DAILY DIRT: There were certain things dear old mom never had to say twice

“Because I said so, that’s why!” is probably my all-time favorite … Welcome to today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 1,067 of The Daily Dirt.

1. We all loved our mothers and would do (or have done) anything for them, but that does not mean dear old mom never laid down the law.

Maybe it was a certain look.

Or a specific movement.

But we all knew when mom went business.

One of a mom’s most famous traits is being able to convey a message with one particular sentence. When we heard it, we knew the line had been drawn in the sand. One more word or negative action from us and we might not live to see the next sunrise.

Do any of the following phrases ring a bell?

• “What part of ‘no’ don’t you understand?”
• “I don’t care who started it.”
• “Money doesn’t grow on trees.”
• “Your face is going to freeze like that.”
• “Your hands are not broken.”
• “Beds are made for sleeping, not jumping.”
• “No one said life is fair.”
• “Eat your vegetables.”
• “I don’t know’ is not an answer.”
• “Because I said so, that’s why!”

I’m pretty sure once we heard any of the aforementioned, mom never had the need for a follow-up sentence. 

2. Did you know (Part 132)

That Saint Lucia is the only country in the world named after a (human) woman. Ireland is named after a goddess.

• That burrito means “little donkey” in Spanish. Think about that on your next trip to Taco Bell.
• That 77 percent of the people in Uganda are under the age of 30.
• That people born in December are the most likely to live past 100. (My birthday is Dec. 8, so I’m planning on being a part of The Daily Dirt for the foreseeable future.)
• That Tupperware has filed for bankruptcy. The company has shuttered its plant in South Carolina, laying off 148 workers, and is planning to permanently close in January 2025.

3. I think these might be the most medal worthy MLB facts I’ve come across this season?

Gold medal: Since RBIs became an official MLB stat in 1920, only one player over the course of his entire career (same game or not) had a game with 10 or more RBIs, 6 or more hits, 5 or more extra-base hits,, 3 or more homers and 2 or more stolen bases. That one player is Shohei Ohtani, who did it all in one game Sept. 19

Silver medal: There have been two instances in MLB history of a player having 30-plus homers, 30-plus steals, 10-plus triples, multiple grand slams and multiple 4-hit games. Those two instances are both Bobby Witt, in 2024 and 2023.

Bronze medal: Bartolo Colon swung at 610 pitches during his career and his helmet stayed on his head on just 27 of those swings.

Steve Thought O’ The Day — Larry Csonka, while playing for the Miami Dolphins in 1970, was the first running back in NFL history to be penalized for unnecessary roughness for a hit he delivered to a Buffalo defender while running the ball down the sideline. Csonka delivered a forearm shot that more resembled a right cross, according to reports.

Steve Eighinger writes daily for Muddy River News. In that same 1970 Miami Dolphins contest against the Bills, Buffalo running back O.J. Simpson didn’t kill anyone.