John Nieman
I’m pretty certain that Coach Belichick did not read my column last month.
Nonetheless, it would appear that we were at least on the same page.
This season, he has rid himself of a problematic general manager who didn’t seem to understand the college game, let go of an assistant coach son with some personal problems, put the cheerleader-girlfriend on the back burner, acquired an offensive coordinator who may be one of the best minds in college football, developed an understanding of the difference between professional football and college football, and appears to be on the road to regaining control of his legacy. A bowl invitation this season is not out of the question and Tar Heel fans can dream of inclusion in a 24-team college playoff in the near future.
And most surprisingly of all, here we are in November and we are still—at least for my part—focused more on the football team than the basketball team. And in a positive, hopeful, way.
Of course, maybe my positivity stems from the events of this past Tuesday.
In my life, there have been a few momentous national elections. In 1960, as a young practicing Catholic in Atlanta Ga., the election of John Kennedy as president made me think that perhaps government was not an institutionally-biased monolith, but something really of the people. The president’s assassination 3 years later put a damper on that belief.
In 2008, the election of Barack Obama as President gave me real hope in the people of this country—that we all believed that this was a country based on the principles of the Constitution. There was hope in our country and in our institutions. Subsequent elections were profoundly disappointing. Those elections gave us a president who believed in an authoritative governance, a congress that ceded enormous power to the president and a Supreme Court that put a stamp on it.
Last Tuesday, the people of our country finally said, “Enough.”
And so I approach my view of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill football team with a positive attitude and real hope that a man the same age as me can regain the honor and respect that his life should give. It is not lost on me that Coach Belichick is a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame and I sincerely hope that he achieves that deserved milestone. And, if he’s got it in him, perhaps the College Football Hall of Fame?
This election has really made me giddy.
I would love to be able to extend that hope to the world soccer governing body, FIFA. Unfortunately, it appears that Gianni Infantino will be reelected to head the group. This is a man who has governed FIFA in much the same authoritarian manner as has been our country. I would love for the soccer federations of the world to take notice of what has happened and, hopefully will happen, here in the United States and say, “Enough.”
Infantino attempted to unilaterally and without any checks on his power, sell a portion of the World Cup. This alone should be enough to deny him another term. And please don’t get me started on the FIFA Peace Prize. I can only hope that some sense of sanity can prevail.
Back to more happier, positive thoughts. Grandson Burke led the Smith Middle School Cross Country team to the championship this past week. He was the highest finisher on a strong team and it was an incredibly proud moment for all of us to witness. One of the friends of our family noted that he has strong genes. When it comes to cross country, none of them came from me. Well done, Burke.
I’ve been riding in space for parts of five and I don’t think that I’ve ever reached a point where I could say I don’t have much weight to lose. Incredibly, Martha has asked me to remain at the same weight. The last time she said anything like that was shortly after our engagement in 1987. These are the good old days!
Fat Boy Index: 228.