“Present day America is approximately 10 generations old. For 690 generations, ecosystem management was defined, illustrated and scientifically concluded by each generation of American Indians living on this land. In our time as Natives on this land, our forests grew as many salmon as trees. In the short 10 generations, one broad sweep of the geological second hand, America has reduced its lifeforms to struggling endangered species.”
I vaguely remember Golden Richards, but I knew his brother a little in the 1990s. Good guy. I’d heard Golden had some struggles, but really didn’t know much more than that.
Someone recently sent me an article about Golden from the 90s. His struggles were similar to those too many others wrestle with. I’m sure there was a lot more to him, this is a pretty narrow prism, how writers made a name. But this is pretty stout. [Warning - it’s a long article]
The journeys of former athletes can be really wrenching. Sometimes it seems like the only thing that gets many of them through is the pool of “emergency toughness” they developed when they were playing - 2 a days, ■■■-kicker practices, injuries, etc.
I can hear Whitt coaching up a few players over the years in camp when they were at their absolute limit, just about broken: “Don’t buckle! Don’t buckle!” And, they get through it, find another level within themselves they didn’t know existed.
Clearly, Golden was able to stay on top of his demons, lived to 73. What the article described was not sustainable.
If any of you read the Canyon Country Zephyr, the longtime publisher Jim Stiles passed away. He was a prolific writer including a book about the overdevelopment of Moab and the west in general. A bit pessimistic at times, but an interesting character who worked as a park ranger at Arches and befriended Ed Abbey.
I remember him from my junior high years. He was a high school athlete that we all loved to watch. Sadly, it looks like his death was related to brain injuries he probably sustained playing football.