tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40862356931837528602024-03-13T08:41:36.927-07:00The Wahl's CornerWahly22http://www.blogger.com/profile/06768866596375484065noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4086235693183752860.post-68724409017049519662020-06-05T13:46:00.004-07:002020-06-05T13:46:38.564-07:00Silence is Complicit<br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I need to preface this by saying this is
insanely difficult to write, so please accept my apologies if it isn’t as
coherent as I usually write.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just
don’t know how to put this into words in an articulate manner.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I was
14 years old on April 29, 1992.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Honestly
I don’t recall what I was doing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Knowing
14 year old me, I was probably looking forward to leaving school and going home
to play <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Super Mario Bros 3</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t a kid who watched or paid much
attention to the news, but I was casually paying attention to Los Angeles,
California and the drama playing out in a courtroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In early March, a video began circulating
throughout the country of five officers from LAPD surrounding someone and
mercilessly beating him in the middle of street during a traffic stop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Being young and naïve, I wondered what the
driver had done to deserve it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew
what I watched seemed brutal and excessive, but police are here to protect and
serve so there had to be a reason for it, right?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The
next month and a half rolled by with arrests and charges for the officers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The driver, Rodney King, had every piece of
dirty laundry aired out to the public.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He was on parole and fleeing from the cops so he must have deserved it,
seemed to be the thought from the defenders of the officers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Conversely, the African American community
had rallied behind King.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While openly
admitting that he didn’t have a choir boys’ record, he was still a human being
that did not deserve to be assaulted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
did not deserve to have 11 skull fractures, permanent brain damage, broken
bones and teeth, kidney failure and a lifetime of emotional trauma.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even at 14 years old, I could see something
much larger was at play.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just didn’t
know what.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uJ_Jdp_v1kc/XtquU5-TEuI/AAAAAAAAC2Q/lQVBttDNPQI04g06hlh-ll82rgnH2tEWwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/LA.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="526" data-original-width="800" height="131" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uJ_Jdp_v1kc/XtquU5-TEuI/AAAAAAAAC2Q/lQVBttDNPQI04g06hlh-ll82rgnH2tEWwCNcBGAsYHQ/s200/LA.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aftermath of the LA riot</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The afternoon
of April 29<sup>th</sup> the verdicts were read in the trial of the
officers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Moved out of LA to the suburb
of Simi Valley, they were acquitted of the charges of assault and excessive
force.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hit with batons 56 times…not
guilty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even my young mind couldn’t wrap
my head around that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I always believed
police were there to protect and serve but five on one with that many strikes
seemed like a lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Within hours, LA was
ablaze.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fires, looting, riots,
assault.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The community in LA did not sit
back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They let their displeasure known.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For five days, the tension was palpable and
eventually subsided, with hopes that the leaders would work towards easing
tensions that were clearly drawn down racial lines.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I
didn’t think I would every see anything like that again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over the last 28 years I have witnessed other
situations that have ended in death, but nothing seemed to spark national
outrage the way that King and LAPD did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We’d see news reports that would cause us to sit up and take notice that
there’s still tensions between law enforcement and African American
communities, but they seemed to simmer down quickly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’d talk about it briefly and then things
just seems to fade away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From my
perspective, I would think that there was more to the stories so maybe the
initial response didn’t accurately portray the situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Honestly, that may have just been my way to
use the “bad apples” argument.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s
good and bad in every collection of people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The bad were being weeded out so we’ll get to a point where law
enforcement and every community can live harmoniously.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a utopian mindset.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everything is going to work itself out and
we’ll all be on the same page.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Such a
naïve way to think.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">See,
I’ve never had a bad interaction with law enforcement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve been pulled over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The interactions were good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Move on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When I was managing a movie theater, I was almost robbed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unbeknownst to me, the police would monitor
me every night to make sure I was safe, knowing how much money would be flowing
through the business.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They stopped
anything from happening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You develop a
soft spot for them when they spare you from getting pistol whipped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have friends in law enforcement and I can’t
imagine what they encounter on a daily basis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Bluntly put, I’m not brave enough to do what they do and I have the
utmost respect for them doing it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, they’re the good ones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We all know there’s some bad ones.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O6EOCITLvso/XtqukQHph9I/AAAAAAAAC2U/Z9-BqThgxKw19Z_5jg8WyOk4d8JIcr6SwCEwYBhgLKs0DAL1OcqxKLfg3U4b_ja6lmHMZhJJIB8KBskmMEKQ3QrZmIY9Y9XTMiUX6eFDd-cqmTYbnvtDuKbhEVTi-UxeT0UE3RKSIMOGy77uiAdYNZRM5YJ5Ctq6Ykar95FDKdjUF094VcsU0iDSF1PYPRFfJy0MVGjQt-dWtbELWitZ4ONfRu8oadb0CIyV3T4Nh2rFQiVW3CRv5czDbwSI9tHUmIL3iPwg3T1QtdJw-Fb5L66IbgWfsy4WuKLROUoLp10U_22tO__RjvPg7bUU6JULYScx63PXkvkG1yxP-Z9qLo8yAYaAcD8SGM7B4lTST1VO5kp-si7O4NLIK1RyVxnf2yR0lev5l7SBPoneKK2AuCl1uhtc8EGFihj1yZHExE7eUYyxQMFTFMBwl7MlveUZvDUTP7j2GHURvcqY8l68ZMyIqB_g4HlMotRb6yOWqJtfUwZbBbSvWP2vVzxujiu0Ei9-BH39jdC49mTzFwdUBS0AcfB6XnN6sDP3HhIqygNuAxqlYCEwUrS8qTVzSTSdbmOqKVGZBqpCJIHGW-ZM_CAUPfE3vl0-pLyB0CR3-k7jQYaHvxdXsrTmYdRKEQhVxj6K0GgRmcjwv7gQwOGYw_uHq9gU/s1600/Floyd.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="294" data-original-width="233" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O6EOCITLvso/XtqukQHph9I/AAAAAAAAC2U/Z9-BqThgxKw19Z_5jg8WyOk4d8JIcr6SwCEwYBhgLKs0DAL1OcqxKLfg3U4b_ja6lmHMZhJJIB8KBskmMEKQ3QrZmIY9Y9XTMiUX6eFDd-cqmTYbnvtDuKbhEVTi-UxeT0UE3RKSIMOGy77uiAdYNZRM5YJ5Ctq6Ykar95FDKdjUF094VcsU0iDSF1PYPRFfJy0MVGjQt-dWtbELWitZ4ONfRu8oadb0CIyV3T4Nh2rFQiVW3CRv5czDbwSI9tHUmIL3iPwg3T1QtdJw-Fb5L66IbgWfsy4WuKLROUoLp10U_22tO__RjvPg7bUU6JULYScx63PXkvkG1yxP-Z9qLo8yAYaAcD8SGM7B4lTST1VO5kp-si7O4NLIK1RyVxnf2yR0lev5l7SBPoneKK2AuCl1uhtc8EGFihj1yZHExE7eUYyxQMFTFMBwl7MlveUZvDUTP7j2GHURvcqY8l68ZMyIqB_g4HlMotRb6yOWqJtfUwZbBbSvWP2vVzxujiu0Ei9-BH39jdC49mTzFwdUBS0AcfB6XnN6sDP3HhIqygNuAxqlYCEwUrS8qTVzSTSdbmOqKVGZBqpCJIHGW-ZM_CAUPfE3vl0-pLyB0CR3-k7jQYaHvxdXsrTmYdRKEQhVxj6K0GgRmcjwv7gQwOGYw_uHq9gU/s200/Floyd.png" width="158" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">George Floyd</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The
latest incident was George Floyd in Minneapolis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Suspected of using a counterfeit $20 bill, a
store clerk contacted police, who appeared on the scene.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Four officers pulled up and handcuffed
Floyd.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After 8 minutes and 46 seconds,
face down with an officer’s knee pressing into his neck, Floyd had died.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I watched the full video, as well as the
security footage and alternate angles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was one of the most heart wrenching things I have ever seen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I regret watching it because his pleas for
help, calling out for his deceased mother, were ignored.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He repeatedly said, “I can’t breathe”,
something we heard a few years ago in New York with Eric Garner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Floyd said that 15 times during the
incident.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He passed out and never
regained consciousness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While lying
there, limp and motionless, the officer maintained his knee on Floyd’s neck,
essentially choking him to death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once
the ambulance arrived, the officers got up and without any care, threw Floyd’s
lifeless body onto a stretcher.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just
another day in the office, apparently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The video quickly found its way online and the news sources
everywhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I assumed justice would be
swift on this one; 4 officers arrested for the murder of George Floyd.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Boy, was I wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It
took three days of protests, peaceful and violent, to get an arrest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When that arrest came, it was only one
officer and the charges seemed less than they should have been.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The other officers, who had all been fired,
were still free.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Outrage and frustration
had boiled over nationwide.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
another few days before the others were arrested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So
much happened in the days after the murder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The world has since devolved into chaos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Looting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Assaults.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tear gas into innocent crowds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More assaults.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People wanted answers, they wanted justice,
they wanted equality and they wanted to know why this keeps happening,
seemingly to the same group of people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They repeatedly got no answers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Instead, they were met with brutal force.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead of having a compassionate ear, they
were attacked and threatened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where was
our leadership?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hell, where’s our
“leader”?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s hanging out in a bunker, like a
coward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s tweeting like a 12 year old
with threats of violence and military presence on the American people he is
supposed to work for, not against.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That’s no way to lead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Leadership
would have been to immediately speak out against the murder of George Floyd.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Leadership would have been going to
Minneapolis to meet with the state leaders and public.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Show people that you care.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That didn’t happen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I hate
talking politics because it is such a divisive topic, but I’m not even sure
what I say next is political.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s more
about decency, humanity and equality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
current president has no sympathy for you if you are not white.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t even think it’s a question at this
point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Look at his response to
Charlottesville, VA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Look at his response
to Lansing, MI.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These were people,
carrying weapons with them, who were not met with the type of force we’ve seen
this week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The people of Lansing,
yelling and berating the police vociferously, were not met with riot gear, tear
gas and physical assaults.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were
allowed to voice their opinions and allowed to go home without issue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The president called the racist protesters in
Charlottesville “very fine people”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
protestors in Michigan were “very good people”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When Black Lives Matter protestors started in Minneapolis the response
was “thugs” and “when the looting starts, the shooting starts”, a phrase coined
by Miami police chief Walter Headley in 1967 after proudly proclaiming “<span style="background: #F9F9F9;">We don't mind being accused of police brutality.
They haven't seen anything yet.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is
the type of “leadership” we have in the White House.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Riots and looting occurred as law enforcement
increased their violence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Violence
begets violence and that was on full display.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DdHqEB_-PT0/XtqukaubwTI/AAAAAAAAC2Y/dEmPFfZNblsPGjBEcsZFGbUT0nc5MtP1QCEwYBhgLKs0DAL1OcqwxhKquqKkZnsZjolAi__AiPzAQMwQfkagkL_Hyo3mPUFYjRTMAN6hCT8coLwT3hMELHZYV22AefgaMckowZhXlu1ZCbgVlQSBX3OXk4rUOnti2of0rL1EjbtveDBT0H9lF5-OakXSeFzKtZMl8mspYIG37IZ4XOtLymxpLoR1PDPyWG5T5XwmzWKs6qFQv7cYx_4jFTLB9Q8SRhyY_QWzs8Sz1SWmvpSnl4sP8eWA0sorH57vA7Uszpugh0hmMFy1IzR1ki_fkV7GPyGcdTXvNoH3F58DxWbxPHRkjEY5bAZkYy_Q_XEkQHWifJZ634w9L3LdbnKP-4Gdon9WtCjeW-YUz0IjLZfV9izXP8M9kfNGh5V5SswYj-09WCwyaAJcazDMkCuGObNzICqN2WaVr7TEbo2Jsz7ZfA5L4-iGsQPbblaPpKxbXpukSEXE5K9PdSUdDTq3UOH4LlZ45UsJg51qOA89Z59yerCfn7KuMFgY5zNFHVudZqtbWP9cZ3wLdQtHG7SOsene4gDH55xYquMFfXXNTjFYbBqBnAs8K2I_lqBUCyJcL0nbv2Be0idcSCi6QeuNxBOcdmCywWGb1_9ihRWzqDEYwmeLq9gU/s1600/Charlottesville.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="514" data-original-width="760" height="135" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DdHqEB_-PT0/XtqukaubwTI/AAAAAAAAC2Y/dEmPFfZNblsPGjBEcsZFGbUT0nc5MtP1QCEwYBhgLKs0DAL1OcqwxhKquqKkZnsZjolAi__AiPzAQMwQfkagkL_Hyo3mPUFYjRTMAN6hCT8coLwT3hMELHZYV22AefgaMckowZhXlu1ZCbgVlQSBX3OXk4rUOnti2of0rL1EjbtveDBT0H9lF5-OakXSeFzKtZMl8mspYIG37IZ4XOtLymxpLoR1PDPyWG5T5XwmzWKs6qFQv7cYx_4jFTLB9Q8SRhyY_QWzs8Sz1SWmvpSnl4sP8eWA0sorH57vA7Uszpugh0hmMFy1IzR1ki_fkV7GPyGcdTXvNoH3F58DxWbxPHRkjEY5bAZkYy_Q_XEkQHWifJZ634w9L3LdbnKP-4Gdon9WtCjeW-YUz0IjLZfV9izXP8M9kfNGh5V5SswYj-09WCwyaAJcazDMkCuGObNzICqN2WaVr7TEbo2Jsz7ZfA5L4-iGsQPbblaPpKxbXpukSEXE5K9PdSUdDTq3UOH4LlZ45UsJg51qOA89Z59yerCfn7KuMFgY5zNFHVudZqtbWP9cZ3wLdQtHG7SOsene4gDH55xYquMFfXXNTjFYbBqBnAs8K2I_lqBUCyJcL0nbv2Be0idcSCi6QeuNxBOcdmCywWGb1_9ihRWzqDEYwmeLq9gU/s200/Charlottesville.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Protesters attacked in Charlottesville</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="background: #F9F9F9; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I’m astonished every day when I talk to the wonderful,
smart people I have in my life that support him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re in the most volatile time I have been
part of, whether race relations or the fumbling of a pandemic, and his lack of
leadership is glaring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet, he still has
his supporters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know my words won’t
change their minds, nor will their words change mine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve seen an enabling of racism where a white
athlete’s opinion is happily accepted (Drew Brees) and an African American
athlete told to “Shut up and dribble” (LeBron James).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It just seems to me that racism is becoming
more accepted and out of the shadows, which is the absolute wrong way for this
country to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When you have a president
that is perceived to be racist and supportive of those who also share that
mindset, it empowers that ignorance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
could go on and on, but I know those who agree with me will nod along while
those who disagree won’t change their stance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s why I hate politics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Everyone digs into their opinion and refuses to look from a different
angle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background: #F9F9F9; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Black Lives Matter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s really that simple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
saying that, no one is saying that other lives don’t matter; white, Asian,
Mexican, police, on and on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, all
lives matter but they can’t all matter until Black Lives Matter too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, there have been law enforcement crimes
against other races.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where’s your
passion for that?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why aren’t you
protesting for fair police treatment?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If
you feel like a white guy has been wronged by the police, where’s your voice
for that?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is it that you don’t really
care about that, as it doesn’t affect your little bubble?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No wait.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’ve got it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’d rather spend
your time and energy continuing to oppress, belittle and treat others with
inequality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do me a favor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Go watch the end of the George Floyd video
when those officers unceremoniously toss his dead body around like it is
garbage and then tell me that they thought his life mattered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They couldn’t have cared less about this man,
his friends, his family, his 6 year old daughter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was just another victim, murdered because
he was accused of using a fake $20 bill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Say it with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Black. Lives.
Matter.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Look, I
have friends in law enforcement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Based
on posts in Facebook, I also have friends who are anti-law enforcement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To quote a Tweet I saw recently, I think this
sums it up perfectly:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I respect the police, their jobs and their
courage, but they’re leaders. Leaders are held to a higher standard. When those
standards aren’t met there are bigger consequences. Put those offenders in jail
forever to HELP prevent this from happening again</i>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I have
friends on every end of the spectrum so I made the conscious decision, many
years ago, to stay silent on politics and situations such as this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I examine the world right now, I realize
that my silence makes me complicit in this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I didn’t understand that my privilege allowed me the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">choice</i> to stay silent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can choose to interject an opinion or say
something, but I can easily sit back and not acknowledge the inequalities that
millions live with every day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought
that living how I do, with no prejudice in my heart and teaching my son that we
don’t judge people by how they look, was good enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt that those efforts were enough to help
this and the next generation change the world to be a better place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There’s a battle out there for equality and, until we raise our voices,
this will continue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s time for
everyone to stand up and speak out for our fellow human being; irrelevant of
color, background, sexual orientation, religious affiliation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pZeS-fWsA8I/Xtquk5FCVcI/AAAAAAAAC2w/ywQUWpmtcwMUpaFgZuhyS8cUvQ-cOGHGwCEwYBhgLKs0DAL1OcqzyJPJ4zB3Kx3tmZwSdWHPzjNRgrxzZnlWE2nOF67B72VAimlyQ7sdsfsT7ab_LJZGSbYRmsK-bOKB3r3UmZp22O6_9GGF0O_rxM_4Vlj-YOUzkaKLiXmsJyOIjZppZe9tEaSTlfRRMf7R-tVJzCFZh_s8nmKewfIK-KR-jTDXWfddU1hC9pxnxMlCNI8sci-huKvvONKq3rxkDviiasjsVjj9Zir5L3YqgJMjO_pDadnAsDSdJFABoRmjId7md_z1WlWvplaDdKhonnAABAHl4B_EDpHoHp80_lqgKxch0I3nVtYiBAj4yXYJbr4P3yJ1pEh0CXUrLoCTyLAV8AfHo6tZDcTpC_bvBtekGAW5jPAIa2ROOgKCAScgKREqDZ1ZEdwiSh_cKYNCBpi_lx2dWQ-dZrEV9GMH0aIFy4I3_nzfeblzaezYqdlrX_rKlu4rdFUmEHHXfoSJC5LGeSVEodhAJaUf2XOJ_k7PZOL1brnifBsMTgKPSIBAVVTferdQnrexTcFDwnIwCwHBf_1RChKtMH9lB1n1D3uvvefkEFzAIq04VzfDyxPRuO2SldJtttVxFDjG5pfgZEYzkkwLCe8XR-fMlAFsw4eLq9gU/s1600/Rick.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="800" height="100" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pZeS-fWsA8I/Xtquk5FCVcI/AAAAAAAAC2w/ywQUWpmtcwMUpaFgZuhyS8cUvQ-cOGHGwCEwYBhgLKs0DAL1OcqzyJPJ4zB3Kx3tmZwSdWHPzjNRgrxzZnlWE2nOF67B72VAimlyQ7sdsfsT7ab_LJZGSbYRmsK-bOKB3r3UmZp22O6_9GGF0O_rxM_4Vlj-YOUzkaKLiXmsJyOIjZppZe9tEaSTlfRRMf7R-tVJzCFZh_s8nmKewfIK-KR-jTDXWfddU1hC9pxnxMlCNI8sci-huKvvONKq3rxkDviiasjsVjj9Zir5L3YqgJMjO_pDadnAsDSdJFABoRmjId7md_z1WlWvplaDdKhonnAABAHl4B_EDpHoHp80_lqgKxch0I3nVtYiBAj4yXYJbr4P3yJ1pEh0CXUrLoCTyLAV8AfHo6tZDcTpC_bvBtekGAW5jPAIa2ROOgKCAScgKREqDZ1ZEdwiSh_cKYNCBpi_lx2dWQ-dZrEV9GMH0aIFy4I3_nzfeblzaezYqdlrX_rKlu4rdFUmEHHXfoSJC5LGeSVEodhAJaUf2XOJ_k7PZOL1brnifBsMTgKPSIBAVVTferdQnrexTcFDwnIwCwHBf_1RChKtMH9lB1n1D3uvvefkEFzAIq04VzfDyxPRuO2SldJtttVxFDjG5pfgZEYzkkwLCe8XR-fMlAFsw4eLq9gU/s200/Rick.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">DMPD with some night hoops</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As
with most things, the attention is usually paid on the negative and not on the
positives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The overall protests have
been peaceful, filled with good-hearted people trying to impact change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This isn’t just civilians, but police as
well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So many moments of kneeling,
walking arm in arm, handshakes and crying together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The police have the hardest job in the
world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not just enforcing the law,
but sometimes just pulling up to a park for a quick pick-up basketball game on
a slow night (happened in Des Moines a couple years ago).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’re there to keep us safe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, there has to be accountability and
repercussions when they do wrong…much like every day citizens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We need transparency.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We need to know what’s happening in these
situations where an officer has crossed the line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, damn it, it should never take days to
arrest an officer or officers who clearly murdered a man with no care for his
life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We need <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">everyone</i> to be treated with respect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Period.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-weChIqrxN0s/Xtqukw4GUdI/AAAAAAAAC20/h5rZ44OEeWQOE_K13h_bzVfNxQGNM2BbACEwYBhgLKs0DAL1OcqxUrk1hQH7cAkJDG8bLyG3nEi5zebTu7GYd6KEk9n_f6XGAsiuul4a8Qyk_bfSanBIYgJu0UnBTEoKGz7T5XGloZOehMUrzon-k3rfl1ZyZQ3P52xH5WyQ0Xd6PHY70UGXzZGjpl9-v8IvAszzbQ5hzLNAR3yyVkNVo79d60FOm8S3KRavpQeD2hDo4qPGElV4s4kNT5H9b4OV4UmxRPfxUsBQrmD0HP-1YRvJFfBNMI28e9TqO5il-YitDT6PK2IPHYTQ5bC8iIR6SUFaN0YCXH3woAA845plTMqDOLcMbrOQzb31sUhfcqLw151LT3thh6ooq4T1O7GMLoc9BLwYlfikdMmYsT_xeSfvT4nlKwTDA7vLyRkB7_EQBaOXrYmTKMzK_H5VBu4Eu2Lih7Zvb4a6zVyQuZVdETrU-4aDjz4bI6GuoMU2XVazoor5RkkMBiVasUjmkD7uixZdGuBcC_KMJw6TBOrhbhUCEYZY8de4IlFSQTDDhhWajXSaWIqWFhYAWt6q_NQwI6C58bIlMsPNT5raCJG2HBmfePsHE_74naeNbFCJH9Ey51IpXgGSYFcNSZsKrwAKuKnQlA3Pg5OrCimz1XsIwyOLq9gU/s1600/Rock.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="335" data-original-width="334" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-weChIqrxN0s/Xtqukw4GUdI/AAAAAAAAC20/h5rZ44OEeWQOE_K13h_bzVfNxQGNM2BbACEwYBhgLKs0DAL1OcqxUrk1hQH7cAkJDG8bLyG3nEi5zebTu7GYd6KEk9n_f6XGAsiuul4a8Qyk_bfSanBIYgJu0UnBTEoKGz7T5XGloZOehMUrzon-k3rfl1ZyZQ3P52xH5WyQ0Xd6PHY70UGXzZGjpl9-v8IvAszzbQ5hzLNAR3yyVkNVo79d60FOm8S3KRavpQeD2hDo4qPGElV4s4kNT5H9b4OV4UmxRPfxUsBQrmD0HP-1YRvJFfBNMI28e9TqO5il-YitDT6PK2IPHYTQ5bC8iIR6SUFaN0YCXH3woAA845plTMqDOLcMbrOQzb31sUhfcqLw151LT3thh6ooq4T1O7GMLoc9BLwYlfikdMmYsT_xeSfvT4nlKwTDA7vLyRkB7_EQBaOXrYmTKMzK_H5VBu4Eu2Lih7Zvb4a6zVyQuZVdETrU-4aDjz4bI6GuoMU2XVazoor5RkkMBiVasUjmkD7uixZdGuBcC_KMJw6TBOrhbhUCEYZY8de4IlFSQTDDhhWajXSaWIqWFhYAWt6q_NQwI6C58bIlMsPNT5raCJG2HBmfePsHE_74naeNbFCJH9Ey51IpXgGSYFcNSZsKrwAKuKnQlA3Pg5OrCimz1XsIwyOLq9gU/s200/Rock.png" width="199" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Rock</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Do
yourself a favor and listen to </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/CA_tVdXnWr1/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">this</span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(You didn’t think we’d get through one of my
blogs without referencing The Rock, did you?)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He’s not coming from a political place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He’s coming from a place of love and compassion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s gently calling out someone he’s known
for many years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let his words sink in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It's
been almost eight years since Rodney King passed away and, sadly, as a society
we haven’t learned anything from the lessons of his unfortunate situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>George Floyd.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Eric Garner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tamir Rice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Philando Castile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Michael Brown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Breonna Taylor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The list goes on and on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Can we all get along?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was what Rodney King was pleading
for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately, with the lack of
leadership we currently have, we still have a long road to go.</span></div>
Wahly22http://www.blogger.com/profile/06768866596375484065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4086235693183752860.post-46867782460818440082019-05-22T06:34:00.001-07:002019-05-22T06:34:12.728-07:00Marshall Has Hit Double Digits<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Constantia",serif;">Marshall
Anthony Wahl, my son, is turning 10 years old today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>10.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Ten.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Diez.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Zehn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>X.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No matter what language you
want to use, we have officially arrived in double digits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nothing will ever be the same again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VdgUfR8ssTI/XOVPTOXMmCI/AAAAAAAAB74/DugWD38dKPwp1KvfBYAXyyoredmo67NigCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0565.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="675" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VdgUfR8ssTI/XOVPTOXMmCI/AAAAAAAAB74/DugWD38dKPwp1KvfBYAXyyoredmo67NigCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_0565.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marshall and I on the throne</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Constantia",serif;">Come to think
of it, though, this has been a year of major change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At this time last year, Marshall was gearing
up for his birthday party.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Honestly I
couldn’t tell you what we did or who was over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Unbeknownst to him, or at least I thought, his parents were moving very
close to divorce.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had been brewing
for a long time but it had obviously taken over the house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a palpable tension, an awkward
silence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only noise was from the TV,
Marshall and I playing or my cat Bailey begging for more food.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The silence had grown louder and louder to
him, but he never said a word about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Once I moved forward with the divorce, it became my job to sit him down
and explain what was happening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a
Wednesday evening when we sat him in his room to break the news.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I started off by asking him a simple
question, “Do you notice that Dad and Mom don’t really talk much?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The second he answered “yes”, I knew I was
failing as an example for what a positive relationship between partners
is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He shed a few tears, asked a couple
of questions and then wanted to be alone for a minute.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After about 10 minutes I went into his room
and asked if he wanted to go shoot hoops across the street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He jumped up and we went on our way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we walked across the street, we had one of
the best interactions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Honestly, it was
something that put my mind at ease regarding him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Constantia",serif;">“So, do you have any questions about
anything?”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Constantia",serif;"> I asked him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Constantia",serif;">“I have a question.”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Constantia",serif;"> He responded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Constantia",serif;">“Sure, buddy. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What’s on your mind?”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Constantia",serif;">“Are you going to get married again?”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Constantia",serif;">Seriously.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re 10 minutes removed from the Earth
shattering divorce conversation and he’s asking about another marriage!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Constantia",serif;">“I’m not sure, kiddo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s probably a little early to think about
that. Why?”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Constantia",serif;">“If you do, can I be invited to it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just think that would be a really fun
party.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Constantia",serif;">I was floored
and smiling at him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He seemed to be
handling it well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Constantia",serif;">“You’ll be invited to everything in my
life, but especially my wedding.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Constantia",serif;">“Cool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You know what you should do, Dad?”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Constantia",serif;">“What’s that?”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Constantia",serif;">“You need to get on Match and eHarmony,
but not Farmer’s Only, since you’re not a farmer.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Constantia",serif;">It was such a
crazy interaction, especially given that it was minutes after I told him about
the divorce.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was ready to get his Dad
moving on and ready to roll.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a
priceless, funny and candid moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
was filled, not with sadness, but with hope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>At that moment, I knew I had his support.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sGaO_gP2e68/XOVPdXW6SdI/AAAAAAAAB78/pMUQAMmd0qA9Gy9SW6RvTu38sK5pz3BBQCLcBGAs/s1600/7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sGaO_gP2e68/XOVPdXW6SdI/AAAAAAAAB78/pMUQAMmd0qA9Gy9SW6RvTu38sK5pz3BBQCLcBGAs/s320/7.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Constantia",serif;">That’s one of
the things I love about Marshall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s
caring and he really wants me to be happy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What’s great is that he sees me happy now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He sees me with my girlfriend Emily and how
we have a beautiful relationship, the type I am proud to be in and show him a
good example of how a relationship should be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He mentioned it a few weeks back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Unprompted, he walked up to me and said, “Dad, you and Emily really love
each other.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I told him that we did and
he just shrugged with a, “Yeah, I know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That’s why I said it,” vibe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What’s even more amazing is watching the relationship between Emily and
Marshall grow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s baking and setting
up all kinds of fun things for his birthday party.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As she told him ideas, he lit up with
excitement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They talk and joke
together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It warms my heart every time I
see them interact.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s bonded with her,
naturally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess when two amazing
people interact, they’re going to bond pretty easily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KeonY8ayXVo/XOVPuDuD2oI/AAAAAAAAB8I/HXI66OiP120kwdmpoW6gBgTdVzeag4iAwCLcBGAs/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KeonY8ayXVo/XOVPuDuD2oI/AAAAAAAAB8I/HXI66OiP120kwdmpoW6gBgTdVzeag4iAwCLcBGAs/s320/5.jpg" width="180" /></a><span style="font-family: "Constantia",serif;">It's funny
because, as I was researching and talking about divorce with people who have
gone through it, one friend bluntly told me, “Kids are more resilient than we give
them credit for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You know what you need
to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The longer you drag it out, the worse it will
be for him.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s amazing how he’s
handled everything and that’s been a gift this entire time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Constantia",serif;">We’ll be giving
him presents later today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s going to
be excited and we’re going to make his day as great as possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The entire time, though, I’ll be thinking
that I’m the one who has been given the best present of all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Marshall is the gift that keeps giving, over
and over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His love, support and trust in
me have meant so much in a crazy year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>10 years ago I was terrified about being a father and the potential of
not being the best I could for him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now
I wake up every day and know I’m doing the best I can for him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He sees it, knows it and appreciates it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I feel like the luckiest Dad in the
world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our bond is pure, true and
stronger than it’s ever been.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Constantia",serif;">Happy birthday,
Uce!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re the best kid a Dad could ask
for.</span></div>
Wahly22http://www.blogger.com/profile/06768866596375484065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4086235693183752860.post-82558220757114333902019-04-23T14:17:00.002-07:002019-04-23T14:19:26.450-07:00My Night Working At WWE Raw<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I love
professional wrestling.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Anyone who
is around me for a few minutes knows I love professional wrestling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The stories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The athleticism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The performers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The business itself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s always intrigued and captivated me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve been a fan for over 30 years…and it
shows.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4Ae-VIedXb4/XL9_U6aqekI/AAAAAAAAB6A/4tQ9zIwktGIbfsg_HXuNdSysT6kdlGfHwCLcBGAs/s1600/CSC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1417" data-original-width="1151" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4Ae-VIedXb4/XL9_U6aqekI/AAAAAAAAB6A/4tQ9zIwktGIbfsg_HXuNdSysT6kdlGfHwCLcBGAs/s200/CSC.jpg" width="161" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Official with a headset</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
When the WWE
announced that their flagship show, RAW, would be live from Des Moines on April
22<sup>nd</sup>, 2019, I knew I had to do one thing…work security for it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, for the last few months I have been
working part time security through CSC, who handles security for venues in Des
Moines, including the Wells Fargo Arena.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The second they posted available shifts I jumped at the chance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took a shift starting at 3:00 in the
afternoon and left the arena around 11:30 that night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>See, I try to take shifts that work for my
schedule but are also fun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
definitely fit the bill.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I parked my
car and started walking the two blocks to the arena.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I reached the street across from the
venue, I glanced over to see my favorite tag team performers, The Usos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a double take and a mutual head nod to
each other, they drove off as I proceeded to the employee entrance, while they
went to the performer parking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I
walked through the arena doors, I now fully understand how the children felt
when they walked into Wonka’s Chocolate Factory.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I opened the
door for Downtown Bruno…known as Harvey Whippleman in the 80’s.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Production
equipment everywhere.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The WWE
interview area.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
AJ Styles at
a table autographing posters.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The catering
area…where a plethora of WWE superstars mingled and ate.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Wait…Kurt
Angle is walking right towards me!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Holy
s***, Kurt Angle just said hello to me!!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<o:p> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rnAfNWgeUPc/XL-AJxAZHeI/AAAAAAAAB6Q/yXJjmTCevTQIcjuYRWv1XuHx45IluWbpgCLcBGAs/s1600/Kurt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="449" data-original-width="800" height="111" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rnAfNWgeUPc/XL-AJxAZHeI/AAAAAAAAB6Q/yXJjmTCevTQIcjuYRWv1XuHx45IluWbpgCLcBGAs/s200/Kurt.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jason Jordan & Kurt Angle</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Jason
Jordan, who is no longer an active wrestler but a backstage producer, gave me a
wide smile and asked how I was.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Alexa Bliss
is checking her phone, looked up at me, smiled and continued walking.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The Miz just
cut a promo into his phone 10 feet away.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
My wrestling
fandom is on overload!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I reached
the hallway where our security offices are located to check in, grabbed a shirt
and waited to find out where my position for the night would be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The event coordinator for the night said to
me, “tunnel”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, keep in mind, I’m
only a few months into the job so I don’t really know all the verbiage yet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re in an arena and there are a lot of
tunnels so I asked for clarification.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
told me where it was and a chair would be there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Easy enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I walked out of the office and headed down to my post.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I walked
past the seamstresses and wardrobe containers.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I walked
past some lighting equipment.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I walked
past an ironing board.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GKwt5S6VfRc/XL-BJKCQTEI/AAAAAAAAB6s/W0LskN1jelgfkXNPtY1xQSruyehK10eiwCEwYBhgL/s1600/Yep.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="675" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GKwt5S6VfRc/XL-BJKCQTEI/AAAAAAAAB6s/W0LskN1jelgfkXNPtY1xQSruyehK10eiwCEwYBhgL/s200/Yep.jpg" width="112" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My initial view</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
There it
was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My chair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My spot for the night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I looked around to find what the credentials
looked like for the night, so I knew who would be allowed to access my tunnel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I saw a sign for the hallway that said <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Still Photo</i> and another that said <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Network Originals</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I quickly realized that I’d be seeing a few
superstars over the course of the evening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Little did I know, once I lifted my head and observed around me, there
would be so much more.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I looked
around to get an idea of where I was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
started on the left where I saw a basic, paper sign that read: Vince’s
Office.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hold on a second.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did they really just post me right near WWE
owner Vince McMahon’s office??<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Holy balls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I scanned to the right where the hair and
makeup ladies were starting work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Scan a
little more to the right…locker room entrance for the male performers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again…holy balls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not only would I be seeing a few people I
recognize here and there, I’d see the entire Raw roster!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Continuing to scan the right, I see the
Gorilla Position, where every on screen talent goes prior to walking on
stage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not only was I in a cool spot, I
was literally in the heart and soul of the WWE production of a Monday night
Raw.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vtfkMFHpZ7k/XL-AXp77eEI/AAAAAAAAB6U/EFQ6PNAHMEAUBhFnwHWQl66mb7tsRWJHwCLcBGAs/s1600/24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="296" data-original-width="508" height="116" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vtfkMFHpZ7k/XL-AXp77eEI/AAAAAAAAB6U/EFQ6PNAHMEAUBhFnwHWQl66mb7tsRWJHwCLcBGAs/s200/24.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">WWE 24 on WWE Network</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Stay
professional, Ryan.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That became my
mental mantra for the evening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I
stood there, watching the crew and talent prepare for their weekly show, I was
blown away at how smooth this complex production went.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone knew their job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone worked together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People had smiles on their faces and seemed
to enjoy what they did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had the
pleasure of talking with a director/editor/videographer from their network
series <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">24</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We talked about our shared love of wrestling,
how he got involved in the WWE and so much more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As he waited for Seth Rollins to finish
practicing his segment with Triple H, we joked about me going to get Seth as
the interview was more important.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the
videographer went to get him, he turned and said, “If Triple H is still talking
I’ll just tell him Security Ryan said it was time to get Seth.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I nodded and said I had his back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good times.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Wait,
there’s more!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Who’s
walking up behind me?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wait, that’s Rey
Mysterio without his mask!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<o:p> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4MYGD1bMMZ0/XL-A9Dd2woI/AAAAAAAAB6o/9R2JX_PXLRMy3x-RvEMlGaasrXfwCWg7gCLcBGAs/s1600/Graves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="335" data-original-width="501" height="133" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4MYGD1bMMZ0/XL-A9Dd2woI/AAAAAAAAB6o/9R2JX_PXLRMy3x-RvEMlGaasrXfwCWg7gCLcBGAs/s200/Graves.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Corey Graves</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The original
inspiration for my haircut, Corey Graves, just sat down to get his hair
done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why am I watching this man get his
hair done??<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Sami Zayn
practiced his promo for the night while pacing through the halls, occasionally
locking eyes with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Knowing he wasn’t
actually talking to me and likely looking through me, it was odd not to respond
and to look away.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Paul Heyman
is giving advice to Bobby Lashley and Becky Lynch in front of me!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Who’s behind
me?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh, just the Usos practicing their
promo for the night.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Why did they
turn those lights on?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bobby Roode needed
to film a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4umOc6hVlk">promo</a>…3
feet away from me.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Hey
Ceasaro.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just doing a quick post match <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WG9YIyJzkVQ">interview</a> while walking
towards me?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cool.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Speechless…Triple
H and Vince McMahon just walked past to get to their position for the show.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Sorry for
interrupting your filming, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZ108IkrOAk">Iiconics</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like you jokingly said to me, I won’t mess
with the champs.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I tried to
make my Raw debut but the director nixed it since it would be weird if I was
the only one in the background.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe
next time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll give Baron Corbin a solo
promo without me.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Becky Lynch
and Alicia Fox put their match together right in front of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Becky wanted to practice a flying head
scissors…so she did on the concrete floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Um…risky but did it flawlessly.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Don’t mind
me Zack Ryder, Curt Hawkins, Bobby Lashley and Alexa Bliss.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Enjoy your conversation while I awkwardly
stare at you.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The Usos just referred to me as "Uce". I think we're family now.</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Orc64BwIWOo/XL9_4LhFEBI/AAAAAAAAB6I/PkNAcTpk3ycfuKmWkHoBcGelLBRhGz-EgCLcBGAs/s1600/Usos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="112" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Orc64BwIWOo/XL9_4LhFEBI/AAAAAAAAB6I/PkNAcTpk3ycfuKmWkHoBcGelLBRhGz-EgCLcBGAs/s200/Usos.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My new family, the Usos</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It couldn’t
get any better than this overload of wrestling fandom, could it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Welp, my supervisor had a different
plan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Hey Ryan,” he says, “do you know
how to work the freight elevator?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s
be real.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t know we had a freight
elevator, let alone how to work it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Talent
is going to start leaving so come with me and I’ll show you how.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The next two hours consisted of escorting WWE
superstars from the arena to the freight elevator and taking them to the secret
parking garage they could load up and leave the arena in peace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seriously, name a Raw superstar and I likely
had an interaction of some sort.<o:p></o:p></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HtMxjcnTb8w/XL-AnOIqtMI/AAAAAAAAB6c/m-PHshFBiq8D4tsXNaSKFoIVg2nBB96DwCLcBGAs/s1600/Ruby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HtMxjcnTb8w/XL-AnOIqtMI/AAAAAAAAB6c/m-PHshFBiq8D4tsXNaSKFoIVg2nBB96DwCLcBGAs/s200/Ruby.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ruby Riott</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The night
ended and I was blown away with the crazy night at work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Witnessing how the show, promos and matches
were put together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Observing this crazy
business and happy culture that people were working in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The graciousness of the performers with
everyone they came into contact with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
was really a fun environment to be part of.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’m still a little surprised at how professional I was, not allowing
myself to be the nerdy fan I am.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll
just leave it in the words of WWE Superstar Ruby Riott, “Man, you are so
f***ing polite.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Thank you,
Ruby and WWE for a good time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got paid
for this but I think I owe someone money for the memories.</div>
Wahly22http://www.blogger.com/profile/06768866596375484065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4086235693183752860.post-77818729639373955782019-02-26T10:49:00.002-08:002019-02-26T11:33:12.993-08:00I Thought I Was Fine...<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">You
never realize how something affects you until you look back, years removed, and
truly accept the damage that is done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m
relatively self-aware and have a general understanding of why I will do the
things I do or act the way I do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Granted, it’s not always as I’m still prone to making decisions that don’t
make much sense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I think I’ve
grown to a point where, even in the middle of a questionable decision, my brain
will be telling me that I need to control or change an action.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ug0Q42-axvI/XHWJaSkE2PI/AAAAAAAABqo/23w5GK5YWxUYA2bDKH_AuTGesFSNfuwHwCLcBGAs/s1600/Emily.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="358" data-original-width="561" height="204" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ug0Q42-axvI/XHWJaSkE2PI/AAAAAAAABqo/23w5GK5YWxUYA2bDKH_AuTGesFSNfuwHwCLcBGAs/s320/Emily.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Emily and I in 2002 and again in 2018...</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It
wasn’t until this past Friday when I realized how damaged I was from an
incident over 18 years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I truly
believed that I was so past the situation that nothing from it resonated into
my life every day after.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let me set the
stage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last Friday I was continuing my
streak of attending a movie with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson on opening night; 17th
movie in a row.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My girlfriend Emily was
joining me, as well as her son Jackson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Knowing we’d be picking Jackson up in Pleasant Hill, I thought it might
be fun to see it at the theater that I was the manager for 18 years ago, as
well as the place that brought Emily and I together all those years back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>See, I was managing the theater and she was a
teller at the bank the company utilized.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I managed to utilize my awkward flirting and lack of game to go on a
date.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Long story short, we dated, broke
up and the universe brought us back together many years later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pretty amazing story, but I’ll get into that
another time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As we
walked up to the theater, I started to feel a little weird.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have done some improvements and renovations,
but it was the same theater I spent over 70 hours a week in all those years
ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I met some wonderful people there,
people I have maintained amazing friendships with to this day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I assumed the feelings I was going through
were just nostalgia and flooding memories, nothing more sinister than
that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After we sat down, I excused
myself to the restroom so I wouldn’t have to get up during the movie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I left the restroom, I glanced casually
towards the west exit door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Surrounded
by glass bricks to the outside, it looks exactly like it did years before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then it hit me, like something in a horror
movie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Panic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anxiety.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Fear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went back into the
theater, shaken, yet put on the mask of “nothing is wrong” and watched the
movie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While enjoying the movie, I
couldn’t shake my anxiety and fear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
would constantly shift in my seat, feeling trapped mentally and not knowing how
to escape it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Emily leaned over at one
point and said, “We’re never coming back here.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Her comment was a joke regarding the seats and how they weren’t the spacious
recliner chairs we’ve grown accustomed to at other theaters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I laughed and said, “Definitely not.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The seats weren’t that great, but my issue
was much deeper than that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the movie
ended and we left, I couldn’t get out of there quickly enough, closing the door
on ever returning there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_NrOXtMMofk/XHWJdaKz_YI/AAAAAAAABrA/d4J-qQSz6400uF77XaWhRK8z2Y-ImFcbQCEwYBhgL/s1600/Theater%2BDays.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="402" data-original-width="604" height="212" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_NrOXtMMofk/XHWJdaKz_YI/AAAAAAAABrA/d4J-qQSz6400uF77XaWhRK8z2Y-ImFcbQCEwYBhgL/s320/Theater%2BDays.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Back in the theater days with my BIGSEXY license plate</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So I’m
sure you’re wondering, “What about that door triggered such fear?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To understand what happened we have to travel
way back to 2001.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Buckle up because this
story takes some time to get through.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now,
as I write this, I don’t remember the dates at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When you’re managing a movie theater, days
and times tend to run together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re
always there and working.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You start associating
movies with events, more so than the dates of anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve blocked out the movies that were playing
at that time but I do know it was summer of 2001.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The theater had always been fun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I enjoyed my job, as I was surrounded by
movies, great employees and customers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, this particular time frame was stressful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was some internal theft going on that I
just couldn’t figure out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My inventory count
was always accurate, but the money never matched despite the register receipts
being spot on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seemed like every
shift had a shortage, so it was clear that someone was stealing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite my best efforts to monitor everyone,
the problem kept going.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I entrusted a
couple of employees to assist me in figuring out the issue, telling them
exactly what to look for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still,
nothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then came the Sunday evening
where my assistant manager Derek called me at home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was frantically looking for the money bag
from the matinee shows, only to come up empty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As usual, I had placed it in the safe before leaving for the
evening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I drove across town to the
theater to help in the search.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We tore
that place up for hours and couldn’t find a thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was well over $10,000 and it somehow grew
legs and walked away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Couple this with
the inventory issues, I knew there was a major problem that was spiraling out
of control.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought that I was doing a
good job as a manager.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>24 years old and
I had been transferred around Iowa to help fix theaters that had managerial
issues, but now I’m in a situation I can’t figure out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something odd happened the week after the
money bag disappeared, though. My inventory counts and money were absolutely
perfect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was not one penny
unaccounted for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While there was a mild
relief, there was the unfortunate realization that an employee “Zack” (not his
real name) who I trusted completely, was the one behind everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How did I figure that out?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Zack” made the mistake of taking that week
off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was the only one off that week
and, miraculously, everything was fixed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Remember when I said I entrusted a couple people to help me and I told
them what to look for?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yeah, he was one
of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was crushing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wasn’t just an employee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was a friend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I trusted him with my car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We played basketball together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We hung out outside the theater and I never
witnessed any red flags.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was someone
with a questionable past, but after we worked together and got to know each
other, I thought he turned a page and his life would be positive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whoops.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I
waited until the day before “Zack” was supposed to come back to work and then I
called him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I made some small talk,
asking about his time off and making it seem like nothing was amiss.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before we hung up I asked him to stop by the
theater because I needed to talk to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He paused and said he’d come by later that night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He never showed up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never mentioned to him that I solved the
mystery, but he definitely knew what I needed to say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Either he knew his guilt and just walked
away, or his cousin “AC” (again, not a real name) who also worked with us (I
didn’t tell him “Zack” was the culprit), told him that the mystery was solved,
I don’t know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I let him walk away and
decided to move on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lesson learned,
right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Apparently his checkered past
would be his future also.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t help
someone who doesn’t want to be helped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So I
let things go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I moved on with a more
watchful eye of my employees, but also deeply hurt that my trust could be
abused in that way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Regardless, I suppressed
that and tried not to punish others for what “Zack” did.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As we
fast forward a couple of months, things were going well again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My inventory, payroll and deposits were all excellent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My employees were positive and we were back
to the type of theater I enjoyed managing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I took a weekend off to head to Omaha for a wedding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a quick drive so I went up Saturday, had
a great time, stayed the night and drove back to work on Sunday night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a relatively slow Sunday night, so I
was catching up on some paperwork in my office.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>While working on a report, out of the corner of my eye I saw a mouse run
across the floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Startled because I’m a
very clean individual and kept my theater clean, I became obsessed with finding
this little rodent and disposing of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The next few hours saw me complete empty furniture out of my office,
cleaning thoroughly, yet never finding the mouse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last movies were getting out a little
after midnight while I finished getting my office back in order. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had been roughly an hour of putting things
back when I was finally finishing up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
was a little later than I would normally be there at night, but that mouse had
driven me nuts!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I emerged from my office
and noticed, what I thought were police lights outside of the west door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Flashing through the glass bricks were red
and blue lights, while a shadowed figure was posed on one side of the glass
bricks you can’t clearly see through.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
didn’t think anything of it, just assuming someone was pulled over, so I walked
over and opened up the door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My car was
over there so I just wanted to make sure everything was okay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the door opened, I got a clear view of
the shadowy figure by the door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a
Pleasant Hill police officer…with his gun drawn, pointing in the direction of
my car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Startled, I threw my hands up
and proclaimed, “It’s Ryan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The theater
manager.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The officer, who I recognized
and who recognized me, sharply turned to me, lowered his gun and said, “Hey,
Ryan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How’s it going?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shocked, all I could say was, “I don’t
know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How am I?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will never forget his comment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I still remember it vividly, just like it was
yesterday, “We found a guy with a gun under your car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was another that we’re locating right now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Go inside and relax.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ll come in momentarily and update you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KP-TWH-yfOU/XHWJcHkrXFI/AAAAAAAABq8/5x_vozKwgYcAB1fIUEOqzYT0wFGFEX1BQCEwYBhgL/s1600/Copper%2BCreek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="199" data-original-width="349" height="182" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KP-TWH-yfOU/XHWJcHkrXFI/AAAAAAAABq8/5x_vozKwgYcAB1fIUEOqzYT0wFGFEX1BQCEwYBhgL/s320/Copper%2BCreek.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The theater...good and bad memories....</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So the
relaxing part didn’t happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was trembling,
even shaking while I write this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why
would anyone be under my car with a gun?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Who could it be?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who is the
second guy?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Were there any others?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had stopped hunting the mouse in my office.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now I felt like the prey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The officers came in and assured me
everything was okay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They found the
second suspect in the dumpster and were talking to a third man in a car up the
street, likely the getaway driver.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
officer asked me if I was familiar with someone named…you guessed it, “Zack”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I gave them a brief overview that he was a
former employee that was let go due to theft.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Another officer came in and asked if I knew “AC”, who was in the car up
the street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“AC” denied knowledge of
anything at theater and was “meeting with a girl”, but if your cousin is under
your bosses car with a gun, you probably have some insight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The third guy in the dumpster, “Samuel”, was
someone I had met briefly but didn’t really know.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I
asked the officers a couple of questions, but first on my mind was if the gun
was loaded. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They told me it was a BB
gun, which was a slight relief, but then they filled me in on the plan that “Zack”
admitted to in the back of the squad car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Their plan was to hide under my car, once I came out with the night
deposit, jump me, rob me, pistol whip me and flee in “AC’s” car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Luckily for me, and I didn’t know it at the
time, but one of the night officers always drove by the theater around the time
I left each night to make sure everything was good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have no idea how long they had been doing
this, but I was lucky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During his
patrol, he noticed a dark figure under the back of my car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He pulled into the parking lot, shined the
light and insured my safety.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Had he not
been doing that, who knows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You just don’t
know how severely I could have been beaten that night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who knows if I would even be here today
without that officer, not just doing his job, but going above and beyond, at
least in my mind?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I went
home that night, shell shocked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t
remember sleeping and constantly thinking about going back to the theater in
the morning for work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was the first
one in the building that morning and was scared to death until my employees
started showing up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Funny thing was, as I sat down at my desk, I heard a faint thumping sound. I looked down into my trash can to find...the mouse. I grabbed the trash can, walked outside and let him run out. Without that little guy, who knows what would have happened to me. </span>It was quickly
realized that word had spread about the near robbery and attack, as every
employee did one of two things; keep their distance because they knew I was “off”
that day, or stay really close to me and make sure I was okay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was no right or wrong way to deal with
me that day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All I knew is that I could
tell each of them cared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a very
low point for me, but those kids did their best to pick me up and support
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I spent most of that day in my office,
sequestered from everyone and only coming out when I knew I had to.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">You’d
think that would be the end of that day, right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Nothing is ever that easy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sometime in the afternoon there was a knock on my office door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I looked through the peephole and saw…”AC”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, the same “AC” that was in the getaway
car the night before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was panicked but
let him in and acted as if I didn’t know his role in the situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had his friend, “Kenny”, with him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew him and he was such a good kid that I
had no issue with him standing in the office with “AC”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We closed the door and proceeded to
talk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He told me that “Zack” was bailed
out so to be careful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He mentioned that
he was in the car up the street but didn’t know what was happening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While I didn’t believe that, I never held ill
feeling towards “AC”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Him and I had an
outstanding relationship and I think he was just a high school kid caught in
between his loyalty to me and his cousin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He didn’t know what to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
truly believe he stayed in the car and, like as ostrich, buried his head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If he didn’t see what happened to me, it didn’t
really happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At least that’s what I
think his rationale was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As he was about
to leave, he reached into his pocket.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
unzips a little pouch and inside was a small pistol.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He tried handing it to me, worried that “Zack”
was going to come back and finish what he started.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I put my hands out and said, “Don’t want it.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“AC” was confused and, with a very concerned
tone, told me he wasn’t sure what “Zack” was capable of.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I looked “AC” in the eyes and said, “Tell him
this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I have an ass whipping coming
to me, then I have an ass whipping coming to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t want to be a part of what you’re
handing me.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He put it away and
left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Obviously, he never worked for me
again either.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone parted ways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never saw “AC” again, but still hope he’s
doing well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Of
course I would go on to hear from “Zack” again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was at the Iowa State Fair with friends that next summer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had been doing a little drinking, so I was
feeling good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the group was walking
the fairgrounds, I glanced up and saw “Zack” standing with a friend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We caught eyes and he seemed to jump back in
his skin, unsure of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I walked right
towards him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can only imagine what was
racing through his mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I walked up,
hand outstretched, slapped hands with him, brought him in for a hug and said, “Nothing
happened.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He stood there, shocked, and
I walked away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the group asked me
who that was and I said the guy who tried to rob me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She punched me in the arm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I explained it as, hopefully a moment he can
look back on and say, “That was my turning point to a better life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite everything I put him through, he
believed in a different side of me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I
heard from him one other time, a few weeks after the fair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He left a message on the answering machine at
the theater.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In one of the craziest
moments showing a true lack of self-awareness, he asked me to call him back if
he could put me down as a job reference.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>No, I’m not kidding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The guy who
stole a bank deposit, thousands of dollars from the registers and tried to rob
me called to ask for a job reference.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
still laugh at that one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I have
occasionally looked up “Zack” over the years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sadly, he didn’t take the message away I had hoped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has had many run-ins with the law and is
currently in prison until 2025.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can’t
help who doesn’t want to be helped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So,
yeah, that door with the glass bricks triggered those memories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to come to the realization that, 18
years ago, that moment caused a level of trauma I never really dealt with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve struggled to trust people since
then.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll push people away for the
littlest of things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even those closest
to me will see me occasionally push away, not because of anything they did, but
because of the trauma of this whole situation ripped me apart more than I ever
truly knew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve had people turn their
back on me since then and I just let it happen, assuming they were using me for
whatever they needed at that time in their life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also became quite paranoid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I moved apartments quickly after, unlisted my
phone number and even held off on things like MySpace and Facebook until later
because I scared being found.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I still
look behind and under my car to this day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I have cameras in my house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My
paranoia isn’t as dominating as it once was, but it will always be there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It also changed my perception of people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I used to always see the positive in
everyone, but I’m not as naïve anymore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I still look for the positive, but I won’t push aside the red flags like
I once did.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-a6D7kzZJQIc/XHWJbtbK_GI/AAAAAAAABq4/GG4LzdlAYWoW5N7cyVIM8TnXG62taiQhQCEwYBhgL/s1600/AI.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="337" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-a6D7kzZJQIc/XHWJbtbK_GI/AAAAAAAABq4/GG4LzdlAYWoW5N7cyVIM8TnXG62taiQhQCEwYBhgL/s200/AI.jpg" width="135" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I
honestly hate that I’m not as trusting, that I’ll push away, complicate things
that aren’t there and have a paranoid side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’ve been scarred in a way that I don’t believe can be changed
back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then again, I wouldn’t want to go
back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everything that I learned through
this and subsequent experiences have brought me to who and where I am today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I
think I’m a pretty good guy who tries to learn from everything.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I hadn’t
been back to that theater in 17 years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m
glad I did, because I can write this and put that situation in my rearview
mirror.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That said, I will never step
foot in that place again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why go through
something painful if you don’t have to?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After
getting through it as best as I could, I tattooed my back with the words “Only
the Strong Survive”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Inspired by a logo
shirt of Allen Iverson, most just thought I was using Iverson’s logo as a cool
tattoo, which it is, but it meant so much more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I put on the exterior strength but never really appreciated the internal
strength I would need to push through issues that arose because of this.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Apparently
I’m still learning how to deal with the impact of this situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve forgiven and moved on, but how do you
heal internal pain?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My best answer…get
up and keep moving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can’t let
anything or anyone control what you feel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If
only it were that easy…</span></div>
Wahly22http://www.blogger.com/profile/06768866596375484065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4086235693183752860.post-27059547936948888382018-09-21T14:31:00.001-07:002018-09-21T14:31:31.909-07:00How Love, Friends, Slipknot and The Rock Helped Get Me Through Divorce<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "Constantia",serif;">How Love, Friends,
Slipknot and The Rock Helped Get Me Through Divorce<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Constantia",serif;">Life can be
crazy and unexpected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last year has
taught me to expect that, as well as shown me that you never know how people
will act and react in situations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m a
man of many words, probably too many, but it’s always better to speak for
yourself instead of using the thoughts and words of others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Constantia",serif;">As anyone
likely reading this, you are fully aware of my decision to divorce Rachel after
11 years of marriage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It came as a shock
to most, with very few seeing this outcome happening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have no intention to rehash the story, nor
provide any personal details.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At this
point, you’ve likely heard some parts of the story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whether you heard the truths, accusations,
inaccuracies and theories; it doesn’t really matter at this point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People have made up their minds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’ve chosen their side or have tried to
stay impartial.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve encouraged everyone
I spoke with to stay impartial, as what happened in my relationship should not
have any effect on them or their relationships with either of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not every situation between people needs to
have a good guy and a bad guy, but it seems to be something that happens any
way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some people need the good vs bad
dynamic and will pick and choose anything in a story to generate that
dynamic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My entire goal, as naïve as it
turned out to be, was to amicably move on to the next phase of life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have maintained my stance that negative
comments about the other isn’t helpful to anyone, and I will continue with
this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you came to hear me rant, which
I am good at, you’re reading the wrong blog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Negativity begets negativity and I’m going to continue my positive
mindset.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Tt-SFIdoTTg/W6Viaw-sy9I/AAAAAAAAAcc/kQ-LQWMZOxsUypwYJqzxFaiypUC9czXBACLcBGAs/s1600/DJ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1186" height="201" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Tt-SFIdoTTg/W6Viaw-sy9I/AAAAAAAAAcc/kQ-LQWMZOxsUypwYJqzxFaiypUC9czXBACLcBGAs/s320/DJ.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and ex-wife Dany Garcia</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Constantia",serif;">I did a lot of
thinking, research and soul searching during the months of turmoil leading to
my decision.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I leaned on people who have
been through this, who just finished going through it, who are going through it
and others who just lent me an ear in times of need.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not surprisingly, to anyone who knows me, I
looked to The Rock for inspiration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes,
as a 41 year old man, I understand how ridiculous it sounds but hear me
out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After 10 years of marriage, The
Rock divorced his wife.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead of the
traditional Hollywood divorce filled with hostility and bitterness, they moved
their relationship to a very positive place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They work together to raise their daughter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their relationship maintained such positivity
that Dany, his ex-wife, is his business manager and runs his production
company.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They found a way to take a
negative and turn it into an absolute positive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’m sure there were trials and tribulations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one outside ever knows the full story of
another, but their public front and continued relationship gives people going
through divorce a positive role model.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They show that the almost impossible seems attainable.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Constantia",serif;">All this gave
me confidence and hope that divorce can be handled in such a way that everyone
realizes we can move on and be better people; mainly better parents to
Marshall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the end of the day, that’s
the most important thing to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t
want him to see a relationship like what mine and Rachel’s had dissolved into
and think that was healthy or how a relationship should be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His knowledge of everything is very limited
(at least I believe it is, as I haven’t brought up the negative with him) and I
will never speak ill of Rachel to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, as he witnessed two people who grew so far apart that barely a
word was spoken, he picked up on the chasm that had grown in his home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was no way to live, and especially not a
way to raise a wonderful child.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some
look at my decision as the opposite of positive for Marshall, but I contend
that it will be best in the long run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If
everyone can move on, learn and grow from this, how can this be bad?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So many focus on the short term without
thinking about how this can benefit everyone in the long run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There will be times of challenge, but there
is in everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Supporting him in
every way is how he will thrive through tough times. Nothing worth having is
easy to attain and the struggle makes us stronger.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Constantia",serif;">I’ve always had
a “Me against the world” mentality, and there were many times during this
divorce process that I felt that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You
lose relationships that have been cultivated for many years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You see suspicions that you’ve always had,
come into focus and make you realize that they were true.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The fakeness of some melts away to reveal
their true colors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That really messed
with me some days, but amidst all of that, I saw the true colors of supportive
friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s where I shifted my
focus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I learned something pretty
mind-blowing; it’s never been me against the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have far more love and support than I could
have ever imagined.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There has always
been a chip on my shoulder with some people, and I found out it was there for
good reason, but those chips are gone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Not just because they have faded into the background or completely gone
away, but because those who love and support me…they lifted away those chips
for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The negativity towards me for
superficial reasons are no longer present in my life and, as I re-acclimate who
I am, there’s a beautiful optimism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve
once again found my happiness and thriving as a father and friend to those in
my life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Constantia",serif;">Believe me,
there were times over the last few months where I was down…really down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re frustrated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re sad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You’re questioning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You just
don’t know what’s going to happen next.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In one of those down moments, I had a chance encounter with one of the
founders of the iconic rock band <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Slipknot</i>,
M. Shawn Crahan…aka Clown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anyone who
knows me knows that this band and their music has been an instrumental (no pun
intended) in my adult life. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I walked
into Home Depot and the guy in front of me had a Slipknot logo tattooed on his
calf. Given that I have one on my neck, I always smile when I see someone
else with one. So I walked through the store, grabbed a few things I
needed and went to check out. As I walked out, I caught a front glimpse
of the gentleman with the ‘Knot tattoo and realize that it was Clown!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We caught eyes and he clearly figured out
that I knew who he was.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Constantia",serif;">“Hey, what’s up
man?” Shawn said.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Constantia",serif;">“I’m sorry, but
are you Shawn Crahan?” I responded.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Constantia",serif;">“Yes.
Good to meet you. What’s your name?”</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tV0KyZeIZR8/W6VimUbHoAI/AAAAAAAAAcg/PfIno7iBYsM4qzrHJ1-DvgBNmA0VSvogQCEwYBhgL/s1600/Clown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="351" data-original-width="1210" height="91" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tV0KyZeIZR8/W6VimUbHoAI/AAAAAAAAAcg/PfIno7iBYsM4qzrHJ1-DvgBNmA0VSvogQCEwYBhgL/s320/Clown.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">M Shawn Crahan aka Clown from Slipknot</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Constantia",serif;">So we continue
talking for a few minutes, with his wife standing nearby. As he asked me
how things were with me, I blurted out that they have carried me through some
tough times and I’m going through a divorce right now, so they’re in heavy
rotation. I asked for a quick pic, to which he gladly did, even
suggesting we go outside by the brick for a better shot. We shook hands,
parted, but as he walked away, he turned around and said, “Ryan, keep your head
up.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was such a simple gesture, but
in that moment, meant everything in the world to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I fight through tough moments, I
oftentimes think back to that moment and just remember the sincerity and
message he left me with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Keep your head
up.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Constantia",serif;">I understand
that there will be some who believe what they want to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’ll look at me sideways and talk behind
my back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Guess what?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s okay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Those people aren’t relevant to how I live my day to day life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even those who love and support me no matter
what can question my decisions, and I’m cool with that, because I know they are
pure to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They called, texted,
e-mailed or took me out to have a conversation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They gave me strength and a shoulder to cry on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They appreciate and understand the decisions
I have made.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While they may not agree or
fully comprehend everything, they’re still there to support me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I understand that people will think I’ve
moved on too quickly, that I shouldn’t already be with someone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To those people I simply say this; we all
live different lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Focus on what
works for you and your happiness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll
continue working on mine and what I truly feel is best for me and Marshall to
thrive and be happy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Constantia",serif;">We’re in the
home stretch of the divorce process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Very few hurdles remain and then the new normal of life takes over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To those who have been with me throughout
this; I will never be able to thank you enough or show you enough appreciation
for being there during everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To
those who chose to view me as the “bad guy”; I hold no ill will towards
you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Love me or hate me…I’m just happy
to be me.</span></div>
Wahly22http://www.blogger.com/profile/06768866596375484065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4086235693183752860.post-45004207969661263672017-09-26T13:43:00.002-07:002017-09-26T13:44:08.895-07:00Take A Knee<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Take a Knee</u></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
by: Ryan Wahl</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
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I can count on one hand, maybe less, friends and family who
have ever heard me speak on something political. I’ve seen friendships destroyed because
neither person will give an inch to the other when debating a topic. People are so dug in on their beliefs that
they immediately go on the defensive instead of listening to what someone else
has to say. So I made a conscious
decision years ago to avoid discussing or posting about anything in this
realm…until now.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2V7YwpXpOYs/Wcq6-xs19RI/AAAAAAAAAa4/NXE1kbuu-EwZleVe6zl3USRPkebe5eYwQCLcBGAs/s1600/Protest%2BBroncos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="724" data-original-width="1300" height="178" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2V7YwpXpOYs/Wcq6-xs19RI/AAAAAAAAAa4/NXE1kbuu-EwZleVe6zl3USRPkebe5eYwQCLcBGAs/s320/Protest%2BBroncos.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Denver Broncos silently protest on Sunday</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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See, the majority of the things I’ve written about have been
deeply personal or sports. It’s where I
thrive and also find to least amount of discourse. Yes, there will be debate on my sports
opinions, but there hasn’t been a time that caused much strife. Sports are easy to debate, but sports and politics
hit a major intersection this past weekend.
Players and teams from all around the NFL took a knee or put a fist in
the air as a peaceful protest towards the President of the United States. After referring to the players who have taken
a knee as “sons of bitches”, the league and its players felt the need to
retaliate. After the president tweeted
that anyone who knelt should be fired, there was a major groundswell amongst
players and franchises to show that they would not be pushed around and demeaned
in this way. Players knelt. Fists were raised. Hands were placed on shoulders. It was a beautiful display of solidarity and
protest…but nothing is that simple.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Twitter and other online sources exploded in accusations of
desecrating the flag, disparaging the sacrifices of solders all over the world
and crossing the line between sports and politics that shouldn’t have been
crossed. What pisses me off is that none
of that is what was going on. That was
an individual’s perception based on their opinion without actually listening to
what the players were trying to say.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wGLaBhvdzvs/Wcq7B7uw4ZI/AAAAAAAAAbE/LY0lcCO6ZNU3DtGfGjHbzneu4VT26YM0wCEwYBhgL/s1600/PR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="710" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wGLaBhvdzvs/Wcq7B7uw4ZI/AAAAAAAAAbE/LY0lcCO6ZNU3DtGfGjHbzneu4VT26YM0wCEwYBhgL/s320/PR.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Puerto Rico being hit hard by a hurricane</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sunday was not a protest against police. It was not a protest against the military and
the veterans who have sacrificed for our freedoms. It was standing up to a bully who threatened
their way of life. It was a unified
stance against an unqualified, misogynistic, xenophobic, bigot that wastes more
time attacking the NFL and professional athletes than doing his job. He spent more time talking about himself and
firing athletes than working on helping Puerto Rico, dealing with North Korea,
creating jobs…you know, presidential duties.
Instead, he spent the weekend dividing the country, yet again, but this
time using sports. Sports, the unifier
amongst many.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
See, we can disagree on sports related topics, but have a
laugh while doing it. I have an ongoing
argument about LeBron James that has permeated for a decade with a friend of
mine. Did that separate us? Well, I officiated his wedding a few months
ago. I think we’re okay. Sports is a topic that keeps us
together. It’s fun, light-hearted and
entertainment. For the president to
insert politics into it was another example of him pulling us apart.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
I know what your retort will be, “Players started this by
kneeling so they inserted politics into it”.
Players used the platform that they have been afforded, to call
attention to social inequalities that they feel are going on. This is their right, under the first
amendment of the Constitution; free speech and the right to assemble. Why were they afforded this opportunity? It’s not what you think. Standing out for the National Anthem wasn’t
always a requirement. Most teams would
stay in the locker room while the festivities were going on. It wasn’t until 2009 when the Department of
Defense paid professional sports leagues to do this, more or less, be an <a href="https://sports.vice.com/en_us/article/nzx95m/us-citizens-paid-68-million-to-pro-sports-teams-for-military-ads">advertisement</a>
for patriotism. The government gave them
the opportunity to use their powerful voices to express them. If they knelt during a Bud Light commercial,
who cares? If they kneel during the
National Anthem? They’re the worst
people on the planet. How dare they ruin
the commercial for patriotism the government paid for?! They likely didn’t realize it at the time,
but they enabled this generation to speak and act in a way that makes some
uncomfortable. You have to make people
uncomfortable and talk to get any change.
You don’t know something is wrong until someone shows you something is
wrong. Don’t you think it’s time to
listen to their grievances and figure out how we can adapt and overcome them?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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During this time, though, so many comments kept popping up
that were so bothersome to me. I have to
address some of them individually. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ib1cpptalNY/Wcq7BpKk0KI/AAAAAAAAAa8/atMAz0MNt1ASNHFPjPOJ9ep8M2YxPrjyQCEwYBhgL/s1600/Couch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="852" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ib1cpptalNY/Wcq7BpKk0KI/AAAAAAAAAa8/atMAz0MNt1ASNHFPjPOJ9ep8M2YxPrjyQCEwYBhgL/s320/Couch.jpg" width="320" /></a>The obvious starting point was that everyone needed to be
standing and salute the flag. When the
players were on a knee, some with fists raised in the air, what were you
doing? Were you standing in your living
room? Did you have your hat removed,
with a hand on your heart, paying respect to the flag? Be honest.
You were sitting on your couch, probably playing with your phone to
adjust your precious fantasy team or tweeting about how disrespectful these
players are. Take a look in the mirror
and look at your hypocrisy. You are no
better. Yours is more disrespectful to
what the flag stands for, but it’s your right to sit there and not acknowledge
the National Anthem. That’s the thing,
you can’t call out others when you’re doing something similar. At least the players on the field were
kneeling for a cause. You’re on the
couch with your phone not fighting for a cause, but bitching online about those
who do.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One of my favorite things that I saw read, “Do it on your
own time and not while you’re at work!”
So taking a knee at home, in the most silent form of individual protest
possible, is going to accomplish what?
Public protest is what sparks change, not keeping silent where no one
can see. Athletes have a worldwide
platform that can be used to accomplish great things. Bill Russell, Jim Brown, Muhammed Ali, Jackie
Robinson were all great men who stood up something. They didn’t hide in their homes and hope for
change. They were catalysts for
change. They questioned the status quo
and made it known that inequality in any form was wrong. They were tired of it. They spoke out. They were vilified and attacked, yet became
heroes. We speak of them with great
reverence. In my lifetime I haven’t seen
anything like this. I wasn’t around for
Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier.
I wasn’t around for Muhammed Ali standing up for racial equality. Colin Kaepernick is this generation’s voice
for equality. I questioned his motives
at the time; I truly thought he was just trying to use it as a way to not get
cut or traded (big rumors at the time).
Turns out, he opened up the doors that has sparked this movement for
change. It’s obvious that not all
protests and protestors are of the peaceful variety. Players taking a knee on Sunday before a game
is powerful, peaceful and needs to resonate with those that can begin the
wheels of change. Hopefully, it won’t
take decades before we appreciate the movement he started.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
On a related/unrelated note, so many people seem to throw
around that they are “overpaid” and should just be grateful to be in their
position. More or less, just shut up and
be happy you get to play a game for a living.
I ask, though, grateful for what?
For sacrificing time with their families? For destroying their bodies and brains for
YOUR entertainment? For being constantly
scrutinized and attacked for doing their job?
Does that sound like anything to be grateful for? You think they’re overpaid, so I ask you,
where should that money go? This money
that is generated on the backs of their hard work, shouldn’t be given to
them? You say they don’t deserve
it. You’re right. They don’t <i>deserve</i> it. They fucking
earn it! Let’s take it a step
further. You want them to work hard and
not make any part of the funds they generated for their teams and owners. You don’t want them to pick where they
play. You don’t want them to get the
fair amount of funds that they have generated.
Let’s just say it; you’re asking for slavery. I guess that explains the jersey and
memorabilia burning I’ve seen. Instead
of burning crosses, in 2017, they’re burning merchandise.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wHVZ9eU2Oak/Wcq7B-Nks0I/AAAAAAAAAbA/88zI9TqixfsbeGU79evu1BZd436JLcx8gCEwYBhgL/s1600/Richard%2BSherman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wHVZ9eU2Oak/Wcq7B-Nks0I/AAAAAAAAAbA/88zI9TqixfsbeGU79evu1BZd436JLcx8gCEwYBhgL/s320/Richard%2BSherman.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seattle Seahawks star Richard Sherman</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ve read people say, “Stick to football,” which is one of
the most ridiculous comments out there.
What makes it okay for you to tell them that their opinions don’t
matter? Why are you allowed to voice
your opinion, but want theirs silenced?
One of the more outspoken players in the NFL is Seattle Seahawks star
Richard Sherman. He’s not a guy that I’m
particularly a fan of on the field, but I appreciate what he does off of
it. Whether it’s his charity to help low
income families provide clothes and school supplies or his master’s degree from
Stanford, he’s an all-around good guy.
His opinions, while I may not always agree, are always thought out and
researched. That’s more than I can say
for a good number of commenters from this past weekend. He takes the time to educate himself on the
situation before speaking about it. We
all should do the same. The great thing
about this country is that we can all have the same information, but perceive
it differently. As long as you have an
open mind and are open to constructive dialogue, progress can be made. Unfortunately, too many go in with a set
frame of mind and refuse to acknowledge the other side. That’s why progress and change doesn’t
happen. Too many uninformed people
yelling and not listening, or just putting people in a box. “He’s just an athlete” is no different than
other stereotypes placed onto people. No
one in this world is defined by one part of their personality. It’s those differences and that uniqueness
that makes this country great…as long as you’re not closed to them.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Another thing that made me shake my head was a lot of people
giving NASCAR credit for demanding their drivers and teams stand during the
National Anthem. Why do they get any
credit? Is anyone from the demographic
that is protesting and asking to be heard involved in that so-called
“sport”? NASCAR is over 90% white. Their “stance” is a joke but a clear example
of how many people are out of touch with the inequalities in this country. NASCAR, golf, hockey are filled with the
majority being white. They’re not seeing
inequalities as frequently, nor are they open to them. They’re not looking to help, not because
they’re bad people, but because it would affect their bottom line. Why get into a controversial subject, and
possibly lose sponsors, if you’re not forced to?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m proud of those who are taking a knee in peaceful
protest. The unfortunate thing is that
the outraged people aren’t asking the right questions about it. The question isn’t, “How could they?” The real questions are, “What are they trying
to say?” and, “How can we fix this?”
Unfortunately we lack the presidential leadership to address this intelligently. He’ll keep dividing the country, as he has
done since the day he started to run for office. The American people who voted for him made a
major mistake. That’s okay. Mistakes get made every day. Let’s just hope that in a few years, when the
next election takes place, this mistake is learned from and not repeated. It’s not too late to save this country from a
power hungry tyrant with zero experience in his job. He has proven that rhetoric and bluster are
not enough to carry this great nation.
He destroyed the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Football_League">USFL</a>
back in the 80’s, what made people think he could run the entire country? Ironic that 30 years later, his name is
tarnishing another professional football league.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RfC1k7j_4bI/Wcq7CTdO4lI/AAAAAAAAAbI/vw0pFhUKKKEhxfzJ9WZp5R9Ridg5Y-Q_wCEwYBhgL/s1600/c1e0a9858437c6cc45d05f562df76ecb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="714" data-original-width="1200" height="190" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RfC1k7j_4bI/Wcq7CTdO4lI/AAAAAAAAAbI/vw0pFhUKKKEhxfzJ9WZp5R9Ridg5Y-Q_wCEwYBhgL/s320/c1e0a9858437c6cc45d05f562df76ecb.jpg" width="320" /></a>Some will read this and attack my patriotism. To that I say, fuck off. I love living in the United States and
appreciate the freedoms I have that aren’t afforded to other nations. I stand for the anthem when I attend an
event. I teach my son to do the
same. I have friends who have served
this country, and have a level of bravery I simply don’t have. I have friends who are active police officers
that I have the utmost respect for. I
thank all of them for protecting my family, myself and my community. They have the single toughest job in the
country and I can’t imagine dealing with what they do daily. I thank the soldiers and military who keep us
safe and protect our freedoms. It’s
because of these groups that we feel safe and enjoy the freedoms our
forefathers wanted for us.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
At the same time, they are protecting the freedoms of all,
whether everyone is in agreement or not with what a protestor stands or kneels
for. It’s time to stop yelling and
engage in constructive discussion.
Unfortunately, I don’t see that happening until there is a change in
leadership. Strike that, until we
actually get a leader back in office of President of the United States.<o:p></o:p></div>
Wahly22http://www.blogger.com/profile/06768866596375484065noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4086235693183752860.post-69321694288950759872014-06-17T13:44:00.002-07:002014-06-17T13:46:57.239-07:00Air Guitar & the Birth of Harvey Wahlbanger<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Wait…what? That’s a real thing?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">If
I had a dollar for every time I was asked that over the last few months, I’d be
rich. Yes, air guitar is a real
thing…and it is glorious! I performed in
my first two competitions over the last couple of weeks and it was one of the
greatest, if not also one of the most unique, things that I have ever
done. I am excited to do it again and
again. Before we get into that, though,
I thought a little history of my story would be good.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><u><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
Genesis<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Just
a few years ago, I was just like you. I
had never heard of a real air guitar competition. Obviously we’ve all done it, whether in the
car or in front of the mirror, but never in front of an audience…and never
being judged in competition! This wasn’t
even a real thing…or is it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I
first heard about the competition a couple of years ago at, of all places, my
son Marshall’s day care. He had taken a
liking, and somewhat protective role, to a new girl in his class. Lily had just moved from Chicago and was
struggling with the adjustment to a new day care. Marshall decided that she needed the one
thing that makes him comfortable every morning; fruit snacks. Every morning, without fail, Marshall would
bring a bag of fruit snacks for her and try to make sure she was okay. After a couple of weeks, I ran into Lily’s
mom, Tina. We introduced ourselves and
explained the story behind the fruit snacks she kept receiving.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-II8xuBe-o7s/U6Cl0nITD8I/AAAAAAAAAQc/VouM6voINf8/s1600/Flying+Finn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-II8xuBe-o7s/U6Cl0nITD8I/AAAAAAAAAQc/VouM6voINf8/s1600/Flying+Finn.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Flying Finn - My Mentor</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This
was all very sweet, but how does this bring us to air guitar? Well once I met Lily’s dad, it all started to
come together. Andrew, better known in
the air guitar community as </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRi46CWyIYE"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Flying Finn</span></a><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">, and
I met and started talking. As always, it
starts with very basic conversation, but then transitioned to air guitar once I
saw his shirt. I was intrigued, yet was
completely befuddled at what he was describing.
As soon as I got in front of a computer, I started to look him up on YouTube. I also started pouring through the </span><a href="http://usairguitar.com/"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">US Air Guitar</span></a><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">
website. It started to blow my mind and
I couldn’t look away. I started
considering it, but had yet to fully commit to it all. During the summer of 2013, Andrew mentioned
that he will be hosting a qualifying round in Des Moines and encouraged me to
attend. Unfortunately I had softball
that night and was unable to attend, but was starting to consider it more and
more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">All
it took to push me over the edge to compete was beer, <i>Cards Against Humanity</i> and professional wrestling. We went over to hang out with their family
and, while the kids played downstairs, we started playing cards and
drinking. Eventually the conversation
turned to air guitar and Andrew was in full recruitment mode. I think he saw my rising interest and
continued encouraging my participation.
He said one thing that sealed the deal, “It’s a lot like pro
wrestling…” I didn’t hear the rest of
the comment. As a 30 year wrestling fan,
that was all it took for me to buy in.
That moment I committed and was ready to roll.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Choosing
A Song and Finding My Character<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/tbxQCgxNBUU?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">As
soon as we left that night, my mind immediately started searching for the
perfect song (round one is a one minute song of your choosing, round two could
be anything).</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Every time I got in the
car or played on my iPod, I was listening for anything to jump out.</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Then, while watching WWE, it hit me.</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><i style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Cult of
Personality</i><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">, CM Punk’s entrance theme, hit and I immediately knew this was
it.</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">It was a song I knew, loved and
could really get into.</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">It was
comfortable enough for me to feel confident when I hit the stage for the first
time.</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Andrew was able to cut it down to
a minute for me and I was on my way.</span></div>
<br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
next part was finding the character. You
see, everyone in air guitar has a character.
Whether it is Nordic Thunder, Bjorn Turoque, Lieutenant Facemelter or
the many others…there’s always a character.
Ryan Wahl isn’t stepping on stage; someone I create and portray will
be. I began by thinking of words that
associated with my last name. Rock
Wahl. Brick Wahl. Great Wahl.
They all were fun but too basic for my taste. Then, my excessive drinking history from
college came into play. It hit me like a
ton of bricks…Harvey Wahlbanger. The
name just resonated with me. It was fun. It was crazy.
It was easy to chant. Boom! We have a name.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-onUzVYD-3C8/U6CmryiNhtI/AAAAAAAAAQk/_YURwd9mYhY/s1600/HW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-onUzVYD-3C8/U6CmryiNhtI/AAAAAAAAAQk/_YURwd9mYhY/s1600/HW.jpg" height="200" width="112" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Harvey Wahlbanger's<br />first appearance</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In
all honesty, creating an image was the most difficult aspect of the creation
phase. Finding a song and creating a
name is easy. You just have to think a
little bit and let something hit you.
Creating the image that you’re known for is complex and difficult to
figure out. The one thing I knew is that
my attire would likely be inspired by pro wrestling. So I went to a local craft store and just
started walking around, looking for inspiration. Then it all started coming together:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">- </span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">Shorts
with my name down the leg.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">Sleeveless
jacket with a bunch of sequins, a combination of the Macho Man and Chris
Jericho.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">Feather
boa inspired by Jesse “The Body” Ventura.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">- Sunglasses</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">- Bandanna</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">- </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">Custom
Guitar Picks…yep, that happened.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
only issue was finding my color. Flying
Finn had yellow. Iron Dragon had
purple. It just went on and on. Looking into it I realized that no one had
orange, which is my wife Rachel’s favorite color. So as homage to her, that became my
color. After hours of work, my costume
was complete. Harvey Wahlbanger was
complete and ready to unleash into the air guitar world, but how would he get
introduced?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><u><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Introducing
Harvey Wahlbanger<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Yet
again, Andrew came to my rescue. He’s
really been my mentor and guide through this process. I feel somewhat guilty relying on him so
much, but you use your resources, right?
I received the following e-mail:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="background: white; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Old school
wrestling-style interview video of you calling out current Des Moines champ.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/k91kn1P7MrM?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I got giddy! This was
right up my alley. I immediately sat
down and wrote out three promos, all themed to call out the current champ. I donned the full costume for the first time
and jumped in front of the camera. Rachel
recorded them, each in one take, and I prepared to release them to the world. I e-mailed the champ, CorpAIRation, and told
him what I was doing. I was introducing
myself to a new community and didn’t want to rub anyone the wrong way. He was all for it and we were off and
running. I started off with one titled: <i>Ignore the Call</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">During that time, the champ injured himself but still
qualified in a different city qualifier.
So, instead of using the pre-written videos, I started filming new
ones. I put the costume on, sit the
camera in front of me and just went. The
response I got from these was awesome.
Posts and e-mails from air guitarists around the country started to come
in. I even received <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgmKGk1SVPY&feature=youtu.be">two</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRMECr4gA0A&feature=youtu.be">videos </a>coming
back at me! The fun had started and I
had yet to step on stage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><u><span style="background: white; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Debut Performance<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/IR1eu9Ioi7Q?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I
was set to make my debut performance on Friday, June 6<sup>th</sup> in Des
Moines. If I finished in the top 3, I
would move forward to Chicago and perform in the Regional Semi-Final. As a rookie, this was my goal. I wanted to make, not just one, but two steps
in the competition. On a selfish level,
I wanted to perform CM Punk’s entrance theme in his hometown. As a lifelong wrestling nerd, it was just
something cool I wanted to do. I met my
competition when I arrived, and even did some fun stare-down poses with the two
(Iron Dragon and Stackhammer) that sent response videos to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As
time drew near, I was overwhelmed by the support of friends that came out to
see me. My friends Jason, Ryan and Marc
all created custom t-shirts to support me.
It was awesome to see and very humbling.
It really made me appreciate the people I have around me. I threw down a couple of Pabst Blue Ribbon
beers to take the edge off, knowing that I would likely “be in my head” if I
went out for the first time sober. When
my…excuse me, Harvey’s name was called for the first time, I burst on to the
stage to a roar from my “fans”. What a
rush. The venue was small, but it still
felt amazing. Here is what happened…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
performance went well. I was pretty
happy at the end and soaked in the chants of “Wahlbanger” that I might have
encouraged my friends to chant.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Between
rounds one and two, I made a rookie mistake.
Given that the second round song (at least the particular cut of it) was
one I wasn’t familiar with, I made the mistake of mingling with friends rather
than focus on the performance. It
definitely <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJf1p6XKXFA&feature=youtu.be">showed</a>. Due to that I
finished in fourth place by 0.4 points.
My dream of Chicago was finished, but the fun and lessons I learned
would stay for future performances. We
ended the show with the traditional group getting on stage and jamming out to <i>Freebird</i>. During that, the crowd can join the
performers on stage and just have a great time with us. It was really cool watching everyone jam out
and have fun together. It really made me
appreciate how something as “outside of the box” as air guitar is, really bring
people together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
rest of the night was filled with stories, advice, laughs and quite a bit of
beer. I woke up the next morning on the
Finn’s couch excited to air next season.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
Resurrection<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qlg1c_S24v4/U6Cn-gVJDGI/AAAAAAAAAQw/cdSw0u14PEE/s1600/Nordic+Thunder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qlg1c_S24v4/U6Cn-gVJDGI/AAAAAAAAAQw/cdSw0u14PEE/s1600/Nordic+Thunder.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nordic Thunder</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I
was finishing up packing for a trip to LA on Sunday night, when I got an e-mail
from Andrew. He simply asked if I had
checked my e-mail lately, which I had.
Within 30 minutes I received an e-mail offering me a Wild Card position
for the Chicago performance! I was
elated! I ran upstairs to make sure
Rachel was cool with it (she was) and I responded quickly to lock in my
spot. The next hour was a whirlwind of
filming a ten second intro, a video telling Chicago I was coming and securing
my ticket. I was going to carpool with
the Finn’s up to Chicago so week was locked in.
Fly to LA on Monday morning. Fly
to Des Moines Thursday night. Drive to
Iowa City Friday morning and meet up with the Finn’s. Jump into the car and drive to Chicago. Perform.
Drive back to Iowa City on Saturday afternoon. Grab the car and drive home Saturday
night. Quite the insane week, but I was
all about it!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
Chicago performance was awesome.
Performing at The Metro, just down the street from Wrigley Field, was an
amazing experience. I performed on the
same stage as The Smashing Pumpkins, Nirvana and The Ramones; to name a
few. As we dropped off our stuff, we ran
into legends of the air guitar community.
Nordic Thunder, Hot Lixx Hulahan, Mean Melin and Bjorn Turoque were all
right in front of me and could not have been more welcoming. It was a really cool moment for me. After watching these guys on YouTube and the
brilliant documentary </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Air-Guitar-Nation-Angela-Shelton/dp/B000RPOCMA/ref=sr_1_2?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1403034932&sr=1-2&keywords=air+guitar+nation"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Air
Guitar Nation</span></a><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">, this was a big moment for me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jfggrNS4Lms/U6CoGMC4S9I/AAAAAAAAAQ4/l4MJWKcKKXE/s1600/Chicago.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jfggrNS4Lms/U6CoGMC4S9I/AAAAAAAAAQ4/l4MJWKcKKXE/s1600/Chicago.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Chicago Semi-Finals</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As
a wild card, I was one of the first participants of the night. I ended up going third overall and was
pleased with my performance. The scores
weren’t what I had hoped for, but going third overall may have played a factor
in that. My favorite on stage moment is
right after the first judge gave his score and the Chicago crowd, most of which
had never seen me before, started to boo.
They had enjoyed my performance and that alone gave me a moral victory.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Regardless,
it was almost more rewarding to be able to sit back and watch performers who
have been on stage for years, absolutely impress everyone in the crowd. I got to watch world champions perform. I got to watch national finalists
perform. I realized that there was a
whole new level of performance I have yet to achieve or even consider. These performers were amazing and watching
them was an honor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><u><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
End of the Beginning<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/q2eOACmiv50?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It’s
been a whirlwind and surreal experience for me.
I met such an amazing array of people over the last few weeks. I’m not going to name them, since I’ll likely
forget to type someone, but what a spectacularly supportive group of
people. While we are all competing for
the same goal, everyone was ready with a compliment and words of
encouragement. It really is a family
feel and one I am ecstatic to be part of.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I’ve
got one last gig this season, a joint performance with Flying Finn at the Apple
Tree Day Care, and then I’m done. I’m
excited to perform in front of the kids and then spend the offseason working on
everything. Season two will hopefully
feature new songs and an improved costume for Harvey Wahlbanger.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As
crazy as all this is, it’s great to be part of something so unique and
special. Yes, this is a niche thing but
it’s a niche that can grow and grow. I
mean who doesn’t love music and fun?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/sJrUH4iIdOA?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
Wahly22http://www.blogger.com/profile/06768866596375484065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4086235693183752860.post-11492634764839578852014-04-29T13:56:00.000-07:002014-04-29T13:56:14.362-07:00The LA Clippers Debacle<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://a.espncdn.com/media/motion/2014/0312/dm_140312_Adam_Silver_On_Tanking/dm_140312_Adam_Silver_On_Tanking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://a.espncdn.com/media/motion/2014/0312/dm_140312_Adam_Silver_On_Tanking/dm_140312_Adam_Silver_On_Tanking.jpg" height="112" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">NBA Commissioner Adam Silver</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It’s
a monumental day in sports, namely the NBA.
Recently installed commissioner Adam Silver responded with a heavy <a href="http://www.nba.com/2014/news/04/29/nba-bans-donald-sterling.ap/index.html">hammer</a>
against Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling, after the owner made
blatantly ignorant and racist statements in a recording made by his
girlfriend. Silver reacted by banning
Sterling from the NBA for life and a $2.5 million dollar fine (the maximum
allowed). Additionally, Silver will do
everything in his power to force Sterling to sell the franchise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
punishment was quite severe, and rightfully so, but I have mixed feelings on
the subject. I’m not sure anything below
will be concise in reflecting my thought process, but in a confusing situation,
confusion takes hold and makes points difficult to make. We’ll give it a try, though.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I
am not a fan of censorship. Whether we
agree with someone or not, they have the right to their opinion. I’m disgusted and deeply offended by Sterling’s
racist comments. I was offended by ESPN
reporter Chris Broussard regarding comments he made in 2013 against <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/02/chris-broussard-jason-collins-ask-forgiveness-gays_n_3202418.html">homosexuality</a>. Heck, I’m offended whenever anyone uses terms
like “white trash” and other ignorant and foolish statements regarding sexuality
or race. The simple fact is, as long as
we live in a free society, people are allowed to express their opinions. I’m doing it right now. Every time you look at Twitter or Facebook,
someone is stating an opinion. The great
thing about social media is that everyone has a voice. The worst thing about
social media is that everyone has a voice.
As a society, we can’t pick and choose when it is okay to state an
opinion (ignorant or not) and when it is not.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://action.athleteally.org/page/-/images/user-uploads/FariedAA3.jpg/@mx_220" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://action.athleteally.org/page/-/images/user-uploads/FariedAA3.jpg/@mx_220" height="160" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">I wish everyone thought like Kenneth Faried does</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I
can’t help but wonder if the backlash would have been so severe if his comments
weren’t racist, but homophobic instead. Leagues
are trying to cut down on the negative <a href="http://mmqb.si.com/2014/03/03/nfl-n-word-ban-monday-morning-quarterback/">words</a>
thrown around the fields or courts our sports are played on, but they’ve never
done anything as extreme as what we witnessed today. They’ve previously <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/news/story?id=6344596">fined</a>
players who used an offensive word, but nothing near the level we saw today. Hate speech is hate speech, regardless of it
being racially or sexually motivated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">One
question that keeps coming up in my mind is why did it take so long for the NBA
to address the issues and clear racist background of Donald Sterling? Rumblings and federal legal cases have been around
for years with this guy and not once has the league stepped in to do anything
about it. Take some time to review this
timeline from <a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2042877-a-brief-history-of-donald-sterlings-alleged-racism">Bleacher
Report</a> and you’ll see that this isn’t a new issue. It’s the straw that broke the camel’s back,
but if you continue to allow an owner to act like this, things will get worse
and worse. It’s no different than
allowing a child to act a certain way and then, out of the blue, deciding that
they can’t do what they’ve always done. The
rumors all have legitimate facts behind them.
Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.
It should have been addressed when it was a small trash fire and not a
raging inferno.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.1236132!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_635/garnett-carmelo-fight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.1236132!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_635/garnett-carmelo-fight.jpg" height="135" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Carmelo Anthony confronts Kevin Garnett after<br />Garnett makes comments about his wife</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I’d
like to know if the NBA will follow suit with the NFL and work to ban certain
words from being said on their playing field and not just off. There is a lot of trash talk in sports, most
of it is good natured, but there are some who cross the line. Kevin Garnett is notorious for making <a href="http://newsone.com/2128880/carmelo-anthony-kevin-garnett-honey-nut-cheerios-la-la-anthony/">crude</a>
and <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/boston/nba/news/story?id=5759196">offensive</a>
remarks to opponents, yet no one has ever stepped in and stopped him. The problem is they shouldn’t just ban one
word. There needs to be a code of
conduct for the court and field that addresses the type of language used. Racist (no matter what race) and homophobic
slurs have no place and should be treated as such. Fines, flags and technical fouls could all be
used to curtail the use of this foolish behavior and language.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In
regards to the forced sale; I’m not sure how the league can do that. How can an outside source force me to sell
something I own, whether they like me and my stances or not? Quite frankly, I would like to see one thing
happen with this sale. No, I don’t want
Magic Johnson and his buying group to purchase and take over the team. I’d much rather see Chris Hansen, the hedge
fund manager, purchase the team and relocate them to Seattle. Let’s completely wash the stench of Sterling
off this franchise and return basketball to the Pacific Northwest. Seattle would completely embrace this. Yes, Los Angeles loses a franchise but I
think they’ll survive as they already have one in place…and one that they love
far more than the Clippers. Let’s admit
it, the Clippers don’t exactly have a history rich in tradition. They’ve been a joke and laughingstock for the
majority of their existence. Let’s wipe
the slate clean.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large-5/seattle-space-needle-emmanuel-panagiotakis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large-5/seattle-space-needle-emmanuel-panagiotakis.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Take the Clippers to Seattle</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
one thing that really bothers me about this “punishment” is that all Sterling
will do is profit off of it. In 1981,
Sterling acquired the franchise for a price tag of $12.5 million. If he sells it for their current market
value, he’ll be selling them for <a href="http://www.forbes.com/teams/los-angeles-clippers/">$575 million</a>. Someone tell me how making a profit of $562.5
million is a punishment. So he can’t go
to games anymore? That just doesn’t seem
right, but it’s not like the league or anyone can tell him to donate those
funds to charity. He’ll just go his way,
with his heart and head filled with ignorance while his bank account gets
larger by the day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There
are just so many layers and questions from this, and most of which aren’t
related to sports. It’s all hard to
comprehend. The players, owners and
employees of the NBA will applaud Silver and the direction he took. They should be proud that he stood up for
what he and most level headed individuals believe in. However, does this open Pandora’s Box? What is going to happen if if an opinion that
isn’t the norm is put out there? It can
be a very tricky situation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Is
the step taken today by the NBA the right one?
I think so. It shows that they
are like any other employer/organization in country and have set a standard
their owners and employees must live up to.
At the end of the day, though, he’ll profit from it. The NBA is probably looking at years of
litigation with Sterling. We’re just
seeing step one of a very long walk. For
the NBA, it’s the right step.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Wahly22http://www.blogger.com/profile/06768866596375484065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4086235693183752860.post-81256374595792726992014-01-23T08:02:00.000-08:002014-01-23T08:02:27.666-08:00Social Media What If...<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">The irony of this post is that I’m
kind of going after social media. Yet
here I am, on my blog that will be posted on my Twitter (@wahly22) and Facebook
page.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">In the wake of the Richard Sherman
situation, not the interview, but the horrible things directed at him on
Twitter; I couldn’t help but wonder what if the social media existed in other
eras. Can you imagine what would have
been said to these people if the access to them was then, what it is now? Let’s sit back and play a little sports game.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><u><span style="line-height: 115%;">What if Twitter, Facebook and the 24 hour news cycle existed
when</span></u></b><span style="line-height: 115%;">:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">…Magic Johnson announced he had the
HIV <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbdOQUARrEU">virus</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">…OJ Simpson’s ex-wife was found
murdered and he was in the Ford <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcyyCi2b2AY">Bronco</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">…Isiah Thomas made racial remarks
regarding Larry <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBrc11rTjsQ">Bird</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">…Allen Iverson’s “practice” rant <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRJiAWmxlUk">occurred</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">…Kobe Bryant was alleged to have been
involved in a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSamEqtPVao">rape</a> in
Eagle, Colorado.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">…Michael Jordan was at the peak of
his game, yet was womanizing and <a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/471875-blashpemy-the-truth-about-michael-jeffery-jordan/page/3">gambling</a>
excessively.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://ceasefiremagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/250px-Carlos-Smith.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://ceasefiremagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/250px-Carlos-Smith.jpg" height="200" width="140" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">John Carlos</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">…Wilt Chamberlain was scoring more
off the court than on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_life_of_Wilt_Chamberlain#Love_life_and_.E2.80.9C20.2C000_women.E2.80.9D_claim">it</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">…Steve Bartman innocently attempted
to catch a foul <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6er1XE2j0pE">ball</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">…Chris Webber called a timeout they
didn’t <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QPB9NBUG2g">have</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">…Scott Norwood missed the game
winning field goal in the Super <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UT0r8wBL4QU">Bowl</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">…John Carlos raised his fist at the
1968 Olympics.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">…Muhammad Ali was in his prime and
speaking with an aura of confidence frowned upon <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhVGei2Jljs">nowadays</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">Can you imagine the hatred, anger and
vitriol that would have been aimed at the people above? Twitter almost exploded at an athlete for
being speaking excitedly ON THE FIELD!
It’s crazy what people will send to another person with total disregard
for their feelings. Instead of finding
the back story as to what happened surrounding the events, they make an
immediate reaction in 140 characters without thinking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">Next time you tweet or post something
about an individual, whether you know them personally or not, relax. Take a minute to think and realize that just
because you have anonymity online, it doesn’t mean you have to abuse it. Treat others how you want to be treated…you
know, the Golden Rule.<span style="font-size: x-small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Wahly22http://www.blogger.com/profile/06768866596375484065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4086235693183752860.post-39590433011414528492014-01-21T09:31:00.001-08:002014-01-21T09:31:41.871-08:00The 2013-14 NFL Playoffs - Some Musings...<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The Super
Bowl has been set! My beloved Denver
Broncos are back in the dance against old AFC Rival, the Seattle Seahawks. I haven’t written during the season, but
figured it might be fun to put out some random thoughts from the playoffs.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://cbsdenver.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/peyton_manning_den_copy.jpg%3fw=424&h=281" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://cbsdenver.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/peyton_manning_den_copy.jpg%3fw=424&h=281" height="132" width="200" /></a></div>
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- The most
overlooked aspect of the Broncos this season has been the outstanding play of
the offensive line. Despite a new center
and losing (arguably) the best left tackle in the game, Ryan Clady, they gave
up the fewest sacks in the league. Given
that Peyton Manning attempted a league leading 659 pass attempts, the line only
gave up 18 sacks. To give you a little
perspective, Matt Ryan attempted the second highest number of passes with 651
and was sacked 44 times. Astounding.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
- In the
lead up to the Broncos-Patriots AFC Championship game, I was surprised that
there wasn’t much made of Josh McDaniels returning to Denver for the first
time. While his tenure in Denver was
rocky, at best, he was the individual that drafted three key pieces to the
offense; Demaryius Thomas, Eric Decker and Knowshon Moreno. Those three players accounted for 288 yards,
which is over half of the offense generated by the Broncos on Sunday.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.boston.com/sports/blogs/goingdeep/assets_c/2014/01/welker%20talib-thumb-599x350-124035.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.boston.com/sports/blogs/goingdeep/assets_c/2014/01/welker%20talib-thumb-599x350-124035.png" height="116" width="200" /></a>- There’s a
lot of chatter about Wes Welker <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZQU8nrtyL4">hitting</a> Aqib Talib early
in the game. Bill Belichick even went so
far to call the play dirty, saying that it “was a deliberate play by the
receiver to take out Aqib”. Funny that
he’s not mentioning that his offense just did the exact same thing to Broncos
corner Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. It
was a natural pick play, one run by both teams during the game, and not
malicious. Belichick just has sour
grapes.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
- Andrew
Luck is an exceptional quarterback, but will need to work on his
decisions. The Colts tend to fall behind
frequently due to this. While it gives
us exciting comebacks, including a tremendous AFC Wild Card comeback against
the crumbling Chiefs, it’s not a recipe for long term success against quality
teams.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://cbssports.com/images/blogs/Andy_Reid_Kool_Aid_Man_GIF_Chiefs_Locker_Room.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://cbssports.com/images/blogs/Andy_Reid_Kool_Aid_Man_GIF_Chiefs_Locker_Room.jpg" height="110" width="200" /></a>- Every year
there are a couple of teams that end the season with a great record, but once
the playoffs hit, reality steps in. The
Panthers and Chiefs were the Illegitimate Champs this year. For the Panthers, 9 of their wins were
against non-playoff teams. Their 3 wins
against playoff teams were by a total of 9 points, including a controversial win
against New England that should not have happened. They simply got the benefit of football
luck. The Chiefs beat 1 playoff team,
and that was the Eagles who had yet to switch to Foles at quarterback. Then again, most of their wins were against
back-up quarterbacks so this was par for the course.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://lastangryfan.com/wp-content/uploads/Jim-Harbaugh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://lastangryfan.com/wp-content/uploads/Jim-Harbaugh.jpg" height="200" width="165" /></a>- Is there a
more dislikable coach in the NFL than Jim Harbaugh? I am all for passion but how can the head
coach, a leader of men, continue to throw <a href="http://lastangryfan.com/wp-content/uploads/Jim-Harbaugh.gif?b33780">temper</a>
<a href="http://deadspin.com/5981326/jim-harbaugh-tantrum-gif-version-2745">tantrums</a>
and stay respected? It’s clear from the
players he’s coached and is coaching, that this sort of behavior is influencing
them. Don’t believe me? Check the next bullet point.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
- The world
has completely lost their minds over Seattle Seahawks (and former Harbaugh
player at Stanford) cornerback Richard Sherman.
In case you missed it, listen to his <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elatO5E8pGs">interview</a> and come
back. Don’t worry, I’ll wait.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Welcome
back. Entertaining, right? Was he a bit out of control? Sure, but he didn’t cross a line. He just made a play that clinched a Super
Bowl berth for his team. He gave an impassioned
speech just moments after making the biggest play of his career, against a team
that is their biggest rival. Emotions run
high in these games. He had time to calm
down and was on the podium for Fox after and didn’t say anything crazy. We’re focused on 30 seconds after the biggest
moment of his professional career.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I constantly
read that professional players don’t care enough. Here’s a guy who clearly showed he cares and
is getting racked over the coals. You
have to have a level of arrogance to play professional sports. If you don’t believe you’re the best at what
you do, then what are you doing there?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://usatftw.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/usatsi_7686518.jpg%3fw=640&h=435" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://usatftw.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/usatsi_7686518.jpg%3fw=640&h=435" height="135" width="200" /></a>Look, we
know maybe 5% of the story between him and Michael Crabtree. These two have gone back and forth in the
offseason, during games, and after games.
They clearly don’t like each other.
What we heard from Sherman is likely the PG version of what goes on
between players during play in every game.
Don’t like it? Change the channel. Pretty sure, though, you’ll be tuning in to
the Super Bowl whether you’re cheering for or against him.</div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I can’t help
but wonder, why did Erin Andrews hunt him down for the interview? Oh wait, I know why…because he’s a great
sound bite! In a world of boring sports clichés,
he gave us some reality and true emotion.
We get bored hearing the same stuff over and over, but get angry when
someone speaks his honest opinion. Can’t
have it both ways, kids.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://sitracking.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/manziel-flacco-comments.jpg%3fw=600&h=375" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://sitracking.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/manziel-flacco-comments.jpg%3fw=600&h=375" height="125" width="200" /></a>- I said it
months ago, and was surprised to see Mel Kiper agree, but the Houston Texans
have to draft Johnny <a href="http://cdn1.sbnation.com/assets/3791455/johnnyfootball.gif">Manziel</a>. Is he the “best player on the board”? Probably not, but sometimes intangibles need
to come into play. The guy is pure
magic. If this team based in Texas,
drafts this kid from Texas, you’re looking at an increase in ticket and
merchandise revenue. Plus ESPN and NBC
will come knocking and want to feature the Texans during primetime. Manziel equals money, and above everything
else, the NFL is a business.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
- I really
wish the media would stop harping on “legacies” while players are still
active. I hate to break it to them, but
one game during their careers does not make or break the fans’ view of
them. If Peyton Manning would have lost
to the Patriots, does that mean he didn’t have the greatest statistical season
every? Rings don’t define
greatness. If you don’t believe Peyton
Manning or Barry Sanders or Dan Marino are some of the greatest to ever play
the game, I will never understand you.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />
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Is it
February 2<sup>nd</sup> yet? I’m ready
for the Super Bowl and hopefully another Lombardi trophy in Denver.</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://wordpressdev.nepatriotsdraft.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/lombarditrophy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://wordpressdev.nepatriotsdraft.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/lombarditrophy.jpg" height="200" width="115" /></a></div>
<o:p></o:p>Wahly22http://www.blogger.com/profile/06768866596375484065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4086235693183752860.post-80311660169773496392013-11-14T11:28:00.001-08:002013-11-14T11:28:34.602-08:0020 Years of the UFC<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Let’s
cut to the chase. I am a huge fight
fan. I honestly can’t get enough. I watch an insane amount of mixed martial
arts fights, regardless of if they are in the UFC or one of the many smaller
promotions that pop up. There just isn’t
a better individual competition.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://media.mwcradio.com/podblogs/uploads/FightforaGeneration-600.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://media.mwcradio.com/podblogs/uploads/FightforaGeneration-600.png" height="136" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This
week marks the 20<sup>th</sup> anniversary of the UFC and the anniversary show
is stacked with great fights. As I was
thinking about it this week I started to reminisce about some of the great
fights, but better than that, the great experiences I’ve had because of the
UFC. I was a sophomore in high school
when the first UFC took place merely an hour from my house. This competition, which was completely
different than what it is now, had a buzz that peaked my interest. Through the years, and in some very dark
periods beautifully chronicled in a </span><a href="http://www.ufc.com/media/fighting-for-a-generation-preview"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">documentary</span></a><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">
recently shown on Fox Sports 1, my interest never waned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In
2005, as the popularity began to rise, I started getting together with some
great friends that were starting to get into the sport. Over the past 9 years, those friendships grew
stronger and we always look forward to those fight nights where we can all just
get together. Normal adult life tends to
get in the way of frequent get-togethers from our youth, so these nights I hold
very dearly; regardless of it is a relaxed time or one of those rare nights I get
taunted all night. I’m a passionate fan,
as we all know, and the guys love getting me all riled up…which is fun for me
too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I’ve
had the pleasure of attending a few fights live over the years and some of the
memories I have are priceless. The funny
thing is the memories of those are rarely about the fights! That’s not saying I haven’t been to memorable
fights. I’ve been honored to have
watched live some of the greatest fights in the history of the UFC. There were just so many other things that
made these events special to me and I want to share those with you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UFC_57"><b><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">UFC
57</span></b></a><b><u><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> –
February 4, 2006<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Main Event:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">
Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell vs. Randy Couture<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Best
Memory – “It wouldn’t have been the same without you here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/3e/UFC57.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/3e/UFC57.jpg" height="200" width="138" /></a><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">During
one of our fight nights, a group of us decided that we needed to go to Las
Vegas to attend our first live event.
When the UFC announced the main event for Super Bowl weekend, we knew
this was the show to go to. I was a fan
of Liddell from the first time I saw him fight Noé Hernandez at UFC 17 so there
was no better fighter for me to see live.
The only problem was I didn’t have the money at that time to make it
happen. The guys that were planning it
did and we were friends, but I wasn’t comfortable asking for help. Kraig, who was orchestrating the trip, took
me aside and offered to help me out and spot me (which I quickly paid
back). It was a really cool move and one
I never forgot. He helped make a dream
come true for me!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We
flew into Las Vegas the morning of the fights and you could feel the energy the
second we walked in the Mandalay Bay Events Center. The place was filled with fight fans, but
more memorable than that, was to see the fighters walking around and so easily
accessible. If you go to an NFL or NBA
game, you’re not likely to run into one of the athletes and have them take a
second for a picture or autograph. We
had the pleasure of meeting Stephan Bonnar, who was only a few months removed
from the </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forrest_Griffin_vs._Stephan_Bonnar"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">fight</span></a><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">
that pushed the UFC into national consciousness. It was just a cool environment to be a part
of.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I
remember standing in the arena at our seats and just soaking in the scene. The crowd was buzzing and you just knew
something special was about to happen. I
can still feel the disappointment of the fans when former heavyweight champion
Frank Mir returned from a horrible motorcycle accident, only to be stopped by a
much lesser opponent. I’ll never forget
Kraig leaning over to me and saying, “That was the Frank Mir you were talking
about?” I had been hyping Mir for months
and it definitely wasn’t what I was expecting to see. I’ll never forget the primal roar from the
crowd when Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell walked out. I can’t hear “Thunderstruck” by AC/DC or
“Intro” by DMX without being whisked away in my mind to that moment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My
favorite memory, though, happened while standing at the merchandise stand. Kraig and I were waiting in line and talking
about the fights we’ve seen so far. I
just expressed my appreciation once again to him for helping me come along on
the trip. I don’t think I had, and maybe
still to this day, expressed just how much it meant to me to come. Some things you just can’t put into
words. I’ll never forget him looking at
me and saying, “It wouldn’t have been the same without you here.” It’s such a small statement, but one that
meant so much to me. Watching fights had
been an individual event for me for so long.
There weren’t a lot of people watching, so when I finally had a group
that soaked it up and enjoyed the get-togethers as much as I did, it meant
something to me. For him to help me get
there and to make such a small but powerful comment to me, is something I still
hold very close.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UFC_79"><b><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">UFC
79</span></b></a><b><u><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> – December
29, 2007<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Main Event:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">
Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell vs. Wanderlei Silva; Georges St-Pierre vs. Matt
Hughes<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Best
Memory – “Ryan. It’s Dana.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/25/UFC_79_Official_Promotional_Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/25/UFC_79_Official_Promotional_Poster.jpg" height="200" width="139" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My
wife Rachel and I had been married in July of that year and had our honeymoon
in Las Vegas. A few months later, I was
sitting at work when word broke that the UFC had booked Chuck Liddell against
Wanderlei Silva for the end of the year event.
It’s a fight the entire MMA community had been begging to see for about
7 years. I had to be there. I e-mailed Rachel at work to propose the idea
of going back to Vegas for the fight.
She surprisingly did not object and I booked the trip within minutes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I’m
not sure if a trip could have been more perfect than this one. While sitting in the airport, Rachel broke
the news to me that she no longer wanted to wait 5 years to try for a baby, but
was ready whenever I wanted to (We had Marshall 17 months later). When we arrived to the Hotel at Mandalay Bay,
the desk clerk decided to upgrade us to the suite level for no extra
charge. As we walked to the elevators,
the three founds of Tapout came walking out.
They owned the room, especially the lead founder Mask, who just had a
presence about him. Once we dropped our
luggage off, we quickly ran down to the arena to watch the weigh-ins. The next few hours were a blur of cheers and
encounters with fighters, who were more than gracious to take a minute to take
a picture. Most memorable was Jason
“Mayhem” Miller, who was walking alone and unbothered. I walked over with my hand outstretched to
request a picture. I’ll never forget him
looking at my hand, smiling and replying “Brothers don’t shake hands. Brothers have to hug!” He gave me a hug, took a picture and went his
way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--BBX-HR-_4k/UoUj-icnf-I/AAAAAAAAANo/fxIiD9Hzhwk/s1600/Rachel+&+I+UFC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--BBX-HR-_4k/UoUj-icnf-I/AAAAAAAAANo/fxIiD9Hzhwk/s1600/Rachel+&+I+UFC.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">That
night, Rachel and I had tickets to go see Joe Rogan perform standup comedy at
the House of Blues. It was printed very
clearly on the tickets that cameras would be confiscated if brought to the
venue. Simply following the rules, we
left the camera in the room and headed downstairs. As we walked out of the elevator and into the
hotel lobby, I glanced to the right and walking towards me was none other than
“The Iceman” Chuck Liddell! I was
flabbergasted and walked over to talk for a minute. He could not have been more cordial and
polite to take a moment out of his day to talk to me. I was disappointed, though, because the
camera was upstairs and I couldn’t document that memory. I’m not an autograph guy. They are impersonal and something so many
fans get to sell. I prefer a picture to
save that moment forever. So not getting
a picture with Chuck was kind of a black eye on the event for me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
fights the next night were spectacular, as Liddell and Silva battled in one of
the greatest fights the UFC had ever seen and the epic trilogy of GSP and
Hughes came to a close. What happened
earlier in the day, though, is what I remember the most.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UTmYPo3nP1E/UoUivbrrCNI/AAAAAAAAANY/VO8i1AAHppg/s1600/Dana+White.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UTmYPo3nP1E/UoUivbrrCNI/AAAAAAAAANY/VO8i1AAHppg/s1600/Dana+White.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Rachel
and I had woken up and were just hanging out in the hotel room prior to
starting the day of festivities. She
decided to go down the hall and grab some ice while I sat around watching some
TV, preparing for the evening. I was a
little surprised a few moments later as I heard Rachel, who is relatively shy,
talking in the hallway. My wife is
ultra-sweet but it struck me as odd to hear her carrying on a conversation with
a stranger…that is until she called for me by saying, “Ryan. It’s Dana.”
There’s only one Dana of relevance while we’re in Las Vegas and that is
UFC President Dana White. I jumped out
of the chair and sprinted to the door.
Low and behold, Dana White was standing outside of our hotel room. I asked him to wait there for a moment while
I grabbed a shirt, to which he responded by saying he is locked out of his room
and had to wait any way. The pure luck
of a free upgrade put us right across the hall from the UFC president! This completely made up for the lack of
picture with Chuck Liddell, as I was able to get a picture with Dana and talk
to him for seemingly 10 minutes. He
asked about us coming in from Iowa for the fights and then we just bantered
about how excited we were for Liddell and Silva that night. Talking to him for that brief moment seemed
no different than talking to my group of friends about fights. We shared our excitement and love of the
sport. I could see why the UFC continued
to gain in popularity. When you have a
guy as passionate as he is about the sport, it is destined to succeed. I was a fan before that, but this solidified
everything I always felt about the sport and the people of the UFC. They cared about the fights, just like the
rest of us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UFC_86"><b><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">UFC
86</span></b></a><b><u><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> – July
5, 2008<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Main Event:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">
Forrest Griffin vs. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Best
Memory – Rachel’s tears<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/33/UFC_86.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/33/UFC_86.jpg" height="200" width="138" /></a></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Rachel
and I were preparing for our one year wedding anniversary, which she informed
me that the traditional gift for this benchmark is paper. Wait, what?
Paper? I could not think of
anything that would be significant to give her.
We were discussing it in the car one day when she mentioned that she
knew what she wanted to get me, but would need my help. She surprised me by saying she wanted to go
back to Las Vegas for UFC 87. I
excitedly offered to book the trip and away we went!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Let
me just interject here that Rachel is not a big fight fan. She would occasionally watch with me and even
latched on to a couple of favorite fighters, Rich Franklin and Forrest
Griffin. While that interest has waned
over the years (it’s clear she was watching early in our dating to appease me,
but now we’re married so she doesn’t have to any more), she really enjoyed our
first trip and was excited to go again.
Plus, she would get to see Griffin fight in person, which added to the
fun of the event for her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It
was a shared gift, but I still felt I needed to do something for her. I found out that Rich Franklin was doing a
personal appearance at the hotel the day of the fight, so I knew getting her to
meet him was a nice bonus. She blushed,
smiled and got her picture with Rich prior to the fights and was on cloud
nine. What happened while we were at the
fights couldn’t have been expected.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FQ6uM-RvFaM/UoUkETKcp9I/AAAAAAAAANw/Tuvmj-FcEdw/s1600/UFC+86.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FQ6uM-RvFaM/UoUkETKcp9I/AAAAAAAAANw/Tuvmj-FcEdw/s1600/UFC+86.jpg" height="132" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
main event was intense. Griffin and
Jackson battled for the full 25 minutes and we awaited the decision. The Vegas crowd was on pins and needles when
Bruce Buffer announced, “and…NEW UFC light heavyweight champion, Forrest
Griffin!” The entire arena erupted in
cheers and applause. It was quite the
scene. During the crowd’s reaction I
looked over to Rachel to see how excited she was. I was not expecting it, but Rachel had tears
streaming down her face. She was so
happy and excited, possibly overwhelmed but the emotion in the building, that I
was just blown away. It spoke to how
emotionally invested people can get into these guys.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Plus,
I won $400 by betting on the heavy underdog Griffin, so I was happy too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UFC_87">UFC 87</a><u> – August 9, 2008<o:p></o:p></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Main Event:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Georges
St-Pierre vs. Jon Fitch<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Best
Memory – Everything before and after the event<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e2/UFC_87.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e2/UFC_87.jpg" height="200" width="138" /></a></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As
I look back, this event was fantastic.
We realized how good it was at the time, but looking back, the level of
talent we watched was unreal. We saw an
epic five round domination by GSP. The
beast Brock Lesnar was fighting in the state of Minnesota, where he is a local
legend from his collegiate wrestling days.
Plus, the UFC debut of future champion and all-time great Jon “Bones”
Jones took place. He was an unknown and
raw fighter, but you could see something unique in him. It was just a stacked event.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
joy of the experience was the trip itself, though. Mike, Rick, Kraig and I had it all planned
out. I bought the tickets and we
prepared to car pool up there.
Unfortunately, Kraig was unaware that his wife had booked a family
vacation and had to pull out. We needed
to find someone to fill in, and I immediately thought of my friend Jason. He was in a tough spot, though, as he didn’t
have the funds to make it happen.
Remembering what Kraig had done for me just a couple of years earlier, I
wanted to pay it forward to Jason. He
didn’t know when he could pay me back and I told him I didn’t care. We’re going and we’re going to have a blast.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KuYXHQNaYFI/UoUjmS42I5I/AAAAAAAAANg/gzX9S94Pqfk/s1600/Wand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KuYXHQNaYFI/UoUjmS42I5I/AAAAAAAAANg/gzX9S94Pqfk/s1600/Wand.jpg" height="132" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When
we got up to Minneapolis, we decided to grab a drink and hang out since we were
early. We hit up a hotel bar down the
street from the Target Center. Little
did we know, this was the fighter hotel!
While we hung out, we noticed a couple of referees sitting around
discussing the event. We had struck the
jackpot! We enjoyed seeing fighters come
downstairs and did our best not be too eager to run over and snap a
picture. Wanderlei Silva, who is one of
the most terrifying men in the cage, was one of the most polite athletes I’ve
ever met. He took time to take pictures
with us and talk a little. The language
barrier was definitely present, but he tried and that’s all you can ask. He was much more cordial than BJ Penn, who
simply threw his hood on and pretended to make a phone call.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We
had a great time at the event, talking to those next to us, running into my
tattoo artist and enjoying the fights. There
was nothing quite like seeing Brock Lesnar throw a straight right hand into
Heath Herring’s face, sending him flying backwards. The roar of the partial crowd was
awesome! When we hit the road after the
event, Mike and Rick jumped in the back to sleep on the way home. I had a few adult beverages in me so it was
up to Jason to drive us home. We
listened to some of the post-fight press conference on the radio and then spent
the next 3 hours repeatedly changing music, singing, dancing and essentially
driving the guys in the back crazy. We
took a pit stop at a gas station, which resulted in me staggering around the
store and buying a plastic Viking helmet.
I’ll never forget the roar of laughter from the car as I came back. Absolutely awesome.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A
little over two years after this event, we suffered the loss of our friend
Jason. Whenever I watch GSP fight, I am
taken back to this event and I smile.
The pictures we have and memories can never be replaced. I’ve grown closer to the guys I watch fights
with and I always cherish the memories that we have, whether it was a trip to
see an event live or just a get-together at someone’s house for a big fight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
UFC, for me, is not just about the fights but also about the friendships and
experiences I’ve been blessed to have in my life because of them. It’s only been 20 years of fights and I can’t
wait for 20 more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Wahly22http://www.blogger.com/profile/06768866596375484065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4086235693183752860.post-87260525127030175342013-05-17T15:01:00.001-07:002013-05-17T15:01:27.325-07:00For my wife...Rachel
<span style="font-family: "Constantia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">How?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Constantia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">It’s the
start of questions that, not only are asked of me, but asked within myself.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Constantia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">How did
you and Rachel meet?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Constantia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">How did
someone like you get someone so wonderful like Rachel?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Constantia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">To learn
the story, we have to travel back eight years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was just emerging from an absolutely awful “relationship”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I spent nearly two years with someone who was
dishonest, disliked and disloyal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
had cheated on me, at least with one person and I suspect more than that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The best thing to come from that was my
friendship with Mike, who experienced a similar situation with his fiancée; coincidentally
who was great friends with the person I was with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mike and I spent quite a few nights hanging
out and developing a great trust.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was
someone I could rely on and, in turn, he could rely on me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In some dark moments, we saw each other
through.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wkNQ0qVsBbA/UZantB5yg-I/AAAAAAAAAMk/Kdzxp8w4skk/s1600/The+Guys.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wkNQ0qVsBbA/UZantB5yg-I/AAAAAAAAAMk/Kdzxp8w4skk/s1600/The+Guys.JPG" height="133" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kraig, Mike and I</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Constantia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Mike was
part of a co-ed softball team filled with employees from Mercy hospital in the
Des Moines area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first season, he
invited me to sub in from time to time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>By the second season, I was a full blown member of the team.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The turnover in co-ed softball is relatively
high as players shuffle in and out of the league, so going into year three we
were looking for more players.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mike
invited a girl fresh from college to join our team…Rachel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without the sour of my previous relationship,
I never would have experienced the sweet of my future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My ex brought me to Mike who brought me to
Rachel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Funny how the world works, isn’t
it?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Constantia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">I was
attracted to Rachel the moment I saw her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She has, as my great friend Jason once said, “a natural beauty”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She played second base and I was at first, so
we developed a nice chemistry on the field.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Although, it was hard to get to know her because she is extremely
quiet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like to think of it as a lovely
innocence; someone who can’t be brought down by anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I, on the other hand, was a very dominating
personality…especially on the softball field.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was loud, cocky, boisterous and never afraid to get into it with
opposing teams.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I always prided myself
on being a positive and great teammate, but would fly off the handle if I
played poorly. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was probably very
unsettling to be my teammate during that time, let alone my friend.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lQ2z_35-SRs/UZan4dTK_oI/AAAAAAAAAMs/sHOVAQSbWnI/s1600/Rachel+&+I.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lQ2z_35-SRs/UZan4dTK_oI/AAAAAAAAAMs/sHOVAQSbWnI/s1600/Rachel+&+I.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rachel and I after we<br />
got engaged</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Constantia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">The
biggest problem was that I still was dating my ex when we first met.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was on the cusp of ending it, and when I
finally did, I felt liberated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a
great feeling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The day after I kicked
her out, I started thinking about dating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Now I’ve never been the type to date around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m a committed person; someone who looks for
a relationship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew that coming out
of the relationship that I did, I was mentally damaged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was going to take time and patience for me
to mentally heal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could not simply
jump into a relationship because it would be doomed from the start.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went on a couple of dates.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Met some new people and enjoyed myself, but I
would most look forward to Sunday nights when it was time to go to softball.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Constantia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">It was
early July in 2005 when I decided that I was going to ask Rachel for her number
and see if she wanted to go out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The day
I planned to ask her, funny enough, I was supposed to go on a date prior to the
game with someone else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As luck would
have it, I got stood up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was hurt, but
it was no big deal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was someone I
took to dinner and didn’t really click with, so it wasn’t awful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The embarrassment of being stood up was a
blow to the ego, though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was in an off
mood when arriving to the fields because of it, but was ready to shake it off
and talk to Rachel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In a cruel twist of
fate, the girl who stood me up came to our game to babysit the coach’s
kids.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seriously.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I saw her and acted as if it wasn’t a big
deal as she apologized with some nonsensical excuse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Truth be told, I was completely rattled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s one thing to be stood up, but it’s
another to continue the embarrassment later!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Constantia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Needless
to say, I didn’t have the greatest game of my playing life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I struck out during my first at bat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yep, struck out at slow pitch softball.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a guy who is the model of consistency at
the plate, I was clearly distracted and angry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Right after whiffing at the last pitch, I angrily threw the bat towards
the dugout and watched it careen towards the on deck circle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It landed at the feet of a teammate getting
ready to bat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who would that teammate
have been?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You guessed it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>To recap, my Sunday so far had the following events: get stood up for a
date, embarrassed in front of my teammates when the girl showed to babysit my
coach’s kids, strike out and throw a bat in the direction of the girl I hoped
to ask out that day…definitely not one of my better days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, Mike came up to me in the dugout and
hilariously said, “I’m guessing you’re not asking for her number tonight.”<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Constantia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">The great
thing about Mike is that he knows when to step in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He e-mailed me at work the next day and asked
if I minded if he asked for Rachel’s number for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought that was perfect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That completely takes the pressure off of
me!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve never been smooth when
approaching a woman, so the less I had to do to hook it up, the better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He e-mailed back a little while later with
her number.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As he told me, he walked in
to the area she was in and said, “You know who would make a cute couple?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You and Cuddles (my softball nickname).”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She blushed, laughed and gave the
number.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I tried calling her later that
night, but my call would not go through.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I tried a couple of times with no luck and laughed that she gave him a
fake number.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I met up with Mike at our
friend Kraig’s house later that night and told him about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not believing me, I gave him the number and
he immediately called.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A few seconds
later he tossed me the phone and told me to leave her a message.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like a deer in headlights, I stuttered and
stumbled my way through the message.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Hey
it’s, uh, Cuddles from softball.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you,
um, want to maybe, uh, go out sometime?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Yeah, um, maybe call me if you want.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Yeah, um, bye.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like I said…smooth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Amazingly she called Mike’s phone back a few
moments later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She mentioned that her
number was not from the Des Moines area and needed the 515 area code entered in
to connect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Darn landlines!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It made me think I was getting blown off
twice in a week.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dRVUw_kvg_g/UZaoIahgQXI/AAAAAAAAAM0/SoWIldspPuQ/s1600/100_6628.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dRVUw_kvg_g/UZaoIahgQXI/AAAAAAAAAM0/SoWIldspPuQ/s1600/100_6628.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Constantia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">The call
was short and sweet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We made plans to
meet up that Friday night at the Olive Garden and go from there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was excited and told the group of guys
hanging out with the plan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
proceeded to laugh at and mock me for meeting up with her instead of picking
her up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To continue with the theme here…smooth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That Friday I was genuinely excited.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had been on a couple of dates since my
break up and none of them gave me the rush, a shot of adrenaline, that this one
did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are times in your life where
you know that you’re turning a corner; almost like you sense something
monumental is happening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is what
was felt as I drove to the Olive Garden.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Constantia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">The rush
wore off quickly and was overtaken by awkward attempts at conversation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remember how I mentioned earlier that Rachel
was quiet?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t just on the
softball field.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We sat at dinner as I
continued to talk and ask questions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My
questions were met with short answers and a shyness I wasn’t expecting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I figured since we got along well at softball,
it would translate over to a date.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was
not feeling that during dinner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
hardly ate or spoke, just politely and sweetly listened in an awkward way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sensing that I was failing miserably, I asked
her if she wanted to go hang out at a bar or something after dinner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was only about eight o’clock, and she
decided that was a little too early.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
mentioned that I had beer at my place and we could go hang out for a bit before
going out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She agreed and we drove,
separately, to my place.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-D-VBLDN_uQg/UZaoPgstr5I/AAAAAAAAAM8/03XJ08p4oHI/s1600/Outside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-D-VBLDN_uQg/UZaoPgstr5I/AAAAAAAAAM8/03XJ08p4oHI/s1600/Outside.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a><span style="font-family: "Constantia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">As it turns
out, the best way to get Rachel talking is to get a few drinks in her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a couple of beers, she loosened
up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were finally having fun
conversations!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We hung out for a couple
of hours, getting to know each other and throwing a few back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we ran out of beer, we made a quick run
to Hy-Vee for more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the way home, she
started singing along with a song on the radio.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The super quiet girl from dinner just started rapping word for word with
50 Cent on the track <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRcnnId15BA"><span style="color: blue;">Candy Shop</span></a></i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The shyness had finally slipped away and I
was starting to see new sides to her!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The rest of the night was filled with drinks, laughs and late night
watching of shows like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ElimiDate"><span style="color: blue;">Elimidate</span></a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the end of the night we were definitely tipsy
and knew that she could not drive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
gave her some clothes to sleep in and gave her my bed as I slept elsewhere.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Constantia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Rachel was
on call at the hospital early the next morning and had to get home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She left with a smile and a hug.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hoped to see her again soon, but at least I
knew Sunday for sure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As she was heading
home, my phone rang.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She called to tell
me that she had “forgotten to grab her leftovers from Olive Garden” and
wondered if I would bring them to her for lunch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She claims it was an accident, but I like to
think that she is just smoother than I am.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s clearly not difficult.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
said I would and would be happy to hang out with her if she wanted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We haven’t been apart since.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Constantia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">I don’t
know how things clicked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They just
did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s the great thing about real
love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It can’t be forced.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can’t go looking for it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It will find you, if you’re paying
attention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes it’s right in front
of your face, or 10 feet to your right playing second base.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a gift ready to be opened.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MAT-EO3rMBo/UZaoYVH24MI/AAAAAAAAANE/pR1l_9iIom8/s1600/Marshall-Bed.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MAT-EO3rMBo/UZaoYVH24MI/AAAAAAAAANE/pR1l_9iIom8/s1600/Marshall-Bed.JPG" height="160" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marshall - Our greatest gift together</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Constantia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Rachel
gave me the two greatest gifts I could have ever received; our son Marshall,
who means more to me than anything I can possibly imagine, and unconditional love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She loves me for who I am, despite my faults,
which is not an easy thing to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So as
our 6 year wedding anniversary approaches this July, I want the world to know
how I feel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love my wife, Rachel, more
today than I have at any other time, and it will continue to grow each and
every year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not an easy person to be
with, and I know that I haven’t been the greatest husband the world has ever
known.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m trying, though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do know that I will never measure up to the
standard Rachel has set in our home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
just hope that she knows and understands that everything I am and want to be is
because she is part of my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could
not be happier with anyone else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is
the yin to my yang.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am whole because I
have her.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Constantia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Ain’t love
grand?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
Wahly22http://www.blogger.com/profile/06768866596375484065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4086235693183752860.post-49929986034882177602013-04-30T14:20:00.001-07:002013-04-30T14:20:39.648-07:00Wait…I Thought Sports Were Fun
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Frustrated.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Angered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Conflicted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Apathetic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/slides/photos/002/817/480/Fab_Five_crop_650x440.jpg?1355191910" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/slides/photos/002/817/480/Fab_Five_crop_650x440.jpg?1355191910" height="135" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Fab Five</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I am finding
the words above to be more defining of my sports experience than ever
before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whatever happed to the joy,
excitement…the fun?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t remember the
last time I had zero interest in the NFL Draft.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Yet, I was there last week not paying attention to or watching the first
round of the draft.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only thing I
cared about during March Madness was the potential reunion of players from the
Fab Five, a team that hasn’t shared a court together since 1993.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I live for the NBA, and I can’t bear to watch
my beloved Nuggets as their playoff exit is imminent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It isn’t sour grapes about the loss.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s the fact that I am dreading what follows…but
I’m getting ahead of myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Frustrated…<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.glaad.org/files/styles/414x/public/KennethFariedAthleteAlly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.glaad.org/files/styles/414x/public/KennethFariedAthleteAlly.jpg" height="95" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kenneth Faried with Athlete Ally</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’ll be the
first to admit that my frustrations in sports can be really quite odd.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I get frustrated when my team doesn’t play
well, which is obvious as that is normal for every fan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve found myself more frustrated by the
media and social networks coverage of sports.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We know too much in this 24/7 news cycle, but at the same time not
enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know what Kobe Bryant is
tweeting about because it is scrolled all over ABC and ESPN.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the same time, I have to dig to find out
that Kenneth Faried is involved with the Special Olympics and </span><a href="http://www.athleteally.com/blog/entry/denver-nuggets-star-kenneth-faried-joins-athlete-ally"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">Athlete
Ally</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I fully understand that Bryant
is a superstar, but why is there coverage on what movies he is </span><a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/gameon/2013/03/14/kobe-bryant-injury-ankle-sprain-movies-zero-dark-thirty-django-unchained-nba-lakers/1987435/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">watching</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
while injured over another player working hard in his community?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In this day and age, the “larger market”
argument is worthless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thanks to mobile
devices and the online community, coverage is everywhere for everyone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s simply what is being chosen to cover
that frustrates me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Lakers were a
mediocre team all year, as were the Houston Rockets, yet we were forced to hear
about the Lakers every day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just don’t
get it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Angered…<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’m angered
by knowing the Denver Nuggets season is about to conclude unceremoniously.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not that they will lose and not advance
in the playoffs that angers me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
truth, I could not be more proud of this team.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They are filled with good players that work hard and are easy to cheer
for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just because the media doesn’t call
them superstars, it doesn’t mean they aren’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Ty Lawson is a beast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kenneth
Faried is fantastic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Danilo Gallinari,
prior to his injury, was becoming a go-to player in the fourth quarter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m angered knowing that the “talking heads”
in the sports media will continue their collective assault on what the Nuggets
stand for; TEAM basketball.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.missfanatic.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/lakers-starters-2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.missfanatic.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/lakers-starters-2012.jpg" height="125" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Names on paper doesn't win games</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I am so sick
of hearing the nonsense that you can’t win without a superstar on the
team.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Nuggets won 57 games in the
regular season and were the 4<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> best team in the league!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I understand it is the regular season and it
didn’t translate to the playoffs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
ran into a team in Golden State that matches up well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s just basketball.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t tell me, though, that a team can’t be
good without a star because that is ridiculous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Stars don’t equal wins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Teams
equal wins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Miami Heat, while star
studded, are the best TEAM in the league.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Lakers, while star studded, were more of a punch line this season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dirk Nowitzki didn’t reach the playoffs. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kevin Love gets star treatment, yet he’s never
seen the playoffs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Superstars” mean
nothing in a team game, unless they are transcendent talent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s be honest, we’re only talking a few
guys here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The “must have” a superstar
mentality will continue to be beaten by the media and the Nuggets will continue
to be disrespected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can we all just
admit, though, that guys like that are legitimately few and far between?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Additionally,
I am tired of hearing about “small market” teams.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seriously, it doesn’t make sense to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is Green Bay a big market?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Absolutely not, but the NFL does a great job
of marketing it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Heck, Denver is a great
market for the NFL.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why can’t it be for
the NBA?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hate to answer a rhetorical
question, but the reason that it isn’t for the NBA is because they don’t want
it to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Nuggets had “superstar”
Carmelo Anthony for seven seasons, yet didn’t get near the publicity he has
since being traded to New York.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s
the NBA’s fault.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the technology age
we’re in, market size is irrelevant.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Conflicted…<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I discussed
my conflictions </span><a href="http://wahlscorner.blogspot.com/2013/01/split-loyalty.html"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">previously</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">,
but it is a much deeper issue than just that one moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve never been a fan of Peyton Manning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never will be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I give the guy all the respect in the world,
as he is an all-time great talent, but I just have a hard time cheering for
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We all know someone who is a little
too passionate (apparently I am the pot calling the kettle black here) about a
team or player.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes that can cause
those around them to cheer against them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That’s what Peyton Manning started out as with me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mikedesimone.com/mpix/woodsonap3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.mikedesimone.com/mpix/woodsonap3.jpg" height="145" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 1997 Heisman Finalists</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">During Manning’s
senior season at Tennessee, he was the clear favorite to win the Heisman
trophy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, Michigan star Charles
Woodson stormed the regular season and led the Wolverines to a National
Championship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Woodson won the Heisman,
which I agreed with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately my
older brother strongly disagreed and was a tremendous supporter of
Manning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was such a fan that the day
after Manning lost to Woodson, he walked around our college campus with a black
arm band out of respect for Manning’s lost Heisman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This moment was the seed that grew into my
distaste for Peyton Manning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://sportsradiointerviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/JakePlummer1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://sportsradiointerviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/JakePlummer1.jpg" height="151" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The underappreciated Jake Plummer</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As his
career progressed, Manning routinely embarrassed my beloved Denver Broncos and
my distaste grew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would nitpick
anything and everything Manning did; whether it was him throwing his </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1piy8Zxddw"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">teammates</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> under the bus
or any other little thing I found, I really could not like the guy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without question, the moment Manning signed
with the Broncos, I was crushed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While a
great player was joining the team, it was someone I have cheered against for 15
years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not wired to just change
because you put on a different jersey.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’ll admit
to buying in wholeheartedly to </span><a href="http://wahlscorner.blogspot.com/2012/03/manning-to-broncos.html"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">Tebowmania</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was excited to see where it would go and
how an offseason training with John Elway would help Tebow develop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the rug got pulled out for Manning, I
really didn’t know how to react.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had
gone through something similar when Jake Plummer (personal favorite) was
benched in favor of Jay Cutler despite a 7-4 record, but this had a different
layer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tebow was replaced by a player I
refused to cheer for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet here Manning
is; dressed in the orange and blue I love so much.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">How do you
cheer for your team when the face of them is one you want to boo?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Apathetic…<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Everything
above has led me to this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I still get
excited for events, such as Jon Jones’ fight this past weekend or the NBA
playoffs, but the fun isn’t there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
events I always got excited for have seemingly lost their luster because shows
like ESPN’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">First Take</i> have to take
all joy out of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The constant dissection
and ridiculous hyperbole of these shows take what’s best about sports out of
the games.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We take them seriously
because we’re fanatical, but at some point the media needs to dial it down a
notch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just sit here in a place that I’m
shocked at.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never thought I would put
a game on and simply not care.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love
watching Champ Bailey play, but his face and name aren’t on the marquee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s not the face of the franchise I’ve
always loved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, it’s a guy I can’t
cheer for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Manning’s presence in a
Broncos jersey takes my joy away and makes me simply not care.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The media’s constant star-obsessed coverage
of the NBA makes me not care as much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There are no words that can accurately express this feeling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just know that it isn’t as fun as it used
to be.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.defendclevelandshow.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/espn-first-take-18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.defendclevelandshow.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/espn-first-take-18.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The downfall of sports journalism...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Maybe I am
crazy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe I am too passionate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe I just care too much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just want to enjoy the games, the fights
and not have such a visceral reaction to it all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just want to have the relaxation and
“escape” sports can provide.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wish I
could figure this internal struggle out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I wish that sports weren’t such a lightning rod within me and were just,
you know, fun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Alas, I will continue to
tune in and hope the new feeling of apathy starts to dissipate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;">Questions or comments? Feel free to e-mail me at: </span><a href="mailto:wahlscorner@gmail.com"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;">wahlscorner@gmail.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Wahly22http://www.blogger.com/profile/06768866596375484065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4086235693183752860.post-86354452421785941842013-04-18T13:29:00.001-07:002013-04-18T13:29:18.040-07:00NBA Playoffs: Round One…The Second Season Begins<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The NBA
Playoffs first round match ups are finally set after a spectacular regular
season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now that we know the brackets,
let’s dive into round one and examine the likely winners of each series.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Western Conference<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1klcqKdnEcc/UXBWYy04udI/AAAAAAAAALA/yTUxlbiLdu0/s1600/Thunder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1klcqKdnEcc/UXBWYy04udI/AAAAAAAAALA/yTUxlbiLdu0/s1600/Thunder.jpg" /></a><v:shapetype coordsize="21600,21600" filled="f" id="_x0000_t75" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" stroked="f"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
<v:stroke joinstyle="miter">
<v:formulas>
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<w:wrap type="tight">
</w:wrap></v:imagedata></span></v:shape><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: Calibri;">#1
Oklahoma City Thunder vs # 8 Houston Rockets<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Prediction: Oklahoma City Thunder in 5 games</span></i><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Be prepared
to hear a week’s worth of “James Harden returns to show the Thunder what they
are missing” stories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In truth, this
series is not likely to be close.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While
Houston has improved offensively, this team is legitimately bad on the
defensive end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the 3 regular season
games against each other, the Thunder averaged a whopping 121 points per game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You simply can’t be that bad on the defensive
end of the court and win a series against the Thunder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Westbrook will have no issue with Jeremy Lin
and Kevin Durant will, well, he’ll be Kevin Durant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Houston is bound to steal one on their home
court but don’t look for this series to go too long.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wU9cZl_0zbM/UXBWdiE5MyI/AAAAAAAAALM/7kGiv2ooQqg/s1600/Spurs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wU9cZl_0zbM/UXBWdiE5MyI/AAAAAAAAALM/7kGiv2ooQqg/s1600/Spurs.jpg" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: Calibri;">#2 San Antonio Spurs vs # 7 Los Angeles
Lakers<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Prediction: San Antonio Spurs in 6 games</span></i><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There’s a
lot to be concerned about if you are a Spurs fan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are stumbling into the playoffs, coming
off of a 3-6 month of April.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The injury
bug has not been kind to them, with it biting Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker, at
the worst time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are both expected
to play but their effectiveness is yet to be seen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t forget, they also just signed an
“insurance policy” named Tracy McGrady.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Does he insure them in case Ginobili goes down or does he insure them a
first round exit?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Lakers
are also playing better since the injury to Kobe Bryant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This isn’t to say they are better without him
but let’s not pretend this team isn’t loaded with All-Stars and future Hall of
Famers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The loss of Bryant allows the
other players to play more their style, which has paid off so far.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The problem is they’ve only played at home
since the injury.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once they hit the
road, bench players seemingly don’t play as well and this is what will be the
Lakers’ downfall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The games will be
close, but San Antonio is a machine that seemingly steps up whenever you need
them to.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aTkJjv8mmJY/UXBWj0b-QPI/AAAAAAAAAL0/b8fQI7laShA/s1600/Nuggets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aTkJjv8mmJY/UXBWj0b-QPI/AAAAAAAAAL0/b8fQI7laShA/s1600/Nuggets.jpg" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: Calibri;">#3 Denver Nuggets vs #6 Golden State
Warriors<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Prediction: Denver Nuggets in 5 games</i></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Of all the
first round match-ups, this is the one that can be looked at as a possible
upset.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Golden State has been playing
well the last month of the season and, with sharpshooter Stephen Curry playing
well, the Warriors could pose problems in the first round.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only problem is they are matching up
against a Nuggets team that is arguably one of the hottest teams coming into
the playoffs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over their last 26 games,
the Nuggets are 23-3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is an
absolutely insane run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Add in that they
have not lost in Pepsi Center since January 18<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>, and you have a
team poised to make a run.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The question
with the Nuggets is health.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Leading
scorer Danilo Gallinari is out due to a torn ACL.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Leading rebounder Kenneth Faried is coming
off of a sprained ankle that could hinder his energy and effectiveness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ty Lawson is working through a torn plantar
fascia, but has looked excellent since returning for the final three
games.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite these woes, the Nuggets
have received boosts from the deepest bench in the league by getting extended
minutes for Wilson Chandler and rookie Evan Fournier.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The keys to
this series will be the pace and points in the paint.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While both play at a high pace, Denver
averaged 20.3 fast break points and 56.5 points in the paint against Golden
State this season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the Warriors can’t
slow down Denver, this one could get out of hand fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the Warriors get the 3 ball dropping;
we’ll have ourselves a series.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4ihWryfdg4Q/UXBWgn-hQFI/AAAAAAAAALc/S4FR_IzgEHE/s1600/Clippers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4ihWryfdg4Q/UXBWgn-hQFI/AAAAAAAAALc/S4FR_IzgEHE/s1600/Clippers.jpg" /></a><v:shape alt="Description: http://www.clippersuniverse.com/logos/los_angeles_clippers_alternate_logo_big.gif" id="Picture_x0020_5" o:spid="_x0000_s1030" style="height: 59.75pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-top: -0.3pt; mso-height-percent: 0; mso-height-relative: page; mso-position-horizontal-relative: text; mso-position-horizontal: absolute; mso-position-vertical-relative: text; mso-position-vertical: absolute; mso-width-percent: 0; mso-width-relative: page; mso-wrap-distance-bottom: 0; mso-wrap-distance-left: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-top: 0; mso-wrap-style: square; position: absolute; visibility: visible; width: 51.55pt; z-index: -251655168;" type="#_x0000_t75"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
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</w:wrap></v:imagedata></span></v:shape><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: Calibri;">#4
Los Angeles Clippers vs #5 Memphis Grizzlies<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Prediction: Los Angeles Clippers in 7 games<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In a rematch
of last season’s classic, this one is destined for another seven game
series.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There haven’t been many notable
changes in personnel, minus the scoring of Rudy Gay for Memphis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are role players gone for both teams,
but the absence of Gay is likely to loom large at some point during the series.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The
Grizzlies are going to make this ugly and a grind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s what they do best.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The pressure defense they play and slow down
offense will take the Clippers out of their comfort zone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, the veteran presence of Chris Paul
and Chauncey Billups will come into play at some point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The front courts of both teams are so close
that I think the difference will be in the back court.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While Conley Jr has been playing at a high
level, he just isn’t ready to take Memphis to the next level.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bench of LA is also deeper, which will
likely get them a game or two in LA.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Eastern Conference<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--urgF9Bkea4/UXBWhqnL_GI/AAAAAAAAALk/TRa_7WtqHqU/s1600/Heat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--urgF9Bkea4/UXBWhqnL_GI/AAAAAAAAALk/TRa_7WtqHqU/s1600/Heat.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>#1 Miami Heat vs #8 Milwaukee Bucks</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Prediction: Miami Heat in 4</i></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">While Ellis
and Jennings can get hot for a game, they just don’t have the firepower to
challenge the defending champions. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
all “witnessed” the elite level LeBron James stepped up in the playoffs last
year and it is hard to imagine the Heat stumbling out of the gate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only thing that can beat Miami in this
series is if they start to believe that this will be easy and look to the
second round before finishing business.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I simply don’t see that happening, though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This one will get ugly…and be done fast.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KQFo9ekmugs/UXBWi5aB3EI/AAAAAAAAALs/yuQWb1evrh0/s1600/Knicks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KQFo9ekmugs/UXBWi5aB3EI/AAAAAAAAALs/yuQWb1evrh0/s1600/Knicks.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>#2 New York Knicks vs #7 Boston Celtics</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Prediction: New York Knicks in 7 games</i></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This is the
hardest pick to make in round one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
said it a few weeks ago that I believed the Celtics were “resting” players in
an attempt to get to the seventh seed to face New York.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think they know how well they match up with
the Knicks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Additionally, the Celtics
know how to rattle the Knicks mentally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This should be an absolute battle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">For the
Knicks, the health of Tyson Chandler is imperative to their defense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If he’s not at least eighty percent, they
could be in trouble.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They also need to
rely on JR Smith, who has shown immense improvement this season, but is always
on the verge of shooting a team out of a game.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">For the
Celtics, this series is huge for Jeff Green.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If he can continue to step up and play well, as he has over the last
couple of months, the Celtics become very dangerous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Avery Bradley is one of the top on ball
defenders in the league and could seriously disrupt the Knicks’ offense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul Pierce is a big game player and, even at
his age, can step up and put up massive numbers on any given night.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The home
court advantage is non-existent in this series.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Both teams can go on the road and win.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This series is going to come down to who executes in crunch time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is not a player in the league that I
want taking more fourth quarter shots than Carmelo Anthony.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is a pure scorer that, no matter how he
has shot all game, can get buckets when needed most.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s going to be the difference and the
reason the Knicks advance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HrZgtW0klsc/UXBWk6OyWtI/AAAAAAAAAL8/xfoAbmAOX6E/s1600/Pacers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HrZgtW0klsc/UXBWk6OyWtI/AAAAAAAAAL8/xfoAbmAOX6E/s1600/Pacers.jpg" /></a><v:shape alt="Description: http://basketballfanstuff.com/images/nba/Indiana_Pacers_big.gif" id="Picture_x0020_8" o:spid="_x0000_s1027" style="height: 59.75pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 4.25pt; mso-height-percent: 0; mso-height-relative: page; mso-position-horizontal-relative: text; mso-position-horizontal: absolute; mso-position-vertical-relative: text; mso-position-vertical: absolute; mso-width-percent: 0; mso-width-relative: page; mso-wrap-distance-bottom: 0; mso-wrap-distance-left: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-top: 0; mso-wrap-style: square; position: absolute; visibility: visible; width: 64.3pt; z-index: -251652096;" type="#_x0000_t75"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
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</w:wrap></v:imagedata></span></v:shape><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: Calibri;">#3
Indiana Pacers vs #6 Atlanta Hawks<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Prediction: Indiana Pacers in 6 games</span></i><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Pacers
have looked inconsistent and bad the last couple of weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If anything will cure that, it’s a series
against the Atlanta Hawks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Atlanta has
established themselves as the ultimate fringe team over the past few
seasons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are good enough to be a
mid-seed in the playoffs and not do much once they are there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They stay just good enough to avoid the
lottery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately that puts a ton
of pressure on their management to scout properly and bring in the right
talent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Given their lack of progress
over the past few seasons, they haven’t done enough.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This series
is Indiana’s to lose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s that
simple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are flat out better at
every aspect of the game, with personnel that fits what they want to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Frank Vogel has a young and talented team,
with the emerging Paul George leading the way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This series will be heavy on home court advantage, but the Pacers will
find a way to put the Hawks away in Atlanta in game six.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then we’ll watch as Josh Smith leaves Atlanta
and they may just finally take a step…backwards.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wU6dBNUIAAs/UXBWfENjsWI/AAAAAAAAALU/6XqS3QkP5uU/s1600/Bulls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wU6dBNUIAAs/UXBWfENjsWI/AAAAAAAAALU/6XqS3QkP5uU/s1600/Bulls.jpg" /></a><v:shape alt="Description: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/18/Chicago_Bulls_alternate_logo.gif" id="Picture_x0020_9" o:spid="_x0000_s1026" style="height: 59.75pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-top: -0.75pt; mso-height-percent: 0; mso-height-relative: page; mso-position-horizontal-relative: text; mso-position-horizontal: absolute; mso-position-vertical-relative: text; mso-position-vertical: absolute; mso-width-percent: 0; mso-width-relative: page; mso-wrap-distance-bottom: 0; mso-wrap-distance-left: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-top: 0; mso-wrap-style: square; position: absolute; visibility: visible; width: 66.35pt; z-index: -251651072;" type="#_x0000_t75"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
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</w:wrap></v:imagedata></span></v:shape><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>#4
Brooklyn Nets vs #5 Chicago Bulls</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Prediction: Chicago Bulls in 6 games</span></i><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">If your
playoff hopes hinge on Joe Johnson and Deron Williams, I’m betting on the other
team.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Johnson, in his first season with
Brooklyn, was part of the mediocrity that is the Atlanta Hawks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While he can occasionally shine, consistency
is not his strength.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve seen too many
games this year that he is just not present, and that does not bode well for
the Nets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Williams has playoff
experience, and is seemingly stepping his game up lately, could help push the
Nets in the right direction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However,
Chicago’s defense is spectacular and should be able to contain him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Chicago,
despite Derrick Rose’s absence, should be able to squeak some wins out behind
the erratic Nate Robinson and underappreciated Luol Deng.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The “X” factor in the series could come in
the paint.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On paper, the match-up of
Joakim Noah/Carlos Boozer should beat Brook Lopez/Reggie Evans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The problem facing Chicago is the health of
Noah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If he is not able to bring his
usual energy and hustle, they could be in trouble as Reggie Evans is a nuisance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Evans could be the key to Brooklyn’s chances,
much the way he was against Memphis last season when he was a Clipper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This series will not be pretty, and that’s
exactly what Chicago thrives in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There you
have it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The NBA playoffs will feature
the best of the best and storylines to captivate us all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is it time to tip off yet?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;">Questions or comments? Feel free to e-mail me at: </span><a href="mailto:wahlscorner@gmail.com"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;">w</span><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;">ahlscorner@gmail.com</span></a><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;">or
hit me up on Twitter: </span></span><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;">@wahly22</span></span><span style="color: #002060;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Wahly22http://www.blogger.com/profile/06768866596375484065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4086235693183752860.post-2573106860657533812013-04-12T12:58:00.002-07:002013-04-12T12:59:22.724-07:00The 2012-13 Wahly Awards...NBA Edition<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">As
we enter the final week of the NBA’s regular season, we become inundated with
projected award winners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not to be
outdone, I wanted to unveil the 2012-13 Wahly Award winners!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most categories have been locked up for a few
weeks, but some late pushes in others may just surprise you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without further ado…The Wahly’s.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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</o:lock></v:path></v:stroke></span></v:shapetype><v:shape alt="Description: http://specials-images.forbes.com/imageserve/09W6bQ4aKi5Sc/186x282.jpg?fit=scale&background=000000" id="Picture_x0020_1" o:spid="_x0000_s1032" style="height: 138pt; margin-left: -4.5pt; margin-top: 4.3pt; mso-height-percent: 0; mso-height-relative: page; mso-position-horizontal-relative: text; mso-position-horizontal: absolute; mso-position-vertical-relative: text; mso-position-vertical: absolute; mso-width-percent: 0; mso-width-relative: page; mso-wrap-distance-bottom: 0; mso-wrap-distance-left: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-top: 0; mso-wrap-style: square; position: absolute; visibility: visible; width: 91pt; z-index: -251658240;" type="#_x0000_t75"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
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</w:wrap></v:imagedata></span></v:shape><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Most
Valuable Player<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">LeBron
James – Miami Heat<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Kevin
Durant – Oklahoma City Thunder<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Chris
Paul – Los Angeles Clippers<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">It’s
hard to imagine anyone else holding the hardware for the NBA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>LeBron James will lock up his fourth (should
be five, but the media was a little too mad at him when he arrived in South
Beach so congrats Derrick Rose) MVP in five seasons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We all tried to put Durant, Paul and Carmelo
in this category early in the season, but it is really not a question as to who
the best player on the planet is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have
a feeling he’ll lose out on a few MVP’s in the future, as voters will try to
spread the love, but watching James control a team is pure art.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">I
also feel obligated to address the overly vocal pro-Kobe Bryant for MVP
crowd.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While he is having a great
individual season statistically, one key component in winning an MVP should be
team wins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In reality, how valuable are
you when you flirt with 0.500 all season and possibly sneak into or miss the
playoffs?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<br />
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</w:wrap></v:imagedata></span></v:shape><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Sixth
Man of the Year<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Corey
Brewer – Denver Nuggets</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">J.R.
Smith – New York Knicks</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Jamal
Crawford – Los Angeles Clippers<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">This
award has been extremely to predict this season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jamal Crawford started out hot and was nearly
a shoe-in before the All-Star break.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That momentum disappeared quickly as J.R. Smith seemed to figure out,
after many years, what it takes for him to be great.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jarrett Jack in Golden State was also playing
so well, offensively, earlier this season.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">In
the end, I went with Brewer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While
integral parts of their teams, no one else on the list pushes the success of
their team off the bench than Corey Brewer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>His stats may not blow you away, but simply watch this guy on the
court.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is a tremendous defender,
routinely disputing offenses and initiating Denver’s lethal fast break.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s tremendously efficient shooting the
three ball from the corner (42.5%) and attacks the basket with ruthless
aggression.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His game has thrived in
Denver and he has been the catalyst for many Nuggets victories this
season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They win on his energy alone on
some nights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s certainly a dark-house
in the media, but he can’t be overlooked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sixth man always seems to be associated with a guy who comes off the
bench and lights it up offensively.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>While Brewer can absolutely do that, and does frequently, he adds the
defensive energy that can push a second unit to lead their team to victories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is the reason he takes home the hardware.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
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</w:wrap></v:imagedata></span></v:shape><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Defensive
Player of the Year<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Andre
Iguodala – Denver Nuggets<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Joakim
Noah – Chicago Bulls<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Tim
Duncan – San Antonio Spurs<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">The
DPOY is an award that routinely drives me nuts when it is awarded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has been awarded to a big man for eight
consecutive seasons, and while not always a travesty, wing defenders are
largely ignored.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last season, Serge
Ibaka finished second in voting behind Tyson Chandler.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was completely in favor of Chandler’s win,
but why was Ibaka there?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, he blocks
shots, but what else?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s more to
defense than blocking shots.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Larry
Sanders seems to be getting a push for this year’s award and it completely
blows my mind!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want someone who can
defend multiple positions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you’re a
big man, I want you to dominate the glass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I want you to fill up the stat sheet, but also do the hidden things on
the court.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">For
those reason, I had to go with Andre Iguodala in a close race with Joakim
Noah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Iguodala’s defense is absolutely
spectacular.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On any given night, he will
be responsible for the best player on the opposing team.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s always active and in the right
spots.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most importantly, he is
fifth-best in points allowed in one-on-one scenarios.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He absolutely locks people down.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Noah
slightly loses simply due to injury.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
just hasn’t been out there as much as Iguodala, and when you’re in a race, you
have to be out there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Duncan slightly
beat out Marc Gasol and Avery Bradley for third.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Duncan has been an elite defender his entire
career and continues to dominate with his footwork and positioning better than
any big man in the league.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
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</w:wrap></v:imagedata></span></v:shape><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Rookie
of the Year<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Damian
Lillard – Portland Trailblazers<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Anthony
Davis – New Orleans Hornets<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Harrison
Barnes – Golden State Warriors<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">This
one seemed simple on draft night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
award was Anthony Davis’ to lose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was
coming in with a great reputation based on his National Championship run at
Kentucky, followed by his gold medal at the Olympics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately, injuries derailed a chunk of
his season and opened up the door for others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Well that door didn’t just open, it was kicked in by Damian
Lillard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The four year starter from
Weber State exploded on the scene in game one of the season when he posted an
impressive 23 point, 11 assist win over the much-hyped Lakers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He hasn’t looked back since.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
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</w:wrap></v:imagedata></span></v:shape><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Most
Improved Player of the Year<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Larry
Sanders – Milwaukee Bucks<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Nikola
Vucevic – Orlando Magic<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Chandler
Parsons – Houston Rockets<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Sometimes
all a player needs is an opportunity to play.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It can take a change of scenery or simply just more minutes for someone
to thrive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What I always look at when
looking for improvement is how the players’ stats reflect more court time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If your court time doubles; your stats and
output should likely double<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Sanders’
minutes about doubled from last year to this year and his stats reflect
that…and then some.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While averaging 3.6
points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.5 blocks last season, he has exploded since becoming
the starter in Milwaukee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has jumped
to 9.8 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.8 blocks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>His rebounds tripled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His points
almost tripled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His blocks almost
doubled.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Vucevic
can make the same case so the tiebreaker is…team wins!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sanders is a key piece to a playoff
team.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s hard not to reward someone
whose impact on the court is helping his team succeed.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"></span> </div>
<br />
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</w:wrap></v:imagedata></span></v:shape><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Coach
of the Year<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">George
Karl<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Erik
Spoelstra<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Mike
Woodson<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">I
will admit to this being a sentimental pick.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>George Karl is one of the best coaches the league has ever seen, yet is
also one of the most underappreciated coaches in the league.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has coached 21 consecutive non-losing
seasons, tying Phil Jackson for that honor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He has helped Denver consistently reach the playoffs in 10 consecutive
seasons (he has been there for 9 of them). He is part of an extremely exclusive
list of coaches to win over 1,000 regular season games.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While he hasn’t won an NBA title, this award
is for regular season accomplishments.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">This
season has been Coach Karl’s masterpiece.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Despite not having a “superstar” or All-Star, he led the Denver Nuggets
to their best regular season record in franchise history; all this with the
third youngest roster in the league.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Karl is turning conventional wisdom on its head and utilizing, as he
likes to say, “teamness” to win games.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>While he never truly knows who is going to have a great game each night,
he’s able to utilize lineups that provide match up nightmares for
opponents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He can kill you with small
ball or battle big, if that’s what the game calls for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s also been able to keep momentum going
despite injuries to key pieces of his lineup, Ty Lawson and Danilo Gallinari.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Karl’s
true value can be seen in the improvement of his younger talent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kenneth Faried has continued to grow his
offensive repertoire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kosta Koufos has
developed into a very serviceable big man, who is always in the right place at
the right time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Karl allowed Corey
Brewer to get more minutes and thrive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Karl has also utilized the energy and awkwardness of JaVale McGee, and
turned him into a force off the bench.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Additionally with JaVale, he didn’t immediately throw him into the
starting lineup just because he got a big contract in the offseason.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Coaches too often fall into that trap, but
Karl knows what works with his team and has the freedom to do what is best.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Karl
has taken a team of perceived “spare parts” and turned them into a
contender.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe he’s a genius, or maybe
the players in Denver are better than you think.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Either way, this season has been masterful
and should be rewarded.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span><br /></div>
<br />
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/OHg5sJiaQdER3Hviwn5C4S3jca-foObn_xS4LZR-VCWXbcP3ueGZX4CD1ououE5r-8rW-Of8IE6BvqkJNt5koofk_mpiAw8Al18RyXqpul_58uTO" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/OHg5sJiaQdER3Hviwn5C4S3jca-foObn_xS4LZR-VCWXbcP3ueGZX4CD1ououE5r-8rW-Of8IE6BvqkJNt5koofk_mpiAw8Al18RyXqpul_58uTO" width="150" /></a><v:shape alt="Description: http://www.nba.com/nuggets/photos/Ujiri_PressConf22211_1_200.jpg" id="Picture_x0020_6" o:spid="_x0000_s1026" style="height: 138.2pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 2.45pt; mso-height-percent: 0; mso-height-relative: page; mso-position-horizontal-relative: text; mso-position-horizontal: absolute; mso-position-vertical-relative: text; mso-position-vertical: absolute; mso-width-percent: 0; mso-width-relative: page; mso-wrap-distance-bottom: 0; mso-wrap-distance-left: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-top: 0; mso-wrap-style: square; position: absolute; visibility: visible; width: 103.65pt; z-index: -251653120;" type="#_x0000_t75"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
<v:imagedata o:title="Ujiri_PressConf22211_1_200" src="file:///c:\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image013.jpg">
<w:wrap type="tight">
</w:wrap></v:imagedata></span></v:shape><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Executive
of the Year<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Masai
Ujiri – Denver Nuggets<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Daryl
Morey – Houston Rockets<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Chris
Wallace – Memphis Grizzlies<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">The
pieces that Masai Ujiri put into place have been nothing short of
spectacular.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He took the puzzle of
building an NBA roster and perfected it without the aid of a large market to
draw players to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was able to lock-up
Danilo Gallinari, Kosta Koufos (the underappreciated starting center), JaVale
McGee (key bench contributor), Wilson Chandler and acquire Andre Iguodala as
part of the Dwight Howard to Lakers deal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As previously written by Nuggets beat writer Chris </span><a href="http://www.denverpost.com/lunchspecial/ci_22679827/nuggets-have-come-out-top-dwight-howard-trade"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">Dempsey</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">,
the Nuggets are the clear winners of the four team deal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In a league of superstars, the Nuggets GM has
created a roster tailor-made for Coach George Karl’s style and it has set
franchise records in wins, home wins and home wins in a row.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pretty remarkable for a team that doesn’t get
much press and attention.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Morey
made some good acquisitions with James Harden and Jeremy Lin, but the handling
of Royce White is a black eye that I can’t seem to look past.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While Wallace’s trade of Rudy Gay has been a
success, this team doesn’t seem any better than it was two seasons ago when
they were in the Western Conference semi-finals.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">So
there you have it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite not having an
All-Star or “superstar”, the Denver Nuggets (currently 3<sup>rd</sup> in the
West) take some hardware back to the Mile High city. Some of you may perceive this as a bias on my part, and maybe it is, but the fact remains that the Nuggets are the third best team in the league. They are comprised of players and coaches that back up every point I make. Whether you want to believe it or not, the points above have credibility.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">While
I’m sure there are awards you agree with and others you disagree with, it’s
clear that the NBA is spilling over with talent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is probably the most talent-rich the NBA
has been in a quarter of a century, and I can’t wait for next week when the
second season, the playoffs, tip-off.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;">Questions or comments? Feel free to e-mail me at: </span><a href="mailto:wahlscorner@gmail.com"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;">wahlscorner@gmail.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
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-->Wahly22http://www.blogger.com/profile/06768866596375484065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4086235693183752860.post-9641005331059806032013-04-04T13:58:00.001-07:002013-04-04T13:58:51.115-07:00The Joy of Sports Documentaries
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I have always
been a fan of documentaries, especially as it pertains to sports.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s something infinitely enjoyable about
watching an athlete or team go through so much to hopefully accomplish their
goal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These glimpses into what it takes
to be a high level competitor are both entertaining and jaw-dropping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Witnessing struggle and sacrifice makes you
truly appreciate what these individuals go through.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">For fun, I
wanted to countdown my all-time favorite sports/competition themed
documentaries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In all honesty, there are
not criteria to be eligible for my list outside of needing some type of
competition in the backdrop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hopefully
you’ve seen them, but if not, I hope this provides you with an enjoyable list
if titles to check out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Honorable Mention</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1501757/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">Winning Time</span></i></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">: Reggie Miller vs the New York Knicks</i> – From ESPN’s exemplary <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">30 for 30</i> series, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Winning Time</i> documents the heated rivalry during the 1990’s between
Indiana Pacers star Reggie Miller and the New York Knicks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As told through the eyes of Miller and many
of the key participants, it’s a fun look back at some of the more memorable
moments of the NBA during that era.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1286821/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">More Than A Game</span></i></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> – The story of
LeBron James and his teammates as they journey through high school into
superstardom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s an amazingly crafted
piece that not only shows the evolution of an international icon, but also
shows what it is like to be in that shadow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>While LeBron jumps off the screen with his presence, it’s truly
enjoyable to watch how this group is one unit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>No one was bigger than the team and that team was the epitome of family.
It is a beautiful portrayal of sport, family, support and growth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0179218/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">Hitman Hart</span></i></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">: Wrestling with Shadows</i> – In the incredibly scripted world of
professional wrestling, this story documents the very real side of the
industry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Following 90’s superstar Bret
Hart, we see the struggle of a man grasping for integrity, while losing focus
on his reality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The story culminates in
the infamous “</span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montreal_Screwjob"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">Montreal
Screwjob</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">”, in which the script is thrown out the window by WWF CEO Vince
McMahon and chaos erupts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is truly
an outstanding look into a world most often ridiculed, but needs to gain more
respect.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1507573/?ref_=fn_al_tt_3"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">The U</span></i></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> – Another entry into the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">30 for 30</i> series, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The U</i> documents the rise and fall of the University of Miami’s
football team.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Watching the team rise up
under Howard <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Schnellenberger, Jimmie Johnson and Dennis Erickson is fun, but
the meat of this story is the multitude of interviews by former players that
really tell the tale.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For Miami fans, it
is a must see to enjoy to great moments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>For the Miami haters out there, it’s likely a great reminder of why you
hate them in the first place.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0923752/?ref_=sr_1"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">King
of Kong</span></span></i></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: A
Fistful of Quarters</span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> – Probably the most unlikely inclusion on my
list, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">King of Kong</i> tells the story of
an everyday man trying to break the arcade scoring record on Donkey Kong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As simple of a story as it sounds, the characters
and twists involved are absolutely surreal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It is truly like watching an alternate universe of humanity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Such an entertaining trek into an obscure
world.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now on to
the top five favorites!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<a href="http://www.jigsawprods.com/images/blog/Catching_Hell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.jigsawprods.com/images/blog/Catching_Hell.jpg" height="200" width="139" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">#5 – </span></span></u></b><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1908471/?ref_=sr_1"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">Catching Hell</span></span></i></b></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The ESPN <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">30 for 30</i> series set the bar for what
sports documentaries should be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
stories have been so well crafted and exposed so many aspects of sport.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The most intriguing and eye opening one, for
me, was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Catching Hell</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The story surrounds Game 6 of the 2003
National League Championship Series between the Florida Marlins and Chicago
Cubs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While that may not tip you off,
you may remember this game for the “Steve Bartman incident”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the story goes, Steve Bartman possibly
interfered with a foul ball and started a chain of events that prevented the
Cubs from reaching the World Series.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">There are
so many interesting stories in this film; ranging from other spectators in the
crowd to the security guard who assisted Bartman out of the stadium that
night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What struck me most during the
film was the usage of fan-made video from that night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were placed right into the stands at
Wrigley Field that night and witnessed some of the more disturbing images of
that evening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The fan reaction, all
pointed at one individual, was shocking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sports are taken extremely serious in this country, and unfortunately,
that can be reflected in a negative way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A bright light was shone on the ugly side of sports and really makes you
evaluate how you conduct yourself at these events.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The mob mentality is a scary thing and is on
full display during the film.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The only
negative was the lack of Bartman himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, he’s a man that has never come out to tell his story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite numerous attempts over the years
(including some very large monetary possibilities), he has never spoken out
about the events of that night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While I
mention it as a negative, I can’t help but respect the fact that he has stayed
true to himself and never capitalized on his fame…or infamy.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<a href="http://images.moviepostershop.com/beyond-the-mat-movie-poster-2000-1020208879.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://images.moviepostershop.com/beyond-the-mat-movie-poster-2000-1020208879.jpg" height="200" width="137" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">#4 – </span></span></u></b><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0218043/?ref_=sr_2"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">Beyond the Mat</span></span></i></b></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></i></b></div>
<br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s no
secret that I am a fan of professional wrestling, and have been since I was a
kid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While it isn’t considered a
“sport”, the athleticism is undeniable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The stories they tell, utilizing larger than life personalities, is
simply a fun escape from everyday life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s something fathers and sons can bond over, which is something quite
meaningful to me as the proud father of a 3 year old son.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not long ago, Marshall walked downstairs to
see me watching WWE Monday Night Raw and saw the performer CM Punk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He paused for a second, looked at the TV and
back to me and said, “He has tattoos like you, Daddy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like him.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You can’t beat moments like that.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">There are
millions of positive stories like that people can tell, but the greatness of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Beyond the Mat</i> lies in the storytelling
of men all in different stages of their careers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The story of New Jack, a hardcore performer
in the now defunct ECW, as he explores possibilities outside of wrestling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The heartwarming story of Mick Foley, whose
years of hard work has paid off to become one of the top draws of the
industry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The heartbreaking story of
Jake “The Snake” Roberts, who was working independent shows in small
towns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Broke, out of shape, drug
addicted and estranged from his family; his life is out of control and there
seems to be no hope in sight.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">There are
so many images of this film that stand out, but nothing will resonate more than
watching Mick Foley’s family sit front row during one of his matches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s almost painful to watch his family as
they see the patriarch of their home bleed profusely after taking repeated steel
chair shots to the head.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The tears
are genuine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The pain is unbelievably
real.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The warmth, passion and love for
family and business are unparalleled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
an unreal world, we see the reality of what goes into their lives.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://collider.com/wp-content/image-base/Movies/T/Tyson/tyson_movie_poster_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://collider.com/wp-content/image-base/Movies/T/Tyson/tyson_movie_poster_01.jpg" height="200" width="135" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">#3 – </span></span></u></b><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1032821/?ref_=sr_5"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">Tyson</span></span></b></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The best
stories can only be told by the people who experienced them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tyson</i>,
legendary boxer Mike Tyson lets the world in on his history.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Almost presented like an interview, Tyson
narrates his life growing up poor in a bad neighborhood all the way to the
heights of his fame and fortune.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tyson
tells his story with such an understated energy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s not boasting, nor is he humble.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s simply Mike Tyson and the stories he
tells are told in a “matter of fact” way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That’s what makes this such an interesting watch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not just a peek behind the curtain, it a
complete view behind the scenes of a man once considered the “Baddest Man on
the Planet”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the end of the film, you
feel like you have watched Tyson grow and evolve as a person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has learned some hard lessons; lessons
that seemingly beat him down, but in the end, couldn’t knock him out.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Redemption
stories are fun to watch, and when this was released, his complete story had
yet to be finished.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since the release,
he has appeared in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hangover</i> films
and made various appearances (including Broadway) making over his once
frighteningly rough exterior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tyson is
the ultimate story of redemption.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had
it all, lost it all and is regaining the most important part…himself.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://www.docurama.com/wp-content/uploads/boxart/NVG9544-03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.docurama.com/wp-content/uploads/boxart/NVG9544-03.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">#2 – </span></span></u></i></b><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0320512/?ref_=sr_1"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">The Smashing Machine</span></span></i></b></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></i></b></div>
<br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I grew up
a fan of mixed martial arts and, specifically, the UFC.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the first UFC event took place a stone’s
throw away from me, I was immediately hooked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The basic premise was simple back then, which fighting style was the
best?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was it karate, jiu-jitsu,
wrestling, boxing, etc.?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The UFC set out
to prove that, and would eventually evolve into the amazing combat sport it is
today.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The Smashing Machine</span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> tells the
story of Mark Kerr, a Division I wrestling champion who had taken the MMA world
by storm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He, along with film co-star
Mark Coleman, popularized the “ground and pound” style in which they took their
opponent down and brutalized them with fists and elbows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kerr’s story is sad, though, as he struggled
with addictions that derailed his promising career.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The thing
that makes this film special is the dichotomy between Kerr and Coleman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kerr seemingly relied on natural ability while
Coleman worked harder than others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kerr
focused on a volatile relationship with his girlfriend while Coleman was happy
with his wife and daughters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Coleman’s
maturity burst through the screen while Kerr’s immaturity was shown in stark
contrast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These differences are never
clearer than in the last tournament they were to compete together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While Kerr’s life seems to collapse around
him, Coleman’s thrives.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The stark
differences between these two competitors shine during the film.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s what really stands out during the
film.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kerr struggles through addictions
and his life, which while sad, are an indicator that not all elite athletes
possess the internal drive it takes to be a champion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Physical gifts can only take you so far.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The mental make-up of athletes is almost more
important, and it is on full display in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Smashing Machine</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://content6.flixster.com/movie/10/16/22/10162248_det.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://content6.flixster.com/movie/10/16/22/10162248_det.jpg" height="200" width="140" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">#1 – </span></span></u></b><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0436613/?ref_=tt_rec_tt"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">Murderball</span></span></i></b></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I can’t
recall being moved by a film as much as I was for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Murderball</i>, the story of the United States Paralympic rugby
team.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wheelchair rugby is a full-contact
sport, specially designed for competitors with disabilities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sport itself is covered and central to the
film, and is clearly an intense competition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, the sport is simply a backdrop for the amazing stories of the
participants themselves.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">When
seeing someone confined to a wheelchair, the regular reaction is one of
sympathy; almost a pity of what that individual has to go through.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This film takes that feeling, that
stereotype, and shatters it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s no
pity needed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These are just regular people,
living their life in an extraordinary way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You get to watch them interact as a team, interact with their rivals and
overcome adversities.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The
greatest aspect of this film is getting to know the players as people off the
court.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You get to take a journey with
them and understand why they are who they are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The most recognizable of the group is Mark </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/GIMP-Story-Behind-Star-Murderball/dp/B002KE5VUS/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1365107645&sr=8-6&keywords=zupan"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">Zupan</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">;
the outspoken, tattooed breakout star of the film.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Zupan is wheelchair bound due to an
automobile accident from when he was in college.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While passed out in the back of the truck,
his friend behind the wheel got into the accident that threw Zupan from the bed
of the truck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During the film you see
the two of them together, although there is distance between them that comes
through the screen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Watching them
together during the Paralympics is so powerful, as the feeling of forgiveness
and acceptance radiates through.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The film
also contains the story of a man recently injured and wheelchair bound.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While attempting to cope with everything and
the changes his life is faced with, he discovers wheelchair rugby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As low and defeated as he seems, you can see
the light in his head pop on the moment he gets in the custom rugby chair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can see his journey has just started, but
that simple chair pushes him in a better direction.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I hope you
take the chance on these films, if you haven’t had the chance previously.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They encompass the joy of sport, but moreover,
the power of the human spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
display resilience, pain and obstacles that need overcome.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No matter what the reason you watch, I just
know inspiration is right around the corner.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;">Questions or comments? Feel free to e-mail me at: </span><a href="mailto:wahlscorner@gmail.com"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;">wahlscorner@gmail.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
Wahly22http://www.blogger.com/profile/06768866596375484065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4086235693183752860.post-2101636673616176482013-03-25T15:03:00.001-07:002013-03-25T15:03:03.147-07:00Fixing the NBA System<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://worldonline.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com/img/photos/2003/12/26/YEARMEN__t200.jpg?63053ce3c12ccdabb07c8a8609241a2395705911" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://worldonline.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com/img/photos/2003/12/26/YEARMEN__t200.jpg?63053ce3c12ccdabb07c8a8609241a2395705911" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carmelo Anthony</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Constantia","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">While casually glancing at games during the NCAA
tournament this past weekend, I had my memory jogged to an idea from years
past.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>See, I am an avid fan of the NBA
game and not a fan of collegiate ball.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The 35 second shot clock, the usage of zone defense, the mediocre
shooters, the constant passing around the perimeter right before jacking up a
poor shot with a few seconds remaining on the clock are all examples of things
that simply drive me crazy to the point where I can’t watch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People get excited about “upsets” in the
tournament, but really, when there is so much parity and inexperienced players
on the court, is anything really an upset?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Constantia","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Constantia","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">The real crux of the issue really lies in the
players themselves, though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For me, it’s
virtually impossible to become invested in the college game knowing that so
many players will be here one day and gone another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The game has shifted from players staying
with their schools for 3-4 seasons to being “one and done” and off to the NBA,
whether they are ready or not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s
no continuity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s no growth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The worst part is the collegiate game is
diminished as the quality goes down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
young players often come into the league with much fanfare and hype, which puts
an unnecessary level of pressure on them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Look, there’s only one LeBron James.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He was so unique in that he came into the league ready to carry a
franchise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Very few 18-20 year old
players are mature enough to handle that burden.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://content.sportslogos.net/logos/17/2447/full/qp5w65czvpg9q59ttrqf.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://content.sportslogos.net/logos/17/2447/full/qp5w65czvpg9q59ttrqf.gif" width="195" /></a><span style="font-family: "Constantia","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">So how exactly do we fix this?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The NFL requires players to be 3 years
removed from their high school class to be eligible for the NFL draft, which is
a concept shot down by the NBA players association.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The NCAA doesn’t want to pay players as that
would open the floodgates to many more possible problems (other than not being
able to pad their own pockets).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think
the solution is pretty clear, and somewhat obvious; utilize the NBA D League
far better than they currently are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
solution not only would give younger players the option of staying in college
but would also allow them to ease into the pro game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I believe it to help the collegiate game and
the pro game in the long run.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Constantia","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">- If a player forgoes college, or declares
eligible for the draft after their freshman year, they would be required to
stay with the D-League affiliate of the team that drafted them for 2 seasons.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Constantia","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">- If a player declares for the draft after their
sophomore year, they would be required to stay with the D-League affiliate of
the team that drafted them for 1 season.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Constantia","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Constantia","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">- Juniors that declare for the draft would be able
to enter the NBA immediately.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Constantia","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">This is a win-win for all involved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Allow me to explain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://urbanchristiannews.com/ucn/kentucky-wildcats-2012-NCAA-division-i-mens-basketball-tournament.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="103" src="http://urbanchristiannews.com/ucn/kentucky-wildcats-2012-NCAA-division-i-mens-basketball-tournament.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2012 Kentucky Wildcats</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Constantia","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">- From the NCAA standpoint, more players will be
likely to stay in school as the riches and playing time of the NBA would still
be a few years away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They would be able
to hone their craft against their peers, which only improves the quality of
play as players grow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The schools would
also be able to see the re-emergence of possible dynasties, which have disappeared
from their game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For example, the
Kentucky Wildcats won the National Championship last season, only to be bounced
from the first round of the NIT this year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Had they been able to retain Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist,
Marquis Teague, Terrence Jones and Doron Lamb it is likely they would have made
another deep run during March Madness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Instead, they were embarrassed in the NIT.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www3.pictures.gi.zimbio.com/New+Jersey+Nets+v+Miami+Heat+86zqJoeR_6_l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www3.pictures.gi.zimbio.com/New+Jersey+Nets+v+Miami+Heat+86zqJoeR_6_l.jpg" width="141" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Michael Beasley</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Constantia","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">- From the standpoint of a general manager, it
makes the pressure of a failed pick lessen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Instead of dropping millions of dollars on potential, and risking that
as a failure, the GM would be able to see the growth of the drafted
player.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 2008, the Miami Heat used the
second overall pick to take Kansas State freshman Michael Beasley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He cost the Heat $4.3 million in cap space
and is perceived as a bust for them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Had
they been able to chart his growth (or lack thereof) in the D-League, they
would have been able to let him walk when the mandatory 2 years expired
allowing them financial flexibility and not crippling them with the cap.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Constantia","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">- From the player standpoint, the advantage comes
in multiple ways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have the option
to stay in school or take a gradual step up to the professional level.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They would be given the time to grow their
game, while learning about the NBA lifestyle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>While the financial aspect isn’t as lucrative in the D-League, they are
still paid a decent amount that can help educate the younger generation in
money management.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Taking a broke college
kid and giving them millions is simply asking for trouble.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Giving them a step in between allows them to
mature and learn about the business aspect of the game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Additionally, the player would learn about
the rigors of an NBA travel schedule and the physical demands of the job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would also continue giving them motivation
to reach that elite level of basketball.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.70104.1313818908!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/gallery_635/gal-carmelo-5-jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.70104.1313818908!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/gallery_635/gal-carmelo-5-jpg.jpg" width="138" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just imagine an Iowa Energy<br />
hat in this picture...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Constantia","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">- From the NBA corporate level, this is an
absolutely slam dunk (pardon the pun).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
quality of the game increases as you filter out the players not good enough or
ready for the pro game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The D-League can
be used to market younger stars, increasing the marketability of players in all
markets (given the D-League teams are located in small markets and will set up
roots in those communities).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It adds
another revenue stream for the league.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>D-League games are not as marketable as they could be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can you just imagine if Carmelo Anthony
declared for the draft after his freshman year at Syracuse?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Denver Nuggets could still draft him
third overall and place him with their affiliate, the Iowa Energy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Immediately, the Energy becomes a destination
attraction simply to watch Anthony take the court.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The league could utilize NBA TV to broadcast
games and generate more interest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Merchandising opens up and more money starts to flow, which is exactly
what the league wants.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Constantia","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">There really is no loser in this situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While it is unfortunate the players have to
wait a little longer to reach their NBA dreams, the 3 year window hasn’t
adversely affected the NFL. It can work for the NBA too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Constantia","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">If you’re good enough to reach the league, an
extra couple of years is not going to prevent that from happening.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Constantia","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Constantia","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Constantia","serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Questions or comments? Feel free to
e-mail me at: </span><a href="mailto:wahlscorner@gmail.com"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Constantia","serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">wahlscorner@gmail.com</span></a><span style="font-family: "Constantia","serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Wahly22http://www.blogger.com/profile/06768866596375484065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4086235693183752860.post-38403171347311203032013-02-28T08:16:00.000-08:002013-02-28T08:16:26.223-08:00Denver Nuggets and the Search for Respect<span style="font-family: Calibri;">While
watching the entertaining Denver Nuggets vs Portland Trailblazers game on
Wednesday night, it continues to shock me how little respect the Nuggets
franchise gets from the national media.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite
making 9 consecutive playoff appearances (third longest streak in the league
behind San Antonio – 15 and Dallas – 12), there is a strange coverage of the
Nuggets that seems to be nonchalance about them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t seem to figure out why, no matter how
consistent they are, they get so little respect.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The main
argument always made about them is that they don’t have a “true superstar” to
take over games.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a recent game
against the Celtics, even future Hall of Fame star Kevin Garnett wondered how this
team doesn’t have an All-Star.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are
three players on the roster who have a solid claim at being considered a
superstar:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.wikia.com/nba/images/4/49/Ty_Lawson_New_York_Knicks_v_Denver_Nuggets_SyW4r9kkxVtl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://images.wikia.com/nba/images/4/49/Ty_Lawson_New_York_Knicks_v_Denver_Nuggets_SyW4r9kkxVtl.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ty Lawson</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">- Ty Lawson
is one of the top point guards in the NBA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>While young players like Ricky Rubio, Deron Williams and Damian Lillard
get all the headlines, Lawson continues to be one of the most underappreciated
players in the league.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lawson-led teams
have never missed the playoffs, and have not won less than 50 games once…but
that was in a lockout shortened season.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">- Kenneth
Faried is a stand out player.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Recently
winning MVP at All-Star weekend and could have been Rookie of the Year had he
been starting from day one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His
fantastic play while Nené was hurt, allowed the Nuggets to shed the big man’s
contract and put Faried in as a starter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>His style of play and energy is infectious and I have yet to meet
someone who does not love to watch him play.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Additionally, he seems to be a good guy off the court.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His affiliation with the group Athlete Ally
shows the depth of character and quality of the type of person that should be
promoted in this league.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.gannett-cdn.com/media/USATODAY/USATODAY/2013/02/23/02-23-2013-andre-iguodala-3_4_r536_c534.jpg?1b79b3da202957124496e3768cfb7b67cdb10c81" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.gannett-cdn.com/media/USATODAY/USATODAY/2013/02/23/02-23-2013-andre-iguodala-3_4_r536_c534.jpg?1b79b3da202957124496e3768cfb7b67cdb10c81" height="200" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Iguodala scoring in the paint;<br />
a regular thing in Denver</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">- Andre
Iguodala is such an interesting case, as he was considered a star while playing
for the Philadelphia 76ers, but somehow lost that reputation since coming to
Denver.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not sure why a player who
was considered a star, an All-Star, All Defensive team selection and Olympian
shed that “title” the second he was sent packing to the Nuggets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s an elite defender and fills up the stat
sheet every night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s Josh Smith with
more skills and a better attitude, yet Smith is considered a star and Iggy is
not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It just boggles the mind!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There’s also
the emerging talent of Danilo Gallinari, who I believe can be as good as Dirk
Nowitzki.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has a great inside, outside
game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He handles the ball and attacks
the basket better than Dirk, but hasn’t developed the go-to move yet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Within the next three seasons, I am
predicting Gallinari develops into a top level talent in this league.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Nuggets
seem to be the only team in the playoff picture that deals with the “no
superstar” analysis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have to ask you,
who are the superstars in Memphis?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
Milwaukee?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How about Utah or Portland?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d even argue that Denver has more on-court
stars than the Brooklyn Nets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s
hype around Deron Williams, but he’s shown little since leaving Utah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just because Joe Johnson is paid like an
elite player, it doesn’t mean he is an elite player.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Denver gets more from players with comparable
(and oftentimes better) skills at a much better price than most of the teams
mentioned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></o:p><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://img1.blogcu.com/images/b/a/s/basketballlover/carmelo_antony.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://img1.blogcu.com/images/b/a/s/basketballlover/carmelo_antony.jpg" height="200" width="132" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Iverson and Carmelo<br />
in Denver</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Another part
of the argument that piggybacks on the superstar comment is that the Nuggets
don’t have anyone to take over in the fourth quarter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard
the question, “Who will take that crucial last shot for them?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve always laughed at this concept.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The fact that you have a “big name”, it
doesn’t mean you have a closer for the game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Just a few short years ago, Denver had Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson
and they still had this question hanging around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This may go against the prevalent superstar
logic, but why not draw up a play for the hot hand?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To me, it only makes sense to get the ball in
the hands of a player who is shooting well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Additionally,
if the Nuggets don’t know who is going to take the final shot, how does the
defense prepare for that?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last night,
Denver’s final offensive possession was a post-up for Andre Miller.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Earlier in the season it was in Gallo’s
hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve watched Lawson take games
over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could go on and on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s hard to defend a team when you don’t
know where the ball is going to end up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">For a team
that doesn’t have a true superstar, which we all know is usually based on
offensive stats, here are a few statistics to digest:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">- 3<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">rd</span></sup>
in points per game<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://extras.mnginteractive.com/live/media/site36/2013/0216/20130216__20130217_C2_SP17BKNALLSTAR~p1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://extras.mnginteractive.com/live/media/site36/2013/0216/20130216__20130217_C2_SP17BKNALLSTAR~p1.JPG" height="236" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kenneth Faried</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">- 4<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>
in FG%<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">- 3<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">rd</span></sup>
in assist per game<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">- 2<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">nd</span></sup>
in steals per game<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">- 4<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>
in blocks per game<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">- 1<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup>
in offensive rebounds per game<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">- 2<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">nd</span></sup>
in overall rebounds per game<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">- 1<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup>
in fast break points per game<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">- 1<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup>
in points in the paint per game<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There may be
something to this team concept after all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://milehighsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/George-Karl-Nuggets1-300x199.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://milehighsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/George-Karl-Nuggets1-300x199.jpg" height="132" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coach Karl teaching his young team</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The knock
against Denver is that the basic thought process is that a fast-paced team
can’t win in the playoffs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I strongly
disagree with this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Steve Nash-led
Suns were within some questionable officiating and tough moments from winning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The same can be said for Chris Webber’s Kings
teams.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While those teams did not win a
title, the Showtime Lakers sure did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Don’t get me wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not
saying the Nuggets are the second coming of Showtime, but the fast-paced offense
can work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Lakers weren’t known as a
defensive team, giving up over 100 points per game in those title years, but
they could run you out of the gym.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Believe me no one wants to deal with this Denver tempo that Coach Karl
has utilized over the last few years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They thrive off turnovers and energy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They aren’t afraid of any team and it shows when they step on the court.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Are they a
title contender this season?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
doubtful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’re one of the five
youngest teams in the league and need time to grow, but they have the talent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have the coaching.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If they get the ball to bounce their way or
get the benefit of a whistle like a Kobe or Durant gets, they’re a scary team
going into the next few years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s time to
click over and watch this team.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are
an exciting and fun team to watch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stars
are emerging.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those that can’t see them
must be looking up in the sky at the wrong constellations.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;">Questions or comments? Feel free to e-mail me at: <a href="mailto:wahlscorner@gmail.com"><span style="color: blue;">wahlscorner@gmail.com</span></a></span><o:p></o:p></div>
Wahly22http://www.blogger.com/profile/06768866596375484065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4086235693183752860.post-24861105954123740792013-02-18T13:20:00.002-08:002013-02-18T13:20:18.169-08:00The Jordan - LeBron - Kobe Triangle
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Every year
we leave NBA All-Star weekend with a lot of excitement for the remainder of the
season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We also leave the weekend
talking about a pointless story that will continue to perpetuate discussions
over the next few weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This year’s
“gem” was Michael Jordan’s comment saying he would take Kobe Bryant over LeBron
James.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The moment I saw the comments, I
simply rolled my eyes and moved on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Unfortunately the national media, along with a few personal friends,
continue hammering the story at me to the point where I felt the need to
respond.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I need to break it down in two
different parts; so sit back and enjoy the ride!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_V34W39JWlA/USKYgKWZD2I/AAAAAAAAAKo/1AjJ4o5FHVw/s1600/LBJ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_V34W39JWlA/USKYgKWZD2I/AAAAAAAAAKo/1AjJ4o5FHVw/s1600/LBJ.jpg" height="122" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The first
thing I wanted to address was Jordan himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He almost seems hell bent on discrediting LeBron at every turn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From comments like this one, or his </span><a href="http://www.cbssports.com/nba/blog/eye-on-basketball/21709581/michael-jordan-says-lebron-would-not-be-as-successful-in-his-era"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">comment</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
that LeBron wouldn’t have been as successful in Jordan’s era, it just seems as
though he has a personal vendetta against The King.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I previously had </span><a href="http://wahlscorner.blogspot.com/2013/02/lebron-vs-jordanwhy.html"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">written</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">,
LeBron makes us question what we have always known; Michael Jordan is the
greatest player of all time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seems
that even Jordan himself is questioning this, and the hyper-competitive guy
that he is, forces him to try and rip LeBron down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anyone who watched is Hall of Fame </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLzBMGXfK4c"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">speech</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> knows Jordan is a
somewhat angry and vengeful person, who continued to rip his opponents in an
arrogant speech regularly given by others in a humble way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As all of
this information kept trickling out, I could help but wonder, “What makes
Michael Jordan’s opinion matter?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know
that sounds almost blasphemous to question the almighty Jordan, but just hear
me out on a couple of points.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just want
you to wonder where Jordan is coming from with his comments, and how is he
qualified to make them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://voices.washingtonpost.com/wizardsinsider/kwamejordan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://voices.washingtonpost.com/wizardsinsider/kwamejordan.jpg" height="151" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All smiles with Kwame Brown</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The biggest
thing to consider is that just because you played the game, it doesn’t make you
an expert on talent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jordan is not the
best evaluator of talent the league has ever seen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s be honest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you need evidence, please see the </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001_NBA_Draft"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">2001 NBA Draft</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> in which
Jordan drafted Kwame Brown with the first overall selection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While hindsight is always 20/20, this one is
a glaring as there were two tremendously talented players (Tyson Chandler and
Pau Gasol) drafted directly after Brown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Heck, Jason Richardson and Joe Johnson would have been better
selections!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kwame Brown was never was
going to be a star, as it was widely known that he simply did not care enough
to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jordan looked past all the
looming issues and drafted him anyway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This was simply the first stumbling block in historically unimpressive
draft </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlotte_Bobcats_draft_history"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">selections</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It can definitely be argued that while he was
one of the greatest <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">players</i> to touch
a basketball, he was as inept as an owner and talent evaluator.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Jordan’s
competitiveness could be driving his hostility towards James, simply because
LeBron has achieved benchmarks Jordan never did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For example, in 2010, </span><a href="http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/201002180CLE.html"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">LeBron</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
became the first player since “Pistol” Pete Maravich to put up 40 points, 10
rebounds and 10 assists in a game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just
recently, LeBron went on a historic run of 7 games scoring at least 30 points
while shooting 60% or better from the field.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>For someone like Jordan, it is simply unfathomable to see someone
accomplish something he didn’t.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://fansofmediocrity.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/robert-horry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://fansofmediocrity.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/robert-horry.jpg" height="191" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If rings matter, "Big Shot" Robert<br />
Horry has 7...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Jordan also
made the comment that no matter how he looks at it, 5 rings are better than
1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m going to scream the next time I
hear someone talk about rings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rings do
not define player greatness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is Adam
Morrison a better player than Karl Malone, simply because he has 2 rings?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Obviously not, except in Jordan’s world where
rings are the only thing that matters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
have some news for His Airness, though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He is nowhere near the top of the rings list.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s tied with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bob
Cousy with 6.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He trails Robert Horry,
who has seven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How about Bill Russell
with his 11, including 2 as a player-coach?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That doesn’t even list all the bit players from the Celtics teams of the
50’s and 60’s that racked up </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_NBA_players_with_most_championships"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">rings</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The point is, rings don’t define you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s an easy, cop out argument used by people
who don’t want to really examine the facts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We’re not talking about a 1-on-1 game here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re talking about basketball, one of the
best team games in the world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">What Jordan
doesn’t seem to comprehend is that LeBron James doesn’t comprehend “me
ball”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He plays “we ball”, the way the
game is supposed to be played.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>James has
the supreme talent to take over any game at any time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Players like Jordan and Kobe Bryant seem to
think that the only way to take over is to score alone and play hero ball.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Highlight jumpers over a triple team may look
good on SportsCenter, but the smart basketball play is to find one of the open
players for an uncontested look.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://sportige.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Shaq-Lakers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://sportige.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Shaq-Lakers.jpg" height="112" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Lakers were Diesel's team</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This all
leads me to a quick dissection of the LeBron James versus Kobe Bryant argument
that Jordan initiated this past weekend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As stated above, the rings argument is null and void.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s weak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The fact of the matter is Kobe Bryant was handed rings the moment he
walked on the court in LA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was given
the most dominant big man of his era, Shaquille O’Neal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was given, arguably, one of the greatest
coaches in history Phil Jackson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
teams he was part of were stacked, and they likely left rings on the table
because of personal issues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even during
the time he won two more, Jackson was back guiding him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were gift-wrapped Pau Gasol, a multiple
time All-Star and considered one of the best big men in the game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had Lamar Odom, who was the sixth man of
the year candidate every season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He also
had the steady hand of Derek Fisher along with the emerging big man, Andrew
Bynum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was nearly impossible to fail!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dniZnFVlskI/TDadQCg1SaI/AAAAAAAACws/yQllJAmgltM/s1600/lebron+james.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dniZnFVlskI/TDadQCg1SaI/AAAAAAAACws/yQllJAmgltM/s1600/lebron+james.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One man can only do so much.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Conversely,
let’s look at the teams LeBron was surrounded by in Cleveland.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Coached by Mike Brown, who hasn’t done
anything of note in the league outside of getting fired from the Cavaliers and
the Lakers, there was no off court leadership.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If you look at the team LeBron single-handedly led to the Finals in
2007, you’ll see a team of back-ups and mid-level talent. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He elevated the play of Drew Gooden, Larry
Hughes, Sasha Pavlovic, Eric Snow and Zydrunas Ilgauskas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seriously, what he accomplished with this
team is far better than anything Kobe has ever done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t believe me?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Take some time to look at the Kobe-led
2004-05 </span><a href="http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/LAL/2005.html"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">Lakers</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jackson and O’Neal were gone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the Kobe Show and what happened?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were below average and missed the
playoffs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was 8 seasons into his
career, after winning 3 titles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is
no excuse for the drop off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It all boils
down to one thing; leadership.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kobe
Bryant is not a leader of men.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is
divisive, dismissive and self-absorbed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He’s too busy pointing his finger elsewhere to recognize that he is a big
part of the problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>LeBron is the
ultimate teammate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He holds others
accountable, but will take the heat himself when needed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a night and day comparison.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Kobe also
had the benefit of growing into a franchise player.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He did not have to carry the Lakers franchise
until the trade of Shaq to Miami.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
never Kobe’s team until the aforementioned 2004-05 season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had Phil Jackson guiding him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>LeBron was given Paul Silas and Mike Brown,
neither of which has a strong track record of player development.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cleveland was his franchise and it took them
to heights they never reached before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Due to Cleveland’s management, and their inability to build a strong
team around him, he left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I have
previously </span><a href="http://wahlscorner.blogspot.com/2012/07/lebron-decision-2-years-later.html"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">written</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">,
there’s a ton of reasons he left but the crux of it had to be the obvious
inability to help him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He understands
something so few do; teams win titles, not individuals.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The general
consensus in the media is that LeBron James is the unquestioned, best player on
the planet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s hard to argue it, and
it has been this way for quite some time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I find it interesting that despite the accolades and accomplishments of
Kobe Bryant, he was never considered that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There may have been a season here or there where he was considered in
that realm, but never the way LeBron is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He will go down as one of the all-time best, but never the greatest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think that’s one of the subtle reasons
Jordan loves him; he doesn’t contest the throne no matter how many rings he
has.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/early-lead/files/2013/02/lebron1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/early-lead/files/2013/02/lebron1.jpg" height="139" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two of the greats battling. LeBron<br />
leads their series 13-6.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The only
good thing about this argument is that we can quantify it with stats and
facts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>LeBron and Kobe have played head
to head 19 times and because of their ages, the argument is valid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While Kobe is slightly older, they are still
close enough in age that their individual team battles matter for the
discussion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without further ado, here’s
a quick snapshot of their head to head battles:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: Calibri;">LeBron James<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">13 wins, 6
losses<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">40.8 Minutes
per game<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">46.1% Shooting<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">27.9 Points
per game<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">7.7 Rebounds
per game<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">7.3 Assists
per game<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">3.6
Turnovers<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Kobe Bryant<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">6 wins, 13
losses<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">37.6 Minutes
per game<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">41.9%
Shooting<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">25.3 Points
per game<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">4.9 Rebounds
per game<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">4.9 Assists
per game<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">3.4
Turnovers<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So Mr.
Jordan, let me get this straight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You
prefer a player who shoots worse, scores less, grabs fewer boards and dishes
out fewer assists while losing over a player better in every category except
turnovers (and really, it is a total of 5 turnovers in 19 games).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The head to head match up matters in this
argument and the clear winner is LeBron James.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So what did
we learn?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think this weekend we
learned that Michael Jordan is not a good judge of talent, which we all kind of
knew given the state of the Charlotte Bobcats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We learned that Jordan seemingly has something against LeBron
James.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We learned that Jordan sees his
insane competitiveness and self-importance in Kobe Bryant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ve learned that Jordan thinks higher of
himself than anyone could possibly imagine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">What else
did we learn?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ll listen to anything
we can when it pertains to Michael Jordan and LeBron James.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.sportsgrid.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/LeBron-Jordan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.sportsgrid.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/LeBron-Jordan.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;">Questions
or comments?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Feel free to e-mail me at:
<a href="mailto:wahlscorner@gmail.com"><span style="color: blue;">wahlscorner@gmail.com</span></a></span></o:p></span></div>
Wahly22http://www.blogger.com/profile/06768866596375484065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4086235693183752860.post-63487615702024131852013-02-12T11:56:00.002-08:002013-02-12T11:56:47.552-08:00LeBron vs Jordan...Why?
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">The
most frequent argument I hear in sports is the classic question, “Who is
better?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seemingly, you can’t engage in
a sports discussion regarding individual players without someone chiming in
with “Well player X could never be as good as player Y.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s one of the topics in sports that
absolutely drive me crazy, for the simple fact that comparing players from
different eras is impossible.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">I
understand holding on to an all-time favorite player and defending them no
matter what (heck, I’ve been an Allen Iverson fan since his freshman year at
Georgetown), but at some point logic needs to step in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s impossible to put players of yesteryear
in today’s version of their sport and expect the exact same results.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s look at a few examples:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://sinfl.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/ronnie-lott1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://sinfl.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/ronnie-lott1.jpg" height="200" width="190" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ronnie Lott laying the boom</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Would
Ronnie </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYFOXPUKBcA"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">Lott</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">
last in today’s softened up NFL, where flags are thrown for getting near a
receiver?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Could
Wilt Chamberlain </span><a href="http://www.nba.com/2011/history/features/12/12/season-of-giants-feature/index.html"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">average</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">
50.4 points and 25.7 rebounds in a season against today’s athletes?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Obviously
there’s no way to figure out if they would be the dominating forces they were
during their era, but it’s interesting to think about the possibilities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">While
it is easy to sit and compare baseball statistics, count championships in
football and such; it’s virtually impossible to do the same in basketball
without starting a bar-wide brawl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Simply mention LeBron James in the same sentence as Michael Jordan and
you will receive looks, yells and taunts without even having a chance to make a
case.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The funny thing is, only the
comparison to LeBron James brings this level of vitriol.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why is that?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://hoopedia.nba.com/images/6/60/93miner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://hoopedia.nba.com/images/6/60/93miner.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Harold Miner in the<br />
dunk contest</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EXN4Nf21Tk"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">Harold Miner</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">
was dubbed “Baby Jordan” but never came close to achieving even a modicum of
success that Jordan did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He lasted four
seasons in the NBA, with his only real legacy being that of the NBA dunk
contest champion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HLf1RCEMzc"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">Vince Carter</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">
exploded into the league out of North Carolina, Jordan’s alma mater, with early
career comparison to His Airness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While
achieving status as an amazing leaper and dunk expert, he has come nowhere near
the success Jordan enjoyed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Carter is a
guy who has quit on a team (Toronto) and has bounced around the league
since.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s widely regarded as a player
who had the talent to be an all-time great, but simply did not care enough to
utilize it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Carter
is unfulfilled promise, whereas Miner was simply a catchy nickname based on the
dunk contest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know some believe Carter
was great, and have argued them for years against that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one will make that same case for
Miner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Regardless, neither name conjures
up the hostility as comparing James to Jordan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">There
are multiple flaws to the arguments both for and against LeBron vs Jordan, and
I’m not going to go too deep into them, but I had to touch on it a bit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, there are a couple of things to
touch on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://nccrea.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/be_like_mike.22990039_std.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://nccrea.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/be_like_mike.22990039_std.png" height="134" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">I
don’t want to take too much time on the fact that some people simply don’t like
James because we wore number 23 initially.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You know, unlike every other kid that grew up in the 90’s watching
Jordan play and trying to “</span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0AGiq9j_Ak"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">Be Like Mike</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or that he has a tattoo of the phrase “Chosen
1” on his </span><a href="http://espn.go.com/photo/2006/1013/nba_g_james2b_395.jpg"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">back</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">,
despite the fact is was </span><a href="http://www.prosebeforehos.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/lebron-james-si-the-chosen-one.jpg"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">Sports
Illustrated</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> that called him that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s be honest, take any high school kid and
put him on the cover of the most popular sports magazine in the world with that
nickname attached.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Guess what is going
to happen?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’d all run with that
nickname as long as we could.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>James was no
different.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">The
main argument the pro-Jordan crowd mentions is all about the ring count.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jordan – 6.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>James – 1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is such a
short-sighted argument.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Adam Morrison
has two championship rings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does that
make him better than LeBron?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Obviously
not.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">While
a single player can make the difference in a championship run, it takes the
full team to win a title.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While many
will attribute Chicago’s success solely on Jordan’s shoulders, they quickly
forget that he had a tremendous team around him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During the first three-peat he had Pippen
(top 50 player of all-time), Horace Grant (consistent double-double guy and
great defender) and players like BJ Armstrong and John Paxson who knew their
roles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During their second three-peat,
Pippen was still around and they added the best rebounder/defender in history
Dennis Rodman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Additionally, he had the
greatest three point shooter (percentage-wise) in history Steve Kerr and sixth
man of the year Toni Kukoc.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://seattletimes.com/ABPub/2008/01/30/2004155335.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://seattletimes.com/ABPub/2008/01/30/2004155335.jpg" height="187" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drew Gooden on LeBron's back...hmm</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Looking
at LeBron’s run in Cleveland; he was surrounded by minimal talent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During the run to the 2007 NBA Finals he was
surrounded by Eric Snow, Drew Gooden, Larry Hughes and Zydrunas Ilgauskas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>LeBron led them to 50 wins and an NBA Finals
birth, including one of the most amazing playoff </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chdWSvVkeV4"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">games</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> in
history.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will venture to say that not
even Jordan himself could have won a title with the team James had this
season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t believe me?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Check out Chicago’s 1989-90 </span><a href="http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CHI/1990.html"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">season</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They had virtually the same team as the next
90-91 championship season, but failed to reach the finals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How easily we forget that at one point in his
career, Jordan was thought of as a guy who couldn’t win when they needed it
most.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">To
me, the biggest flaw in the argument is that we are simply comparing apples to
oranges.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jordan was and will forever be
a score-first player.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jordan would
easily jack up close to 2,000 shots in a season; while LeBron’s highest were
1,823 shots in his 3<sup>rd</sup> professional season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jordan’s development from slasher to
mid-range master is well documented.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>While he was a solid passer, including </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnAr4I3-Z48"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">two</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2BlOTeoZVE"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">passes</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">
that sealed NBA championships, it wasn’t his first instinct.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>LeBron James has a pass first mentality, but
has the ability to dominate scoring if need be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What LeBron does read a game better than any in that he dissects the
needs of his team and adjusts accordingly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If he needs to score 30, he does.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If he needs 10 assists, he’ll dish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Like he showed in his masterful </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-VzBeOrdAg"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">game</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> 6
performance against Boston in the 2012 playoffs, he will do anything necessary
to win.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://blog.draftstreet.com/fantasy-basketball/nba/jordan-vs-lebron_lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://blog.draftstreet.com/fantasy-basketball/nba/jordan-vs-lebron_lg.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">The
crux of the issue is that LeBron James is the single most dominant player in
today’s NBA; much like Michael Jordan was in his day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Derrick Rose, Kevin Durant, Charles Barkley,
Karl Malone and the like will win MVP’s and get recognition, but the real
basketball purist will appreciate Jordan and James as the greatest players on
the planet during their run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Due to
their greatness and dominance, we’ve found it virtually impossible to compare
them to their peers, thus we have to compare them to each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>LeBron James is in the same air as Michael
Jordan as a player.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s no way
around it, regardless of whatever number you choose or mythical idea (the
concept of clutch) used to compare them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The simple fact that the comparison garners such heated and passionate
debate shows that the argument has merit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">LeBron
James makes us question what we know, what we have always believed, and that
scares some.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To the passionate fan, this
is similar to questioning someone’s religious beliefs or political ideology.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The hostility and anger that can be bred from
such discussions is shocking, but somehow understood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Personally, I just feel lucky to have been
old enough to marvel at Michael Jordan and old enough to appreciate the
greatness of LeBron James.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They don’t
have to be compared, as there will never be a definitive winner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet, we have to compare them because they sit
in a level of skill unto themselves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">So
to answer the question, “Who is better?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">We
all are because, simply, we get to watch their greatness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;">Questions
or comments?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Feel free to e-mail me at:
<a href="mailto:wahlscorner@gmail.com"><span style="color: blue;">wahlscorner@gmail.com</span></a></span>Wahly22http://www.blogger.com/profile/06768866596375484065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4086235693183752860.post-36547595141343021302013-02-08T10:30:00.003-08:002013-02-08T10:30:57.941-08:00No Love for the Unknown Stars<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.cdn.turner.com/dr/nba/teamsites-nbateams/release/nuggets/sites/nuggets/files/imagecache/nuggets_standard/faried_overhead_dunk_230.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/dr/nba/teamsites-nbateams/release/nuggets/sites/nuggets/files/imagecache/nuggets_standard/faried_overhead_dunk_230.jpg" height="200" width="153" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Where's the love for Kenneth<br />
Faried, Reggie?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">As
I was trying to enjoy the Nuggets’ </span><a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=400278454"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">blowout</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">
win against the Bulls on Thursday night, I found myself repeatedly frustrated
by commentators Kevin Harlan and Reggie Miller.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They continually gushed about the impending return of Derrick Rose for
the Bulls, while their counter for the Nuggets was, “They have what they
have.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a constant reminder than no
matter how good this team is the national media simply does not care about the
Mile High crew.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">The
NBA is known as being a superstar friendly league.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant amongst
others are obviously the names put on the marquee and rightfully so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The large market teams regularly are the ones
on ABC or ESPN.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only time a team
like the Nuggets get thrown a bone is when they are playing a team like Chicago
or one of the LA teams.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite them
being a team that has made a playoff appearance in nine consecutive seasons,
the NBA simply does not show teams like this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s always confused me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good
basketball is good basketball, regardless of a big name or big market.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.usatoday.net/sports/_photos/2012/06/12/Royal-rumble-LeBron-vs-Durant-861LE7J3-x-large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i.usatoday.net/sports/_photos/2012/06/12/Royal-rumble-LeBron-vs-Durant-861LE7J3-x-large.jpg" height="146" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two of the NBA's biggest stars:<br />
LeBron James and Kevin Durant</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">So
do team like the Nuggets need a superstar to get national attention or some
love from the refs?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are </span><a href="http://www.denverpost.com/kiszla/ci_22528549/nuggets-interest-k-g-not-reciprocal"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">rumors</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> of
the Nuggets trying to make a run at Kevin Garnett before the trade deadline
hits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t help but wonder why.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why move young, talented pieces (Danilo
Gallinari, Wilson Chandler or Kenneth Faried) for an aged superstar?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would that move make Denver an immediate
title contender?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Absolutely not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Garnett is in the twilight of his
career.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s had an amazing career, but
we’re a year or two away from a very noticeable decline in his game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sure he’s a marketable star, but Denver had
that with Carmelo Anthony and didn’t win a title.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Heck, they only escaped the first round of
the playoffs once.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">The
sad thing is that David Stern got drunk on big market/big names when the league
was sputtering badly in the 70’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Next
thing you know, Boston had Larry Bird and Los Angeles had Magic Johnson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The next evolution was Michael Jordan in
Chicago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The NBA had three transcendent
stars in three of their largest markets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They never changed their focus after that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>McDonald’s, Gatorade, Adidas and other
national sponsors flocked to these players.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>While their skills and marketability were not questioned, there were
other guys marketable that did not get the same attention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The NBA wanted to focus on Bird, Johnson and
Jordan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone else followed suit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">The
aforementioned Garnett had his best individual seasons in </span><a href="http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/garneke01.html"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">Minnesota</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">,
but the stories from the NBA focused more on the Shaquille O’Neal led
Lakers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It proved to me that it doesn’t
matter if you have a superstar, unless you’re in a market they’ve decided to
focus on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Look at the current playoff
picture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are teams filled with
players most casual fans haven’t heard of, but are some of the best in the
league.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Indiana, Memphis, Denver, Golden
State all have complete teams that are fun to watch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They all have guys that could make a mark on
the national stage, if only given the chance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3198/3129661039_b37bd88e89.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3198/3129661039_b37bd88e89.jpg" height="200" width="160" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kevin Garnett as league MVP</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">There
has been a small shift, with the emergence of Oklahoma City.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They may be the test case for properly
promoting in a small market.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The fact is
winning attracts viewers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Promote a
winning team, whether they have a hyped name or not, and people will
watch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The small market is really a dead
concept because the game is so available everywhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.nba.com/leaguepass/"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">NBA League Pass</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">
has made every game available everywhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Why not rotate the national games to get exposure for other
franchises?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That might also help prevent
players bouncing to big markets in free agency.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They’ll already have their exposure, which helps their brand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">The
one thing that needs to be learned is that if they promote stars in each
market, they grow the game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I haven’t
met anyone who has watched Kenneth Faried play and not come away impressed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s fun to watch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most teams have a guy or two that could be a
“star” if promoted properly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Why
do certain players become superstars?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At
the core, it will always be about their talent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There has to be something else that pushes them to the next level, and
that is where the NBA marketing team needs to step up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We need to hear about and see more on players
like Faried, David Lee, Marc Gasol and Paul George.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know, in my heart, that if people watch
these players once they’ll continue watching them after that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Basketball fans, while loyal to their teams
or players, love watching hoops.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Give us
something good to watch and we’ll check it out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.nbacircle.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/NBA-Sprite-Slam-Dunk-Contest-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.nbacircle.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/NBA-Sprite-Slam-Dunk-Contest-2013.jpg" height="140" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Faried and the other 2013 Dunk<br />
Contest participants</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">For
those who think that big names mean wins and championships, I give you the
2012-13 Los Angeles Lakers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Championships are not earned on paper, but on the court.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would be nice if we would hear stories
about teams playing well, instead of the drama between two “superstars” in a
big market.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then again, </span><a href="http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/8926084/dwight-howard-los-angeles-lakers-tired-people-questioning-shoulder-injury"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">controversy</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">
generates interest and that’s why the Lakers will continue leading off
SportsCenter despite putting out a poor product.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">At
least we get to see </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VM98RHSUlU"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">Kenneth
Faried</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> in the dunk contest over All-Star weekend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe, just maybe, his performance will wake
some people up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Regardless, I’ll
continue to enjoy the fantastic on-court play of these teams so rarely
mentioned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Maybe
one day others will join me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Wahly22http://www.blogger.com/profile/06768866596375484065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4086235693183752860.post-49849875447624289712013-02-05T08:30:00.000-08:002013-02-05T08:30:02.295-08:00Ray Lewis and the Complexities of Being his Fan
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I enjoyed
watching the Super Bowl in an old school way this past Sunday night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I turned off my phone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I turned off my computer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stashed my iPad away so Twitter and
Facebook were not accessed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a
thoroughly enjoyable way to watch an intense game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could allow my passion for this game to overflow,
but avoid comments and posts to push me in a negative way.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://sportsthenandnow.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Bernie-Kosar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://sportsthenandnow.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Bernie-Kosar.jpg" height="200" width="155" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bernie Kosar at The U</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">For those
uninitiated with me, I am a lifelong Denver Broncos fan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For some odd reason, I also chose the
University of Miami as my favorite college football team when I was young.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It could have been my rebellious nature that
led me to them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It could be that my Dad
also joked that I threw a football like Bernie Kosar, a UM alum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whatever the reason was, I’ve been cheering
for them as long as I can remember.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Super
Bowl featured two all-time great from The U; Ray Lewis and Ed Reed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was emotionally invested in a big way
during the game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We all know it was
Ray’s “</span><a href="http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-around-the-league/0ap2000000120981/Lewis-This-will-be-my-last-ride"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">last
ride</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">”, but also important to me, this was Reed’s first chance at a
championship in the pros.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is one of
the greatest players I have ever seen play and thought he deserved the
recognition as a Super Bowl champion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>While trying to enjoy the powerful NFL Network interview with </span><a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nfl--emotional-ed-reed-basks-in-super-bowl-glory-by-remembering-his-late-brother-204537610.html"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">Ed
Reed</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">, I made the mistake of turning my social media on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could not believe the hate and ignorance
that filled the landscape.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://mediacenter.smugmug.com/002-SPORTS/NFL/Super-Bowl-Trophies-020313/i-b4WnFp9/0/L/05_ws_trophyshow_020313-L.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://mediacenter.smugmug.com/002-SPORTS/NFL/Super-Bowl-Trophies-020313/i-b4WnFp9/0/L/05_ws_trophyshow_020313-L.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ed Reed with the trophy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The comments
that pored over through Twitter and Facebook were focused on the murder trial
of Ray Lewis from January of 2000.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
expected that to be brought up again by lazy media members who wanted to rehash
the story during the two weeks leading up to the game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I expected a few individuals to chime in with
their tasteless jokes, as the internet is a haven for classless comments.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I didn’t
expect some of those to be friends of mine, people I know well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People I have known for years that have never
said a word about Ray Lewis to me, despite them knowing how big of a fan I am,
started chirping the second the Ravens made the Super Bowl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would post something on Facebook, and
moments later, would be hit with comments that were not acceptable or welcomed
on my page.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One comment went so far as
to say, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“How easily we forget…”</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.gannett-cdn.com/media/USATODAY/USATODAY/2013/01/25/afp-c01-lewis-05-4_3_r536_c534.jpg?1b79b3da202957124496e3768cfb7b67cdb10c81" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.gannett-cdn.com/media/USATODAY/USATODAY/2013/01/25/afp-c01-lewis-05-4_3_r536_c534.jpg?1b79b3da202957124496e3768cfb7b67cdb10c81" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ray Lewis in court in 2000</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">While it is
not as malicious of a comment as others, I sincerely did not appreciate the
implication that as a Ray Lewis fan for 20 years, I have no memory of this
turning point in Lewis’ life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can’t
be a fan of him without constantly defending him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It didn’t matter that the majority of people <u>involved</u>
with the case knew that the prosecution was overreaching in charging
Lewis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It didn’t matter that the
prosecution didn’t have a leg to stand on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Once an accusation like this is out there, it’s stuck like a scarlet
letter and nothing can remove it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For
some reason, though, the hate for Ray Lewis grows while others accused of a
crime dissipates over time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://media.thedenverchannel.com/photo/2012/10/12/Kobe-Bryant-in-court-May-11-3292418_289377_ver1.0_320_240.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://media.thedenverchannel.com/photo/2012/10/12/Kobe-Bryant-in-court-May-11-3292418_289377_ver1.0_320_240.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kobe Bryant leaving a Colorado <br />
courtroom in 2004</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There are some
that still hate Kobe Bryant and believe he raped a girl in Eagle,
Colorado.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although, the moment he won
another championship, those voices seemed to quiet a bit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The attacks after that on Bryant came more at
his on-court play than anything off the court.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Lewis’, however, seems to be the complete opposite.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The voices get louder and angrier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have a hard time grasping this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Bryant case had actual evidence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Bryant case did not crumble.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It became more “he said, she said”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet in Lewis’ case, despite the case against
him being as flimsy as a wet piece of paper, the public has branded him as a
murderer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He can’t escape it no matter
what, and neither can his staunchest supporters.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’m not
going to sit here and debate the case.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You have your mind made up one way or the other by now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just wish we could all concede the
following facts when discussing the murders:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">- No one
reading this was in the Atlanta nightclub the night of the murders.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">- No one
reading this was in the limousine as it left the scene.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">- No one
reading this was in the hotel rooms of anyone accused of the crime.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">- No one
reading this was in the courtroom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">- No one
reading this has any physical or DNA evidence linking Ray Lewis to the murder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">- If the
prosecution actually had something, they would not have presented him with a
misdemeanor plea deal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I know that
this is not a perfect world and that some will never concede anything, but the
above is all true.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Love him or hate him,
none of us really know.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I understand
Schadenfreude.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Taking in joy in the
shortcomings of others is natural as a sports fan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t understand trying to tear someone
down during a tremendous moment in their life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’d like to just chalk it up to jealousy, but there seems to be something
much deeper here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a depth I don’t
think any of us are comfortable going to because it requires us to look within
ourselves and expose our biases.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
not something that can be wrapped up neatly in a blog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s up to you, the reader, to take a moment
of introspection and find why this hatred festers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://garydavidstratton.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/url-5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://garydavidstratton.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/url-5.jpeg" height="200" width="153" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s great
that everyone has a voice, and social media has allowed us to use it to the
fullest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sift through the poor grammar
and horrible spelling and you can stumble across some great minds putting
thought-provoking ideas out into the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The flip side is that everyone has a voice, and that allows for
hate-filled speech to ring out through the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We live in a world where it is too easy to
throw stones, despite the fact that we all live in glass houses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one walking this planet is perfect and
we’ve all made mistakes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ray Lewis
firmly believes that only God can judge him, which is a belief I also
share.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who are any of us to cast
judgment and hate towards someone without having evidence to support the claim?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So what is
it about Ray Lewis that keeps the hatred alive?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Is it the murder accusation?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is
it his success that sparks jealousy?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is
it racially based?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is it his outward religious
beliefs?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re never going to know the
answers to these questions because he means something different to everyone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I know two
things, though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will forever be a fan
of his and I will forever have to defend that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Wahly22http://www.blogger.com/profile/06768866596375484065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4086235693183752860.post-40222407805935952862013-01-28T14:35:00.001-08:002013-01-28T14:39:58.992-08:00Gays in Sports<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Every so
often we’re faced with a moment, as fans, that force us to look within
ourselves and question what we really believe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sports are normally very cut and dry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We cheer for who we like and cheer against who we don’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We throw our support behind players based on
what they do on the court or field without ever having to truly acknowledge
their humanity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s admit it; we don’t
know the people we cheer for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We love
them for their athletic skills, but rarely have to decide if they are the type
of person we really can support out of their respective sport.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we continue in this technological age,
with access to players at an all-time high, we’re going to begin facing more
questions about which players we decide to support.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://coloradopols.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/fariedmoms.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://coloradopols.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/fariedmoms.jpg" height="132" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kenneth Faried and his Moms</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">While those
of you who know me know I rarely discuss anything political, I wanted to take a
moment to praise two prominent figures in sports that have recently spoke up in
support of gay marriage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last week
Denver Nuggets star Kenneth Faried released a </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kik0ZrVeh08&feature=player_embedded"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">video</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
in support of civil unions while sitting alongside his two mothers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Additionally, Baltimore Ravens linebacker
Brendan Ayenbadejo has made it known that he will use the massive </span><a href="http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/01/26/ayanbadejo-plans-to-use-super-bowl-to-promote-same-sex-marriage/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">platform</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
provided to him at the Super Bowl to promote gay marriage as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In a day and age where athletes have a
tremendous platform, yet seldom use it to further worthy causes, it’s awesome
to see these two individuals take a step forward and work towards something
such as this.</span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.gannett-cdn.com/media/USATODAY/gameon/2013/01/13/xxx-7009-4_3_r536_c534.jpg?1b79b3da202957124496e3768cfb7b67cdb10c81" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.gannett-cdn.com/media/USATODAY/gameon/2013/01/13/xxx-7009-4_3_r536_c534.jpg?1b79b3da202957124496e3768cfb7b67cdb10c81" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brendan Ayenbadejo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Regardless
of what you believe, it takes an extremely brave person to stand up for gay
rights, especially in the macho world of professional sports.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They open themselves up to public ridicule
and verbal attacks from “fans” in opposing stadiums and on the faceless world
of Twitter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I shudder to think about the
things that will be uttered by the ignorant people of the world, who feel safe
behind their keyboards.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I, for one,
almost feel validated to be a fan of Faried.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I know virtually nothing about him off the court, except that he’s tweeted
me a couple of times (which I hilariously mention whenever I can because, even
as a 35 year old, it’s kind of cool).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
love the way he plays the game, and it helps a little bit that he plays for my
Nuggets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now that I know he’s a man of
substance and character, it makes it even prouder to wear his jersey and cheer
for him when I watch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My son Marshall
loves watching “Manimal” and I couldn’t be happier he’s chosen him as one of
his “basketball guys”.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I believe
that, as a society, we’re ready to embrace an openly gay athlete.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The thing is, for it to truly make a
difference (in a positive way), I sincerely believe that we’ll need a male megastar
in one of the major sports to come out as gay before viewpoints start to
change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not sexist in any way at
all, but if a woman comes out, there’s still a prevalent and immature male
mentality that will take over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Two
chicks together is cool,” is something I’ve regularly heard when this topic
comes up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s such an ignorant
viewpoint, in my eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Personally, I
could not care less who you love and marry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I support anyone who wants to marry someone they care about, male or
female.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1881225/UFC_157poster_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1881225/UFC_157poster_large.jpg" height="198" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Ultimate
Fighting Championship (UFC) will be breaking ground at the end of February when
the first woman’s fight takes place in the history of the company.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In addition to that the number contender that
night, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liz_Carmouche"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">Liz Carmouche</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">, is
openly gay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m hoping that her
sexuality is ignored going forward once the fight is over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m hoping that we won’t look at her as a “gay
fighter”, but simply as a fighter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That
will be the most important step.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Whenever the
first prominent male athlete in a major sport comes out, I believe the course
will change and for the better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There
will always be the prejudicial and judgmental people out in the word,
unfortunately, but the numbers may just dwindle down a bit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Could you imagine if someone like LeBron
James or Tom Brady were actually gay?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Obviously
they are not, but what if?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would that
make their fans that support them so loyally, abandon and condemn them?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wouldn’t make them any less dominant in
their sport.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’d still be among the
best in the world at what they do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
would put some people in a position of really looking within themselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They would have to address their prejudices
and decide what kind of person they really are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>By forcing people to do that, I think it makes people become better
individuals because they have to fix things they see that are wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I am a firm
believer that sports are a microcosm of society.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think we’re taking steps in the right
direction with this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If professional
athletes, who operate in their own little world, can accept people and their
differences, we should be able to as a regular society.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once equality for all really starts
happening, our society is going to be in a much better position.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Kudos to
Kenneth Faried and Brendan Ayenbadejo for providing important voices that are
more likely to be heard than the ones of everyday people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a step in the right direction, not just
for the gay community, but for society as a whole.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;">Questions or comments?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Feel free to e-mail me at: <a href="mailto:wahlscorner@gmail.com"><span style="color: blue;">wahlscorner@gmail.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></o:p></span></div>
Wahly22http://www.blogger.com/profile/06768866596375484065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4086235693183752860.post-74894990004047158402013-01-17T13:31:00.002-08:002013-01-17T13:31:32.280-08:00Steroids and the Blind Eye<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Cue
the “high horse”...<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/si/dam/assets/120824060051-lance-armstrong-2-single-image-cut.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/si/dam/assets/120824060051-lance-armstrong-2-single-image-cut.jpg" height="200" width="197" /></a><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">We’ve
all read by now that American hero and cyclist Lance Armstrong has admitted to
Oprah that he, in fact, used performance enhancing drugs during his run at the
top of his sport.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Immediately upon
learning that he would be admitting his usage, so many in the news jumped on
their high horse and started condemning anything and everything that Lance
Armstrong is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Facebook and Twitter
exploded with attacks on him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Quite frankly,
it’s gotten ridiculous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before I get
into this, I don’t want you to think I am defending him in any way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I honestly don’t have enough facts to make
any kind of informed judgment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just
want to put out a few thoughts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">There
are a few things that blow my mind about this situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are a variety of people mentioning that
Armstrong tore down the people around him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He has cost people jobs, money and a variety of other things as he
covered his tracks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The interesting
thing to me is that now we have people tearing him down…for tearing people
down!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is the sheer definition of
hypocrisy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Most
likely you have lied about something in your life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one reading this is perfect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People lie all the time and continue to build
on that lie, regardless of the consequences.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The problem with Armstrong is that his lie was on a much larger scale
than others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has a unique story of
inspiration that adds a wrinkle so hard to accept.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s difficult to balance his deception with
the positive things done through his Livestrong Foundation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">The
situation with Armstrong is no different than any other professional athlete who
chooses to utilize illegal substances to get ahead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t help but always think that if you know
a person lives in a dirty world, you can’t be surprised when they are exposed
as dirty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cycling world is one of
the dirtiest sports in the world that almost annually has someone (or multiple
competitors) busted for steroid use.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How
naïve are we to think that Armstrong was the lone, upstanding athlete in this
corrupt sport?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">The
fact is that the onus of steroid use in sports is on the shoulders of the fans (as
much as the athletes), who routinely turn our heads and pretend it isn’t
prevalent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We like to pretend that our
sports heroes are all natural, despite physical evidence showing otherwise, and
then condemn them the moment they are exposed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s not just cheating after their career is over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is also cheating when they are chasing
Roger Maris’ home run record.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/multimedia/photo_gallery/1001/mlb.mark.mcgwire.through.the.years/images/1998.mark-mcwire.BBO_MCGW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/multimedia/photo_gallery/1001/mlb.mark.mcgwire.through.the.years/images/1998.mark-mcwire.BBO_MCGW.jpg" height="200" width="152" /></a><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Major
League Baseball was in awful shape coming off of a strike shortened season of
1994, which cost fans the World Series.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Attendance
and television ratings had sagged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
league needed something to bring people back around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Enter Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite the obvious physical change we had
seen in them, the nation got caught up in the chase for the home run
record.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We rejoiced and were ecstatic when
McGwire blasted record breaking homerun number <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cMwDLxr-1A&playnext=1&list=PLhxSXd0DdTp1X0EKGpaaavis6YV5Sr0hv&feature=results_main"><span style="color: blue;">62</span></a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We cared about the accomplishment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t until his career had ended that we
started to care about how he did it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">We wanted
to attack and condemn Jose Canseco for exposing steroid use, but at least he
had the guts to admit it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He never
denied his steroid usage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wrote the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Juiced-Times-Rampant-Roids-Baseball/dp/0060746416/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1358457615&sr=1-1&keywords=juiced"><span style="color: blue;">book</span></a>
that blew the doors off of Major League Baseball.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Somehow he became a pariah, when in fact he
was the one honest guy in this entire situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If his book had not exposed the rampant use,
would MLB have done anything?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
sincerely doubt it, but once Canseco’s book came out, they were backed into a
corner and had to respond.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/269409/bash_brothers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/269409/bash_brothers.jpg" height="200" width="131" /></a><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">It’s
time we stop jumping on a high horse and acting like these guys are the worst
thing on Earth for trying to gain an advantage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The fans are just as guilty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
support the guys who hit the most homeruns, who hit the hardest in football,
who punch the hardest or the American dominating cycling (a sport we don’t even
care about as a nation).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The layman will
never understand the world of the professional athlete; a world where there is
always someone coming up that is bigger, better, stronger, faster.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It never surprises me when one of them has
been exposed as a cheater. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They do
anything they can to gain an advantage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Unfortunately some have to resort to illegal activity to accomplish it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Don’t
act for one second that any cheater in the world, in sports or business, wouldn’t
do the exact same thing as Lance Armstrong, Mark McGwire or the guys of Enron
did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It means they are human and made
mistakes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s what makes us human.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We make mistakes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We try and fix those mistakes, but sometimes
we handle that incorrectly. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just because
you haven’t done something on a grand scale like they have, it doesn’t give you
the right to judge them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You may not
agree with their decisions, which I don’t, but they have to live with the repercussions
and not me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Before
you pledge your unrelenting fandom to someone, you might want to make sure it
is someone you know you can respect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At
the end of the day, though, fans never truly know their sports heroes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The best thing about sports idols is not only
marveling at their on-court or field achievements, but sometimes you can learn a
little something about life outside of those athletic moments.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">One
thing we have to learn about these situations is that none of us were
there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We really don’t know what they
did or did not do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We don’t know how they
treated others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We hear sensationalized stories
that bring in readers and viewers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
could be the truth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It could be someone
with an axe to grind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve learned that
there are two sides to every story and the truth is somewhere in the middle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Regardless,
jump off the high horse and stop pretending we’re innocent in all of this.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;">Questions
or comments?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Feel free to e-mail me at: <a href="mailto:wahlscorner@gmail.com"><span style="color: blue;">wahlscorner@gmail.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Wahly22http://www.blogger.com/profile/06768866596375484065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4086235693183752860.post-19906233747772215582013-01-12T19:15:00.001-08:002013-01-13T08:35:12.632-08:00Snap Judgment – Ravens vs Broncos, January 12th<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We are less than an hour removed from the conclusion of the top seeded Denver Broncos losing a home playoff game to the four seeded Baltimore Ravens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As evidenced from my </span><a href="http://wahlscorner.blogspot.com/2013/01/split-loyalty.html"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Calibri;">blog</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> earlier this week, I was seriously torn as to what I truly wanted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does my lifelong allegiance to the Broncos overrule my 20 year fandom of Ray Lewis?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How does my 15 year disliking of Peyton Manning factor in?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can I seriously cheer for a guy I can’t stand to end the career of a man I respect completely?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As the week progressed, I continually felt the orange and blue coursing through my veins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am a Denver Broncos fan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Period.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That will overrule any other allegiances.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While I hated to see Ray Lewis go and end his career in Denver, it had to happen that way…or did it?</span></div>
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<a href="http://i.huffpost.com/gen/938581/thumbs/r-PEYTON-MANNING-INTERCEPTION-large570.jpg?6" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i.huffpost.com/gen/938581/thumbs/r-PEYTON-MANNING-INTERCEPTION-large570.jpg?6" eea="true" height="83" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I sat enthusiastically and watched Trindon Holliday become a star in Denver.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Notching a punt return and </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooWY1gIk0eI"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Calibri;">kick</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> return for touchdowns, he quickly became the missing piece for a team that has lacked a great return man for many years.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Despite his brilliance, there were two glaring issues in Denver:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">- Peyton Manning did not look good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He threw an early interception, that likely shouldn’t have counted but if there’s no flag, there is no foul.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He also fumbled away a ball in a crucial moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Ravens scored 14 points off of these two turnovers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Add in the brutally bad throw in the second overtime that Baltimore intercepted and set up for the game winning field goal, and you've got a total dud of a game.</span></div>
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<a href="http://binaryapi.ap.org/3c812ee108f244b784a9e675d2da375d/940x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://binaryapi.ap.org/3c812ee108f244b784a9e675d2da375d/940x.jpg" eea="true" height="200" width="173" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">- Champ Bailey played his worst half as a Bronco at the worst possible time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am a huge Champ Bailey fan and will argue tooth and nail about him being the top corner in the league.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today was a different story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was burned during the first half for two deep touchdowns to Torrey Smith.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was flagged for a questionable pass interference call late in the 4<sup>th</sup> quarter that kept the momentum moving for the Ravens. I must say, to his credit, Bailey did shut down Smith in the second half by only allowing one catch for seven yards. He made the proper adjustments and stepped up when plays counted the most.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">If you would have told me that the two, first ballot Hall of Famers on the Denver Broncos would be the main culprit for a Broncos loss, I would have laughed at you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That would have been like telling me I would be starting at running back for them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It just wasn’t going to happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately it did.</span></div>
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<a href="http://img.bleacherreport.net/img/images/photos/002/000/424/hi-res-6763136_crop_exact.jpg?w=650&h=440&q=75" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://img.bleacherreport.net/img/images/photos/002/000/424/hi-res-6763136_crop_exact.jpg?w=650&h=440&q=75" eea="true" height="135" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The offense looked out of sorts most of the day, with spots of the great play we grew accustomed to throughout the regular season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The absence of Willis McGahee was felt extremely hard in this one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whether it was his tough running or phenomenal pass protection, he is the real key to making this offense go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Knowshon Moreno and Ronnie Hillman filled in admirably, but the real threat of a power running game was not there, and it showed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The defense, while good at times in this game, managed to make Joe Flacco look like Joe Montana.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s simply unfathomable to allow him to walk into Mile High stadium and throw for 331 yards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The largest mental gaffe occurred with thirty-one seconds to go, as Flacco found a wide open Jacoby Jones for a seventy yard, game tying </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVxF0NKYZAA"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Calibri;">touchdown</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This play was the moment I knew we would lose this game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes things happen where you just know, this isn’t your night.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In the offseason, everyone kept asking if the regular Peyton Manning would be returning to the field.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The unfortunate thing is that he did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was great in the regular season, and a disappointment in the playoffs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can spin the narrative however we want, but the evidence is there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He didn’t make the plays when they needed to be made.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like they always say, quarterbacks get too much of the credit and also too much of the blame.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When you commit three turnovers that result in seventeen points in a home playoff game, that blame is warranted.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So where do I go from here?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll take a few days to let this sink in and realize the window for Denver to win is very brief.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Manning at quarterback will continue to bother me and then worry me once the playoffs arrive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, my other dream still lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ray Lewis will return to the AFC Championship game, in hopes of moving towards that final goal of a Super Bowl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know how much emotion I have left, but if Baltimore can keep this up, I’ll keep rolling on this “last ride” with Ray Lewis.</span></div>
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Wahly22http://www.blogger.com/profile/06768866596375484065noreply@blogger.com0