The View From Wisconsin
Just a random set of rants from a Sports Fan from Wisconsin.
Saturday, January 26, 2013
A few thoughts for a Saturday late in January
Some random things:
- The toughest thing about the shortened NHL season is going to be the 10/6 rule: any sort of benchmark of 10 over 82 games is about the same as 6 over 48. So, it's going to be mid-February before we know whether or not a team is a legit playoff contender, as it's going to be about that point where everyone is going to have 12 games under their belts. That's going to be the hardest part of this whole thing - when do you figure out that it's time to fish or cut bait?
- I am definitely not a big fan of the up-and-down temps in central Wisconsin. ESPECIALLY the "down" temperatures. 27-below wind chills are just crazy.
- A road-geek moment: There are still some websites and pundits out there that posit that Interstate 39 is "eventually" going to extend to Merrill - or possibly beyond. Anyone who believes that has obviously not driven the section of US 51 north of the Wisconsin 29 East interchange recently. For one thing, the interchanges north of Wausau proper (for example, the K/U/Business 51 exit) are a complete mess. In fact, the freeway between that interchange and Brokaw is in severe need of repair. It also would need a massive overhaul to get up to interstate standards (many of the overpass clearances are too low at the present time). Even the new 29 West/Highway 52 interchange isn't completely interstate "kosher". And, of course, I don't think the AASHTO would want to have an interstate "end" at a county highway - though that would pretty much be the case if it were extended to the end of the existing freeway at Highway K north. There's already a boondoggle over converting the section from Tomahawk and US 8 south to Merrill into a freeway, one which would probably turn Irma into a ghost town. Bottom line: I-39, if it is extended at all, won't go any further north than the Wisconsin 29 West interchange.
- I am eagerly waiting for Dickey's Barbecue Pit to finally open in Wausau. It's looking like February 1st (or so) will be the grand opening. Last I looked when we drove past, the "real" sign has been put up. Can't wait for some real Texas pit-style BBQ.
- Speaking of Texas - a certain young lass hailing from Tyler is finally tying the knot this summer! She has the date down, but I don't think I'll be able to attend, sadly. Looks like it's going to be a gorgeous day, though.
- If anyone would have told you back in August that it'd be Harbaugh vs. Harbaugh in the Super Bowl, they'd have laughed and said, "What, did Aaron Rodgers, Matt Ryan, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady all get hurt at the same time?" Oh, little would they have known.
- Over/under on number of misspellings of "Kaepernick" by those in the print media - 500.
- Sign that you're getting old: the guys who are leading the NHL in scoring, you remember watching when they were rookies. Back in the 1990's.
Copyright © 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, Joseph Houk. All rights reserved.
