Ten years ago. Just another Tuesday. I was heading to Safety and First Aid which was taught by Coach Orr. As I was exiting the small snack shop where students went for a drink, bite, or break, I looked up to the TV where all of the other students were locked in. The second tower had just been hit. Another Tuesday was suddenly a day where America was left standing still. Liz Glazier of The Rocket reports that 2,977 people lost their lives from the attacks. Businesses were closed. Flights were halted. Games suspended. Young men were faced with the thought of service. If they did not choose to enlist, would they be drafted in?
The first step for normalcy, oddly enough, came as I sat down to watch WWF SmackDown which was originally supposed to be taped on Tuesday September 11th. Instead, a live SmackDown aired just 2 days later where performers gave their thoughts and the matches were kept simple. It wasn't about selling a pay per view or advancing a storyline. For many, it was a return to life. While everyone else took every conceivable precaution to be safe, Vincent Kennedy McMahon and his employees took a simple, reverent step towards being Americans once again.
Ten years, later we as a country are mired in fragile economics and verbal barbs between the political extremes. Turn on the news and Rick Perry and Mitt Romney are arguing claiming that they can't fill the shoes of their predecessor. Democrats are slamming our president for being too soft and not getting enough done. Republicans are slamming our president for being... a Democrat. However, ten years ago, all of this political partisan bull was irrelevant. The important thing wasn't who was a Republican or Democrat. The important was about preserving our right and ability to negotiate for our goals. To bring our different perspectives and experiences to the table so that we may continue to improve this nation. The important thing was not just preserving our nation and its ideals but rather to build on them. To improve the quality of life for our kids and their kids.
Thank you to those who have stood up in the past ten years. Thank you for sacrificing your time. Thank you to those who have given everything; not just your lives but your quality of lives for what you believed was best for this country and for the world. We as Americans have problems. Individual and collective. Easy and hard. Significant and insignificant. My request, be part of the solution to these problems and let a ten year anniversary of the most horrific day within America's boundaries be a reminder of how quickly our problems can be rendered irrelevant.
Side Thoughts
-It's funny. We mock Al Davis and the job he has done as the owner of the Oakland Raiders. We ridicule him for being old and senile. Yet, the Raiders had a real solid draft on paper; the first one in a few years that wasn't overwhelmingly ripped. Here is something else to think about. Since the 2001-2002 season, the following teams have won AFC Championships: Patriots, Colts, Steelers and... Raiders. That is pretty exclusive company.
-Tomm Looney made in interesting comment on how we Americans are one of the few cultures that will openly mock our elders. This came after a caller called into the J.T. The Brick show complaining about Colin Cowherd allegedly suggested that the Raiders might be better off when Al Davis is dead. As a fan of the Texas Rangers, I can tell you there are bad owners out there. There are bad owners waiting to buy teams. These men deserve blame when they fail. However, to say that a team or organization will be better off when someone is dead is unfounded and inhumane. I will never say that. You never know who will be next in line.
-If Peyton Manning doesn't play this season, it is very plausible that the Colts will not win more than 5 or 6 games. This should put them with a top-10 pick and a healthy, rested Manning for the upcoming season. Something scary.
-Alexi Ogando got beat again. He was raw entering the season. I know hindsight is 20-20 and it is becoming easy to see now. Baseball is a game based on stats. Pitchers know when hitters are prone to swing and hitters know what pitchers are capable of. If you do not learn, or you cannot adjust, you will eventually get beat. Ogando was not ready to be a season-long starter. It is easy to see that now.
-If the Rangers miss the playoffs, the primary person I blame will be Jon Daniels. Why? He made those huge trades at the deadline. He is trotting out young pitchers who have not seen this type of workload. The bullpen was a question mark coming out of Spring Training. Take out Ogando as he was probably the best option available for replacing an injured Tommy Hunter and the bullpen was a bigger question mark than the young, unproven rotation. Yet, it took Daniels 4 months, 2/3s of the season, to address this glaring concern. By the time the issues were addressed, the Rangers found themselves staring at an ugly stretch of their schedule while the Angels' got just a little bit easier.
-After a couple of weeks of college and high school and the Packers going over on the Saints on Thursday, football season will be in full effect today. Here are five games I'm picking this week, PLUS my two Hometown Bonuses. Enjoy the rest of the weekend.
Bengals vs. Browns:
I like Colt. I like Andy. I like what Cleveland is trying to do. I don't like what Cincy is doing.
30-16 BROWNS.
Lions vs. Buccaneers:
Week 1. That means Stafford is healthy. When he is, I give the Lions a chance.
26-10 LIONS
Seahawks vs. 49ers:
Garbage Game of the Week: Harbaugh > Carroll. Smith > Jackson (not by much).
20-6 49ERS (But everyone loses.)
Raiders vs. Broncos:
Surprisingly Entertaining Game of the Week: I like Kyle Orton and the Broncos' pass rush.
36-33 BRONCOS
Titans vs. Jaguars:
This and Chris Johnson are the only reasons to watch this game; and that still may not warrant watching.
24-13 TITANS
Hometown Bonus:
Cowboys vs. Jets:
The Ryans both run complex defensive schemes. Dallas's defense hasn't had much time to learn theirs and Dallas's offensive line is so young, there is a lot they haven't seen live from the Jets.
23-16 JETS
Colts vs. Texans:
No Peyton? Big Problem. Add to the fact that this game is going to be in Houston?
30-21 TEXANS