There really is no explanation for it.
Why is it that some things are obsolete….
Yeah pay phones had a good run , so did eight tracks, cassettes and even CD’s but some things in our society just tend to survive.
William Shatner, the Muppets, those lame Chipmunks, Barbie Dolls, Monopoly and then you have….
Fair Food, Fair Rides, Fair Fun—its everlasting folks.
Every year we get a new Iphone or Ipad but when is the last time we got a reset on the fair—-think about it?
Life is Fair–at least one a year. I think they will be play YMCA and We are the Champions at sporting events in 30 years and you know what–at the same time they will be serving up Chocolate Covered Bacon and Oreo Funnel Cakes at your local state fair too.
I guess that’s what makes it fun. I can take my kids to the same fair, our parents took us—its deja fair all over again.
Gotta admit–not a big fan of the roller coasters— the allure of the fair has always been those games.
This year we were leaving ,when I had a dollar left in my wallet and my daughter Ally reminded me the hoops game only cost a dollar (see I told you these fairs don’t change?)
So we give it a shot–man, I was “this close” but to quote a famous broadcaster “the iron was unkind.”
Ally would never demand we keep going but looking at the disappointment on my 10 year old’s face I wasn’t gonna leave until I left with one of those big stuffed animals.
The internal pressure was on.
Went back to the ATM and got 20 bucks. Seemed pretty easy, six shots for five dollars and all I had to make was one stupid shot?!
Making me feel somewhat normal was a former college basketball player to my right who agreed these rims were brutal and you had to hit it clean.
She couldn’t hit and folks it took me 22 shots (two shots shy of returning to the ATM again) but we got it done….
Victory…. where folks there is not a much better feeling as a father than seeing your kids reaction when you win one of these for her.
Thanks to the fair for a great daddy/daughter moment–you don’t go a changin.
Fair Fun– the first stop as we dribble around another trip in the Naborhood.
MARCH SADNESS: It’s been a crazy month of March where for the first time in my adult life, I didn’t watch the NCAA Selection show which I hear lasted longer than some of those Disney rides at Spring Break. I didn’t even know who was in the tourney until a few days ago.
Maybe its because I’m covering more baseball lately, but I don’t think that’s why I am not up for March Madness nearly as much as I used to.
I blame it on the ole One and Done rule. It’s ruining two sports—the NBA and college basketball. The powers to be need to let these kids either go pro out of high school, if not—please let them play AT LEAST two years of college basketball?
Truth teller Charles Barkley made a great point recently saying how historically bad the NBA is and asked the question, “how many teams would you want to buy season tickets for?” The Warriors, the Spurs, the Cavs but I can’t think of many others?
The point–the league is as bad as its been because players aren’t ready and it deprives college basketball of it’s star power as well.
Likely number one pick Ben Simmons showed about as much effort in the SEC Tournament as a Big League veteran running out a grounder in Spring Training.
It’s sad because besides Simmons and a handful of Florida Gators–I couldn’t name one other player in the SEC Tourney. Thanks to the one and done—college basketball’s level of play has suffered and as a result my favorite Big Dance suffers.
I’ll still fill out a bracket, I’ll still love the buzzer beaters but please get rid of the one and done so we can get our two basketball sports back to where they used to be.
TRUMP MADNESS: Ok, there are two things I really don’t like to write about in this blog which are two subjects I find both polarizing and personal.
Religion and Politics.
Donald Trump has veered me off the blogging game plan though. Can you imagine if someone at this point last year would have told you the Trumpster is gonna beat out 16 other candidates and be your Republican nominee?
I’m hardly a rubbernecker but this election has the feel of passing a terrible wreck on the interstate where you can’t help but pay close attention–even when it’s touch to watch.
Nobody saw this coming. I thought The Donald was surley done back in the summer when he lashed out at many Mexicans, but he’s gotten a lot nastier and amazingly he’s gotten a lot stronger.
I still believe even Trump wakes up in the morning and can’t believe what is going on.
Truth be told, there are things I like about Trump. He’s not a career politician (see Hillary, Bernie, Marco, Ted Cruz and yes even the likable John Kasich). With it brings a different (to say the least) rhetoric to debates and the campaign.
I can appreciate a businessman who takes chances and unlike his political peers Trump has actually been in the business world and I thought The Apprentice was a well put together TV show–better than most reality train wrecks.
You gotta admit taking over Jeb Bush’s website was political genius.
I like Trump doesn’t hold back but I also like that Louis C.K doesn’t hold back–that doesn’t make me want to vote for either funny man to be our next president.
Trump lost me with his comments on Mexicans but at least he has stayed himself. Rubio tried to be like Trump and it may have ruined his political career where he has lost all credibility.
Small Hands? What does the rest of the world think of us……..embarrassing.
Cruz hasn’t been endorsed by any major newspaper in the country, Kasich is a viable candidate but he just can’t win and that’s a shame.
What seems to win is Trump’s timing—our country is angry and he knows just how to feed off of it.
Trump isn’t a Republican—he’s an Independent in every sense of the word.
Don’t let him fool you America–we have heard him in this campaign–can you imagine what we will hear if he’s elected?
It’s amazing we have so many great people in our country who could be amazing candidates but looking at the process—you can understand why many don’t run—-I hope that changes down the road for the sake of our country and my children.
CONROY: We’ve lost some talented men this year in David Bowie, Glen Frey and the lastest is talented author Pat Conroy who was unique in his approach and his courage in his craft.
Some say his books are too long yet his lasting memory will be the lasting impression his works left on his audience.
The Great Santini chronicled his rough childhood where his father Donald was a war hero but also physically abusive on his family which included seven children. This honest and courageous book understandably strained Conroy’s relationship with his Dad for years, yet was therapeutic for the author and the many people who for years had undergone a similar upbringing.
Over time, the book actually helped the relationship between Conroy and his father where Robert Duvall would play Donald in the movie. “My father thinks he’s personally responsible for Robert Duvall’s career,” Conroy would later say. A happy ending afterall which would be a theme in many of this author’s reads.
The Lords of Discipline followed a similar fate. This book was based on Conroy’s experiences as a cadet at the Citadel where he fought both racism and the Vietnam War. The book was banned for years on campus but over the years it brought so much to light, the school amazingly came around to give Conroy an honorary degree in 2000.
Over 1,000 people attended Conroy’s funeral—among them more than 30 of those 2001 Citadel graduates.
A rare talent Pat Conroy—he will be greatly missed.
NOBODY ASKED ME, BUT… Just over two years ago (seems a lot longer) I made a bet with a friend of a steak dinner on who will have the better career in three years Blake Bortles or Johnny Manziel? I unfortunately picked Manziel. For the most part it was wishful thinking as I loved watching Johnny Football play so much in college, I was hoping for the sequel in the NFL.
I mistakenly thought all the partying was just Manziel being a kid and not hurting anyone. I also thought Bortles would be a solid pro but thought Manziel had more upside.
Unfortunately, the bet’s shelf life didn’t even make it to three years. Bortles is the clear winner while you wonder if Manziel will ever play again–what a waste.
I also wonder will Johnny be the centerpiece of an ESPN 30 for 30 in a few years following the likes of Maurice Clarett and Brian Bozworth…sure looks that way.
By the way to my friend Trace—I did say steak dinner—I recall saying more Golden Corral than Ruth Chris right?
EXTRA POINT: OK, the Big Dance doesn’t have the star power it used to, but here is my Final Four folks…How bout Kansas, Oklahoma, Wisconsin and Michigan St with former Gator journeyman coach Lon Kruger bringing home his first National Title 71-68 over the Spartans? You heard it hear first!
Until next blog,
Mike Nabors
@mikenabors
PHOTO CREDITS: cbssports.com, USATS, chicagonow.com, David Berri/vice.com, NCAA, ludlowtjournal.com,fresnofair.com,Getty Images, Wire Image, buzzfeed.com, ebay.com, rosylittleghings.com & achildgrows.com