The Capstone, The Spread, and The Brotherhood

The news from the Capstone is that Nick Saban will be named the 27th head football coach at Alabama later today. While on the one hand I am happy because I feel he will restore the Tide to its glory days, I worry because he has never stayed anywhere longer than 4 years.

I won lunch off of the Louisville-wake forest game last night. The spread was Wake +10 and over/under 54, so I gave the 10 points with under 54 to a friend of mine who graduated from Wake for lunch. The final score was 24-13, so I squeaked by by one point. Oh well, I’m getting free Chinese today for lunch!

Not much has been happening in the world of Quad. I got everything I asked for from Santa (with the exception of…. Well, you know). I had a good holiday break. I was able to go fishing and enjoyed the hell out of that. even though we were skunked, it was good to be on the water. I am finding the more time I spend on the water the more I feel like that is where I need to be. It relaxes me. It feels good to feel the wind.

As noted yesterday, the new year was rung in with a gathering at Jake’s house. Man, what a good time. You know, I was watching the end of the movie “Family Stone” (five Quad Stars) last night while “The Future” (formerly known as Pookie) was in the bath. As they stood around the Christmas tree enjoying its beauty at the end and the realization that their mom/wife/grandmother had passed, I couldn’t help but feel a little melancholic regarding new year’s eve. There is nothing I want more than for the brotherhood to get to the point where we are together constantly, celebrating birthdays, anniversary’s, holidays, etc. over the years.

At some point, we will be the only family each of us have. We need to build on our family NOW. Our children need to grow up knowing their “cousins” and their “uncles” and “aunts.” We need to welcome each other into our homes unconditionally and without abandon so that we will always have a “home” to go to. We need to be there for each other, forever.

I’ll tell you this, that was the warmest gathering of people the other night that I think I have ever been around. Jake and his wife have done a marvelous job of creating a home environment where everyone feels welcome the minute they walk through the door.

So, we have started to make plans for a vacation this summer. E-bone brought up going to Smith Mountain Lake for a week and said if I took my boat then he would pay for the cabin. Man, I can’t wait for that. it will be a blast fishing and drinking with the fellas and the families and watching the chilluns jump off the pier to swim. The entire brotherhood is invited, to include families.

As our 20th year of friendship rang it at midnight, the year long celebration of life and friendship has begun. If the second 20 years is anything like the first 20, then I can’t wait! Vive’ Le Brotherhood!