Back in the Saddle...

I wrote this about a month ago, but waited to post it until now. It will be the last of the old style posts for awhile. Look for the "The Sports Wise Guy" daily quick hits with what's happening in sports.


Yes! I'm Back in the Saddle.

Here I am in this great state of “Longhorns.” No! Not Texas, but Longhorns. In this State of Longhorns, there are, of course, Longhorns, and they seem to be everywhere: Stores, restaurants, hospitals, schools, parks, and just about anywhere you can image -- but I can’t seem to find a single one. I drove through half the State of Texas (9 hours) -- or should I say Longhorns -- and have lived here for about two weeks and have yet to see such a creature. I was told that they are partial to the color burnt orange.

Burnt Orange? Really? Does such a color exist? I pulled out my son's box of Crayola Crayons. This is the mega box which holds 128 of the most popular colors. There is a red/orange, yellow/orange, and even a shade that looked purple/orange, but not one labeled burnt orange. So here I am looking for an animal that doesn’t seem to exist, and is attracted to a color that hasn’t been invented.

I gave up, knowing there are things in life that can’t be explained. Then over the weekend I pulled up to some baseball fields where my boys were going to play in a tournament, and there was this very old man. If anyone would know where I could find a Longhorn, this would be the guy. He pointed to an area of about 100 people and said, ”there they are! Look over there!" I turned and saw another 50 people. He said, "More Longhorns!" Having been from California and remembering what Lou Gossett, Jr., said in “An Officer and a Gentleman" about only two things coming out of Texas ... ahhh, forget it! He smiled and told me that some day I might be a Longhorn. I winked and said, "That can’t happen because I am a Bear. Not just any Bear, but a California Golden Bear." I walked my boys to their new teams and they were given orangish/brown uniform shirts -- burnt orange, to be exact. Then the coaches smiled and said to my boys, "You're now Longhorns!" I turned back to look at the old man. He winked back, and left.

If you happen to be from Texas ... "Hook 'em Horns!” For the rest of us, “Go Bears!”

Wise Guy

PS ... Go Aggies!!!