SEPTEMBER 6th - Survival Should Count For Something



On this day in 1522, the Vittoria arrived back in Spain, becoming the first ship of Ferdinand Magellan’s expedition to circumnavigate the globe. I had always been taught that Magellan was the first to pull of the feat--sailing around the world. I don’t remember much focus on the fact that ole Magellan was murdered in the Philippines, and it was Basque explorer Juan Sebastain de Elcano who handled the last year of the expedition. Has the makings of one hell of a mini-series, but it's also interesting that Magellan got all the credit. Not saying he doesn’t deserve much of it. Visionaries always take precedent. But survival has to count for something. de Elcano finished the damn thing. But Magellan went down in the history books. Think Magellan's becomes a travel and gear business if Juan doesn’t muscle his way back to Spain? I don’t think so. Drew Bledsoe was a fine QB, but it was Brady who won the Super Bowl. Not that the comparison is totally fair, but I’m just trying to rep for my boy Juan Sebastian. On the bright side though, he didn’t have to lend his name to one of the most awkward commercial catchphrases ever. That’s right Dr. Scholl. I’m looking at you. Gellin’ like Magellan? Just how high were your ad execs when they came up with that gem? Super high, right? Ferdinand probably allowed himself to be murdered for the sole hope that in not finishing his expedition a shoe insole company wouldn’t use his name as a punch-line some 500 years later. Gellin' like Magellan. Does that mean your feet are so comfortable your friends are going to want kill you in the Philippines? Idiots. That’s like giving the guy who actually finished the circumnavigation around the globe absolutely no credit. Gellin' like Juan Sebastian.

This Day has been Marked.

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