Weekly Mail March 22, 2020

Hi Everyone:

I hope all of you are getting through this OK. It has definitely become the fight of our lives.

I have been tempted to be one of those folks who say that the world is overreacting as I'm seeing sporting events canceled, schools closed and martial law being effectively (if not technically) declared. But then I read that Italy reported that almost 800 of its citizens died in one day because of this, and I wonder how anyone can think this is overreacting?


Also, while I'm on the subject, I want to say that although I've had my differences with the man over the years, I have to give props to our governor Andrew Cuomo, who has been tough when he needs to be and compassionate when he can be, and as much as anyone, has been level-headed and smart about this whole thing.  I'm going to refrain from criticizing my other two favorite targets, Captain Orange and the Dope from Park Slope, because quite frankly, I'm sick of talking about them. But fear not, they have both lived down to their reputations.

Anyway, lets discuss some other topics shall we?

FOOTBALL: Bye Bye Brady

Nothing is sports shocks me anymore. Two things happened in my teens that cured me of that.

The first was on August 9, 1988. I was coming off the Q53 from basketball camp and my dad was coming off the train from work.  He showed me the back of the NY Post which read: REPORT: GRETZKY TRADED TO LA FOR $10 MILLION. It ended up being $15 million and a slew of draft picks but that's not the point. At 27, the most dominant athlete in his sport was being traded, to a division rival nonetheless.

The second thing occured on February 10, 1990. I was Razor Ray McGarvey's house watching Dominique Wilkins win the NBA Slam Dunk Contest. When I got home, once again my dad had shocking sports news. Mike Tyson had just gotten knocked out by a tomato can named Buster Douglas in Tokyo. If you are under the age of 35 and reading this, Google up Mike Tyson's knockouts, especially prior to his 90 second KO of Michael Spinks, and you'll maybe understand why this was such a shocker.

Combine that with the fact that Tom Brady had been rumoured to be considering leaving the New England Patriots almost since the day after the Pats were knocked out of the playoffs, and it seems there would be no way you could be surprised that Brady bolted New England for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this week. Shocked? Never. But I was surprised. I have to admit.

Maybe I've gotten so used to be tortured by him all these years, that I just figured it would never end. Maybe I just thought he would want to finish his career in a city where he is an icon.*

One thing I can tell you is that this was not about money, I don't give a $h-t what anybody says.

Someone on the fan this week said that we have no right to say whether Brady has enough money or not. That's a bunch of baloney. How many times in his career did Brady take less money from the Patriots so that they could sign another player? Brady has made a ton of money in his career. What's more his wife the supermodel makes much more money than even he does.

No folks, from where I'm sitting this is the ultimate chicken versus the egg argument. Was Tom Brady a great player because Bill Belichick was his coach, or was Bill Belichick a genius because he had Tom Brady as his quarterback?

We will find out next season. That's if we have a next season.

I am writing this on Sunday afternoon right around the time in normal years I'd be looking at my NCAA tournament bracket and wondering if there was still a shot that I would have to win. Of course most used that answer would be a resounding no. My goal was always to win at least 25 games in the first two days, and have at least 12 of my team still alive in the sweet 16. This year is particularly Bitter Sweet because one of the number one seeds going into the tournament with certain to be my adopted team the Dayton Flyers.

Now those bums from the sports Department in the post had a mock NCAA tournament, and they had the gall to have Dayton get knocked out in the first round becoming only the second number one seed to be eliminated in the first game of the tournament. I sincerely doubt that would have happened in real life but really you never know by No Doubt would have would have put them in the championship game at the very least. I'm not really sure how the brackets would have broken down but my initial thought was if it worked out that way. My final two teams would be Dayton and Seton Hall. It's all moot now anyway but it's just another victim of this terrible virus.



I hope everybody is hanging in there and keeping their spirits up. It's important to stay positive in times like these. And believe me, I'm saying that as much to myself as I am saying it to all of you. I am by no means trying to preach or anything here. With everything going on there are days where is really hard really hard to stay positive. I'm sure I'm not the only one struggling with that. But I still believe tell if we stick together and try to keep each other laughing that we will come out of this stronger. To that end if you are a Facebook user, I recommend that you search, find, and join the Coronavirus Virtual bar. The administrators provide nightly musical entertainment and the members are all vying to see who can post the funniest memes concerning the Coronavirus. The one hard fast rule that they have is absolutely no politics of to be discussed in the bar. You'll get bounced out of there faster than a wild night at the Irish Circle.



Also, I want to thank all of you who sent me such positive feedback last week. I can't tell you what that meant to me. The best part was that it was people from both sides of the political spectrum, and people who live in other parts of the country that wrote to me.  99% of the people who are reading this every week are people who I have crossed paths with at some point in my life. So please know this..whether or not you agree with what I write, if you are reading this tonight, you are a part of me, and for that I will always be grateful.


Please take care

and Have a Great Week