Well, either Marilyn or Matt Hasselbeck gift-wrapped a victory for the Cruisers this weekend. 81-70 is the final, and I was a 10½ point underdog. But I'm not about to complain or gloat: Jimmie gloated, and Tim, the commissioner, came up with this story to switch kickers and wide receivers after the fact, creating a tie between the Touchdown Titans (Tim) and the Caribe Sharks (team Martinez), with the Titans having a player left to play tonight.

Marilyn still said she wanted to start T.J. Who'sYourDaddy, but someone told her to start the Patriot RB pair.

Yeah, I'm gonna get lit up by her next time we meet (probably next year).

But that's not the football I'm talking about.

Today's my birthday. It's an office tradition to have a birthday cake every month for those in the office whose birthday is that month. Except September last year. See, last year I was the only September birthday, and had only been working for Digital for 7 months, so no one realized when my birthday was.

Massive apocalyptic hurricane Katrina putting most businesses out didn't help either.

So today, my first birthday cake in at least 15 years. No more than 22 years, though...I remember the Putt-Putt party when I was 5, and I know there was cake then.

But that's not football at all.

Tonight, the Louisiana Superdome is reopened. Monday Night Football. People taking off work. (Some guys are leaving in a few minutes, for a game that won't start for another 9 hours.) Everyone wearing black & gold.

This city needed this. Really. Thank you, Paul Tagliabue, for sticking it to Tom Benson when he tried to move the team to San Antonio. Benson is a, well, it's not a nice word, so I'm not going to repeat it.

Anyway, I have work to get done.

I'm not going to the game tonight. Nope, couldn't get the office tickets FOR MY BIRTHDAY. MY BIRTHDAY THAT WENT UNCELEBRATED LAST YEAR, but I'm not bitter. I'm going to BW3 in Hammond, instead. GN, you & your brother (and by extension the family, but I'm not buying everyone's meal) are welcome to join, but I'm not driving all the way to BR to catch a football game.

-KIE, who is still waiting for Torhu to tell him why BW3 screwed up the Caribbean Yerk (but with a J) sauce

P.S. Next week, the Cruisers are favored early by 5½ over the visiting Poplarville Stallions, then a truly rough stretch against the Cookie Crunchers, Dahveed's Dominion, and the aforementioned Titans.