Monopoly.
Life.
Clue.
Scrabble.

The board game has evolved through the years.  Now some games don’t even require a board (i.e. Scene-it and Catch Phrase).  How every you count it, we’ve all had our frustrations and joys with board games.  I love the image of finally freaking out over Monopoly and tossing the game across the room.

There are two board games that shaped my childhood.  My family would gather around the living room or the kitchen table and play.  Usually we divided boys verses girls.  Which from a glance: 3 boys vs. 2 girls might seem unfair.  But assure you, it was very even.

Tribond – team A would read three words and team B would have to say what those three words have in common (i.e. salad bar, golf course, box of Crayola Crayons = they all have greens).  Some rounds were easier than others, but there was always the off the wall response.
Scategories – each individual would receive a piece of paper with a list of categories (i.e. fruit, city, things that are round, etc).  We’d roll a 26-sided dice to get a common letter.  Then with the timer running you’d have to fill in all the categories with words that start with the given letter.

My family is fairly competitive.  My brother once instructed my mom to beat the neighboring vehicle when the light turned green.  He was still sitting in a car seat.

The board game has been the centerpiece for family enjoyment for years.  Dust off the old Monopoly board and buy yourself Boardwalk.

Most of us have had the privilege of meeting Webster.  I remember growing up, my teacher would often tell me, “I should have met Webster sooner,” or “if you would’ve met with Webster you would have received a better grade on this paper.”

theipp[dot] finally sat down with Webster to figure out how he became the man:

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IPP:  How are you doing these days?

Webster:  I’ve been younger, but I’m doing well.

IPP:  How did you become such a rock star in the literature community?

W:  [laughing] that’s funny.  I was sitting the library one Tuesday and the librarian came up to me…

IPP:  Woah there Webster, this is a family program.

W:  It’s nothing what you think.  I was playing dice in the corner, and I was cleaning house against the library nerds.  They never knew how to gamble.

IPP:  You were gambling?

W:  Oh yeah, I love throwing dice.

IPP:  I’m confused.

W:  The librarian busted me for the millionth time.  She sent me to the chalkboard and told me to start writing words.  When I filled up every room in the building I started writing in a notebook.  See, I was a troublemaker and did a lot of writing.

IPP:  I thought you were a genius?

W:  Depending on who you are, I am.

IPP:  What?

W:  By the time I finished high school and college, I had couple dozen notebooks.  One professor was impressed with my collection of words.  He thought if I organized the words in order I might be able to sell the collection.  BOOM!  The first dictionary was born.

IPP:  uh…
W:  Every couple of years I had some new words: like “boo-yeah” or “bootylisous” so I can release another edition.

IPP:  I really don’t know what to say.

W:  Now I’ve got the dot com and it has a thesaurus and everything.  I’m rich!

IPP:  I think we’ve all learned a valuable lesson today.  Every great idea starts with throwing some dice.

W:  Yahtzee!

He is lonely.
He is offensive.
He is critical.
He is Jim Rome.

Love him or hate him, he has listeners.  Unfortunately for me, his three-hour program sits directly in the middle of the morning (9-12pm).  I’d rather listen to dogs bark the morning sports ramblings, but I’m stuck with Rome.  In case you’ve never heard Jim Rome, I’ve dedicated this blog to follow the same format as his radio program.

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Good morning!  This is The Jim Rome Program.

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You’re listening to Jim Rome.

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Andy Konigsmark and John Smoltz are my guests today.  In the third hour I’ll have Jay Cutler.

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I have Andy Konigsmark coming up at the top of the hour.

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I have the former gladiator contender.

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Dude was a gladiator contender.

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I bet he’d still give TITAN a fair fight.

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He’d be able to hang.

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He was a gladiator contender.

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He’d scrap.

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It might not be the prettiest thing you’ve seen, but he’d scrap.

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Andy Konigsmark at the top of the hour.

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I’m saying he could still scrap.

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TITAN, if you’re out there – be aware.

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Andy Konigsmark can still scrap.

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I’m just saying – if I was TITAN – I’d be aware.

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I have Mr. Andy Konigsmark in the next hour.

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I’m going to take a short break, but Andy Konigsmark in up next.

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Look out TITAN – he can scrap.

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He was a gladiator contender – you remember?

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I’m saying he can scrap.

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He’d scrap.

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Why?  Make a point already!  Rome!  For the love of radio, make a point!  You ramble on the same topic – the same point – the same position for hours!  You need a co-host, someone to help you.  You’re awful.  But I’ll keep listening because I love to hate your program.  So I guess in the end you win.  Dang-it!

Devin Hester caught the game winning touchdown pass for Chicago over the weekend.  If you are unfamiliar with Hester, or think he is overrated, allow me to change your mind: