thoughtnot

Today, I am both saddened and elated by death. Of course, by definition, I’m simply referring to death as an ending. There really is no true comparison between the two events of which I’m writing.

The first is that my great-uncle, Lloyd Abraham Mannix, was buried today. He was my grandmother’s brother, and he passed away Sunday at age 89. His name was a combination of those of my forefathers. His middle name came from Abraham Lincoln Crum, who was my great-great-grandfather on my grandmother’s side. His first and last names were given by his father (my great-grandfather), James LLoyd Mannix.

To be honest, I knew him all my life, but not well. He was the one who taught me (as a child of only 8-10 years) how to drive a truck. God should bless the man alone for being the first to be brave enough to get behind the wheel with me. To be honest, I nearly drove us through a fence that day and he’s lucky he didn’t die back then! )

I recall that I was always excited by his visits to the farm, mostly likely because he let me get away with stuff (like driving) that I probably otherwise had no business doing. However, as an adult I didn’t know him well. Years and distance seperated us, though he came to live in a local retirement home in his last years. After my grandmother passed away in ‘98, I saw him very little. He really no longer recognized me, partly because of the years and partly because his eyesight had failed.

I didn’t make the funeral today… I had to work. I did attend the visitation yesterday. There were people, but so few. Mostly family and old buddies from the Colgate plant, where he worked the majority of his adult life. Both of his wives (first and second) preceeded him in death, as did his two sisters. Of his two remaining brothers, one was too far away to make it in time. One child was estranged. No pictures were up. It was a sad and somewhat lonely event.

RIP Uncle Lloyd, you will always hold a special place in my memory.

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As sad as that event was, another has made me quite happy… NO HOCKEY THIS YEAR!! The NHL owners and players failed to agree, and the season has been cancelled. Seriously, it’s a waste of money and time. So few people really care about hockey, it will be amazing if it ever recovers. The players want more money, while their fan base has dwindled. It’s about time some owners of some professional sport stood up and said “enough is enough, and you want too much to play a sport”.

ESPN has even admitted their ratings are better for low-tier college basketball games being aired this year over ratings for prime-time hockey last year in the same time slots. If NHL hockey DOES come back next year, I hope they find a way to get around the player’s union and have open tryouts. Anyone who is good enough and wants to make a couple hundred grand a year playing hockey should be welcomed to try out. Let the toothless millionaires sit at home and cry. Or let them find a job in the real world making even half that.

I’m sure there are 1000 canucks that would argue how a 2-hour game of guys skating back and forth slapping a puck and scoring 3 times is exciting, but I’ll never be sold.