First post? :-)

Go Gators!

The game tonight is between two teams I do not love but do not hate but I have to back Ohio State. Why? "State" for one thing. Always best to say "go State" in all matters. Then, a buddy of mine did a one year Masters of Sports Management there. Personal connection trumps everything but geographical nearness. Plus the helmet stickers of Ohio State rock.

so what are YOUR views on historical fencing as a valid martiual art?

Some may view it as entertainment but only on Fridays.. not entertainment tonight. ;)

I'd be more interested if you signed death waivers and used real swords.

Good piece on NPR's <i>All in a Game</i> Saturday about fencing at Notre Dame. About how they are getting all trained fencers as frosh now. Also they are led by an Olympic gold medalist.

Of course, most of life would be more interesting with death waivers.

Greg, are you familiar with Jenica's blog? Medievalist sword fighter librarian of upstate New York.

well I think it WOULD solve lot of petty societal woe's with having to defend your word with your life. Or holding another accountable to their word and actions. But maybe that's just me...

Our group here has local fencing coach attending now and he loves it! getting lots of insight and new theory and techniques for application within their FIE style and rules.

Nope I'm not.. but there now and so much for monday work! LOL ;) thanks!

Al, Mulligan is capitalised. :-) And would you be referring to David or John Mulligan?

I'm backing the Gators simply to get the goat of a man I know who graduated from OSU. Coincidentally, he was on the fencing team while he was there.

THe OED lists it's first publication as the Coshocton Ohio Tribune, April 6, 1938. It doesn't given a origin, though. Wikipedia has two possibles: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mulligan#Origin

I understand Mr. Mulligan was a bartender in Pembroke, Ontario in the early 1900s (bar still exists) who was always complaining and fixing his golf shot. It became a standardized rule there. He took the rule with him to a big hotel in either Toronto or Montreal and it spread from there. There was another rule. Call it the Sullivan as I can't recall the right name. If a player bitches and moans over every shot he makes, if he makes a good one, everyone can move their ball to that point.

Hey, the Pembroke-told tale seems to have some air of realty...or at least wikiality.

That could be the first one listed in Wikipedia, Al. The USGA gives Mulligan as being the manager of the Waldorf Astoria. :-)

That is clicking now with me. I was told the story about a decade ago. The guy started out in Pembroke, went to a bigger Canadian hotel and then on to NY. He would be a catch for a big hotel bar as the Pembroke area attracted a lot of city rich guys back in the day as a hunting and outdoorsy headquarters and had massive bars to show for it. The one referenced in "Big Joe Mufferaw" lasted until the early 90s until it was burned. You can still see a few of the sorts of hunting and lumbering bars on the Quebec side like the famous Fred's at Chapeau and the Silver Maple between Shawville and Gatienau back from the big river.

Oh, sure. I remember a bunch of that from various interpretive tours through Algonquin Park. It was a very busy part of the province.

So, apparently a quick way to kill conversation around here is for Al and I to discuss something. LOL

I guess there's only so much you can say about Mulligan.

but there's always fencing.... ;)

Can you get a mulligan in fencing?

Just at the very last moment, can you blurt it out?

Oh! Run through the Mulligan!

I'd like to have verbal mulligans or email mulligans. You know, when you just think of something and whoops..say it or click send. I guess Outlook privides a mulligan in the form of message recall.. What about a career mulligan. Half way into a 10 year stint as a librarian yuou could say Mulligan! and BAM you aer back in school and no-one can give you any guff for it.

Guff.. now there is a word.

guff
noun

1. colloq, derog
Nonsense.

Ahh, but would you still be able to learn something from you error if you took a life Mulligan? Part of the process of learning and gowing is to learn from your mistakes, but it you have a free do-over available, would that negate the lessons learned?

I guess a fencing mulligan would be equivalent to what I like to call the "ninth parry"... The one where you drop your weapon, turn and run away screaming like a little child and flailing your arms wildly.

Would that be a Hounsell or a Miedema?
<R&D>

....and so, at the metaphorical end of the fourth quarter, gary trots upon the field to save the day for the gen x team and says 'but Alan, I was just thinking how nice that lady is from entertainment tonight...<p>[Ed.: <i>The Gods are not amused.</i>]

GARY!!!
You are transgressing.

I for one shall attemt to save the discussion. I read today that one can buy the coolest device. A plastic expandable sleeve for protecting your bannana from bruising (Gordo, keep your mind out of the gutter) in your briefcase.

www.bannabunker.com

OMG I cannot spell banana...
http://www.bananabunker.com/

But I put in that part about swordplay and I KID YOU NOT I really was thinking about that stuff. Maybe I should do my own post on 'don't hassle the Hoff'.
Sorry cm, OSU will kick Florida a$$ tonight. Better check your piggy bank, make sure there's a loonie in there with my name on it.

Hey! I resemble that remark!

The editorial board cannot be expected to respond with niceties and relies on the rule in equity that he who seeks equity must have clean hands.

Go Gators!

In the negotiations which concluded my first marriage it was suggested by counsel for my then wife that the entire enterprise be regarded as a Mulligan.

I find myself taping loonie to a postcard and mailing it north. The college football results are somewhat surprising. I guess people who claimed Florida played a tough schedule were right!

I think Boise State should be #2.