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[jough]

Beef of course resents Ray and has much hostility in him for all of the bad things that Ray has done to him during the course of their friendship.  I mean, the dude may be mild-mannered but he does come from Circumstances after all.

[acoxcae]

I assumed "Catching up later with the English nerds" meant we'd probably get a post-fight entry in Gasps and Giggles.  I'm pretty sure it's just the final three there on the plain.

[Cap'n Squeakers]

Like most people here, I am secretly hoping for that Beef takes it all the way and wins the GOF.  However, I don't think this is Onstad's style.  One of the defining elements of Ray's character is his constant stream of undeserved good luck (for example, finding that fifty dollar bill on the ground after wrecking his Escalade).  I think him winning the Fight by depending on Beef's careful, lifelong study of the event fits nicely into this mold.  Also, Beef is just plain not ruthless enough to set up and screw over his best friend like that.  He ain't no crap dude.

[Roger]

Is anyone still expecting Ray's father to show up in the end?

I think it's more an absolute uniformity and levelness of speech. Previous example: http://achewood.com/index.php?date=06302003

Dude how were you able to find that strip with the exclamation points? I'm in awe.
Is the Tagging Project done and nobody told me?

[CortJstr]

Beef is just plain not ruthless enough to set up and screw over his best friend like that.  He ain't no crap dude.

I dunno, there was the fake Yahoo personal of Ray that resulted in almost seven Puerto Rican chicks to beat down Ray's ass which Beef was almost certainly in on. He did get Ray to give him two Pro-Elite Roombas.

[misterqueue]

I dunno, there was the fake Yahoo personal of Ray that resulted in almost seven Puerto Rican chicks to beat down Ray's ass which Beef was almost certainly in on. He did get Ray to give him two Pro-Elite Roombas.

Getting things from Ray is like stealing sucrose laden substances from gestating homo sapiens.  Ray has more than he needs and he likes to people to like him (for the most part). 

What we need remember here is that bad things happen to Beef.  They happen in a matter-of-fact way sometimes, and sometimes because he commits an act of self-fulfilled prophecy.  Ray on the other hand is finding ancient pornography worth tons of money in his breakfast cereal.  This is the way these things happen.

I think Beef's stone cold Rorshach state is a front for the others.  It's man time and he's comin' real with Ray here.  They just gave each other a dap man, you cannot break that kind of bond.  He will take the fall, but only because as in most things of his life he doesn't feel deserving and this is the way of their friendship.  This is the way things are.

The good news is that usually after something tragic happens to Beef, he gets some reprieve for a while.  Good things tend to come thereafter.

[pmcd9]

Beef is just plain not ruthless enough to set up and screw over his best friend like that.

He's totally got it in him, he's just never had the motivation before.  Beef wants to be champion, he's wanted it all of his pathetic life.  He knows that Ray is doing this on a whim and it really don't mean shit to him, so he won't think twice about doing him in and taking the crown (or whatever the champion gets).  Also, I would guess that being GOF champion involves a monetary prize as well as other lucrative opportunities.  How else could a guy like Evelope Martinez afford to live in Ray's neighborhood.  So that's gotta be on Beef's mind.  Maybe Beef will be able to move out of Ray's pool house.  He knows Molly hates it there.  Yeah there's too much at stake for Beef to take a fall now and you know he's got the power, he wouldn't be standing now if he didn't know from the start he could see it through to the end.

Excitement.

~Paul

[Emergent_C]

Perhaps the key is to combine these two ideas: Beef needs to win, and Ray has an unending streak of ridiculous good luck. It is just possible that this ridiculous luck will allow Beef to win the GOF and Ray to still walk away happy. Think on it.

[keef]

It should be obvious to all that Beef is going to be the winner.  Everything that has transpired up to this point, EVERYTHING, has been carefully orchestrated by Beef.  Beef's concession is just a continuation of this.  Remember that when Beef said what he said there was still the matter of Rudy Cava to deal with.  Beef is going to win the GOF.  Allow me to reveal how Beef is going to do it.  Right at the moment of truth Ray is going to be suddenly distracted by the appearance of his Mother.

Oh and I like how Ray's taunts are very reminiscent of his tauntings of Marmaduke and Cathy and etc..

~Paul

I don't know about this.  It seems to me that Beef cares more about the winner of the fight being a total badass.  Beef's dialogue seems heartfelt to me.  The fact that he says "You can't kick just three asses and win the Great Outdoor Fight.  No one would respect you."  sort of backs me up here.  What does that say about a man who kicks one ass and wins the great outdoor fight?

I think he's fully ready to lay it down for Ray.

However, I don't think Ray's going to win.  I think it's more likely that he either will get beat down by Rudy Cava, or when the time comes he'll be all unable to do the deed and some bizarre confluence of events will lead to roast beef being the winner.  I just don't think he's harboring any secret desire to pound Ray and go on to take the title.  If he does end up winning, it'll be due to something else.

All that shit said, I really loved this strip.  The SLIF, the slap-dap, the perfect dialogue.  KEEP IT COMING SIR ONSTAD

[spinn]

What we need remember here is that bad things happen to Beef.  They happen in a matter-of-fact way sometimes, and sometimes because he commits an act of self-fulfilled prophecy.  Ray on the other hand is finding ancient pornography worth tons of money in his breakfast cereal.  This is the way these things happen.

But weren't you stunned when they're driving to the Fight and Beef just casually runs down a guy with the motorbike? That right there was my sign that this was going to be a different Beef than we're used to.

[colmore]

Ray's gonna win.  There will be some surpsies, I'm sure, but Ray will win.

Look.  There's a big difference between knowing  the weakness of every major GOF contender, and actually being able to deliver a Chun Lee style flying kick to the side of the head once you've stunned your opponent by bringing up his Circumstances.  Beef clearly has some chops, he was able to stick around when Son Of Rodney was passed out in Tent of Brandy, but for the most part he's been sitting back and having the fighting done for him.  You can't study your way into Ray's killer instinct, that kind of thing is either in your blood or isn't.

Beef respects the fight.  Just like he didn't want to see Ray win having only kicked one dude's ass, he couldn't live with himself being the kind of guy to take the title having only busted one man down on into his component parts; it's just not right.  Also, he knows his history.  He joined up with Ray knowing that as a B.O.C. and he was likely to go into a three day Dutch fugue.  You can't study yourself out of a goddamned hurricane, man, you just say your piece to the guy from cable and then hope for the best.

Ray wins.  Ray wins at just about everything, and Onstad likes his character that way.  That's why the whole CH arc was so compelling, because it ripped Ray out of his element.  This isn't one of those cases though.  Unlike most circumstances though, I think this time Ray really understands that his ass would have been grass without his old best friend.  That right there is something special.  Look for a big nod to Beef by Bob Raffles or whoever.  The real fans of the fight know and respect the hardship that a true right-hand-man goes through.

Lastly, I think we all have to admit that The Fugue really is a bit of a showman.

[misterqueue]

But weren't you stunned when they're driving to the Fight and Beef just casually runs down a guy with the motorbike? That right there was my sign that this was going to be a different Beef than we're used to.

No.  For Beef this is a scholarly thing.  That is "what needs to be done".  He takes no pleasure in it but he attacks it like code.  He's studied it for years and years and this is the plan he's concocted and at this point it's a no brainer.  It's just lucky that Ray found out he's BOC so he has a purpose to enact it I suppose.

When the end comes he will want Ray to win, not only because he doesn't believe he deserves it, but also because "that is how the GOF should end."  He believes in it, passionately.

[CortJstr]

Perhaps the key is to combine these two ideas: Beef needs to win, and Ray has an unending streak of ridiculous good luck. It is just possible that this ridiculous luck will allow Beef to win the GOF and Ray to still walk away happy. Think on it.

This is true. Even when bad shit happens to Ray (crashing his car, going to hell) he still manages to find money or meet famous people or whatever. So Ray random trips and falls in a sink hole which takes him out of the fight so Beef wins. Mean while Ray finds a passage in the hole that leads him to the Lost City of Gold.

[Hobot]

I assumed "Catching up later with the English nerds" meant we'd probably get a post-fight entry in Gasps and Giggles.  I'm pretty sure it's just the final three there on the plain.

Even if the blokes are still around, they strike me as more imbedded-reporter- than stone-cold-killer-types.  Think Geraldo, but with less infinite stupidity.

...Beef's careful, lifelong study of the event...

Wouldn't it be nice if Beef were the Last Cat Standing?  It would prove once and for all that studious individuals are winners.

[spinn]

On further reflection I have to recant my spoiler. Here's an idea: Ray doesn't want to beat on Beef, but Beef uses something from their childhood to make him do it.

Yeah. Okay, yeah. That's where I put my money.