23 October 2009

Friday Belts: If Willis & Geiger Can...You Can Too





I love this commercial. Tasteless? Without a doubt but then so is the beer. I remember Bud Light being introduced when I was in college. I wanna say '82 or '83...I dunno. The goal was to convert Miller Lite drinkers. That kinda boils life down to its essence. Two crappy beers and the people who fight over them. You were a Ford or Chevy man. You were a Miller Lite or Bud Lite guy. You're a, "Dude" or "Awesome" guy.

And while I hate to admit it - - I like it in the can. This is mindless drinking. The lime flavor could easily be replicated with a squeeze of lime but sometimes all you can do is open a can. Especially after you've had seven or eight of these. I prefer a Lemon Lager. I remember the first time I had one was at Twickenham and the Wasps were playing the Saracens. I was new to Rugby and London friends were showing me the ropes and the beer. A lemon lager is simply light beer with Realemon squeezed on top. By Realemon I mean fake lemon. You know...that concentrate in the plastic lemon? It's very refreshing. Very drinkable. "Give it to me with some plastic lemon." I dunno. Not a great advertising line.

You can probably find this belt as easy as finding Bud Lite Lime. While I was looking for the authentic Springfield sling belt - - I kept running into this adjustable belt. I finally gave up the hunt for authentic and ordered the belt from the Willis Geiger catalog some 15 years ago. Here's some advice...whenever you see an adjustable belt...buy it. You may be 30 years old with a waist size to match but trust me on this. If you like beer - - buy adjustable belts.

On Sunday afternoon it's the belt for a pair of wide wale cords, a flannel tartan button down and a pair of suede chukkas. Grab a bag of BBQ pork rinds, pop open a can of BL Lime and you're living large. Turn on the game or, if you're like me, settle into something black and white from the 30's on Turner Classic Movies. Just be sure to keep the pork rind crumb dust off the suede shoes. That can get expensive.

20 comments:

L.A.S said...

Nothing better on a Friday morning than some sage advice from tintin. Thanks man.

p.s. Did you just admit to not watching football on Sunday?

p.p.s. A dude or awesome guy...let's not forget all the bros out there.

GSV JR said...

Are BL Lime and Miller Chill half-baked reactions to "Michelada?" I hope not. I figure it an extension of Coke Lime. (Why do people like to squeeze citrus in their drinks?)

I'm not cynical about this beer. Actually, I'm OK with it just so long as you don't start singing about Bud Clamato, which is basically canned vomit. Enjoy that with an afternoon viewing of Captain Blood, dude.

Anonymous said...

Tintin! Gets down with...the rest of us! We all pound PBRs from the can while watching rockabilly or psychobilly bands. It's kind of painful, but I usually manage to slip away to put in flesh colored earplugs and find a glass.

That can design is worse than the commercial. It looks like it's trying to be "Xtreme Bud Lite." It amazes me the designs "corporate" and focus groups will approve for a public/mirror image of itself. No one has the coconuts to tell them that they can make a crappy beer look desirable by designing upward. It's always the same: They start out wanting "Tiffany's" and end up wanting "KMart."

Aside from me, you're the only one I know who'll touch pork rinds. Just the thought of rind crumbs landing on your bucks is just too excellent!

-DB

Anonymous said...

Tintin,
Sorry, but I am a hefeweizen girl. Budweiser beer just doesn't do it for me. The Wonderbread of beers. I prefer crusty baguettes. D

Ben said...

As soon as I hang up my favorite black watch plaid belt, I'm gonna get it in the can!

Anonymous said...

Thomas Whiffenpoof

Anonymous said...

DB-I'm down with you on the pork rinds...it's southern thing...
TiNMan, just add a can of cashews and you'll have yourself a little party my friend! ME

The Sardonicist said...

"Tasteless? Without a doubt but then so is the beer."

bwahaha!! well said, tintin!

tintin said...

LAS- Not so much. Love watching baseball and tennis but basketball and football bore the shit outta me. Now bullfighting is another story.

Stew - An old girlfriend drank beer mixed with V-8 and tabasco on Sunday mornings rather than a Bloody. I think she was trying to be good to my wallet when I was a ranger. It's not bad at all. I've seen that clamato/bud stuff. The can freaked me out.

DB- That can is a giant piece of green snot. But knowing the assholes at Bud I'm sure they have their reasons.

D- Hey, you can fool around with other beers and no one will be the wiser. Monagamy is not in my beer aisle.

Ben- That is all...

Anon- I must say I feel like a proud father to watch the growth of your comments. From Victorian Dance Hall to Jedi Knight to Whiffenpoof...How long exactly have you been a CPA?

ME - You'll be surprised to learn that the best pork rinds I ever had were in London pubs. Much denser and very hard and chewy. I think they were called Cracklings...better than ours but it helps to have a dentist within earshot.

Skorpeo- You like that? One week into basic and you're gonna miss me.

Anonymous said...

Tintin,
I know, I know. I have tried fooling around with other beers, but I always end up back with my main man, hefeweizen. D

tintin said...

D- Nothing wrong with finding a good thing and sticking with it. So far, my watch and my luggage have lasted much longer than my wife.

Anonymous said...

Sometimes a great notion. Gonna grab a case of Miller Lite and smoke a pork shoulder tomorrow with some buddies and watch college football. Thanks for the validation Tintin. Mindless drinking indeed. Just like the good ole days.

Giuseppe said...

You haven't resorted to drinking things just to keep the "FRiday Belt" going, have you?

I'm not trying to be a snob. I'll drink a can of beer as soon as Chateauneuf-du-Pape if the situation calls for it, but Bud Lite Lime?

I don't know, man.

ADG said...

Tin-kerbell ... you got too many belts and too much cologne.

tintin said...

Giuseppe- "I'm not trying to be a snob. I'll drink a can of beer as soon as Chateauneuf-du-Pape..." I'm not gonna drink a Rhone with pork rinds.

ADGoober- You're right as usual --Some people can't get thru life with a piece of rope and a bottle of Hai Karate

Anonymous said...

Love the symbolism. The watch that tells you when it's time to leave, the luggage that's always ready to hold what you hold most dear. Beautiful imagery.

Anonymous said...

TinTin,
Love the idea of you "dressing up" for your pork rinds and b/w movie instead of "the game". Reminds me of your comment made years ago about the sports page in the Tribune...the only time you would crack it open was when you needed a new set of tires! Classic!
TRB@NMH

tintin said...

Anon 19:50- Thank you. And there are some things best left behind.

TRB- Dressing up? I'm not putting on black tie. Some people feel comfortable in sweats. I need corduroy and flannel.

I was in a restauarant with a couple Brits and one of 'em said, "Isn't that Mike Ditka over there?" He was sitting a couple tables away and I said, "I have no idea. The only time I open the sports page is when I need tires." Ditka cracked up and the Brits thought I was a comic genius - - they had no idea I was telling the truth.

TWA said...

I cant believe more people did not run with this!

-My boss told me that if he didnt have it in the can on his desk by the end of the day we were all fired.

-Everyone I know gets it in the can.

-My boyfriend always tries to give it to me in the can.

Come on its the little things in life that can make you laugh and they are few in far between so take advantage.

Also have you seen the swear jar bud light commercial hilarious. These people have the best marketing, and I dont even drink beer. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlY0nbgFrP4

tintin said...

TWA- I hear you. That's a great commercial you linked to. Never saw it before.

I worked with a guy in Chicago who claimed to know a couple of the guys on the Bud Lite advertising team. He said they were made up of Jewish guys from Highland Park and Irish Catholics from Loyola. He was fired before I confirmed but it makes a lot of beeping sense.