There's a new book called "Sweetness The Enigmatic Life of Walter Payton"
In this book we won't hear of the Walter much of Chicago knew, The Walter helping Kids, Coaching at Hoffman Estates High School for free (Basketball) Or the Walter that was just a good stand up guy.
Were going to hear that he had problems like everyone else, That his life wasn't perfect, That he had a girlfriend, he used painkillers, drove his cars to fast and got into a few road rage incidents. Hell I think this could be about any guy in my neighborhood.
I loved Walter, I cried when he died, I was sad when he didn't score a touch down in the superbowl a fact that will haunt Mike Ditka forever.
The Walter I know and remember is the one that has his arm stuck out like a weapon battering opponents, The one that my my son has on his wall in his bedroom (its one of those fathead things) My son was born the year Walter died but he knows more about him than any other player, #54 is a close second. This is a guy so respected that Lambeau Field gave him a standing ovation on more than one occasion.
Did anyone think he was an angel? I love the fact that got out of his car to kick the shit out of a guy who road raged him, I like that he wasn't perfect, Gives all of us mere mortals a chance to relate to him a little more.
I wont buy the book, One because he did more good than bad, And two because I don't read! But in this day and age of thugs in sports, Guys with guns and linebackers that get away with murder, Im pretty sure this book wont tarnish his reputation too much.
He was the trinity of football, He could catch, Run and lay a block on anyone.
Rest in peace Sweetness Chicago knows you for you touchdowns not your transgressions.
RR
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
When Men were Men.
Its funny how I make a living and how I spend my free time. My co-workers are a different breed than the guys I would normally choose to hang out with, They wear suits, make big deals, run 100 million dollar radio and 400 million dollar TV stations.
The guys I hang out with are salt of the earth, Most hardworking guys that use their hands to make a living, The kind of guy that would always have your back, Its not to say they work harder than the suits in the world its just different.
I suppose I should also qualify my statement here with this: my real world hangout guys all mostly live in rural America.
My thoughts as I sat down to type this blog was this, "Where have all the Cowboy's gone"? to quote a song.
In the past week I have dealt with guys that I thought were good guys, the ones that had your back, But it seems to me in this world of Me Me Me, That the real men have disappeared, Is it face book? Is it hiding behind a keypad and acting like you have some kind of power? I'm not sure. But it seems no one can man up and its makes me want to puke.
Recently at a big concert in Chicago I had a manager explain to a client that, "although not always politically correct, Ray will never stab you in the back, HE will however stab you in the chest"
I paused and thought want a awesome compliment, What you see is what you get, What you hear is what you get, and that makes me proud, A lesson some of the guys I hang around with should learn, Or perhaps I should get new friends.
RR
The guys I hang out with are salt of the earth, Most hardworking guys that use their hands to make a living, The kind of guy that would always have your back, Its not to say they work harder than the suits in the world its just different.
I suppose I should also qualify my statement here with this: my real world hangout guys all mostly live in rural America.
My thoughts as I sat down to type this blog was this, "Where have all the Cowboy's gone"? to quote a song.
In the past week I have dealt with guys that I thought were good guys, the ones that had your back, But it seems to me in this world of Me Me Me, That the real men have disappeared, Is it face book? Is it hiding behind a keypad and acting like you have some kind of power? I'm not sure. But it seems no one can man up and its makes me want to puke.
Recently at a big concert in Chicago I had a manager explain to a client that, "although not always politically correct, Ray will never stab you in the back, HE will however stab you in the chest"
I paused and thought want a awesome compliment, What you see is what you get, What you hear is what you get, and that makes me proud, A lesson some of the guys I hang around with should learn, Or perhaps I should get new friends.
RR
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
10 years later....
Ten years after 9-11 and I'm still pissed.
After watching all the coverage, I just sat there like it was yesterday. The silent parades, the police and firetruck with lights flashing for no reason didn't have an effect.
But the Program we ran on CBS Sunday night was brutal, I sat there with my kids and just shook my head, To watch the President get the news front of that classroom of kids in Florida, to see that look on his face as he got the news was something I had not seen before.
Than the towers, the story's, the people jumping to their death, just brought it all back.
I tried to explain to an 8 year old that it most likely will never happen again, I asked her if she was scared and she said no, I kissed her goodnight, than went back downstairs to hang out with the Con man my 13 year old. that was a different story, He just said wow , how did that happen. How could we let that happen?
All good questions, When a 13 year old asks, How did we let known terrorists get on airplanes?
That when I explain to him the big load of shit that is political correctness, How we cant stop people who basically look like the kind of people that have been doing this kind of crap in the name of religion since a stone could be thrown.
I than have to tell him about homegrown terrorists, like the uni bomber and those punk ass Columbine Highscholl kids,
It was a long night, it was a long day, Its been a long ten years.
Than you tell him the world is mostly a good place, and it because of people like his Grandfather that have fought for our freedom, That's when he says he wants to protect the country when he gets older, And that's when I say you will need your moms permission for that!
Its a crazy world. But thanks to this country and those that love the western way of life, Its a great world.
RR
After watching all the coverage, I just sat there like it was yesterday. The silent parades, the police and firetruck with lights flashing for no reason didn't have an effect.
But the Program we ran on CBS Sunday night was brutal, I sat there with my kids and just shook my head, To watch the President get the news front of that classroom of kids in Florida, to see that look on his face as he got the news was something I had not seen before.
Than the towers, the story's, the people jumping to their death, just brought it all back.
I tried to explain to an 8 year old that it most likely will never happen again, I asked her if she was scared and she said no, I kissed her goodnight, than went back downstairs to hang out with the Con man my 13 year old. that was a different story, He just said wow , how did that happen. How could we let that happen?
All good questions, When a 13 year old asks, How did we let known terrorists get on airplanes?
That when I explain to him the big load of shit that is political correctness, How we cant stop people who basically look like the kind of people that have been doing this kind of crap in the name of religion since a stone could be thrown.
I than have to tell him about homegrown terrorists, like the uni bomber and those punk ass Columbine Highscholl kids,
It was a long night, it was a long day, Its been a long ten years.
Than you tell him the world is mostly a good place, and it because of people like his Grandfather that have fought for our freedom, That's when he says he wants to protect the country when he gets older, And that's when I say you will need your moms permission for that!
Its a crazy world. But thanks to this country and those that love the western way of life, Its a great world.
RR
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