Life in Florida is good — unless you are a TV addict like me.
Everything comes on one hour later here. It was hard enough staying up for those 9 p.m. prime time shows in Texas but “Body of Proof” didn’t even start until 10 p.m. last night. I caught the beginning and then snoozed through the next hour and woke up during the news. I always wondered where the line, “News at 11” came from — and now I’m there.
I am already worried about what I will do during NFL football season when the Sunday and Monday night games don’t even start until 8:30 p.m. With all the old folks who populate this state, you would think they would be more considerate. Recording the games for later viewing is out of the question for two reasons: I can’t abide watching a game where I already know the result and I don’t know how that darned TiVo and DVR stuff works. On the nights when the Broncos are playing late, I’ll just have to set the alarm.
Speaking of the Denver Broncos, guess who just signed with them as a free agent? That’s right, Corsicana’s own Louis Vasquez just signed a free-agent, four-year deal to play offensive guard in Denver. He got a ton of money, but it is money very well spent if he keeps those nasty opponents from creaming Saint Peyton over the next few years. The San Diego Chargers’ loss will certainly be the Denver Broncos gain.
To put things in perspective, here is how professional football hierarchy works. For offensive and defensive linemen like Louis, football is not a contact sport — it’s a collision sport. He will spend the next four years working in the scrimmage-line trenches in complete obscurity (unless they call a penalty on him) and every game will leave him muddied, bloodied, bruised, and battered. The only TV endorsement money offers he may get will probably come from Ben Gay or Advil. He will do all this for a mere $6 million or so per year, plus bonuses for playoff games and that Super Bowl win that Bronco linebacker Vaughn Miller has promised.
Peyton Manning, on the other hand, will get paid $20 million per year to look pretty, stay upright (thanks to Louis and his mates), run the craziest no-huddle offense in football, throw touchdown passes, and lead the Broncos to the promised land. While he is doing that, he will make untold millions selling Buicks, Papa John pizzas, ESPN, MasterCard, Gatorade, Reebock, Sprint, and DirecTV.
On a personal note, I must say that The Little Woman (she dislikes that name) is still looking for a replacement for Wendy Vasquez (Louis’ mother) to do her hair properly. Wendy snipped, clipped, and reverse-frosted TLW for many years and she misses her expertise and her friendship. We know that Wendy and Fabian must be very proud that their little boy (listed at 6’5” and 335 pounds) has made the big time in the Mile-Hi City.
Like TLW, I am also looking for a hairdresser. Can’t seem to find anyone who can cut a short flat-top like good old Hollis at Roy’s Barber Shop (Santos was good too). I’m about to have TLW take my clippers to my pumpkin head and give it a close buzz-job. I usually wear a hat so no one can see all the bumps, lumps, and scars I have up there anyway. Plus, I am at the age where the hair grows longer in and around my ears than on my pate.
Wow. Even as I was ranting this rant, the news came in that the Broncos also signed wide receiver Wes Welker to a two-year deal on the cheap (about the same per year as Louis). What were the Patriots thinking? Welker was in New England six years, made the Pro Bowl or All-Pro every year, and virtually holds all the franchise records for receiving. Adding him to the wide receiver mix of Thomas, Decker, and Stokeley gives the Broncos the best receiving corps in the NFL. Peyton Manning must be licking his chops about now. I can’t wait for the New England game this year and I’ll set that alarm if I have to. Oh, by the way, the Broncos play the Cowboys at Jerry’s World this year too.
Well, lookee here! I’ve talked more sports in my weekly “Opinion” column than Ron Morgan talks in his weekly “Sports” column. It is always a struggle to glean some actual sports news from amongst his dogmatic pontifications on everything from global warming to the cosmos to politics to his golf game. That being said, I enjoy his rants and his “sports” column is my first selection to read in the Saturday version of the Daily Sun. Yes, TLW and I still faithfully read our ex-hometown paper, even though we get it about a week late down here in the land of Ponce de Leon, alligators, and sink holes.
See ya...
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Dick Platt is a Daily Sun columnist. Want to “Soundoff” on this column? Email: soundoff@corsicanadailysun.com
Opinion
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Dick Platt is a Daily Sun columnist.
Discussion
Dealing with TV lag
- Opinion
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Dumb people in the news
In the news this week was an on-line press release from the Department of Environmental Protection for the state of Pennsylvania that they’ve lost a nuclear device off the back of a truck somewhere between Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The Troxler Model 3430 is a radioactive gauge that takes measurements in the ground. The press release from the DEP states that anyone finding the box should not “tamper” with it.
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Editorial: Seizure of AP phone records insult to independent press
Distrust of government secrecy has been elevated to an exceptional level with the disclosure the Justice Department covertly examined two months of Associated Press phone records to determine who leaked details to the AP about a foiled terrorist plot.
This amounts to spying on an American news organization — common practice in dictatorships but scary conduct in a democratic system that prizes the public value of an independent watchdog press. -
Flying the “Delta Connector”
I had an unfortunate fall earlier this week and wrecked my back to the point where I cannot spend much time sitting up at my desk to write. Therefore, I am recycling a piece I wrote many years ago about our first trip from Corsicana back to Denver.
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It's my job
A couple of weeks ago, some chowderheads released a study saying that the worst job in America is that of newspaper reporters because of the low pay, long, odd hours and stress.
Number two on the list was lumberjack, which makes sense because trees kill.
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Message from the Mayor: Safety first
The tragic incident that recently occurred in West serves as a stark reminder that disasters can occur at any time or place.
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Angels among us
The winds have dispersed the mushroom cloud that hovered over the small town of West. The dust has settled. The President of the United States, the Governor of Texas and other dignitaries have come to join in the memorial for those who lost their lives.
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Missing the fun
Sad to say, in the 11 years The Little Woman (don’t call me that!) and I lived in Navarro County, we never attended the annual Derrick Days festivities. We followed all the events in the Daily Sun, but we never schlepped into town to “walk amongst em.” I guess, if I were to be honest with myself, I am the reason we never went.
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Need a job? Leave the cat at home
The USA Today has printed an article this past week of advice to newly minted college graduates on how to get a job which basically boiled down to “don’t be stupid.”
This is excellent advice for any situation, but particularly that crucial job interview. -
Plenty to do
I don’t wanna hear anyone griping about “there’s not anything to do around here.”
In fact, there’s SO much to do around here, I’m not sure how anyone can get to it all! -
Letters to the Editor 5/4/13
To the Editor: Education, in my opinion, is the key to solving the problems we face in today’s world. We owe it to every child in Corsicana to provide him/her with the tools to reach their fullest potential.
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