In all honesty, I really don't have much on my mind this morning.
First off, I had a great few days up in the Kansas City area. Went to Lawrence, Kansas, on Friday and Saturday.
Friday was great because I got to see some friends, watch the Tennessee Volunteers practice at Allen Fieldhouse and then go to dinner with some friends. Let me admit that the dinner itself was OK, but hanging out with Elizabeth Olivier and Tim Berry was great.
Saturday, my brother Dan and his wife Lulu picked us up to go to lunch before we went over to the game. We met with eight others to have our meal at the 23rd Street Brewery. It was nice to NOT be the only Vols fans there....though we were out numbered.
The experience at Allen Fieldhouse was incredible. I only wish that Tennessee had shot better in the first half. As Lulu pointed out, the Vols did win the second half. But we all know that you have to put the whole thing together.
The biggest thing that I can take away from the experience was the gracious attitude of the Kansas fans. Walking back to the car after dinner on Friday night, a KU fan wished us a good time in Lawrence and hoped we enjoyed the game the next day. Before the game, everyone was friendly...several asking if we actually drove all the way from Knoxville. We admitted that we had not, but recommended that they do so next year.
After the game, several people stopped me to ask what I thought about seeing a game at Allen Fieldhouse. I was very honest about it and how I would love to catch more games there in the future. They praised our team and admitted that they got a little concerned in the last few minutes when the Vols kept pulling close. The final score of 92-85 was about as close as it got after the opening minutes, but I was proud of the guys for never giving up and playing it tough in a challenging environment.
As my friend Jeff Jacoby said after seeing that game on TV, he hopes that Tennessee fans learned from what they saw....staying up for the entire 40 minutes of the game.
I agree. And I hope to witness that at Thompson Boling Arena next season.
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I also know that praising the Kansas fans as I sit in Mid-Missouri may not be a popular thing to do.
Well, anyone who knows me knows that I call things the way that I see them. I cannot speak to how Kansas fans treat Mizzou fans in Lawrence, but I can talk about the opposite.
Two years ago, I won a pair of tickets to the MU/KU game at Mizzou Arena. Of course, I invited my brother Dan.
Without going into too much detail, let me just use the word obnoxious. Consistently obnoxious. Not just the guy sitting behind us talking about a missed free throw from a game a year prior....all while his team is down by at least 15, but lots of other.
Every school has some bad eggs as their fans. I have witnessed this everywhere that I have been...yes, even in Knoxville. But we seemed to find most of them on that Saturday in February 2007. I don't believe, based on what I have seen since then, that they were an indication of what Mizzou fans are really about.
So, with all I have said in the positive regarding my experience with the Kansas fans, I hope that I don't get a lot of negative response from those who clad themselves in Black and Gold.
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The biggest challenge facing our city, state and nation is how to create a better economy. Jobs, jobs, jobs is the mantra of many. How to do it? That is where we are not hearing a whole lot of detail.
I am no expert, but I have this fundamental belief that if you make it easier for someone to expand their business and make more money for themselves, they will do just that. And along the way, more people will make more money as well. AND when that happens, it happens for others as well. And then you have a job market that is set up for those who are no seeking just jobs, but those who are seeking BETTER jobs.
So, how do you create that environment?
I don't think you do that by putting MORE government involvement in the way. And now I feel that I am in the minority by thinking that way.
I am not a business owner and I never have been. I doubt that I ever will be. I don't know that it is possible for me to get into a business ownership position in a field that I have some understanding of, that would be broadcasting, because it is too expensive right now.
But with that said, I feel that it is was easier for broadcasters to make money with local programming, they would do so. But since they have to cut costs at every turn due to the regulatory restrictions and costs, as well as the other taxes that go along with doing business, they simply can't. Payroll taxes for just ME probably costs Cumulus more than it does for them to run Bill O'Reilly on News Talk 1240 KLIK.
This all leads me back to the Fair Tax.
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Have a great Monday, a great week and a VERY GREAT AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!