I’ve been given a new perspective on life.
After dropping off the eldest daughter some 500 miles from home at Xavier University, suddenly my concerns about sports and favorite teams have a somewhat diminished value.
Xavier University: Home of the Musketeers…or Muskies for short. I guess that makes me a ‘Muskie Dad’. I’m tryin’ that one on for size.
Funny…when I was growing up WKRP in Cincinnati was one of my favorite shows. I never would have guessed that I would be beating a path to the Queen City. Of course, the Better Half insists that my appreciation of that sitcom stemmed from the presence of one Loni Anderson.
Hmph!
Little does she know. We’re talkin’ the 70s here. If there was any show I was watching because of a woman, it was Charlie’s Angels to see Jaclyn Smith.
Seriously – is there any discussion here?
or
I mean we’re talkin’ Jaclyn Smith. What is she 60? I bet she still is sending guys to the Emergency Room with whiplash as she walks by and heads spin.
And so my loyal Clipboard readers get ready for all the Cincy references: Les Nessman, Venus Flytrap, Dr. Johnny Fever, the Cintas Center, Scales of Justice, Victory Parkway, Norwood, Eden Park, Mount Adams, the Riverfront. 
You get the picture.
Not sure if I can embrace the Bengals. Yeah, I dig their AFL roots. I had a lot of respect for Kenny Anderson. The ‘Icky Shuffle’ was kinda cool. But Chad Johnson is everything I can’t stand about pro athletes. And that goes way back before he opened his mouth and proclaimed he could beat Michael Phelps. Does anyone think he was suggesting he would run alongside the pool while Phelps was swimming?
I can handle the Reds. There’s a boat load of tradition there. And I’m not just saying that because George Foster used to scare the bejeepers out of me, and I’m afraid he’ll hunt me down.
Actually, there is a sports connection between Cincy and Rochester. The Rochester Royals, who won the National Basketball League (precursor to the NBA) title in 1951, eventually moved to the southwest Ohio city. Names like Bob Davies, Bobby Wanzer, Arnie Riesen, and Maurice Stokes starred for the Royals as did Oscar Robertson when the franchise moved to Cincinnati.
So yeah – I’ve got a fresh outlook on life.
I realize I’m just a few years removed from sprinting out of the house after the Giants won Super Bowl XXV. What I would do for an official time of the mile I ran after that win. Jim Ryun look out.
Of course I repeated that jaunt a year later when the Dukies beat UNLV.
That’s all behind me now. I got a new lease on life.
It really doesn’t matter that a couple of months ago… my New York Islanders decided to part ways with Ted Nolan. Those things don’t bother me anymore. It doesn’t affect me that Ted Nolan, the architect of some pretty good Buffalo Sabre teams in the ‘90s, who seemed to be on track to do the same thing with Isles, is no longer working in Uniondale.
Really, it doesn’t bother me.
And you know Clay Bucholz looking rather average on the mound? That really has no impact on my life. Seriously, if he wants to be more concerned with his girl friend and all that stuff, I can’t be bothered.
Tim Wakefield going on the DL? What difference does it make? He’s my age. I get a bad back every once in a while too. I mean it doesn’t matter that the Sox middle relief is about as intimidating as the Sta-Puf Marshmallow Man, and Wakefield was the best innings eater on the Sox staff. Really it…it doesn’t bother me.
I can even handle Josh Beckett being injured. Even if the word ‘tingling’ is used to describe the feeling in Beckett’s pitching arm. I’ll get over the fact that Beckett looks like he’s trying to impersonate Nuke Laloosh. MASCOTS BEWARE!!! Hide your Bulls – Beckett’s arm is tingling.
Really I can handle it. Remember I’ve got a new perspective on life.
You know I even cheered for Kobe yesterday. That 4-point play was an absolute friggin’ dagger. I’ll still take a healthy D-Wade over Kobe any day, but yeah Kobe was my boy yesterday.
Wow! This is sorta refreshing.
Osi Umenyiora is out for the season?
Ahem.
In through the nose…out through the mouth. Slow breathing. Slow breathing.
Does somebody have a paper bag?
I’ll get over it.
Like I was saying…I got a new perspective.
‘Muskie Dad’. I kinda like that.
Here’s to ya Abb!
Love ya,
Dad 🙂
Hey “Dad”, I’ll get the smelling salts…
Great call, Casey!!! Jaclyn Smith was (and probably still is) smo-o-o-o-o-o-kin’ !!!! Possibly the hottest woman of her generation … or at least our early pubescence (is that a word?).
Hope your Abs college drop-off went smoother than ours. Sarah was quite homesick … WELL BEFORE we even left and got on the plane back to AK. This was tougher than I imagined. Keep her in your thoughts … she is really struggling. Should get better with time ….
Very well put, Casey. I have these kinds of moments from time to time, when I realize that the importance of sports pales in comparison to other aspects of life. Fortunately, though, being a sports fan is what I like to call the healthiest form of escapism.
This is pretty unrelated, but your mention of the Rochester Royals reminded me of when I lived in Syracuse and my landlord had posters of Larry Bird and Magic Johnson in his office, and then there was one of Danny Schayes. When I made a comment about it, he said “that’s my boy”. He (my landlord) was Dolph Schayes, and was surprised that a youngster like me (at the time, not now) knew who he was.
Muels – thanks for the salts.
Wally – I am considering a follow-up post to the Jaclyn Smith / Loni comparison.
After a little bump in the road Abb was fine. If we are lucky maybe Abb will become the Clipboard’s Xavier/Cincinnati correspondent.
Sarah will do well also; she is in our prayers.
Chas – “being a sports fan is what I like to call the healthiest form of escapism.” Truer words could not be spoken.
Dolph Schayes has quite the history. Played for the Syracuse Nats (later to become the 76ers) and won an NBA title. He was a teammate of Al Masino. Smitty, JD, and I all worked hoops camp for Coach Masino back in the day. At the end of the week we would get our check by meeting with him in his car. It was like he was the Don. I half expected to have to kiss his ring.
As I am writing this, Abb just finished her first college class and is on the way to her second.
Sorry, but if we are going to talk female 70’s TV pinups the conversation must include “Wonder Woman” Lynda Carter. She was it for me… (no complaints on the others mentioned, but they are behind WW)
Very cool connection to Dolph/Danny Schayes…
I am lovin’ this conversation!! Talk about escapism. Jaclyn Smith and Lynda Carter.. Why do you think I watched Wonder Woman? For the acting and the storyline? Nooooooo..
But if we are having this discussion, how can we leave out Bo Derek and Farrah Fawcett? Casey, wasn’t Farrah on your wall? Or maybe that was in my closet where Mom and Dad couldn’t find it.. I digress.
Here is hoping that the first week and on goes well for both Ab and Sarah. As classes pick up and friends are made, I am sure the homesick feelings will disappear.