And another thing....

March 7,’13:  We shall leave Dean’s eternal destiny to a Higher Power.   Such hypotheticals could take us in any number of socio-cultural directions well beyond theology.   It’s 2013.   Issues are no longer easily compartmentalized within well-defined topics – sports – politics – religion - pop culture – academia – media.    And another thing......

Conclusion: Perceived "good works" seemed to win out over John 3:16 with this audience.  I'd opt for both but that's just me. No topic once opened here is ever closed.   Did you notice that Coach Smith received noticeable support from our vocal ABC contingent?  The “vocal ABC contingent” that gathers here is considerably more charitable in general than other branches of that infamously toxic tree.  A by-product, I bet, of other demographics of this site’s audience.

I have always appreciated and cultivated the demographics of this website’s audience.  I use Boomer-speak and Boomer-references without subtitles.  Doing so leaves some non-Boomers confused..... not unlike I am if I ever find myself watching “The Grammys”.

Five minutes of Grammys or the Oscars and a quick perusal of supermarket tabloids convince me that I am no one’s target entertainment audience.  Was I ever?

Same with new college uniform designs.  If my opinion mattered some one would ask for it.  No one has / is / will.  I don't ask anyone's opinions about my column topics.  It's a wash.

I learned last week that neither Blondie nor Kid had any knowledge whatsoever of what went – “zip went it moved – bop when it stopped and whrrrrr when it stood still.....”.  I promptly sent both a YouTube of Peter, Paul & Mary singing The Marvelous Toy.

In my recent talk to The Wilmington Sports Club I noted that most of “us” grew up with “sports news” being a 7-minute clip after the weather on your local 6:00 News.  That and a sportswriter for whatever constituted “your newspaper”.   Jim McKay dramatized about “the thrill & the agony” as that ski jumper always crashed.  His name was Vinko Bogataj.  Bet you didn’t know that, did you?

We still managed to know who played who and who won.... and who plays next week.  We knew Lou Brock was traded for Ernie Broglio..... and The Celtics won again and Red lit his cigar..... and The Dixie Classic was cancelled.....  and Jean-Claude Killy won a Giant Slalom (whatever that is).   Sports Illustrated arrived in Friday’s mail and there was The Sporting News for box score aficionados.   I was comfortable with that depth of information.

Barber shops buzzed about “The Duke” and “Say Hey” Willie moving out of Gotham for some faraway place called “the West Coast” and that being the end of baseball as we knew it..... watching the hapless Redskins on Sunday with a better fight song than an O-line.  Blondie’s family on the banks of The Mighty Mississippi listened to KMOX’s Harry Caray and Jack Buck describe the exploits of Stan and Red and Enos and Gibson.

Our “way-of-life” is like a shark.  It keeps moving.  It never stands still.  I will NOT stand on my front porch and yell at those darned kids to get outta my yard.... beseech the tide to stop ebbing and flowing.  Demand a better explanation of the infield fly rule or what the term “designated franchise player” means.

I wish basketball shorts were a bit shorter (Damn you Fab Five!) and I prefer “knickers and stirrup socks” for baseball.   I’m ambivalent about “belly putters” and giant titanium drivers.  We survived the fiberglass pole in pole vaulting.  Do people still “pole vault”?   I have no opinion on PEDs.  

Some player(s) will indeed “die” in an NFL and/or BCS game before much longer.  Brains and spines and joints have not evolved as fast as the rest of Football.  That inevitable death will not kill the sport

A bowl of multi-colored bell peppers is about as pretty as vegetables can get.

Any BCS-level AD who is not closely monitoring the academic & social progress of his/her 3-deep FB roster and first 12 BkB roster is juggling a hand grenade in oven mitts.

I’m OK with Danica in NASCAR.  Bud Selig is no better / worse than Bowie Kuhn.  Roger not much different than Pete.  I still think David Stern looks like Dickie Baddour.... but David DOES “have a freakin’ clue”.

I’m not sure why “blacks have taken over basketball” although I could fathom a few solid guesses.  I’m OK with that.   I’ll never understand why Volleyball has never developed a mainstream audience.

Wonder what PhilipBridges'86 is up to these days? Who has replaced Roy on PB'86's hate'em list ???

“Gays” will be making inroads in the primary team sports.  I don’t pretend to understand the psychology of homosexuality.  Lesbians and “heteros” share locker rooms now in women’s basketball (yuck!) and tennis and golf.  Would gay men in a MLB, NBA, NFL locker room be any different?...... AgentPierce has some provocative opinions on “gay politics” so I’ll let him deal with that.

Barring nuclear Armageddon, The Rapture or a full-scale take-over of America by The Nation of Islam.... the ACC WILL carry-on post Coach K and Ol’ Roy.  If actuaries are correct, I will be alive to witness that metamorphosis.

In the aftermath of The Great Unpleasantness..... the not-inaccurate stereotypes of all parties involved will not change very much.  Coal changes into diamonds faster than fan bases evolve.

I cannot think of a single sports event I would pay ticket face-value to attend. Or attend at all except under exceptionally comfortable circumstances.  I am fine that others are much less demanding.

On-site attendance for stadium / arena sports will decidedly decline across the board in favor of TV spectatorization.  Escalating “go to the game” prices (and hassles) coupled with ever-improving HDTV technology are reverse tides working to an inevitable conclusion.

The NCAA will, relatively soon, implode on itself.  It is the ultimate anachronism.  Whatever replaces it will be flawed in different ways.

Sports Fans are by definition “an unruly mob”.  The Internet has simply given amplification to their group insanity.  KILL THE UMP!

Truth be admitted..... most "asylums" have always been run by the inmates.  

The mind of man is – A Marvelous Toy.   I’ve never known just how it works.  “..... and I guess I never will.”