Sunday, December 6, 2009

Could I possibly rattle the tip-jar
hard enough to get to Pasadena?

I doubt it. As much as I'd like to go cover Alabama vs. Texas in the BCS game, I simply don't think our readers would hit the tip jar to fund such a trip.

However, Dan Collins at POWIP has faith in you guys. He thinks you can do it, but as I told Dan and Jimmie Bise, this is an idea so crazy even I don't think it will work.

Why, I'd probably have to collect $2,000 between now and Jan. 7 in order to pay my overdue bills and go to Pasadena. Is that even possible? I don't think so. But . . .

Wait a minute. What did I say before Saturday's game?

Even I, a fan so faithful that I have been known to break down in tears at the sound of the Alabama fight song, have little hope that the Tide can win today.
A 'Bama win would be a miracle, a sign from God, the college football equivalent of In Hoc Signo Vinces.
Could it be? Was this truly a revelation of Divine Will? Could it be that the Almighty wants me to go to Pasadena? Is there some transcendental cosmic purpose at work here?

Or am I just scamming a free trip to the Rose Bowl?

Never mind. Suppose there were 1,000 Alabama fans who each hit tip jar for $2, or 400 'Bama fans for $5? If only there were 100 Crimson Tide true believers who were good for $20 each . . .

Who am I to doubt? Indeed, anything is within the scope of theoretical possibility, when it involves the undefeated SEC champion Alabama Crimson Tide. After all, who suspected before yesterday's game that we'd see Florida QB Tim Tebow in tears?

Here's the deal then: We'll raise $2,000 between now and New Year's Day, thus affording me a week to book my flight, scam somebody out of a press pass, etc. That means I must raise $80 a day, ever day, for the next 25 days.

So whether that's four people hitting me for $20 or eight people hitting me for $10, as long as I can maintain that pace until New Year's Day, then a month from now, I'll be in sunny Pasadena, attending press conferences, interviewing Crimson Tide football players and having my photo taken with beautiful Alabama cheerleaders.

The Other McCain Sports Department:
It's Not Just a Scam, It's an Adventure!
Now hit the tip jar!

P.S.: If anyone has any suggestions for fund-raising incentives, just put them in the comments.
UPDATE: Robert G. from St. Augustine, Fla., was the first reader to hit the tip jar for the Pasadena trip. And he did it even while Mrs. Other McCain was giving me the depressing rundown on our household budget.

My wife was saying, "Electric bill blah blah blah water bill blah blah blah cell-phone bill blah blah blah . . ." And then I logged into PayPal and shouted: "Roll, Tide!"

Uh, I haven't told her about the Pasadena trip yet. Going to take a few more tip-jar hits before she's ready to hear that news. She reads the blog, but not every day.

UPDATE II: Dan Collins links with this encouragement:
If you’re looking for a little gonzo on the subject of the Rose Bowl, if you’d like to feel that you were there in a slightly off-kilter way, you won’t do better than sending Stacy. Consider it an investment in voyeurism. You know that he’ll deliver.
Speaking of slightly off-kilter, Los Angeles resident Little Miss Attila plans to meet me in Pasadena to collect some of the martinis I still owe her from last year's CPAC. Better hit that tip jar at little harder. Attila can really put away the gin.

16 comments:

  1. Just to let you know it IS possible, one of my film-geek buddies, who has lost much of his free-lancing income, was able to raise $2000 to go to the Cannes Film Festival, just from his readers (http://enchantedmitten.blogspot.com/2009/01/yes-we-cannes.html).

    There's also technical info on how to do it. There is a program that allows you to take donations toward a certain monetary goal that you're not sure of meeting, but which will only make good on them once that threshold is reached. I'll give you Mike's contact info if you'd like).

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  2. Hey, you can have a place to stay since I am but less than 2 miles from the Rose Bowl!

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  3. Flights are cheapest when booked at least 15 days in advance. FYI.

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  4. What Righty64 says goes for me, too.

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  5. "Or am I just scamming a free trip to the Rose Bowl?"

    Yep.

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  6. If you were an Orange Blood many more would be willing to fund your venture as they would much rather read reports on the Championship Team.
    Just Memorized the Following:

    Texas Fight! Texas Fight!
    And its Goodbye to AlaBam (A&M)
    Texas Fight! Texas Fight!
    And we'll put over one more win.
    Texas Fight! Texas Fight!
    For its Texas that we love best.
    Hail, Hail, the gang's all here.
    And it's goodbye to all the rest!

    Yea, Orange! Yea, White!
    Yea, Longhorns! Fight! Fight! Fight!
    Texas Fight! Texas Fight!
    Yea, Texas Fight
    The 'Eyes of Texas' are upon you,
    All the live long day!
    The 'Eyes of Texas'are upon you,
    You cannot get away!
    Texas Fight! Texas Fight!
    For it's Texas we all love best!
    Hail, Hail, the gangs all here!
    And it's goodbye to all the rest!

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  7. lanclosl said...
    If you were an Orange Blood many more would be willing to fund your venture

    Thanks for encouraging TEXAS A&M fans to hit my tip jar.

    C'mon, Aggies! Bear Bryant used to coach at A&M. Are you going to let these damned braggarts from Austin run you down this way? What would Sul Ross want you to do?

    HIT THE TIP JAR!

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  8. Stogie said...
    Yep.

    Honesty is the best policy.

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  9. Welcome all of you (F)Aggies, who are tired of being stomped by BEVO help RS get to Pasadena so he can get witness the Cannon Blast in Person. There are plenty Tea-Sips out here willing to match your contributions although we will require you to produce the cow-chip you were issued...HEH

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  10. I am pretty sure the Alighty is a Gamecock fan.

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  11. Please don't come! I don't want the Rose Bowl to become a hotbed of crypto racist Flemish facist dogwhistlers. The guy with the big TV in our group reads that lizard blog. If you catch my drift.

    Man was not meant to watch the Bowl on 21" Have pity, sir!

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  12. I don't want the Rose Bowl to become a hotbed of crypto racist Flemish facist dogwhistlers

    Hmmmm. Rose Bowl = Tea Party?

    This could work. Alabama and Texas are both red states. We'll get Glenn Beck to spread the word. Everybody show up with your joker-face Obama posters, Gadsden Flags, "Where's the Birth Certificate" banners, NRA T-shirts, etc.

    Jan. 7, Charles Johnson turns on his TV to watch the game and . . .

    KA-BLOOEY! His head explodes, like that scene in "Scanners."

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  13. Being a closet Alabama fan, I'll send ya two bucks via mail. I hate Paypal.

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  14. I cannot believe I had a typo in "Almighty." I am so going to hell. With a degree from Regent University, no less.

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  15. RS,

    You'll be one Valley over; Look me up when you're in town. There are some good people who work at the State Party (and affiliate groups) who are worth talking to.

    And don't forget, Smitty and you are invited to LA for a fundraiser after the Ides of March.

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