December 6, 2022
“Walking down Life’s 18th Fairway” offers one a perspective previously unavailable. The opportunity to “break par” long since gone along with any chance of a hole-in-one. One is content to simply “putt-out” and watch others struggle with the vagaries of a rapidly-disintegrating civilization.
Then I look at my four quite incredible little grandchildren and wonder … Is there anything I might still do to save their world ????
To the degree that each of us, at some point in our lives, imitate King Canute standing on the shore yelling at the tide to cease its ebbing and flowing … there comes a time that we simply say “I told you so” and let it go at that.
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Waiting 80 years for “the next Choo Choo” …
I have a dear cousin, 20+ years my senior, who has spent way too many of her 90+ years pining for “the next Choo Choo” and exasperated that UNC officials will not play What It Was Was Football prior to every game in Kenan Stadium.
If I had a nickel for every time she has written me over many decades trying to cope with the latest harsh reminder that “her Tar Heels” are not (and never will be) a superpower in college football. It should be noted that she is NOT a basketball fan … UNC or otherwise. Not that THAT would console her considering the past several weeks.
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NO ANSON NO …!!!! … and Hubert too!
Watching UNCCH’s Anson Dorrance’s “Flying Ponytails” snatch defeat from the jaws of victory last night …16 seconds from his umpteenth National Championship; on top of the current catastrophe that has befallen UNC Basketball; one might rethink that Franklin Street boast that “God must be a Tar Heel because …”.
Remembering that Megan Rapinoe is Anson’s “very very dear friend” lessens any interest I had for his soccer program. But still … 16 seconds away. It was “the Villanova Hail Mary” all over again.
Mack2.0 has lost three in a row … Hubert is at four L’s in a row – and counting – and now The Legendary Anson … it’s probably fortunate that no one in Chapel Hill has a clue about what’s going on with Elon Musk and Twitter. YOWSA!
Enough about the fortunes or lack thereof for UNCCH sports partisans …
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I assume most of us reading this are acutely aware that ….
Big Time College Football as you have known it for most of your life until just recently IS NO MORE …
IT is now virtually unrecognizable from what it was … or what you assumed it to be up until a year or so ago.
Over 500 college football players have “entered the Transfer Portal” in the past 48 hours. The total may well reach 1,000.
Switching teams for a variety of reasons having absolutely nothing to do with how awesome fans think “their school” surely is.
That a young man chooses “your school” to pursue his athletic career for the esoteric “goodness” of Your “dear ol’ alma mater” hasn’t been “reality” for quite a while.
Now it is official. 5-star athletes choosing a school because of the campus … the nubile coeds … or ANYTHING remotely having to do with academics has been a myth for going on 100 years.
The infamous Marvin Austin – and others of The Butcher’s semi-literate mercenaries – did not choose UNC because of “the well … the bell …or the wall” or because of the rolls at the Porthole.
“Free Agency” is here now and it isn’t going away. That The NCAA can somehow stop it is ludicrous.
If you are a rabid partisan of XYZ school you better accept the reality that you are “cheering for laundry”; not for the individual wearing that jersey on a particular day. Because he’s likely to be wearing a different jersey next year.
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Essentially the Top Twenty of College Football programs are now what Duke Basketball has been for the past ten years. A constantly revolving door of anonymous, quickly forgotten “one & dones.”
Duke basketball fans have come to accept that … you will too. Different players every year so don’t bother to get to know them … or to remember them.
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What will Drake Maye do ? …
My guess is He Stays at UNC. His situation with his family’s UNC legacy is unique among all the others “in the portal”. That “legacy” is the ONLY reason he might stay.
Could a $10,000,000 NIL guarantee lure him to a SuperPower? Sure and it would for most players of his stature. He has one more year before he is eligible for The NFL.
If Maye stays at UNC is UNC likely to be a Top Ten program next year? No … for the same reason they faltered this year. …. Lack of depth in supporting roles. But they could still be a top tier program in The ACC … for what that is worth.
If most of his receivers stay, he could set records that might last for many years … or, like Sam Howell, find that lack of depth in key positions cost him vital seconds on each play. … OR – Heaven forbid – an injury that could curtail his entire football future… and the $10,000,000 he turned down to stay at UNC.
The ACC – despite being #5 among The Power5 – had some incredibly exciting games this season among its member institutions. NCSU v ECU … UNC v App … UNC v Duke … UNC v WFU … WFU v Duke … and certainly UNC v NCSU.
None of those Very Entertaining games had any impact nationally. Did that lessen the enjoyment for those watching those games in-person or on TV? Not for me it didn’t.
I stand by my Boutique ACC as “the way to go” in the future.
The local teams will be good: but never “really good” and coaches will alibi about “so many injuries”.
Football coaches whining about “injuries” is like farmers complaining about “the weather”. Yawn …
Do any of “The Big Four” have the level of “Fat Cats Boosters” that will play High Stakes NIL Poker EVERY YEAR to get/keep top talent? That is what it will take.
Every school has its Wealthy alumni … but will they opt to give their $$$ for such a silly purpose.
Make no mistake about it … “renting college athletes” IS a very silly purpose. The ROI on such silliness is incalculably small.
Don’t forget … the babbling board monkeys on those infernal “message boards” do NOT put their $$$ where their spittle-spewing mouths are. Their opinions carry zero consequences … never have and never will.
Big Time College Football WILL continue to be very exciting to watch next year and for years after. The dozen or so SuperPowers will get “more super” and the gap twixt them and the rest will widen.
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“Dange-Russ”Wilson’s reign is short-lived
Russell Wilson’s reign as wealthiest NCState athlete ever was short-lived. His $250,000,000 contract with the Broncos can’t match Trea Turner’s $300,000,000 deal with the Phillies.
Everything I’ve ever heard about Trea Turner is positive. He is the epitome of the “old league gamer” in Baseball. Trea’s Wolfpack teammate Carlos Rodon will also be getting Big $$$ any day now but not to Trea’s level.
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All I want is a Ham Sandwich w/ heavy mustard.
My dear cousin (see above) approaching her 100th year … still thinks “Ryan Switzer was cute” and will still want me to tell “them” to play What It Was Was Football before every game in Kenan Stadium. … bless her heart.
Is anyone other than me having a colonoscopy later today? “Prepping” for said colonoscopy has me pinning for a ham sandwich with extra mustard. Funny what you want when you can’t have it.
UPDATE: My “procedure” was 100% successful. No “issues” but there would have been had I not reluctantly consented to the procedure. The staff at Raleigh Gastroenteroology is Awesome. ALL the standard reasons to not have a colonoscopy are STUPID! Don’t be stupid!
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More BobLee’s RIMSHOTS … HERE
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