Congrats to OutBehindTheWoodshed

As you know, our motto at I'm just sayin... is to always be the first to report something (unless our friends at Our Life report it first... then we will gladly give them credit. Actually, that isn’t entirely true… our motto is really Oderint, dum metuant [Translation: Let them hate, so long as they fear]). Anyway, if you've been over to Our Life the past couple of days you know that my very good friend Adrian and her still dead to me husband Michael are expecting... twins. I, of course, have known this ever since Michael sent me a mass email saying (without saying) he was having twins. Here's the thing, I was in the Piggly Wiggly parking lot waiting for Jeremy when I got the email. I couldn't view the attachments on my phone, so I didn't want to assume anything. At no point in the email did I see the words "babies" or "twins" or "Adrian is pregnant". For all I knew, one of the dogs was about to have puppies. I know what you're thinking, "Greg, why would they have ultrasound pictures of puppies? And why would there only be two puppies?" Well, first, they really love dogs. Second, I'm not a damn vet, how should I know how many puppies are usually born together? So anyway, I called Michael to get some answers (and by "called Michael", I mean I sent him an email telling him to call me). Less than 5 minutes later (yes, I timed it), I was on the phone with him trying to get answers without asking the questions. He, of course, knew what I wanted to know but was determined not to tell me. Really, it was like he had some sort of military POW type training. At one point, I fully expected him to just give me his rank and serial number. Anyway, we at I'm just sayin... are very happy for our friends. A two babies for one hospital visit is really the way to go. The good news here is that Michael isn't the kind of person to get stressed over anything, so he should have nothing to worry about. Haha... see, that's what we in the industry (and by the industry I mean the business) call sarcasm. In all honesty, the good news is he's already lost all of his hair so the stress of having a pregnant (with twins!) wife can't really do anymore damage. I can't wait until this time next year when we get to talk about them having another set of twins... How great will THAT be!?!

Now, an offer for Michael and Adrian: To help you guys get ready, I'm willing to send you Mary Ruth, Susie and Daniel (to go along with the kids from Our Life). The way I see it, if you keep all 5 kids at your house every weekend (or at least everyother weekend) from now until your two are born... then when you come home with "just" two (who can't crawl) it will seem like a piece of cake. Trust me, you'll thank us later (and we'll thank you now). It's really a win-win if you think about it.

By the way... when the time comes for you to get a babysitter, Mary Ruth will be here for you (just make sure you pay her well... baby girl needs to start saving up for college). ;)

Now for the I’m just sayin… Top Christmas Movies of All-Time as voted on by the I’m just sayin… staff.

20. Home Alone

19. The Muppet Christmas Carol

18. White Christmas (1954)

17. Four Christmases

16. Die Hard 2

15. Holiday Inn (1942)

14. The Santa Claus

13. Mickey’s Christmas Carol

12. Jack Frost (1998)

11. Elf

10. A Christmas Story

9. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

8. Fred Claus

7. Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

6. Trading Places

5. A Charlie Brown Christmas

4. Frosty the Snowman

3. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

2. Die Hard

1. Christmas Vacation


The I’m just sayin… College Football Playoffs (Playoffs!?) Second Round Predictions:

1 LSU (SEC Champion) vs. 8 Wisconsin (Big 10 winner) – I think LSU will win this game.

2 Oklahoma St. (Big 12 Champion) vs. 10 Clemson (ACC winner) – It won’t be easy, but I think the Tigers can pull off another upset.

3 Alabama (At Large) vs. 6 Arkansas (At Large) – I’m picking Arkansas to win this game.

4 Stanford (At Large) vs. 12 Michigan State (Sun Belt Champion)– I’m picking Stanford to win this game.


***Note: It seems there was a typo in my previous bracket posts showing Stanford as a 5 seed. They should have been listed as a 4 seed with Oregon as the 5 seed.***


Know Your Medal of Honor Recipients:

Technical Sergeant Francis J. Clark (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on September 12, 1944 near Kalborn, Luxembourg and September 17, 1944 near Sevenig, Germany. His citation reads:

He fought gallantly in Luxembourg and Germany. On 12 September 1944, Company K began fording the Our River near Kalborn, Luxembourg, to take high ground on the opposite bank. Covered by early morning fog, the 3d Platoon, in which T/Sgt. Clark was squad leader, successfully negotiated the crossing; but when the 2d Platoon reached the shore, withering automatic and small-arms fire ripped into it, eliminating the platoon leader and platoon sergeant and pinning down the troops in the open. From his comparatively safe position, T/Sgt. Clark crawled alone across a field through a hail of bullets to the stricken troops. He led the platoon to safety and then unhesitatingly returned into the fire-swept area to rescue a wounded soldier, carrying him to the American line while hostile gunners tried to cut him down. Later, he led his squad and men of the 2d Platoon in dangerous sorties against strong enemy positions to weaken them by lightning-like jabs. He assaulted an enemy machinegun with hand grenades, killing 2 Germans. He roamed the front and flanks, dashing toward hostile weapons, killing and wounding an undetermined number of the enemy, scattering German patrols and, eventually, forcing the withdrawal of a full company of Germans heavily armed with automatic weapons. On 17 September, near Sevenig, Germany, he advanced alone against an enemy machinegun, killed the gunner and forced the assistant to flee. The Germans counterattacked, and heavy casualties were suffered by Company K. Seeing that 2 platoons lacked leadership, T/Sgt. Clark took over their command and moved among the men to give encouragement. Although wounded on the morning of 18 September, he refused to be evacuated and took up a position in a pillbox when night came. Emerging at daybreak, he killed a German soldier setting up a machinegun not more than 5 yards away. When he located another enemy gun, he moved up unobserved and killed 2 Germans with rifle fire. Later that day he voluntarily braved small-arms fire to take food and water to members of an isolated platoon. T/Sgt. Clark's actions in assuming command when leadership was desperately needed, in launching attacks and beating off counterattacks, in aiding his stranded comrades, and in fearlessly facing powerful enemy fire, were strikingly heroic examples and put fighting heart into the hard-pressed men of Company K.

Corporal Harrison Clark (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on July 2, 1863 at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. His citation reads:

Seized the colors and advanced with them after the color bearer had been shot.

Private James G. Clark (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on June 18, 1864 at Petersburg, Virginia. His citation reads:

Distinguished bravery in action; was severely wounded.