Totally Unauthorized

The official 2010 team photo in front of the convention center

Second place is over-rated.  Ever since the forces of Rome came in second to the Vandals, the silver medal doesn’t really carry a lot of weight or respect.

Nonetheless, we came in 2nd tonight in the KO.  We were up 1 at the half, and lost the second half by 2.  Last night we won by 1, tonight we lose by the same margin.  Never think “it’s only 1 imp” again–every one counts.

We won our first match in the morning KO today, so we go back to battle at 9:00 am.  Then Bob Munson and I will play pairs while the other 4 start a new KO.  Bob has a wedding in Nashville this weekend, and I’t going to one in Atlanta, so we can’t play past tomorrow.

Dinner tonight was one of the best places in town–comparable to Hungry Hunter or Claim Jumper.  Big salad bar.  I had a decent, if thin, rib-eye.  The highlight was the sweet potato casserole–sweet potatoes, coconut, pecans, butter, brown sugar.  You just can’t get food like that in San Francisco.  A very enjoyable pianist set a pleasant mood.  Top service–we found out the secret code so the servers can tell who has sweet tea and who has “northern” un-sweet tea.  The northern tea drinkers get a napkin under their glass.  I always love to learn the little tricks that make the world work.

The city of Gatlinburg doesn’t seem to be doing too well, I think.  There are definitely more empty storefronts.  There is a restaurant site available which was empty last year too–imagine having no tenant for more than a year.  Maybe because their sign offer a walk-in “refridgerator”.  Spelling isn’t a high priority here in Tennessee.

I'm all torn up about the spelling on this sign

We park at the Hampton Inn, where Mike stays.  In theory, you have to have a parking pass, which Mike can arrange. This year we have 2 cars, so there would be a problem if the town was full.  But there just isn’t any problem–the hotel clearly isn’t checking, because the lot is so empty they just don’t care.

There are still enough tourists that I couldn’t get into Bubba Gumps for lunch today without a 15 minute wait.  It’s just that last year it would have been a 45 minute wait……….

The KO we just finished was 27 brackets.  There are 4 sections of pairs games every day. This is a huge tournament, even if it seems smaller than last year.  The Gatlinburg Regional never comes in second.