I'll be relief pitcher when real columnists need a rest

You may have read in Executive Editor John Drescher's column recently that he's going to bring me in as a relief columnist when, for example, Barry Saunders takes vacation.

In the past when one of our regular columnists has taken time off, we've just run an editor's note like: "Barry's on the beach in Cancun, and his column will return when he gets back."

Or some such. Now, when Barry is in Cancun sunning himself, I will jog in from behind the metaphorical outfield fence here and deliver a substitute column.

This will mean a couple of things.

First off, I'll need to come up with a nickname for my wife, and Sweet Thang is off the table.

Second, it'll mean I'll have to constantly stay loose because Barry (or Ruth Sheehan, or Drescher) may decide on a moment's notice that they need a day or three off, so ring the bullpen and warm up the veteran right-hander (me).

Now Barry is a very talented and resourceful guy whom I've witnessed walk into the office in the morning without the barest clue of what he's going to write about, and by the end of the day, turn in a funny and insightful column. It's not that easy for me, although I am funnier, at least, than Drescher.

One other thing: Because we wanted to keep you up with what's happening online (something I tried to do with this column), we have asked Eric Frederick, the managing editor of newsobserver.com, and Mike Williams, editor of triangle.com, to alternate writing their own columns on this page. That will start next Saturday.

I don't know exactly when my column will appear on the front of Triangle & Co., but I think it will be soon, so I am casting about for ideas. Since Dennis Rogers retired, there hasn't been much written about barbecue. I like barbecue. Maybe I'll write about barbecue.

Sue Stock's video

When I recruited Sue Stock to come work for us as a retail reporter, I didn't fully appreciate her passion for coupons.

I don't know how I missed that, because she is all about clipping and organizing them with technique that would make a surgeon say, "Boy, that's precise." When she hits the checkout lane, it wouldn't surprise me if they pay her.

Sue has a blog called Taking Stock (takingstock.newsobserver .com), and she has built a following because of her coupon database and her tips on how to save hundreds of dollars on frequently purchased items. Recently, she has been giving seminars on how to save money with coupons, and her most recent one was Wednesday.

We had our wits about us and videotaped the session, and so you can go on Sue's blog right now and watch three segments.

One deals with how to organize your coupons. Another deals with how to make a price book. And the third is on how to find coupons. I told Sue on Friday: "Hey. It's 'Taking Stock: The Movie,' " and she thought that was amusing.

Women's hoops blog

We've launched a new blog this week called ACC Women's Hoops. Sports reporter Edward G. Robinson III will be blogging here. You can find it at blogs.newsobserver.com/womenshoops.

Top online stories

Here are the most-read stories on newsobserver.com the past week:

* Passenger jailed in flight disturbance

* IRS Refund Database

* Republican county has 18,000 ballots left to count

* Obama unofficial winner in North Carolina

* Racist graffiti found in NCSU tunnel