Black Hand Productions

I traveled to Ohio this weekend for the USC game.  As you well know by now the game ended as most recent big time Ohio State games.  It was pretty hard to swallow.  The game felt like it was in hand the until about five minutes to go. Then, as Texas last year, it slipped away.

I’ve never sat on top of the rotunda near the snipers so that was cool experience.  Besides a couple of guys stealing our seats the view was great. There were probably six thousand USC fans in Ohio Stadium and many more on Campus.

Side Note:

*  Looking for answers:

** BIG TEN Stadium Map:

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*** The rest of my photographs from the game are here.

**** My walk home to my car from Ohio Stadium.

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Great game all around and the arena was packed.

Saturday night was my ten year high school reunion and as you can imagine it was awesome.  I’m not sure how most 10 year reunions go but Franklin Heights 10 year reunions are always awesome.  We had a great turnout, possibly 50 people which is more than any of us organizing the event thought was possible.  we had some kickass name tags with our senior pictures, there were some pretty decent door prizes and the decorations were top notch.

*Side Note:

The rest of my photographs are on Flickr.

A good time was had by all (except for one particular person who actually tried to start a fight, which is so westside).

Last Friday after the drive into Columbus for my 10 year high school reunion I hit up Char Bar (as well as Flying Pizza).  ’Hollywood’ made his maiden voyage to Char Bar where he got to witness the ‘underground railroad-esque’ bathroom.

A good time was had by all.

Like many men before him, Nick Barbone is heading West. A trip to the VC & Char Bar was in order.  As usual a good time was had by all at the Char Bar:

1. There was a fight.
2. While a guy was getting thrown out he said the following to the bartender: “Chuck you know me! My friend died here”.
3. Myles Tersnak made an appearance.
4. Myles Tersnak made a disappearance.
5. Southern Football was discussed.

At some point the question of the unspeakable was asked. Of course the majority of us never took part in such an act. As you will see in the photographs below some one has:

After arriving in Columbus I met up with The Baugman’s and we headed to Club 185 to meet up with some additional Heights alums. At one point some one suggested a place to go dancing and as most of you know Nik Bronder does not dance. So we headed to Tommy Keegan’s where there were a total of 3 other people in the bar besides us.

After Nick Baughman’s reign of terror the Brewery District will never be the same.

*Side Note:

There was no property destruction at Club 185.

Like many of the people in the photographs below I traveled to Columbus this past week for Thanksgiving. On Friday night a bunch of us got together once again at Char Bar for a couple drinks and a discussion about my wardrobe. I managed to leave my camera in Chicago due to our last minute departure but with a little luck and some game time decisions I manged to acquire a camera.

A Polaroid camera.

Granted the images aren’t great and the film is expensive but I think the camera served it’s purpose.

After the Piscioneri wedding we headed down to Columbus for the rest of the weekend which included a night at Char Bar. There was a great turnout considering it was probably the busiest day in Downtown Columbus history (NHL Draft, Gay Pride Parade and ComFest).

There was a short appearance by Myles Tersnak which is always a good thing.

Afterwards we headed out and I just so happened to find a placard that read ‘No War But Class War’, as you would assume I had to take it with us. JJ, Nick, Julie and myself proceeded to march down High Street back to Myles’ house while carrying the banner for all to see. One way or another I managed to use the sign to swat a beer bottle to the ground and as soon as the bottle hit everyone within a two block radius hears the distinct sound of a police bullhorn:

Police Officer from inside his cruiser with a light shining on me while carrying this giant sign:

“Unless you want to go to jail, you better pick up that bottle”.

I of course pick up the bottle, throw it away and we continue on our march. JJ starts singing in Sinatra like tones: There’s No War/But Class War. Nick and I follow suit the whole way back to Myles’ house where JJ and I decide it’s a good idea to plant the sign in Myles’ front yard. No dice. We ended up just leaving it against his front door.

All the Photographs on Flickr.

Last night several people gathered last night for a pitcher of beer or two at Beck Tavern in Columbus. A good showing (one James never made it due to the common man’s arch enemy: The Airline Industry) even Myles Tersnak made it out. Some darts were played, your’s truly hit the floor more often than not.

Beck Tavern had was pretty low key all night with not much of crowd but this worked out well. We mostly stuck with pitchers for the duration of the night. Ordeing pitchers is what I prefer when at all possible. As a great man once said:

What’s on draft? really means What’s on cheap?

Now I won’t say what occured in the photographs above direclty caused what happened to my camera but is sure didn’t help. Needless to say I once again need a new camera, I managed to drop mine under the table and the button which you use to take pictures popped off. The camera still works but we never found the button. Of course this is now my 3rd Canon Elf that I have broken. With any luck I will get on for Christmas or I’ll be foreced to buy one before New Years.

This past Saturday I went to Columbus for the Ohio State – Michigan game. After waiting in the ‘Cab Line’ (I didn’t know there was such a thing) I managed to share a ride with a USC grad and a couple from Chicago. The couple decided to fight the whole way to campus and really tried to talk the cab driver into stopping to drop off their luggage before taking them to their destination. I took the chance when we stopped for the luggage drop to get out of the car and proceed on foot. The USC girl followed as we walked about 2 miles to Lane Avenue.

The tailgate situation wasn’t bad but it was much colder than I had anticipated. I ended up watching the majority of the game at the Varsity Club where I ran in to Keith (see photo below) and hung out with Andy for a quarter or two.

On Sunday I caught the Steelers – Browns game at King Avenue Five with the usual suspects. As you can tell Nick Barbone was in no shape to see his Browns loose once again to the Steelers. At one point Nick clearly resembled a Hobo when he was ordering a water at the bar dressed in a borrowed coat.