Sports Fact & Book Rec of the Day 3/5/2010

3/5/1977:
Notre Dame plays giant-killer once again at its cozy Convocation Center in South Bend, upsetting top-ranked and unbeaten San Francisco (29-1), 93-82. Donald "Duck" Williams leads the Irish with 25 points, including seven straight in the second half when Notre Dame surges to a 68-60 lead. Coach Digger Phelps had spent several days before this game whipping the ND student body into a frenzy with a pep rally and the creation of a rhythmic chant to unnerve the unbeaten visitors: "29-1, 29-1, 29-1." On game day for the nationally televised contest, the manic crowd totally flusters the west coast quintet and the Irish secure a much-needed victory to gain entry, as an independent, to the NCAA tournament.

Birthdays:
Elmer Valo b. 1921
Scott Skiles b. 1964
Michael Irvin b. 1966
Paul Konerko b. 1976
Wally Szczerbiak b. 1977

Packers Fact:
The Packers' 435 points in 2007 was the third-highest total in club history. The 1996 squad set the all-time mark at 456 points.


http://www.widro.com/throwpaper.html

Paper Shots
It's the perfect time-waster for the office! Hold down the mouse for extra strength, take aim, and toss the paper into the wastebasket. Best of all, you don't even have to get up to clean the little balls off the floor.

EVERYTHING YOU WANT IN A SPY NOVEL

This intricately plotted post-9/11 spy thriller is so gripping because its author, journalist David Ignatius, has a masterful command of the ins and outs of Middle Eastern politics, and because his characters are such fully drawn individuals. The suspense is riveting and the conclusion unexpected, to put it mildly.

BODY OF LIES, by David Ignatius (W. W. Norton, 2007)

CIDER JACK

American Hard Cider Co., Middlebury, Vermont

There are some great hard ciders to be had, especially in New England and the northern reaches of the country. Cider Jack has a low carbonation, just a bit beyond petillant, and pours a pale you’d be hard pressed (get it?) to find in the beer world. The apple aroma is subtle and sweet, with said sweetness carrying through to the clean and inviting but non-complex flavor of this great entry cider. A slight tartness keeps things refreshing by coming in right at the finish.

STYLE TIP

Ciders are generally categorized as French—sweet, rich, and somewhat fruity—or English, drier, and more austere. Unsurprisingly, American ciders typically lean toward the English camp.