Written as I listen to John Wetton’s  Arkangel album.  

John Wetton was a great singer.  He played bass and sang in many groups.  U.K. was one.  King Crimson was one.  Uriah Heep was one.  The big one though was ASIA where he teamed up with Carl Palmer (ELP), Steve Howe (YES), and Geoff Downes (YES and The Buggles).  ASIA was called a SUPERGROUP.   They were too.  But that didn’t mean the songs wrote themselves.  From the outside looking in, music is just made.  On the inside, making music is something that is worked for.  John Wetton died of colon cancer in 2017.  His last edict to the male fandom was to make sure to get your “guts and nuts” checked out.  He admittedly failed to do that.  Next to Justin Hayward, this guy is my next favorite singer.  There is something in his voice I understand.

Changing the subject…

I did everything I was supposed to.  I have been more careful than most I think.  When the whole Covid scare got here, I was like the rest of us.  I was still more than I am used to being still.  I got my vaccinations.  My dear wife, Carrie, and I volunteered our time at the local Covid Shot Clinic.  I wiped down chairs inside.  Outside, I checked on folks in their vehicles and made sure they were okay after fifteen minutes to make sure they were ready to drive on into the night.

I got every booster known to man.  It is a good thing.

When all this Covid business began I was scared.  My lungs have never been my friend.  We fight more than we get along.  That has been my life.  They took away a football season when I was in the 7th grade.  I fought them tooth and nail as a freshman with an inhaler tucked in my sock at all times.  It was awful.

When this Covid business began I figured I wouldn’t have a chance if it found me.

This past Monday, it found me.

I was walking upstairs at school.  I noticed my legs betraying me after walking as many flights of stairs North Harrison High School can offer.  Then I felt a bit awkward as I walked on.  Something was not right.  This was different.  I know my respiratory system better than it knows me.  I pay attention.  This was different. I looked at my fancy watch and saw heart rate numbers I had never seen walking up the steepest hills behind the house.

That was when I procured a Covid test from the school nurse office.  I didn’t wait long.  A positive response presented itself in a hurry.

So how has it been?  Being home all week since Monday?  

It has been long.  I have been introduced to a sense of worthlessness I have never know before.  Only late this afternoon have I felt like doing anything at all.

Each morning I made myself come downstairs and log on to my computer to send my lesson plans to my students.  Then I went back to bed.  This was not fun.  Not being there is a chore all its own.  A creature of habit is typing these words.  When I am away from that, I am not good.  I miss the students more than they miss me I am sure.

A funny thing happened on the way to Georgia’s butt-whipping.

On Saturday, January 7th, ESPN was running a story about the TCU Horned Frogs.

In earnest, I was busy looking at school work when I looked up and saw this screen.  I had to take a photo of it.  I was beyond sad to, for the first time in my life, see the word “franchise” in reference to a COLLEGE football team.  

I went ballistic.

I put on a Facebook post and a tweet that included the photo above and said the following:

Reflections of light out the door and out the window, just like college football. Schools are now deemed franchises? Keith Jackson had it right talking to Fowler and Herbie the last time Keith saw a Rose Bowl and said “too much coverage” of what was college football’s demise. ( This was a refence to the last time Keith Jackson was in the booth at The Rose Bowl in January of 2017 and lined these boys out.)

The tweet I sent I tagged to Paul Finebaum, ESPN, Chris Fowler, and old reliable, Tim Brando.  Brando and some other media folk retweeted it.  I can only believe that word got out regarding a college team as a franchise.

When Max Duggan was stepping behind center on the games first play from scrimmage, ESPN color commentator Kirk Herbstreit said: “Duggan is the face of the fran…uh..of of the offense.”  Herbstreit fumbled.

I just sat there and smiled.  Sometimes things really do work out.

If I survive this Covid thing, and I think I will, we will keep having a good time.

Speaking the rights.

Danny Johnson