Coming Home to This
One would think that I could take a couple days off every now and then without anything blowing up. Just returned home from my trip to South Bend. My Irish choked again but that is OK because it was an enjoyable trip. I get half way home only to learn that Pat Boone's voice is calling Kentuckians to convince them that Steve Beshear is going to turn Kentucky into another San Francisco?
Well, where do I want to start? Let's start with the "San Francisco Treat" wise crack. First of all, I don't recall Steve Beshear ever being accused of advancing "Gay Rights" or an "Alternative Life Style" as a Legislator, Attorney General or Lt. Governor. I can't recall Steve Beshear ever sticking his nose into any ones bedroom or personal life one way or the other.
Like or dislike it, San Francisco probably does not have any more gay people than any other large city. Why would you attack a City based on one aspect whether it be it's social, economic, racial or sexually oriented make-up. Boone has an album entitled "No more Mr. Nice Guy". Well, if one was going to be judgemental then all you would have to do is look at this album cover. If you choose Pat Boone's perspective then you would think Pat would feel at home in San Francisco.
In defense of San Francisco, what Pat Boone did not bother to tell you is that one of the greatest football coaches of all-time made his mark there. Bill Walsh who died this summer coached the San Francisco 49er's to 3 Super Bowls victories, won 6 Division Championships and 3 NFC Titles.
Walsh, a native of California, perpetuated and built the "West Coast Offense". The offense, that capitalizes on brains and execution over brawn, revolutionized football at every level. Walsh took one of the worst teams in the NFL from 2 wins to a Super Bowl Championship in just 3 years. The 49er's won 3 Super Bowls winning in 1981,1984 and 1988 under Walsh.
Few coaches can match the discipleship and coaching tree that Bill Walsh produced. George Seifert, Mike Holmgrem, Mike Shanahan, Ray Rhodes, Dennis Green, Jim Fassel, Sam Wyche, Andy Reid, Steve Mariucci, Jon Gruden, Bill Callahan, Bruce Coslet, Mike Shanahan, Jeff Fisher, Brian Billick, Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith just to name a few.
Do you think Pat Boone would question any of these guys regarding their sexual preference. No I don't think so. I can see Jon Gruden pounding on this guy. Has anyone ever questioned any of these guys because they coached at San Francisco or were disciples of Bill Walsh. I don't think so. I really don't recall any of the 49er championships being tarnished because they were from San Francisco.
Bill Walsh was a brilliant man who accomplished much on and off the field. He was a man of character, a good husband and a good father. Bill Walsh was head coach of the World Champion San Francisco 49er's and Pat Boone did what?
It's people like Pat Boone that give a bad reputation to Conservatives. This is one area I can't blame my Liberal brethren. Conservatives have the duty and the responsibility to stand up and call these people out. I hope that I have done that. No more Mr. Nice Guy!
2 comments:
Tim:
Thank you for this excellent commentary.
-- Jeff
I just Googled "Famous Kentuckians". No where in this list do I find Pat Boone. He is, in fact, listed among "Famous Floridians" along with Janet Reno and Jim Morrison.
Muhammad Ali boxer, Louisville
Alben W. Barkley vice president, Graves Cty
Louis D. Brandeis jurist, Louisville
John Mason Brown critic, Louisville
Kit Carson scout, Madison Cty
Champ Clark politician, Anderson Cty
Rosemary Clooney singer, Maysville
Irvin S. Cobb humorist, Paducah
Jefferson Davis president of the Confederacy, Fairview
Irene Dunne actress, Louisville
Crystal Gayle singer, Paintsville
David W. Griffith film producer, Oldham Cty
Casey Jones locomotive engineer, Cayce
Abraham Lincoln U.S. president, Hodgenville
Brian Littrell singer, Lexington
Loretta Lynn singer, Butchers Hollow
Bill Monroe songwriter, Rosine
Carry Amelia Nation temperance leader, Garrard Cty
Patricia Neal actress, Packard
Kevin Richardson singer, Lexington
Wiley B. Rutledge jurist, Cloverport
Diane Sawyer broadcast journalist, Glasgow
Allen Tate poet and critic, Winchester
Hunter Thompson writer, Louisville
Frederick M. Vinson jurist, Lousia
Robert Penn Warren author, Guthrie
Article from USA Today...lol...
Posted 4/23/2003 12:24 AM
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Who's 'famous' depends on the shoes you're wearing
I was teaching a class at Western High School outside Fort Lauderdale the other day when a student asked whether I ever heard from famous people. I proudly announced that, on occasion, I do.
I told stories about Oprah Winfrey, Miss Piggy and Phyllis Diller, and then I said I even heard from Pat Boone once after confessing my love of white buck shoes. A roomful of blank faces stared back at me.
"They don't know who Pat Boone is, Mr. Wilson," their teacher finally said. "I'm not sure they know what white bucks are, either."
I fumbled around for the next few seconds, trying to explain Pat Boone, which I have to confess wasn't all that easy. April Love did not strike a familiar note with any of these kids. I even made the mistake of saying he was around when Johnny Mathis was around, making me sound even more ancient than I really am.
Finally, one of the students turned around and announced to her classmates that "they were the 'N Sync of their day." I'm not sure how happy Pat or Johnny would be with the comparison, but we left it at that.
I am always being accused of being out of it, so it's reassuring to know that ignorance is a two-way street.
My theory is simple. If I should know who Eminem is, I think kids today should know that M&Ms once came without peanuts. And if I know Britney Spears once dated Justin Timberlake, they should know Simon & Garfunkel is not a high-end sound system. Fair is fair.
I was in Fort Lauderdale for Literary Feast 2003, an annual event that brings writers together for a weekend of lectures and readings.
When I arrived, I was happy to see Carol Channing there. She had written a book and was on the weekend roster, too. She was a delight — spangled dress, red lipstick and all. How old must she be, you ask? None of your business.
I called to tell my partner, Jack, about my newest best friend, and when I returned home I was eager to share my Carol Channing stories with his nephew, Kevin, who was visiting from medical school. Jack quickly interrupted me.
"Kevin doesn't know who Carol Channing is."
"You don't know Dolly Levi?" I asked. "Hello, Dolly?"
"I've heard the name, but I don't," he confessed.
The next day we took Kevin and his girlfriend on the nickel tour of Georgetown in Washington, D.C., passing the house Jackie Kennedy lived in for the year after the president's assassination.
Kevin had visited Arlington Cemetery the day before and commented on the two infants' graves at the Kennedy burial site. "But didn't they have a couple of kids who lived?" he asked.
I just stared at Jack.
During the Florida weekend, my fabulous friend Carol shared a number of stories from her illustrious career, including one about Jackie taking John and Caroline to see Hello, Dolly!, then bringing them backstage to meet her.
Caroline turned to her mother and said, "How does she know my name?"
There's something to be said for that kind of ignorance.
E-mail cwilson@usatoday.com
I guess what I am stunned over is the rhetorical question - "It's tough going, so who's your fallback guy?" - Pat Boone? He did make some appearances on Hee Haw. That gets him as close as Nashville.
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