About Rod Marinelli and the 0-16 Lionis

I liked what Rod Marinelli said in his Monday News conference. Coach Marinelli had just led the Lions to an 0-16 record, the worst in NFL history. Yet he fought of the label of the "worst" team. Football coaches aren't the best politicians in the world. They aren't always articulate or eloquent. Sometimes we need someone like Cyrano to speak the words that need to be spoken.

I came across these words once offered by Theodore Roosevelt that made me think of Rod Marinelli. I thought it was very fitting.

> It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.

The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.<

What a great commentary! I think that's what Rod Marinelli was trying to tell us last Monday... and I admire him. I don't think we've heard the end of Coach Marinelli.

OK! Moschiach isn't coming... yet!

What! You really thought the Cubs were going to win the World Series?

Cheer up football fans!

Cheer up football fans!

There's always NASCAR!

Seriously! I know what it's like when my beloved college team is "rebuilding" and there's no relief to be found from my favorite NFL team (in my case, the Bears but in your case UM fans, I'm afraid it's the Lions).

NASCAR has all the elements you could want from football. Big crowds, tailgaiting and lots of hard-hitting on "the field".

Even though that's a deal, we'll throw in 43 teams playing all at once. You can root for one team or several teams; whatever you like.

But wait! There's MORE!

Chicks really dig NASCAR because the essential objective of the game is to finish your team's car first. There's no explaining all the intricacies; no Dummies books by Howie Long.

Now how much would YOU be willing to pay for all that? But wait! There's MORE! You get to bring your own BEER into the stadium.

So don't get down this season if the Wolverines are "rebuilding" and the Lions still SUCK beyond your wildest imagination. Tune into NASCAR and see what "contact sports" was meant to be.

A Paul Newman Memory

Today, Paul Newman died at age 83 and I have a story to share.

Mrs. TINSC and I were at a Michigan 500 CART race at Michigan International Speedway. This was in the old days of the 1990's when they packed in big crowds.

We were living in Illinois at the time and would spend the evening before the race in Battle Creek. In the morning, we'd eat at Bob Evans and then head out to the track where we'd get there early to find a spot on the infield in the 3rd turn. In the 3rd turn, you could see the back straightaway where the cars would whip off of turn 2, duke it out on the straitaway and then hang on for dear life in the 3rd turn.

We always got there early to get our spot and therefore had time to kill. In those years, we always took a walk around the WHOLE track. Michigan Speedway is a 2 mile oval so it's quite a hike to walk the whole thing, but there were always interesting things to see on the infield.

So we're walking around the backside of the pits and this helicopter lands. We didn't think much of it. Then, the door opens and Paul Newman walked out and walked right past us! It happened so fast, he was gone by the time I realized he had just walked past us except for the fact that i was hanging on to Mrs. TINSC. She was just a tad bit weak kneed.

And I'll never forget what Mrs. TINSC said to me: "Wow, Paul Newman! That made the whole day worthwhile!"

At the time, Paul Newman owned a great CART race team with Mario Andretti as his driver. Eventually, both Michael and Mario Andretti would race for Paul Newman.

I know that a lot of people are going to talk about Paul Newman's contribution to hollywood, but I will always be thankful to Paul Newman for his contribution to auto racing.

He was a remarkable man who did some really cool things. Some of those things he did for himself. Other things he did for the less fortunate.

I am thankful for all the years he participated in auto racing and I'm glad I bumped into him once at the speedway.

Moshiach is coming!

So I was passing some time after work today with my local Lubavitcher Rebbe. And I says to him: " I see signs Moshiach is coming." He says: "Good! So do I!"

So I says: "Let me tell ya! I see signs and wonders. The Cubs have won their division title. And if they win the National League Championship, Moshiach will be even closer. If the Cubs win the World Series, Moshiach will come. I know this! Do you KNOW how many people have been born, lived and died since the last time the Cubs have won the World Series?"

The Lubavitcher Rebbe listened attentively. He tapped his fingertips together, kinda like Don Corleone in THE GODFATHER and said: "I have somewhat different criteria... but whatever works for you!"

Welcome

Thursday, November 02, 2006

Welcome

Welcome to There is NO Santa Claus' blog. You can call me TINSC for short. There are several reasons I have adopted this nickname, but I'm just getting the blog started. There will be plenty of time to fill you in on the details.

posted by There is NO Santa Claus at 7:52 PM 0 comments