Home Opinion Mine Creek Revelations by Louie Graves: One and the Same

Mine Creek Revelations by Louie Graves: One and the Same

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SOME THINGS CHANGE. A few decades ago, when Dierks and Murfreesboro had their annual dust-up in football, the game frequently meant a district championship. There have been many fabulous games, and some notable upsets, in the series.

But this year neither team has won a game. I’m sorry — I have to write that again just to let it sink in. I’m not trying to embarrass anyone.

To someone who has kept up with the Outlaws and Rattlers for a long time the combined record is just unbelievable.

I’m sure it will be a fabulous game again this year. The coaches are coaching hard, and I expect that the kids will play their hearts out. The ignominy for the loser is that they will be in sole possession of the district cellar. And they will be forever reminded of their O-For season.

But if you’re a fan, cheer up. Things change. Blink your eyes forward a season or two and the Rattlers and Outlaws might again be playing for a district title. I’m hoping.

Congrats to their common district rival — the Mineral Springs Hornets — who have improved each week and last week not only won a game, they posted a shutout.

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SOME THINGS DON’T CHANGE. Before you get all excited about the Razorbacks’ comeback win at Ole Miss, last Saturday, let me let the air out of your balloon gently.

First of all, the real Razorback team is the one that fell behind 31-7 before halftime. Don’t expect comebacks like that when the opponent is LSU or Mississippi State. Ole Miss was reeling from sanctions, their coaching scandal, playing for an interim coach, injuries to key players, etc.

Did you notice all of the empty seats in the stadium at Oxford, Saturday?

Admittedly, I am the Number 1 Fair Weather Fan of the Hogs, and I have finally learned to temper my enthusiasm. I fully expect us to lose big to both LSU and Mississippi State. We will probably beat Coastal Carolina — starts with a ‘C’ and so does Cupcake.

The game with Coastal Carolina is so unappealing, the network has announced it will only be shown in black-and-white. If things get bad at halftime, they may even cut out sound. That Dr Pepper guy has already announced he’ll miss the game.

Then, in the season finale, we could very easily lose to Missouri, just like we did in 2016, flat out one of the most unacceptable losses in the history of Hog football.

We won’t be bowling, and it’s just as well because I hate to be embarrassed on television.

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A NEAT HISTORY connection is coming at the Nashville City Park. Parks and Recreation Director Mark Dale is working on a special tree project — planting a tree as part of a WWI memorial. The tree will be planted in soil transported from the Meuse-Argonne Cemetery in France, site of the final fighting of that horrible war. The battle lasted 100 days, and thousands of Americans died.

More details later as Mark organizes the tree-planting. He says that the Department of Arkansas Heritage is trying to get WWI Memorial trees planted in all 75 Arkansas counties.

I remember Howard County’s last living WWI veteran, a fine gent named Homer Northum. Lived north of town near Lake Nichols.

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BET YA CAN’T eat just one! I’m not talking about potato chips. Juanita’s peanut brittle. It’s entirely possible that I could crunch a whole 3-lb. pail of the stuff on the ride home between her candy kitchen in Arkadelphia and my driveway.

Not that I have actually done such a thing. However, in all honesty, I have seriously considered it.

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AREN’T YOU GLAD we’ve got Howard Memorial Hospital? One of my friends had heart surgery. Because he could do his specialized physical therapy here he was spared daily, long out-of-town trips to complete his recovery.

Tell your congressman and senators that you want them to protect Arkansas’s rural hospitals.

Your life might depend upon it.

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THINGS I LEARNED from opening email:  The name Wendy was made up for the book Peter Pan. There was never a recorded Wendy before.

I only know one Wendy, and sometimes I think that SHE is also made up.

I know a Windy, too.

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WORD GAMES. The Twins: One and the Same.

Some people would argue that there’s actually only One.

They (or It) are (is) closely related to One or The Other.

If  you think about it, One or The Other is not one and the same as One and the Same.

I’ll quit now while just barely behind.

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HE SAID: “It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.” Aristotle, Greek philosopher

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SHE SAID: “There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.” Edith Wharton, first woman to win a Pulitzer Prize for writing

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SWEET DREAMS, Baby

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