A subject I have never dealt with before in a commentary is SOCKS, but I guess it just proves there’s a first time for everything. Being semi-retired and working almost entirely from home, I seldom pull the wool over my feet. With the beautiful fall weather, I set a personal record this year, going barefoot for just over six months.
Then, in one day this past week, came two dramatically different stories about socks. Siloam Mission, a great sanctuary for the homeless in Winnipeg, put out their annual appeal for winter boats and warm socks. With the first major snowstorm, they reminded us that socks don’t last very long when you live on the street, and when they get wet, it can quickly lead to frostbite – something most of us never have to think about in our cozy little nests in front of the flatscreen TV.
A few hours later came a strange footnote to what was a fabulous 104th Grey Cup in Toronto last month. The man who supposedly runs the CFL, Commissioner Jeffrey Orridge has levied unspecified fines against more than 20 of the 88 players who dressed for the Grey Cup, because – wait for it – they weren’t wearing their socks properly.
The CFL, and Mr. Orridge in particular, are still not convinced that there’s a connection between concussions and serious brain injuries, but players who put their health on the line every week, dare not violate the dress code.
The collective agreement between the football league and the players association contains several pages dealing with what is proper dress on the field, including more than one full page on socks.
I won’t read it to you, unless you’re really having trouble getting to sleep, but Hands Up, how many folks who watched the Grey Cup noticed that the socks on many of the Calgary and Ottawa players were just plain wrong ?
I didn’t think so. But my personal notebook for the 2017 season is ready to go, and at the top of page one .. “check out the socks” ..
Let’s send the leftovers to Siloam Mission, but please don’t tell the Commissioner.
I’m Roger Currie
