Sports

Ok, enough is enough. Seriously parents, this isn’t cool and in the end will back fire of you. I saw this video, ok, I saw the first 10 – 15 seconds of this video and I was embarrassed. Parents, stop embarrassing your kids.

This isn’t cool and is only going to tear your children down at some point, because they will find out that you recorded them throwing a fit or getting upset.  Here is a crazy idea, let’s build our kids up and help them have a strong self esteem. I’ve read time and time again that people find video funny. What is funny? Watching a kid cry? Watching a kid get upset because the player that he looked up to is no longer on his favorite team and the whole time, the father is egging it on.

But, and this is pretty cool, the person that stepped up, was Steve Smith, now with the Baltimore Ravens. There isn’t much known thus far about the meeting that will take place between Smith and this young boy, but regardless of what happens, Smith is doing the right thing.

Parents it is our responsibility to raise our children to see themselves as what they can become, not their failures or moments of getting upset. Steve Smith, thank you for taking time out of your life and your day, to comfort a child.

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Growing up in North Carolina, I UNC Basketball was a way of life. And the rivalries in Tobacco Road with NC State and Dook, these were things that we lived for.  But being a die hard UNC Basketball fan, you learned by watching the legendary coach, Dean Smith. Because, it was not about the individual or the individual awards, but it was about the team. It was about pointing to another player if they give you a pass to score, as a way to say thank you. It was the words of encouragement to lift a team up that is trailing to come back and win the game.

Dean Smith was not a fan of the lime light. He did not want the Dean E. Smith Center to be named for him, because he wasn’t the one the won the games, the team did. That was how Coach Smith was, he didn’t want the attention on him. I was fortunate to meet Coach Smith on a few occasions and he could not have been nicer. He always looked you directly in the eye and made it a point to ask what we wanted to do with our lives and the importance to school. Looking back on that, it is really exactly what I would expect from a teacher.

Coach Smith has been in the media a lot lately, not for his coaching, but for the loss of the man. Not physically, but mentally. Coach Smith has dementia, which in my opinion is one of the worst things that can happen to a person. Dean Smith could remember players names, games, plays, the team managers, but now that is long gone. I found this article yesterday and I couldn’t stop reading it, not because of the way the article talked about how Coach Smith is doing today, but because of all the games, the things that he did for the university in breaking the racial barriers, etc. Coach Smith was a pioneer in many ways, but he was a coach that cared for others first.

I have a DVD that was produced a few years ago for Carolina Basketball and it highlights Coach Smith, so I am able to go back and watch highlights of games that I remember from growing up. I just hate that my boys will never get to see him coach or meet him, because there will never be another Dean Smith.

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Childhood memories are a wonderful thing, most of the time. There are a lot of things from my childhood that I have blocked out, but there are some memories that I have that will last forever. This past Saturday, I got to do something that I have not done in a really long time. I went to a college basketball game with my Godfather.

I can not tell you how many times growing up, my Godfather and his son Matt and I went to see UNC play. I remember going to basketball games at the Dean Smith Center as a young boy and watching in awe of the teams play and more importantly how Coach Dean Smith was on the sideline. I remember how my Godfather was with his son and myself, he took us to places on campus, always paid for our meals, told us that we could never repeat the bad words that were used at the game. These are the childhood memories that I cherish the most.

This past Saturday, my wife and Godfather went to the UNC vs. Wake Forest game at the Dean Dome and it was like I was a kid again, relieving so many childhood memories. My Godfather and I were high fiving, booing the refs and just having a blast. We talked about games this year and games that we saw years ago.  These are the things that I’ll never forget. These moments of being a kid and relieving my childhood memories and one day very soon, I’ll get to take my sons to the Dean Dome for their first game and they too will begin making their own childhood memories.

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This story just hit me this morning and not just because the team came together to do this for their fellow teammate, but because several of the players realized that there is more to life than popularity.

Kids learning life lessons like this, will forever be changed and will continue this goodwill gesture throughout the rest of their lives.

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I would like to start this post that I am NOT a Baltimore Orioles fan. But, I would like to say, that for a few moments, I was able to smile as they did the right thing.

Baltimore County Police Officer Jason Schneider was shot in the line of duty last week and he left behind a family and more importantly, a young son.  The Baltimore Orioles stepped up this week and Officer Schneider’s son threw out the first pitch and got to spend a few moments with some of the Orioles players.  But what the Orioles really did, was give this young boy a few minutes/hours to be a kid again. They did the right thing. The Orioles allowed a young boy, that had to be grieving and confused, the chance to forget about his life and the fact that he just lost his dad.

In life, we are faced with difficulties and we are faced with struggles. But, we also have to do the right thing and I give the Orioles a lot of credit, they gave this young boy memories that will last a life time and a chance to be a kid again.

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All-Star Outfielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Matt Kemp did something the other night, that was not meant to be caught on camera, but I think that we are all glad that it was.  Matt Kemp thought of someone else first. He found out about a young man that has cancer and what happens next, well if it doesn’t bring a tear to your eye, you should seek medical attention.

Matt Kemp gave the young fan his hat, jersey, cleats and a signed baseball and more importantly, a memory for the rest of his life.

I hope that more athletes step away from the lime light and do more random acts of kindness like this.

Great job Matt.  And I’m really glad that someone recorded this moment.  Please take a moment to read more about Matt Kemp and this hero type kindness.

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When I grew up playing sports, the coaching staff always took the time to teach us the basic fundamentals and to also serve as role models.  Oh, how the times have changed.

Yesterday it was reported that Rutger’s basketball coach, Mike Rice, had been throwing basketballs at players and physically pushing his players. I’m not sure what bothers me more? The fact that he did these things or that the University waited several months before firing him? ESPN had run a story on Coach Rice yesterday, showing videos of him kicking his players, throwing basketballs at their heads and even grabbing them by their jerseys. And now, 24 hours later, Rutgers University has made the decision to relieve him of his head coaching duties.

But the interesting part of this story, to me is this:

Rice had been suspended for three games in December and fined $50,000 after athletic department officials saw video footage of abuse.

So, Rutgers was area of this situation, suspended Coach Rice and fined him.  I am all about giving people second chances, but not when they could potentially hurt a player.  How are our kids supposed to learn how to play the game the right way, when coaches are doing this? Was this an isolated incident in the NCAA. I am sure that it is. And I am also sure that given the chance to do this again, that Coach Rice would never have chosen these methods of coaching.  And I do sincerely hope that at some point time in the future, another university will give Coach Rice another chance to redeem himself. But today, I watch in disbelief and think back to my coaches and the lessons that they taught us.  And not just lessons about fundamentals to field a ground ball or take a charge. But how to conduct yourself when you are in public, because you represent your school and team.  The importance of teamwork and that you have to rely on others in life for help. Thanking a teammate for a pass or picking up a missed ground ball.

Was this an isolated incident, I certainly hope so, because I really hope that my kids never see a coach treat players like this. And I would really hope that any university or high school program today, if they know of any of their coaching staff that is using these same coaching techniques and styles, are evaluating and improving their programs.  Kids need role models.  They need good coaches. I just feel bad that the kids at Rutgers had to experience this.

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Opening Day for Major League Baseball is just around the corner and I can not wait. Last year, I was excited for the baseball season, but this year, I am really looking forward to the season.  As a Houston Astros fan, I am looking forward to being able to see how the ‘Stros handle the move to the AL West.

Should be a great year for Major League Baseball.  There is a new excitement, especially with teams that have not been as successful in the past. The Baltimore Orioles has a crop of young players that could really change their future for the next several years.  The New York Yankees have finally taken the appropriate steps to rebuild, so I think that this is going to be a down year for them.

Baseball, a game that even as an adult, I can get excited about watching.

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Part of growing up and learning about life, is that sometimes you lose. Whether it is an argument, sports, etc.

Some days, life really stinks. I know that as a baseball fan, the way that the Yankees played really made me scratch my head. I’ve never seen a more overrated and under achieving team before in my entire life. And at the end of a 4 game sweep, I just tell my kids that sometimes you lose, just like the Yankees did.

Life isn’t going to always be fair. But if you work hard, do what is right and always be true to both yourself and your family and friends, I believe that you don’t quite lose as much.

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This morning, the sports world woke to the news that the Baltimore Ravens WR Torrey Smith was dealt with the news that his younger brother had died from a horrible motorcycle accident.  Fans in Baltimore were asking if he was going to play tonight and at the end of the day, it is just a game. But some how, Torrey Smith was able to play tonight. And not only did he play tonight, he was the difference tonight.

Torrey posted the following tweet this morning:

“I can’t believe my little brother is gone,” Smith wrote on his Twitter account Sunday morning. “Be thankful for your loved ones and tell them you love them. .. This is the hardest thing ever.”

Tonight, before the game, I told my wife that Torrey Smith would be the difference tonight. He was the difference, because tonight, it is just a game.  As he goes through the next few days, his focus on his family, as it should, because when the Ravens step on the field Thursday night, it is just a game.  My heart and prayers go out to Torrey Smith and his family tonight and in the days to come.  His family will deal with this for a lifetime, missing their family member.  But for a few hours tonight, Torrey was able to put life on hold, because tonight, it is just a game, but now, he deals with the loss of his little brother.

I came across this video of Torrey Smith tonight for The Living Legacy Foundation:

Torrey, tonight, I say this little prayer for you and your family and it comes from Numbers 6:24-26

The Lord bless you

and keep you;

the Lord make his face shine upon you

and be gracious to you;

the Lord turn his face toward you

and give you peace.”’

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