Good morning, folks.
When I was a young boy, my dear, late mother would love to play her record albums.
We would sing along to Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Tammy Wynette — and more often than all others, Neil Diamond.
Apparently we were being cool and didn't even know it.
Nowadays, it's hip to belt out Diamond's classic "Sweet Caroline." Boston Red Sox fans have been doing it for ages during the seventh-inning stretch. Winnipeg Blue Bombers fans were in full throat at last Saturday's Banjo Bowl. Heck, even Britain's young tennis star Emma Raducanu got in on the act with New Yorkers last weekend after defeating Canadian Leylah Fernandez in the U.S. Open women's final at Flushing Meadows.
Mike McIntyre wrote a column this week, using lyrics from the song to describe how "good times never seemed so good" for the Bombers.
Thanks, Mike — I've had an earworm ever since.
Mike dropped by my office on Wednesday to record the latest instalment of our Jetcetera podcast — the first one in a few weeks due to both of us taking some recent vacation time. In Episode 75, we chat about the Winnipeg Jets hitting the ice this week for the start of training camp and the burning questions heading into a new season; how the Winnipeg Blue Bombers have surged to the top of the CFL standings; the high-flying Toronto Blue Jays; and how we spent our recent summer holidays. We also reserved the better part of our OT session for a chat about Neil Diamond.
Apparently Mike, who used to have a karaoke gig, used "Sweet Caroline" as his go-to song. I don't know about you folks, but that's something I wouldn't mind seeing. Send all requests to him.
Recently, I was asked by someone to name one performer I'd never seen, but would like to: the answer was easy. Neil Diamond.
I once had tickets to see the legendary New York singer in concert here in Winnipeg in July of 1987. Our former mayor Sam Katz, who was running Nite-Out Entertainment at the time, scored me a pair. Yes, I paid for them — I think — but instead of attending the show myself I gave the tickets to my mom and she took a friend.
After telling the boss that story this week, he asked me why I didn't go with my mom. Guess I thought it wouldn't be cool to go to a concert with my mom in my 20s.
Yes, I regret that now: a) because in 2018, Diamond announced that he has retiring from concert tours after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease; and b) because silly male pride deprived me of a great memory with my mom.
Afterwards, she went on and on about the show, so I do have the memory of her having a great time with her BFF.
My mom's favourite Neil Diamond song was "Kentucky Woman." Mine is "Cherry, Cherry" — followed closely by "Holly, Holy" and "I Am... I Said."
Feel free to share yours.
Interestingly, Diamond reworked the lyrics to "Sweet Caroline" for COVID-19 safety in 2020 and in the midst of the lockdowns shared an acoustic living room performance online in which he sings about washing hands and social distancing.
While retaining most of the song’s original lyrics, Diamond changes a part of the chorus to: "Hands... washing hands / Reaching out… don’t touch me / I won’t touch you."
"I know we’re going through a rough time right now," he said, "but I love ya.
"I think maybe if we sing together, well, we’ll just feel a little bit better."
It always did. And still does.
Mike McIntyre | On Sports
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— Sports editor Steve Lyons
Our Coverage
• Double duty: Along with stopping by to visit with me and record our podcast, Mike McIntyre has a column on how times have certainly changed for the Winnipeg Jets. Since the NHL returned in 2011, the NHL team has been the hottest ticket in town but a packed house at the downtown rink is no longer a guarantee. Mike looks at the possible explanations and why this is likely a new reality in the sports world, rather than reason to panic;
• Beyond the numbers: Jeff Hamilton has a yarn on Blue Bombers receiver Nic Demski, who is in his seventh year in the CFL, and is considered by many to be a star despite not hitting the 1,000-yard mark in a season. Jeff explains why Demski's value goes beyond the numbers, and why this season might just end up being his best.
