* North Coast Revival
Many people who live in Newport Beach and the OC have moved here from Cleveland. Since their golden age in 1948 when the Indians won the AL Pennant and World Series, the city has been the butt of late-night comedians and the news media. The truth is that the entire Cuyahoga River didn’t burn down. But wait, up in the sky, the best player in basketball zooms home to try to bring Cleveland its first professional sports trophy in 50 years. I may have to move back to University Heights that I left in 1966 due to the Viet Nam war. Down and way out a few months ago, the city can now boast of the following happenings in 2014: The third and 23rd first round NFL draft picks, which included a smooth steal of QB Johnny (Football) Manziel as the 23rd pick; a movie opened titled “Draft Day” which has an uncanny resemblance to the 2014 NFL draft that soon followed; the number one pick in the NBA draft as the result of literally winning the lottery; an excellent new head basketball coach, David Blatt, who was Russia’s head coach; wanting to go home NBA star, LeBron James, picks Cleveland over Miami; chosen to be the site of the GOP National Convention in 2015; opened many new high end restaurants on the river that no longer burns; gambling established in the renovated downtown area. The politicians should love to gamble after all they have been gambling with our money and future for years. So with a surge of good luck in Cleveland town some of us natives may elect to go home again.
* Angels Rising
As of this writing the LA Angels have the second best record (57-37 and 1.5 games behind Oakland) in all of baseball including all 30 teams and 6 divisions. Now that they have spirited coaches like Dino Ebel and Don Baylor in the dugout, team morale has escalated to new highs and is more like a celebration and not like the funerals from seasons past.
* Who’s Telling the Truth?
The cover of a current natural health magazine shows a photo of a lovely young lady, a TV star, who is married to a handsome hunk of muscle. The story header is, “Her secrets for inner peace, a strong marriage & a hot body.” The next day I happened to see a picture of the same lady on the cover of a current national tabloid with the tease being something like “So and so is worried about her husband running around and having multiple affairs.” News changes quickly in the Peyton Places of Newport Beach and Hollywood.
* Never Heard Of Them
Last week my daughter, son-in-law (Ron), granddaughter Brooke (5), and grandson Eli (3), were driving home in Manhattan. For some unexplained reason Ron decided, perhaps somewhat prematurely, to discuss the issue of drugs. Brooke told him she had no idea what he was talking about. When my daughter asked Eli what he would do if someone offered him drugs he replied, “I would say no. But none of my friends are using drugs!”
