The Deck at 260 Part 17

Ok it's October and we're back on the deck after a week off. Lots to talk about also so hope you're ready 

Laura Loomer, baby boo challenge, county v state fair, Bad Bunny, Cardi B v Nicki, Tina Turner statue, class reunions

Ok with Laura Loomer why is it the ugliest people in looks and/or spirit have the most to say? She definitely played herself. 

We have yet another twerk challenge: the baby boo challenge, concocted by NBA Youngboy. It didnt seem like many of the top models on social media got involved with this one. I think these twerk challenges are getting stale. Unsure it's because women are twerking more and more for the free or cheap. Either way, twerking is everywhere. 

There's a silent debate that we will bring to the deck: the county fair v the state fair. This does not include carnivals by the way although there are some dope carnivals. It seems like it depends on where your parents took you growing up or where did you go with friends and such. For me it's the county fair due to the crowd and overall proximity. If you're me why travel to Raleigh or Columbia when I can get pretty much the same stuff in Shelby, NC? 

We have another controversial Super Bowl halftime performer in Bad Bunny. I did a poll and the responses were beyond interesting. Basically the general public that actually knew Bad Bunny want to see a different genre or a variety of genres represented. It does raise 2 questions: how long has it been since a country music star has performed? 2. Will Weird Al ever get a chance? 

The Cardi B v Nicki Minaj beef on X has been both entertaining and sad. Both rappers released albums within the past month. Cardi is pregnant, Nicki is on drugs really bad. Either way, both ladies should handle this in the booth like real rappers. I also don't see Nicki, straight or intoxicated, coming after someone like Remy Ma. Who besides Clarissa Shields wants that smoke? 

We have another degrading statue with the Tina Turner statue being unveiled in her hometown in Tennessee. I'm not sure who is sculpting these disgraceful statues (reminiscent of Dwayne Wade) but they need to go back to their day job. There are talented sculptors out there and we need them now! 

This is the season of high school Homecomings and class reunions. We will discuss college Homecomings next month (25th for me). I'm coming up on 30 for high school. Many schools combine reunions due to low class size and participation and I'm ok with that. I do admire and love the classes that are able to get together also. Either way, it's all fun remembering the good times. I pray that my high school class does something next year. The officers are basically MIA and haven't been saying much in my class. I hope that changes.  

See you next week on the deck!

The Deck at 260 Part 16

We're on the last week of summer on the Deck. Mosey and Spud decided to join in! Here's the rundown as it consistently ramps up as the weekend nears. 

Charlie Kirk, whoopty doo, Jimmy Kimmel, Gilmore transfer, Dame Dash, young man hanging at Delta State University. 

Charlie Kirk being murdered has really caused division across not only political and racial lines but HR departments also. We'll talk more in depth with Jimmy Kimmel's show being canceled. I will limit and be reserved in what I say. It is indeed sad when a tragedy such as this brings out negative vibes and feelings. I may be disconnecting from social media until October aside from certain matters and content. 

Ok many folks have lost their jobs due to comments being made against Charlie Kirk and even Donald Trump. Comedian Jimmy Kimmel is the latest and perhaps most visible. All I will say is pick your battles carefully when regarding social media and public comments regarding this matter. 

Whoopty Doo is the latest phrase to go viral this past week. I wasn't sure what it meant until I finally Googled it.  Rapper Young Thug said it during an interview and it's caught everyone by storm. It's something how the most unexpected of phrases can be famous when said properly. 

The high school transfer portal in South Carolina is lighting up. First South Pointe High School in Rock Hill's quarterback has transferred and is now at another school. Now at Gaffney, the local powerhouse, Jayvon Gilmore has not only left the school, he's enrolled at another high school in the Midlands region of South Carolina. Gilmore is expected to start for the school on Friday night and has decommitted from Arkansas. That's a lot of drama in just two weeks. Basically Gaffney had a quarterback controversy due to the high school transfer portal and it was seemingly resolved via the transfer portal. I expect this to be very common until the SCHSL gets a handle on this. 

Hip hop mogul Dame Dash is the latest to come onto The Breakfast Club and read Charlemagne Da God a new one. Dame definitely had an agenda by agreeing to the interview and showing out like he did on the air. History will tell us Dame has did this for years and he is definitely salty with Jay-Z and others in the industry. I watched the interview and I thought Charlemagne handled it very professionally. He's had a lot of growth mentally and isn't quite the "shock jock" he used to be. 

There was a possible modern day lynching at Delta State University in Mississippi. A young black man was found hanging in a park nearby the university. Now while mental illness is alive and well everywhere, there is too much suspect about this situation. The law enforcement down there hasn't conducted enough of an investigation just to rule this as a suicide and say there is no foul play. I'm also into forensics and I am curious how does anyone determine whether it is a clear suicide? 

Let's see what next week brings as both summertime and September come to a close!

The Deck at 260 Part 15

September is in full swing on the deck, even got a good bonfire going. Like the fire, we got a heckuva discussion happening out here with the topics you expected and more (no Dad joke intended on Maya Moore)

Charlie Kirk, Maya Moore, Phillies Karen, the NFL being back, the new cellphone rule is here in SC. 

OK we will kick this topic off with the current most intense discussion. To start off with it will be a great day when racism no longer exists. It may not happen in my lifestyle but it will be glorious. That is of course the murder of Charlie Kirk (sorry assassination is a reach). 

I refuse to go with the waves, be an Uncle Tom and I ALWAYS stand on business. See my efforts lifetime and since COVID alone with the ##schoolsinsessiondrew74. We obviously need a handle on both gun violence and having these key conversations. 

Charlie Kirk was not a Christian (I said it). He spewed hate, racism, sexism and tried to insult the intelligence of the inferior. Never mind he was one of Trump's biggest supporters and a staunch right winger since 2012. This stems far beyond politics. He was a manipulator and influencer that should be compared more to Adolf Hitler than MLK or Malcolm. He used and abused free speech albeit being non-violent in the physical sense. 

I say this also: he didn't deserve to be killed at the hands of another person. Shot in broad daylight. My prayers and sympathy are with his community and children. If yours aren't, that's fine. So many across racial and political lines have shown their hate and internal feelings in less than 48 hours. How can you be happy that someone is dead from gun violence that only ran his mouth? Two points of order in this entire situation: 1. There was a school shooting in Colorado and a senator in Minnesota murdered. Remember the media stays busy even when things make sense and 2. If you think Charlie Kirk's murder was justified, why are you moving to have more people like him slain? We need to continue the conversations. This is honestly one reason I founded both #schoolsinsessiondrew74 and the discussions out on the Deck at 260. Full post for this and the Phillies Karen coming on the #imjustdrew blog. 

I watched the video of the "Phillies Karen" from the Phillies/Marlins from three different angles several times. She did not catch the ball and that's besides the point. There's an unwritten rule in sports that says regardless of who caught the ball, a nearby child should be offered the ball at least. This lady has a known history of this behavior at other games and even concerts. I stand by the decisions of ballpark and venues to ban her from entry. However we've had enough time pass and are clearly focused on other issues. It's time to stop bullying and harassing this woman. We've made our point, the child in question has been compensated by the Phillies despite any other damage being done. I will elaborate in a separate post; it seems like we as humans have started dehumanizing others and it's not cool. 

WNBA legend Maya Moore was inducted into the league's Hall of Fame late last week. A phot of her with all of her championship rings with the Minnesota Lynx, UCONN Huskies and high school I believe that mirrored the Michael Jordan photo from the 90s went viral. It ignited the GOAT debate that I refuse to talk about out on the Deck and NBA fans being upset. First upset for what? Maya is one of the sports greatest and most accomplished athletes. She achieved these heights in a world without A'ja Wilson, Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. What she has accomplished outside of and post basketball is just as great if not better. It seems these topics this week have a recurring theme: worrying about the wrong things. 

The NFL is back and that helps so much and honestly drives so many of these topics. The media has the biggest distraction other than 9/11 and wants to keep the news well rounded for 24/7. 16 Black QBs started Week 1. Who spat first in the Eagles/Cowboys game? Should there be a Friday game to open the season. Do the Chiefs look that bad? How did the Ravens blow that lead? I'm so happy football is back and the fair is now in 2 weeks!

Okay South Carolina how are we coping with the new cellphone rule? It's honestly one that should have already been around especially since NC has had a similar rule for years. Texting and driving are dangerous and I see all of these pics and videos while even on a motorcycle. It had to stop somewhere as common sense is no longer the common person's guide. 

After this week, we may need a week off from the Deck. No worries, only one more full week until Fall is officially here!

The Deck at 260 Part 14

We're into the Ber months as we reconvene on Da Deck. Lots of stuff happening over Labor Day weekend and this week thus far: 

Week 1 of college football

Naomi Pilula

Druski pulling a "White Chicks"

Unknown Number 

The school drop-off system being broken

Week 1 of college football already began with drama and speculation. Arch Manning stunk it up at the Horseshoe, Clemson once again "Clemsoned" against a big time opponent, my Irish still can't win in Miami and all of that hype for Belichick's first game in UNC only go be torpedoed! It's only the first week fans, still two more months of regular season to go! My uncle thinks this weekend should only be cupcake teams. I explained to him that weekend is prime time as it's like opening weekend in baseball. Add to the fact that more people are off Labor Day weekend so they're more likely to be tuned in or going to these games. Week 2 doesn't have many if any marquee matchups so all of the powerhouse programs are heavily favored to win. 

Naomie Pilula went viral for posting a selfie and people were basically bullying her for the size of her nose and her teeth. Now I'm a male. I like seeing women that are beautiful on the outside. However I'm following Naomie's IG. She's a very engaging, kind and glowing woman. I can tell she's intelligent and would be cool to hang out with. She also is comfortable in her own skin. Many people could learn from her as she values humanity and has love for herself and others. 

Social media influencer and celebrity Druski pulled off one of the most convincing disguises I've seen: dressing as a Caucasian man at the Darlington Motor Speedway race. He was full on hillbilly: no shirt, sunburn, patriotic tattoos, overalls and nailed the role. He was more White Chicks than Blackface. It was hilarious, period. Blackface was performed in a period of Jim Crow, the Chitlin Circuit and clear oppression. Whiteface is not a thing, many of you couldn't tell that was Druski. Please stop trying to compare! 

The docudrama "Unknown Number" on Netflix was super suspenseful and triggering. The perpetrator will have you shocked. It just shows how sick and demented even adults can be. I definitely recommend giving that a watch. 

Finally there seems to be a pattern lately of young children in the car rider line being placed on school buses and being lost and dropped off in other neighborhoods. How is this being missed in 2025? This has to be the newer generation because this simply did not happen when I was in school in the 80s and 90s. Something has to be done on the state and district level to mitigate this nonsense. 

Next week we'll talk about the NFL being back and among other topics the cellphone rule while driving finally coming to SC (it's been in NC for quite some time. )

The Deck at 260 Part 13

It was extra cool on The Deck to close out summer. That didn't stop the discussions from happening 

-Cracker Barrel (continued)

- Micah Parson trade

- Why Are Men really friends with women? 

- Labor Day weekend

The Cracker Barrel discussion stirred up quite the hornets nest. From hilarious memes to conversations against the "woke media" even what Cracker Barrel actually stands for. I honestly didn't know the elderly man on the logo was Uncle Herschel, the founder's Uncle. Welp after all of the backlash against the CEO, the original logo is being restored. Personally I'm glad and it gives inspiration to other groups of people. When you form together as one and take action, you can accomplish great things. 

Dallas Cowboys fans have began their whining two weeks before their season kicks off. Their star wide receiver, Micah Parsons, has been trading to Green Bay after the Boys didn't wish to pay him what he earned for his contract. It's time for Dallas to see that Jerry Jones truly is the problem and has bottlenecked Dallas for 3 decades. 

Ok as "cuffing" season is upon us why are "men" truly friends with women? We know women will stay friends with a man for 50 years but do all heterosexual men just stay friends with a woman waiting for their opportunity? I will say as a hetero male that's pushing 50 there are women I am friends with and I leave that door open. However I need to have that total connection and openness with any woman before I choose to connect with them physically. It's not that I don't find them attractive, it becomes different. After a while they become one of the guys. I'm wrestling with that right now but I think we will stay friends especially since I went through a heartbreak a month ago. 

Ok Labor Day weekend is here. How many of you know the true meaning of Labor Day? Also how many of you know that "no wearing white after Labor Day" was something that the elite and well off came up with decades ago, in short it's ok to wear all white after Labor Day. 

See you next time out on the Deck!

The Deck at 260 Part 12

This is perhaps the coolest August ever as The Deck is officially christened. My cat Mosey has claimed it as her lair. We have some things to chop up out here. 

- Cracker Barrel logo rebrand

- End of minor league baseball season specials

- Klay Thompson's favorite dinner from Megan Thee Stallion

- Viral Schoolteachers

Ok the big topic before we even get to Friday is about Cracker Barrel. Let's get down to it. DEI is gone, right? However, Cracker Barrel apparently watch Target lose all of those billions and have slowly been rebranding their image. So far the stock is dropping and it could be another fumble ala Bud Light or even the new Coke from the 80s. Who asked for this logo? I know I didn't. Cracker Barrel didn't offend me. Personally I love their breakfast (unsure why my uncle and I haven't been here yet) and their lunch/dinner is honestly bland, basic food. Cracker Barrel needs another rebrand to save sales before the 4th quarter. 

Minor league baseball around the country is ending as the major leagues ramp up before the October playoffs. There are tons of specials to basically see games cheap or get plenty of food. Nevermind the theme nights going on. I remember last year my aforementioned uncle went to a Gastonia game, paid one price for doubleheader and ate unlimited hot dogs. This year the Spartanburgers in Spartanburg have $5 seats and other promotions ongoing. This is of course to salvage the rest of the season and compete with football in the South. I didn't know until last season tickets to see the Atlanta Braves are around $10 in September. 

Some of you have heard the Southern "wives tale" that some women will contaminate spaghetti with blood from their period to trap a man. Meg Thee Stallion has now been accused by the Internet community of doing that to her boyfriend, NBA superstar Klay Thompson. She has been cooking Klay spaghetti, meatballs and fried fish. Klay claims this is the best meal he's ever had. Personally I will need more evidence that Klay is trapped. I do think they are in love. Trust me, I've been there. When that happens, most things taste good because of who made them (not bubbrnt pancakes but that's a story for another day). 

Ok I've seen more schoolteachers this year go viral for wearing tight dresses and skirts than ever before. Going back to DEI, apparently that hasn't hit our public education system since all of these women are Black. I'm not seeing anything wrong. Do they want these curvaceous women to wear moo-moos or robes? I've seen 4 of these photos and there's nothing wrong with the attire. I truly think we as a society have reached our limit on what is truly offensive. I ask you all this: is it a body thing or a race thing? I'll wait. 

Good discussion on the Deck. Let's see what we have as we wrap up Summer.

The Deck at 260 Part 11

We're chilling on the Deck with my cat Mosey who has claimed this (and my Blackstone grill) as her home. Good thing I have a nice cover. 

We're going to talk about these topics out on the deck 

-Hurricane season 

- What to do now that kids are back in school.

- High school football coming

- College move-in.

We have had enough rain the past two weeks and now we have another Category 5 hurricane on the Atlantic coast. Those of us still affected by Hurricane Helene are triggered but slightly more prepared. We'll take rain but we don't want nor need any power outages. 

There's lots of stuff people do when the kids are back in school. Some include even volunteering up at the school and even cleaning. My mom used to say you get the most cleaning done when no one is home and I agree with that. 

High school football is basically back and that's always a good thing. Blacksburg is young but bigger than I thought. Gaffney is Gaffney except having a Black head coach. History will be made next Friday at the Reservation and weather pending, I don't want to miss it.

This weekend is college move-in. I think back to my freshman college move-in and how unprepared we were. I also remembered how much I missed my family and home. Prayers for all of the students and parents. Labor Day weekend and Family Weekend will be here soon! 

Hurricane Erin will definitely be among the topics to discuss out on the deck next week.