I suspect that I am unlike many people who want any signs of normal to return in that I have almost no enthusiasm for the upcoming NFL season. I have not been this apathetic about the NFL since 1984, the first season the Colts called a city other than Baltimore their home. I have not watched the NFL Network in months nor do I read football websites anywhere near as frequently as I used to.
I believe that, perhaps, the “virus” has accelerated a change in my attitude that had been occurring, anyway. As I grow older I become more focused on the activities of the people in my life who are important. Why I should care about what some strangers are doing just because they’re wearing a particular uniform? After we move, do I have to follow another set of strangers?
My different attitude about the NFL in particular and sports in general is genuine. Many people I know still cannot understand and, frankly, don’t believe me when I say I haven’t followed baseball in almost a decade or that I don’t really care about the 2020 NFL season. Why would I lie about my feelings about sports?
I haven’t followed the NBA since the early 1980s. One day in the late ’80s a friend asked me if I had watched some basketball game on TV. When I told him that I hadn’t because I wasn’t following the NBA at all he said, “I bet you watch games with Michael Jordan.” When I said I didn’t he accused me of lying.
I am no longer friends with this person, in large part due to his narrow-mindedness. I rail about this quite frequently, both in this blog and in my life, but why do the majority of people think that everyone else thinks like they do or, worse, should think like they do?
NO ONE has a monopoly on truth and wisdom. NO ONE has a monopoly on good judgment or good taste. Whatever happened to “Live And Let Live?”
“There are more things in heaven and earth…than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”
– Shakespeare
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On this day in 1902 the Cadillac Automobile Company was founded. At its birth, Cadillac was not a part of General Motors; GM was not founded until 1908.
Ironically, the company was formed from the remnants of the Henry Ford Company. Ford was a most disagreeable person and after a dispute between him and his investors, including Lemuel Bowen and William Murphy, he left the company along with some of his “associates.”
Henry Leland of Leland & Faulconer Manufacturing Company persuaded Bowen and Murphy to stay in the automobile business using Leland’s engine. A former Henry Ford Company factory was used as the Cadillac factory.
The company was named after Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac, a French explorer who founded Fort Pontchartrain du Detroit in 1701, which became the city of Detroit. de la Mothe, born Antoine Laumet, adopted the “Cadillac” part of his name in honor of the town of Cadillac in southwestern France.
I know I have been writing about Cadillac quite frequently as of late. I think the fact that the company seems to have lost its way is sad. Of course, being lost is at least partly due to the stumbles of Cadillac and of General Motors.
If money were no object, then I think I would try to acquire this Cadillac: the 1957-58 Eldorado Brougham, of which only 704 were made. (Picture from supercars.net):
While we will not be acquiring a car like this after we move, barring a lottery win, a Cadillac of more recent vintage might very well be an addition to our 3-car or, hopefully, 4-car garage. You’ve seen this car in Disaffected Musings many times, so one more time won’t hurt.
From Classic Cars a picture of a 2000 Cadillac Eldorado. As recounted ad nauseam, I think these cars are stylish and will function well in the role of grocery car and occasional “taxi.”
If the day comes when I lose my interest in cars, I think I will be in trouble.
#SpiritlessSaturday
#LiveAndLetLiveBecauseNoOneIsPerfect
#1957-58CadillacEldoradoBrougham
#2000CadillacEldorado
#somanycarsjustonelife
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Disaffected Musings 
This is the first time in years I didn’t get the DTs in July jonesing for football. I bought a new tv for football two years ago. Last year, I didn’t watch the SB. I haven’t watched more than three innings of baseball in over a decade; at one time I had a mini season ticket plan. It may be age, but I think the quality of most sports have gone down while at the same time the expense of attending live games have gone through the roof. I can remember going to a baseball game ON MY OWN on the bus as a teenager, paying for MY OWN TICKET, and buying food WITH MY OWN MONEY. Sports needs to figure out how to affordably attract young kids and young families back to the venues.
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Thanks for sharing your thoughts, sir.
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I too do not follow the NFL, NBA or MLB except casually and then only to see how a few select teams are doing. I follow more motorsports and then only Indy Car and Land Speed Racing. I do follow college sports as the players participate more for the love of the game than the professionals who pursue it for the $$$.
Of the Cadillac’s I prefer the 57-58 model.
I agree Henry Ford was a crotchety old man and absolutely disagreeable. He couldn’t even get along with his son Edsel and that because Henry thought HE was always right. He was a good engineer and a enough of a businessman and visionary to build a company that is still going and viable.
I copied your Shakespeare quote to add to my Famous Quotations file. Since the quotes in the Word file are alphabetical by person, I realized this was the first quote from Old Billy. I know not why that has happened since the file is at least eight years old. Even rock-n-roll singers quote Will. The Eagles, in their song, “Get Over It” quoted Will with this line: “You know Old Billy was right. Let’s kill all the lawyers and kill them tonight.”
I leave you with these two quotes. The first from the late Jack Costella, a successful land speed racer, holder of multiple records and the second from Francis Chan.
“Perfection is an excuse to not get anything done.” – Jack Costella
“Our greatest fear should not be fear of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that don’t really matter.” – Francis Chan
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Thanks, Philip. I like the Chan remark, but knowing in real time what matters is often very tricky.
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As far as Chan goes, to overcome the tricky, what matters will be who besides yourself is helped?
As far as Jack Costella, perfection is unachievable, so work to build the best “thing”, knowing that there will be parts that are not perfect. Make it the best you can and then do better with the next one.
In both cases do what is “right” and avoid the “wrong”. Knowing that there is right and wrong and we, and other people, do not define what is “right” and what is “wrong”.
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Thanks, Philip.
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I can’t recall a time where I was a fan of stick or ball games. Maybe when I was a wee McGee, but the memory doesn’t go back that far. I have been to exactly 2 NFL games in my life (both in the 70’s), Maybe 10 baseball games, and 0 NBA games. They were never anything that interested me, so it was a waste to try to watch. Auto or motorcycle racing? I’m your huckleberry. I can remember sitting thru various sports stuff on Wide World of Sports to catch 10-15 minutes of some type of race. The first live broadcast of the Daytona 500 in 1979 was nirvana for me. These days, a lot less watching on the lobotomy box of the major racing series. Too much corporate influence, too many “cookie cutter” cars. I will some nights turn on MavTv, see some short track races, maybe drag racing from Australia, even some motorcycle racing. I do like to participate in person on the drag strip, but this hasn’t been a good year for that. Dang ole Kung Flu saw to that (shakes fist at the heavens)..
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Even though I am a pioneer of sports analytics and a Father of Moneyball, I don’t write about sports often and think most of the readers are not big sports fans.
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I wish I could get MavTV, so then I could watch Stacy David and learn something.
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