Mullings by Rich Galen | Secret Decoder Ring for January 31, 1999

Rabbit, Retire Monday, January 31, 1999

Title: "Rabbit, Retire." A play on the titles of a series of books by John Updike, starring his recurring character, Harry Angstrom. Titles include: "Rabbit, is Rich", "Rabbit, Run", and Rabbit, Redux"

"… a Patrick O'Brien novel …" O'Brian, who died a few weeks ago, wrote a series of sea novels which took place in the Napoleonic era and featured the careers of a British naval captain and his ship's surgeon.

"Bradley finally gave up on the four-corner offense …" This was the offense invented by North Carolina coach Dean Smith in which they put one player in each corner of the forecourt with one player around the foul line. They would simply pass the ball around to run out the clock.

Smith was so successful with this method of preserving a lead, it led the NCAA to install a 30 second shot clock, which requires the team with the ball to take at least one shot which hits the rim or the backboard within 30 seconds or they have to give the ball the other team.

"The general buzz among reporters …" Reporters spend an inordinate amount of time trying to handicap the horserace between candidates. The fact that we will all KNOW the answer within 48 hours, is no deterrent to this pastime.

"… I've Been Working on the Railroad…" The fight song of the University of Texas is, "The Eyes of Texas are Upon You" which is sung to the tune of I've Been Working on the Railroad. Or, I've Been Working on the Railroad is sung to the tune of The Eyes of Texas are Upon You.

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