It’s a Maniac Thing

Many years ago...like in the 1920's....(Wow.  That’s 100 years ago. My how time flies.) Anyway,  a basketball team from Orofino High School was playing a game in another town.  Apparently they were playing quite well.  “Like Maniacs” was the reported description.  The name or team moniker stuck. 

Those of us who went to Orofino High School prior to the 1970s didn’t even have a picture if you will.  Someone clever student in the ‘70s came up with this picture.  There has been disagreement about who that clever student was.  Never the less the picture is now present on T-shirts, sox, hats, hoodies, flip-flips, sweat pants, window decals, and a local fabric shop sells fabric featuring Maniacs.  I have a license plate frame that reads “Once a Maniac, always a Maniac.”  I wore out a spare tire cover with an old Maniac shown here with my Aunt Mary who was a 1949 graduate of the aforementioned Orofino High School. As you might

have figured out Maniac gear is a hot selling item in the quiet little town of Orofino.

Then along comes the naysayers.  From time to time folks get their panties in a bunch and think the name should be changed to some common name like Bulldogs, Eagles, Lions, Tigers, or maybe even Badgers.  Most often these complainers don’t live here in O-town.  If you want to get a bunch of local Maniac supporters riled up suggest this idea.  A while back a new family moved to town.  The father proudly  told me his son would be a Maniac when he started school. 

Several days ago I watched a comedian doing his routine somewhere in Utah.  The subject of school mascots came up.  He pointed out to the audience that there were only about a dozen of them.  Like I noted before...your Eagles, Bulldogs, Lions, Tigers, etc.  He mentioned Wildcats and pointed out that wasn’t even a thing.  (It is a thing to Buick lovers).  He asked the audience members to shout out their  schools’ mascots.  I wish I had been there.  I would have been waving and yelling, “Pick me. Me! Me!, Me! 

                                 Something About Baby Boomers

Someone or ones had the well, balls, to write a dissertation about Baby Boomers.  It was not at all complimentary.  Probably the intention of it all.

I don’t have a clue about the Gen X-ers, the Millennial, Gen - whatevers.  I do, however, know a little bit about Baby Boomers.  We were so named because our fathers came home from THE WAR (you know... the big one) and began making babies.  They were tagged the Greatest Generation.  Many older Boomers wound up serving our country in  Viet Nam.  That’s a whole other story.

Who can deny that Boomers had the best cars?  Who does not like ‘57 Chevys or ‘68 Mustangs?  Or maybe ‘66 Chevy pickups.  Boomers didn’t make them, but they made them popular and collectible.  Most of the Boomers I know can tell you about a car they should not have sold.  Have ya’ll seen the joke where Jane Doe is at the Pearly Gates and St. Peter says, “Sorry, I can’t let you in.  It says here you traded a ‘69 Buick Skylark for a Toyota”.  That could be me.;;

How about the music that the Boomers made popular?  Elvis, The Beatles, Roy Orbison, and many more.  Some of the music (?) available today is not worthy of an 8-track tape.  Can’t you just hear “I Got You, Babe” playing in your head now?  (And for the rest of the day)  

And the movies that Boomers made classic along with the stars...John Wayne, Steve McQueen, Dean Martin, Debbie Reynolds, Jimmy Stewart, Bette Davis...just to name a few.  

The article accused Boomers of being capitalist.  That’s probably why a whole lot of Boomers own their own homes.  They figured out a way to make and keep their money.  You know ...not squandering it.  Boomers usually don’t live in communes like the Gen-Z’s or X’s or Q’s (whatever they are) recommended in this article.  If I recall correctly Charlie Manson was a commune dweller, before a prison-dweller.

Most of us Boomers were raised by the folks who are/were part of the Greatest Generation.  They taught us a thing or two about manners.  Things like saying please and thank you.  Our mothers made sure we didn’t go out with holes in our jeans and darn sure wouldn’t buy them that way for us.  Because our parents survived the Great  Depression we were taught things like waste not, want not.  My Aunt Pearl washed her tin foil so it could be reused.  There was something about living within your means.

Oh, yeah. Boomers should quit collecting stuff.  By stuff I’m guessing they meant anything they didn’t like.  I get that.  If ya’ll don’t have a house you probably shouldn’t be gathering up a collection of Depression Glass or first edition copies of rare books. However, if you have a house with a cupboard or a bookshelf perhaps you might want to load them up.  Or maybe a garage or even a warehouse.  I’m guessing Jay Leno has a place to store his car collection.  

Speaking of collections....lucky thing for me that I have a shelf or two to put boxes of fabric on...one of mine.  The boxes will fit right next to my boxes of baseball memorabilia. I don’t question Mr. Lucky about his collections and he doesn’t question me.  We’re smart that way.