Mark’s Musings – January 17, 2018

Mark Fortune

Did you get what you wished for? No, I am not referring to your Christmas list or your New Year’s resolutions. We have covered those topics already and are now halfway through the first month of the year. I am making a reference to the blast of old fashioned winter that has swept through Coshocton County like a flock of elves putting together a last minute toy on Christmas Eve.

We know that some of you enjoy these little bouts of winter nastiness – probably from your warm bungalow in Florida. You get to watch The Weather Channel from afar and grin with a knowing smile that you don’t have to get out the shovel, boots, gloves, mittens, scarves or any of the other garb that we who are left here in Coshocton need to don just to head to work or school or any of the other dozens of locations that we think we need to get to on a snowy day.

Who knows, maybe it’s to stock up on water, food supplies for human and animal or, of course, some sweets. Everyone knows that you need a generous supply of bagels, donuts, muffins or pastries to get through a weekend of winter weather. Then toss in some quality NFL football games for good measure. This past weekend certainly had those depending on your favorite team. A tough loss for the Steelers.

The highlight reel as everyone that follows football knows – and probably lots of folks that don’t – was the New Orleans Saints versus the Minnesota Vikings. It seemed almost certain in the first half that the Vikings were going to plunder the Saints like the Vikings of old and send them to Valhalla. But never count Drew Brees out and he lived up to the hype of a six foot quarterback that was told back in the day that he could not be successful in the NFL due to his height. He has proven them wrong time and time again.

But enter the fourth quarter, lots of lead changes and a superb last gasp pass in the closing seconds of the game that turned into the most unlikely touchdown pass – perhaps – ever. Most certainly in a playoff game. If you missed it, you can catch it on the highlight reels for the rest of your life. They say that timing is everything and this catch and resulting victory for the Vikings sure sums that up.

This weekend’s championship game picks – Eagles and Patriots. An east coast Super Bowl held in Minnesota. The Vikings, if they pull off the upset, would be the first of eight possible teams that would have played a home Super Bowl. The other seven all lost in the divisional round.

So now we’re faced with another round of bitter cold temperatures heading into the third week of January with lots of winter yet to come. But every day is another day closer to spring. Take that groundhog. You can’t stop the inevitable march toward that date on the calendar when we at least know – regardless of what’s on the ground or the degree of temperature – that warmer days are indeed, headed our way.

Category: Mark's Musings, Opinion