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Turpin Time

Keeping Things In Perspective

Posted by: Jim Turpin

Monday, September 15, 2008 8:02 PM

On September 11th I blogged about my anticipation of Legends Night. My chance to see the guys again and get behind the mike for a little play-by-play again.

Didn't happen. Got sick. Able to do the Saturday Sportsline, then left the football game in the first half. Thought I would go home, turn on the radio, and watch the game on Comcast channel 66. The radio part worked - and you know the Comcast foul up part.

Then my big screen TV went out. Need a new bulb the good people at Good Vibes tell me.

Listened to the Legends Night on WDWS with Dave Loane and Loren Tate. Very emotional time just listening to the interviews with the guys I wanted so much to see again.

Poor little me!!! C'mon Jim, get serious!!! For example:

My wife and I talked to Lynn Neathery down in Texas. One of Illinois' great football players - her husband Herb (from Hoopeston) - is not in the best of health. Same goes for Gene Vance - who was on hand Saturday night. Gene - one of the Whiz Kids - saw his jersey raised at the Hall.

The video from Galveston makes one weep for those who experienced the devastation.

The war in Iraq goes on.

This morning on the way to work I saw a young woman - in a wheelchair - battling the wind and the latest rainfall. Probably on the way to the U of I which is filled with hundreds of others just like her - young people who spend very little time feeling sorry for themselves. Instead they just forge ahead - carry on with their lives.

The Governor has cut funds for the developmentally disabled, the mentally ill, and others who are not so fortunate. Think what that means to those families. Several agencies will have a town hall type meeting Wednesday evening to try to show support for the restoration of the funds.

On our Monday Morning Quarterbacks show Loren and I listened to the complaints of many, many Illini fans who weren't able to see the Illinois game on the Big 10 network. They were mad and had a right to be. I was mad, too.

There have been times that I have been so upset after an Illinois loss that I had trouble going to sleep. And don't get me started on the hostile and abusive Chief thing. There's something about having orange and blue blood, I guess.

Although it is difficult to do it is good to keep the games we play, watch, and broadcast in some kind of perspective. I know I am going to try harder.

Missing the Legends Night was not the end of the world. (although it sure seemed like it at the time)