The Blog of Columbus, Georgia

26 OCT 09: Discs So Dead

Columbus High School won a Georgia state softball title over the weekend. Calvary Christian finished second in the GISA state volleyball championship. But did you hear about the national award a Columbus-based sport has just received? Apparently I'm the only one to hear about it - which makes sense, since I'm the one who tried to start it.

SPAM-A-RAMA: It was quite a surprise to learn via e-mail last week that I won an award - and not for blogging:

I am pleased to announce that Power Frisbee Of Georgia has been selected for the 2009 Best of Columbus Award in the Sports category by the US Commerce Association.

In recognition of your achievement, a 2009 Best of Columbus Award has been designed for display at your place of business. You may arrange to have your award sent directly to Power Frisbee Of Georgia by following the simple steps on the 2009 Best of Columbus Award order form....

Each year, the US Commerce Association (USCA) identifies companies that we believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.

Astounding! Power Frisbee was selected over the Columbus Cottonmouths, Lions and Woodbats. It even topped the Steeplechase at Callaway - which I presume received the award in the Best Hats category.

There's only one small problem with this award - and long-time readers of this blog already know what it is. Power Frisbee of Georgia has been out of business for more than three years. In fact, the blog set up for Power Frisbee was unplugged from the web several weeks ago to save energy.

If you're not aware, I tried to fulfill a long-time dream by starting a new sports idea across Georgia in 2006. Power Frisbee was designed to be one-on-one competition on a football field. But something unexpected happened - the "one-on-ones" didn't really show up. Frisbee throwers simply were too team-conscious, and apparently don't own any Terrell Owens posters.

Power Frisbee's opening season was stopped after three rounds, due to a lack of interest and a pair of tire blowouts as I drove to matches. But for some reason, the sports league is still listed in some business directories. C'mon, guys -- the city business license payments stopped years ago.

Those directory listings must explain why the U.S. Commerce Association would give an award to a dead sports league. Yet the association's web site says award winners are "determined by the marketing success of your company in your local community." One radio and one TV appearance in Columbus in 2006 went farther than I ever imagined.

(Yet the U.S. Commerce Association prepared an online press release, which I could use to promote my Best of Columbus award. Apparently they think I'm too busy writing commercials for the business to write a promotional statement for the Ledger-Enquirer.)

So is there a catch behind this award? Of course there is. The "contact us" page at the U.S. Commerce Association web site explains while I don't have to join the group, the group expects me to buy the plaque. A plaque which would be about as valuable as the faux Oscar I bought at Universal Studios in Orlando years ago....

So I appreciate the U.S. Commerce Association's interest in me - but I'll settle for a nice picture of my plaque as my computer screen background. And should your business receive one of these "Best of Columbus" awards, please let me know. Maybe we can set up a "Hall of Fame" display with photos of mock plaques on Flickr.

The "Best of Columbus" award I'd appreciate much more is one from the Ledger-Enquirer. Members of the public vote on those. But I don't think the newspaper's ever had one for the best blog - perhaps to prevent Sonya Sorich's "The Walk of Shame" from being put in that very place.

-> Our other blog starts with poker, then goes in directions you might not expect. People around the world visit "On the Flop!"<--

E-MAIL UPDATE: We mentioned this can of food Sunday, and it stirred up one reader's appetite....

Richard...maybe you should have people vote on what they think is in the can of "pork with juices"...Vienna Sausages,chitterlings (don't even know if spelling is correct),a big chunk of fatback,pickled pigs' feet... and other pork eatables...After the votes are in open the can and let us know what won...

Normally I'm open to suggestions like this -- but I'm sorry, NOT this time. I'm not a ~~poker~~ pork eater, so the can is going to a shelter. And thanks to those juices, I don't have to throw in a spare can of tomato sauce.

The industrial can of "pork with juices" has an ingredient list - but all it says is: "Pork, salt." It also has a nutrition box, which shows the pork provides NO vitamin C. So the juices inside must not be orange or cranberry....

Let's see what else was cooking on Sunday:

+ Columbus Police told WTVM a woman answered the door at her home near Munson Drive at 2:00 a.m. Three women outside then beat her up. C'mon, ladies -- there are better ways to get a new purse for Sunday church services.

+ A three-day "Live United" boot camp for young people concluded. A dozen seventh-graders spent the weekend learning about local United Way projects, and how they could volunteer to help. These students may not know in a few years, their interest in serving will increase - as they have to meet a community service requirement to get a high school diploma.

+ The Atlanta Falcons were downed by Dallas 37-21. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said before the game a win over Atlanta would prove his team is "legitimate." A new billion-dollar stadium apparently only gets you so far in Texas....

(The Dallas defense sacked Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan four times. And to make matters worse, the defenders didn't use reusable cloth bags to do it.)

+ Instant Message to Arizona Cardinals linebacker Karlos Dansby: Yes, I noticed that. During the Sunday night football player introductions, you said you were from "Woodlawn High School" in Birmingham. Did a three-game losing streak by Auburn University turn you THAT much against your alma mater?

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BURKARD BULK MAIL INDEX: 407 (- 27, 6.2%)

The views expressed in this blog are solely those of the author -- not necessarily those of anyone else in Columbus living or dead, and perhaps not even you.

Monday, October 26, 2009