►GOOD NEWS!! The quality of The Silent Pagoda is about to improve by roughly 48,000%. (YAY!!) But only briefly. (Booooooo!) I’m out of the country until next Wednesday, and in my stead, the universally beloved Speedgeek takes control of the site. You may notice some subtle stylistic differences between the two of us. For instance, whereas my style involves waxing moronic about fine jellies & German pirates & other such nonsense – his style is best described as brilliant & exceedingly clever writing from someone with unlimited IndyCar knowledge. We’re almost identical, really. Except for in every feasible way. Between he & Jeff Iannucci & Thackston, you’re all in good hands for the week.
►Also — in case you didn’t know — Jack Arute has purchased a home here in our charming little Blogohood. And while Jack & I are often at odds, I’ve always considered him to be a fine writer who taps into the awesome power of LSD to fuel his stories. His new blog is no different. Do go check it out. Because I vow to burn it to the ground after my return.
►Lastly, no matter your views on the Health Care proceedings in the House last night, you must respect the stoic RIGHTEOUSNESS of David Obey — the twitchy, no-nonsense cyborg running the show. He did not suffer fools gladly — Democrat or Republican — and if you came incorrectly, he swatted your shit up into the Gallery. Quickly. Anyway, we now have a version of him patrolling the comments section. He is the “Parliamentarian,” and he is charged with clearing out the crazy from the comments — which has become a problem of late. THERE WILL BE ORDER IN THIS HOUSE!
Enjoy the week, everyone. It’ll be a good one — for Butler WILL beat Syracuse … Hunter-Reay WILL edge out Franchitti & Justin Wilson for the win … and the Pagoda WILL be a respectable IndyCar blog, if only for a short while. Peace, I’m out.
By Bickelmom, March 22, 2010 @ 2:46 pm
Bon Voyage, Roy! Come back full of snark to share with us all!
By Oilpressure, March 22, 2010 @ 2:57 pm
Thank God the Final Four is coming to Indianapolis. It will offset the dramatic loss in revenue suffered by all the local watering holes with Hobbson’s absence.
Be careful down there, Roy. Don’t stray too far off the beaten path. Andy will keep things right with the Pagoda.
By H.B. Donnelly, March 22, 2010 @ 3:54 pm
Out of the country? Is the FBI knocking on your door again, Roy?
And you’re damn right Butler beats Syracuse this weekend. You and I can march from Lucas Oil Stadium up to West 49th St. make a championship-caliber bonfire out in front of Hinkle Fieldhouse after the Bulldogs take down the nets!
By Larry J. Phelps (R-IL), Distinguished Pagoda Parliamenterian, March 22, 2010 @ 4:07 pm
POINT OF ORDER Donnelly! You will be silenced and refrain from slandering the Speaker of this body. His travels are noble and of pure intent. Vial of peyote notwithstanding.
By The Speedgeek, March 22, 2010 @ 4:32 pm
Wait…Arute is going to be my competition for the next week-plus? This was not discussed in the negotiations for my “assuming the point”, as I think Marty Reid would call what I’m doing here for the short term. Oh, my. Anybody hitting up the Pagoda for some fine reading after surfing over from Jack’s is going to be severely let down. I can’t even begin to compete with Jack’s brand of…whatever it is that he’s doing over there.
Well, thanks for stopping by, everybody! See you after Barber!
By DZ, March 22, 2010 @ 4:46 pm
“…and for the Hobbson we pray,
Veel keluk,
Gei mi Got,
Iku Kami to,
Bon voyage,
Vaya con Dios,
Va com Deus,
Godspeed, Amen.”
By cappy, March 22, 2010 @ 6:03 pm
The Parliamentarian frightens me.
Permission to speak, sir?
*the gentleman from Indiana has the floor*
Thank you Mr Speaker. Me and my colleagues eagerly await Speedgeek’s arrival. I will reserve the remainder of my time.
By Coz, March 22, 2010 @ 6:36 pm
George, you got shafted by Hobbson again.
By Larry J. Phelps (R-IL), Distinguished Pagoda Parliamentarian, March 22, 2010 @ 7:24 pm
Cappy this body thanks you for your candor and the respect shown here today.
POINT OF PRIVILEGE…Speedgeek you will henceforth refrain from directly quoting Sir Richard of Enberg. We will be limiting debate directly until such time as either Messr Speedgeek presents his forthcoming racing related diatribe or unless Mr. Hobbson wishes to comment from his vacation home in Floyds Knobs.
Harumph. Harumph. I didn’t get a harumph out of that guy!
By Roy Hobbson, March 22, 2010 @ 7:27 pm
cappy — he frightens me too. And rest assured, I AM NOT HIM. That’s Larry Phelps. He is fierce. But please him w/ your brevity & wit, and he will dole out praise. He’s fair like that.
Coz — I’ve asked George 178 times to come host the Pagoda. And 178 times, he’s told me that the readers & comments section here terrifies him.
Which brings us full circle, right back to where we started.
And where’s that? you ask.
Why, to my pre-pre-pre-pre-pre-flight whisky binge of course. My goal is to stumble onto the plane & quickly pass out — thereby escaping the AWFUL HORRORS of flying.
By P Daddy, March 22, 2010 @ 7:52 pm
Hey Speedgeek, Roy said to be nice to you. F that, you’re mine!!! Let’s see what you got.
By Larry J. Phelps (R-IL), Distinguished Pagoda Parliamentarian, March 22, 2010 @ 8:06 pm
Here here P Daddy. This is exactly the type of attitude this Body encourages and tries to instill in all members within these shabbily constructed walls.
Indeed. Would Speedgeek, the kindly gentleman from blogspot please bring forth your Principal Motion. I.E drop some hellaciously solid verbiage on the assembly’s collective foreheads.
By George Phillips (Oilpressure), March 22, 2010 @ 9:59 pm
Terrified?? I think not.
My prediction is that once Hobbson returns from his covert operation, he’ll see that The Speedgeek filled in quite well, actually. In fact, it’s quite likely that he’ll hear chants of “Roy, who?”
Terrified…indeed!
By cappy, March 23, 2010 @ 7:15 am
Arute writes like a hyperactive hippie girl on NoDoze. That’s not a bad thing.