Page 7
Katy Trail
Feb. 14 - 20, 2020
Weekly
Downtown • Uptown • Turtle Creek • Oak Lawn • Arts, Design and Medical Districts • Park Cities • Preston Hollow
Vol. 7, No. 1: Section Two | Sports | Automotive | Entertainment | Travel | Health and Fitness | katytrailweekly.com
AUTOMOBILITY
MULL IT OVER
Mazda celebrates manufacturing milestone By David Boldt boldface2020@gmail.com This year marks Mazda’s centenary, a significant achievement for a company whose beginnings preceded the global depression of the ’30s, World War II and the dropping of an atomic bomb on the city in which Mazda’s parent company, Toyo Kogyo, was founded. If you’re a Mazda enthusiast in the U.S., your history with the brand is shorter. Some of that history is referenced below in the following press release. HIROSHIMA, Japan. (Jan. 30, 2020) – Mazda Motor Corporation celebrated its 100th anniversary with an employee event at its headquarters in Hiroshima, Japan. Centenary official comment by Akira Marumoto, Representative Director, President and CEO: “Mazda originated as a company producing cork and then took the path to manufacturing automobiles. Now, our cars have found friends with many customers from over 130 countries and regions. We would like to express our sincere appreciation to the customers, dealers, suppliers, business partners and the local community, who have supported us over the years through good and bad times, to whom we owe our 100 years of existence. As we strengthen co-creation and cooperation with all those connected with the company, we will continue to challenge ourselves to create unique products, technologies, and experiences that our customers love.” It was in the early ’70s that I would visit my first Mazda store. This is shortly after Mazda’s formal arrival in the U.S. and before the intro of its rotary-powered models in American
showrooms. Earlier, Mazda had forged an engineering relationship with Germany’s NSU, hoping to make NSU’s revolutionary Wankel rotary appropriate to volume production. The affirmation of the relationship INSIDE MAZDA came with the intro of Mazda’s Cosmo Sport in The Mazda Cosmo Sport. 1967. Although not built in significant volumes, sales with the car’s four generations. the Cosmo Sport served as a harbinFollowing the success of the Miata, ger for greater things from Japan, Inc., the enthusiast community was rewardincluding Toyota’s acclaimed 2000GT ed with Mazda’s “Zoom Zoom” camand Datsun’s 240Z, both arriving by paign, which combined fast imagery the end of that decade. with a genuine uptick in performance. And while the OPEC crisis of 1974 That renewed emphasis on perforwas a gut punch to a lineup predicated mance was best embodied by Mazda’s on responsive (albeit thirsty) rotaries, MazdaSpeed variants and, not coinciMazda’s rotary lived on in the 2-place dentally, winning on the track. Mazda RX-7 and later RX-8. It was, however, was the first Japanese OEM to take the more prosaic GLC hatch that saved an overall win at the 24 Hours of Le Mazda in the States. That salvation Mans in 1991. In motorsport, this was would later turn into the hallelujah mo- roughly akin to Lotus winning at Indy ment represented by the 1989 launch and solidified Mazda among the top of the all-new Miata. ranks of competition-oriented, original If you had lived through the rise equipment manufacturers. and fall of the British sports car — its Today, Mazda’s U.S. product linedeath came with the uptick in emisup features more crossovers and, resion and safety regs for the ’74 model grettably, less “Zoom Zoom.” But in year — the Miata was an absolute revboth its marketing and engineering, elation. Inspired by the British roaddriving (we’re told) still matters. And sters from MG and, to a lesser extent, while performance may be on the Triumph, the Miata’s lines channeled backburner, Mazda design continues those of the Lotus Elan, although the to reach for the near-luxury position Miata’s footprint was much larger. its Board of Directors has decided it After a 15-year wait for a credible will pursue. For the love of the cars, we replacement for the MGB, the Miata wish them well. had American enthusiasts at “Hello.” David Boldt brings years of exAnd while tightly drawn two-place perience in automotive retail sales roadsters never sell in volume, Mazda and public relations to his automohas worked the category for the long tive reporting. More can be found at haul, capturing more than a million txGarage.com.
Renegades off to rocky start
By David Mullen david@katytrailweekly.com "If you really look closely, most overnight successes took a long time." – Apple founder Steve Jobs. The takeaway from the inaugural XFL football game between the Dallas Renegades and the St. Louis BattleHawks was hardly memorable. The local team, and the league in general, is facing an uphill challenge. In football jargon, it is not 4th and long, but based on initial impressions, it is going to take a lot of big gains to win over pro football fans. On Feb. 9, head coach Bob Stoops' Renegades lost to St. Louis 15-9. It was a brutal game to watch. Dallas could muster only three field goals. Granted, their projected starting quarterback Landry Jones was injured and couldn't play, although he suited up for the game. Their defense surrendered 191 rushing yards, far and away the worst total of any team in week one. Dallas was the only XFL home team to lose. All of the week one XFL games were under the projected point totals. Six of the teams scored 23 points or less. Without a preseason, there was really no way for Las Vegas to set odds. But that didn't keep game broadcasters from discussing point spreads throughout the game, which the XFL embraces. On a misty day at Globe Life Park before 17,026
xFL
Dallas Renegades head coach Bob Stoops. inquisitive fans, enthusiasm started high. Apparently, in lieu of cheerleaders, the Renegades have employed bikers as mascots. The roar of a motorcycle engine is played over the PA system as a tool to build excitement. But the passion quickly ebbed and the concession lines didn't flow keeping people away from the non-action for long periods of time. "Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm." – U.K. Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Many football people, like Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman, thought the league had a great start and showed potential. “I think this league has a real chance,” Aikman said. He might be a shill for his friend and former teammate, Renegades director of player personnel Daryl “Moose” Johnston, because the quality of play was clearly underwhelming. Plus, MULL cont'd on page 9 License #146759, #100042, #000532, #140097
THE VISTA IS
NOW
OPEN! Call 214-441-7876 or visit ccyoung.org to tour The Vista today!
ASSISTED LIVING • MEMORY SUPPORT • SKILLED NURSING • LONG - TERM CARE • REHAB & AQUATICS • ADULT DAY CENTER
