Yesterday was Veteran’s Day and since my work location was closed, I had the opportunity to watch more cable news. Sure the day is filled with parades, speeches, and moments of silence, but it is a day that should cause each of us to reflect.
I thought about Vietnam. Although I didn’t serve, I lived the times. Years later when the Vietnam Memorial design was proposed, I recall the outcry against it. Then again, I also recall visiting it and the special feeling I got walking down the ramp into the memorial. Wow – I guess the design was right after all.
I thought about my dad who served in WW II at age 18. He’s always kept in touch with his Army buddies, yet their numbers decrease each day. I heard a report today saying that there are over 2 million WW II veterans still alive today – yet I also read an estimated of 1200 of them die each day.
I thought about last year taking Dad to a reunion of a post-WW II group. Interestingly this group was made of a few who also served in WW II, but also some who where just getting started, thus eventually ending their military careers following Vietnam. The link to those two wars was right there in the room with me among them. I wrote about the reunion weekend last Veterans Day (here’s the link).
I watched President Obama’s speech at Arlington National Cemetery. It was a good speech that was full reflection – then again presidential speeches on this day are good for that, no matter who delivers it.
I also saw a report about Honor Flight – an organization that is funding trips so WW II veterans can visit the WW II Memorial in Washington. Very impressive, but I’m sorry that I was unable to find the online video version. In its place, please visit the Honor Flight site for more information about this noble cause, and here’s an ABC News video from 2007 about the person who started it.
Buffalo Bill is linked to the wild western frontier, but the reverse is a football team. Bill Clinton was a U.S. President, Bill Cullen a game show host, Bill Cosby an actor, comedian, and role model and Bill Bailey came home to a song.
Bill Gates founded Microsoft, Bill Murray makes us laugh, and Bill Cartwright was a pro athlete would wasn’t on Bonanza – but I do have a good friend Bill who is part of the dinner group on Gilligan’s Island.
Baseball is loaded with Bills. There’s the Yankee manager who loved to fight and got frequently fired and rehired; plus a former first baseman who went on to be AL President. The Hall of Fame even enshrines several umpire Bills.
With Bill being a common name, if you think an All-Bills team will be strong – you betcha – and upper division strong to boot! A team of all-Bills not on this team would soundly drub the All-Time Randys – much to the agreement to my college roommate (Bill) who tragically died in a car accident, who was also a good baseball player and also knew Randy. I even consider splitting the Bill and Billy, but Bills say they have been called worse.
By the way, for the other all-time teams, see Categories in the Sidebar, and then Sports > All-Time Teams or click here.
Ladies and gentlemen, now taking the field, the All-Time Bills.
Given the anniversary of an important event as the wall of the Berlin Wall, the trivialness of college football had to wait a day.
Last week allowed fans to witness Oregon laying an egg at Stanford, which leads to one reason why I like observing PAC-10 football – the leader continues to be surprised! Then there’s Iowa who got their eyes scratched out by regular nemesis Northwestern. The sweater vest vies for some respect with an impressive road win, but is it enough to get into this elite ranking? Interestingly, most of the this week’s upward movement had more to do with team’s losing rather than top teams winning.
But wait – next week is big as most of the top teams take to the road, so this angle is interested in next weekend.
There’s the Great Wall of China, Kremlin walls, the walls of Jericho, many fortress walls around old cities, and plenty of famous prison walls. Although sports has walls as the Seven Blocks of Granite, the Steel Curtain, and the Green Monster, all of them pail to what the true sense in this post. Twenty years ago today (on November 9, 1989) there was an announcement of the opening of a famous modern-day wall that would eventually come down – the Berlin Wall.
While listening to NPR’s All Things Considered last week, I heard an interesting segment about walls – of which I will provide the link at the end of this post. Meanwhile, think about walls.
Walls gave any purposes. Some divide/separate, some keep others out while some keep others out. Some isolate while some protect or even define boundaries. Some are sacred and others are grim reminders of historical events.
We commonly think of physical walls, but let us not forget about the mental and psychological walls individuals but in place (for a variety of reasons). Think about the behavioral walls we put in place by our collective behaviors as a society and/or a culture.
So on this anniversary of a famous 20th century wall, I encourage readers to think about walls – especially for a perspective different from their own.
On Fort Hood
First and foremost, thoughts and prayers to everyone associated with the Fort Hood tragedy.
On the Recent Election
What is the meaning of some Republican gains this past Tuesday? The answer is simple – nothing. One or two special Congressional races don’t change a thing. As we head into the first mid-term election, let us not forget that the opposing party made Congressional gains on the after the first two years of Presidents Reagan and Clinton.
On the Broadening GOP Tent
As GOP leader Michael Steele about broadening the party’s tent and acceptance of others, I want to know how he can accomplish that with statements like this.
Candidates who live in moderate to slightly liberal districts have got to walk a little bit carefully here, because you do not want to put yourself in a position where you’re crossing that line on conservative principles, fiscal principles, because we’ll come after you.
In the words of infamous orator Buggs Bunny, “What a maroon!”
On Interesting Local Hoops Connections
Cincinnati is fortunate to have two solid college basketball programs within its city limits – UC and Xavier. Interesting both head coaches are not only graduates of the school they coach, both worked their way up through the ranks at these schools, and both graduated from local high schools.
On Upcoming Handbells
Our handbell choir performs again this weekend. Unfortunately the tune doesn’t exist on YouTube, so here’s a lively audio recording of Fantasia on Forest Green. Don’t let the calm beginning fool you.
On the Upcoming Weekend
With the weekend upon us, in the words of Garrision Keilor “Be well, do good work and keep in touch.”
On the BCS
For those who haven’t seen the latest edition of the BCS Committee meeting from the Global Sports Fraternity.
