The Daily Dose/January 28, 2020
By Gaylon Kent
America’s Funniest Guy
Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience…
EVERYONE HAS THEIR 15 MINUTES: We hadn’t heard of Morris Berger, a football coach at Grand Valley State in Michigan, until Monday, either. Berger had been recently hired as the offensive coordinator there and he did the obligatory interview with the college newspaper. One of the questions was who were three people he would like to invite to dinner and one of his answers was Adolf Hitler. Berger is currently suspended from his job.
Here were his comments:
This is probably not going to get a good review, but I am going to say Adolf Hitler. It was obviously very sad and he had bad motives, but the way he was able to lead was second-to-none. How he rallied a group and a following, I want to know how he did that. Bad intentions of course, but you can’t deny he wasn’t a great leader.
Fly In The Ointment: Hitler was not a great leader, in any context but especially in the context we like to think of: inspirational people who bring out the best in us. Hitler was a dictator, moved by the hatreds, passions and selfishness that have moved dictators since time immemorial. Also, he’d probably make a lousy dinner guest because he would probably hog the conversation.
Fly In The Ointment: Not that Hitler didn’t offer some lessons in achieving goals, even if they were evil. In fact, Hitler exhibited four traits common to those who get what they want out of life: he knew what he wanted, he made getting it the prime, almost sole, focus of his life, he came back strong from defeat and he genuinely believed what he wanted was there for the taking; he merely had to go out and put the work in to get it. These are the foundations of accomplishment and you yourself may have exhibited them from time to time, too.
Get Your Official Daily Dose Policy Right Here: It would be nice if we lived in a society where Berger could have said what’s on his mind without sanction. It also would have been nice if Berger, holder of two college degrees, had been smart enough to not say he would invite Hitler over for dinner. Best of all, it would have been best if one of the shells that barely missed Hitler in World War I had found its mark.
But that’s not the way it is: we live in a society that demands towing the line now (something Hitler himself demanded). And Berger didn’t have the brains to say he would like to have Walter Cronkite or Mr Rogers to dinner and Hitler had extraordinary luck in foxholes.
Vital Social Commentary: And we are the lesser for all three.
Today At The Site
Editor’s Note: it’s Read Free Fortnight at The Diary of a Nobody. So go, scoot, click on the link and enjoy the Diary with Sparrow’s compliments.
The Diary of a Nobody: Sparrow has a great weight session. Today’s Diary.
It was a strong session, tho…The upped weights from last time were achieved – 90 lbs on the cable shoulder press and 37.5 lbs on each side of the bicep z-bar curl – and I even upped the final set on squats to 45 lbs…Now, I just started squatting again so upping weights often is common, but it’s still pleasing…And 45 lbs was a challenge, tho I got it moved ten times…This isn’t an awful lot of weight, honestly, and there will be a time when 45 lbs is my starter weight.
Click here to get in on the laffs: Sparrow, The Bottom Ten, the funniest books you’ve ever read. We offer 4Ever and Ever access, or cheapskates can purchase books and columns individually.
On This Date
Great moments in us.
In 1547 – Henry VIII, King of England since 1509, dies at the Palace of Whitehall in central London, then the main residence of the English monarch. Henry was 55 and probably died from complications from his severe obesity. Henry VIII remains one of the most famous of monarchs, known for many things including seven wives, the breaking of the Church of England from Rome and the rise of the Royal Navy. He was succeeded by his son Edward VI, son of Henry and his third wife Jane Seymour.
In 1918 – Joe Malone of the Montreal Canadiens extends his NHL record for most consecutive games scoring a goal to eleven in a 5-1 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Malone’s streak had started in the NHL’s inaugural game on Dec 19, so he had no record to break. Malone would eventually score in 14 consecutive games and the record is now 16, done by Punch Broadbent of the Ottawa Senators in the 1921-22 season. Malone finished the season with 44 goals, a record that stood until Maurice Richard scored 50 goals in 1944-45.
In 1984 – Crystal Gayle is at #1 on Billboard’s country chart – then known as the Hot Country Singles chart – for the only week with The Sound of Goodbye. It was the 13th of 17 #1 country songs for Gayle and her fourth consecutive #1 song and the song also peaked at #84 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and at #10 on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart. Gayle is the younger sister of fellow country singer Loretta Lynn.
Quotebook
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.
…here again the artist has caught the main point-that his creations must move and live. – Will Durant, The Story of Civilization, Vol I: Our Oriental Heritage
Answer To The Last Trivia Question
It’s not who you know, but what you know.
Natalie Cole broke Aretha Franklin’s streak of eight consecutive Grammy Awards for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, winning in 1976 for This Will Be.
Today’s Stumper
Cheaper than Trivia Night at the bar.
How many songs spent more than one week at #1 on Billboard’s country chart in 1984? – Answer next time!
