The Newtown Wake-Up Call…

On By kassienetteIn Heroes3 Comments

Three weeks in a row. Three wake-up calls. I have been trying to come up with a topic to blog about since last night. Sure, there are a lot of sportsy things I could write about but I find it to be difficult in light of what happened on Friday in Newtown, CT. I just can not seem to get my thoughts together. As the daughter of an elementary school principal, my heart literally felt like it shattered on Friday. All I keep saying is those babies, those babies. I attempted to find a way to talk about how football served as a much needed break this weekend in the face of such tragedy. How it provided us an opportunity to focus on something else besides the grief and pain we have experienced. I was reminded just how temporary the relief was when the Sunday Night Football game between my 9ers and the Patriots was interrupted by The President, who was speaking at an interfaith service in Newtown. Sure, we can all find other things to do that will take our mind off the situation but that does not make the situation go away. This situation is one we all have to deal with and I pray that it challenges us to want to do more. Life is so precious and it can end without warning. We should all be committed to making the most of our time here. I have had people ask me before, “what would you want people to say about you at your funeral?” My response is always the same, “that I served God wholeheartedly and loved Him, my family and friends and I loved helping people.”  Sure you can talk about how much I loved sports but if my love for sports does not help someone else in any way, shape or form then I do not believe I have done what I was put here to do. It is going to take more than gun buy-back programs to help prevent other tragedies. It is going to take prayer,  love, dialogue, spending quality time with others, effective communication, honesty, compassion, care, grace, mercy, passion, determination, the list goes on and on to help shape this world into a place we want our children to grow up in. I ask that at some point today, you sit down and reflect on where you are in your life right now. Then ask yourself, “what am I doing to help shape this world into a place I want our children to grow up in?” If your answer is nothing, then challenge yourself this week to come up with a plan of action. If you have an answer for how you are helping, then ask yourself if there is more you could be doing? If the answer is yes, come up with a plan to action to do just that. If we all meet the challenge then we have a greater chance at preventing what happened in Newtown from happening over and over and over again. May God bless you all.

Newtown_black_ribbon

This blog is dedicated to the memory of….those babies and the brave women who gave their life so others could live…

Charlotte Bacon, 6…Olivia Engel, 6…Dylan Hockley, 6…Jesse Lewis, 6…Ana Marquez-Greene, 6…Grace McDonnell, 7…Emilie Parker, 6…Noah Pozner, 6…Jessica Rekos, 6…Daniel Barden, 7…Josephine Gray, 7…Madeleine Hsu, 6…Catherine Hubbard, 6…Chase Kowalski, 7…James Mattioli, 6…Jack Pinto, 6…Carolina Prividi, 6…Avielle Richman, 6…Benjamin Wheeler, 6…Allison Watt, 6…Principal Dawn Hochsprung, 47…Teacher Anne Murphy, 52…Teach Lauren Rousseau, 30…Psychologist Mary Sherlach, 56…Teacher Victoria Soto, 27…Behavioral Therapist Rachel D’Avino, 29…may they all rest in Heavenly peace…

Oh no he didn’t…..

On By kassienetteIn Controversy, NFL4 Comments

Let me start with saying that I have NEVER been a fan of Rob Parker(an analyst on ESPN). Not necessarily because of anything he has said or done but quite simply because of the way he talks. He whines when he talks. I do not mean that he is whining every time he says something. He literally draws out the last word of each sentence and sometimes he does that to other words in the sentence and it is just downright A.NNOY.ING. The other morning I turned on my tv to watch First Take, saw he was sitting at the debate desk and I promptly turned the channel. Well, after yesterday’s debacle I am sure there were a lot of people turning their tv.

One of the topics of yesterday’s episode was Washington Redskins QB Robert Griffin III. I do not know what prompted the discussion but I know it quickly went wide left when Parker used the discussion as an opportunity to question RG3’s “blackness.” Yes, I said his blackness. What does that mean you ask? I DO NOT KNOW!!! After reading the transcript of the discussion, I am going to assume it means that if you are black there are certain people in this world who expect you to think, act and behave a certain way because you are black. I guess that is what “blackness” is. The term is stupid and I have a better word for classifying what “blackness” is: A STEREOTYPE.

Parker had the nerve to ask on tv, “if he(RG3) is a brother or a cornball brother?” I find that question to be ironic coming from a man who always looks like he got dressed in the dark. Parker then went on to say, “He’s not real. Ok, He’s black, he kind of does the thing but he’s not really down with the cause…..We all know he has a white fiancee. There was all this talk about how he’s a Republican, which, I really don’t care, there’s no information at all. I’m just trying to dig deeper into why he has an issue. Because we did find out with Tiger Woods. Tiger Woods was like, I’ve got black skin but don’t call me black.” Lawd hammercy. This guy. Just spewing foolishness all over the place. Hidden amongst the broken sentences and incomplete thoughts is pure ignorance.

Let me break these statements down. First, what makes a black man a “cornball brother?” RG3 is educated, articulate, full of integrity and has never been in trouble. If that is what makes you a “cornball brother” then I wish there were more of those around. Second, what is this cause he speaks of? I DO NOT KNOW!! I am black and I was not informed that there was a certain cause I had to be down with. Third, what does him having a white fiancee and possibly being a Republican have to do with his “blackness?” I DO NOT KNOW!!! I know that there are folks in this world who believe people who marry outside of their race are “sellouts.” That is ignorance at its best. Who cares who other folks marry? Is it causing you to lose money on your job? Fourth, what does Tiger Woods have to do with any of this? Tiger Woods is NOT just a black man. Any logical thinking person would have no problem with him not calling himself a black man because HE IS NOT. He is multiracial, in case you missed the memo.

This may come as a shock to some but what Parker did is, sadly, not uncommon in the black community. Some of us live to tear each other down instead of lifting each other up. Some of us do not want to see others succeed, not realizing that when one is successful, that is a victory for all of us. It has taken us a long time to get to the point where we are respected for our works, endeavors, knowledge and service. We threaten the very foundation of what our ancestors went through when we questions people’s “blackness” simply because that person does not live their life the way we think they ought to. I know I may be upsetting some of my readers right now but there is no sugar coating in the world of journalism. Plus, if you know me, then you know I am not about “sugaring” anything. Instead of focusing on those things in RG3’s life that he does not understand, Parker should be focused on how this young black man has revitalized a team, fanbase and even a city. He has restored some pride that has been lost for at least a decade. His success is pumping money into the economy. He is a great role model for not just young boys who look like him but for all young boys across the world.

So after saying all that, I have concluded that I still do not know what “blackness” is. I love to read but I have not read the book that tells me what I need to be doing to prove how black I am. If being black comes with certain criteria then I am going to go out on a limb and say I may not qualify. I love to run. I am attending my first NASCAR race next year and I have Bon Jovi concert dates circled on my calendar. Does that mean I am not black? Ummmm, no. Those things are part of who I am. Despite how I see myself, I know that I am held to a different standard simply because of the color of my skin. I know there are people who expect more out of me because of my skin color and I know there are people who expect less out of me simply because of my skin color. I am kind, passionate, loving and I communicate well. I do not do drugs. I have not been to jail and I have graduated from college, twice. If that makes me a “cornball”, then so be it. I am going to take my two degree having, marathon running, non-profit starting “cornball” self to this Bon Jovi concert next year and sing all the songs as loud as I can. Keep fighting for DC, RG3!! Us “cornballs” are rooting for you!

 

Until Next time….TOODELLS.

New Angel in the Outfield…

On By kassienetteIn BaseballLeave a comment

You would have to have been living up under a rock to not know that Josh Hamilton is my favorite baseball player, flaws and all. Yesterday my favorite player made the headlines again and I must say I was shocked. Hamilton signed a five year, $125 million dollar deal with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. I still have not gotten used to that name. As a fan of Hamilton’s I will support his decision to join the Angles but I wished he could have worked things out with the Texas Rangers, his former team.

Hamilton and the Rangers had a very unique relationship. The struggles that Hamilton has dealt with over the years are well documented. Drug use. Suspensions. Relapses. Despite all of this, it never stopped the Rangers from supporting him no matter what. One of my favorite scenes will always be when the Rangers clinched the pennant in 2010 and the team celebrated with ginger ale instead of champagne so Hamilton could participate in the celebration. What a noble gesture. Also well documented are his abilities, which are second to none. You do not believe me, go find the clip of the 2008 Home Run Derby or read Hamilton’s book, Beyond Belief. When he is on, he is on! Earlier this year, we were treated to a major league record. Hamilton hit nine home runs in one week, four of them came in one game. What he did was so rare that ESPN interrupted their regularly scheduled programs to show his at-bats.

Even with all the talent that Hamilton has, I was stunned that the Angels gave him such a large contract. This summer, it had been reported that Hamilton would seek a $100 million dollar contract. Many questioned if he was worthy of such a large contract. I, too, questioned it. Like I said, when he is on, he is on! However, Hamilton can be inconsistent. Soon after going on that hot streak with the nine homers, he went into a slump. The slump got so bad that Manager Ron Washington actually took Hamilton out of the lineup for a few days. In 2010, Hamilton’s best year to date, he was named the AL MVP. He was in the running for MVP and the coveted Triple Crown earlier this year but soon fell out of contention. I must point out that he nearly managed to ruin Miguel Cabrera’s spot in history finishing one home run and 11 RBI’s behind Cabrera in the standings. So while it was not the best year by Hamilton standards, it was a better year than most.

It is going to be weird watching Hamilton play in LA next year. That means I will have to stay up later. Hopefully he will have a lot of east coast games. This also means I now have to get another Hamilton shirt. Maybe Santa will bring me one. Maybe I will put a call into the Rally Monkey(the Angels mascot). Maybe he can help me out.

Until next time…TOODELLS.

The Dallas Wake-Up Call…

On By kassienetteIn Controversy, Football, NFL, Uncategorized4 Comments

Seven days. That is all it took for the National Football League to be reeling from yet another tragedy.

Saturday morning, most of the world awoke to the news that Jerry Brown, a linebacker on the Dallas Cowboys practice squad, was killed in a car accident. The accident was caused by his teammate and close friend, Josh Brent. Authorities say Brent was driving at a high rate of speed when his car hit a curb, flipping at least once and skidding approximately 900 feet before coming to rest. It is now known that Brent was driving under the influence of alcohol.

Awful. Just awful. Drunk driving claims yet another life. The statistics for fatalities as a result of drunk driving have not been released yet for 2012 since the year is not over. In 2011, there were 9, 878 fatalities, according to data released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 2011 marked the first year that drunk driving fatalities were under 10,000. While that does give organizations whose main focus is to educate the country about the dangers and consequences of drunk driving, it is a difficult “victory” to celebrate when 9.878 people lost their lives as a result of the problem.

So once again, seven days later, we all ponder the question: why? Why get behind the wheel knowing you are drunk? Why not call someone to pick you up? Why do you need to drink that much in the first place?You would think after last week’s wake up call in which former Kansas City Chief Jovan Belcher killed his girlfriend before committing suicide, players, would be placing more value on their lives as well as those around them. Instead, another mother has to bury her son because a man chose to make a bad decision that ultimately affects the lives of many. Sad. Just sad. To make matters worse, Saturday was not the first time Brent had driven under the influence. In 2009, Brent was charged with driving under the influence(DUI). He was given 60 days in jail. It is obvious that there is a disconnect somewhere when it comes to Brent, alcohol and driving.

Over the past few days, I have heard a lot of talk about NFL players and drinking. A lot of journalists seems to be suggesting that this is a league problem. This year alone, 18 NFL players have been arrested for suspicion of DUI, up from seven in the previous year. That breaks down to a percentage of .7%. However, drunk driving is not just an NFL problem, it is a nationwide problem and I fail to understand why. I do not understand getting behind a wheel drunk and risking the lives of others and well as your own. Most of us have access to family, friends and complete strangers who are willing to help us get to our desired destination if we are too drunk to drive. Well, I should not say us and we because I do not drink. Anymore. I made the decision to stop consuming alcohol nine years ago and it is one of the best decisions I have ever made. I now have the chance to be one of those people I just talked about. If a friend were to call and say, “Hey, I am too drunk to drive. Can you come pick me up?”, I would be there before they have a chance to find their keys and change their minds.

The NFL does believe that the issue of drunk driving is a very serious one.  However, I think it is time for the NFL to step up to the field and adopt a stricter policy when players are arrested for DUIs, especially multiple times. According to USA Today, 18 players have been arrested for suspicion of DUI, up from seven last year. Since 2000,177 players have been arrested for DUIs, most notably Donte Stallworth who struck and killed Mario Reyes as he was crossing the street one morning in March 2009. Stallworth admitted he had been drinking. Ultimately, Stallworth was given a 30 day jail sentence and settled out of court. Stallworth was suspended one year from the NFL but for me that does not seem to be enough. I know the league is made up of hundreds of players who do not drink and drive but one driving under the influence is too many.

While it is easy to make this out to be an NFL problem, like I said earlier, this is a nationwide problem.  Drunk driving is one of the leading causes of death. Men are more likely to drink excessively than women are, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Men average 12.5 binge drinking episodes a year compared to 2.7 for women. Oddly enough, I suspect that the reason men tend to binge drink and then “assume” they are ok to drive, has a lot to do with what I talked about in my blog last week. Men are prideful. They do not like to ask for help. They do not like to show weakness. Telling another man that you are not capable of driving home implies that you are not capable of “handling your liquor.” All of this challenges your “manhood.”

The NFL is a major player, not only in our country but in this world. I hope the 2009 death of Reyes and the 2012 death of Brown serve as a catalyst to fight the “war” against drunk driving . The NFL has the opportunity to use these instances to educate their players as well as people around the globe that driving under the influence is dangerous, risky and stupid. One wake up call should be enough.

I have a feeling…

On By kassienetteIn ControversyLeave a comment

I am sad. Manny Pacquiao got knocked out Saturday night. Boo. That was not suppose to happen!!! Now that it has, I have a feeling we will never see a Pacquiao fight Floyd Mayweather. Boo.

I am not a huge fan of boxing. I find it to be quite barbaric. Blood all over the place, faces twisted, literally. Just barbaric!! Not as barbaric as UFC but it is still hard to watch at times.  However, I used to love to watch “Iron” Mike Tyson fight. Probably because I did not have to watch him fight his opponent for long. He was dropping dudes in 30 seconds. SMH.

Anyway, back to Pacquiao. I did not watch Saturday’s fight and I have not even read an article about how the fight went. I do not know who won what rounds, if it was evenly matched or if Pacquiao was losing. I do know that in Round 6, Juan Marquez, hit Pacquiao with a right hand that sent him straight to the mat. I kept seeing pictures of the knockout, thanks to Twitter, but had managed to avoid seeing the actual knockout until last night while I was watching SportsCenter. That punch would have sent all of us straight to the mat. Wow.

So with that knockout, say bye bye to a Pacquiao-Mayweather fight. Pacquiao let Mayweather off the hook. Boo. No way Mayweather fights him after this. I personally think Mayweather has been a little shook when it comes to fighting Pacquiao. I sat at home a few months ago and watched Pacquiao say on LIVE tv that he would agree to Mayweather’s terms when it came to blood testing and that he would take a 55/45 split of the pot for the fight.  What else did Mayweather need to hear in order to agree to the fight? Did he need a guarantee from Pacquiao that he would let him win? Did he need to hear Pacquiao say how great of a fighter he is? Did he need to hear Pacquiao say he wants to be a part of Mayweather’s “Money Team?”

All of you true boxing fans should be mad at Mayweather. I do not think he ever wanted to fight Pacquiao and he was waiting for the perfect opportunity to justify his position. Well it looks like he got it. Mayweather has had plenty of opportunity over the past couple of years to meet Pacquiao’s camp half way. However, that is not his concern nor has he been concerned with giving boxing fans the fight they want to see. That reality is the true knockout in this whole situation.

The Kansas City Wake-Up Call…

On By kassienetteIn Football, NFL, Panthers2 Comments

The news that came out of Kansas City Saturday morning shook me to my core.

At first the news was very vague. Kansas City player commits suicide. My stomach churned when I read it. As the hours passed, the news got worse. The player shot and killed his girlfriend that morning. Stomach churned. The player committed suicide at the team facility. Stomach churned. The player committed suicide in front of his head coach and the general manager. Stomach churned hard. The player thanked his coach and general manager for all they had done for him before he committed suicide. Stomach churned hard, again. As a result of the player’s actions, a three month old girl is now an orphan. Tears fell.

The story read like something out of Hollywood. Boy meets girl. Boy falls in love with girl. Boy and girl have baby. Boy and girl lives end tragically. Only this was happening in real life and real lives have been impacted forever, including mine. Sounds kind of crazy, right? It was hard to escape the news of the story on Saturday. It was all over the internet and tv. Family and friends were talking about it. Strangers were talking about it. While no one could seem to grasp what happened, everyone seemed to be asking the same question: why?

Why would a 25 year old NFL player commit such a heinous act? Why would he leave his child in this world with no parent to raise her? Why would he commit suicide in front of his coach? Why? Why? Why? Unfortunately, the why’s will probably never get answered. We will probably never know why the player decided on Saturday morning that life was no longer worth living. As I have skimmed the internet over the past 48 hours, I have seen plenty of comments calling the player a punk, a coward and a murderer, the latter which is true. While the situation is beyond my understanding, I have been compelled to experience sympathy for the player who had a lot of life to live. From what has been reported by the people who knew him, he was confident, happy, quiet and a true gentleman. Many have expressed that they saw no signs that the player was troubled or suicidal. The irony lies in the fact that before the player went into that place that those who knew him had not seen, he was true to his known character, thanking his coach and GM for what they had done.

If you really sit and think about it, you may be compelled to sympathize the way I have. The player had to truly be in a deep, dark hole to not even see a glimmer of hope. A hole so deep that at that point in time, his daughter, whom by all accounts was the love of his life, was not even worth living for anymore. The thought of a hole that deep leaves a lump in my throat. Can you imagine being in a hole like that? It makes my heart ache. I have wondered if this was a result of something in his past that has scarred him. I have wondered if he felt he could not talk to anyone about what he was experiencing. I have wondered if he felt that as a man he could not express how he was feeling. Often I hear men say that they are taught that they have to be strong and not show a lot of emotion. Well, I think that is silly. Showing emotion does not make you any less of a man. In my opinion, NOT being able to show emotion makes you a weaker man. There is nothing wrong with a man crying., There is nothing wrong with a man admitting he is struggling with a particular situation. There is nothing wrong with a man asking for help. NOTHING. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

We live in a world where everyone is suppose to be strong. No one is suppose to hurt. We live in a world where we are so caught up in ourselves that we do not make time for the people who are important to us. We think they will always be here. We live in a world where we are too busy to pick up the phone and have a conversation. We have time for Facebook, Twitter and Instagram though. We live in a world where if we do not understand a situation, we like to make assumptions and jump to conclusions. We rarely take the time to truly assess the situation. This is the kind of world that squeezes people and leaves them feeling like there is no hope. This is the kind of world that leaves people feeling helpless. This is the kind of world that leaves people feeling like the only way it will get better is if they are not here. That is the kind of world that we live in but there is another side of the world that shows its face. This world is a good place with good people with good intentions.

Remember when I said earlier that this situation impacted my life? I am a very strong, independent woman. Just ask my mama. Or my aunt. Or my cousins. Or my best friends. I do not like to ask for help. I do not like to talk a lot about issues or situations that are bothering me. I do not like for people to see me cry. I know there is nothing wrong with being vulnerable but I do not like it. It is human nature to be that way but that does not mean it is right. We all play a role in this world and a couple of years ago I learned my role. Upon the revelation, I vowed to become more open about things that are going on and to not be ashamed of trials I have had to endure on the way to my destiny. However, this situation made me realize that I have a lot more growing to do. I will never be an open book to the public. Wait, let me refrain from saying never. I do not know if I will ever be an open book to the public but I have renewed that vow I made to myself years ago. I owe it to myself and those who love me. So do you.

The deaths of Kasandra Perkins and Jovan Belcher should be a wake up call for us all. A call to talk. A call to reach out. A call to love. A call to share. A call to care. A call to love. A call to action. Lets all do our part to answer the ringing that we hear. Someone’s life could be on the line.

The old switcheroo…

On By kassienetteIn Basketball, College football, Controversy, Football, SportsLeave a comment

Here we go again…

Before I went to sleep last night, I was skimming my Twitter timeline when my eyes landed on a tweet from SportsCenter “REPORT: ACC officials to vote on expansion candidates Wed. Louisville is most likely school to receive invite (via ACCSports.com).” My heart leaped for joy!! Not really. I rolled my eyes and said here we go again…

I am not sure if there is a word to express how annoying this realignment, musical chairs stuff is. For real. Almost every day there is talk of one school leaving this conference to go to another conference or this school does not want to pay this amount of money to leave their current conference. Talk about a mess!! Want to know what annoys me the most? The fact that this is all about MONEY. Surprising? Not at all. The decision makers could care less about tradition, alumni, the fans, etc. They are all playing switcheroo so they can see how much money they can make. Yes, athletic departments need money. Yes, institutions need money. Yes, the more money you have the more you can do for your school. However, society has become so money hungry that it is willing to sacrifice, at times, its integrity all because of a dollar or two.

Still not convinced this thing is money driven? In the college sports world, there are six major conferences: The Atlantic Coast Conference(ACC), the Big East Conference, the the Big 10 Conference, the Big 12 Conference, the Southeastern Conference(SEC) and the Pacific-12 Conference(Pac-12). Within the last two years, five out of the six conferences have either added or lost members due to the conference shuffle.

Lets take a look at the Big East, which I think will be extinct in a few years. As of today, the Big East consists of the University of Connecticut, Georgetown, St. John’s, Seton Hall, Syracuse, Rutgers, the University of Pittsburgh, Temple, the University of Cincinnati, DePaul, the University of Lousville, Marquette, the University of  South Florida and Notre Dame(in every sport except football). Louisville, Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Notre Dame have all jumped ship and are headed to the ACC. Rutgers is sailing to the Big 10. To compensate for the impending losses, the brilliant minds in the Big East have decided to add Boise State(yes, the school in Idaho), San Diego State, Southern Methodist(straight out of Texas)Houston, the University of Central Florida, the University of Memphis, Tulane, East Carolina(in football only) and Navy. Whew! Makes your head hurt right? I am just waiting to see a tweet announcing that the Big East is now the Big USA conference or the Coast to Coast with a stop in the midwest conference. That conference makes no sense whatsoever.

Want another example? The Big 12 which consists of Baylor, Iowa State, the University of Kansas, Kansas State University, the University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, the University of Texas, Texas Christian University, Texas tech University and West Virginia University. That is 10 schools for those of you keeping count. In 2011, the  University of Colorado and the University of Nebraska, bolted for the Pac-12 and Big 10, respectively. In 2012, the University of Missouri and Texas A&M left for the SEC. I fully expect the Big 12 to go after two more schools since they can not call themselves the Big 10, now can they?

This round robin, in my opinion, is putting a damper on college sports. Schools such as Texas A&M and the University of  Texas will no longer get to compete against each other year after year due to Texas A&M leaving the Big 12 to join the SEC. The ACC which had not lost a charter member since 1971, recently lost another when the University of Maryland decided to leave for the Big 10. High school athletes sometimes make decisions about where to go to school based on the conference they would play in. Etc. Etc. Etc. I could go on and on about why I wish a moratorium would be put in place when it comes to the switcheroo but I do not have the energy to do it. Plus I know my argument would just fall on death ears. So I will just sit back in The Korner, watching the money talk and secretly thanking them for giving me something to blog about, repeatedly. Insert sarcasm.

 

Until next time…TOODELLS.