Happy Monday! My most recent post Saturday afternoon extolled the awesomeness of all that was across the sports universe, especially in college football, MLB, NFL and NHL. Well, when the dust settled late Sunday night, it was an up and down weekend. Royals rolled again with a late rally in the top of the ninth to take a 2-0 lead on the O Birds. The Jets did what they do, which is nothing exciting and even when it gets mildly exciting (making a late 4th quarter drive to tie the game) they find away to throw the game away. Smith hit the other team with a sick pass that went for 6 points the other way. At least it wasn't a blow out but it feels bad all the same. The Rangers got smacked up 6-3 by the Toronto Maple Leafs who are now hang out enjoying Canadian Thanksgiving (get your own holidays!) Did not make for very good sports TV around the NYC Metro area but the Dallas-Seattle game was a nice one for the national viewers.
You Think Your Wife is Always On YOUR Back?!
All that being said the HIGHLIGHT of the sporting world this weekend was the 2014 North American Wife Carrying Championships held Saturday at Sunday River, Maine. You would think they would hold them on a Sunday at Sunday River, but whatever. The rules of the competition are fairly simple - teams of one man and one woman where the woman is carried in some fashion compete in head to head heats to eventually get to the final head to head race. The 275 yard course includes raised log obstacles, changes in elevation (try running up or downhill with your wife on your back) and what is termed "The Widow Maker" a stretch of waist deep water that essentially turns to a murky mash after competitors start running through it.
Why do they call it The Widow Maker, you ask? It's just a dude carrying his lady through waist deep water…sort of like in a romantic comedy starring whoever where the guy valiantly carries his honey to safety and then they make out on the shore of this body of water. Well, this one is a little different because the male participant typically carries his female counterpart using the sport standard "Estonian carry". What the heck is the Estonian carry? Glad you asked! It's where the "lady" wraps her legs around her partners head and clasps her arms around his waist. Sounds pretty sexy right? A whole lot of body contact for an obstacle course…well not exactly. Picture the hold being an inverted piggyback ride where the woman's head is where her feet would usually be located. Now image when she is dragged through waist deep (his waist, not hers) and you can see why if the man is not careful to keep his woman's head above the muck he could be looking at a long solo ride home (unless they win of course).
There are a few other incredibly awesome perks to winning this coveted championship. First, the winners receive the woman's weight in beer, 5 times her weight in cash and an entry into the World Championships held each year in Finland (where the sport is purported to have originated). Adding another lay of beauty to the competition - your team's performance (lighter is better) and reward (heavier is better - more beer and dough) all come down to the weight of your wife. I don't know about you guys, but this is not a conversation that I want to have with me wife heading into this competition. Maybe this weekend the wife and I will give this a try, probably skipping The Widow Maker.
Enjoy your Monday!!
HAPPY WATCHING!!
