The Strange Case of Loving Two Football Teams — Even When They’re in the Same Division

Image
Every old school Denver Bronco fan remembers 'The Drive'. It was the 1986 AFC Championship Game, Denver Broncos vs. Cleveland Browns. The Browns were ahead, the crowd was deafening, and victory seemed theirs for the taking. But then, with 5:32 left on the clock, John Elway and the Broncos took the ball on their own two-yard line and marched 98 yards down the field — cool, steady, and impossible to stop. When Elway threw that touchdown to Mark Jackson, the football world went silent for a second… then erupted. The Broncos had done the unthinkable. Cleveland’s playoff dreams vanished right there on their home turf, and helped Elway earn the moniker “The Comeback Kid.” And that wasn’t the only time Denver ended Cleveland’s hopes. Over the years, it became almost a cruel football tradition. Another season, another heartbreak for the Browns courtesy of the Broncos. The two teams might not be bitter rivals on paper anymore, but their history sure feels like it sometimes. ...
Post a Comment

Whistle while you work!

My bride told me the other day that there was a spot on the news, that stated whistling is fast becoming a lost art.  I guess I can see that.  It seems like most everyone uses their spare time now with their noses smart phones and tablets.  It used to be that many folks would whistle to pass the time, honing their whistling skills, and personally challenging themselves to get better at whistling their favorite songs and American standards. At least that's how I grew up.  Now, I know many who don't even know how to whistle at all, or have the slightest inkling to whistle (at least for the reasons I do it).

You've heard of the old saying "Whistle While you Work" right?  Well, I'm guilty.. I'm one of those folks who likes to do just that.  Many times, I find myself whistling songs that I'm pretty sure my workmates under the age of thirty may have never heard of.  There's certain ditty's and theme songs that seem like they always have been, and always will be emblazoned upon my memory.  Some of these songs I barely know a verse of, others I can rattle off every word.  I think there's little chance of me ever forgetting any of the songs listed below, and I'm perfectly fine with that.  Here's a short list of songs I regularly whistle..



Listen to the Mockingbird

I can't begin to count the times I've seen or heard this song sung on variety shows, comedies, and cartoons over the years. It was written in 1855, and was one of Abraham Lincoln's favorite songs.  The meaning of the song is pretty somber, having to do with a fellows sweetheart who is now dead and buried, and a mocking bird singing over her grave.  Sounds a bit morbid I know.. but the tempo is incredibly upbeat!   I have great memories of my grandfather singing this song, and then bursting into an enthusiastic whistling solo.   I believe I've also seen Alfalfa from the Little Rascals singing a wonderfully funny and off key version.  It's a catchy tune that always instantly lifts my spirits.











By the light of the silvery moon

I remember being at my grandparents house one cold winter night with my parents, various cousins, aunts and uncles.  We were all in the living room watching the 1953 movie "By the light of the silvery moon" starring Doris Day, on a beautiful 21 inch black and white Zenith television.  I believe I was reading a Spider Man comic book when almost everyone in the room except for the kids burst out singing this song. I'm not sure if it was the final song of the movie, but it was a nice scene with Doris Day and Gordon MacRae ice skating and singing the movies namesake.



I remember being in awe that everyone knew the lyrics and harmonized pretty good to boot!  Below is a clip of that beloved scene.  ( The song begins at about 57 seconds into the video )  Oh, and for you kids that aren't aware, back in the old days.. stating that you wanted to "Spoon" meant something totally different, and much more innocent.






 





American Bandstand theme

What an iconic show for both mine and my parents generation!  Sung by Barry Manillow, the shows theme song was incredibly catchy, and I've been whistling it since I was a boy.   If you want to hear the full version of "Bandstand Boogie" set to an incredibly funny street comedy video by comedian George Gallo, you must check this out..














"Drunken Sailor"

I'm no sailor.  I'm not even a son of a son of a sailor.  However, I dig whistling this old sea shanty while hard at work.  While there are numerous version of this song, the basic lyrics are below if you feel like belting it out sometime..



What shall we do with a drunken sailor? (repeat 3 times)
Early in the morning.
Put him in the long-boat and make him bail her. (repeat 3 times)
Early in the morning.
What shall we do with a drunken soldier? (repeat 3 times)
Early in the morning.
Put him in the guardroom till he gets sober. (repeat 3 times)
Early in the morning.


I assure you there are many more songs I regularly whistle and hum to, but perhaps I'll share those another time.







Comments

  1. MasonSeptember 25, 2015 at 10:31 AM

    For some reason I never learned how to whistle until much later in life. I felt like that guy from Honey I Shrunk The Kids.

    Now that I can whistle like a pro I always get the evil eye from co-workers if I try to whistle. If you so much as cough weird in the office you are forever shunned!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

What do you think? I'd love to hear from you!

Popular posts from this blog

RIP Hostess Raspberry Filled Powdered Donuts

Image
I wrote an article close to a decade ago, to share my dismay with Hostess for discontinuing their Raspberry Filled Donuts. That article was still getting an unreal amount of traffic and interaction to this very day. In fact, no other article I have written has brought the amount of traffic to 'The Retro Dad' that this one has. It's still a subject that lots of folks are interested in, so I have dusted off the article and updated it for the snack cake loving masses in 2023. Enjoy.. Hostess Raspberry Filled Donuts were originally called 'Hostess O's'. I rememeber when we called them O's, and I believe the name was changed in the late 70s. I don't eat a lot of donuts now, but.. Over the last year and a half, I've developed a much healthier relationship with food. The other day while shopping with my wife, I did something that puzzled her. She couldn't believe I was perusing the snack cake aisle intently. A few years ago she wouldn't have even bl...
Read more

Retro Review - IRISH SPRING vs. ZEST. Battle of the Old School Bar Soaps

Image
I've been on the hunt for new bar soaps to use in the shower lately, and the road traveled has led me to several old school soaps. I decided to give the two oldest soaps that I remember from my childhood, a side by side comparison to see how they hold up against one another. IRISH SPRING $0.97 for two 3.2 ounce bars This soap has had many slogans over the years, but the most famous one very well may be..  leaves you as fresh and clean as a whistle . It may sound a bit corny, but this is the experience I had with Irish Spring. The soap was incredibly efficient at removing dirt and grime, without an excess of suds. Perhaps the the lack of suds equates into the soap not breaking down as fast. The reason I lean towards that reasoning, is because my bar of Irish Spring stood up to daily showering (sometimes twice a day) for 10 days. Dirt seemed to just slide right off of my skin when I used this soap, and I'm impressed with how good it cleans. I used the bar for hand washing as well...
Read more

🍫 My Top 5 Favorite Candies from the ‘70s and ‘80s: Sweet Memories That Still Melt in My Mouth

Image
There was nothing quite like being a kid in the ‘70s and ‘80s and walking into a corner convenience store with a pocketful of change. The smell of bubble gum, the faint hum of a soda cooler, and the sound of the door chime — it was pure magic. You could spend 50 cents and walk out feeling like a king with a treasure trove of sugar. Here are my top five favorite candies from back in the day — the ones that made every trip to the store worth it. 🍫 1. Ice Cubes Every trip to the store wasn’t complete without grabbing a handful of Ice Cubes — those little foil-wrapped squares of creamy chocolate bliss. They came in those shiny silver or gold wrappers, and once you unwrapped one, it was game over. The texture was unbelievably smooth, almost buttery, and they melted the instant they hit your tongue. You didn’t chew Ice Cubes. You savored them. Recently, I stumbled across them again at a German market — the same brand, the same foil, the same melt-in-your-mouth magic. It was like time trave...
Read more