Mark Cuban Saves St. Patrick’s Day Parade
By now you’ve probably heard that Mark Cuban cut a check to keep the Greenville Avenue St. Patrick’s Day Parade afloat.
One of my boys at the Observer, Greg Howard, caught up with Cuban last night and asked him why.
“I thought it was unfair to the future generations,” Cuban said, “because they wouldn’t be able to kill as many brain cells as I did.”
That in mind, how many Park Cities folks head to the parade every year? Is it a young man’s game, or an East Dallas man’s game? It wouldn’t take long for lots of folks from University Park to walk over there; just wondering if any actually do.
I have walked over to the parade. I was generally let down. The “floats” were pretty unexciting. The only positive to me was the novelty of not being subject to open container enforcement. That novelty wore off really quickly when I came back home to litter in my yard and a guy urinating in my driveway (which was blocked by a truck that didn’t move until the next morning – we were beginning to think the owner was spending the weekend in the drunk tank).
I’d rather just do the after party with live bands on lower Greenville and leave the “parade” to the kids. I guess I’m getting old?
I dig Mark Cuban.
The problem is the parade is not really kid-friendly. Nor are the patrons’ wear. We went kidless last year as did our friends/neighbors but what our friends/neighbors wore was not appropriate for those other parents who brought their kids. I’m an adult and didn’t mind the skimpy costumes and such but it’s just a huge drunkfest no matter what anyone says. A tradition yes but one to share with the kids? I don’t really think so.
I still have a Bart Simpson poster that says “Eat My Shorts” from the parade when I was in fourth grade. It is definitely not for children anymore.
I think the parade is a little bit of Mardi Gras for young mostly single adults from 20 to early 30s. As long as the celebration stays safe, why not keep it alive?
At this point in my life, I would rather do other things, but I basically agree with Mark Cuban. I got to kill brain cells and be young and stupid once, and it sure was fun.