The Appalachian State University Mountaineers completed a dream season on Friday night by defeating the Delaware Blue Hens for the Division I-AA National Championship.  The win completed a “3-peat” for ASU (third straight National Championship) and, in the hearts of the AppState faithful, validated a win against Michigan in the “Big House” in their first game of the 2007 season.  And in an ironic twist, the Delaware uniforms were replicas of Michigan’s uniforms.

In a year where the BCS was turned upside down by a two loss team reaching the BCS title game, the Appstate Mountaineers continued to dominate Div I-AA.  However, their domination didn’t become apparent until their playmaker, quarterback Armanti Edwards returned from a shoulder injury suffered in their historic win over Michigan.  After a couple of close calls in the first couple of rounds in the playoffs, AppState totally dominated the Richmond Spiders in the semi finals and Delaware in the Championship game.  They outscored their last two opponents 104-56 to solidify their domination of Div I-AA Football. 

There will be arguments made as to whether AppState deserves to be considered for a final ranking in the top 25 of the Div-I polls.  After all, they received votes in the week two AP rankings after their win over Michigan.  And it would be hard to argue that they don’t deserve a consideration for a final ranking in the top 25.  However, with two losses during the regular season, one to Wofford and one to Georgia Southern, it isn’t likely that consideration will become a reality.  And so this crazy college football season will likely end with AppState right back where they were before the season began…..a no name school from the mountains of North Carolina still trying to put itself on the map of big time college football. 

I’m not foolish enough to believe that Appalachian State would be a Big Ten contender, simply by winning an opening season game against a #5 Michigan Wolverine team that was supposed to be a national title contender.  And I can honestly say that if they were to play Michigan 10 times with this year’s roster, Michigan would likely win eight of those games.  However, that’s what logic tells me and anyone else who follows big time college football.  The only problem is, the heart knows no logic.  And for one shining season, the Appalachian State Mountaineers took the Div I-AA Championship with talent….and took the heart and soul out of a Division I –A national title contender with heart. 

(I would like to congratulate the Delaware Blue Hens with a classy game.  I am personally embarrassed by the actions of some of the AppState fans and even some of the players.  Delaware showed nothing but class.  Head Coach K.C. Keeler is a class act and a great coach.  Delaware should be proud.) 

I know I know.....haven't we heard enough about Mikey V and the dogfighting?  Well, it appears as though one prominent actress isn't quite finished "expressing her opinion" on the matter.  While a guest on "The View" yesterday, Whoopi Goldberg stated her support for Vick by saying, "He's from the South, from the Deep South ... This is part of his cultural upbringing,".....ARE YOU SERIOUS!!!  She also said, "For a lot of people, dogs are sport," Goldberg said on the show. "Instead of just saying (Vick) is a beast and he's a monster, this is a kid who comes from a culture where this is not questioned."

http://www.ktu.com/pages/WMVControversy.html?
feed=213636&article=2599724

Hmmm...the deep south?  So Virginia is the deep south? 

Hmmm...so it's okay that Vick did what he did because it is a cultural thing?

Hmmm...I thought dogfighting was ILLEGAL!!! 

Hey Whoopi...wasn't racism once a cultural thing in the south...does that mean it's okay to be a racist too?

Hey Whoopi...attended any dog fights lately?  Hey Whoopi...ever heard the screams of dogs being tortured?

I wonder if Whoopi would have had the same to say if it were Peyton Manning who had been caught instead of Mikey V.  Just a thought!!

There is a little known town, nestled in the northwest mountains of North Carolina, that has become a household name over the past three days.  Boone, North Carolina is home to those “upstarts” we all know as the Appalachian State University Mountaineers.  And on Saturday, it was home to a few thousand students, who instead of taking the Labor Day Weekend trek home, decided to stay in Boone and cheer for their beloved Mountaineers.  Little did anyone know that history was about to be made.

For anyone who lives outside the “Tri-State” area of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia, the words “Appalachian State” mean nothing.  It is a school with around 13,000 students that most like to label a “suitcase school”.  Most students, unless they are athletes, are close enough to home that they can travel home during just about any weekend they choose.  For me, it was literally a 30 minute trek up the mountain.  So you could literally say that Appalachian State was my “home school”.

Football has always been “the sport” at App State.  During the mid 90’s, they began asserting themselves as a top Division 1-AA threat for the National Championship.  But it always seemed that the Championship game was illusive, in an almost taunting sort of way.  Very little is known about their football program, simply because the only Division 1-A school that seemed to be willing to play App State on an annual basis was Wake Forest.  And we all know, up until last year, that Wake has never been a football power.  We always looked forward to that game as ASU fans…because more often than not, we seemed to come away with the win.  But in recent years, Wake Forest has shown no interest in playing App State, probably because of the damage losing to them would do their egos and to their program. 

So in recent years App State has played such foes as Auburn, LSU, NC State, and this year Michigan.  Two years ago, they gave a LSU, a National Championship contender, all they could handle in Baton Rouge.  Although the score showed 24-0, most of those points came late, and the stats showed that the game was very close.  Last year, they played NC State very tough, and should have come away with a victory.  But it was not to be.  So after two years of hard luck and losing games to the “big boys”, it was their turn to take it a step further, and try their luck with a perennial national power, Michigan. 

Keep in mind that Kidd Brewer Stadium, where App plays their home games, holds a measly 17,000 spectators at full capacity.  So when the opportunity came to play in the “Big House”, it was too hard to pass up.  They would leave their cozy little home in the North Carolina mountains, and voyage to a place that most high school football players could only dream of playing their college careers. 

Most football experts, and fans alike, seemed to believe that the game this past Saturday would be a blowout.  Press releases from all around the country talked about the “meaning” of playing a Division 1-AA team.  Most believed this was nothing more than a “tune up” for Michigan.  There were some who stated that Michigan only hoped to play Henne for no more than two quarters, or at least until Michigan had had time to “build a sizeable lead”.  Reporters were tauting the receiver corps for the Wolverines, and wrote of limited playing time for them also.  Michigan students and fans alike had no idea who this App State team was…or where they were from.  They only knew it was supposed to be blowout city for the Wolverines and company. 

Appalachian State has little to show for their football program.  Players like Dexter Coakley and Matt Stevens have been lucky enough to make it to the NFL.  But there has only been a select few to represent App State in the NFL over the years.  So how could it be that this little school with this “suitcase” mentality could ever dream of playing a perennial national contendor in “their” house and dream they could come away with a win? 

Michigan was supposed to win this game 55-0.  Michigan was supposed to use this game as a “tune up” for bigger games.  Michigan was supposed to intimidate this little team from nowhere.  The only problem is, someone forgot to tell that to the App State Mountaineers.  Someone forgot to tell Michigan that they were playing a team who had only lost 4 of their previous 30 games.  Someone forgot to tell Michigan that there is more to football than talent, size, and ability.  Someone forgot to tell them that they needed heart to beat this upstart team of “nobody’s”. 

If you want to see the biggest and hear the biggest heart in college football, please feel free to come to the mountains of North Carolina where the clouds bleed black and yellow.  But don’t forget to bring your radios and “in car televisions”.  Because finding a way into this little 17,000 seat football stadium may be the hardest ticket you’ll ever find. 

By the way, I’m more than just a fan of App State.  I’m also a graduate.

GO MOUNTAINEERS!!!!!

In these days of individualism and greed, it seems that education has taken a back seat to million dollar contracts and scandals.  As little as two decades ago, college athletics was where we went to see big time sports at its purest.  Now to mention the word pure in regards to sports in general brings a laugh and an after thought to the “good ole days”.  In 1979 Magic Johnson left Michigan State one year early for the NBA.  This, of course, was something new to college sports, and set a precedent that has since rolled into complete chaos.  In 1982 James Worthy left UNC one year early, only to be drafted by those same Los Angeles Lakers, who had snatched up Magic only three years earlier.  Michael Jordan left school a year early in 1984, and we all know how he fared.  But since the time of Jordan, college basketball players have been leaving school early in more abundant numbers.  Since the Fab Five, it has been common place for college basketball players to leave school one, two, and even three years early.  And even the unthinkable has happened.  High School athletes have totally by-passed college in order to enter the NBA draft.  That, of course, has been changed.  However, leaving school early is not limited to NCAA basketball.  It is becoming more common for NCAA football players to leave early also.  These actions have, of course, been driven by economics and, in my opinion, greed.  However, let’s see just how the graduation rates have stacked up in recent years for the NCAA.

The overall graduation rate for the NCAA is 77%.  If you look at Men’s NCAA Basketball, that rate is well below the overall average at 59%.  However, here’s the kicker to these numbers….they don’t include those who leave early to enter the professional drafts!!  That being said, there are many professional athletes who will eventually go back to school and finish their degrees.  Women’s athletics are much more successful at graduating their athletes.  In 16 out of the 18 major women’s sports, the graduation rate is at better than 80%.  In six of those it is above 90%.  Kudos to the women!!!  Keep in mind that these figures are figures for the years between 1996 and 1999.  Those figures are likely on the decline, though they had increased by 1% from the previous year when this survey was completed.

At first glance this would be a disturbing thought.  However, after doing a little more research on the matter, overall graduation rates for all students was only 61%.  That number was quite glaring. It seemed as though I needed to rethink my perception of college athletics and its “poor” graduation rates.  However, the overall numbers didn’t distinguish between students on scholarships and students who paid their own way.  And the numbers also didn’t take into account those scholarship athletes who leave early for the professional drafts.  At any rate, these numbers are a bit perplexing.  And I’m not really sure where I stand on the issue of “Student Athletes”.  How many students who would kill to be enrolled at their favorite universities are turned down every year because of athletes who leave early for the professional ranks?  And on the flip side, how many lose spots due to “regular joes” who wind up spending one year in college, and dropping out due to excessive partying and laziness?  You decide. 

This is part one of a two part story.  More research and more details are to follow soon.  If you would like to see the numbers for yourselves, here are a couple of websites I used to compile my numbers:

http://web1.ncaa.org/app_data/instAggr2006/1_0.p
df

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/2006-09-2
8-graduation-rates_x.htm

In the wake of the latest Bob Knight scandal, I think it is time to take a hard look at what has become of America and its fascination with abuse.  And that fascination rears its ugly head in one of our favorite past times, sports. 

Coaching is under the microscope as much as any profession in America.  Men and women are expected to be guardians of children, youth, and adult athletes, as well as teachers and mentors.  With this comes tremendous responsibility.  Imagine being asked to take care of someone else’s child, knowing the tremendous risk that today’s society levies on you.  As teachers, coaches are expected to lead athletes in the right direction.  They are expected to teach athletes right from wrong.  They are expected to always do what is “right for my child”.  Can you imagine being responsible for, not only the education of, but also the disciplining of someone else’s child?  Let’s take a look at all the risks involved in this profession.

First, a coach is expected to be fair and impartial.  As a child, I expected to play, no matter how horrible I was at that particular sport.  My parents expected no less.  Practices were more about teaching than they were about workouts and repetition.  Parents were more involved in the programs.  I’m 33 years old.  So my childhood was much different than that of today’s children.  As I entered my teenage years, my coaches became more like father figures and mentors.  Education was first.  Discipline consisted of sitting out games and having extended practices.  In some cases, it meant being suspended from the team, though I never experienced that myself.  And yes, yelling was a common everyday experience.  Coaches were only under the microscope of winning vs. losing.

Let’s fast forward to the late 90’s and early 21st century.  Daycares are forbidden to “spank” or physically discipline children.  Principals and teachers are required to get written permission from parents in order to “spank” their children at school.  In some cases, spanking is forbidden all together.  Our military has even been forbidden to use any emotionally or mentally stressful measures to interrogate our enemies.  Parents are using “positive reinforcement” in order to “discipline” children.  Methods such as “timeout” are used instead of yelling or spanking.  Coaches are more scrutinized than ever.  Yelling or belittling the athletes has become intolerant.  And anything that would lead someone to believe that a coach has laid a hand on an athlete could be taken to court, and tried as harassment or abuse.  No doubt, coaches like Bob Knight have done things over the years to attract scrutiny.  And they have even done things that would be considered abuse in any generation. 

Now, with this being said, let’s take a look at our college and professional athletes of today.  The coaches of 20 years ago are no doubt cringing at the pressures of today’s coaches.  And it is impossible to overlook the fact that our abuse of our legal system has a major effect on the coaches of today.  A look in the wrong way from a coach, can be a one way ticket to harassment.  A smack on the rear, which was once commonplace in sports, can land you in a court room today.  Yelling at an athlete can be determined as emotionally and verbally abusive.  So how exactly are the coaches of today supposed to be father figures, teachers, and mentors of today’s youth, if they are not allowed to be disciplinary.  Discipline, as defined by Webster’s, is training that corrects, molds, or perfects the mental faculties or moral character.  It is control gained by enforcing obedience or order, and orderly or prescribed conduct or pattern of behavior.  My question is, how can we maintain our definition of discipline if our legal system continues to declare it wrong?  Our coaches are so handcuffed that they can’t even properly discipline our players of today.  Take a look at what has happened with the University of Miami.  Take a look at how spoiled and individualistic our athletes of today are.  Our coaches don’t stand a chance.  Just ask Bob Knight.  I  am not a Bob Knight fan.  But how many of his student athletes have ever been in any kind of legal troubles.  Yes, I realize Isaiah Thomas is a Bob Knight product.  Nobody’s perfect.  My point is, that of all the bad things Bob Knight has done over the years, this latest incident has been taken way too far.  How would a father have gotten his son’s attention?   How are our coaches to teach our children right from wrong, when they can’t even be a real father figure any longer.  Where has the real America gone?  Are we seeing the death of team sports?  What do we really expect of our coaches?  If you expect them to do the right thing, you must expect them to properly discipline our children.  Sometimes positive reinforcement and a timeout may work.  But sometimes it may not.  You must ask yourself….”what is abuse?”  If you can figure that one out in today’s society, you are one step ahead of everyone else, including our coaches.

With all of the political debating, shot taking, and war of words, I feel it is time to make a political “statement” about sports issues, using both sides of the fence.  On one hand, we have the liberals, who are constitution watchers and “by the book” advocates.  And on the other hand, we have the conservatives who use a more religious, look beyond the boundaries mentality when discussing issues.  So without further delay, here is what our liberal and conservative panel had to say when confronted with the following issues.

 “Barry Bonds has been accused of taking steroids during his great run at Hank Aaron’s record….and your thoughts on this…”

Liberal says, “Innocent until proven guilty!!!  He hasn’t admitted to using them, and he hasn’t been tried in court.  Therefore he cannot be held accountable for doing something he hasn’t been officially convicted of.”

 Conservative says, “This guy is sooooooo lying.  How can he lie so many times about something we all know he has done.  Boy, just wait until God gets hold of him.  This guy is nothing but the devil in disguise!!!”

 “Floyd Landis has tested positive for a banned substance in winning the Tour De France….and your thoughts on this….”

 Liberal says, “He has tested positive, both A and B samples, and should be stripped of his title.  However, if all bicycle riders are taking roids…then why make them illegal.  Seems like they would all be on a level playing field..right?  I mean, in reality, who really cares what he does with his body….after all, it is his body…right?”

Conservative says, “Not only should the man be stripped of his title, but he should be banned from bike riding for life.  All retailers should have a picture I.D. of him, and refuse selling him anything having to do with cycling.  Furthermore, he is the Satan of cycling!!!”

 “Roger Clemens has been accused of using steroids, in order to keep a competitive edge with his timeless rocket of an arm….and your thoughts are…”

 Liberal says, “Innocent until proven guilty..how many times must I repeat that same phrase!!!  Afterall, if he were in a court of law, he would have the opportunity to clear his name of these allogations…and I repeat…they are only allegations.  He could possibly be a genetic freak who is at the pinnacle of evolution!!!”

Conservative says, “What an arrogant and foul mouthed man!!!  He deserves what he gets…assuming the people will repent of their sins, see the light, and convict this man of such a treacherous crime.  He is nothing more than the son of Satan himself!!” 

“The Miami Hurricanes have made a name for themselves, from their former players being suspended from their NFL teams for allegedly committing crimes, to getting into fights during college football games.  However, it seems that the most controversial thing in Miami at this point, is the lack of punishment handed down to players who were involved in the fight with FIU a couple of weeks ago….and your thoughts on this…”

Liberal says, “The punishments fit the crimes.  How do we know what really happened?  After all, they haven’t been convicted in a court of law have they?  Were you there? 
Were you at the game?  If you suspend the players…and the season for that matter…do you realize how much money would be lost to the University?  It’s the decision of a panel of coaches and school officials.  It is the constitutional right of them to make their own decisions about THEIR players!!”

 Conservative says, “What a bunch of Godless thugs!!!  I can’t believe they are being protected!!!  They should be stripped of their scholarships, and forced to go to the “Anti-Satan Church of Rehabilitation”!!  I am praying for the panel who made this decision that could have only come from Satan himself.  I pray they will see the error of their ways and repent!!! 

 Note:  The identity of those questioned in this survey shall remain anonymous.  It is their constitutional right…and may God have mercy on their souls!!! 

There have been several blogs over the past several months that have revolved around religion, politics, and sports.  One of the most controversial subjects in the U.S. is prayer in our schools, at work, and at our sporting events.  It seems that the minority has once again reared its ugly head and screamed, "I'm offended by those who practice their faith in public places."  Well, I'm actually offended that you're offended.  And my question is, how exactly are you offended.  Does it cause you pain?  Does it cause you to just want to cry?  Or is it simply a result of individualism, of just wanting to be heard?  If those who are praying at public sporting events, are actually praying, then they probably won't know that you're not, simply because they should have their heads bowed and their eyes closed.  If not, and they complain that your'e not, well, then you have the right to complain.  The same goes for our National Anthem.  If you don't want to hear it, show up a few minutes late, or wear headphones.  If you are offended by prayer in public places, then have your own prayer.  If you're an athiest, then why the hades are you offended in the first place?  You should be laughing, that there are so many stupid people out there praying to a God that does not exist.  How exactly does it offend you?  And probably the most important aspect of life, is how our children are raised, and how they portray that raising in our sporting venues.  So with all of this being said, here is a statement prepared by Ben Stein during the Christmas (so sue me for saying it) season, and then recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary, that puts a different kind of spin on this whole subject.  Enjoy!

Herewith at this happy time of year, a few confessions from my beating heart: I have no freaking clue who Nick and Jessica are. I see them on the cover of People and Us constantly when I am buying my dog biscuits and kitty litter. I often ask the checkers at the grocery stores. They never know who Nick and Jes sica are either. Who are they? Will it change my life if I know who they are and why they have broken up? Why are they so important?

I don't know who Lindsay Lohan is either, and I do not care at all about Tom Cruise's wife.

Am I going to be called before a Senate committee and asked if I am a subversive? Maybe, but I just have no clue who Nick and Jessica are.

If this is what it means to be no longer young. It's not so bad.

Next confession:
I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beau tiful lit up, bejeweled trees Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don' t feel discriminated against. That's what they are: Christmas trees.

It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, "Merry Christmas" to me. I don't th ink they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ####. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu. If people want a creche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.

I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution, and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.

Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship Nick and Jessica and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him?
I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too.

But there are a lot of us who are wondering where Nick and Jessica came from and where the America we knew went to.

In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.

Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her "How could God let something like this Happen?" (regarding Katrina)

Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, "I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives.

And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?"

In light of recent events...terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found recently) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK.

Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.

Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about and we said OK.

Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.

Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with "WE REAP WHAT WE SOW."

Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell.

Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says.

Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing.

Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.

Are you laughing?

Enough said....or is it?

Athletes, war heroes, political or religious figures…all of these leave behind legacies. Legacy is defined as "something handed down from an ancestor or predecessor or from the past." Over the years our Presidents have left behind legacies. And though our media seems to determine what those legacies are, we tend to have our own minds made up as to how we feel about a particular person. Religious figures have left behind powerful legacies that have played parts in wars spanning thousands of years. For Christians, that person would be Jesus. For Muslims it would be Mohammed. And there are others. But few give us more happiness and more hope than our athletes.

As I have posted in one of my earlier blogs, sports is what keeps us up late at night rooting for the home team. It’s what brings us together with our friends and families. It takes us away from the realities of work, school, politics, and even religion. It gives us hope. And we seem to thrive on the legacies of athletes past and present. Joe Lewis left behind a legacy of respect and honor for the black athlete. Mohammed Ali left a legacy of political change, hope for the poor, and a mouthy and great Champion. John Wooden left behind a legacy of a college basketball dynasty. Magic Johnson left behind a legacy of tragedy, yet turning it into hope. Larry Bird's legacy will probably always be that of being "the great white hope" in a time when Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Dominique Wilkins dominated the NBA....no matter how politically incorrect that may sound. But what will our athletes of today leave behind, in a time of individualism, material wealth, and a growing number of run ins with the law? How will our generation be seen 20, 30, even 50 years from now? Wheras sports was once filled with role models and "good ole boys", it seems to be growing into a way of life seen as lavish, unruly, and greedy.

Our perceptions of athletes have taken a hit over the past five to ten years. And it is up to us to change that. It must start in the home. Parents much teach children that values are to be placed before material and individual successes. In our pee-wee leagues, children must learn that team success is much more gratifying and honorable than individual stats. Coaches must be an off-shoot of parents, teaching children these values. And they must not waiver. The days of one game suspensions for assault, dwi's, and weapons charges must be done away with. For if our parents, teachers, and coaches do not change the present situation, our children will see the results. And ethics and morality will be seen as hindrances to a more lavish and individualistic lifestyle. And this will be devastating to our younger generations.

I have done much thinking on this subject over the past couple of days. And there are things I need to change in my own life. I like to think I’m a reasonable person. But I have seen lapses in my own character that bother me. Let me first apologize to "fishwanda" and her friend "gale". I was flat out rude and mean to both of them on a blog posted by "fishwanda". I apologize to you both. There is a difference in having opinions and throwing out insults at those who do not share your opinions. I would like to apologize to anyone I have offended on this blog-site. I will always be argumentative, but I hope not to be insulting. I would like to leave this world knowing I did everything in my power to make it a better place for our children to live in. That is the legacy I would like to leave. And I would hope that sports would be a building block to this better world. What will be your legacy?

(Sorry guys..my work computer will not allow me to copy and paste pics..I'll have them later today.)

There once was a time when days of playing tag, riding bikes, swimming, and playing our favorite sports gave us hope and gave us dreams.  But just as quickly as the sun rises, and then sets, those days pass, and we find ourselves wondering where all the time has gone.  For some, the aging process comes gracefully.  It doesn't hit like a virus, weakening the body.  And with the body comes the mind.  For those who age long before their time, life deals a devestating blow.  But those who are able to beat the odds, stay trim and fit, sports will remain a way of life.  It will keep the mind and muscles strong.  It will give hope, though not the kind of hope that brings millions of dollars...like those we dreamed about as a child.  But it gives us an outlet to meet others and to build our self esteem.  It is as much a part of our lives as our sleep, our jobs, and our nutrition.

As a child my dad would take me to the nearest ball park, where he would hit fly balls to me.  He was my hero at that age.  I was barely old enough to go to school.  He was very encouraging, teaching me the fundamentals as a good coach would do.  From my T-Ball years all the way to high school, baseball was a part of my life.  My game was not a game of power.  But it was precise, and it was skilled.  My stature was never intimidating as a child, as I was always one of the smallest in my class.  But my competitiveness and my skills allowed me to keep up with the big dogs. 

As a freshman in high school I decided to try out for the wrestling team.  Not only did this give me more discipline than I had ever had in my life to that point, but it cut that ever present baby fat that seemed to linger.  My high school years were spent wrestling in the winter and playing baseball in the spring.  However, my senior year of high school brought forth a devestating blow to my athletic career.  During a routine dentist appointment on December 26, 1990, it was discovered that I had a heart defect that could be life threatening.  To put it simply, I had a runaway heart.  For the next year, I was in and out of hospitals, and my athletic career was non-existant.  It was devestating.  But by a God send miracle, doctors at Duke University (Yes, I'm a Tar Heel fan) performed a new procedure on my heart, and in an instant I was a new man.

I had never experienced the kind of energy I had after the surgery.  I felt like I could explode with vigor and with happiness.  All the things that had been taken from me were mine once again. 

My body began to take on another form.  I had muscles I didn't realize I had.  I had energy that seemed to just race through my body.  As time progressed, I graduated college, then went on to graduate school.  The military had always been a fascination of mine, but never really an option, especially after my heart condition was discovered.  But as graduate school began to come to a close, I began asking myself many questions.  These questions led me to many realizations about my life.  I was a Patriot.  I loved my country.  And I had always wondered what it would be like to be a part of the military, where I could push myself mentally and physically.  But at 28 my prime was quickly slipping away.  So I decided to see what would happen if I attempted to enlist in the U.S. Marines.  I knew that the Marines would push me to the limit.  They would discipline me like no other.  They would test my physical abilities, and they would test my mental abilities.  As fate may have it I passed the physical, and before I knew it, I was on my way to Parris Island, SC. 

At 28 I was pushed harder than I ever had been in my life.  My DI's used my age against me.  I was thrown into a leadership position that I did not expect.  When someone else made a mistake, I paid for it.  But in the end, I not only graduated, but I was an Honor Graduate of Alpha Company.  All of my hard work had paid off.  Little did I know that 9-11 would occur while I was in boot camp...and that changed my life forever.

I know, what does all this have to do with sports and aging.  I am now working in my hometown of Wilkesboro, NC.  I have one year left on my Reserve Duty with the USMC.  If fact, I will leave in early August for an exercise, and will not return until early September.  But here's where I'm going with this.  Age is nothing more than an illusion.  You are only as old as you think you are.  I have seen many of my old high school classmates around.  Some I have seen on the football field during our community flag football games.  The ages of these diehards range anywhere from 18 to 40.  There are many who have continued in their athletic ambitions, though only in a community manner.  But it keeps us close.  It keeps us competitive.  It keeps us physically in tune with our bodies.  It keeps our minds free.  On the flip side, I have seen old classmates who seem to be ashamed that I have even seen them.  One such instance happened just this week in my office.  A young woman, 33, who I had been all the way through school with, walked in the door.  I barely recognized her, as she had probably doubled in weight, and looked at least 10 years older.  She would barely even look at me, with her eyes facing downward at all times.  It seemed like she was very uncomfortable in my presence.  It is times like that, that I realize how blessed I am.  My dad is 60 years old, and he can still whip my ####.  My mom runs 5k races every year.  And I continue to grind away....on the trails and in the weight room.  And sports is what keeps me young. 

Aging happens only as quickly as we allow it.  Professional athletes stay younger longer because it is their profession.  For the rest of us, it is up to us.  It must remain a part of our everyday routine.  Otherwise, we can sit at home and contribute to the long list of heart disease patients who drain our economy and leave families and friends grieving in the end.  I'm 33 as I write this piece.  But in my mind, I'm still that freaky 22 year old who knew no boundaries, and who still dreamed of being able to just PLAY!!!!