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COLUMBUS – The friendly TSA agent wishes me good morning, flashes a smile and then drops the dagger as I proceed through the security line at the Detroit airport.
“Any artificial body parts? Hips, knees?” he asks.
Say what?!?!
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Sure, I realize it’s just after 7 a.m. and, following just a few hours of very restless sleep because of the energy that comes with covering an exciting nighttime hockey game on the road, combined with an early morning alarm and flight, I may not be functioning at an elite level just yet.
I’m not a morning person on the best of days, to be clear.
But I’d like to think I present as the original version of myself, rather than a bionic being who might make his security scanner start sounding like a Vegas slot machine.
“No, not yet,” I reply as I walk through, making sure my stride looks as powerful as possible.
Combined with the fact I recently was given a senior’s discount at a U.S. restaurant, I’m starting to think the universe is trying to tell me something.
To be clear, aging is truly a blessing, not a curse. Not everyone gets that opportunity, of course. And I’m trying to embrace, as much as possible, that I’ll be turning 50 in exactly 78 days.
I still FEEL young at heart, at least most days, although my knee does occasionally make a strange sound if I move it too quickly. I’m sure it’s nothing.
Sigh.
So how’s your day going, folks?
Let’s go around the horn this week with some quick, sleep-deprived thoughts that I’m putting together on the hour-long plane ride into Columbus this morning:
⚾ What does it say about our society that the two knuckleheads who got kicked out of Yankee Stadium for literally wrestling a ball out of the glove of Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts are seemingly being celebrated, at least in some media circles, as some kind of heroes?
I saw an ESPN reporter, for example, presenting them as these rather lovable figures. They are anything but. Forget 15 minutes of fame — they shouldn’t get a single second, in my opinion.
🏆 I had no rooting interest in the World Series, but I was happy to see Freddie Freeman and Teoscar Hernandez win it all. Freeman seems like a genuinely good human, and he’s pretty easy to cheer for. And what a monster performance he had. As for Hernandez, he never should have been traded by my beloved Toronto Blue Jays. They botched that big-time.
🌬️ Here’s a theory about that incredible gust of wind that helped the Winnipeg Blew, er, Blue Bombers capture top spot in their division and a bye straight to the West Final: Maybe it came from all those blasted air horns the fans in Montreal can’t seem to get enough of.
🎤 Pet peeve: When fellow journalists fail to come up with a question but resort to saying either “talk about (insert subject here)” or simply make a statement and then stand there waiting for some kind of response.
I’ll be the first to admit I’ve likely asked plenty of dumb questions over the year, but I try to always make sure whatever I’m saying is, in fact, phrased as a question. Or, at the very least, part of a natural conversation. That tends to elicit much better replies than simply turning it over to the interviewee and hoping for them to say something of substance.
🏒 I never would have predicted two of the most interesting Jets-related interviews I’d do so far this year involved an experimental physicist and a psychologist. But that’s been the case for a couple features I’ve recently put together: one looking at the science behind Colin Miller’s big shot, and the other on the fact the majority of NHL players are still refusing to don neck guards in the wake of Adam Johnson’s tragic on-ice death a year ago.
🏟️ Little Caesars Arena in Detroit is one of the best in the league, and I would suggest adding it to your sporting bucket list if you’ve never been. It’s a perfect mix of the past and the present, with history mixed in with state-of-the-art amenities.
A stroll around the massive concourse reveals numerous statues and portraits of former Red Wings stars and serves up a reminder of just how accomplished this franchise is.
Then you go inside the Detroit dressing room — the best in the NHL — and really take a trip down memory lane. Above the stall of every current player is a framed picture of an ex-Red Wings skater, and it’s a real who’s who of some of the biggest names in the sport.
My favourite feature is the five empty stalls set aside for the true greats, complete with nameplates and equipment as if they are truly still there. Ted Lindsay, Terry Sawchuk, Nik Lidstrom, Syd Abel and Gordie Howe all have reserved spots.
That’s such a classy touch.
I’d LOVE to see the Jets do their own version of this and have a spot for Dale Hawerchuk, for example.
🎥 I’ve come to enjoy the TikTok platform, both as a viewer of funny videos — mostly involving dogs — but also as a creator of some myself.
It’s incredible how easy it is to make a fairly polished looking production. I’m up to about a dozen now over the last few months, and they often involve a behind-the-scenes look at life as a Jets beat reporter, specifically when on the road.
If you’re on that platform, find me at @mikemcintyrewpg
🐶 Speaking of dogs, my wife tells me she’s purchased costumes for our two furry family members, Bodie and Piper, which they will be sporting later today for their daily walk through the neighbourhood. I will share pictures in this space next week.
That’s a wrap for this week. Happy Halloween, folks.
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