If You Like Sports

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Thoughts On The World of Sports

Baseball has begun (who cares) and hockey is headed for the playoffs (so what).  Let's take a look at what is really going on in the world of sports.

BOBBY PETRINO

  

Nice job, Bobby Petrino.  You hire the 26 year old woman you are having an affair with to work in your football program but forget to tell your boss this.  Then the two of you hop on your motor cycle and crash it and again you forgot to tell your boss she was with you.  You claim you were only trying to protect your wife and kids who you happen to be cheating on and expect us to believe you.  And now you tell the public you are going to cooperate fully with the University of Arkansas and the police investigations of your accident.  Oh, and you just so happen to be the highest paid state employee in the state of Arkansas.  Congratulations, you managed to supplant Bill Clinton as the all time Arkansas Government Employee Tool.

TOM BOONEN'S GREATNESS

Those of you who follow professional bike racing in Europe know that Tom Boonen is having a terrific spring season.  Today he became only the second rider in history to win Paris-Roubaix for the fourth time and his margin of victory, 1:39, is the equivalent of a golfer winning the Masters by ten shots.

CANCERS

Doctors have discovered a rare form of cancer that appears to only strike young tall black men.  Known as Bynum-Howard's Carcinoma, it is believed to primarily strike only those who play center for either the Los Angeles Lakers or Orlando Magic.

STAYING PUT FOR NOW

Kentucky basketball coach John Callipari says he is not interested in a coaching job in the NBA.  Smart move.  He can make just as much money coaching at the University of Kentucky and know that his earnings will be more than what his players receive under the table from boosters.

ANOTHER EX JOCK BROKE

  Then there is week's broke athlete award winner, Warren Sapp, a player who made millions over the course of his playing career and who currently earns over 100 thousand dollars a month as an ex-jock.  Times are tough on the guy who can't make his alimony or child support payments.  Who is his ex, Octomom?  And why the 240 pairs of Jordan athletic shoes?  Warren only needs a left shoe to stick in his big mouth every time he opens it and says something unfounded and a right shoe to use to kick himself in the butt.  I am sure if he asks, Jeremy Shockey will gladly help with a much needed ass kicking.

SHOULDN'T HE BE A SAINT?

So Tim Tebow is now the Easter messenger too.  He might as well be the Easter Bunny for all the eggs he will drop in New York.  I see him as the face of the NFL Network in three years when he is a former NFL quarterback.

DEFENSIVE COACH VERY OFFENSIVE

Gregg Williams, right, the former defensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints accused of placing bounties on opposing players may never coach again in the NFL now that audio has been released of him instructing his players to injure several members of the San Francisco 49ers.  It's not the end of the world for him.  The audio tape will come in handy if he ever decides to apply to the mob as a hit man.

KICKIN' IT WITH TIGER

  So Tiger Woods kicked his golf club out of frustration and now he faces discipline from PGA officials.  Somehow I think it will pale in comparison to his last incident with a golf club.  Of course, he was on the receiving end of his ex-wife's swings rather than dishing out the carnage.

Thoughts After A Winter Hybernation

After a nice winter nap, my brain has begun to thaw and out of it has emerged the following thoughts:

President Obama:  Yes, republicans can second guess the job he has done with our economy and other domestic issues but compared to his predecessor, Obama's foreign policy has been a great success.  My guess is if he is given another term in office he will do just as well on the home front.
Mitt Romney:  He can offer different solutions and approaches to improve our country but unless you are part of the one percent, Romney can not claim to be one of us.  He may even end up having as much trouble finding a decent running mate as he is having lock up his party's nomination.
Hillary Clinton:  I admit it, I hated her when she and Bill first came on to the scene twenty years ago.  However, I hope she sticks around another four years if Obama wins re election.  She has long escaped the shadow of her husband and proven herself to be a first rate Secretary of State.
Occupy Movement:  Funny how winter changes a person's priorities.  The real occupy protesters are those who braved winter's cold to keep the movement relevant.  Standing outside Wall Street on a nice fall afternoon is something anyone can do.  Doing it all winter is something only the true believers will do.
Syria:  An oppressive government that kills its citizens who protest its rule while we sit and watch is nothing new.  Remember Tienanmen Square?  The fact is we can not afford to get involved in another war.  If we could, and if human rights and suffering were the litmus test for our involvement, we would invade Mexico rather than allow it to be handed over to drug lords.
Bounty Gate:  Don't kid yourself, all football coaches who are successful will tell you if you knock out opposing players you greatly increase your chances of winning.  Most will stress that it is done within the rules of the game and not from dirty or cheap shots.  However, any coach or player dumb enough to lie to the NFL commissioner to cover up a bounty system is more than deserving of a one year suspension.
Whitney Houston:  While sad, her death should not surprise us any more.  Fame and fortune showered on the young is a recipe for an early exit from this world.  The list of those who went before her is a long one and the waiting list for those who will follow shows no end in sight.
Tiger Woods:  Good to see him back.  Golf is pointless without him and only watchable with him now that he is back to his winning ways.  We are about to see if all these young guns on the PGA tour can improve their game because if they can't, they don't stand a chance against the Woods who won two weeks ago.
Tim Tebow:  Enough!  He is nothing more than a mediocre quarterback who should be nothing more than a third stringer carrying a clipboard.  The Broncos did not win so much because of him as much as they did in spite of him.  Tebow may be the type of guy you hope your daughter will marry but I would much rather have Ben Rothlesberger quarterbacking my team.
The Masters:  What's all the fuss about?  The last time I checked, Augusta was a private club.  If it only wants wealthy white males as members, that's their right.  If we do not like it, it is our right not to watch their tournament or do business with those companies that sponsor it.  I don't recall seeing a line of men protesting the Red Hat Society.

It's Called Freedom of Speech

Kirk Cameron recently stated on Piers Morgan his controversial views on homosexuality and as a result has been on the receiving end of a lot of hateful responses. Radio host Rush Limbaugh has also been receiving his share of heat for describing a college student as a slut and prostitute for her pro birth control views.

While I do not agree with what either had to say, I respect Cameron for holding true to his statements while seeing Limbaugh as nothing more than a buffoon.

When people tweet, write, or speak hateful comments about some one's views they do not like they only show their ignorance toward free speech. Piers Morgan simply asked Kirk Cameron to explain his views about homosexuality and gay marriage and all Cameron did was honestly respond with calm detail. He said nothing to promote hate or violence toward any group of people. He simply explained why he feels homosexuality is not natural or healthy to mankind. Big deal.

Freedom of speech only exists if we agree to support the right of people to calmly and rationally state their views whether we agree with them or not. Cameron was on Morgan's show to promote his upcoming film which is centered around his Christian beliefs. Is that any different than when Michael Moore promotes a film centered around his political beliefs? Celebrities promote their work and in the process their political, religious, and social views all the time. Why is it we are unable to listen to someone articulate a point of view we do not like and then feel the need to bash that person in an irrational manner?

Now Rush Limbaugh is a different matter. He volunteered his outrageous remarks as a way to spark listener responses and in the process attacked another person's reputation in an unwarranted manner. That is not how free speech works. Then, after seeing his advertisers pull the plug from his show, he issues an apology that was about as believable as what you hear from a politician who crosses the line.

Decades ago, I used to listen to Rush when his evening show was based in Sacramento and he was not yet famous. He was actually very funny then and equally attacked both sides of the political isle. Now that he is entrenched with the extreme right, I can not bring myself to listen to him.

I once saw Barbara Streisand interviewed and she responded to a question about the huge salaries she commanded for her concerts and movies by saying she uses the money to help elect political candidates across the country. I decided I did not want to support her politics and went 15 or more years without seeing or listening to anything she did.

Remember, in show business, the only bad publicity is no publicity. By ignoring celebrities who feel compelled to tell us how to live our lives or who to vote for, they receive a message far louder and clearer than anything delivered through a hateful tweet or verbal response.

And as for Rush Limbaugh, quit listening to talk radio when you can listen to your own personal play lists on your iPod.

Lost

So dumb,

he doesn't know it;

So angry,

he can't help show it.

He sees the line

but just can't toe it;

Tic tock;

he's about to blow it.

I wrote this poem a few years ago. Anyone who has taught for as many years as I have begins to develop a sense and can see when a kid just isn't going to make it. No matter how many people invest themselves into him, you can just tell the kid is not wired right and is a time bomb waiting to explode.

The worst thing about a kid like this is not the kid himslef but rather the man power he takes up. From day one in school all the way up to their eventual incarceration, this is the kid who drains the system. However, like marines, as a society we try not to leave anyone behind.

However, in the case of education, in trying not to leave anyone behind, we end up stunting the progress of many others whose only crime is they did not require much attention. Sometimes we need to cut our losses and move forward. Public schools need to be more diligent in telling parents what they do not want to hear rather than telling them what will keep them off of their backs.

No one has the right to interfere with the education of a child. That includes the student who, for a variety of reasons, is not wired right. One look in their eyes and you can see a predator who preys on the weak, the easily manipulated, or a system badly in need of fixing. These are the kids who do the bullying. These are the kids who act out violently. These are the kids who thumb their noses at authority from an early age and have no business in a public school.

Our government has other programs in place better suited for these children. Sure, like any other government program, they are poorly run, mismanaged, and in need of fixing. So what. That is not an excuse to keep a time bomb in a setting where when it decides to go off it ends up hurting the innocent

The NCAA Violates Title IX

As the Super Bowl draws near and we get ready to crown a new champion of the NFL, don't forget how the NCAA has not only failed to provide its fans with a much desired football playoff, they have also failed to comply with Title IX in the process.

On June 23, 1972, the Supreme Court ruled "No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance..."

Title IX was designed to bring about equal opportunity to females at a time in which males were being rewarded at their expense. Among the changes ushered in under Title IX were equal opportunities, facilities, and money for female athletic programs, which for decades had to settle for table scraps.

Today, colleges have to offer an equal number of athletic scholarships to males and females as part of their compliance to the law. This has resulted in a boom for female athletic programs at the high school and college levels while causing many schools to cut back or eliminate some male programs.

Football is the cash cow of NCAA Division I athletics but it also uses up the most scholarships of any program, as many as 85 at a time. Colleges with major football programs now offer many female sports that lose money but provide females with an equal number of athletic scholarships. Many colleges offer female sports like wrestling, golf, gymnastics, and water polo even though they continually lose money each year just so they comply with Title IX. A profitable football program will more than pick up the cost of those sports.

That's all well and good. Women deserve the same athletic opportunities as men and it is not their fault if the public has not embraced their sports to the level they have with football. However, it should also be pointed out that all female college athletic programs and all male athletic programs, except for one, share something in common. Their national champion is decided as a result of a playoff system. The lone NCAA Division I sport that does not have a playoff system is football. In fact, it is the only college sport that does not have a playoff. Even the lower division colleges crown their football champion after a playoff.

Why then is the NCAA allowed to violate Title IX? The courts claim there is no proof the NCAA uses any of the federal funds it receives to determine who their national champions are. That may be true. However, it is not true of its member colleges which also receive federal funds and as such should not be able to deny any student male or female, "the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education system..."

Male student athletes who participate in Division I football are just as entitled to a playoff system as their female counterparts who play volleyball or soccer. To not offer one is to discriminate on the basis of gender which is a direct violation of Title IX.

I believe if there is going to be a true playoff system in Division I college football, it will require participating athletes to begin suing their university for failing to comply with Title IX. As these lawsuits begin to mount, colleges will have to endure the cost of court fights for something the public wants but the colleges will not offer. Some universities may have to decide whether or not to drop football which would then kill most of the other athletic programs on campus since most operate at a loss. They can not afford to pay 85 football players on scholarship damages rewarded by the courts or pay the cost of beginning a new organization to oversee their sports while offering a playoff system.

So university presidents will have to pressure the leaders of the NCAA to drop their ridiculous Bowl Championship Series and replace it with a playoff system. It is the only way colleges can continue to receive the hugesums of money brought in by a football program while giving the public what it wants and what the student athletes are entitled to under Title IX.

Look At Our Families

As a kid growing up in the sixties and seventies, life was fun. Sure, we were in the midst of Vietnam and Watergate and I have vivid memories of young men and women demonstrating against our government but still, life was fun.

School was also fun. We still had to worry about math, science, reading, and history but for the most part, teachers made it as enjoyable as possible. Some were better than others but almost all were patient to a goof ball, class clown, who went to great lengths to avoid doing homework at all cost while having trouble sitting still in class. There was no Columbine and gangs were non existent except for in large cities.

Today, rarely does a day go by where there is not a news story about some kind of school violence. As a teacher, this troubles me greatly because I know it was not always this way.

In 1984, when I began teaching at Clifton Middle School in Monrovia, California, life was much different than it is today as a high school teacher in Hemet, California. When I began teaching, droves of "boat people" were arriving daily to southern California and filling our schools with children from far off places. Almost all came with a sense of hope for a better life despite their fears.

Our school was filled with more ethnic groups than I could count and yet it was rare for a fight to break out on campus. I took pride in the after school intramural program I established that brought many of these groups together in competition. Everyone respected the no fighting policy and I never came close to having to enforce it. I was equally pleased with the school fair I spearheaded which brought our students and faculty together in projects that resulted in food booths and games set up on our school's blacktop.

In 1986, my wife and I moved to a small town in northern California called Red Bluff where many of the students were often country bumpkins. While not always the greatest students, these young men and women were very polite. On more than one occasion, after a student was rude to me in class, several others would come up to me after class and apologize to me for the treatment I received. They always assured me it would never happen again and then they would find that rude student and "teach him a lesson."

Just the other day at the high school I work at, we had a student assembly. It was promoted for two weeks and we used an assembly schedule where classes that day were shortened. Unfortunately, during the assembly, two fights broke out and at least one student was arrested.

Had this happened twenty years ago, it would have been a major story in the local Red Bluff paper. Sadly, it did not even warrant a mention in Hemet's because they were busy covering the story of another near by high school that had seventeen students arrested after they began to fight with the school's resource officer causing police to converge on the campus and resulting in a school wide lock down. There was also additional coverage of the bomb plot uncovered at another high school somewhere else in this country.

People can blame who they want about our declining test scores and standing on the international level of academics. However, over the last twenty-eight years, I have taught at eight different schools, worked with twelve principals, seven superintendents, and countless school board members and not once have I ever heard any of these people ever say they support student violence and disrespect or suggest when it happens it is the fault of our schools. And yet, it is all too often the schools getting blamed for low test scores.

Poor student academic performance, school violence, and disrespect toward teachers, administrators, and school resource officers are the end result of one thing; a poor home life.

Monrovia, in the mid 80's, was not a thriving city on the outskirts of Los Angeles but rather a convenient place to raise a family for single mothers and unemployed adults. Still, despite this, when I called home on students who were not performing or behaving as they should, I almost always received the full support of the parent. They'd even come in and shadow their kid for a day if that was what was needed. Despite their struggles, these parents believed in education and wanted more for their children than they had.

Today, that is rarely the case despite the similarities that exist between Monrovia then and Hemet now. Parents who do come in all too often do so pointing a finger and raising their voices at the school rather than taking ownership of the problem they brought into this world.

Recently, I had a father try to convince me that the reason his daughter was behaving so poorly in class the week before was because this week she was "getting ready to have her period." Another parent claimed the note she brought to me was signed by him even after I pointed out I had two examples of his signature that were nothing alike. And last year, one mother told me the best part of her day was watching her son walk out the front door in the morning and her worst was seeing him return in the afternoon.

I would like to say these are the exceptions and not the rule but that is not the case. So hopefully, no matter your age or circumstance, when you read the stories about school violence, you will stop and think about where this disregard for our education system has its roots. Sure, the public school system is in need of many fixes but none nearly as needed in far too many homes across this country.