Skip to main content

Sunday Sundown Rundown - 1/24/21

3 Up

1. Hank Aaron - The world lost one of the greatest athletes ever, but much more, an even better man. Aaron represented the best of us and exemplified what America is capable of beyond the ugliness it held, and continues to carries. His career accomplishments are extraordinary, and his lasting grace will endure forever. Thanks for being better, Mr. Aaron. 

1A. Larry King - While reeling from the news of Hank Aaron, we learned that Larry King left us as well. A pioneer in cable news and journalism, King leaves behind a unique style and tons of memories.

2. Lloyd Austin - Austin was appointed and confirmed as Defense Secretary under the new Presidential administration. Austin is the first black Pentagon Chief, which is pretty cool. And also, a reminder that there are still so many doors yet to be broken down. 

3. Tom Brady - He is on his way to his 10th - TENTH! - Super Bowl. Smh. That's all. The dude is amazing. 

3 Down

1. Coronavirus - I try to leave COVID off the "down" list as much as possible, because, well - obvious. But, as a nation, we have just surpassed 25 million cases. 25 million! With continuing grim situations out west and still waiting on ample vaccine distribution, we're still not close to getting out of this thing. 

2. Political Narratives - There was something so phony about the way the narratives of cable news networks suddenly switched this week following the inauguration. We got the huge piles of hyperbole from left-leaning networks, and then the crazy, irrational criticism from right-leaning networks. The administration is literally a week old! 

3. 1776 Commission - On the way out, President Trump's administration unveiled his response to the 1619 Project. Before judging, I gave the commission a chance by reading it and as expected, it's filled with unverified and fluff history... as expected. It just read more like a political response more so than an actual educational blueprint. 

3 Really Cool

1. Amanda Gorman - She was absolutely amazing at the inauguration. Oh yeah, her books are now #1 and #2 on Amazon. That's really cool. 

2. Sarah Thomas - Thomas has been tabbed to serve as a referee for the Super Bowl, making her the very fire female referee in Super Bowl history. Women continue to crush barriers...yes, also really cool. 

3. Bernie Sanders Memes - They haven't gotten old yet. And there are some very creative ones out there. 

Labels:

Recently Read

2025 NBA All-Star Weekend - "Throw this format in the trash"

There's no other way to put this, the NBA has a serious problem on their agenda going forward regarding All-Star Weekend. What was once the standard for All-Star presentations and must-watch television has quickly turned into social criticism and an entity that undoubtedly reminds fans of what used to be.  Simply put, NBA All-Star Weekend is broken.  I don't want to pile on like we expect the talking heads and personalities to do. This is fixable. Like everything else in sports. However, this...what we experienced tonight, is not it.  Other quick thoughts on the 2025 NBA All-Star Weekend:  The Skills Challenge was cool when it was first introduced. Now, it's become over-produced. The map of the floor, the gadgets involved, and even the rules...just ask Chris Paul and poor Victor Wembanyama.  By the way, the constant camera focus on both of them following the "disqualification" had such "Principal Office" vibes.  The Three-Point content remains the purest...
Read more

Was It Ever Real?

Does time change me? Or, did I evolve through experience? How many signals did I miss? Or, did I choose this fate? Do I understand the wrongs and regrets? Or, did I act with the best interest in the moment? What did they say about me? And, what will they say about me today? Was I appreciated? Or, did I imagine that? What were the opinions in the shadows? And, what were the feelings expressed before me? Is it a misunderstanding?  Or, a matter of not confirming?  Why didn’t it last? Or, was it never meant to? …ever able to? Was it ever real? Some of it? Part of it?
Read more

$15 Per Hour Fast Food Wage is Absurd and Sends Wrong Message

I couldn't help but squint my eyes in confusion. Wait, is this for real? Fast Food workers are going to get $15 an hour? Like, not the management, but the workers? That's genuinely my first reaction when I heard that New York state plans a $15 minimum wage mandate for fast food workers. I know it's not the PC reaction the world demands of us as of late, but quite frankly, I don't believe this situation has anything to do with human rights, freedom, civil liberties, social awareness, or anything that is unfair and unjust.  We live in a capitalist world where we all work hard, improve our skills, and make decisions to better ourselves and our lives. Now forgive me, and I'm sure I am going to offend some of you loyal readers, but there is no way, on the bottom line, that a fast food worker should make more than a college graduate in the work force.
Read more