Mondays Missives

• Watched some UFC bouts this weekend for the first time in a year or maybe even two. Maybe it's the young-ish nature of the sport or the wide variety of techniques that can be applied but,it's nearly unbelievable how much those guys can advance over relatively short periods of time. I started watching UFC-MMA in the very beginning and as much as people may hate to hear it the legendary bad men of those days would be destroyed in short order by some of the unknowns of today. They would simply not be able to grasp the hurtin' coming their way.

• I don't know how anyone could say they "hate" MMA fighting or boxing. People who think either or both should be banned strike me as trying to pose as societal betters and rub me the wrong way.

• The only thing more dishonest on this subject? People who love boxing and would like to see MMA banned. Boxers are far and away more likely to suffer long term damage and in fact be killed in a bout.

• I also like watching a little drag racing.

• When I was a kid the challenge for dragsters was to top 200 mph and writers and commentators would talk regularly about how unlikely it would be for a car to ever exceed 250 mph. Then there was the 300 mph "barrier" Dragsters and Funny Cars now travel at 320 mph in the 1/4 mile.

• Drag racers have had their retinas detach, and collarbone and ribs broken on opening their chutes.

• Until the early 90's horsepower of Top Fuel dragsters could only be estimated. The formulas were found to be wrong when somebody modified a dynamometer used for WWII bomber engines. They were found to produce in excess of 5000 horsepower.

• When a top fuel dragster leaves the line it sounds like an explosion. You can feel it hit your chest like a punch if you are standing right at the line.

• Every woman I've ever taken to the races enjoys it-even the ones who were resistant to the thought. I don't know if it's my charm and wit or they were surprised by how exciting it can be but, they've always liked it more than they assumed they would. Way "back in the day" passengers were allowed in the cars and I was able to get them rides in my friends cars-pretty awesome. I still have pictures of one climbing out of a friends car at the end of a run- she was absolutely giddy and her expression was pure joy.

• Simple pleasures for a simple mind I suppose.