Key West Lou / MIXED EMOTIONS

I have been a Syracuse fan since the first day I entered law school at Syracuse University in 1957. Not true blue, true orange.

It has been 65 years. I have supported every football coach, and Jim Boeheim of course, through thick and thin. Good and bad. More bad than good. Never even thought a coach should be fired. Now for the first time, I do. Dino Babers as the football coach.

Even when Babers went 1-10, I did not speak ill of him. My school, my team, my coach.

This season began a great one 6-0. Clemson last week the first loss. Could have been a Syracuse victory. Babers screwed up a few times. I called him on it. No one is perfect, however.

Syracuse should have beat the pants off Notre Dame yesterday. Instead, Notre Dame took Syracuse to the cleaners 41-24.

Against Clemson, Babers ran Tucker 5 times. Yesterday, he began the game by running Tucker multiple times. Even forgot to let Schrader pass after his first one that was intercepted.

The Syracuse defense has been stellar all season. Not yesterday. Notre Dame is known for its running game. Straight up the middle. Our defensive line could not stop them. Did not make sense. Syracuse should have been prepared for them. Why wasn’t it?

Schrader passing was off in the first half. Because of the injury which kept him out of the game in the second half? I don’t know.

I do know there is one major passing problem. Schrader likes to pass to one person…..Gadsden. Opposing teams know it. Double and triple team Gadsden as he runs to catch the ball. Babers should have Schrader throwing the ball to other receivers.

Syracuse looked like the Babers team that lost 10 games in one season.

The announcers were attributing Syracuse’s poor play to the Clemson game. Thought it was a tough one. The guys were tired and beat up.

No excuse.

The freshman Carlos Del Rio-Wilson distinguished himself in the second half when he replaced Schrader.

Syracuse will not fire Babers. They will not want to pay him the millions to buy his contract out and have to pay a new coach at the same time. The firing issue is all about money.

The last 2 home games have been sell outs. Fifty thousand fans. One more game like Notre Dame and the Dome will not be sold out. Fans are money conscious also. They want to see a winner play! Otherwise, they can sit at home and watch the game for free on TV.

Money an issue in home purchases, also. Home buyers are having a “come to Jesus” moment. Mortgage rates now top 7 percent. Recently topped 7 percent for the first time in 20 years. The 30 year fixed rate has gone to 7.08 percent. One year ago, it was 3.14 percent.

Home purchasers are dropping in numbers. Sellers are trying to unload. In September, sellers dropped asking prices an average of 20 percent. Many withdrew their listings.

Items associated with home ownership have also risen. Home insurance policies for example. Forty percent higher than 12 years ago.

Steve Thompson continues writing about Key West in the 1970’s.

The Boat Bar on Duval was well known in the seventies.

The Taco stand had to deal with their hookers and junkies. The Key West topless bar was on our other side. They all used our restrooms when they wanted to hide. Syringes and paper towels all over the place. The clean up crew said it was difficult to face.

There were fights almost every night. Everyone came to the taco stand for a bite. We had a good crew and they handled it just fine.

It was by far the best store of mine.

The New York Times ran a different and interesting article on 10/17 written by Rachel E. Gross. For some reason, it took till today to receive some prominence. The article’s title: Half The World Has A Clitoris. Why Don’t Doctors Study It?

The organ is “completely ignored by pretty much everyone” medical experts say, and that omission can be devastating to women’s sexual health.

The article identifies how little time is spent in medical school on the subject and how doctors are ignorant of its problems.

The article is shocking. Worth reading, especially by women.

Paul Pelosi fortunately is reported to be on the mend.

Many have offered their condolences and wishes for a speedy recovery to Nancy and the Pelosi family. Even Republicans. Except for Donald Trump who has not been heard from.

Be well.

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