YES, I AM STILL HERE peeking out my window on Main Street, and I am practically in mourning because the U.S. Women’s soccer team was eliminated from the World Cup tournament. They were heavy favorites to win and I really, really, really hoped and expected they would.
I’ve been losing sleep because they got beat by teams from Kazakistan or Senegal or East Kolabear or somewhere. Losing sleep, I tell you!
Well, maybe not.
First of all, about half of them refused to respect the National Anthem when it was played before their games. Refused to stand or sing. With the world watching. And they were representing the United States!!
Second of all, one of the more notorious members of the team has been complaining that the women were not paid the same as the men’s team.
WHAT!? Who is being paid, and by whom? Well, some of the money apparently comes from the tournament organization. This time the men’s money and the women’s money was combined and split evenly.
Surely we taxpayers are not footing the bill for a pro athletic team. Surely. I want to go on record right now that I am NOT in favor of shelling out U.S. bucks for a national soccer, polo or field hockey team. Or checkers or curling. Men or women. Or in-between.
Send the male and female soccer team members out to find regular jobs. One that contributes to our society.
We’ll see if they continue to bite the hand that feeds them.
At my advanced age I’ve become disillusioned that someone who plays sports for a living makes waaaaaay more money than someone who is working to find a cure for cancer.
Enough of this rant. I’m going downtown to glare at J-Turn offenders.
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OUR LOSS. Because of a number of obstacles we were unable to get the full obituary of Bobby Don Turner in this issue of the newspaper. He died late last week at age 82 after a long rich life of sincere service to our Howard County community. I knew him for a number of years while he served the city of Tollette as a charter officer, served on our county hospital board, and finally on the quorum court which is essentially the county’s board of directors.
His father, the late Lewis Turner, was also a great man who served the community from the heart.
Bobby Don was usually asked to open court meetings with a prayer. His faith was evident in the face of his devastating illness.
Peace to his family, and thanks to the Almighty for putting such persons among us.
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THE RETURN OF the #1 Fair Weather Razorback Football Fan.
As usual for the start of the season, our state’s homer sportswriters have got me totally convinced the Hogs will win the national championship.
I was sailing along whistling the fight song until I saw a SEC channel replay of last year’s game with Missouri. Which we lost, of course. To MISSOURI! We were so inept I thought that Chad Morris was back on the sidelines. Even though I remembered the sad outcome of the game, seeing the replay was new to my eyes because — as both of you know — when the going gets tough I go outside to sit on the patio and try to put the game out of my mind. This time I couldn’t tear myself away from the tv. It was like watching a rattlesnake. You just can’t stop looking.
After last year I took it as good news when both the offensive and defensive coordinators took their talents elsewhere.
Woooooo Pig, Sooey!
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A JOB IDEA. What if you could take a drone with a camera and broadcast live reports on how long lines are at each of our town’s drive-thru food windows? I often decide what I want for lunch based upon length of lines at the drive-thru.
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BAKE SALE. I have a birthday coming up in September and I’m looking for someone who can make a butterscotch pie at a reasonable price. It is a difficult pie to make. In our 37 years of marriage my late wife, Jane, made my favorite butterscotch pie just three times.
She SAID she made three; I only saw two. The third she said she threw away because it didn’t ‘set’ right.
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THINGS I LEARNED by opening another email: “Which letter is silent in the word “Scent,” the S or the C?
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WORD GAMES. The twins: One or The Other. Make a choice.
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HE SAID: “We look before and after,
And pine for what is not;
Our sincerest laughter
With some pain is fraught;
Our sweetest songs are those
that tell of saddest thought.” Percy Bysshe Shelley, poet
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SHE SAID: “In our work and in our living, we must recognize that difference is a reason for celebration and growth, rather than a reason for destruction.” Audre Lorde, writer and activist
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SWEET DREAMS, Baby
