Mike O'Connell

You never think a game started by Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom is going to end up 11-10. Actually, not much of what happened at the end of last night’s Nats-Mets game was that thinkable before it began. Scherzer and deGrom had pedestrian outings… and then things got weird. Very weird.

In the end? A walk-off home run for Kurt Suzuki, giving the home team (my home team) a one-run victory. Which capped off a seven-run ninth inning rally. After letting a one-run deficit balloon to a six-run deficit in the ninth.

It was the kind of game you knew would end with a rally that came up just short. Isn’t that how it usually goes?

This one defied all logic.

‘Round these parts we have a silly, made-up holiday called “the Friday before Labor Day.” (I do realize that all holidays are made up, but come on, this one was made up like a month ago!) Three-day weekend just isn’t enough for the tourism industry; they got us four.

Of course this means we must go to school one day further into June. The last day of school where I live is now June 10, not June 9. Students will be sitting in class on June 10 thinking I could have started my summer vacation today. And let’s face it, it won’t just be the students thinking that.

Well, that was my thought the last month after I heard about this new silly holiday. I’ll admit I thought it was a waste.

But at the end of the day yesterday, were the students complaining that the next day was a day off? Heck, you could have talked them into going until about June 27 to get today off.

I think the teachers were right there with ’em.

Happy Friday Before Labor Day!

Let it be known that I make it a point to try every new food item that comes down the pike. Hence Popeyes’ new chicken sandwich and many other much more questionable decisions over the years.

Somehow, though, the Impossible Whopper from Burger King had eluded me thus far. I’m not sure when it became available in Northern Virginia, but apparently as of a few weeks ago it’s now available nationwide. So no excuses. Get you one of these “plant-based, protein-filled patties” (their words). It’s good, sure, but then again I liked veggie burgers before I tried this one so I wasn’t exactly shocked. I wouldn’t call it impossible; after all, most veggie burgers do sorta taste like burgers, no? Anyway, it’s good.

Popeyes new chicken sandwich good?

No way.

Finding something to beat that one is going to be pretty…

Impossible.

The greatest thing since sliced bread… is when they put a piece of fried chicken between them.

In case you’ve been in a cave on Mars the past few days, Popeyes restaurant has a new chicken sandwich.

Yes, a chicken sandwich.

(Who had “chicken sandwich” in the what’s going to be the most amazing thing the world has ever seen pool?)

So yes, I need one.

And today, August 21, a happy coincidence has occurred in the O’Connell household as today happens to be our wedding anniversary.

Guess what the missus and I are getting each other as gifts?

My sources tell me that this weekend is  the 50th anniversary of the Aquarian Exposition in White Lake, New York, colloquially known as “Woodstock.”

I was born a little too late.

Would I have liked to have gone to Woodstock? Sure.

But I woulda rather gone to Ebbetts Field.