In this E-dition:
(September 17, 2009)

- Leather back turtle video (a must see)
- Bluegrass festival!
- Everything you need to know about local football

**We hope you like the Snow's Cut E-news. We'll tell you something you don't know, give you some ideas for the weekend and show you some cool links.
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70 Leatherback turtles join the world
Has a group of turtles ever been so loved? On Monday night at around 10:30pm a nest of 70 rare leatherback turtles hatched or "boiled" in Carolina Beach.

I was lucky enough to run up and see the last one make it to the water. You can see yourself it on this very cool video produced by the Star-News. (You have to watch it.)

These turtles are rare, prehistoric and huge when full grown. They grow to be twice the size of Loggerheads, which are pretty big in their own right. This nest was the first one ever recorded in North Carolina south of carteret County.

Tonight at 7pm the Pleasure Island Sea Turtle Project volunteers will excavate the nest to count the eggs and look for stragglers. There's usually one or two so it's worth stoppoing by. The nest is near the Driftwood Lane bech access, but I suggest parking at Hamlet Ave. and walking down.

It's a bluegrass lover's weekend ...at the festival...

Of course you know about the Southern Coastal Bluegrass Festival in Fort Fisher this weekend. With all due respect to other parties, this is my favorite event of the year. (I hope I didn't come off like Kanye West there.)
The music is easy to listen to, it's not overly crowded or expensive and it's just plain ol' relaxing.

There's been a nice response to the call for local bands to have a jamming contest. Masonboro Sound, Live Bait and No Dollar Shoes will take the second stage along with Asheville, NC favorites Johnson’s Crossroad.

They’ll be competing for a paid spot on the main stage at next year’s festival and a Sunday evening gig at the Ocean Grill.

As it stands you'll get to see at least 13 of the best bluegrass bands in the state and locally.

It's a bluegrass lover's weekend ...around town...
You can kick off your bluegrass weekend by catching Johnson's Crossroad Friday night at the The Black Horn from 8:30-12:30 You can wash down your music with $2.50 Coronas and $4 margaritas. (One of my sources recently told me that they have excelllent margaritas.)

...and finish by catching Johnson’s Crossroad at the Ocean Grill on Sunday night from 6-9pm. It'll be a double header at the Tiki Bar with the winner of the jamming contest opening up from 5-6.

Check out this video of Johnson's Crossroad playing and surfers surfing at the Tiki Bar. It'll make you nostalgic for summer already.

How to improve the NFL
I'm a huge football fan, but the league could use a few small changes. Here are the five things that I will do when I become the next NFL commissioner. (Don't laugh, it could happen.)

1) The overtime rule sucks. Change it. Just like last Monday night, the team that wins the coin toss almost always wins. I say, play for ten minutes and if there isn’t a winner then make it sudden death. That way each team gets a crack at it.

2) Why does the Super Bowl have to be on a Sunday anyway? It’s such a drag when two minutes after the game everybody runs home scared because they have to go to work the next morning. What a terrible way to end a party! Play the game on Saturday night.

3) Speaking of the Super Bowl, let’s have a consolation game that afternoon. The losers of the two championship games can play for third place. Put some cash on the line to make it interesting. You know you'd watch.

4) Play Monday night games earlier. Give me a break with this 9pm start BS. It’s too late. The Black Horn would make so much more money if working guys like me could come watch the game from 7-10pm and then get home to bed at a reasonable hour. As it stands, I haven’t gone out for a Monday night game in years.

5) Back up the cameras. Maybe it’s just me, but I hate it when they show highlights or replays where all you can see is the guy with the ball. (Maybe even just his head.) Zoom out for crying out loud so we can see how the play develops! Jeesh!

How to enjoy football on the Cape Fear Peninsula
In honor of Ravens season - oops, I mean football season - here's a rundown of where I would go to watch the games.

Start the day with brunch at Havana's

The Black Horn - These guys have 22 Hi-Def screens and one huge big screen. They also sport booths with private screens. They also have wi-fi, so you can bring your computer and follow fantasy football, pick-em' contests, trivia and prizes
Food: free buffet, free wings, special $5.95 gameday menu
Drink: $9 pitchers of Bud Lite
Monday night: 1/2 price everything

The Dive - They have the NFL Gameday package and multiple screens.
Food: free hot dogs (while they last), 50 cent wings
Drink: $4 Bloodys, $10 Coors Light buckets
Monday night: 1/2 price everything

Michael's Seafood - Michael's has a cozy bar area with multiple TVs and the college and NFL Gameday package. They also have wi-fi so you fantasy football geeks (like me) can bring your computers.
Food: 1/2 price wings, Chef's choice dinner specials
Drink: beer and drink specials
Monday night: 1/2 price margaritas

The Last Resort - You're basically in Pittsburgh when you go there, but don't worry, they're very friendly about it. They even let a Baltimore fan like me hang out.

The Lazy Parrot - They're not open yet (give them about three weeks), but when they are it will be a full on sports bar with high-def screens, darts, pool table, games, wraps, wings and all kinds of other stuff.

The Ocean Grill - It's the only place where you can hear the waves while watching your games
Food: $4.99 appetizer specials
Drink: $4 Bloodys, $4 mango mimosa, $1.50 Miller Lite
Monday night: $2 Blue Moons, $4 Coconut Kiss,
fried seafood entrees for $12.99

The Shuckin' Shack - How appropriate, they have all-you-can-eat oysters on Sundays (and for just $6.50). Not bad, but I could put them out of business on a good day.
Drink: $5 Bloodys, $5 Jager bobs, Bartender specials
Monday night: 50 cent oysters, 75 cent wings, $2.75 imports

Don't forget to check out the SCM Pleasure Island Event Calendar. We list everything that is happening around town and update it whenever something comes up.