On this day in 2001 the Baltimore Ravens won their first Super Bowl, crushing the New York Giants 34-7. It was one of the greatest days of my life. However, I will always feel guilty about my happiness that day as that was the day my close friend Dr. Hoss buried his sister. While I don’t remember if I knew about his sister while watching the game, Dr. Hoss is the kind of person who might not have shared the news until after the Super Bowl. At that time, he was living in California, his sister was living in Maryland and I was living in Texas so we were all scattered about the country.

Dr. Hoss is a big Ravens fan and has been a season-ticket holder since his return to the Baltimore-DC area more than a decade ago. He, Dr. Zal and I have email exchanges about the Ravens although not as often as in the past.

Of course the death of a sibling should be far more significant than any sporting event, even the Super Bowl, especially if you’re not working for one of the teams involved. As I have been out of professional sports for about a decade I often find myself wondering why fans are so vested in the outcome of sports. Maybe that’s a form of “sour grapes” for me, maybe not. Still, if you’re a Chiefs fan and they win the Super Bowl on Sunday will you receive a ring? Will you receive a bonus? Did you have anything to do with the decisions made by the organization?

Oh, don’t let anyone tell you that anorexia is a legitimate lifestyle. Dr. Hoss’ sister died in her early 40s due to complications from anorexia. Believe it or not, “pro-ana” websites exist with the message that it’s OK to starve yourself.

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This post from Classic Cars gives a recap to the results of the recently concluded auto auctions in Scottsdale, Arizona. This summary is most interesting:

 

“It’s clear we have a collector car market that’s cooled from the highs of the previous decade, especially at the top. Yet for most car collectors — that is, those who buy cars for thousands, rather than millions of dollars — Arizona was business as usual. Barrett-Jackson drew more than 5,600 bidders and enjoyed its highest grossing week ever. Long-term owners are still realizing gains. (In the current market, owners have typically reached break-even after three years of ownership.)”

“And, as always, the best cars continued to appreciate. But price-sensitive buyers should be aware of the chill that has set in upmarket, as it could creep downward. Knowing what you’re buying and buying for enjoyment are two strategies that are as important today as ever.”

 

My belief is that cars should be bought for enjoyment and not as financial investments, but as an investment in the quality of life. I invest in financial instruments, in equities and in fixed income, but I buy cars that I can really enjoy.

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My feelings about this car that was sold at Barrett-Jackson are mixed. Have a look:

 

 

While the background is beautiful in my opinion, I’m not sure about this car. Don’t get me wrong, I am a big fan of the Jaguar XJS (this is a 1990 model), but I don’t know if I like the wheels. Those rims are not the only custom part of the car; in fact, the car was listed as a 1990 Jaguar XJS Custom Convertible. The car has an all-Corvette drive train, probably from a C4, as the engine displaces 350 cubic inches and is mated to a 4-speed automatic transmission. This custom XJS sold for $6,600 all in.

The fact that the drive train has been replaced doesn’t bother me. The XJS is not rare (over 115,000 of them were produced over 20 years) and they have never been particularly valuable. The all-Corvette drive train will certainly cost less to maintain than the stock Jaguar one. I know the wheels are an easy fix, but somehow they signal that something else about the car is off.

What do you think? Please feel free to comment on this or any other post. Please feel free to “like” any post by clicking/tapping on the “Like” button and please feel free to click on any ad for a good or service in which you have genuine interest.

 

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