Mark’s Musings – February 1, 2017

Mark Fortune

We’ll start with Super Bowl LI. With no “local” favorites playing like the Browns, Bengals or Steelers, this should be a fairly non-controversial subject. I believe that there are enough matters floating around right now that are in the latter category. The Vegas odds makers have the Patriots as 5-4 while the Falcons are in as a 13-5 pick. Of course, this is just one of probably hundreds or even thousands of sites that you could visit to check the odds. Just check mind you. I think the edge has to go to the men from Gillette Stadium (now Gillette owes me some blades for throwing their name out) simply due to their experience level. A buddy just texted me that the Patriots are indeed a two point favorite.

The Patriots will win Super Bowl LI by the score of 27 to the Falcons 21. With a win will Belichick go down in history as one of the greatest NFL coaches of all time? If memory serves didn’t he coach the Browns at one time? Yes, he did. Belichick is also tied with former Steelers head coach Chuck Noll as the winningest Super Bowl coach in the modern era. His winning percentage is only slightly behind George Halas among coaches with over 150 career wins.

For those that are interested the Cleveland Browns are currently listed as 300 to 1 odds to win Super Bowl LII. That’s not very favorable. The Steelers are 18 to 1 while the Bengals are 70 to 1.

We are seven weeks away from spring. Only seven weeks. Let that roll off the tongue a few times and I think you will find it leaves a pleasant, almost balmy aftertaste. And perhaps even more exciting news is that daylight savings time begins on March 12. Spring hits the calendar on March 20. Hard to believe that it is now Feb. 1. Speaking of the weather, January was not too bad. Cold at times, spring like at other times. Typically as most of us Coshoctonians know from memory, recent snow storms seem to happen In February. Usually right around Valentine’s Day or on President’s Day weekend. Remember Valentines’ Day last year? Yep. Big snowfall.

Now I admit that these recent snows are not the ones of folklore like our grandparents speak of with a distant gleam in their eye. The ones where the snow was piled as high as a horse’s head. You know the ones. Those snowfalls. The only way to get to town was with a horse drawn sleigh or snowshoes. This was way before snowmobiles. I am not quite old enough to recall snows that bad but I do recall the blizzard of 1978, or was that 1977 or 1980 or 1995 or 1974? Good music from that era for sure.

On the local scene the annual Chocolate Extravaganza is around the corner – slated for Saturday, Feb. 11. Bakers and lovers of chocolate are getting their taste buds and mixing spoons ready! And the annual Open House at the Coshocton County Career Center is also right around the proverbial corner – coming to us on Thursday, Feb. 16!

The United Way of Coshocton County is inching closer to this year’s campaign goal. You can still give by contacting the office at 740-622-4567.

Category: Mark's Musings, Opinion