A soggy welcome, wilkommen and bienvenue from Ralph Wilson Stadium, where scattered Broncos roam about the field, iPods plugged into their ears as they go through some early pre-game warmup paces. As I peer down from the blessedly enclosed press box, safe from the damp elements, I can see Jason Elam and Todd Sauerbrun in uniform kicking, and Daniel Graham, Nick Ferguson, Brian Clark, Javon Walker and Nate Jackson all moving around. Elam just chucked a 45-yard pass to team chaplain Bill Rader — not too shabby for a kicker, or for anyone.
The guy practicing the national anthem sounds like he’s channeling the voice of John Denver. Eerie ..
There’s several dozen people in orange and blue ponchos sitting in the end zone stands, but now they disperse … presumably to attend to their security duties around the stadium.
The ride over to the stadium was quiet, aside from the music roaring into my headphones on my iPod. Usually on these short jaunts to the stadium, I leave my iPod musical choice to the fate of the shuffle from the “Andrew Radio” playlist. Somehow, I cling to the belief that there might possibly be some divine control over the song arrangement. At times I can piece together a connection; at others I don’t have a bloody clue.
So, henceforth, every so often, I’ll share the selections my iPod brings me. If you can help me figure out any grand meaning to the music — or if you just want to confirm my reservation at the nut house — please offer your comments below.
The selections from early this morning and the ride to the stadium …
Fields of Gold, Sting … I prefer the Eva Cassidy rendition, which didn’t come up today. I skipped this choise, looking for something with more energy.
New World Man, Rush … This one stood out. You can prescribe this to any number of younger players of whom big things are expected. To wit:
He’s not concerned with yesterday
He knows constant change is here today
He’s noble enough to know what’s right
But weak enough not to choose it
He’s wise enough to win the world
But fool enough to lose it –
He’s a new world man.
I also learned from Wikipedia that this was Rush’s only American Top 40 hit. Surprising. Now, on with the countdown …
On the Winning Side, Sam Spence … Most prominently heard at the end of the Super Bowl XII highlight film.
Rain on the Scarecrow, John Mellencamp … Well, it is pretty rustic around Ralph Wilson Stadium, but it’s New England/Northeast rustic, not Indiana/Midwest rustic. Two years ago when we were here and snow covered everything but the playing field, I likened some of the neighborhoods visible from the highways to Siberian villages, except these just happened to have Target, Macy’s and the occasional Lord and Taylor.
Your Wife Don’t Understand You, Lurleen Lumpkin … Simpsonologists will remember this as the song Homer hears when he visits a bar in Spittle County and orders Fudd, because the redneck bar doesn’t carry Duff. (“We don’t sell Duff. We sell Fudd.” “Okay, Fudd me.”) Can’t make any connection to football here, but “Colonel Homer” is one of my favorite Simpsons episodes.
A Little Bit South Of Saskatoon, Sonny James … Well, we are close to Canada. Always good to hear a song from Slap Shot, too.
Stagger Lee, Lloyd Price … The 1987 divisional playoff game with the Oilers.
Into The Great Wide Open, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers … Decent song, better video. It’d be nice if the first couple of verses became an allegory for the season; not so much if the last ones were.
Inactives coming soon … until next entry, vaya con Dios.
Tags: Buffalo Bills
You prefer the Eva Cassidy version of Fields of Gold? Bleh.
You’re generally so well opinioned, too…
I’m a weird guy sometimes, JackZ. There are some songs in my iPod that would really make people question my sanity, my taste and much more than that.
gotta agree with JackZ here, Sting’s “Fields of Gold” is absolute Magic. Eva who?
It’s nothing against Sting’s; I like her version better. Music’s so subjective, though … it’s the one artistic medium where someone’s recommendation doesn’t mean much, at least for me. I like some songs that most people would never expect just because I heard them at a particular time and place in my travels and they keenly frame a specific memory. Believe it or not, there are songs that I have inexorably tied to my many late nights here at the office (including last night; I never went home and am still here at Dove Valley, in desperate need of sleep).