Free gifts this Holiday Season
It is the Holiday Season (politically correct for Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanza and other holidays that I am not aware of but will undoubtedly hear about in the Letters to the Editor) and I would like to give out some gifts that won’t cost me any money.
During this season I am often referred to as a Scrooge or a Grinch. Compared to me, Ebenezer and the Green Meany are nice guys.
My first gift would be to San Diego State University’s football program. I would like to give them the respect that they deserve and in all honesty have earned. With all of the daily rags, imbecilic radio talk shows and the local television hacks concentrating on the woes of the San Diego Chargers and speculating on why and when the Charger’s coach, Norv Turner, should be fired, they have pretty much ignored the feel good story of the football season in San Diego.
Coach Rocky Long and his staff (which includes former RHS coach Kevin McGarry) and players (who include former RHS Bulldog red shirting freshman Kwayde Miller) have had a great season and are playing in the Poinsettia Bowl Dec. 20. The Aztecs have been mostly ignored.
The sad thing is that people are complaining that the Chargers’ games are not sold out. My biggest complaint is that the Aztec games are not sold out. With the respect that the Aztecs deserve, should come fans who go to their games and support them.
I would like to give thanks and congratulations to the powers that be for putting all of the athletic teams at Ramona High School except the football team back in the Valley League. With that thanks I would like to give Ramona High School’s principal, Tony Newman, an apology. I have openly criticized the principals and administrators in the North County Conference for placing Ramona High in the Palomar League. Tony recently explained to me that he is one of those principals. Tony has a way of explaining things.
For the record Tony is one of the good guys. I am not saying this because Tony is much bigger than me or is a former student and a friend. I am saying this because he is an individual who always has and always will do what he thinks is the right thing to do. That is how he was raised. That is who he is.
A Tony Newman Story: Tony does not drink holiday cheer of libations of any kind. However, there are at least two pictures of Tony with a beer in his hand. Those pictures are the result of carefully planned pranks orchestrated by Joe Cobian. Joe was a classmate and teammate of Tony’s when they were student/athletes at RHS in the last century. Joe procured cameras and a beer can that he had previously emptied so that nothing would spill on Tony’s clothes. Joe handed the can to Tony on two occasions and said, “Hold this while I tie my shoe.” Joe then ducked so that he would be out of the picture. Joe was hoping for some blackmail rewards but Tony is bigger than Joe and the negotiations broke down. Joe pulled the prank twice, once in high school and once at their twentieth reunion. Happy Holidays Tony and Joe! Tony, don’t take anything from Joe when he tries to tie his shoe this holiday season.
I would also like to take this opportunity to give credit and thanks to all of the coaches, student/athletes, fans and support personnel (that’s you Chuck) at RHS. I would especially like to give credit to the parents and guardians and grandparents who give their time and moral and financial support to those student/athletes. Much sacrifice is involved in supporting student/athletes. The parents and guardians don’t get the credit that they deserve. If you believe in the Holiday Seasons, then you realize that your reward is worth much more than any other gift that you will ever receive.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS.