I am going to do something that I have rarely done in previous episodes of the Rhubarb Report. I know it might be hard to imagine, but I am going to avoid the topic of politics. Saturday’s upcoming Republican shindig in South Carolina doesn’t need any further media hype. If anything, life in the Republican party (and our upcoming national election) might actually have a little more clarity after Saturday. Or not. I can always be hopeful and optimistic at least.
Episode 32 of the Rhubarb Report will deal with a number of optimistic topics found in football and basketball over the past week:
1. Optimistic point number one: Tim Tebow leading the Denver Broncos to a Super Bowl. Is Tebow truly a foundation upon which to build, or is this all a bad hallucination?
Today is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. This day recognizes the late civil rights leader, and has done so since it was first observed on January 20, 1986.
This day should remind us, time and time again, that equality and civil rights are not just things that we should take for granted, nor should they be things that are noteworthy only when it is convenient to do so.
King was a man of brilliant words and oratory, of lessons learned and life lived as an African-American in the south. But those words of brilliance are applicable to all of us seeking to live the American Dream – regardless of race or gender. In 1963, he noted that “even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.” King harkened back to the words of the US Constitution – those unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
You see, King’s Dream was (and is) the American Dream – or vice versa. But does King’s Dream remain unfulfilled – even in 2012?
Today was a beautiful sunny day in Austin. It was crisp and cool in the morning, with some wonderful sunshine during the day. It was just like many other winter days in central Texas.
But wait – oh my, it is Friday the 13th! [insert ominous background music here]. Run, run, run for your life!
There are an estimated 17 to 21 million people in the United States that are affected by a fear of Friday the 13th. That amounts to about 5% of the U.S. population.
Holy friggatriskaidekaphobia, Batman!
With numbers like that, I feel fortunate to have survived a day like today. Apparently, it is a daunting task for many. How did I ever manage to make it through the most feared day and date in history?
Imagine this – a true national championship playoff, and four teams remaining: Oklahoma State versus Alabama, and LSU versus Kansas State. Such is life in the final two weeks of the 2011-2012 December Delirium.
Yes, it is all my imagination. I keep dreaming that maybe someday it will actually happen. The proposed “plus one” format for the BCS is a step in the right direction, but please, stop teasing us with a sorta-kinda National Championship and give it to us for real!
At this point, we’ve seen all of the key teams play in various bowl games. Most of these games have had little to no relevance to anyone other than, well, maybe an athletic director or school president or two. There have been plenty of intriguing match-ups, but that is about the only way to describe them: intriguing at best.
Onwards to the semifinals and finals of this year’s December Delirium!
You’ve survived the holiday season – regardless of which holiday(s) you were celebrating. You might have put forth some resolutions for the upcoming year. You are feeling rejuvenated by the first few days of the new year. If you are in Austin, you have even been celebrating 70 degree weather in January – a treat, to say the least.
One thing never changes though – the growth of fresh rhubarb. There will always be news which reminds us that truth is stranger than fiction. The first new rhubarb for 2012 is upon us. Imagine this – it is chock full of politics and yummy vitamins. Enjoy Episode 31, the first episode of 2012!
The temperature in Austin dropped below freezing last night. Pretty chilly, indeed.
It’s funny saying that, having grown up in Canada with my share of Canadian winters. Having now lived in Austin for over 20 years, it always amazes me what now constitutes “chilly”. The natives here tell me that your blood thins out when you live here a while. I don’t know if my blood is any thinner, but I know my feet get cold faster than ever.
A Canadian winter is something I will never forget. Winters in Eastern Ontario are a far cry from those experienced in Lotusland (aka Vancouver, British Columbia – otherwise known as Hollywood North). Living along the St. Lawrence River, you are just a stone’s throw from the snow belt – when a trip due south in perfectly clear conditions becomes a white out in a heartbeat.
Winter sounds enchanting, doesn’t it? You can go downhill skiing, or cross country skiing, or snowboarding, or sledding, or ice skating, or go curling or even play some hockey. It always sounds delightful - until you are faced with its icy grip for, oh, about 6 or 7 solid months, if not longer.
It was with great anticipation that we began the 2011 college football season here in Austin. What would the Longhorns look like this year? Gone were the days of Greg Davis. Will Muschamp decided that a head coaching job in the Swamp was better than waiting for Mack brown to retire. With new offensive and defensive coordinators, 2011 was a fresh start.
Although the Longhorns ended the season on a slump, they did get a big ego boost (and win-for-the-ages) against Texas A&M. A 7 – 5 record also “earned” them a bowl bid. It was onwards to San Diego for the Holiday Bowl against the 7 – 5 Cal Golden Bears.
On paper, this game looked, well, pedestrian at best. In reality, the game was, well, pedestrian at best. But this game did serve as a great season summary of the 2011 Longhorns.
Allan Besselink, PT, DPT, Ph.D., Dip.MDT has a unique voice in the world of sports, education, and health care. Read more about Allan here.