Time for a cool change
Dateline: When tomorrow comes
With change, comes sadness.
With change, comes happiness.
With change, comes growth.
Comes life.
I’m sad.
I’m happy.
Still growing.
And,
I’m still alive.
And,
writing.
there’s lots of those friendly people
Sad.
17 years and 5 days ago I joined a family.
The family ESPN.
ESPN is and will always be my second family, been there for the birth of children, the death of children, the marriage of friends, the divorce of friends.
The battles.
The hugs.
The wins.
The losses.
Tears of fear.
Tears of cheer.
That family doesn’t go away with the sale of B.A.S.S., the job does.
In my blood there will always be the beat of ESPN. And I thank them for that, and all that they have given me, and all that I have taken from them.
But.
Change.
Comes.
Now.
On this.
Day 1.
Of the rest of days.
“showin me ways to go..”
Happy.
I believe, in Karma.
I believe, we, are the test case for the universe.
I believe, the currency of us, is love.
It’s not about the money.
It’s not about the glory.
It’s not about winning or losing.
It’s about.
Love.
And what it is we do with it.
Love.
The currency of us humans.
And that’s why I’m happy for B.A.S.S, happy.
But that’s why I’m freakin’ ecstatic for the FANS of B.A.S.S.
Because dudes, and dudettes, FANS just got the keys to your sport. Now I’m sure Jerry McKinnis and his group isn’t going to be painting their faces the color of the BASS logo anytime soon”¦pretty sure.
Imagine, Richard Petty buying NASCAR.
Imagine, Derek Jeter buying the Yankees.
Imagine, John Elway buying the NFL.
Imagine, ME buying Krispy Kreme.
I don’t know the other two dudes involved in the purchase, but I know Jerry, and I know personally of his love for this sport.
The key word there being, Love.
Jerry is a businessman with a very cool demeanor, but trust me, right now, inside that man beats the excitement of a dude who just found his old Mickey Mantle Rookie card up in the attic.
His feet are tapping, his toes are tapping, there is a permanent grin, the joy of a man who just caught his rainbow.
The smile that comes to one when the dream jar opens, and you are holding it.
“and I never want to”
Every story you read will be about the sale of BASS and of the people who bought it.
And those stories, will be wrong.
For just because you have written the check, doesn’t mean you own the sport.
No one does.
Own the sport.
The sport, all sports, every sport, owes its existence to only one thing.
Love.
Love of the game.
And probably the most important part of that”¦the love of passing it on.
This game, of ours.
This game, of yours.
My father loved football, and even though he is gone, his love for the game, and me, is still with me every play, every down, this game of ours.
This love of the game, which brings with it the fuel of the universe.
Passion.
For love to survive, you need passion.
For us to survive, you need passion.
For this sport to survive, you need passion.
And folks, you just got that.
While they wrote the check, I wish them,
to be good stewards of the game,
so they can someday pass it on,
with passion,
with love.
lose your inspiration
I have fallen.
In love.
In love, with people I didn’t know.
In love, with a sport I never heard of.
And once again, have become family.
With the anglers.
With the families of the anglers.
And with the fans.
You.
I have fallen.
In love.
In love, with the passion of the anglers.
In love, with the passion and support of the families of the anglers.
This is, Day 1.
Of the rest of days.
Where love lives.
Where passion lives.
Where we all hold the jar.
With, the dreams within.
“I know that it’s time for a cool change”
Cool Change
Little River Band
