You know - sometimes you just ought to heed the old adage of "Be careful of what you wish for - you just might get it"!!This past Thursday - when the official list of the teams invited to the 2009 Jack Daniels World Championship BBQ competition was made public - well, it also released a "flock" of butterflies in my belly as well. (Do butterflies fly in "flocks"?) While we had known since earlier this summer that we might have a shot at going to the "Jack" this year, the reality that it was truly going to happen suddenly hit home on Thursday afternoon as well. There was joy and excitement for certain - but I would be lying if I didn't admit that there was also a "pit" of sorts in my stomach as well as I reviewed the other teams that we will be competing against on October 23-24.
Wow - here were real-life, nationally prominent/ranked BBQ teams on the list such as "Jack's Old South", "Pellet Envy", "Swamp Boys", "Bub-Ba-Q", "Rhythm ‘n QUE", "Parrothead Smokers", "QUAU", and "cancersuckschicago.com" among others! There were also really solid "regional" teams we have competed against over the past few years on the list as well - "Otis & The Bird", "Team Ida Q", "Blake's BBQ", "All Hogs Go to Heaven", and others. Teams that have won a LOT more frequently than we have. And to add to my "acid indigestion", some of these teams are THAT GOOD that they have been to the "Jack" 2-3-5-7-12 times!
While these funny sounding team names may not ring a bell with many folks, it is indeed somewhat akin to being told your "Adult Mens' Saturday Flag Football Team" is facing Florida, Texas, USC, Alabama, and Ohio State in late October - and all at the same time on the same day!! Sheez - talk about your "David & Goliath" type of scenario!...
Oh well... I just have to keep remembering that there indeed IS a good reason we were selected... That these teams all put their pants on one leg at a time, too ... And, oh yeah - that David DID whip Goliath...
"Burp...... Honey, can you pass me just a little bit more of the Pepto, please?...."
