One can only assume that the Detroit Red Wings won the Stanley cup last night over the unfortunate Pittsburgh Penguins as an early Fathers Day gift to my dad. After all, they did owe him.
Picture if you will…
Way back in 1997, Detroit won the Stanley Cup. Dad, being a born and raised Michigan fan, was thrilled. He was looking forward to that weeks Sports Illustrated, to which he had been a long-time subscriber. And then it arrived. And who was on the cover? The triumphant Detroit Red Wings proudly hoisting their trophy? Nope. Karl Malone aka “the mailman” and a preview of the NBA playoffs. That’s right, the champions of the NHL that season got bumped to a mid-issue spread so that a preview of games not even played yet had the cover. Thanks to “the vault” at SI.com, I pasted below the exact cover that is at the center of this story.
Needless to say, my dad was pissed. I mean, throwing the magazine across the room and ranting to a room full of basically uninterested women pissed. And then my dad did the thing that sets him apart from your average sporting fan and the thing that forever won my admiration that day: he called Sports Illustrated to cancel his subscription. Not just not renew it when it came up for renewal later that year, but actually cancel it. And he took the opportunity to turn down the multiple free gifts they offered him and laid out for the person on the phone exactly why he was so angry and why he was done with their magazine!
As if this story isn’t good enough, the best part is that he is stil mad at Sports Illustrated. In fact, even now, 11 years later, when someone mentions the magazine, he can often be found muttering something not so nice under his breath. I’m not saying the words “stupid bastards” are involved, but I’m also not saying that they aren’t.
Congratulations Redwings and Hockeytown! And congratulations Dad!
Ever since March Madness ended, I have been seeing Roy Williams (ex-Kansas and current North Carolina basketball coach) everywhere. At least once during a round trip to and from the Ezras I see him. It’s always a different older gentelman, but I always have to do a double take to determine that it is not actually him. What’s happening to me? I am obvioiusly secretly obsessed with Roy Williams. Now, I love love love Roy but I didn’t know it was this bad. I’m starting to get a little worried. It’s not like I spend a lot of time thinking about ole Roy. I don’t typically think about him when it’s not basketball season, so what’s going on? I’m just not sure. Either I need to take some kind of a class on getting Roy Williams off the brain (they have those classes at the Learning Annex, right?) or perhaps (and I like this theory because it makes me less crazy and more of a super hero) there are Roy doppelgangers on the loose in NYC and they are meeting to plot to take Roy out and take his place at UNC and then take over the world and since I’m the only one who has seen them, it is up to me to stop them, thereby saving the universe and all of you from death and destruction. (um, was this the theory that made me sound less crazy? ah well, what can you do? why try to hide the crazy that we all know is there? at least it keeps things interesting!) I’ll keep you posted on my mission to save the world. You are all welcome. So are you, Roy my love.
Roy Williams and the Dynamic Duo of the Kansas Jayhawks make a fantastic run through the NCAA Mens Basketball Tournament. Things were good. Then Kirk’s ankle got hurt and they met up with Syracuse in the championship. Things were bad. All bad. Stupid Steve McNamara made 18 million three point shots and don’t get me started on Carmello Anthony.
Needless to say, Autumn (fellow Kansas fan) and I have been harboring bitterness and regret and pain for four long years.
Roy moved on to North Carolina and has won his championship, but still none for Kansas…until…
Yesterday! Kansas over Memphis in overtime following the three point buzzer beater!
Congratulations to Kansas and please enjoy the best part of March Madness: One Shining Moment!
