an outside view

“Parting is such sweet sorrow.” I’ve been writing this column for six and a half years and this is the first time I’ve quoted William Shakespeare. I’m more prone to quote the great Yogi Berra than I am some old dead guy from England.

The problem is Yogi didn’t say anything profound that fits the occasion and old Willie’s words seemed to sum it best as I sat down to write this – the final installment of “An Outside View.” Well, “final” seems so…uh…final.  Maybe I should say as I sat down to write what could be the final or what probably is the final installment. Why does this feel like a Brett Favre moment only without millions of dollars on the table?   

Regardless of the words I choose, I’m putting “An Outside View” on the shelf. My first column appeared in the very first issue of The Herald back in January of 2002.  For the next 340 consecutive weeks or so, I tried to come up with stories to entertain you or make you think. Some were pretty darn good if I must say so myself.  Others seemed more like the ramblings of a crazed lunatic. 

Since this is goodbye, I guess I can start with a few apologies. First, I want to tell the publisher of the paper, Joe Karl, that I’m deeply sorry. There were a few advertisers who dropped their ads and some readers who canceled their subscriptions because of some things I said. I’m sorry these readers didn’t have a sense of humor and took way too seriously what I had to say.

And there were a number of unflattering comments about Phil Fulmer’s ongoing battle with the mid-drift bulge. In fact, I did an entire column about his visit to a Shoney’s breakfast bar. I’m sorry Subway didn’t go to old Phil instead of Jared. Then again, fit and trim football coaches aren’t as funny. 

Many of my columns made light of happenings within the University of Tennessee athletic department. It may come as a real surprise to some of you but UT is my alma mater and I bleed orange. But I’m sorry that MY school provided so much fodder for my columns. It was either laugh or cry.

That’s enough with the apologies if you can really call those apologies. My wife will tell you that’s about as good as it gets for me in that department.

Over the last six and a half years I’ve used this column as a way to share with you what was going on in my life. There were the sad times like when my friend from childhood died from cancer or when a young Seymour athlete was killed in a car accident. I also shared with you when my father passed away last year. Talking to you was better than lying on a couch in some shrink’s office and a lot better on my pocketbook. There were also happy times when I’d write while on vacation from someplace around the world and talk about sports from a different perspective. You even had to read the story of how my dog ran away only to be rescued by former Seymour Eagle and NFL football hero Scott Galyon.

But all good things must come to an end. Writing isn’t the way I make my living which probably goes without saying. I have another career that pays the bills and the demands in my real job have gotten to where I can’t devote the time I need to writing. Although it may not be obvious, I have set high standards for “An Outside View” and feel I can no longer meet those so it’s time to take a break.

And old William Shakespeare had it right. Parting is such sweet sorrow. I’m sad that I won’t be part of The Herald family and won’t have the opportunity to share my thoughts with you. But the memories are oh so sweet.  I sincerely thank publisher Joe Karl for giving me the opportunity and sports editor Chris Silcox for giving me so much freedom to say what I wanted to say even though at times I know that had to be hard.  But most of all, I thank you the readers for allowing me to be part of your lives once a week. So until I come crawling back begging Joe to let me have my spot back on the left side of the front page of the sports section, I bid you farewell.