It is time for our annual SPEEDYLEE
Awards for the year 2018.
We have been forced to change the name
of our award after discovering an auto racing sanctioning body issues something
called Speedy Awards. We used it first but never registered a copyright or
trademark. The sanctioning body has a lot more money than does Your Loyal Blogger
and money typically decides legal matters, thus the decision here to change the
name of our award.
Here are the SPEEDYLEE Awards for
2018:
THE
SOCIAL OCCASION OF THE YEAR AWARD: The Wedding. The major event of the glam
season, attended by everyone who matters in the world, was the wedding of Erik
Matey and Regan Elder in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania last spring.
RECORD
ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Pink Floyd’s 1979 masterpiece The Wall. It’s all anyone is talking about these days. The federal
government stopped work so the Executive and Legislative branches could discuss
The Wall. Songs include Another Brick in the Wall, The Thin Ice,
Bring the Boys Back Home, Run Like Hell and, of course, Waiting For The Worms.
THE
GOLDEN BOOT AWARD: To Ella
McDonald, the place kicker for the Imperial (California) High School Tigers
football squad. In her first year as a football player, McDonald connected on
29 of 35 Point After Touchdown kicks and scored on her only field goal attempt,
a 20-yarder. The Tigers advanced to the San Diego Section CIF playoffs and
finished their season with a record of 7-5. A senior, McDonald was one of the
really neat stories in all of football this season.
THE
HEROES FORGED IN FIRE AWARD: To the men and women who fought the wild fires
that swept the nation in 2018. These wonderful, giving firefighters risked
their lives while saving others. That’s what heroes do and we are beholden to
them as a nation.
THE
HARD WORK PAYS OFF AWARD: To the Cleveland Browns for their 2018 season.
After recording a combined record of 1-31 the previous two seasons, the Browns
were improved as the season started, then started slipping back to poor
performance and replaced their head coach during the season. The Browns still
completed the schedule with a record of 7-8-1 and had a playoff berth within
reach with two weeks to go in the season.
THE
HANG ‘EM UP AND LET ‘EM DRY AWARD: To educator Buck Weber who retired in
2018 after more than 40 years of service as a teacher, coach and administrator
in both public and charter schools around Southern California.
THE
BOWLER OF THE YEAR AWARD: To Imperial, California’s Peggy Dale for winning
the Imperial Valley (chapter of) United States Bowling Congress-sanctioned
Queens Women’s Tournament in El Centro, Calif. last spring.
THE
LARRY FINE HORRIBLE HAIR AWARD: To the President of the United States.
BOOK
OF THE YEAR AWARD: For the second consecutive year, this award goes to That Bloody Hill: Hilliard’s Legion at
Chickamauga.
Runner up: The 1958 Baltimore Colts: Profiles of the NFL’s First Sudden Death
Champions.
TAPS
AWARD: To Maryalice Clark, who passed away this winter.
