Why you should never tell NFL players you're picking up the check...

[SirFozzie]

Just saw this note from SI.Com's Peter King, courtesy of his Monday Morning Quarterback column.

Aggravating/Enjoyable Travel Note of the Week

"Is Sports Illustrated paying tonight?'' Mitchell asked me last Thursday night. We were seated at a new Philadelphia steakhouse, Barclay Prime.

"Yes,'' I said.

Uh-oh. That's trouble. An NFL player, a former first-round pick with some dough, has a blank check. At least he thinks he does.

Mitchell then took the menu out of my hand and said to our waiter, "I'll be ordering for Mr. King."

He ordered me Kobe sliders, and the Kobe cheesesteak sandwich, which I'd heard some legendary stories about. The waiter, Matthew, said there was some really fancy cheese, some really interesting imported mustard and even a dollop of lobster thrown in for good measure. Because they're sporty, I guess, the place threw in a half-bottle of champagne with the cheesesteak. Uh-oh.

The sliders were White-Castle-sized mini-burgers, only round. Two to an order. Just phenomenal. The meat was terrific -- tender and tasty.

Mitchell likes to go to Barclay Prime Saturday nights before home games and he knew quite a few people there. He signed a few autographs, shook a lot of hands, accepted lots of good-lucks. Living large, as they say.

And here came the cheesesteak. Very good. What beef. Incredible beef, really. So good and so big that I couldn't finish.

A shame, seeing as the cost of said cheesesteak was $105.

That is not a misprint.

Worst abuse of SI expense account by yours truly since 1991, when Phil Simms ordered a $75 glass of brandy the week before the Scott Norwood Super Bowl in Tampa, and, of course, I had to buck up and have one with him.

Please go easy on me, Time-Warner Business Dept. I have been good, really good. But it's the playoffs and Freddie Mitchell had a chance to be a really good hero story this week. I promise I won't ask for anything for Christmas this year.

The bill, with tip: $449.

[JeeberD]

Coulda been worse, I suppose...

[SirFozzie]

The second I heard Kobe beef.. my bank account would have committed seppuku

[Logan]

I thought this was easily going to be in the thousands. Actually, Mitchell sounds very nice. He could have really taken advantage of this and bought drinks for other people, ordered unnecessary food, etc. From what it says, it seems he just wanted King to have a really good meal.

[Yossarian]

Expenses is the biggest scam going.

The last place I worked, I was flying with the boss to london. We arrive and have to get the Gatwick Express to the city centre.

The 'normal' carriages are pretty much empty. No rush (it was middle of the day) and really, would have been fine - its only like, a half hour or something. But he goes straight to the first class section.

Meaning that what would have cost the company £22 for two tickets in cost them about £150 (i THINK it was about 75 quid per 1st class ticket).

Thats about $270 ish...

Same boss used to just buy us both drinks after work until we parted ways at 11.30 after work when we were on expenses.

And finally, same boss used to put 'pressure' on me to not get my lunch on expenses.

IE.. i'd order, I dunno, a sandwich or something and ask for a receipt for the £3 my entire lunch cost and he'd say stuff like "what do you need the receipt for" and stuff like that.

Sure, its only three quid but when your down for a week and your a cheap ass bastard you do that. Thing is, i felt guilty for charging my lunches (even 3 quid ones like that) to expenses when this twat was getting taxi's everywhere are really just milking the system.

[WSUCougar]

What do squid have to do with it...?

[CamEdwards]

Originally Posted by WSUCougar

What do squid have to do with it...?

that's the official currency of England. I understand Scotland's getting ready to switch over to the seahorse.

[Yossarian]

the squid to seahorse exchange rate... owch!

[INDalltheway]

The real question is if the squid is collosal.