Wentz didn't act sick on Wednesday

Fall Out Boy’s Pete Wentz was supposedly too sick to DJ at the Forum on Wednesday, but his “illness” didn’t stop him from jumping around the stage at Verizon.

Wentz was supposed to DJ an after-party at the Forum, but on Wednesday afternoon the club announced that Wentz’s management said he was ill. It sounded fishy from the git-go, but after seeing him perform, I believe the illness story even less.

What do you think happened? Post your replies below.

Folks at Steamers love this country

A city ordinance banning businesses from flying more than three flags might be the best thing that happened to Steamers, a cozy sportsbar off Albemarle Road.
I live near the bar, and have passed it numerous times, but I never bothered to stop until Saturday. The bar organized a Red, White & Blue party to show that the nine flags that flew atop the bar were to show patriotism, not draw business. Being forced to remove the flags gave owner Bill Nolan more publicity than the nine flags ever did. His dilemma became fodder for talk radio last week after an article ran in the Charlotte Observer.
On Saturday, I stopped by the bar. Every small pub calls itself a Cheers and this one is no different. Tracy Thomas is the den mother and seemed to know everybody there. Many regulars have gone there for more than a dozen years and friendly newcomers are immediately welcome.
Steamers doesn’t look like much from the outside, but inside it's lined with plasma flat screen TVs that show sports. It’s a Panthers and Eagles bar, but I’ve been assured that even my Redskin-lovin’ booty would be welcome. They have karaoke on weekends. Pool tables, darts and foosball games are in the back. In anticipation of an eventual ban on smoking, there’s an enclosed outside patio with heat and fans.
Steamers serves the typical range of bar food, but get this: Burgers are served on wheat buns!
If you go, ask for Tracy and prepare to find a new place to hang.

Bread pudding war

For the last year, Kitch and I have debated about who has the best bread pudding in the city.
He liked the pudding at Copeland’s. I thought it was okay. He raved about Table’s, but it was petite and pretty. I loathe petite and pretty - give me food. I suggested Fenwick’s. He wasn’t impressed.
Last night, I finally got him to try the bread pudding at Hotel Charlotte at Sharon Amity and Providence. The restaurant gives you a heaping bowl and it’s sooo good.
When the bartender sat the bowl in front of us, Kitch raked his spoon across the top, ate a small piece and said it was good. When he ordered a shot of Grand Marnier, I knew I had won him over.
Our next mission is to find a place to go late night for dessert. I hate feeding a late-night sweet tooth with a McDonald’s sundae.
Who has good desserts and serves until at least 10 p.m.? And what’s your favorite spot for dessert? Post your replies below.

DJ Jazzy Jeff coming to Amos'

As long as I've known promoter Mike Kitchen, he's always raved about DJ Jazzy Jeff. I've always thought of Jazzy Jeff as the sidekick to rapper the Fresh Prince (a.k.a. Will Smith). I tried to see Jazzy Jeff spin at a boat party in Miami during the Winter Music Conference in March. But the organizers were full of crap, and me and hundreds of other partiers never made it onto the boat after standing in line for more than an hour. (Can you tell I'm still bitter?)

Anyway, I'll finally get to see Jazzy Jeff spin when he comes to Amos' Southend on July 21. Kitch has been trying to bring him here for two years, and he's giddy with excitement over the show. Like I said, I only know Jazzy Jeff through the Fresh Prince, but apparently he's one of the hottest DJs in the country. He's known for his mixing skills and deep stacks of classic and underground hip-hop. This is his first Carolina appearance. Raleigh's DJ BroRabb, who I love, will open.

Tickets will be available at www.amossouthend.com or www.charlottevibe.com. (Don't forget: Go-go's godfather Chuck Brown performs at Amos' on Saturday. Wind me up, Chuck!)

I'm curious to see if Jazzy Jeff lives up to Kitch's hype. I'm even more curious to see if Charlotte hip-hop heads will support the show and have fun. We don't get a lot of DJ shows at Amos'. Big-name DJs tend to go to dance clubs like the Forum, Eden or Velocity. I want to know: Will hip-hop fans head to Amos' for a night of dancing to some of the hottest beats? Will they go and simply nod their head, looking cool? Or will they go elsewhere? Am I the only person who didn't realize that Jazzy Jeff was such a popular DJ?

Post your thoughts below.

Taverna's happy hour needs work

I tried the Thursday happy hour at Taverna 100 on Tryon Street uptown, and I can tell you this: I won’t be a regular.
The portions were small, the dishes were just okay, and the service was slow.
Taverna calls its Thursday specials Banker’s Hours. On paper, it sounds great: half off appetizers, and half-price beer and fruity martinis.

The problem is that when we went, the only server was both tending bar and waiting on the tables in the bar area. She had to wait on the handful of people at the bar, a couple sitting in a booth, our party of six, and another party of six. As nice as she was, it took a while for her to make the rounds.

The bigger problem, however, was the portions. With the exception of the mussels, everything was itty-bitty. For example, the kabobs were tasty, but we only got two small sticks. That’s not going to cut it.

Half-price beer is awesome, but if Taverna wants to draw more patrons, they’re going to have to dish out more grub.

Real dancing at Grand Central

Couples twirled, dipped and danced to jazz and swing classics at Grand Central on Monday.
Monday nights at the Central Avenue club feature some of the best dance music in the city. Each week, Bill Hanna’s Vintage Dance Band -- which includes some of his CPCC students -- plays for a crowd of people mostly over age 50.

The vibe is relaxed, and the music is slamming -- if you dig Big Band-era music. Men lead the women onto the floor and show off their waltz, swing, foxtrot and jitterbug skills. There’s a cash bar, and a light appetizer and sandwich menu. (The potstickers were good, and the chicken wings are crispy.) Grand Central has a smoking lounge, so you're less likely to smell like smoke when you leave. In coming weeks, dance lessons will be offered.

The band plays from 8-11 p.m (although people were leaving by 10 the night we went). Details: 704-373-1699. If you can’t make the Monday night gatherings, try Swing Tuesday at Lynn’s on South Tryon Street near Tyvola Road, hosted by the Charlotte Jitterbugs. Details: denise@charlottejitterbugs.com.

Sorry nerds, I mean geeks

In my video report this week about ConCarolinas, I referred to attendees of the sci-fi and gaming convention as nerds. I was wrong.

They are geeks.

My mistake has sparked a discussion in the ConCarolinas online forum about the difference between nerds and geeks. Apparently, the guys in the Alltel commercial are nerds, but the folks who attend ConCarolinas are geeks.

Silly me.

My punishment is that I will not get to be a dungeon master (darn), and I will have to eat Klingon food (yuck).

$1,000 martini

Capital Grille bartender Paul shows me how to make a $1,000 martini.

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On Wednesday, I tried a $1,000 martini!

It’s called The Capital Grille’s Carolina Blue Charity Martini. The national chain has sold at least three here and more than 100
nationally.

It’s has Ciroc Vodka, Crème de Mure and fresh berries, and is adorned with a Blue Topaz and Diamond Caviar Rope Bracelet designed by Steven Lagos. If you like fruity drinks, then this martini is for you. Without the bracelet, it’ll cost you $10, but then you can’t tell all of your friends you drank a $1,000 martini.

You don't have to drink and drive

Hey partiers, now you have no excuse for drinking and driving.

Starting June 15, Red Fish Entertainment and Kount Down Entertainment will host the Charlotte Party Bus. Buses will club-hop to the hottest parties, then return you to your pickup point at the end of the night. The crawl costs $35 in advance, and $40 at the bus. Drinks on the bus are free. For an additional fee, you can use Two Guys and Ride, which is a company that drives you and your car home.

Pickup locations are the Wal-Marts on Mount Holly-Huntersville Road and in University, as well as Southend Brewery and Eastland Mall’s parking lots. The June 15 crawl itinerary hasn’t been finalized, but when it has, I will post it on the Paid to Party blog.

Seriously folks: Drinking and driving is no joke, and this is a great concept. I definitely plan to try it out. I hope you do as well. www.kountdownentertainment.com.

Coliseum implosion was cool

A toast to the good old days and new beginnings.


When I moved here, the Hornets were a fixture. As a Maryland native, my favorite NBA team was the Washington Bullets, or Wizards, or whatever they were called back then. Part of what turned me off about the Hornets was Alonzo Mourning, who I watched when he played for Georgetown -- I always thought he whined too much. (But I did like the gutsy Muggsy Bogues.)
My fondest memories of the Hive were concerts.

Last Sunday, I joined about 100 other people who watched the Coliseum crumble into rubble at Pope & Land’s implosion party. For me, watching the implosion wasn’t about nostalgia, but a chance to watch a building go down. I’ve always wanted to see one.

After interviewing Bogues and Calvin Easter, who pushed the button that set off the detonation, I began thinking about my favorite moments at the Coliseum.

*Janet Jackson perform in 2001: The crowd was so hype, it was incredible.
*The Tina Turner concert in 2000: I felt so fortunate to see someone of her stature.
*Cyndi Lauper’s opening performance for Cher in 1999: I didn’t realize how much I liked her.
*U2 in 2001: It’s U2. What more do I need to say? Plus, they had a heart-shaped stage, and fans stood both inside and outside of it. I still remember my editors going nuts trying to warn me about the deadly Who stampede.
*Neil Diamond in 2002: I can still smell the Ben-Gay.

Still, the best memory I will ever have about the Charlotte Coliseum was watching that baby implode. Awesome.
What was the best concert you ever saw at the Charlotte Coliseum? And did you watch the implosion? What did you think? Post your replies below.

McCoy's loves Harleys

Hanging at Mac's Speed Shop for their two-year anniversary on Thursday.





McCoy's on a Friday night.











I’ve been riding motorcycles for 10 years, but biker-bar-hopping the last couple of weeks made me feel like a real biker.

I was at Cans' Tuesday night Bike Night a few ago, but last week I hit two straight-up biker bars: Mac’s and McCoy’s.
Thursday, I joined dozens of other bikers celebrating Mac’s Speed Shop’s two-year anniversary. Simplified, a local band that is steadily improving, performed. Bikers and FOBs (Friends of Bikers) streamed outside the popular restaurant and bar.

If you’ve been to Mac’s, you know their food is ridiculous. They cook their chicken wings and other meats in a smoker. They also have a huge selection of craft brews, which is what first drew me to the place. And don't forget the deviled eggs.
Mac’s is my favorite yuppie biker bar, but McCoy’s -- which is around the corner from Mac's, at Woodlawn and Old Pineville Road -- is the place to go when I’m feeling like a roughneck.

Ryan Register, who managed the Men’s Club, followed his dream and opened the bar with his father Namon and brother Jimmy about six months ago. Register named it after his grandfather. Relatives say Register reminds them of his grandfather.

McCoy’s has a rougher vibe, a smaller selection of beer, and slammin’ food. They also smoke all of their meats. Their chicken wings were delicious, pulled pork melted on my fork, and they even had good macaroni and cheese (I rarely like mac 'n' cheese unless it comes from a soul-food restaurant.)

Most of his patrons last Friday were Harley-Davidson riders. When I pulled into the lot, the doorman directed me to put my Honda Shadow in the far parking lot. I wasn’t allowed to park my bike next to all the Harleys out front.
I screamed segregation. Register assured me that it wasn’t the bike, but the lack of available parking. (I still don’t believe you!)

When I walked in, several patrons looked me up and down, but the staff was friendly. By the end of the night, I exchanged goodbyes with a few patrons.

If you go, Register typically hires a Dyno machine or a burnout bike to set up in the parking lot on Fridays. The noise makes it difficult to hold a conversation on the patio, but both are fun to watch.

Hardcore partier leaving Charlotte

By the time you read this, Party Goers Anonymous founder Doug Hunnington will be heading to his new home in Fort Lauderdale. (His job was outsourced, so he’s moving Friday.)

The 41-year-old started PGA about six years ago. The group sponsored bar crawls and game nights, and Hunnington was a regular at all of the big events. I spoke with him recently about the city’s changing social scene.

Why start PGA?
It was actually something that just happened. I was sending out an e-mail to a few friends, letting them know whose name the happy hour was under that week. Everyone started giving me their e-mails to be included on "the list.” Then people would suggest doing other events.

In just a few months, the list had grown to over 50 names, and we were doing something almost each night. I did a naming contest, and one of the members came up with PGA: Party Goers Anonymous. The e-mail was named The PGA Tour.

How many members on your e-mail list?
617.

What was the social/nightlife scene like when you moved here in 1998?
There were not near as many bars. There were not many social groups. The biggest were CHOA.com (Charlotte Outdoor Adventure) and the Charlotte Skibees, a snow skiing and social club.

How has it changed?
There are grand openings going on around town almost every weekend. Neighborhood bars or restaurants are hosting social events and mixers to bring in business. And, of course, there are several social clubs and organizations in Charlotte.

In addition to the couple I already mentioned, there's Lazyday.com, famous for their nightlife photography and bar crawls; RockHouseEvents.Com, which throws some great party events you really have to attend; and several others. Lake Norman even has events now, and most are sponsored by LKNFun.com.

What are your favorite events?
The Bartender’s Ball, Queen’s Cup Steeplechase, Taste of the Nation and Center City After Five. I also like the formal dress-up Christmas charity events like Second String Santa and Toys for Tots. These are some of the things that will be bringing me back up for a visit.

What does Charlotte need to make nightlife better?
More friends who don’t let friends sit home bored on a Friday or Saturday night! Actually, I’d like to see more theme bars uptown. A club should have a theme other than just dancing or watering down your thirst! I like the new Alley Cat bar with the rock and roll music similar to the old Stray Cats band in the ’80s.
Oh, and I would like to see strict fines for towing companies and parking lot owners who tow vehicles of drunk people left over night. What do they want drivers to do? Drive home drunk?

Are you starting a PGA in Fort Lauderdale?
Yes. For now it will cover the Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, and Miami area. I am planning a bar crawl already in the Fort Lauderdale Riverwalk area. They are going to love it! My goal is to get them to visit some of the other cities. I understand folks in Boca won’t travel to Fort Lauderdale, and Fort Lauderdale won’t go down to Miami for events.

I also plan on continuing to lead trips that may include Charlotte folks as well, like the annual cruise in November and maybe Mardi Gras next year. We’ll have to see what the next phase of Party Goers has in store for everyone.

A waiter with adult A.D.D.

For my birthday on Saturday, I wanted to eat a good dinner and then barhop Hilton Head style. We settled on dinner at the Old Oyster Factory.

The wait for a table was 45 minutes on Saturday night so we sat in the bar area. Our waiter was a jittery guy named Chris. Love him.

You always knew what Chris liked. I asked him about the different oysters. He said he didn't have anything else to say that would add to the menu description. I asked about the Blue Point oysters. He excitedly detailed how big and juicy they were.

After we ordered, he moved us downstairs to a bigger table. I asked him about the night's dinner specials and he said "Oh yeah!" You could see the light bulb go off. He listed the specials. We asked him for more silverware. Chris dashed across the dining area so fast he flew into the glass window leading to the patio.

The Oyster Factory has steps leading from the bar area to the room where we sat. Chris jumped down the stairs like a little kid.


After dinner, I asked about desserts. Chris said, "We're not really known for dessert." (Luv him)

Our final Chris moment came at the end of the evening. My girl surprised me. The staff brought me a birthday cake and sing "Happy Birthday." (I'm still embarrassed and plotting revenge.)

Chris offered to take our picture. We handed him a camera. He pointed it at us and said 1, 2, "s---." Yep, he snapped the picture too soon. We laughed our faces off.

Turns out this was Chris first night with his own section. We weren't surprised, but judging from his demeanor, I have a feeling he's always spastic.

If you go to Hilton Head this summer and eat at the Old Oyster Factory, and you're not pressed about having a polished server ask for Chris.

Hot mamas and fun guys in Hilton Head

After dinner we headed to the plaza just outside of Sea Pines Planatation to begin my birthday night of barhopping.

After peaking into the Lodge and Brew Pub, we settled on One Hot Mama. My girl and I were walking out of One Hot Mama into the crowded plaza when I saw the empty table in the corner. I wasn't the only one who saw it. A dude and his three friends saw it as well.

The outdoor plaza was the courtyard for three bars (One Hot Mama, The Lodge and The Brew Pub) in the plaza leading to Sea Pines plantation on Hilton Head Island. Sea Pines is the happening area on the resort island known more for golf and pristine beaches than raucous partying. It was 10:30 and the plaza was starting to get packed. Speakers blasted music outside and 20- and 30-somethings filtered in as the 40-year-olds drifted out.

I didn't sprint, but I started a fast stroll to the table. The dude did the same. We arrived together. The dude looked at me, and said something like, "We got here at the same time." I smiled, and said we could share. My girl looked at me like I was crazy. Baby, there's four of them, she said. The foursome looked at each other like WT-?

I sat down and pulled up a chair for my girl. The dude said okay, and sat down as well. His friends pulled over two more chairs, and we spent the night drinking and swapping stories with Patrick, Wade, Tiffany and Laina. Patrick and Laina (a couple) were from Tennessee. They were in Hilton Head for a physical therapy workshop. Wade and Patrick went to high school together and were fraternity brothers. Wade and Tiffany, who live in Jacksonville, had dated before and were hooking back up. They came down for the night to hang out with Patrick and Laina.

Wade regaled us with tales about the men's urinal inside One Hot Mama's bar and restaurant. Apparently, there was a one-way mirror behind the urinal that gave him a view of the bar. Wade spent a lot of time in the urinal. Patrick and Laina giggled about a woman whose store-bought breasts were obviously out of place on her petite frame.

We all laughed about the black guy with the contacts that made him look like a zombie. They were all-white and made his pupils look like black slits. (But more on him later. Let's just say he said he was from New York, and unless there's a New York in Georgia, dude was lying.)

Tiffany's company is based in High Point, and she loves Charlotte. She said she visited for New Year's Eve one year and loved it. She stayed at a Hilton uptown, and was surprised to see streets were pristine on New Year's Day. She promised to stay in touch and hopes to transfer to the High Point area for work.

Patrick wanted to know about the live music scene. I told him about the type of shows that come to the our venues. He was drawn to the type of shows at the Visulite, such as Derek Trucks and Victor Wooten. I gave him information on MerleFest and told him to stay in touch.

After buying a round of lemon drop shots and toasting my birthday, we headed to Monkey Business, a dance club about a block away.

Getting into some monkey business

My final stop on my birthday night of barhopping in Hilton Head was Monkey Business.

When I asked people where to find a raucous club, everyone suggested Monkey Business.

We arrived at Monkey Business Electric Piano about 11 p.m. Inside, a man played piano and sang, and a drunk older woman stood on her chair and sang loudly. I walked through a thicket of people who ranged from Baby Boomers to one-foot-in-the-grave and headed to the bathroom. After surveying the crowd, I decided it was going to be an early night.

I snapped a few pictures and turned to catch up with my girlfriend. A man old enough to be my grandfather had snagged her near the door and was begging her to go home with him. He told her if she went home with him, he'd have a great night. He must have had a pocket full of Viagra and a defibrillator under his bed.

I howled with laughter, and thought about all of the readers who angrily dissed me about my Richard Gere column.

Outside of that Monkey Business, we noticed another club on the right tucked into the corner. Rap music blasted from speakers. It was the Monkey Business. With the exception of Mr. Contacts (read about him in other blog posts), my girl and I, and a group of Asian guys, the club was predominately white. It was smokey from fog machines, and a DJ played top 40 hip-hop. It wasn't crowded, but the vibe was fun. Large groups of friends mostly danced together, and couples watched from tables near the bar.

The club's clientele reminded me of my visit to Soho East/Daisy Dukes in the University Area. After about a half-hour, I was ready to go. Monkey Business is fine for a resort like Hilton Head, but I preferred people-watching in the courtyard area better.

Hey black guy, don't try so hard

I don't have a problem with black men who date white women. Some of my closest male friends do. Heck, my brother lives with one. But I do have a problem with black guys who act stupid to get a white girl's attention. My friends and I call it the minstrel show.

A buddy of mine loves to describe the black guy surrounded by white girls and starts doing the snake and other '80s dances. Why? Why? Why?

On Saturday, I saw a whole new act in the minstrel show. It started in the courtyard outside One Hot Mamas. As I mentioned in a previous blog, I took a picture of a black guy wearing all-white contacts. He said he was from New York, and he liked to be different. Ugh. Then Mr. Contacts started doing the footwork dance that kids in middle school here did years ago. Grown men do not do footwork.

Unfortunately, that wasn't the last of his antics. We ran into Mr. Contacts again at Monkey Business, a dance club just outside of the Sea Pines plantation. At the club, he continued his footwork clinic and kept trying to freak on groups of women. Embarrassing.

I have countless examples of black guys behaving badly to get white girls. Do white guys do the same thing to get black women or women of other ethnicities? Post your replies below.

George funked up Noda

I almost made a huge mistake this weekend.

I was thinking about skipping the George Clinton show at the Neighborhood Theatre on Sunday. I’ve seen him three times. The first was memorable, but the other two were forgettable. He came out for a hot five minutes, mumbled into the mike “To the windows, to the wall...” and bounced.

But I wanted to support promoter Dana McKelvey’s return to the music scene. And my girl had never seen Clinton before.

Thankfully, Clinton and the fans at the Nabe gave my girl a show to remember. Parliament performed for more than three hours, and Clinton stayed on stage for about two. Clinton sang a few lines, scatted a few, did hand dancing, freaked a couple of girls on stage, and then repeated.

Parliament was an odd collection of musicians and singers. There was a trumpet player wide enough to be an offensive lineman, a shirtless guy with abs that would make a six-pack jealous who wore feather pants and a big top hat (think Andre 3000), and singer Belita Woods -- who sounded as if she's smoked one too many cigarettes. There was also a full-grown man wearing a towel fastened around his waist like it was a diaper. Yuck.

They performed all of the hits, such as “Flashlight” and “Atomic Dog.” My favorite was Woods singing “Sentimental Journey.” Her voice is so raggedy, and she took fans to that other world where only Clinton, Parliament and his fans can visit.

The best part of the night was when Clifton Homesley of Mooresville bolted onstage and started singing "ga ga goo ga...ga ga goo ga...ga ga goo ga ga" along with the band. I thought Homesley was part of the band because members came onstage and went off all night.

A bouncer ran Homesley off the stage. He joined his friends, beaming. He said he was a Parliament fan from way back. Now, he can say he sang with George Clinton.

City Range happy hour da' bomb-diggety

Next Wednesday, stop whatever you are doing at 4:30 p.m., jump in your car, and head down to CityRange Steakhouse Grill in Ballantyne.
I know: You’re thinking, Heck noooo -- Ballantyne is too far away! But I promise CityRange is worth the drive.

My friends and I met there yesterday as part of Tonya’s May Madness. Each week, my friends and I have met at a different restaurant to celebrate my birthday, which is May 26.
I’ve picked spots that I’ve either never been to or have only visited once.

This was my first time at CityRange, but its Wednesday happy hour is my newest fave. It’s $5 for a pork ribs and peel-n-eat shrimp buffet from 5-7 p.m. All draught beers are $2 and it's the good stuff, such as Bass Ale. The restaurant's microbrew -- City Brew -- isn’t bad either.
For me, those types of specials are enough to get me in the door.

But get this: They have a special-priced bar appetizer menu Monday through Friday from 4-7 p.m. Items range from fried calamari (yummy) to crab and onion souffle (OMG!) to grilled brie (delicious) for $4 or $5.

The serving sizes were respectable, and did I mention the food was yummy already?

Of course, all of these specials are only in the bar area, which has bistro tables and a lounge with sofas, chairs and coffee tables. There also are flat-screen TVs.

I have a few warnings if you go. Our server was a tad disorganized and slow. For example, he would bring a beer for one person in our group, but not the other. The manager, however, chipped in to speed things up.

And don’t do what Larken did, which is eat so much so fast that your tummy hurts. Poor baby.

No Limit and Terri Bennett are going down

Next year, it’s on and poppin’.

I’ll be gunning for Power 98's No Limit Larry and his crew in the media Pit Crew Challenge, a lead-up to tonight's official Nextel Pit Crew Challenge. Watch the video.

On Tuesday, No Limit’s team - which also had former Hornet Dell Curry, former Panther Brentson Buckner, and some guy named Steve - beat myself, Fox’s Kelli Bartik, WSOC’s Scott Wickersham and MetroNetworks Radio's Mike Markham by less than a second.

They changed two tires, fueled a car, jacked a car and pushed one in 21.80 seconds. Our team did it in 22.64. Call me a sore loser (I am), but I told No Limit that they only beat us because they had two former professional athletes. He claimed Buckner and Curry slowed him down.

Along with team competitions, we had individual winners as well.
Those were: Gasman Curry (4.8 seconds), tire changer Herman Towe (7.69 seconds) and jackman Buckner (4.54 seconds).

Hey Herman, I’m gunning for you and WCNC’s Terri Bennett next year as well. Towe beat me in the tire changer individual competition by like half a second, but I swear he practiced a hundred gazillion times. (I said I was a sore loser).

For real, Bennett is the tire changer to beat. Denny Hamlin’s pit crew could use her. On television she looks all nice and sweet, but put a pit gun (that thingy that pulls the lugnuts off) in her hand and Red Bull flows through her veins. She was a beast.

Her practice time was under six seconds. She couldn’t get it together for the actual timed competition, and kept scoring 10s. Don’t be surprised if you see her pointing to a low-pressure system with a pit gun in her hands tonight.

The Nextel folks should have never invited us out. It’s going to be a war next year. I’m hitting the gym even harder to get ready. (Dell, you might want to join me. I noticed quite a few gray hairs. No Limit might replace you with Emeka Okafor.) Speaking of the gym, be sure to read my blog about training with Walt Smith in preparation for Tuesday’s competition.

Yay! Walt Smith tried to kill me

I always envision that I can work out with any professional athlete and at least hold my own. Personal trainer Walt Smith slapped me back down to reality on Monday.

He works with the pit crews for Dale Earnhardt International, keeping them in top shape so they can jump the wall and change a tire in record time.

I decided a workout with Smith would get me ready for the media pit crew challenge on Tuesday. By the time I finished the hand-eye coordination and agility drills, I was just trying not to embarrass myself.

I lift weights 3-5 days a week and do some type of cardio at least three days a week. I figured, I would have to push Smith not to go easy on me.

We started with a 15-minute warmup on the treadmill. He used interval training, which means I would run with the treadmill set on 3 for a few minutes, then 4.7, then 3, then 6, etc. I alternated between walking, trotting and jogging.

Next we did a hand-eye drill. He tossed me a racquetball with one hand. At the same time, I had to catch his ball with my empty hand and toss him a ball. We spent a lot of time chasing balls that hit the floor.

The hand-eye drill bruised my ego. I thought I was coordinated. The agility drill kicked my rump. Smith bounced a racquetball to my left or right. I had catch the ball on the first bounce, toss it back and be ready to catch the next ball. I was panting after a few tosses. Once again, I chased a lot of balls that hit the floor.

My favorite workout was his leg circuit. We did resting squats, where you squat and hold the weights for five seconds and then explode up. After eight repetitions of that, I did jumping lunges, followed by a wall squat. For the wall squat, you squat with your back against the wall and your quads and buttocks are parallel to the floor.

After about 20 seconds, I was looking at my legs and trying to figure out if the fire burning in Florida had moved to DEI. I lasted for 38 seconds.

The other challenge was the exercise ball pushup. I placed an exercise ball on the floor and tried to do a pushup off the ball. Like I said, I tried. My bench press max is 135, and I couldn’t even do one pushup off the ball. Ugh.

I loved Smith’s abdominal workout. He had me perform a series of crunches in different positions for five minutes. The hardest was the reverse crunch. All of these years, I’ve been doing it wrong. I couldn’t even get my legs to go far enough back without him pulling my feet into the air.

I have so much work to do this summer. The Temple of Tonya (that’s what I called myself in my brief boxing days) will return.