Whatever happened to Supporting Your Whole Team no Matter What?

SissyBoyFloyd

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Maybe I am feeling old and sentimental tonight and maybe I am wrong, but didn't long ago fans supported their whole team year after year. By whole team I mean the coach, players, front office, everyone. I don't remember much anymore, but one thing I certainly don't remember from the '50s, 60's, 70's is fans calling for new coaches, qbs, gms, etc every couple years.

We seemed to get behind our teams of old fully and all the way. Maybe I was just lucky to be a fan of teams that did well enough that coaches stayed with a team for a decade (s). Even during the bad years, I just don't remember fans regularly wanting a new coach to solve their immediate problems. And I never remember the GM ever being in the discussion. Guess I wasn't very sophisticated back then.

Maybe it was just a different time before we all became so impatient and began to want everything immediately, showing no loyalty to anything that doesn't give us instant satisfaction. Having so many choices and it being so easy to go from one thing to another seems just as much a part of our sports.

Do 20, 30, 40 year olds still like to sit down and watch a whole movie anymore, or do most just watch you-tube, tiktok, & twitter, where things are in 15 second to 15 minute snippets. I sometimes wonder if younger generations ever experience the joy of shutting down to listen to a great musical album as the artist intended. Or do they just have individual unrelated songs downloaded from the internet playing while they multitask.

Not to judge, maybe brains are just wired differently today do to all the tech changes in society. Maybe it is all about speed and multi-tasking now. Have our brains evolved to where we now can actually appreciate things just as much in micro-time? Get us a new coach and new players this year. We will like them and root for them just the same as the old ones. Put them in our team's uniform and we won't know the difference, as far as our loyalty is concerned.

Or is it statistics and the ability to instantly analyze everything to the nth degree that have changed things? A qb with this rating or stat is not as good as that guy so get rid of him, cut or trade him. Same with each position and player. Without the stats would we be as quick to judge and quick to want change? I remember my 60s & 70s favorite team, the Rams, and their QB, Roman Gabriel. I knew he wasn't heralded as one of the best at the time, but I wouldn't had wanted anyone else to be the Rams QB. He was a Ram, and that is all I knew or wanted to know.

Let's take baseball for an example for a moment. You have a player that hits .300 compared to one who hits .240 or .250. Looking at stats, that is a huge difference, even to the degree of HoF material possibly. But as a fan years ago, devoted to all the players on his team, we would have never not wanted our guy, no matter which one he was. Why, maybe because over 6 games that week, we wouldn't have even noticed, without the stats, that one player got 6 hits in his 20 at bats and our guy only got 5 hits out of his 20.

I remember in high school how much we appreciated the new Beatles' album, or the Byrds, Beachboys, etc. And how we would many nights just sit playing one or another, appreciating, analyzing, and discussing each song on the album. (Of course getting stoned while we did it surely didn't hurt in that appreciation.) I am not blessed with grand-kids, so don't know. Can kids today sit quietly appreciating their musical artists for hours at a time as we used to? I find it hard to imagine seeing what little I do of them today.

I have watched some you-tube influencers listening to one track of an old artist like the Beatles, Righteous Brothers, or the like, and their astonishment of what they are hearing being so good. That is nice to know that all the past is not lost to them.

But I regress. Getting back to football, is the love of the team, simply a thing of the past? And I am not talking about just the Cardinals. Is it all just win now, ship him out, get someone better, he is a bust after 2 or 3 years, so good-bye nice knowing you. Or, is it just that we are one of the teams seemingly destined to never be perceived as very good. Even during winning years it seems just too little and too late. Are we so thirsty for a championship that we have become more transfixed with the image of what winning it all would be like, than the fun and satisfaction we would get from complete support and loyalty to all of our players and coaches as a team, win or lose?

We are the Cardinals, which in football terms is synonymous with bad to mediocre. Still, being Cardinals doesn't feel as whole or satisfying as it could or should be when we support and back only some, instead of all, who wear our colors. They won't and can't all bat .300, so to speak. Some will always be just .250 hitters or below, but aren't they all still our guys, players and coaches. Or is 'our guys' simply a thing of the past now? We seem, way to often, to be engrossed by and to the stats of each player, more than the players themselves.

Maybe technology is to blame. Has the capability of dissecting and analyzing everyone eroded some of our human touch and feeling? Whatever the reason, being a fan today doesn't have the same feel and satisfaction that came with 'family loyalty' that it once had.
 

oaken1

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its the era of instant gratification. the internet ****** it all up. some lame ass from toledo can scream loud on facebook and twitter, and suddenly he is influencing the opinions of fans all over the country,...I want it all, and I want it NOW!!!.... then these other fans look at contracts, whoa boy...if I was being paid 15mil a year you can damn bet I would be putting in 120 percent effort every single play,...no way that 32 year old RB runs my ass over for that kinda money.... then there is the media. what was once a respected source of valuable information has become a mad rush for ratings and clicks to get that almighty dollar.... the actual truth flew out the window years ago....facts dont matter, public perception is based entirely on charisma... whichever network has the most charisma will set public opinion.
I mean, how can you blindly support your team when these arbitrary stats say....and keyshawn said,...and dude, on GMFB they said.....

and Oaken1 just responded to a tweet by Miles Garrett,...who thinks the NFL should have to give players a bitcoin for every ten drug tests they pass....


look at the bright side, most of us wont be around to see the complete collapse.
 

cardpa

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I think it's really the rise of social media that has influenced all this kind of stuff. Now any dumb schmuck can get on social media with a account and start spewing anything. Add to that the amount of information that is being generated and statistics and analytics now being generated and you have a mountain of stuff to wade through. Add in the talking heads which are out there by the thousands filling air time with the most inane things and their opinions you end up with Peyton Place on steroids. Rumors, innuendos, etc. spilling from their mouths just so they can capture an audience.

Social media has replaced the old gossip newspapers like the National Enquirer, The Star, Globe, etc. These were the main means of disseminating the trash information in our days. Now it's Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. and it's now available 24/7 all for free. No more waiting a week to pick up a copy to read, instantaneous right at your fingertips and anything can be published by anybody with no filters and no or little responsibility.

What it has done is exposed the real number of people in this country that are so gullible and easily swayed as well as those who have agendas. As for football, there are just more and more ex-players who do nothing more than express their opinion on shows or podcasts hoping to get a following so they get paid well. I think most of us here would love a job that allows us to put out an opinion and talk crap and get paid well for doing it.
 

Brian in Mesa

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Great thread.

The Internet, tech advances in general, fantasy football, availability of gambling by app, podcasts, newer generations built on instant gratification, sports shows - especially highlight reels each night, etc. have definitely helped to change the landscape of the sporting world.

It used to be - if you wanted to see a game you'd best go to that game in person. Now people sit in front of home theaters, pause live TV, rewind and rewatch plays with their own remote, etc. rather than go to the games live.

We had an extra ticket to the Cards vs. Packers (Warner vs. Rodgers - not even a calendar year removed from our SB appearance) and could not give it away. Eventually found a Minnesota Vikings fan outside the stadium that wanted in to root against the Pack. Nice guy that did not want it for free and gave us $10 and told us to get "something from the snack bar."

I guess this whole thread makes us (my wife and I) more a part of the old school. We put our money where our mouths are and support the team by going to each and every home game - whether the team is playoff caliber or a lottery pick team. When we met in 1993 - instead of going on vacations each year we decided to pony up and get season tickets. Before that I used to go to the games on my own with tickets from friends or scalpers - never missing a home game since the team moved here. There's just something about being at the games, seeing it happen live, feeling the energy of the crowd, people watching, talking to players or ex-players, halftime meet-ups with the ASFN crew dating back to the SDS days, getting a program (which are all digital now), over-paying for a drink and a snack from the concession stand, losing your voice cheering for your team and booing theirs (sometimes booing ours), seeing Madjack's banner hanging proudly, seeing friends we've made at the stadium(s) over the years, etc.

Can we be critical of players, coaches, the GM, the owner, etc? Yes, but at the same time, we are already paid up and ready to go for next season's home schedule. Bring it on.
 

slanidrac16

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The passion on this site is incredible.
I personally have disconnected with the love for any particular player to a certain extent. I’ve been a Cardinal fan for almost 60 years. You have no idea how many times I heard “ Why?” When I told someone I was a Cardinal fan.
We all get pissed at under performing players and we all adore great performances. That’s normal.

But I can say I rely on my eyes to form my opinion on players. For instance, my opinion about Kirk. Many here think we should retain him. I don’t. There are a few who may believe we should keep Green. I hope he has left Arizona already, regardless of stats.
We all have one thing in common. There’s no doubt we love this team. I truly believe media might plant a seed in our minds(on this board) but we come to our conclusions from the thimble full of knowledge we have of this game.
I don’t live in Arizona so I can’t support going to the games. Even if I did I don’t know if I could afford season tickets. However, I have spent thousands of dollars to have the NFL ticket. I haven’t missed a single game no matter what the season record.
That gives us a right to question personnel, management and ownership. Our investment in a team gives you the right to throw dirt because we are in a way “ shareholders”. That’s why I respect anyones opinion on why we should keep Keim…even though they’re wrong! Lol!
 

Crimson Warrior

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The passion on this site is incredible.
I personally have disconnected with the love for any particular player to a certain extent. I’ve been a Cardinal fan for almost 60 years. You have no idea how many times I heard “ Why?” When I told someone I was a Cardinal fan.
We all get pissed at under performing players and we all adore great performances. That’s normal.

But I can say I rely on my eyes to form my opinion on players. For instance, my opinion about Kirk. Many here think we should retain him. I don’t. There are a few who may believe we should keep Green. I hope he has left Arizona already, regardless of stats.
We all have one thing in common. There’s no doubt we love this team. I truly believe media might plant a seed in our minds(on this board) but we come to our conclusions from the thimble full of knowledge we have of this game.
I don’t live in Arizona so I can’t support going to the games. Even if I did I don’t know if I could afford season tickets. However, I have spent thousands of dollars to have the NFL ticket. I haven’t missed a single game no matter what the season record.
That gives us a right to question personnel, management and ownership. Our investment in a team gives you the right to throw dirt because we are in a way “ shareholders”. That’s why I respect anyones opinion on why we should keep Keim…even though they’re wrong! Lol!

I love, love, love all the information and analysis I get on this site. Don't care for the negative energy from the darksiders, and the way they twist narratives to fit their pessimistic view, but you have to take the good with the bad.

Count down to Ouchie's post huffing and puffing with righteous indignation at my comment above.. 3... 2.. 1... :)
 

slanidrac16

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I love, love, love all the information and analysis I get on this site. Don't care for the negative energy from the darksiders, and the way they twist narratives to fit their pessimistic view, but you have to take the good with the bad.

Count down to Ouchie's post huffing and puffing with righteous indignation at my comment above.. 3... 2.. 1... :)
Well, you just made me smile!
 

Crimson Warrior

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Great thread.

The Internet, tech advances in general, fantasy football, availability of gambling by app, podcasts, newer generations built on instant gratification, sports shows - especially highlight reels each night, etc. have definitely helped to change the landscape of the sporting world.

It used to be - if you wanted to see a game you'd best go to that game in person. Now people sit in front of home theaters, pause live TV, rewind and rewatch plays with their own remote, etc. rather than go to the games live.

We had an extra ticket to the Cards vs. Packers (Warner vs. Rodgers - not even a calendar year removed from our SB appearance) and could not give it away. Eventually found a Minnesota Vikings fan outside the stadium that wanted in to root against the Pack. Nice guy that did not want it for free and gave us $10 and told us to get "something from the snack bar."

I guess this whole thread makes us (my wife and I) more a part of the old school. We put our money where our mouths are and support the team by going to each and every home game - whether the team is playoff caliber or a lottery pick team. When we met in 1993 - instead of going on vacations each year we decided to pony up and get season tickets. Before that I used to go to the games on my own with tickets from friends or scalpers - never missing a home game since the team moved here. There's just something about being at the games, seeing it happen live, feeling the energy of the crowd, people watching, talking to players or ex-players, halftime meet-ups with the ASFN crew dating back to the SDS days, getting a program (which are all digital now), over-paying for a drink and a snack from the concession stand, losing your voice cheering for your team and booing theirs (sometimes booing ours), seeing Madjack's banner hanging proudly, seeing friends we've made at the stadium(s) over the years, etc.

Can we be critical of players, coaches, the GM, the owner, etc? Yes, but at the same time, we are already paid up and ready to go for next season's home schedule. Bring it on.

Hey man, I know we disagree often, but I have tons of respect for you and everyone else who spends their hard earned money supporting the team in person. Thank you thank you thank you! I'm trying to convince the wifey to retire to PHX when the time comes, so I can go to all the home games in person. Hopefully I'll see you then!
 

Ouchie-Z-Clown

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I love, love, love all the information and analysis I get on this site. Don't care for the negative energy from the darksiders, and the way they twist narratives to fit their pessimistic view, but you have to take the good with the bad.

Count down to Ouchie's post huffing and puffing with righteous indignation at my comment above.. 3... 2.. 1... :)
Here’s my huffing and puffing. I love all the Cardinal talk. Even from those so blinded they can’t be realistic. I hate posters who attack other posters as you just did in that post. Pretty simple.
 

Crimson Warrior

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Here’s my huffing and puffing. I love all the Cardinal talk. Even from those so blinded they can’t be realistic. I hate posters who attack other posters as you just did in that post. Pretty simple.

Oh come on Ouchie. I didn't "attack" anybody. Did I call someone a name? Or say they were stupid? Be fair sir, and let's not fight.
 

dscher

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I love, love, love all the information and analysis I get on this site. Don't care for the negative energy from the darksiders, and the way they twist narratives to fit their pessimistic view, but you have to take the good with the bad.

Count down to Ouchie's post huffing and puffing with righteous indignation at my comment above.. 3... 2.. 1... :)
I'm just here for the arguments and fighting....sports are secondary.






:lol:
 

Ouchie-Z-Clown

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Interesting topic. A lot to unpack. So let’s dive in . . .

First, what happened to that era? Nothing. Because it didn’t exist. The idyllic picture you paint is a figment of your nostalgia. The phrase “get rid of that bum!” certainly didn’t originate with today’s generation. That harkens back to a much earlier age. And the word “boo” was certainly created, and used extensively, going back decades, of not centuries. People have always known and recognized a bad product and made themselves vocal about it. I mean, here’s a story of how the Brooklyn Dodgers became known as “Dem Bums” in 1939.


But it became a quaint story. But it wasn’t to that cabbie at that time. But it’s the same thing. Fans are going to be happy or angry depending on the product their given.

and if you really want to say that fans way back when supported their teams, players, coaches, etc without condition how about when black players first came into the league? Right. I don’t even need to go down this path because it not only counters the sentiment, it absolutely obliterates it.

In addition the actual make up of teams were different. The players rarely changed because there wasn’t free agency. So you didn’t have a choice. You got who you got. It made no sense to talk about “what if we could replace so-and-so” because it just wasn’t happening. It didn’t start in baseball until 1976, and even then it wasn’t the free for all it is today. We should all know when it began in the nba as it was Tom Chambers breaking the seal in 1988. It didn’t start in the NFL until plan B in 1989, and even that wasn’t the unfettered free agency we see today that began in 1992. So prior to all that we were stuck with what we had. When players became more mercenary and the names changed so did the level of support for them individually by fans.

And none of that even takes into consideration the proliferation of the press, Social media, internet, more information, more sophisticated consumers, etc. It wasn’t unusual for fans to not even know who the GM was eons ago, but now they are in press conferences, they’re regular interviewed throughout the season, etc. we also know more about what they do, more about the salary cap. Same can be said for coaches and players. We just know more now than at other time in the history of sports. As a result the consumer (and sports are a product) possesses more information about how the ingredients and how the meal is prepared than at earlier ages. And due to social media they have a stage from which to convey their opinion. Going back decades the only stage was at the game, talking to friends, or around the water cooler. So we were all also exposed to fewer opinions and perspectives.
 

Ouchie-Z-Clown

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Oh come on Ouchie. I didn't "attack" anybody. Did I call someone a name? Or say they were stupid? Be fair sir, and let's not fight.
There was literally no reason to call out a segment of posters on the board. It had nothing to do with the original post. I think it’s time you put those of us that ruin your time on the board to put us on ignore or just stop the attacks.
 

MrYeahBut

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@SissyBoyFloyd @oaken1 @cardpa @slanidrac16 @Brian in Mesa

Thanks for those great posts!!

As Sissy said, my friends and I dissected every Stones, Beatles, Dylan song they wrote back in the day... still trying to figure out 'Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds" lol

I don't need to give a litany of my fandom and blind loyalty to the Cards. My granddaughter who's 19 is a rabid Suns fan. She watches every game shown here, texts me during them, keeps up with them on the web and Instagram... she's always sending me stuff about D Book. She was thrilled when I took her to a game at Christmas... btw freaking Ja Morant is a baaad man, Suns lost to Grizzles at the buzzer. Not all young people are instant gratification. She pores over the game stats etc just like we used to read box scores in the newspaper way back when. She can recite from memory players stats, assists-rebounds-ppg etc. She dumped Facebook because of cyber bullying so other than keeping up with some friends and family she's not on social media. There is a younger generation of fans being built out there that may not be obvious to us. btw she loves the Cards too, she's been to about 10 games with me.

As far as criticizing the Cards goes, personally I go from foaming at the mouth at idiots, Kiem, Murray, Bidwill, Joseph, Hicks, Hump etc to thinking these guys have got the team heading upward and it's all good. I used to know every player down to the water boy but I'm too lazy to do that anymore. Totally bummed at the gawd awful playoff game, but I'll get over it. I'm pushing 60 years of supporting these meatheads and I'm ready to win the big one fer crissakes!

.
 

phillycard

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Interesting topic. A lot to unpack. So let’s dive in . . .

First, what happened to that era? Nothing. Because it didn’t exist. The idyllic picture you paint is a figment of your nostalgia. The phrase “get rid of that bum!” certainly didn’t originate with today’s generation. That harkens back to a much earlier age. And the word “boo” was certainly created, and used extensively, going back decades, of not centuries. People have always known and recognized a bad product and made themselves vocal about it. I mean, here’s a story of how the Brooklyn Dodgers became known as “Dem Bums” in 1939.


But it became a quaint story. But it wasn’t to that cabbie at that time. But it’s the same thing. Fans are going to be happy or angry depending on the product their given.

and if you really want to say that fans way back when supported their teams, players, coaches, etc without condition how about when black players first came into the league? Right. I don’t even need to go down this path because it not only counters the sentiment, it absolutely obliterates it.

In addition the actual make up of teams were different. The players rarely changed because there wasn’t free agency. So you didn’t have a choice. You got who you got. It made no sense to talk about “what if we could replace so-and-so” because it just wasn’t happening. It didn’t start in baseball until 1976, and even then it wasn’t the free for all it is today. We should all know when it began in the nba as it was Tom Chambers breaking the seal in 1988. It didn’t start in the NFL until plan B in 1989, and even that wasn’t the unfettered free agency we see today that began in 1992. So prior to all that we were stuck with what we had. When players became more mercenary and the names changed so did the level of support for them individually by fans.

And none of that even takes into consideration the proliferation of the press, Social media, internet, more information, more sophisticated consumers, etc. It wasn’t unusual for fans to not even know who the GM was eons ago, but now they are in press conferences, they’re regular interviewed throughout the season, etc. we also know more about what they do, more about the salary cap. Same can be said for coaches and players. We just know more now than at other time in the history of sports. As a result the consumer (and sports are a product) possesses more information about how the ingredients and how the meal is prepared than at earlier ages. And due to social media they have a stage from which to convey their opinion. Going back decades the only stage was at the game, talking to friends, or around the water cooler. So we were all also exposed to fewer opinions and perspectives.
Ouchie, don't take this the wrong way.....but you can write your a** off. LMAO!!! Jeez dude, you need to get the to a typewriter asap and pen a book.
 

oaken1

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Interesting topic. A lot to unpack. So let’s dive in . . .

First, what happened to that era? Nothing. Because it didn’t exist. The idyllic picture you paint is a figment of your nostalgia. The phrase “get rid of that bum!” certainly didn’t originate with today’s generation. That harkens back to a much earlier age. And the word “boo” was certainly created, and used extensively, going back decades, of not centuries. People have always known and recognized a bad product and made themselves vocal about it. I mean, here’s a story of how the Brooklyn Dodgers became known as “Dem Bums” in 1939.


But it became a quaint story. But it wasn’t to that cabbie at that time. But it’s the same thing. Fans are going to be happy or angry depending on the product their given.

and if you really want to say that fans way back when supported their teams, players, coaches, etc without condition how about when black players first came into the league? Right. I don’t even need to go down this path because it not only counters the sentiment, it absolutely obliterates it.

In addition the actual make up of teams were different. The players rarely changed because there wasn’t free agency. So you didn’t have a choice. You got who you got. It made no sense to talk about “what if we could replace so-and-so” because it just wasn’t happening. It didn’t start in baseball until 1976, and even then it wasn’t the free for all it is today. We should all know when it began in the nba as it was Tom Chambers breaking the seal in 1988. It didn’t start in the NFL until plan B in 1989, and even that wasn’t the unfettered free agency we see today that began in 1992. So prior to all that we were stuck with what we had. When players became more mercenary and the names changed so did the level of support for them individually by fans.

And none of that even takes into consideration the proliferation of the press, Social media, internet, more information, more sophisticated consumers, etc. It wasn’t unusual for fans to not even know who the GM was eons ago, but now they are in press conferences, they’re regular interviewed throughout the season, etc. we also know more about what they do, more about the salary cap. Same can be said for coaches and players. We just know more now than at other time in the history of sports. As a result the consumer (and sports are a product) possesses more information about how the ingredients and how the meal is prepared than at earlier ages. And due to social media they have a stage from which to convey their opinion. Going back decades the only stage was at the game, talking to friends, or around the water cooler. So we were all also exposed to fewer opinions and perspectives.
I wanna say, oh **** you.... but I can't. Ya know I totally forgot about pre free agency when teams owned their guys . FA certainly had a huge impact on fans calling for rapid changes. Seeing teams go worst to first every couple years has an impact as well. Building a winning team isn't so much a process like it used to be....it's an action? Free agency made it so most players don't play their entire career with one team.
 

yagetonemoreyear

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....... snippity-snip
........

What it has done is exposed the real number of people in this country that are so gullible and easily swayed as well as those who have agendas. ..... ....

That, a million times, that.
 
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SissyBoyFloyd

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I wanna say, oh **** you.... but I can't. Ya know I totally forgot about pre free agency when teams owned their guys . FA certainly had a huge impact on fans calling for rapid changes. Seeing teams go worst to first every couple years has an impact as well. Building a winning team isn't so much a process like it used to be....it's an action? Free agency made it so most players don't play their entire career with one team.

Another example of how darn old I have gotten. When I wrote the beginning epitaph, I had forgotten all about pre-FA. That was certainly a main factor of why your team's players seemed more like 'your guys.' Thx for reminding me of such an obvious variable.

And thanks to everyone who felt like joining this discussion. I wasn't sure my thread would get any response or looked upon as having any interest or merit. Sometimes I just start thinking about something and feel the need to start writing it down and see where it takes me. Often when re-read it, it is like I hadn't written it and was 'hearing it for the first time. Not to mention the desire to answer or respond to my own post as if it was written by someone else.

Gotta run, they lock the doors of the institution at 5pm. Don't want to miss out on dinner .... it's pizza night for those still capable of chewing.
 
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