Sidewalk Shadows

I headed to downtown Jacksonville on a cold but sunny afternoon. Stepping out of the car, I thought to myself -- Give it 30 minutes and call it quits.

An hour and a half later, I headed for home.

I had several reasonable images in contention for today's blip but this shot won out because of those shadows cast by the parking meter and street sign.

If I were to remain faithful to my English roots, the title should be "Pavement Shadows" but, as an old newspaperman and headline writer, I know the value of a little bit of alliteration. It gives a headline or a title punch.

Of course, alliteration can be taken to excess. I remember a headline from my youth that once appeared one Saturday night in The Evening Sentinel, now just plain The Sentinel.

The headline adorned a Stoke City report of a game they lost in the closing minutes. It ran: Plucky Potters Pipped At Post.

Stoke City's nickname is The Potters because of the city's long and proud association with the pottery industry. Opposing teams' fans call Stoke City supporters "Clayheads", such is the banal banter among football supporters.

Sadly, such a headline was not applicable to today's performance by Stoke City. They lost 2-0 at Fulham and were never really in the game after Ryan Shawcross was sent off after conceding a penalty. Clint Dempsey converted the spot kick for his second goal of the game.

And now, back to Frank in the Grandstand studio.

Come on, some of you must surely remember Frank Bough and Grandstand. :-)