Hola Amigos. Today is going to a light topic as we begin this weekend. It's August 19th. Can you believe how quickly the year has passed? Yeah, that's another sign of getting older.
As fall approaches, it's a start of a new season in many ways. The dog days of summer will be gone. The days will get shorter. And hopes abound if you're a sports fan, a parent, a student, or work for a consumer goods company whose depends on the holidays for their revenue..
It's that part of the year when all teams are equal and the fans have not felt the disappointment of a loss. Every team is in first place. The sports blogs are buzzing with the discussions of who's kicking butt in preseason camp. It doesn't matter if you're into the NFL, College or both. All fans are hoping for a good start and a competitive team that makes it into the postseason.
As an LA native, I've always been a homer. I remember the days of Roman Gabriel or James Harris and John Hadl. Harris used to do that little jump pass that we'd try to copy on the playgrounds of East LA. Then there were the running backs like McCutcheon, Wendall Tyler. I even remember Bert Jones qb'ing the Rams. Then the Raiders came to town and I bitched about Marc Wilson but loved Marcus Allen. The Raiders were the foster children. We only got them for a short period of time until they were reunified with Oakland. Then there's USC and UCLA. Believe it or not, I was a huge 'SC fan growing up. Both my older siblings went there so I was lucky to go to several games a year. Marcus Allen, Charles White, Paul McDonald, Ricky Bell, Ronnie Lott-all names that we used when playing touch football. I remember when I was crushed watching Freeman McNeil catch that tipped pass against SC to win the game for the Bruins. Good times even in a loss. Then I went to UCLA and my loyalty changed and I now bleed UCLA blue and gold. I was there to witness some great football led by Coach Donahue. More good times as UCLA was finally competitive with the boys in those ketchup and mustard uniforms. Ah, but I digress down memory lane.
Anyway, fall brings new hope and a new beginning in many ways. Kids are starting school. and sometimes a new school albeit grammar, middle school, junior high, or high school. Some are entering critical years like senior year when before you know it, graduation slaps you up side the head. Then there's the kids going off to college. It's especially hard for parents to see the first kid leave the nest and start the journey of adulthood. Facebook is full of quips of holding back tears of joy, nostalgia, and realization that "my baby" is all grown up.
In any case, life typically changes in Fall just like the leaves. It's that anxiety and excitement that builds up in parents and the sports fan. It's also the time when many companies gear up for their productive quarters as they try to make their forecasted revenues this holiday season. Pervasive optimism just flows during these times and it feels good.
So enjoy this preseason when your team is still in first place and your kids haven't gotten their first report card. There's been no official announcement of another recession...yet. The end of summer and the beginning of autumn is a time of hope, and and time to realize dreams. Who knows, with a little good fortune and a lucky bounce, those hopes and dreams may come to fruition.
Tenga un gran fin de semana. I know I will spending time with good friends I've known for over 40 years and taking in some UCLA football and spending some time in the sun working on honey-do's.
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