Saturday, November 18, 2006

GO BLUE! THIS ONE'S FOR BO














There’s a big big football game today and it doesn’t come without controversy. I’m not talking about the national rankings or the price of tickets (somewhere around $800 each for scalped ones)—no, I’m talking about a small prison in Ohio where the warden is throwing a pizza party for the inmates during game time. If you go to The Foo Logs you can participate in his survey on whether you think this is perfectly acceptable.

I remember a time when banquets were the norm in the Michigan prison system. The National Lifers Association had two or three a year to raise money for needy charities. Also, family members could attend. In order to have such an affair the IBF (Inmate Benefit Fund) had to foot the bill and a state employee had to sponsor it. I shied away from such activities after hearing about nightmarish stories of inmates and volunteers having sex in the bathrooms and storage closets.

One time an outside singing group performed a concert in the gymnasium. With a majority of the prison population attending, three female singers started strip teasing. As the men got louder and more excited, the women, craving all that attention, decided to go topless. The shift-commander ordered the concert/exhibition show to cease; however, no one moved on it for fear of a riot. Luckily, when the show ended, no one got hurt.

I still run into inmates that will say, "Hey, remember the time…" Nowadays, Michigan no longer has banquets or special events in the joint. I’m sure the dayrooms will be packed with inmates cheering on U. of M. and I’m sure someone will request to be put into protective custody when their team doesn’t cover the point spread. As for the Ohio pen, give them all the pizza they can eat; as long as U. of M. wins the game for Bo.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Was the strip teasing singing group part of a money raising campaign?

JLCGULL said...

Go Blue! Bo is watching from the big stadium in the sky!

JR's Thumbprints said...

Yes, Thinker. All inmate sponsored events were to raise money for charity, for a good cause.

Anonymous said...

Jim, I agree on fundraisers but maybe some of them in the "pen" have gone way too far. Maybe a little pizza grease will make them sick. Go Blue, go UofM! One for the Gipper, one for Bo! --Bro, Ron

Anonymous said...

Great post. Go Blue. Get one for Bo. MW

Curtis said...

With all due respect, I think OSU is going to take the win. They've done very well this year. Being alumni, I have to cheer for the Buckeyes, but I'll do it as a good sport.

Anonymous said...

Oh Buck wheat!!!!

GoGo said...

Personally, I'm a Notre Dame fan, but that is because I grew up in the town close by.

;)

Thanks for adding some words about the condition of writer's block.

~gg

Erik Donald France said...

What a game. Whoah! I had no stake in this one, but it's been great to observe people's behavior leading into it. Tomorrow (Monday) will be something at work, too, no doubt.

Anonymous said...

First off, I don't watch sports, I did know there was a game being played on Saturday, and I thought it was basketball...but I was told it was football. I just can't beleive the big fuss though. It was bad on Friday, on the way to work the radio was just buzzing of the game, then I get to work and everyone is planning parties and getting into it. Then Saturday night Neil and I wanted to go eat at a rib place and....no seats and they couldn't give us a time of availability because of all the 'diehards' hogging the seats and watching "the game"!

Anyway, I heard that Ohio won and I did think about you, JR, for a moment and wondered if you had posted anything about this awesome game on your blog. Well, you sort of did...

Even at church today...more buzz of the game, lots of kids with big beaming smiles and then there was another game today...something to do with the Browns and more smiles, but I think they lost...too bad.

Ellie

Anonymous said...

Too bad Lionssssssssssss!

Anonymous said...

we lost but it was a really good game. The last ten minutes had me pulling my hair out! if only we had two more minutes we might have won! damn three points!