X's And O's At Eskimo Joe's

After years of Big 12 basketball and countless trips to Stillwater, Oklahoma, a number of things can be relied on at Eskimo Joe's. It's a top sports bar with signature chili cheese fries, gear for the kids, and TV coverage of the NFL when you're away from your Sunday Ticket.

Big Monday basketball meant a lot of Sunday travel, and some huge late-season and playoff games games in Eskimo Joe's living room.

February 6, 2005

After a flight delay I arrived in-progress to Super Bowl XXXIX. It was the Eagles' lone Super Bowl under Andy Reid despite 5 NFC Championship appearances.

It was the Patriots' 3rd championship under Belichick and Brady, but people forget it was tied 14-14 after 3 quarters. It turned out to be the story of two WRs: Terrell Owens coming off a knee injury and having a heroic effort, and Deion Branch catching 11 passes and an MVP award for the Pats.

But when the game was on the line, Donovan McNabb was hyperventilating, costing the Eagles valuable time in their comeback. The Patriots held on 24-21.

January 21, 2007

The 2006 NFC Championship game was a blowout, with the Bears ending the Saints year-after-Katrina run with a 39-14 finish. But it wasn't always a runaway.

After the Bears took a 16-0 lead, the Saints cut it to 16-14 after rookie Reggie Bush caught a short toss from Drew Brees and went 88 yards for a score, sending Joe's into a frenzy.

But the Bears D (forced 4 turnovers) and a pre-Jet Thomas Jones (123 yards, 2 TD) pulled away and the Bears were headed to the SuperBowl despite having Rex Grossman in the cockpit.

The Colts beat the Patriots later that day but we watched at another restaurant.

December 30, 2012

With a bye on the line for the Packers and a season on the line for the Vikings, Adrian Peterson ran past 2,000, cinched an MVP award, and launched Minnesota into the playoffs in an awesome regular season finale: 37-34.

So when 2013 rolls around, the Vikings will be in the playoffs, and I won't be near chili cheese fries again anytime soon. That's a shaky New Year's resolution.

Today's Odyssey Is Brought To You By The Letter O

The wakeup call in the Athens (OH) came at 6:30 AM. But instead of heading directly to the airport I grabbed some free Hampton Inn breakfast, went back to the room, flipped on Morning Joe and took apart 80 pages of West Virginia game notes.

I packed up, jumped into the Sonata around 9 AM and hit the road for Columbus. It was a nice day for a drive. I made a few calls, which took me a few minutes off course. But I pulled up at the Columbus airport rental car return at 10:45, just in time to hook up with the conference call with the West Virginia coaches at 11:00.

In the daylight I could see the posters that tickets were still available for the 2013 NHL All-Star Game in Columbus. Tickets are still available for the January 26-27 weekend.

If you're planning a vacation to see relatives in Ohio (every single person I know has one), Nate Silver is projecting an 89% chance there will be plenty of hotel rooms that weekend.

The West Virginia call got moved back to 11:30 so I went through security, found some workspace and listened in, before boarding my first flight to Detroit Metro.

I got a powernap, did some Oklahoma State prep work, and devoured a pastrami sandwich at the Irish Pub in Detroit's B Terminal. My flight to OKC was delayed about 30 minutes, but I settled into my first class seat, finished up on the Cowboys, and actually cracked open my book before we landed.

While I had status on the plane, I had none at the rental car counter. I waited about 20 minutes for a generic Malibu, and got stuck major rush hour traffic in downtown Oklahoma City. It was good timing that I could talk to the kids for a few minutes before my cell phone ran out of juice. The 70 minute drive was more like an hour forty-five.

So this long day's journey that started in Athens Ohio wound up at my Stillwater hotel at around 7:45 CT. The glamorous life of a national TV producer: out-of-the-way college towns, rental cars and long drives, commuter jets and delays, traffic jams and low cell phone batteries.

It's not too different from the adventure West Virginia fans will take to get here. At least I'm getting paid to do this. Welcome to the Big 12!

But like most stops in the Big 12, Stillwater is pretty OK once you get there. See you out tonight at Eskimo Joe's!

Got an Eskimo Jones

Stillwater, Oklahoma isn't the easiest place to get to. But there is plenty worthwhile once you get there. The Cowboy hoops squad got some senior leadership from Byron Eaton today, closed out Baylor to go 6-6 in the Big 12, and kept their NCAA Tournament hopes alive.

After the game, you gotta go to Eskimo Joe's. The only problem is that everybody else does too. When we arrived were told it's a 90-minute wait. I looked at the list and we were immediately behind groups of 8,9, and 20. We went to the bar to take our chances, and were served promptly. After a cold beverage, time for the house specialty.

That's right, chili-cheese fries (If my wife happens to be reading this - I took the picture from the table next to us - I of course had a salad with a side of fruit). Anyway, our neighboring patrons sure looked like they enjoyed them.

Great place to watch the hoops, talk sports, and buy all kinds of gear. The kids already bounce around Savannah playgrounds in their Eskimo Joe's hoodies.

Unless OSU winds up in the NIT, and I happen to be assigned there, old Joe will have to keep a seat saved for me in the fall. My arteries hopefully will have softened up by then.