Short Book Clip
Hey, Rube, Hunter Thompson, 2004
Make no mistake the late,
lamented Hunter Thompson was always something of a muse for me going way back
to the early 1970’s when I first read his seminal work on the outlaw bikers The Hell’s Angels. Since then I have
devoured, and re-devoured virtually everything that he has written. However the
present book leaves me cold. This is a case where ‘greed’ (on whose part I do
not know although the proliferating pile of remembrances of Thompson may give a
hint) got the better of literary wisdom. This compilation of articles started
life as commentary on the ESPN.com, part of the cable sports network. And
perhaps that is where the project should have ended. Hey, this stuff has a half-
life in cyberspace so nothing would have been lost.
So what is the basis for my
objection? Part of Hunter’s attraction always has been a fine sense of the
hypocrisy of American politics. Although we marched to different drummers
politically I have always appreciated his ability to skewer the latest
political heavyweight- in- chief, friend or foe. That is missing here although
he does get a few whacks in on the then current child-president Bush. But this
is not enough. What this screed is really about is the whys and wherefores of
his lifelong addiction to sports betting and particularly professional
football, the NFL. A run through the ups and downs of previous seasons’
(2000-2003) gambling wins and losses, however, does not date well. Hell, I can
barely remember last week’s bets.
But the real problem is that
like in politics we listen to different drummers. I am a long-time fan of
‘pristine and pure’ big time college football and would not sully my hands to
bet on the NFL so his whining about the San Francisco 49’ers or the Denver
Broncos is so much hot air. However, I will take Notre Dame and 3 points
against Alabama in the2012 major college national championship game. That’s the
ticket. I miss Hunter and his wild and wooly writing that made me laugh many a
time when I was down and needed a boost but not here. Enough said.
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