The tragedy of deaths nearby--and far away!
Monday Musings!
War is Hell
"‘They shot my son...I was next to him...It would be better if it had been me.’” Ivan, a father, speaking about the atrocities being committed by Russian soldiers upon Ukrainian civilians in the latest article by NY Times reporter Charlotta Gall.
Reading the latest reports from the Ukraine killing fields, and seeing the ghastly images of murdered (and some raped) civilians released earlier today, reminds me to refrain from taking issue when President Joe Biden calls Russian Dictator Vladimir Putin a "thug" and a "war criminal," words that display the candor of Biden’s 78 years—but words that are unequivocally true!
As we pray for peace, lest we forget the dead...
Remembering a Legend
The late Alonzo "Jake" Gaither was born on this day, April 11th, 119 years ago!
Coach Gaither, circa 1957, surveying the progress of Bragg Memorial Stadium
If you do not know my personal family history, allow me to declare that my affinity for Coach Gaither knows no limits because had he not offered my father, Charles, a scholarship to play football at Florida A&M in 1958, then dad never meets (and marries) my mother, Vivian (ergo, no Charles II, a/k/a "Chuckie" or "Ol' Hobbs") 😆.
But my story is the same for so many descendants of Rattlers who were blessed to play for Coach Gaither, one of the greatest college coaches of all time! During the segregation era, Gaither was in hot demand among white coaches like Bear Bryant of Alabama, Darrell Royal of Texas, and Shug Jordan of Auburn—men who picked his brains about offensive and defensive concepts that kept the Rattlers dominant for nearly three decades.
As the Ghosts of the Orange Bowl site wrote last year: "Gaither is pictured below watching from the sidelines during the 1958 Orange Blossom Classic. Long before the Universities of Miami, Florida and Florida State were winning national championships, Gaither's Florida A&M Rattlers were the first true college football powerhouse in the state. Gaither's career record was a remarkable 204-36-4, including 6 black college national championships from 1945 to 1969. In a time when Florida's major universities were segregated, Florida A&M had assembled teams made up of the finest African-American athletes in the state. During the Gaither era, Florida A&M produced 36 All Americans and sent 42 players to the NFL—including hall of famers Willie Galimore and Bob Hayes."
Indeed!
Happy Heavenly Birthday, Coach Gaither…
Covid 19 is still real!
Last weekend, I went out to Bragg Stadium to watch the Florida A&M Spring Football game—but I did so while still wearing a protective mask.
Over the past several months, many people across America have chosen to shun mask wearing, as is their prerogative. But I caution my readers to keep a supply handy, because it seems that just when we were collectively ready to throw caution to the wind and declare the pandemic over, that another surge may be en route!
Just this morning, CNN reporter David Culver, stationed in Shanghai, noted that, “If you think Wuhan 2020 was bad, welcome to Shanghai 2022. This has been like no other lockdown. And it’s in the country’s cosmopolitan and most affluent financial hub, of all places.”
Yikes!
Stay vigilant, my friends…
Spelman Founders' Day
The Hobbservation Point extends a Happy Founders' Day to Spelman College, the perennially #1 ranked HBCU according to U.S. News & World Report, which was founded on this day in 1881!
Ol’ Hobbs also extends a very special shoutout to the "Legendary" Class of 1994, my Sisters from that very first blazing hot August day in 1990—until the end of time!
In Memoriam
The Hobbservation Point extends condolences to the family, friends, and teammates of the late Dwayne Haskins, 24, the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback who was killed in a tragic accident while walking in South Florida this past weekend.
As I recounted on Facebook this past weekend, Haskins's death really hit me hard because it reminded me of a time when I was fortunate to avoid a similar fate down in Miami. About 17 years ago, I was visiting my sister in Miami one Friday night after long court proceedings in West Palm Beach that week, and as I started to make my way back up the Florida Turnpike that evening, my rental car gave out of gas…what made matters worse was that I didn't have my car charger and my phone was dead!
Checking my options, I had no choice but to make a walk of it on a busy Friday night; the distance to the exit was only about two miles, but as I walked on a stretch of road that was running parrallel to a retention ditch, my mind started playing tricks on me as I couldn't help but think that I was either going to get smashed by a Big Rig or car, or attacked by an alligator lurking in the muck. Fortunately for me, I made it safely to a convenience store where the attendant allowed me to charge my phone and then call my friend Reggie Holt, who came and scooped me up. Still, but for God's grace, I could have been dead at 32 years old on the side of a highway with my family left to wonder why! Which is why most my most sincere prayers will remain with the Haskins family—and all who loved him—in the days ahead.
Thank you for subscribing to the Hobbservation Point—have a great Monday evening!
Great article Bro!