Here is your week in review of what you might have missed this week in Sonics land. You also get a gambling story and some BBQ tips.
This past weekend I was in Reno for a friend's bachelor party/bender. There was a lot of drinking, followed by more drinking, eating terribly, more drinking and a ton of gambling.
I won money playing blackjack within an hour of walking into the hotel, but wanted to play something a little different this time around. I've always been a bit intrigued by craps. Never understood how to play it though. Finally my buddy Matt gathered us around an empty and deconstructed beer box, drew out the board and taught us the basics of playing. Some of us won, some of us lost, but all had a good time until we started betting on sports. I got up $120, but finished only up $10. Should have cashed out sooner.
I put some money down on six NBA games with my buddy Ken. It was a small bet of only $10, but it paid out $400. We just need the Heat to win by 10, Indy by 11.5, Brooklyn by 7, Spurs by 9.5, Phoenix by 9 and Portland by 12.5.
Things started off great, we went five for five to start the night, but the Ken noticed that our ticket said Magic, not Heat. Portland would go on to lose to the 76ers that night, but lesson here is to always check your ticket before leaving the sports book counter.
Sonics Bruising: Week Nine Roundup by Paul Rogers
Scrappy New Year!!! We give you week nine of the Sonics Bruising League.
Instant Classic in the Big House by Todd Smith
Imagine this: The Metropolitan Classic, a January game held at Century Link Field between our new, beloved Seattle NHL franchise against the Vancouver Canucks in throw-back sweaters would be AMAZING!
Sonics Guy's Resolutions by Sonics Guy
We're a year closer to getting a team back.
2013's Top Users at Sonics Rising by Chris Meirose
Who kept conversation going in 2013? Are you on the list?!?
Thiel: "Momentum is Gone" by Taylor Bartle
Art Thiel says it's time to consider a new location for the Sonics Arena
Remembering Bob Blackburn by Paul Rogers
It's time to remember the legacy and rekindle the legend of the original voice of the Seattle SuperSonics.
On This Day in Sonics History - Spencer Haywood Goes HAM by Taylor Bartle
Spencer Haywood scored a franchise record 51 points to lead the Sonics past the Kansas City-Omaha Kings 107-100. This was two more than the previous record of 49, held by Bob Rule.
On This Day in Sonics History: January 5, 1986 - Let It Rain, Let It Rain, Let It Rain by Taylor Bartle
The Seattle Supersonics became the first NBA team ever to have a game postponed on account of rain. The Seattle Center Colosseum roof leaked, allowing rain water to drip onto the court.
My BBQ tip for the week:
Ribs are tricky. Some people screw them up really fast and others just have no idea what to do at all.
Everyone wants that tender, fall off the bone ribs they see on TV and here is the trick to do it. Take your ribs, let them sit out until they are almost room temperature, take a fork and puncture some holes all the way down to the bone up and down the rack.
From there take the ribs and bathe them in apple juice for 48 hours! Make sure they are completely submerged, cover them, put them in the fridge and walk away. Don't look at them or think about them for two days.
After 48 hours you'll take the ribs out of the bath and immediately, I mean immediately, get your rub on them. I go with a mesquite, garlic, paprika, black pepper (fresh cracked), white pepper, pink Himalayan salt and coconut palm sugar. Take the ribs and wrap them in saran wrap tightly, put in the fridge for about 20 hours, then bring out the next day and let hit room temperature for about four hours.
Indirectly smoke for roughly four hours (depends on the thickness of your ribs) at about 225 degrees. I use plum and maple wood to get the best flavor smoke into the ribs.
After cooking and letting the ribs settle a bit, you should be able to grab the bones and pull them out of the meat.
I slather with an apple/cinnamon BBQ sauce. I don't have a recipe for that, but I'll throw it into the comments if requested.