Alabama......

It is sort of ironic. John Winston Lennon.

You almost never hear that middle name of Winston. And yet it is the first name of my younger blood brother.

Winston Scott. And Scott is his middle name, but that is what he goes by. Yet he signs his signature with Winston in the front. And my ancestors on my Dad's side came over on the Mayflower. And originated from the UK. England and Scotland. So he is named after a great Uncle. Who my Dad actually met when he was young. And so it does sort of tie back to the roots where John was named. Winston.

And my Mom's side of the family comes from Alabama. We still own a big spread there. The deep South. And my grandfather, who died in 1975, was born and raised there. A succesful business man. And he was friends with George Wallace. So I always hear Sweet Home Alabama a little differently the rest of you all.

And he was friends with Paul "Bear" Bryant. The head coach of the Alabama college football team. One of the greatest coaches to ever walk this earth. And it was a different time. Back before steriods, and paying players to attend a certain college. Back when it was a Gentleman's game, even though it was still brutal.

And he was famous for his "hat". Always wore it. It defined him in certain ways. BUT........

He was a gentleman. And he lived by gentleman rules. So when he was down your way playing in Houston in the Astrodome....

Well he always took his hat off.

You take your hat off when you walk inside. As a matter of respect. And you always open a door for a lady. Those were the rules he lived by. And so my Dad still owns one of his hats. That was given to my Grandfather. And it wasn't mass marketed. It was different times back then. So it was one of the hats that he wore and cherished. And given to one of his friends. My grandfather.

"They call Alabama the Crimson Tide....
Call me Deacon Bues........"