Catch Ya' on the Flip Side

As I file the checklist on the recently completed basketball tournament, which I directed, I carry a heavy heart concerning my beloved hometown, East St. Louis who participated. I get it that change creates circumstances, which does not allow me to return and casually walk down the memory lane of that city along the Mississippi River. I shall always ache for that denied homecoming. Moreover, I am saddened by the situation many residence of East St. Louis must face each day. The last day of this tournament, the East St. Louis Coach bid me farewell and shared with me that it was going to take his team a little time to adjust their play without guard, Alfonso Fifer. You see, Alfonso was in the wrong place at the right time and a gangland bullet struck and killed the young boy last summer. Oh my, may our God comfort the family.

In an attempt to avoid having a 'flat-tire' in my head or chest, I am removing myself from this typing machine, the home telephone and all other daily drudgery for the remainder of this week as Gerry and I seek a little relaxation time Ozark style! I always enjoy an Ozark (Missouri) hill country retreat. I find the local cuisine good, the entertainment slap-stick-goofy and the slower pace an invigorating stimulant. I'll catch up with you come this Saturday morning.

While away, I will give thought to a do or not to do question rolling about in my grey-matter; shall I orchestrate that infamous, year-end Christmas letter to stuff into our Christmas cards or perhaps let it go this season. Another pending decision that needs resolve is my 'New Year's resolutions.' True, I seldom, if ever, keep them but I do maintain that everyone should engage the activity of writing down on paper New Year's resolution contemplation; if for no other reason, it becomes an exercise of mental cleansing through a quasi self-confessional of our bad habits and desire to rid ourselves of undesirable addictive behaviors and become more like Mother Teresa or Billy Graham; notice how I covered two tribes...of course I have pissed off the Jews and Muslims; I'll make it up to them next time.

Another brain rattling that I should engage is the consideration of 'doing-something-good' for someone or something else! I simply have too many comforts. I am too blessed and consequently I must look for more ways or avenues to 'pay-the-good-fortunes forward.' Oh, this reminds me, I need to send the montly 'milk-money' for the fourth grader @ an un-named Elementary school. I think I'd like to adopt a dog from the shelter but this might be a tough sell to my wife.

In Spite of Others; Do Good!

Mostly it was intense, although at times cut-throat; always competitive! No, I'm not referring to the 'Black Friday' retail store scenes, I speak of the basketball play at the week long 43rd annual Decatur Team Soy Tournament. Springfield Southeast walked away with top honors as they defeated Pekin in an entertaining and hotly contested title match.

After the game, I was moving about the venue beginning my last duties as tournament director when a Pekin parent approached me with rather angry loaded comments regarding what he believed was bad officiating thus costing his Pekin team to lose. He said, "That's the worst refereeing I have ever seen!" I paused attempting to gain composure, which I seldom do in these latter years. As I spoke to this 'fanatic' however, I think I managed to make my point. I turned to face the irate gentleman and told him. "Perhaps that is the worst officiating you have ever seen but since you raise the question, I will tell you this: I have coached nearly 1,000 games and likely seen another 4,000 high school games. The worst officiated game in my opinion was on a Tuesday night in 1969 when I took my Washington high school team to Pekin to play."

For me, this tournament was far more than basketball. On Wednesday we honored Linda Shanklin, mother of Olympian Gold Medalist and current NBA player, Andre Iguodala as a former tournament participant. On that same evening, we also lifted up five local city 'heroes' for their volunteerism. On Friday night, we paused between games to honor the Decatur High 1964, 3rd Place State team, which posted an impressive 30-2 record that season. The point is profoundly this,we used the attraction of the tournament to seize moments to make others feel appreciate with praise while nudging others among us to reach for achievement.

On a personal note, I am running out of the necessary sustaining energy to continue this charge, thus I will muster up what I might and do one final tourney next season. I will step aside with hope someone will embrace the possibilities.

Thanksgiving Is An Attitude Not a Calendar Day

Well, I suppose that today, Thursday, November 22, is the specified day set aside to recognize 'thankfulness.' Oh, I know all that history about the Pilgrims, the Indians and the first so-called 'Thanksgiving' but I scratch my head over the current goofy hullabaloo surrounding this National Thanksgiving. Shall we acknowledge an American twenty-first century fact, our Thanksgivings have become a day of over-indulgence in food, football and more recently, shopping folly! I suspect many of my 'conservative' friends feel they don't need "Big government" telling  them that a certain day is when they should be aware of a thankful heart.

As for me not a day passes that I fail to offer my God spoken (aloud) words of thanksgiving for the countless blessings of health, joyous relationships, comforts and opportunities. Within my heart, as it is with most people, I desire so much for love ones, family and fellow man and yet the greatest of these wishes are beyond my weak human abilities to make them happen. When those 'gifts' appear in my life, I do not take them for granted nor believe for a moment that I deserve such blessings. I am humbled and offer my God Praise!

I prepare now to embrace my family and soak-up the goodness and healthy joy about our home this day. I will say a family prayer before we share our meal but throughout this day I shall whisper countless 'thank you words' to my Lord for incredible memories of 'this' day from my past as I hope and pray that my children and grandchildren build similar precious memories.

I hope and pray for the many unknown readers of this blog. I thank you for joining me each day and I ask God to give you tolerance because my wife and others have told me that I test one's patience and tolerance. May God Bless!

I Just Dunno

This is not a criticism but a mere observation of change, which may reflect a larger picture of society; I am not wise enough to know if the change is for the good or not so good.

In the late 1980's, I became athletics director at Jacksonville high school. The athletic 'code' at the time was all over the place with each sport having its own code. We brought all parties together and requested input to develop a 'uniform' athletic code, which would serve athletes, parents and staff with consistency. It worked during my seven year athletic director tenure. During that time the code was tested; it worked!

I left that position in 1994, and now count four athletic directors since. I have not reviewed the JHS current athletic code but suffice to say, it certainly has been modified if not undergoing wholesale changes. I know this because recently, I hear of a pathway to avoid game suspensions if upon the heels of a code violation the athlete goes to the school administration and pleads a case that could perhaps be addressed at a local rehabilitation facility should the infraction fit that category.

I believe it is noble and correct to seek re-direction help for anyone, especially youth, with addictive issues yet on the other hand I raise eyebrows when I suspect the 'busted-alcohol-party' scenario where underage drinkers are caught and some take their so-called 'medicine' while others cry some bogus personal need just to circumvent punishment.

It reminds me of the time I heard a vase break in another room and five grandkids came running towards my wife pointing fingers of blame while exonerating self! The whole thing smells of our current political landscape: "It's not if you win or lose but how you place the blame."

And It's Thanksgiving Season

Yesterday afternoon, I drove past a street-corner beggar who had a Marine flag staked at his side and a sign that read, "Homeless and Hungry Vet." I did a little research and discovered that our veterans make up about eleven percent of our nation's population yet they make up better than 25% of our nation's homeless. This statistic does not surprise me although it certainly disturbs me.

Not always but often our military recruits have historically been those young men and women who have struggled in school and enter the military services to 'find' a career path while serving their country. Naturally, when war erupts these young lives are on the line of fire sometimes fighting for noble freedoms and other times serving a greedy corporate world. Think of my statement in another way; what percent of corporate America's CEO's kids are sleeping under a viaduct tonight or begging for coins on a street corner?

Okay, these young men and women come home from their military service and cannot find employment because they are not prepared for the twenty first century job market. Some of the young veterans grow depressed quickly with disillusionment and often turn to destructive life styles.
Personally, I agree with the outcry that our society should do more for our returning military service-people. However, I would really like to see our nation do a better job educating these kids in school and then perhaps this nation would not have enough volunteer military personnel, which would  compel us to re-institute the draft. The draft would bring back an even playing field and cause Americans to look more carefully at war solutions, educational pathways and certainly it would reduce the 'homeless' numbers.

I did circle back during my drive and give the fella a couple of bucks. My neighbor Friend saw me and later suggested that my money likely went towards booze. He likely is correct but what-the-hell, my tax money bought the guy a gun and perhaps nightmares.

It's a Hardwood-Homecoming Thing

This week has finally arrived and the weather promises to be great; let's do it! 'It is the 43rd Annual Decatur/Team Soy Capital "Turkey Tournament." Eight of Illinois' finest prep boys' legendary basketball programs will compete before eight thousand plus fans and a number of Division I coaches from Tuesday through Saturday. If you believe that I use the term 'legendary' freely, I suggest you do just a tad bit-of research on the following schools' basketball history: Harvey-Thornton, Peoria Central, Decatur, Springfield-Lanphier, Pekin and East St. Louis.

This is my twelfth year to serve the Decatur Public School District as 'Coordinator' of the 'Turkey Tourney.' I usually begin working casually on the pending event in mid-August and by mid-September all systems are full-throttle with a number of corporate sponsors coming on board to offset approximately $38,000.00 needed to meet team guarantees, officials, hospitality room services, game workers' expense, security and administrative costs. The financial health of the tournament is documented in its ability to offer monetary support for numerous other school-district-sports' programs.

The tournament has become more than basketball games perse'. Each night offers some additional 'special' features. This year, we will honor Denver 'Nuggests' NBA star Andre Iguodala and his family. Iguodala is one of 55 Division I players coming out of the Turkey Tournament over its 43-year history and of course, Andre was a member of this past summer's USA Olympic Gold Medal Team at the 2012-London Games. The tournament will also honor five (5) citizens who serve the city of Decatur in various volunteer roles, we call them 'Heroes.' Finally, one night, members of the 1963-64 Decatur High 3rd Place State Team will be celebrated as those players and Coach Kenny return for one more round of applause.

If you want to see some of the best prep basketball in Illinois then checkout the action at the Decatur/Team Soy Capital 'Turkey Tourney.' Stop by the raffle table and buy a chance; you might win a year's supply of Pepsi or some forty other prizes.

Stop 'Crapping' Us, Already!

There is a sports radio station in Chicago, Illinois that has a weekly segment called, "Who you crapping?" It works like this: Listeners are invited to call-in with a comment about some sport celebrity who may have said something outrageous or phony; the caller then paraphrases the statement, sets the record straight and then says, "(Person's name), who are your crapping?" I thought of this program yesterday morning when Mitt Romney offered publicly the reasons he thinks cost him the election. Essentially, he said Obama bought votes through 'gift' giving.

"Please Mitt, Who are you CRAPPING?" Do any of you reading this 'rant' believe for one moment that adult children allowed to remain on their parents health care insurance until age 26, is a freaking Democrat Party thing and not embraced by all parents regardless of any political persuasions?! Romney has the 'balls' to suggest otherwise?  "Who you crapping, Mitt?" And shall we please, remove the cloak of hypocrisy surrounding contraceptives once and for all. The majority of child bearing-age people practice birth control with the assistance of contraceptives...a fact...a fact even amongst practicing Roman Catholics; so get off the 'high-horse' of bogus righteousness.  "Who you Crapping, Mitt?"

I suppose had Mitt won the Presidential election then Democrats could bemoan the thought that Romney won because he gave all those 'tax breaks' to his millionaire buddies who supported his campaign with 'Super-Pac' monies, but that would be crapping folks! Or perhaps had Mitt won, we Democrats could complain that Romney won only because those 'Brown-face' voters were forced to stand in excessively long lines to vote and...whoops, they were made to do that but Romney still lost!

Romney just cannot look at himself with any critical self-critique and accept the role he may have played in his own ass-wuppin'. The fellow needs to be a man and 'own it!' Mitt, you have done enough damage to one political party in a lifetime...move on; and take longer 'walking-strides', you remind me of a fella who is...never mind just stop talking and move on!