justplainbil

Just Plain Bill

A Strange Comparison

A few weeks ago, the NFL draft was completed, where, for each of the past 80 years, dozens of young men were selected to play for their new football teams.

This event had been preceded of course, by well-worn traditions of practice and preparation over many, many years: preparations to be bigger, faster, and stronger than their counterparts, including periods where they could hone their skills and demonstrate their prowess while reading, writing, listening, and sitting for random periods of time in the company of others their age.   

After this year’s draft, my mind drifted back to a summertime experience when I was visiting the Midwest.  In some ways, what I experienced that hot and humid day was similar to the draft.

That summer, I accompanied some friends to a nearby town where we were joined by a large group of like-minded visitors – much like the crowd that attended the NFL draft – to observe and participate in something similar to the draft.

Were you able to guess that I’m taking about a cattle auction? The cattle had been raised to be large and well formed, and while they didn’t participate in a combine, they were observed in their “cowbine”. Their lineage and reproducing ability were verified – all for the purpose of bringing the highest price for their owner.

It’s important to note that I love football. I’ve enjoyed both playing and coaching the sport, so I don’t intend to be anything but sarcastic. But, for or a fleeting moment, I did see some comparisons and subtle differences…

While I don’t know much about how cows think, I can imagine they didn’t care much who’d be buying them, and whom their corral mates might be.

And just for minute, I imagined the commissioner of the NFL breaking into an auctioneer’s chant, calling out to raise the price of the specimen to the highest bidder…