beating a BCS school is a fool. Last year, Utah beat Alabama soundly, finished with no losses, and thereby attached a huge question mark to the "championship" that Florida won.So they

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-64879760095104147572009-11-18T12:45:00.002-06:002009-11-18T12:48:35.395-06:00This woman rocks my world

Ask yourself: Are you this strong of a fan?

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-40001074774131751732009-11-17T18:29:00.003-06:002009-11-17T18:31:42.996-06:00Finally, some high-grade presidential mockery

You would never see The Daily Show mock The One like this, but this is pretty hilarious.Obama's Home Teleprompter Malfunctions During Family Dinner(H/T: Ben Smith.)

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-38765977209394589962009-11-17T14:17:00.002-06:002009-11-17T14:22:56.610-06:00Recession? What recession?

I've ranted on this before, but I'm disappointed to see my alma mater jacking tuition up 6.2 percent during a recession. I feel like I got my money's worth, and I had scholarship help, but it's hard to imagine these costs are justified. Maybe TCU is just taking advantage of its time in the spotlight thanks to the BCS possibilities. And I'm sure plenty of people will pay it without batting an

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-7088735836310844042009-11-15T20:30:00.006-06:002009-11-15T20:48:33.730-06:00Why TCU belongs with the big boys

Since my senior year -- the infamous 1-10 season -- I've watched TCU football develop. There have been a few hiccups, but mostly, it's been a steady climb to where they are now: firmly headed for a BCS bowl, with a chance, albeit very slim, at the national championship game.Plenty of people don't think this team belongs. But here's what I see: As they were building through the years, TCU had a

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-91866646028282553002009-11-12T20:48:00.003-06:002009-11-12T20:52:31.343-06:00It's official: I'm pop-culture pathetic

Who the fuck is Regina Spektor? Apparently she's here in Dallas. Should I care?Taylor Swift, entertainer of the year? Srsly? I'm made my feelings on her pretty clear. But I will say this: She was pretty funny on Saturday Night Live.And could someone PLEASE tell me: What the fuck is Glee? Every week, a few of my Facebook friends spaz out about how great it is. But I have no idea WHAT it is.

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com190tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-6442146968950846682009-11-10T12:35:00.004-06:002009-11-12T12:14:45.746-06:00Striking a blow for the forces of good; UPDATED with AWESOME video

Mike Tirico made the point last night on Monday Night Football: No one floods an opponent's stadium like Steelers Nation. So it warmed my heart to see the Cowboys get a reminder of who is really "America's Team." Hint: It ain't the Cowboys -- the great Rick Gosselin told us this truth last year.Always remember: We're everywhere.UPDATE: Channel 5 has video of Witten's surprise. And I think I just

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-8220446140671596382009-11-06T23:13:00.002-06:002009-11-06T23:17:22.084-06:00Seven months, wasted

I can't believe I devoted 7 months of my life to the baseball season, only to see the Yankees win. Imaging playing Monopoly for 8 hours, and at the end, the banker wins. That's what it's like to go through a season and see the Yankees win the World Series.Joe Posnanski has an absolutely brilliant, devastating takedown of the payroll disparity in baseball here. You really must read the whole thing

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-85144445315445347382009-10-22T11:30:00.002-05:002009-10-22T11:51:46.260-05:00Drink of the Day: Passion Fruit Paloma

Since I had passion fruit juice, and nothing I would really be dying to use it for now that we're done with Hurricanes, I decided to try a bonus drink, the Passion Fruit Paloma. This was one I found from a podcast, the Art of the Drink. Although, admittedly, it had been so long since I made it that I forgot the precise instruction. The drink consists of 1.5 ounces of tequila (it calls for

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-82052040596189506682009-10-22T11:00:00.002-05:002009-10-22T11:00:01.620-05:00Drink of the Day: Hurricane

Welcome to the new version of Drink of the Day, in which I blog less frequently but more deeply on various cocktails and spirits and the like. (I tried to come up with a more accurate name than "Drink of the Day," because they won't be coming along every day, but I figured hey, I have a brand. Not really, but it's a convenient excuse for the fact that I couldn't think of anything new.)We begin

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-9933615284752372342009-10-21T18:38:00.002-05:002009-10-21T18:45:56.583-05:00Beyond mockery: Hollywood impatient with Obama?

Here's an unintentionally funny CNN report about Hollywood stars starting to bag on Obama a little bit:Embedded video from CNN VideoThe way I see it, Hollywood is all emotion, zero brain power, so they're not going to abandon Obama any time soon. Unless Dennis Kucinich runs again. An aside: What the hell is up with Lady Gaga? First, there was this bizarreness on SNL. Now, she's screaming at a

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-63761710335101755732009-10-21T14:51:00.003-05:002009-10-21T14:55:47.671-05:00Why isn't this a major scandal?

How can the cost of college be going up, up, up so fast, even in a recession?I blame two things: the relentless message that college is for everyone, and it's so valuable that any burden should be borne to attend; and the glut of government money that goes into education. Colleges never have to be accountable for what they spend, because families and the government keep ponying up.If this were

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-83457569788062914142009-10-20T20:45:00.002-05:002009-10-20T21:08:10.314-05:00A drinking experience: The Macallan tasting

I had an experience every drinker should have recently: A Macallan Scotch tasting. It was totally free. And it was totally awesome.I'd love to say that I was invited because someone at The Macallan saw this blog and figured I was a mover and shaker in the drinking world. Or even that I used my connections as a high-powered journalist to snag an invite.But really, I got an e-mail. And it wasn't

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-56001114904828737162009-10-16T13:31:00.003-05:002009-10-16T13:33:45.257-05:00That's it, I'm officially sold on Twitter

And this is the reason why. How did I miss this?Actually, I got on board the Twitter bandwagon when I was alerted to the greatness of Shit My Dad Says. It's a guy who just tweets what his 73-year-old dad says, and it's the funniest thing I've seen for weeks. Here, for example, is today's entry:"I like the dog. If he can't eat it, or fuck it, he pisses on it. I can get behind that."How great is

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-40460134485823893122009-10-16T10:11:00.003-05:002009-10-16T10:15:04.663-05:00Coming next: And your mama's ugly, too

Looking for evidence of the sad state of our political discourse? Look no further than New Jersey, where the Democrats, attempting to hold on to the governorship, can muster no better argument than "who wants a fat governor?"Pathetic. Remember this the next time you hear about how mean the Republicans are, and some crack directed at Obama is waved about as a sign that conservatives are cracking

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-23701072681647726562009-10-09T13:30:00.001-05:002009-10-09T13:30:00.776-05:00Um, so now what?

When it comes to Drink of the Day, to quote Billy Joel: "These are the last words I have to say. That's why they took so long to write." That phase is over. So you're wondering, now what?I still plan to blog about drinking (and other things, too). But I'll try to do so in a deeper, more substantive way. Having proved to myself that I can actually follow through on the insane plan to try a

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-51856255896987076512009-10-09T11:00:00.002-05:002009-10-09T12:26:19.684-05:00Drink of the Day review: Best entries

One of the reasons I wanted to to Drink of the Day was to do more regular writing. After all, if you're going to find something to say every single day, that takes real effort. And it also took real effort to come up with anything to say on a lot of these drinks. The blog, in some ways, resembles the drinks – mostly forgettable, marked by the occasional surprise or astute observation. Some were

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-8118888944568809462009-10-09T10:47:00.002-05:002009-10-09T10:55:04.724-05:00Wow. Just wow.

I can't remember where I heard this line, but it sums up all you need to know about this: Any prize given to Yassir Arafat and Jimmy Carter, but not Ronald Reagan, can hardly be called a Peace Prize.Out of the blizzard of commentary out there so far, here are my favorites, one serious, one snarky:">Jim Geraghty notes how that pesky reality can't help but offer a contrast.Barack Obama's

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-1582064045316695472009-10-06T12:18:00.002-05:002009-10-06T12:22:18.366-05:00What do Meghan McCain and Shawne Merriman have in common?

Both have (allegedly) smacked down Tila Tequila. If you listen closely, Meghan distances from the idea that she is Tila's "girlfriend."If, God forbid, Meghan goes over to that side of the fence, surely she can do better. Any suggestions?

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-233522429098623112009-10-06T08:43:00.000-05:002009-10-06T08:43:00.048-05:00NFL: First-quarter review

We're a quarter through the season -- more or less, since the stupid byes throw the math off. Clearly, some of my picks are way, way off. That is in no way surprising. Here's my take on the season so far.AFCLast year, I studiously maintained that Tennessee was not as good as their record. This year, their proving me right. They're four games behind in their division and don't really even look

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-54803416283979861622009-10-05T11:00:00.003-05:002009-10-05T18:59:06.275-05:00Drink of the Day review: Cocktail philosophy

Everyone drinks -- well, almost everyone. It's a truth of humanity across time and cultures. And there are nearly as many ways to drink and think about drinking as there are drinks to try.With that in mind, one of my chief goals in conducting Drink of the Day for a year was to shape my own drinking philosophy. What am I about as a cocktail man?I settled on what I would call modified modern

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-85633073478374163732009-10-04T19:34:00.003-05:002009-10-04T19:37:54.732-05:00Quick Steelers-in-prime-time fashion thoughts

I get the pink, raise breast cancer awareness thing. I really do. (Though honestly, aren't we all pretty aware at this point?) But these football players look silly with little pink accents. And the Steelers look doubly silly in throwback unis and pink shoes/wristbands. Pretty sure the hard-nosed bastards that wore those uniforms would have been caught dead before they would've been caught

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-87927483150376635872009-09-27T21:53:00.004-05:002009-09-28T10:19:57.190-05:00The Drink of the Day review begins: My favorite drinks

It's taken me nearly two months to return to my Drink of the Day experiment. (If you're new to this blog and don't know what I'm talking about, check the archives, starting here and here.) Truthfully, I didn't want to think about it once it was over. I wanted to drink without thinking about what to write. And occasionally, I wanted to go for a few days at a time without drinking at all, or

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-73253552529484626192009-09-27T21:11:00.003-05:002009-09-27T21:19:52.932-05:00It's all my fault

Dear Pittsburgh Steelers,I'm sorry. It's all my fault.See, the last two weekends have been a little busy, so I've watched your games on TiVo. And I've been distracted by other things (for instance, the desperate need to clean my house today). So while I've been as engaged as always, I have skipped a critical step: My Ben Roethlisberger jersey.See, I mistakenly thought that, because many of you

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-72680338442997574132009-09-20T23:24:00.003-05:002009-09-20T23:38:22.338-05:00It's not the size of the house, it's what's inside

Maybe now that they've opened the Atrocity in Arlington, Jerry Jones and the Cowboys will learn something about football (and life, really). It's not the size of a stadium or the features that make it special. It's not setting an artificially inflated crowd record on the backs of poor saps who pay $29 to stand around and see nothing; it's not the obsessively large video screen that risks

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-47777525605784720522009-09-13T21:35:00.004-05:002009-09-13T21:40:12.494-05:00Next, Jimmy Dean laments the slaughter of pigs

I had to watch this ad several times to make sure I was hearing it right: The AARP decries "special interest groups" working to block health care reform. And the AARP is .... what, exactly? It's the big dog on the special interest block. Other "special interests" aspire to BE the AARP, in terms of effectiveness.Here's the ad, see for yourself. If there was a chutzpah award, they'd win, hands down:

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-9097726133884019792009-09-12T15:54:00.002-05:002009-09-12T15:55:24.797-05:00George Will nails it (of course)

Why is Obama struggling to sell health care? George Will breaks it down:He deplores "scare tactics" but says that unless he gets his way, people will die. He praises temperate discourse but says many of his opponents are liars. He says Medicare is an exemplary program that validates government's prowess at running health systems. But he also says Medicare is unsustainable and going broke, and

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-92207924638915824902009-09-10T18:00:00.005-05:002009-09-10T18:17:59.610-05:002009 NFL Picks: The Steelers

If you read my playoff picks, you're probably thinking: His fan genes have overridden his analyst genes. But hear me out. I think the Steelers are poised to actually be better this year than last. Here's why:1) The team is intact. The Steelers lost only two of 22 starters, LB Larry Foote and CB Darren McFadden, and it's likely that the replacement for at least one (Lawrence Timmons, replacing

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-81153211521738127012009-09-10T17:28:00.004-05:002009-09-10T17:35:43.013-05:002009 NFL Picks: The playoffs

I've told you how I think the AFC and the NFC will play out in the regular season. Now for the playoffs:NFCSeeds: 1. Chicago; 2. New Orleans; 3. N.Y. Giants; 4. Arizona; 5. Philadelphia; 6. Seattle.Wild card round: N.Y. Giants beat Seattle; Philadelphia beats Arizona.Divisional round: Chicago beats Philadelphia; N.Y. Giants beat New Orleans.Conference championship: N.Y. Giants beat

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-17197800679338804112009-09-10T17:18:00.002-05:002009-09-10T17:27:16.369-05:002009 NFL Picks: The AFC

I gave you the NFC picks a while ago. Now, here's the other conference:EASTNew England: 11-5. They'll need Tom Brady at his best, because that defense is deteriorating.Miami: 8-8. That playoff run was a fluke, and the Wildcat ain't so novel anymore.N.Y. Jets: 6-10. But a good 6-10. They're building a good future.Buffalo: 4-12. Won't be TO's fault; this is just a very unimpressive team.WESTSan

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-75052442397355793182009-09-10T15:39:00.004-05:002009-09-10T15:56:12.543-05:002009 NFL Picks: The NFC

I'm not actually any good at this, but I'll offer up some season picks anyway. First, the National Football Conference:EASTN.Y. Giants: 11-5. A whole lot of defensive talent, and it's time for Eli Manning to earn that big ol' contract.Philadelphia: 10-6. Suddenly, all kinds of offensive talent. But it's the defense that's questionable.Dallas: 9-7. I'm feeling generous because I think Emmitt Smith

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-18920152277317639882009-09-07T17:56:00.005-05:002009-09-07T18:33:47.141-05:00Another Steelryan book review

It's been a while, but I pledged a full review of "Dino: Living High In The Dirty Business Of Dreams." So here we go.You might remember that this biography, by Nick Tosches, came highly recommended by a huge Dino fan when I casually mentioned that I'd like to read a top-notch bio of Martin. (And they say the blogosphere is useless.) And Tosches' book, meticulously researched and still, for the

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-62201893333826200442009-09-03T23:22:00.003-05:002009-09-03T23:46:41.153-05:00Hi, remember me? No, probably not.

So I've pretty much turned into the worst blogger on earth lately. Now that the Drink of the Day has stopped, I seem to have little to say. I promise, I'll try to do better. And yes, wrap-ups of Drink of the Day are still in fact coming. But for now, you'll have to settle for this random collection of thoughts I've been, uh, collecting.1) In case you've forgotten, here's a classic illustration,

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-90905337392583477922009-08-25T15:52:00.003-05:002009-08-25T15:56:51.258-05:00If the Cowboys want their videoboard so bad, make them pay for it

Looks like part of Jerry Jones' ego project, the ridiculously large videoboard at the new Cowboys Stadium, actually interferes with the game. I love that we're not talking about a Cowboys player, or even the team itself, but their video screen. As you'll see from that story I linked, Jones is reluctant to raise the board to prevent mishaps with punts. So I have a simple solution: Every time a

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-6502024188395430492009-08-18T13:12:00.003-05:002009-08-18T13:20:17.326-05:00The return of Pudge!

The Rangers are ">bringing back Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez. I will admit to being way too excited about this, given that he's a 37-year-old catcher hitting .250. I've decided that, even though I like the Red Sox a little better than the Rangers, I want to see Texas take the wild card. Since they listened to me and didn't mortgage their future to go for it, it would be sweet karma -- and a total bonus

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-37200117696789675012009-08-18T12:34:00.004-05:002009-08-18T12:48:33.623-05:00Random (snail) mail to a journalist, Vol. 3: Sometimes, words are just too darn hard

That's the message the fine folks behind the Complete Idiot's Guides seem to be sending. Remember ">I told you a while back about the helpful guides to history and politics that they sent me. Those were fine, but they required too much, you know, reading.Not anymore! Presenting the latest volume sent to me by this publisher:I don't want to risk copyright infringement, so I'll just share a little

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-58972793873422408422009-08-17T12:30:00.001-05:002009-08-17T12:33:00.331-05:00Even when the world is upside-down, the Cubs still suck

I thought for sure when I woke up this morning and saw that Your Texas Rangers are leading the wild-card standings, surely there's ice forming on the walls you-know-where.But then, I checked the National League Central standings and, sure enough, the natural order still prevails -- Cardinals, 5-game lead. (Figured I'd better post this before the Cards play the Dodgers and the Cubs get the Padres.

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-59936791695741326202009-08-17T12:24:00.004-05:002009-08-17T12:28:48.270-05:00Please tell me we won't still be arguing about this in 128 years

From the everything-old-is-new-again department: Was Chester Alan Arthur really a U.S. citizen? It does make you wonder: Why haven't we developed some procedure for laying to rest whether presidential candidates are eligible for the office? I've made clear I think the doubts about President Obama's birth are ridiculous, but I'm surprised that there isn't some formal step in place to cut this sort

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-53062739986978531162009-08-11T20:36:00.004-05:002009-08-11T20:42:16.640-05:00I'll bet even Bill thought it was funny

Item: Two Washington Post writers make an off-color joke about Hillary Clinton drinking a "Mad Bitch" beer and lose their video feature.Item: Ahem: Whatever Milbank and Cizzilla were punished for, it wasn't inaccuracy.Oh, and are these the vaunted diplomatic skills that are going to make the world like us again?

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-55627467409530412882009-08-11T17:51:00.004-05:002009-08-11T17:59:36.989-05:00Kix and Ronnie, say it ain't so!

This sucks: Brooks & Dunn are calling it quits.If all you know is "Boot Scootin' Boogie," you really missed out on Brooks & Dunn. They hit the scene in the early '90s, right when I was really getting into music, so I feel like I've grown up with their hits. They could rock out, like on "Little Miss Honky Tonk." They had the twangy drinkin' songs, like "Neon Moon." And if there's a more

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-11212445568573229062009-08-11T10:53:00.003-05:002009-08-11T11:00:07.486-05:00Spare me the latest outrage

So some people are yelling at their congressmen, and even getting a little pushy. Not great. And there's a rather distasteful poster of the president as ">The Joker. Also not great.But I can only roll my eyes when a certain side of the political discourse sees this as a new low in American politics and the treatment of a president. I saw protesters in New York City at the Republican National

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-14572305105920748622009-08-10T22:03:00.003-05:002009-08-10T22:05:24.702-05:00Put down the Blackberry!

This article makes me sad. I found myself doing this once, picking up my Blackberry before I even went to the bathroom. Then, server problems made me go a month without it, and I realized how pathetic it was and broke the habit for good.Oh, I'm still a technology junkie, as we all are, increasingly. But there have to be some limits. So, in a blow for sanity, I almost never look at my BB until

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-36877047351468946952009-08-09T11:42:00.002-05:002009-08-09T11:57:54.782-05:00It's a great time to be a cocktail drinker

Why? Because there are so many choices, so much information.In the past few days, I added three recent cocktail books to my Amazon wish list. I effortlessly found new drink recipes on TV and in a magazine. And I found two excellent pieces of cocktail journalism.The first, I'm proud to say, is by my own newspaper, is an exciting compendium of cocktails in Dallas. I can't wait to try a real Sazerac

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-71150808067648626312009-08-07T16:41:00.004-05:002009-08-07T17:15:17.235-05:00More random thoughts on music

1.) Taylor Swift is making my radio life miserable. Seriously, I don't begrudge her her success, but her songs are completely annoying. And even worse, they are annoying and hopelessly catchy. If I hear 5 seconds of "You Belong With Me," it's stuck in my head to the point that I fantasize about shoving a pencil in my ear. But let's be real, people: This ain't country music, and she can't sing.

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6832166270301455445.post-40061303744488325132009-08-06T13:51:00.003-05:002009-08-18T12:44:33.420-05:00Random (snail) mail to a journalist, Vol. 2

Did you know that the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community of Minnesota gave $250,000 last year to the St. Francis Regional Medical Center in Shakopee, Minn.?I didn't either, but thankfully, the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community sent me a copy of their 35-page, full-color glossy 2008 donation report. Some day, I hope to encounter one of their tribal leaders and ask why they thought a political

Ryan J. Rusakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716243604425275353noreply@blogger.com0