Chicken Wings for Charity Redux

OK, so I should have completed this post a long time ago - and I certainly don't have time to work on this right now (finishing grades for my ZU students) - but with the world premiere of The Nostradamus Cycle upon us I can't put it off anymore. So, I will take the opportunity to post the pictures, with limited commentary (which is probably for the best anyway). This last Super Bowl Sunday we held our second annual Chicken Wings for Charity event, once again supporting the homeless shelter (at least the Gentlemen of Excellence supported the homeless shelter - lord knows that Cyndi's team probably pocketed the cash). There were some changes this year, starting with a new partner for the GOE. The most excellent Erik Esckilsen replaced the faltering Andy Burkhardt, and performed brilliantly, actually tying last year's record (55) for most wings consumed. The record didn't last long because I ended up eating 61, and suffered for days. This is definitely not an old man's sport, and Andy should have shown more loyalty to the team, unless he is trying to get the more senior Gentlemen of Excellence to die of heart attacks so that he can climb up the seniority ranks. The other new factor this year is that we lost, and pretty badly. Now, to be fair, the Eat More Kale Team, the Brandenburg-Vespas, did cheat like dogs this year. For one thing, it was four on two, so that even though Erik and I consumed the most individually, as a team we were thumped. Plus, the BVs allegedly made use of only one of the twins, but we suspected that there may have been some Twin Shenanigans, even despite the best efforts of the truly excellent referee Steve Wehymeyer to keep tabs on them. Finally, the BVs unleashed the little wolverine, Joey, who easily ate his body weight in wings. Still, we raised over $1100 for the homeless shelter, and it was a magnificent time once again. The question is, with me in the Middle East, who will step forward for the GOE and champion the team this year?

The most excellent Erik.

Team Eat More Kale. I have never understood the whole Eat More Kale concepts, or even kale in the first place, which is truly horrid. However, the shirts were cool. Again, you can see the Twins, and the potential for unlimited, spontaneous Twin Magic. And look at Joey - who knew he was such a bottomless pit?

I did feel good for Bill, who clearly redeemed himself after a faulty showing the year before - and having his shrewish wife throwing him under the bus in a newspaper article for failing to eat more. It was, as Sanford reminds us, a story of redemption.

The Wolverine, pictured below in his winter coat, and looking appropirately mischievious.

The logistics of such an operation were exhausting, especially keeping tabs on the rampant cheating of the BVs.

As always, the event drew a crowd of supporters, which was greatly appreciated. Among the crowd you can see the excellent Sanford Zale playing with a borrowed flip camera, which was the beginning of the filming of the soon to be award-winning The Nostradamus Cycle.

And, finally, Cyndi reveling in her victory, her accumulated swag, and her Machiavellian double knavery.