O.K. already, I am well aware the original agreement was to concentrate on high school sports, and I shall – regular readers must remember I am first and foremost a football guy, hence the River City Rage coverage. Things have been somewhat hectic around the McMurran household lately with National Lampoon’s Family Spring vacation (3 adults and 3 children in a van for over 900 miles can wear on a person) but are slowly returning to normal. This spring we will be covering baseball, girls’ soccer, boys’ volleyball as well as both boys’ and girls’ track. Next week, I promise there will be more high school stuff.
On a more serious note, while returning from the Texas Gulf Coast we managed to tune in to KMOX to hear the bulletin announcing the death of Pope John Paul II. Now I can hear many of you already saying, “What does the Pope’s death have to do with sports?” Valid point. The answer is nothing; no matter how hard I try and put a spin on it I cannot think of a way to make it sound like it belongs in the Sports section. At the same time, this is my column, and Phyllis and Tony have pretty much given me the liberty to write about whatever I wish, so if this makes Friday’s edition you know they approved it. But I digress, back to the Pope.
In 1999 my lovely wife Lynn and I attended the Mass celebrated by John Paul at what was then called the TWA Dome. Those who know me at all know I have never, and very likely will never be confused with a pious type person. It took some personal reflection and examination to try and understand why I even attended the Mass – then it struck me – I am an event freak; I like big events, pomp and circumstance, the bigger the better. Believe me, that unusually warm winter’s day back in January 1999 was an event – clearly one of the biggest Saint Louis has ever hosted in my lifetime. But I digress, back to the Pope.
The day began at 2 a.m. at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton’s parking lot where we were given directions to proceed to Harrah’s Casino in Maryland Heights. After standing in line for over two hours we finally boarded a motor coach which took us to the Dome. I think we arrived downtown about 7 or so. The sea of humanity heading to the Dome was unlike anything I have ever seen in St. Louis. Keep in mind please that I attend all Rams home games, and have attended more than a handful of post-season baseball games – nothing prepared me for the crowd. Another couple of hours were spent waiting in line to get in the Dome, and then an hour or so before the Mass started. For event freaks like myself the Mass was full of pomp and circumstance and pageantry – I got my monies worth. Another wait to leave the Dome, back on the motor coach, I think it was maybe 4 p.m. or so as we passed the airport on our way back to Harrah’s, when one of the most special conversations ever between my lovely wife Lynn and I occurred. “Do you know which part of the homily stands out most in my mind?” rhetorically asked Lynn, rhetorically mind you. I thought for a moment or two and responded “yes.” It was a rhetorical question she informed me, a question asked only for effect, not for information. But I knew the answer, and anyone who knows me at all knows when I have the correct answer it is hard for me to keep my mouth shut (I am getting better though). “O.K. hotshot,” she used my favorite term of endearment, “out of all those thousands of words the Pope uttered, which ones impressed me the most?” I meekly, yet confidently responded, “As the family goes, so goes the nation!” I think she was shocked, but didn’t act as though. At that moment the two of us bonded in a, well, in a mysterical…yes, a spiritual way. We were both at a loss of words – and it is not an example of literary hyperbole to say my wife and I are NEVER, NEVER at a loss of words.
Anyway, I just thought I would share that story with you. Next week more high school sports, and in this column more sports’ commentary.
