Bleacher Report - Sports & Society

Tiger's "Transgression": A Wake Up Call for Fans

Jose Salviati — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:34:34 -0500

Why are we so shocked?

Why do we continue to pretend this couldn't happen to him (replace him with any professional athlete of your choice).

Why do we continue to expect anything different from any one individual given more money than God?

Biblically, money is the root of all evil. Historically, money is an aphrodisiac that blinds the senses and self-control of 99.9 percent of those who obtain it in bunches.

Combine those qualities with a natural bent in all humans to grow disatisfied over time with any one thing and you have a recipe for failure. The "grass is always greener" syndrome rings more true in Tiger Woods case than it ever has before.

Have you seen Elin Woods?

That wasn't enough for you Tiger?

There are a few truths to glean from what Tiger classifies as his "transgression" and "personal sin." Monogamy is hard work made all the more difficult when you mix the lure of power money brings. The grass is indeed always greener, but it is rarely worth the climb over the fence to get to it.

What drives a man with the power of the presidency of the United States to play cigar games with a young intern?

What drives a young man at the top of his game known globally with a wonderful family to risk it all for what amounts to a roll in the hay?

The drive, in both these cases and every other case of infidelity, comes from a blood flow in the wrong direction.

Every man who ever walked the earth has dealt with the temptation to act when that blood starts flowing South. Fighting the drive to fail is no failure. Acting on it—when you have a wife and kid at home—is.

So then the question becomes not what drove them to it, but what made them think it was okay to act.

President Kennedy famously had his lady-friends brought to the White House when ever the mood struck him. They were escorted in by the Secret Service and everything was very hush-hush.

President Clinton must have figured with the title come the perks.

Babe Ruth was a playboy. James Worthy paid for his escort with a credit card in Houston. Rattling off the indiscretions of famous athletes here would take some time of course. It's clear that Tiger Woods, like Bill Clinton, was simply following the model set before him.

They both were driven by the same thing that drives every man, they acted because they could. They acted, in part, because history said they could and get away with it. Falsely believing that somehow they were above the indiscretion.

Neither were.

Will athletes and men with power ever stop acting on their impulses? There is a better chance of Hugh Hefner being ordained as pope than for that to happen. Will some athlete and/or man of power step up and set the new model for behaviour moving forward?

I certainly hope so.

I'm not proclaiming the need for athletes to declare their stand on virginity before marriage like Barry Sanders and AC Green did during their playing days. Sanders recanted when word that he impregnated someone came out. Green, by all accounts, stuck to his guns.

Instead I think It's time for us to understand that despite the fame, the money, the power, the amazing ability these men have—they are still men. Men that are burdened with the same temptations everyone carrying the Y chromosome has. Men carrying the additional burden of believing they are above it all.

Should Tiger lose his endorsements? No, but he will lose some. Should Tiger make changes in his life? Clearly. Should we be surprised this happened? Sadly, no.

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16 Signs You're Breaking Up with Your Favorite Sports Team

Eric Myer Mustin — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 04:38:22 -0500

"I feel that life is divided into the horrible and the miserable. That's the two categories. The horrible are terminal cases, you know, and blind people, crippled. I don't know how they get through life. It's amazing to me. And the miserable is everyone else. So you should be thankful that you're miserable, because that's very lucky, to be miserable." -Woody Allen Here are a few clues that you're favorite professional sports franchise is making you miserable.

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God's Work: It's Not Just Another Job

Mike Casella — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:41:40 -0500

In case you were wondering, that's what I do.

Well, that's what the gentleman who I was blessed enough to caddy for the other day told me.

Yeah, God's work.

See, once he found out that I was a teacher, he deigned my work (in the classroom, I'm sure) to be that of a higher order.

"We need more people like you in the world, Mike," he told me.

And he thanked me for doing such noble work.

As I cleaned his clubs.

And watched him drive off in his Bentley.

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Tiger Woods Cheating Scandal: Are There Any Sports Heroes Left?

Bob Warja — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:34:20 -0500

The apology on Tiger Woods' Web site says a lot more than simply the confessions of a star athlete proving human. For me, the bigger story is the stark reminder that, as Charles Barkley once pointed out, athletes aren't role models.

In other words, Tiger's transgressions may just be the final straw that breaks the back of those of us who still believed in heroes.

I like to consider myself a realist, someone who understands that sports is a game and a business concurrently, but that no one player is perfect. Yet I must admit that I found myself believing in Tiger.

For that, shame on me. Shame on all of us.

Sure, Tiger has no one to blame but himself if he cheated on his wife. But our belief that sports stars can rise to heroic proportions and elevate themselves beyond mere mortal status is something that we, as fans, must never be guilty of again.

Well, you can certainly count this fan as one who will never believe in an athlete again.

I know this is patently unfair since there may be plenty of sports stars who do live their lives as honest, decent, hardworking people. For example, neither Peyton Manning nor Derek Jeter has a known blemish on his record.

But the key word in that statement is "known,” because, as we've learned painfully time and time again, there are skeletons just waiting to come out of the closet and spook us with stories of impropriety.

That's just the way it is, my friends.

Few of us believed that Tiger, who has a beautiful wife, all the money in the world, and two young children at home, was living a dual life. But as you read between the lines it becomes clear that the life that Tiger was leading was anything but pure.

Likewise, few believed that Manny Ramirez took performance-enhancing drugs. We heard the whispers, but didn't want to believe that A-Rod was a cheat. We wanted to believe that Marian Jones was telling the truth, and that Michael Jordan really could fly.

But now we have become a society of disbelievers, and who can blame us? How do we know that Peyton Manning is as rock solid as he appears on the exterior?

Look, all this is nothing new. In the past, sports heroes were able to maintain their lofty status in the public eye because there wasn't as much instant media access and reporting of the personal lives of these folks.

People didn't know that Babe Ruth was a drunk and a womanizer, didn't care if someone was a racist. What they accomplished on the field was all we knew or cared about.

Well, all that has changed. Athletes are built up to grandiose expectations they can't possibly live up to, and then are torn down like they were made of paper.

We should all have a suspicious eye for everyone in that public sphere. It makes it almost impossible to believe that any athlete is worth our adulation.

We scorn the sports star who we cheered just last week. Throw down a massive slam-dunk, sink that winning putt, hit that home run and we love you. Expose your human underbelly for all to see and we hate you.

Oh sure, athletes get paid to deal with this, so this is no attempt to make anyone feel sorry for these often spoiled millionaire athletes. But it does raise a serious question.

Just who is at fault here, the athlete for not living up to our expectations, or us for having those expectations in the first place?

As The Who once sang, don't get fooled again. Don't buy the hype when you buy the apparel. Understand that these are human beings and, as such, are far from perfect.

You don't have to forgive them, nor should you feel sorry for them. Feel remorse over the loss of the magic that comes with believing, if you must, but know that nothing is certain but death, taxes, and the Cubs never winning the World Series.

Heck, for Eldrick Tont, even his name isn't real.

Just like Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, these heroes are not real. It's a grand illusion and, come to think of it, one that we can no longer accept.

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Tiger Woods' Transgressions and Affairs Will Forever Change the Internet

James Henderson — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:08:39 -0500

Transgressions. Jaimee Grubbs pics. Kalika Moquin pictures.

Tiger Woods voice mail. Jaimee Grubs pictures. Tiger Woods cheated on wife.

Tiger Woods text messages. US Weekly Tiger Woods.

Consider the above search trends proof that Wednesday, Dec. 2 is the day Tiger Woods forever changed the Internet.

According to Google Trends, the above terms all fall in the Top 13 things that people are searching for on the Web, with "Tiger Woods Phone Call," "Tiger Woods Cocktail Waitress,” "Tiger Statement," and many others close behind.

In apologizing for his "transgressions," Woods did the unthinkable: He admitted that, to at least some extent, the Internet got it right.

We may never know which women had a fling with Woods, and which women are just making it all up. We may never know which voice mails and text messages came from Tiger versus those that didn't.

And we may never know why, exactly, Elin Nordegren smashed the rear windows of the couple's car with a golf club.

But we do know that amidst the millions of Google searches, the thousands of theories, and the many, many sites posting interviews, text messages, voice mails, and gossip, there’s a ring of truth.

Today, the Internet got what it wanted, and it's going to keep wanting more. If the most dominant, most popular athlete in the world can be taken down, everyone's fair game.

The searches for Tiger won't stop.

Every woman he's ever looked at could be a search term, and anyone with a story to tell about the world's top golfer, no matter how absurd or far-fetched, will get their 15 minutes of Google Trends fame.

Now you'll have to excuse me—I hear a new batch of Kalika Moquin pictures are hitting the Web.

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Tiger Woods: Human After All

Michael Cline — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 13:42:50 -0500

What began as a single car accident early last Friday morning has turned into a media circus full of scandal for the most popular golfer of all time.

Early reports of a scuffle between Tiger Woods and his wife Elin roused questions about the accident and if it really was just a driving error.

There were rumors that Woods was having an affair and that the single car accident was somehow related to this fact.

Now, five days after the incident, Woods has openly admitted that he has in fact had an affair.

Woods stated, "I have let my family down and I regret those transgressions with all of my heart. I have not been true to my values and the behavior my family deserves. I am not without faults and I am far short of perfect. I am dealing with my behavior and personal failings."

Now reality sets in.

To most fans, Tiger Woods and other sports heroes are somehow on a different level than the rest of us.

Their ability to excel in certain areas of their lives, mainly their profession, somehow gives us the impression that they have it all together—as if this world actually does have superheroes.

But this perception seems to be disproved time and time again by actions that prove to be merely human.

The fact is even if a person seems to have it all together, we are all human and are capable of doing imperfect and harmful things.

No one is exempt from this fallacy, and no matter how hard we try, there will be a time when we will all have to look in the mirror and see the person we are, not the person people think we are.

Today it's Woods' turn to gaze in that mirror.

Many people will look at this situation with disgust, saying, "I can't believe he would do such a thing," but this statement is unjust.

There is no justification for the actions, but there is no reason to believe that just because he can hit a golf ball better than any of us that he somehow has the power to overcome the temptation that this world offers.

There was only one person in human history with that power, and last I checked, he hasn't made his return.

The situation is disappointing, and I'm positive that Woods is sincere with his open apology.

I'll be interested to see how Woods handles this situation and where he'll go from here.

We've all made mistakes and have done things we regret. Victory comes in realizing that nothing will fix past behavior, but you can use the lessons from that behavior to better shape the rest of your life going forward.

Today we realize that Tiger Woods isn't perfect. Welcome to the club, Tiger.

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Tiger Woods' Statement Shows Why He's a Champion and We're All Chumps

Bryan Kelly — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 13:01:33 -0500

I'm almost certainly in the minority when I say this—most people probably wanted juicier details, a clearer confession of wrongdoing, or at the very least, not to be told off—but I thought Tiger Woods' remarks regarding his wrongdoing were extremely important, spot-on statements on the challenges of modern media.

Didn't he make you feel a touch guilty for Googling what you've Googled for the past five days? Jaimee Grubbs pictures, Rachel Uchitel Tiger Woods, famous celebrity transgressions (and for some of you, definition of transgression).

We get one shot on this earth, and we fill it with this?

I've actually never liked Tiger Woods, as a golfer or as a person. I played golf in high school, but never cared about the sport enough to admire or even be jealous of the guy.

I thought the statements he made to people on how much money he pulls down made him arrogant. I rooted against him in tournaments, but that's because I've always been one of those guys who roots for underdogs.

Now he is the underdog. And he sounds like it, discussing in his PR statement how there is an "important, deep principle at stake" in the ongoing pursuit of his extramarital affairs that is at risk, that he has the "right to a simple, human measure of privacy." I agree, and I can't believe more people don't.

I didn't feel chastised by what he said, as others have said. To forgive the pun, the guy has balls. He has every right to say what he said and to feel how he is feeling.

He has enough on his plate with an angry wife, and he has no obligation to explain himself further, give details, or feign contrition.

This is what happens when people actually write down their feelings, unedited by PR men or done without their consent. Why more celebrities don't respond like this is beyond me.

But I'm encouraged that there are still people out there who know a naked emperor when they see one, and the pursuit of celebrities' personal lives is as naked as they come.

Rise above. Evolve. Ignore what is unimportant. These are the actual measures of a champion, in spite of what the PR people are saying on ESPN.

Don't be surprised if Woods gets better at golf, because all we've done is fuel his competitive spirit, dare him to appear human.

The simple fact is that he is human, and so are we. I've cheated on girlfriends, too, and sent those texts, left those voice mails (though I've never been much of a dirty picture guy), and now I'm trying to think how I would feel if the detritus of my personal life was deemed public property by the jackals running the tabloids.

Before you argue it, let me say I've also never bought into the athletes as examples, heroes. Those are fine as fairy tales, but eventually kids grow up and find out that everybody cheats, lies, swears, and steals.

I never admired sports stars as a kid, so this might also have something to do with my position. I admired writers, actors, and musicians (and my older brother).

Most of these people carry on transgressions as a function of being artists; if they didn't transgress—take drugs, sleep around, act like assholes, i.e., be normal people—it would make the news.

But that's why I've always preferred the arts, and attack sports from as aesthetic a perspective as I'm allowed (when I'm not putting together slideshows of players hitting each other really hard).

They're liberating, they're free, they're honest and forgiving. They tell the truth, just as Woods did.

That's part of being human.

The unnatural process of celebrity, the grandiosity, the ignorance of common sense that Woods railed against, correctly, is also now a part of being human, but that does not mean it ought to be tolerated.

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Shaquille O'Neal Defends Tiger Woods

Patrick Mauro — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 02:04:45 -0500

On Tuesday, Florida Highway Patrol said that Tiger Woods will receive a careless driving citation and a $164 fine for the now infamous Escalade into the fire hydrant (and then a tree) crash near his home, closing the investigation.

Wonder who was paid off to make this part of the saga go away?

Imagine the outrage if he was still a Buick spokesperson.

This occurred the same day allegations of an extra-marital affair other than the one involving Rachel Uchitel surfaced. Better hide the golf clubs Eldrick. And the cutlery. And watch out for those finely manicured nails.

He better hope Elin doesn't go the Anna Benson route who claimed she would "screw every member" of husband Kris's New York Mets if she caught him cheating.

Sorry for the John Daly-having-sex visual.

Tiger might wish he kept his date in California to host and play in the the Chevron Open this week. Chez Woods might not be the best place in the world to be right about now for the world's greatest golfer.

And now comes the reality TV guy with all the Twitter followers to the rescue.

“Tiger’s my guy,” Shaquille O’Neal said on Tuesday. “I’m not going to be like everybody else and say off-the-wall comments. I just hope he’s OK. The problem going on is when you have people disguising as media putting out reports, and then people believing what they read. We don’t know what’s fact, we don’t know what’s true. We just hope he’s OK.”

This is like Alex Rodriguez attempting to defend Manny Ramirez for taking that uterus repairing drug. Preposterous.

If Charles Ponzi were alive to defend the actions of Bernard Madoff, it would be similar to Shaq trying to defend Tiger.

This is the same Shaq going through a messy divorce and the subject of rumors that have him stepping out with the fiance of Gilbert Arenas. If you don't believe me, check out the e.mails between the two .

The real question is if any prominent pro athlete is faithful to his wife. Is it even possible? It wasn't for Kobe Bryant, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Dr. J, Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, O.J. Simpson, Steve McNair...and so on.

Why do these guys even get married? Being young, wealthy, famous, constantly on the road, and targeted by aspiring female reality stars sounds like the perfect recipe for infidelity.

That television show Cheaters could really get some monster ratings if they started targeting pro athletes instead of suburban nobodies. What's with Joey Greco's hair ?

The story gets more interesting by the day and this could just be the tip of the iceberg.

It's not news when a pro athlete gets into this type of a predicament. If any member of the Cincinnati Bengals found themselves in this situation, no one would bat an eye, but this is different.

Tiger's carefully crafted image appears to be just that—a carefully crafted image, not necessarily rooted in reality.

Doesn't mean I won't watch the Masters. If only to hear the new type of heckling he'll endure out there.

Will be interesting to see if any of the companies whose products he pimps decide to back out. Will we still see those Accenture commercials? What the hell is Accenture?

I suppose Shaq could recommend good divorce lawyers if Tiger ends up in the market for one.

He should also go practice some free throws.

Otherwise, if I'm Tiger, I think I could do without the endorsement from Shaq-Fu.

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Tiger Woods' Business Isn't Our Business, So Leave It Alone

Jonathan Mathis — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 01:02:44 -0500

So what has emerged into everyone's business, Tiger Woods' private life is gone. Yes, the public has finally figured out a way to enter into his privacy.

From what we've learned, we seem to speculate Woods was chased out of his spacious home by a golf club inside his gated community. We seem to guess, his old lady was pissed off over an alleged affair, and the only solution for Tiger to avoid his crazy wife was jumping into his Cadillac.

His plans weren't to back out of his driveway and drive to the nearest golf course avoiding a large crowd, nor taking a joyride. Either way, it's not our damn business. The only issue concerning us is Tiger's health, but not a mystic relationship with his wife, Elin.

Personally, I couldn't care less what happens between him and his wife. This information wouldn't had linked out, if he hadn't suffered lacerations to his lips for striking a fire hydrant and neighbor's tree.

So suddenly, a private incident inside his gated community isn't held a secret. And suddenly, Woods isn't the spotless specimen. I can recall when the media never had much access to his privacy.

What happens behind close doors usually stays within Tiger, but all the hoopla turned into an absurd frenzy. Because he's the world's greatest golfer, if not the world's greatest athletes, the public expects an explanation on what happened.

I don't care, you shouldn't either.

There's no law in existence, enforcing Woods to give us information. As Tiger minds his own business, he expects the same from fans. For more than 12 years, spectators admires Woods strengthening ego and respectability.

Today, he's labeled as the greatest and endearing role model in sports. In endorsements alone, he earns a staggering $100 million a year as the average citizen purchases his brand name Gatorade, golf clubs and Nike apparel.

When the accident happened at 2:25 a.m., it wasn't reported as a serious incident or alcohol-related. As the days progress, no domestic violence charges were filed, meaning there's nothing else to see or discuss.

Four days later, everyone is still dwelling on Woods. Removed from domestic violence presumptions, now average populace believes he had an affair. Even if there's a mistress involved in the picture, I couldn't care less.

It's not surprising when athletes in prior years had affairs. That's life. And as we continue living, bizarre and freaky things will happen within relationships. In other words Tiger isn't the first and won't be the last.

For the first time ever, Tiger is staring at an unfamiliar scene. Instead of earning praise for accomplishments, he's being ridiculed by the media. In fact, he's evoking more spotlight than he normally attracts on the golf course. Because paparazzi is embarrassing athletes or celebs in general, Tiger is a victim of TMZ trauma.

Unlike most athletes Woods hasn't mishandled the situation in an impolite fashion, but managed a lingering predicament in a classy fashion. Even though his vague statements could be untruthful, he speaks with aplomb and tremendous respect.

In the last 24 hours rumors surfaced of infidelity, in which an argument is reasonable amid an overblown discussion. All that's heard is tabloids releasing new information regarding Woods accident. Seems like the entire incident was plotted, for inside access on Tiger's alleged affairs.

Gosh, Tiger is busted.

Why we care? That's his issue, not ours.

Woods is having a difficult week, handling all the scrutiny. He's not used to a curious crowd, pondering to know what happens off the golf course. His personal issues stays within himself, but notice if he dismisses to answer questions, speculations of Thanksgiving weekend could last months.

Although Woods can remain silent, the Florida Highway Patrol is seeking a search warrant for hospital records to confirm what could've provoked Woods' injuries. None of us are concern with the cuts and blood. But populace are anxious to know why he departed his home early on Friday morning.

I know, none of your damn business.

The latest news to strike the Internet and tabloids is TMZ posting an overwhelming 14 accidents, including a photo of an alleged affair with a mistress. Whether it's true or not, Tiger's personal life is trivial and shouldn't be in the news.

Maybe he'll protect credibility and popularity, if he provides specifics. But I don't care.

Please leave it alone. You shouldn't care at all. It's not your business. It's Tiger's personal issue that should stay behind close doors.

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Curtain Call: So Long, Bleacher Report, Thanks for the Memories

Patrick Cwiklinski — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 23:03:06 -0500

It really has been a crazy few months.

With my life as a university student and aspring sports journalist now in full effect, my time spent on Bleacher Report has become increasingly limited and I find myself in a massive struggle to find the time to shoot out new articles.

That, in short, is why I have made a tough decesion to leave B/R.

There was no conflict with another writer or comment that really got under my skin, it really all comes down to time management and as stands right now, as I am sad to say, Bleacher Report is at the bottom of my priority list.

So instead of leaving people who follow my work hanging and wondering if I've dropped of the face of the Earth, I've decided that leaving this statement, if you will, would provide some kind of closure as to where I've gone.

With that in mind, I want to keep this farewell as short as possible, but I did want to thank some people in the B/R community that has really made me feel welcomed and more confident about my work.

First off, to every single one of 52 fans, I am very humbled and grateful that you have taken an interest in my work and it is because of you that I wrote for B/R as long as I did.

To Leroy Watson who was always quick to comment on my articles and give me positive reinforcements.

IceMan, my fellow Vancouver Canucks fan who would keep me up to date with what was going on with my favourite team.

Jonathan Mathis, a genuinely nice guy who is an immensely talented writer, be sure to check out his stuff.

If I've missed anyone I apologize, I'm just sort of doing this on the fly but you know who you are.

Lastly, thanks to anyone who ever read any of my pieces ever, you made those hours spent in front of the computer worth while.

If anyone would like to keep in touch with me and what I'm up to, feel free to drop me an e-mail at patrick_cwiklinski@msn.com, I will respond.

So that about sums it up, thanks a lot everybody who helped me get to this point in my life and I wish you all the best in continuing with your own writing or wherever your life may take you.

It's been fun.

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A Cup of Coffee and...: Do Sports Teams Understand the Economic Crisis?

Chris Wilkinson — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 21:45:31 -0500

Thanksgiving week is a time to be thankful for things that God has given us. I spent the week with family and trying my best to keep up on all the football and basketball.

Beyond the turkey and other great food, my family and I enjoyed internet radio calls of football and basketball from Thursday till Saturday; that is, except for the broadcasts I couldn't receive thanks to some NFL and college roadblocks.

Due to the economic crisis I have had to make sacrifices since July; one of the first was my dish tv. In this part of the country that left me with NBC and the internet to get my fix of sports news. I have no problem in finding sports news, but internet radio broadcasts are hard to find.

Let's start with the NFL. If you go to NFL.com and want radio calls, right off the bat you have to pay a monthly subscription. The price tag for the year is a little over $20.00. You might say why complain about that. Well, I have 2 reasons why I complain.

First, go to NHL.com and NBA.com. All you have to do is sign up for a free account on both sites and you get free internet radio broadcasts for all the games. How does the NFL justify charging when two of the other big four pro sports give the same item out for free?

Second, I hate to say it, but you can find other websites that not only give free radio broadcasts, but if you work hard enough, you can find tv broadcasts for all pro sports.

Then you turn to the collegiate level. More than a handful of schools (I have counted at leats 40) have signed up with this CSTV.com online. Again, you are charged a monthly fee of $15 a month to get all the radio broadcasts.

What is wrong with this picture? Go to a Big 12 or PAC 19 school. For the most part, you can get a basic deal for free giving free internet radio calls for the favorite school of your choice. I am lucky: so far Nebraska has not gone for the "pay to listen" deal.

But I am not like Congress, pointing out the problems without offering a solution. I like the way the NHL and NBA have done it. You sign up for a free account, let them email you once a week and you get free internet radio broadcasts. If the NFL did this, I would be all for it. It would be much easier to find the radio calls. I am already paying for my internet, why charge me more for a simple radio call? Heck, if you want to, load the email you send me with promos and ads. I am sure a few fans will buy.

The colleges that signed with CSTV.com, either tell CSTV to give a basic deal of letting the internet radio calls be free or dump CSTV. I'm sorry, I have found sites that have free radio calls for all college athletics. What does that do? It keeps me away from the schools' websites. I think the schools want me to take a look at their websites while listening to the radio call. CSTV can get me to sign up for a free account; it'll be much easier to find all my favorite college sports and I might even find another game to check out some time when my favorite school has an off day.

America, we are suffering enough with this economic crisis. Do we need to suffer more where even the simplest of our escapes, radio calls of sports, are being charged and the Big Boys are trying to get more blood from a stone? America, say no, we want free internet radio calls and we want them easy to find.

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Triathlete Shows It's the Size of the Fight in the Dog

Todd Civin — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 20:29:50 -0500

John Young will never be able to dunk a basketball. Probably wouldn't fare very well in the high jump and more than likely will never be asked to put the star on the top of the community Christmas tree.

At 4'4" tall, there are many more "size-dependent challenges" where John Young wouldn't have a very high probability of success, either. But rather than focus on the "can't do's" in life, Young continues to prove to the naysayers, to himself, and, perhaps most importantly, to his 7-year-old son Owen, that it's not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog that is important.

I was introduced to Young by Dick and Rick Hoyt. While doing a story on the famed father/son triathlon duo, they shared an email that Young had previously sent to them. After using the email in my story, Dick and Rick Hoyt—Modern Day Super Heroes, I was thanked by Young for acknowledging his own personal athletic endeavors.

I couldn't let the opportunity pass to delve deeper into the story behind John Young. A new hero was born.

Young was born 43 years ago with achondroplasia, a congenital condition that affects the body’s ability to form cartilage. The affliction, a form of dwarfism, hinders normal bone growth.

Though Young’s parents and siblings are of average size, Young has lived his life with the stature of a "little person", but the heart, drive, and determination of someone three times his size.

Through his refusal to accept size as a deterrent, Young has served as a school basketball coach near his previous hometown of Toronto as well as during a stint in Hong Kong, and at his current school, The Pingree School in South Hamilton, Mass., where he is also a high school mathematics teacher.

He has since moved on to become Pingree's varsity swimming coach, a position that he has a pedigree for. In 1993, Young competed in the World Dwarf Games in Chicago as the sole representative of Canada. He won two gold medals swimming in the 200-yard freestyle and the 100-yard breaststroke.

"I really enjoyed coaching basketball and hesitated to give it up, but in retrospect, I'm glad I made the switch", he said. "Swimming is a sport I do myself, where with basketball I was really a "book coach." I never really played the sport, I just enjoyed it. It was something I understood."

He is now beginning his fourth season as coach of the Pingree swim team, a program for which he has high hopes.

As a teen in Toronto, he spent his high school years managing the varsity football team, while playing intramural rugby and hockey.

“I’ve always been interested in athletics, either as a fan, participant, or coach,” he explains.

But his latest challenge is as a triathlete, a sport where he can successfully compete against himself and his own personal times, while competing with able-bodied athletes.

"I don't see myself as disabled; in fact I don't like the term", he said. "I see myself as simply differently-abled."

To date, Young has competed in four triathlons. In his first event last July, the Mill City Triathlon in Lowell, Young competed in the aqua bike portion of the event. The aqua bike portion of a sprint triathlon includes a one-third-mile swim in the Merrimac River, followed by a 13-mile back ride.

He found the Mill City event to be "both exhilarating and terrifying", as the water was running both high and fast.

"At one point in the race, for about 15 minutes, I was swimming but not moving because the current was so strong. My wife actually thought I was going to get carried away," he said, laughing.

The one-third mile swim took "50 minutes up and 12 minutes back," John says with a chuckle. After he completed the 13-mile bike ride and went into the record books as an official finisher, he was hooked.

His official time for his first aqua-bike was two hours and one minute.

Young hesitated to participate in the run portion of the triathlons because running is the piece that he finds most physically challenging. However, after some coercion by Pingree Athletic Director Chris Powers, Young decided to add the run to his triathlon repertoire.

"Chris said, 'Just walk the run portion. What difference does it make as long as you finish?'"

He entered the Witch City Triathlon in Salem, Mass., as one of 299 competitors. As the only little person in the field, he cycled faster than 21 competitors and actually swam and ran faster than one finisher.

But in John Young's mind it isn't about winning but simply challenging himself to compete. He admits that he is doing this as much for his son Owen as he is for himself as an exercise in self-esteem building.

"My son was born with the same type of dwarfism my wife, Sue, and I have. About 18 months ago he was really struggling, finally realizing that all of his friends are going to be bigger than him and faster then him. It's difficult for him," explains Young, who also competed last summer in the challenging Timberman Triathlon in Gilford, N.H., and the TDD Triathlon in Douglas, Mass.

"He asked 'Can I get better shoes? Will that make me run faster?' We try to explain to him that there are other ways he is going to find success and running against other people probably isn't one of them."

Following the Witch City event, Young was approached by the team captain of Comprehensive Racing, who asked him to join their team. "He contacted me and said 'If you're going to keep racing, we want you on our team.'"

"I've never been invited to join any type of athletic team. I was always the last one picked. For the first time, to actually be wanted—even at 43 years old—was the coolest thing in the world."

Before I ended my conversation with my new favorite inspiration, Young shared his favorite quote with me, a quote by Ashley Halsey.

"Triathlon has become life in microcosm, a metaphor that gives truth to the wisdom passed from each generation to the next: Work hard and you will be rewarded, have faith in yourself and you will excel; do not falter when an ill wind blows your way."

And that, is why John Young competes.

Upcoming events:

John Young will be competing this Sunday, Dec. 6 in the Jolly Jaunt a 5K walk/run in Danvers, Mass., to benefit the Special Olympics. His personal pledge page contains the following quote:

"Being physically challenged myself, I've gone through much of my life being told by others that there are certain things I shouldn't do because of my short stature. Running and competing in triathlons is one thing I have chosen to do in order to get fit and show people you can do pretty much whatever you set your mind to.

"To that end, I'm participating in the 2009 Jolly Jaunt because I believe in the highly-effective programs run by Special Olympics Massachusetts, and I want to do something to help."

"I have set a goal to raise money for my local-area Special Olympics athletes. Special Olympics athletes never pay a cent to participate in any of the 26 different sports offered, so we are raising critical dollars to fund the year-round sports training and athletic competitions for athletes in Massachusetts with intellectual disabilities.

"By running/walking or financially supporting the 2009 Jolly Jaunt, we can improve the lives of some very courageous and dedicated athletes in Massachusetts with intellectual disabilities and other closely-related developmental disabilities.

Your donation will help to provide them with programs and services that will bring them a more healthy lifestyle, as well as happiness and pride and in all that they do."

Feel free to donate on my personal pledge page. TC

Todd Civin is a freelance writer who writes for Bleacher Report, Sports, Then and Now, and Seamheads. He is a supporter of A Glove of Their Own, the award-winning children’s story that teaches paying it forward through baseball.

The Joe Niekro Foundation is the most recent non-profit organization to join the A Glove of Their Own team and will earn $3 from each sale of the book purchased using the donor code JNF636 Joe Niekro Foundation.

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What the Tiger Woods Incident Can Teach Us About Our Society

Michael Fitzpatrick — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 17:43:39 -0500

Why do we really want Tiger Woods to come clean?

We’ve all read the numerous articles virtually begging Tiger Woods to come clean, but why?

What is really fueling our desire to find out exactly what happened outside of Tiger Woods’ private home at 2:30 am last Friday morning?

Are we concerned that he’s gotten away with a crime?

Not likely.

He hit a fire hydrant and a tree on private property. The only person injured in the incident was Tiger Woods (the fire hydrant got banged up to). In fact, the police have already issued him a citation for careless driving and closed the case.

So legally speaking, it’s a done, finished, finito. The exact same punishment would have been handed down to any one of us had we been in the same situation.

Are we concerned that he’s making a huge PR mistake and that his sponsors might jump ship?

Well, no. First of all, it’s highly unlikely that anyone will lose any sleep over whether or not Tiger Woods’ sponsors decide to drop him.

Second of all, his sponsors have already publicly affirmed that the statement Woods released through his website was good enough for them.

In fact, just this week, Bank of America decided to pursue a larger role in the Tiger Woods Foundation.

Sounds like this whole incident has really rattled the world of corporate sponsorships...not really.

Are we angry that we bought that $6 bottle of Gillette shaving cream because Tiger Woods promoted it and now we feel as if we deserve answers from him?

If that’s the case, you might want to seek some professional help.

Let’s be completely honest here. No one is going to go out tomorrow and purchase Old Spice shaving cream instead of Gillette just because Tiger Woods won’t tell us why he crashed into a fire hydrant.

Are we angry because we spent $30,000 on a Buick Enclave last year because we thought Tiger Woods drove the same car and now we feel entitled to know what happened outside his house at 2:30 am last Friday?

Once again…the professional help thing might be looking pretty good if that’s the case.

The fact of the matter is that Tiger Woods hurt no one but himself—and a fire hydrant— during the car accident. He did not commit a crime other than careless driving, which he has been issued a citation for. His sponsors have publicly stated their support for Woods and the way in which he handled the situation. Even a new sponsor has decided to come on board with the Tiger Woods Brand since the incident took place.

So, why does he need to come clean?

Well, the answer to that question is simple.

It’s the same reason why when we overhear a couple arguing on the train, we can’t help but eavesdrop.

It's the same reason why when Nick Lachhey and Jessica Simpson allowed cameras into their home, Newlyweds became one of the most successful shows in MTV history.

It’s the same reason why US Weekly and People Magazine are two of the best selling magazines in the country.

It’s the same reason why every single night at around dinner time channels two, four, five, and seven are airing celebrity gossip shows such as Entertainment Tonight , Entertainment Weekly, and E! News .

The reason is because we, the public, are nosey.

It's plain and simple.

No one ever wants to be painted with the "nosey" brush; our society typically views it as a negative trait. Yet our intense desire to know what happened outside of Tiger Woods’ home at 2:30 am last Friday is what is ultimately fueling all the talk about how “Tiger needs to come clean” and “Tiger needs to tell everyone what happened.”

It’s for no reason other than we are just desperate to know.

Now, not to rain on anyone’s gossip parade, but there are only two people who truly know what went down last Friday—Tiger Woods and his wife—and neither of them are going to be sitting for a tell all interview anytime soon.

So, as much as it rips at our gossip seeking guts, it is unlikely that Tiger, his wife, or anyone else will decide to feed the wolves on this occasion.

Love it, hate it, or never really cared about the story in the first place, it makes no bit of difference.

No amount of interest, curiosity, or nosiness is going to change a thing.

His current sponsors aren’t going anywhere. New sponsors will continue jumping on board the "Tiger Woods brand," he’ll continue winning golf tournaments, and six years from now he’ll probably be worth $2 billion.

As sports' most popular saying goes—it is what it is.

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Racial Abuse of Sunderland Striker Darren Bent's Mum Is Tip of the Iceberg

Owen Watson — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 17:16:49 -0500

Darren Bent’s escapades on Twitter have drawn interest from the media in recent times. The English striker was back in the papers for his online comments following Sunderland’s defeat at Wigan Athletic.

The ex-Tottenham forward alleged that his mother, Shirley, had been the victim of racial abuse by one of his team’s own supporters:

“So we get beat by wigan and to make matters worse my mum gets racially abused by a SUNDERLAND fan. I wont stand for that.”

Neither have the Greater Manchester Police force. Their Northumbrian counterparts arrested a 26-year-old man in Chester-le-Street yesterday evening in connection with the incident. The man has been bailed on suspicion of racially aggravated harassment until Jan. 12.

It is understood that officials at Sunderland Football Club helped trace the culprit, though just how big a role they played is unclear, as the incident is alleged to have taken place in a Manchester pub just before the game.

That the police moved swiftly in this instance should be commended, but I wonder just how quickly and seriously the police would have taken this case had the victim not been the mother of a Premier League footballer who revealed the incident in such a public forum.

Racism still simmers at the furrows of our society, as a Panorama documentary revealed earlier this year.

Growing up in Sunderland, I’ve heard vile racial slurs spewed at footballers from the stands of the Stadium of Light and sat back disgusted as stewards took absolutely no action. Some of my closest friends have told me stories of how they were spat at walking to school and had dog dirt thrown at them in the street.

My mother talks of head teachers showing indifference towards incidences of racial discrimination.

These memories had faded with time, but their embers are being rekindled as the sparks of this scandal fly.

Admittedly, I have no idea about the details in this particular incident. Have the police acted because the allegations are particularly shocking, or because they are more high profile? I have my suspicions.

It seems like people want to give racism red cards and 'kick it out' of football, yet are willing to accept it in other walks of life.

My mind fills with echoes of Kanye West: “Racism’s still alive, they just be concealing it.”

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Tiger Woods Has Got the Whole World in His Hands

Mike Casella — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:47:29 -0500

He's getting away with something.

Something I couldn't get away with. That's the bottom line on the recent Tiger Woods story. That's what's bugging me. And I'm not even sure what it is (although I have my suspicions).

This episode reminds me (again) of the gulf that exists between sports figures and fans. And I keep finding myself on the outside looking at and in.

I can't even pull off not cleaning the litter box for a day before my wife is screaming at me at the top of her lungs. Never mind providing fodder for the paparazzi.

Are you kidding me?

Yeah, it's petty, I know. But it ticks me off that in our society, there's such a hideous discrepancy between celebrity and the rest of us.

I'm a teacher. And I'm proud of it. Love it. It's what I know how to do. What I'm best at. And I know that my rewards are of the intrinsic sort (that's getting tired too). But it'd be nice to have a "sweet ride" and a "bad crib," without having to slam, jam, thank you...(you know the rest).

But to play a sport and make multiple, multiple times what so many others earn? C'mon. This is what we must value. It's what we reward, isn't it? (Oh, and by the way, I'm tired of the "don't watch/don't buy the product" argument too." I've already bought).

The Tiger Woods story isn't about privacy, public lives versus private lives, or even arguing with your spouse. It's more about the difference between our lives and the lives of those we admire.

And it bothers me.

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Ole Miss: The Birthplace Of a Yankee

Mike Casella — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 14:49:59 -0500

Nothing would ever be the same again. You must go.

A book was purchased for me called "Mr. Lincoln's Camera Man: Matthew B. Brady" by Roy Meredith by a woman named Grace. Inside the front cover was written,

June 2, 1990

Dearest Michael,

The only reason I that I have inundated you with Civil War books is because I fully believe in your cosmic connection and attraction to that time, those people, and those events; I believe in your absolute, imperative need to make that trip next week; and I believe in you.

Enjoy every joy and pain you take; take everything, see everything, touch everything, take everything you want and need. Take pleasure, take strength, take support, take struggle, take off, but above all, never, EVER take care.

I'm with you ,

heart and soul

Grace

The trip next week that Grace was referring to was one I had planned to take only a few weeks after graduating from Rutgers.

And so I would go.

College had been an arduous struggle for me, beginning back in 1981 as a freshman in Gainesville, Fla., at the University of Florida. As a graduating senior in high school, I had been selected as the student who was "Most Likely to Succeed."

Four years into my career at Florida, I was leaving town with my tail between my legs, a 1.9 grade point average, no degree, and a student-loan debt exceeding $30,000.

My folks had moved back to New Jersey after my freshman year in Gainesville, and I had no place else to go but "home" to live with my parents.

Delivering bagels every morning at 4:30 helped keep gas in the tank, so I could drive back and forth to work to do it all over again. With no degree in hand, my future looked bleak.

My once positive attitude had been destroyed. I was not the same person who my high school classmates had thought so highly of anymore. And that bothered me. Terribly.

I was the one who was going to do something with his life. Something big and to be proud of. Here I was down and out.

Through a political connection of my mom's, I was able to get accepted (albeit on academic probation) to Rutgers University to finish my degree.

Because my grades had been so poor at Florida, most of my four years of "credits" were not even considered for transfer. I was practically going to have to start over.

Money always being the bane of my family's existence (they could put new cabinets in the kitchen and buy new carpeting for the house, but they had no money to help me with tuition), I was forced to go, hat in hand, to my grandmother to pay for my college expenses. It wasn't boot camp at Camp Lejeune, but it was Chapter Three of Lessons in Humility 101.

While at Rutgers, I met Grace. She was an older returning student on a mission, much like me. We were kindred spirits with our own sense of having to prove ourselves to ourselves and the world.

We didn't know it at the time, but no one else was really paying much attention to our individual acts of academic heroism.

She and I cheered each other on throughout the two years we spent in New Brunswick finishing up our degrees, both of us graduating at the top of our classes. It was one of my proudest achievements.

And then one day I got an idea.

"I'm going to Oxford, Mississippi," I told her. "I'm not sure why, but I have to go. I got some information about the law school at Ole Miss, and it it seems like a place I could call my own."

Grace was thrilled for me. She knew my passion for things, which bordered on obsession. And she knew that if I had come to this decision, no matter how irrational it seemed (for its sheer irrationality was what made it so rational for me), it was something that one of us had to venture into.

And so I went thinking that it was the law school I'd be looking into.

Why does a man from New Jersey go to Oxford, Miss., upon graduating from Rutgers? What sort of connection could there be? What was it that was drawing me there?

I had never been to Mississippi, had no family there, and certainly knew no one from Mississippi—nor who even lived nor had ever lived there.

But I knew that I had to go ever since that day when I had sat myself down in the square on the College Avenue campus of Rutgers in the dead of winter and wrote down on a yellow sheet of legal paper what I wanted to do with my life.

At the time, I hadn't even been accepted to Rutgers, had essentially flunked out of Florida, and had nothing of any real substance to my name. But I did have a dream.

Where that dream had come from is beyond me to understand. The thing is, I'd never been one of these "believe-in-fate" types with some sort of unconscious connection to the inner workings of my soul.

If anything, I was probably the opposite, believing that good fortune was for others. Nevertheless, I did write down that I wanted to graduate with highest honors. Once that happened, the call to Oxford became a voice I had to listen to.

Flying into Memphis, I rented a car and drove the rest of the way into Oxford in the summer of 1990. I was scared. Scared that I was on a lark. Scared that I was running from something, trying to reconcile listening to my heart with running away from reality thinking that things were better somewhere else. I wasn't sure what to expect and certainly had no idea what I was doing.

I drove immediately to the Ole Miss campus and found my way to the "Alumni House" (not even sure if it's called that anymore). At the time, it was sort of an on-campus motel for visitors and returning alumni.

I asked the guy at the front desk if he knew of somewhere I could stay while in town, thinking that he'd recommend some name-brand hotel perhaps just on the outskirts of campus.

Instead, to my excitement, he informed me that I could stay at the Alumni House. He said that since it was summer, there were plenty of rooms available, and they'd be glad to have me.

The rates were ridiculously inexpensive, and, when he showed me to my room and told me that breakfast was included every morning, I was even more astonished at my good fortune. And what a wonderful place it was.

It had a 1960s vintage feel about it. Things were "real" inside. Real steel railings. The bathroom was tiled. It smelled like Ole Miss was supposed to smell. I put my bags down, thanked him, and settled in. It was late afternoon.

Turning the television on, I switched over to ESPN (they get cable down here!), I caught the breaking story that Stump Merrill had just been fired by the New York Yankees. It was getting closer to dinner when I finally took a shower and thought about what I wanted to do this first night.

Even with the comfort I initially felt, the fact was that I was alone in Alumni House on the Ole Miss campus in June of 1990. I felt it figuratively speaking. I was away from home, but I didn't feel out of place.

It was eerily quiet when I stepped out of my room and made my way back toward the foyer of Alumni House.

There, still at the front desk, was the same guy whom I had checked in with just a few hours earlier. I again greeted him and struck up a conversation.

He was younger than I first realized. In fact, he told me, he was actually a student at Ole Miss. Working at Alumni House was his part-time summer job.

Even though he was born and raised in Oxford, he still felt a need to work while an undergraduate. And his name was Van.

Van and I hit it off pretty quickly. He told me that his father was a lawyer, who not only had gone to Ole Miss, but had become a federal judge working in Oxford.

I was impressed, not because Van spoke to impress—quite the contrary. It was more matter-of-fact than that. Not ho-hum. But with no sense of pretense at all in the way he carried on a conversation.

Van had a wonderful accent. Mellifluous, but not affected in any way. True and honest in its tone, he garnered my trust and ear immediately. It was just the two of us on that early evening.

Clearly, his position as the front desk clerk at Alumni House was one which didn't require a great deal of high maintenance, especially at this time of year. He had time to talk, so did I, and it was a joy.

I wondered aloud to him where I could go to eat and what there was to do afterward in Oxford. Not that I was in any way looking for the night club scene, but I wanted to find a place to get even more enmeshed into the Oxford/Ole Miss culture even if it was but for a brief period of time.

To my delight, he told me that he would be getting off of work at 10, that he and a friend were going to go out for a few drinks at a local establishment, and that he'd be glad if I would join them.

It was such a good-natured and generous offer that I could hardly restrain my excitement. Of course, I would love to. And so, off I went out to kill the time until my return to Alumni House to meet up with Van and his friend.

Out on the Ole Miss campus on a hot summer's night was something out of my dreams. I was all alone, but, as I made my way around the buildings and grounds of heavenly Ole Miss, I took in everything I could.

The buildings were so lovely, mixing the majestic with the federal style, which only could be pulled off in the Oxford setting. I walked amongst the old trees and heard the sounds of all sorts of night creatures.

I strolled along the streets of Oxford, peering into the windows of the homes, which lined the streets wondering what the people inside were doing, thinking, and living.

I wanted to go up to any number of them and knock on the front door and let in to join them, as I most assuredly knew they would offer me.

I wanted to sit in their living rooms and dining rooms and talk about their lives in Oxford. Talk to them about their families, their hopes and dreams, heartaches and joys.

I wanted to be them, be with them, and part of them. I felt that night as I walked alone and about that I already was.

When the time came, I made my way back to my new temporary residence at Alumni House, where I found Van handing over the keys to the kingdom for the late night manager.

Inside was his friend, sitting on one of the comfortable chairs, which lent an even more comfortable sense about the place than I had initially felt. She was a dark-haired woman named Anna.

We were introduced by Van as if we were old friends. Like Van, she, too, had a wonderful Southern accent that belied her roots, which I soon discovered to be from New York state. Sloatsburg, N.Y., to be more precise. Ironically, Anna's hometown was just over the border from New Jersey into New York.

I also discovered that her actual accent was more of a learned trait after so many years of living in Oxford. She too was an undergraduate at Ole Miss, and she was just as excited to meet me as I was to meet her.

So the three of us gathered our things and went out for some drinks at a place called (if my memory serves me correctly) "The Gin," named for the old gin mill which had once sat upon its current site.

It was an old two-story stone building, and we made our way to the upper floors, where the bourbon and Cokes flowed the night away.

We talked and talked as the best of friends would, laughing and learning about how much these three seemingly unconnected individuals were actually connected.

Afterward, we went back to my room in Alumni House where I took one bed, Anna the other, and Van the floor. As innocent as could be with not the slightest batting of an eye. It couldn't have been more natural.

The next day, the three of us went out to Anna's apartment and spent the afternoon at the pool just hanging out.

That night, Van invited me over to his house to meet his folks. We watched TV together and chatted it up some more.

It truly was a surreal two days as the two and three of us were forged together in that summer crucible of youth. I swore to myself that this was a meeting of fate and that we'd three be lifelong friends.

During my week long stay in Oxford, I'd make my way to William Faulkner's home, Rowan Oak, where I would ask the museum's curator what it was that had established Faulkner as one of the greatest writers in the English language.

He'd tell me that it was because he had written about the "great verities of life" (the title to a previous post) and he'd recommend that I go to Square Books in Oxford to get myself a copy of The Portable Faulkner as my starting place for what would become my life long journey with Faulkner leading the way. And I would do so, returning with it to my room to read what, at first, made little sense to me and which had little initial impact as well.

It was only that when I stumbled upon "An Odor of Verbena," taken as a chapter from the novel The Unvanquished that things turned upside down for me.

Never before had what happened to me after reading that story had anything like what happened to me happened. I can clearly remember sitting up (for I was lying on my back in my hotel room bed) and literally stopping and thinking to myself, "What just happened?"

Something had happened, but I wasn't quite sure what. The reality of "great art having the ability to move you even when you don't understand it" was part of it.

It wasn't the story of a character that hit home with me. It wasn't about some event that I could necessarily relate to either, which I sensed had moved me. It was something else. Something deeper and more profound. It was, quite frankly, difficult to put into words. But I was sure that something had changed.

My last day in Oxford was spent again walking around campus, alone. I had lunch in the student union. I walked on to the field at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. I even strolled the perimeter of the campus as a sort of way of "peering into" another world. My last stop was here:

The Lyceum. The main administration building on the Ole Miss campus. It's the signature building on this out-of-the-world place in the world. And I took a picture very much like the one you are now looking at. Fronted by "The Grove," it's the quintessential college building.

Afterward, I met up again with Van for a last goodbye. I snapped a picture of him standing outside of Alumni House and standing next to his Volkswagen Beetle. Thinking that what we had established over the past few days would be the start of a long-term friendship, I hardly wondered if and when I’d see him again…

Back in New Jersey, I sat at my desk and wrote a letter of thanks to Van for his kindness and generosity during my visit to Oxford. Once mailed, I began to anticipate his response.

That anticipation continues to this day because I never heard again from the ghost of Ole Miss.

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Getting Silly with the Boston Breakers' Leslie Osborne

Todd Civin — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 14:00:50 -0500

As the quasi-beat writer for the Boston Breakers of the Women's Professional Soccer League, I presented a weekly expose of the Breakers players last season in an attempt to introduce Boston's newest professional athletes to the fans of Beantown.

Though a valiant attempt, my "Meet The Breakers" series was at best, a recap of goals, assists, caps, and career highlights and never really presented the players as the down-to-earth, approachable athletes that they are.

I have never been and probably never will be a little girl (thank God for little miracles) but I've found the athletes of the WPS to be real life idols to the thousands of girls who watch them from the stands. In an effort to present the Breakers stars as a bunch of "little girls just like them" I thought it would be fun to "get silly" with the team this year and present them in a more personal forum.

I want to thank Erica Hunt, the Breakers Communications Manager, for being receptive to my out of the box approach and also to newcomer, Leslie Osborne for being brave enough to step into the leadoff position.

You'll find Leslie to be an open and willing participant and a big fan of the :) smiley face. I thank her for taking time away from her training in Germany to participate and I welcome her to Boston. I hope you enjoy getting to know Leslie as much as I did.

And without further ado, here is the maiden entry of "Getting Silly with the Boston Breaker's Leslie Osborne".

Civ: If you could win a World Cup or be named America's Next Top Model, which would you prefer?

Leslie: Hmmmm…let me think about this for a while...Okay, I think I would much rather win a world cup:) That was a tough one:)

Civ: You're a self-proclaimed PUMA gal, how many different pieces of Puma Designed clothing, bags, shoes and balls do you own?

Leslie: Well let's just say I have a separate closet for my Puma collection:) I am very lucky to be a Puma gal:) I am usually covered in Puma gear, along with my friends and family!!!

Civ: You modeled the new WPS uni as part of the Puma Fashion show, is that the most elegant outfit you've ever worn in a fashion show?

Leslie: Well I don't think it was the most elegant outfit, I would say the most comfortable outfit rather I have worn in a fashion show. I didn't have to worry tripping on my dress or rolling an ankle with heels on:) I felt very comfortable and athletic walking down the runway in New York.

Civ: Who is more attractive, you or Heather Mitts?

Leslie: You can determine that if you wish.

Civ: With Mitts taking her game to Philly this season, I'm going to pick Leslie.

Civ: The FC Gold Pride had a challenging year last year. Have you ever played for a team with a losing record before?

Leslie: Yes FC Gold Pride did have a challenging year last year. However, if you watched the team play you would have been surprised that the team was not more successful because we had very close games and lost most of the games by only one goal.

The team played possession style soccer that was very fun to watch at times. I have not played on a team before with a losing record but it was an experience that I know will help me down my career (both as a player and as a person).

Civ: What made you sign with the Breakers?

Leslie: Multiple reasons:) Great coach, new opportunity, awesome city, great talent and potential, Newbury Street:).

Civ: You're a Wisconsin girl who will be living in Boston; will it be an adjustment for you?

Leslie: Well, I am a Midwest girl at heart but have been a California girl for the last eight years. Of course it will be an adjustment coming to the east coast, but a pretty easy adjustment. Growing up in Wisconsin will help me adjust quicker:)

Civ: Do you own a Cheese Head Hat? And what are your feelings about Brett Favre?

Leslie: I did own a Cheese Head when I was younger and in Wisconsin, however I don't have it anymore. My family and I will always be a Packer fan and Brett Farve fan!! It's hard to see him in Minnesota now and hope that he can figure out his retiree plans without all of this unnecessary drama.

Civ: Have you ever been to Newbury Street in Boston and how much of your free time will be spent there?

Leslie: Yes I have been to Newbury Street and make sure every time I come to Boston I have a whole afternoon to spend there. From the cafes to the parks to the boutiques, I am in heaven:) I have a feeling I will be spending a lot of my free time there:)

Civ: Have you ever been to Fenway Park?

Leslie: Yes I have been to Fenway Park in 2005 and it was great!! I even got to sit in the Green Monster and meet some of the players in the locker room like David Ortiz (who is a big soccer fan) and Johnny Damon. Thank you Arden and Puma:) I hope to be at plenty more of their games!!

Civ: You haven't written on your blog on your Osbornesoccer.com site since February; what's up with that?

Leslie: I need to get on top of that:) I will be starting again for the start of the new WPS season:) I will have great things to blog and talk about from being in Boston:)

Civ: You've been training this offseason in Germany, do you speak German?

Leslie: Yes I have been training here in the off-season with a German trainer and team. The head coach doesn't speak much English and I'm learning German as we speak. Let's just say there is a lot of drawing, hand movements and translation between the girls and I. My boyfriend speaks fluent German so he is a great teacher to have.

The German language is challenging to learn but I am determined to get better.

Civ: Your boyfriend plays professional basketball in Germany. Who's a better dribbler in their respective sport?

Leslie: I would say Kyle is a better dribbler in basketball than I am in soccer:) His best attribute is his ball handling skills and I would say that although my dribbling is pretty good, it's not my strongest quality as a soccer player.

Civ: How loud was the pop when the ACL tore?

Leslie: It was a very loud and snappy pop!! Let's just say I was absolutely sure that my ACL just tore!! Heather Mitts was right there when it happened, we both just looked at each other because we knew.

Civ: On a serious note, you do a lot of charity work. Can you tell us about it?

Leslie: Oh good, we are being serious now:) Well I have been very blessed and lucky to have had all these wonderful opportunities. If I can help in any way that I can, I will do it. I love children so anything related to kids is my favorite:)

I am involved with the Grassroot Soccer, The Boys and Girls Club and the Women's Sports Foundation. Every day I remind myself how lucky and fortunate I have been and I hope to give as many kids as I can a sign of hope to go make their dream possible.

Civ: Best player you've played with? And best you've played against?

Leslie: All three of these players I have learned from, both on the field and off :( They are Shannon Boxx, Kristine Lilly, Formiga. The best I've played against are Kelly Smith and Marta (thank goodness Kelly and I are now on the same team).

Civ: Most inspirational coach you've played with?

Leslie: I have two coaches that have been very inspirational to me. One would be Jerry Smith. He was my college coach at Santa Clara University and I have helped coach for him at Santa Clara for two seasons. He inspired me to be be a better person, leader and player.

The other is Tracey Leone. Tracey coached me for two to three years in preparation for the U-19 World Championship when I was 19 years old. Her charisma, love, energy and dedication to every single player on our team, made our team come together and play for each other. I still have not been part of a team that had that chemistry, dedication and pure joy. Tracey is responsible for that kind of environment.

Civ: And lastly, in the spirit of Getting Silly, your nickname is Ozzy, is it true that you are the music legends long lost offspring?

Leslie: No, I am not related to the Osborne's, you would know that if you ever heard me attempt to sing!! I am tone deaf!! TC

Todd Civin is a freelance writer who writes for Bleacher Report, Sports, Then and Now, and Seamheads. He is a supporter of, A Glove of Their Own, the award-winning children’s story that teaches paying it forward through baseball.

The Joe Niekro Foundation is the most recent non-profit organization to join the A Glove of Their Own team and will earn $3.00 dollars from each sale of the book purchased using the donor code JNF636 Joe Niekro Foundation.

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Do Sports Stars Have a Right to Privacy?

Alex Ferguson — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 10:12:03 -0500

Tiger Woods called his boat after the word.

Sports stars all over the world say the word. Over and over again.

Some fans think a star who is truculent to the media is a bit of an idiot, when doesn't he have a right to privacy?

In fact, don't all sports stars have a right to privacy?

YES

Sports stars are human beings. True, they live in the human zoo called sports—and they came to the game to 'get famous' and then 'get paid,' but the bottom line is this: They are all human beings.

And because they are human beings, we shouldn't be asking more than Tiger Woods gave after crashing his car on Thanksgiving. He wasn't drunk. He wasn't violent. He wrapped his car around a fire hydrant. According to him, his wife, Elin Woods, was a heroine by smashing the back of the car. Can't we leave him to it?

We shouldn't accuse Albert Pujols of being a nasty human being. The guy does more for charities for kids with disabilities—yes, the kids that some of us and our families and friends make fun on a day-to-day basis—than we could ever dream of. OK, so he's not exactly friendly to the media, who permanently hound him.

Why can't we leave them alone?

These guys are paid millions of dollars to play a sport and then act like divas. They may play in the 'sporting zoo,' but let's face the facts: When you're paid that much, your life should belong to the fans and media. After all, after you get injured/jailed/cut/ then you won't matter anyway.

Plus, we the fans and the media are fed up with the double standard: You have no problem lapping up the plaudits when things are going well, but when it all goes wrong, you use the word 'privacy.'

Boo hoo!

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

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Tiger Woods and Society's Misdirected Attention. Or, So What?

D REW — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 20:49:04 -0500

Let me get this straight...

The United States has an epidemic with obesity, joblessness, two controversial wars in the Middle East, Bank CEO's that run the US Secretary of Treasury Department and commit massive fraud to steal billions of U.S Tax Dollars...

One in six people in the world do not have an adequate water supply...

The war in the Congo over gold has cost five millions lives...

On and on and on, the list of international tragedy takes place every day.

And Tiger Woods, the most popular figure in sports, may have gotten into a fight with his wife?

She maybe got mad cause he might have hooked up with some VIP hostess in the nightclub scene for the stars.

Okay.

So...when did Tiger Woods matter more than the above mentioned catastrophes?

Isn't this another example where if people, via the media, really focused on the worst problems in the world we would have progressive change?

Are we a society that is so desperate to get people in trouble we forget about what's really bad and what's just common human behavior?

Or are people so stupid that they simply listen to what they hear on TV and in the radio.

Or is it just human instinct to act like chickens and peck at a bleeding member of the species?

Because I cannot listen to or watch a sports show, turn on my internet, or even watch the regular news where the Tiger Woods isn't the top story.

The latest articles seem to read that Woods needs to "come clean...turn over evidence...not above the law...talk to cops...."

Do it for his fans—somebody writes.

Well, if you were his fan, wouldn't you have the decency to leave the guy alone?

Sure it's a fun story...but in the end it's just junk.

It's racket.

At worst there was a domestic violence situation.

And as much as I think domestic violence is a serious problem in the United States...I also think it's common human behavior for people to fight.

It doesn't make you a punk to point out that many laws in the United States are far too strict. Far too many people have heavily lobbied their state legislatures to crack down on crime...as opposed to lobbying for improving public education or cutting back on environmental devastation.

Thus: Often an incident which could be handled simply with words turns into an arrest that turns into a sinister paper trail of endless court expenses, headaches, financial woes, and a whole lot of drawn out nonsense.

If in fact Tiger Woods cheated on his wife and they had a nasty spat and she decided to give him a piece of her mind and nails...so what?

People do it all the time.

And as he said in his statement on his website...he's a person.

So let's hope this fiasco blows over quickly.

Or at least let's acknowledge that it's so irrelevant to the real problems this planet faces everyday that maybe the only story worth covering here is that people waste their breath talking about it for more than a few hours.

As the wise old beat cops used to say back in the old movies after a scuffle: "Move along folks, nothing to see here."

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Why Everyone Wants Tiger Woods to Come Clean, and Why He Won't

Michael Fitzpatrick — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 10:42:18 -0500

“Tiger Woods needs to come clean.”

“Tiger Woods needs to explain exactly what happened on Friday morning and set the record straight.”

“Tiger Woods needs to explain everything right now.”

These are all phrases that you will see written in virtually every article about Tiger Woods and the incident that took place outside of his home at 2:30 a.m. on Friday morning.

But what you have to understand is that the general public, along with the many journalists who are taking this point of view, are not doing so without bias.

Tiger Woods doesn’t need to do anything.

On the contrary. We, the public, as well as the media, are desperately hoping for Woods to come clean and explain everything. It would provide a very entertaining story, and, at the end of the day, entertainment is what everyone is really after here.

No one cares about how Woods’ car managed to roll over a fire hydrant, or what hospital he was taken to, or the extent of his injuries.

Nope—we are concerned with one thing and one thing only: Was his wife, Elin, chasing him down with a 5-iron at the time of the accident?

From a public standpoint, we all want the juicy details of exactly what went down on Friday morning.

However, let’s just for a moment step back and explore the big picture from a PR standpoint.

What is more interesting and entertaining, staring at a blank wall or watching television?

Right now, Tiger Woods is the equivalent of staring at a wall.

There is a complete lack of information coming out of the Woods' camp, and there is unlikely to be any further information released anytime soon, if at all.

We also now know that Woods is not legally required to speak with the police. All he is required to do is hand over his license, registration, and insurance information, which he did yesterday afternoon through his lawyer.

So, if you have had any aspiration of reading all the juicy details in a police report, think again.

Considering the fact that he was in and out of consciousness for at least six minutes immediately following the accident, it’s safe to say that Woods probably suffered a concussion and will not attend his tournament—The Chevron World Challenge—this week.

That basically means that we will not see or hear from Woods until he shows up at Torrey Pines in late January for the former Buick Invitational (now the Century Club of San Diego Invitational).

Can you remember the "big news" from two months ago?

That makes two of us.

And many of those stories two months ago would have certainly been viewed as HUGE news at the time.

When Woods shows up at Torrey Pines in two months, he will respond to questions with well-rehearsed, detail-less answers...once again, the equivalent of staring at a blank wall.

Woods lives in an airtight cocoon that he has spent years constructing to insulate and protect himself from the outside world.

This cocoon is unlikely to crack or spring a leak any time soon.

So, he has two choices.

He can come completely clean about what might be a very embarrassing truth, or he can turn himself into a blank wall.

We, the public, would love nothing more than for him to come clean. It would give us something interesting to read and follow.

When people read newspaper articles, Internet articles, or watch news reports on the "Tiger Woods incident," they do so because they are after some new information that may provide them with some form of entertainment.

How entertaining is it going to be to read articles for the next two months that say, “nothing further from the Woods camp” or “Tiger Woods was not seen again today.”

That’s not interesting, nor is it entertaining. It is, in essence, the equivalent of staring at a blank wall.

And as we all know, people will eventually get bored of staring at a wall, and decide to turn on the television and see what else is going on.

Maybe Woods is hiding something; maybe he isn’t. Needless to say, there are some not-so-small question marks surrounding the initial "accident" story.

But, whatever the case, it’s unlikely that he will provide us with the information we’re all so desperately craving, and that often frustrates the heck out of the media and the general public.

Woods is creating a nightmare scenario for the media and general public; he’s not giving us exactly what we want.

But are you prepared to stare at a blank wall for the next two months?

Me neither.

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Tiger Woods Feeding Frenzy Didn't Need to Occur

Kevin Lindsey — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:40:54 -0500

Who is to blame for the media feeding frenzy that occurred after the single-car accident this weekend involving Tiger Woods? The media? Tiger’s public relations team?

Sure, the public was all too eager to jump to salacious conclusions about Woods and no one doubts that the National Enquirer was selling well before Thanksgiving.

However, in reflecting on the story of the Thanksgiving weekend, I can’t help but feel that the media and Tiger’s public relations team dropped the ball.

Yes, any information concerning Tiger Woods will have some shelf-life but the shelf-life of the “accident” can’t be explained solely by the celebrity of Woods.

The media failed to give the public all of the information necessary to properly put the story in context.

The public relations team for Tiger reacted slowly and giving us a detached statement didn’t help.

The articles from the traditional media outlets informed us concerning the vehicle make, what the vehicle struck, the skid mark in the driveway, and that two windows were broken on the Cadillac Escalade by Tiger’s wife, Elin, swinging a golf club.

The articles told us that Tiger was bleeding from the lips, had blood in his mouth, and was drifting in and out of consciousness.

We were also told that the accident occurred at 2:25 a.m. in the morning. The police reported that Elin was over Tiger and that she appeared to be frantic.

Have you already formed an opinion as what happened? It’s clear that this was a domestic dispute that turned violent, right?

Do you hear or read anything about Florida law?

Florida law requires a police officer to make a written report concerning domestic abuse whether or not an arrest is made. See Florida law 741.29: Domestic violence, investigation of incidents, notice to victims of legal rights and remedies; reporting.

Florida law requires the police officer to include within the report: 1) a description of physical injuries observed, 2) if no one is arrested, an explanation for why no arrest was made and 3) a statement that indicates that the officer provided a copy of the legal rights and remedies notice.

The report prepared by the police officer must be given to the officer’s supervisor and filed consistent with how data on domestic violence cases is compiled by the jurisdiction.

If Florida law required the responding officers to the Woods residence to file such a report if they had probable cause to believe domestic abuse occurred, wouldn’t the absence of such a report be important for the public to know? Why was the above information omitted from the numerous stories posted by the traditional media outlets?

In fairness to the traditional media outlets you likely saw the statement from patrol spokesman Sgt. Kim Montes, “Right now we believe this is a traffic crash. We don’t believe it is a domestic issue.”

The problem however was that there was no supplemental information provided for readers to put Sgt. Montes statement in context.

The slow response from the public relations team of Woods allowed this story to spin out of control.

We received a tweet from a member of Tiger’s management team to the media stating that “He is fine” less than twelve hours after the accident. Yet, no official statement was posted by Woods until 48 hours later.

Why did it take so long to get the statement on the Internet?

A public relations group working for a minor public figure could be forgiven for such a delay but not a group working for the world’s most visible sports personality who reportedly has earned over a billion dollars in less than fifteen years on the PGA tour.

In that 48-hour vacuum how many people went to a TMZ or to the National Enquirer Internet site to read about an alleged affair involving Tiger? How many people spoke to a neighbor or friend about what they heard through the grapevine?

Each passing hour without an official statement from Tiger allowed the rumor mill to tarnish the Tiger brand.

Hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people are now aware that there are rumors of infidelity concerning Tiger. While not everyone will conclude the worst about Tiger, there is no doubt that many will now believe the gossip about Tiger is gospel.

The oddly worded statement issued by Tiger did not extinguish this story and this story will likely live a few more news cycles than needed. Tiger’s statement provides,

"This situation is my fault, and it’s obviously embarrassing to my family and me. I’m human and I’m not perfect. I will certainly make sure this doesn’t happen again."

Is Tiger never going to drive a car again? Assuming he hasn’t sworn off driving cars, how can anyone say that they are not perfect and human while saying they will never have an accident again?

Why not simply say, “I will certainly be a more careful driver in the future.”

Of course, conspiracy theorists will infer that he is not talking about driving when he states that he is going to sure this doesn’t happen again.

Then Tiger’s statement tries to hide behind the word “privacy.”

Specifically, the statement says “This is a private matter and I want to keep it that way...But, I would also ask for some understanding that my family and I deserve some privacy no matter how intrusive some people can be.”

Can any matter be “private” when the police are called to investigate an accident? No. Any suggestion to the contrary is ridiculous.

However, just because the police investigation is not private does not mean that the circumstance of the accident is a major story worthy of public consumption

Woods’ statement could have given us a reason to view his accident as a story worthy of nothing more than a passing interest.

Why not simply say, “I don’t have anything further to say about the accident...I and my family would appreciate not receiving any questions about the accident. I feel embarrassed about the accident and would prefer not to dwell on it.”

Most people have been involved in a fender bender. How many of us having spent more than five minutes talking about our car accident? Case closed, nothing more than a boring fender bender.

Further, by Woods stating that he didn’t want to dwell on his bad driving which he felt was embarrassing would humanize Woods.

Finally, the statement fails to take the right tone concerning rumors circulating after the accident. The statement reads,

"Although I understand there is curiosity, the many false, unfounded and malicious rumors that are currently circulating about my family and me are irresponsible."

Why use the emotionless word “irresponsible?” Using the word “irresponsible” sounds as if it came from someone who is not the subject of the rumors such as Tiger’s lawyer.

How many people do you know who would be so “clinical” in responding to wild vicious lies about their personal life?

Tiger is a human being who has feelings, right? Tiger is the person who is the subject of these malicious rumors?

Why not say that the “malicious rumors that are currently circulating are hurtful and have caused pain to my family and me.”

Again, the statement failed to humanize Woods. Humanizing Woods would have made us feel closer to him and would have made most of us want to close the blinds on the window to his life.

The media could have provided more information to put the story in context. The lack of context gave more room for speculation to occur.

The public relations team for Woods could have acted more swiftly before the story got out of control. The prepared statement could also have sounded more sincere and stated in a way to minimize the reach of the story.

This feeding frenzy did not need to occur.

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Rwanda's Youth Play for Hope in the Face of Daunting Challenges

Michael Jee — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 23:29:26 -0500

In Rwanda, dreams—even for its youth—are a fleeting rarity that seemingly disappear with the coming dawn.

Three-quarters of the population live under the international poverty line of $1.25 a day, and, to this day, the country is still recovering from the inexplicably haunting and gruesome 1994 genocide that took up to a million lives.

Countless others died in the regional First and Second Congo Wars, as well.

In the aftermath of Thanksgiving, it is meaningful to consider most Americans enjoyed a hearty meal with family or friends.

Then, after the physical consumption came the material consumption of Black Friday, where people jostled, indulged, and splurged to their hearts’ delight.

And don’t forget the hours spent in front of the TV, consuming—once again—visual stimulation in the form of endless football games and various Turkey Day specials.

Americans often complain over the pettiest issues and circumstances. With the national and global economy teetering on the brink of major collapse, many families carry legitimate reasons for frustration and worry. However, conditions here as a whole are a parallel universe compared to the world in Rwanda.

Many Rwandans are just thankful they still have living family or friends.

Consumerism is a foreign, irrelevant concept. Black Friday is an event that occurs weekly with the return of uncertainty and darkness. As for football—let alone, sports, in general—most Rwandans would be lucky for an available ball of any kind.

Even the Detroit Lions’ ongoing woes look decent from their vantage point.

External effort to alleviate conditions in Rwanda have often been delayed by bureaucratic red tape or simply been ignored. And virtually none have used sports as the medium to address societal problems . . . until Play for Hope, that is.

Play for Hope—recently incorporated and based in Raleigh, N.C.—is primarily the brainchild of Brian Beckman, a 2007 graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Almost two years of full-time, “real world” work left Beckman largely dissatisfied and longing for more meaning. When a few people incidentally contacted him about visiting Rwanda, he promptly quit his job and left for the heart of Africa—with no initial intent of immersion in full-time humanitarian work.

That quickly changed.

“As I began to explore Rwanda a little more and study it a little more, I began to fall in love with it,” said Beckman.

“And while I was out there, I saw just a large need for children. There’s not a lot of adult involvement in a lot of children.”

Beckman encountered much, including meeting community workers and organizing sports activities for street kids in Rwanda, Kenya, and Uganda.

These moving observations slowly lit a deliberate desire to help such children, and Beckman met with other people who shared a similar vision of ministering to Rwanda’s youth through sports, perhaps by offering free sports clinics or holding a tournament in the national stadium.

He ended up not working with any of his brainstorming collaborators, but Play for Hope was basically born from these few initial meetings that occurred in the summer of 2008.

Upon his return to the States, Beckman managed to secure a partnership with the Luis Palau Association, based in Portland, which provided Play for Hope with the umbrella to withhold its startup costs. Beckman also secured partnerships in Rwanda with Hope Rwanda and Africa New Life Ministries.

Currently, Play for Hope’s partnerships are all with Christian organizations, having originally capitalized on connections from interested faith-based networks. Play for Hope has its own statement of faith, but Beckman firmly assures proselytization of a certain religious message is neither an objective nor actual practice of the organization.

“We’re not there to convert people,” Beckman said. “What you do or don’t believe in doesn’t affect you from being in our program."

Instead, Play for Hope’s expressed beliefs exist to explain the group’s motivation, which is based on loving others with acceptance of the characteristics that define them.

Beckman doesn’t shy away from these values because they not only express rationale, but ensure honesty and transparency.

“I’m going to tell you what we do, and you’re either going to buy into it or you’re not,” he said. “I’m not going to pretend to be something that we’re not.”

According to Beckman, though, Rwandans either understand or could care less about Play for Hope’s background and have received the organization enthusiastically. They continue to appreciate the group’s effort as relationships grow closer—especially with the children.

“The kids run to us,” said Beckman. “After we did clinics there, kids would stop us on the street and know us by name, which is fairly uncommon, for them to know [a foreigner] by name.”

Barely a year into its formal existence, Play for Hope has already conducted a series of sports clinics in Rwanda this past summer, mostly near the capital city, Kigali.

The group runs its program like a basic sports camp. Kids are divided into groups that are led by a coach. The coach teaches the children the basic fundamentals of a specific sport, focused on basketball and soccer, so far. Children practice drills then move to scrimmages.

Occasionally, Play for Hope will go work with a specific team, resembling a formal practice.

The organization has recruited numerous children—many of whom are orphans or street kids, often both—from the jaws of neglect and detrimental activity including drug use.

By getting kids off the streets and integrated into a community centered around sports, Beckman hopes to rehabilitate them, get them into school, and house them with a caring family.

Some of these forgotten children now appear to be completely different individuals, especially a group of boys from the Busanzi neighborhood in Kigali. These boys all walked 45 minutes one-way just to participate in Play for Hope’s program.

“They’re like family now,” Beckman said. “They’re free from [drugs]. They have love and compassion.”

Most participants have been boys thus far, but only because Rwandan girls have traditionally not played or been exposed to sports, more so than the country’s boys.

“We’ve been unable to find any female coaches,” said Beckman. “As we move forward, we’re trying to become more and more involved with girls.”

The vast majority of Play for Hope’s operations is accomplished through a small but dedicated group of volunteers. All Rwandan coaches were screened and selected by local churches. American workers generally have a background in athletics or a sports-related field.

“A lot of people within the sports world have never really had an opportunity to use their skills to serve,” Beckman said. "[Play for Hope] allows them a field to use what they’re truly good at to impact people’s lives.”

Beckman’s future vision is to expand Play for Hope’s outreach to other countries in the region and incorporate other activities, such as music and drama, for the children. He earnestly hopes to form more partnerships that will increase the scope of children’s activities and benefits, from food and housing to education and recreation.

The US Soccer Federation and Peace Passers have sponsored Play for Hope to some capacity by donating soccer balls and equipment.

Beckman also wishes to structure Play for Hope so that it can serve as a bridge between American inner-city children and Rwandan children because “[inner-city kids] are a group in the US that don’t really get to experience humanitarian work.”

Of course, anyone is welcome to participate and contribute to Play for Hope’s cause. Play for Hope’s main source of funding still comes from individual donors and benefactors.

Nevertheless, money is neither the sole or most desirable method of involvement Beckman seeks.

“I love receiving a check,” said Beckman. “But another way to contribute is to donate to local ball or equipment drives.”

Play for Hope has conducted donation runs all over the US—Georgia, Arkansas, North Carolina, Oregon to name a few.

Spreading the word about Play for Hope is another key way of support.

The most meaningful and personable way for involvement is training and working as a volunteer for actual fieldwork in Africa, especially if one is a sports enthusiast.

Despite Play for Hope’s successful integration and impact in Rwanda, it has encountered barriers and difficulties along the way.

“Whenever you’re working cross-culturally, you’re going to run into difficulties just based on the fact that what works in the US doesn’t necessarily work somewhere else,” said Beckman.

Every setback has produced a valuable lesson, and Beckman has learned to keep things very flexible to change.

“We’re not afraid too much of failure as long as we can improve and make it work,” he said.

Another issue Beckman has had to deal with was being lied to by some people he was trying to help—a reality in any job, but something extra hurtful in the nonprofit, humanitarian field.

“It’s hard when a few people in a community we’re trying to serve are stealing from you.”

Despite personal and organizational hurdles, Play for Hope remains steadfastly committed to the impact they have already made and the hard work that awaits. When the going gets tough, Beckman reminds himself of why everything is worth doing—for the children.

“I want people to know that we’re raising future leaders of Rwanda by improving the lives of children who have been ignored by society—changing hopelessness to a hope for peace, a hope for a better life, a hope in God” he said.

Yes, dreams come by hard and are rare in Rwanda—even for its youth. Yet, it appears Play for Hope’s tenacious, holistic approach have given dreams just enough of a fighting chance—one dribble, kick, and child at a time.

To find out more about Play for Hope or to discover ways for involvement, please visit its Web site at www.playforhope.org .

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Steelers Historical Strong Defense: White, Green, Holmes, Greenwood

Damali Binta YAEL — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 15:22:50 -0500

During the same years the Pittsburgh Steelers were building "The Steel Curtain," America was building a defense for dropouts and push-outs in urban schools.

Those years saw the high school dropout rate for African-American males climb to an alarming high. There was a crisis because of a lack of presence of role models. Organizations like the National Urban League got involved in education, mainly to help reduce the dropout rate in urban communities.

Defenses needed to be built in American education. Young men needed to be herded off the streets and back into the classrooms. The legislation that would fund the dropout prevention programs, which was America's defense for an emerging problem, was called the Emergency School Aid Act (ESAA).

As the project director of a Houston Area Urban League ESAA project, I was told to hire four strong men who could help find the dropouts and encourage them to return to high school, and to identify those who were potential dropouts.

I found four good men to implement the project. One of them, I distinctly remember, was a relative of Dwight White, a defensive player with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The name of Dwight White's relative was Bob White, and he had been a probation officer. He was perfectly suited for the job.

The other man I hired was an ex-U. S. Marine who wanted to help young people.

Mr. White constantly talked about his relative Dwight. I was curious and Mr. White would share with us, the experiences of Dwight White, "Mean" Joe Greene, Ernie Holmes and L. C. Greenwood.

Each NFL player stands out in my mind for a different reason.

Dwight White stood out because he was the relative to a man who worked as a counselor in the program I directed.

"Mean" Joe Greene stood out because of his performance on the football field and his name.

Ernie Holmes stood out because he attended Texas Southern University, and he was known for his intensity on the playing field. His name stands out in my mind even more now because he fathered one of the promising young mathematicians in the United States, Dr. Rod Holmes.

There were really four outstanding defense players with the Pittsburgh Steelers at that time. I made no connection with the fourth player.

Here is what an interesting chapter in history looks like in 2009. Ernie Holmes who passed away, at 59 years old, in a car accident somewhere between Houston, Texas and Beaumont, Texas is the father of a young mathematician who has made history.

I work with Ernie Holmes' son.

Dr. Rod Holmes, the second African-American man to receive a Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Houston, must have put up a powerful defense to negotiate his way to the end of a historical accomplishment.

He was mentored by Dr. Willie Taylor, the first African-American man to receive his Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Houston.

Is it possible that the wisdom of his father, the great defensive player with "The Steel Curtain" rubbed off on the son, Dr. Rob Holmes?

The determination, persistence, and passion you need for football is also needed in intellectual endeavors. Perhaps the powerful attributes of the father were passed on to the son, giving him the coping skills to wedge forth and get a Ph.D. in one of the most challenging areas in mathematics, functional analysis? I think so.

Does the tradition of building and having a powerful defensive team continue in the current Pittsburgh Steelers team? Probably so.

Traces of genius stood out in the career of Ernie Holmes. In one quote we see:

"Holmes, drafted out of Texas Southern, was part of a defense that held Minnesota to 17 yards rushing and 119 total yards in the 1975 Super Bowl. The Steelers won their first title, 16-10. They were back a year later, beating Dallas 21-17 for the championship.

"The 1976 Steelers defense was one of the best in NFL history, shutting out five opponents -- three in a row -- during a nine-game, season-ending winning streak. The Steelers allowed only 28 points during those nine games, an average of slightly more than a field goal per game.

"He was devastating and would just destroy the opponent across from him," Russell said. "Sometimes I had to remind him to tackle the guy with the pigskin. He was a brilliant player. He played all with his heart."

"He used his head, too. Besides "Fats," he was also known as "Arrowhead" because in 1974 he shaved his head, leaving only an arrow-shaped pattern of hair on his skull.

"I asked him, 'What the hell did you do that for?'" longtime Steelers director of communications Joe Gordon said. "We were getting ready to play the Chiefs in Arrowhead Stadium. He said, 'That's to point me to the quarterback.'"

What stands out is the comment "He used his head" and "he was a brilliant player."

So, the four men who often bragged about the brilliance of L. C. Greenwood, Joe Green, Dwight White and Ernie Holmes were good role models. Perhaps they saw the merit and power of a good defense.

And, the four men who took part in "The Steel Curtain" set a model in place for those times by being one of the best NFL defense squads in NFL history.

Out of that pool of talent was birthed one of America's promising mathematicians. It looks like Dr. Rod Holmes inherited the brilliance and heart of his father. It is no small feat to be one of the few African-American men to get a Ph.D. in functional analysis.

Brilliance can be in the genes, however, it may manifest itself in different ways. Ernie Holmes showed his on the playing field while his son shows his in intellectual pursuits.

Now there is a story telling about what Ernie Holmes did, and how he approached Gene Upshaw of the Oakland Raiders. Holmes forewarned Upshaw that the Steelers defense was, let's say, stronger and more fierce than the Raiders.

Well, a game is coming up on Dec. 6. Is there a "Ernie Holmes" making his way to a "Gene Upshaw"? Is the Oakland Raiders team being forewarned about the tactics and strength of the Pittsburgh Steelers?

A historical encounter is captured in this quote:

"To motivate his teammates, Holmes purposefully strayed into the Raiders' warm ups to tell star lineman Gene Upshaw before the January 1976 AFC Championship Game what the Steelers would do to him and Oakland.

"The Steelers went on to win 24-13. But at a team Christmas party, Holmes surprised everyone by dressing up like Santa Claus and handing out toys."

It's 33 years later. In 2009 is there a Steelers defensive player who will "stray into the Raiders' warm ups" and tell the Raiders' star lineman what the Steelers will do to him and Oakland on December 6?

I conclude by saying that out of the personal heritage of Ernie Holmes has come an outstanding young mathematician, Rod Holmes.

More broadly, then, we can say that out of the franchise heritage of both the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Oakland Raiders should come forth with a "Ernie Holmes" and a "Gene Upshaw."

Who will win the game on Dec. 6, 2009? I will leave it up to you, the readers, to give predictions.

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The South Will Rise Again: Banned Ole Miss Chant Should Stay Banned

Justin Hudson — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 14:23:59 -0500

I’m all for college football traditions.

Traditions provide college football with the pageantry and passion that is often lacking from the professional game. Fall Saturdays would not be the same without someone dotting the I in Ohio, an orange-tinged crowd singing Rocky Top, or a whole stadium standing just in case a 12th man is needed.

Besides providing the game with much needed excitement, traditions are also supposed to unite fanbases.

Football teams, especially those from public universities, represent much more than their schools. They often represent their cities, regions, and even their entire state.

Traditions help to unite young and old, alumni and student, white and black.

That’s why I’m glad University of Mississippi Chancellor Dan Jones recently banned the playing of the song “From Dixie With Love” during football games.

As most college football fans have heard by now, Jones and university administration wanted to prevent students from chanting the “The South Will Rise Again” at the end of the song. When students refused, Jones decided to prohibit the song all together.

Though it means the school’s beloved fight song will no longer be played, the chant needs to go.

It simply has no place in intercollegiate athletics.

Some students, alumni, and casual fans might not find a problem with the chant. In fact, many are outraged that the administration has gotten rid of yet another sacred Ole Miss tradition.

However, this “tradition” has too much bad history behind it.

Like it or not, such thinking is linked to an era when Jim Crow segregation was a way of life in Mississippi.

I truly wonder if students who are so adamant about chanting “The South Will Rise Again” are familiar with the story of Ole Miss’s integration.

In 1962, James Meredith became the first black student to enroll at the university. The residents of Oxford literally rioted in the streets, staging a battle with federal troops and U.S. Marshals that left two dead.

Surely those who fought federal officials in the Battle of Oxford were hoping the South would rise again.

I doubt those students realize that in 1972, Ole Miss was the last SEC school to integrate their athletic program.

And the lost traditions alumni complain about, such as waving the Confederate flag at games and cheering on a plantation-owning mascot, could not have helped Ole Miss recruit blue-chip African American athletes over the years.

Little wonder, then, that the Rebels have not exactly taken the SEC by storm in men’s basketball and football through the years. In fact, the gridiron Rebels last won the SEC in 1963, when every team in the conference was all white.

As the state’s flagship school, the University of Mississippi should strive to reflect the best qualities of the state. It should be a point of pride for all Mississippians, even those who do not attend.

Why, then, should the university celebrate something that automatically alienates over a third of the state’s population and echoes the bigoted viewpoints of the pre-Civil Rights era?

And if you’re still not convinced the chant is harmful, just remember the Ku Klux Klan paid a recent visit to Oxford to protest the ban.

Last time I checked, those guys were interested in seeing the South rise again, too.

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Hotnuke's Explosion: Fallout from Site Update Threatens to Poison B/R Community

Lewie Pollis — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 00:18:37 -0500

I am not normally one to defend the establishment. As a person who frequently finds myself holding the minority opinion, I am uncomfortable praising the status quo, which is usually more than capable of patting itself on the back.

With that in mind, I humbly request that this article not be painted with the brush of propaganda or dismissed as an attempt to suck up to the bigwigs of Bleacher Report.

Anyone who is reading this has probably noticed the changes that have been made to the site. Most prominent have been the amendments to the sportswriter profile pages, which have been completely reformatted.

If you skim the new community forum, you will see that the modifications have not gone over very well. Perhaps the most visible and vocal promoter of this standpoint has been Daniel Barber, aka Hotnuke.

As with the vast majority of Bleacher Report writers, I do not actually know Mr. Barber. I had read a few of his articles, and he mine; I knew of his reputation as a frequent Article of the Day winner and one of the top writers on the site. I usually agreed with his opinions and was impressed by his prose.

Mr. Barber reacted quite strongly to the site’s changes. “I ABSOLUTELY HATE IT,” he wrote. “This shit absolutely sucks. I mean SUCKS.”

He criticized the lack of aesthetic appeal, expressed concern that there was no way to highlight his AOTDs, and was frustrated by the lack of specific answers he was getting from the B/R administrative staff.

Now, I don’t have a problem with complaining. Personally, I don’t think the profiles are so ugly that the “enjoyment of coming and writing for B/R will simply not be there,” but if it bothers him that much, he certainly has the right to say so.

My concern was over his threat that, if he didn’t start getting specific answers and promises to change soon, he would suspend his account and remove his articles from the site.

Again, as an isolated incident, this wouldn’t be that big of a deal. A guy gets frustrated and decides he has better ways to spend his time. That’s fine.

What I fear is the mindset that may have led to his ultimatum and subsequent action. It’s a potentially radioactive mentality that, if it spreads, would be cancerous to the B/R community: the attitude that we, the site’s contributors, have the right to make demands about how the site should do business.

While I hate to put it in such callous terms, the truth is that BleacherReport.com owes us nothing.

The people behind the curtain provide us with a place to express our passion for sports to an audience that will actually appreciate it. They help us network with other fans and expose our work to major media outlets. All for free.

Sure, they use us to get their advertising money. The more we write, the more people read. The more people read, the more advertisers write checks.

That’s not reason to say they are indebted to us; that’s the nature of a symbiotic relationship. The fact that we help them make money doesn’t mean the service they give away is any less valuable. Not to mention that, were it not profitable, there would be no Bleacher Report.

I say all this with hesitance, as it feels extremely uncomfortable to defend “the man” when he is quite capable of doing it for himself. But the fact of the matter is, short of not plagiarizing our articles and selling our contact information to spammers, the guys in San Francisco have no obligations to us writers.

The editors could belittle our writing, ridicule our opinions, and insult our mothers, yet it would still be a worthwhile endeavor (such disrespect would surely chase a number of writers away, but the service would remain as valuable as it is now).

And, in spite of all this, the B/R administrators have gone above and beyond my expectations for responsiveness.

While I realize that other members have been dissatisfied at times with the communication (or lack thereof) from the people at the top, I have been very impressed by my interactions with them. Whenever I’ve emailed someone about a question or problem, I heard back within a few hours; that’s more than I can say for most services that I actually pay for.

I don’t like the new profile layout either. I think that the biography section has been marginalized, the awards are too big, the bulletin board is disorganized, and that removing the pictures from the display of recent articles was a mistake.

But unlike some other writers, I didn’t think it destroyed the fun of Bleacher Report. I took Dave Morrison at his word that our feedback was being compiled and our issues would be addressed in the near future.

Lo and behold, less than a week after the initial changes were made, D-Mo penned an announcement in response to all the major problems people had raised about the site’s new look. Most of the popular suggestions, he said, would soon be implemented; he also addressed the ones that weren’t, explaining why he and the staff disagreed.

Can you imagine someone from Facebook or MySpace doing that?

Bleacher Report isn’t perfect. But we writers have a pretty good gig going for us. It’s important that we respect that, especially at this time of year.

It’s been 64 years after the first military detonations of atomic bombs, and the world has avoided their use in warfare since.

The B/R community has seen one Hotnuke explosion. If we don’t put a stop to it now, soon there will be no one left but cockroaches.

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Top Five Professional Mascots

Kyle Balinger — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 09:46:27 -0500

People go to sporting events for many reasons. Some go because they want to watch a team triumph over their rivals, some people go to have a good time with their friends, and guys know what I'm talking about when sometimes we go for the cheerleaders. But what about the thing that people love the most? This is a countdown of the top 5 mascots in professional sports. Some mascots that just missed the countdown were Mr. Met and Super Mascot Rocky (Nuggets). If you would like to learn more about these mascots, go to http://www.mascothalloffame.com/

Begin Slideshow

Oakland Raiders Need Black Roses on Black Friday: Courage and Strength

Damali Binta YAEL — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 06:49:27 -0500

Thanksgiving is a family day. It is a day when we are thankful for all of the wonderful things we have experienced, or that we possess.

Good health, sound mind, healthy children, a job, and friends and family are just a few of the things for which we express appreciation.

When the family is large and competitive, they have a great time "kidding" each other about their favorite football team.

Well, I am in Texas, so most of my family was pulling for the Dallas Cowboys. In college football, we were split between the Texas Longhorns and the Texas A&M Aggies.

There was a moment when folks got a little loud. Here is the reason: One of my nieces got her bachelor's degree from the University of Texas, and her Ph.D. from Texas A&M.

Her husband got his bachelor's in engineering from the University of Texas, and his M.B.A. from Texas A&M. So, who did they pull for? It was confusing.

Finally, they stuck with the University of Texas.

When the dust from that decision settled it was time for a new target. Me. I became the one picked on and questioned about being a die-hard Oakland Raiders fan. They wondered why, and they were bold enough to ask.

I gave them my short version of why I am a consistent and dedicated supporter of the Raiders. Yes, I debated their current standing in the NFL, but I insisted that Oakland has the potential of rising up in rank, no matter what the situation may be.

So, we looked at the game. There was a point when most of the family decided that Oakland had lost any hope of winning, and the group, using a majority vote, changed the channel during the last few minutes of the game.

I shouted out, "Don't do that, because Oakland may win it in the last few seconds."

The matriarch in my family looked at me with a gaze that said, "Are you serious?"

Well, you know what happened. So, Nov. 27 is Black Friday for more than one reason.

Black communicates mourning. Yes, Raiders fans should be saddened because things are not looking good right now. The team is up one day, and down another.

Our record for 2009 is 3-8, and "The Terrible Towel" just may bring more tears to our eyes next week. I hope not, but I must deal with reality at this point.

Now, tell me, what do we do in times like these? Well, we redefine the meaning of some of these experiences. Here I go, trying to squeeze some positives out of a dim and dark situation in 2009.

Here is what I want to say, using two quotes:

"It is true that black is the color of death. But death does not always cause mourning.

"It can also be the beginning of new things, a journey into unexplored territory. The black rose, because it symbolizes death and passing away, also indicates a major change or upheaval in the future.

"In that sense, the black rose also means the death of old habits and the old order. It inspires confidence and enthusiasm by signaling the birth of a new era of hope and joy."

Another quote reassures us:

"The black rose, tragic in its dark beauty, is not always symbolic of unhappiness. The Irish have used the lyrics of 'the Little Black rose' during their ongoing battle with the British. Similarly, many anarchist and anti-authoritarian groups have also adopted the black rose as a symbol of mutiny and strength.

"Therefore, the meaning of the black rose also includes courage and resistance."

In conclusion, I hereby present the Oakland Raiders and the Raider Nation with a black rose. Courage, and resistance to failure, strength and mutiny against those who believe we can never rise above the challenges are what should be proclaimed.

We are going to redefine what most people tag as "loss" and call the "lesson."

We are in a stage of preparation, and because there are many covert and overt issues that must be dealt with, we know that we need time to diagnose, and prescribe remedies to reverse the trend we are currently experiencing.

Accept your black rose, and clasp the courage and strength to continue believing in the Oakland Raiders.

Source of Photos: Photobucket

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LSU Tigers: A Battle Cry for Coach Les Miles From Death Valley

Henry Ball — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 01:10:31 -0500

In the recently released movie "The Blind Side" about former Ole Miss left tackle Michael Oher, his guardian explains to him that “The Charge of the Light Brigade,” Lord Alfred Tennyson's classic poem is in reality about the Rebels' rivalry game against LSU, now known as the Magnolia Bowl.

The guardian explains that the cavalry, in a display of courage and unity, charges into a heavily fortified valley at the behest of their flawed but courageous and patriotic leader.

Oher then writes an essay relating this story to his own life and wins over a skeptical teacher who was the final obstacle in his path to NCAA eligibility and being able to accept a scholarship offer to play at Ole Miss—or virtually any other university of his choosing.

I must admit, I have followed LSU athletics my entire life and I have always been slightly embarrassed by not having an answer to the question, “Why is Tiger Stadium called Death Valley?”

Of course there is the Wikipedia version—allegedly posted by a Clemson University grad—which is popular with Clemson fans, who claim that their stadium was the first to be dubbed in honor of the Valley of Death.

I’ve also heard explanations related to Mike the Tiger our ‘man eating’ mascot.

Sean Tuohy’s (Oher's guardian) version—however far from being historically accurate—works for me.

More importantly, a cursory look at the story of the Light Brigade draws some fascinating comparisons—in a creative and literary sense—to the current plight of LSU’s Tiger Nation.

The Light Brigade, led by it’s (insert d word) strong and patriotic (loyal) Major General, the Earl of Cardigan found themselves charging into the valley based on misdirected order’s from an underling. Unprotected at their flanks, they faced an insurmountable enemy.

The valley would become known as "the Valley of Death."

Cardigan and his 600 charged into the onslaught of Russian artillery expecting to have back up from the Heavy Brigade, led by the Earl of Lucan, who coincidentally was Cardigan’s predecessor as commander of the Light Brigade and his estranged Brother in Law.

Perhaps it was enmity or distrust, but the Heavy Brigade watched from on high as Cardigan's men were slaughtered.

A national controversy ensued and Cardigan was questioned; surely he was the villain. Why oh why would he charge so outmanned—surely his troops deserved better leadership, perhaps a better man.

Yet, the men of the brigade, those who survived the charge, would rally around their leader: courageous, loyal, flawed and strong.

Lord Tennyson would memorialize their charge and pen the battle psalm:

When can their glory fade?

O the wild charge they made!

All the world wonder’d.

Honour the charge they Made!

Honour the Light Brigade,

Noble six hundred!

Last Saturday, LSU had been out-played physically statistically and on the scoreboard against Ole Miss, but made a wild and valiant charge in the last two minutes and had victory in their sight.

Inexplicably, the Tiger’s through a series of misses (calls, communication, game/clock management, etc…) or a tragedy of errors , if you will, retreated from victory’s view.

Yet, as if fate had deemed it necessary the admittedly flawed yet courageous and loyal leader—head coach Les Miles—still had one last ditched attempt to gain victory yet watched it slip from his grasp.

Like the Earl of Cardigan, the Hat of LSU leads from the front. And like Cardigan, all of the disdain, vitriol and chagrin of the nation (Tiger Nation) has been aimed squarely at him. "If only he’d been more like the former great commander, Lucan our old friend."

In the aftermath, with calls for his head, one thing has been missed and his case must be pled. Those men that charged with him, all aware of each other’s flaws have come to his side and here is what they have said.

“It makes you earn so much more respect for a man who comes out and says something like that,” senior tight end Richard Dickson said.

“Coach Miles has done great things here, been a great coach. The way he comes out and says that means a lot to you as a player and as a man. I earned a lot of respect for our coach for the way he talked to us.”

RB Stevan Ridley added, “I respect him. Any head coach that does that in front of the team and in front of the assistants, that comes up there and says, ‘This was my fault,’ it takes a lot for somebody to swallow their pride and say, ‘I messed something up.’

“He did what he needed to do. There’s nothing else that needs to be said. It says a lot about the person he is, and not just the coach. The team, that was something we needed to hear.”

“He tried to take the blame for the whole game, but I don’t think that’s fair,” LSU guard Lyle Hitt said. “There’s more to the game than just the last 30 seconds. That loss is on everybody’s shoulders.”

Added linebacker Kelvin Sheppard, “People are trying to say the end of the game is the big reason we lost, but the game could’ve been won at any time during the game. He’s taking all the pressure, and it’s really not his fault.”

The men, or soldiers if you will, have taken this leader’s left flank (the ‘blind side’) and the nation (Tiger Fans) needs to take up arms on the right.

This brigade, the mighty Bengal Tigers and its phenomenal senior class, have one more chance for victory in the valley and it comes this Saturday night against the Arkansas Razorbacks!

When the Sun sets and night falls on Death Valley may ALL you Tigers roar.

Do not let their glory fade?

O the wild charge they made!

The entire world did wonder.

But honor the charge they made!

Honor the Senior Class and the leader whom they choose!

Honor them for courage, loyalty and the Victory we shall come to know!

Geaux Tigers!

Sources: Baton Rouge Morning Advocate, LSUsports.net, Lord Tennyson, Microsoft Images

By Henry Ball (aka Southern Man, CFB Czar) Featured Columnist, Syndicated Writer

Contributor @ Bleacher Report , College Gameday Network , and other Sports Media outlets.

Another Must Read: Is Les Miles on the Hot Seat ?

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I Am Thankful For Sports

Thom Cunningham — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 13:01:22 -0500

As we prepare for a long day of stuffing our faces with turkey, and get ready to watch the Lions for at least another season, we all reflect on what we are most thankful for.

I am thankful for spending the day with my family while we eat and watch football all day together.

I am thankful for the health and wealth that I have had the privilege of experiencing for the first 20 years in my life.

I am thankful for my love insurance, the friends and family that will love you and stand by you no matter what.

Most of all, and most importantly, I am thankful for sports.

Whether it is a two-yard run by Justin Forsett, a 99-yard interception return by Ed Reed, a slamburger dished out by Dwight Howard, a tee-shot driven by Ian Poulter, a groundball hit by Derek Jeter, or a grand slam hit by Albert Pujols, I am thankful for sports playing a role in my life.

Watching the arm strength of Drew Brees, the power of running by Marion the Barbarian, the assassin instincts displayed every week by Ray Lewis, the sound of helmets and pads colliding on the field, the referees making the good calls and the bad, the voice of Michaels and Tirico on primetime television, the funny voices and nicknames Boomer always has up his clever sleeve... I am thankful for the NFL season.

I turn on ESPN, more specifically Sportscenter.

The question of whether Charlie Weis will be fired always takes up a minimum of 15 minutes per show.

The witty comments made by anchors Chris McKendry, Hannah Storm, John Buccigross, and Josh Elliot make the sport they comment on seem so easy, as if they would've known what to do in that situation and perfect it.

Trent Dilfer talking negative on every and any question he is asked and debates such as whether baseball needs instant replay or whether the Lions should play on Thanksgiving Day (debates irrelevant to the art of sport) makes me thankful that I don't enjoy watching 45 minutes of this show.

In all fairness, I am thankful for the other 15 minutes. Watching the top plays of the prior day is always enjoyable for any type of sports fan.

I am thankful for the Top Ten plays on Sportscenter.

Watching Kyle Busch smash a guitar he was given after winning a race, Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco's hilarious and clever touchdown celebrations, Randy Moss 'mooning' Green Bay during a playoff game, Bud Adams giving the middle finger and Bob Knight throwing chairs... I am thankful for the fun in sports that is often viewed as controversy.

The great voices of sports that bring a comfort level of narration for sport fans across the globe, I am thankful for the commentary and story telling brought to us by Brent Musberger, Kirk Herbstriet, Harry Caray, Joe Buck, Marv Albert, and John Madden.

Army-Navy, Michigan-Ohio State, Yankees-Redsox, Auburn-Alabama, Green Bay-Chicago, UNC-Duke, Mark May-Lou Holtz... rivalries are one of the most emotional aspects for fanatic sport viewers. Rivalries can make you feel happy, proud, determined and overwhelmed just as easily as it can make you feel sad, defeated, unbearable, and sick to your stomach.

I am thankful for the rivalries that bring real emotion to sport fans.

I am thankful for the coaches and athletes that have dedicated their entire life to the game they love most. These guys spend a lot of time away from their family in order to perform at the highest level of competition possible.

I am thankful for the time and effort coaches and athletes put into sports, showing the love and determination they have for their respected game.

I am thankful for the NCAA brackets, the Frozen Four, the Triple Crown, and the four major events in tennis and golf.

I am thankful for the Slam Dunk Contest, the X-Games, and the ESPY awards that are given out each year.

I am thankful for the Olympics and the World Cup, watching different countries come together in unification to compete against each other with a level of respect for one another.

The Yankees, Bill Belichick, Kyle Busch, and the BCS... I am thankful for the "evil" in sports that bring a sense of needed heroism.

Lance Armstrong, John Rocker, and Leon Lett... I am thankful for the good, the bad and the ugly in sports.

I am thankful for the past players that set the stage for our future. Ronnie Lott, Jim Thorpe, Arthur Ashe, Jackie Robinson, Bill Russell and more... I am thankful for the past as much as I am thankful for the present.

The world of sports is far and deep. It brings overwhelming emotion of victory and a heartbreaking feeling of defeat.

Most importantly, however, I am thankful for the art of sports.

I am thankful for being able to witness a group of guys work together to achieve a goal. Whether that goal is just trying to get a first down, or that goal is to win a championship, I am thankful for the teamwork that is displayed in sports.

So, as we reflect what we are thankful for this Thanksgiving, from family to friends to health to wealth, I am thankful for sports and every aspect of emotion it brings to fans across the globe.

Thank you... sports.

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