Good Morning All & Happy Tuesday!
My, it seems as though time is moving awfully slowly now that our lives have slowed down so much during this virus challenge! That’s not necessarily a bad thing, as it gives us some time for reflection and contemplation…somethings I’m not that good at, particularly under “normal” circumstances…how about you? I’m really missing giving out hugs and kisses to family members and other loved ones. They say that patience and fortitude are virtues…I hope I can muster them up for the next 2-3 months. Anybody want to venture a guess as to how long this “coronavirus adventure” will last??? That seems to be the “$64 trillion question.”
A great big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my good friend, excellent husband & father and banker extraordinaire, Mark, who celebrates his birthday this coming Thursday, March 26th. I want to be one of the first (if not THE first) to wish him a very Happy Birthday. It couldn’t happen to a nicer guy. Here’s to you Mark…enjoy your special day of celebration! And Happy Birthday wishes also go to one of my favorite NFL football players, Payton Manning, who is 44 today and to fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger, who turns 69 today. Here’s to both of you, too!
Doesn’t it bother you as much as it bothers me that the political leaders back in Washington, D.C. (both Republican & Democrat) don’t seem to have a “sense of urgency” to unite and pass relief legislation nor give clear and accurate information to the public on which we can rely? We need it NOW, not two days from now or a week from now or a month from now, but NOW! And shame on the Democrats for trying to use the virus challenge as an opportunity to advance their philosophy of government. No matter where you are on that issue, this is NOT the time to seek to advance a certain political agenda, whether it be “left” or “right”, but to pass meaningful & effective relief legislation to individuals and businesses hurt by the economic implications of the virus. Legislation right now should ONLY be addressing the current specific needs of our people and businesses (particularly small businesses) that find it difficult to weather this storm. Not only that, but are you as disappointed as I am in the way in which the Center For Disease Control (CDC) fumbled the ball on timely coronavirus testing? This seems to be a perfect example of the inertia of the federal government bureaucracy (or what some people call “The Deep State”). As government grows larger & larger, it seems to be less and less effective in solving specific problems and being able to respond to issues in a timely and cost effective manner. The lack of transparency and full disclosure in the operation of government is also deeply disturbing. Perhaps this virus challenge will precipitate some needed reforms and tackle the problem of “The Deep State.” What do you think?
Speaking of the need for people to do their job effectively, I came across the 1969 Topps Football Card for Earl Morrall, who was, without a doubt one of the most effective (if not THE most effective) back-up quarterbacks in NFL history. During a 1989 interview, Morrall was asked what it took to come off the bench (usually when a starting quarterback was hurt and the need was urgent) and be an effective quarterback and team leader. His response was, “When you get the chance to do the job, you have to do the job. That’s all there is to it.” Good advice for politicians/political leaders, don’t you think? Morrall was born in 1934 in Muskegon, Michigan and played high school football for Muskegon High School and then went on to play college football at Michigan State. He was selected as the number 2 overall pick in the 1956 NFL draft. He played a remarkable 21 years in the NFL! His greatest claims to fame was his performances as a back-up quarterback to Johnny Unitas in leading Baltimore with a 57.4% pass completion record to Super Bowl III and to Bob Griese at Miami, where he filled in for 11 games and led the Dolphins to Super Bowl VII and the only perfect season in NFL history (Morrall was claimed on waivers for only $100 by the Dolphins in April of 1972…how about that?). During his long NFL career, he played for six different teams. Until first Doug Flutie, and then Vinny Testaverde almost 30 years later, Morrall was the oldest quarterback to start and win a football game in the NFL. In 21 seasons, he was part of 255 games, completing 1,379 passes for 20,809 yards and 161 touchdowns. Prior to the NFL, Morrall led Michigan State to a 9-1 record in 1955 and led his team to a victory over UCLA in the 1956 Rose Bowl. He was also an accomplished college baseball player at Michigan State and played in the College World Series as a shortstop & third baseman. After his playing career, Morrall became the quarterback coach at the University of Miami in 1979. He worked with Jim Kelly, Bernie Kosar, Vinny Testaverde adn Mark Richt. In 1989, he was elected to the Davie, Florida city council and eventually became mayor. Morrall ran for the Florida House of Representatives as a Republican in 1992 and lost. He died on April 25, 2014 at his son’s home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He was 79. After his death, an examination of his brain disclosed that he had grade 4 (the most serious stage) of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a condition suffered by many former NFL players. Here’s to Earl Morrall and all the great back-up quarterbacks out there!
Here is the trivia question for the day:
Q: Where is the only McDonald’s in the world with blue arches…El Paso, Texas; Miami, Florida; Santa Fe, New Mexico or Sedona, Arizona?
A: Sedona, Arizona (Sedona is famous for its natural beauty—namely, its mountainous landscape of red rock. Because of the landscape, there are rules in place for buildings in Sedona to make sure that no structure intrudes on the surrounding natural beauty. City officials believed that gold would clash with the surrounding red rocks, and instead opted for a more pleasing, soft blue color.
Here is the word definition for the day:
Scantling: “A specimen, sample, or small amount of something.”
Here are some thoughts for the day:
“To know that you do not know is the best. To pretend to know when you do not know is a disease.”
—Lao Tzu, Chinese philosopher
“The study of history is the best medicine for a sick mind; for in history you have a record of the infinite variety of human experience plainly set out for all to see; and in that record you can find for yourself and your country both examples and warnings.”
—Livy, Roman historian (59 B.C. – 17 A.D.)
Here’s to a great Tuesday and lots of love and good wishes to all…stay safe!
Press on,
Papa ‘a (Dad, Uncle Mark, Mark, etc.)