For a short while during my LEO stint, I had a copy editor with whom I had a, shall we say, testy relationship.
Not talking about then editor Cary Stemle, a friend and fellow sports/ music obsessive who totally understood and approved my modus operandi.
I forget the fellow’s name. My breezy, verbose, culture reference-laden style was obviously an anathema for him. He was prone to the pedantic. In extremis.
Along the way, I noticed some tweaks to my submissions that were becoming more vexatious. But, in a fit of maturity, I let them go without complaint.
Then, an issue came out in which he’d put a header over my column, which read to me anyway something like, “Here’s Another Stupid Nonsensical Article About Nothing.”
Pissed, I went to Cary, who given his other duties really hadn’t paid attention before the issue was published. I specifically recall we took a meeting with the guy, and a shouting match ensued. A new sports piece I’d submitted was during football season, and I inserted the totally cool acronym AFROS, which the Cardinal receivers had dubbed themselves at the time.
*America’s Finest Receivers On Saturdays.
The fellow, totally clueless, did not understand, did not inquire and 86ed the reference.
Cut to the chase, c d. From that moment on, the dude was no longer my copy editor. And actually wasn’t at the paper much longer.
Which tale I lead with here because it’s that time of the non-season when there’s not much stirring about my usual subjects, the stuff most of you come here for.
Thus some of my loyal readership might find the following “another stupid article about nothing.”
You have been warned.
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Thinking one must suppose they believe your inveterate Cardinal acolyte/ chronicler actually has inside info, I’ve been approached any number of times about the Aly Khalifa mashup with the NCAA.
Including from a pal on holiday in London.
To which inquiries, my answer has been the same. I haven’t a clue what happened, why it happened and what the outcome will be? College sports is a shootout at the OK Corral these days. Who knows from moment to moment who has fell and who’ll be left behind?
I’ve been more mellow about the situation than I ever would have expected.
Cue up Doris Day.
Que sera, sera/ Whatever will be, will be/ The future’s not ours to see/ Que sera, sera/ What will be, will be
A day or two later, at the breaking Cardinal hoops news, I was with a sigh of relief all “Mouhamed Camara, Come on Down!!!”
OK, perhaps I wasn’t quite as que cera as I let on.
This find from Sudan appears way more than a warm practice body, but a project nonetheless.
It’s welcome, somewhat comforting news for sure.
* * * * *
The Cardinal 9 continued their default characteristic late season sputtering in the ACC tourney opener against Pitt.
Fell behind 8-1. Caught up with a huge inning in bottom of 8th to knot it. Left the winning run on in bottom of 9th. Lost on a Panther tater in top of 10th, they couldn’t answer.
So it goes, as it has in recent times for Dan McDonnell’s charges.
It appears the realities of the NIL Era, which may have blindsided the Card coach, have melded with his ever sketchy late game strategy, to adversely affect U of L baseball fortunes.
One has to wonder if the glory days are over?
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Random Tidbits:
Troubled but well meaning Jim Irsay passed away. The Colts owner had a primo rock guitar collection. And owned the original manuscript of Jack Kerouac’s “On The Road,” as well as the draft for the Big Book of Alcoholic’s Anonymous. Pretty cool. Sad he never seemed to be able to put his demons at bay.
The Pacers’ comeback against the Knicks in Game One was epic. Down 14 with 2:50 left*, down 9 with less than a minute to go, they tied it on Tyrese Halliburton J at the clock. After which he made the Reggie Miller choking sign, with Miller on the sideline doing the game for TNT. Indiana won it in OT.*
*Teams on the plus side of that number since ’97 were 994-0 in NBA playoff games. Credit WaPo’s Sally Jenkins for that stat.
The Tush Push thankfully survives. I love it, and seeing the big uglies push a ball carrier forward.
Around The Horn in one of the stupidest media decisions I can recall will not survive after Friday.
I’m not one for sports talk bloviators. Pat McAfee, Stephen A, Cowherd, their ilk, hate ’em.
Exception: Mad Dog Russo. He just makes me smile.
— c d kaplan
LOVES MAD DOG ‼️‼️‼️And he stuffed it big time yesterday telling Steven A that he was going to root for Pacers –
How bout this stat ‼️Comeback of the Forever –
Team records being down 9+ in final minute of a NBA PLAYOFF GAME –
0-1,414
Hoping we receive a commitment soon from Greek basketball player, Vangelis Zougris. A bruising forward the Cards have been associated with recently. Of. course, Guillermo Del Pino was rumored to arrive in Derby City, and now? He’s with the Terps. (Buzz is rebuilding fast in College Park.)
Thanks for NOT writing about Bill Belichick and his girlfriend!
Nah, but it’s a fascinating story, which I read too much about.
I’m going to take a swing at this, and guess that the copy editor’s name is likely (initials) JP. He may go by different initials now.
That’s a whiff. Not him.
Though it’s the kind of stuff he’d do.
That was the real point
As a Colts fan , the shoe since a kid followed them from Baltimore. What always stands out in my mind about Jim , his Dad owned team, Jim started out as a ball boy, and became the youngest GM ever, then the owner. He watched his Dad , and how he treated the players, and swore he never would do that to his players . I believe that was achieved , never heard a complaint in that area
As for his addictions most came from severe back issues from playing I believe. Opiates are evil. I don’t believe that’s what killed him, not saying it probably shortened his life sadly.
In closing he was a true philanthropist, gave millions to the Childrens hospital, and other charities, and indeed a rocknroll owner , who counted Stephen Stills as a friend and who jammed with .
Rest in Peace Jim
I noticed Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi sitting in front row end zone seats at Wednesday night’s game. Always lots of celebs in MSG, especially when the Knicks are winning.
Yeah, an off night during a run at Beacon Theater.
Loved the Doris Day que up. My first screen crush.
And what is so awful about commentary about nothing? I seem to recall a couple of blokes, David and Seinfeld, who did ok writing scripts about nothing.