RANDOM GATOR THOUGHTS
There has been lots of random thoughts bouncing around my head. This is my fourth week of this column. Yesterday, I was back on the road for first time in years. I am in a hotel room in Fairview Heights, Illinois
Stuckey’s….every year when we would travel to Illinoisto visit my grandparents, we would stop at Stuckey’s. I saw none yesterday. It made me sad. No pecan rolls, no moccasins… A part of my past gone. Plenty of Love’s. Pilot’s, and Flying J’s. No Stuckey’s…….just not the same.
Can Halen’s album is 45 years old. That debut record was a game changer. A new energy and a new style of guitar playing was born. Still an incredible record today.
I remember my first year in the early 2000s hanging posters in WalMart for Trends International in their poster racks. I was all over Columbus hanging posters of a young basketball player who grew up in the area. He was a rookie but they said he was going to be the next Michael Jordan. Well, it does look like he grew up to be a legend. Lebrun James has certainly been one of the best ever to play basketball.
Every time I come to St Louis, I always think of the legendary Cardinal players I watched on TV as a kid here and saw at Busch Memorial Stadium one summer. Lou Brock, SteveCarlton, Ted Simmons, Mark McGuire, Joe Torre, Ozzy Smith, Bob Gibson…..legends.
Pat Benetar’s 70th birthday was yesterday. Unbelievable. I can not believe it. She was every young boy’s dream when I was in high school. Another reminder that I am old.
I have been in the St. Louis area including St. Louis almost 24 hours and have not seen the Arch yet. It doesn’t seem possible
The first thing I did when I pulled into St Louis area was grab some White Castle sliders. I guess you have to be old to truly understand but for a moment, I was a little skinny boy in the back of an old Chrysler Newport asking my mom if there was anymore left. Every year we traveled to East St Louis, every year we would get a big white bag of sliders.
Tee Higgins isn’t leaving Cincinnati. Joe Burrow is smart enough to know he needs his weapons. Some players will leave, it is the price of winning in the NFL. But new players will jump at the opportunity to play with Joe. It is the circle of life in the NFL.
If in doubt, this Tuesday….buy the flowers….buy the candy. Be thankful you have someone to buy them for. Be thankful that you have someone who loves you enough to buy them for you.
McDonald’s Triple Cheesburger. I heard that on the radio coming in. Why does that sound so scary to me?
I really don’t care about The Super Bowl. But last year…yes…. last year…….There is nothing like the feeling of your team making The Super Bowl.
In the last 24 hours I have been on roads in Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, and Indiana……trust me….West Virginia doesn’t have a monopoly on pot holes.
Have a great Saturday. I hope your team wins the Super Bowl.
P.S. ……don’t forget to tell someone how much they mean to you on Valentines Day……..what the heck….do it today too.