America's #2 Hero

For the first time ever, the Advertiser of the Week Award was passed on to the second most qualified contestant, Ramon Vasquez. Because the person who was to receive it bailed early. Ramon was happy to receive the award but said he didn’t feel like he fully deserved it since he was the second choice. “It’s kind of like when you’re in a Christian alternative rock band and they kick you out of the band because they found somebody that can play the bass without a pick and they think he’s sooo cool. But then two months later, he quits the band to join a Christian ska band because he knows how to play bass without a pick and they asks you to come back and be the bass player again... It’s kind of like when that happens. You’re happy to be there, but you can’t help to not think about the fact that you are only there, because the first choice wasn’t. You want to be the first choice. You want to know how to play bass without a pick.”

We all strive to be #1 at whatever it is we do. Often if and when we reach that goal, only we know ourselves the hard work and dedication that was put into getting there. To the world around us, it appears as if we were somehow handed the opportunity, or that we just have some natural god given talent that has created the opportunity. It is not uncommon for people to resent you and your accomplishments and claim that anybody could do what you did if they were lucky enough to get the help and support you were given.

This is why America loves the #2. We are too shallow to understand your struggle unless we are there to witness it. We need to see you give everything you have and more, and after we see you do that, we want to see you fail. With that being said, keep your head up Ramon. Next week is a new day...or week. Till then, you are our favorite American #2 hero. And you pretty much deserve the award every week anyway. And we all know it.