Hooters Madison Is Ready For The Sweet 16, Taylor Lecturing Trav & Was Caleb Williams Wearing Lipstick?
The power of Screencaps
• William in Reiserstown, MD writes:
A few weeks ago in your column someone (I can't remember who it was) wrote in and made a very positive mention of a place called the Manalú Italian Restaurant in Frederick, Maryland. This isn't too far from where I live, and so I wanted to let you know that I stopped in there on Saturday and had an absolutely wonderful and delightful meal. This was an excellent recommendation, so if you have any recollection as who it was that mentioned it to you, please give them a shout-out from me.
Kinsey:
William is referencing Dawgs Fan Sam L., the reader who swears he's not working for the CIA. Sam L. is the reader who has been in Romania, far northern Michigan, NOLA, Frederick, Maryland and other places over the last few months. Again, I don't ask what readers do for a living. I just wait for them to provide us with travel nuggets like the Italian restaurant. Screencaps reader Chris A. is also a fan of that place. That's now three readers who give it the seal of approval.
Remember when Mike T. in Idaho mentioned the popularity of sunflower seeds at Dick's Sporting Goods?
Travel Ball Hardo Chris B. in Houston saw a marketing opportunity for his buddy who is an investor in Chinook Seedery, an Austin, Texas-based seed company that markets its "small-batch sunflower seeds" as having "less salt, all the flavor," compared to those seeds your kids are buying at Dick's.
Hardo Chris B. asked if I'd give the seeds a try.
I'll be damned if the saying, "Everything is bigger in Texas," is true. It even extends to the sunflower seed business. Chinook didn't just send me a couple of sample sleeves of seeds. They sent TWO boxes of seeds. On Friday, I was expecting a work computer from Fox and the UPS guy showed up with two boxes. I thought one was the computer and the other box was cables and keyboards and other computer peripherals.
It was actually a giant case of Chinook seeds. There must be 30 bags of seeds featuring flavors from original, to hatch Chile, cinnamon toast, Bobby Witt Jr.'s lemon pepper, smokehouse BBQ, dill pickle and more.
So far, I've had ¾ of a bag of the smokehouse BBQ and a few of the dill pickle seeds.
Fair and balanced reaction:
1. As advertised, the flavor is tremendous and I don't end up with "sandpaper tongue," like Chinook advertises on its packaging.
2. The dill pickle seeds could actually have the flavor cranked up a little bit more without it being overpowering.
3. Without a doubt, the seeds have way less salt than the packs you're buying at Dick's.
4. 12 4 oz. bags sell for $30. $6.99 shipping to NW Ohio. $2.50 for taxes. $40 for a supply of seeds.
5. Would I have my 5th and 6th grade rec ball kids eat these seeds vs. some pile of salt from the mainstream brand? Absolutely. In fact, I think this year, I'll supply the seeds for the team instead of the gum I bought last year. The gum was cheaper, but let's be honest, it's much cooler to dump a pile of seeds into the back pocket of your baseball pants for those long innings.
6. Did I just say that because Travel Ball Hardo Chris B.'s buddy sent two huge boxes of seeds? Absolutely not. If you know anything about me by now, it's that I'm going to give my honest opinion on anything Hardo Chris B. mentions like Texans traveling for hours out of state to play baseball. I said it was insane and Hardo Chris B. eventually said I was right.
7. Again, I'm not on the Chinook payroll on this one. Here's my advice to ballpark concessionaires reading the column: Get on the phone with Chinook to see if you can get a wholesale price. Kids will go nuts over the flavors this summer. Sell the personal packs at the concession stand. Mark them up a couple of bucks. Make money for your league so you're not begging people to buy Super Bowl squares next winter.
Remember what I said about high school baseball at the highest level being in danger of losing players to 12-month travel ball programs?
Look what we have here out of high school football. The wheels are in motion out there, folks. We're talking high school prep franchises being sold to investors. "I’ve been very encouraged by the number of four and five-star kids," Brian Woods, founder of The Spring League, told On3. "We’re up around 100 four and five-stars that have committed to play in it."
Do you want your 4 or 5-star kid playing with other 4s and 5s or on a high school team with 2s and 3s? That's the question parents will soon ask themselves with football, basketball and baseball. Then these models like The Spring League turn into in-season leagues and you travel sports and AAU basketball on steroids across youth athletics.
The parents will be forced into making a decision if high school sports is cutting it and if their child is falling behind to other athletes. Pay-to-play academies, which have seen serious investment, will reap the rewards when parents ultimately decide high school sports – at the D1 and D2 level to start – are the new rec ball and their kids must keep up with the 4 & 5 stars.
This is actually a genius business plan out of Woods. I need one of these franchises.
Ladies, let us breathe
Why do you think most of us have been sticking so close to the house all winter and going crazy completing all sorts of projects before opening day of the golf season? It's so we can spend 14 hours at the golf course – RELAXING.
Two weeks from today, Canoe Kirk and I will walk that aisle and through those gates for the first time
• Patrick C. in Perrysburg writes:
I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was envious, as well as a bit jealous, given your upcoming trip to Augusta National. Your excitement and anticipation were mirrored just last spring when I first set foot on the hallowed grounds. As it’s been suggested, bring a nice camera with you since cell phones are not allowed. Words can’t express the feeling of seeing the place for the first time…and that’s just the practice area. Spend a few minutes there to collect yourself and get yourself ready for the day. Make sure you call some friends from the phone banks along the 8th fairway, so they’ll receive a call from "The Masters". It can’t be said enough but enjoy every minute you’re on the grounds. It truly is a once in a lifetime experience.
Kinsey:
On Monday, I got an update from our ticket hookup who wanted to get an early feel for how we're going to do this ticket hand off. I've never done a drug deal of any size, but I have to imagine this is how doing a massive deal feels. There's so much planning and coordination. There's so much nervous anticipation. There's the feeling that you want this deal to go smooth.
I'd be lying if I said my nerves aren't starting to build. The reality is kicking in.
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That's it this morning because I'm running over my 9 a.m. deadline due to the Chinook photoshoot.
Enjoy your sunflower seeds. Enjoy this final Tuesday in March. Enjoy those daffodils, the tulips, the spring that is sprung-ing.
Let's go dominate this day.
Email: joekinsey@gmail.com