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I went for a run this morning and two miles in I started to have chest pains. They didn’t get intense because I slowed down. My heart rate dropped back to normal quickly but the episode scared the hell out of me. I thought about pushing through it but I was creeping along and I shouldn’t have been having any problems. Something told me to stop running. Dying on the street would have been extremely embarrassing. I don’t know if I didn’t eat right or what, but I’ve never quit in the middle of a run like that. Maybe I caught a 24 hour case of asthma.  I’ve felt a little bit off ever since. It wasn’t all bad though. I had my iPod and was listening to a Podcast one of my favorite sports writers, Bill Simmons, break down the two hour premiere of MTV’s Jersey Shore. It’s a reality show – of course – about a house full of Guidos young, tanned, artificially enhanced Italian Americans from New Jersey. One of the guys in the house gave himself the best nickname in the history of nicknames. It’s so good that I wish I had thought of it. He glossed himself The Situation. Actually, that’s what he calls his 6-pack abs, but it grew to encompass the total man. The show has generated some controversy within the Italian American community because it might be the most defamatory show ever shown on television. I think it’s kind of like the Italian version of Flavor of Love if you took out the Flavor Flav and just filmed the hangers on running a t-shirt store. I watched a clip – okay two – and I can’t believe that there are people who strive to hit as many negative cultural stereotypes among their own ethnic group. I may get sucked into this train wreck. Normally I can’t stand MTV reality shows because the people are mercenary, talentless hacks looking for a short cut to stardom. The Situation thinks he’s already a star.