What men talk about in the barber chair has changed little over time.
“I’ve been cutting hair for close to thirty years,” said Joe, the barber, “and the two favorite topics haven’t changed. It’s still sports and politics. I used to be okay with talking politics but not anymore. Too much controversy. In comparison, sports are safe.”
Joe, who really exists and cuts hair south of Portland, said, “Talk is seasonal. Football season it’s football, basketball season is basketball talk, and baseball, the Mariners a little, but not so much. This summer has surprised me. It’s all about the Timbers.”
I asked him why he was surprised.
“Nobody used to talk soccer around here. Now they do.”
So what changed?
“That puzzled me a bit. We got a professional team, sure, but what I think it is folks still go to the local media for their local sports. ESPN doesn’t pay much attention west of Ohio State. Timbers were the big news around here this summer. Lot of people, at least 18,627, went to each game, they were on TV a lot, and they didn’t suck. People noticed.”
“Good for me and Oregon Sports News they do,” I said. “Anybody talking about college football yet?” I asked.
“Oh, yeah. Big change from say fifteen, twenty years ago. Before 1990 or so there wasn’t much to talk about as far as the Ducks and Beavers. People want to talk about a winner. Not just because they win, but because they’re exciting. About the only thing I remember from those days is one of my favorite stories. A customer told me about a friend who had been a professor at Oregon State from 1955 to when he retired in 1987. In all those years he never missed a home football game. Any idea how many losses he saw? I don’t, but it’s got to be some kind of record. As faculty, I sure as hell hope he didn’t have to pay.”
I asked if this guy was still around thinking there would be no end of great – albeit sad – stories.
“My customer is, but his friend died ten, fifteen years ago. Think of all the changes in football he saw. Single wing, full house, winged T, and aside from Tommy Prothroe’s single wing and a few good years for Dee Andros and his fullbacks, not much to cheer about. Not the case anymore. Me and my customers are grateful.”
What are your customers saying?
“Maybe it’s preseason jitters for Duck fans. I’m hearing that it’s finally sunk in that last year was a special season. You gotta be more than good to win twelve in a row. It takes luck and the schedule. Last year Ducks got the second best team in the conference in Eugene and the worst SC team in years down there. Might not have beat Stanford in Palo Alto like they’ll have to do this year.”
Are people pulling their expectations?
“We’re going to find out real soon how good they are. People are excited.”
How about the Beavers?
“Sort of lost in the shuffle. People are tired of their slow starts. Ought to walk through their opener, but then it’s Wisconsin back there. If they lose by forty, even thirty, and the Ducks win, don’t worry about the traffic to Corvallis on Saturdays.”
Many thanks, Joe. See you next month.
Note from your author: In the upcoming weeks I’m going to be profiling the best par 3, par 4, and par 5 on local public golf courses. Local means from Tri Mountain to the north, the OGA in Tukwila to the south, from Quail Valley in Banks to the west and Boring to the east. Cast your vote for the best of each length. If you have one you hate let me know about that, too.
Ken Byers
Oregon Sports News Writer
No comments:
Post a Comment