I Wish a Buck Were Still Silver: Moral Hazards, or Merle Haggard?

I generally watch the news between 5-6 P.M. but never seem to watch to the end, because NBC, CBS, FOX and CNN usually drift into the moral hazards bothering the rich, the powerful and politically protested.

I feel the need to shower after watching and reading the news.

Last night, it was very different.  I went to Catholic high high school wrestling, instead of watching preening dopes and oleaginous creeps parse tweets and tweak the turpitudes of turds in the political punch bowl.

I am no longer affected by the repellant Garrison Keillor, Matt Lauer, Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey, Senator Al Franken, Judge Roy Moore, or the cavalcade of clowns occupying public office in Illinois.

I watched more than three hours of high school school wrestling and feel 100% morally clean, renewed, energetic and ready for the brand new day.

I watched Brother Rice High School, Loyola Academy and Leo High School grapple-ers hit the mats from 5: 30 P.M. to shortly before 9: P.M. in a  controlled violence ballet in which each combatant gave his all until a quicker man with better lock-up pinned two shoulder blades, or garnered more points with escapes and near-falls until the clock ran out.

Not a second of shame in over three hours and not a whine from anyone. The victorious raised hand was shaken by the loser and both young men applauded vigorously by the crowd. I went home and listened to Merle Haggard's "Are The Good Times Really Gone?"



I prepared my classes on Christian Morality and the Old Testament and wondered about  things -

Wish a buck was still silver.
It was, back when the country was strong.
Back before Elvis; before the Vietnam war came along.
Before The Beatles and "Yesterday",
When a man could still work, and still would.
Is the best of the free life behind us now?
Are the good times really over for good?
Are we rolling down hill like a snowball headed for hell?
With no kind of chance for the Flag or the Liberty bell.
Wish a Ford and a Chevy,
Could still last ten years, like they should.
Is the best of the free life behind us now?
Are the good times really over for good?

I don't think so Merle, just different - sloppier, sillier, sissy-er, maybe, but wrestlers compete and hug their moms after a pin or a pinning and sheepishly glance to see if Dad's eyes shine a bit moister than usual.

Black, White Mexican, Arab and Filipino kids who had spit in cups and nodded off in class due to trying to 'cut weight' came alive for three minutes in a husky three hours.

No one was rolling to hell last night, Merle.

IHSA Football Quarter Finals in Class 1-A: Leo v. Ottawa Marquette

St. Laurence High School, operated by the Irish Christian Brothers will host the Class 1-A Quarter Final game between Leo and Ottawa Marquette at 2 PM on Saturday November 16, 2013.After a great Leo Family Get-Together last Saturday at St. Rita's Pat Cronin Field featuring a win by the Lions over visiting Stark County 31-20, the Lions head to Burbank for the Quarter Finals. Generations of Hogans, Mahoneys, Coopers, Paynes, Halls, Torres, Garzas, Greens, Jacksons, Sheehys and McNallys followed Jay Standring in whatever cheer, chant or taunt he could shout out.  

If you did not run into a pal that you had not seen in decades, you must have had your eyes riveted to the action on the field.  Me?  I'm a rubber-necker.  I caught up with Ernie Kelly, Bud Monaco, Marquis "Biggs" Ball, Akim Hunter,  Johnny Vasi, Bob Quick, Jack McNamara, Wally Macaulay,the Brothers Hopkins: Jack and Tom, George Spearekis, Mike Gurgone,The Brothers Finn: too numerous to name, George Newell, Coach Jack Fitzgerald, Senator Ed Maloney, Father Bill McFarland, Standrings and Earners and McElligotts Oh, My!!!!


When I was not peeling off five-spots to Canaryville's own Duke Rusty Montana (2016), whom I drove to and from the game, and who eats like he's going to the chair, I made happy re- acquaintance with old friends.  We all look exactly the way we did in 1967,'68. '69, & '70 - at least through the lens of Leo High School and parish camaraderie ( VIZ, John 'O God, Sabina's, KillYuns, Sain Nicks, Big Weed, Tommy More ( too old to fight, or just mellowed?) R Lady a Moun'Carmel, Caj-uhtins, & da res').







Come out and watch the Lion, catch the Ottawa Crusaders in its brawny paws. .St. Laurence High School 5556 W 77th St, Burbank, IL 60459(708) 458-6900

Leo Football: Leo 32 -St. Laurence 13

The 1956 City of Chicago Champs - Leo High School.  Could be another in 2012.


Here's the highlights and the full recap, Spsonsored by Barraco's Pizza on the Cube. It was a great night night of Chicago Catholic League Football. Great crowd of Leo Alumni especially Mr. & Mrs. Mike Spowicz who have not missed a Leo Football Game in more than twenty years, Leo Alumni President John Gardner, The Massive Anderson Family, Mike Joyce, Bill Farnan, Jim Farrell, Mark Lee, Denzel Tucker '11 and the entire Earner family, including the guy who went to Brother Rice.

Broadcast your high school on High School Cube

Broadcast your high school on High School Cube

http://www.highschoolcube.com/event/varsity-football-leo-catholic-at-saint-laurence-300747/highlights

Catholic League Sports X FIVE ( OTs)! Crusaders and Lions Never Quit!

Leo's tiny gym was packed with Leo and Brother Rice students, parents, Catholic League fans, and most of all Leo Alumni. Mike Holmes, '76, Jim Corbett, '52, Rich Doyle '65, Leo President Dan McGrath '68, Bob Sheehy '71, Bill Melligan '59, Jack Farnan '64, Mike Joyce '86 Clarence Topps '77, Mike Regan '70, Jack Sexton '68, and Leo Hall of Fame Basketball star Jack Schaller '43 joined hundreds of their Brother Lions to bear witness to a Catholic League Classic.

Pat Richardson's Brother Rice Crusaders and Noah Cannon's Leo Lions went at it on the hard wood over the length of the game and FIVE OVER TIMES!

Read this great Bob Hurst's great Tribune account: Click my Post Title

Here is a taste . . .

The question at Leo on Friday night was not when would it end, but whether it would.

After five overtimes, 113 free-throw attempts and eight players fouling out, it finally did. Leo defeated Brother Rice 107-101 in a memorable Catholic League matchup.

"It was one of those crazy games," Leo coach Noah Cannon said.

The Lions' Sean Moore Jr. made 9 of 10 free-throw attempts in the final overtime as the Lions finally pulled away.

This game is what it is all about! Proud night, Men!

N.B.

Key performers: Leo — Maurice Joiner, 28 points, 13 rebounds; Paul Beene, 26 points. Brother Rice — Sean Fitzpatrick, 18 points, 4-9 3-pointers; Alex Majewski, 15 points, 7 rebounds.

Player of the game: Sean Moore Jr., Leo, 22 points, 16-18 free throws. Bob Hurst

Leo Students Witness Politics Old School - Vice President Biden, Governor Quinn, Chicago Labor and Mary Ann Ahern Give a Tutorial

"I talked before about the mess President Obama and I inherited," said Biden. "Pat, I think you inherited almost as big a mess. Pat didn’t complain. He got to work. He passed a law giving small businesses a $2,500 tax credit for every person they’d hire.”

According to the Secret Service, there were about 1,700 people at Tuesday's event. Another 300 people were left outside, unable to get into the event.

Mary Ann Ahern NBC 5.

In that packed hall were six Leo High School students. Hakeem Chatman, who has been leading the Chicago Catholc League in tackles, is a middle linebacker and a superb track athlete ( shot & disc), marvelled at the packed crowd in Chicago Plumbers Hall on West Washington Street, where he and Jeremy Clark, Tevin Craft, Boxer Denzel Howard, Golfer and Scholar Brendan Mahan and Kaylon Rimpson rubbed elbows, hips and rumps with Congressman Danny Davis, Congressman Bobby Rush, and the Chicago news media.

Brendan Mahan did a video with Tiger Woods at Beverly Country Club last year - the video was eclipsed by the scandal and has yet to make an appearance. Brendan is a very tuned in young man who reads both Chicago papers back-to-back each day and therefore was able to identify Chicago's political elite.

Congressman Danny K. Davis, who appeared on stage with the Vice President Biden, Governor Quinn, Senator Durbin and Mayor Daley spoke with the six Leo Lions for the better part of hour outside of the packed Union Hall, as Secret Service Agents made safe passage for the Vice President. Brendan engaged the Congressman who was the soul of grace with the young gentlemen bedecked in bright orange Leo Boxing gear.

It was the school colors that attracted the attention of my old pal NBC 5 political reporter Mary Ann Ahern, whose father-in-law is Leo Man Dr. Jimmy Ahern ( Leo '44). Mary Ann put down her microphone and walked down from the TV Press Platform and spoke with the Leo Boxers. Freshman Jeremy Clark spoke with Mary Ann like a seasoned political professional. Mary Ann Ahern gave the guys her journalist's full press asking about their studies and interests and praised Hakeem Chatman's record on the football field. The guys witnessed a genuine news reporter at work - Mary Ann kept her focus on the rally and nevertheless gave the young fellows her attention.

It had been a full day of studies and activities for our guys, but they had all volunteered to witness the arrival of Vice President Biden. The Catholic high school heroes of Gresham dined on cheeseburgers with Boxing Coach Mike Joyce (Leo '86) at the legendary Palace Grill, while Secret Service agents swept the Plumbers Hall prior to the 5PM start of the rally. The Leo Van was given a great parking spot by a Federal Agent who had served under Agent Larry Lynch, recently retired from the Secret Service, who himself had been mentored by the heroic Tim McCarthy the Secret Service Man who save President Reagan.

Leo High School continues to produce great men. These six kids from Chicago's toughest and most dangerous neighborhoods are following in the paths of great Lions. In fact at the table next to the Leo Boxers sat Operating Engineers Local 399's Tom Keatty ( Leo '73) who runs operations for US Equity and was part of that union's huge contingent of supporters for Governor Pat Quinn.

Labor came out in droves - Engineers Locals 150 and 399, Plumbers 130, Pipefitters 597, Electricians 134, Painters, Hoisters and a sea of orange bedecked Laborers.

Vice President Joe Biden tossed the working class warriors slabs of red meat and they ate it up! Joe Biden is in his element among blue collar Americans and told poignant story after story of his father's heroic efforts to feed his family.

When it was time to head back to Leo, I could not have been more proud of the half dozen young gents in my charge. They called to have their parents pick them up at Leo.

I hung out with Hakeem Chatman and the next Golden Gloves Boxing Champ Denzel Howard on 79th Street in front of the statue of Our Lady and the Leo War Memorial. Both young men talked about how comfortable they felt meeting celebrities and national figures. It is no mystery, these kids work at it every day. Doing more than what is expected of one is the common place of great people - it takes practice - and these young gentlemen work at it.

LA Dodger Pitcher John Ely Coached by Leo Lion Tom "El Flamingo" Brennan -Leo '70

Leo Lion Tom Brennan* of the Leo High School Class of 1970 coached John Ely of LA Dodgers.

The Southtown Star tells the story of Leo Man Tom Brennan!

Watching from afar has been Ely's one-time pitching coach, Brennan.

Brennan, 58, a former Lewis University All-American, knows what Ely must be thinking. Brennan enjoyed two "hometown" major league moments in 1982, during his second season of a five-year major league career.

A first-round draft pick (fourth overall) of the Cleveland Indians in 1974, Brennan, who grew up at 82nd and Racine and graduated from Leo High School, needed seven years to work his way up the Indians' minor league ladder. Along the way, he picked up a nickname in winter ball: "El Flamingo," for the momentary hesitation in his delivery, when he held his left leg waist high before throwing the ball sidearm.

On May 21, 1982, Brennan made a memorable first appearance at old Comiskey Park. Entering the game with two outs in the second inning, Brennan retired 12 straight Sox hitters before allowing a single to Tom Paciorek. The latter was then caught trying to steal second base and Brennan left the game.

"I was nervous when I went out there," Brennan said. "But I tried to block out who was batting and just focused on trying to throw strikes. It took everything in my power to throw strikes."

When the Indians came back to Chicago that August, Brennan was summoned from the bullpen in the sixth inning to face Harold Baines, Greg Luzinski and Carlton Fisk.

He struck out all three.

Before he retired, Brennan appeared in four games with the Sox in 1984 and 12 games with the Dodgers in 1985.

"I ended up living in 26 different cities and played baseball in six countries," he said. "Playing for Tommy Lasorda and wearing the Dodger blue was really special. Dodger Stadium is a beautiful place to play baseball. We had Hollywood stars at the games. You'd be sitting in the locker room and Don Rickles would walk in.

"I wasn't there very long, but the Dodgers treated me like a Hall of Famer."

After his playing career, Brennan became a youth pitching coach at numerous Southland facilities, a side job he still does today.

He even took time out to appear in the 1993 movie "Rookie of the Year." Brennan is the home-plate umpire in the final baseball scenes.

Brennan's first meeting with Jack Ely and his 8-year-old son, John, came when Brennan was teaching pitching at the old Grand Slam in Glenwood.

"I liked Tom's easygoing manner," Jack said. "He didn't scream or yell. We would see Tom every Saturday morning, whether he was in Glenwood, Lockport or Chicago. John learned a lot from Tom. I think we spent about $4,000 over the years, which has turned out to be a very good investment."

"Jack is extremely dedicated to his son," said Brennan, who has raised two children with his wife, Bridget. "He never got in the way of John's development. John has always had good mechanics and a strong follow-through coming off the mound. He hasn't had a sore arm and has been a winner at every level of baseball. He is a great competitor.

"I've always been impressed with John's work ethic," Brennan added. "After having a good year, he would then work twice as hard in the offseason. Mentally, he is very strong. He has a balanced attack of pitches, whether it's a fastball, curve or changeup. You must have a balance when pitching in the major leagues.

"I just tried to tell John and his father what they needed to do and know. I have a great deal of respect for what John has accomplished."

Thursday, Tom Brennan will be applauding from a distance.

Facta Non Verba!

*

Thomas Martin Brennan (born October 30, 1952 in Chicago, IL) is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball. He pitched from 1981-1985 for the Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers.

Brennan was known for an unusual right-handed pitching delivery. From the set position, he would lift his left leg, bent at the knee, and hold it in the air for several seconds. Then, he would quickly uncoil into a side-arm, "submarine-style", delivery.

Tom Brennan
Pitcher
Born: October 30, 1952 (1952-10-30) (age 57)
Chicago, Illinois
Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
September 5, 1981 for the Cleveland Indians
Last MLB appearance
May 27, 1985 for the Los Angeles Dodgers
Career statistics
Win-Loss 9-10
Earned run average 4.40
Strikeouts 102
Teams
Cleveland Indians (1981-1983)
Chicago White Sox (1984)
Los Angeles Dodgers (1985)

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/pics/tom_brennan_autograph.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php%3Fp%3Dbrennto01&usg=__sx_cSVqaeRGFv8EcszoFiQzPfXE=&h=300&w=214&sz=12&hl=en&start=1&sig2=5Rik8a1f2vk1ys-BqDjl9A&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=5VHo-Jj3X4HL3M:&tbnh=116&tbnw=83&prev=/images%3Fq%3DTom%2BBrennan,%2BCleveland%2BIndians%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26rlz%3D1T4GGIH_enUS268US331%26tbs%3Disch:1&ei=LSP9S-OzM5ruMuq-jTk

Pat Hickey on "Skinny and Houli Show" Wednesday 6-8P.M. Avenue 950 AM Radio - Timelessly Cool

I will be joining my pals Jim Sheahan and Mike Houlihan on the "Skinny and Houli Show" tomorrow night on Avenue 950 AM Radio.

"Skinny and Houli Show" brings radio back to life with their distinctly Chicago Voices talking about people who make positive differences in this great City and its suburbs.

I will talk about the people who support Leo High School and provide a quality Catholic college preparatory high school education for young men from Chicago's toughest and most under served neighborhoods. The Leo Alumni Association represents the thousands of men who formed their lives at 7901 S. Sangamon Street and continue to financially, spiritually and socially support the young men of Leo.

Here's but a very few
* Frank Considine: Retired CEO of National American Can Co.

* Thomas Fitzgerald: Justice, Illinois Supreme Court.

* Bill Koloseike - CEO -Bill Kay Chrysler

* Dick Landis - CEO of Landis Plastics

* Michael Thompson - CEO Fair Oaks Farm Food, Inc.

* Donald Flynn: Member, board of directors, Waste Management Inc.

* Bishop John Gorman: Former president, St. Mary of the Lake.

* Jim Hallberg: President, Insure One.

* Jason Jefferson: NFL player, Buffalo Bills.

* Edward Joyce: President, Chicago Options Exchange.

* James T. Joyce: Former Chicago fire commissioner.

* Ed Koloseike: CEO, Bill Kay Chrysler & Dodge.

* Dan McGrath: Sports writer and editor, Chicago News Coop - New York Times.

* Andrew McKenna: President and CEO, Schwarz Paper Co.; former chairman of the board of the Cubs, Sox; board of directors, Chicago Bears.

* Lt. Gen. George Muellner, USAF: Retired president of Boeing Corporation's Strategic Defense Systems Division & Phantom Works.

* Tom Owens: Chairman of the board, XL Datacom.

* Dr. William Payne: Photonic Switching Architectural Group, Bell Laboratories.

* Joseph Power: Partner, Power, Rogers & Smith.

* Robert Sheehy: President, Sheehy & Sons Funeral Home.


Call in and join the fun. The "Skinny and Houli Show phone lines can be reached at 312-329-0950.

A couple of Chicago rascals are debuting their highly anticipated radio program through Avenue 950 Timeless Cool, a product of Sovereign City Radio Services, called The Skinny & Houli Show, on Wednesday nights from 6-8PM beginning January 20.

Mr. Skinny Sheahan and company!
James "Skinny" Sheahan, former Director of the Mayor's Office of Special Events and Mike "Houli" Houlihan, columnist for the Irish American News and former features columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times, introduce listeners to the quirky characters and stories that give our city its unique charm.

This two hour, freewheeling talk radio dialogue features two of Chicago's most irrepressible personalities, discussing what's happening in the city each week. The hosts will dissect the news, politics, sports, and entertainment scene with their trademark wit and introduce a variety of community activists and neighborhood heroes.

The Skinny & Houli Show, in partnership with Special Olympics Chicago, will feature guests who are making a positive impact on the lives of Chicagoans plus a "Special Olympics Spotlight" on an athlete, coach or volunteer for outstanding achievement.

Tune in to Avenue 950 and hear a show that will make you proud to live in Chicago.

Tune In!
This Wed. Night, 6-8PM. 950 AM
Call-in during the show, light up our phone lines: 312-329-0950.

The Avenue950 is heard every evening from 6pm to 5am in Chicago on WNTD 950 AM. Established in 1922, 950 AM is one of Chicago's oldest stations. Everything old is new again as many of those same artists join contemporary artists to form Chicago’s new format that we call "The Avenue". The Avenue950 is heard every evening from 6pm to 5am in Chicago on WNTD 950 AM.

Established in 1922, 950 AM is one of Chicago’s oldest stations. Over the decades, the greats of Jazz became a part of the station’s heritage. Everything old is new again as many of those same artists join contemporary artists to form Chicago’s new format that we call "The Avenue".

The Avenue is a multi-genre mix featuring a balanced blend of classic and contemporary cool that you won’t hear anywhere else. Period. We call it “Timeless Cool”. Its music that matters presented in a way that radio has never tried before. It’s easy to listen to, but NOT easy listening. It’s classic. Its current. It’s timeless cool for a timelessly cool city.