Rains and time lapse are now settling the dust from the 'Rio Olympic Games.' We can now analyze, scrutinize and speculate regarding 'the games' impact and fallout. I hear sports' gurus suggesting we've seen the best ever of swimming and gymnastics in the persons of Michael Phelps and Simone Biles. That might be difficult to refute. Perhaps the same is true about Japan's male gymnast, Kohei Uchimura.
Post Olympic Games financial endorsement contracts always intrigue us and it appears obvious that the aforementioned stalwarts are headed for huge pay offs. Of course, USA swimmer, Ryan Lochte 'crapped too close to the house' therefore speculation has 'Peck's Bad Boy' losing millions of bucks because he cannot embrace success with humility or behave well when consuming Vodka.
Would not Louis Armstrong's song, 'Wonderful World' ring proud if Abby D'Agostino, Nikki Hamblin and Sam Kendricks were also in a position to 'cash-in' on their respective Olympic performances? You'll recall 5,000 meter runners D'Agostino of the United States and New Zealand's Hamblin assisted each other across the finish line after each suffered falling. And then the moment of ultimate patriotism showed when American pole vaulter, Second Lieutenant Kendricks suddenly stopped his approach sprint with pole in hands when he heard his country's National Anthem playing. Ah, but we know 'good news' fades like the extinguished smoke from the Olympic flame.
Strange arrangements here on planet earth...our sport heroes receive millions of dollars to entertain us, often with less than stellar performances while nurses care for our sick, school teachers educate our children, firemen and policemen risk their lives to save us and those folks might realize a forty/sixty thousand dollar yearly income.
Tuesday, August 23, 2016
Monday, August 22, 2016
The Classy Athlete
The one thing that I always thought to be comical about professional wrestling is the screaming contorted facial expressions of combatants when they execute some body slam or hurtful move on their opponent. Growing up in East St. Louis, one family member's close friend was a pro wrestler and I heard all the stories and explanation regarding the carefully orchestrated wrestling matches...it's all pretend, choreographed and phony. It's entertaining but the outcomes are predetermined, okay?
Now, I know that 99.99 percent of other pro and amateur sports are pure in form and outcome. That said, I am noticing one thing, which has been borrowed from the wrestlers...our athletes all seem to be embracing the 'need' to contort their Body in some 'Hulk-like' posture and make a grimacing face as they scream aloud on the heels of a score or special physical play such as a football tackle or basketball dunk.
I am not certain when this sport-competition behavior became the norm. I recall my youth coaches and my father warning me against boasting and 'showing up' the opponent. The message back then was 'poise in defeat and humility in victory.' Seemingly, today it is not enough to be victorious but it is necessary and becoming customary to taunt or humiliate our rival.
Don't confuse my comments with pure joyous team celebration in winning. Absolutely, the winner should express happiness; I'm talking about show-off stuff, the obnoxiousness and we all know the difference. Those who don't had bad mentors.
Every generation can point to athletic-sport performance greatness. That said, I believe today's sports' performers, in general are the greatest athletes ever. We have just witnessed such in the recently completed Olympic Games. The question to embrace remains: As our athletic prowess grows is our trait of character-graciousness keeping stride.
Now, I know that 99.99 percent of other pro and amateur sports are pure in form and outcome. That said, I am noticing one thing, which has been borrowed from the wrestlers...our athletes all seem to be embracing the 'need' to contort their Body in some 'Hulk-like' posture and make a grimacing face as they scream aloud on the heels of a score or special physical play such as a football tackle or basketball dunk.
I am not certain when this sport-competition behavior became the norm. I recall my youth coaches and my father warning me against boasting and 'showing up' the opponent. The message back then was 'poise in defeat and humility in victory.' Seemingly, today it is not enough to be victorious but it is necessary and becoming customary to taunt or humiliate our rival.
Don't confuse my comments with pure joyous team celebration in winning. Absolutely, the winner should express happiness; I'm talking about show-off stuff, the obnoxiousness and we all know the difference. Those who don't had bad mentors.
Every generation can point to athletic-sport performance greatness. That said, I believe today's sports' performers, in general are the greatest athletes ever. We have just witnessed such in the recently completed Olympic Games. The question to embrace remains: As our athletic prowess grows is our trait of character-graciousness keeping stride.
Sunday, August 21, 2016
How it Began
Campbell 'Stretch' Miller was born in 1910 and died of ALS in 1972. He was born in St. Louis one of 13-children. His family moved to Chicago where the 6'6" 245lbs. basketball standout played at Hyde Park high school, briefly at University of Illinois and later a standout for Illinois State Normal University. Miller became a sports broadcaster in Central Illinois and had an eight-year play-by-play stint alongside Harry Caray and 'Gabby' Street with the St. Louis Cardinals.
I first met 'stretch' Miller during my basketball varsity coaching years at Mason City, Illinois. In 1966, Miller was doing freelance sports writing and public relations for the Peoria Journal Star Newspaper. My Mason City 'Huskies' basketball team had completed a 23-4 season with several championship titles and was recognized by the Peoria Journal Star the the outstanding basketball team in their circulation area. Miller came to Mason City to make the presentation.
Miller and I had some time to visit before the awards assemble and 'Stretch' shared this very insightful and funny story. It was during Miller's final year broadcasting alongside Cardinals lead play-by-play broadcaster Harry Caray. It was the spring of 1954 and Miller, Caray and a newcomer by the name of Jack Buck were calling spring training games in Florida. Miller told me that one early spring game, he had gotten an preview of what would become a most interesting and contrasting broadcasting style between Harry Caray and Jack Buck.
During the baseball game, Caray was off on one of his frequent verbal tangents about the 'great game of baseball, nothing like fun in the sun at the ball yard whether you're young or old, blah, blah, blah. Suddenly a foul ball landed near a group of elderly patrons sitting in chairs along the right field line. Quickly, an old lady jumped from the rocking chair she occupied and retrieved the souvenir. Well, Harry came UN-hinged with talking about this fans excitement for the coveted souvenir. Harry: "Jack, have you ever seen anything that warms your heart more than baseball fans who show that kind of love for this great game? Buck replied, "Harry, I think the old gal is off her rocker if you ask me?" The pun flew right over Caray's head as he took issue with Buck's comment for several moments.
Stretch smiled at me and added, "I knew then that this relationship was going to be some kinda ride for Cardinals' fans.
All three men are gone from this journey. Caray and Buck immortalized in Baseball's Hall of Fame and Stretch Miller remembered in Illinois State University's 'Hall of Fame.' Stretch told me the story and I hope others keep it alive...it's a good Cardinals' trivia story.
I first met 'stretch' Miller during my basketball varsity coaching years at Mason City, Illinois. In 1966, Miller was doing freelance sports writing and public relations for the Peoria Journal Star Newspaper. My Mason City 'Huskies' basketball team had completed a 23-4 season with several championship titles and was recognized by the Peoria Journal Star the the outstanding basketball team in their circulation area. Miller came to Mason City to make the presentation.
Miller and I had some time to visit before the awards assemble and 'Stretch' shared this very insightful and funny story. It was during Miller's final year broadcasting alongside Cardinals lead play-by-play broadcaster Harry Caray. It was the spring of 1954 and Miller, Caray and a newcomer by the name of Jack Buck were calling spring training games in Florida. Miller told me that one early spring game, he had gotten an preview of what would become a most interesting and contrasting broadcasting style between Harry Caray and Jack Buck.
During the baseball game, Caray was off on one of his frequent verbal tangents about the 'great game of baseball, nothing like fun in the sun at the ball yard whether you're young or old, blah, blah, blah. Suddenly a foul ball landed near a group of elderly patrons sitting in chairs along the right field line. Quickly, an old lady jumped from the rocking chair she occupied and retrieved the souvenir. Well, Harry came UN-hinged with talking about this fans excitement for the coveted souvenir. Harry: "Jack, have you ever seen anything that warms your heart more than baseball fans who show that kind of love for this great game? Buck replied, "Harry, I think the old gal is off her rocker if you ask me?" The pun flew right over Caray's head as he took issue with Buck's comment for several moments.
Stretch smiled at me and added, "I knew then that this relationship was going to be some kinda ride for Cardinals' fans.
All three men are gone from this journey. Caray and Buck immortalized in Baseball's Hall of Fame and Stretch Miller remembered in Illinois State University's 'Hall of Fame.' Stretch told me the story and I hope others keep it alive...it's a good Cardinals' trivia story.
Saturday, August 20, 2016
Make The Correct Choice
I don't know that I am a better grandfather than father, however I am convinced that I have been a better observer in the grandfather role. Perhaps, I have had more time to focus on the grandkids.
I believe young people grow up with a profound mixed-message that can become problematic for them at times. Their early youth is a inundated with constant subliminal messages of fitting in and being accepted. Adults dress kids alike, invite them to join in social events and push the adolescent to be engaged in group activities, i.e. Sports, clubs, etc. As the journey continues competition also manifest itself in the life of the kid. It is found in the classroom-learning evaluation arena as well as those aforementioned activities where 'making' the team getting 'playing time' brings conflicting pressures. This process begins to tear at the social bonding-acceptance fabric. Suddenly, many young people are perplexed with both potential rejections and fear of failure. That said, I often remind my grandchildren to step out of the 'fear of failure' shadows for it may be the most profound social disease of the twenty-first century.
Go for it and beware, when you do succeed you will often win false friends and true enemies; it's the nature of people. Succeed anyway!
I believe young people grow up with a profound mixed-message that can become problematic for them at times. Their early youth is a inundated with constant subliminal messages of fitting in and being accepted. Adults dress kids alike, invite them to join in social events and push the adolescent to be engaged in group activities, i.e. Sports, clubs, etc. As the journey continues competition also manifest itself in the life of the kid. It is found in the classroom-learning evaluation arena as well as those aforementioned activities where 'making' the team getting 'playing time' brings conflicting pressures. This process begins to tear at the social bonding-acceptance fabric. Suddenly, many young people are perplexed with both potential rejections and fear of failure. That said, I often remind my grandchildren to step out of the 'fear of failure' shadows for it may be the most profound social disease of the twenty-first century.
Go for it and beware, when you do succeed you will often win false friends and true enemies; it's the nature of people. Succeed anyway!
Friday, August 19, 2016
Sing Your Song, Lee
A family member who teaches telephoned and shared with me that her special education class load this school year numbers 17. Two of those students are not potty-trained. This teacher is required to change soiled diapers. She stated that during the first week of school little instruction was done because of personal hygiene demands of these two children.
I believe that every child is entitled to an education. That said, I do not believe every child, regardless of disabilities, is entitled to be mainstreamed at the expense of instructional time reduction impacting other students. The solution to this problem is two-fold: Hire additional teachers' aides to address issues that compromise the learning environment or support separate school venues for extra-needs children. Both suggestions would create greater public taxation cost, which Americans are unwilling to pay.
We Americans can get our jollies-off with counting Olympic 'Gold Medals' as we distance our self from other countries and get goose bumps while the Star Spangled Banner plays...just know this: according to the 2010, World Educational Rankings conducted by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, the United States ranked 17th when combining reading, math and science scores.
Sing your song, Lee Greenwood...'Proud To Be An American?' Hey, what the hell, life good, we Americans have our guns and football tailgating.
Look, I am in need of improvement; I could be better and do better. I'm proud of my children, my grandchildren and great grandchildren, but none are perfect; they could be better and do better. Yes, indeed, I'm proud of my country (America) but that nation falls short of perfection and it is unacceptable for this nation to rank so poorly in education...I'm NOT proud of that nor should you be.
I believe that every child is entitled to an education. That said, I do not believe every child, regardless of disabilities, is entitled to be mainstreamed at the expense of instructional time reduction impacting other students. The solution to this problem is two-fold: Hire additional teachers' aides to address issues that compromise the learning environment or support separate school venues for extra-needs children. Both suggestions would create greater public taxation cost, which Americans are unwilling to pay.
We Americans can get our jollies-off with counting Olympic 'Gold Medals' as we distance our self from other countries and get goose bumps while the Star Spangled Banner plays...just know this: according to the 2010, World Educational Rankings conducted by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, the United States ranked 17th when combining reading, math and science scores.
Sing your song, Lee Greenwood...'Proud To Be An American?' Hey, what the hell, life good, we Americans have our guns and football tailgating.
Look, I am in need of improvement; I could be better and do better. I'm proud of my children, my grandchildren and great grandchildren, but none are perfect; they could be better and do better. Yes, indeed, I'm proud of my country (America) but that nation falls short of perfection and it is unacceptable for this nation to rank so poorly in education...I'm NOT proud of that nor should you be.
Thursday, August 18, 2016
Birthday Reflections
My wife, Gerry celebrated her 76th birthday this week. My goodness, I've known her since she was thirteen and I was fourteen. Perhaps remembering so many birthdays together caused me to think about those days long ago. Back in 1954, everybody rode bikes all over town. Younger kids seemed to enjoy those 'clamp-on' skates and hanging out on summer nights until a parent's beckoned call ended the night. Young teens gathered at house party's where many first kisses ocurred during a game of Post Office or 'spin-the-bottle.'
I can't recall the last time I saw little kids capturing lightning bugs in a jar or called out a name in a game of hide 'n seek. Once in awhile, these days, I walk to the back of the local Walgreen's Drug Store and I imagine where the soda fountain should be. Gee, I remember those shared malts many years ago. However, I cannot remember the last Soda Fountain Cherry Phosphate I drank or buying 'penny candy.'
Each morning while on my 7AM walk, I pass by a Starbucks and notice a line of autos perhaps 11 or 12 deep waiting in the drive thru to purchase their morning drink. Those drivers never notice me passing by because their eyes are fixed on handheld cell phones. Perhaps they are texting and then they could be gathering morning news headlines. As soon as I get home from that 40 minute walk, I'll have coffee and turn the pages of my morning newspaper...that newspaper page-turning is part of my past that I cling to.
I can't recall the last time I saw little kids capturing lightning bugs in a jar or called out a name in a game of hide 'n seek. Once in awhile, these days, I walk to the back of the local Walgreen's Drug Store and I imagine where the soda fountain should be. Gee, I remember those shared malts many years ago. However, I cannot remember the last Soda Fountain Cherry Phosphate I drank or buying 'penny candy.'
Each morning while on my 7AM walk, I pass by a Starbucks and notice a line of autos perhaps 11 or 12 deep waiting in the drive thru to purchase their morning drink. Those drivers never notice me passing by because their eyes are fixed on handheld cell phones. Perhaps they are texting and then they could be gathering morning news headlines. As soon as I get home from that 40 minute walk, I'll have coffee and turn the pages of my morning newspaper...that newspaper page-turning is part of my past that I cling to.
Wednesday, August 17, 2016
Hats Off & Prayers Offered
The first time I read the motto, I was a freshman on the Illinois State University campus...there the words were boldly placed on all university materials, "Gladly would he learn and gladly teach."
Illinois State Normal University (1957) had long been regarded as one of the top teacher-preparation colleges in the Midwest and still to this day is respected as one of the better teacher prep universities.
This time of year across our country, millions of American youngsters will return to public and private school classrooms. Those young wide-eyed kids will be met for the most part by incredibly dedicated teachers who will spend time, energy (beyond a normal work day) and some of their own resources to enhance learning.
'
Let's agree to cut through the bullcrap, regarding America's appreciation for those who teach and education in general...neither is a high interest priority. Most American politicians give lip service to improving education and funding the effort only when they are up for re-election. Once in office, those politicians cut educational funding first when budget problems arise. Most states in the union fail to adequately insure financial support to education. The State of Illinois does not even measure up to its own Constitution regarding educational funding. The result of our blasé' attitude towards public school education is reflected in many test scores. As a nation, we shamefully compare with other countries.
In spite of these support shortfalls, our teachers will try to educate, fill the void of a lot of pitiful parenting and overcome bureaucratic garbage. I notice my evening prayer getting longer and longer in recent months as I send more prayer-petition words to The Lord in behalf of our Nation's leaders, law enforcement and teachers. Good bless them and sustain their giving-caring compassion.
Illinois State Normal University (1957) had long been regarded as one of the top teacher-preparation colleges in the Midwest and still to this day is respected as one of the better teacher prep universities.
This time of year across our country, millions of American youngsters will return to public and private school classrooms. Those young wide-eyed kids will be met for the most part by incredibly dedicated teachers who will spend time, energy (beyond a normal work day) and some of their own resources to enhance learning.
'
Let's agree to cut through the bullcrap, regarding America's appreciation for those who teach and education in general...neither is a high interest priority. Most American politicians give lip service to improving education and funding the effort only when they are up for re-election. Once in office, those politicians cut educational funding first when budget problems arise. Most states in the union fail to adequately insure financial support to education. The State of Illinois does not even measure up to its own Constitution regarding educational funding. The result of our blasé' attitude towards public school education is reflected in many test scores. As a nation, we shamefully compare with other countries.
In spite of these support shortfalls, our teachers will try to educate, fill the void of a lot of pitiful parenting and overcome bureaucratic garbage. I notice my evening prayer getting longer and longer in recent months as I send more prayer-petition words to The Lord in behalf of our Nation's leaders, law enforcement and teachers. Good bless them and sustain their giving-caring compassion.
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