Antmeister
09-27-2007, 12:17 PM
do you have any idea how long it takes to answer one of these things?
I guess I’m about to find out.
Did you already do one of these? If no, then how senile am I?
No—you’re losing it.
Participation of these seems to have really dropped off lately. Do you think ftb has jumped the shark?
Like I said, they may just not like us, DD. I suspect the next participant will draw more interest.
I do enjoy the board feature, though.
How did you feel when you were chosen for FTB?
Uncomfortably proud?
What criteria are you using to chose the next participant?
I picked someone who has been around the board for a long time and who I am confident will generate a lot of questions.
Education
How in god's name did you get into Harvard?
I wish I knew. I would package it and sell it on late night infomercials and across the intertubes. That assessment is based on both on actually getting in and interviewing potential applicants for the last five years.
In all seriousness, I was your basic high school nerd, with the twist that I played three varsity sports and held leadership roles in a number of dorky high school activities. I had volunteered for a couple of political campaigns and done some community service. One hook I probably had was that our Science Olympiad team won the state every year I was in high school and I won a couple of medals at the national competitions along the way. No connections, or anything like that. I was the first from my high school to get admitted there in some time and the first in my family to go to college outside of Georgia.
What that all means is that I was probably good enough to get in the “not immediately rejected” pile, and then was fortunate to have an essay reader who might have liked what I wrote or took a particular interest in my application. Or I could have just won the lottery of “not rejected” applicants they had that day.
Do you know anyone who went to Law School older than in their mid-20s? Did they find success?
Sure. I think most did very well in law school because they were more focused. Law firm success was a little more mixed. Some couldn’t adjust to going back work and being worked that hard, but some used their previous experience to their advantage. It’s pretty much what you make of it.
White guy, recently-majority-black high school. What was it like (or did it switch shortly after you left)?
Interesting question. I went to first and second grade at Avondale Elementary. We moved to the Stone Mountain area before the third grade and there were three black kids in the whole third grade. By the time I was a senior in high school, the school was about 30-40% white.
My senior class was slightly majority white. I think the school self segregated like most probably did (or still do), but the change was probably gradual enough over the ten year period I lived in Stone Mountain, that it didn’t seem all that unusual to me. I was probably a bit sheltered from taking mostly AP classes my junior and senior years. I was also at the state National Honor Society convention when all of the Rodney King stuff happened, so I didn’t experience that first hand. The biggest thing for me was probably seeing white kids move away from our school and having more and more new students each year that I didn’t know. In a sense, that made the school bigger than it was, and probably less friendly.
Though I could certainly be wrong, I'm under the impression that you had some involvement in Harvard's athletic program. Where you a recruited athlete? If so, what were your impressions of the admissions process for student-athletes? Is it as arcane as people say it is? Did you consider other schools in the league?
I wasn’t recruited, but I had a good number of friends who were and I’ve since been involved in the admissions process a bit interviewing candidates. Each sport is allowed to put forth a preference list. The athletic admittees as a whole also have to comply with the Ivy League admissions index for student athletes. Football is separated from this calculation and has its own admissions index. Different schools take different approaches to this. Cornell stacks its hockey team and wrestling team. Penn, basketball. Harvard keeps a balanced approach and has an internal policy that all sports must be within one standard deviation of one another on the admissions index. Our hoops team has suffered, but we’ve won like 34 of the last 37 national squash titles.
I got into Harvard early (then non-binding), so I didn’t really consider other Ivies. I had also applied to UVA and Georgetown, whose applications I completed about the time of my Harvard one. Once I found out I got in, I didn’t apply anywhere else.
As far as sports go, I rowed one semester there and then played rugby for three years. Ended up starting on our A-side for two seasons—I had a knack for being able to tie up the ball in mauls and had good hands and passing ability for a forward.
I also had the best job ever, in being head ref of the intramural program. It was a huge boondoggle—my boss (the then associate AD) told me, just don’t give yourself 40 hours a week. They get suspicious of me if my students are working “full time.”
How did the transition (in any facet) from HS to college go for you? How did you enjoy your experience at Harvard?
I loved college. I had a great time and made a lot of great friends.
As far as the transition goes, I was a good writer in high school, but I still don’t think I was prepared to write a college level paper at first. I also was a moron my first semester and somehow scheduled classes that left me with an exam schedule that first fall of four exams in five days (Harvard has a two week exam period). Looking back, I probably skipped too much class and didn’t take advantage of some of the opportunities there, but so it goes.
Who were your favorite and least favorite professors in law school? And why?
Don’t know if you know of any of the UVA faculty—heck you might have gone there too, but I thought you went to Columbia or NYU.
Anyhow, my favorite prof was a guy named Jim Ryan. I took a class called Schools, Race and Money with him. I enjoyed his teaching style, plus he was younger, so I related to him, and his passion was evident. I also enjoyed many of the topics of his research and scholarship.
Second favorite was a guy named Moynihan who wasn’t a lawyer—only non-lawyer on the UVA faculty. He was a psychologist by trade and taught a couple of classes on using psychological and sociological data in legal situations.
Least favorite was probably my trusts and estates professor—think his name was Cushman. Stereotypical professorial ego.
Do you ever refer to yourself as a Wahoo?
No, but I definitely called my friends who went to both law school and undergrad there “Double Hoos.”
Wahoo Wah!
How many different softball teams did you play on in law school?
UVA law is famous for its softball leagues and hosts a national softball tournament each spring. My third year I was the tournament director and we set a then record for the amount of money raised for the local charity the tournament benefits.
In the national tournament, I played on UVA’s co-ed Blue and Orange teams (UVA enters three teams in each division, Gold, Blue and Orange).
In our regular leagues (spring and fall season, three leagues—Co-ed, Regular and Macho (no limit on pitch arc)), I played on my section team (we were Section H and I can’t for the life of me remember our name), the Extra Arms on Vishnu (co-ed team), Chico’s Bail Bonds (macho), and at least three others from time to time.
Career
What does it mean to have an "in-house" position?
It just means that I work for a company in its internal legal department rather than for a law firm. My only client is the company that employs me.
What kind of lawyer are you and when did you find out that's what you wanted to do for a living?
I went to law school because I wasn’t ready to get a job. Then, I was a corporate transactional attorney for a big firm and did mostly mergers and acquisitions when I worked there. Now I’m in-house and mainly still do corporate work—negotiating our business contracts, etc., but I also do our corporate governance and manage outside counsel when we have a litigation matter.
You've worked at a law firm and (by my count) two in-house positions. What are the major differenced between firm-life and life in-house? Also, you implied you didn't like your first in-house gig, but liked the second. What were the reasons behind that?
Your memory is correct. I was at a firm for 3+ years and have since had two in-house positions, both with investment management firms.
The biggest difference is the ability to keep a regular schedule. I was in my firm’s corporate group, so I would go from working on a deal round the clock—sometimes multiple all nighters in a week—to having very little on my plate. I had to cancel dinner plans more times than I can count. Now, I generally know my schedule or can plan for things in a much more reasonable way. I’ve been really busy the last several months at work, but it’s more manageable and less forced. I do what I need to do and get out of there. And I don’t have to keep track of how long I was there, how long my bathroom break was or any of that nonsense. That’s a huge bonus.
I probably more than implied I didn’t like my first in-house gig. I hated it. That’s hard to imagine, considering it was an 8:00-4:30 (on the nose) job and I had a gorgeous view of the beach from our Ocean Ave. offices in Santa Monica. But, I didn’t get along with our general counsel, who turned out to be much different from her interview persona, and just felt like I was going through the motions each day. No real opportunity to be a lawyer. Bah.
I’ve been at my current job almost two years—was recruited there by a guy who I had interviewed with and kept in touch with from the law firm. I have a cube instead of an office and work two or three more hours each day than my last job. But, I have a lot of freedom to make decisions and provide advice. I got a little promotion earlier this year when we re-organized our department, and now head up our US legal affairs group. It was a great move for me.
What do you find most satisfying about the practice of law? Least satisfying?
I come from a family of teachers. Both of my parents (and my step-mother) as well as two of my grandparents were teachers. So, the most satisfying thing for me is when I get to provide counsel to others—it’s a lot like teaching, which is, in a sense, in my blood.
The least satisfying is that there are too many lawyers who have no concept of marginal costs. This was particularly true at the firm. Too much time spent on the little stuff, which just doesn’t matter. (Obviously, you have to pay attention to detail, but creating issues to justify your hefty hourly rate isn’t a value add.)
Family
How did you meet your lovely wife?
We first met my sophomore year of college when my roommate took her to a formal. We remained loosely a part of the same large group of friends, but didn’t have a whole lot of contact until our senior fall. She had spent her junior year at St. Andrew’s in Scotland and I dated and/or had various flings along the way. Our first weekend back to school, our group of friends had a few drinks before heading out to the bars and we talked more than we ever had. We ended up taking a class together that fall (we were both a core class short and took Latin American Studies to satisfy our foreign culture requirement). So, we’d eat lunch together a couple of times a week and study. The only problem was she was in a long distance relationship. The tension mounted over the course of the fall, and the weekend before we left for Christmas break we had a drink or two too many and ended up making out for a while. That led to several months of awkward on again-off again hooking up while she sorted out what she was doing with the other dude. Finally, in late April, after I had pretty much given up on things, she invited me to her house formal. She kissed me on the dance floor—but that wasn’t all that new. The next day she came to my dorm room and told me she wanted to give things a shot.
We graduated and were long distance for a year. She had taken a job in San Francisco, and I was at UVA for law school. Her company (a consulting firm) somehow agreed to let her move to Charlottesville and be based from her apartment, so our second year dating we lived in Virginia. We got engaged in August 2000 before my third year of law school. And also just before she moved to LA to take a job with EToys. I took a job with an LA based firm and after the EToys collapse she moved to a marketing role at a studio and we’ve been here ever since. Six plus years now. She’s fantastic.
Where do you take your wife when you go on a hot date?
She likes going to movies a lot more than I do, so she’s generally pleased when I agree to see something with her. We’ll throw in a decent dinner and call it a night.
3 1/2 years later, how's the healing process for you? Is there anything you've discovered about yourself/people/the world as a result of the terrible tragedy in your family?
It’s funny. I write this on September 25, which is my dad’s birthday. He would have been 59 today. I try to remember him and Bill a little each day, but today it’s a little more poignant.
For those new to the board, on January 13, 2004, a teenager broke into my dad’s home, and in a struggle, shot and killed both my father and my brother. Because I knew Ben and Ben knew my dad and brother, this board has experienced part of that tragedy with me. You can search for my last name (Venable) if you’d like to read more.
Three and a half years later, some things change, some things don’t. I still miss my dad and brother. Sometimes it hits me when I’m not expecting it. I’ll think to myself that it has been a while since I talked to my dad. And, of course, it will hit me that he’s not here.
I don’t relive the incident or have a lot of anger regarding it. I never have. To me, that would just be wasted energy. That doesn’t me I understand why it had to happen. I don’t. I probably never will. But, I think it is a disservice to dwell on that and not their wonderful lives. As many of you know, there have been a lot of really special tributes to my dad and brother. We give out a scholarship every year in their name. The DeKalb County wrestling tournament is named in my dad’s honor as is the gym at Tucker. And, of course, I got to carry the torch. The best thing I can do is try to honor them with the way I live.
As far as how I’ve changed, I’m probably a bit more cynical, and less sympathetic to those who sweat the small stuff a bit too much. I don’t think that makes me cold hearted, but it’s one thing I could probably work on.
The hardest thing about losing my dad was the timing. We were closer than we’d ever been, and that’s saying something. We had an absolutely fantastic fall with the Tucker football season. But, also, and more personally, my mom (my parents divorced when I was two) was going through a rough patch mentally and financially, and I was bearing more than my fair share of that burden. I was relying on my dad for a lot of advice. My mom tried to be there for me, but I just couldn’t let myself rely on her during that time. So, since then, I’ve had to rebuild that relationship a little bit, and I think we’re both doing better today.
My dad’s family is doing great. I’m proud of all of them. And, I’m proud of my mom’s family too. It’s been a good year.
The Torch
Where's the torch?
In my garage—which is my men’s den/poker room. Not framed—still looking for a local place who can do it—but on display.
How do you reflect on the olympic torch experience a few years later now?
Remarkable. It is still pretty unreal that for that few minute period the torch was in my hands—and I was responsible for getting it to the next destination. It’s still pretty neat to think about. I’ll never forget the last few moments as I looked up into the flame in my torch before passing the flame onto the next runner. Pretty special.
How does being a part of carrying the torch rate compared to other big events in your life?
It’s definitely up there. It was an awesome tribute. I’m really, really glad I have the torch I carried as a keepsake. Worth every penny.
Southern California
What are the best things about living in Hollywood?
The weather. The weather. The weather.
What are the worst things about living in Hollywood?
I actually live in the Hollywood Hills—in Laurel Canyon, for those who know the area. I’m about two miles from the Kodak Theater and the heart of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which is on my normal running route.
My biggest complaint about LA is that it is very hard to form communities here. Things are spread out. A significant number of kids don’t go to public high schools. Churches aren’t as important in the community. Neighborhoods aren’t defined or designed into neat little sub-divisions. So, you do a lot of fending for yourself. Or you just spend a lot of time in traffic.
Luckily we have a good group of friends and a pretty good support network here. If I were on my own, I’d definitely be out of here.
Best Mexican Food Restaurant in Hollywood/Los Angeles?
Depends. For a burrito in a pinch, my top three are Poquito Mas, Loteria at the 3rd Street Farmer’s Market or Dona Rosa in Pasadena.
If I’m going to sit down and have a margarita and a Mexican meal, I’d go with Gardens of Taxco in West Hollywood, Nueva Posada in Pasadena or Casa Vega in Sherman Oaks.
Best celebrity run in?
My dog humped Paris Hilton’s dog at a local dog park.
Worst celebrity run in?
My wife wanted to go see Kathy Griffin. A poker buddy of mine does some part time writing for her, so he gave us tickets and back stage passes. The show was actually decent. We then went to the back stage deal and ended up bumping into Kathy Griffin when we walked in. The conversation went something like this:
KG: “Who are you?”
Digamma: “Hi, I’m digamma, and this is my wife.”
KG: “But, who ARE you?”
Digamma: “I’m a buddy of Jon’s.”
KG: “Oh, then you must know Tom.” (Turns out Tom is a buddy of Jon’s from high school who may or may not be boning Ms. Griffin.)
Digamma: “Tom?”
KG: “You know, I mentioned him in the show. He’s great friends with Jon.”
Digamma: “Mmmm….I just take Jon’s money in poker.”
KG: turns and walks away.
How many transvestites/he-shes do you see everyday? When Ant and I lived in Hollywood, we'd see at least 1 everyday.
I generally drive over the hill and then east into Pasadena, so not too many on a daily basis. My weekend runs are usually good for a sighting or two.
Favorite beach in So.Cal.
We go to Will Rogers beach just north of Santa Monica the most.
Living in Hollyweird, I'm sure you've had interesting encounters with people, mind sharing a story?
My dog humped Paris Hilton’s dog at a local dog park. J
Why is So.Cal THEEEEEEEE best place to live in the US?
I never thought I’d live here six years. Now I don’t know when we’ll leave. My wife loves it here. I like it. The weather is the best part, and this is the best time of the year.
What are the biggest differences you've found between east-coast life and west-coast life?
I noted this above, but the biggest difference for me is the lack of defined communities on the West Coast. The East Coast just feeds into that with sub-divisions, more neighborhood schools and larger, more involved churches. That’s the single biggest difference to me.
Fun Stuff
What is your Mount Rushmore of comedians?
I’m not a huge comedian guy, so this list is woefully biased toward the present, but I’d say Richard Pryor, Steve Martin, Chevy Chase and Chris Rock.
If someone paid you a lump sum of 20 million dollars with the caveat that you agree to weigh 275 pounds or more for the rest of your life, would you do it? Why or why not?
Tough one. I would take it to put on initial weight to get to 275, provided I could lose it, but as you’ve asked the question, I think I would refuse. I imagine being uncomfortable at that weight and not being able to enjoy myself or my new found money. I also think it would probably take some years off my life, and that’s probably worth something too.
If you could contract two teams from any sports league in the world, what would they be?
The Marlins—I’ve had no use for them since the Livan Hernandez game in the 1997 NLCS.
The Grizzlies—Memphis? Really?
What are your hobbies?
I run. I read a decent amount. I play poker. I don’t play as much golf as I used to. And I watch as much college football as I can.
Name your five top games of all time. And your worst three.
FBCB—this has had the most re-playability for me of any game.
The Sega version of NCAA football—we had a league in college.
Civilization II—played for hours on end in college and law school
Baseball Mogul—this one got me through law school
NASCAR 98 on PlayStation—we got this our senior spring of college and spent pretty much every night playing a version of demolition derby.
Bird vs. Jordan One on One—I spent a hard earned $30 on this one. I still regret that.
BBCF—Probably guilty of having my expectations too high, but this one never clicked for me.
Football Mogul—I was really excited when I found out there was a football mogul game. Oh, the disappointment.
What is your favorite sports movie of all-time?
Major League
What is the most unusual food you ever tasted?
I had alligator once.
Where's Waldo?
We called a guy in my civil procedure class in law school Waldo.
Define yourself in 3 words.
Relaxed, but driven.
What happens if a black cat walks under a ladder and breaks a mirror?
Pigs will fly?
If you only have one eye, are you blinking or winking?
I’d go for the glass eye insert. A kid on my wrestling team in high school had a glass eye and our coach would sneak up on his blind side and pop him every now and then. Good stuff.
Who is the one person you never want to meet?
I suppose the easy answer is the devil. Don’t know if he qualifies as a person, but if he does, then that means, there is an afterlife and I’ve gone the wrong way. If I’m limited to those on earth, I’d go with Martin Lawrence. I’ve heard he’s a real prick.
If you find $100 on the street, how do you spend it?
Free buy in at the $100 No Limit table.
You just won a plane ticket to go anywhere in the world, but it departs right now, where do you go?
I’m flying back to Milan and going to Lake Como. We LOVED it there.
How tall are you, and did your height help or hinder you as a wrestler?
I’m 6’2”. Net-net it probably helped me. I was able to use some leverage because of my height and my coach taught a “legs” wrestling strategy. Also, there were a lot more short wrestlers than tall wrestlers, so I adjusted to them, but I’d like to think I caused more unique match-up problems for them.
Any other sports besides running that you participate in regularly or semi-regularly?
I play in a hoops league with guys from work. I’m your typical trash type player who gets rebounds and scores on put backs.
How'd you find FOF and FOFC, and how long had you known our semi-connection before you made me aware of it?
I found out about TCY while reading the Georgia Tech message board, and that led me to FOFC. I ordered TCY in the summer of 2001 and got it just after I finished the bar exam. Godzilla Blitz’s “Poop on the Golden Helmets” dynasty was one of the first things I read on FOFC and it kept me coming back.
I probably read some of your posts about Tucker along the way. At some point, I remember responding in a thread asking about your affiliation. But at that point, I hadn’t seen a picture of you and didn’t know exactly who you were. I put it together at the Westlake game, Thanksgiving 2002. I was hanging around after the game with my dad and I think you were trying to call some friends in Columbus because we were playing Shaw the next weekend. I don’t think it was too long after that I sent you a PM telling you who I was.
How strong is your allegiance to Georgia Tech at this point with you living across the country? Do you root for UCLA or USC or some other west coast team as well?
Borderline unhealthy. My weekend plans are generally made around what time Tech is playing. I have the gameplan package as well as the DirecTV sports package to get ESPNU. I try to get to one football game a year. I take losses hard. Probably harder than I should. But, I think that’s part of being a fan.
The last two seasons I went in on UCLA season tickets with some friends, and it is a great game day scene, but I can’t really call myself a fan. It is more just something to do. We didn’t get them this year because we missed several games last year because we wanted to watch our favorite teams play.
what better Jim's games or my middle school game?
Larry and I figured out that we were in seventh grade together at Stone Mountain II Junior High. We took pre-algerbra with the saucy Ms. Flowe. Larry had a dice and paper football game that he ran for several of us in the class. I don’t recall it being very GM heavy, but I’m pretty sure I was better at it than I am at multi-player FOF.
How many Vick jokes do you have to endure out there?
You know, not too many. I’m much more a college football fan, so people associate me more with Georgia Tech than the Falcons. So, I’d say Reggie Ball jokes are still more common than Vick ones.
Are you planning on another great TV parody this year? Any new TV show seem like a good early target?
I wasn’t actually involved in that, other than giving a note or two on the earliest script. It was done by one of my closest friends who is a writer and actor out here. He is of Dream Job 2, Geico Tiny House, Coppertone Sport and Butterfly Effect fame. He’ll also be in an upcoming episode of Chuck and National Treasure 2.
As far as the fall television season, my buddy at CBS tells me Bionic Woman is terrible, Big Shots is god awful and Viva Laughlin is a train wreck.
What possessed you to buy Maximum Football in the first place?
For some reason, I searched for it on Ebay one day. There was one copy for sale with…NO BIDS! My opening bid went unchallenged. It was so bad, the humor derived from posting my dynasty and then following Desmond’s dynasty was definitely worth what we paid for it.
Are you into video games other than sports sims? If yes, which games?
We have a Wii, so that takes up most of our gaming time these days. I also love the Civ games, and this is the first year I didn’t buy EA’s NCAA game.
What is your favorite sports sim?
FBCB has had the most re-playability for me.
What is your marathon time? Have you ever qualified for and/or run the Boston Marathon?
I’ve run two marathons, Los Angeles and Twin Cities. I ran the LA marathon in 3:49 and the Twin Cities Marathon in 3:28. I need to run 3:10 to qualify for Boston. I’ve had a couple of good half marathon times this year, but haven’t had the time to really commit to a schedule to train for a full marathon. Qualifying for Boston is definitely a life goal though—and the times increase as I hit each age bracket.
What is your favorite sport to watch? To compete in?
College football. No doubt. If running is a sport, that’s my thing.
If one team you liked could win a national championship, which would it be and why?
Georgia Tech football mythical national championship. I’ve been going to their games since I was a kid and like I said above pretty much plan my fall Saturdays around them.
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?
I’d pick a small to medium size college town/city in the US. Charlottesville would qualify. So would Madison.
If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you visit?
I’d love to do a more extensive European vacation. (I’ve only been to Italy and southern Spain.)
What is one question you weren't asked that you wished you were?
Maybe the question about getting a mulligan on one thing in life. I’d say two…one would be not going up to this hot chick Jenner's room when she invited me our sophomore year in college. Still trying to figure out why I didn’t do that. Something about her having a boyfriend and being a good guy. Total whiff on my part.
Second, I would have called my dad on my drive home from work on the night he was killed. I had a thought to do so, but was tired from going into work at 6 AM. I would have loved to have that conversation.
What is your best drinking story?
January 4, 2006. The night before I had a couple of beers with a few of my buddies. One was a huge Texas fan, and had a couple of folks in town to go to the Rose Bowl the next day. He had just bought tickets to the game from a broker. He promised me that the cost of single tickets was dropping. I told him I was willing to spend $500 on a ticket—double the face value. He swore that I’d get in for that. So, I go to the game with him and four of our other friends, plus his brother, who is a great story all by himself.
Well, we get to the Rose Bowl and park on the golf course. For those who haven’t been to a game at the Rose Bowl, you park on Brookside Golf Course. It is an absolutely fantastic tailgating venue. So, we start tailgating. Two hours before game time, I’ve got a pretty good buzz going and I decide it’s time to start looking for a ticket. Small problem. There are no tickets. Anywhere.
So, I keep drinking. An hour before the game my buddies decide to go in (I’m the only one without a ticket). As he heads in the game, one of my buddies hands me a wad of cash and says, “Get in the game.”
I’m alone and wandering around the stadium. I step into a portal and count what I have in my wallet. I had brought about $650 to the game. With what my buddy gave me, I had about $1500 (don’t know why he was carrying that much cash). I finally find a little ticket activity and I’m feeling pretty tipsy at this point. Probably not a good combination. I see a guy with one ticket, and for some reason decide to buy a ticket for $1000.
About thirty seconds after buying the ticket, I realize I just spent $1000 on a ticket to a football game. Lucky for me I was immediately swarmed by other buyers. One lady tells me she’ll pay anything. I ask her what that means and she says $300. A guy offers me $1200. Done. Quick $200 profit. I think to myself that I could do this a couple more times and buy my way into the game for free. I seek out another deal and think I’ve got one spotted. Two guys are negotiating and it doesn’t seem like it’s going well. They get their deal done, but the buyer surprises the seller with a badge instead of cash and I watch the seller get carted off to Rose Bowl jail. I decide that my career as a ticket scalper is over and I retire with a small profit.
No more tickets to be found, I wander around and find a UHaul showing the game. It’s a bunch of Texas guys. I have on a Texas shirt. They welcome me in and we start passing around a bottle of Jose Cuervo. I’m now feeling great. And empowered.
Just before the half I decide to take another approach to get in the game. Bribe a ticket taker. No go with the first one. However, I walk up to the second gate. As I do, a guy comes storming out of the gate and pops a guy on the outside in the face. Two other guys jump in the fight. Every security guard near the gate runs to the fight. I walk right in the gate.
I buy a couple of beers and find my buddies within minutes. Luckily they were seated on the back row of the lower section, so I could jump right in with them. I then watched the best half of football I’ve ever seen.
What is the closest you have ever come to being arrested?
I was at a bachelor party in Mexico this past summer. A cop pulled me over for running an invisible stop sign. He first wanted to take me to the station. Then he demanded that I return to Mexico in three days for a court date. Then he wanted me to pay my ticket right then. He said the amount was $280. Finally, he took the $13 I had in my wallet and let me go on my way.
I’ve probably been lucky because I don’t know that I’ve ever been very close to the clink. There have probably just been no cops around when I did my stupid stuff. Knocking on wood right now.
To whom did you lose your gay virginity?
Still waiting for the right offer.
What is your biggest vice and how do you deal with it?
I probably have a drink or two more than I should more often than I should, but I have a few rules, such as generally not going out on work nights and making myself get up and run when I’m hung over.
Mount Rushmore of FOFC dorks?
Dude—there’s room on there for more than you?
Who are your three FOFC Extreme Conflicts and your three Exceptional Affinities?
I don’t know enough people’s birthdays to spin the color wheel and match them up on cuervo’s nifty conflict finder.
Seriously, I always enjoy reading what albion has to say, I enjoyed meeting Quik and Simms, I like talking running with you and SkyDog and I will always have the Dome Game.
On the conflict side, I like tweaking Bubba Wheels, but maybe that is shooting fish in a barrel, and I like to laugh at Hell Atlantic. I’ll go with Nottadrop for number three.
Do you ever think about what kind of life you want to have when you retire?
Absolutely. In fact, one of the best things my wife has ever told me was that I had provided her with a good life. I absolutely want that to continue for a long, long time. I want to be active. I want to be able to travel. I want to have kids, and I want them to have kids.
What would realistically need to happen for you to become a professional poker player?
I’d need to sell my house and pay off the remainder of my student debt, in order to basically be debt free—minimizing monthly expenses as much as possible to be able to take the inevitable swings.
Then I think I’d concentrate on mastering a non-Hold ‘em game, like Stud or Stud Hi/Lo. Even if I got my play to a level where I think I could be a professional, I’m not sure if I’d take the leap. I enjoy two things most about poker—the competitiveness found particularly in tournaments and the social aspect of a good poker night with my friends. Grinding out a living professionally would raise the stakes to a level that I don’t know if I’d find either of those fun anymore. Does that make sense?
What is your best Vegas story?
December 2004. Three of my buddies and I went to Vegas for the Georgia Tech-Gonzaga basketball game. We left LA about 4:00 Friday afternoon. Eight hours later, we finally pulled into the San Remo parking lot (before it was the Hooter’s Hotel—traveling in style). Worst drive ever. That night we had a few drinks and played some black jack with Jarrett Jack’s dad.
We got up Saturday morning and made our way over to the Orleans for a noon poker tournament. None of us cashed, but one of my friends made it pretty deep. I made my money back in a cash game and we also started boozing.
We head back to the hotel to change before heading over to the Hauf Brau Haus for the pre-game party. They serve big beers at the Hauf Brau. We had a few of those. And plates of meat. Three things of note happened there. First, one of my friends jumped on stage with the Hauf Brau band and led everyone in singing the Ramblin’ Wreck, the Georgia Tech fight song. By leading, he sang the first line and then just started clapping. (I was the only Tech fan among us.)
Second, we met two girls. They come into the story later.
Third, Phil Gordon walks in. My buddy Bryan jumps up and asks him about our other buddy (Grant)’s bust-out hand in the tournament. Grant’s in the bathroom, so he comes back and we introduce him to Gordon. Grant says he wants to ask Phil about a poker hand. Phil cuts him off at the pass, and goes through the whole hand that we had just gone over with Phil. We end up having beers and playing Ro Sham Bo with Phil before walking over to the game. (Phil went to GT and turns out he grew up about five minutes from where I did in Stone Mountain—but went to Redan, our rival.)
We go to the game. Tech loses. After arguing with Gonzaga fans, we end up making friends with a big group of them and all head back to the Hard Rock. On our way out of the arena, we find Bryan passed out in the top row before the exit. He had had a bit of a sharting situation and gone to the bathroom to fix it. He decided to take a quick break on the top row before going back to our seat. He passed out before he made it back. Good thing we found him because, we ended up sitting pretty close to the girls we met at dinner and one had taken to Bryan and was constantly asking us where he was.
Anyhow, we go back to the Hard Rock and drinks turn into shots. We try to play black jack, but I don’t think we could see the cards. At some point, we notice that Bryan (sans shart ruined underwear) and one of the girls are no longer with us. We stumble back to the hotel and have breakfast.
Bryan shows up sometime the next morning and the other three of us (all engaged, married or otherwise occupied) pass the time on the ride home by making him give us all of the gory details.
(Coincidentally, I ran into this same girl randomly about a year later. She wouldn’t talk to me because she had tried to follow-up with Bryan a couple of times and he had blown her off.)
Will you buy me a hat?
No.
Will you let me draft for you again?
God, no.
Can I have my $10 back.
Sure….check your paypal daily!
(Desmond bought Maximum-Football from me. I told him he didn’t have to send me anything, but he did anyway.)
I guess I’m about to find out.
Did you already do one of these? If no, then how senile am I?
No—you’re losing it.
Participation of these seems to have really dropped off lately. Do you think ftb has jumped the shark?
Like I said, they may just not like us, DD. I suspect the next participant will draw more interest.
I do enjoy the board feature, though.
How did you feel when you were chosen for FTB?
Uncomfortably proud?
What criteria are you using to chose the next participant?
I picked someone who has been around the board for a long time and who I am confident will generate a lot of questions.
Education
How in god's name did you get into Harvard?
I wish I knew. I would package it and sell it on late night infomercials and across the intertubes. That assessment is based on both on actually getting in and interviewing potential applicants for the last five years.
In all seriousness, I was your basic high school nerd, with the twist that I played three varsity sports and held leadership roles in a number of dorky high school activities. I had volunteered for a couple of political campaigns and done some community service. One hook I probably had was that our Science Olympiad team won the state every year I was in high school and I won a couple of medals at the national competitions along the way. No connections, or anything like that. I was the first from my high school to get admitted there in some time and the first in my family to go to college outside of Georgia.
What that all means is that I was probably good enough to get in the “not immediately rejected” pile, and then was fortunate to have an essay reader who might have liked what I wrote or took a particular interest in my application. Or I could have just won the lottery of “not rejected” applicants they had that day.
Do you know anyone who went to Law School older than in their mid-20s? Did they find success?
Sure. I think most did very well in law school because they were more focused. Law firm success was a little more mixed. Some couldn’t adjust to going back work and being worked that hard, but some used their previous experience to their advantage. It’s pretty much what you make of it.
White guy, recently-majority-black high school. What was it like (or did it switch shortly after you left)?
Interesting question. I went to first and second grade at Avondale Elementary. We moved to the Stone Mountain area before the third grade and there were three black kids in the whole third grade. By the time I was a senior in high school, the school was about 30-40% white.
My senior class was slightly majority white. I think the school self segregated like most probably did (or still do), but the change was probably gradual enough over the ten year period I lived in Stone Mountain, that it didn’t seem all that unusual to me. I was probably a bit sheltered from taking mostly AP classes my junior and senior years. I was also at the state National Honor Society convention when all of the Rodney King stuff happened, so I didn’t experience that first hand. The biggest thing for me was probably seeing white kids move away from our school and having more and more new students each year that I didn’t know. In a sense, that made the school bigger than it was, and probably less friendly.
Though I could certainly be wrong, I'm under the impression that you had some involvement in Harvard's athletic program. Where you a recruited athlete? If so, what were your impressions of the admissions process for student-athletes? Is it as arcane as people say it is? Did you consider other schools in the league?
I wasn’t recruited, but I had a good number of friends who were and I’ve since been involved in the admissions process a bit interviewing candidates. Each sport is allowed to put forth a preference list. The athletic admittees as a whole also have to comply with the Ivy League admissions index for student athletes. Football is separated from this calculation and has its own admissions index. Different schools take different approaches to this. Cornell stacks its hockey team and wrestling team. Penn, basketball. Harvard keeps a balanced approach and has an internal policy that all sports must be within one standard deviation of one another on the admissions index. Our hoops team has suffered, but we’ve won like 34 of the last 37 national squash titles.
I got into Harvard early (then non-binding), so I didn’t really consider other Ivies. I had also applied to UVA and Georgetown, whose applications I completed about the time of my Harvard one. Once I found out I got in, I didn’t apply anywhere else.
As far as sports go, I rowed one semester there and then played rugby for three years. Ended up starting on our A-side for two seasons—I had a knack for being able to tie up the ball in mauls and had good hands and passing ability for a forward.
I also had the best job ever, in being head ref of the intramural program. It was a huge boondoggle—my boss (the then associate AD) told me, just don’t give yourself 40 hours a week. They get suspicious of me if my students are working “full time.”
How did the transition (in any facet) from HS to college go for you? How did you enjoy your experience at Harvard?
I loved college. I had a great time and made a lot of great friends.
As far as the transition goes, I was a good writer in high school, but I still don’t think I was prepared to write a college level paper at first. I also was a moron my first semester and somehow scheduled classes that left me with an exam schedule that first fall of four exams in five days (Harvard has a two week exam period). Looking back, I probably skipped too much class and didn’t take advantage of some of the opportunities there, but so it goes.
Who were your favorite and least favorite professors in law school? And why?
Don’t know if you know of any of the UVA faculty—heck you might have gone there too, but I thought you went to Columbia or NYU.
Anyhow, my favorite prof was a guy named Jim Ryan. I took a class called Schools, Race and Money with him. I enjoyed his teaching style, plus he was younger, so I related to him, and his passion was evident. I also enjoyed many of the topics of his research and scholarship.
Second favorite was a guy named Moynihan who wasn’t a lawyer—only non-lawyer on the UVA faculty. He was a psychologist by trade and taught a couple of classes on using psychological and sociological data in legal situations.
Least favorite was probably my trusts and estates professor—think his name was Cushman. Stereotypical professorial ego.
Do you ever refer to yourself as a Wahoo?
No, but I definitely called my friends who went to both law school and undergrad there “Double Hoos.”
Wahoo Wah!
How many different softball teams did you play on in law school?
UVA law is famous for its softball leagues and hosts a national softball tournament each spring. My third year I was the tournament director and we set a then record for the amount of money raised for the local charity the tournament benefits.
In the national tournament, I played on UVA’s co-ed Blue and Orange teams (UVA enters three teams in each division, Gold, Blue and Orange).
In our regular leagues (spring and fall season, three leagues—Co-ed, Regular and Macho (no limit on pitch arc)), I played on my section team (we were Section H and I can’t for the life of me remember our name), the Extra Arms on Vishnu (co-ed team), Chico’s Bail Bonds (macho), and at least three others from time to time.
Career
What does it mean to have an "in-house" position?
It just means that I work for a company in its internal legal department rather than for a law firm. My only client is the company that employs me.
What kind of lawyer are you and when did you find out that's what you wanted to do for a living?
I went to law school because I wasn’t ready to get a job. Then, I was a corporate transactional attorney for a big firm and did mostly mergers and acquisitions when I worked there. Now I’m in-house and mainly still do corporate work—negotiating our business contracts, etc., but I also do our corporate governance and manage outside counsel when we have a litigation matter.
You've worked at a law firm and (by my count) two in-house positions. What are the major differenced between firm-life and life in-house? Also, you implied you didn't like your first in-house gig, but liked the second. What were the reasons behind that?
Your memory is correct. I was at a firm for 3+ years and have since had two in-house positions, both with investment management firms.
The biggest difference is the ability to keep a regular schedule. I was in my firm’s corporate group, so I would go from working on a deal round the clock—sometimes multiple all nighters in a week—to having very little on my plate. I had to cancel dinner plans more times than I can count. Now, I generally know my schedule or can plan for things in a much more reasonable way. I’ve been really busy the last several months at work, but it’s more manageable and less forced. I do what I need to do and get out of there. And I don’t have to keep track of how long I was there, how long my bathroom break was or any of that nonsense. That’s a huge bonus.
I probably more than implied I didn’t like my first in-house gig. I hated it. That’s hard to imagine, considering it was an 8:00-4:30 (on the nose) job and I had a gorgeous view of the beach from our Ocean Ave. offices in Santa Monica. But, I didn’t get along with our general counsel, who turned out to be much different from her interview persona, and just felt like I was going through the motions each day. No real opportunity to be a lawyer. Bah.
I’ve been at my current job almost two years—was recruited there by a guy who I had interviewed with and kept in touch with from the law firm. I have a cube instead of an office and work two or three more hours each day than my last job. But, I have a lot of freedom to make decisions and provide advice. I got a little promotion earlier this year when we re-organized our department, and now head up our US legal affairs group. It was a great move for me.
What do you find most satisfying about the practice of law? Least satisfying?
I come from a family of teachers. Both of my parents (and my step-mother) as well as two of my grandparents were teachers. So, the most satisfying thing for me is when I get to provide counsel to others—it’s a lot like teaching, which is, in a sense, in my blood.
The least satisfying is that there are too many lawyers who have no concept of marginal costs. This was particularly true at the firm. Too much time spent on the little stuff, which just doesn’t matter. (Obviously, you have to pay attention to detail, but creating issues to justify your hefty hourly rate isn’t a value add.)
Family
How did you meet your lovely wife?
We first met my sophomore year of college when my roommate took her to a formal. We remained loosely a part of the same large group of friends, but didn’t have a whole lot of contact until our senior fall. She had spent her junior year at St. Andrew’s in Scotland and I dated and/or had various flings along the way. Our first weekend back to school, our group of friends had a few drinks before heading out to the bars and we talked more than we ever had. We ended up taking a class together that fall (we were both a core class short and took Latin American Studies to satisfy our foreign culture requirement). So, we’d eat lunch together a couple of times a week and study. The only problem was she was in a long distance relationship. The tension mounted over the course of the fall, and the weekend before we left for Christmas break we had a drink or two too many and ended up making out for a while. That led to several months of awkward on again-off again hooking up while she sorted out what she was doing with the other dude. Finally, in late April, after I had pretty much given up on things, she invited me to her house formal. She kissed me on the dance floor—but that wasn’t all that new. The next day she came to my dorm room and told me she wanted to give things a shot.
We graduated and were long distance for a year. She had taken a job in San Francisco, and I was at UVA for law school. Her company (a consulting firm) somehow agreed to let her move to Charlottesville and be based from her apartment, so our second year dating we lived in Virginia. We got engaged in August 2000 before my third year of law school. And also just before she moved to LA to take a job with EToys. I took a job with an LA based firm and after the EToys collapse she moved to a marketing role at a studio and we’ve been here ever since. Six plus years now. She’s fantastic.
Where do you take your wife when you go on a hot date?
She likes going to movies a lot more than I do, so she’s generally pleased when I agree to see something with her. We’ll throw in a decent dinner and call it a night.
3 1/2 years later, how's the healing process for you? Is there anything you've discovered about yourself/people/the world as a result of the terrible tragedy in your family?
It’s funny. I write this on September 25, which is my dad’s birthday. He would have been 59 today. I try to remember him and Bill a little each day, but today it’s a little more poignant.
For those new to the board, on January 13, 2004, a teenager broke into my dad’s home, and in a struggle, shot and killed both my father and my brother. Because I knew Ben and Ben knew my dad and brother, this board has experienced part of that tragedy with me. You can search for my last name (Venable) if you’d like to read more.
Three and a half years later, some things change, some things don’t. I still miss my dad and brother. Sometimes it hits me when I’m not expecting it. I’ll think to myself that it has been a while since I talked to my dad. And, of course, it will hit me that he’s not here.
I don’t relive the incident or have a lot of anger regarding it. I never have. To me, that would just be wasted energy. That doesn’t me I understand why it had to happen. I don’t. I probably never will. But, I think it is a disservice to dwell on that and not their wonderful lives. As many of you know, there have been a lot of really special tributes to my dad and brother. We give out a scholarship every year in their name. The DeKalb County wrestling tournament is named in my dad’s honor as is the gym at Tucker. And, of course, I got to carry the torch. The best thing I can do is try to honor them with the way I live.
As far as how I’ve changed, I’m probably a bit more cynical, and less sympathetic to those who sweat the small stuff a bit too much. I don’t think that makes me cold hearted, but it’s one thing I could probably work on.
The hardest thing about losing my dad was the timing. We were closer than we’d ever been, and that’s saying something. We had an absolutely fantastic fall with the Tucker football season. But, also, and more personally, my mom (my parents divorced when I was two) was going through a rough patch mentally and financially, and I was bearing more than my fair share of that burden. I was relying on my dad for a lot of advice. My mom tried to be there for me, but I just couldn’t let myself rely on her during that time. So, since then, I’ve had to rebuild that relationship a little bit, and I think we’re both doing better today.
My dad’s family is doing great. I’m proud of all of them. And, I’m proud of my mom’s family too. It’s been a good year.
The Torch
Where's the torch?
In my garage—which is my men’s den/poker room. Not framed—still looking for a local place who can do it—but on display.
How do you reflect on the olympic torch experience a few years later now?
Remarkable. It is still pretty unreal that for that few minute period the torch was in my hands—and I was responsible for getting it to the next destination. It’s still pretty neat to think about. I’ll never forget the last few moments as I looked up into the flame in my torch before passing the flame onto the next runner. Pretty special.
How does being a part of carrying the torch rate compared to other big events in your life?
It’s definitely up there. It was an awesome tribute. I’m really, really glad I have the torch I carried as a keepsake. Worth every penny.
Southern California
What are the best things about living in Hollywood?
The weather. The weather. The weather.
What are the worst things about living in Hollywood?
I actually live in the Hollywood Hills—in Laurel Canyon, for those who know the area. I’m about two miles from the Kodak Theater and the heart of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which is on my normal running route.
My biggest complaint about LA is that it is very hard to form communities here. Things are spread out. A significant number of kids don’t go to public high schools. Churches aren’t as important in the community. Neighborhoods aren’t defined or designed into neat little sub-divisions. So, you do a lot of fending for yourself. Or you just spend a lot of time in traffic.
Luckily we have a good group of friends and a pretty good support network here. If I were on my own, I’d definitely be out of here.
Best Mexican Food Restaurant in Hollywood/Los Angeles?
Depends. For a burrito in a pinch, my top three are Poquito Mas, Loteria at the 3rd Street Farmer’s Market or Dona Rosa in Pasadena.
If I’m going to sit down and have a margarita and a Mexican meal, I’d go with Gardens of Taxco in West Hollywood, Nueva Posada in Pasadena or Casa Vega in Sherman Oaks.
Best celebrity run in?
My dog humped Paris Hilton’s dog at a local dog park.
Worst celebrity run in?
My wife wanted to go see Kathy Griffin. A poker buddy of mine does some part time writing for her, so he gave us tickets and back stage passes. The show was actually decent. We then went to the back stage deal and ended up bumping into Kathy Griffin when we walked in. The conversation went something like this:
KG: “Who are you?”
Digamma: “Hi, I’m digamma, and this is my wife.”
KG: “But, who ARE you?”
Digamma: “I’m a buddy of Jon’s.”
KG: “Oh, then you must know Tom.” (Turns out Tom is a buddy of Jon’s from high school who may or may not be boning Ms. Griffin.)
Digamma: “Tom?”
KG: “You know, I mentioned him in the show. He’s great friends with Jon.”
Digamma: “Mmmm….I just take Jon’s money in poker.”
KG: turns and walks away.
How many transvestites/he-shes do you see everyday? When Ant and I lived in Hollywood, we'd see at least 1 everyday.
I generally drive over the hill and then east into Pasadena, so not too many on a daily basis. My weekend runs are usually good for a sighting or two.
Favorite beach in So.Cal.
We go to Will Rogers beach just north of Santa Monica the most.
Living in Hollyweird, I'm sure you've had interesting encounters with people, mind sharing a story?
My dog humped Paris Hilton’s dog at a local dog park. J
Why is So.Cal THEEEEEEEE best place to live in the US?
I never thought I’d live here six years. Now I don’t know when we’ll leave. My wife loves it here. I like it. The weather is the best part, and this is the best time of the year.
What are the biggest differences you've found between east-coast life and west-coast life?
I noted this above, but the biggest difference for me is the lack of defined communities on the West Coast. The East Coast just feeds into that with sub-divisions, more neighborhood schools and larger, more involved churches. That’s the single biggest difference to me.
Fun Stuff
What is your Mount Rushmore of comedians?
I’m not a huge comedian guy, so this list is woefully biased toward the present, but I’d say Richard Pryor, Steve Martin, Chevy Chase and Chris Rock.
If someone paid you a lump sum of 20 million dollars with the caveat that you agree to weigh 275 pounds or more for the rest of your life, would you do it? Why or why not?
Tough one. I would take it to put on initial weight to get to 275, provided I could lose it, but as you’ve asked the question, I think I would refuse. I imagine being uncomfortable at that weight and not being able to enjoy myself or my new found money. I also think it would probably take some years off my life, and that’s probably worth something too.
If you could contract two teams from any sports league in the world, what would they be?
The Marlins—I’ve had no use for them since the Livan Hernandez game in the 1997 NLCS.
The Grizzlies—Memphis? Really?
What are your hobbies?
I run. I read a decent amount. I play poker. I don’t play as much golf as I used to. And I watch as much college football as I can.
Name your five top games of all time. And your worst three.
FBCB—this has had the most re-playability for me of any game.
The Sega version of NCAA football—we had a league in college.
Civilization II—played for hours on end in college and law school
Baseball Mogul—this one got me through law school
NASCAR 98 on PlayStation—we got this our senior spring of college and spent pretty much every night playing a version of demolition derby.
Bird vs. Jordan One on One—I spent a hard earned $30 on this one. I still regret that.
BBCF—Probably guilty of having my expectations too high, but this one never clicked for me.
Football Mogul—I was really excited when I found out there was a football mogul game. Oh, the disappointment.
What is your favorite sports movie of all-time?
Major League
What is the most unusual food you ever tasted?
I had alligator once.
Where's Waldo?
We called a guy in my civil procedure class in law school Waldo.
Define yourself in 3 words.
Relaxed, but driven.
What happens if a black cat walks under a ladder and breaks a mirror?
Pigs will fly?
If you only have one eye, are you blinking or winking?
I’d go for the glass eye insert. A kid on my wrestling team in high school had a glass eye and our coach would sneak up on his blind side and pop him every now and then. Good stuff.
Who is the one person you never want to meet?
I suppose the easy answer is the devil. Don’t know if he qualifies as a person, but if he does, then that means, there is an afterlife and I’ve gone the wrong way. If I’m limited to those on earth, I’d go with Martin Lawrence. I’ve heard he’s a real prick.
If you find $100 on the street, how do you spend it?
Free buy in at the $100 No Limit table.
You just won a plane ticket to go anywhere in the world, but it departs right now, where do you go?
I’m flying back to Milan and going to Lake Como. We LOVED it there.
How tall are you, and did your height help or hinder you as a wrestler?
I’m 6’2”. Net-net it probably helped me. I was able to use some leverage because of my height and my coach taught a “legs” wrestling strategy. Also, there were a lot more short wrestlers than tall wrestlers, so I adjusted to them, but I’d like to think I caused more unique match-up problems for them.
Any other sports besides running that you participate in regularly or semi-regularly?
I play in a hoops league with guys from work. I’m your typical trash type player who gets rebounds and scores on put backs.
How'd you find FOF and FOFC, and how long had you known our semi-connection before you made me aware of it?
I found out about TCY while reading the Georgia Tech message board, and that led me to FOFC. I ordered TCY in the summer of 2001 and got it just after I finished the bar exam. Godzilla Blitz’s “Poop on the Golden Helmets” dynasty was one of the first things I read on FOFC and it kept me coming back.
I probably read some of your posts about Tucker along the way. At some point, I remember responding in a thread asking about your affiliation. But at that point, I hadn’t seen a picture of you and didn’t know exactly who you were. I put it together at the Westlake game, Thanksgiving 2002. I was hanging around after the game with my dad and I think you were trying to call some friends in Columbus because we were playing Shaw the next weekend. I don’t think it was too long after that I sent you a PM telling you who I was.
How strong is your allegiance to Georgia Tech at this point with you living across the country? Do you root for UCLA or USC or some other west coast team as well?
Borderline unhealthy. My weekend plans are generally made around what time Tech is playing. I have the gameplan package as well as the DirecTV sports package to get ESPNU. I try to get to one football game a year. I take losses hard. Probably harder than I should. But, I think that’s part of being a fan.
The last two seasons I went in on UCLA season tickets with some friends, and it is a great game day scene, but I can’t really call myself a fan. It is more just something to do. We didn’t get them this year because we missed several games last year because we wanted to watch our favorite teams play.
what better Jim's games or my middle school game?
Larry and I figured out that we were in seventh grade together at Stone Mountain II Junior High. We took pre-algerbra with the saucy Ms. Flowe. Larry had a dice and paper football game that he ran for several of us in the class. I don’t recall it being very GM heavy, but I’m pretty sure I was better at it than I am at multi-player FOF.
How many Vick jokes do you have to endure out there?
You know, not too many. I’m much more a college football fan, so people associate me more with Georgia Tech than the Falcons. So, I’d say Reggie Ball jokes are still more common than Vick ones.
Are you planning on another great TV parody this year? Any new TV show seem like a good early target?
I wasn’t actually involved in that, other than giving a note or two on the earliest script. It was done by one of my closest friends who is a writer and actor out here. He is of Dream Job 2, Geico Tiny House, Coppertone Sport and Butterfly Effect fame. He’ll also be in an upcoming episode of Chuck and National Treasure 2.
As far as the fall television season, my buddy at CBS tells me Bionic Woman is terrible, Big Shots is god awful and Viva Laughlin is a train wreck.
What possessed you to buy Maximum Football in the first place?
For some reason, I searched for it on Ebay one day. There was one copy for sale with…NO BIDS! My opening bid went unchallenged. It was so bad, the humor derived from posting my dynasty and then following Desmond’s dynasty was definitely worth what we paid for it.
Are you into video games other than sports sims? If yes, which games?
We have a Wii, so that takes up most of our gaming time these days. I also love the Civ games, and this is the first year I didn’t buy EA’s NCAA game.
What is your favorite sports sim?
FBCB has had the most re-playability for me.
What is your marathon time? Have you ever qualified for and/or run the Boston Marathon?
I’ve run two marathons, Los Angeles and Twin Cities. I ran the LA marathon in 3:49 and the Twin Cities Marathon in 3:28. I need to run 3:10 to qualify for Boston. I’ve had a couple of good half marathon times this year, but haven’t had the time to really commit to a schedule to train for a full marathon. Qualifying for Boston is definitely a life goal though—and the times increase as I hit each age bracket.
What is your favorite sport to watch? To compete in?
College football. No doubt. If running is a sport, that’s my thing.
If one team you liked could win a national championship, which would it be and why?
Georgia Tech football mythical national championship. I’ve been going to their games since I was a kid and like I said above pretty much plan my fall Saturdays around them.
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?
I’d pick a small to medium size college town/city in the US. Charlottesville would qualify. So would Madison.
If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you visit?
I’d love to do a more extensive European vacation. (I’ve only been to Italy and southern Spain.)
What is one question you weren't asked that you wished you were?
Maybe the question about getting a mulligan on one thing in life. I’d say two…one would be not going up to this hot chick Jenner's room when she invited me our sophomore year in college. Still trying to figure out why I didn’t do that. Something about her having a boyfriend and being a good guy. Total whiff on my part.
Second, I would have called my dad on my drive home from work on the night he was killed. I had a thought to do so, but was tired from going into work at 6 AM. I would have loved to have that conversation.
What is your best drinking story?
January 4, 2006. The night before I had a couple of beers with a few of my buddies. One was a huge Texas fan, and had a couple of folks in town to go to the Rose Bowl the next day. He had just bought tickets to the game from a broker. He promised me that the cost of single tickets was dropping. I told him I was willing to spend $500 on a ticket—double the face value. He swore that I’d get in for that. So, I go to the game with him and four of our other friends, plus his brother, who is a great story all by himself.
Well, we get to the Rose Bowl and park on the golf course. For those who haven’t been to a game at the Rose Bowl, you park on Brookside Golf Course. It is an absolutely fantastic tailgating venue. So, we start tailgating. Two hours before game time, I’ve got a pretty good buzz going and I decide it’s time to start looking for a ticket. Small problem. There are no tickets. Anywhere.
So, I keep drinking. An hour before the game my buddies decide to go in (I’m the only one without a ticket). As he heads in the game, one of my buddies hands me a wad of cash and says, “Get in the game.”
I’m alone and wandering around the stadium. I step into a portal and count what I have in my wallet. I had brought about $650 to the game. With what my buddy gave me, I had about $1500 (don’t know why he was carrying that much cash). I finally find a little ticket activity and I’m feeling pretty tipsy at this point. Probably not a good combination. I see a guy with one ticket, and for some reason decide to buy a ticket for $1000.
About thirty seconds after buying the ticket, I realize I just spent $1000 on a ticket to a football game. Lucky for me I was immediately swarmed by other buyers. One lady tells me she’ll pay anything. I ask her what that means and she says $300. A guy offers me $1200. Done. Quick $200 profit. I think to myself that I could do this a couple more times and buy my way into the game for free. I seek out another deal and think I’ve got one spotted. Two guys are negotiating and it doesn’t seem like it’s going well. They get their deal done, but the buyer surprises the seller with a badge instead of cash and I watch the seller get carted off to Rose Bowl jail. I decide that my career as a ticket scalper is over and I retire with a small profit.
No more tickets to be found, I wander around and find a UHaul showing the game. It’s a bunch of Texas guys. I have on a Texas shirt. They welcome me in and we start passing around a bottle of Jose Cuervo. I’m now feeling great. And empowered.
Just before the half I decide to take another approach to get in the game. Bribe a ticket taker. No go with the first one. However, I walk up to the second gate. As I do, a guy comes storming out of the gate and pops a guy on the outside in the face. Two other guys jump in the fight. Every security guard near the gate runs to the fight. I walk right in the gate.
I buy a couple of beers and find my buddies within minutes. Luckily they were seated on the back row of the lower section, so I could jump right in with them. I then watched the best half of football I’ve ever seen.
What is the closest you have ever come to being arrested?
I was at a bachelor party in Mexico this past summer. A cop pulled me over for running an invisible stop sign. He first wanted to take me to the station. Then he demanded that I return to Mexico in three days for a court date. Then he wanted me to pay my ticket right then. He said the amount was $280. Finally, he took the $13 I had in my wallet and let me go on my way.
I’ve probably been lucky because I don’t know that I’ve ever been very close to the clink. There have probably just been no cops around when I did my stupid stuff. Knocking on wood right now.
To whom did you lose your gay virginity?
Still waiting for the right offer.
What is your biggest vice and how do you deal with it?
I probably have a drink or two more than I should more often than I should, but I have a few rules, such as generally not going out on work nights and making myself get up and run when I’m hung over.
Mount Rushmore of FOFC dorks?
Dude—there’s room on there for more than you?
Who are your three FOFC Extreme Conflicts and your three Exceptional Affinities?
I don’t know enough people’s birthdays to spin the color wheel and match them up on cuervo’s nifty conflict finder.
Seriously, I always enjoy reading what albion has to say, I enjoyed meeting Quik and Simms, I like talking running with you and SkyDog and I will always have the Dome Game.
On the conflict side, I like tweaking Bubba Wheels, but maybe that is shooting fish in a barrel, and I like to laugh at Hell Atlantic. I’ll go with Nottadrop for number three.
Do you ever think about what kind of life you want to have when you retire?
Absolutely. In fact, one of the best things my wife has ever told me was that I had provided her with a good life. I absolutely want that to continue for a long, long time. I want to be active. I want to be able to travel. I want to have kids, and I want them to have kids.
What would realistically need to happen for you to become a professional poker player?
I’d need to sell my house and pay off the remainder of my student debt, in order to basically be debt free—minimizing monthly expenses as much as possible to be able to take the inevitable swings.
Then I think I’d concentrate on mastering a non-Hold ‘em game, like Stud or Stud Hi/Lo. Even if I got my play to a level where I think I could be a professional, I’m not sure if I’d take the leap. I enjoy two things most about poker—the competitiveness found particularly in tournaments and the social aspect of a good poker night with my friends. Grinding out a living professionally would raise the stakes to a level that I don’t know if I’d find either of those fun anymore. Does that make sense?
What is your best Vegas story?
December 2004. Three of my buddies and I went to Vegas for the Georgia Tech-Gonzaga basketball game. We left LA about 4:00 Friday afternoon. Eight hours later, we finally pulled into the San Remo parking lot (before it was the Hooter’s Hotel—traveling in style). Worst drive ever. That night we had a few drinks and played some black jack with Jarrett Jack’s dad.
We got up Saturday morning and made our way over to the Orleans for a noon poker tournament. None of us cashed, but one of my friends made it pretty deep. I made my money back in a cash game and we also started boozing.
We head back to the hotel to change before heading over to the Hauf Brau Haus for the pre-game party. They serve big beers at the Hauf Brau. We had a few of those. And plates of meat. Three things of note happened there. First, one of my friends jumped on stage with the Hauf Brau band and led everyone in singing the Ramblin’ Wreck, the Georgia Tech fight song. By leading, he sang the first line and then just started clapping. (I was the only Tech fan among us.)
Second, we met two girls. They come into the story later.
Third, Phil Gordon walks in. My buddy Bryan jumps up and asks him about our other buddy (Grant)’s bust-out hand in the tournament. Grant’s in the bathroom, so he comes back and we introduce him to Gordon. Grant says he wants to ask Phil about a poker hand. Phil cuts him off at the pass, and goes through the whole hand that we had just gone over with Phil. We end up having beers and playing Ro Sham Bo with Phil before walking over to the game. (Phil went to GT and turns out he grew up about five minutes from where I did in Stone Mountain—but went to Redan, our rival.)
We go to the game. Tech loses. After arguing with Gonzaga fans, we end up making friends with a big group of them and all head back to the Hard Rock. On our way out of the arena, we find Bryan passed out in the top row before the exit. He had had a bit of a sharting situation and gone to the bathroom to fix it. He decided to take a quick break on the top row before going back to our seat. He passed out before he made it back. Good thing we found him because, we ended up sitting pretty close to the girls we met at dinner and one had taken to Bryan and was constantly asking us where he was.
Anyhow, we go back to the Hard Rock and drinks turn into shots. We try to play black jack, but I don’t think we could see the cards. At some point, we notice that Bryan (sans shart ruined underwear) and one of the girls are no longer with us. We stumble back to the hotel and have breakfast.
Bryan shows up sometime the next morning and the other three of us (all engaged, married or otherwise occupied) pass the time on the ride home by making him give us all of the gory details.
(Coincidentally, I ran into this same girl randomly about a year later. She wouldn’t talk to me because she had tried to follow-up with Bryan a couple of times and he had blown her off.)
Will you buy me a hat?
No.
Will you let me draft for you again?
God, no.
Can I have my $10 back.
Sure….check your paypal daily!
(Desmond bought Maximum-Football from me. I told him he didn’t have to send me anything, but he did anyway.)