SEE, WE TOLD YOU HE WAS A DUMB JOCK >>>

In last week's Cup Check column I made fun of Mississippi State basketball player Renardo Sidney (and not even because his name contains "nard"). You see, Renardo is kind of a dumbass - as he proved over the Christmas break ... probably when he thought Cup Check eyes wouldn't be watching.

He was mistaken.

Check out this fracas, conveniently caught on tape, and then hedge your bets on whether Renardo will make a return appearance in this week's Cup Check, hitting streets in the classifieds section of Thursday's Volcano.

TUESDAY, DEC. 28 >>>

1. Tuesday night rock shows are the things memories are made of. It'll be hard to go wrong tonight at The New Frontier Lounge, when local favorites Ten Miles of Bad Road bust out the punk-spliced alt-country. Added bonus: It's Justin's birthday.

2. While we're talking about local favorites, it's worth mentioning that Tim Hall will be at the Summit Pub in Puyallup tonight. If a Tuesday night at the Summit Pub doesn't scream for some top-notch blues - the kind Hall is known to provide - we don't know what does.

3. Be honest. Christmas with your parents didn't go well. There's a reason you hate them. Shake off some of that anger tonight at Jazzbones during Ha Ha Tuesday - as always, hosted by Ralph Porter. Tonight's headliner is James Heneghen, and also features comic Ed Rubin.

4. Watch a rare Tuesday night NFL game- the first since 1946 - when the Eagles take on the Vikings tonight. Hell, even better, do it at Tacoma's Varsity Grill, or Ram Brewery, or Loose Wheel Bar and Grill.

5. In Olympia, check out the regular Tuesday night movie at Northern. That's all the info we have - but Northern is an all-ages venue you can trust.

FRIDAY, DEC. 24, 2010 >>>

1. Christmas Eve is typically reserved for plenty of things - baking cookies for Santa, wrapping last minute gifts, sitting alone drinking the pain away - but there's nothing that says seeing Kim Archer at the Hub can't be on that list. With a timeless vocal delivery only matched by her engaging stage presence, Kim Archer and her band have been pleasing live music fans in our area since 2004. Show some Christmas love tonight at 9:30 p.m. to one of the hardest working performers currently making the rounds in T-town.

2. Artist Monika Proffitt's Forest of Souls has constructed an underwater, fiber-optic light sculpture that illuminates the cascading pools at Tollefson Plaza, as part of Spaceworks Tacoma.

3. Big Brother is watching. He peers out from the walls of Fulcrum Gallery. In this instance "Big Brother" is the brother of artist Nicki Sucec, whose show at Fulcrum is a homage to her brother and a testament to the variety and creativity that can be unleashed by taking a single image or idea and pushing it to the limit. Sucec's show, Shuffle, is on display from noon to 6 p.m. at Fulcrum. Read our review of this show here.

4. If you didn't get all the holiday adrenaline out of your system fighting for your life during the holiday shopping season, lace some jingle bells into your sneakers and make a run for it today at the Just For Fun, Jingle Bell Run at 1 p.m. in Wright Park. The 5k run or walk costs $10 to participate. Bring non-perishable food for the food bank or old running shoes for the mission. The first male/female finishers will win shoes from South Sound Running.

5. Comedian W. C. Fields once quipped, "Never work with animals or children." Fortunately, Tacoma Little Theatre ignored his admonishment and stages Annie at 2 p.m. TLT not only chose a classic story, they put together a cast that is great to watch. This cast is so good, in fact, they received a standing ovation on opening night. Read our full review of the show here.

(6. Donald Glause is spinning tonight at the Gruv Lounge and Nightclub. We're not suppose to advertise this, but to hell with that.)

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

BANDITO BETTY LOU WHO LEAP OF THE DAY >>>

"Attention Tani, Scott, Katie and the rest of the staff at the Tacoma Center YMCA! I'm the mutha elfing Foursquare Holiday Mayor of your indoor pool, cardio theater machines, that one rowing machine next to the track upstairs, the little square workout towels and all your other stuff now!" screamed Bandito Betty Lou Who – our very happy friend who leaps for us on Spew. "By the way, I want you to replace all the white workout equipment behind me with black ones immediately or you'll see nothing but ... THIS all day!"

Read more...

THIS WEEK IN ATHLETICS-RELATED STUPIDITY >>>

Every week the Volcano's Cup Check column comes to you on Thursdays, like a present from a long-lost, chemically-dependent friend you didn't realize you wanted. After a full week of intense research and scrutiny, carefully concocting my thoughts and diligently gathering information, I sit down and pound out a bunch of fairly-sophomoric jokes about professional jocks and the world they live in. It's a pretty sweet gig. Again, we call it Cup Check ...

This week, in what should come as a shock to no one, now indefinitely-suspended Jets strength and conditioning coach Sal Alosi draws the Cup Check spotlight, along with Mike Vick, Cliff Lee and Carmelo Anthony.

Check it out here.

And, if you've got a minute, take a gander at the video below. Through the magic of YouTube, it seems I'm not the only person providing commentary on the Sal Alosi saga.

THEY MAKE IT TOO EASY >>>

Every week, the Volcano's Cup Check column (conveniently located in the classifieds section of the paper) takes an irreverent look at the wild world of sports ... or at the very least that's the tagline.

Truth is, I just kind of make jokes about sports. It's not rocket science - it's just a good read about people with superhuman athletic ability doing really dumb stuff. Who doesn't love that?

Anyway, just wanted to let all seven faithful readers know that I'm currently hard at work producing this week's column, wading through stupid athletes left and right to make sure Cup Check includes nothing but the cream of the idiotic jock crop.

Will this d-bag coach from the NFL's Jets make the cut? Chances seem high ...

LINK: Previous Cup Check columns

HOT PODCAST ACTION >>>

Last night I made my monthly appearance on the Northwest Convergence Zone podcast to talk sports - an act that has become part of my regular routine because a) I just really like hosts Big D and the Gimmer, and b) because I'm a promotional whore, and anything I can do to get the word out about the Cup Check column I do with gusto.

A bit under the weather, I called in to the show last night - an experience that was an adventure all in itself. With no land-line at the Driscoll household, and with cell phone reception that proved spotty at best, I ended up using a payphone on Hilltop to get through - adding a bit of gritty intrigue to an already fascinating discussion (if I do say so myself).

Anyway, check out the Northwest Convergence Zone and last night's podcast (I'm part of the second half of the show ... but listen to the whole thing to catch an interview with The Hardcount and Bad Boys Bail Bonds).

I DID IT! >>>

I don't want to take all the credit for this -- as his suckiness surely had a lot to do with it -- but it was just announced that the Denver Broncos have fired coach Josh McDaniels.

I know, especially around here, this probably doesn't matter to you -- but it's a good day (finally!) to be a Bronco fan again!

Previous Cup Check McDaniels bashing

And some more ...

TURKEY DAY, NOV. 25, 2010 >>>

1. DJ Switch will spin at Jazzbones beginning at 9 p.m.

2. Oh, sure, you could sit around this morning and watch bad football. That's what's expected of you. But why not exceed expectations? Try Gig Harbor's Turkey Trot - a 5K or 10K run or walk designed for the whole family. Kicking off at 8 a.m., giving you a chance to actually work up an appetite for the turkey and stuffing that awaits, the Turkey Trot will fill Gig Harbor's downtown waterfront with athletic show-off types, all to the benefit of F.I.S.H. Food Banks, the local Gig Harbor food bank and college scholarships.

3. Head to the movies, yo!

4. Have your kids turkey-stoked, released from school all week and spinning amok with mounting visions of sugarplums, Barbie dolls and Xbox Kinect drilled a hole through the roof yet? There's a reason Fantasy Lights at Spanaway Park will switch on the holiday light exhibits tonight from 5:30-9 p.m.

5. Moby Grape's guitarist Jerry Miller will rock the Westgate Bar and Grill beginning at 9 p.m.

AN IRREVERENT WEEKLY LOOK AT THE WILD WORLD OF SPORTS >>>

Every week in the classifieds section of the Weekly Volcano our Cup Check column is there for your inner sports fan - a spot dedicated to finding a place for dumb jock jokes inside the paper at all costs.

Think Brett Favre jokes are funny? So do we - and Cup Check is for you.

Want to laugh about who Bears quarterback Jay Cutler is boffing? We already did.

Want to be scared shitless by Bo Pelini? Check out this week's column, or just watch the video below ...