Bleacher Report - Articles by Jason Elkins

Houston Astros Pitcher Shawn Chacon a Villian or Pawn?

Jason Elkins — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 04:47:48 -0400

So some millionaires got in a fight recently. Astros' pitcher Shawn Chacon and his GM Ed Wade had a bit of a throwdown (literally) a few days ago. Did you see the article? Yahoo Sports had a pretty nice write-up.

Apparently, Chacon was getting something to eat in the dining room before a recent game, and Wade approached him and told him he needed to come to the manager’s office with him. Chacon said that he talked to him sternly. From Yahoo Sports:

“I sat down to eat and Ed Wade came to me and very sternly said, ‘You need to come with me to the office,”’ Chacon said. “I said, ‘For what?’ I said, ‘I don’t want to go to the office with you and Cooper.’ And I said, ‘You can tell me whatever you got to tell me right here.’ He’s like, ‘Oh, you want me to tell you right here?’ And I said, ‘Yeah.’ I’m not yelling. I’m calm.”

Chacon said things went downhill from there.

“He started yelling and cussing,” Chacon said of Wade, according to a story on the Chronicle’s Web site. “I’m sitting there and I said to him very calmly, ‘Ed, you need to stop yelling at me. Then I stood up and said, ‘You better stop yelling at me.’ I stood up. He continued and was basically yelling.”

Chacon lost his cool and grabbed Wade by the neck and threw him on the ground. Then he jumped on him. The players in the dining room broke it up quickly. I’m sure Chacon will be traded soon (his agent already put in for the request).

I actually feel a bit sorry for Chacon. He has been in a bit of a slump lately

“Chacon is 2-3 with a 5.04 ERA in 15 starts for Houston this year. The right-hander set a major league record with nine straight no-decisions to start the season.”

Often, I think the owners treat their players like pawns in a big chess game. In this instance, just when Chacon sat down to grab a bite to eat (after being pulled from the roster), an angry GM got in his face, calling him to the "principal’s office" in front of his peers.

That’s a classless move on the part of Ed Wade. Why did he need to play the "bully role" by humiliating Chacon in front of his peers? I'm sure many of you will say that Chacon is an employee, and he needs to do what he's told. And I don't disagree. However, this could have been handled much better by Ed Wade.

I am certainly not an advocate of throat grabs and wrestling to solve issues, and I don’t condone public bullying either. They were obviously both in the wrong here, but let’s not be too quick to throw Chacon under the judgment bus (pun intended) without looking at things through his eyes.

C.H.A.M.P.I.O.N.S--AFC Playoffs, Focus on our Heavenly Goal

Jason Elkins — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 16:20:07 -0500

On Saturday night the Green Bay Packers hosted the Seattle Seahawks for the second round of AFC playoffs.

The Packer’s primary running back is Ryan Grant. Within the first four minutes, Grant had fumbled twice, and the Packers were down 14-0. The stadium became quiet, and the momentum had shifted to the Seahawks.

There were feelings of despair and hopelessness. Snow began to fall and sometimes produced a white out. At one point, the cameras focused on Grant, and his facial expressions reflected determination. He finished the game with 201 yards rushing and scored three touchdowns that enabled the Packers to advance to the NFC Championship next weekend! His performance was a franchise record!

Ryan Grant had a choice to make and determined in his mind that he would not reflect on his costly mistakes but would focus on doing his personal best to be part of a team that goes to the NFC Championship and Super bowl.

You and I face this same choice on a daily basis. We fumble and circumstances turn against us, and we become lost in the “white out.”

Paul faced daily storms of persecution and lived most days in life and death situations. He said, “We rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance produces character, and character, hope.

And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit whom He has given us.” Romans 5:3-5

Paul fumbled terribly and led the charge in persecuting followers of Christ.

He gives us his conclusion by saying, “This one thing I do, forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward toward Jesus Christ”. Philippians 3:13-14.

Let’s stop focusing on our fumbles and press toward the goal! Mike Cowart

Mike Cowart Sr. is an author and a teacher, a mentor and a friend. You can read more of his excellent C.H.A.M.P.I.O.N.S series here. Contact Mike here.

Owner and Chief EditorJason@TransparentYou.com
http://www.transparentchristianmagazine.com/

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C.H.A.M.P.I.O.N.S--Whose Team are You On?

Jason Elkins — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 15:46:13 -0500

Christ has eliminated my guilt
His Spirit tells me I am his child
Awesome victory is mine
My mind is set on his Spirit
Power is made perfect in weakness
I have the intercession of the Holy Spirit and Jesus
Only God knows why bad things happen to good people
Nothing separates me from his love
Satan has been defeated!

The New England Patriots were 18-0 and were favored by two touchdowns to beat the New York Giants. However, Eli Manning and team were driven by determination to overcome all odds and win the Super Bowl.

The Giants took the lead with eleven minutes in the fourth quarter. The Patriots never blinked and put together a long drive to regain the lead and appeared to become the first team to go 19-0 and win the Super Bowl.

With less than three minutes to play Manning was in the grasp of two or three Patriot defenders and appeared to be sacked. Suddenly, Manning breaks from the clutches of the defenders and throws a desperation pass.

Thirty-two yards down field was David Tyree who leaped into the air with a defender glued to him. Surprisingly, Tyree was able to get one hand on the ball and hold it on his helmet while he tumbled to the ground with the defender trying to wrestle the ball from him. The miraculous catch was ruled complete, and the rest is history. New York pulled off one of the biggest upsets in NFL history.

Champions are driven by determination when all odds are against them. They break from the clutches of their circumstances and make impossible catches.

What are you facing today? Are you in the grasp of impossibility? Does the ball appear to be too high to catch?

The Giants are NFL Champions for the next twelve months. If you have repented of your sins, you are among a host of eternal champions! Don’t forget you are favored to win. Repeat our team slogan with me:

C hrist has eliminated my guilt
H is Spirit tells me I am his child
A wesome victory is mine
M ind is set on his Spirit
P power is made perfect in weakness
I have the intercession of the Holy Spirit and Jesus
O nly God knows why bad things happen to good people
N othing separates me from his love
S atan has been defeated!

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Article Submitted by Jason Elkins

Owner and Chief Editor

Jason@TransparentYou.com

http://www.transparentchristianmagazine.com/

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