FishOn: Saving lives and a life lost | Fishing Industry News | gloucestertimes.com – Gloucester Daily Times

We here at FishOn understand they're playing something called the Super Bowl this Sunday, which kind of confused us. We thought it could only be an official Super Bowl if the Patriots were playing. They change the rule or something? Do the Krafts know about this?

So this is our special Super Bowl preview. Sources tell us the game will pit the Chiefs of Kansas City against the Buccaneers of Tampa Bay and apparently the oldest living man on planet Earth plays quarterback for the Buccaneers.

There. That's it. All we know. And really all you need to know. Look how much time and effort we saved you. Celebrate through the subsequent environs of FishOn.

Onward, into the stuff.

Special FishOn Super Bowl quiz question

Who are the only four quarterbacks to lead different teams to a Super Bowl?

Hint: They don't include Fran Tarkenton, Joe Kapp, Jim Plunkett, Babe Parilli, Tom Yewic, John Huard, Tom Sherman, Mike Taliaferro, Matt Cassel, Tony Eason, Zeke Bratkowski, Ryan Leaf or Cate Blanchett. Though if we could take any of them, have to say we're on the Cate Freight Train

The answer is going no-huddle down below.

USCGC Tahoma gettin' er done

We got a missive from the U.S. Coast Guard last week that described a recent 58-day tour of the North Atlantic fisheries by the 270-foot, Kittery, Maine-ported Coast Guard Cutter Tahoma.

Wonder if they ran into the Buccaneers while out on the high seas?

The cutter participated in three search-and-rescue missions - including one on Christmas Eve when the F/V Angela Michelle was disabled about 100 miles east of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. That mission included assistance from vessel and crews from Station Gloucester.

In early December, the Tahoma responded to 170 nautical miles east of Nantucket, where the F/V Fearless had become disabled. The Tahoma towed Fearless 260 nautical miles, over five days, until relieved near Buzzards Bay by a commercial tugboat. Those numerals are not typos.

All told, according to the Coast Guard, the Tahoma helped save nine lives. That there is a fair piece of work and worthy of the coveted FishOn seal of approval. We clap our fins.

RIP, Ozie

We close today on the saddest note of all. Our friend Ozie died last week at his home in Gloucester, leaving an immense void in the world in which he travelled and the legions of people who knew and loved him.

He was, quite simply, as good and decent a person as we've ever met. He was smart, interesting and funny - not just funny, but rapier-quick funny with a view often enough just a hair off plumb to make it it a hoot.

We here at FishOn were not spared. He thought we should recast the title of FishOn. He suggested FiSean.

Gloucester is a glorious town of individuals, traversed by those of highly independent thought and deed.

Yet The Wizard stood out. Ozie was generous, tolerant and fiercely loyal. As he navigated his own health challenges, he never once complained. Never. He had the heart of a fighter and the soul of an optimist, his eyes squarely on the thin line of the horizon. The past, for Ozie, was never prologue.

Before his health issues sidelined him, he was an artist as a carpenter. Or perhaps a carpenter as an artist. At play, he was an accomplished fisherman, skier and poker player. He was dangerous at the pool table and still holds the shotput record at Hamilton-Wenham High School. You can look it up. Go Generals.

And there is this: Ozie could eat an oyster. One year at the Mayor's Reception during the Schooner Festival, which he regarded as his second Christmas, we watched our man go for 66 or 68 (as usual, the Russian judge) on his own. Then and there, he was the Oyster Whisperer.

Our hearts and good thoughts are with Mary Beth, his beloved wife, and their combined families. And to Lucky the Wonder Pup, of course.

There is a tendency, really a kindness, to lionize people in their passing, to gild the lily of their life in a parting gift of warm remembrance.

But not here.

No matter the homage or accolade, anything you say about Mark Osborne, even as you raise a glass, as we did Friday night at the Crow's Nest and Saturday eve at Pratty's, the trajectory falls short of his extraordinary essence and short-arms how much we already miss him.

Special FishOn Super Bowl quiz answer

There is of course, the Old Buccaneer, our Tom, who will be making his 10th appearance in the big game and Brady's first with someone other than the Patriots. The other three are Craig Morton (Cowboys and Broncos), Peyton Manning (Colts and Broncos) and Kurt Warner (Rams and Cardinals). Manning is the only quarterback so far to win a Super Bowl with two different teams (2007 Colts and 2014 Broncos).

We here at FiSean says that changes Sunday. Bucs in the upset.

As always, no fish were harmed in the making of this column.

Contact Sean Horgan at 978-675-2714, or shorgan@gloucestertimes.com. Follow him on Twitter at @SeanGDT

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FishOn: Saving lives and a life lost | Fishing Industry News | gloucestertimes.com - Gloucester Daily Times