Oh...What Might Have Been

 The family and I climbed aboard our minivan this morning and headed to an event called "Hay Days." It's a chance for the people of our community to gather and enjoy each others's company as well as celebrate the wonderful little town we call home.

Plus, there's a car show.

It's not the biggest car show, but it seems to get bigger every year...this year included. There were many classic American cars, corvettes, trucks, what have you. And they had one Volkswagen Beetle, my favorite car. It was a beautiful car. I took pictures of it as I always do. Every time I see a bug these days it reminds me of my earlier years, back when you could buy a bug for $500 and the bug ran and it was (semi...) reliable transportation.

Too bad those days are gone forever.

I have a picture of my first car. It's a 1965 VW Beetle (we lovingly called "Greenie"...), original 1200cc engine, top speed - 50 m.p.h. unless you drove downhill, or behind an 18-wheeler. 

What if I had kept that car instead of basically giving it away...

Oh, what might have been.

I've thought about this several times over the years. Using the advantages of age, I know keeping that car would have been a terrible idea. Just finding a place to park it would have been a nightmare. Plus, I don't know how long it would take me to get it running and if I did, would I dare drive it anywhere far from my home? 

That car, in the condition at the time I got rid of it, in today's dollars would be worth many thousands of dollars...a far cry from the $500 I originally paid in1982. That sounds great, but I would have paid for that appreciation in other ways. No, my logical mind understands not hanging on to that car was the best decision...

Just my heart doesn't share my brain's reasoning.

Oh, what might have been...I only hope someone took car of Greenie. I'd love to see it at a car show one of these days.

Now...I Wish I Would Have Bought It

 Yeah, it was hokey and I snapped the picture for a quick self-deprecating joke. I posted the photo, threw in the corny caption, and I believe it was a success.

Makes me wish I had actually bought the thing.

Being without hair for more than thirty years, you get used to looking a certain way. It's the same face/head you've seen in the mirror basically since 1987. I've long since accepted my genetic reality. Would I like to have a full head of hair and/or the ability to grow a beard, sideburns, a mustaches, a soul patch, a goatee? Probably, though from what I've heard, having to shave everyday is a pain in the...face.

I had several people comment on the social media picture I posted. One friend even dared me to put on the mustaches and/or soul patches and post the evidence that I had. Too bad I didn't buy it. I might have actually taken the selfie and let everyone see. That's another thing--I don't do selfies too much, either.

Maybe next time I'm in that particular store, and I remember it, I might just go over and see if they have any more mustaches and soul patch kits. If I remember, I might just buy it...

Unless it costs more than a few dollars. If that's the case, might as well buy a toupee. 

What Might Have Been...

So, if the world had not been shut down, I would most likely be either watching a DVR-d game of a Utah win, or deleting the recording. I'd either be a happy fan, or hopefully bummed but respectful of a quality opponent. 

But, as it stands, I'm neither.

I'm numb...

And considering what might have been.

Decisions have been made by those who feel they are doing what's best. I'm not going to argue the decision, mostly because it doesn't matter what I think. It won't change things or make a canceled game suddenly appear. No, the score will not be in the history books, players will not become heroes or anti-heroes, and parents and fans will not be able to brag or suffer.

The funny thing is, I probably wouldn't have even watched tonight's game live. It's been a system of mine for the past couple of years. I'll DVR a game and either watch it if it's a win, or delete it if it's not. It saves time and I find I'm a much calmer and well-adjusted person by doing things that way. Two years ago, I was forced to watch the game live--because I was actually in Rice-Eccles Stadium on a very cold November evening when Utah rallied and beat BYU in the final minutes--one of the greatest games I've ever seen, live or otherwise.

Every Utah fan (it seems...) believes tonight the Utes would be celebrating their tenth win in a row. Fans for BYU feel differently. Personally, I'm not sure #10 is such a given. The biggest disappointment is we'll never know what would have happened tonight, other than one fan base would be happy, the other not.

What might have been.

University Of Utah's 2017 Football Season...Not How I Thought It Would Go

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Tonight the regular football season for the University of Utah 2017 team comes to an end. As I'm writing this the game is in progress--no score so far. For many, the year's been a disaster. I'm sure those who's job it is to coach and play the game would disagree. Sure, they didn't win as many games as they had hoped. They won some close ones and lost some close ones, too.

This, of course, has nothing to do with my opinion of their season. For me, I was disappointed too, but not so much because of how the team did, but how I allowed myself to think they would do. In short, I made the mistake of listening to all the pre-season hype, reading the on-line stories, following the Utah fans on Twitter, and my biggest mistake by far, listening to sports radio.

That's what did it for me.

You see, those who make their living talking on the airwaves or writing on-line need to draw in the crowds, boost the ratings, get people involved. And few things are as addicting as hearing people "in the know" tell you what you want to hear, that your team will win their division, and possibly beyond. Too bad it didn't happen. It's not their fault either. That honor I claim for myself. I chose to believe the hype. I chose to think the sophomore quarterback who beat out the senior would be the next Scott Mitchell. I allowed myself to believe.

That can cost you. It can hurt when things don't work out.

I know part of being a "true fan" means going all in, lapping up the hype, spitting it out at the critics when the team wins, and liking your wounds when they do not. That was me for so many years. I decided a while back I didn't want to be that guy. It turned me into something I didn't want to be, the bitter fan, the jerk. It's taken me a long time to get where I am now and this last year I found myself slipping, returning to thinking I was somehow a better person than fans of other teams that didn't win. When you consider what's really important, those words sound so hollow.

Because they are.

The Utes are playing the Colorado Buffalos at home. They're up. The winner of this particular game will have a 6-6 record and go to a bowl game. The loser will have a record of 5-7 and will not be bowl-eligible. And regardless of the outcome, my life remains the same. I still have to work Monday morning, and doing a show Monday night. 

I want to enjoy sports, not hate them. I want to appreciate the amazing athletes, the skill, the beauty of the game. Next year, I'm not going to invest so much of my time in hype. I'm going to try and avoid the stories, the tweets, and especially the sports radio experts. 

From what I understand, the University of Utah football team is supposed to be better, stronger, faster next year, and they're supposed to vie for that illusive Pac-12 Championship. At least, that's what I've heard.

* Photo used without permission from Fox Sports