Cats alone atop the ladder

Geelong won in a shootout over Port Adelaide 106-94. The close score lowered the Cats’ scoring percentage, which is the only tiebreaker if teams have the same win-loss record.  Fortunately Melbourne’s game with the Western Bulldogs was closer with a 110-100 score.  Melbourne lost the game, leaving the Cats a full game ahead of Melbourne and third place Brisbane.  The Cats’ victory means they can punch their finals ticket if the West Coast Eagles upset St. Kilda tomorrow.

As for the Western Bulldogs they move into eighth place, the last finals spot. Unless the Saints blow out West Coast tomorrow by at least 100 points, the Bulldogs will keep that spot for the next week. The Bulldogs’ win also ends any chance the Adelaide Crows had of making the finals, and will do the same for Greater Western Sydney if they fail to upset Carlton tomorrow.

Jury Duty

I just got called for jury duty for the fifth time in 16 years.  I called in  twice and was told not to come in.  I ignored the other two notices and never heard back.  Thus I haven’t even made it to the jury assembly room, let alone served on a jury.

In Phoenix, I got called six times to Phoenix and once to Mesa.  I had to report each and every time.  Twice I never left the jury assembly room, three times I was quickly eliminated, and once I was among the final group to be eliminated.  I never stayed past 3:00 and when I got to Mesa never even got to the jury assembly room before being dismissed.

AFL round 19

Richmond starts the round tonight by hosting Fremantle. The visiting Dockers are trying to hang on to fourth place and a double chance in the finals.

The Tigers may be hosting, but they are playing at Marvel Stadium, better known as the Telstra Dump. Richmond is now simply trying to make the finals after losing to the worst team in the league. They are holding on to the eighth and last finals spot by scoring percentage. Even a win would not keep them in the eight if the Western Bulldogs and/or St. Kilda win in a blowout. The Saints have the best chance of winning on paper. Fortunately for the Tigers, the game is played on turf.

The Run Home

The AFL is down to the last five weeks and the race for the flag is heating up. Two teams are 13-4, three are 12-5, and two are 11-6. With two games between them and the next pack, these teams know they will be in the finals and are jockeying for position. The top two teams are guaranteed two games at home and if they win the first they will get a week off before the second game. The third and fourth place teams are guaranteed two games, but the first is on the road with a week off if they win. For the fifth through eighth place teams it’s win or go home with the fifth and sixth place teams hosting the first game.

Richmond, St. Kilda, and the Western Bulldogs at 9-8 and Port Adelaide and Gold Coast at 8-9 are all fighting for that last finals berth. With scoring percentage being the only tiebreaker, not only do contenders have to win, they have to win big. Essendon and Hawthorn at 6-11 could be eliminated this weekend. Adelaide and Greater Western Sydney at 5-12 should be eliminated this weekend.

At 2-15 North Melbourne and West Coast are fighting for the wooden spoon. Or fighting to not get the spoon because no one wants to be last. Since they do not play each other any win during the run home would be a huge upset. North beat Richmond last round, so it is possible one of these teams could do it again.

Buffs win

I went to Tulsa yesterday to watch the Tulsa Buffaloes win over North Texas. The Devils had their opportunities, but inaccurate kicking cost them the game.

ad realized the road construction in Owasso that was in the northbound lanes was now in the southbound lanes.

I got off work Saturday morning and left at 9am for a 11am game figuring I had plenty of time to get to the game. I made an ill advised stop in Coffeyville for gas and ice. I paid $4.70 a gallon. In South Coffeyville it was $4.20. In Tulsa it was under four dollars a gallon. I still would have gotten to the game on time if I had realized the road construction in the northbound lanes a month ago was now in the southbound lanes. Being late also meant finding a parking space was time consuming. Not having been to a game in three years also meant I was not aware the short cuts to the park were fenced off. By the time I got around them I missed the entire first quarter.

Fortunately the Buffs were better prepared than I was. When the Devils got a loose ball, they were tackled early and often. By the fourth quarter the Buffs got most of the 50-50 balls and expanded their lead to win 45-29.

It’s really summer

Fair season started last weekend. For the next month every town of any size has a fair. Most are modest affairs with the highlight being a rodeo and/or a demolition derby.

The other part of summer, the heat wave, has arrived. According to the Weather Channel, the highs will be over 100 every day for the rest of July. What’s worse is August is considered the hot month.

Moving day part three and final.

We spent the next day in Coffeyville. I put up an extra ceiling fan in a bedroom and we rode bikes downtown and had lunch and rode around town.

We got back and decided to leave for Eau Claire the next morning. We got to Iowa and my debit card would not work. I carried enough cash to fill the tank and off we went to Beeds Lake State Park. We cooked a simple dinner over a fire and swam in the lake. We got to roomie’s town and unloaded his stuff and spent the next two days meeting with his family.

By the time I got ready to turn in the Uhaul and catch the bus from Eau Claire to Coffeyville, roomier had found a job and a place to rent. I had to fill the Uhaul, get a cab ride to the terminal, and wait a couple of hours. The bus ride was long, slow but uneventful. My house was a mile and a half from the bus stop, but at least the walk was early in the morning. I got home and checked the receipts and figured the City of Phoenix paid all my moving expenses except my last tank of gas and the bus ticket home.