And That's My Answer

This past Monday, November 7, was the official IHSA boys' basketball practice start date. On Tuesday, November 8, a prep sports' writer telephoned to interview me. The scribe asked a few questions about  the Annual Decatur Thanksgiving basketball tournament that I coordinate and then threw in a personal inquiry. His question: "Mel, now that you've been out of coaching for 15- years is there anything you still miss?" Absolutely. It never goes away.

I miss not 'having' a team. By that I mean, I don't have those players' names in my head always thinking of line up combinations and specific offensive/defensive alignments. But...the thing that I miss the most is bringing kids together from a wide range of experiences, attitudes, beliefs and expectations and then molding those different personalities into a 'unit.'

Some of those players were living on welfare others know a life of affluence. Some players knew the comforts and security of a family unit while other kids knew only the dysfunctional life of divorce, abuse and addictions. Some players came from homes with strong religious foundations while some were void of any support systems.

Regardless of the individual player circumstances those players come to the gym. They all share a love for a game...the game of basketball. Some were unselfish by nature others were self-centered with desires and personal gratifying-expectations. It became my charge, my challenge to create a team culture that made everyone responsible for one another, trust th coach and adopt true selflessness.

I will always miss that wonderful opportunity, which I found in a 37-year coaching career.

Let's Hope

Today, November 8, 2016, millions of Americans will complete the voting process and elect our Nation's 45th President. Regardless the outcome, we must pause and come to understand that this new leader of the 'free world' has perhaps the most daunting task on the domestic front that rivals any war years past and our worst depression era. There is ugly hatred blowing across our beautiful land from sea-to-shining sea.

The challenge ahead for this President-elect is trying to bring broken and depressed Americans together.

Unlike circumstances of war and depression, which normally galvanizes our people, todays' American climate has never seen our people more divided on so many issues. We are a country fractured in political ideologies, race, geography, education, social issues and religion. We have likely just witnessed the most disturbing, the most hateful and the most personal degrading Presidential campaign in American history. The rhetoric sunk to unimaginable lows with the most disgusting language and vulgar subject matter.

The greatest fear we Americans should share going forward is the lack of a willing spirit to come together. I can only do what I can only do. I will pray every day that our next President will find support and compromise moving forward.

May God bless our new President and may God bless and heal our nation.

The Way it Was; The Way it IS.

A neighborhood high school sophomore girl recently asked me if I could be interviewed for a social studies paper she was doing. When she told me the topic was 'Elderly Perceptions of Societal Changes,' I immediately realized I should say "yes" and I did. Her research questionnaire focused on the 'changes' on the American social landscape the past fifty years.

I told my neighborhood friend that the short answer is simple: 'technology and civility.'

Looking at the technology issues, I suggested the following changes. As a kid, I recall open windows allowing fresh breezes cooling hot homes that did not have air conditioning. Likewise, I've witnessed coal furnaces giving way to gas heat. Yesterday homes found sewing machines. Those machines disappeared as cheaply made clothing from Asian countries found the American market. I also remember neighbor streets with no autos parked alongside curbs because families had but one auto. The chicken breasts' sizes at my local grocery store and the color of egg yolks give me great pause today. As a young boy, I fetched many eggs from Grandpa Bennett's chicken coop and had I ever passed a chicken in that pen with breasts 'that' big, I would have been looking the bird in the eyes. Chickens today share commonalities with our pro athletes...they are 'juiced.'

The tech thing went crazy as the three channel black & white TV was trashed for the 300+ Direct-TV channels. Cell phones, smart phones, IPads and 'stuff' I don't know enough about to even name now occupy my grandchildrens' attention. It is rare these days to get a personal letter or note from a friend or family member. Why take the time when we can text?

Before addressing the issue of civility, I asked my term paper research friend, "How many people on our street do you and your parents know by first names?" She paused and then said, "Maybe three houses." (Note: I did not respond but thought...how sad, how very sad. Christ told us to "Love one another as I have loved you." We don't even take the time to visit with one another!)

As for 'civility' let's sum that up quickly. Most children (today) are institutionally raised. They go from womb-to-room. We are a nation of impolite, disrespectful, boorish and self-centered people. I know this to be true simply looking at the people we seemingly hold in high esteem by electing them to office to do our country's business!

Just Wondering.

Some things I understand while other things escape my slightly above average reasoning powers. I was driving through the countryside headed for the Okaw Valley Apple Orchard earlier this week when I noticed some yards where people had whitewashed (painted) trees. I believe the thinking is protection from weather stress and insects. That was a popular notion years ago but not so much today. I wonder why? Pesticide sprays?

I do understand why many people of my generation and my parents' generation feel greater entitlement over people of darker skin. Those back-in-the-day cowboy movies sent the subliminal message. I recall the mid-1940's western movies popularity. Every local movie house across this nation had Saturday afternoon double-feature cowboy movies and those flicks portrayed the good white guys wearing white hats, riding beautiful horses while those 'Redskin Savages' rode uglier horses, had painted faces and screamed in an incoherent language. Good guys had to kill these crazy dark people and take the land and its resources...we were good...they were evil. Good is entitled. The big change (today) is we now ride in SUV's. (Note: If you need assistance defining good, Sean Hannity can be seen Monday through Friday on Fox News).

I understand why the 'Hobo' life-style disappeared from the American landscape. It was a much tougher life hopping box cars than standing at a busy intersection of a city. And the intersection location is more lucrative. I know I always give a couple of bucks to every panhandler.

I really wonder how a nation can pontificate its freedoms under a Democracy when that nation makes voting rights more difficult than gun ownership rights.

I understand that should Donald Trump be elected President, his wife Melania will be the most beautiful First Lady since Eliza Johnson. What I don't understand and wonder about is how she plans to successfully implement a anti-cyberbullying program and fight for American women as she recently claimed unless she plans to take her husband's smart phone away from him and give every woman a 'cup' to wear.

Sooner or Later...You Also

Leroy Robert 'Satchel' Paige was a legendary baseball pitcher who made his mark in both the Negro Leagues and Major Leagues. His outstanding pitching talents were matched by his homespun wisdom and humor. 'Satch' told folks his best way to handle stress was to "Lay down and think cool thoughts."
My personal favorite Satchel saying was, "Sometimes I sits and thinks and sometimes I just sits."

In my seventh decade, I find myself doing a lot of sitting/thinking. I recall younger days when I had so much on my dance card that I did little sitting and thinking was problematic.

One day last week, I thought my wife needed to get away from the house and break her routine therefore, I offered to take her to the nearby shopping mall. Judging by the overflowing shopping cart, I believe she enjoy the afternoon but once again, I found myself just 'sitting and thinking.'

This afternoon, I'll guide two neighborhood boys through a maze of backyard leaves and fall put away items. I'm sure after a couple of hours, I find the swing with puppy, Yodie and sits and thinks.
Sooner or later, I'll think about the Presidential election next Tuesday, which brings me to another famous saying by another famous baseball player, Yogi Berra who said...
"The future ain't what it used to be."

That's How I See It.

I suppose the primary driving-force within most human experiences is to 'feel' value and significance.; you know (feeling) that which you do does matter.

Life is a brief proposition. One has but a fraction of real time to do whatever it is one believes and embraces as a responsibility to share, offer or accomplish. When I survey my own professional past and current commitments, I notice a common thread...a common denominator of love for my family, friends and those whom I perceive are in need. I wish to reach out and I do. I truly understand that whatever I might offer will be either accepted or rejected. I can 'live' with that result. Regardless, I cannot live without sharing and offering.

Our personal value, significance and our desire to 'matter' is predicated on our expressions of love for others demonstrated in service and caring communications. Look for your opportunities each day.

Drink Slowly

I had a difficult time falling to sleep last night. Just before I went to bed, I took a drink of water and it went down wrong, I coughed and then the water came up with half of it coming out my nose...don't you just hate when that happens. My eyes would not stop watering and my nostrils burned. I thought, at the moment, that water boarding torture must be a nasty experience.

I got my mind off my nose burn thinking about the World Series baseball. When I was a kid, the average Major League Baseball player made about $15,000.00 a year and the bleacher seat game tickets cost .75 and a box seat about 6-bucks. Today's average MLB salary is $3 million and to watch him swing for the fences my box seat is $100 per game. Forget the five dollar bottled water; paying those prices, I'm sure I'd gag and have it fly out my nose. Funny thing, the game has not improved proportionately to the fan cost and players' pay.

I noticed when buying garments (T-shirts & Polo's) for the Decatur basketball Tournament that I coordinate, the cost can go higher when buying extra large sizes but buying extra small garments does not reduce my cost. I find that strange but not as strange as my adult children expecting me to attend every granddaughters' dance recital and yet making fun of me for watching Dancing With The Stars. I

I recall when major cities in American had more Christian Revivals than street demonstrations. I also remember when most high school athletes' parents could not attend 4:00PM baseball games because they had to work. Boy, that's changed.
I cannot, for the life of me, understand what happened to cause personal living journeys to become so boring and mundane that 'reality' television programs captivate Americans fancy. The other day, I took my wife to Springfield where she met friends for lunch. I killed time at Barnes & Noble Book Store. Two teenage boys were laughing at a magazine showing a bathing suit photo of Marilyn Monroe. One boy said, "Man she was fat." Someone tell me when THAT perception changed. I was glad I was not drinking my Pepsi when the kid made that statement. Pepsi really burns the nostril coming out.